Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1888
Specification Accepted, 18th May, 1888
I, LOUIS BOLLMANN of II Dianabad Vienna, in the Austrian Empire, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to shuttle sewing machines more particularly applicable to the
manufacture of sacks, sails, knitted fabrics, &c. and the improvements have reference
mainly first to the construction of and mode of driving the shuttle; secondly, to a
peculiar method of drawing in and controlling the needle thread; thirdly, to a peculiar
tension mechanism for the needle thread; fourthly, to a double feed motion for the
fabric in order to stretch the same; fifthly; in a peculiar automatic mechanism for
stopping the machine when either of the threads breaks or is used up.
I will proceed to describe my improvements with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which Figs. 1 to 7 and 19 to 22 shew the invention applied to a machine
with one needle and Figs. 8 to 18 as applied to a machine with two needles for the
manufacture of sacks &c. operating according to the method described in patent
No. 10130 of 1886.
Fig. 1 shews a side view in which the parts belonging to the shuttle are shewn in
section. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 a front view; Figs. 15, 16 & 18 shew the same
views of the two needle machine.
The other figures show detail views and modifications that will be hereinafter
referred to. Similar parts are indicated by the same letters in all the figures.
In Figs. 1, 2 & 3 B is the table and B₁ the upper arm of the machine. The main
shaft C rests in bearings bb and has at the right hand the eccentric D which imparts
the requisite motion to the needle bar F through the rod d arms e¹ E on the shaft E¹
and link e.
At the left hand end of shaft C is a bevil wheel R³ gearing with wheel R' having
half the number of teeth of R².
The wheel R is part of the shuttle carrier R which is fixed on a shaft carried in
the support P and which is shewn to an enlarged scale together with the shuttle at
Figs. 19 to 22.
In the carrier is fixed a crown wheel X, Figs. 19 to 21, the teeth of which gear
with corresponding recesses in the underside of the shuttle S which has an inclined

page_text: position relatively to the carrier, so that the wheel X can only gear with the recesses
on one side of the shuttle, in order to carry it round, while on the side where the
needle is situated the teeth are sufficiently far away from the shuttle to allow the
free passage of the needle thread which passes round it as shewn at Fig. 21.
The downward projecting rim S2 of the shuttle, Figs. 20 & 21 is formed internally
and externally with spherical surfaces, the centre of which lies in the crossing point S³
of the two axes of R and S.
In like manner the two surfaces on the inner side of the carrier R and on the outer
edge of the wheel X that come in contact with the said surfaces, are also formed
spherical in a corresponding manner.
If now the shuttle be placed with its lower rim in the circular groove formed
between the carrier and the wheel X it will be carried quite free while revolving and
will yet be effectually held.
On the outside of the shuttle is a projecting circular riu s which revolves in a
corresponding recess in the shuttle bed V and is held therein by a ring v Figs. 1
and 9.
This recess is however larger in diameter than the rim s so that the shuttle is only
held in a radial direction by the carrier R and wheel X while the bed V only holds it
in the inclined position.
As the motion between the shuttle rim S2 and the circular groove in R is only very
-small-in comparison to the circumferential motion of the shuttle in the bed V
(about th) the friction and wear resulting from the lateral-pull of the two threads,
and the pressure of the driving gear is practically done away with by this
arrangement.
The friction of the rim s in the bed is small because it is only caused by the pressure
due to the weight of the shuttle and its spool. In the rim s is a gap by which is
formed the hook that seizes the loop of the needle thread, as shewn in the underside
plan at Fig. 20 and in the upperside plan at Fig. 22. At the point where this hook
is situated, one of the recesses is omitted from the shuttle and one of the teeth x of
the wheel X as shewn at Figs. 19 and 20 in order to afford a free passage to the
thread as shewn at Fig. 21.
In the centre of the shuttle is a pin on which the socket of the plate y can turn
freely and on which revolves the spool Y the thread of which is passed through suitable
holes in the downwardly bent rim of the plate y and is then led upwards. On the
top of y is a semicircular spring s3 shewn in the plan Fig. 5.
The thread in passing outward is first led under this spring and then through a
hole in the projecting end thereof towards the seam. In the inner rim of y are
formed several thread holes in order that the thread may be passed through in varying
lateral positions relatively to the spring so as to pass under different portions of the
same, and thus to obtain a greater or less tension.
While the shuttle is revolving the plate y remains stationary owing to the pull of
the thread and the spool only rotates when thread is drawn off it. Instead of a spool
a ball of thread may be used as shewn at Fig. 27.
The ball is placed in a circular capsule Y having at bottom a conical tube that
revolves free upon the pin of the shuttle both of which however do not extend to the
top removeable cover y in order that the thread passing from the inside of the ball
may pass freely through the central hole in the cover. On the cover is a suitable
friction spring beneath which the thread is passed for obtaining the required tension as
also a projection through which the thread is passed towards the seam.
The capsule
remains stationary while the shuttle revolves.
The tension of the thread is more uniform with balls than with spools; but the use
of balls necessitates a ball winding machine for winding them properly, as otherwise
they do not unwind well; this arrangement is therefore more suitable for large
factories. In consequence of the wheel R' being half the size of R2, the shuttle
revolves twice for every stitch by this means sufficient time is gained, with continuous
rotation of the shuttle for drawing in the large loop of the needle thread, as the
shuttle runs empty during one revolution.

page_text: The loop formed during the upward motion of the needle is first seized by a
separate hook T Figs. 5, 6 and 21, and after being drawn slightly downwards is
passed on to the shuttle hook s. The hook T then passes still further downwards in
order during the expansion of the loop by the shuttle, to serve as support to the
thread, and to prevent it from rubbing against the bottom rim of the shuttle as shewn
at Fig. 21 by which means the expansion of the loop is facilitated and the wear of the
thread prevented.
The expansion of the loop only takes place after the needle has left the fabric so
that only slight resistance is offered to it by which means a very large shuttle for very
rapid sewing is enabled to be used.
In the large sack machine with two needles made by me the shuttle contains as
much strong flax thread as will sew a seam of 140 metres in length.
The mechanism for actuating the hook T may be variously arranged. In Figs. 5
and 6 the hook T is connected by a hinge joint to the arm which receives a to and
fro motion from a cam q Fig. 1 on the main shaft by means of an arm 7 on the
shaft of Q. A spring (not shown) presses the arm gagainst the cam g. In order
to impart to the hook T at the same time an up and down motion it has at its right
hand end a roller taking into a cam groove t.
After the loop has been fully expanded it must be drawn in again which is effected
by the two arms G3 G Figs. 1, 2 & 3, the ends of which have friction rollers round
which the needle thread is passed as shown at Fig. 3. The motion of these arms is
such that the rollers are simultaneously moved to and fro from each other and in the
latter movement they act upon the thread in the manner of pulley tackle, in order to
draw the same rapidly through the needle eye with only a small motion of
the arms.
This
arrangement is necessary on account of the large size of the shuttle (which
with my sack machine requires about 24 centimetres for the loop) as with only a
single arm too great a motion would be required. The arm G³ is fixed on the shaft g²
and receives its motion through the cam drum G by means of the levers G1 G2 which
are connected by means of a link with an arm fixed on the shaft g. The arm G¹ is
put in motion by G³ as shewn at Fig. 3.
In shuttle machines with large shuttle spools it is in practice difficult to regulate
the thread tension in such a way that the joint of the two threads always remains
exactly in the middle of the fabric; as the spools get run out the tension of the lower
thread increases, and the joint comes more and more to the underside, and every
variation in the thickness of the fabric in the nature of the threads, and in the speed
of working alters the appearance of the stitch. This disadvantage occurs more
particularly with large revolving shuttles because the shuttle thread is not drawn off
the spool simultaneously with the upper thread by an advance of the shuttle but only
by the drawing in of the upper thread.
I have formerly effected a certain positive motion by imparting to the cover y
Fig. 5 a slight partial rotation at the required moment. But I have afterwards found
the following arrangement of the upper thread tension H Figs. 1, 2 & 7 much more
effective.
Fig. 7 shews a side view of the same. The front part H is an ordinary friction
disc revolving on a hollow stud on the upright B2, and connected with a small
spindle, carried in the upright by means of the hemispherical spring in such a manner
that both must rotate together. h is a clamping disc fixed on the small spindle and
having on its back face a projecting rim that is frictionally held by the clamp h³
which is urged round to the left, (Fig. 1) by a small spring, not shewn. This
clamping device acts in the same manner as the clamping ratchet of a feed wheel
according to the Howe system and which is also contained in the feed wheel M Fig. 3.
The inner end of the clamp ³ takes into a notch in the boss of the part ³ which
turns on the spindle. On the shaft g2 is a tappet c which in moving to and fro with
the shaft bears against the part h2, whereby the clamp h³ is drawn to the left by the
pressure of the before mentioned spring without taking the clamping disc h
with it.

page_text: When the stitch is drawn tight, and the discs H and are turned by the stretched
thread the clamp h³ also moves with it until it bears against the piece and thereby
stops the discs so that they cannot deliver any more thread. is connected with the
pointer H if the latter is moved upward, the movement of the tension disc is
reduced and less thread is given off for the stitch.
In order however to enable more thread to be delivered for some stitches, his
made loose on the pointer spindle and is so connected by a spring (Fig. 1) to a finger
on the spindle that it can under exceptional circumstances recede against the spring
pressure and allow more thread to be delivered, in order that this may not break
when the stitch passes over a thick part of the fabric or round a corner. This spring
is however so arranged that in ordinary sewing it will not yield. This arrangement
allows the use of only a slight tension on the lower thread and produces a tight and
very regular stitch. When the clamping disc h requires to be put out of action, the
pointer H2 has to be turned down to the full extent.
When sewing jute sacks, elastic knitted goods &c. the operator must, as is well
known, draw out the fabric behind the needle in order to properly extend it, so that
the seam may not be puckered by the tension and thus lose its elasticity. This often
requires considerable practice and exertion; the operator often pulls unequally
or not at all, whereby the stitching becomes unequal and the work defective.
In order to obviate this defect 1 employ two distinct feed motions, as shewn at
Figs. 1 and 3; that nearest the needle is a so called hopping feed k³, which is
connected at bottom-by-an-articulated_joint with the lever k carried in P, and the
rear end of which bears against a cam which is formed on the shaft C within the
wheel R² in such manner as to impart to the hopping feed the necessary up and down
motion.
The to and fro motion is effected by a second cam on shaft
which imparts motion
to the feed through the bell crank lever I link L and short lever l².
A spring (not shewn) presses the feed ³ in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3 and
at the same time presses L³ against the end of the arm L, which can be adjusted by
means of the setting screw and which serves as fulcrum for L³. The higher the
arm L is set the shorter will be the feed motion of 3. M is a feed wheel according
to the construction of Howe with two clamps m³ m³ the ends of which enter notches
in the boss of the slotted arm m, and a third one me the end of which enters a notch
in the fixed shaft, and which prevents the wheel from turning back; these clamps are
drawn by springs in the direction of the arrows.
The arm m is connected by a rod 13 with I³ the pivot of 13 being adjustable in the
slot of m by a setting screw, in order to vary the proportion between the length of
feed of M and ³. The greater the feed given by M as compared with that of 43,
the more will the fabric be stretched and a puckering of the stitch he prevented.
and are the two pressers, provided at their upper ends with arms 2 2 upon which
the lifter & acts.
K
The two needle machine shewn at Figs. 15, 16, 17 & 18 is generally of the
same construction. The main shaft C is carried at in the upper arm B and its
extension B, and imparts its rotation to the shaft O in the lower suspended table by
means of two pairs of bevil wheels and the shaft N2 passing through the thin part
of the arm, according to my before mentioned previous patent in order to sew
tubular fabrics of any length.
The construction of the two shuttles and parts in connection therewith is
substantially the same as before described.
Fig. 8 is a plan without the needle plate N and Fig. 9 a cross section through
the needle plane, the section at the right hand being only through the table while at the
left hand it is through all the parts. The two carriers R have toothed rings gearing
with each other so that the rotation of the one is imparted to the other. When the
plate N is removed all the parts can be taken out to clean.
The two hooks T are fixed on one and the same rod to which the requisite motion
is imparted by the two cam drums Q1, Q3 Fig. 15 by means of levers QQ.
The needle bar F receives its motion from the cam drum D through the bell crank

page_text: lever E and link e Fig. 17. G¹ is the arm for drawing up the thread, which is
actuated by the drum G; its end, as also the upper part of the needle bar F are
provided with thread pullies round which the two upper threads are lead in a similar
manner to pulley tackle, as shewn at Fig. 15. By simultaneously moving these
pullies from each other the thread loop is drawn in the same manner as described with
reference to the levers G³ G Fig. 3. The thread tension disc H is shewn to an
enlarged scale at Figs. 10, 11, & 12. The friction disc H and clamping disc h are
connected, and revolve on a pin fixed to B2, on which h² also turns; the clamp h¹
enters the boss of h²; h² is turned by a crank pin c on the end of the shaft C.
On drawing up the threads the clamp ' bears against the spring which is connected
to the pointer H2 Fig. 12, whereby the previously described stopping is effected.
Fig. 28 shows another form of the clamp for the same purpose, and any
other frictional ratchet or even a toothed ratchet may be used.
This machine sews a jute hose of 120 metres length quite automatically; it
must therefore be automatically stopped as soon as one of the four threads
break or runs out, as the missing seam could not be afterwards sewn in the
long hose because it could not be got at.
Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 show the arrangement for stopping. The upper threads
pass from the spools (not shewn) between the front friction arms which are attached
to the underside of the bearing block Figs. 15 and 17 then round the friction
discs H and thence through the holes of the guide piece /* fixed to the upright,
to the roller on the arm G'. Above they are seized by the hook shaped lower
ends of the two small levers i i which are pivotted to the end of the lever i which
turns on a pin carried by the upright B².
The upper ends of rest against the ring I fixed on the shaft C against which
they are pressed by two springs Fig. 14. This ring has a notch into which
the ends of the levers i are pressed by the springs when it comes opposite them,
and the ring is thereby made to press them downwards, until their lower rounded
elbow is brought in contact with the rounded corner of B2, when they will ho
turned on their centre so as to liberate the upper ends from the ring I again."
The notch in the ring arrives in front of the levers ii at the moment when the
needle thread loops have already been drawn in, and their tensions just begin to cause
the threads to be drawn off the tension discs H.
This tension prevents the levers i i that are engaged with the threads from entering
the notch of I by the pressure of the springs. But as soon as one of the threads
breaks or comes to an end the upper thread will be loose and the spring can act on
the lever. This is also effected with certainty when the under thread fails, because
the moment of action is so arranged that the stopping is effected before the
thread is drawn off the tension dises H the thread being then under proper
tension if the under thread is in order, but not if this runs out or breaks.
The back end of the lever i serves as a pawl for the part, provided with a tooth,
which is shewn in Figs. 15, 16, 17 & 18.
A rod connects with the stopping lever J at the band pullies C³ which by
means of a fork acted upon by a spring (not shewn) throws the driving band or cord
from the fast to the loose pulley C² as soon as is liberated by the action of disc I
on the lever i¹.
The machine is started again by throwing the belt over again by means of an arm
on the disengaging lever, whereupon will be again held by .
This stopping motion can also be applied to the first described machine Figs. 1, 2
& 4, but in this case, as the shaft C is not over the table a cam fixed on the shaft g
must be used in place of the ring I, which can easily be arranged.
The lever can also be made to close an electrical circuit which excites an
electromagnet the armature of which is made to act upon the stopping lever J, in any
convenient known manner.
The feed wheel M receives its motion from the cam drum M and the lever M¹
gearing therewith, which is connected by a rod m² with the arm m³ formed in one
with the boss of the wheel and with the slotted lever m. The connection of the .

page_text: rod m² with lever M' is capable of adjustment by a screw, so as to vary the length of
stitch.
The arm m is connected by a rod, adjustable in its slot, with the hopping feed k³.
K is the presser for the latter and that for the feed wheel, both of which can be
raised by the lifter k¹.
Figs. 24, 25, and 26 shew a modification in which both feed motions are effected
by means of hopping feeds M and ³. Here C is the driving shaft with two cams of
which one effects the up and down motion of the feeds while the other acts upon a
lever that is connected by two separately adjustable rods m² with the two levers M¹.
The feeds M and are respectively connected to one of the levers M'.
The length of each feed motion can be separately adjusted by the respective
rod M², whereby both the length of stitch and the degree to which the fabric is
stretched can be regulated. The presser K is common to both feeds, and adjusts
itself as shewn at Fig. 25.
Fig. 23 shows a modification of the revolving shuttle S and its carrier R.
The mode of driving and holding the shuttle is as at Fig. 21; but the carrier
revolves on a horizontal axis and the hook of the shuttle which is situated between
the bottom of the shuttle and the toothed wheel X, seizes the thread loop just in front
of the needle which enters between the carrier and the bottom of the shuttle. A
_separate hook T is not used in this case.
The shuttle only rotates once-for-each-stitch but in order to gain time for drawing
in the loop it is made either to revolve with variable speed or to have a reciprocating
motion. The bed is formed by the divided plate V which takes in to an external
groove in the shuttle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1 claim is :-
1. For preventing the lateral friction of a revolving shuttle S in its bed V the use
of a revolving carrier R Figs. 9 and 21 the axis of which is at an angle to that of
the shuttle and which has a crown wheel X the teeth of which gear with corresponding
recesses in the bottom of the shuttle, so as to carry this round with it, the surfaces of
the carrier the crown wheel and the shuttle which come in contact be formed as parts
of a sphere whose centre is situated at the point of intersection of the two axes,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The herein described arrangement whereby the shuttle is made to revolve twice
continuously for each stitch, the one rotation effecting the expansion of the thread
loop and the second one serving to allow time for drawing the stitch tight.
3. The mode of forming the stitch whereby the loop of the needle thread is seized
by a hook T moving up and down and to and fro and is then drawn down and
transferred to the point S of the shuttle in order to be fully expanded by the latter
and drawn round the shuttle spool, the hook T being made to assume such a position
as to serve as support to the thread and thereby prevent its friction against the lower
edge of the shuttle substantially as herein described.
4. For preventing the rotation of the shuttle thread, mounting the shuttle spool or
the ball capsule in such manner that it does not rotate with the shuttle but is
mounted stationary by means of a socket fitting loose on a central pin in the shuttle,
so that as the latter revolves, the spool is held back by the tension of its thread,
substantially as herein described.
5. Effecting the drawing in of the needle thread loop by means of two friction
pullies or equivalent appliances round which the thread is passed and that are made to
move away from each other, simultaneously the said pullies being either mounted on
the ends of two moveable arms such as G G Fig. 3, or on one arm G and on the
needle bar F. Fig. 15, or in any other suitable manner for effecting a motion similar
to that of pulley tackle, substantially as herein described.
6. Regulating the upper thread tension by means of a locking or clamping
device Figs. 7, 12, and 28 connected with the tension disc, and which is so
regulated by means of a pointer or equivalent device that for each stitch only a

page_text: certain length of thread can be drawn off from the tension disc H, the further
movement hereof being prevented by a clamp acting in combination with a
spring stop, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The use of a double feed motion one of which situated farthest from the needle
moves the fabric faster than other nearest the needle whereby the fabric is stretched
between the two feeds, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
8. Effecting the stopping of the machine when any one of the threads breaks or
runs out by the action of the decreased or interrupted tension of the upper thread
such thread being in contact with a lever i or its equivalent acted upon by a spring so
that when the tension of the thread is slackened the lever is moved and is either
brought in contact with a device such as I or is made to close an electric circuit
whereby the stopping gear of the machine is actuated, substantially as herein
described.
D
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.