IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Pilbeam, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of
IN SEWING MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
Sealed the 10th November 1863, and dated the 14th May 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Pilbeam at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th May 1863.
I, ALEXANDER PILBEAM, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates more particularly to sewing machines of the kind in
which the needle thread is carried over a stationary lower bobbin by a hook
having an elliptical and oscillating motion, but some of the improvements are
also applicable to other kinds of sewing machines.
In machines of the kind referred to as hitherto constructed the parts are
arranged so that the material being sewed is fed towards the right hand of
the operator, who sits facing the end of the oscillating arm which carries and
works the needle. In the machine as constructed according to the present
Invention, however, the arrangement is so altered that the operator faces the
side of the needle arm, the material being fed in a direction from the operator.
For this purpose the position of the presser foot, and the position and direction
of action of the feed works are reversed, and the bobbin holder and hook are
shaped so that their various parts lie in directions the reverse of those of the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: older arrangement. In the older machines of the kind referred to, the feed
works the lower bobbin with its holder and hook, and the parts which actuate
the needle arm are above the level of the main table top, but according to the
present Invention all these parts are sunk below that level, and in order with
this arrangement to get conveniently at the lower bobbin and its holder, the
top plate of the machine is fitted with sliding plates, which can be removed,
and the bobbin holder is hinged to the fixed part of the machine, so that it
can be turned into a convenient position. The two cheeks of the bobbin
holder are also hinged together, and when the parts are all turned into position
for working they are all firmly held by a single hinged latch. The hinge of
the bobbin holder may be left free to separate, so that the holder may be lifted
clear away. The advantage of these improved arrangements is, that the use
of screws is avoided. A plate is fitted beneath the bobbin holder to prevent
the bobbin from falling away when the holder is opened.
Another improvement comprised in the present Invention consists in con-
structing the table or support of the machine so as to enclose the parts in a
small compass when not in use, and in a convenient and compact manner
suitable for travelling. For this purpose the machine with the upper part of
the supporting table is fitted to slide vertically down into a case forming the
lower part, being held up when in use by levers or catches. The treadle is
fitted in the bottom of the case, and the connecting rod is made telescopic, or
so that it can be easily disconnected. The front vertical side of the case is
arranged in one or more pieces with hinges, so as to fold down upon the floor,
or so as to fold round upon one of the vertical sides, and the top or lid of the
case is hinged to one of the vertical sides, and so that it can when opened be
folded down against the side, to the top of which it is hinged. It may be
mentioned that for a machine of ordinary size and proportions, the case con-
structed as described will when closed measure only about eighteen inches
long by twelve inches broad, and eighteen inches deep. The improved
support and casing is applicable to various kinds of sewing machines.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Pilbeam, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander
Pilbeam, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Alexander Pilbeam, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM.
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Alexander Pilbeam, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertained the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Pilbeam, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates more particularly to sewing machines of the kind
in which the needle thread is carried over a stationary lower bobbin by a hook
having an elliptical and oscillating motion, but some of the improvements
are also applicable to other kinds of sewing machines..
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is
to be performed, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two
Sheets of explanatory Drawings, to be herein-after referred to, and representing
modifications of my improved arrangements.
Figure 1, on Sheet I of the Drawings, is a horizontal section, and Figures
2 and 3, are longitudinal and transverse vertical sections of one modification
showing the principal details, but without the stand and treadle driving gear.
In machines of the kind referred to as hitherto constructed the parts are
arranged so that the material being sewed is fed towards the right hand of the
operator, who sits facing the end of the oscillating arm 1 which carries and
works the needle 2. In the machine as constructed according to my present

page_text: Invention, however, the arrangement is so altered that the operator faces the
side of the needle arm 1, namely, the opposite side to that shown in Figure 2,
the material being fed in a direction from the operator, that is to say, from
right to left of Figure 3. For this purpose the position of the presser foot 3
and the position and direction of action of the feed dog 4 and feed works are
reversed, and the bobbin holder 5 and hook 6 are shaped so that their various
parts lie in directions the reverse of those of the older arrangement. In the
older machines of the kind referred to, the feed works the lower bobbin 7, with
its holder 5 and hook 6, and the parts which actuate the needle arm 1, are
above the level of the main table top; but according to my present Invention
all these parts are sunk below that level, that is to say, below the level 8, 9;
and in order with this arrangement to get conveniently at the lower bobbin 7
and its holder 5, the top plate 8, 9, of the machine is fitted with sliding
plates 10, which can be removed, and the bobbin holder is hinged at 11 to
the fixed part of the machine, so that it can be turned into a convenient
position. The two cheeks 5, 12, of the bobbin holder are also hinged together
at 11, and when the parts are all turned into position for working, as shown
in the Figures, they are all firmly held by a single hinged lifting latch 13.
The hinge of the bobbin holder may be left free to separate, so that the
holder may be lifted clear away. One advantage of these improved arrange-
ments is, that the use of screws is avoided. A plate may be fitted below the
bobbin holder 5 to prevent the bobbin from falling away when the holder is
opened. The remaining details comprised in the machine are arranged much
as in the older machines herein-before referred to. I may, however, observe,
that considerable difficulty has hitherto been experienced in fixing the length
and centre of motion of the radius link 14, which is jointed to the lower limb
15 of the hook piece 6, and which controls the motion of the hook, and that
I have overcome that difficulty by adopting the proportions shown in Figure 2.
These proportions are determined by making the links 14 equal in length to
the distance between the highest and lowest positions of the rotating crank
pin 16 which carries round the hook piece 6, 15, added to the distance between
the crank pin 16 and the bottom joint 17, and the centre of the link 14 is
placed on a horizontal line drawn exactly midway between the highest and
lowest positions of the bottom joint 17.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section of a modification of the holder details for
the lower bobbin, in which, instead of the latch 13 there is formed or fixed en
the outer cheek 5, a grooved arc 18, and the cheek is held in its closed position
by a screw 19 entered through the grooved are 18 into a seat formed for it cu

page_text: the casting. It will be obvious that the improved arrangements herein-before
described are more or less applicable to machines which differ slightly in their
working details from the kind herein-before more particularly referred to.
Thus, instead of having the elliptically moving hook piece 6, 15, the machine
may be of the kind having a rotating hook with a correspondingly modified
bobbin holder.
Another improvement comprised in my present Invention consists in con-
structing the table or support of the machine so as to enclose the parts,
including the treadle-driving gear, in a small compass when not in use, and in
a convenient and compact manner suitable for travelling. It will be obvious
that the details of this improved arrangement are susceptible of considerable
modification. I have, however, shown two convenient arrangements upon
Sheet 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Figures 5 and 6 are front and side elevations of one modification, as
arranged open for use, the same being shown closed in Figure 7. In this
example the upper part of the supporting table 21, having the machine 22
fixed upon it, is fitted to slide vertically down into a case 23 forming the
lower part, being held up when in use by levers or catches. indicated at 24.
The treadle 25 is fitted in the bottom of the case 23, and the connecting rod
is made telescopic, or so that it can easily be disconnected or folded together.
The front side of the upper case 21 has a piece 26, which turns up when the
case is moved down, and a cover piece 27 is hinged to the top of the back
vertical side of the lower case, and these two folding pieces 26 and 27 serve
to completely enclose the parts when packed or collapsed, as shown in Figure 7.
Figures 8 and 9 are front and side clevations representing the other modi-
fication, as arranged open for use, the same being shown closed in Figure 10.
In this example the upper part 21, with the machine 22 on it, is simply
hinged or jointed to the lower part 23, so as to fold down into the latter,
whilst a folding piece 28 hinged to the bottom serves to close the front of the
lower part. The treadle connecting rod is made to separate in the middle,
and the parts can be folded out of the way for packing.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that I do not restrict
myself to the precise details herein described or delineated; but that what I
believe to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
1. The arranging or combining of the working parts of sewing machines,
substantially in the improved manner herein-before described.

page_text: 2. The constructing of the table or support of a sewing machine with
treadle driving gear, so as to fold down into the form of a compact case,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Pilbeam, have hereunto set.
my hand and seal, this Third day of November. in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness.
EDMUND HUNT, Patent Agent,
28, St. Enoch Square, Glasgow.
ALEXANDER PILBEAM. (...)