IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,"
in the County of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING."-A communication fromi William..
Wickersham, of Lowell, in the County of Middlesex, and State
of Massachusetts, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 8th September 1853, and dated the 10th May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 10th May 1853.
I, WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County:
of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Civil Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHI- .
NERY.OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING," to be as follows:-
These machines are applicable for stitching cloth, leather, or other.
material, and will form eitlier the well-known chain or looped stitch"
with a single thread, or a stitch or plegma formed of two distinct
i

page_text: threads in such a manner that the loops of one thread shall alternately
pass through or be interlooped with those of the other.
The improvements consist in an improved construction of needle, or
implement for inserting the thread and forming the stitches, an
improved arrangement of thread guides for laying the thread into the
needle after it has pierced the material, and an improved mode of feed-
ing the material.
In sewing double stitch two bobbins are employed, which are fitted
beneath the bed plate of the machine, and the ends of these threads
are each passed respectively through separate guides. These guides
are fitted beneath the material to be stitched, and are attached each to
a short vertical spindle, a horizontal movement being given them by a
suitable cam. The needle or instrument for forming the stitches
consists of a hook, somewhat similar to a crochet hook, but fitted
with a closing piece on the barbed side of the needle, which closes
the hook previous to its withdrawal out of the material to prevent
its catching. The material is held down by a flat pressing plate and
spring, and the requisite travel for forming the length of the stitches
is obtained from another plate, which is roughened to bite the material.
This rough plate is attached to the lower extremity of a vertical rod, to
which a lateral or oscillating movement is given by the descent of a
suitable incline, the length of travel and consequently of the stitch
being regulated by the greater or less vertical movement of the
incline.
The action of this machine is as follows:-The hooked needle is first
pushed through the material to be sewed, the small slide herein-before
mentioned remaining stationary for a time, being retained by two spring
blades; this has the effect of leaving the hook open when under the
material, but the farther descent of the hook causes the point of the
slide to be also passed through the same hole, but still not so far as to
close the hook; by coming in contact with its point in this state, with
the slide and hook both through the material, but with the hook open,
one of the above-mentioned thread guides passes its thread over the
hook, which then commences to ascend, but as the ascent of the slide
does not take place till a short time after that of the hook, it follows

page_text: that by the time the latter arrives at the under side of the material.it
becomes closed by the slide, which guards the point of the hook, and
prevents it catching as it passes through the material. The material
now moves forward, and the hook then descends again through the loop
it has just drawn, and pierces the material in a different place, when
the second thread guide places its thread over the hook, which draws it
out through the previously formed loop of the other thread, and so on.
The threads are retained stretched by means of two blade springs,
through which they are passed respectively before entering the guides..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Johnson in the Great Scal Patent Office,
i on the 10th November 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Johnson, Her special- license
that I, the said William Johnson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Johnson, my executors,
administrators, or 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR SEWING," being a communication to me
from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Johnson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: 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 William Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:
The said Invention relates to various arrangements of machinery,
apparatus, or means to be used for sewing or uniting cloth or other
material, by which arrangements superior efficiency and economy in the
performance of such operations is secured. And in order that the
Invention may be fully and properly understood I shall now proceed
to describe the several Figures on the sheet of Drawings hereunto
attached.
Figure 1, on the sheet of Drawings is a complete external side
elevation of one modification of the improved sewing machine.
Figure 2, is a front view corresponding as taken at right angles to
Figure 1, and looking on the needle action end. Figure is a trans-
verse vertical section of the machine as taken through the hooked
needle, and corresponding to the elevation, Figure 2. Figure 4, is a
longitudinal vertical section or a sectional elevation of the machine,
corresponding to Figure 1, and taken through the needle action, so as
to exhibit the needle slide and the mechanism for working it, as well as
a portion of the movement for feeding the fabric along beneath the
needle. Figure 5, is a plan of the entire machine. Figure 6, is a
plan of the same reversed, that is, looking on the bottom side of the
working plate, and shewing the mechanism beneath that plate.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, represent various
details to which I shall herein-after refer in explanation of the work-
ing details of the mechanism.
The machinery is calculated for sewing cloth or other material either
in a chain stitch with a single thread, the formation of which is well
understood, or a stitch formed of two threads, and so that the loops of

page_text: ..
one of the said threads shall alternately pass through, or be interlocked
with those of the other, as represented in Figure 7, in which a, andib,
may be supposed to represent a section of. two layers of cloth to. be
sewn together; c, and d, the two, threads, one, being represented, in
black lines, and the other in red lines. The loops of the thread c, are
seen at e, c, whilst: those of the thread d, are exhibited at ff. In
plegna stitch sewing, made essentially in the manner. as. represented in
Figure 7, the loops of one thread serve to bind those of the other
in the cloth, so as to, prevent either thread from being unravelled or
drawn out of the cloth. By this improved mode of sewing cloth, or
of forming sewing by the interlooping of two threads, so that the loops
shall be entirely on one. side of the cloth, the great. objection to the
ordinary chain stitch by reason of the ease with which it is unravelled
is overcome. In the Drawings A, represents the frame or table of the
machine, to which a, hollow arm or bracket B, is: attached, and made to
extend above and over the upper surface of the table.. This arm
supports the needle slide or carrier C, which is a rod or, bar of metal
made to slide freely up and down in a vertical direction, and is-jointed
to the extreme end of the upper arm of a bent lever D, that plays..
vertically on a fulcrum at E. The movement of the lever D, is effected
by means of a grooved cam F, fixed on the driving shaft G, the lower
end of the said lever, or a projection upon it being made to extend into
the groove g, of the cam, which is formed so as to impart the proper.
movements to the needle,carrier..The needle is shewn at h; it is made
to extend down from the lower end of the carrier F, and is formed as
represented in side view on an enlarged scale in Figure. 10, and .in.
section in Figure 9. It consists of a hook h, and in connection with
this hook there is a small slide i, that is arranged as delineated in the
Drawings, and made to work up and down in a groove formed in the
shank of the needle. Its lower end when brought down upon the top k,
of the hook; closes the entrance of the hook, and as such slide i, is so
moved down on the hook previous to its upward movement through
the.cloth. it prevents the hook from catching in the cloth. The mode
of working the slide i, will be herein-after more particularly explained.
In connection with the hook or needle two thread guides or
-

page_text: carriers H, I, are employed. They consist of two curved arms or thin
blades of steel that respectively project from or are connected to two
vertical shafts K, L. A arm M, extends at right angles from each of
the said shafts, and carries a small projection or stud 1, that is made to
enter the groove m, of a cam N, that is fixed on the driving or main
shaft G. There is an arm O, extended from the other shaft, which arm
carries a projection or stud n, that is made to enter the groove of the
said cam N, the groove being so made as to impart a movement to
each thread carrier, such as will cause it to work at the proper time
to lay its thread across the hook of the needle, after the latter has been
moved down through the cloth. The threads are represented at o,
and p. They respectively proceed from bobbins 9, 1, suitably placed.
Each thread, before it is passed through the eye or hole of its thread
guide or carrier, is passed through an eye or hole made through one
end of a draught spring R, or S. The object of the said draught
springs is to draw their respective threads into the cloth, and to keep
them always straight, so that the thread carriers may throw the threads
into the hook of the needle. In Figures 12, and 14, are exhibited
separate side views of the thread guides H, I, the holes or eyes for
the passage of the thread through each of them being seen at s, and t.
In the thread guide I, having the eye t, there is an elongated slot or
hole u, made in front of the hole t. In sewing with two threads they
are carried respectively through the eyes s, and t, but in using one
thread only for the purpose of making the ordinary chain stitch it is
carried from the bobbin through the tension spring, and thence through
the eyes, of the guide H, and through the elongated slot u, of the
guide I, such slot being essential to the correct laying of the thread
over the hook of the needle by the two guides, when they are arranged
as represented in the Drawings, so as also to be capable of operating
with two threads, for the slot u, of the guide I, allows the thread to
move forwards with the guide H, and thus prevents the drag on the
thread, which would otherwise follow. The needle slide has a small
projection v, that extends from the upper part of it, and between two
spring plates w, a, (see Figure 15, which represents a horizontal
section of the needle slide, and its spring plates,) the said spring plates

page_text: being made to press strongly against the projection on opposite sides
of it. There is also a small pin or projection w¹, that extends through
the needle slide somewhat below the projection v, as delineated in
Figure 11, which is a side view of the needle, its carrier, and slide,
the same showing the slide in edge view. The said pin or projection w',
is arranged within a notch a¹, formed in the needle carrier, the whole
being arranged so that the slide, during each up and down movement
of the needle, may be caused to operate as follows, that is to say:
during the descent of the needle it will pass down entirely through the
cloth, and far enough to carry the top of its hook a short distance
below the lower edge of the cloth. The spring plates w, a, are made
to grasp the projection v, with sufficient force to prevent the slide from
descending with the needle, until the top of the slide abuts against the
top of the notch of the needle slide. As soon as this takes place the
needle slide will be moved downwards, and will pass through the cloth,
but not so far through it as the top of the hook of the needle. The
needle may then be said to be opened, so that a thread may be laid in
its hook by one of the thread guides. Such thread having been so laid
in the hook of the needle, the needle is next raised upwards, and will
pass upwards independently of the needle slide, which in the mean-
time is held down by the action of the plates v, w, until the lower end
of the slide is met by the ascending hook of the needle, or until the
lower side of the notch of the needle carrier is brought up against the
pin w'. When this last takes place the needle is so closed, or its hook
protected, that the said hook can pass freely upwards through the
cloth and the loop without catching in either. The needle slide after-
wards rises upwards with the needle until the upward movement of
the needle ceases. When the downward movement of the needle next
takes place the clamp plates v, w, cause its slide to remain stationary
a short interval of time until the needle hook descends away from it,
which motion will take place until the top part of the notch of the
slide strikes against the top part of the needle slide, which occurring
the needle slide will move downwards with the needle, as before
described.
I shall now describe the mechanism for feeding the cloth under the

page_text: :
..
needle. with an intermittent movement. The cloth rests on the top of
the table, and whenever the needle is raised out of the cloth, the latter
is moved forwards a distance equal to the length of each stitch, the
cloth remaining at rest while the needle is in it. For this purpose a
propeller A', is used, consisting of a plate of metal a', made rough. or
formed with teeth on its lower.surface. This piece of metal.rests..on
the top of the cloth, and partly around the needle. It is delineated: in
underside view in Figure 16. It is attached to the lower end of a bar b',
that slides freely up, and down in the front part of the arm B,.and is
elevated by means of a lever, B. that turns on, a fulcrum at C, and is
so, jointed or connected at its rear end, with the upper arm of the bent
lever D, as to be caused to play or vibrate, on its fulcrum by the said
lever D, when in motion. A spring D', has one, end attached to the
lower side of the lever-B', while the other end is made to pass through
a notch c¹, made in the bar b', as seen in
in Figure 8, which represents. a
vertical cross section of the end of the hollow arm B, taken through
the slide bar. b. A bar e, is made to slide against one edge of the
bar b', and to have a notch or slot f', for the reception of a projection g
from; the lever B¹. The lower end of the slide bar e, is made with, an
inclined plane h', which, while the said bar, is pressed downwards by
the action of the lever B, will be moved against a surface or stationary
part K, of the arm B, and will move the bar b', laterally so as to
move the cloth the distance of the length of a stitch, the spring D',
pressing the propeller down on the cloth in the meantime. By the
lateral reaction of the spring D', the propeller is moved back to place
when the inclined plane h', is raised above the part or projection K
Besides the above, there is used a cloth presser F, which is simply a
plate of metal 1', 'arranged as represented in the Drawings, and fixed on
the lower end of a vertical.bar m³, which slides freely up and down, and
is pressed downwards by a spring n'. Figure 13, represents a longi-
tudinal sectional view of the arm B, so made as to exhibit the presser
and its spring, together with the clamp plates w, a, as herein-before
described. The presser rests on the cloth, and merely keeps it down,
so that it may not be lifted by the action of the needle. During the
operation. of the machine the needle is made to pass down through the
L
J

page_text: cloth, and with its hook; a short distance from the lower. end of the
needle slide, which is also carried down through the cloth." One of the
thread-guides or carriers is next moved so as to carry its thread into
the opening of the hook so that at the next rise of the needle the thread
will be drawn up through the clotli in the form of a loop? Next the
needle is raised upwards, and out of and above the cloth, and pulls the
thread through it in the form of a loop: Then the needle descends
through the said loop, while the needle slide is stationary Next the
slide descends with the needle as before, and the other thread guide is
moved so as to lay its thread' into the, opening of the hook. The hook
or needle again rises, and forms a new, loop, and draws it through
the cloth and the loop next before formed: In this way, the sewing
operation is performed with two threads, one of which will serve as
a binding thread, to the other.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect,. I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not
confine or restrict myself to the precise: details or arrangements which
I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features
of the Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of mechanism,
apparatus, or means for sewing or uniting cloth or other material, as
herein-before described.
Second, the combination in sewing machinery of a single hooked.
needle, with two thread guides or carriers, each carrying a separate
thread, and actuated in such manner that during one passage of the
needle through and out of the cloth or material to be sewn one of the
said guides shall lay its thread in the hook of the needle, whilst during
the next passage of the needle through and out of the cloth the other
guide shall lay its thread in the hook of the needle, each guide acting
alternately.
Third, the system or mode of arranging machines with one needle
and two thread guides, produce the chain stitch with one thread

page_text: passed through one of the two eyes s, t, of its two thread guides H, I,
with a slot u, for the reception of the thread.
Fourth, the system or mode of sewing cloth or other material,
wherein the two combined threads are drawn through from the same
side of the sewn material, and through each other's loops.
Fifth, the application and use in sewing machines of the closing
slide of the hooked needle to the same side as the barb or hook, so
that it may slide in a groove in the needle or carrier parallel to the
needle's motion.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
WN. JOHNSON. (L.S.)