Improvements in Over-seaming Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 30th Apr.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Over-seaming Machines.
We, DAVID HENRY AGAN, of 1074, Lexington Avenue, New York City, U.S.A.
Physician, and JENNIE AGAN, of 1074, Lexington Avenue, New York City, U.S.A.,
his wife, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for Improvements in Over-
sewing Machines, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines of that type com-
monly known as over-seaming machines and more specifically to the class of
machines designed with particular reference to sewing gloves, edging fabrics
and placing ornamental stitching and cording on the surface of fabrics, the objects
of the invention being to produce a simple, light running machine capable of
handling heavy or light goods as required, and in which there shall be a simple
and positive feed movement together with a simple and effective looper mechanism.
for producing a finish on both sides of the edge of the goods operated upon.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying our present improvement
with the top of the casing removed.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1 on a plane
intermediate the looper carriers and showing the needle bar and needle bar opera-
ting mechanism in elevation.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the feed mechanism.
Figure 4 is a detail top plan view of the secondary tension.
Figure 5 is a detail elevation of one of the cams for moving the looper carriers
horizontally.
Figures 6 to 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating the movements of the
loopers and needle in the formation of a stitch.
Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.
The frame lettered A in the accompanying drawings is shown of a conventional
form, substantially rectangular although as will be readily understood, this is
entirely immaterial as its only function is to support and enclose the working
parts of the machine. Journaled in the frame in suitable bearings is a trans-
verse shaft B having means whereby it is rotated, as shown, consisting of belt
and hand-wheels B. At one end of the frame, Figure 2, there is an arm or
extension A in which is journaled one of the work holding and feeding disks C,
while the cooperating holding or feeding disk C is journaled in the end of an
overhanging carrier D, Figure 1, having a relatively long shank D', supported in
bearings in the frame and adapted to be moved forwardly by a bell crank lever D³
and to be retracted by a coil spring d. The vertical pivots or shafts carrying the
disks it will be noted, from Figure 2, are short and consequently there is no
obstruction to the handling of the work beneath the level of the disks.
The needle bar E is journaled to reciprocate in bearings at front and back of
the machine frame in position to bring the needle e immediately above the level

page_text: of the upwardly turned edges of the disks C, C and in position to penetrate goods
clamped between and projecting above the disks in the ordinary manner.
The
needle bar is provided with a central opening preferably having substantially
vertical and straight sides or bearing faces E, within which opening a cam F
on the drive shaft rotates and whereby the needle bar is given its proper recipro-
catory movement. The tilting or rotation of the needle bar on its axis is pre-
vented by forming its rear end with two parallel arms E³, working in correspond-
ing bearings in the frame although it is to be understood that this result may be
attained in any well known way and, in fact, the needle bar itself may be recipro-
cated in any preferred manner and used in connection with the looping mechanism
now about to be described.
Bearing in mind the fact that in the present machine the loop of thread cast
off by the needle is caught up and spread down on both sides of the edge of the
goods and in the subsequent advance the needle passes through the loop on both
sides of the fabric to give a finished appearance on both sides with a single thread,
it will be seen that we employ two loopers for accomplishing this result. At the
moment when the loop is picked up, the two loopers are advancing substantially in
unison or one slightly in the lead, one looper then passes over the edge of the
fabric and both loopers descend spreading the loop to the desired point. One of
these loopers, that fettered G which we shall term the main looper, travels across
the edge of the goods projecting between the disks and is supported in a looper
carrier G, journaled to rotate on its longitudinal axis in a vertically and horizon-
tally movable secondary looper carrier G supported at the rear end upon a link g
which latter is in turn pivotally connected with a rearwardly extending arm g
on the frame. With such arrangement by moving the secondary carrier vertically
and horizontally, and rotating the primary carrier G, the movements necessary
for the looper may be secured and in order to so move the parts, we provide an
operating cam disk H. mounted rigidly on the drive shaft B and having in one of
its faces two cam grooves, one adapted for the reception of a pin or projecting
anti-friction roller g (dotted lines Fig. 2), on the secondary carrier 69 and the
other for the reception of a projecting pin or anti-friction roller extending
laterally out from the looper carrier G while an excentric projection, or if desired,
an independent excentric I on the drive shaft, cooperates with vertically arranged
bearings on the secondary carrier G to produce the horizontal movements. The
contour of the can grooves and is such as to elevate the outer end of the
Jooper carrier and to cause the looper carrier to oscillate on its longitudinal axis
and starting from the moment when the looper is being advanced to pass through
the loop raised by the initial withdrawal movement of the needle, the looper passes
through said loop, then rises over the edge of the fabric and descends on the
opposite side spreading the loop in position for the needle to pass therethrough
when it next advances.
The mechanism for moving the secondary looper K, is similar to that described
for moving the primary looper and the two mechanisms are preferably arranged
oppositely with relation to each other in order to bring the looper carriers close
together and condense the mechanism into a small compass. The looper carrier K
in addition to the movements described in connection with the looper carrier G
is capable of an independent sliding movement in its bearings, heing normally
held retracted or in normally operative position by means of a spring K³ for a
purpose to be presently explained, and it will of course be noted that this looper K
does not travel over the edge of the fabric but catches the loop and depresses the
same on the same side of the fabric in order that the needle may pass through the
loop during its advance and consequently the particular shape of the cam grooves
in the operating disk K³ for this looper are slightly varied from the coin grooves
shown in Figure 2.
Extending from the disk carrier shaft D' is a Interal arm D³ the end of which
lies immediately behind the end of the looper carrier K and in position to force
said looper carrier forward against the tension of its spring K³ whenever the

page_text: disks are separated by the movement of the bell crank D³, thus the disks may be
separated together with the looper carriers to permit of the ready insertion or
removal of the fabric or material being operated on. The importance of this
will be apparent when it is remembered that the secondary looper K is through-
out a large portion of its movement in proximity to the division line between the
disks and frequently below the upturned flange thereof and would consequently
unless moved in unison with the disk, interfere with such movement or with the
insertion of the fabric.
The particular form of the operative ends of the loopers G and I may be varied
if desired, but we prefer to employ a looper G having a heel Ge for depressing
the thread and over which heel the needle mnay travel to insure a proper entry of
the needle while the looper K is a simple hook which passes through the loop and
depresses the same in a forward direction to accomplish the same end.
For the purpose of feeding the fabric the disks are corrugated at their peripheries
and that nearest the frame of the machine is rotated by a mechanism to be pre-
sently described at the moment when the needle is withdrawn from the fabric
held between the disk and during the remainder of the time is held locked by a
positive locking mechanism which is automatically released at the moment when
the feeding operation begins and engages with said disk at the moment when the
feeding operation ends.
The preferred form of feeding and locking mechanism is shown in detail in
Figure 3, and the operating cams therefor are shown in Figure 1, and by reference
to these figures it will be seen that a holding pawl M is pivotally mounted on
a projection of the frame m and engaging with its rear end is an operating lever M
carrying an anti-friction roller m² adapted to cooperate with a cam M2 on the
cam disk Hand to release the feeding disk C at the moment when the feeding
operation is taking place, but at all other times said pawl is held in positive
engagement with the corrugated edge of the feeding disk by means of a spring m
(Fig. 1), bearing against the operating lever.
Pivoted beneath and preferably concentric with the axis of the feeding disk C
is a feed pawl carrier N, the free end of which extends towards the frame of the
machine and carries a pivoted feeding pawl N, the end of which pawl projects
within the frame and is adapted for cooperation with the pawl moving mechanism
which as shown, consists of a sliding bar O supported in suitable bearings on the
frame, and having at one end a projection or anti-friction roller o adapted to co-
operate with a cam projection o on the outer face of the cam disk H (Fig. 1) the
relation of the projections o¹ and M³ being such that during the time the pro-
jection M is operating upon the locking mechanism, the projection o' passes in
beneath the roller o and moves the bar O transversely against the tension of a
spring O. The bar O carries an upwardly extending projection or pin 0² enter-
ing a slot 03 in the end of the pawl N', whereby when such lateral movement of
the pawl takes place, the pawl N is moved on its individual axis until it engages
the feeding disk and a further movement of the bar O causes said pawl to bind
against the disk, locking the disk, the pawl and the pawl carrier together and
causing the disk to advance. As the pawl N¹ releases the disk, the projection M²
moves out of engagement with the locking pawl operating lever and the lock-
ing pawl holds the disk in its advanced position.
To permit of a proper regulation of the feeding mechanism, we provide a feed-
ing or stitch regulating set screw P. mounted on the frame and bearing against
the pawl carrier N in a position to limit its retrograde movement and as a further
means of adjusting this mechanism, with a special reference to the necessary
movement of the pawl before it engages the feeding disk, we provide a second
set screw Q, held by the frame and projecting in position to limit the retrograde
movement of the sliding bar 0. To insure the retrograde movement of the
feeding pawl carrier N, a spring is preferably provided for holding it in its
retracted position such spring being shown in Figure 2 at R. The knurled heads
of the adjusting screws P and Q preferably extend out to one side of the machine

page_text: as shown in Figure 1, in position to be easily mamparated by
seamstress.
To prevent any lateral play or looseness of the looper carriers by providing
widely separated bearings, we preferably form grooves in the cams I into which
a considerable distance
the straight bearing surfaces 12 fit and such cams being
below the axis of the looper carriers, lateral play is practically eliminated.
We have shown in Figure 4, an old form of tension mechanism for holding the
thrend and releasing it from the needle bar at the proper moment, consisting
of a headed transverse pin R¹, mounted in the needle bar and adapted to receive
the thread below its head, said pin being held in by spring pressure and adapted
to cooperate with a fixed release har S having a grooved end upon which the end
of the pin I rides during the time the needle bar is retracted but off of which
said pin passes when the needle bar is at the forward end of its stroke and con-
sequently the thread is at the latter time held and released when the bar is
retracted.
It will be at once obvious to those skilled in the art, that the particular style
of cam employed for operating the looper carriers may be varied and hence we
do not wish to be limited specifically to the employment of a cam disk having
cam grooves in its face or to the employment of excentrics for causing the horizontal
reciprocation of the parts as either style of cam may be substituted one for the
other and the same results attained.
Where it is desired to introduce cords or a cord beneath the stitching, we pro-
vide an arm T on the frame upon which arm two cord guides Tare mounted.
their ends extending down close to the stitch forming mechanism and in position
to deliver the cords directly on the edge of the goods projecting up between the
holding and feeding disks as will he readily understood from an inspection of
Figure 1.
In the operation of the sewing machine, the discs C. Care first separated by
means of the handle and the edge of the goods inserted, leaving a sufficient
projection above the dises to receive the needle and give a seam of the desired
aize. The machine is then started. the needle advances and passes through the
edge of the fabric to a position illustrated in Fig. 6. Simultaneously the loopers
have been moved by the cams and K into the position shown in Fig. 6 ready
to pass through the loop of thread which will be raised as the needle starts to
withdraw as illustrated in Fig. 7. The loopers having received the loop in this
manner, as the needle continues to withdraw, the looper G will be moved up over
the edge of the fabric carrying one side of the loop with it (see Fig. S). As the
needle clears the fabric, the feed takes place and hath loopers begin to descend
one on one side and the other on the opposite side of the fabric, as in Fig. 9. When
they have moved down below the level of the path of the needle, the needle again
advances and passes not only through the edge of the fabric, but through both
ends of the loop of thread previously enst. off as shown in Fig. 10. The further
movement of the needle tightens the loop the loopers having released the same
and the loopers again move to the position illustrated in Fig. 7, ready to receive
another loop when the same operations again take place to produce another stitch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a sewing machine, the combination with the work holding and feeding
mechanism, driving mechanism and reciprocatory needle bar, of two independently
supported and guided loopers cooperating with the loop cast off by the needle
and spreading the same to encircle the path of the needle on both sides of the
fabric, whereby the needle is caused to pass through the loop on both sides of the
fabric and independent operating mechanism interposed between said loopers
and the driving mechanism; substantially as described.
2. In a sewing machine, the combination with the work holding and feeding

page_text: mechanism, the reciprocatory needle bar and the driving mechanism, of cooperating
independently supported and guided loopers engaging the same loop cast off by
the needle and spreading the same to encircle the path of the needle on both sides
of the fabric, of independent looper carriers for said loopers and independent cams
on the driving mechanism for operating said looper carrier; substantially as
described.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination with the work-holding and feeding
mechanism, reciprocatory needle bar and drive shaft of the secondary looper carrier,
a link interposed between said looper carrier and frame of the machine to permit
of a bodily horizontal reciprocation and vertical oscillation of said secondary
carrier, cams on the drive shaft for moving said secondary carrier vertically and
horizontally, a primary looper carrier journaled in said secondary carrier to
oscillate on its longitudinal axis, a cam and an arm on said primary carrier
cooperating with the cam whereby the primary carrier is oscillated and a looper
mounted in said carrier; substantially as described.
4. In a sewing machine the combination with the work holding and feeding
mechanism, the reciprocatory needle bar and drive shaft of the secondary looper
carrier pivotally supported on a link at one end, a primary looper carrier journaled
to oscillate in said secondary carrier, a cam on the drive shaft for reciprocating
the looper carriers horizontally, a cam disk on the drive shaft having cam grooves
therein and projections on the primary and secondary looper carriers cooperating
with said grooves to move said looper carriers vertically and to oscillate the primary
Jooper carrier on its axis and a looper; substantially as described.
5. In a sewing machine the combination with the horizontally arranged work
holding and feeding disks, reciprocating needle bar and transverse driving shaft
of a secondary looper carrier and link pivotally supporting said looper carrier at
one end, vertically arranged bearing surfaces on said secondary looper carrier,
a grooved cam on the driving shaft with which said vertically arranged bearing
surfaces cooperate to reciprocate the looper carrier horizontally, a primary looper
carrier journaled in the secondary looper carrier to oscillate on its longitudinal
axis, a disk on the drive shaft having cam grooves therein and projections on
the primary and secondary looper carriers respectively, for moving the secondary
looper carrier vertically and oscillating the primary looper carrier on its longitu-
dinal axis; substantially as described.
6. In a sewing machine, the combination with the horizontally arranged work
holding and feeding disks, one of said disks being movable with relation to the
other and a needle bar and driving mechanism substantially as described, of a
looper for spreading the loop cast off by the needle, an operating mechanism
therefor including a looper carrier adapted to be moved abnormally, a feed disk
moving mechanism and connection between said feed disk moving mechanism and
looper carrier whereby when the feed disks are separated the looper carrier is
moved in unison with the movable disk; substantially as described.
7. In a sewing machine, the combination with the fixed and movable work
holding and feeding disk, the carrier for the movable disk and means for moving
said carrier and disk of a reciprocatory needle bar, a looper and looper carrier,
driving mechanism for said needle bar and looper carrier and an arm on the disk
carrier cooperating with the looper carrier to move said parts in unison when the
disks are separated; substantially as described.
8. In a sewing machine, the combination with the horizontally arranged work
holding and feeding disks, one of said disks being movable with relation to the
other, a disk support or carrier with means for moving the same, a driving shaft,
a reciprocatory needle bar driven from said shaft, of a looper and primary looper
carrier held in working position by spring pressure, nechanism for operating said
looper carrier and an arm on the feeding disk support or carrier cooperating with
the looper carrier to move the same when the feeding disks are separated; sub-
stantially as described.
9. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stitch forming mechanism

page_text: and the work holding and feeding disks, of a reciprocating feeding pawl coopera-
ting with one of said disks to rotate the same and a lock engaging the disk for
holding the same against retrograde movement, with connection between said lock
and driving mechanism, whereby the lock is moved out of contact with the disk
by the driving mechanism during the time the feeding pawl is operative; sub-
stantially as described.
10. In a sewing machine the combination with the stitch forming mechanism,
driving shaft and work holding and feeding disks, of a feeding pawl cooperating
with one of said disks, a lock for holding said disk against retrograde movement
and cams rotated by the drive shaft and cooperating with the feeding and lock-
ing mechanism to alternately throw the same into and out of engagement with the
disk; substantially as described.
11. In a sewing machine, the combination with the drive shaft, stitch forming
mechanism and rotary work holding and feeding disks, of fealing
pawl cooperating with one of the disks an operating mechanism for
said pawl, a cam on the drive shaft cooperating with said pawl operat
ing mechanism, a locking pawl cooperating with the disk
to prevent
retrograde movement thereof, an operating lever controlling said locking
paw and a cam carried by the drive shaft co-operating with said operating
lever to release the pawl when the feeding mechanism is operative; substantially
as described.
12. In a sewing machine the combination with the stitch forming mechanism,
drive shaft and rotary work holding and feeding disks, of a pivoted pawl carrier,
a pawl pivotally mounted on said carrier, an adjustable stop for limiting the move-
ment of the pawl carrier, a cam on the drive shaft, a spring pressed pawl operator
having a projection lying in the path of said cam and an adjustable stop for
limiting the movement of said pawl operator; substantially as described.
1. In a sewing machine the combination with the stitch forming mechanism,
drive shaft and work holding and feeding disks, a pawl carrier pivoted concen-
trically with one of said disks, a pivoted pawl mounted on said carrier and
cooperating with the disk, a spring for holding the pawl carrier in normal position,
a stop for limiting the movement of the pawl carrier to regulate the extent of feed,
a pawl operating slide cooperating with the rear end of the pawl and controlling
its engagement with the disk, a cam on the drive shaft and a projection on the
pawl operating slide cooperating with said cam; substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of September 1897.
DAVID HENRY AGAN.
JENNIE AGAN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.