IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Elias Howe, junior, of the City of New York, and
United States of America, but now of No. 8, Ludgate Street, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Elias Howe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th November 1863.
I, ELIAS HOWE, junior, of the City of New York, and United States of
America, but now of No. 8, Ludgate Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES," to be as follows:-
These improvements relate principally to that part of the machinery termed
the feed movement and such parts as regulate the feed. Also in reversing the
movement of the feed so as to sew rows of stitches at right angles with each
other without turning the cloth, as is the case with the ordinary sewing
machine.
Other improvements which relate to the general construction and con-
formation of the machine, rendering the connections and arrangements easy
of access for repair and adjustment.
Another improvement is that I propose putting tension to the shuttle thread
by placing a spring of india-rubber at the back or front of the bobbin and
within the shuttle case..
:

page_text: I further propose certain improvements in the shuttle race and in working
the shuttle. Heretofore shuttles have been made to fit closely in their races
to cause them to accurately enter the needle loop; such close fitting, however,
causes excessive wear of the shuttle. To obviate this wear to the shuttle and
secure an easy propulsion of the shuttle, I propose to fit it easy in its race and
at the proper time (viz.) just before and as it enters the needle loop, press it up
to the vertical face of the race by a spring or otherwise.
I also propose to hold the shuttle thread during the tightening of the stitch
substantially as in my Invention patented by William Thomas, numbered 1464
and dated the First day of December 1846, in combination with an instrument
for regulating the paying out of the shuttle thread (stitch after stitch) as may
be required, thereby ensuring a more perfect stitch and enabling the shuttle to
be moved by a crank motion or a motion nearly approaching the same.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine shewing the various move-
ments for the needle shuttle and feed. Fig. 2 a plan of the same; Fig. 3 a
front elevation; Fig. 4 a cross section through the line x,"y.
A, the frame of the machine, formed of cast iron, but cored out in the manner
shewn for the purpose of protecting the working parts as well as to obtain room
for adjustment and repair; B, the driving pulley; C, the driving shaft which
works the needle slide D and needle E, and also the lifting movement for the
pressure foot. F, the pressure foot, which presses on the cloth at the same time
the feed motion is advancing and released when the feed motion recedes; 'G, G', a
pair of mitre wheels which transmit motion from the shaft C to the vertical shaft
H, which is supported in its position by the two bearings I and J. To the lower
end of this shaft H is affixed a cam plate K; on the edge or periphery and also on
the upper face of which are undulating or cam surfaces especially formed to give
a double movement to effect the two feeds. The one cam on the upper surface k¹
moves the rocking arm and friction roller L, which arm is affixed on to the
rocking and sliding rod M for the feeding of the cloth in the direction it
'should go for ordinary sewing, which feed is always at right angles with the
arm N of the machine into which the shuttle slides. It is often required to
sew stitches at right angles (right or left) with the former row of stitches; I
effect this without moving the cloth by throwing out and disconnecting the
friction roller and arm L from the face cam k¹ by means of moving the sliding
or reversing bar O from left to right, and bringing the crooked arm C affixed
to the sliding and rocking rod M into the curve d in the bottom of the slide
'or reversing bar'O; this will (by the aid of the spiral spring a¹) raise the friction
roller and arm L from the face cam and bring into contact, by means of the
curve p in the edge of the reversing bar O, the small. pin q affixed to the

page_text: rocking and sliding rod and throws it into contact with the edge of the cam,
plate. The friction roller P. The small spiral spring a¹ being made also to
hold it to its work, causing the rocking and sliding rod M to reciprocate
parallel with the arm N, effecting a feed movement at right angles with the
former. The length of motion given to the reversing rod M for making the
stitch of any required length is effected by the distance the sliding or reversing
bar O is pulled in or out, and bringing the pin q' into any position on the
inclined plane p, the length of stitch being dependent on its actual position in
the inclined plane for the time being; the length of stitch in the other line
of sewing being effected in the same way by the inclined plane d and
crooked arm C, operated on by the reversing bar O as before described. At the
other end of this sliding or rocking rod M there is affixed a radius piece R which
radiates from the centre of the axis of the sliding and rocking rod M, as more
clearly seen in Fig. 3. On the upper end of this radius piece a serrated plate Q,
which is under the pressure foot F and needle E, so that the forward feed is
produced by the rocking of Q and R, and the feed at right angles produced by
a reciprocating movement parallel to the arm of the machine by the moving
of the sliding bar O, as before described. The reciprocating movement given
to the shuttle S through the shuttle bar T receiving its motion through
the crank pin V; the stroke of the shuttle being determined by the distance
of the pin from the centre of the axis of the shaft H, which pin is fixed in
the under surface of the cam piece K, projecting down and into the curved slot
in the slide piece V. This slot is so shaped as to cause the differential move-
ment or otherwise necessary in the shuttle and common to all combinations
when the shuttle is used to convey the secondary thread through the loop
formed by the needle thread. The communication from the slide piece V to
the shuttle bar T is through the connection of these two by means of the stud
connection W.
The distinguishing features as new, are, the reverse movement given to the
feed in connection with the shuttle and needle by and through the means
herein specified and shewn in the Drawings, being a rocking and reciprocating
movement to effect the two feeds.
Secondly, the general conformation of the machine in connection with the
general arrangement of machinery in combination; as fully described.
Thirdly, the arrangement of the proposed india-rubber spring at the back or
front of the bobbin and within the shuttle case.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Elias Howe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th May 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ELIAS
Howe, junior, of the City of New York, and United States of America,
but now of No. 8, Ludgate Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Elias Howe, Her special licence that I, the said Elias
Howe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Elias Howe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter luring 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 Elias Howe, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals should particularly
describe and ascertain 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 Elias Howe, 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, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say):
-
My Invention consists of certain improvements in several parts of the
sewing machine, one of which relate principally to that part of the machinery
termed the feed movement, and such parts as regulate the feed. Also, in
changing the movement of the feed so as to sew rows of stitches at right
angles to each other without turning the cloth, as is the case with the
ordinary sewing machine.
Other improvements which relate to the general construction and con-
formation of the machine, rendering the connections and arrangements easy of
access for repair and adjustment.

page_text: Another improvement is that of applying tension to the shuttle thread by
placing a spring of india-rubber at the back or front of the bobbin and within
the shuttle race.
Other improvements are in the shuttle race and in working the shuttle.
Heretofore shuttles have been made to fit closely in their race to cause them
to accurately enter the needle loop; such close fitting, however, causes
excessive wear of the shuttle. To obviate this, and secure an easy propulsion
of the shuttle, I propose to fit it easy in its race and at the proper time
(viz.) just before, and as it enters the needle loop, press it up to the vertical
face of the race by a spring or otherwise, as in Figs. 13 & 14.
I also propose to hold the shuttle thread during the tightening of the stitch
substantially as in my Invention patented by William Thomas, December 1st,
1846, No. 11,464, in combination with an instrument for regulating the
paying out of the shuttle thread (stitch after stitch) as may be required,
thereby ensuring a more perfect stitch, and enabling the shuttle to be moved
by a crank motion or a motion nearly approaching the same.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine, shewing the various
movements of the needle shuttle and feed; Figure 2 a plan of the same;
Figure 3, a front elevation and cross section at x, y; Figure 4, a cross section
through the line a, a, and b, b; Figure 5, a front elevation of the needle slide
and pressure bar raised up with a section of the arm and feed; Fig. 6,
another view of the same, shewing the needle out of the cloth and the
pressure bar and pressure plate in at its lowest point and in contact with the
material to be sewed; Figure 7, a plan of the lever and cam movement for
lifting the pressure bar and foot; Figure 8, showing the action of the lever
in connection with the pressure bar; Figure 9, a section through the shuttle
arm and race, shewing the shuttle, shuttle bar, or driver, rocking or sliding.
rod and tightening motion, corrugator and thread holder; Fig. 10, a longi-
tudinal elevation of the same; and Figures 11 and 12, plans of the same.
Figs. 13 & 14 are plans shewing the method of pressing the shuttle. up to the
vertical face of the shuttle race.
A, A, the frame of the machine formed of cast iron, but cored out in the
manner shewn for the purpose of protecting the working parts, as well as to
obtain room for adjustment and repairs; B; the driving pulley; C, the driving
shaft which works the needle slide D and needle E and also the lifting
movement for the pressure foot; F, the pressure foot, which presses on to the
cloth at the same time as the pressure bar. W is actuated by the eccentric
cam P, as shewn in in Figs. 5, 6, & 7 by the revolving of the driving shaft C,
on to which is affixed the cam P, which actuates the lever L, which lever.

page_text: lifts and depresses the pressure bar W and pressure foot F. The lever L
having two pins Z and Z' projecting each side of the pressure bar W, which
also may have the addition of the shoe pieces a and a each side of the pressure
bar W, as shewn in Fig. 7; this clamp or grip raises the pressure bar when
the cam F is in action, as shewn in Fig. 5. The end of the lever L', which
clamps the pressure bar W, comes into contact in its downward movement
with the projection c¹, and releases the clamp from the pressure bar W,
allowing the pressure foot F to rest upon the material to be sewn, the pressure
being given by the spring in the usual manner on the feeding surface during
the advance of the feeding movement. By this arrangement the pressure
bar W and pressure foot F are raised the same distance from the cloth to be
sewn, whether thick or thin, when the radius piece R. with its feeding
surface recedes preparatory to feeding another stitch. The needle E has
again penetrated the cloth and holds it, thereby preventing the feed carrying
it backward; the pressure foot F at the same time is raised, while the receding
movement of the feed is taking place, as more clearly shewn in Figure 5, all
the before-mentioned movements being relatively timed one with another,
and also with the other movements of the machine.
G and G¹ are two mitre wheels which transmit motion from the shaft C to
the vertical shaft H, which is supported in its position by the two bearings I
and J. On to the lower end of the shaft H is affixed a cam plate K
on the edge or periphery, and also on the upper face of which are undu-
lating or cam surfaces especially formed to give a double movement to
effect the two feeds. The one cam on the upper surface R' moves the
rocking arm and friction roller L; this arm L is attached to the rocking
and sliding rod M for the feed motion, and moves the cloth in the direction it.
should
go for ordinary sewing, which feed is always at right angles with the
arm of the machine into which the shuttle slides. It is often requisite to sew
stitches at right angles (right or left) with the first row of stitches. This is.
effected without moving the cloth by throwing out and disconnecting the
friction roller on the rocking arm L and from the face cam K¹ by means of
moving the sliding and reversing bar O from left to right, and bringing the
crooked arm affixed to the sliding or rocking rod M into the curve d in the
bottom of the slide or reversing bar O; this will, by the aid of the spiral
spring a raise the friction roller and arm L from the face cam, and bring it
into contact by means of the curve p in the edge of the reversing bar O and
small pin q', which is affixed to the rocking and sliding rod, and throws it.
into contact with the edge of the cam plate, the friction roller P and small.
spiral spring a being made also to hold it to its work, causing the rocking and

page_text: sliding rod M to reciprocate parallel to the arm N, effecting a feed movement
at right angles with the former row of stitches. The length of motion given
to the rocking or sliding rod M for making the stitch of any required length
is effected by the distance the sliding or reversing bar O is pulled in or out,
and bringing the pin q¹ into any position on the inclined plane p, the length of
the stitch being dependent on its actual position in the inclined plane for the
time being. The length of the stitch on the other line of sewing being effected
in the same way by the inclined plan d and crooked arm C operated on by
the reversing rod, as before described. On the other end of this sliding or
rocking rod M there is affixed a radius piece R, as shewn in general elevation,
Fig. 1; and in Figs. 3, 5, and 6; this radius piece R radiates from the centre
of the axis of the sliding or rocking rod M. On the upper end of the radius
piece is a serated plate Q, which is under the pressure foot F, so that the one
feed is produced by the rocking of Q and R, and the feed at right angles is
produced by a reciprocating movement parallel to the arm of the machine by
the moving of the rocking and sliding rod M, as before described.
The shuttle bar
and shown more
The shuttle movement.-The reciprocating movement given to the shuttle S
is through the shuttle bar T, receiving its. motion through the crank pin U,
the stroke of the shuttle being determined by the distance of the pin from
the centre of the axis of the shaft H, which pin is fixed on the under
surface of the cam piece K projecting down and into the curved slot in the
slide piece V. This slot is so shaped as to cause the differential movement
necessary in the shuttle, and common to all sewing machines where the
shuttle is used to convey the secondary thread through the loop formed by
the needle thread. The communication from the slide piece V to the shuttle
bar T is through the connection of the stud W in Fig. 1.
or driver has on its under side an inclined plane marked e, e,
clearly in Fig. 10, which in its forward movement rides upon the end of the
screw r, as shown also in Fig. 9, which turns in or out near the end of the
horizontal lever of the thread corrugator, this corrugator and thread holder
being fitted easily on to the rocking or sliding rod M, which acts as a fulcrum
for them to radiate on depressing them, and causing the upper end of the
vertical lever o', o¹, to move towards the plane or fixed surfaces, s, so that as
the shuttle advances it draws the thread out of a straight line, and corrugates
it, as shewn in Fig. 11, which corrugation measures off the thread required
for the stiteb. As the shuttle S moves on, the thread holder a, a, nips the
thread between itself and the surface s¹ immediately after the corrugation of
the thread takes place, and just before any thread is rendered from the shuttle,
as shewn in Fig. 12, by means of the cam Ķ through the intervention of the

page_text: rocker H by suitable undulations on the under side of the said cam K. As
the shuttle returns the corrugator recedes by the action of the spring j, as in
Figure 9, which leaves the thread slack between the thread holder and the
point of sewing h, h, which slackness is taken up into the material sewed by
the drawing up of the needle thread, the thread holder preventing any more
thread being drawn up than is measured off by the corrugator o, o. The
thread holder x, x, then releases the thread to allow it to move with the
shuttle to measure off the thread required for thick or thin material, the cor-
rugator being adjusted by the screw r¹. It will be readily seen that by this
operation the tightening up of the two threads is not required to be accom-
plished when the shuttle has reached its extreme movement forward, as in
ordinary shuttle sewing machines, and against the action of a spring or tension
produced within the shuttle, as the thread holder governs the under or shuttle
thread independant of the shuttle for that purpose, which admits of the
shuttle being moved by a motion, as herein specified.
Another arrangement in the action of the shuttle is shewn in Figures 13
and 14, where m is a flat spring, being attached at one end to the shuttle bar
or driver T by the screw a¹, which is the last part of the receding and first
part of the forward movement of the shuttle, and slides against the stationary
'pin O', which causes the other end of the spring n to press upon the shuttle S,
and of necessity press it up to the vertical face of the race. As the shuttle
advances after having entered the needle loop, the spring n is released by
being drawn away from the pin 0¹, as shewn in Figure 14, which allows the
shuttle S to fit loosely during the remainder of its movement.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not confine
myself to the precise details, so long as the particular character of my
Invention and improvements in sewing machines are maintained; what I
claim as of my Invention and new, is,―
Firstly, the reverse movement given to the feed in connection with the
shuttle and needle by and through the means herein specified and shewn in
the Drawings, being a rocking and reciprocating movement to effect the two
.feeds.
Secondly, the means herein described for regulating and paying out of the
shuttle thread.
Thirdly, the arrangement of placing an india-rubber spring at the back or
front of the bobbin and within the shuttle case, as fully described.
Fourthly, the manner of raising and lowering the pressure bar and foot, as
fully described and shewn in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8.

page_text: Fifthly, the method of keeping the shuttle up to its face in the shuttle race,
as fully described and shewn in Figs. 13 and 14.
Sixthly, the general conformation of the machine in connection with the
general arrangement of machinery, as fully described and shewn in the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Elias Howe, junior, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
ELIAS HOWE, Jr. (L.S.)