IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon of N° 1 Rue Laffitte Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer and Patent Agent for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES Communicated to him by The
Morley Sewing Machine Company of Boston Massachussetts United States of
"
America.
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th January 1883.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of No 1 rue Laffitte Paris in the Republic of
France, Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES,"
Communicated to me by The Morley Sewing Machine Company of Boston Massa-
chussetts United States of America
This invention relates to that class of sewing machines known as Needle feed
Machines, and to the details of the construction of machines of that class to
particularly adapt them to heavy-fabric lap and butt seam work, the object being
to provide a machine for heavy fabric sewing in which the needle-feed motions
are positive in both directions, and easily adjustable to varying lengths of stitches;
one having the operative parts reduced to the least practicable number aud
requiring but little power to run it and to provide special attachments therefor
whereby the machine is adopted to a great variety of heavy work.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1, is a side elevation,
partly in section, of a sewing machine constructed according to my invention and
having one of my improved fellers thereon. Figure 2 is a vertical section on the
line x. x. Figure 1. Figure 3 is a plan view of the eyed needle-bar. Figure 4 is
a plan view of the hook-needle bar, together with the cast off bar and its adjusting
attachments thereto connected. Figure 5 is a general perspective view of the
operative parts of the machine with the frame thereof removed and the front plate
thereof shewn in dotted outlines. Figure 6 is a view of the presser foot and a part
of the presser-foot bar, and illustrating the manner of passing a line of binding
through said presser-foot and the tension device to operate upon said binding.
Figure 7 is a view, looking from the rear, of some of the operative parts of the
CD 0.17

page_text: machine, the swinging frame being removed. Figure S is a side elevation showing
the ordinary arm of the machine removed, and a tube sewing arm substituted
therefor. Figure 9. illustrates a feller and gage adapted to be used with this
machine. Figure 10 is a rear end view of said feller and gage, showing the fabric
as being folded therein in section Figure 11, illustrates the underside, and Figure 12
the upperside of the seam sewed by employing the feller and gage, Figures 9 and 10,
Figure 13, illustrates a seam gage adapted for use with this machine, and Figures
14 and 15 are other views of the same seamer showing the different methods of
forming seams by the use thereof Figures 16 and 17 illustrates the opposite side
of fabric after having been sewed by the use of the seamer Figure 13, Figure 18,
illustrates the presser-foot of the machine having attached thereto a butt seam
guide, together with sections of carpet-fabric in place thereunder, as when their
edges are being sewed together Figure 19, is a view of said butt-seam guide,
removed from the presser foot. Figure 20, is a view of the end of the tube-sewing
arm, having thereon the tube seamer, and showing the end of a band of fabric
folded around said tube-seamer in a position to be sewed. a folding ring encircling
said band Figure 21, illustrates a section of fabric-tube folded and sewed.
In the drawings, A, is the frame of the machine B is the oscillating frame.
c is the shaft, d, is a driving and cam-pulley combined; e is the eyed needle-bar,
i, is the hook-needle bar; o is the cast off bar, is the cast off adjusting stop; s is
the cast off bar guide; v is the cast off; x is the eyed needle; x' is the hook-needle
2. 2, are cranks on shaft c; a is the take up cam b is the presser-foot cam; d², is a
grooved cam cut in the driving pulley d; f is an elbow lever; w is a connective
rod; e² is the elbow lever fulcrum block; h, is the presser-foot bar; n is the presser-
foot. o¹, is the take up; E, is the front plate; 2, is the presser-bar lever; K, is the
cloth-plate; is the presser-bar lever stud; c2 is the binding-tension on the
presser foot; c³ is the binding; a² are the oscillating-frame trunnions; a³ are the
trunnion-bearings; n³ indicates the cam-slots in the needle-bars; o² is a cast off bar
friction-spring; o are studs on the front plate E; m, is the presser bar spring;
m² is a lever block on the presser-bar H is the cloth plate stand on the arm J;
o is the thread tension; J is the arm of the machine; L is the tube work arm;
5, and 5 are respectively a feller and its gage; 6 indicates the fabric in Figures
10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17; 7 is a seamer; 8 is a butt seam guide; 9 is carpet
fabric; 10 is a tube-seamer; 11 are tube seamer guides; 12 is a tube seamer
folding-ring; 13, is a tube-fabric; 14 is tube-fabric sewed together; 15 is a binder
tension.
.Like letters refer to like parts in the several figures
The machine herein described is so constructed that the operator sits or stands
at the rear end thereof, or at the extreme right in Figure 1, and guides the edges
of two pieces of fabric to a proper position between the upward-pressing presser-
foot n. and the cloth plate K, where the needles pierce them and feed them along
after each stitch from right to left, or, from the rear towards the front end of the
machine, as will be hereafter fully set forth.
In this machine, all the operative parts thereof are few in number and are
concentrated in that portion thereof directly under the cloth plate stand on the end
of the arm J.
The frame A, of the machine is of an oblong form running back from the
front plate E and having its rear end of half-round form, upon which the
arm J, is properly secured The general form of its front end is shewn in
Figure 2.
The said front end of the frame A. is provided with two hollow trunnion-
bearings a set opposite each other and screwed into said frame.
A front plate E having on its inner face studs o5 which are pierced vertically to
receive the presser-bar h, a stud v² to which is hung the presser-bar lever i³ and a
fulcrum-block 2 to which, adjustably therein, is pivoted the elbow lever f, is
properly secured to the front end of the frame A.
An oscillating frame B is contructed consisting of a base 15, having two

page_text: upright ends 16, with inclined outer faces, two vertical posts 17. standing upon
said base, and having also inclined outer faces to correspond with those above
named on said base, and a cross-tie 18, uniting the upper ends of said posts 17.
The said inclined faces of the upright parts 16, of said frame B, and of said
posts 17, are fitted to receive upon each end of the said frame, two inclined needle-
bars e and which are suitably secured thereto to permit them to have an easy
reciprocating on frame B, in the direction of their length. Said needle-bars have
each of them, a cam-slot n³ formed therein, through which the cranks z, z³ project,
but the form of said cam-slots differs in each needle-bar so that their motions upon
frame B, shall be differential. The needle bar e bas secured to its upper end the
eyed needle x and is actuated by the crank 21. while the bar has the hook needle ¹
secured to it and is actuated by the crank z.
which
Said needle-bar i, is adapted to operate in a direct manner, the cast off v,
is tubular and through which the hook-needle ¹ passes, as seen in Figure 4. Said
cast-off is secured to the upper end of the cast off bar o which is fitted on to frame B
by the side of said needle-bar i. the latter being formed to receive it.
A spring.o, is placed between the outer edge of said bar o and its side-bearing in
frame B, to crowd said bar and create sufficient friction to cause the cast off bar to
rest stationary except when moved up and down by the needle bar A cast off
adjusting stop r, is secured to the face of needle-bar i, by a screw passing through
a slot therein as shown, and has an inclined edge which stands under the lower
end of the cast off bar o, whereby the working distance of the cast off v from the
point of the needle a' is determined by moving stop r to the right or left, so that
when the needle-bar moves up to carry said needle through the fabric, the lower
end of the cast off bar may be struck by such a part of said inclined edge as will
carry the cast off up to the proper height. A cast-off bar guide s having a longi-
tudinal slot therein, is secured to the face of the needle bar i below the cast off
bar o, and a pin passes through said slot into said bar o. Said guide & serves to
draw the cast off bar and cast off down at a proper time after the thread-loop has
been cast off from the hook needle.
The above described means of adjusting the up throw of the cast off v is demanded
to adapt the relative working positions of cast off and needle to fabrics of varying
thickness.
A shaft c is fitted to run in proper bearings in the vertical posts 17, in the
oscillating frame B, and on each end of said shaft is secured a crank block in each
of which is secured a crank z and ' which as above described project through the
cam-slots n³, in the needle-bars e and i A hand wheel, 21, for slowly shaft c, is
secured to one of said cranks.
Upon said shaft c, between said vertical posts 17, in frame B, is secured a
grooved pulley & around which a proper band runs, to give motion to said shaft,
thus pulley d is the driving-pulley, and the latter has a cam-groove d³ cut in one
side thereof, which receives the end of a roller-stud secured to the side (near its end)
of the horizontal arm of the elbow-lever f, the latter being pivoted to the fulcrum-
block e², on the front plate E, as in Figure 7 Said fulcrum-block, is provided with
several pivot-holes, and said elbow lever is provided with coinciding holes, whereby
the fulcrum-point of lever f may be changed by changing the position of the pivot-
pin 22, and thereby such a change may be effected in the length of the movement
of the upper end of the vertical arm of lever f, as may be desired to produce a longer
or shorter feed in the machine as will be hereafter more fully set forth.
Said shaft c, has fixed thereon, in addition to pulley & the presser foot cam b and
the take up cam a
The oscillating frame B is provided with two trunnions a², one located at each.
end of the base 15, thereon. Said trunnions fit into the ends of the hollow frame
bearings a³ in frame A and said frame B swinging in said bearings has an oscil-
lating motion whereby it upper, narrow end, together with the parts thereto
attached, swings towards and from the end or front plate E, shaft c, and the parts
connected thereto moving with frame B.

page_text: Said oscillating motion in frame B, is produced by connecting the upper end of
the vertical arm of the elbow-lever f, with the upper part of the frame B, by the
connecting rod w.
Thus, since the fulcrum point of said lever f, in block es is immovable on plate E,
and its horizontal arm is vibrated vertically by its engagement with the cam-
groove d², in pulley d vibratory movements of its vertical arm cause frame B to
oscillate as aforesaid.
It will be seen that the needles swing with frame B, and the extent of that swing
is to produce stitches of the desired length, is determined by changing the fulcrum
point of leverf as above described.
The presser foot n, is provided with two slots as shown through which the
needles pass and in which they swing in feeding, and is secured to the vertical
presser bar which is supported in the studs o³, on the front plate E-A block m²,
is secured on said presser-bar and a spring m, is placed on the latter between said
block and the lower stud os, whereby the presser-bar and foot are forced upward.
A presser-bar lever is hung by the side of the stud v² on said front plate. One
end of said lever, in which is a friction-role as shown, extends over cam b, on shaft c,
and its opposite end bears upon the top side of said block m² on the presser-bar, so
that once in each revolution of shaft c, and as often as a stitch is made by the
needles the presser-foot is depressed to free the fabric so that it may be freely fed
along by the needles.
The take-up o', is pivoted to frame. A in the rear of the oscillating frame B, its
vertical arm being provided with a suitable thread, guiding roll, and one arm
reaches within frame B, and extends over the cam a, on shaft c whereby the
requisite swing of said take-up to properly draw the thread, is effected.
The arm J, of the machine, attached as aforesaid to the rear end of the frame A,
extends over to a point nearly over the centre of the presser foot, and to the end
thereof is fixed the vertical cloth-plate stand H, whose lower end terminates in two
feet, as shown in Figure 2, to which is secured the cloth-plate K, having an opening
therein to permit the needles to pass up through.
For sewing ordinary butted or lapped-seam work, which requires no binding,
the machine is operated with the parts thereof constructed and arranged as
above described, but when a heavy fabric is to be operated upon, such as that
which enters into the fabrication of blankets and such similar goods other and
additional attachments are employed with the machine as hereinafter described.
In sewing the aforesaid simple butted and lap-seam work, the machine is
operated as follows:-
Connection by ordinary band with the driving pulley d, may be made with any
convenient foot-power or other driving mechanism. Any convenient treadle
attachment may be made with the lower end of the presser-foot shaft whereby
the presser-foot may be drawn down away from the cloth-plate for the purpose
of inserting work there between or for other purposes.
If the parts to be united are to have a lap-seam sewed, one edge is laid upon
the other between the presser-foot and the cloth-plate carrying their ends forward
so that the needles will pierce then when they first pass upward.
The thread is passed around a tension roller 07, in the ordinary way, thence over
a thread roller on frame B (see Figure 1) thence back over a roller on the
take-up and thence through the eye of the needle x, a loose end being left as
usual.
After the work has been properly placed in the machine, shaft c may be slowly
turned by seizing the hand-wheel 21, to ascertain that all parts are properly
adjusted to the work, when the machine may be started at full speed.
In sewing, the cranks, z, z¹, operating in the cam-slots in the needle-bars l, i, carry
said bars and their needles up and down. The eyed needle moves up and pierces
the fabric first, carrying the thread considerably above the top of the fabric the
hook needle-follows, and pierces the fabric, and the needles stand crossing each
other, but the eyed needle having started down before the hook needle crosses it,

page_text: a loop is formed on the side of the former which the hook-needle passes up through
and attaches itself to, and as the eyed needle draws down out of the fabric said
loop becomes engaged with the hook-needle and is by it drawn down through the
fabric, where, after the next loop is formed it is cast off by the operation of the
parts above described in the usual way. Previous to the time during the above-
described sewing operation when both needles, leave the fabric, cam b, and lever i³,
operate to press down the presser-foot relieving the fabric from pressure, and then
the cam groove d², acts on the elbow lever f, to lift the end of its horizontal arm,
and thus swing the upper end of frame B, towards the front plate E, which causes
the needles to draw the fabric along or to feed it when the needles draw quite
down and swing back and repeat the above described operations The action of
the take up o¹ which is operated directly by the cam a, on shaft c, is of the ordinary
kind.
In sewing butted seams with the parts of fabric arranged as is shown in
Figure 18, the operation of the sewing parts is the same as that just described, as
also are they when other varieties of seams and felling are sewn such as are shown
in Figures 16, 17, 11, 12 and 21, but when heavy work like carpet fabrics g. g
Figure 18. are sewn, a butt seam guide 8, is fixed on the presser foot back of the
rear edge of the cloth plate, so that the edges of the fabric may be pressed
together and held down to a proper position just before they encounter the
needles.
"
As above alluded to, the operator on this machine stands at the rear end
thereof, and guides the work away from him towards the front of the machine,
the arm J, of the machine pointing from him and standing between his arms
"
In sewing the before mentioned heavy blanket-work, making what is termed the
backseam which, with its binding is illustrated in Figure 11 the feller 5, and
Hage 5 are used jointly; and the presser-foot having the binding perforation, and
the binding tension Figure 6 is used. A presser-foot of the same construction
is shown in Figure 5. The seam illustrated in Figure 12 is like that shown
in Figure 11, excepting that it is made without a binding, and it may be
sewed in the manner described last by drawing the binding away from the
presser-foot
The binding c³, is drawn from a roll under the machine as in Figure 1, being
led up over a guide where a tension-spring 15, bears upon it, thence under a
guide-roll and thence up through the presser-foot n and under the binding-
tension c² of elastic metal, adjustable to press with greater or less force upon
the binding, and thence over the face of the presser-foot to a position whero
the needles will penetrate it at the same time they do the fabric. It will be
seen that as the fabric and binding are fed along together to be sewed, the binding
is kept straight and smooth by the action of tension c², upon it.
"
In arranging for sewing said "back seam the feller 5, is secured to the presser
foot as in Figure 1, and the gage 5/,, is secured to the cloth-plate. Said feller 5,
is illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figure 9 and is constructed with a Bat-
plate-shaped base 23, from which is folded in a flat tubular tapering form, one
edge of the plate to form an eliptic shaped feller with one edge of the plate 2+,
interposed between said base and the upper side of said feller. A slotted arm 25,
is attached to one side thereof through which screws pass to secure the attachment
to the presser-foot The gage 5 is bent as shown, to correspond somewhat to the
curve of the side of said feller.
Figure 10, illustrates, looking from the operator's stand-point, as above described,
the rear end of said feller and guide and the positions of both edges of the blanket
as it is being guided and fed therethrough preparatory to being sewed as shown in
Figures 11 and 12 It will be observed that what is termed the "outside of the
work" is carried next to the presser-foot.
Figures 13, 14, and 15 illustrate a seaming attachment adapted to be used in
making, with this machine, such seams as are illustrated in Figures 16 and 17
which may be of a simple single edge fold, or a centre seam as shown in Figure 17

page_text: In both of these cases, the binding is used when the fabric is not of strong quality
to prevent the edges from pulling off
Said seamer Figure 13, consists of a base-plate 26. having a turned up sile 28,
at right angles to the former, and of a cover plate 27, parallel to the face of
plate 26, and connected to the latter by a vertical side 29, whereby a fabric-passage
is formed between plates 26 and 27. and between the edge of the latter and said
right-angled side 28, so that the edge of the fabric may be folded over the edge of
said plate 27, the edge thereof laying between plate 26 & 27, as in Figures 14
and 15, said attachment is provided with the usual slotted arm 30 whereby it may
be secured to the presser-foot n, and is slightly raised above the latter by a
block 31, to permit, if desired, of passing the edge of a piece of fabric under
plate 26, so as to form a seam such as is illustrated in Figure 17.
In adapting this machine to sew tubular work, as illustrated in Figure 21, the
tube arm L, is substituted for the arm J, of the machine, and a cloth plate K, is
secured to the under side of the end thereof as shown A tube seamer 10, of
cylindrical form, but having an edge attached to one side thereof and carried under
the former and bent in the shape of an S, to form two seamer guides is attached
to the end of said arm L, and a folding ring 12, encircles said cylindrical seamer
leaving room between the two for the fabric 13, to pass.
Said fabric is in the form of a band, and being passed around the part 10, and
within ring 12, with its edges inserted in the S, shaped guides 11, 11, it is drawn
out beyond the end of arm L, so that the needles may pierce it, when the latter
will, as the machine is operated continue to sew and draw the fabric along through
said guide-parts, and deliver it in the form of a tube, as shown in Figure 21.
The above described sewing devices are peculiarly adapted to sew the strong
firm seams required in the manufacture of sails and like work and this machine,
and the above described manner of its operation afford facilities not heretofore
obtainable for conveniently handling and sewing the heavy duck fabrics required
for the above named work.
What I claim as my invention is:-
:—
1st In a needle-feed sewing machine, an oscillating frame to carry two needle-
bars at an angle to each other, and having trunnions thereon whereby it is pivoted
to the machine; a driving shaft hung in said oscillating frame, and appliances
substantially as described for rotating said shaft and imparting an oscillating
motion to said frame and shaft, all combined and operating substantially as
set forth.
2nd The combination in a needle feed sewing machine, of an oscillating needle
bar frame hung on trunnions in the frame of the machine of two needle bars
located on said oscillating frame at angles to each other, each having a cam slot
therein, of a driving shaft hung in said oscillating frame and having cranks
thereon to engage in said cam slots in said needle bars and of mechanism sub-
stantially as described for rotating said shaft and imparting an oscillating motion
to said frame, needle-bars and shaft, substantially as set forth.
3rd The combination in a needle-feed sewing machine, of an oscillating needle
bar frame hung on trunnions in the frame of the machine, of two needle-bars
located on said oscillating frame at angles to each other each having a cam slot
therein, of a driving shaft hung in said oscillating frame and having cranks thereon
to engage in said cam slots in said needle-bars, of appliances substantially as
described for rotating said shaft and imparting an oscillating motion to said frame,
needle bars and shaft of a presser foot supported upon a bar having supports in the
frame of the machine, and of means substantially as described whereby the said
presser-foot is caused to have an intermittent vertical motion by the rotation of
said driving shaft, substantially as set forth
4th In a needle feed sewing machine, an oscillating needle bar frame hung upon
trunnions in the frame of the machine, two needle-bars each having a cam slot
therein, and each carrying a needle, located on said oscillating frame. at angles to
each other, a driving shaft hung in said oscillating frame having two cranks

page_text: thereon engaging in said cam-slots in said needle bars, a take up pivoted to
the frame of the machine and having an arm thereon extending over said driving
shaft a cam fixed on said shaft to strike the arm of said take up, and means
substantially as described for rotating said driving shaft and imparting an oscillating
motion to said frame, needle bars and shaft all combined and operating substantially
as set forth.
5th In combination, the oscillating needle bar frame hung on trunnions in the
frame of the machine a driving shaft hung in said frame a driving pulley fixed on
said shaft and having a cam-groove formed in its side, an elbow lever pivoted
adjustably to a fixed stud on the machine having its horizontal arm engaging with
said cam-groove in said driving pulley, and its vertical arm connected to said
oscillating frame substantially as set forth.
6th In combination, the hook-needle bar i the hook needle x¹ the cast off bar o
and cast off v, the stop having an inclined face and secured adjustably to the
bar i substantially as set forth.
7th In combination, the frame B the needle bars e and i standing at an angle to
each other, and their needles the cast off bar o and cast off v the adjusting stop r
and the guide a on said needle bar i spring o² and appliances substantially as
described for imparting a reciprocating motion to said needle bars in the direction
of their length all as set forth.
8th The combination with the sewing and feeding mechanism of a sewing
machine of a presser foot supported in the frame of the machine and operated by
mechanism substantially as described which is disconnected from the arm thereof
of a cloth plate supported in a fixed position above said presser foot and of the
feller 5 attached to said presser-foot and the gage 5 secured to said cloth plate
substantially as set forth."
9th The combination in a needle feed sewing machine, of an oscillating needle
bar frame hung on trunnions in the frame of the machine, of two needle bars with
their needles located on said oscillating frame at angles to each other each of said
bars having a cam-slot therein, of a driving shaft hung in said oscillating frame
and having cranks thereon to engage in said cam-slots, in said needle-bars, of
appliances substantially as described for rotating said shaft and for imparting an
oscillating motion to said frame needle bars and shaft, of a presser foot supported
upon a bar having supports in the frame of the machine and operating mechanisın,
and of a cloth plate supported in a fixed position above said presser foot,
substantially as set forth.
10th The within described improved feller and gage 5 and 5 consisting of the
flat base plate 23 from which is folded in a flat tubular tapering form one edge of
said plate, to form an eliptic shaped feller, with one edge 24 of said plate interposed
between said base plate 23 and the upper side of said feller, and the curved gage 5
combined and operating substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Raphael Hunter Brandon have hereunto set
my hand and seal this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord One
thousand night hundred and eight ton
Witnesses:
D. H. BRANDON 1 rue Laffitte Paris
P. SCHOLTUS 1. rue Laffitte. Paris
R. H. BRANDON (L.S.)