Year: 1886

page_text: I MARSHALL HENRY PEARSON, of 141 Shoreditch High Street in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :—
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of wax thread sewing machine for
making what is known as the "lock stitch."
In this machine, the awl or piercing tool I use by preference as a feeder,
mounting it in guides in a rocking head, the awl standing over the work, while
the hooked needle is arranged below the work.
The shuttle, which has a reciprocating axial motion, is also arranged below the
work, instead of above, as is most usual, and I employ an instrument which may
be termed a divider for opening the loop of the needle thread; and presenting it
to the nose of the shuttle.
The support for the work, when sewing on soles, takes a special form, and is
adjustable, and it is capable of being replaced by other forms of supports, to suit
the varieties of work for which this machine may be employed.
The movements for the several instruments employed in sewing are derived from
two cam shafts, which are placed one above, and the other below the table, and are
geared together by a central spur wheel.-Keyed to the upper cam shaft is a band
pulley for driving the machine, and to this pulley a pedal arrangement is con-
nected for providing an alternative means for driving the machine.-The presser
bar slides in guides carried by the bracket arm, and to this arm is also fixed the
wax pot from which the needle thread, in passing through it, is supplied with
liquid wax.
The bar carrying the awl is fitted at its back with a cam plate, into the groove
of which a bowl carried by a disc on the upper cam shaft takes, for the purpose of
imparting a vertical reciprocating motion thereto. When the awl is depressed, it
will pass through the work, a boot sole, for instance, and before rising, will feed
forward the work, so as to bring the hole which it has pierced into line with the
hooked needle. This feed movement of the awl is effected by means of a cam on
the cam shaft bearing against a bowl on the upper end of a rock lever mounted on
a fulcrum carried by the bracket arm, the lower end of which rock lever presses
against the swinging head carrying the awl guide, and thus imparts the feed
motion thereto.
The amount of this feed motion is determined by an adjustable stop in the usual
manner.
The presser foot bar, which is mounted in guides in the bracket arm, carries at

page_text: intended to lift the presser foot from its work at the time the feed motion occurs.—
This spring lever is connected by a rod to a rock lever reciprocated vertically by a
cam on the upper cam shaft.-The free end of this spring lever bears upon a lug
projecting from the guide of the presser foot bar, and it is held down in contact
with the lug by coiled springs.-When tipped by the action of the cam, the spring
lever grips the rod of the presser bar, and lifts the presser foot clear of the work.
The hooked needle, which rises up through the work to receive its thread from
a looper above the work, is operated from a cam on the lower cam shaft through
the intervention of a bell crank lever and a link pivotted to the back of the needle
bar. Fixed V guides are provided for receiving the needle bar and guiding it in
its vertical movements. The looper is carried by an arm fitted, by an universal
joint, to the bracket arm, and moved in two directions at right angles to each
other, by means of two cam surfaces on the upper cam shaft.
The needle thread, led from a bobbin on the bracket arm, is carried over a
bridge piece, and round a tension pulley, whence it passes into the wax pot, and
leaving it at its lower end, is threaded through a take up apparatus, and led down
from thence to the looper, the compound movement of which lays it under the
hook of the needle. The shuttle employed consists of a horizontal circular box for
containing the waxed cop. It is fitted in a circular race, which is closed at bottom
by a disc furnished with a segment shaped driver.-This driver stands up from the
disc, and occupies a space formed for it between the nose of the shuttle and the
side of the case. On the under side of the shuttle driver disc is a pinion gearing
into a segment rack which receives a reciprocating motion from a cam on the lower
cam shaft. To enable the nose of the shuttle to enter the loop which the needle
thread has drawn down from above the work, I provide a peculiar construction of
divider, which rocks on a horizontal fulcrum near the base of the machine, and
receives its motion from a pin or bowl, which it carries, entering a face cam on the
lower cam shaft. This divider is pointed at its end, and its movement is so
adjusted as to bring it close up to an adjustable stop on the main framing, for the
purpose of ensuring the escaping loop, received onto the divider,-being caught and
held by the adjustable stop, while the shuttle is passing through the loop.
It is when the needle has drawn down the loop, that the divider advances to
open it for the reception of the nose of the shuttle. To facilitate the release of the
hooked needle from its loop, a hole is made through the divider near its point, to
receive the point of the needle, which rises clear of the loop at the moment that
the nose of the shuttle advances to take the loop from the divider. As the nose of
the shuttle enters the loop, the thread will be drawn away from the needle, which
will then descend, leaving the divider free to retire and disengage itself also from
the loop. The shuttle will now by continuing its axial motion, pass its locking
thread through the loop, and leave the loop free to be drawn into a tight stitch.
The tightening of the stitch is effected by the rise of the take-up apparatus, which
is set in action by a cam on the upper cam shaft.
The top of the shuttle race is covered by a sliding plate, which forms a support
for the work, and it is slotted or notched to provide a passage through it, for the
play of the needle and the awl.-When the machine is adapted for sewing on Boot
Soles, this plate carries a knife edge projection, which is intended to enter the
channel of the boot sole, and determine the exact position which the line of stitches
shall take. The position of this plate may be adjusted with respect to the needle
by means of an excentric button fitted to the plate, and bearing against a bracket
piece projecting from the table of the machine.
Dad.. of 1000

page_text: Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I MARSHALL HENRY PEARSON of 141 Shoreditch High Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of wax thread sewing machine for
making what is known as the "lock stitch."
In this machine, the awl or piercing tool I use by preference as a feeder, mounting
it in guides in a swinging head, the awl standing over the work, while the hooked
needle is arranged below the work.-The shuttle, which has a reciprocating axial
motion, is also arranged below the work, instead of above, as is most usual, and
I employ a novel construction of instrument, which may be termed a divider, for
opening the loop of the needle thread and presenting it to the nose of the shuttle.
The support for the work I make removable, and that used when sewing on
soles, takes a special form, and is adjustable. It is intended to be replaced by
other forms of supports, to suit the varieties of work for which the machine may
be employed.
The presser foot bar slides in guides carried by the bracket arm, and to this arm
is also fixed the wax pot from which the needle thread, in passing through it,.is
supplied with liquid wax as heretofore.
The hooked needle, which rises up through the work, receives its thread from a
looper above the work, to which the well known compound reciprocating motion
is given for laying the thread under the hook of the needle.
The needle thread, led from a bobbin on the bracket arm, is carried over a
bridge piece, and round a tension pulley, whence it passes into the wax pot, and
leaving it at its lower end, is threaded through a take-up apparatus, and led down
from thence to the looper.-A reciprocating vertical motion is imparted to this
take-up apparatus, the rise of the same, following the passage of the shuttle
through the needle thread loop, serving to tighten the stitch.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows the machine in front elevation;
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left hand side of the machine;
Fig. 3 is a partial plan view, taken in the line 1. 2. of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5 show the shuttle detached in front and plan views; and
Figs. 6 and 7 show the divider in plan and edge views, detached from its support.
A A is the main framing of the machine, cast preferably in one piece, and of a
Cform one limb forming the base of the machine and the other a horizontal
bracket arm.
B and B are two cam shafts turning respectively in bearings carried by the
base and the bracket arm of the machine.-To these cam shafts are keyed spur
pinions b, into which an intermediate wheel b¹, mounted loosely on a stud of the
framing A, gears. A band pulley B', keyed on the cam shaft B, serves to transmit
motion to the working parts of the machine.

page_text: C is a swinging head pivotted to the bracket arm, and fitted with guides to
receive a sliding bar C¹, which carries the awl c for piercing the work for the
passage through it of the hooked needle, and for the feeding forward of the work.
d is the hooked needle, mounted on a needle bar D, which slides in vertical
guides fitted to the base of. the machine..
e is a circular horizontal shuttle, mounted in a circular race E, formed in the
base of the machine.-e¹ is the shuttle driver, carried by a disc e³, which closes
the bottom of the circular shuttle race, and carries a spur pinion e³, through which
a reciprocating axial motion is given to the disc carrying the shuttle driver.
f is a divider for opening the loop of the needle thread and presenting it to the
nose of the shuttle. This divider is fitted to the extremity of a bent rocking
arm F, which serves to give to the divider a horizontal traverse motion, thereby
enabling it to open the loop and retire from it when the loop has been caught by
the shuttle. In connection with the action of this divider is a stop piece f¹, which
is intended to prevent the loop of the needle thread escaping (when released from
the hooked needle) before the loop is caught by the locking thread.
g is the looper fitted to a rock lever G, pivotted to the bracket arm.
h is the presser foot, carried by a presser bar H, fitted in vertical guides on the
fixed head of the machine.
is the take-up apparatus, fitted also to the fixed head, and serving not only to
hold the needle thread at the requisite tension during the formation of the stitch,
but also to tighten the stitch when formed.
K is a plate which covers the shuttle race, and which forms the support for the
work. This plate serves also, when sole-sewing is being carried on, as an adjustable
guide for the work.
I will now proceed to explain the means for operating the several instruments
above named, and I will afterwards describe their relative operations in the
formation of a stitch, reference being had to a series of diagrams which illustrate
the progress of the stitch.
Taking the instruments in the order in which they have been mentioned above,
I will first describe the means for operating the awl.
The sliding bar C', which carries the awl c, is fitted at its back with a cam
plate C, in the groove of which a bowl C³ works.-This bowl is fitted to a pin
projecting from the face of a cam C on the upper cam shaft B, and serves to
impart a vertical reciprocating motion to the awl.
When the awl is depressed, it will pass through the work, a boot sole, for
instance, and before rising, will feed forward the work, so as to bring the hole
which it has pierced into line with the hooked needle d.-This feed movement of
the awl is effected by means of the cam C, bearing against a bowl on the upper
end of a rock lever C, mounted on a fulcrum carried by the bracket arm.- -The
lower end of this rock lever presses against the swinging head C, carrying the awl
guide, and thus imparts the feed motion thereto.
The amount of this feed motion is determined by an adjustable stop C6, in the
usual manner, the swinging head being held in contact with the stop, when the
rock lever is out of action, by means of a pressure spring C7.
The hooked needle d, which receives its thread from the looper g, is operated by
a cam D on the lower cam shaft B*, through the intervention of a bell crank
lever D, fulcrummed on the base frame, and a link D³, which forms a connection
between the bell crank lever and a pin on the back of the needle bar.
The shuttle e consists of a horizontal circular box for containing the waxed cop.-
It fits loosely in the circular race E, and rests on an internal flange thereof. The
bottom of the shuttle race is closed, as already explained, by a disc e², furnished
with a segment shaped driver, and it is supported in a footstep of the base frame.
The driver el stands up from the disc, and occupies a space formed for it in the
nose of the shuttle and the side of the case. The pinion e³, on the underside of the
shuttle driver disc, gears into a segment rack E' fulcrummed on the base frame,
and actuated by a cam E³ on the lower cam shaft B*,

page_text: As this shaft rotates, the cam E will impart a reciprocating motion to the
segment rack, which, through the pinion es and driver e¹, will impart a recipro-
cating axial motion to the shuttle.
This shuttle (see Figs. 4 and 5), which is intended to receive a compacted cop of
waxed thread, is closed by a hinged lid, which is locked by means of a small
screw, a part of the overlapping head of which is cut away to permit, by a
slight turn of the screw, of the hinged cover being locked or released.-The thread
passes out through the centre of the lid, and is led through an eye of an arm e¹
pivotted to the cover. This arm is adjustable to vary slightly the tension on the
thread, it being provided on its underside with a pin for locking into one or other
of two holes formed in the cover to receive the locking pin. The perimeter of
the shuttle (see Fig. 5) is circular for the greater portion of its length, and it is
within this circle that the nose of the shuttle lies. A recess or rebate formed in
the perimeter of the shuttle, for the reception of the shuttle driver, provides for
the formation of the nose of the shuttle, which is chamfered off to form a point at
the base of the shuttle, as shewn in the front view Fig. 4.
It will be understood that the rebate for the reception of the shuttle driver e¹ is
sufficient to provide for the free passage of the loop between the shuttle and the.
shuttle driver.
To enable the nose of the shuttle to enter the loop which the needle thread has
drawn down from above the work, I employ the peculiar construction of divider
shown at Figs. 6 and 7.
This divider may be described as a pointed finger, with a vertical opening
through it near its point. It is made fast (see Fig. 1) to a cranked arm F, which
rocks on a horizontal fulcrum near the base of the machine, and receives its
motion from a pin or bowl F¹ which it carries, entering a groove in a face cam F¹
on the lower cam shaft B*.
In this way, a to and fro motion is given to the divider in the direction of its
length, that it may open the loop, present it to the nose of the shuttle, and retire
from the loop when the loop is caught by the shuttle. The movement of the
divider is so adjusted as to cause its point, at the end of its advance, to overlap the
adjustable stop f¹ on the main framing (see Fig. 3), for the purpose of ensuring
that the loop, as it escapes from the divider, is caught and held by the adjustable
stop while the shuttle is passing through the loop.-Figs. 7* show in side and
plan views the stop piece f¹. It consists of a curved plate, chamfered off at its
upper and lower edges to form a point, which point is curved inwards or towards
the shuttle, and stands in the plane of the divider, and close to, but slightly above,
the bottom of the shuttle.
It is when the needle has drawn down the loop, that the divider advances to
open it for the reception of the nose of the shuttle.-To effect the release of the
hooked needle from its loop, the needle rises into the opening in the divider, until
its beard is clear of the loop; this occurs at the moment that the nose of the shuttle
advances to take the loop from the divider. As the nose of the shuttle enters the
loop the thread will be drawn, by the axial motion of the shuttle, away from the
needle, and towards the pointed stop piece.-The needle will then descend, leaving
the divider free to retire and disengage itself from the loop.-To free the divider
more quickly from the needle, I groove it, on its under face, from the eye or opening
to the point. This provides for the divider clearing the needle before the latter
has descended below the plane of movement of the divider. The shuttle, having
entered the opened loop, will now, by continuing its axial motion, pull the loop
onto the retaining piece f¹, pass its locking thread through the loop, and leave the
loop free to be drawn into a tight stitch.
To prevent the loop from being jammed between the shuttle race and the
shuttle, as the nose of the shuttle clears the loop (at which moment the loop
is slack), the shuttle is recessed on its perimeter in rear of the nose, as shewn at
Fig. 4, which gives a clearance for the thread until it is rendered taut by the
advance of the shuttle through the loop.

page_text: In order to impart a compound reciprocating motion to the looper g, two cam
surfaces are employed. At the back of the cam C' is a face cam G¹, and on the
boss of this cam is a cam G2-Both of these cams act upon the upper end of the
looper lover G, which is bent round the feed cam C4, to bring it into contact with
the cam surfaces G¹ and G2. The lever G is held to the cams G1 and G2 by means
of a tension spring. As the looper lever is pivotted to the bracket arm in such a
manner as to allow of its rocking longitudinally and transversely of the machine,
it will, by the rotation of the cam shaft, receive a compound reciprocating motion
suitable for laying the needle thread under the hook of the raised needle, prepa-
ratory to its descending through the work, to present the loop to the divider.
The presser foot bar H is held down to its work by a spring, as usual, and is
capable of being lifted by a hand lever.-Fitted to its side, by brackets, is a vertical
rod H, which is encircled by the head of a lever H.-This lever rests, near its
head, upon a fulcrum h¹, projecting from the bracket arm, and it is held down
thereon by means of a coiled spring h², connecting the lever with a fixed point on
the bracket arm.-The tail end of this lever is connected by an adjustable link rod
to a rock lever H³, fulcrummed on the bracket arm, and reciprocated vertically by
a cam H on the cam shaft B.-When the lever H2 is tipped by the action of the
cam H, its embracing head will grip the rod H³ of the presser bar, and lift the
presser foot clear of the work.
The take-up apparatus i consists of a vertical rod sliding in a fixed guide pro-
jecting from the head of the machine, and fitted with an eye at its lower end to
receive the thread from the wax pot L-I is a rock lever fulcrummed on the
bracket arm, and carrying a forked piece which is pivotted thereto.-Eyes are
made in the prongs of this forked piece, in which the rod i is free to slide.-The
rod is fitted with stop pieces ¹³, and surrounding the rod, and situate within
the forked piece of the lever, is a coiled spring is, which bears on the under side of
the stop, and rests upon the lower prong of the fork. Thus, the rod i has
always a tendency upwards, but it is free to yield to the downward pull of the
needle thread. A bowl on the tail of the lever I enters a groove in the cam I on
the cam shaft B, and as this shaft is rotated, a reciprocating vertical motion is
given to the rod i.
M is the bobbin, from which the needle thread is drawn. It is led thence over
a bridge piece m, fixed to the bracket arm, then round a tension pulley m², mounted
on the bracket arm, and down into the wax pot L, which is carried by a bracket
from the head of the machine. The thread having passed through the pot of melted
wax, leaves it at its lower end, and is threaded through the eye of the take-up
apparatus, whence it passes, as before mentioned, to the looper g.
The rise of the tension apparatus under the action of the rock lever I and
cam I¹, is so timed as to draw the thread tight at the moment that the loop has
passed over the shuttle.-This rising of the rod i draws the loop away from the
shuttle, and also tightens the last formed stitch in the work. The continued rise
of the rod i will draw a fresh supply of thread from the wax pot, and on the
descent of the rod i, a suitable slack will be provided for the operation of the
looper g.
Figs. 8 to 15 show the cut of the several cams above referred to, for producing
the movements required for the operating instruments,-Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12
being keyed on the cam shaft B, and Figs. 13, 14, and 15 on the lower cam shaft B*.
-Fig. 8 represents the cam plate carried by the awl bar, and serving, through
the revolution of the bowl C³, to give the vertical reciprocating motion to
the awl c.
Fig. 9 shows the cam C for imparting, through the rocking lever C³, the feed
motion to the awl.-Figs. 10 show the cams G³ G' for imparting the compound
reciprocating motion to the looper_g.
Fig. 11 shows the grooved cam I, which actuates the take-up apparatus. as laid

page_text: Fig. 12 shows the cam H, which serves to lift the presser foot automatically
from the work immediately before the feed takes place.
Fig. 13 represents the grooved cam E' as laid out, the same being used for driving
the shuttle.
Fig. 14 shows the grooved cam D¹ laid out, the same being used to reciprocate
the hooked needle; and
Fig. 15 shows the cam F2 which operates the divider.
I have said that the shuttle race is covered by an adjustable work plate K.-
This plate slides in guides formed in a detachable table K¹, screwed down to the
base frame. The forward end of this plate K is slotted or notched, at k, to
provide a passage, through it for the play of the needle and the awl.-When the
machine is adapted for sewing boot soles, this plate carries a knife edge projec-
tion in rear of the notch k (see the detached plan view of the plate Fig. 3*),
which projection is intended to enter the channel of the boot sole, and determine
the exact position that the line of stitches shall take. The position of this plate
may be adjusted with respect to the needle by means of an excentric button k²,
fitted to the plate, and bearing against a bracket piece ³ projecting from the table
of the machine.
1.8
The plate K is slotted, as at 4, to receive a clamping screw ko, which enters a
tapped hole in the table.-To adjust the plate, it is only necessary to slacken the
screw, and to turn the excentric button k³, keeping it in contact with the bracket
piece k³-When properly adjusted, the plate is fixed in position by means of the
clamping screw k³.
The construction and mode of operation of the various parts of the machine
having been explained, it only remains to describe the action of certain of the
sewing instruments in relation to each other.
The diagrams Figs. 16, 17, and 18, show all the sewing instruments in their
relative, but varied positions, and the operating parts below the work (in three
positions) in elevation and plan view.-These diagrams also show the movements
of the take-up apparatus for supplying slack thread, and drawing up the stitch.
In Figs. 16 the awl is out of action, the needle having just drawn down the
loop through the work ready for the divider (which is now advancing) to enter it.
In the front view of the machine at Fig. 1, the divider is represented as having
reached its most advanced position, the loop being on it, and the nose of the shuttle
just entering the opened loop. In this Figure, the needle has risen into the opening
in the divider to free itself from the loop.
The next stage of the process is shown at Figs. 17, where the needle has
descended to its resting position, and the divider has withdrawn from the loop,
leaving it on the stop piece f¹, to which it has been drawn by the advance of the
shuttle into the loop.
In Figs. 16, the take-up apparatus is shown as moving down to give out slack
for the descending needle, and at Fig. 1, it is shown as having nearly completed its
descent. At Figs. 17, the take-up apparatus is shown in about the same position
as in Fig. 1, but meanwhile it has reached its lowest point, and has commenced its
ascent.
In Figs. 18, the looper, the needle, and the divider, are out of action, but the
awl is descending to pierce the work.-The shuttle has now nearly completed its
passage through the loop of the needle thread, and the laying of the locking
thread therein. The take-up apparatus continuing to rise, has drawn the loop
from the stop piece f¹, and is about to draw it over the heel of the shuttle. When
this is effected, the take-up apparatus, by its further rise, draws the last formed
stitch into the work, and completes its ascent by drawing a fresh supply of thread
from the wax pot.
While this is taking place, the awl descends to pierce the work; the presser foot
is then lifted clear of the work; and the awl, acting as a feeder, moves forward
the work until the hole just pierced is brought over the needle. The presser foot
then descends, and holds the work firmly while the awl leaves the work, and the

page_text: rising needle enters it (through the hole pierced by the awl), to receive a fresh
supply of thread from the looper. The needle then descends to the position shown
in Figs. 16, and the movements of the parts are repeated as above explained.
In the foregoing description, I have explained that the feeding forward of the
work is effected by the awl, and the drawings illustrate that arrangement, but it
will be obvious that my improvements are equally applicable to machines in which
the hooked needle is the feeder, as the lateral movements imparted to the needle,
to make it a feeder, would not be interfered with by the divider, which at that
time will be at its back position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In waxed thread sewing machines, the use of a divider constructed as above
described, for opening the loop of the needle thread, and for receiving the loop
from the needle, as and for the purpose above set forth.
2. In combination with the divider, the stop piece for retaining the loop of the
needle thread when it has left the divider, and while the shuttle is passing through
the loop, to lay its locking thread therein.
3. The adjustable plate for supporting and guiding the work as described.