Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of New
York, United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HARVEY INSLEE, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing Company,
Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In that class of sewing machines employing two needles for the purpose of
simultaneously forming two rows of stitches it is frequently desirable to throw one
needle out of operation so as to temporarily form only a single row of stitches.
This desideratum occurs more particularly when it is necessary to turn a sharp
corner so that the inner of two rows of stitches, as in stitching around a square, will
not overlap or run to the outer row at the corners. It has heretofore been proposed
to make one needle inoperative, so that only one row of stitches will be formed, by
providing what was termed a "loop robbing device," or a device which prevented
the needle, which was to be rendered inoperative, from throwing out loops to he
engaged by the shuttle or looper beneath the work plate; but this method of
rendering the needle inoperative is objectionable in some classes of work (par-
ticularly in leather work) for the reason that the punctures made by the needle
when not sewing marred the work.
My Invention has for its object to provide a simple and convenient device
whereby one of two needles may be instantly thrown out of or into action at the
pleasure of the operator. To this end I provide the main needle bar, which is
operated from a crank in the usual manner, with a rigid block or cross-head through
which a supplemental needle bar is passed, the latter needle bar being provided
with a notch to be engaged by a locking device consisting preferably of a spring-
pressed pin or slide carried by said block or cross-lead to secure said needle bar
thereto. To the said block or cross-head is connected the outer end of a coil spring
the lower end of which is connected to the lower part of the supplemental needle
When it is desired
bar in such a manner as to have a tendency to lift the latter.
to throw the needle carried by the supplemental needle bar out of action it is only
necessary to withdraw the spring-pressed pin or slide, and the coil spring referred
to will instantly elevate the supplemental needle bar so as to throw the needle
carried by the latter out of action; and when the supplemental needle is again to
be thrown into operation the operator merely presses upon the upper end of the
supplemental needle bar and forces it down until the spring-pressed pin or slide
will engage the notch in the needle bar and lock it in place.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front end view of a sewing machine
head with my Invention applied thereto, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the needle bars with the supplemental needle bar and
needle in their inoperative positions.
A denotes the head or forward end of the bracket arm of a sewing machine and

page_text: B is the main or driving shaft having at its forward end the crank b connected
by the pitman c with the main needle bar C in the usual manner. To the said main
needle bar C is attached the block or cross head d having a suitable vertical
opening to receive the auxiliary needle bar D, the latter being provided with a
notch adapted to receive a spring-pressed pin or slide e suitably fitted in the said
block or cross-head and provided with a handle or operating device e' by which it
may be retracted. A spiral spring E connected at its upper end to the said block
or cross head d and at its lower end to the lower part of the auxiliary needle bar D
serves to lift the said needle bar to the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3 when
the said spring-pressed pin or slide e is withdrawn from the notch of the said
needle bar. Thus when the operator wishes to throw the auxiliary needle-bar out
of action he merely withdraws the spring-pressed pin or slide e from the said notch
in the said needle bar, when the spring E will instantly lift the auxiliary needle-bar
so that its needle will not touch the work, and when the auxiliary needle bar is
again to be thrown into action the operator merely presses the auxiliary needle bar
downward against the stress of the spring E until the notch d' comes opposite the
spring-pressed pin or slide e when the latter will enter said notch and lock the said
auxiliary needle bar in its operative position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine, the combination with a main needle-bar, and a cross
head or block rigidly secured thereto, of an auxiliary needle-bar vertically movable
in said cross head or block, a spring connected to said cross-head and auxiliary
needle-bar. to lift the latter, and a locking device for removably securing the said
auxilia needle-bar to the said block or cross-head.
2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a main needle-bar, and a cross-
head or block rigidly secured thereto, of an auxiliary needle-bar vertically movable
in said cross-head or block, a spring connected to said cross-head and auxiliary
needle-bar, to lift the latter, and a spring-pressed locking device for removably
securing the said auxiliary needle-bar to the said block or cross-head.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination with the main needle-bar C provided
with the block or cross-head d rigidly attached thereto, of the auxiliary needle-
bar freely movable vertically in said block or cross-head and provided with the
notch, the spring-pressed pin or slide e adapted to enter said notch and provided
with a handle e¹ whereby it may readily be withdrawn therefrom, and the lifting
spring E connected at its upper end to the said block or cross-head and at its lower
end to the lower part of said auxiliary needle-bar.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Finn of Cruikshank & Fairweather, Chartered Patent Agents,
62 Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.