IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Cook, of Pitt Street, Old Kent Road, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer and Machinist, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 31st December 1867, and dated the 7th September 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Cook at the
Office of the Commissioners .of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th September 1867.
I, THOMAS COOK, of Pitt Street, Old Kent. Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer and Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
These improvements are comprised under four separate heads, and relate-
First. To a novel and improved kind of gear for transmitting motion to the
several parts.
Secondly. To a looping motion..
Thirdly. To a novel and improved arrangement of mechanism or feed
motion in connection with the needle bar and needle.
Fourthly, and lastly. To a novel and improved arrangement for causing
tension of the sewing material contained by the bobbin or circular shuttle..
The following is an example of the construction and arrangement of the
parts as referred to under the. above heads, and intended to be applied more
particularly to hand sewing machines, that is to say :-
As regards the driving gear it consists of a worm wheel and two worms, or
askew gear mounted on axes working in one end of a suitable casting, the

page_text: other end carrying the needle bar and other parts. The worm wheel is placed
in a line with the casting, and the worms are situated one above and the other
below the centre of the worm wheel. The upper worm is for working the
needle bar and feed, and the lower worm for working the looping motion,
which may be effected as follows:-The upper worm is fixed on one end of
a long spindle suitably supported, the other end of the said spindle has a disc
of metal fixed thereon with a cam formed on the back thereof. This disc is
embraced by the circular recessed part of a rocking or vibrating lever; the
upper and lower ends whereof carry the needle bar, which is connected to the
aforesaid disc by a short connecting rod. This rocking lever is mounted on a
fulcrum about midway of its length, and the effect of this arrangement. is to
cause reciprocating motion of the needle bar and needle fixed therein, and by
the rocking or vibrating motion of the needle bar carrier produced by the
action of the cam thereon, and a spring below to cause the needle to work the
feed, a movement well known to sewing machine makers.
As regards the looping motion the improvement consists in causing the
spindle employed to carry the thread round the bobbin to move in an universal
joint or socket, so that the spindle does not rotate, but its extremities have a
circular movement imparted thereto by means of a crank arm driven by the
worm and worm wheel motion above described. The aforesaid crank arm is
connected to one end of the aforesaid spindle, and the other end of the said
spindle has a hook fixed therein for catching hold of the thread, a movement
well known to sewing machine makers; this hook always remains upright,
and in that position describes a circular motion by means of the crank arm,
as before described, and thus carries the thread round the bobbin.
Lastly, as regards the tension of the sewing material from the bobbin to
prevent överrunning of the same. I propose to effect this by. the following
means-At the upper part of the bobbin carrier I form an opening, across
which and in a line with the sides of the bobbin I pass a wire having a long
hole in it, through which the sewing material from the bobbin is to be passed,
and by turning this wire partly round so as to place the hole in the wire
sloping instead of upright the edges of the hole will impede the free passage
of the sewing material, and thus produce the required degree of tension; or
the aforesaid wire may be turned entirely round when much tension is
required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Cook in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
Cook, of Pitt Street, Old Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer and
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Cook, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Cook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said 'Thomas Cook, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Thomas Cook, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Thomas Cook, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
that is to say:-"
These improvements are comprised under four separate heads, and relate
First. To a novel and improved kind of gear for transmitting motion to the
several parts.
.
Secondly. To a looping motion.
Thirdly. To a novel and improved arrangement of mechanism or feed
motion in connection with the needle bar and needle.
Fourthly, and lastly. To a novel and improved arrangement for causing
tension of the sewing material contained by the bobbin or circular shuttle.
The following is an example of the construction and arrangement of the

page_text: parts as referred to under the above heads, and intended to be applied more
particularly to hand sewing machines, that is to say :-
As regards the driving gear it consists of a worm wheel and two worms, or
askew gear mounted on axes working in one end of a suitable casting, the
other end carrying the needle bar and other parts. The worm wheel is placed
in a line with the casting, and the worms are situated one above and the other
below the centre of the worm wheel. The upper worm is for working the
needle bar and feed, and the lower worm for working the looping motion,
which may be effected as follows:-The upper worm is fixed on one end of a
long spindle suitably supported, the other end of the said spindle has a disc
of metal fixed thereon with a cam formed on the back thereof. This disc. is
embraced by the circular recessed part of a rocking or vibrating lever, the
upper and lower ends whereof carry the needle bar, which is connected to the
aforesaid disc by a short connecting rod. This rocking lever is mounted on a
fulcrum about midway of its length, and the effect of this arrangement is to
cause reciprocating motion of the needle bar and needle fixed therein, and
by the rocking or vibrating motion of the needle bar carrier produced by the
action of the cam thereon and spring below to cause the needle to work the
feed; a movement well known to sewing machine makers.
As regards the looping motion the improvement consists in causing the
spindle employed to carry the thread round the bobbin to move in an
universal joint or socket, so that the spindle does not rotate, but its ex-.
tremities have a circular movement imparted thereto by means of a crank
arm driven by the worm and worm wheel motion above described. The afore-
said crank arm is connected to one end of the aforesaid spindle, and the other
end of the said spindle has a hook fixed therein for catching hold of the thread,
a movement well known to sewing machine makers; this hook always remains
upright, and in that position describes a circular motion by means of the
crank arm, as before described, and thus carries the thread round the bobbin.
Lastly, as regards the tension of the sewing material from the bobbin to
prevent overrunning of the same. I propose to effect this by the following
means: At the upper part of the bobbin carrier I form an opening, across
which and in a line with the sides of the bobbin I pass a wire having a long
hole in it, through which the sewing material from the bobbin is to be passed,
and by turning this wire partly round so as to place the hole in the wire
sloping instead of upright, the, edges of the hole will impede the free passage
of the sewing material, and thus produce the required degree of tension; or
the aforesaid wire may be turned entirely round when much tension is
required.

page_text: And in order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing
accompanying these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of
reference marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a full-size sewing machine con-
structed according to my said Invention; Figure 2, a front elevation thereof;
Figure 3, a plan view of the under side of the framing of the machine shewing
the looping motion hereafter referred to; Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,
represent detached parts herein-after particularly described and referred to.
At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to
denote corresponding parts in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at
each of such said Figures respectively.
A, A', marks a casting supporting the following parts:-B, a worm wheel,
shewn detached at Figure 4, which represents an edge view of the said wheel;
this wheel works loosely in a circular recess formed in the part A¹ of the
casting A, to which it is connected by a screw nut and pin a, which pin is the
axis of the wheel B; D, a handle for imparting rotatory motion to the
wheel B; E, G, are horizontal spindles, that marked E is for working the
needle bar and feed motion, and that marked G is for working the looping
motion. These spindles work in suitable bearings formed in the casting A,
and have each a worm H fixed thereon, and gearing into the teeth of the
wheel B. The opposite end of the spindle E has a disc of metal I fixed
thereon, shewn detached at Figures 5 and 6, which respectively exhibit a side
and front elevation of the said disc, and the back of the said disc has a cam
shaped projection 6 formed thereon to be employed for the purpose presently
described. K is a piece of metal employed to carry the needle bar L, which
works through holes formed in the parts c, c, of the piece K; d is a pin or
pivot fixed into or formed upon the piece K, as at Figures 7 and 8; this pin
fits in a hole in the casting A to which it is connected by the piece d. 7. is.a
rod for connecting the needle bar L with the disc I by means of the pin 8 and
screw 9. M is a bar having a foot.e fixed to or formed thereon for holding
the materials intended to be sewn; f,fi, are lugs or projections fixed to or
formed upon the casting A, the said lugs baving each a. hole formed therein
through which the bar M slides; g, a helical steel spring for causing pressure
of the foot e upon the material to be sewn; h, a loose collar adjusted upon the
bar M at the desired height, and fixed in that position by the screw i; N, a

page_text: lever acting upon the collar h for raising the foot e when desired; O, the bed
plate of the machine, upon which is to be placed the materials intended to be
sewn or united; k is a screw passing through the hole in the piece K, shewn
more clearly at Figure 7; and m is a nut for fixing the screw k in any desired
position; the point of the screw k abuts against the fixed lug or projection f¹,
and according to the length of the stitch required in like manner the said
screw must be advanced either more or less. It will be seen upon referring
to Figure 8 that the piece K is formed solid at x, x, shewn also by the dotted
lines at Figure 7. The cam 6 on the disc I as it rotates acting upon the edge
of the part x, x, causes a rocking or vibrating movement of the piece K, and
thus causes the needle to move forward the work at every stitch, and althrough
this movement is well known the means by which I propose to effect it are
new to the best of my knowledge and belief. 3 is a spring let into the recess 4
of the piece K; this spring abuts against the lug or projection f, and pushes
the bottom of the piece K outwards after the cam 6 has ceased to act thereon,
thereby bringing the point of the screw k against the lug f', and by means
of the needle moving the work forward or feeding the same across the
machine.
I now proceed to describe the looping motion above referred to and
represented at Figure 3, at which Figure P marks a disc of metal fixed on
one end of the spindle G, and having a hole formed therein, into which one
end of a lever Q takes, the fulcrum of this lever is a pin at n passed through
a piece of metal R, shewn detached at Figure 9, where o marks a slot or
opening to receive the lever Q, and the dotted lines at p shew holes for
connecting the piece R by the screws q, q, to lugs or projections r, r, fixed to
or formed upon the under side of the casting A, as shewn, thus forming an
universal joint. S is a hook fixed into the lever Q, this hook always maintains
the same upright position during its circular movement, thereby catching
hold of the sewing material to form the loop and releasing it at the proper
times.
I now proceed to describe the construction and arrangement of the bobbin
or circular shuttle represented at Figures 10 and 11, and the mode of attach-
ment and detachment to and from the machine as follows:-At Figures 10
and 11 s marks a bobbin or shuttle holder formed of a piece of steel recessed
out to receive the bobbin or circular shuttle t by placing it upon the pin u
fixed into the piece s. w is a screw pin around which the sewing material
from the bobbin or shuttle thas to be passed according to the degree of
tension required; for example, when more tension is required the operator has
simply to turn round the screw w, which may be done by means of a screw

page_text: driver, a kerf or slit being cut in one end of the screw for that purpose; by
these means the sewing material from the bobbin may be coiled round the
screw two or more times as required, and thus any amount of tension may be
imparted thereto. The bobbin may be filled with sewing material by placing
the bobbin on the end of the spindle G, and imparting rotary motion thereto
by the handle D. The bobbin or shuttle holder s is connected to the machine
by two pieces of metal 6, 7; the piece 6 is fixed to the casting A at 8 by any
suitable means, and the piece 7 is connected to the piece 6 by a pin 9 screwed
therein to a curved ridge 10 is also formed upon 6, which fits into a half
round recess formed in the piece 7, and thus forms a kind of hinge for the
piece 7 to turn upon the spring 11, keeping the two pieces 6 and 7 in forced
contact, and the bobbin or shuttle with its holders is inserted between the
pieces 6 and 7 by pressing back the tail part 12 of the piece 7, thereby
opening the mouth 13 of the pieces 6 and 7, and upon releasing the pressure
upon the part 12 the bobbin or shuttle with its bolder will be held in proper
working position, the spring 11 being adjusted to the proper pressure for
allowing the bobbin to move round as the sewing material is drawn therefrom
and the inclined part or nose 14 of the piece 6 directs the loop (formed by
the hook taking hold of the sewing material from the needle) over the shuttle,
the hook releasing the loop at the proper time. x, x, are two loose plates
kept in forced contact by a spring y, the sewing material from the bobbin T to
supply the needle 5 is passed between the plates x, x, and the requisite
degree of tension caused thereon by the thumb screw or nut z on the
spring y.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention for improvements in sewing machines, together with the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I hereby declare my Invention to consist in
and I claim the general arrangement and combination of the several parts
above described and represented by the accompanying Drawing as constituting
"Improvements in Sewing Machines."
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Cook, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
THOS. COOK. (L.S.)