AN IMPROVED LOCK-STITCH SEWING AND EMBROIDERING MACHINE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Pieper, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74,
Belle Alliance Strasse, Berlin, S. W., Prussia, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED LOCK-STITCH SEWING AND EMBROIDERING MACHINE." A com-
munication from Max Gritzner, Charles Delisle, Rudolf Gritzner, and Julius
Gritzner, of Durlach, Grand Duchy of Baden.
Sealed the 13th February 1880, and dated the 25th August 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Pieper at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1879.
CARL PIEPER, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74, Belle-Alliance-Strasse,
Berlin, S.W., Prussia. "AN IMPROVED LOCK-STITCH SEWING AND EMBROIDERING
MACHINE." A communication from Max Gritzner, Charles Delisle, Rudolf
Gritzner, and Julius Gritzner, of Durlach, Grand Duchy of Baden.
This Invention relates to various improvements in lock-stitch sewing machines,
which have the purpose of affording essential advantages with regard to the sewing
operation, and which besides render the machine especially adapted for embroidery
.work.
Firsthly. The lower thread is wound on a bobbin enclosed in a stationary
circular case or shuttle, which is placed between the slightly concave face of a
rotating disk and a fixed ring. The shuttle is maintained stationary by a small
rib or stud on the same, projecting into a notch of the said ring or other fixture of
the machine. The lower thread is passed from the bobbin through a number of
holes in the bobbin case or shuttle so as to impart to it the necessary amount of
tension, but other tension devices may be used. The rotating disk is furnished
with a hook which catches the loop formed by the upper thread and carries it
around the shuttle, the necessary play being provided for all around the latter for
the passage of the loop. The axle of the rotating disk is geared in such a manner
with the main shaft of the machine that according to the relative size of the wheels
employed the disk will make two or more entire revolutions during one stroke of
the needle, two revolutions however being prefered.
Instead of placing the shuttle between the rotating disk and a fixed ring, it may
be provided with a flange which is loosely overlapped by the inside edge of a ring

page_text: fixed to the disk, this ring having a slit and the disk a notch at its edge for
allowing the loop of the upper thread to pass under the shuttle. For the purposo
of removing and introducing the shuttle part of the said ring is either made so as
to open or it is arranged to spring, the flange of the shuttle allowing the latter to be,
as it were, screwed under the springing ring.
In machines for light work the shuttle may be maintained in its place without
any mechanical means by magnetising it or the rotating disk, or both, necessary
means for preventing its rotation being provided for as in the other cases.
Instead of a rotating hook an oscillating one may be used, but in this case it is
also preferred to let the hook make two oscillations during one stroke of the
needle.
The bobbin may be spooled during the operation of the machine by attaching it
to the end of the mainshaft.
Secondly. The feeding apparatus consists of a plate to which the dentated feeder
is attached, and which is actuated by one or two eccentrics fitted to the main-shaft.
The said plate has an arm projecting downward and embracing with its forked end
a pin fixed vertically below the feeder. The said feeder is thus forced to oscillate
on the said pin, and to describe an arc of a circle when in its top position and in
the very action of propelling the cloth. According to this circle the feeder and
also the foot of the presser-bar are shaped.
Thirdly. The presser-foot has an upward extension in the rear of the screw by
which it is fastened to the presser-bar. This extension slides in a vertical groove
cut into the side of the face-plate whereby the presser-foot is guided and the
presser-bar prevented from turning.
Fourthly. For the purpose of taking up the slack portion of the upper thread
required for the loop which passes around the shuttle, the following arrangement
has been adopted :-The thread runs from its bobbin over a tension device, thence
downward and through a staple fixed close to the driving pulley and opposite to
its face. From the staple the thread again runs upward and finally to the needle.
The driving pulley or a disk forming part of the same is provided with an oscil-
lating finger, which when striking with one end on a fixed cam is projected forward
from the face of the pulley or disk and then engages with the thread, so as to carry
the same along with it until the finger leaves the cam and lets slip the thread. The
loop is thereby taken up and the stitch drawn tight,
À modification of this arrangement consists in passing the thread from the
tension device down along the face of the driving pulley, and through a staple
placed below the pulley, and then up again. In this case a stud fixed immovably
to the rim of the pulley' will draw the two parallel parts of the upper thread
sideward, pass along under them and then leave them again, whereby also the
loop is taken up.
Fifthly. The tension device for the upper thread consists of two clamping pieces;
one of which (by preference the lower one) is actuated in such a manner by an
eccentric fixed on the main shaft as to release the thread at a certain point of the
stitch. The upper clamping piece is or may be provided with a spring and an
adjusting screw.
Sixthly. The needle bar is actuated from an eccentric on the main shaft by a lever
pivoted inside of the frame of the machine. The end of this lever is forked so that
it may embrace the needle bar, and a pin is screwed through an oval hole in one part
of the said fork into the needle bar, the end of the pin (which is smooth) projecting
into an oval hole in the second part of the fork. The head and the end of the pin
thus serve as pivots for the lever to work on.
Seventhly. For the purpose of operating hand-machines by foot the inventor
uses an auxiliary treadle and connecting-rod, the latter adapted to be attached to
the hand-crank of the machine or to a crank put into its place. The connecting-
rod consists of two parts fixed together by screws for adjusting its length.
J
Eighthly. When the machine is to be used as embroidering-machine, the feeding
mechanism must be arranged in such a manner that the cloth may be made to

page_text: move in any desired direction. For this purpose a circular disk carrying the
feeding lever and feeder is placed in the annular presser-foot, and retained in its
place in such a manner that it may be turned by hand. The double branched
feeding lever oscillates on a horizontal axle fixed in standards on the said circular
disk. The branches of the lever are provided at the lower end with the dentated
feeders, while the upper end of the lever which is inclined is moved to and fro by
the up and down motion of a suitably guided ring operated by the needle-bar.
The relative position of this ring always remains the same with regard to the
feeding apparatus when the latter is rotated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Pieper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th February
1880.
CARL PIEPER, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74, Belle-Alliance-Strasse,
Berlin, S.W., Prussia. AN IMPROVED LOCK-STITCH SEWING AND EMBROIDERING
MACHINE." A communication from Max Gritzner, Charles Delisle, Rudolf
Gritzner, and Julius Gritzner, of Durlach, Grand Duchy of Baden.
This Invention relates to various improvements in lock-stitch sewing-machines,
which have the purpose of affording essential advantages with regard to the sewing
operation, and which besides render the machine especially adapted for embroidery
work. These improvements will be described in the following Specification with
reference to the three Sheets of Drawings annexed hereunto..
Firstly. Instead of placing the bobbin on which the lower thread is wound
directly into the hollow disc to which the rotating hook is attached, as is at present
the case in sewing-machines provided with rotating hook and shuttle combined,
this bobbin is enclosed according to the improvement in a stationary circular case
or shuttle e, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, which is placed between the slightly concave face of
the rotating disc and the fixed ring The shuttle is maintained stationary by
a small rib or stud g projecting into a notch of the ring u or of any other fixture
of the machine. For imparting to the lower thread the necessary tension it is
passed from the bobbin through a number of holes i, Fig. 2, in the bobbin-case or
shuttle; but other tension devices, such, for instance, as have hitherto been used
with common shuttles, may be employed for the same purpose. In Figs. 29 and 30 a
shuttle is represented in which the thread passes from the bobbin through a hole in
the shuttle and thence between the wall of the latter and the end of the spring 8;
this spring being adjustable by a screw t for regulating the degree of tension of
the thread.
The hook & with which the disc r is provided catches the loop formned by the
upper thread when the needle has completed the first part of its ascending
movement. The hook thereupon carries the loop around the shuttle, the necessary
play for its passage being provided for between the two sides of the shuttle, the
ring u, and the disc r.

page_text: •
. The axle of the disc. is geared with the main-shaft A of the machine by means
of the toothed, wheels and b, which are in such proportion to each other that the
disc will make two or more entire revolutions while the needle completes one full
stroke two revolutions being however preferred. By this arrangement the
advantage is attained, that every stitch is drawn tight independently of the
following one, an advantage which is presented by machines with common shuttle,
but not by machines with rotary hook, or. with such hook and shuttle combined, as
hitherto constructed.
Instead of placing the stationary shuttle or bobbin-case e between the rotating
disc and the fixed ring u it may be provided with a flange which is loosely
A shuttle of this nature is
overlapped by the inside edge of a ring fixed to disc r.
represented by Fig. 23 as seen from its closed side, and in Fig. 24 in section. The
flange is shown in Fig. 23 by dotted lines; it extends only over the part M, M³, M²,
of the periphery of the shuttle, whereas the part M, e¹, M2, is cut away. The ring
on the disc r, which serves to keep the shuttle in its place, is shown in Fig. 17 by
the letters D and E, the part D being fixed to the disc whereas the part E is
pivoted at H and may be turned aside, as shown in dotted lines, for the purpose of
allowing the flange of the shuttle to be introduced under the ring. The ring D, E,
has a slit, C beneath the hook d, and the projecting edge of the disc (shown in
section in Fig. 20) is provided at the same place with a notch whose bottom is
flush with the bottom of the cavity of the disc 7. Moreover there is sufficient play
under and around the flange of the shuttle for allowing the loop of the upper thread
to pass with facility. After the introduction of the shuttle the part E of the ring
D, E, is fastened by the screw J.
Fig. 22 shows a modification of this arrangement. In this case the part G, L, of
the ring K, L, which holds the shuttle is made elastic, so that the corner M² of the
shuttle-flange, Fig. 23, having been pushed under the end L of the ring, the whole
flange may as it were, be screwed under the ring.
In the two last-described modified arrangements the rib g of the shuttle, which
prevents the latter from turning during its operation, must project into a slit or
notch cut into a piece which is pivoted to the table of the machine or otherwise
fixed in such a manner that it may be turned aside or detached with facility,
whenever it is desired to remove the shuttle from its place or to introduce it again.
The shuttle has hitherto been supposed to be turned with its open side towards
the rotating disc; it may however be open on the outside, as shown in Fig. 29, in
which case the bobbin can be removed without detaching the shuttle from the disc.
For preventing the bobbin from falling out of the shuttle when arranged in this
manner, the fixed projection is provided for. When the bobbin is to be
exchanged the baseplate of the machine which turns on pivots is lifted, whereby
the shuttle becomes clear of the projection v' so that the bobbin can be taken out
and another one put in. The fork u which keeps the shuttle stationary may in
this case be fixed by screws, as it need not be detached or turned aside during the
ordinary course of working.
Considering that the rapid rotation of the disc causes considerable wear
between the bobbin and the projecting annular surface at the bottom of the cavity
in 1, the said surface may be formed by lining the disc with a separate ring s¹, as
shown in Fig. 31. This ring is fixed by screws so that it may easily be detached
and exchanged.
In machines for light work the shuttle may be maintained in its place without
any mechanical means by magnetising it or the rotating disc, or both, necessary
means for preventing its rotation being provided for as in the other cases.
Instead of a rotating hook an oscillating one may be used, but in this case also it
is requisite to let the hook make two oscillations during one stroke of the needle
for completing every stitch, independently of the following one. The mechanism
for imparting to the disc an oscillating or a reciprocating rotary motion of such a
character that the disc oscillates by a whole circle or nearly so, may be as follows:-
Froin a crank on the shaft A, Fig. 4, (this shaft not being provided with wheel α) an

page_text: will.:
auxiliary shaft is made to oscillate by an angle of 90 degrees. by incans of a con
necting-rod and a lever. On the said auxiliary shaft a toothed wheel is fixed which
gears with pinion b, and which is four times the size of b. In this case, during
every revolution of A, ie., while the needle makes a complete stroke, disc.
make one oscillation of 360° forward and one backward. With, any other
proportion between the wheel on the auxiliary shaft, a different number of
oscillations may be obtained. It is also to be observed that instead of this
arrangement any other suitable mechanism adapted for the purpose may be usod.
In the Figures 16 I. to 16 VI., six different positions of the revolving hook and of
the needle have been represented for the purpose of more clearly explaining
the operation of these parts and the formation of the stitch. In these Figures the
hook rotates in a sense contrary to what has been supposed in the Figures on
Sheets 1 and 2, but this is of no importance provided that the other motions of the
machine be made to agree therewith. The hook makes two rotations during one
entire stroke of the needle. The six positions of the book represented by the
Figs. 16 I. to VI., correspond with the points I to VI., of the central diagram Fig. 16.
It will be seen that the positions I. and IV., II. and. V., III, and VI. of the hook are
the same, whereas all the positions of the needle and all the degrees of formation of
the stitch differ amongst each other.
In Fig. 16 I., the needle is in its lowest position.
In Fig. 16 II., it has completed the first part of its ascending motion and its
thread has formed a loop into which the hook d is about to enter.
In position III. the loop commences to lay itself around the shuttle. In case the
arrangement of shuttle and rotating disk, shown in Figs. 17 to 24 and 28 to 30, is
applied, the loop is at this point of formation of the stitch capable of passing over
and behind the shuttle on account of the part M, e¹, M2, of its flange having been cut
away, as has been described above.
1,
In position IV., the hook bas returned to its starting-point I., the needle
is in its highest position and the loop of the thread is about to be drawn off the hook
by a special device which serves to take up the loop and to draw the stitch tight.
This device will be described hereafter.
In position V. the point of the hook has arrived the second time near its highest
position, but the loop has nearly disappeared by the action of the taking-up device,
so that the hook cannot enter into the same again.
In position VI., the hook is returning and the needle descending for making a
new stitch.
In the position V., VI. and I., the last stitch has been shown as not being drawn
tight completely. The inventors prefer to cause the work to be executed in this
manner, and to effect the,final locking of the stitch by the passage of the shuttle
through the loop of the following stitch. The machine may, however, be so. adjusted
that the loop is taken up completely and every stitch finished independently of tlie
following one.
In the machine operating as described no device for preventing the threads from
becoming entangled, such as the small brush in the machine of Wheeler & Wilson,
is required.
A reserve-bobbin h¹ may be spooled during the operation of the machine by
attaching it to the end of the main shaft, as shown by Fig. 4.
Secondly. The feeding apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a plate p"
to which the dentated feeder j is attached, and which is actuated by the excentrics m
and n fitted to the end of the main shaft. A spring p enclosed in a cavity of p
presses this piece against the excentric n which produces the horizontal motion of
the feeder, whereas the excentric m causes it to move vertically. The excentric v,
which may be turned by hand, serves for adjusting the length of the stitch. The
screw o prevents the plate p" from being shifted laterally. The plate p" has an
arm projecting downward and embracing, with its forked end the pin o fixed
vertically below the feeder j. The said feeder is thus forced to oscillate on the
pin o, so that when it is in its top position, i.e., when propelling the cloth it

page_text: describes a curve which is approximatively an arc of a circle. According to this
circle the feeder and the foot of the presser-bar are shaped. The cloth-plate may
be curved according to the same circle, but if preferred it may be made straight, as
the curve in which the feeder and the presser-foot are bent is of large radius.
Thirdly. The presser-foot has an upward extension m¹ in rear of the screw by
which it is fastened to the presser-bar n'. This extension slides in a vertical groove
cut into the side of the face-plate of the machine, or is otherwise suitably guided,
whereby the presser-bar is prevented from turning.
Fourthly. For the purpose of taking up the slack portion of the upper thread x
required for the loop which passes around the shuttle, the following arrangement may
be adopted. The thread runs from its bobbin y, Figs. 4, 5, & 7, over a tension-
device w, thence downward and through a staple g₁ fixed close to and opposite to
the face of the driving-pulley or a small fly-wheel d¹ combined with the same.
From the staple g¹ the thread again runs upward and finally to the needle. The
driving-pulley, or, as is preferred and shown in the Drawing, the disc or fly-wheel d'
is provided with a finger b' oscillating within a slit in the rim of the fly-wheel and
on a pin screwed radially into the latter. The finger b¹ when striking with one end
on the fixed cam-plate c' is projected forward from the face of the disc d', in
consequence whereof it engages with the two parts of the thread x crossing its
course, and carries them along with it until the finger leaves the cam and lets slip
the thread. The loop is thereby taken up and the stitch drawn tight. The
said cam is made adjustable for allowing the tightness of the stitch to be regulated.
For the purpose of avoiding any danger of breakage of the finger b' by its striking
against the cam c', in case the machine should by accident be turned the wrong way,
the finger may be arranged as shown in Figs. 31, 32, & 33. The same is, in this
case, acted upon by a spring consisting, by preference, of a thin strip of steel cl
and a piece of leather d¹¹, suitably fastened to the disc d'. Whenever the finger,
while running in the proper direction, is under the action of the cam it has the
position of Fig. 32, the spring preventing the finger from oscillating beyond this
position. But when the machine is turned the other way the spring will allow
the finger b¹ upon meeting the cam to assume the position of Fig. 33, and to pass
the cam without inconvenience.
A modified arrangement of take-up is shown in Figs. 14 and 15. In the same the
thread is passed from the tension device down along the face of the driving pulley or
its disc d', and through a staple or eye f" placed below the pulley, and thence
runs upward again. A stud el, fixed immovably to the rim of the disc d', will
draw the two parallel parts of the upper thread sideward, pass along under them,
and then leave them free again, whereby also the loop is taken up.
Fifthly. The tension-device w, Figs. 4, 5, and 7, consists of two clamping pieces,
between which the thread is pinched by means of a spring. One of the said
clamping pieces, by preference the lower one, is actuated in such a manner by the
excentric and a rod a² having a fork attached to its end that the thread is
released at a certain point of the stitch, i.e., at the moment when the necessary
quantity of thread for the stitch is drawn from the bobbin.
In the modified tension-device, Fig. 4, the upper clamping piece is provided
with a spring ẞ which may be adjusted by a nut y screwing on the guiding-rod a.
These tension apparatuses, especially the one shown in Fig. 4, present the
advantage that they allow the stitches to be drawn tight very softly, and that the
tension of the thread adapts itself automatically to every thickness and kind of
cloth, and to any length of stitch.
Sixthly. The needle-bar N, Figs. 25, 20, and 27, is actuated from an excentric on
the main-shaft by a lever R pivoted inside of the frame of the machine. The end
of this lever is forked, so that it may embrace the needle-bar N. Each of the
branches R and R2 of the forked end is provided with an oval hole or a slit, and a
pin o¹, o, o², having a screw thread upon its middle part o, is screwed through the
hole or slit of the branch R¹ into the rod N, the smooth end o² of the pin projecting
into the hole or slit of the branch R. The head and the end of the pin thus serve

page_text: as pivots for the lever to work on. A hole S in the framing of the machine gives
access to the pin for unscrewing the same and for taking it out. The pin being
removed the needle-bar may be drawn out from the top, its nut Q not being larger
over the corners than the diameter of the bar. U is a feather which prevents the
bar from turning,
Seventhly. For the purpose of operating hand-machines by the foot the inventors
use an auxiliary treadle p¹ and a connecting-rod o¹, Figs. 12 and 13; the said rod
may be attached to the hand-crank of the machine or to a special crank-pia put
into its place, and it consists of two parts fixed together by screws in such a
manner that its longth may be adjusted. Considering that the machine works
very easily this arrangement may be made use of without providing the machine
with a special fly-wheel, the driving wheel shown in the Drawing being sufficient
for regulating its working.
Eighthly. On account of the advantages which the machine presents of working
very easily, of causing the stitches to be drawn tight gently, and of finishing every
stitch completely during one stroke of the needle, the machine is especially adapted
for embroidery work. When the same is, however, to be used for such purpose it
must be provided with a feeding mechanism, by which the cloth may be made to
move in any desired direction.
For this purpose a circular disc q11, Figs. 8 to 11, carrying the feeding-lever n¹
and feeders m is combined with an annular pressure-foot in the manner shown
in the Drawing, so that the disc may be turned within the presser-foot by hand.
The double-branched feeding-lever n¹ oscillates on a horizontal axle o", fixed in
standards p, forming a part of the disc q¹. The two branches of the lever n¹¹ are
provided at the flower end with dentated feeders m". The lever n¹¹ is inclined,
and its upper end projects into a ring 7, having a common geometrical axis with
disc q, and attached to a suitably guided rod to which an up-and-down motion
is imparted by the needle-bar, as will be seen from the Drawing. The motion of
the ring causes the lever n¹¹ to oscillate on its axis o¹¹, and, considering that the
centre of moves in the centre-line of q11, the lever will be oscillated in the same
manner in whichsover angular position the disc q with the apparatus be turned
but the direction of feed will depend upon this position.
The cloth may
consequently be fed forward in any direction required for the pattern to be
executed. The length of stitch depends upon the length of stroke of the ring ",
which may be adjusted by a regulating screws at the upper end of the needle-
bar. For embroidery work the cloth-plate must be replaced by another plate
which is high enough to cover the feeder j.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention and the manner
in which it is to be carried out in practice as communicated to me by my
correspondents, I heroby claim as new and important features of the said
Invention,―
1. The combination with the rotary or oscillating hook d which makes two
or more revolutions or oscillations during one stroke of the needle, of the
stationary shuttle or bobbin-case e, and of a device for taking up the loop of
the upper thread, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, and 4,
and for the purpose stated.
2. The stationary shuttle or bobbin-case e, provided with a flange M, M1, M2,
which is overlapped by a ring on the hook-diser for the purpose of holding the
shuttle or bobbin-case in its place, as herein before described with reference to
Figures 17 to 24, and 28 to 30.
3. The stationary shuttle or bobbin-case e, which is maintained in contiguity
with the hook-disc r by magnetism, as specified.
j
4. A feeding-device in which a curved feeder / oscillating on a fixed centre o is
combined with a similarly curved presser foot k, as and for the purpose set forth
with regard to Figures 1 and 4.
5. The presser-foot /, Fig. 1, the rear end m' of which is vertically guided,
substantially as described.

page_text: 6. In combination with the driving pulley of the machine, or a disc d¹ connected
with it, a movable finger b₁ acted upon by a cam c¹, and operating as take-up
when the thread is passed through a staple g' fixed opposite to the face of the said
disc or pulley, substantially as hereinbefore described with regard to Figures 4 to 7,
and 31 to 33.
7. In combination with the driving pulley of the machine or with the disc d'
the pin e, Figs. 14 and 15, operating as take-up when the thread is passed through
a staple or eye f" fixed outside of the circle described by the pin e", as heroinbefore
specified.
8. In combination with the tension-device w for the upper thread the excentrics,
Fig. 4, and excentric-rod a¹, acting upon one of the clamping parts of said device,
as and for the purpose specified.
9. The combination of the tension-device w, acted upon by excentrics and rod a¹,
the spring B, Fig. 4, and adjusting nut x, as herein before set. forth.
10. Connecting the needle-bar N with the forked lever R by a pin o¹, o, o¹¹, in
the manner herein before described and represented by Figs. 25, 20, and 27.
11. In combination with a sewing machine constructed to be worked by hand
an auxiliary treadle p¹ and a connecting-rod o¹, substantially as represented by
Figs. 12 and 13, and as described.
12. A feeding device consisting of an annular presser-foot 1, Fig. 8 to 11, a
disc q; capable of turning within the same, and carrying the inclined feed-lever 1211,
which is moved to and fro by the vertical motion of the ring 11, actuated by the
needle-bar, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Pieper, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CARL PIEPER. (L.S.)