IMPROVEMENTS IN HEMSTITCHING AND OTHER SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sefton, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland,
Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HEMSTITCHING
AND OTHER SEWING MACHINES,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sefton at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th August 1881.
JOHN SEFTON, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HEMSTITCHING AND OTHER SEWING MACHINES."
My said Invention has reference to improvements for simplifying the motions in
hemstitching and other sewing machines, and consists, firstly, in mounting a curved
feed lever on a universal joint at end of machine, provided with a suitable regulating
screw and spring near the centre to act upon the face of a rotating cam. The free
end of this feed lever passes through an aperture in the lower part of the pressure
foot or back leg of the machine. The latter is hung on a pivot or pin passing
right over the top of the shifting head of the machine, and in a vertical line over
the centre of the claw pin at foot, the said pivot or pin being cranked back to
take an india-rubber band for the purpose of imparting the necessary pressure to
the foot. The pressure foot is provided with a suitable guide to give the necessary
reciprocating motion to same, and also to act as a stopper to the feed lever, and is
retained in a raised position by means of a small spiral spring.
The second part of my Invention consists in mounting an on-and-off hem lever
in suitable guides, and worked by a cam wheel direct to head for shifting the
needle on and off hem of cloth or other material passing through the machine.
Adjustable screws are arranged at the free end of this lever, one for regulating the
travel of same, and a second for regulating tension of the spring which serves to
pull back the lever after each thrust forward by the action of the aforesaid cam
wheel. By this means the length of stitch on or off the hem can be increased or
decreased as may be required.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Sefton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th February
-1882.
JOHN SEFTON, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, Mechanical Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN HEMSTITCHING AND OTHER SEWING MACHINES."
My said Invention has reference to improvements for simplifying the motions in
hemstitching and other sewing machines, and consists, firstly, in mounting a curved
feed lever on a universal joint at end of machine, provided with a suitable regulating
screw and spring near the centre to act upon the face of a rotating cam. The free
end of this feed lever passes through an aperture in the lower part of the pressure
foot or back leg of the machine. The latter is hung on a pivot or pin passing over
the top of the shifting head of the machine, and in a vertical line over the centre
of the claw pin at foot, the said pivot or pin being cranked back to take an india-
rubber band, for the purpose of imparting the necessary pressure to the foot. The
pressure-foot is provided with a suitable guide to give the necessary reciprocating
motion to same, and also to act as a stopper to the feed lever, and is retained in a
raised position by means of a small spiral spring.
The second part of my Invention consists in mounting an on-and-off hem lever
in suitable guides, and worked by a cam wheel direct to head for shifting the
needle on and off the hem of cloth or other material passing through the machine.
Adjustable screws are arranged at the free end of this lever, one for regulating the
travel of same, and a second for regulating the tension of the spring which serves
to pull back the lever after each thrust forward by the action of the aforesaid cam
wheel. By this means the length of stitch on and off the hem can be increased or
decreased as may be required.
In order that my said Invention may be more readily understood and applied in
practice, I will describe the accompanying Drawings. Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
and Fig. 2 a plan of a sewing machine complete, showing the application of my
improvements; Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of the levers (half size); and Figs. 5
and 6 show in detail the cam wheel (full size).
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views; A represents the
frame or standard of the machine; B, the curved feed lever working on a universal
joint at a, and provided with a regulating screw and spring b acting on the face of
the rotating cam wheel c, whereby lateral as well as up-and-down motion is
imparted to said curved lever. The free end of this lever passes through an
aperture & at the lower part of the pressure foot or back leg of the machine; C is
the on-and-off hem lever, one end of which is forked, as shown in detail, Fig. 4,
arranged in suitable guides and worked by a suitable cam c³ formed on the rear of
the rotating cam wheel c (see detail view, Fig. 6) direct to head for shifting the
needle on and off hem of cloth or other material passing through the machine
The end of the on-and-off lever which is acted on by the cam c¹ is provided with a
suitable steel tip, as shown at e¹, fitted in bored hole, and having suitable screw e
for regulating same; e and f, are adjustable screws, the one for controlling the
travel of the lever, the other for regulating the tension of the spring which serves
to pull back the lever after each thrust forward by the action of the aforesaid cam
wheel. By the operation of this lever the length of stitch on and off the hem can
be increased or decreased at pleasure.
The pressure foot or back leg of the machine is hung on a pivot or pin g passing
right over the top of the shifting head, and in a vertical line over the centre of the
claw pin at foot, this pivot or pin being provided with a crank g' to receive ar

page_text: india-rubber band for the purpose of imparting the necessary pressure to the foot;
1, 2, are guides which serve to keep the reciprocating vertical parts in position, and
also act as a stopper to the feed. lever...
.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of -
applying same in practice, I would have it. understood that what I consider..
new and useful, and therefore claim as the Invention to be secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,
Firstly. The employment of a feed lever arranged and operating in the manner.
and for the purpose substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The employment of the cam wheel constructed and operating in the
manner and for the purpose substantially as herein described.
Thirdly. The employment of the on-and-off hem lever arranged and operating in
the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein specified.
Fourthly. The method whereby the back leg or pressure foot is suspended and
operated for the purpose substantially as described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Sefton, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-second day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
JOHN SETTON Gol