Improvements in Fancy Stitch Sewing Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1995
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 21st UCL., 1990
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fancy Stitch Sewing Machines.
WILLIAM AVONSIDE ROBERTSON, of Newtownards, Co. Down, Ireland,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements consist in constructing a sewing machine with two or more
needles, and a corresponding number of shuttles or loop-takers which while working-
in unison are made to approach and recede from each other in lateral directions, for
the purpose of producing at one operation, and with greater precision a series of
fancy stitches, such as double or triple hemstitch, or double hemstitch with a row.
of what is known as spoking or sparring between, and other stitches of a like
nature, such stitches having been produced hitherto, by a series of operations in one
needle machines.
It is to be understood that modifications in the mechanism will be necessary to
produce the lateral movements of the needles and shuttles or loop-takers, according
to the construction or type of machine used, such as the Singer, Wheeler and
Wilson, Bradbury, Jones Standard and many other forms, to which my improve-
ments may be applied.
Dated this Fourteenth day of November 1892.
WILLIAM AVONSIDE ROBERTSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fancy Stitch Sewing Machines.
1 WILLIAM AVONSIDE ROBERTSON of Newtownards, Co. Down Ireland
Mechanic 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 :-
My improvements consist in constructing a sewing machine with two or more
needles and a corresponding number of shuttles or loop takers which while working
in unison are made to approach and recede from each other in lateral directions for
the purpose of producing at one operation, and with greater precision, a series of
fancy stitches, such as double or triple hemstitch, or double hemstitch with a row
of what is known as spoking or sparring between, and other stitches of a like
nature, such stitches having been produced hitherto by a series of operations in one
needle machines.
Although there are several ways by which the movements for producing fancy
stitches can be made, differing according to the style and make of the sewing
machine employed, such as the Thomas, Singer, Wheeler & Wilson &c., &c.,
I employ preferably that machine known as Benson's hemstitching machine which
is based on the well known Thomas principle of machine sewing.
.
To make the fancy stitches mentioned it has been previously necessary to sew two
or more rows of stitching on the fabric. Hitherto this has been done either by
using two machines; or by sewing one row on a machine, reversing the fabric, &
then sewing the other row; or by sewing one row on a machine & then reversing
the stitching mechanism of this machine & sewing the other row.
By my invention I sew all the rows at one operation.
In this machine I employ two shuttles, a right & a left hand shuttles; and two
needles placed side by side.
To make the aforesaid fancy stitches it is requisite that these needles should move
laterally at varying intervals; and that the two shuttles should also move in
exactly the same way, at the same time, and for the same distance; in order that
[D]

page_text: the shuttle may enter the loop of thread formed by each needle accurately, and
make a perfect stitch.
Having taken the Benson machine I dispense with the usual arm and alter the
movement of the shuttle box, placing it at right angles to; instead of in a plain line
with, the frame & head of the machine. I use the ordinary shuttle driver & move
it by a lever, either working in the shuttle cam, as in the ordinary machine; or off
a barrel cam on the shaft; or any similar and suitable means.
This lever is supported & pivoted on a pillar on the sole plate & gives the throw
to the shuttle driver at right angles to the needle. 1 then place another shuttle
box by its side & support both boxes on two pins, these pins being themselves
supported by & playing in & out of a suitable frame. Directly underneath the
centre of the shuttle boxes I place an upright hollow spindle revolving on an
upright axis. The bottom of this spindle has a short arm & the top a double arm
or lever.
The short arm is moved by a lever connected with a slotted lever working off a
groove in the stitch cam of the same kind as is now in common use; and thus moves
the double arm at the top of the spindle backwards & forwards.
Each arm moves a stud or pawl on the base of each shuttle box & thus separates
& closes them.
The right hand shuttle box is tight on the front pin, so that, when pushed, it
pushes the pin through the frame.
The left hand shuttle box slides on the front pin but is tight on the back pin, the
positions being thus reversed.
The front pin, where it slides through the frame on the right carries a C shaped
arm.
The top of this arm communicates by a slot with a special holder carrying two
needles, &, when moved by the front pin, gives exactly the same movement to this
holder as is given to the shuttle boxes.
I will now describe this special needle holder.
I use the same lifting mechanism & feed motion as in the Benson machine but
employ two holders & two needle bars, both bars placed horizontally across the
usual needle bar; and both being carried and worked vertically and simultaneously
by the upright needle bar in common use, which is moved by the needle lever
working off a grooved cam in front of the frame as in common use in the Thomas
machine:
The needle bar beside the C shaped arm carries an upright, this upright has an
arm or link parallel to the two needle bars.
:
The end of this arm works a short lever swinging on a pivot & this short lever
works the other needle bar. It follows that when the two shuttle boxes are
separated by the double arm precisely the same movement is communicated to the
two needles by means of the C shaped arm, the upright on right hand needle bar,
its arm, and the swinging lever moving the left hand needle holder.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have herewith
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings illustrating the system, mode, or manner,
in or under which it is, or may be used or carried out in practice.
Fig. 1. of the drawings is a front elevation, and Fig. 2. a side elevation of the
various parts used to produce the aforesaid fancy stitches. See Fig. 1. A & A!
are the two shuttle boxes, placed side by side & represented a little apart from each
other: B' is the front pin carrying the C shaped arm H:
C is the frame in which the pins B and B work.
D is the hollow spindle with a short arm E (shown in Fig. 2) worked by the
lever G and its double arm or lever at top F which separates and brings together
the two shuttle boxes A and A¹.
I is the slot in C shaped arm H to which the needle bar J is attached.
Lis the upright from this needle bar J carrying the arm or link M. which moves
the short swinging lever N and thus moves the needle bar J¹,
two needle holders in their respective needle bars.
K and Kare the

page_text: Fig. 2 shows the shuttle box A' carried on the two pins B and B' aud the double
arm F working on two studs F¹.
D is the hollow spindle with a short arm E worked by a lever G and the above
mentioned double arm F, at top. P is the pillar on the sole plate which supports
the lever O used to drive the ordinary shuttle drivers R.
In operation the hollow spindle D is moved backwards and forwards by its short
arm E. This makes the double arm F push out and draw back the shuttle boxes A
and A' by playing on the studs F¹.
The pin B' carried by shuttle box A carries the arm H by means of the slot I
slides the needle bar J in exactly the same line as the shuttle box A and at the
same time and by the parts L. M. N gives the same motion to the needle bar J'.
Should more than two shuttles be employed, they would be placed in shuttle
boxes beside those shown and worked in the same way, while the additional needles
would be inserted in the horizontal needle bars by employing additional holders.
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
The production of fancy stitches by sewing machines by the use of two or more
shuttles and two or more needles, such shuttles and needles working in unison and
laterally simultaneously by means of mechanism such as I have described.
Dated this 14th day of August 1893.
WILLIAM A. ROBERTSON.