Improvements in Sole Sewing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar.,
1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sole Sewing Machines.
A communication from JOSEPH ELI BERTRAND, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk,
and State of Massachusetts, Mechanic, and MELLEN BRAY, of Newton, in the
County of Middlesex, and State aforesaid, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 :-
This invention relates to sole sewing machines, is an improvement upon the
machine described in another application of my correspondents filed August 20th
1889, and numbered 13,139, and it consists in certain novel features of construction,
arrangement and combination of parts which will be readily understood by reference
to the description of the drawings.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan of a machine embodying the invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the head of the machine, the supporting column
being omitted as it constitutes no part of this invention.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation the cutting plane being on line 1, 1, on Figs. 1
and 2.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan the cutting plane being on line 2, 2, on fig. 2.
Figure 6 is an inverted plan.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the devices for reciprocating the needle and awl and
showing a portion of the frame and bed in section, the cutting plane being on
line 3, 3, on figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the formation of a loop in the needle thread
above the work.
Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the formation of the loop below the work through
which the shuttle is to pass.
Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the same loop and the position of the several
devices used in forming said loop when the point of the shuttle has entered said
loop and cast it off from the loop spreader.
Figure 11 is a plan of the loop measuring hook lever.
Figures 12 and 13 are respectively a side elevation and an edge view of the
needle and awl carrying arm and the needle supporting guide.
Figure 14 is a partial section on line 4, 4, on fig. 3 looking towards the front of
the machine.
Figure 15 is a partial section on line 5, 5, on fig. 6 looking towards the centre
of the machine.
Figure 16 is a partial vertical section on line 6, 6, on figs. 3 and 6.
Figure 17 is a diagram illustrating the positions of the several parts of the
mechanism for forming the loop of thread below the work at the time when the
loop holding finger commences to move laterally towards the left hand side of
the machine to engage both strands of the loop of thread.
Figure 18 is a front end elevation of the loop holding finger, and its carrying
lever, showing a portion of the lever that moves said finger towards the rear in
elevation.
Figure 19 is a front elevation of shuttle, its holder, the needle and awl, the needle
carrying radius arm, the shaft for carrying said arm and the pinion for operating
the same, detached from the other parts of the machine

page_text: Figure 20 is a sectional elevation of the same the cutting plane being on line 7, 7,
on fig. 19.
In the drawings A is the bed of the machine designed to be mounted upon a
column or other suitable support and at the desired height.
B B are two side frames firmly secured to opposite sides of the bed A and each
provided with a bearing B¹ in which is mounted the cam shaft C, and having their
front ends connected together by the tie girt D.
The shaft C has mounted upon one end thereof the grooved fly wheel E by means
of which and a suitable belt rotary motion may be imparted to said shaft, and also
has secured thereon between the frames B B the several cams for imparting motion to the
stitch forming mechanism the work feeding mechanism and thread controlling
mechanism.
The bed A has formed upon its front edge two ears a a which project forward
beyond the main line of the front edge of said bed and upward above the top face
of said bed as shown in figs. 2 and 3, and in which are formed bearings for the
shaft which has firmly secured thereon the radius arm c to the free end of which
are secured the curved needle d and the curved awl e in the same manner as shown
and described in the prior application before cited.
F is the shuttle holder bolted to the front of the bed A beneath the ears a a and
having formed therein a circular chamber to receive the shuttle F¹ of ordinary
construction, but of large size in order that it may carry a bobbin capable of holding
an extra length of thread.
The shuttle F is of the revolving class and is guided in its revolutions by an
outwardly projecting lip or rib el on its periphery, which fits a corresponding groove
in the outer peripheral wall of the chamber in the holder F, and said shuttle is in
axial line with the shaft G which is mounted in suitable bearings on the underside of
the bed A and has secured to its front end a collar or sleeve f upon the front
end of which is formed the curved wing f¹ which engages with the shuttle in
advance of its hook point to impart the motion of the shaft G to the shuttle F¹.
The shuttle carrying shaft G is arranged with its axis in a plane at right angles to
the axis of the shaft which carries the needle carrying arm and at such a distance
below the same that when said shuttle is revolved its hook will intersect or cut across
the path of the needle, and the needle when it is reciprocated passes across the path
of revolution of the shuttle below the periphery or point of the hook, this latter motion
taking place while the shuttle is in a state of rest and in the position shown in figs. 2
and 19. By reason of this arrangement of the shuttle or hobbin carrying hook and
the needle, a much larger shuttle can be used and passed through a loop formed
from a given length of thread or with a given size of shuttle a less amount of thread
will be drawn out by the needle to form the loop for the passage of the needle whereby
the wear of the thread is very much lessened.
The shuttle shaft G is intermittently rotated by means of the two cams H and H¹
and suitable connections, as the vertically sliding bars 9 and g', lovers and h¹,
links and ¹ and two cranks on the said shaft.
C¹ is the work supporting horn or arın, secured in a fixed position to the bed A, and
provided at its work supporting end with the slot j for the passage of the awl and
needle, said slot being of sufficient length to permit of the work being moved a distance
equal to the length of the longest stitch, when the needle and awl are within the work
and said slot, substantially as shown and described in the prior application before
cited.
D' is the presser foot, the rod of which is mounted in suitable bearings in the frame
of the machine so as to be movable vertically therein, and has fitted thereto the
collar and spring by which it is forced downward upon the work to be sewed and
also has secured thereon the collar k, by means of which and the hand lever D,
co-operating therewith, said presser foot may be raised against the tension of the
spring, for inserting or removing the work, all in a well known manner.
In the upper end of the presser-foot bar is formed a transverse slot A³, ta

page_text: receive the front end of the lever 1, mounted upon the horizontal fulcrum pin kª,
which is set in the upper end of the stand I' bolted to the tie girt D.
At the rear end of the lever I and concentric with the axis of its fulcrum-
pinare formed two segmental ratchet surfaces and, one above and the
other below said fulcrum-pin, and each having the radial shoulders of their teath facing
towards the rear of the machine, as shown in fig. 4.
J is a three armed lever mounted upon a fulcrum-pin l, set in the stand J
with its axis parallel to, and in the same horizontal plane as, the fulcrum-pin k² of the
lever 1, and directly in the rear thereof.
The arm of the lever J carries, at its free end, an anti-friction roll which fits
into and is acted upon by the path of the cam K, to impart to said lever J an inter-
mittent vibratory movement about its fulcrum-pin l.
The arms and of the lever J, have pivotted thereto two pawls m m¹ and n n'
respectively, the pawl n¹ is not shown but is adjacent to the pawl n as m¹ is
adjacent to m. The pawls m and m² are arranged to engage with the teeth of the
upper segmental ratchet surface k, to lock the lever and the presser foot D¹
against upward movement, when the awl and needle are being forced upward through
the work, and the pawls n and n¹ engage with the segmental ratchet surface k+, to
raise the front end of the lever I, and through it the presser-foot to relieve the
pressure on the work during the time that it is being fed, preparatory to forming a
new stitch.
The two pawls m and m¹ are of different lengths, as are also the pawls n and n',
the difference in length in each case being about equal to one half the distance
between the radial shoulders of two contiguous teeth of the ratchets A³ or kt.
The free ends of the pawls m and m¹ are pressed towards the ratchet by the
springs m² but are limited in their movements in that direction relative to the arm j
by the stop-pin m² set in the extreme end of said arm. In like manner the pawls n
and n' have their free ends pressed into contact with the stop-pin n2 by the springs n³.
Substantially the same result, as is obtained by the devices hereinbefore described for
intermittently locking and unlocking the presser-foot and raising the same, was pro-
duced by devices shown and described in the before cited prior application but in that
case two cams and four levers were required to do the work that is done in the machine
herein described by two levers and one cam.
-
Each of the pawls m m n and n¹ has its working point formed upon a separate
steel plate o secured to the free end of said pawl by a screw so that it may be
removed, sharpened and re-set to proper engagement with the teeth of its ratchet when
it has become worn.
The shaft 6 upon which is secured the needle carrying radius arm c also has secured
thereon the toothed pinion e' with which the teeth of the gear segment c³ formed on
the front end of the lever K¹ engages to impart to said pinion e¹ and its shaft 6 an
intermittent oscillating motion about the axis of said shaft, as said lever K' is vibrated
by the action of the path of the cam K' upon an anti-friction roll carried by a stud c³,
set in the rear end of the lever K' as shown in figs. 5 and 7.
The shaft b also has firmly secured thereon the grooved collar c* with the groove of
which the forked end of the arm d¹ engages, for the purpose of imparting to said
shaft and its needle carrying arm a reciprocating motion in the direction of the length
of said shaft, said arm being rigidly secured to the plate d fitted to a bearing
in the bed A so as to be movable endwise therein in the direction of the length
of the shaft b.
This plate has formed in its upper side at the end opposite to the arm d'a
dovetailed groove which receives the head of the bolt d' the shank of which passes
through the longitudinal slot d³ formed in one arm of the lever L and is adjustable
therein to a greater or less distance from the fulcrum of said lever to vary the
length of the end wise movement of the plate d'and the shaft b, with a fixed and
constant vibration of the lever L which is imparted thereto by the action of the path
of the cylinder cam L upon the anti-friction roll d', mounted on a stud set in the rear
end of said lever, as shown in figs. 2 and 5.

page_text: The arm and the plate a² are practically one device and may be made in one
piece but as a matter of convenience we prefer to make them in two pieces and bolt
them together.
The object of this variable endwise movement of the shaft b, is to feed the work a
greater or less distance according to the length of stitch desired, this movement taking
place while the needle and awl are in the work, and the pressure of the presser-foot is
removed from the work, substantially as described in the before cited application, but
the devices for accomplishing the desired end are somewhat simplified in this
application, and rendered less liable to defective operation by reducing the number of
joints and increasing the wearing surfaces.
Lis the thread guide or carrier mounted upon the lower end of the vertical rod La
fitted to bearings in the tie girt D and having firmly secured thereon the spur wheel
or pinion o' with which the teeth of the sliding rack o engage to impart thereto an
intermittent oscillating motion' about its axis, to carry the thread into engagement
with the barb of the needle, said rack being reciprocated by the action of the path of
the cam M upon an anti-friction roll mounted on a stud set in the rear end of said
rack bar as shown in dotted lines in figs. 1. and 4.
The rack bar o is fitted to a bearing in the stand J' in a horizontal position and
in substantially the same horizontal plane as the axis of the cam shaft C.
The thread guide L³ is constructed, and operates, substantially the same as the
thread guide shown and described in the before cited prior application.
N is an arm, fitted at its rear end to a dovetailed bearing formed in or secured to
the upper surface of the bed A, so as to be movable end wise towards and from the
front of the machine, its rear end being connected by the link N¹ to the lower end of
the lever N2, pivotted at its upper end to the stand O and carrying upon a stud set
therein between its two ends an antifriction roll which fits into and is acted upon by
the path of the cam 0¹ to impart to the arm N an intermittent reciprocating movement
towards and from the front of the machine.
The arm N is so shaped and arranged and has such a movement imparted thereto,
that its extreme front end, when moved to the limit of its forward movement, extends
somewhat beyond the path of the needle, in near proximity thereto, at the left hand
of said needle and just below the lower end of the thread guide L.
The arm N has formed therein a horizontal slot extending from near its front end
to the line p see fig. 5, in which is fitted, and pivotted to said arm at p' the lever N³
having at one end the stop shoulder p and the arm p³ and at its front end the hook p
to engage the thread between the work and the thread guide, just as the needlo enters
the work from below, and as it moves to the rear with the arin N draw out the desired
length of thread to form the loop above the work, when the thread guide has thrown
the thread into engagement with the barb of the needle, said loop above the work to
contain a length of thread equal to one half the length required for the loop below
the work.
When the arm N and the loop forming lever N° have reached the limit of their
rearward movement, the thread guide has thrown the thread into engagement with
the barb of the needle, and the needle commences to recede to draw the thread down
through the work, the cam P, secured upon the periphery of the cam K, comes in
contact with the arm p of the lever N³, and moves its rear end to the right against
the pressure of the spring p' a sufficient distance to cause the hook pt to be drawn
within the slot of the arm N, thereby disengaging the thread therefrom.
The spring serves to hold the lever Nin its normal position, relative to the arm N,
that is with the shoulder p² in contact with the edge of the arm N, at the rear end of
the slot therein, until said lever is acted upon by the cam P as above described.
P is a thread guiding and clamping wheel mounted upon a stud set in the stand P'
and having a V-shaped groove in its periphery around which the thread is wound
between the thread guide L' and the take up or loop drawing lever S.
R is a brake lever pivotted at 9 and carrying at its rear end the anti-friction roll q¹
which is acted upon by the face cam on the periphery of the disc Q¹ to impart to
said lever a slight vibratory motion.

page_text: The front end of the lever R is bent. upward and has its end surface fitted to the
V-shaped groove in the locking wheel P¹ so as to bear upon the two inclined sides of
said groove when the rear end of the lever R is depressed by the action of the cam q³
so as to prevent the wheel P¹ from rotating when the loop drawing, or take-up lever S
is moved upward to draw the thread forming the loop below the work into the
material.
The loop drawing or take-up lever S is fulcrummed at r on the stand S¹, carries at
its front end the thread guiding sheaves and at its rear end an anti-friction roll upon
which the internal face-cain s formed in the side of the disc Q', and shown, partly in
full lines and partly in dotted lines in fig. 3, acts to raise the front of said lever to
draw the loop of thread into the material, while the spring S' moves said lever in the
opposite direction, to keep said anti-friction roll in contact with said internal cam
surface, or in such a position as to be acted upon thereby when said cam revolves.
The needle operating shaft has loosely mounted thereon, contiguous to the needle
carrying arm c, the needle and awl guiding and supporting arm t, which has formed
in its free end the hole t¹ for the passage of the needle, and the laterally open slot
for the passage of the awl, said slot being so formed as to stay or support the awl in
two directions; while at the same time the awl may be adjusted towards or from the
needle without changing or disturbing said guide.
This guide is also provided with two stop shoulders and t with which the pin or
lug u set in the hub of the needle carrying arm c engages to compel said guide to
move with the needle and awl during a portion of their reciprocation and prevent the
needle and awl being drawn entirely out of said guide.
The guide is limited in its forward movement by coming in contact with the loop-
spreader interposed between it and the work supporting horn C and in its backward
movement by the stop or lug u¹ formed upon or secured to the arm d¹.
The guide t is designed to be moved in unison with the needle and awl during a
portion of their movements in both directions, by the friction of the awl and needle
and the needle carrying arm thereon, but when the needle and awl are approaching.
the work and said guide forces the loop spreader w into contact with the work
support the movement of said guide t is arrested and it remains in a fixed position
where it can do the most good, in supporting the needle and awl as they are being
forced through the materia!, and when the needle and awl are moving to the rear
after having been withdrawn from the work and is drawing out the loop of thread
for the passage of the shuttle the guide comes in contact with the lug and its motion
is arrested while the needle continues to recede until the barb of the needle is near
the under side of said guide as shown in figs. 9 and 10.
The shaft also has mounted loosely thereon the loop spreading arm w having
formed in its free end a thread receiving notch w' and also provided with the laterally
projecting lug wo³.
This loop spreader is moved about the axis of the shaft 6 toward the front of the
machine first by the passage of the shuttle through the loop spread thereby and then
by the forward movement of the needle guide and needle carrying arm, and towards
the rear by the contact of the thread of the loop as the needle recedes after being
withdrawn from the work.
The free end portion of the loop spreader w is so formed and arranged that it moves
in a plane parallel with and in close proximity to the plane of vibration of the needle
so that when the needle is withdrawn from the work carrying upon its barb a bight
of the thread and said needle continues to recede one strand of the loop of the thread
carried by the barb of the needle is carried into the notch w¹ of the loop spreader w
and it is moved towards the rear until its lug w² comes in contact with the stop arm u
when it remains stationary and holds the loop below the work in the spread position
shown in fig. 9 while the needle continues its movement to the extreme of its
backward movement.
When the hook of the shuttle enters the loop formed as in fig. 9 it casts the
thread off from the loop spreader and moves said spreader towards the work support
as shown in fig. 10.

page_text: Tis a lever mounted upon a fulcrum pin set in the under side of the bed A at u
and having secured to or formed upon its front arm the cylindrical chamber T' in
which is fitted the plunger u surrounded by the spring us and carrying at its front
end the loop holding finger u and having set in its rear end the pin u which projects
through the slot in the side of the chambered cylinder T' as shown in fig. 10.
The rear end of the lever T is held in contact with the lower end of the lever U by
the spring U.
The lever U is pivotted at or near the middle of its length to the stand V and
carries at its upper end the anti-friction roll which is acted upon by the face
cam V formed on or secured to the side of the cam disc M. near its hub as shown in
fig. 1 for the purpose of giving a lateral movement to the loop-holding finger.
W is a lever pivotted at or near the middle of its length to the stand W, and which
engages the pin u' at its lower end and carries at its upper end the anti-friction roll
which is acted upon by the face cam Y formed upon or secured to the periphery of
the cam disc M to impart to the loop holding finger u an end wise movement.
The loop holding and releasing finger has its main body in a nearly vertical
position with its extremo ond portion bent into a nearly horizontal position, or at right
angles or nearly so to said main body as shown in fig. 18, and has imparted thereto
four motions and is so arranged relative to the needle and awl that as the needle and
awl are receding and drawing out the loop below the work said loop holding and
releasing finger is moved from the right towards the left above both strands of the
loop of thread and is then moved to the rear to a point outside of the circular path of
the needle's movement as the needle reaches the extreme of its rearward movement
when the loop of thread will be as indicated by the lines 5, 5, 5, in fig. 9. When the
hook of the shuttle has fairly entered the loop of thread as shown in fig 10 the needle
is given a slight advance movement which casts off the loop and then it recedes again
to its position shown in figs. 9 and 10.
The front end of the lever T with the loop holding finger is moved towards the
right and then the finger u is moved towards the front of the machine preparatory to
being moved to the left over the next loop of thread drawn to the rear below the
work by the needle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a sewing machine the combination of the presser-foot and its rod a pivotted
lever connected at its free end with said presser foot bar and provided with two
segmental ratchets arranged concentric with, and on opposite sides of, its pivotal axis
the radial shoulders of their teeth facing to the rear or away from the presser-foot
rod; a three armed lever a pawl mounted upon each of two arms of said lever and
arranged to engage intermittently one with one of said ratchets and the other with
the other of said ratchets, and a cam constructed and arranged to act upon the third
arın of said lever to vibrate it and cause said pawls to engage alternately with said
ratchet to raise the presser-foot, and then to lock it to prevent its being raised while
the needle and awl are piercing the material.
2. The combination of the presser-foot rod; the lever I provided with the two,
segmental ratchets and k; the three armed lever J, the pawls m and m¹ mounted
upon one arni of said lever, the pawls n and n' mounted upon another of said arms,
and the cam K, all constructed and arranged to operate substantially as described.
3. In combination with the presser-foot rod, the lever I, the segmental ratchets k³
and k; the three armed lever J and the cam K, the pawls mm² n and n¹ each provided
with the detachable engaging plate o as set forth.
4. The combination with a curved needle and a curved awl arranged side by side
in the same carrier arm and adjustable relative to each other, of a needle and awl
guide or supporter mounted loosely upon the needle carrying shaft and provided
with a perforation for the passage of the needle, a laterally open slot for the passage
of the awl, and two stop shoulders, and a pin or lug set in or formed upon the needle

page_text: carrying arm and adapted to engage with said stop shoulders to prevent said needle
and awl being withdrawn from said guide.
5. In combination with a curved needle and a curved awl arranged side by side
in the same carrier arm and adjustable to a greater or less distance from each other;
a needle and awl guide or supporting stay mounted loosely upon the needle carrying
shaft constructed and arranged to be moved with the needle and awl through a portion
of their reciprocation by friction and stops to limit the movement of said guide or
stay in oth directions before the movement of the needle and awl carrier is
completed.
6. In combination with a reciprocating needle and awl arranged side by side and
adjustable to a greater or less distance from each other, a guide or stay support
movable with said nee lle and awl for a portion of their reciprocation and having a
perforation therein for the passage of the needle and an open slot for the passage of
the awl whereby the needle and awl may be adjusted relative to each other without
changing said guide substantially as described.
7. In a sole sewing machine the combination of a reciprocating curved barbed
needle and a curved awl mounted side by side in the free end of a radius arm, a
bobbin carrying hook or shuttle constructed and arranged to intersect or cut across
the path of said needle, a shaft carrying said needle carrying radius arm, a pinion
mounted upon said shaft and having a radius less than the radius of the path of said
needle, a lever having formed on one end thereof a segment of a gear to engage
said pinion and carrying at its other en la cam roll or stud, and a cam constructed
and arranged to act upon said roll to impart to said shaft an oscillating motion,
whereby a much longer reciprocation can be given to the needle without said pinion
coming in contact with the work.
on one
8. In a sole sewing machine the combination of a reciprocating curved barbed
needle and a curved awl mounted side by side in the free end of a radius arm, an
intermittently revolving bobbin carrying hook or shuttle constructed and arranged to
intersect or cut across the path of said needle at right angles thereto, a shaft carrying
said needle radius arm, a pinion mounted upon said shaft and having a radius less
than the radius of the path of said needle, a lever having formed
end thereof a segment of a gear to engage said pinion and carrying at its other
end a cam roll or stud, and a cam constructed and arranged to act upon said
roll to impart to said shaft an oscillating motion through an are equal to or exceeding
one half of a revolution whereby a shorter loop of thread is necessary to be drawn
out for the passage of a shuttle of a given size.
9. The combination with a reciprocating curved needle, of a loop-spreading arm
mounted loosely upon the needle carrying shaft and freely movable about its axis and
having in its free end a thread receiving notch arranged in position to receive one
strand of the loop of thread drawn out by the needle below the work, and a stop to
limit the rearward movement of said loop-spreader substantially as described.
10. In combination with a curved and barbed reciprocating needle constructed and
arranged to draw out the required length of loop of thread for the passage of the
shuttle, the loop-holding finger us having its upper end bent at a right angle or nearly
30 to its main body, and mechanism substantially as described for imparting to said
loop-holding finger a lateral and rearward movement, said finger u being so arranged
relative to the path of movement of the needle that when said needle is moving
towards the rear and drawing out the loop of thread and the finger u is moved
laterally towards the left the bent upper portion will pass over both strands of the
loop of thread and hold them from rising above said bent portion of the finger while
the needle completes its rearward motion and moves a short distance towards the front
to cast off the loop substantially as described.
11. The combination with a curved and barbed reciprocating needle, constructed
and arranged to draw out the required length of loop for the passage of the
shuttle, and a loop spreader, of the loop-holding finger set in the plunger u* and
having its upper portion bent at right angles or nearly so to its main body, (see
fig. 18) the lever TT carrying the plunger u, the levers U and W, the cams V₁

page_text: and Y, and the springs and, all constructed arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as and for the purposes described.
12. In combination with a reciprocating barbed needle, and a thread guide for
throwing the thread into the barb of the needle, a loop measuring arm, a lever
carried by said arm and provided with a hook to engage the thread, a cam and con-
necting lever for reciprocating said arm, and a cam for vibrating said hook lever to
disengage the hook from the loop of thread.
13. In a sewing machine the combination of a revoluble bobbin carrying shuttle, a
shaft for driving said shuttle provided with two cranks set at right angles or nearly so to
each other, two path cams, a system of rods and lever connecting one of said cams
with one of said cranks; and a similar system of rods and lever connecting the
other of said cams with the other crank whereby said shuttle may be intermittently
revolved always in the same direction without loss of power on account of dead
points.
14. In a sewing machine the combination of the shuttle or hook F¹, the driver f',
the shaft G having two crank pins the links and ; the levers and ; the
sliding bars g and g' and the cams H and H'.
Dated this 18th day of February 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.