IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Daniel Mills, of Brooklyn, New York, United
States of America, now of Albert Road, Aston, Birmingham, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING BOOTS AND
SHOES."
Sealed the 5th January 1872, and dated the 28th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Daniel Mills at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th October 1871.
I, DANIEL MILLS, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America,
5 now of Albert Road, Aston, Birmingham, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING
BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is the production of machinery whereby
the sewing of the soles and welts on boots and shoes may be so per-
O formed that the work is in all respects equal if not superior to the best
hand work.

page_text: In the Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me, bearing
date the Eighth day of April, A.D. 1871, No. 937, I have set forth some
of the difficulties that have hitherto prevented the accomplishment of
this object, and the reasons why these difliculties are insurmountable
in sewing with what are called " single thread" or " chain-stitch "
machines; and I have shown a "double thread or lock-stitch machine
for effecting the desired object.
In the said machine I employ a shuttle in combination with a barbed
needle, an awl, and looper for forming the stitches. "But according to
my present Invention I substitute for the said shuttle a hook, which is
somewhat similar in form to the rotating hook of the so-called "Wheeler
and Wilson" sewing machine, but which may have either a recipro-
cating or a rotating motion around its axis, and may be arranged to
work in a direction either parallel with or transversely to the direction
of the feed.
I however do not limit this Invention solely to the machine described
in the aforesaid Specification, but may use it in other machines or
combinations of mechanism for sewing the soles or welts on boots or
shoes wherein a barbed or crochet needle is employed.
One advantage obtained by the use of the aforesaid hook in place of
a shuttle in my machines is the more effectual heating of the thread
above the work, which I accomplish in a very simple manner.
In the said former Specification I have also shewn a peculiar take-up
apparatus for tightening the loops of thread. In my present machine I
use the same take-up apparatus, but not precisely for the same purpose,
its function being to take the loops from the point of the hook but not
to tighten them. And I combine with the said apparatus a novel con-
trivance whereby the action of the take-up is governed by the thickness
of the material being sewn. This novel regulating contrivance may in
some cases be useful in my present machine, but is more especially
designed to be used in that described in my said former Specification.
.
The aforesaid hook is constructed with a recess in the face that lies
towards the needle, in which recess I place the spool or bobbin, the same
being in the form of a thin disc. The point of the said hook projects
towards the needle over the said spool or bobbin to or nearly to the
centre of the needle's point. The periphery of the hook is formed with
teeth, which are geared into the teeth of a wheel or segment. If the

page_text: hook is arranged to operate in a plane transverse or at a right angle to
the direction of the feed I give it a reciprocating motion upon its shaft
or axis by means of a segment lever whose fulcrum is at the top of the
machine head, and which is operated by a cam on the main shaft. And
in this case I prefer that the hook shaft should be supported in a bearing
formed on the end of an arm which is fitted on the same shaft or axis as
the aforesaid segment lever, so that I can conveniently raise the hook to
remove or insert the bobbin without throwing the hook out of gear with
the segment. When the aforesaid hook is arranged to work in a plane
parallel with the direction of the feed it may have either a rotating or a
reciprocating motion around its shaft or axis. The teeth on its periphery
are bevelled, and it is operated by bevel gearing connected with the
main or cam shaft. The shaft of the said hook is hollow and opens into
the recess which contains the bobbin. The other end of the shaft is
closed, but there is a hole in the side of the shaft. The said shaft is
fitted to work properly in a suitable bearing securely attached to the
head of the machine, and which, as above described, may be connected
to a swinging arm. This bearing has an aperture on one side, and the
arm or bracket which carries the bearing is so fitted to the head that
this aperture opens into a corresponding aperture formed in the head.
The latter is made hollow to form a passage or flue for the heat produced
by a gas burner or lamp, as described in my former Specification.
By the arrangement of these apertures in connection with the hole in
the side of the hollow shaft of the hook it will be seen that I obtain a
direct communication between the said burner or lamp and the inside of
the hook, and therefore the latter and the bobbin or spool may be kept
very hot.
In my improved machine the needle and hook both act on one side of
the material being sewn; that is, on the side of the sole in which the
channel is formed, and the awl or piercing instrument enters the work
on the opposite side. I prefer that the arrangement of the needle and
awl and the contrivances for holding and operating them, and also the
feed mechanism and other parts of the machine should be substantially
the same as those described in the said former Specification.
The take-up mechanism described in the above-mentioned Specifi-
cation has a lever with a jointed arm, the lever and arm having fingers
or projections connected by a spring. The thread from the waxing trough

page_text: passes over a roller on the end of the arm. The lever is actuated by a
cam, and the said arm has a screw for regulating the extent of motion
of the take-up.
I now render the regulation of the take-up automatic as follows:-
The lower jaw described in the said Specification is lengthened or
extended beyond the curved slot which formed a part of the locking and
releasing arrangement, and has at its end an angle piece whereon is an
inclined plane. This inclined plane lies against the edge of the take-up
lever, which has an adjustable screw arranged in contact with the
surface of the said inclined plane. According to the thickness of the
material this inclined plane is thrown up or down, and thereby made to
approach or recede from the take-up lever so as to increase or diminish
the extent of the motion of the latter inward or toward the sewing
mechanism. By thus varying the extent of the motion of the take-up
lever towards the sewing mechanism the length of the outward travel of
the same is increased or diminished, and more or less of the thread is
thus taken up or drawn back according to the thickness of the material
at the point penetrated by the needle at each stitch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Daniel Mills in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DANIEL
MILLS, of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America, now of
Albert Road, Aston, Birmingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her:
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in
the thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Daniel Mills, Her
special licence, that I, the said Daniel Mills, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Daniel Mills, 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,

page_text: exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channels Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SEWING BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Daniel Mills, my executors
or administrators by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 Daniel Mills, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings
forming a part of this Specification:-
The object of my Invention is the production of machinery whereby
the sewing of the soles and welts on boots and shoes may be so performed
that the work shall be in all respects equal if not superior to the best
hand work.
In the Specification of former Letters Patents granted to me, bearing
date the 8th April, A.D. 1871, No. 937, I have set forth some of the
difficulties that have hitherto prevented the accomplishment of this
object, and the reasons why these difficulties are insurmountable in
sewing with what are called "single thread" or "chain-stitch ""
machines, and I have shown a "double thread" or lock-stitch machine
for effecting the desired object.
"
In the said machine I employ a shuttle in combination with a barbed
needle, an awl, and looper for forming the stitches, but according to
my present Invention I substitute for the said shuttle a hook, which is
somewhat similar in form to the rotatory hook of the so-called "Wheeler
and Wilson sewing machine, and has its central portion similarly
occupied by a bobbin or spool, which carries one of the two threads.
The said hook however may have either a reciprocating or a rotating
motion around its axis, and may be arranged to work in a direction
either parallel with or transversely to the direction of the feed.
But I do not limit this Invention solcly to the machine described in
the aforesaid Specification, but may use it in other machines or com-

page_text: binations of mechanism for sewing the soles or welts on boots or shoes
wherein a barbed or crochet needle is employed.
One advantage obtained by the use of the aforesaid hook and bobbin
in place of a shuttle in my machines is the more effectual beating of the
thread above the work, which I accomplish in a very simple manner.
The said hook morcover affords a convenient means for tightening the
loops, and thereby relieves the needle of a severe strain to which it
would otherwise be subjected.
In the said former Specification I have also shown a peculiar take-up
apparatus for tightening the loops of thread. In my present machine I
use the same take-up apparatus, but not precisely for the same purpose,
its function being to take the loops from the point of the reciprocating
or rotating hook but not to tighten them. And I. sometimes combine
with the said apparatus a novel contrivance whereby the action of the
This 1
take-up is governed by the thickness of the material being sewn.
novel regulating contrivance may in some cases be useful in my present
machine, but is more especially designed to be used in that described
in my said former Specification.
In the accompanying Drawings I have illustrated the construction of
my improved machine for stitching the out-sole upon the welt of a boot.
or shoe, but it must be distinctly understood that the same improvements
are equally applicable to a machine for sewing the welt upon a boot or
shoe, the difference between the two machines being only in the position
of the stitching mechanism with regard to the work, and an additional
guide and support in the latter machine as described in the Specification:
of my Patent, No. 1237, A.D. 1870.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved stitching machine;
Figure 2 is an elevation of one side, and Figure 3 an elevation of the
opposite side of the said machine; Figure 4 is a back elevation of the 30
same.

page_text: Figure 7 illustrates a modification of the take-up apparatus of the
said machine; Figure 8 illustrates the application of this Invention to a
machine for sewing the welt upon a boot or shoe. Like letters indicate
the same parts throughout the Drawings.
A is the head of the machine, which is supported upon a strong
column A'; a is the reciprocating hook; b is the needle, and 6' the
awl secured in the stock or holder c; b³ is the needle shield; c' is the
segment lever geared in the teeth of the said stock; c is the fulcrum of
the said lever; c³ is the cam for operating the same; d is the looper,
which has a lateral movement whereby it places the thread on the
needle; fis the take-up lever; g and g' are the guide rollers; h is the
drum of the tension device.
The aforesaid reciprocating hook is preferably constructed as shewn
in Figures 5 and 6, that is to say, the body of the hook is made of
wrought iron while the point a' is made of steel properly tempered, and
is detachable from the said body, on which it is fixed by the screws a³.
The body of the hook has a recess in the face that lies towards the
needlo, in which recess I place the spool or bobbin . The point of the
said hook projects towards the needle over the spool or bobbin to or
nearly to the centre of the needle's point. The hook is formed with
teoth a', which are geared with the teeth of a wheel or segment a³.
The hook in this machine is supported in a bracket j attached to the
machine head, and is arranged to operate in a plane transverse or at
a right angle to the direction of the feed, and I give it a reciprocating
motion upon its shaft or axis by means of the said segment lever a³,
whose fulcrum c³ is at the top of the machine head and which is operated
by a cam a on the main shaft, and instead of having the bracket j of the
hook fixed on the head it may be supported in a bearing formed in the
end of an arm fitted on the same shaft or axis as the aforesaid segment
lever, so that I can conveniently raise the hook to remove or insert the
bobbin without throwing the hook out of gear with the segment. When
the hook a is arranged to work in a plane parallel with the direction of
the feed it may have either a rotating or a reciprocating motion around its
shaft or axis. The teeth on its periphery in this case must be bevelled,
and it will be operated by bevelled gearing connected with the main or
cam shaft.
1

page_text: spring o. The thread from the waxing trough passes over a roller p
on the end of the arm n. The lever is actuated by a cam on the main
shaft, and the said arm n has a screw q for regulating the extent of
motion of the take-up. This take-up mechanism although constructed
5 precisely like that shewn in my former Specification, No, 937, A.D. 1871,
is in this machine used only for taking the loops of needle thread from
the point of the hook a' as soon as the said loop has passed over the
spool to prevent its return with the hook in the backward movement
of the latter.
When the machine is started the awl 6' makes a hole in the stock,
then the needle b passes through the said hole and receives the thread
from the looper d, it then retires through the stock with the thread and
as soon as it has risen clear of the stock the feed mechanism moves
the stock forward for a new stitch; the needle continues its back-
ward movement a little farther when the hook takes the loop of thread
from the needle and carries it over the bobbin or spool i, at the same
time the take-up apparatus draws up the thread far enough to prevent
the loop being carried back by the hook in its return motion. By this
time the awl is in a position to make the next hole in the stock, and tho
above operations are repeated. It will be clearly understood from the
above description that the needle has neither to make the holes or
tighten the loops, but has simply to carry the thread through the holes.
Therefore I can use a much lighter or finer needle than would be
practicable if the needle had to make the holes or tighten the loops.
When it is desired to render the regulation of the take-up automatic
I modify the take-up mechanism, as shown in Figure 7. The lower jaw,
described in the said Specification, No. 1237, A.D. 1870, is lengthened
or extended beyond the curved slot which forms a part of the locking
and releasing arrangement, and has at each end a lug r. These lugs
carry an adjustable piece. The take-up leverf has a screw & arranged
in contact with the surface of the said adjustable piece. According
to the thickness of the work this piece is thrown up or down and
thereby made to approach or recede from the take-up lever so as to
increase or diminish the extent of the motion of the latter inward or
toward the sewing mechanism. The outward motion of the said lever
being produced by a cam is invariable, but by thus varying the extent

page_text: of its motion towards the sewing mechanism its travel is increased or
diminished, and more or less of the thread is thus taken up or drawn
back according to the thickness of the material at the point penetrated
by the needle at each stitch.
of its motion towards the sewing mechanism its travel is increased or
diminished, and more or less of the thread is thus taken up or drawn
back according to the thickness of the material at the point penetrated
by the needle at each stitch.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of 5
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
First. In a lock-stitch or double-thread machine for sewing the soles.
of boots and shoes the combination of a reciprocating or rotary hook and
bobbin with a barbed needle.
Second. In a machine for sewing the soles of boots and shoes the 1
reciprocating or rotating hook with an enclosed spool or bobbin, the
barbed needle and needle shield operating on the channel side of the
stock and in combination with an awl or piercing instrument which
enters the stock from the opposite side thereof, as herein described.
Third. In a machine for sewing the soles of boots and shoes the said 1
reciprocating or rotating hook, the barbed needle, needle shield, and
awl in combination with the adjustable bottom guage, as set forth.
Fourth. Making the spindle or journal of the aforesaid reciprocating
or rotating hook hollow, and with an aperture or slot arranged in
combination with an aperture in the bracket which carries the said 2
spindle to admit the heat from the lamp or burner to the interior
of the said hook for the purpose of heating the same and the bobbin
or spool as herein set forth.
Fifth. The take-up apparatus so operating in combination with the
said reciprocating or rotating hook that the said apparatus takes each 2
loop from the hook but leaves it to be tightened by the said hook
as the same draws up the next loop, as herein set forth.
Sixth. The aforesaid stitching mechanism consisting of the rotating or
reciprocating hook and bobbin, the barbed needle, the needle shield, awl,
and looper in combination with the feed-dog and take-up apparatus, 3
and with the contrivances for giving the required movements to these
various parts, and with the other parts of the machine, as hercin set
forth.

page_text: Seventh. In a machine for sewing on the welts of boots and shoes the
combination of the aforesaid, reciprocating or rotating hook, the needle,
needle shield, and awl, with the back or edge guage and welt guide, as
shown in Figure 8 of the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Daniel Mills, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
W. ROB. LAKE.
DANL. MILLS. (L.S.)