AN IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the .
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of AN IMPROVEMENT
IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by the Wilson Sewing
Machine Company (Incorporated), of Chicago, in the County of Cook, State of
Illinois, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1879.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "AN IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING MACHINES." [A communication
from abroad by the Wilson Sewing Machine Company (Incorporated), of Chicago,
in the County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improvement on the sewing machine for which
Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date November 5th, 1878, No. 4465.
In the Specification of the said Patent a spring is shown and described as affixed to
the inner surface of the door that encloses the shuttle race, the purpose of said
spring being to prevent missing stitch by pressing against the back of the shuttle
near the heel when at the back end of its stroke in order to keep the shuttle close
against the face of the race, and in a position to ensure its point entering the loop
thrown out by the needle. It has been found in practice that the fluff from the
thread and work is liable to collect behind and clog said spring, rendering it rigid,
and although it still to a certain extent answers the purpose intended, it is deemed
preferable to substitute for said spring the device constituting the present improve-
ment.
According to the present Invention an inclined swell or projection is formed or
fixed on the inner surface of the door in the position occupied by the aforesaid
spring, said swell or projection being solid, so that no dirt can collect behind it, and

page_text: being preferably formed by stamping up or indenting the door itself. As this swell
or projection is not flexible like a spring, but rigid, a means of adjustment becomes
necessary in order to adapt it to any slight variation in the size of the shuttle, and
for this purpose the catch with which the nib on the door engages to hold the door
shut is screwed into the machine frame, and thereby set to hold the swell or pro-
jection on the door as close against the shuttle as necessary, and is fixed in position
by a set screw. The operation is much the same as in the case of the spring, that
is to say, in case the shuttle should tend to fall away from the face of the race, the
heel of the shuttle comes in contact with the incline, and is thereby pressed close
against the race in proper position to ensure the point of the shuttle entering the
loop of the needle thread.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1880.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. AN IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from
abroad by the Wilson Sewing Machine Company (Incorporated), of Chicago, in the
County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America:
This Invention relates to an improvement on the sewing machine for which
Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date November 5th, 1878, No. 4465.
In the Specification of the said Patent a spring is shown and described as affixed to
the inner surface of the door that encloses the shuttle race, the purpose of said
spring being to prevent missing stitch by pressing against the back of the shuttle
near the heel when at the back end of its stroke in order to keep the shuttle close
against the face of the race, and in a position to ensure its point entering the loop
thrown out by the needle. It has been found in practice that the fluff from the
thread and work is liable to collect behind and clog said spring, rendering it rigid,
and although it still to a certain extent answers the purpose intended, it is deemed
preferable to substitute for said spring the device constituting the present improve-
ment.
According to the present Invention an inclined swell or projection is formed or
fixed on the inner surface of the door in the position occupied by the aforesaid
spring, said swell or projection being solid, so that no dirt can collect behind it. As
this swell or projection is not yielding like a spring, a means of adjustment becomes
necessary in order to adapt it to any slight variation in the size of the shuttle, and
for this purpose the catch with which the nib on the door engages to hold the door
shut is screwed into the machine frame, and is set to hold the swell or projection
on the door as close against the shuttle as necessary, and held in position by a set
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shuttle race of the machine with its cover
thrown open, the work plate being removed to show the parts; Figure 2 is. a plan,
and Figure 3 a face view of the shuttle race with the cover closed. a is the shuttle
race, b the shuttle, and c the shuttle carrier mounted on a rock shaft, and operated
as described in the aforesaid Patent. d is the shuttle race door or cover, hinged at e
to one side of the shuttle race, and having a spring fapplied, which tends to push
the door upwards along its hinge pin, and likewise to throw the door open. g is a
swell or projection on the inner surface of the lid or cover d, forming a shuttle
guide, in lieu of the spring described in the Specification of the aforesaid Patent ;
this swell is preferably formed by striking up or indenting the door & itself, as
shown more clearly in section in Figure 4, taken on line x, x, of Figure 3; it corre-
sponds in position to the position of the shuttle at the back end of its stroke; its
upper part g' is an incline rising gradually from the surface of the door, and with
this incline the heel of the shuttle comes in contact if on its back stroke the shuttle
should tend to fall over away from the face of the shuttle race. By thus sliding
along this incline the shuttle is pressed close against the face of the race, so that on
its forward stroke it will travel in a straight line in close contact with the shuttle
race, and unfailingly enter the loop thrown out by the needle. This swell is
adjusted so that its highest part g shall be as close as possible to the back of the
shuttle without touching. This adjustment is obtained by means of the catch h,
which is a screw stud screwing into the frame, so that it can be screwed farther in
or out as required, and is secured in position by a binding screw i. The stud has

page_text: a conical head h', and at the base of this conical part a circumferential notch or
groove 2, and in closing the cover d its nib or corner k comes in contact with and
slides along the under side of the conical head, whereby the cover d is forced slightly
downwards along its hinge pin, and then rises into the notch or groove h³. This
catch being conical or circular may be turned round either way in order to screw it
farther in or out as required, and is yet always in position to engage with the
shuttle race door or cover, as shown.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The inclined projecting surface or swell on the inner face of the shuttle race
cover, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
'
2nd. The catch for the hinged shuttle race cover, consisting of a screw stud with
conical head and circumferential notch, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
3rd. The employment in combination of the inclined surface or swell on the inside
of the shuttle race cover and the adjustable catch formed of a conical headed screw
stud, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
T. W. KENNARD,.
53, Chancery Lane.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)