IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hamilton, of Woodburn, in the County of
Antrim, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES.
"
Sealed the 4th June 1872, and dated the 15th February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hamilton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th February 1872.
I, JOHN HAMILTON, of Woodburn, in the County of Antrim, Ireland,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to that class of sewing machines for producing
the French vein or hem stitch, and it consists in attaching to the lower
end of the ordinary needle bar or slide another slide which works at
right angles thereto, so as to move the needle from side to side of the
vein or hem. This latter slide is attached to the slotted end of an arm
or bent lever by means of a pin or stud, which is free to work in the

page_text: slot as the needle bar is raised or depressed, the said arm
or lever
being attached by a pin or stud to the framing of the machine.
When the needle bar is raised or depressed this latter arm or lever is
vibrated in one direction by a cam which bears on a heel formed on one
side of the arm or lever, and which is situated on a secondary shaft
geared to the motion shaft by bevil gearing. The bent arm or lever is
vibrated in the opposite direction by means of a spring, and the cam and
spring together act on the arm or lever in such a manner that as the
needle descends the slide situated at the lower part of the needle bar is
drawn backwards or forwards, and thus produces the vein or hem. The
end of the bent arm or lever opposite to that whereat the needle slide is
fixed is situated at the interior of the shuttle box, a groove or slot being
formed in the side thereof to receive it, and a groove is also formed in
the extremity of the bent arm or lever which receives the point of the
needle when it descends into the shuttle box, and retains it until the
shuttle has passed through the loop, by which means a regular and even
stitch is produced.
The arrangement of mechanism now set forth may also be adapted
to machines provided with two or more needles for the purpose herein-
before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hamilton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th August 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HAMILTON, of Woodburn, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in
the 35th year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Hamilton, Her
special license that I, the said John Hamilton, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Hamilton, my

page_text: executors, administrators, or 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Hamilton, by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal, 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 John Hamilton, 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,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention relates to that class of sewing machines for pro-
ducing the "French" vein or hem stitch, and it consists in attaching to
the lower end of the ordinary needle bar or slide another slide which
works at right angles thereto, so as to move the needle from side to side
of the vein or hem. This latter slide is attached to the slotted end of
an arm or bent lever by means of a pin or stud which is free to work in
the slot as the needle bar is raised or depressed, the said arm or lever
being attached by a pin or stud to the framing of the machine.
When the needle bar is raised or depressed this latter arm or lever is
vibrated in one direction by a cam which bears on a heel formed on one
side of the arm or lever, and which is situated on a secondary shaft
geared to the motion shaft by bevil gearing. The bent arm or lever is
vibrated in the opposite direction by means of a spring, and the cam
and spring together act on the arm or lever in such a manner that as the
needle descends the slide situated at the lower part of the needle bar is
drawn backwards or forwards, and thus produces the vein or hem. The
end of the bent arm or lever opposite to that whereat the needle slide is
fixed is situated at the interior of the shuttle box, a groove or slot being
formed in the side thereof to receive it, and a groove is also formed in
the extremity of the bent arm or lever which receives the point of the

page_text: needle when it descends into the shuttle box, and retains it until the
shuttle has passed through the loop, by which means a regular and
even stitch is produced.
The arrangement of mechanism now set forth may also be adapted to
machines provided with two or more needles for the purpose herein-
before described.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood
I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for
that purpose shall refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of
Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts
in all the corresponding Figures.
On the Sheet of Drawings hereunto appended the arrangement of
mechanism for producing the "French vein" or hem stitch as con-
structed in accordance with this Invention is shewn in side elevation at
Figure 1, in front end elevation at Figure 2, and in plan at Figure 3.
At the lower end of the ordinary needle bar A of the machine a slide B
is situated, as shewn at Figures 1 and 2, and more particularly at
Figures 4 and 5, which are respectively a full-size side and end elevation
of the needle bar A and slide B. The slide B, which holds the needle x,.
is arranged to work horizontally at a right angle to the vertical motion
of the needle bar A, and it is formed with bevilled edges at its upper and
lower parts, which fit against similarly formed guides c and d. The
guide d is formed in one piece with the lower extremity of the needle
bar A, and the piece c is by preference attached to the needle bar A. by
screws passed through oblong holes in the guides c, in order to admit of
its being adjusted when the slide B becomes loose by wear.
The
needle is held in a groove formed in the face of the slide B by a clamp
or plate e, which is attached to the slide B after the needle has been
adjusted to the proper position thereon by means of screws as shewn.
At one end of the needle slide B a pin or stud is situated having an anti-
friction roller placed thereon, this being situated in a vertical slot in
the end of an arm C, being free to work in the said slot as the needle
bar A is in motion. The arm C is attached to the framing of the
machine by means of screwed pins or studs 9 and i, as more particularly
seen at Figure 1 of the Drawings, and it is also attached by means of
the cross piece or bracket D to another arm E, one end of which is
attached to the framing of the machine by the pin or stud h, its other

page_text: extremity being situated at the interior of the shuttle box F, as indi-
cated by the dotted lines at Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings. The pins
or studs g, h, and i pass through oblong holes in the arms C and E
respectively, as shewn, so that whilst these pins or studs retain the arms
in their proper position relatively with the framing of the machine the
said arms are free to move backwards and forwards to a limited extent
on the pins or studs g, i, and h. On the bracket or cross piece D, by
which the arms C and E are connected together, a bracket / is situated
projecting at right angles thereto, as shewn at Figure 2, and more par-
ticularly at Figure 6, which is a detached plan of the mechanism for
producing the "French vein " or hem stitch. A thumb screw / passes
through the bracket k, and its extremity bears on the surface of a face
cam H situated on a secondary shaft H', which is actuated by a bevel
wheel M geared with a pinion N on the main shaft of the machine, as
more particularly seen in plan at Figure 3. The face and edge cam I,
by which the progressive and retrogressive movements of the feed J are
effected through the intervention of the rocking shaft K and lever L, is
also situated on the shaft H₁ and the contour of the cam I, as shewn at
Figure 6ª, is such that it actuates the feed J in a manner suitable to
the nature of the work to be performed. The face cam H is formed with
an equal thickness round two-thirds or nearly two-thirds of its circum-
ference, the remaining circumferential portion of its face being recessed
or hollowed out, as shewn at Figures 2, 3, and 6 of the Drawings. As
the face cam H is rotated the thicker portion m, Figure 2, of its face acts
on the point of the screw in such a manner as to keep the needle
slide B at its forward position during the length of time required to
allow the needle bar A to be raised and depressed twice by its lever T,
thereby causing the needle x to make two stitches, these being the last
of one and the first of another in two succeeding sets of the the three
stitches by which the "French vein or hem stitch is produced. The
arms C and E, besides being acted upon in a forward direction by the face
cam H operating upon the point of the screw 1, are also acted upon in
an opposite direction when the thinner portion n, Figure 2, of the cam
face comes opposite the extremity of the screw / by a spring o, more
particularly seen at Figure 6, by which means the needle slide B is drawn
backwards when the centre stitch in each series of three stitches is made
by the downward motion of the needle bar A and needle x.

page_text: proved mechanism for producing the "French vein or hem stitch
I proceed to more particularly set forth the conjoint action of these
details in the formation of the said stitch.
Assuming the needle bar A to have attained the position indicated in
dotted lines at Figure 1 of the Drawings, that is to say, its highest
position preparatory to commencing its downward movement, and
causing the needle x to pass through the cloth or fabric. At the same
instant the extremity of the screw is in contact or approximately in
contact with the part marked p, Figure 2, of the thicker portion m of
the cam H, and the needle slide B is in its forward position. On the
machine being set in motion by the hand wheel R, or by a belt passed
round the pulley S the needle bar A is caused to descend by the lever T,
the extremity of which opposite to that coupled to the needle bar is
acted upon by a grooved cam U fixed to or formed on the back of the
hand wheel R. The point of the needle x is by this means caused to
pass through the cloth or fabric and descend into the shuttle box F,
where it enters a slot or groover situate at the forward end of the
arm E, as seen in dotted lines at Figure 1, and more particularly at
Figure 7, which is a detached plan of the shuttle box with the cover
removed. The point of the needle x is retained in the groover until the
shuttle has passed through the loop of thread formed at the termination
of each downward stroke by a slight upward movement of the needle
bar A and needle x, which being accomplished, the needle bar A is again
raised to the position shewn in dotted lines at Figure 1, and the cloth or
fabric is moved forwards the length of one stitch by the feed J actuated
by the rocking shaft K and cam I. Thus the first stitch in one series of
three stitches is produced. During the time required to complete this
last-mentioned operation the cam H has been moved round by the
shaft H¹ and bevil gearing M and N, so as to bring that part marked 8,
Figure 2, opposite to the extremity of the screw 1, and immediately the
needle x has regained its extreme upward position the cam H revolves
further so as to bring the thinner part n, Figure 2, of its surface opposite
the extremity of the screw 1, which having no further bearing surface on
the cam allows the spring o to push back the bracket D and the con-
nected arms C and E, slide B, and needle x, so that the needle on again
descending forms the centre stitch, that is the stitch at the apex of the
triangle formed by every series of three stitches, immediately after
which stitches the needle bar A being again raised and the cloth or

page_text: "
fabric fed forwards by the feed J the thicker portion m of the cam Ḥ
comes opposite the extremity of the screw 1, and the arms C and E,
slide B, and needle x are moved forward, and the third in one series of
three stitches is formed by the next downward movement of the needle,
which actions being repeated the "French vein " or hem stitches are
produced in succession. Between the third stitch of one series and the
first stitch in another series the feet J, instead of moving the cloth for-
wards, makes with the cloth or fabric a retrogressive movement, so that the
first stitch in one series may be behind the third stitch in another series,
this being necessary in order to attain the true triangular forms. This is
effected when the part y¹, Figure 6*, of lesser circumference in the
cam I comes opposite the extremity of the screw v, thereby allowing the
spring situate at the back of the feed J, as in the ordinary "Thomas
machine, and which is not shewn on the Drawings, to push back the
feed and with it the cloth or fabric to the required extent. After this
has been accomplished the wider part 2 of the cam I comes in contact
with the screw o, and the feed draws the cloth forwards to form the
second stitch, and whilst the shuttle is passing through the loop formed
at this stitch the tappet v¹ on the cam I comes in contact with the lower
extremity of the lever L, whereby the opposite extremity of the lever
bearing on the feed J is raised, and the lever L being connected to the feed
by the elastic band or other spring w the feed itself is thereby raised from
contact with the cloth or fabric, and on again descending is pushed back
by the spring herein-before referred to, being retained in that position for a
length of time sufficient to allow the needle x to pass up free of the cloth
or fabric, and the part y', Figure 6ª, of the cam I to pass the point of the
screw v, immediately after which the wider portion z¹, Figure 6ª, of the
cam I comes in contact with the point of the screw », and acts on the
rocking shaft K sufficiently to cause the feed to draw forwards the cloth
or fabric to the extent necessary to form the third stitch.
In lieu of employing the arms C and E and cross piece D, more parti-
cularly seen at Figure 1 of the Drawings, for moving the slide B and
needle backwards and forwards, as herein-before described, a single
bent arm or lever similar to that illustrated in side elevation at Figure 8
may be used for that purpose.
One end of the arm or lever A is
attached to the slide B by the pin or stud 6, which is free to move in the
oblong hole in the end thereof, and its other end is situated at the
interior of the shuttle box, as shown. The lever or arm A is attached to

page_text: the framing of the machine by pins or studs c passed through oblong holes
in the lever or arm, as shewn, and a bracket d is also formed on the side
of the lever or bent arm, through the upper end of which the thumb
screw e passes the extremity thereof bearing on the cam H, and
actuating the lever or arm A, slide B, and needle x in a forward
direction in the manner herein-before described in reference to the
preceding modification.
The action of the spring 9 in moving the lever or arm A, slide B, and
needle x backwards by pressing against the heel or bracket d, being also
similar to that herein-before set forth, these operations need not be
herein further described.
The screw 1, herein-before referred to in reference to the first arrange-
ment of mechanism embraced by this Invention, and the screw e, shewn
at Figure 8 of the Drawings, besides acting on the intermediate
mechanism so as to reciprocate the slide B and needle x in a forward
direction, also serve in conjunction with the feed J to regulate the width
of stitch to be produced by the needle x. When it is desired to make a
wider or coarser stitch the screw is turned so as through the intervention
of the bracket k and cross piece D under the first arrangement, and
heel d under the second arrangement, to push the arms or levers or arm
or lever with which these are connected forwards, that is to say, to push
the bracket or heel further away from the face of the cam H; thus when
the thinner portion of the cam face comes opposite the extremity of the
screw the springs o org draws the needle x, needle slide B, and
mechanism in connection therewith backwards a greater distance, so as
to produce a wider space between the first and second and second and
third stitches in each series; and when it is desired to produce a closer
or finer stitch the screw is so turned as to bring the bracket k or heel d
within a less distance from the face of the cam, and thereby confine the
action of the spring to a shorter space in pushing the mechanism back-
wards to make the centre stitch. The motions of the feed J, in pro-
gressing the cloth or fabric to the required distance longitudinally
between each stitch, is regulated by adjusting the screw v, seen at
Figures 2 and 3 of the Drawing, so as to cause the cam I to exert
greater or less leverage on the rocking shaft K.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to

page_text: be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the attaching of
the needle of a sewing machine employed in the production of the
"French vein " or hem stitch to a slide carried on the needle bar, and
moved to and fro at right angles thereto by a slotted arm working on
studs or on guides attached to the framing of the machine, such arm
being actuated by a cam arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hamilton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-two.