CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julius Gutmann, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
Scaled the 27th March 1868, and dated the 4th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julius Gutmann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th October 1867.
I, JULIUS GUTMANN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, do bereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:―
This Invention adds a new variety to the various sewing machines already
invented, differing however so essentially from those now in use that the
principle as well as the manner of carrying it into practice will immediately
be recognized as new and original. All previous constructions keep by
principle to a perfectly uniform reciprocating motion of the needle bar, or
where such is wanting the needle is so fixed to the oscillating lever that it
has to follow exactly the same motions. In some constructions pains have
been taken by a particular contrivance to give to the needle when penetrating
the fabric to be sewn one invariable direction in order to bring it at every
stroke exactly to the same point, and a great part of the skill of the workman

page_text: or work woman attending the machine consists in fitting a new needle, if such
be required, so precisely to the other relative parts of the machine that it is
perfectly certain to meet just this point, as otherwise the breaking of it may be
feared. My construction bas entirely left this principle in order to produce,
in operating at the same time with two or more needles, a looping of the
threads, which hitherto has not been obtained by dexterous handwork, and
still less by machines. A round needle bar slides in its bearings up and
down, it also inakes a rotation round its axis after every stitch, and thus
with the thread coming out of the shuttle produces a knot looped four, six, or
more times, which is to be applied in hitherto unattained perfection for fancy
sewing, but especially for button holes. I would here remark that by throwing
the mechanism of rotation out of gear the machine may be used forthwith as
any common sewing machine.
The rotation which at each repetition has to take place in opposite direction
is obtained for instance by the following arrangement (see Sheets of Drawing
bereunto annexed and forming part of this my Provisional Specification) :-
The round needle bar a is provided with a toothed wheel the teeth of
which however have such a width (the dimension being taken in the direc-
tion of the axis) that the reciprocating motions allow the gearing of a toothed
segment c. This segment is applied to the case of the machine in such a
way that it can make a horizontal reciprocating motion. The opposite end
of this segment projecting from the point of motion, that is, the segment
chair & terminates in a lever e, which is connected with the very important
part of this construction, a roller or pulley h with two grooves h² crossing each
other by means of a bent lever 9 moving from a special chair f. This roller
or pulley is fixed to the main shaft i, and its peculiarity consists in the above-
mentioned double groove, in which slides a shoe k connecting the bent lever g
with the double groove h¹. This shoe k at the extremity of the double groove
and corresponding with the crossing of the same moves at its bearing, which
is there attached and reaches down the double groove. The shoek has the
form of a parallelogram, the obtuse angles of which are somewhat rounded.
On the rotation of the double grooved roller or pulley hit slides without
impediment in the right-hand groove as far as ibis groove is rectangular to
the axis of the roller or pulley h, at the point however where the groove leaves
this direction the shoe also follows the deviation leading to the bye groove, in
that way of course varying the position of the bent lever 9 and of the seg-
ment c, which by means of the toothed wheel b operates again on the needle
bar a and causes its rotation. This is effected whilst the needles are out of
contact with the fabric. It is clear that the threads of both or of all three or

page_text: more needles respectively are by this rotation above the fabric looped about
cach other. The double grooved roller or pulley h continuing its rotation
the shoe k slides again in the now obtained groove to the crossing point h¹ of
the same, and meeting with no hinderance in this course it is obvious that it
remains without action on bent lever, segment, toothed wheel, and needlo
bar. Whilst the shoe is out of contact with the crossing groove hч the needle
bar completes its reciprocating motion, which is herein-after described. This
motion having been completed, as soon as the needle bar has again reached
the above indicated position, where the needles are out of contact with
the fabric, the double grooved roller or pulley h repeats its operation on
the needle bar a, the shoe bas meanwhile arrived at the crossing point h" of
the grooves, and follows of course the deviation, which carries it back to
the groove at the right hand, which in explaining its functions has been
adopted as the beginning of its motion. Its operation on the bent lever gas
well as on the other respective parts is now of course an opposite one,
in consequence of which the needle bar is likewise rotating in opposite
direction.
a,
Having explained the operation of this double grooved roller or pulley h,
and thus shown the origin of the rotations of the needle bar I come to
another very important part of this mechanism, consisting in a slotted disc or
slide a fixed to a bush p, which has to operate the reciprocating motions of the
needle bar, and which is in connection with it by means of a disc r fastened
on the nearest end of the main shaft i; the bush p has to take up the ucelle
bar formed like a bored journal in order to allow its rotations and at the same
time its reciprocating motions. These reciprocating motions are produced by
the rotation of the disc r with an eccentrically applied pin s projecting into
the slutt of the disc g; this slut is placed in its main direction across the
axis of the needle bar, and its longitudinal dimension is correspondent with
the stroke of the pin s; it deviates however at some parts so considerably from
this main direction that its form will not be clearly understood without au
explanation of its functions. Observing, therefore, the action of the needle
bar a during one rotation of the pin s, we find, for instance, the first already
in its highest position,' whilst the pin has still to make the eighth part of its
rotation in order to arrive perpendicularly above the axis of the main shaft i.
By virtue of the direction of the slot inclining towards the centre and rising
again towards, the opposite side the needle bar a remains in this highest
position during about the fourth part of tho rotation of the pin s, its needles
are out of contact with the fabric, and it follows the operation of the double
grooved roller or pulley and rotates about itself. This rotation being com-

page_text: pleted, a has withdrawn from the operation of the double grooved roller or
pulley h to be acted upon by the pin s, which has meanwhile arrived at the
end of the slot t. Here the pin releases the needlo bar a from its highest
position in the progress of its rotation, and rather presses it down to its lowest
position, by which means it is evident that the stitch with all the needles will
be accomplished. These needles carry the threads down through the fabric
till under the shuttle m; they will however the next moment be lifted up a
little and remain in that position during about the tenth part of the rotation
of the pins, because the form of the slot t obliges the pin to hold the needle
bar in this position. The lifting of the needles does not withdraw the threads
out of the fabric, it only diminishes proportionally their tension in such a
manner that they form loops underneath the fabric large enough to allow the
entering of the nose n of the shuttle m which is now passed through between
threads and needles by means of the usual and well known mechanism, and in
so doing increases the tension of the threads above the fabric so as to draw
on the preceding stitch and otherwise drawing out as much length of thread
as is required for its passage, in such a way that the threads of the reels u
held tight by the friction rollers and the springs w will yield. It is evident
that at the same time the shuttle draws the thread which unwinds itself from
the spool o within the shuttle, and is looped with the preceding stitch through
the loops of all the threads brought down through the fabric by moans of the
needles, consequently holding them back beneath it to prevent their rising
again with the needles and coming out of the fabric. The above-mentioned
known mechanism which receives its motion by means of the conical wheels a
from the main shaft carries the shuttle back to its place in order to operate in
the same manner at the following stitch. During the passage of the shuttle
through the loops, as just described, the pins has completed the tenth part of
its rotation; the form of the opening is thus varied, and the needle bar a can
rise to its highest position without interruption, so that the needles come
entirely out of the fabric, and their eyes are so far above it that the threads
reaching down through the fabric are drawn tight. Immediately after this the
rotation of the needle bar effectuates the intended looping above the fabric,
the looping beneath it having taken place by means of the shuttle returned to
its place of which the thread had been looped tight round about all the threads
of the needles.
It must be remarked that during the reciprocating motions of the needle bar a
the teeth of the segment c do not come out of gear from the toothed wheel b,
and that therefore the last must have a length in the direction of the axis a,
which exceeds a little the extension of the reciprocating motion, or which is

page_text: The toothed wheel 6 has exactly the same
order to make in continuance of it the
the same the stroke of the pin 8.
diameter as the needle bar a in
reciprocating motions in its upper bearing.
It is obvious that the position of the needles is of decided importance to tho
manner of forming the knots. To say nothing of the number of the needles and
their distance from each other, their distance from the axis of the needle bar
will essentially affect the formation of the knots. By this means the variety of
the intended fancy seams may be considerably increased and still more
improved by choosing threads of different colours; for instance, it is evident
that if three needles are put together in a regular triangle, the centre of which
is the axis of the needle bar quite another seam will be formed than with one
needle reaching the end of the axis of the needle bar; and again another if
the axis lies outward of this triangle, and so on.
To the varieties of fancy seams which may be sewn is to be added another
of the qualifications of this machine by which its principle is most clearly
characterized, and which I will now explain. It is the possibility of working
with different tension of the threads, and thus to obtain the chief purpose of
the machine, namely, to work button holes, in hitherto unattained perfection..
This application differs somewhat from the preceding, and requires therefore
a new explanation. I would here observe, that there are, indeed, already
machines with which button holes may be worked; these machines however
have so many imperfections that their introduction has met but with little
success; their imperfections consist chiefly in the following:
1). No thin fabric such as linen shirting or silk can be worked with
them.
2). The button holes which they work in thick materials require the thread
to be sewn up by hand.
3). No other work save the above-mentioned imperfect button, boles can
be made with these machines.
4). Even such button holes are confined to an oval shape, whereas my
construction avoids entirely all these faults; the thickness of the fabric does
not affect the capacity of the machine nor any shape of button hole, as every
button hole, even the cut one, which is merely a slit, can be finished by means
of the machine, as already mentioned; the same is to be used as any other
common sewing machine by throwing the rotatory apparatus out of, gear.
The machine is applied for button hole making in the following manner :-
Two needles are inserted having such a position that only one of them
pierces the fabric whilst the other is to move freely within the opening for the
button hole. Each of these needles is supplied with a thread; these threads

page_text: have previously passed some opening in the lower part of the needle bar, that
is, in the needle bar head a, and have gone around it whilst the needle bar
is rotating, in order to guard the needles from getting entangled in the
loopings of the threads. Both needles carry their threads down under the
shuttle, allow the same to slide through the loops, and take its thread up with
them. Now the thread of the needle piercing the fabric is much less tight
than that of the free one, it follows this last therefore outside the fabric up
to the edge of it, the thread of the shuttle follows likewise, and in this manner
a looping of the two first threads with the last is accomplished at one and the
same place, namely, at the edge of the fabric by means of the rotation of tho
needle bar; each of the three threads is heroby doubly looped about the other,
so that a six-fold looping is made. The lesser tension of the thread going
through the fabric is not produced only by the tension rollers and springs, but
the needle head a is supplied with a hook 2, which in rotating seizes the
thread, piercing the fabric and takes it about itself; rotating in the opposite
direction, however, the thread escapes this hook, and becomes so loose that
looping with each other it follows easily the tighter tension of the thread
outside the fabric to the edge of it.
Another contrivanco is to be taken into consideration, which is very
important in working button holes that have been cut into the fabric. It
consists in a small steel blade y which is applied to the fabric, holding part of
the machine in such a way that it prevents the needle from accidentally
entering the fabric at the opposite side of the slit cut for the button hole;
this blade is however so narrow that it does not in the least hinder tho
operations of the needles in going to the extreme end of the button hole slit ;
it rather permits the turning required for sewing up the thread.
In this application for button-hole making my machine shews itself to great
advantage. Besides the novelties and peculiarities of construction which
belong to almost all the mechanism of motion of the needle bar, as well in
those parts which occasion the rotation of the same as in those by which its
other operations are effected, partly on account of their forms, partly on
account of the combinations with each other; to all this the machine adds by
principle the novelty and peculiarity that one of the working needles has to
produce no stitch, but has only to co-operate in an hitherto unknown manner
to the formation of the knot; and I therefore estimate the principle higher
than the construction, and purpose claiming accordingly.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Julius Gutmann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st March 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIUS
GUTMANN, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Julius Gutmann, Her special licence that I, the said Julius
Gutmann, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Julius Gutmann, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Julius Gutmann, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 Julius Gutmann, 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 Sheet of Drawing hereunto
annexed, and forming part of this my Specification, and to the figures and
letters of reference placed thereon, similar letters denoting similar parts in
cach of the Figures respectively.
This Invention adds a new variety to the various sewing machines already
invented, differing however so essentially from those now in use that the principle
as well as the manner of carrying it into practice will immediately be recognized
as new and original. All previous constructions keep by principle to a perfectly
uniform reciprocating motion of the needle bar, or where such is wanting, the
needle bar is so fixed to the oscillating lover that it has to follow exactly
the same motions. In some constructions, pains have been taken by a particular
contrivance to give to the needle when penetrating the fabric to be sewn

page_text: one invarible direction in order to bring it at every stroke exactly to the
same point, and a great part of the skill of the workman or work woman
attending the the machine consists in fitting a new needle if such be required
with such nicety in respect to the other relative parts of the machine that
it is perfectly certain to meet exactly this point otherwise its breakage may
be feared.
1
In my improved construction I bave entirely departed from this principle
in order to produce (operating at the same time with two or more needles) a
looping of the threads which hitherto has not been obtained by dexterous
handwork and still less by machines. A round needle bar sliding up and
down in its bearings makes a rotation round its axis after every stitch, and
thus with the thread coming from the shuttle produces a knot looped four,
six, or more times, which is to be applied in hitherto unattained perfection for
fancy sewing, but especially for button holes. I would here remark that by
throwing the mechanism of rotation out of gear the machine may be used
forthwith like any ordinary sewing machine.
The rotation which at each repetition has to take place in opposite direction
is obtained, for instance, by the following arrangement:-The round needle
bar a is provided with a toothed wheel b, the teeth of which have however
such a width (the dimension being taken in the direction of the axis) that
the reciprocating motions allow the gearing of a rack c. This rack (or toothed
segment) is applied to the machine in such wise that it can make a horizontal
reciprocating motion; its movement is effected by the double grooved roller h
(attached to the main shaft i), by means of a double armed lever e movable
about the axis d; this lever e is loosely connected with the driving bar f, upon
which the rack c is fixed by means of a connecting piece 9, as will be seen in
Fig. 1; the roller h consists of a twisted double groove h¹, h¹¹, in which moves
a shoe k attached to the lower end of the lever e in form of a parallelogram
with obtuse angles somewhat rounded. On the rotation of the double grooved
roller or pulley h the shoe slides without impediment in the right-hand
groove, as far as this groove is rectangular to the axis of the roller or pulley h,
ut the place however where the groove leaves this direction the shoe also follows
the deviations leading to the bye groove, thereby of course varying the position
of the lever e and of the rack c, which by means of the toothed wheel 6 operates
again on the needle bar a and causes its rotation; this is effectuated whilst the
needles are out of contact with the fabric. It is clear that the threads of both
or of all three needles (where three are used) are by this rotation above the
fabric looped or twisted about each other. As the double grooved roller or
pulley continues its rotation the shook slides in the now obtained groove

page_text: h²
again to the crossing point h" of the same, and meeting with no hinderance
in this movement, it is obvious that it remains without action on lever, rack,"
and needle bar. Whilst the shoe is out of contact with the crossing groove.
the needle bar completes its reciprocating motion hereafter described. This
motion having been completed as soon as the needle bar has again reached
the position above described, where the needles are out of contact with the
fabric, the double grooved roller or pulley h repeats its operation on the
needle bar a, the shoe has meanwhile arrived at the crossing point h" of
the groove, and of course follows the deviation which carries it back to
the groove at the right hand, which in explaining its functions has been
adopted as the beginning of its motion. Its operation on the lever as
well as on the other respective parts is now of course an opposite one, in
consequence of which the needle bar likewise rotates in an opposite direction.
Having explained the operation of this double grooved roller or pulley h,
and thus shown the origin of the rotations of the needle bar, we come to
another part of this mechanism. This part consists of a curver applied to
the main shaft i, and which has to effectuate the alternations of the needle bar
in the following manner, as may be seen in Fig. I. :-The piece p on tho
needle bar a forms as it were a collar for this latter, and thereby allows the
rotation while also permitting the alternations, for which purpose it is con-
nected with the double-armed lever by means of the connecting rod q, q.
This double-armed lever z bears at its lower end a rollers which catches in
the curve r, and receives the requisite movement for the lifting of the needlo
bar by the corresponding construction of the curve r. The needle bar a;
concentrically bored through its whole length, bears at its lower end a needle
head or holder t, in which the needles may be inserted in centrical and
excentrical position to the needle bar. These needles carry the threads (after
they have bave been drawn through the bored needle bar) through the fabric
down until under the shuttlo m, they will however the next moment be lifted
up a little by the peculiar construction of the curve r. This lifting of the
needles does not withdraw the threads out of the fabric but only proportionally'
diminishes their tension in such a manner that they form loops underneath the
fabric large enough to allow the entering of the nose n of the shuttle m. The
shuttle is now driven through between threads and needles by means of the
well-known mechanism shewn in Fig. III., in so doing increasing the tension
of the threads above the fabric, so as to draw on the preceding stitch, and
otherwise drawing out as much length of thread as is required for its passage
in such a way that the threads of the reels u held tight by the friction
wheels and the tension lover w will yield (w is the guide for the thread).

page_text: It is evident that at the same time the shuttle draws the thread which unwinds
itself from the spool o within the shuttle, and is looped with the preceding
stitch through the loops of all the threads brought down through the fabric by
means of the needles, consequently holding them back beneath it to prevent
their rising again with the needles and coming out of the fabric. The above
mentioned known mechanism which receives its motion by means of the
conical wheels a from the main shaft carries the shuttle back to its place in
order to operate in the same manner at the following stitch. During the
passage of the shuttle m through the loops, as just now described, the needle
bar remains stationary, but after this it is raised to its highest position without
further interruption, so that the needles come entirely out of the fabric,
whereby at the same time the threads are drawn tightly by means of the
tension levers w₁ moved by the double-armed lever . The rotation of the
needle bar now effectuates another looping or twisting above the fabric and so
on continuously. It must be remarked that during the reciprocating motions
of the needle bar a the rack c does not cease to gear into the toothed wheel
or needle bar bead b, and that therefore this last must have a length in tho
direction of the axis a, which exceeds somewhat the extension of the
reciprocating motion.
It is obvious that the position of the needles is of decided importance on
the manner of forming the knots. To say nothing of the number of the
needles and their distance from each other, their distance from the axis of the
needle bar will essentially affect the formation of the knots. By this means
the variety of the intended fancy seams may be considerably increased and
still more improved by choosing threads of different colours.
To the production of a variety of fancy seams this machine adds another as
yet unexplained qualification by which its principle is most clearly cha-
racterized, namely, the possibility of working with different tension of the
threads, and thus to attain the chief purpose of the machine, namely, to work
button holes in hitherto unattained perfection. This application partly
differing from that already described requires a special explanation. I would
here observe that I am aware of the existence of machines with which button
holes may be worked; these machines have however so many imperfections
that their introduction has succeeded but to a very limited extent, and their
use confined to sewing button holes of an oval shape.
The use of my machine is not confined to any particular thickness of fabric
and as little to any particular shape of button hole, it finishing every
description of button hole, even the cut one, which is only a slit, and as
already mentioned my machine may be used like any other ordinary sewing

page_text: machine by simply throwing the rotatory apparatus out of gear at the axis d
of the lever e and by turning the screw d, Fig. I.
The machine is applied to button-hole making in the following manner :-
Two needles are inserted, baving such a position that only one of them, the
excentrical one, pierces the fabric, whilst the other (the central one) is to
move freely within the opening for the button hole. Each of the needles is
supplied with a thread, both needles carry their thread down under the shuttle,
allow the same to slide through the loops, and take its threads up with them.
Now the thread of the needle piercing the fabric is much less tight than that
of the free one, it therefore follows this last outside the fabric up to the edge
of it, the thread of the shuttle following likewise, in this manner a looping of
the two first threads with the last is accomplished at one and the same place,
namely, at the edge of the fabric by means of the rotation of the needle bar.
Each of the three threads is hereby doubly looped about the other, so that a
six-fold looping is made. The lesser tension of the thread which goes through
the fabric is produced by the tension rollers v. Another contrivance is to be
taken into consideration which is very important in working button holes that
have been cut in the fabric of any shape. It consists in a small steel tube y,
Fig. I., which is applied to the fabric holder of the machine in such a way
that it prevents the needle from accidentally entering the fabric at the oppo-
site side of the slit cut for the button hole. This tube is however so narrow
that it does not in the least hinder the operations of the needles extending to
the extreme end of the button hole slit. The steel tube terminates at its upper
end in a point, and in such a manner that this point comes between the needles.
If now the sewing of the button hole is completed excepting the fastening of
the thread, the tube can be drawn so far through the stitching plate by 'n
special mechanism, as shewn on the Drawing, moved by means of the bandle B,
that only the point of the tube y projects. The button hole is then drawn up
to this point, and a few stitches being given the fastening of the button hole
will be formed. It must be here observed that during this fastening or closing
of the button hole the travelling of the work or fabric is also arrested by the
above-mentioned movement of the handle B. By a further turn of this handle B
the point of the tube y may be made to disappear entirely below the stitching
plate in order to adapt the same for common sewing.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing, Figure I. represents a side view
of my improved sewing machine; Figure II., a top plan view; Figure 1II.,
a bottom plan view, and Figure IV., a vertical section of the upper part of the
machine, taken through the line A, A, Fig. I.

page_text: In the application for button-hole making my machine shows to great
advantage.
To the novelties and peculiarities of construction attaching to almost all the
mechanism of motion of the needle bar as well in those parts which occasion its
rotation as in those by which its other operations are effected, partly on account
of their forms, partly on account of; their combinations with each other, my
machine adds by principle the novelty and peculiarity that one of the working
needles has to produce no stitch, but has only to co-operate in a novel manner
in the formation of the knot, and I therefore estimate the principle above the
construction.
I
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and by what means
carry the same into practical effect, I would have it clearly understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth and illustrated
on the annexed Sheet of Drawing, as modifications may be made in the shape,
arrangement, and combination of various parts of my improved sewing machine
while retaining the fundamental characteristics of my Invention, namely, the
rotating needle bar and the free needle in the sewing of button holes, therefore
I claim,
The exclusive use of a rotary needle bar applied to sewing machines in
order to work two or more needles at the same time for the purpose of pro-
ducing variety in the sewing.
And I also claim for button-hole making, or other similar edgings or over-
sewing, the exclusive application of another needle in addition to the needle
which passes through the fabric, this additional needle working with its point
in a tube, excepting when co-operating in the formation of knots and com-
pletion of the button hole, substantially as herein-before described and shewn
on the Drawing hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julius Guttman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JULIUS GUTMANN. (LS.)