IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Smith, of Hackney Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES."
Sealed the 22nd November 1864, and dated the 2nd August 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd August
1864.
I, ALFRED SMITH, of Hackney Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in causing the needle in sewing machines to descend
and rise alternately in two different planes, whereby I am enabled to effect
among other stitches that which is known as the button-hole stitch. I
accomplish this end by imparting to the needle-carrier frame at every other
stroke of the machine a forward and then a backward motion, whereby the
two different planes are obtained, and in each plane the needle and parts com-
plete one stitch. After every such complete stitch the needle-carrier frame
moves the needle forward or backward into a different vertical plane to
perform a new and complete stitch, and so on. The hole in the work plate
through which the needle passes is elongated, and instead of their being only
one slot under the plate for the needle to work in, I provide two separate slots.
For some descriptions of work I cause the needle to descend and rise twice in
one plane, and then twice in another plane, and so on.
Supposing my Invention to be applied to a "Thomas"" machine, then
upon the main shaft I fix a small toothed pinion, which gears into a wheel

page_text: with double the number of teeth to that on the pinion. The inner edge of
this wheel just inside of the teeth is formed with a double cam groove;
friction roller on one end of a connecting rod, supported by an upright, works
in this groove, while the other end of the connecting rod is attached to the
frame in which the needle carrier rises and falls. I provide a horizontal
groove in the fixed head of the machine, and fit a tongue on the back of the
needle-carrier frame to work in that groove. After the needle and other parts
have performed one stitch, as in Thomas' machine, the connecting rod is
thrown forward by the pinion and wheel herein-before described, and drives
the needle-carrier frame forward, in which position by the working of the
machine the needle and parts perform another stitch; on this stitch being
completed the connecting rod draws back the needle-carrier frame into the
position from which it first started, and so on. The slot in the end of the
lever which receives the stud on the needle carrier is made longer than usual
to allow of the forward motion of the needle.
When I require the work to be moved forward only at every other revolu-
tion of the machine, in order to prevent it moving forward as it would in a
Thomas' machine at every revolution, then I place the time and stitch cams
on the bosses of my large toothed wheel, whereby I obtain the effect I
require.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
SMITH, of Hackney Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Alfred Smith, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Smith, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred
Smith, 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
Íslands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING

page_text: MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred
Smith, 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 Alfred Smith, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say :-
My Invention consists in causing the needle in sewing machines to descend
and rise alternately in two different vertical planes in manner hereafter
described, whereby I am enabled to effect among other stitches that which is
known as the button-hole stitch. I accomplish this end by imparting to the
needle-carrier frame at every other stroke of the machine a forward and then
a backward motion, whereby the two different positions are obtained, and in
each plane the needle and other parts complete one stitch. After every such
complete stitch the needle-carrier frame moves the needle forward or backward
into a different vertical plane to perform a new and complete stitch, and so on.
The hole in the work plate through which the needle passes is elongated, and
instead of there being only one slot under the plate for the needle to work in,
I provide two separate slots.
Supposing my Invention to be applied to a "Thomas machine," then upon
the main shaft I fix a small toothed pinion, which gears into a wheel with
double the number of teeth to that on the pinion. The inner edge of this
wheel just inside of the teeth is formed with a double cam groove; a friction
roller on one end of a connecting rod, supported by an upright, works in this
groove, while the other end of the connecting rod is attached to the frame in
which the needle carrier rises and falls. I provide a horizontal groove in the
fixed head of the machine, and fit a tongue on the back of the needle-carrier
frame to work in that groove. After the needle and other parts have per-
formed one stitch, as in "Thomas machine," the connecting rod is thrown
forward by the pinion and wheel herein-before described, and drives the
needle-carrier frame forward, in which position by the working of the
machine the needle and parts perform another stitch; on this stitch being
completed the connecting rod draws back the needle-carrier frame into the
position from which it first started, and so on. The slot in the end of the

page_text: lever which recives the stud on the needle carrier is made longer than usual
to allow of the forward motion of the needle.
When I require the work to be moved forward only at every other revo-
lution of the machine, in order to prevent it moving forward as it would in a
Thomas machine at every revolution, then I place the time and stitch
cams on the bosses of my large toothed wheel, whereby I obtain the effect I
require.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a view of the right-hand side of
a Thomas sewing machine, with my improvements applied thereto, the hand
wheel and the shuttle cam are removed in order to shew the double cam
grooved wheel herein-before mentioned; Figure 2 is a view of the left side;
Figure 3, a front view, and Figure 4, a plan of the machine.
a is the frame of the machine; b, the main shaft; c, the hand wheel on
the main shaft carrying the stitch cam d for working the rod e, which actuates
the needle; fis the cam for working the shuttle rod g; h is the time or feed
rod for actuating the feed foot, and worked by a projection i, which bears
against a cam j on the back of the double cam grooved wheel; k is the
driving pulley is the needle carrier, and the needle-carrier frame; m is a
small toothed pinion on the main shaft b, which gears into a wheel n with
double the number of teeth to that on the pinion m; the wheel n is mounted
on the frame a. Figure 5 is a view of the inner face, Figure 6 a view of
the outer face, and Figure 7 a section of this wheel. The inner face near
the edge is formed with a double cam groove o, o¹; p is a friction roller on
an upright.q, pivoted to the frame a; a rod r is connected to the upright q,
which is slotted at s, in order that the position of the rod r may be altered as
required to regulate the length of throw or travel of the needle-carrier frame
', to which the other end of the rod r is attached by a pin t riding in a slot
in the fixed head of the machine. Instead of the friction roller p being
mounted on the upright q, it may be fitted by an adjustable screw on the back
of the rod r. I form a horizontal groove on the fixed head, and fit a tongue u
on the back of the needle-carrier frame to work in the groove, as seen in
Figure 3. I make the slot in the end of the rod or lever e, which receives
the stud on the needle carrier l, longer than usual, as before stated, to allow
of the forward motion of the needle. Figure 8 is a plan of the shuttle-box,
with the work plate removed. I make the hole in the work plate through
which the peedle passes elongated, and instead of there being only one slot in
the edge of the shuttle-box under the plate for the peedle to work in, I
follows:
provide two separate slots, as seen at w, Figure 8. The action is as
Upon motion being communicated to the driving pulley k the needle is

page_text: caused to descend by the action of the rod or lever e riding in the cam d, at
the same time the shuttle is thrown forward by the cam f actuating the
shuttle rod g. During these movements the friction roller p on the upright 9
rides in the larger portion o of the double cam groove in the wheel n, as seen
in Figures 1 and 2. In the upward stroke of the needle the shuttle is drawn
back in the ordinary manner through the loop formed by the needle, and the
friction roller p rides in the smaller portion o¹ of the double cam groove,
whereby the connecting rod r is drawn backwards, drawing with it the needle-
carrier frame into the position seen in Figure 9, which is an isometrical
view of the front of the machine. In this position the needle and parts
perform another stitch in another vertical plane, as before stated. On this
stitch being completed the friction roller p, by again riding in the larger
portion of the double cam groove, throws forward the connecting rod r,
and drives the needle-carrier frame into the position from which it first
started, and so on; the needle falling alternately in the two vertical planes, and
passing alternately through the two slots w in the edge of the shuttle box.
Although I have only described my Invention by way of illustration applied
to a Thomas' machine, the means of applying it to any other sewing machine
will be obvious to any competent mechanic used to sewing machines.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
inanner the same is to be performed, I declare that I am aware that various
means have been heretofore suggested for giving a to-and-fro motion to the
needle in sewing machines, but from some defect none of such machines have
worked successfully. I therefore do not claim generally imparting a to-and-
fro motion to the needle in sewing machines; but I claim,-
First, imparting to-and-fro motion to the needle-carrier frame in sewing
machines, so as to cause the needle to work in two different vertical planes by
means of a double cam grooved wheel in gear with and driven by a pinion on
the main shaft, as herein-before described.
Secondly, I claim the arrangement of one needle working in two slots, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five