IMPROVEMENTS ON SEWING MACHINES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Anderson, Spencer Mort, and John Walker,
all of the City of Glasgow, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
ON SEWING MACHINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Anderson, Spencer
Mort, & John Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
26th April 1880.
ALEXANDER ANDERSON, SPENCER MORT, and JOHN WALKER, all of the City of
Glasgow, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS ON SEWING MACHINES."
When the
This Invention has for its object improvements on sewing machines. In shuttle
sowing machines employed for sewing belting and other materials difficult of
manipulation, or which cannot casily be removed from the machine whilst they are
being sewn, we so form the shuttle carrier and driver that the shuttle may be
taken out from beneath the bed or table of the machine. This may be effected by
making the shuttle.carrier and driver capable of being turned downwards on a
hinge joint at its forward end (that is at the end which supports the pointed end
of the shuttle) to allow the shuttle to bo withdrawn or put in place.
carrier and driver has been turned up into its working position it may be locked
and held in this position by a locking bolt or spring clamp or otherwise. Or
instead of the shuttle holder and driver turning downwards on a hinge, the parts
of the carrier and driver which support the shuttle may be carried by a slide
capable of being slidden downwards in vertical guides to allow of the withdrawal
or insertion of the shuttle. When the shuttle has been inserted the slide can be
pushed up to bring the shuttle into its working position, and can then be retained
by a spring catch or other fastening.
In order to clamp and hold the stem of the needle of sewing machines we form
the needle bar with a point projecting from its side opposito to the sido to
which the stem of the needle bas to be clamped.
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The clamp or piece which holds the needle up to and against the needle bar is
slotted at one end; the closed ends of the slot holds the needle against the needle
bar; the two checks or pieces at the sides of the slot fit against the sides of the

page_text: needle bar and extend back beyond it. On the outer sides of the two cheeks a screw
thread is cut, on to which screws a nut or cap with a conical recess in the centre
of the inner end of the cap. The point projecting from the needle bar enters this
recess and forms an abutment for the centre of the cap to rest against ; this ensures
that the needle clamp shall be able to rest fairly against the needle and properly
hold and clamp it.
In order to put tension upon the shuttle thread of the shuttles of sewing machines
we employ a spring to press against the thread, as has before been proposed, but in
order to readily adjust the pressure of the spring upon the thread we form the spring
so that it can turn on a pin or pivot near one end, and also form it with a short
tail piece extending beyond this pin; against this tail piece the conical head or
stem of a screw is caused to bear, and according as more or less of the cone is
brought under the tail piece by the screwing in or out of the screw pin so will the
spring be caused to press more or less upon the thread. The tail piece where the
conical head bears against it may have an incline formed upon it to correspond
with the incline of the conical head.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Anderson, Spencer Mort, and John Walker in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 26th October 1880.
ALEXANDER ANDERSON, SPENCER MORT, and JoпN WALKER, of the City of
Glasgow, North Britain. "IMPROVEMENTS ON SEWING MACHINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements on sowing machines. In shuttle
sewing machines employed for sewing belting and other materials difficult of
manipulation, or which cannot easily be removed from the machine whilst they are
being sewn, we so form the shuttle carrier and driver that the shuttle may be taken
out from beneath the bed or table of the machine. This may be effected by making
the shuttle carrier and driver capable of being turned downwards on a hinge joint
at its forward end (that is, at the end which supports the pointed end of the
shuttle), to allow the shuttle to be withdrawn or put in place. When the carrier
or driver has been turned up into its working position it may be locked and held
in this position by a locking bolt or spring clamp or otherwiso; or instead of the
shuttle carrier or driver turning downwards on a hinge the parts of the carrier and
driver which support the shuttle may be carried by a slide capable of being slidden
downwards in vertical guides, to allow of the withdrawal or insertion of the shuttle.
When the shuttle has been inserted the slide can be pushed up to bring the shuttle
into its working position, and can be then retained by a spring catch or other
fastening.
In order to clamp and hold the stem of the needle of sewing machines we form
the needle bar with a point projecting from its side opposite to the side up to which
the stem of the needle has to be clamped.
The clamp or piece which holds the needle up to and against the needle bar is
slotted at one end; the closed end of the slot holds the needle against the needle
bar; the two checks or pieces at the sides of the slot fit against the sides of the
needle bar and extend back beyond it. On the outer sides of the two cheeks a
screw thread is cut, on to which screws a nut or cap with a conical recess in the
centre of the inner end of the cap. The point projecting from the needle bar enters
this recess and forms an abutment for the centre of the cap to rest against; this
ensures that the needle clamp shall be able to rest fairly against the needle, and
properly hold and clamp it, the pull coming always from one point.
In order to put tension upon the shuttle thread of the shuttles of sewing machines
we employ a spring to press against the thread, as has before been proposed, but in
order to readily adjust the pressure of the spring upon the thread we form the
spring so that it can turn on a pin or pivot near one end, and also form it with a
short tail piece extending beyond this pin; against this tail picce the conical head
or stem of a screw is caused to bear, and according as more or less of the cone is
brought under the tail piece by the screwing in or out of the screw pin, so will the
spring be caused to press more or less upon the thread. The tail piece where the
conical head bears against it may have an incline formed upon it to correspond with
the incline of the conical head.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, we will proceed to describe
more fully the manner of performing the same.

page_text: down
cannot be turned round, nor, on account of its rigidity, can it be turned upwards
to allow of the shuttles being taken in or out from above the bed or table, as
is customary in other sewing machines. One of the shuttle drivers, shewn at
Figure 1, is formed to open downwards in one of the ways above described, and
the other shuttle driver in the other of the ways described. Figures 2 and 3 are
longitudinal sections also shewing the two ways of forming the shuttle drivers.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of the table and shuttle drivers. A is the bed
or table. On the underside of this table is a longitudinal projection B; each of the
two opposite sides of this projection forms a shuttle race or surface for the face of a
shuttle to work against. C, C, are vertical grooves in these surfaces into which the
lower ends of the needles of the sewing machine enter when the needles pass
through the belting or other work. Ď are slides carrying the shuttle drivers by
which the shuttles are supported and carried to and fro; these slides can be moved
to and fro along projecting bars E which are on the underside of the table, and
which are parallel with the projection B. The slides D are connected together by
a cross bar D*. The connecting rod by which the shuttle carriers are to be moved
to and fro is coupled to this cross bar, and by it both shuttles receive their to and
fro movement. We have not thought it necessary to show any means for giving a
to and fro motion to this connecting rod, nor for giving motion to the needles or
the mechanism for feeding the work forward, as these may be of any ordinary
construction.
One of the shuttle drivers marked F is at its forward end pin jointed to one of
the slides D, whilst its other end can be locked to the slide by a screw clamp G or
other suitable locking mechanism which can readily be released. By screwing
back the nut G¹ on the screw G the screw can be turned aside on its hinge joint G³,
so setting free the rear end of the shuttle driver and allow of its being turned
downwards. The shuttle can then be drawn out as above explained.
The other shuttle driver is marked H. The nose or pointed end of this shuttle
driver which supports the pointed end of the shuttle, and the projection at the
back end of the driver which comes against the back or rounded end of the shuttle
are both fixed to the slide D, whilst the projections I which support the under side
of the shuttle are carried by a vertical slide J, which can either be locked by a spring
bolt K and held in the position shewn so as to support the shuttle in its proper
working position, or, if the spring bolt is drawn back, can be slid downwards
into the position shewn by dotted lines, so as to set the shuttle free and allow it to
be taken away.
The two arrangements for enabling the shuttle to be taken out downwards from
below the bed or table are shewn as applied to one machine, so as to lessen the
number of Drawings requisite to illustrate the Invention.
Figures 5 to 10 illustrate the manner of securing the needle to the needle
bar.
Figures 5 shew a back and side view of the lower end of the needle bar; Figure 6
is an underside view of the needle bar; Figures 7 shew side views of the clamp or
clip piece; Figuro 8, a sido view of the screw nut or cap; Figuro 9, a cross section
of the needle. bar and clamp holding the stem of the needle; Figure 10, a front
view of the lower end of the needle bar with the needle stem clamped to it.
A is the lower end of the needle with a stem B pointed at its end projecting out
from it opposite to the face up to which the stom of the needle is to be clamped.
This face is formed with a slight shoulder along one side of it, against which the
stem C of the needle lies as shewn. D is the clamp or clip which holds the stem of
the needle up to and against the needle bar. It is slotted as shewn, so that the
cheeks or pieces at the side of the slot may embrace the needle bar and extend along
the opposite sides of the pointed stem B which projects from it. On the outer sides
of the two cheeks a screw thread is cut, on to which a cap or nut E can be screwed.
At the bottom of the cap is a conical recess; when the cap is screwed on to the
checks, the conical recess at the bottom of the cap comes on to and bears against
the pointed end of the projection B. The end of the slot in the clip or clamp piece

page_text: is thereby drawn towards the needle bar and clamps the stem of the needle against
it. The end of the slot is inclined as shewn, so as to press the stem of the needle
up to and hold it against the shoulder which projects from the needle bar, and the
needle is so held securely.
Figures 11 to 14 shew the manner of adjusting the tension put upon the shuttle
thread. These Figures shew the arrangement as applied to a circular shuttle which
has a beak or hook projecting from it to catch and enter the loop of thread thrown
out from the needle, as is well understood.
Figure 11 is a section of this shuttle; Figures 12 and 13, opposite face views;
and Figure 14, an edge view.
A is the shuttle; B, the tension spring surrounding a portion of the outer circum-
ference of the shuttle, and lying in a recess formed therein. The spring is secured
to the shuttle by a pin joint at C; D is a small screw with a conical stem as shewn.
This cone bears against the tail end of the spring, which extends beyond the pin
joint C, and so presses the opposite end of the spring inwards towards the body of
the shuttle with more or less force, according as the screw is screwed in or out.
In the shuttle shewn in the Drawings, the bobbin F rests in a circular recess in
the shuttle body; the thread is led from the bobbin through a slit G made from the
back face of the body into its circumference. The thread is conducted from the
slit under the tension spring, and then into a slit H which leads into the delivery
eye I on the front face of the shuttle. A small spring is provided in the slit H
to prevent the thread escaping from the delivery eye of the shuttle after it has
been led into it.
The tension springs of other forms of shuttle to that shown in the Drawing may
similarly be acted upon by the coned stem of a screw bearing against their tail ends,
so as to cause them to put more or less friction upon the shuttle throad which is led
below them.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of performning
the same, we would have it understood that we claim,--
First. In sewing machines, in which shuttles having a reciprocating to and fro
traverse are used, the constructing the shuttle carriers and drivers in such a manner
that the shuttles may be taken out from beneath the bed or table of the machine,
substantially as herein before described.
Second. The means, substantially as hereinbefore described, for securing the needle
to the needle bar of sewing machines.
Third. The employment of a screw having a conical stem to act upon the tail
piece of the tension spring of a sewing machine shuttle, and cause the spring to
press with more or less force upon the shuttle thread, substantially in the manner
herein before described, so as to regulate the tension put upon the thread.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Anderson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALEYR
ANDERSON
(LS)