Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 11th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Dec., 1887
We, JOHN KEIL TULLIS, DAVID TULLIS, JAMES THOMSON TULLIS, partners of the
firm of John Tullis & Son, of John Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Leather Belt Manufacturers and EDGAR MACKIE of 31 Govan-
hill Street, Govanhill, also in the said County, Mechanic do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a machine for sewing leather belting with belt laces.
The machine consists of two upright cheeks attached to a sole plate. In these
cheeks are four lines of shafting driven by gearing. On the upper and lower shafts
a cam is keyed. Each cam works a needle box by means of lovers by which the
needle boxes are moved upwards and downwards in vertical slides. The function of
the needle boxes is to catch the needles as they respectively pass through the upper
and underside of the belting alternately and draw the laces tight. The faces are fixed
to the ends of steel straps attached to the centres of the needles and the needles are
pointed at both ends. On the lower shaft an eccentric is fixed for the purpose of
automatically regulating the needle catches in the needle boxes, this being effected by
a bell-crank which presses the end of a rod, the other end of which rod presses a spring
in each needle box and relieves the needle from one box, it being caught in the other
box automatically as it passes through the belting. This bottom shaft also drives
another shaft at right angles thereto and on the end of which a cam is fixed for
oscillating the table of the machine; this oscillation being provided for in order to
make the stitch at an angle so as to expose as little of the lace on the outside surfaces
of the belt as possible.
The belting to be sewn passes between the table and a steel plate, the latter of which
resists the pressure of the needles from below. Adjustable guides are fixed to the
table to guide the belting through the feed rollers at the end of the table. The table
is supported between two brackets or plummer blocks, one fixed to the upright cheek
and the other to the sole plate.

page_text: We, JOHN KEIL TULLIS, DAVID TULLIS, JAMES THOMSON TULLIS, partners of
the firm of John Tullis & Son, of John Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Leather Belt Manufacturers, and EDGAR MACKIE of
31 Govanhill Street, Govanhill also in the said County, Mechanic do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our Invention relates to a machine for sewing leather belting with belt laces. The
machine consists of two upright checks attached to a sole plate. In these cheeks are
carried the shafting for driving the gearing. On the upper and lower shaft a cam is
keyed. Each cam works a needle-box by means of levers by which the needle-boxes are
moved upwards and downwards in vertical slides. The function of the needle boxes is first
to push the needles through the belting being sewn and secondly, to catch the needles as
they respectively pass through the upper and underside of the belting alternately and
draw the laces tight. The laces are fixed to the ends of steel straps or links attached
to the centres of the needles, and the needles are pointed at both ends. On the lower
shaft eccentrics are fixed for the purpose of automatically regulating the needle
catches in the needle boxes, this being effected by a lever which passes the end of a
rod, the other end of which rod presses a spring in each needle-box and releases the
needle from one box whilst it is caught in the other box automatically as it passes
upwards and downwards alternately through the belting. This bottom shaft also
drives another shaft at right angles thereto and on the end of which a cam is fixed
for oscillating the table of the machine, this oscillation of the table being provided
for in order to make the stitch at an angle so as to expose as little of the lace at the
outside surfaces of the belt as possible. The belting to be sewn passes between the
table and a steel plate, the latter of which resists the pressure of the needles from
below. Adjustable guides are fixed to the table to guide the belting through the
feeding rollers at the end of the table. The table is supported between two brackets
or plummer blocks, one fixed to the upright cheek and the other to the sole plate.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood, we have hereunto appended
four sheets of drawings in the several Figures of which similar parts are marked by
the same letters of reference. Of these Figures, Figure 1, is a side elevation of a
machine for sewing leather belting with belt laces and constructed according to this
Invention, the elevation being on that side of the machine opposite that whereat the
fast and loose driving and stopping pulleys are situated. Figure 2, a transverse
section through the machine. Figure 3, a front elevation of the same. The machine
consists essentially of the two upright cheeks A, which are bolted to a sole plate, not
shewn on the drawings. In these checks there are four lines of shafting B, C, D,
and E, respectively. The shaft D, is driven from the pinion F, on the shaft F¹,
(Figure 1) whereon the fast and loose driving and stopping pulleys G, are carried.
On the upper and lower shafts B, and E, respectively are carried the cams H, and I,
for operating the needle-boxes as hereinafter described. To the upper part of the
cheeks A, there is bolted the overhanging bracket or cantilever J, to which are fixed the
vertical slides K, wherein the upper needle box L, is moved upwards and downwards

page_text: as hereinafter described Below the oscillating table M, a corresponding pair of vertical
slides N, are situated, those being bolted to the sole plate and in these slides N, the
lower needle-box O, is moved upwards and downwards as hereinafter described. As the
upper cam H, revolves, its cam surface acts upon the roller or bowl P, carried in the
short end of the lever Q, which is oscillated upon its fulcrum R, attached to one of the
cheeks A. From the shape of the cam H, it will be seen that in the course of its
revolution it raises the outer or short end of the lever Q, and depresses the long end
thereof, together with the needle-box L, to which it is connected by the link Q
shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, and in end elevation at Figure 3. The
cam H, is so shaped that in its revolution and whilst depressing the upper needle-
box L, it does so with sufficient force to push the needle or needles downwards
through the leather of the belt being sewn. The needles (forming an essential feature
of this Invention) cannot be conveniently shewn in the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3,
by virtue of the smallness of the scale to which it has been necessary to draw those
said Figures, owing to the reduction in size of drawings now required by the Patent
Office, but detached full size views of the needle are shewn at Figures 5 and 6, of
the annexed drawings, of which Figure 5, is a side elevation and Figure 6, a front
elevation. The needles as will be seen by referring to Figures 5, and 6, are formed
with holes a, one at each end thereof, and with a crosspiece b, at the central hole.
To this crosspiece b, the steel link is pivoted. To the link c, the end of the lace
or thong d, used for sewing the belting is attached by a pin or bolt passed through
the same as shewn more particularly at Figure 5. Šo soon as the upper needle-
box L, by the pressure upon it of the lever, operated by the cam H, and in which
the needle is held by a pin e (Figure 7) passed through the upper eye a, has forced
the needle down through the said leather being sewn the lower end of the said needle
passes into the lower needle-box O, which at that time is in the position to receive
the needle, namely, its uppermost position as shown at Figure 2. Simultaneously
with the passage of the lower end of the needle into the lower needle-box O, it is
caught and firmly held therein by the pin e in the needle-box passing into the lower
hole ", of the said needle. By means of Figure 7, of the annexed drawings, this
action will be rendered more clear. This Figure 7, is a full sized horizontal section
of the needle-box 0, and guides N, in which it slides upwards and downwards. In
the box O, there are shewn two pins e, of which one has been hereinbefore referred to.
Two of these pins e, are shewn for the reason that two needles for producing two lines
of sewing are or may sometimes be used in the machine simultaneously, or even a
greater number of such needles may be so used. The pins e, are attached to a cross-
piece, which at its centre is again attached to a pin g, formed at its outer end with an
inclined surface as shewn at Figure 7. Against this inclined surface a correspondingly
inclined surface 4, formed on the sliding bar i, bears. This sliding bar i, is carried in
guides,, attached to the needle-box, and as will be seen pressure is brought to bear
against the outer end of the bar i, so as to slide it upwards in its guides i¹, i³, the pressure
so produced of the inclined face h, upon the inclined face of the pin g, will cause that
pin to be forced inwards against the spring j, and as the pins e, are connected to the
ping, by means of the cross piece f, the pins e, are at such time held back clear of
the holes in the box into which the needle passes. So soon as the aforesaid end wise
pressure is withdrawn from the sliding bar i, the tension of the spring j, reacts and
forces the smaller ends of the pins e, into the holes or eyes a, formed in the needles.
From this explanation it will be clear that, whilst the upper needle-box is forcing the
needle downwards through the leather, the under needle-box is in a position to receive
the lower ends of the needles thereinto, the pins e, for the time being forced backwards to
allow the needles to enter the needle-box and so soon as they have entered the lower needle-
box the pins e, are forced backwards so that their ends pass into the eyes of the needles
and hold them in the lower needle-box, by which arrangements, as the lower needle-box
descends, it pulls the needles down through the leather being sewn; it being
explained that so soon as the needles are thus caught in the lower needle-box O, their
upper ends are released from the upper needle-box L. The upper needle-box L, is
constructed like the under needle-box O, and provided with an arrangement for

page_text: releasing and holding the needles like that hereinbefore described with reference to
the under needle-box O, and shown in horizontal section at Figure 7. In the
Figures 1 and 2, the releasing bars i, are shewn in dotted lines on the upper and
lower needle-boxes L, and O, respectively, and in connection therewith on these
Figures are also shewn the two bars S, which are alternately pushed against and
withdrawn from the sliding bars i, accordingly as the needles are to be passed into
and held by one needle-box whilst being released from and passed out of the outer
need lo-box. The bars S, of which one is shewn on the enlarged view Figure 7, are
carried in guides so as to be capable of sliding horizontally therein and upon each of
them a collar T, is formed against which a spiral spring T', bears. The effect of the
tension of this spiral spring T¹, is to keep the bars S, pushed backwards and out of
contact with the sliding pins i. Adjacent to the sliding bars S, the lever U, Figures 1
and 2, is pivoted. The lever U, is carried upon a central fulcrum and is connected to
the upper end of the eccentric rod V, driven by the eccontric V, on the shaft E. The
effect of the oscillating of the lever U, by means of the eccentric V₁, as the latter
rotates is to oscillate the lever U, on its axis or fulcrum, and thus to force the outer
ends of the lever U, alternately against the upper and lower sliding bars S. The
range of motion of the lever U, is such as to push the sliding bars S, alternately into
contact with the sliding pins i, in the upper and lower needle-boxes, and therefore to
release the needles from the one box and to catch them in the other, at the proper
times, the motion of the eccentric V₁, being arranged corresponding with these
times.
For the purpose of insuring that the needle-boxes L, and O, respectively shall at
the end of their strokes be exactly in position for the pins e, catching into the upper
and lower holes i, alternately, of the needle, each needle box has formed upon it the
inclined plane k, more particularly shewn at Figures 8 and 9. This inclined plane as
will be seen projects outwards from the back of the needle-box and is operated by
means of the projecting stud 1, Figures 8 and 9 also seen in dotted lines at Figures 1
and 2. The studs, are attached to two sliding bars m, m², respectively. The bar
marked m, being the upper sliding bar and that marked m¹, the lower sliding bar.
These sliding bars m, and m¹, are carried in guides n, as shewn and the front part
thereof is provided with an inverted L-shaped projecting piece o (more especially
seen at Figures 8 and 9) which bears upon the upper horizontal part of the guide n.
The sliding bars m, and m³, respectively are connected to the upper and lower end of
the vibrating lever p this lever p, being carried upon an axis q. The toothed
pinion, on the shaft D, seen in dotted lines in Figure 1, and whose pitch line is
shown in Figure 2, actuates another pinion s, also seen in dotted lines in Figure 1,
and whose pitch line is also shown in Figure 2. On the shaft C, there is formed or
attached a cam piece s', and this cam piece alternately acts upon projections on the
oval loop formed on the end of the bar t, as shewn in Figure 1 and in enlarged detail
at Figures 10 and 11. The action of the cam piece si, on the shaft C, upon the
projections on the bar t, is to slide that bar alternately backwards and forwards
through a range sufficient to cause the square stud 1, to be brought in contact with
and pressed upon the inclined plane k, attached to each needle-box. The relative
motion of the several parts of the machine is of necessity so timed as to cause this
operation of the bar t, through the lever p, to press the bars m, and m³, with their
studs 7, so as to bring the needle-box, which is about to receive the needle (either the
upper or under needle-box as the case may be) into the proper gauge or positions
that the eye or eyes of the needle, or needles accordingly as one or two or more
needles are used and the catching pins e, to come opposite to each other
simultaneously.
C,
As will be seen at Figure 5, the needle has attached to either side of its centre a
small spring c¹, c², the object of which is to press out the link or attachment from
the needle together with its lace or thong d, so soon as the needle has completed
either its upper or downward stroke, thus enabling the attachment c, and the lace or
thong to be forced or thrown clear of the needle accordingly as the needle-box remains
momentarily stationary at the reverse of the strokes of the levers Q, and Q,

page_text: to
respectively. The cams H, and I, on the upper and lower shafts B, and E,
respectively are so shaped that they respectively force downwards the upper lever Q,
and its needle-box L, and upwards the under lever Q1, and lower needle-box O,
very nearly their uppermost and lowest positions, these position being ultimately
attained by the action of the bars m, and m³, hereinbefore described. From the
description which has been now given it will be seen that the first effect of the cams H,
and I, rospectively is to force the needles through the leather being sewn by the
positive pressure produced by those cams upon the needle-boxes L, and O, whilst,
when the needles are caught by the pins e, in the needle-box opposite to that needle-
box by which they have becu thus positively forced through the leather, a further
positive motion consisting of a pull in place of a push is imparted to them by the
additional cams S1, S2, Figures 1 and 2 which cams are attached to the cams H,
and I, and being formed with a projecting flange which operates upon the upper side
of the roller or bowl P, and on the underside of the roller or bowl P¹, respectively,
these cams being of a sufficient range to operate for a sufficient time to pull the
needles and the steel attachment c, completely through the leather being sewn into a
belt. The remainder of the upward motion of the needle and thongs is produced by
the reaction of the spiral springs T2, and T³, which pulling upon the levers Q, and Q¹,
draw the belt lace or thong tight.
With regard to the length of motion of the levers Q, and Q¹, their range is made
sufficient to admit of the longest belt lace or thong that can conveniently be used and
it is obvious that as the belt lace or thong becomes sewn into the leather belting, each
successive stitch of the belt lace or thong diminishes the range of motion of the
levers Q, and Q, respectively, and this goes on until the amount of loose belt lace or
thong is insufficient to make another stitch. Therefore although the full range of the
levers Q, and Q, thus becomes gradually diminished until a new belt lace or thong
is put into the needle attachment, it makes no difference in the action of the machine
that the extent of cam surface at each revolution brought into contact with the bowls
or rollers P; and P1, also grows correspondingly less; for it results from the con-
struction of the mechanism that the extent of cam surfaces which produce first the
push of the needle through the leather and then the pull through of the remaining
part of the needle is always the same; the variation which takes place in the length
of belt lace or thong pulled through, after the needles have been pulled through,
varying only the extent of range of the levers Q, Q, operated by the springs T², T³.
This portion of the motion growing shorter and the range of motion of the springs
also growing shorter relatively with the shortening of the free length of thong or belt
lace.
For the purpose of keeping the belt lace or thong from being caught by the needle-
boxes or other adjacent parts of the mechanism a, lever I', is attached on a fulcrum at
the front of the machine of which a large view is shewn at Figure 12. This lever I',
is attached to a spiral spring Y, and the effect of which spring is to keep by means
of the pin Z, the belt lace or thong drawn out in the form of a loop during the time it
is hanging loosely in the downward travel of the upper needle-box and the upward
travel of the lower needlebox and thus the lever I', remains in this position until the
projection, formed on the needlebox comes against it forces it inwards upon its
fulcrum and against the pull of the spring Y and liberates the thong from being held
by the pins Z.
For the purpose of making the portions of the belt lace or thong which appear as
stitches on the upper or underside of the belt as short as possible the table M, through
which the belting being sewn passes is caused to oscillate in the following manner.
The table M, is provided with journals M', which are carried in bearings as shewn
more particularly at Figures 1, 2 and 3. The oscillation of the table is effected by
means of the heart cam W, Figure 3. The heart cam W, is carried upon a shaft WI,
shewn in dotted lines at Figure 3, and it is driven by a bevilled pinion from the
shaft E, gearing into another bevilled pinion on the shaft W, all as shewn in dotted
lines at Figure 3. From this arrangement, it follows that when the machine is in
operation the cam W, is kept in constant slow rotation, and as the pin W², in the

page_text: lever X, is situated in the groove W³, in the same cam the lever X, has a downward
and upward motion imparted to it. To the lever X, there is connected the link X';
which is in turn connected to the table M, and thereby the table M, is continuously
oscillated. On that end of the table M, nearer to the cam W, there is situated a
pair of feed rollers Z'. These rollers draw the sewn portion of the leather from
the roll A', carried on a beam mounted in the frame B¹, and as the sewn leather is
passed out from the table M, it is wound up on a roller mounted on a similar beam B³.
The rollers Z, are operated by means of a fixed cam-guide attached to the framing
of the machine but not shewn in the drawings, but which operates a pawl acting
upon a toothed feed wheel in a manner which is so well understood in relation to
numerous kinds of feed gear that it has not been considered necessary to show it in
the drawings or to further describe it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The general arrangement or combination of parts constituting the machine for
sewing leather belting with belt laces or thongs substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn upon the accompanying sheets of drawings.
2. The needle-boxes L, and O, moving in vertical slides and arranged and operated
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn upon the accompanying sheets of
drawings.
3. The cams H, and I, on the shafts B, and E, so constructed as to force part of
the needle through the leather being sewn and provided with the additional cams S¹,
and S2, for pulling the remainder of the needle and the steel strap through the said
leather, the thong or lace being subsequently pulled through by the reaction of the
springs T, and T3, as hereinbefore described and shown upon the accompanying sheets
of drawings.
4. The arrangement in the needle-box for releasing the needles from one box and
for receiving and retaining them in the other needle-box all substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn at Figures 1, and 2, of the annexed drawings but
more especially in the enlarged horizontal section, Figure 7, thereof.
5. The operating of the needle retaining and releasing mechanism by means of
eccentrics V, VI, carried on the shaft E, as hereinbefore described and shewn at
Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed drawings.
6. The mechanism hereinbefore described and shewn at Figure 1, of the annexed
drawings and in enlarged detailed views at Figures 8 and 9 thereof by means of which
the studs 7, in the bars m, and m¹, are caused to act upon the inclined pieces k,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the annexed drawings.
7. The operating of the bars m, and m², from the lever p, actuated by the bar t,
from the cam s¹, as the latter revolves substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn upon the annexed sheets of drawings.
8. The oscillating table M, through which the leather to be sewn passes, the same
being operated by the cam. W, or by its mechanical equivalent substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn upon the annexed sheets of drawings.
9. The needle as hereinbefore described and shewn at Figures 5 and 6 of the
annexed sheets of drawings having two eyes a, one at each end thereof, an opening and
pin b, at the centre to which the strap c, for holding the lace or thong is attached and
having the springs c', and c³, for acting upon the said strap c, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of November 1887.
•
ST. JOHN V. DAY,
Applicants' Agent.