Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Jan., 1888
We JOHN JACKSON of Lionel street Birmingham in the county of Warwick,
Engineer, and PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of 26, Great Charles street, Birmingham,
in the county of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
-
Our invention relates to the construction of Lock-stitch sewing machines, and has
for its object, a simple and effectual means of making the loop. Passing the shuttle
through the loop, and tightening the top thread. We construct our invention in the
following manner. The body, and the needle arin of the machine, we form as metal
castings, and the remainder (by preference) from sheet steel. The body portion we
form as a shuttle groove, with two projecting lugs at one end, in between which we
hinge the needle arm on a pin or rod, which we pass through the lugs and needle arm
and allow to project outwards for the purpose of receiving the cotton reel. In the
remaining end of the needle arm we affix a needle, the same curve as the arc
formed by rotation on its hinged end. About half way between the needle end, and
the hinged end of the arm, we form a projecting boss on which we lodge a coiled
wire spring, one end of which we affix to the needle arm, and the other end to a
connecting arm or link of sheet steel, near each end of this link we secure a pin
or stud, and the upper stud we hinge in the boss of the needle arm.
We cut a
broad saw slot (which we shall herein-after refer to as the perpendicular slot) in
the side or wall of the shuttle groove perpendicular, and parallel with its entire
length, thus dividing the side into two walls. The inner wall we cut down about
half the depth of the shuttle groove, and level with the top of this wall we cut a
saw slot (which we shall hereinafter refer to as the horizontal slot) horizontal, and
parallel with the shuttle groove, and at right angles with the the perpendicular slot.
In the opposite side or wall of the shuttle groove we cut out a curved needle slot
he same arc and pitch as the needle, opposite this needle slot we cut (transverseley
and at right angles with the former slots) a saw slot (which we shall hereinafter
efer to as the cross slot) in the higher or outer wall of the shuttle groove, and
hrough an arm formation, which we form to each side of the body, for the purpose
37

page_text: We form
of securing a suitable sheet metal work plate. In the perpendicular slot, we insert
a strip of sheet steel, one end of which we project out beyond the end of the body,
and to which we secure a suitable ring, or handle formation, for the purpose of
reciprocation, and we pierce out a slot near the end of this strip, and pass a pin
through the wall of the body into the slot, and thus prevent the strip from moving 5
other than the desired length of stroke. Near the other end of this strip we pierce
out a broad slot the full length of our shuttle and in a centre line with a level of the
cut down wall of the body casting, through this broad slot we pass a small pin or stud
which is secured to the lower end of the connecting arm or link, which is hinged to
the needle arm as aforsaid, and we rest this stud upon the top of the cut down wall, 1
which prevents the stud from falling into the lower half of the slot, but when the stud
is forced to the desired distance by the end of the broad slot, we cut out a gap or
recess in the cut down wall, that the stud may fall or be forced by a spring in the gap
and there remain till the return of the other end of the slot which we form curve
shape to raise it out of the gap. This is the most important feature of our invention,
as the coiled spring which is affixed to the connecting arm, keeps the needle arm
raised when the stud is not in the gap, and the length and depth of the gap give the
slight raise to the needle for the purpose of forming the loop, and the length and
width of the slot enables the shuttle to pass completely through the loop, whilst the
needle arm is downwards and stationery, and further, the curved shape end of the
broad slot acts as a trigger to 'liberate the stud, which shoots up the slot and at
the same time raises the needle arm which tightens the upper thread, as an ordinary
take-up whilst the shuttle is stationary and the stroke completed, and also, places
the needle arm in postion to be forced down again. We form our shuttle carrier
of two projecting sheet steel arms affixed to the end of the driving strip. We
cut, away portions of these arms, and also a portion of the higher side, or wall of
the shuttle groove to facilitate the free working of the connecting arm.
our feed of a piece of sheet steel, the upper end of which we bend over at a right
angle, and continue it as a strip across the shuttle groove, and lodge it in a gap in the
wall, and then bend up or affix the desired formation of teeth and project them
through the work plate in the ordinary manner, the remaining portion of the angle
formation we insert in the cross saw slot, and we keep it in the desired position, by
affixing a coiled wire spring underneath the shuttle groove, and attaching one end to
one side, and the other end to the opposite side. We operate the feed, by using the
upper edge of the driving strip, as an incline plane, for the purpose of raising the feed,
and securing an incline shaped strip of sheet steel to the side of the driving strip, and
inserting it in the horizontal saw slot. This incline comes in contact with the edge of
the portion in the cross slot, for the purpose of pushing it forward. The part of the
feed that is raised we form in the shape of a step, so that it may fall behind the
perpendicular incline, after the work has been pushed forward, and we adjust, or alter
the length of the stroke of the feed, by inserting a screw, or lever in the cross
slot that will throw and hold the feed off the horizontal incline plane. We cut a saw
slot in the work plate for the purpose of guiding and securing the operation of the
connecting arm, and we insert the shuttle through a slide plate which rests and slides
upon the walls of the shuttle groove, or we hinge the plate at the end of the shuttle
groove, and secure to it a sheet metal strip that will lodge in the shuttle groove, so
that the act of raising the plate will also raise the shuttle. We form the presser foot
from a strip of sheet steel and pivot it on one side, on a stud fixed to the work plate
We form the tension of sheet steel as a flat spring, under which we pass the cotton
We prefer to mount our machine on a wooden base that we may clamp it to the table
and operate it either at the side, or the front. Any kind of shuttle may be used, bu
we prefer to use our invention, entitled, Improvements in Shuttles and Shuttle
bobbins No. 719, and dated January 17th 1887. We automaticaly wind the shuttl
bobbin by fixing and rotating a milled wheel on the front of the cramp, over which
we fix a spring clip which we form from one piece of sheet steel as a flat spring, at th
end of which we bend up two sides, and between these sides we form another sprin
as a tongue, so that the bobbin when sprung between the sides into the holes, the fla

page_text: spring portion keeps the discs of the bobbin pressed upon the rim of the wheel, and
the spring tongue presses the cotton in rows, and lifts the bobbin off the wheel when
filled. We let the cotton guide itself from a piece of wire. We form a tapered hob
also on the top of the cramp for the purpose of removing the bobbin from the
shuttle.
It is obvious that various modifications of utilizing the gap and trigger construction,
may be effected in many Pocket and other lock-stitch sewing machines, for the
purpose of forming the loop, passing the shuttle through the loop, and tightening the
upper thread after the stroke has been completed.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lock-stitch Sewing Machines.
We JOHN JACKSON of Lionel Street Birmingham in the county of Warwick
Engineer and PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of 26 Great Charles Street Birmingham
in the county of Warwick Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to the construction of Lock-stitch sewing machines and has
for its object a simple and effectual means of making the loop. passing the shuttle
through the loop, and tightening the top thread.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying 3 sheets of drawings whereof:
Fig. 1 is side view, Fig. 2 plan, and Fig. 3 end view of a machine constructed
according to one modification of our invention in which a radical arm and curved
needle are used with the work plate removed.
Figs. 4. 5. and 6 show the needle arm and strip at different stages in the formation
of a stitch.
Figs. 7 and 8 are side view and plan respectively of the work plate showing presser
foot and tension device for top thread.
Figs. 9 and 10 are side view and plan respectively of end part of the driving
strip.
We construct a machine in the following manner.
The body and needle arm we form as metal castings and the remainder of sheet
metal preferably sheet steel. The body portion a we form as a shuttle groove with
two projecting lugs a', a², at one end, in between which we hinge the needle arm on

page_text: a pin or stud b' which we pass through the lugs and needle arm said pin projecting
out on either side for reception of the reel of cotton and winding wheel. In the outer
end of needle arm b we affix the needle by means of a set screw said needle having
the same curve as the arc formed by rotation of the needle arm on its hinged end.
We cut a broad saw slot (which we shall herein after refer to as the perpendicular 5
slot) in one of the sides or walls of the shuttle groove perpendicular and parallel with
its entire length thus dividing the side into two walls. The inner wall we cut down
about half the depth of the shuttle groove and level with the top of this wall we cut a
saw slot (which we shall hereinafter refer to as the horizontal slot) horizontal and
parallel with the shuttle groove and at right angles with the perpendicular slot. In 1
the opposite side or wall of the shuttle groove we cut out a curved needle slot the
same arc and pitch as the needle, and opposite this needle slot we cut (transversely
and at right angles with the former slots) a saw slot (which we shall hereinafter refer
to as the cross slot) in the higher or outer wall of the shuttle groove and through the
arm formation c. The arms e and care formed on each side of the body a for the
purpose of securing the work plate to be hereinafter described.
In the perpendicular slot we insert the metal strip d one end of which strip projects
out of the end of body a and to which we secure the ring or handle formation for
the purpose of reciprocation which may be effected from a wheel when any of the
ordinary means of obtaining reciprocation from rotary motion can be employed. We
pierce out the slot d² near the end of this strip and a pin E is passed through the wall
of the body into said slot and prevents the strip d from moving other than the desired
length of stroke. Near the other end of this strip we pierce out the broad slot d³ see
Fig. 9 (the full length of our shuttle) in a centre line with the level of the cut down
wall of the body. Through this broad slot we pass the pin or stud G which is secured
to the lower end of the connecting link H the top end of said link, H being hinged
to the needle arm b by means of the stud G1 fitting into a hole in the boss 6 formed
upon the side of the needle arm. Upon the boss 62 we lodge the coiled wire spring K
one end of which is secured to the connecting link H the other end being passed
through a small hole in the needle arm and continued up the side to the end of said
arm, the end of said wire being then coiled once to form a hole into which the needle
thread will be passed, this forms the take up. The stud G will rest upon the top of
the cut down wall which prevents the stud from falling into the lower half of the
slot d³, but when the stud G is forced to the desired distance by the end of the broad
slot dit will fall or be forced by a spring, into the gap G2 which we cut out, in the
cut down wall, (this part will be clearly seen on reference to Figs. 4. 5. and 6) and
the said stud G will remain (by the pressure of the wire spring G³) in the gap until
the return of the other end of the slot d3 which is formed curve shaped to raise it out
2
of the gap.
This is the most important feature of our invention as the coiled spring K which is
affixed to the connecting link H keeps the needle arin & raised when the stud G is not
in the gap, and the length and depth of the gap G gives the slight rise to the needle
for the purpose of forming the loop and the length and width of slot d³ enables the
shuttle to pass completely through the loop whilst the needle arm is downwards and
stationary, and the curve shaped end of the broad slot d³ acts as a trigger to liberate
the stud G from the gap Gand said stud G shoots up the slot and at same time
raises the needle arm and the take up end of wire K which tightens the upper thread
as an ordinary take up, whilst the shuttle is stationary and the stroke completed, and
also place the needle arm in position to be forced down again.
.
In Fig. 4 the driving strip d is shown as having been pushed to its furthes
extremity and the needle forced down to from the loop. In Fig. 5 the driving strip
is shown as being upon its return the curve shaped end of slot d³ being just about t
act to raise the stud from G².
gap In Fig. 6 the strip d is shown as having bee
drawn out to the end of its stroke, the curve shaped end of slot d³ having raised th
stud G from the gap G2, and the spring K has acted to draw the stud to the opposi
end of slot d³ at same time raising the needle arm ready for the next downwar
stroke

page_text: The shuttle carrier is shown in Fig. 10 and is formed of two projecting sheet steel
arms d d affixed to the end of driving strip d. We cut away the portions de d' and
also a portion of the higher side or wall of the shuttle groove to facilitate the free
working of the connecting link H.
We form our feed of a piece of sheet steel M the upper end M' of which we bend
over at right angles and continue it as a strip across the top of the shuttle groove
lying it in a shallow gap, in the walls thereof and we then bend up or affix the desired
formation of teeth and project them through the workplate in the ordinary manner.
The remaining portion M of the angle formation we insert in the cross, saw slot and
we keep it in the desired position by affixing a coiled wire spring underneath the
shuttle groove and attaching it at either end to the turned down ends of strip M' as
will be seen Fig. 3.
We operate the feed by using the top edge of the driving strip d as an incline for
the purpose of raising the feed, and securing the incline shaped strip to the side of
the driving strip see (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10) the said strip de working in the
horizontal slot of the body before mentioned, this incline strip comes in contact
with the edge of the portion M in the cross slot for the purpose of pushing it
forward.
The part of the feed that is raised we form in the shape of a step so that it may fall
behind the perpendicular incline after the work has been pushed forward, and we
adjust or alter the length of the stroke of the feed by inserting a screw M³ in the
cross saw slot that will throw and hold the feed of the incline strip ds.
The work plate is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. We cut a saw slot o in the work plate
for the purpose of guiding and securing the operation of the connecting link H.
We form the presser foot P from a strip of sheet steel in form as shown Figs. 7 and 8
and pivot it at one end on a stud P₁ fixed to the work plate. The said presser
foot may be either turned on one side from the needle or be lifted for the purpose
of inserting or removing the work.
We form the tension for the top thread of sheet steel as a flat spring R under
which we pass the cotton as shown in plan Fig. 8. In using more than two gaps for
increased tension we should employ a similar device on our shuttle.
We prefer to mount our machine upon the wooden base S which we clamp to the
table and the machine may be operated either at side or front. Any kind of shuttle
may be used but we prefer to use the shuttle described in our specification No. 719
dated 17th January 1887 Improvements in sewing machine shuttles and shuttle
bobbins.
We automatically wind the shuttle bobbin by fixing and rotating a milled wheel on
the front of the cramp over which we fix a spring clip which we form from sheet
steel as a flat spring at the end of which we bend up two sides and between these
sides we form another spring as a tongue so that the bobbin when sprung between
the sides into holes the flat spring portion keeps the disis of the bobbin pressed
upon the rim of the wheel, and the spring tongue presses the cotton in rows and lifts
the bobbin off the wheel when filled or for convenience we pivot the milled wheel on
the extended end of the pin 6 and fix the spring clip to the work plate (see Figs. 7
and 8).
Figs. 11 and 12 show a front and side view of the winding attachment. T is the
milled wheel U the spring formation of clips which keeps the spool pressed against
the milled wheel U and U the two sides which grip and act as bearings for the
spool, U the spring tongue formation which keeps the cotton in rows and prevents
the bobbin from being overfilled.
We let the cotton feed itself from a piece of wire. We form a tapered hob also on
the top of the cramp for the purpose of removing the bobbin from the shuttle.
It is obvious that various modifications of utilizing the gap and trigger construction
may be effected in many Pocket and other lock stitch sewing machines for the
purpose of forming the loop passing the shuttle through the loop and tightening the
upper thread after the stroke has been completed. In some cases instead of a curved
needle attached to a radial arm being employed we use a straight needle affixed to a

page_text: carrier working in a slide and operated by a driver that charges a spring which will
automaticaly raise the needle carrier after the driver has been risen.
We affix a trigger to the carrier which we lodge in a gap or to a catch on the body
of the machine, so that the needle carrier be held down whilst the shuttle passes
through the loop and the driver is rising. We liberate the trigger or catch by a
wedge or lifting piece on the Driver which will come in contact with the trigger when
the driver has nearly reached its desired beight.
The needle carrier acts as the take up for the top thread when it rises similarly as
before described.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
Firstly. The combinations of parts forming respectively the respective modifications
of our improved sewing machine constructed substantially as described.
Secondly. The use of a driver working a needle carrier and a spring and catch
action for holding and releasing the needle substantially as described.
Thirdly. The use in sewing machines of a spring which is charged when the
needle enters the fabric and is held and then released by a trigger action so as to
withdraw the needle and return it automatically to its position ready for the next
stitch substantially as described.