Improvements in Sewing Machines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Machines.
We WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON TRACY, Mechanic, of 3229 Sixth Avenue,
in the City of Troy Rensselaer County, and State of New York, JEREMIAH
ANDERSON SCRIVEN, Manufacturer, of 67 West 96th Street, in the City, County
and State of New York, and RINALDO CHARles Tousey, Manufacturer, of
Long Hill, Fairfield County, in the State of Connecticut, United States of America
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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a plan or top view, with parts broken away, of our improved sewing
machine.
Figure is a vertical cross-section on the line 2-2, Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3-3 Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the complete machine.
Figure 4 of the drawing best expresses the object of this invention, which is to
construct a sewing machine so that none of the operating parts, not even the
needle, will be exposed on the outside of the machine, the machine itself presenting
a substantially plain box with a slot for inserting the fabric to be sewed and
provided at any part with a wheel by which the necessary motion is received. The
advantages of such a construction of sewing machine are obvious. Articles to be
sewed can be spread broadcast over the machine, will not be cramped by contact
with projecting arms or other parts of the mechanisın, will not be soiled by lubri-
cating matter used on bearings, and the parts of which the machine is composed
will be protected from atmospheric influences by being wholly concealed within the
body of the machine.
The invention, generally speaking, consists of a sewing machine having all its
parts enclosed in a box whose upper surface is covered by a hinged lid or lids
containing a slot through which the fabric may reach the needle, the mechanism
within said box being so arranged that the needle beneath the hinged lid will move
in a horizontal direction, all as hereinafter more fully described.
In the accompanying drawings the letter A represents the frame of the machine.
B is the main driving shaft adapted to receive rotary motion by means of a belt or
from any other suitable driving device. The external portion of the frame A is,
as Figures 2 and 3 clearly represent, box-shaped and adapted to contain within
the embrace of the box the entire sewing mechanism. The top of the box is formed
by a plate C, which is hinged as at a to one of the sides of the box, or otherwise
rendered movable so that the interior of the box may be laid bare. In this movable
lid C is formed a transverse slot b (see Figure 4) which extends across the top of
the machine and practically divides the hinged or movable top C into two parts
or flaps, clearly represented in Figure 4. In many instances one of these flaps
might remain stationary. Underneath the movable cover C of the machine is
provided suitable mechanism for moving the reciprocating needle D which is
attached to a needle bar E to which the proper reciprocating motion is imparted
by a suitable shaft F connected by gearing e with the driving-shaft B.
For
producing a zig-zag stitch, when such is desired, a vertically movable bar d is
employed, its upper end embracing the needle-bar E, while its lower end is moved
by an eccentric on a shaft G that connects by gearing with the main driving
shaft B. Suitable shuttle mechanism (not fully represented) is operated when
desired by means of a shaft H actuated by a connecting rod f from the shaft G.
Suitable feed-mechanism, a presser-foot, and so forth is also of course provided for.
One form of presser-foot is shown at I in Figure 1, but any other analogous device

page_text: may be used. This presser-foot crowds the fabric which is inserted through the
slot b against a stationary ledge g formed in the machine beneath the hinged lid, C.
The feed mechanism may be composed of wheels h, Figure 1, and well-known means
for imparting to them intermittent rotary movement, or may be of any other
suitable kind. It will be observed, however, that the needle D in this machine
moves horizontally beneath the cover C of the machine, and by this fact we are
enabled to employ a boxed or housed sewing machine which exposes no projecting
arm or part to contact with the fabric to be sewed, operating the fabric by per-
mitting it to enter the slot and thereby expose itself to contact with the needle
and the thread carried thereby. Even the spool-holder J can be contained within
the housing of the machine, and all the tension devices may in like manner thus be
housed.
We do not desire to limit ourselves to any special kind of organism or character
of stitch producing device, so long as the needle is moved horizontally beneath the
slotted movable top plate having the slot b.
The invention is useful with a shuttle of suitable kind, be the same rotary or
oscillating; it is useful without a shuttle, that is, with a chain stitch making hook,
and can therefore be profitably applied in connection with all known kinds of sewing
machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. A sewing machine having the horizontally reciprocating needle D and
mechanism substantially as described for moving the same, combined with the top-
plate C, said top-plate being provided with the transverse slot b, substantially as
and for the purpose herein shown and described.
2. A sewing machine having its entire organism housed, and covered by a slotted
movable top-plate or lid C, the slot of which serves to introduce the fabric into
contact with the needle and thread, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A sewing machine having the horizontally reciprocating needle D and
mechanism substantially as described for moving the same, combined with external
housing having the movable top-plate C, said top-plate being provided with the
transverse slot b, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.
807
Ր . 1000
W. H. H. TRACY,
J. A. SCRIVEN,
R. C. TOUSEY,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.