IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Searle, of Silver Street, Regent Street, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINES"
Sealed the 10th December 1878, and dated the 24th July 1878.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Searle at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th July 1878.
-
WILLIAM SEARLE, of Silver Street, Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
This Invention relates to that class of sewing machines which are used for sewing
leather, and is designed chiefly to provide means whereby the upper portion may
be united to the lower portion of that part of the boot above the sole with greater
facility than is possible by employing any of the machines now in use.
The whole of that portion of a boot which is above the sole is herein-after called
the "upper," and this Invention is designed chiefly to facilitate the uniting or
closing" of the top and bottom parts of this portion of the boot.
"
The operation of uniting or closing" the two above-named parts of a boot by
means of the machines heretofore used for this purpose has always been attended
by inconveniences, which are entirely removed by the employment of a machine
constructed according to my said Invention.
The usual method, as heretofore practised, is as follows, that is to say:-After
the said parts of the "upper" have been temporarily united by paste the "
upper" thus
formed is turned inside out, and the sewing is effected when it is in that condition.
The effect of turning the leather inside out is often very detrimental to it, par-
ticularly when the finer qualities of boot leather are being sewn together. The
leather is liable to crack, the pasted sean to become disunited, and wrinkles are
caused, which have to be hammered out after the "closing" has been effected.
Moreover, the needle has to operate so far inside the work that care is required to
.

page_text: guide the latter properly, so that the seam may be sewn correctly. There is also
this inconvenience, namely, that by reason of the form of the upper a part thereof
is always in the way during the operation of sewing.
By employing a machine constructed according to my said Invention these
defects and inconveniences are entirely avoided, the "closing" or uniting of the
seam being effected by sewing upon the outer face of the leather without turning
the upper inside out, as above described.
In carrying the said Invention into practise I provide upon a tubular arm or
cylinder projecting from the frame of a suitable sewing machine two wheel feed
devices concentric with the said arm. These feed wheels fit upon the said tubular
arm, so as to revolve thereon, and are so placed that the needle works in a space
between them; the feed wheels have extending from and the whole distance around
them, in the same direction as the axis of the tubular arm, projecting pieces so
arranged that the teeth of two pinions working on a rod inside the tubular arm
engage within the spaces between these projecting pieces and cause the said feed
wheels to advance as the machine operates. The said rod is caused to revolve by
suitable connections with other parts of the machine.
The two parts of the boot upper being united, as, above described, by paste, the
upper so formed is placed upon the tubular arm, the latter projecting through it.
The upper is put upon the arm in such a manner that its wide open part, or in
other words the bottom part or part nearest the sole, will be first, that is to say,
nearest to the frame of the machine. The seam is then adjusted upon the feed
wheel nearest to the frame of the machine, that is to say, the one at the right hand
of the needle, so that the part where the two pieces of leather overlap each other
will come between the said feed wheel and the presser foot, and, being thicker at
that part than on either side the feed or advance of the leather will be ensured;
and at the same time the edge of the seam to be sewn will be visible to the operator
at the left-hand side of the presser foot. Part of the leather to the left land of the
seam rests upon the other feed wheel, and as both feed wheels revolve simul-
taneously, the feed or advance of the leather will also thereby be assisted. In this
manner the two said parts forming the upper of a boot may be joined or closed
without once taking it off the tubular arm, and there not the least strain upon
the leather.
I construct the said tubular arm of small diameter, so that in guiding the séàin
around there will be sufficient space to prevent any strain or binding of the leather
as it follows the movements necessary for effecting the sewing along the whole
distance to "close" the entire seam.
I may obtain the chief object of this Invention by using only one feed device,
provided it is placed upon the right-hand side of the needle, that is to say, the side
nearest the part where the tubular arm is united to the frame of the machine; but
I prefer to use the two feed devices as above described, the one on the other side of
the needle assisting the feed. Moreover, for many other kinds of work than that
of uniting or "closing" the uppers of boots it is necessary to have the feed on that
side of the needle.
In order to use the two feed wheels alternately to suit different kinds of work
I make the presser foot interchangeable, so as to change the same, in order that
whichever feed wheel is being chiefly used the presser foot may be immediately
above the same, so as to press the work thereon.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Searle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th January
1879.
WILLIAM SEARLE, of Silver Street, Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES,"
This Invention relates to machines for sewing leather, and is designed chiefly to
provide means for uniting the different portions forming the uppers of boots and
shoes with greater facility than is practicable with any of the machines now
in use.
The operation of uniting or "closing" the top and bottom parts of the upper of
a boot or shoe by means of the machine heretofore used for the purpose has always
been attended by inconveniences, which are entirely removed by the employment
of my Invention.
The usual method, as heretofore practised, is as follows, that is to say:-After
the said parts of the upper have been temporarily united by pasto the upper thus
formed is turned inside out, and is sewn while in this position.
The effect of turning the leather inside out is often very detrimental to its condition;
particularly when the finer qualities of boot leather are being sewn together. The
leather is liable to cracking, the pasted seam frequently becomes disunited and
wrinkles are caused, which have to be hammered out after the closing has been
effected. Moreover, the needle has to operate so far inside the work that care is
required to guide the latter properly to allow the seain to be sewn correctly. There
is also this inconvenience, namely, that by reason of the form of the upper a part
thereof is always in the way during the operation of sewing.
By my Invention these defects and inconveniences are entirely avoided, the
closing or uniting of the seams is effected by sewing upon the outer face of the
leather, and without turning the upper inside out, as above described.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing as applied to a
"Howe" sewing machine, but I wish it understood that I may adapt the same to
other sewng machines of suitable kind and construction.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lower portion of the said
sewing machine, shewing the adaptation of my improvements to the same.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of a portion of Figure 1, partly broken away to
shew the interior mechanism.
Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sections on the lines x, x, and y, y, Figure 1.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the stand or base of the said machine, in which are enclosed the cams and
other parts of the mechanisin for effecting the movements of the needle, the shuttle,
and the feeding devices. a is a work-supporting arm projecting from the said
frame; b is a portion of the needle bar; c is the needle; d is the presser foot.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide upon the work-supporting
arm or bar a a feed device consisting of two wheels e, f, concentric with the said
arm. These feed wheels are fitted to rotate upon the said arm, and are 'so placed
that the needle c works through a space occupied by collar g placed between them
and secured upon the arm a by a screw or otherwise. The said feed wheels have
on their outer edge, and extending entirely around the same, teeth, whereby they
are geared with two pinions h¹, h², fixed on a shaft or rod h extending along the
work-supporting arm a, and supported in suitable bearings at h³ and at the inner end
of the said arm, wherein it turns freely; this shaft imparts the rotation to the said
feed wheels or devices in the proper direction to cause the work to advance during
the operation of the machine. The said collar and the pinions h', h², keep the
wheels e, f, properly in place on the said arm. The said wheels are roughened or
milled on their periphery to ensure their acting properly on the work. The required
intermittent. rotary movement of the feed wheels e, fis imparted to them through

page_text: the medium of the said shaft and pinions by the cam i, lever j, rod k; lever l, and
spring m. The said cam is fixed on the driving shaft n, and is arranged in com-
bination with the lever j, one arm of which bears upon the periphery of the said
cam, as clearly shewn in Figure 1. The other arm of the said lever acts by means
of the rod upon the lever l, which is carried on the rear end of the pinion shaft h,
and is connected thereto by a suitable clutch or ratchet device, which causes the
said shaft to move with the said lever in one direction, but prevents the return or
backward oscillation of the said shaft with the lever. The action of this mechanism
in one direction and that of the spring m in the opposite direction imparts to the
lever the required rocking or oscillating motion, whereby at each of its forward
oscillations it moves the shaft h and its pinions forward, thus imparting to the feed
wheels the required intermittent movement around the arm a. The cam i and the
cam which actuates the needle operating mechanism must be so relatively arranged
and "timed" that the movements of the said feed wheels e, f, take place when the
needle is raised out of or above the work; o is an adjusting screw, which extends
through the top of the base or frame A and is arranged at the front side of the
same instead of being at the rear end, as heretofore in these machines. The point
or extremity o¹ of this screw o is arranged to bear upon a projection or shoulder j¹
on the lever j, and by screwing it up or down the said screw is adjusted to permit
a longer or shorter stroke of the said lever, and thereby regulates the extent of the
feed movement and lengthens or shortens the stitch.
In the machine shewn in the Drawing the work-supporting arm or bar a is pro-
vided with a tube or sheath, which is formed in two parts p, p', fitted on the bar a
and forming the outer surface of the same, as shewn. The sectional form of this
bar a is clearly shewn in Figures 3 and 4, in which it will be seen that the said
bar has in it grooves or spaces a¹, a². The space a contains the said pinions and
their shaft, while the space a² forms the shuttle race. The shuttle carrier q is
moved to and fro in this race through the agency of the cam groove r, lever s, and
rod t, or by any other suitable and convenient means. The shuttle u may be of any
suitable construction, and the only novel feature in connection with this shuttle
is its arrangement in its carrier with its nose or point u¹ toward the frame or rear
end of the machine instead of in the opposite direction, as heretofore.
The two parts of the boot or shoe upper being united, as above described, by
paste, the upper so formed is placed upon the work-supporting arm, the latter pro-
jecting through it. The upper is put upon the arm in such a manner that its wide
open part, or in other words, the bottom part or part nearest the sole will be
nearest to the frame A of the machine. The seam is then adjusted upon the feed
wheelf, that is to say, the one at the right hand of the needle c, so that the part
where the two pieces of leather overlap each other will come between the said feed
wheel and the presser foot, and being thicker at that part than on either side, the
feed or advance of the leather will be ensured, and at the same time the edge of the
seam to be sewn will be visible to the operator at the left-hand side of the presser
foot. Part of the leather to the left hand of the seam rests upon the other feed
wheel e, and as both feed wheels revolve simultaneously the feed or advance of the
leather will also thereby be assisted. In this manner the two parts forming the
upper of a boot may be joined or closed without once removing it from the work-
supporting arm a, and there will be no strain upon the leather.
I construct the said work-supporting arm of smaller diameter than heretofore, so
that in guiding the seam around there will be sufficient space to prevent any strain
or binding of the leather as it follows the movements necessary for effecting the
sewing along the whole distance to close the entire seam of the upper.
I may obtain the chief object of this Invention by using only one feed wheel,
provided it is placed upon the right-hand side of the needle, that is to say, in the
position occupied by the wheel fin Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing; but I prefer
to use the two feed devices as shewn, the wheel e on the other side of the needle
assisting the wheel to feed. Moreover, for certain kinds of work for which these
machines are used it is necessary to have the feed on the outer side of the needle.

page_text: To permit the use of either of the two feed wheels e, f, as required to suit
different kinds of work, I provide the machine with a number of interchangeable
presser feet, either of which may be placed on the presser bar, according to the kind
of work to be sewn, and, so that whichever feed wheel is being chiefly used the
presser foot may be immediately above the same to properly press the work thereon.
The foot d is secured on the bar by a screw, and may be readily removed by
slackening the same.
My improvements, as above described, may be advantageously applied to wax
thread machines used for heavy boot work, harness work, and the like.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim in a machine for sewing leather and
similar work, and which is constructed with a work-supporting arm or bar
extending under the needle,--
First. The employment of the feeding device, consisting of two wheels fitted to
rotate upon the said bar on opposite sides of the path of the needle, and with a
central space between them; or of one wheel arranged upon the inner or rear side
of the path of the needle, and which device operates in combination with the
stitching mechanisin and presser foot, as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The aforesaid feeding device, consisting of the two wheels mounted on
the work-supporting arm on opposite sides of the path of the needle, and separated
by a collar fixed on the said arm, and which wheels are geared with pinions
mounted on a shaft that is provided with clutch or ratchet apparatus, whereby the
required intermittent motion is imparted to the said shaft and wheels from the
reciprocating mechanism shewn in the Drawing, which mechanism has combined
with it a stitch regulating or adjusting screw at the front side of the machine, as
and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Searle, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
W. SEA
SEARLE (L.D.)