Year: 1886

page_text: I SOCRATES KEATS of Carl Strasse No. 22/1 Leipzig in the Empire of Germany,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
The main object of this invention is to produce a more efficient lock-stitch wax
thread boot and shoe sewing machine than heretofore, the same being capable, at
the pleasure of the operator, of effecting either internal or external sewing.
In carrying out my invention in its entirety, I employ the form of sewing
machiue known as the "swivel horn," and adapt thereto, indifferently, one or
other of two kinds of loopers, which will be used according to the work in hand.-
Some of the improvements about to be described are applicable to all kinds of lock
stitch sewing machines having the shuttle above the work, but others refer only
to the horn machine, and to this, therefore, the following remarks are, for more
clearness, confined.
I introduce a new construction of rotary shuttle, which rotates in a vertical
plane around its own axis, and is driven by what is known as a one pin driver.
This shuttle serves to open the loop of the needle thread for its passage through
the same, and to tighten the last formed stitch as it passes through the loop.
I also propose to improve the form of the swivelling horn or support for the
work, and render it better suited than hitherto for carrying long legged boots or
riding boots, and to simplify the means for actuating the looper fitted to that class
of boot and shoe sewing machine, giving to it either a circular motion or a
reciprocating motion, as desired.-The means for operating the presser and feed
bar I also propose to simplify, with a view of reducing the cost of construction of
the machine.
My improvements have reference to those machines which have the shuttle
above the work. The shuttle takes somewhat the form of one turn of a screw
thread, that is to say, its nose and its heel are in different planes, and they are
each tapered to a point, the object being to allow of the vertical hooked needle
working freely within the plane in which the shuttle rotates, and passing into or
through an opening in the nose of the shuttle, to facilitate the delivery of its loop
to the shuttle. In the perimeter of the shuttle a vertical groove is cut, to fit outo
the shuttle holder, which is a plate hollowed out to receive the shuttle, and having
a side opening in its edge for the admission of the shuttle to its holder. This
opening in the edge of the holder is partly closed by a sliding guide piece, which
1°2)
1

page_text: is retained in position by a spring, and is slidden or tipped out of the way to
pernit of the insertion or the withdrawal of the shuttle.-The shell of the shuttle
receives the cop of locking thread, as usual, and its heel and nose are brought
together so as to form an excentric opening in the shuttle for the reception of an
excentric pin driver, such as that described in the specification of a Patent granted
to me and bearing date 13th June 1884 No. 8940.
In machines constructed for inside sewing, it is usual to set the swivelling horn
at an incline, to facilitate the presentation of the work to the sewing instruments.
I now form the horn, for the greater portion of its length, as a vertical post,
bending over the top end to meet a line passing up through the axis of motion of
the horn, and through the axis of the hooked needle. Within the horn is mounted
a reciprocating vertical frame, fitted at its upper end with a looper, which it is
designed to operate. The horizontal arm of this frame forms the strap to an
excentric, which is carried by a vertical spindle within the hollow centre of the
swivel horn.
When the looper used is a reciprocating looper, the horizontal arm of the looper
frame is required to be jointed to prevent the frame moving, otherwise than to and
fro, under the action of its excentric, and at this time the swivel arm is locked so as
to set the looper opposite the hook of the needle. When, however, a circular motion
is to be given to the looper, no such joint is required, and the horn is left free to
swivel for the purpose of turning the work under the needle.- When the horizontal
arm of the frame is made with a joint, the joint may be locked, when required, by
a sliding bolt or its equivalent. The looper frame slides in guides fitted to the
horn, a guide in the horizontal arm of the horn being capable of swivelling when
so desired. When a reciprocating looper is employed, this swivelling guide is
locked, but when a looper requiring a circular motion is used (as for internal
sewing), the guide is left free to swivel under the motions of the sliding looper
frame.
I may remark that the timed movements of the looper frame, derived from the
excentric, will remain unchanged, notwithstanding the swivelling of the horn to
turn the work, and consequently the proper laying of the thread, by the looper,
around the stern of the needle, will be maintained.
The feed and presser bar, instead of working, as heretofore, in a movable guide
box, passes through a fixed guide on the frame, and through a slot in a horizontal
rocking arm fitted to one end of a lever, which receives a compound rocking motion
from rotary cams. This rocking arm is held down in its quiescent position against
an adjustable fixed stop by a tension spring, and when tipped by the compound
rocking lever, it will grip the presser and feed bar, hold it firmly in contact with
the work, and move it forward to give the feed. This being effected, the lever will
raise the feed and presser bar, drop it into its normal position on the work, and
again lock it in place. This arrangement provides, for the presser and feed bar
adjusting itself readily to varying thicknesses of work, as the action of the rocking
arm is in no way interfered with by the vertical shifting of the presser bar.
The reciprocating looper which I use is an improvement upon the forked looper
patented by me in conjunction with Arthur Keats, and dated 29th October 1880,
No. 4430. That prong of the forked looper which was pierced with an eye, I now
make tubular, to receive the thread from the needle thread bobbin, while the other
prong is formed with a raised piece or shoulder as before, against which the thread
led through the tube and drawn across the fork, lies, when at tension, and in the
proper position to be presented to the needle.
4
600

page_text: I SOCRATES KEATS of Carl Strasse, No. 22/1, Leipzig in the Empire of Germany,
Mechanical Engineer 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 :-
The main object of this Invention is to produce a more efficient lock-stitch wax-
thread boot and shoe sewing inachine than heretofore, the same being capable, at
the pleasure of the operator, of effecting either internal or external sewing.
In carrying out my Invention in its entirety, I employ the form of sewing
machine known as the "swivel horn," and adapt thereto indifferently one or other
of two kinds of loopers, which will be used according to the work in hand.-Some
of the improvements about to be described are applicable to all kinds of lock-stitch
sewing machines having the shuttle above the work, but others refer only to the
horn machine, and to this, therefore, the following remarks are, for more clearness,
confined.
I introduce a new construction of rotary shuttle which rotates in a vertical plane
around its own axis, and is driven by what is known as a one-pin driver.-This
shuttle serves to open the loop of the needle thread for its passage through the
same, and to tighten the last-formed stitch as it passes through the loop.
I also propose to improve the form of the swivelling horn or support for the
work, and render it better suited than hitherto for carrying boots, whether ordinary
or riding boots, and to simplify the means for actuating the looper fitted to that
class of boot and shoe sewing machine, giving to it a reciprocating circular motion,
which may be modified as desired.-The means for operating the presser and feed
bar I also propose to simplify, with a view of reducing the cost of construction of
the machine.
My improvements have reference to those machines which have the shuttle above.
the work. The shuttle takes somewhat the form of one turn of a screw thread,
that is to say, its nose and its heel are in different planes, and they are each tapered
to a point, the object being to allow of the vertical hooked needle working freely
within the plane in which the shuttle rotates, and passing into an opening in the
nose of the shuttle, to facilitate the delivery of its loop to the shuttle.-In the
perimeter of the shuttle, a vertical groove is cut, to fit onto the shuttle holder,
which is a plate hollowed out to receive the shuttle, and having a side opening in
its edge for the admission of the shuttle to its holder.-This opening in the edge of
the holder is partly closed by a sliding guide piece, which is retained in position by
a spring, and is slidden out of the way to permit of the insertion or the withdrawal
of the shuttle.The shell of the shuttle forms the receptacle, as usual, for the cop
of locking thread, and the heel and nose of the shuttle are brought together so as
to form an excentric opening in the shuttle for the reception of an excentric pin
driver, such as that described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me and
bearing date 13th June 1884, No. 8940.
In machines constructed for inside sewing, it is usual to set the swivelling horn
at an incline, to facilitate the presentation of the work to the sewing instruments.
I now form the horn, for the greater portion of its length, as a vertical or nearly
vertical post, bending over the top end to meet a line passing up through the axis

page_text: needle, feed lever, bell crank lever, shuttle lever, and thread-regulating lever, laid
out in plano, and indicate, by the friction bowls drawn thereon, the relative
positions of the cams.
Fig. 28 shows the looper cam in plan view.
The main framing of the machine consists of a hollow cast iron standard A, to
which is bolted a bracket A¹ for receiving the swivel horn B, and a head piece A²
for carrying the shuttle race, the needle bar, and the presser and feed bar, with the
levers for operating the shuttle, the needle, and the presser and feeding foot.-C is
the vertical cam shaft turning in bearings c fitted into three horizontal webs cast in
the hollow standard.
Motion is imparted to this cam shaft through a band from any prime mover,
operating the loose coned pulley C¹, which is pressed into a conical hollow in the
upper part of a grooved cam C2, fast on the shaft C, by a bell crank lever C³,
actuated by an arm.forming part of a pedal lever C*-When it is desired to drive
the machine by foot power, another arm of the lever C2* is furnished with a bowl
to work in the groove of the cam C2, assisted by a tension spring C, which reverses
the action of the lever C2*-A fly wheel C³, keyed to the cam shaft above its top
bearing, serves to steady the action of the machine.-The horn B is free to turn, as
usual, on its hollow bearing, under the action of the attendant, to present the work
to the action of the needle, but it is capable of being locked in position to suit the
operations of fair stitching and closing-D is the reciprocating needle bar, carrying
the hooked needle d, which serves to pierce the work, and fetch up the sewing
thread from the looper, to present it in the form of a loop to the nose of the
rotating shuttle.-The needle bar receives its reciprocating motion from the cam D¹
fixed on the upper end of the cam shaft C. A bracket attached to the top of the
head A² of the frame A, carries the fulcrum for a lever D2, the tail of which lever is fitted
with a bowl for working in the groove of the cam D'; the other end of the lever D
is linked to the needle bar D.-By the rocking motion, therefore, of the lever D³,
imparted to it by the rotation of the cam D, the reciprocating vertical motion of
the needle bar and the needle is obtained.-The thread to be supplied to the
needle I find it unnecessary to wax preparatory to inserting it in the machine,
relying upon its taking up sufficient wax from the shuttle in the act of passing
over the surface to receive the locking thread.-The shuttle is supplied with waxed
thread, and is kept heated in the usual manner during the working of the
machine. Thus, as the locking thread is drawn out of the shuttle, it will impart a
portion of its wax to the heated surface of the shuttle, and it is from this source
that the needle thread derives its wax.
E is the shuttle, the nose e of which, is tapered and pointed to facilitate its
entrance into the loop of the, needle thread. This shuttle, which works in a
vertical race E¹, is grooved on its perimeter to receive- the edge of the race, and a
slide E2 fitted to the head A2 serves to secure it in place. This slide is retained in
its position by a spring E³, which allows it to yield when a thread or other impedi-
ment gets between the shuttle and the race. The nose and heel of the circular
shuttle (see Figures 11 and 12)-nearly meet, but in different planes, and they
serve to enclose an excentric space, which is occupied by a shuttle-driver pin f.
projecting at right angles from a slide F, carried by a rock lever F.-This rock
lever forms a guide for the slide F, it being rebated on one side to receive the slide,
which is secured in place by a cover made fast to the side of the rock lever.
This cover is slotted longitudinally to allow of the play of a pin, which stands
out laterally from the slide F.
The lever F has its fulcrum on the head piece A³, and carries at its tail a bowl ƒ¹,
which enters a groove f' in the periphery of a cam F2 on the cam shaft C, whereby
the lever is operated. The pin projecting from the side of the slide F enters a
transverse hole in the head of the plug, which slides in a socket in the pendent
limb of a bell crank lever F³ fulcrummed on the head piece A2.-The other limb of
this bell crank lever carries a bowl which enters a groove f³ formed in the periphery
of the cam FAs, therefore, the cam shaft is rotated, the slide F carried by the

page_text: rock lever F will be moved to and fro, and rocked, so as to cause its driver pin f
to press against. the inner perimeter of the shuttle E, and impart rotary motion
thereto.
To provide for the passage of the needle-thread loop between the inner perimeter
of the shuttle and the driver pin f, both when passing on to and passing off the
shuttle, the pin is flattened on its periphery, as shown at Figures 17, the Hattened
portion lying across the axis of the pin, to correspond with the helical form of the
inner perimeter of the shuttle.
I have said that this shuttle carries waxed thread. This thread is preferably
prepared in the form of a hollow conical cop, as illustrated in side view and
section at Figures 15, and it is compressed first into the form shown at Figures 16,
and afterwards into the form shown at Figures 16ª, to permit of its being thrust
into the space provided to receive it between three supporting pins f*, projecting
from the inner face of a cover f, which closes the opening made in the side of
the shuttle for the admission of the thread.-A forked tension piece f* further
assists to keep the cop in place.-This forked piece, which is also secured to the
cover, is pierced immediately below the prongs of the fork, to permit of the thread
drawn through the fork being returned through the forked piece, and led out
through a central hole in the cover.
The cover is held in place by giving the pins f¹ a set outwards, so that they
must yield slightly to lateral pressure as the cover is applied to the shuttle, and
will then bear tightly against the inner walls of the shuttle.-To remove the cover,
I employ a key, shown at Fig. 14, the nose of which is inserted in a slit in the
cover, and then used to draw it out of its recess.
The action of the shuttle E is peculiar, for it not only serves to lay the locking
thread in the loop of the needle thread, but it opens the loop, imparts wax to the
needle thread, and tightens up the stitch.These actions of the shuttle will be
fully described hereafter, when explaining its movements relatively to the motions
of the looper and the hooked needle.-G G¹ (see Figures 18 to 21) is a compound
swinging frame, mounted within the horn B, and carrying the looper g, which is a
detachable arin, varying in form at its termination to suit the work in hand.-The
piece G of the swinging frame is carried by vertical centres fitted to the horn, and
this piece G serves to carry centres for supporting the piece G¹, to the upper end
of which, the looper is made fast.
The compound frame G G¹ is operated by an excentric G³, which works in a
strap formed in the lower part of the swinging frame.-By the rotation of this
excentric, the looper g is caused to lay its thread in the hook of the needle d, when
the needle has descended through the work.-The looper g is formed with an eye
to receive the thread from a ball contained in a box G³ carried by the standard A.-
The excentric G³ is carried by a hollow spindle G, which passes down the hollow
centre of the horn B, and has its bearing therein.-The lower end of this hollow
spindle carries an arm G³, which is adjustable axially thereon, to provide for the
shifting of the excentric G2 into one or other of the two positions illustrated in.
Figures 19, 19, and 20, 20%, the one showing the starting position of the excentric
and looper relatively to the hooked needle, when internal sewing is required, and
the other, the relative positions of the same parts, when fair stitching is required.-
The traverse of the eye of the looper, in cach case, for the purpose of laying the
thread in the book of the needle, is clearly shown in the figures, the direction of
its course being indicated by the arrow 1.-The direction of the feed is, in these
tigures, indicated by the arrows 2.-The means by which the motion of the looper
is obtained, I will now describe.
Pivotted to the arm G is a link G, which couples it to a lever G7 pivotted near
its centre to a radius arm G8, having its fulcrum in lugs projecting from a bracket
bolted to the main framing; G is a second radius arm fulcrummed on a bracket
projecting from the middle bearing c of the cam shaft C, and pivotted at its free
end to the tail end of the lever G7, which is fitted with an antifriction bowl.-This
bowl works in a groove in a face cam G10 on the cam shaft.-By the rotation,

page_text: therefore, of the shaft in the direction of the arrow—(see Fig. 3),—a rotary motion
is imparted to the excentric G, which, through the compound frame G G¹, causes
the looper to perform its required movements, as indicated at Figures 19°, 20°.
For feeding the work under the needle, I employ the ordinary presser foot,
adapting to its bar a peculiar arrangement of gripping mechanism-(see
Figures 5 to 10)--for operating the pressing and feeding foot.-H is the pressing
and feeding bar; h is the pressing and feeding foot.-This bar is supported
by a rocking fulcrum H¹, which is socketted into the head A² of the framing.-
A hole is bored vertically through this fulcrum, to receive the upper end of
the bar H, which is supported in position by a retaining collar. Below the
fulcrum, the bar carries an adjustable collar h', to receive the pressure of a
coiled spring h², which surrounds the bar, and is confined between the collar
and the rocking fulcrum, for the purpose of putting an elastic pressure on the
pressing and feeding foot.-A pin projects from the collar h¹, to receive the upward
pressure of a hand lever H2, when it is required to lift the presser foot clear of the
work, or adjust the pressure of the spring h2, which latter is effected by changing
the position of the collar h¹ on the presser bar.-The bar H is embraced by a
gripping piece H³ (shown detached at Figures 8), which carries a pair of gripping
cheeks, shown detached at Figures 9.-The gripping cheek h³ is bevilled on
its outer side, the bevils meeting at the middle of its length, and the contact
surface of the gripping piece H³ is correspondingly bevilled, but at a greater
inclination from the vertical, to permit of the cheek rocking thereon.—Similarly,
the cheek is bevilled on its outer face, the inclines being shorter, and leaving a
plane between them; and the face of the gripper piece, which comes in contact
with the cheek, is correspondingly shaped, the proportions being slightly
different, to allow the cheek to have a short end way play.-This gripper piece is
cast with a transverse rebate, to receive a transverse pin h³, carried by the forked
end of a compound rocking lever H, and at its opposite end the gripping piece
carries a hooked projection for connecting with a tension spring ko, attached to the
front plate of the machine.This spring serves to hold down the gripping piece H³
in contact with an adjustable fixed stop H'-(see Fig. 5)-and as it acts in oppo-
sition to the compound lever H which imparts the feed notion, it also gives the
back motion to the, feed bar. The forked end of the compound lever H-(see
Figures 10), besides carrying the pin, which takes into the rebate in the
gripping piece, and acts as a lifting tooth, embraces the gripping piece at its
thickest part (where it is slightly rounded to allow of the prongs of the forked
piece moving readily over its surface), for the purpose of imparting a lateral motion
thereto, for feeding the work.-The forked piece is formed with a round stem which
euters a socket in the end of the rock lever H, and thus forms a coupling, which
transmits the compound movements of the rock lever fréely to the gripping piece,
and the feeding and pressing bar which it embraces. The compound lever is
mounted loosely on a pin carried by a swivel fork, which is fitted to the head A²-
This lever, at its tail end, carries a bowl, which enters the cam groove h³ of the
cam H³ on the cam shaft C, and also a bowl which lies in the path of a tappet h³
on the periphery of the cam H-By the rotation of this cam, the groove h
imparts a vertical rocking motion to the compound lever H+, and the tappet gives
to that lever a lateral oscillation.—Thus, the feed motion of the presser foot is
derived from the tappet 8, and its rise is effected by the cam groove h.-The
return motion of the feed bar is derived from the spring h³, which connects that
bar with a fixed point on the framing, and the adjustment of the length of stitch
is effected as usual.
The cheeks of the gripper, present flat surfaces to the presser bar, and they
are so proportioned, that the gripping piece which carries them, when perfectly
horizontal, leaves a free space for the presser bar to rise or fall. When, however,
the gripper is tipped in either direction, the cheeks will grip the bar, and either
lift it or depress it, according to the direction of movement of the compound rock
lever.

page_text: In order to une the machine with great speed it has been found desirable to
provide a special tension apparatus for the needle thread.-The thread, as it leaves
the box G³, passes through a fixed guide - (see Fig. 4), thence through the
ordinary pressure discs i¹, which are held together by a coiled spring and
adjusting nut, as usual. The thread next passes to a grooved roller carried by a
thread-regulating lever I, fulcrummed on a bracket bolted to the main framing.
This lever I receives a rocking motion from a cain I' on the cam shaft C.-The
grooved roller carried by this lever is situate immediately below the hollow centre
of the horn B, and receives from the friction discs the thread, which it guides up
and delivers to the looper g.-The thread, as it passes from the lever I, is led up
the hollow centre of the horn to a guide roller g' set immediately above it.-From
this roller, it passes into the vertical portion of the horn, and is led under a roller g
carried by the frame G₁; from this roller it passes up to a guide roller g³, mounted
at the upper part of the frame G', and near the bend of the horn, and from this
roller it passes to the eye of the looper.
In order to stop the supply of thread at the time that the stitch is being
tightened, I provide the following, contrivance: Situate beside the friction discs,
and capable of receiving a slight lateral motion, is a hinged arm I², secured to a
bracket, which also carries the thread guide and friction discs before mentioned.
This arm is shaped so as to surround the pressure spring of the discs, and leave it
free to act while the arm advances towards or moves from the outer discs.-13 is a
pressure spring, which causes the arm I² to put pressure on the discs, and thereby
to stop the delivery of thread.-The lever I is furnished with an incline or
projection, which stands in the plane of the arm I, when that is in action.-As,
therefore, the lever is raised, to follow the rise of the needle, and give it thread to
formi a new loop, this incline or projection will, so soon as the last stitch has been
tightened by the action of the shuttle, as will be hereafter explained, bring its
incline into contact with the arm 12, force it away from the friction discs, and
allow a further supply of thread to be drawn off by the shuttle.-So soon as this
has taken place, the lever I will retire, drawing down the needle thread from the
shuttle as the shuttle is passing out of the loop. In this return movement, the
lever I releases the arm 12, and allows it to renew its pressure on the discs, and
stop the further supply of needle thread.
I have said that the horn, in this machine, takes a new form. This new form I
am enabled to adopt, by reason of the simplified mechanisin employed for operating
the looper. Hitherto the horn has been inclined from its base upwards, to facilitate
the transference of the motion from below to the rotating or reciprocating looper,
but I now make it vertical, or nearly so, for the greater part of its length.-Con-
sequent on the use of the inclined forin, was the distortion, to a greater or less
extent, of the "lasted" boot, necessitating the re-modelling of the sewn boot after
its removal from the horn.-The advantage of my improvement will be best
appreciated by reference to Figures 4 and 4b, the former of which shows the result
of the strain to which the boot subjected in placing it on the horn, while the
latter shows that no distortion of the boot is necessary to bring it under the action
of the sewing mechanism.
My improved horn is open in front, below the cap, and thus allows not only of
any tacks or nails that may become loose, or driven out of the boot by the needle,
filling out of the machine, but offers free access to the looper for threading it up,
or for changing the same, when a different kind of work necessitates a change of
lyoper.
The looper for internal sewing I make tubular at its end, as shown at Figures 22,
and I employ therewith a cap of the form shown in these figures. For fair stitching,
I use the form of looper shown in Fig. 23, which has a chamfered end, and is
pierced with a thread hole that lies parallel with the looper stem.-With this
louper, I use a cap of the form shown in Figures 23. This change in the form of
the cap enables me to bring the needle close up to the "feather" of the boot, and

page_text: the change in the form of the looper prevents the free movement of the looper
being interfered with, when the position of the horn is changed with respect to
the hook of the needle.
Before explaining the operations of the machine, it may be well to state that
the hooked needle plays no part either in tightening the stitch or in supplying
fresh thread to the looper.-Its duty is simply to pierce the work, take up a fresh
loop, draw it through the work, and present it to the nose of the shuttle; in
doing this, it puts no friction upon the thread, but simply retains the lap of thread
which is to form the loop, in the exact position at which it is placed in the hook
by the looper. To prevent the thread sliding in the hook, as the needle ascends,
the thread-regulating lever I is so timed that it will follow the needle in its ascent,
and thereby give out the required amount of thread to enable the needle to move
without straining or putting friction on the thread.
I have said that the nose of the shuttle takes the loop from the needle; this it
does so soon as the needle has risen from the work a sufficient distance to present
the loop to the nose of the shuttle.-The timing of the rotation of the shuttle and
the rise of the needle is such, that the shuttle will pass under the point of the
needle, and rise up at the back of the needle, before the loop is released from the
needle hook. To provide for this release, and to prevent contact with the point of
the needle, the nose of the shuttle, on its inner surface, is channelled out, as
indicated at e', by dots, in Fig. 11. By this means, a space is cleared for the
point of the needle, which dips into the channel by reason of the shuttle rising
faster than the needle.-The loop now fairly on the nose of the shuttle, is lifted
clear of the hook of the needle, and the further rise of the needle takes it out of
the path of the shuttle, as the latter completes its rotation, to disengage itself from
the loop, and lay its waxed locking thread therein.
. In Figures 11 and 12, I have shown a small elastic piece e' attached to the heel
of the shuttle. This elastic piece is detachable, but it is found desirable to use it
whenever fine sewing is required, as it serves to retard the delivery of the loop
from the shuttle, and prevent the thread from being pierced by the descending
needle.
I will now describe the action of my improved machine, referring specially to
the motions of the operating parts during the formation of a stitch, which motions
are illustrated by a series of eight diagrains.
Diagram I shows in front elevation the rotary vertical shuttle mounted in its
holder, the nose of the horn for supporting the work, and the needle which is in its
lowest position.-The horn, being in section, shows the hook of the needle receiving
a lap of thread from the looper.-The shuttle driver pin f is at this time stationary,
and the previously formed loop is on the heel of the shuttle.
Diagram II shows, in front and side views, the same parts in the position taken
when the loop is just formed, and the nose of the shuttle about to enter the loop
brought up from below by the needle, the driver pin f. moving in the direction of
the arrow 3.
Diagram III shews, in side view, the loop lifted out of the hook of the needle by
the nose of the shuttle.
Diagram IV shows, in side and front elevations, the shuttle drawing on the
previous loop.
Diagram V shews, in front and side elevation, the shuttle pulling the last stitch
tight, and passing its locking thread through the loop of needle thread.
Diagram VI shews the locking thread passed through the needle thread loop.
Diagram VII shews the shuttle and driving pin in the position for the escape of
the loop of needle thread to the heel of the shuttle.
Diagram VIII shews in front and side views, the operating parts, the shuttle
having nearly completed its rotation, but still retaining the loop on the heel spring
extension, as in Diagram I.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The hooked needle d. descends, until
it.commences to pierce the work, holding it down on the nose of the horn B, and

page_text: at this instant, the presser foot h is raised, and is then taken back the length of
stitch, and again brought down onto the material, adjusting itself to the varying
thicknesses that may be presented to it.-The presser bar H, Fig. 5, is then
gripped and held fast.--During these movements of the pressing and feeding bar,
the hooked needle d. descends through the material, and the looper g. lays the
thread into the hook of the needle, as shewn at Diagram I. At this time, and
while the needle is rising through the work, the tension discs i', i¹ hold the needle
thread firmly between them. The thread to form the loop is supplied for the one
half by the rise of the thread-regulating lever I, and for the other half of the loop,
from the previous loop just escaped from the heel of the shuttle. By these means,
the thread has no movement in the hook of the needle. When the hooked needle
has risen sufficiently to clear the thickest material required to be sewn, the shuttle
begins to rotate in the direction of the arrow 3, and its movement is so timed, that
the point or nose of the shuttle enters the loop just beneath the point of hooked
needle, as shewn at Diagram II, the tip of the nose of the shuttle being in the
plane of the centre line of the needle. Both needle and shuttle continue their
movements until the channel e¹ in the nose of the shuttle is brought beneath the
point of needle, when the shuttle's movement is accelerated (the cam F' being
suitably cut for that purpose), and the movement of the hooked needle is retarded
by the peculiar cut of its cam D¹. This causes the point of the needle to enter the
hole in the nose of the shuttle, and allow the shuttle to continue its movement
clear of the needle point. The difference of speed of the nose of the shuttle and
the needle, causes the loop of needle thread to be lifted out of the hook of the
needle, as shewn at Diagram III. At this time, the flattened portion of the
shuttle-driver pin f. is presented to the shuttle, and space is thereby allowed for
the loop to pass the pin driver, as also shewn in Diagram III.
The further upward movement of the needle is accelerated, to keep the point of
the needle clear of the nose of the shuttle as it rotates (see Diagrams IV and V).
The shuttle continuing its movement, draws up the remainder of the thread
forming the previous loop on the one side (see the front view of Diagram IV),.
until the stitch is drawn tightly in (see Diagram V), the thread regulating lever
giving off the portion for the other side of the loop. The tension on the supply
thread, at this moment, is diminished by the removal of the pressure of the spring
lever on the tension discs, through the action of the thread regulating lever I, at.
the end of its upward motion (as explained with reference to Fig. 4).
The further movement of the shuttle will now draw up as much thread from the
ball as was used to make the previous stitch.-At this time, the loop of needle
thread is drawn upwards to its utmost limits over the centre of the shuttle, as
shewn at Diagram V, and its waxed thread is thereby laid in or through the loop.
The remaining half of the shuttle's rotation releases the loop of needle thread, the
thread regulating lever I drawing down the thread, as it is released by the shuttle,
until about half the loop remains above the work. The first portion of the down-
ward movement of the lever I. allows the pressure of the spring lever 12 to be
applied again to the tension discs.
The thread-regulating lever will now draw the loop towards the heel, as shewn
at Diagram VI. The further movement of the pin f. will cause it to present its
flattened surface to the heel of the shuttle, when the loop will pass the driving
pin; it being drawn past the pin by the pull of the thread-regulating lever, as
shewn at Diagram VII. As the nose or point of the shuttle, and its heel, are in
different vertical planes, the loop, in leaving the heel, will fall out of the line of
the needle, and thus the needle will be effectually prevented from descending
through its previous loop.
The feed of the work takes place after the loop has passed the driver pin, and
the act of feeding the work will slacken the loop, and facilitate its withdrawal
from the heel of the shuttle.
This movement is shown in Diagram VIII, the small spring e³ fitted to the heel
of the shuttle holds the loop of thread, and will, retain it until drawn off by the

page_text: needle at its next ascent, as shewn at Diagram II. The use of this spring e² will
both assist in preventing the needle from descending through the previous loop,
and from catching it as it rises, when very short stitches are being made.
In the foregoing specification, I have described my improve:nents as applie
only to that class of Boot sewing machines known as the Horn Machine; it should,
however, be remarked that my improved rotary shuttle and driver are equally
applicable to other kinds of Boot shewing machines, with the obvious advantages
(1) of giving ready access to the interior of the shuttle for the supply of thread
thereto; (2) of increasing the supply or charge of thread; (3) of facilitating the
removal of the shuttle from the machine; and (4) of preventing the blocking of
the shuttle in its race.
My improved means for operating the presser and feed bar is also applicable to
top-feed leather-sewing machines, other than those designated as Horn Machines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. The construction and arrangement of rotary shuttle, as described with
reference to Figures 1. 2. 11. 12 and 13, whereby the internal capacity of the
shuttle is inereased without increasing its sectional area; the shuttle acts as a loop
divider (its nuse rotating in the plane of motion of the needle), enters the loop, and
lifts it free of the needle, before the needle as completed its rise, tightens the
stitches as they are formed, draws up the requisite supply of thread from the ball,
and delivers the last-formed and now contracted loop, containing the locking
thread, out of the plane of motion of the needle.
2nd. The mode of mounting the rotary shuttle in the vertical circular race, as
and for the purpose described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
3rd. The form of shuttle-driving pin, as described, and the means for actuating
the same, as illustrated at Figures 1 and 17.
4th. The form of horn above described for carrying the work, and preventing
the distortion of the same, while presenting it to the action of the machine, and
the mechanism contained in the horn, for transmitting motion to the looper.
5th. The means above described for operating the presser and feel bar, and
providing for its vertical adjustment in its holder.
Dated this 1st day of October 1880.