IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Brookes, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent and Registration Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Pierre Debuc, of
Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturing Saddler.
Sealed the 1st September 1876, and dated the 6th March 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Brookes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1876.
A com-
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
and Registration Agent. " IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES."
munication from abroad by Pierre Debue, of Brussels, in the Kindom of Belgium,
Manufacturing Saddler.
This Invention as communicated to me relates to improvements in the con-
struction and arrangement of sewing machines, and they are specially applicable to
machines used for sewing or stitching leather for saddlers, carriage builders, boot
and shoe makers, and for making leather straps or bands used in machinery, and for
other like purposes.
The said machines may be made of various sizes to suit the purposes for which
they are intended.
The Invention consists, firstly, in an improved feed lever for carrying forward
the leather to the needle. A curved lever, one end of which is jointed to the frame
beneath the operating level, receives suitable motion from a cam acting upon
its other end. Between the two ends of the said lever is an arm projecting upwards
to the operating level, and formed at its upper end so as to grip firmly one or more
sharp pointed steel pins. By the action of the cam herein-before referred to the pin or
pins upon the said projecting arm is or are made to pierce partially the leather and
carry it forward the length of one stitch to beneath the needle, and the parts are so
adjusted that the hole partially formed by the said pin underneath the leather is
brought exactly under the needle. By this means the appearance of the leather is
not impaired and the action of the needle is facilitated. The length of each stitch
is regulated by a rectangular forked plate of metal which is placed behind the feed
lever, and which plate varies in size with the length of stitch required.
The Invention consists, secondly, in means for tightening the thread after the
needle has entered the leather. A lever is jointed by one end to the frame behind
Price 1

page_text: the necrlle bar. To the upper end of the said lever is jointed a cross bar, one arm
of which is held down by a spring, whilst its other arm is provided with a roller.
By the action of a suitable cam the end of the said cross bar, when the needle has
entered the leather, moves under the lever, holding the thread and lifts it up, thus
tightening the thread and the stitch.
The Invention consists, thirdly, of an improved slotted cam piece for transmitting
motion to the needle bar. The slot in such cam piece being of an elongated
shape with rounded ends. The effect is that the needle in its descent is kept
free of the shuttle, and is only driven home when the shuttle is out of the
way.
The Invention consists, fourthly, of an improved shuttle in which the thread may
be placed without being on an ordinary pirn or cop, the thread being wound off
through a hole in the middle so as to have always the same tension. In the sido
of the shuttle is formed a slot or opening in which engages the end of a lever
operated by a suitable cam; when the shuttle has accomplished its stroke, the said
lever engages in the said slot or opening, drawing forward the said shuttle so as to
give space for the free passage of the thread.
In order to guide the leather operated on a guide ruler is used on each side of
the leather. Each of the said guide rulers consists of a bar or plate, the ends of
which are turned downwards. One end takes into a groove in the table, the other
end projects downwards over the end of the table, where by means of a set screw it
is fixed in position; a second guide rule is fitted to the first, projecting laterally
therefrom, and regulated by a set screw so as to be readily adjusted to the width of
leather operated on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Brookes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
September 1876.
WILLIAM BROOKES, of 62, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
and Registration Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES." A com-
munication from abroad by Pierre Debue, of Brussels, in the Kingdom of Belgium,
Manufacturing Saddler.
This Invention as communicated to me relates to improvements in the con-
struction and arrangement of sewing machines, and they are specially applicable to
machines used for sewing or stitching leather for saddlers, carriage builders, boot
and shoe makers, and for making leather straps or bands used in machinery, and for
other like purposes.
The said machines may be made of various sizes to suit the purposes for which
they are intended.
The Invention consists, firstly, in an improved feed lever for carrying forward
the leather to the needle. A curved lever, one end of which is jointed to the frame
beneath the operating level, receives suitable motion from a cam acting upon its
other end. Between the two ends of the said lever is an arm projecting upwards
to the operating level, and formed at its upper end so as to grip firmly one or more
sharp pointed steel pins. By the action of the cam herein-before referred to, the
pin or pins upon the said projecting arm is or are made to pierco partially tho
leather and carry it forward the length of one stitch to beneath the needle, and the
parts are so adjusted that the hole partially formed by the said pin underneath
the leather is brought exactly under the needle. By this means the appearance of
the leather is not impaired and the action of the needle is facilitated. The length
of each stitch is regulated by a rectangular forked plate of metal which is placed
behind the feed lever, and which plate varies in size with the length of stitch
required.

page_text: The Invention consists, secondly, in means for tightening the thread after the
needle has entered the leather. lever is jointed by one end to the frame behind
the needle bar. To the upper end of the said lever is jointed a cross bar, one arm
of which is held down by a spring, whilst its other arm is provided with a roller.
By the action of a suitable cam the end of the said cross bar, when the needle has
entered the leather, moves under the lever holding the thread and lifts it up, thus
tightening the thread and the stitch.
The Invention consists, thirdly, of an improved slotted cam piece for transmitting
motion to the needle bar. The slot in such cam piece being of an elongated
shape with rounded ends. The effect is that the needle in its descent is kept
free of the shuttle, and is only driven home when the shuttle is out of the
way.
The Invention consists, fourthly, of an improved shuttle in which the thread may
be placed without being on an ordinary pirn or cop, the thread being wound off
through a hole in the middle so as to have always the same tension. In the side of
the shuttle is formed a slot or opening in which engages the end of a lever operated
by a suitable cam; when the shuttle has accomplished its stroke the said lever
engages in the said slot or opening, drawing forward the said shuttle so as to give
space for the free passage of the thread.
In order to guide the leather operated on a guide ruler is used on each side of
the leather. Each of the said guide rulers consists of a bar or plate, the ends of
which are turned downwards. One end takes into a groove in the table, the other
end projects downwards over the end of the table, where by means of a set screw it
is fixed in position. A second guide rule is fitted to the first, projecting laterally
therefrom, and regulated by a set screw so as to be readily adjusted to the width of
leather operated on.
Having explained the nature of this Invention I will proceed to describe with
reference to the accompanying Drawings means pursued in carrying the same into
effect.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a sewing machine constructed according
to this Invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the same. The same letters of
reference are used to indicate like parts where they occur in Figures 1 and 2.
, a, is the frame; b, b, are crank handles which through suitable toothed gearing
c, c, c, give motion to the acting parts of the machine; d is the Hy wheel; e, the
bobbin holding the thread; f is the presser foot; and o is the needle.
The improved arrangement of parts for feeding the leather to the needle is
represented separately in perspective at Figure 3. A is a sharp pointed steel pin
which traverses a block B on which it is fixed in position, so as to projeet slightly
above the said block by a screw B¹. To the said block B is attached an arm B²,
the lower end of which arm B is supported in a slide E formed to receive it upon
the curved lever E. One end of the said lever E₁ is supported by and is capable
of sliding in a bracket E affixed to the side of the frame a (Figure 1) at a¹. The
other end of the said lever E' rests against the inclined surface of the projecting
foot m¹ of a block or box m mounted and capable of sliding upon a bracket H
affixed to the frame of the machine; F is an excentric or cam, which acting upon
the lever E' at the proper times causes the said lever E' and the block B and pin A
to rise; G is a cam or excentric, which in its rotation pushes forward the foot m'
and with it the lever E', block B, and pin A; C is a spiral spring which gives the
return motion to the parts, such return notion being limited, and the length of each
stitch regulated by a forked plate represented in Figure 7, which forked plate is
placed astride upon the part H¹ of the bracket H so as to arrest the backward
motion of the block m as required.
The action of the said apparatus is as follows:-The leather being placed upon
the table of the machine, and the machine being set in motion the cam or eccentric F
forces up the lever E' and block B, and the pin A penetrates the leather, the cam or
excentric G then acting on the foot m¹ pushes forward the block B and pin A the
length of one stitch. The lever E¹ then falls to its first position and the spring Q

page_text: draws back the block B and pin A the required distance, and the operation is
renewed.
The second part of the Invention consisting in apparatus for tightening the thread
after the needle has penetrated into the leather operated on is represented in
Figures 1, 2, and 4 of the accompanying Drawings, a lever L shown separately in
front elevation at Figure 4 is jointed at L¹ to the frame behind the needle bar.
To the upper end of the said lever L is jointed a cross bar J, one end of which is
held down by one or more springs I, whilst its other end is provided with a
roller I. The end L² of the lever L is acted upon by an eccentric or cam M,
Figure 2; K is a lever jointed to a bracket K¹, one end of the said lever K is held
down by a spring K2, whilst its other end has formed in it a hole traversed by the
thread in its passage from the bobbin e to the eye of the needle O. When the
needle has moved downwards and has penetrated into the leather the cam or
eccentric M, Figure 2, acting on the end L2 of the lever L causes the said lever to
move partially round its centre, and the roller I¹ of the cross bar J to move under
the lever K and to lift it up and draw the thread tight. When the needle has
traversed the leather the cam or eccentric M releases the lever L which becomes
disengaged from the lever K, and the said lever K releases the thread, allowing a
Joop to be formed for the passage of the shuttle.
The third part of this Invention is illustrated in Figure 5 of the Drawings which
is a separate front view of the needle bar of the machine. Motion is given to the
said needle bar by means of the slotted cam pieco N affixed upon the said needle
bar. From the peculiar shape of the slot in the said cam piece the needle in its
descent is kept free of the shuttle, and is only driven home when the shuttle has
passed. By this means the frequent breakage of the needle from its striking
against the shuttle is avoided, and the thread being prevented from rubbing
against the shuttle is less liable to wear; O¹ is a needle carrier which allows of the
needle being fixed higher or lower to suit the thickness of the Icather.
Figure 6 is a detached view of a spring used for tightening the presser foot.
The said spring consists of four steel plates placed one above the other.
With reference to the forked regulating plate herein-before described and
illustrated in Figure 7, it must be remarked that the said plates vary in thickness
to suit the length of stitch required, and they may be marked by numbers corre-
sponding to the number of stitches per inch, thus Nos. 8, 10, 12, &c., would indicate
the sizes required for 8, 10, or 12 stitches per inch.
Figure 9 is a detached view illustrating the fourth part of the Invention.
S, T, are two cams or eccentrics, the cam or eccentric S, by acting upon the lever S¹,
maintains the needle in its place when the shuttle is to pass in order to prevent
the shuttle from touching the needle. The second cam or eccentric T by means of
levers Tactuates the lever T, which when the shuttle U has accomplished its
stroke engages in a slot or opening in the shuttle U and draws it forward so as to
leave space for the passage of the thread, and also to tighten the stitch. The thread
from the shuttle is given off through a hole in the middle of the said shuttle so as
always to have the same tension.
Figure 9a shows a slight modification in which two pistons V are employed
provided with a spring for keeping the shuttle in its position; and X, X, are two
screw bolts to regulate the opening in the driver.
The leather operated upon is guided by two rulers, one on each side; one of the
said rulers is represented in Figure 8. Each of the said rulers is fixed to the table
by means of a set screw P, on one side of the table and the other end takes into a
groove Q, Figuro 2, made in the table; R is a spring attached to the ruler for the
purpose of raising it from the table should there be any irregularity in the
preparation of the leather, so that the stitching may be effected always with the
same regularity of pressure.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and means pursued
in carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details herein-before described and illustrated in the accom-

page_text: panying Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
the said Invention; but I claim as the said Invention of improvements in sewing
nachines,
Firstly. The combination, adaptation, and arrangement of parts of apparatus for
feeding the leather to the needle, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings; also the forked plate for
regulating the lengths of the stitches, essentially as herein-before described and
illustrated in Figure 7 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The combination, adaptation, and arrangements of parts of apparatus
for tightening the thread after the needle has penetrated into the leather, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 4 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The slotted cam N, Figure 5, for giving motion to the needle bar,
substantially as described and represented.
Fourthly. The combination and arrangement of parts for maintaining the needle
in its place when the shuttle is to pass, and for drawing forward the shuttle when it
has accomplished its stroke, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
in Figures 9 and 9a of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifthly. The guide rulers for guiding the leather which is being operated on,
constructed and arranged substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in
Figure S of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Brookes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM BROOKES. (L.S.)