Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN WILLIAM POST residing at No 147 East 15th Street, in the City, County
and State of New York in the United States of America, gentleman, 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:
This invention relates to that class of sewing machines, commonly known as
"chain-stitch" machines, and it has for its object the production of a sewing
machine so simple in construction as to adapt it to be sold at prices very far
below any first class machine in the world, and so perfect in its mechanical details
and efficient in its operation as to cause it to sew as well as any of the higher priced
sewing machines.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 show by an end and a side elevation respectively, the entire
machine, its operating mechanism on the work table being covered or enclosed
within the removable enclosing case. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the drawers or a
set of drawers detached. Fig. 3, is a plan view of the treadle showing the bearings
by means of which it is connected with the brace of the stand in section.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the stand brace having the treadle connected
therewith.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wire guard for the fly or balance wheel of the
machine.
.
Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the operating mechanism detached from
the table.
Fig. 7 is a top plan view thereof and Fig. 8 an end elevation, the table being
shown in section.
Figs. 9 and 10 are plan and edge views respectively of the upper tension plate,
and Figs. 11 and 12 are like views of the lower tension plate.
Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are detail views of the operating mechanism of the
machine.
Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the machine head a rock shaft instead of an
oscillating shaft being employed to reciprocate the needle bar and
Fig. 19 is a rear elevation of part of the overhanging arm showing the connection
of the rock shaft with the lower driven shaft that carries the hand wheel.
LD...

page_text: In order that my invention may be better understood, I will first describe the
construction of the stand and parts appertaining thereto and connected therewith
referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.
A, Figs. 1 and 2 indicates the stand of the machine to which is secured a table B,
that supports the operating mechanism. B' is a wooden case that may be made plain
or with full wooden panels or walls. I prefer to form openings b₁ of any desired
ornamental outline or configuration in the opposite sides or both the opposite sides
and ends the operating mechanism being protected from dust by panels of glass b²
that covers said openings. This feature renders the machine more attractive and the
mechanism thereof may be readily inspected without removing the cover or case B¹.
The table B may be constructed to support one or two sets of drawers as usual
and a folding or hinged extension combined therewith or not as desired. Under
some circumstances it may be found desirable to connect the drawer or drawers C
with the table B in such manner as to adapt said drawer or drawers to be readily.
disconnected therefrom. This I effect by forming a dovetailed groove o Figs. 1
and 20 in the drawer C, and secure to the table B, a dovetailed cleat b as shown
in Fig. 1 to adapt the drawers to slide on or off said cleat. It is obvious that this
arrangement may be reversed and the cleat provided with a dovetailed groove and
the upper part of the drawer dovetailed or any other suitable connection may be
adopted whereby the desired result is obtained. When the drawers are detachably
secured to the table B of the machine the latter may be readily shown with or
without drawers and sold according to the selection of the purchaser, while if
purchased with the drawers, the purchaser has the means of removing the same at
any time, which is a very convenient feature. A further advantage resulting from
this construction is that all danger of accident to or breakage of the drawers in
packing or shipment is avoided as such drawers may be packed and shipped
separately if desired. The invention having for its object the production of a
machine sufficiently simple in construction to be sold at prices for which toy
machines are usually sold this feature of making the drawers detachable, materially
facilitates their connection with the table B and reduces the labor connected
therewith.
A, Figs. 1 and 2, the stand proper composed of the legs a, a braced together
in any desired manner by suitable cross braces in which are formed bearings for
the treadle bar and for the shaft, w, of the driving wheel W as usual.
To further sin plify the construction of this part of the machine, namely the
stand; to facilitate the assemblage of its parts; to save labor and expense and at
the same time render the operation of the treadle more easy, provide means for
taking up or compensating for the wear of the treadle bearings and finally,
producing a cheap, strong and durable stand, I construct the same as follows:-
In the cross braces a¹, of the legs, a, is formed an opening or bearing for the
adjusting screw of the treadle bar F¹, similar bearings being formed in the lower
end, e, of the arms, e, e, of a brace E, that connects the legs, a, a, together. The
bearings or openings in the lower end, e¹, of the arms e, of brace E, are screw
threaded interiorly to receive the correspondingly threaded and pointed or conical
bearing screws e², e². In the outer ends of the treadle bar F¹, is formed a conical
socket f, for the reception of the conical point of the screws, e³, which latter pass
freely through the holes formed in the brace at of the legs a, and f is a check nut
by means of which the screws, e, are held against rotation and the legs a are held
against the brace E.
Should the bearings for the treadle become worn by use, to compensate for such
wear it will only be necessary to loosen one of the check nuts f, rotate the screws e³
in the proper direction the required distance and then again tighten the check-nut.
By means of this simple arrangement the screws e₁ are made to serve the double
purpose of bearings for the treadle bar F¹, and of a bolt or screw to hold the lower
end of the legs a, together.
The upper end of the brace E, has a cross bar es that connects the arms e. c. of
said brace together at their upper end said cross bar being preferably made integral

page_text: with the brace arms and has screw threaded openings by means of which it is
bolted to the legs by an ordinary machine screw, or said cross bar or brace e³ may
have trunnions or projectious which are screw threaded and pass through suitable
openings in the legs a, or a cross brace thereof and are secured thereto by means
of a suitable nut. To further strengthen the stand a like cross bar e' connects the
lower ends el e¹ of the arms ec. of the brace E together said bar being cast with or
forming an integral part of said arms and takes the place of the usual connecting
rod, on which the treadle is hung:
In sewing machines of usual construction in which the driving wheel is applied
inside the legs of the stand it has been customary to employ a shield or guard of
cast iron either formed integral with the legs or secured thereto to protect the
operator from contact with or injury by said wheel. Such a guard renlers the
stand very heavy and adds to the expense thereof. To obviate these disadvantages
I employ a guard made of a piece of stout wire G shown detached in Fig. 5 and in
Fig. 2 applied to the wheel and stand. The wire is bent to an arc of a circle
corresponding with the periphery of the driving wheel W and has arms g, g, that are
perforated for the passage of a pin or bolt by means of which it may be riveted or
screwed to the legs a. of stand A, over the wheel.
Having now described the construction of the stand for the machine and the
cover and fly wheel guard I will now proceed to describe the improvements made
in the operating mechanism itself referring more particularly to Figs. 6 to 19,
inclusive.
His the bed plate of the machine to which is secured or on which is formed the
overhanging arm I extending from its standard I, and having a head I³. On the
bed plate H are formed small lugs h, h1, h2, the latter constituting the bearings for
the driving shaft K.
To the latter shaft is secured a fly wheel K¹ that is provided with a belt
pulley for belting the same to the driving wheel W as usual. In front of the
belt pulley is formed an eccentric k from which the needle bar is operated as
hereinafter described. To simplify and cheapen the construction of the machine,
I prefer to form the fly wheel K₁, the belt pulley and eccentric ³, of one piece
with the driving shaft K. At the forward end of the driving shaft K is formed an
eccentric boss k for operating the feed bar L, which carries a feed dog L¹ of
ordinary construction. The eccentric boss k, works in a slot in said feed bar in a
well known manner and causes the same to be reciprocated in opposition to a coiled
spring arranged in a recess in said bar and bearing against the pin l' on which the
latter is pivoted. The throw of the feed bar is regulated by an adjusting lever 1,
Fig. 8 pivoted to the bracket ³ forming part of bearing h3 for shaft, K to which
bracket the pivot pin of the feed bar is also secured. The lever has an
eccentric I that bears against a beveled or inclined surface I* on the forward end
or front face of the feed bar L. To compensate for wear at the pivotal point or
bearings of the feed bar the latter is split for some distance in front of the slot in
which lies the pivot pin a set screw 3 passing through the split portion by means
of which screw the degree of force with which the jaws so formed bear upon said
pivot pin is regulated, as plainly shown in Fig. 8.
The forward end of the driving shaft is socketed and in said socket is secured in
a well known manner the shank of a rotary chain stitch looper I', Figs. 6 and 8.
In the head I of the overhanging arm I are formed vertical bearings for the
needle bar N (that carries the usual eye pointed needle n) and the presser bar M
carrying a presser foot m, of suitable or ordinary construction, said presser foot
being yieldingly held upon the work by a coiled spring m' encircling the presser
bar which latter may be lifted from the work by means of an eccentric lifting
lever O. One end of the coiled spring in that acts on the presser bar M, bears on
the underside of the head 12 of the overhanging arm I while its other end bears on
a pointed screw m² that passes through the presser bar M, the pointed end of which
screw projects into a vertical guide groove i formed in the side of said head I².
This screw serves three purposes-Firstly, to guide the presser bar properly and

page_text: prevent it from turning in its bearings. Secondly, as a means for lifting the presser
bar, (the eccentric head o. of lever O impinging on said screw) and Thirdly, as a
means for compensating the wear of the presser bar in its bearings or for taking up
lost motion which may be readily done by turning the screw inore or less to the
right as may be found necessary.
The needle thread is kept at the desired tension by means of a tension device of
very simple construction. Referring to Figs. 6, 8, 9 10, 11, 12 and 13,-P is the
upper tension-plate having a central perforation p. and lugs or ears, 21 22² the
former pl projecting from one edge of the plate in one direction and the latter på
from the opposite edge in a reverse direction as more plainly shown in Figs. 9.
and 10.
The lower tension plate P¹ is precisely like the upper plate except that it has
no ears or lugs and when said plates are in position for use, the lugs or ears p¹, p³
are turned down over the lower tension plate P', as more plainly shown in Figs. 11
and 12, and also in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 13. As shown in the latter figure, the head [2
of overhanging arm I, has a socket i, in which is screwed an adjusting screw Q
encircled by a coiled spring q. One end of the coiled spring q. bears against the
annular shoulder i formed by the screw threaded contracted portion of the
socket in which the adjusting screw works and the outer end of said spring q. bears
on the underside of the lower tension plate P¹, through which and the upper tension
plate P, said screw passes.
It will be seen that the coiled spring, q, presses the lower tension plate with an
yielding pressure to the upper tension plate and that said pressure may be adjusted
at will by manipulation of the screw.
The lugs pp on the upper tension plate P not only serve the purpose of
guiding the lower plate P¹, and hold it against rotation; but said lugs also serve as
guides for the needle thread.
Near the lower end of the needle har is a thread check R which is constructed as
follows; referring more particularly to Fig. 14, in the lower end of the head I³, is
an opening in which is fitted a hollow pin r. that has a notch r¹ in its head which
notched head projects slightly from the head 12. In the pin is a plunger or
piston the rod of which is encircled by a coiled spring. The plunger is made
shorter than the hollow or tubular portion of the pin r, with which tubular portion
the notch r¹ communicates and the open end of the pin is screw threaded interiorly
to receive an adjusting screw. The spring bears on the adjusting screw and
on the rear face of the head of the plunger 2 thus forcing the plunger against the
inner face of the head of the pin r. and when the needle thread is passed between
said head and plunger the check nut acts as a checking device for said thread.
The machine is threaded as follows.
The thread from the spool S, is carried between the tension plates P and P¹ in
front of the rear lug p¹, thence under and in front of the forward lug p² over the
wire loop T attached to one side of the needle bar near its upper end, thence down
to the thread check R, from the latter over a notch and through a curl or wire
guide T¹ attached to the needle bar at its lower end and finally to the needle eye
as more plainly shown in Fig. 6.
It will be seen that the threading of the machine is done in a very simple manner
in fact by means of the described devices, the machine can be more readily threaded
than any other machine known to me. The wire loop T not only serves as a
thread guide but also as a take up to take up the slack in the needle thread.
The needle bar N is operated by means of an oscillating lever V, connected to the
eccentric of driving shaft K through a connecting rod V1. The parts referred to
are constructed so that any lost motion may be readily taken up. The oscillating
lever V has a tapering or conical pivot v formed integral therewith, that is seated
in a corresponding opening formed in the upper end of the standard 1'. The pin v
is slightly shorter than its bearing or seat and an adjusting screw is fitted in its
tapering end the head of which screw bears on the squared upper end of the vertical
arm I as shown in Fig. 7.

page_text: Should the parts become worn and work loose, it will be only necessary to tighten
up the screw v', thereby forcing the tapering or conical pivot v further into its seat
or bearing as will be readily understood. The described construction is a very con-
venient one for taking up the wear of the parts referred to, but it is well known
that screws often vary in diameter, and if a screw were employed that works loosely
in the end of the pivot pin v. there is danger that after adjusting the same in taking
up the wear such screw will work loose under the influence of the oscillatory
movement of the pivot bearing and the frictional contact between the head of the
screw and the head of the vertical arm 11. To obviate this I form an axial
opening in the pivot pin v. for the reception of a locking or set screw V2, which
when the set screw v² is adjusted is made to bear against the end thereof, and hold
it against accidental rotation, as plainly shown in Fig. 17. The lever V has its
outer end forked and is split in rear of the forked portion, as shown in Fig. 6 a
set screw passing through the latter portion to more or less close the fork upon
a headed stud or piu n¹ (that connects the needle bar N) when the parts become
worn. Instead of connecting the lever V to the needle bar N, as described, said
lever may be connected thereto as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a collar N', having a
stud n formed integral therewith is fitted to the said needle bar, and is made
adjustable thereon, vertically by means of the set screw n³ the forked end of the
lever V embracing the stud n' and is held thereon by a screw nt. In this manner,
I provide two bearings to hold the bar N, from turning and means to adjust the
needle bar and regulate the amplitude of its movements relatively to the looper.
The connecting rod V1, terminates at both ends in a collar and v6 respectively
and is also split in rear of said collars, set screws v² and 28 passing through said split
portions for purposes of taking up the wear of the parts. The collar connects
the rod to the oscillating lever V, and the collar ve embraces the eccentric on
driving-shaft K. Instead of an oscillating shaft, a rock shaft Y may be employed
that passes through the overhanging arm I, and its head 12, and is connected at one
end by means of a crank y. to the connecting rod VI, and at the other end to a like
crank or eccentric y' and a connecting rod y² to the needle bar M as shown in
Figs. 18 and 19.
If it is desired to drive the machine by hand, a driving pulley X (indicated by
dotted lines in Fig. 7) provided with a handle may be secured to the socketed pro-
jecting boss 13, of the standard 1', of the overhanging arm I which driving pulley X
is loosely mounted on a pin or bolt x. adapted to be screwed into the socketed
projection 13 of standard I.
The stitch produced by the machine is the chain stitch, and the said stitch is
produced in a manner substantially the same as in the well-known Willcox and
Gibbs chain stitch machine and will therefore be readily understood by those skilled
in the art without further description.
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
1. In a sewing machine, a stand having detachable drawers as set forth.
2. In a sewing machine, the combination with the stand, and the operating
mechanism supported therefrom, of a cover or casing having transparent panels
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination with the legs of the stand having per-
forated bearings and the brace E detachably secured to the upper ends of the said
legs and having screw threaded bearings at lower ends, of the treadle and treadle
bar and the bearing screws f. and check and adjusting nuts f¹ said parts being
arranged for operation as described for the purpose specified.
4. In a sewing machine, the combination with the drive wheel and the stand, of
the guard G composed of a piece of wire screwed or riveted to the stand for the
purposes specified.

page_text: 5. In a sewing machine, the combination with the overhanging arm having a
tapering bearing, of a needle operating lever having a tapering fulcrum stud slightly
shorter than the said tapering bearing and means for adjusting and securing the
said fulcrum stud in its bearing for the purposes specified.
6. In a sewing machine the combination with the needle bar, of an operating
lever connected thereto and adjustable vertically thereon, and means for com-
pensating for the wear of the operating surfaces of the connection substantially as
described.
7. In a sewing machine, the combination with the lower driving shaft, of a feed
bar mounted on and operated from said shaft and means for taking up the wear of
the operating surfaces of said parts substantially as described.
8. In a sewing machine, the combination with the head of the overhanging arm
having a groove the presser bar and its coiled spring m¹ of a pointed or conical
screw projecting into said groove 12 and forming one of the bearings for the coiled
spring as described for the purpose specified.
9. In a sewing machine, the combination with the head, of the overhanging arm
having a groove the presser bar its coiled spring, and a pointed screw m² pro-
jecting into said groove 2 of the lifting lever O substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
10. In a sewing machine, a tension mechanism arranged on the head of the
machine, and consisting of the plates P and P¹, the screw Q, and spring, q, said
parts being constructed for operation substantially as and for the purpose specified:
11. In a sewing machine, the combination with the needle bar, and needle of a
thread check R consisting of a notched tubular pin or stud r. a spring actuated
plunger and a set screw 7 arranged for operation substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
12. In a sewing machine, the combination with the overhanging arm, the needle
bar having thread guide T and guide or curl T, and the needle of the tension
devices P P Q, and the thread check R; substantially as and for the purpose
specified.