An Improved Attachment for Sewing Machines for Uniting and Stitching Fabrics.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 29th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Attachment for Sewing Machines for Uniting and
Stitching Fabrics.
We WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON TRACY, Mechanic, of 3229 Sixth Avenue,
Troy in the County of Rensselaer, State of New York, JEREMIAH ANDERSON
SCRIVEN, Manufacturer, of 67 West 96th Street in the City County and State of
New York and RINALDO CHARLES TOUSEY, Manufacturer, of Long Hill in the
County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, both in the United States of America
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification wherein
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a sewing machine provided with our
improvement;
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same, partly in horizontal section through
the stem of the presser-foot;
Figure 3 is a side view of the same;
Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the divided or split plate used on the
machine; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the deflector used on the presser-foot of the
machine;
Figure 6 is a top view of the machine when provided with a modified form of
plate for turning the edges of the fabrics to be united ;
Figure 7 represents a bottom view of the plate shown in Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a top view of another modification of the invention, so far as the
plate is concerned, showing it adapted for turning a hem on a single fabric ;
Figure 9 is a vertical cross-section on the line 9-9, Figure 6; and
Figure 10 a similar section on the line 10-10, Figure 8;
Figure 11 is an inner edge view of the turning plate for making the hem which
is shown in the lower part of Figure 8;
Figure 12 is a partial front view of the machine, the same as Figure 1; showing,
however, the split plate in section ;
Figure 13 is a detail horizontal section on the line 13-13, Figure 1;
Figure 14 is a perspective view of a modified form of presser-foot employed in
our machine;
Figure 15 a detail horizontal section on the line 15-15, Figure 14;
Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the form assumed by the fabrics that
are fed into the split plate of the character shown in Figures 1 and 4;.
Figure 17 is a vertical cross-section through the fabrics while vertically placed
against one another, the section being taken on the line 17-17, Figure 16,
Figure 17 also showing the adjoining parts in section;
Figure 18 represents a similar section of the fabrics and adjoining parts where
the abutting edges of the fabrics assume a substantially horizontal position, the
line 18-18, Figure 16, indicating the plane of section;
Figure 19 is an enlarged cross-section showing the folding of two fabrics to be
stitched on the plates represented in Figure 6, the section being also taken on
line 9-9, Figure 6;
Figure 20 represents a sectional view of the two fabrics shaped according to
Figure 19 after said fabrics have been stitched together;

page_text: Figure 21 is a cross-section on the line 10-10, Figure 8, showing the manner of
folding a single fabric for hemming it;
Figure 22 represents the fabric so folded after being stitched;
Figure 23 represents the same fabric after being unfolded, but stitched;
Figure 24 is a top view of an attachment which may be used in connection with
the hem-folding contrivance which is represented in Figure 8; and
Figure 25 is a detail perspective view of the attachment shown in Figure 24.
This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines whereby two fabrics
may be fed in and stitched together while lying edge to edge, as in the upper part
of Figure 16, and wherein also two fabrics may be stitched together one on top of
the other, each provided with a fold before being stitched, as represented in
Figure 19, and whereby a single fabric may have a hem turned onto it and have
that hem stitched, as in Figure 23. In order to accomplish all these different
functions with the aid of a single machine, our invention mainly consists in the
employment of a divided or split plate, being the plate on which the fabric is fed
towards the presser-foot and needle. By means of the split in the plate we are
enabled to introduce the fabric or fabrics to a greater or less extent at first in a
vertical position, and afterwards to get the fabric or fabrics into a horizontal
position; and we are also enabled by the use of this split plate to employ a cutter
or knife by means of which superfluous portions of the fabrics can be detached from
the parts to be stitched before they reach the needle and the presser-foot; the
same arrangement allowing us also to employ a double feed, namely, one which
engages the vertical part of the fabric under the slit of the plate, and another the
usual reciprocating feed under the presser-foot.
We
Our invention consists of the various arrangements and combinations of parts
that will be hereinafter more fully specified and that are pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter A represents the framing of
a suitable sewing machine, the illustration indicating a Singer sewing machine;
but any other kind may be employed in connection with our improvements.
desire to have it stated right here that nothing in this invention has reference to
the mechanism employed for moving the needle, the presser-foot, the feed, or the
shuttle all these parts may be of well-known or suitable construction. B is the
needle moving up and down in the usual manner. C is the presser-foot, which can
be raised and lowered in the usual manner. D is the usual reciprocating feed
located under the presser-foot C and operating back and forwards during the
action of the machine in the well-known manner.
:
We
Forward of the presser-foot and needle extends what we call the divided or split
plate, which is constructed of two separate parts E, F, both these parts being
plates, as indicated more clearly in Figure 4, which can be screwed upon the frame
of the machine, and which leave a narrow slit a between them for purposes to be
hereinafter more clearly described. Each part of the divided plate E F, when
looked at from the side (see Figure 3), will be found to be bulging, that
is to say, to be lower where it approaches the feed D and presser-foot C
than near the front end of the machine. This is for the purpose of
enabling the vertical parts of the fabric to be reached by the cutter.
have marked the raised portion of the bulging and split plate E F with the
letter b. Beneath this elevated portion of the split plate E F, we have arranged
a vertical feed composed of two grip-rollers d, e, to which intermittent rotary.
motion is imparted by a suitable pawli (Figure 13) engaging a ratchet-wheel
which is on the arbor of one of the feed-wheels e, said pawl being carried by an
arm connecting with the rod k moving the shuttle of the machine, or with any
other of the movable parts of the mechanism. We do not want to limit ourselves
to the special mechanism for moving the ratchet-wheel f, for the reason that any
skilled mechanic will be able to connect any of the moving parts of the machine
with the ratchet-wheel so as to give it intermittent rotary motion. Of course the
ratchet is provided with a detent g, which prevents the feed-rollers de turning
backwards. The shafts of the feed-rollers de are geared together as shown at h so

page_text: [t
that as one is turned in one direction, the other turns in the opposite direction.
will be observed from an inspection of Figure 1 that the space between the two
feed-rollers de is exactly below the slit a of the plate E F, thereby enabling these
feed-rollers to feed a fabric whose vertical parts are suspended between them
forward through the slit of the plate E F. Close below these feed-rollers de we
have placed a knife G, whose object it is to detach any superfluous fabric which
may be suspended from below said feed-rollers. This knife G moves, shear-like,
over a stationary blade m (see Figure 12) and is oscillated around its pivotal
connection n (Figure 8) with the frame of the machine by a rod o, which may be
the same rod that imparts the usual motion to the ordinary feed D, or which may
be any other moving part of the mechanism. Directly beneath these shear
cutters Gm the shafts of the vertical feed-rollers de carry secondary feed-
rollers d² ² whose object it is to feed the detached portions of fabric, or scrap, that
are cut off by the knife G away into a shute H (Figure 3), whence they issue at
the side or bottom of the machine, as may be preferred.
As far as this machine has now been described, and assuming the split plate E F
to be plain, as in Figure 12, we are now able to describe its operation. We desire
with the machine thus constituted to stitch two fabrics, that are abutting one
against the other edge to edge, together, as in the upper part of Figure 16. To
this end we first introduce sufficient of the fabrics vertically between the feed-
rollers de and scrap-feeds de into the slit a of the plate E F. At the point
where the feed de engages these vertical portions of the fabrics, the plate E F is
higher than anywhere else, having the bulge or raised portion b, and from that
point on it gradually lowers towards the feed D. As the vertical parts of the
fabric are gripped by the rollers d e, the cutter G detaches therefrom all that
portion which is not needed or which is in excess of the desired length; the scrap-
feed de carrying the scrap off to the shute H. Figure 16 shows the scrap at p as
it is being detached from the vertical portions of the adjoining fabrics, which are
represented by the letters I and J. As the fabric, being now fed forward by the
rollers de, gradually emerges above the descending plate E F, it is folded_flat
upon said plate, one fabric on one part E, the other fabric on the other part F of
the split plate. For the purpose of laying the fabric gradually flat upon the
plate E F, the presser-foot C is used and when the fabric has considerable width,
and for obtaining the best results, we prefer to attach to the free end of the
presser-foot a deflector L, which assists in laying the fabric gradually in the
desired manner, until finally it rests flat upon the plate E F and enters beneath
the flat or substantially flat lower side of the main presser-foot C. Figure 5
represents a perspective view of this deflector L, showing that its contact surface
is V-shaped so as to bring about the gradual laying of the fabric. This is also
indicated in Figure 17, whereas Figure 18 shows the fabric fully flattened under
the main presser-foot C. It follows that beneath the presser-foot C the two
fabrics I and J abut edge to edge, and in this position they are stitched together
by a sort of zigzag stitch, which is produced on the Singer mechanism or on
analogous mechanism by lateral play of the needle, well-known, which mechanism
for producing the zigzag stitch we do not deem it necessary here further to describe.
But we do believe that prior to this invention any one has ever been able to feed
into one machine two pieces of fabric and to automatically have the same laid
edge to edge so that they may be united by a zigzag stitch.
In order to keep the two edges of these fabrics I J quite close together and in
absolute contact, we prefer to employ a divided presser-foot such as is represented in
Figure 14; that is to say, to provide the presser-foot C with a movable portion C
which is carried on a shank that is pivoted to the main shanks of the main
presser-foot, the needle-bar M having a cam-like projection t that crowds the
movable portion C³ of the presser-foot towards the stationary portion whenever
the needle descends. But whenever the needle rises the cam t moves away and
permits a spring which is interposed between the shanks r and s to lift the
movable portion C' of the presser-foot off the fabric. The effect of this peculiar

page_text: construction of presser-foot is that at every down stroke of the needle the movable
portion of the presser-foot crowds one of the fabrics tight against the edge of the
other so that where the needle enters, the two fabrics will be definitely held in
absolute abutting contact.
We have described our improved machine with its split plate E F made quite
plain on top, that is, without any edge turners thereon; but it is quite evident that
our invention is applicable also and of very great use for stitching fabrics together
whose edges are being automatically turned by the machine in manner indicated
in Figure 19; that is to say, we can apply to the part E of the divided or split
plate an edge turner u which turns the edge of the fabric I down and under, while
to the part F of the split plate we can apply an edge turner v which turns the
fabric J up and over. These edge turners, as Figure 6 clearly shows, begin the
operation on the fabric and begin to turn the edges thereof, only after the fabric
has left the feed-rollers de-hence after the scrap has been detached by the cutter;
and when, therefore, the parts of the fabrics to be turned over and under are no
longer in the grip of the vertical feed. The fabrics turned in manner shown in
Figure 19 finally arrive under the presser-foot C folded in manner shown in
Figure 20, and can then be stitched together by zigzag or by any other kind of
stitch.
It is also clear that our invention is applicable, because of the split plate E F,
for forming a hem on one single fabric, and stitching that hem. To this end it is
only necessary to supply the part E of the split plate E F with a bending wing to
(see Figures 8, 11, 10 and 21), in which the fabric will gradually be folded in
manner indicated in Figure 21, with the assistance of a blade that enters into the
hollow of the wing w, but is carried by the part F of the plate, as more clearly
indicated in Figure 24. By this instrumentality, the fabric, being first trimmed to
the proper extent by the cutter G, is folded into the form shown in Figure 21, and
then gradually fed along over the widening wing w until its vertical part lies
horizontally over that wing, so that finally the double fold indicated in Figure 22
is produced; after which the fabric is stitched alone the edge, as in Figure 22, and
when it has been stitched as there shown, it can finally be opened out to contain
the hem that is clearly shown in Figure 23. It will be seen that in order to enjoy
the advantage of the double feed, namely, the vertical feed in front and the ordinary
horizontal feed behind, it is essential that the plate E F be higher above the
feed de than it is where it approaches the feed D; for other wise, we would be
unable to obtain the use of the cutter G which trims off the scrap from parts of the
fabric that are then held vertically, but that are afterwards to be brought into a
horizontal position. We therefore lay great stress upon the bulging of the
plate E F, as we do also upon the employment of the double feed, one vertical and
the other horizontal, and upon the employment of the split plate E F in the slit of
which the vertical part of the fabric is first held and out of the slit of which said
vertical part of the fabric will be automatically drawn into a final horizontal
position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A sewing machine having in combination with the reciprocating needle and
with its presser-foot a feed mechanism and divided plate E F. having slit a, said
slit extending to the edge of the machine, substantially as and for the purpose
herein shown and described.
2. In a sewing machine having needle, presser-foot and feed mechanism, the
divided plate E F having slit a, said divided plate being of bulging form to be
higher forward of the needle than nearer the needle as specified.
3. In a sewing machine, the combination of the presser-foot C and its shanks,
with the vibrating secondary presser-foot C, and means substantially as described
for moving said vibrating presser-foot on its pivot, all as set forth.

page_text: 4. The combination of the presser-foot C and its shank with the laterally
movable presser-foot C2 and its pivoted shank r, and with the needle-bar M, having
cam t, all as and for the purpose specified.
5. In a sewing machine having the ordinary horizontal feed D and suitable
presser-foot and needle mechanism, the combination thereof with the split plate E F,
and with the vertical feed de below said plate, as and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination of the split plate E F and vertical feed d e below the same,
with the cutter mechanism G m, and mechanism substantially as described for
actuating the same all as and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination in a sewing machine of the split plate E F with the vertical
feed de below the same cutter mechanism G m below said vertical feed, and scrap-
feed de, as and for the purpose described.
8. The combination in a sewing machine of the spilt plate E F with the vertical
feed de below the same, cutter mechanism G m below said vertical feed, scrap-
feed deand scrap-outlet H, as described.
9. In a sewing machine having divided or split plate E F, the combination
thereof with the presser-foot C, and the deflector L thereon, as set forth.
10. In a sewing machine the combination of the split plate E F having bulging
form as specified, with the vertical feed in front, horizontal feed behind, presser-
foot above the horizontal feed, cutter below the vertical feed, and instrumentalities
substantially as described for turning the edge of the fabric from the vertical
position in the slit of the plate E F into a horizontal position above said plate E F,
all as described and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 20th day of Mov XOX
Dated this 20th day of
XOX
W. H. H. TRACY,
J. A. SCRIVEN,
R. C. TOUSEY,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.