IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE THROATS OF SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE THROATS OF SEWING MACHINES." A communication from abroad
by Francis D. Ballou, of Marlboro', Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 22nd August 1876, and dated the 28th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE THROATS OF SEWING
MACHINES." A communication.
The object of my Invention is to provide a throat which can be used to advantage
for sewing in the bottom of a channel, and which is especially adapted for sewing
together the soles and welts of boots and shoes.
The present Invention comprises a throat for sewing machines, the upper part of
which is a wall projecting upwards from the surface of the throat plate of the machine;
this wall is in addition to the ordinary throat and extends around the forward end
of the ordinary throat and along one side of it. The purpose of this construction
is to make that upwardly projecting part of the machine upon which the work is
supported a ridge, except at the point where the awl punctures the work, where
it should be so formed as to support the work on at least two sides of the awl hole.
With this improved throat, (which differs from the others heretofore known mainly
in the use of but one ridge on the side of the throat instead of two, that is to say,
one on each side of the throat,) the shoe can be tipped while sewing around the
shank more freely, and can also be used in short curves, and consequently will
perform work which hitherto I have been unable to accomplish; and other work,
which could be done but with great difficulty and not very satisfactorily, can be
now performed with ease and perfectly by means of my present Invention. With
ridges upon both sides of the throat it is impossible to tip the shoe on the throat
sufficiently, and also impracticable to sew in channels which have short curves,
unless the throat is formed with a single ridge, as in my present Invention.
According to this, Invention the throat plate is provided with the ordinary
clongated throat and secured to the machine as usual. The ridge lies along one
[Price Gb]

page_text: side only of the throat, except at the point where the awl penetrates, and for the
purpose of supporting the material under the thrust of the awl. In a very large
class of shoes the shanks are so formed that the shoe must be tipped largely and will
other throats heretofore used, the axis whereon this tipping necessarily takes place
is the ridge, that is, the continuation of the guide against which the turned-up flap
rests, the amount of tip is consequently limited. When the needle is used above
instead of below the work support the ridge should be upon the other side of the
throat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th December
1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE THROATS OF SEWING
MACHINES." A. communication from abroad by Francis D. Ballou, of Marlboro',
Massachusetts, United States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a throat which can be used to advantage
for sewing in the bottom of a channel, and which is especially adapted to sewing
together the soles and welts of boots and shoes. I have heretofore employed an
elevated throat for sewing machines, but this throat is objectionable for certain
classes of work, especially in sewing the sole to the welt at the shank of boots and
shoes which have narrow shanks, and where the shanks are much rounded, and also
where the channel is much curved.
The present Invention comprises a throat for sewing machines, the upper part of
which throat is a wall projecting upward from the surface of the throat plate of the
machine; this wall is an addition to the ordinary throat and extends around the
forward end of the said ordinary throat and along one side of it. The purpose of
this construction is to make that upwardly projecting part of the machine upon
which the work is supported a ridge, except at the point where the awl punctures
the work, where it should be so formed as to support the work on at least two sides
of the awl holes.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is an edge view of a throat plate with
my improved throat. Figure 2 is a plan of the same. The remaining Figures show
details of the said Invention, and are herein-after described.
With this improved throat, which differs from my former one mainly in the use
of but one ridge on the side of the throat instead of two, that is to say, one on each
side of the throat, the shoe can be tipped while sewing around the shank more
freely, and can also be used in short curves, it consequently will perform work
which hitherto I have been unable to accomplish; and other work, which could be
done but with great difficulty and not very satisfactorily, can be now performed
with ease and perfectly by means of my present Invention. With ridges upon both
sides of the throat it is impossible to tip the shoe on the throat sufficiently, and it
is impracticable to sew in channels which have short curves unless the throat is
formed with a single ridge, as in my present Invention.
A is the throat plate provided with the ordinary elongated throat and secured to
the machine as usual. The ridge a lies along one side only of the throat, except at
the point where the awl penetrates, and for the purpose of supporting the material
under the thrust of the awl. The diagram, Figure 3, illustrates the use of my
present Invention in a channel curved as in a very large class of shoes, and also
shows the impracticability of the former throat for such use.
The enlarged diagrams, Figures 4 and 5, illustrate the use of my improved throat
and the impracticability of the former throat when the shoe is tipped, as is necessary
in sewing at the shank of shoes with a much rounded shank. In a very large class
of shoes the shanks are so formed that the shoe must be tipped excessively and
with my former throat, the axis whereon this tipping necessarily takes place is the

page_text: ridge, that is, the continuation of the guide b against which the turned-up flap c
rests; the amount of tip is consequently limited, as clearly shewn in the diagram,
Figure 5, which shows the shoe tipped as in Figure 4, the full lines showing where
the said former throat would be if the shoe were so tipped, and the dotted lines
showing where such a throat should be, but in either case the line of motion of the
needle would be wrong, as shown by the line x, y. In Figure 4 the line x, y, also
shows the line of motion of the needle and how my improved throat is adapted for
use when the shoe is tipped as much as shown in that diagram. When the needle
is used above instead of below the work support the ridge should be upon the other
side of the throat, but otherwise, precisely as shown.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, the improved throat having a ridge on one side only, except at the
point where the awl ponetrates, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
W* ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)