IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN NEEDLES FOR THE- SAME.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Moore Clements, of 101, New Street,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Machinist, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN NEEDLES FOR THE-
SAME.
"
Sealed the 28th February 1873, and dated the 4th September 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Moore Clements
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th September 1872.
I, JAMES MOORE CLEMENTS, of 101, New Street, Birmingham, in the
5 County of Warwick, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN NEEDLES FOR THE
SAME," to be as follows:-
The said Invention relates to improvements in the shuttle and shuttle
race driving mechanism, the feed mechanism, the needle, and its operating
mechanism, and the take up devices.
The shuttle race which forms the arc of a circle is on the inner side of
a plate attached to the cloth plate. The shuttle carrier vibrates on a

page_text: pin or stud at the centre of this circle.
The shuttle is held in place in
the said carrier by a spring catch formed with a projection which enters
a recess in the under side of the shuttle, and prevents its escape, except
when the said catch is forced back. It is also provided with a small
thumb piece, whereby it may be conveniently manipulated to release the
shuttle. The said carrier has a stud or shoulder against which the heel
of the shuttle rests. At the back of the shuttle race I place a flat spring
which holds the shuttle in the most advantageous position for entering
the loops; but in some cases I prefer to form the spring of a semi-
circular shape, with its one edge divided into tongues, bent so as to form
a flexible bearing to hold the shuttle always in contact with the face of
the shuttle race. The shuttle has three slots and a take up spring to
shorten the slack thread.
The feed mechanism is constructed as follows:-A flat spring is
secured to the under side of the cloth plate, and an adjusting screw is
arranged in combination with the said spring to regulate the length of
the stitches. A tappet is jointed to the end of the feed bar, and its
lower end works against the periphery of a cam on the under shaft, and
against the end of the spring above mentioned, which forms a movable
fulcrum by means of the adjusting screw. By this contrivance only one
cam is required, and the noise of the feed is diminished.
I use a long-needle, and dispense with the ordinary needle bar. The
upper part of the needle extends up through guides at the front end of
the fixed arm of the machine. In this part of the needle I form a slot,
into which projects the extremity of a slotted or jointed lever. The pin
of a crank on the upper horizontal shaft of the machine projects into
the slot of this lever, and imparts the required movements to the same.
One side of the needle guides is a hinged piece which opens and closes
like a door. This piece holds the needle in place, and allows it to be
readily inserted and removed. When closed it is secured by a spring or
by a small lever at the back of the said guides. In the fixed portion of
the guides I place adjusting screws, against which the said jointed piece.
bears when closed, and by adjusting these screws I compensate for the
wear of the needle grooves. In the top of the needle is a hole through
which the upper thread is passed, and the said needle has the usual eye
near the point.
At the side of the needle I arrange a lever and take up spring. The

page_text: from to near the bottom of the needle guides. Its lower end has a pin
standing through the head plate of the machine, and is connected with
the coiled take up spring. The purpose of the lever is to bring the loop
of the coiled spring through the hole of the hinged piece to enable, the
operator to pass the thread through it. The object of this arrangement
is that the coiled take up spring shall not be injured in working or by
being. bent.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Moore Clements in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MOORE CLEMENTS, of 101, New Street,. Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said James Moore Clements, Her special licence
that I, the said James Moore Clements, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Moore Clements, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES, AND IN NEEDLES FOR THE SAME," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Moore Clements, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Moore Clements, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: the shuttle carrier I place a flat spring f which holds the shuttle in the
most advantageous position for entering the loops.
In some cases I prefer to use for this purpose an arc-shaped spring at
the back of the shuttle race, made like a comb, or with its edge divided
into tongues bent to form a flexible bearing to hold the shuttle always in
contact with the face of the shuttle race. At the tail or back edge of
the shuttle carrier I secure a light wire spring g which acts to prevent
the retention of the thread at the back of the said carrier.
The shuttle d, which is shown separately in Figures 4 and 5, has three
slots 1, 2, 3, besides the usual holes, and I may make the slots in the
under side of the shuttle, and the holes in the upper side, or vice versa.
Inside the shuttle I place a take up spring i to shorten the slack thread.
The said spring is attached to the shell or case of the shuttle at it, and its
free end around which the thread is passed is parallel with the long
slot 1.
I may use the ordinary feed mechanism, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, or
I may provide the machine with my improved feed mechanism constructed
as shewn in Figure 7. In this Figurej is the feed bar; k is a flat spring
secured to the under side of the cloth plate B; is an adjusting screw in
the cloth plate arranged in combination with the said spring. A tappet m
is jointed to the end of the feed bar, and its lower end works on the
periphery of a cam n on the under shaft, and is held against the same by
the spring which forms its fulcrum, the said fulcrum being adjustable
by means of the screw 1, to vary the length of the stitches. The cam
gives the forward motion to the feed bar, and the spring o produces the
return or back motion of the same. By this contrivance only one cam is
required, and the noise of the working of the feed mechanism is
diminished.
I use a long needle r, and dispense with the ordinary needle bar. The
upper part of the said needle extends up through guides 8, 8¹, in the
head piece at the front end of the fixed arm of the machine. In this
part of the needle I form a slot 71, into which projects the extremity of
a slotted lever t, fitted to vibrate on a fulcrum pin at t. The pin 2 of
a crank on the upper horizontal shaft of the machine projects into the
slot of this lever, and imparts the required movements to the same.
The needle guides 8, 9, are formed partly in a hinged piece &* which
opens and closes like a door upon hinges at s³. This piece s holds the
.

page_text: needle in place, and allows it to be readily inserted and removed. When
closed, it is secured by a spring or by a small lever u at the back of the
said guides. This lever is secured on a pivot at u¹, as clearly shewn in
Figure 3. It has a handle u² whereby it is conveniently adjusted. The
back of the hinged piece is slightly inclined, so that the said lever may
act thereon to make the said hinged piece firm and tight when closed.
In the fixed portion of the guides 8, s¹, I fit small screws & against which
the said hinged or jointed piece bears when closed, and by adjusting
these screws I compensate for the wear of the needle grooves 8, 8¹. In
the top of the needle v is a hole o³, through which the upper thread is
passed, so that the said needle also serves as a take up for the thread;
the said needle has the usual eye near the point. If desired I may
prolong the end of the lever t, and form a hole in it, as shewn in
Figure 6, to form the take up for the thread, instead of making the
needle serve for that purpose.
At the side of the needle I arrange a take up spring w and lever 10¹.
The said lever is fitted to vibrate upon a pin or stud w², and extends
down to near the bottom of the needle guides s, s¹. Its lower end has a
pin which projects through the head plate A¹ of the machine, and it
also has a small stud or projection s* which keeps it in connection with
the coiled takć up spring' w. The purpose of this lever is to afford the
means for bringing the eye or loop w of the coiled spring through a
holes in the hinged piece to enable the operator to pass the thread
through the loop. This arrangement is adopted to prevent the bending
of the coiled take up spring, or its being injured in working.
But I may in some cases use an independent take up device working
upon the same fulcrum as the needle lever t, and having a slot of the
same form, except that the distance from the fulcrum of the said device
to the apex of the slot is made greater than in the lever t, so that the
thread may be pulled tight while the needle is descending. This take up
device is operated by the crank pin that operates the lever t; the take
up spring will not be required.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and a convenient and
advantageous manner of performing the same, I wish it understood that
I claim,―
First. The shuttle carrier constructed and operating, as herein specified,
and provided with the spring catch operating to hold the shuttle in place

page_text: and also provided with the small wire spring at the tail or back end of
the said carrier, and with the flat spring, or having combined with it a
comb-like spring on the back of the race, as herein set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Second. The improved feed mechanism, constructed as described and
as shewn in Figure 7, and operating as herein set forth.
Third. The shuttle formed with the holes, slots, and recess, and pro-
vided with the take up spring, as herein set forth.
Fourth. A long needle constructed, operated, and guided as herein set
forth, and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The combination with the said needle of the lever and crank
pin or cam for operating the said, needle, as herein set forth.
Sixth. The hinged piece forming part of the needle guides, constructed
to open and close, and provided with contrivances for securing it as
herein set forth.
Seventh. The take up device consisting of the coiled spring and lever,
or the slotted lever, arranged in combination with the needle, and
operating as herein set forth.
Eighth. In a sewing machine the aforesaid novel contrivances com-
bined, arranged, and operating together, and with the other parts of the
machine as herein set forth, and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Moore Clements, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
C
JAMES MOORE CLEMENTS
JAMES MOORE CLEMENTS. (L.S.)