Improvements in Sewing Needles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sewing Needles.
A communication by HELEN AUGUSTA BLANCHARD, of 92, High Street,
Portland, in the County of Cumberland and State of Maine, United States
of America, Spinster.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Man-
chester, both in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 needles which are threaded near the
point, as for instance, the sewing machine needle, or needles for surgical use, or
similar hand sewing.
These present improvements, which are thus applicable to either sewing machine
needles or surgical needles or needles for hand sewing in leather, for instance, are
mainly designed on the one hand to avoid loss of time involved in the threading of
a needle of the ordinary construction, and on the other hand to facilitate the
withdrawal of the thread from the needle as the latter is withdrawn from the material
through which the sewing takes place.
The main feature of the improved needle consists of a laterally movable latch,
which when open fornis a notch or recess closed toward the head of the needle but
normally open toward the point, the said notch or recess being formed by a
shoulder or projection which extends entirely across the space or opening between
the free end of the latch and the shank of the needle when the latter open.
The upper end of the latch connects with the needle preferably near its head, and
the shoulder or projection is located near the point so that the lower or free end of
the latch is capable of considerable lateral motion.
The thread is received in the open notch or recess at the point of the needle,
the shoulder or projection preventing it from being drawn up between the stem of
the latch and the shank of the needle. The latch is then closed to confine the
thread, and the needle with the thread is introduced into the material.
When the needle is withdrawn from the material the loop of thread is allowed
to slip from the notch or recess of the needle and to remain on the opposite side of
the material from that at which it is introduced.
:-
The invention is illustrated by means of the accompanying drawing, in which:
Fig. 1 is sectional view of a sewing machine needle constructed in accordance
with the invention, but drawn to an enlarged scale,
Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a modification and
Fig. 4. is an enlarged view of a surgeon's needle constructed according to this
invention.
Referring to the application of the improvement to a sewing machine needle, as
illustrated for instance in Figs. 1 and 2, A is the main body or shank of the needle
of any suitable form, and constructed to be held in the needle bar in any suitable
manner.
Instead of providing the needle with the usual eye near its point for the passage
of the thread, a laterally movable latch, B, is provided, which is connected with the
shank or body of the needle at a point near the upper end of the sewing portion of
the needle as at b, the latch resting in a groove formed in the shank so that, when
the latch and the shank are closed together, they will form a smooth unobstructed
shaft.

page_text: It is preferable to connect the latch with the shaft in such a manner that the
stem of the latch will act as a spring to hold the latch normally open, but it is
evident that the latch can be pivoted or otherwise connected with the needle
or it may be formed in one piece with it as shown in Fig. 1, but, however it is
connected to the shank of the needle, this latch is free to have a limited lateral
motion.
A. shoulder d on the latch at a short distance back from the point of the latch
forms the closed head or end of the notch or recess for the reception of the thread,
the shoulder d entering a recess in the shank of the needle when the latch is
closed, or such shoulder may, if desired, be formed on the needle instead of on the
latch, as shown for instance in Fig. 3.
It is necessary that the shoulder d, whether formed on the latch or on the shank,
should extend entirely across the space or opening between the shank and the
latch when the latter is in its normal or open position so that the notch y may be
always closed toward the head of the needle to prevent the thread from
slipping up.
In using a sewing machine needle of this construction in a sewing machine, the
needle will catch a loop of the thread in the notch or recess y as the needle is
about to enter the material to be sewn.
Provision may be made for temporarily closing the latch toward the stem of the
needle to confine the thread as the needle passes through the goods, but, as the
needle returns and is about to be withdrawn, the thread will slip out of the notch
or recess, the latch having been opened for that purpose.
In Fig. 4 the invention is shown as applied to a surgical needle, this needle
being provided with a permanent handle H. The manner of using the needle is
similar to the operation of using the sewing machine needle already described.
The latch may, if desired, be detachable from the shank of the needle in order to
enable it to be cleansed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. A sewing needle having a spring latch secured at its upper end to the shank
of the needle, its lower or free end being normally open or sprung away from said
shank, and a shoulder or projection extending entirely across the space or opening
between the shank and the free end of said latch when the latter is open, to form a
thread receiving notch or recess, substantially as described.
2. A sewing needle provided with a laterally movable latch connected at its
upper end with the shank of the needle, the free end of said latch being provided
with a shoulder or projection extending entirely across the space or opening
between it and the shank of the needle when the latch is open, the shank of the
needle being provided with a recess to receive said shoulder or projection,
substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of July 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.