IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FEED MECHANISM. OF: SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine;
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FEED MECHANISM. OF: SEWING
MACHINES." A communication from abroad by William Muir,. of
Montreal, Canada, Wholesale Clothier.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th April 1872.
I, WILLIAM' ROBERT. LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare, the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN' THE FEED MECHANISM
OF. SEWING MACHINES," a.communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention is for the purpose of enabling the stitching. done
by a sewing machine to be performed automatically in a curvilinear,

page_text: serpentine, or zig-zag linc, or in either of these in combination, or in
any or all of them in combination with the ordinary straight forward
movement, and its principal features may be briefly set forth as follows:-
-
The arrangement and operation of the feed in combination with the
ordinary working parts, so as to automatically vary in length or extent, !
by this means increasing or decreasing the forward feed to produce a
longer or shorter stitch, according as it is intended to be in a curvilinear,
zig-zag, or straight line.
The arrangement of the feed to allow it to be moved automatically
across the longitudinal line of sewing to move the fabric being operated 1
upon, so that the needle may pass through it in such a position with
relation to the last stitch taken as to give a sinuous; serpentine, or
zig-zag line.
The combination with any sewing machine of mechanism to auto-
matically move the feed roller and fabric moved by it laterally, and to 1
feed the same, to produce stitches of a uniform and even length, in what-
ever direction the stitches may be made by the sewing mechanism.
The arrangement of this automatic feed mechanism (both for working
the lateral movement across the longitudinal line of the sewing and for
regulating the variable length of the stitch) in combination with the
ordinary sewing and feed machinery, so that they may at once be dis-
connected, thus enabling the machine to be worked so as to sew straight
forward.
To simplify the description of my Invention I have divided it into
three parts, the first being its application to a machine provided with
what is termed the "wheel feed;" the second shews how it may be
used in connection with a machine having a "drop feed ;" and the third
shows modifications slightly differing in detail of the manner in which
it may be applied to the feed shaft of a machine and placed in front
of the feed wheel.
The first part of this description relates to the application of the said
Invention to the machines known as the "A. B. Howe," the " Singer,"
the "Willcox & Gibbs," or other sewing machines provided with a
moving shaft below the plate..
"
In machines having a wheel feed the feed shaft is elongated and
carried in a standard, and is arranged to receive one end of a shaft,
preferably in what is called a centre bearing, the male end of the shaft

page_text: fitting into a female screw, the exact position of which is adjusted by
means of jam nuts. This arrangement allows the cam wheels herein.
after described to be easily removed and others substituted as may be
required. Each of these cam wheels is provided with a peripheral.
cam groove; one cam is for moving the feed wheel laterally across the
line of sewing, the apertures in the bed plate being widened for this
purpose, and the other cam is for varying the forward feed of the
feed wheel. To the end of an arm is pivotted in its centre a lever,
to one end of which is pivotted a pawl engaging with the teeth of
a ratchet wheel on the shaft with the centre bearing, and pressed
against it by a bent spring; the other end of the said lever bears against
the periphery of a cam on the main shaft, and in the rotation of the
said shaft gives a swinging motion to the lever, and thus through
the pawl rotates the ratchet and cam wheel shaft. From a loose collar
placed on the feed shaft and held between two collars fast on the shaft
projects a stud, the outer end of which moves to and fro in a slot
according as it is worked by the first cam wheel, the cam groove of
which moves over a pin or stud placed on the side of the collar and
entering into the groove. To one end of a vertical arm slotted for
adjustment and hung to a fulcrum pin is pivotted a horizontal bar
resting in guide loops. A pin at the lower end of the vertical arm
engages with the groove in the second cam wheel. A bar or plate
slotted and fastened by set screws to the under side of the bed plate
has one end turned down to bear against the wedge-shaped face of the
said horizontal bar, and at the other abuts against a clutch on the feed
wheel. This bar is capable of being moved in the direction of its length.
A plate holding the said bar in position is attached to the bed plate
with a spring, and is fastened to the aforesaid clutch to bring this clutch
back after each operation of the cam. To the end of the swinging
lever where it bears against the cam is pivotted a bell crank for cutting
off motion from the cam wheels.
In the application of the said Invention to. a drop feed the principal
features of the machine are mainly the same as described in reference
to the "wheel feed" machine, and therefore the arrangement of the
feed mechanism will only vary slightly from that already described,
A cam placed on the outer end of the main shaft acts against a bent
lever pivotted to a curved arm moved by the said cam. To this is
secured in the centre a plate, the upper edge of which feeds the fabric

page_text: to be stitched. A spring connected with the curved arm draws it back
when not acted on by the cam.
As described for the wheel feed machine I employ a standard or
bearer carrying a shaft. On this shaft are placed the cam wheels.
To the arm attached to a standard is pivotted a slotted lever bear- 5
ing at one end against a cam, and having pivotted to the other end
a pawl with a spring engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel
secured to one of the said cam wheels; a cam on the main shaft
actuates in the same way a slotted lever, and through another pawl
rotates a second ratchet wheel, and thus imparts motion to the first 1
cam wheel. To the curved arm is added a straight piece carried in a
bearing formed to allow it to move freely up and down when actuated
by the cam. The other end of this bar is turned at right angles to
its length and is pressed by a bar, as before described. Another bar.
is as described for the wheel feed machine pivotted to the end of a 1
slotted vertical arm operated by the second cam wheel, and is provided
with means for preventing any lateral movement of the feed, except
that given by the cam wheel. The aforesaid slotted levers may be
thrown out of action with the main shaft by a dog arranged in such a
manner and of such length that when dropped to fit into a notch in the 2
first slotted lever the end of the lever is pressed down by it beyond the
influence of the cam. The groove on the periphery of the first cam
wheel is of such a form as to push the end of the bar to which it is
attached out far enough to produce the exact lateral variation required
at the point where the plate which carries the fabric passes up through 2
the bed plate. The cam which operates the second slotted lever is of
such a configuration as to impart a lateral motion to the drop feed, two
movements being given for one revolution of the main shaft, the first
movement giving the lateral motion, and the second bringing it back to
its former position.
The third and last division of the Invention comprehends three
modifications of mechanism, which being applied to the feed shaft of
any sewing machine formed with a feed wheel below the plate give
automatically a lateral movement of the feed in combination with the
"forward one, and thus produce a zig-zag line of stitching.
'As in the previous description of a wheel feed machine the main or
driving shaft has a cam by means of which motion is imparted to the
3

page_text: feed wheel. In the hub of this wheel is fixed a cam on whose periphery
is formed a groove into which enters a pin countersunk or tapped
through a sleeve fitting the cam accurately, and yet loosely enough to
allow it to rotate in the sleeve. On the front of this sleeve is placed a
ratchet, wheel; in front of the ratchet wheel is a disc, and in front of
the disc a plate. To the said disc is pivotted a pawl engaging with the
ratchet wheel. To the disc is secured by a crank pin one end of a
connecting rod, the other end of which is attached to a cam, by whose
action rotary motion is imparted to the disc. As the hub is turned
with the feed wheel a greater amount of motion is imparted to the
cam by means of the pin working in the cam groove and secured to
the sleeve which cannot be moved laterally.
In the second modification a plain grooved wheel or disc is secured to
the hub, over it being placed a sleeve as before. On the end of this
sleeve is placed a cam in the groove of which works a pin secured to
the bed plate. A ratchet wheel with a pivotted pawl is placed in front
of the disc. In this case the cam is moved laterally in its revolution
bringing with it the hub and feed wheel. It must be remembered that
the hub and the-sleeve revolve independently of each other.
The third modification is as follows:-The bed of the sewing machine
is provided with a standard upon which the arbor of the feed wheel is
mounted. A clamp and lever give a progressive rotary motion to the
feed wheel. A cam is placed upon the main shaft for moving the said
lever. The feed wheel is mounted so that it may be moved lengthwise
of the axis or arbor, and a spring around this arbor presses the said
wheel toward the standard. Upon the said arbor is a ratchet wheel
driven by a pawl upon a disc that is oscillated by the connecting rod and
crank pin. A spring click prevents the turning of the ratchet wheel
backward; at the side of the wheel is a cylindrical cam against which
à pin upon the hub of the feed wheel bears. As the ratchet wheel
turns around progressively its cam acting against the pin gives to the
feed wheel a. lateral as well as a progressive movement. The shape
of the cam upon the ratchet wheel and the number of teeth therein
will determine the extent of lateral movement, and this wheel, may be
varied according to the work to be performed.

page_text: 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 12th October 1872.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date tho Thirteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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
THE FEED MECHANISM OF SEWING MACHINES," a communication to me from
abroad by William Muir, of Montreal, Canada, Wholesale Clothier,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the dato of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 a part of this Specification:―
This Invention is for the purpose of enabling the stitching dono
by a sewing machine to be performed automatically in a curvilinear,
serpentine, or zig-zag line, or in either of these in combination, or in
any or all of them in combination with the ordinary straight forward

page_text: movement, and its principal features may be briefly set forth as
follows:...
..
The arrangement and operation of the feed in combination with the
ordinary working parts, so as to automatically vary in length or extent,
by this means increasing or decreasing the forward feed to produce a
longer or shorter stitch according as it is intended to be in a curvilinear,
zig-zag, or straight line.
The arrangement of the feed to allow it to be moved automatically
across the longitudinal line of sewing to move the fabric being operated
upon, so that the needle may pass through it in such a manner with
relation to the last stitch taken as to give à sinuous, serpentine, or zig-
zag line.
The combination with any sewing machine of mechanism to auto-
matically move the feed roller and fabric moved by it laterally, and
to feed the same to produce stitches of a uniform and even length in
whatever direction the stitches may be made by the sewing mechanism.
The arrangement of this automatic feed mechanism (both for working
the lateral movement.across the longitudinal line of the sewing, and for
regulating the variable length of the stitch) in combination with the
ordinary sewing and feed machinery, so that they may at once be
disconnected, thus enabling the machine to be worked so as to sew
straight forward.
To simplify the description of my Invention I have divided it into
three parts, the first being its application to a machine provided with
what is termed the "wheel feed;" the second shows how it may be
used in connection with a machine having a "drop feed;" and the third
shows modifications slightly differing in detail of the manner in which
it may be applied to the feed shaft of a machine and placed in front
of the feed wheel.
The first part of this description relates to the application of the
said Invention to the machines known as the "A. B. Howe," the
"Singer," the "Wilcox and Gibbs," or other sewing machines provided
with a moving shaft below the plate.
The first division of my Invention is illustrated in the following.
Figures of the Drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said machine with feed mechanism
applied; Figure 2 is a plan of the same looking upward; Figure 3 is.

page_text: a front elevation of the same; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on the
line A, A, Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on the line B, B,
Figure 2. In these Figures like letters indicate the same parts.
a is the plate of the sewing machine of any convenient size, preferably
rectangular in form; 6 is the main shaft carried in bearers c, and rotated
by means of a belt and pulley d, or in any ordinary way; e and fare
the needle and shuttle cams placed on and secured to the shaft b, and
actuating respectively the needle army and shuttle carrier h, another
cam i on the same shaft moving the needle guard k; is the feed shaft
carried in proper bearers and on which is placed the feed wheel m of the 1
configuration shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the back part being some-
what larger in diameter than the front, and serrated or roughened on
the periphery for the purpose of obtaining a hold on the fabric to be
stitched, and moving it forward by its rotation. In front of this feed
wheel is placed a hub or collar n provided with a clutch o, secured 1
with a spring to a bar p attached to the plate, the lower arm being
provided with a clamp q adjusted by a set screw, and acted upon by
a cam placed on the main shaft. The latter in its relovution striking
against the clamp q causes the hub n to act upon the dogs & arranged
as shown, which gripping the rim of the wheel m rotated until the
pressure of the cam being removed the clutch is drawn back till ït
strikes against the bar p, thus giving the extent of one stitch, the length
being regulated, as will be easily seen, by the distance of the clamp q
from the lower arm a. The above-mentioned parts form no part of
the present Invention, and are only described to more fully illustrate
the arrangement and operation of the mechanism in combination with
which it works. The feed shaft is clongated and carried in a standard &
of the shape shown in Figure 4, or of any convenient form, and is
arranged to receive the end of a shaft u, the other end of which rests
in a bearing carried out from the bearer c. This shaft u may be carried
in any ordinary way, but is preferably supported in a centre bearing,
that is to say, the small end of the shaft fits into a female screw whose
exact position is adjusted by means of jam nuts. This arrangement
allows the cam wheels and w, herein-after described, to be easily
removed and others substituted as may be required. Each of these
cam wheels and to is provided with a peripheral cam groove suitable
for the purpose for which it is intended; the cam is for moving the
feed wheel laterally across the line of sewing, the aperture in the bed
0

page_text: plate a being widened for this purpose, and the other cam w is for varying
the forward feed of the feed wheel 'm. To the end of an arm z, attached
at its other extremity to the standard or any other convenient point,
is pivotted in its centre a lever y slotted for adjustment; to one end of
this. lever is pivotted a pawl = engaging, with the teeth of a ratchet
wheel a' on the shaft u, and pressed against it by a bent spring, as
shown; the other end of y bears against the periphery of a cam b'
formed on the shaft b, or a pin might be substituted to give a swinging
motion to the lever y, and thus through the pawl rotate the ratchet a'
) and cam wheel shaft u for a portion of its periphery. This lever is kept
pressed up against the face of the cam by means of a spiral spring, as
shown, or any other suitable device. These cam wheels may, if desired,
be provided with any suitable bent spring following their circumference,
as shown in Figure 3 applied to the feed wheel, for the purpose of pre-
5 venting any back action. From a loose collar c¹ placed on the feed
shaft 7, and held between two collars fast on the shaft, projects a stud d',
the outer end of which moves to and fro in a slot e', Figure 4, according
as it is worked by the first cam wheel v, the cam groove of which moves
over a pin or stud placed on the side of the collar c', and enters into
O the groove. To one end of a vertical arm f', slotted for adjustment and
hung on a fulcrum pin g secured to the bed plate a, is pivotted a hori-
zontal bar resting in guide loops projecting beyond the plane of
the feed wheel, and at its outer end, of a wedge, shape, towards the
face of the feed wheel. A pin at the lower end of the vertical.armf
5 engages with the groove in the second cam wheel w. The bar or plate p
(Figures 2 and 3) is in this case slotted and fastened by set screws to
the under side of the bed plate at right angles to the arm ¹, it has
one end ³ turned down to bear against the wedge-shaped face of the.
bar h, and at the other abuts against the clutch o of the feed wheel.
0 The bar p is by means of the above described fastening kept from
detachment, but is still capable of being moved in the direction of its
length. is a plate holding the bar p in position, and attached through
the slot immoveably to the bed plate a, to it being secured one end of a
spring, the other end of which is fastened to the clutch o of the feed
5 wheel in order to bring this clutch back after each operation of the
cam against the sliding plate p, and thus against the wedge-shaped
bar . To the end of the lever y, where it bears against the cam b', is
pivotted a bent lever or bell crank m³, the shorter arm being of such a
length that when brought up to press against the shaft bithe cam or

page_text: pin 6' will not in the rotation of the shaft como in contact with the
.lover y, thus entirely cutting off motion from the cams and w. The.
lever in this position may be secured against the revolution of the shaft.
in any suitable way.
The operation of the above-described parts is as follows:-By the
cam the feed wheel is moved Interally; the extent of its lateral move-
ment depends upon the shape of the cam groove, and the machine with
a properly shaped cam groove will run in a zig-zag, serpentine, or
other line varying from a straight line. By the cam w the bar 'is
moved to bring its wedge-shaped face more or less against the end k³ 1
of the bar or plate p, and thus moving. it along diminishes or increases
the backward throw of the clutch.o, and consequently its forward throw
by the cam r, from the fact that the more the said slide bar p is
moved along beyond the centre of rotation of the feed wheel the less
its clutch o can throw back, and vice versa. This diminution or increase 1
of the forward feed of the feed wheel necessarily reduces or increases
the length of the stitches, and it is obvious that with a properly shaped
cam groove to operate the wedge bar ³, taken in connection with the
lateral movement of the feed wheel, as described, the feed of the fabric
can be automatically varied to produce a uniform length of stitches, 2
whatever may be the line or direction in which the machine is sewing,
from the operation of the lateral feed as aforesaid.
i
'
In the second division of the said Invention its application to a drop
feed is shown in Figures 5 to 10 inclusive. Figure 5 is a side elevation
of a drop feed machine with feed mechanism attached; Figure 6 is a plan 2
of the same looking upward; Figure 7 is a front elevation of the same;
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation on the line 0, 0, Figure 6; Figure 9
illustrates a contrivance for throwing the feed mechanism out of gear
with the machine; Figure 10 is a sectional clevation on the line D, D,
Figure 6.
The principal features of this machine are mainly the same as
described in the "wheel feed" machine, and therefore the arrange-
ment of the feed mechanism will only vary slightly from that already
described.
3
a is the bed plate; b, the main shaft in bearing c; d, the driving 3
pulley; e, the needle; f, the shuttle cam; g, the needle arm, and h, the
shuttle a usually enged The nam in this case alea plaand

page_text: on the outer end of the shaft b is of the configuration shown in Figure 7;
it acts by its rotation against a bent lever n', pivotted to a curved arm.
o', also resting on and moved by the cam r, a set screw adjusting the
throw of the bent lever and a spring pressing it out, as shewn. To this:
is secured in the centre a plate whose upper edge rising above the
surface of the bed plate a and moving with the arm, feeds the fabric
to be stitched: A spring p' attached to any convenient part of the
frame and connected with the arm o' as shown, draws it back to its
proper position when not acted on by the cam. The upper end of the
arm o' is carried in any suitable bearings. This description relates to
the so-called "A. B. Howe" machine, but my Invention may be applied
to any other machine having a drop feed by slightly varying the position
of the mechanism. As described for the wheel feed machine t is a
standard or bearer so shaped as not to interfere with the action of the
shuttle carrier h, and carrying preferably in a centre bearing as hercin-
before described the shaft u, the other end of which is carried in a like
manner in a projection from c. On this shaft u are placed so as to rotate
on the shaft the cam wheels v, 10, having suitable cam grooves formed on
their peripheries as before. To the arm attached to the standard t
is pivotted a slotted lever y, bearing at one end against the cam b' and
having pivotted to the other end a pawl with a spring engaging with
the teeth of a ratchet wheel a³ secured to the cam io for rotating it a
certain amount at each revolution of the shaft b as already described,
a cam on the shaft 6 actuates in the same way a slotted lever s¹
pivotted to the bearer as before and through the pawl rotates the
ratchet wheel ' and thus imparts motion to cam v. Spiral springs
arc fixed where shown to keep the lever y and s' pressed. against the
cams. To the arm o' is added a straight piece u³, thus forming a
bar across the whole length of the front, the end of this addition being
carried in a bearing 2³ formed to allow it to move freely.up and down
when actuated by the cam working on the lever n'. The other end of
this bar o' is turned at a right angle to its length as shown at y', and
against this projection presses the side of a bar has before described
carried in loops . The wedge-shaped sido presses up against the frame,
also made with an oblique face, to meet it at, a bearing being also
formed in the frame to receive the ends of the bar and the arm o³,
allowing them to move freely laterally, but not vertically. The bar h¹
is as described for the wheel feed machine pivotted to the end of a
slotted vertical arm f' hung on a fulcrum pin 9', and having at the
=
.

page_text: -
lower end a roller as entering in the groove of the cam wheel w, and of
sufficient length to enable the bar h¹ to clear the fulcrum pin 63; on the
latter is hung a slotted vertical arm c³, to the bottom of which is attached
a roller or. pin entering in the groove in the cam v, and to the upper end
of the said arm is attached a rod d³ passing through guides e³ and securely
fixed to the arm o' where shown in Figures 6 and 7, preventing any
lateral movement of the feed except that given by the cam v. The
levers y and & may be thrown out of action with the shaft 6 in the
following manner:-To the arm is pivotted a dog f in such a manner
and of such length that when dropped to fit into a notch in the lever y
the end of the lever is pressed down by it beyond the influence of the
cam 6. This as explained in the Specification for the 'wheel feed is
only one of the many devices which may be adapted to accomplish
the above purpose.
The action of the mechanism for causing the
variation in the length of the feed and in the length of the stitches is
practically the same as in the wheel feed machine; the wedge-shaped
edge of the bar h' pressing against the oblique face ¹ moves the end of
the bar o', thus increasing or diminishing the length of its movement
according as the bar h' is more or less advanced at right angles to o'.
The groove on the periphery of the cam wheel is so formed that by a
means of the connecting rod d³ it pushes the end of the bar o' to which.
it is attached out far enough to produce the exact lateral variation
required at the point where the plate carrying the fabric passes up
through the bed plate a. This cam is of such a configuration as to
impart a lateral motion to the drop feed, two movements being given for
one revolution of the main shaft as will be seen by the configuration
of the cam r³, Figures 8 and 9, the first movement giving the lateral
movement while the feed is pressed against the cloth, and the second
bringing it back to its former position when dropped free of the cloth
ready for another movement laterally either to right or to left, as the
cam may direct. This arrangement allows a much greater lateral
movement than the space to the movement of the feed in the plate.
The third and last division of this Invention comprehends three
modifications of mechanism, which being applied to the feed shaft of
any sewing machine constructed with a feed wheel below the plate:
give automatically a lateral movement of the feed in combination with
the forward one and thus produce a zig-zag line of stitching. This
part of the said Invention is shewn in Figures 11 to 16, in which
Figure 11 is an elevation of the feed wheel with the said improved

page_text: mechanism attached; Figure 12 is a plan of the same; Figure 13 is
an elevation of a modification of the feed wheel with the aforesaid
mechanism attached; Figure 14 is a plan of the same; Figure 15 is a
sectional elevation, and Figure 16 a sectional plan on the line E, E,
Figure 15.
As in the previous description of a wheel feed machine 6 is the main
or driving shaft, and r the cam by means of which motion is imparted
to the feed wheel m in the usual manner. Into the hub n is screwed or
otherwise fixed the cam g' on whose periphery is formed a groove, into
which enters a pin h³ countersunk or tapped through a sleeve fitting
the cam g² accurately and yet loosely enough to allow it to rotate in the
sleeve, sufficient space being left between the ends of the cam gª and
sleeve to allow the feed shaft to move back and forth. On the front
of this sleeve is placed a ratchet wheel, in front of the ratchet wheel
a disc, and in front of the disc a plate m³, these being secured by screws
passing through them into the sleeves. To the said disc is pivotted
a pawl n³, engaging with the ratchet wheel ³, and pressed up against
it by a spring. To the disc is secured by a crank pin one end of
a connecting rod o³, the other end of which is attached to the face of the
cam r. By the action of the cam rotary motion is imparted by means
of the rod o³ to the disc P, and by means of the pawl n³ placed on the
disc the ratchet wheel and sleeve ³ are connected to rotate a certain
distance, and as by means of the usual mechanism the hub n is turned
with the feed wheel a greater motion is imparted to the cam g³ by
5 means of the pin 4 working in the cam groove, and secured to the
sleeve which cannot be moved laterally.
In the second modification, Figures 13 and 14, a plain grooved wheel
or disc p³ is secured to the hub; over it is placed a sleeve as before,
fitting accurately but loosely, and secured to the hub in the direction of
O its axis by a pin ³ entering the groove of the wheel p³. On the end of
this sleeve is placed a cam q³, in the groove of which works a pin ¿ª
secured to the bed plate a, the ratchet wheel A³ with its pivotted
pawl being placed in front of the disc P. In this case the cam qª
attached by means of the pin h³ passing through the sleeve ³ to the
5 disc pe secured to the hub n is moved laterally, in its revolution bringing
with it the hub n and feed wheel m. It must be remembered that the
hub n and the sleeve revolve independently of each other, and may
thus be driven at different rates of speed.

page_text: .
The third modification is shown in Figures 15 and 16, and may be
described as follows:-The bed a of the sewing machine is provided with
a standard c upon which the arbor of the feed wheel is mounted;
6 is the actuating shaft; a clamp and lever q are provided for giving
a progressive rotary motion to the feed wheel; is the cam upon the
shaft 6 for moving the said lever, and there is a regulating screw for
determining the length of stitch. These parts being all well known do
not require further description. The feed wheel m is mounted so that
it may be moved lengthwise of the axis or arbor 1, and a spring
around this arbor presses the said wheel m toward the standard c. 1
Upon the said arbor is a ratchet wheel driven by'a pawl upon a
disc that is oscillated by the connecting rod o³ and crank pin. A
spring click u prevents the turning of the ratchet wheel backward,
and at the side of the wheel m is a cylindrical cam against which a
pin w³ upon the hub of the wheel m bears. It will now be evident that 1
as the ratchet wheel turns around progressively, its cam acting against
the pin upon the hub of the wheel m bears as the ratchet wheel
turns around progressively, its cam acting against the pin wo³ gives
to the feed wheel a lateral as well as a progressive movement, and
hence the material being fed receives a compound movement, the 2
same being progressive as usual and lateral, first one way and then
the other, to form a zig-zag line of stitching. The shape of the cam
upon the wheel and the number of teeth therein will determine
the extent of lateral movement and the number of stitches in each
zig-zag, and this wheel ³ may be varied according to the work to be 2
performed.
.
Having thus 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,-
First. The feed mechanism of a sewing machine arranged to vary 3
automatically in its forward movement, thus increasing or decreasing
the length of stitches produced, substantially as described.
Second. The feed wheel or drop feed of a sewing machine arranged
to be moved laterally across the direction of sewing, so as to give a
sinuous, serpentine, or zig-zag line, substantially as described.
Third. The combination in a sewing machine of an automatically
variable forward feed with automatically variable lateral movement
3

page_text: ever direction the line of sewing may be taken, substantially as set
forth.
Fourth. The combination in a sewing machine of the automatic
variable forward feed and automatic lateral movement with the ordinary
mechanism arranged to be disconnected, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Fifth. The novel arrangement of the cam b¹ on shaft b, slotted lever y,
bearer a, pivotted pawl, ratchet wheel a', and shaft & working in
combination with the actuating mechanism of any sewing machine,
substantially as set forth.
Sixth. The novel arrangement of the cam 10, vertical slotted arm f',
fulcrum pin g', and wedge-shaped bar ¹, in combination with the
plate p, with turned down end k operating together with the clutch o
and the ordinary mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Seventh. The novel arrangement of the cam v, collar c³, feed shaft
sliding in bearers, pin d³, and slot e', all working together and in com-
bination with the other parts of the machine, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Eighth. The novel combination of the cams b' and r², slotted levers y
and a', pivotted to bearers, pawls and f, ratchet wheels a¹ and u¹ working
in combination respectively with cams to and v, and the actuating
mechanism of the machine, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Ninth. The novel arrangement of the cam wo, vertical slotted arm ƒ¹,
fulcrum pin g', and wedge-shaped bar working in combination with
the oblique face and turned end y' of lever arm o', and with the
other parts of a drop feed machine, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Tenth. The novel combination of the cam v, slotted vertical arm c³,
fulcrum pin 6³, and rod ☞, working in combination with the lever arm o¹
and other parts of the mechanism of a drop-feed machine, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Eleventh. The novel combination of the hub n, cam ƒ, and sleeve i³,
ratchet, with pawl n³, disc P, and connecting rod o³ working in
combination and with the other parts of the machine, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Twelfth... The novel combination of the hub n, grooved wheel p³,
sleeve ³, cam 7ª³ and pin 8ª, disc P, ratchet wheel k³, pawl n³, and con-
necting rod. o,.all. working together in combination. and with the other
parts of the machine, substantially as set forth...
Thirteenth. The novel combination of the ratchet wheel k, disc, 5
pawl n³, and connecting rod o³, and springs t, u, and v³, and pin w³, all
acting together in combination with the other parts of the machine,
substantially as set forth.
.
In witness whereof, I, 'the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October; in the year of 10
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two....
Witness,
F. MILLION.
W.. ROB'. LAKE... (L.S.)'