IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Clark, of New York, in the United States
of America, but now of Morley's Hotel, in the City of Westminster,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINERY."
Mawitt Chinxan
Now Vork
by Isaac Merritt Singer, of
A communication from abroad by
Sealed the 13th October 1859, and dated the 21st April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st April 1859.
I, EDWARD CLARK, of New York, in the United States of America, but
now of Morley's Hotel, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING
MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, firstly to a method of securing two or more needles
in the needle. carrier of sewing machines. The needles are secured in a
mortise in the needle carrier or stock by means of interposed blocks grooved
on their parallel faces to receive the body of the needles, and all clamped by
a clamp screw or equivalent means, whereby any number of needles can be
secured and all held parallel with each other, and the spaces between the
several needles varied at pleasure to suit the required width of seams by
taking out one set of blocks and substituting blocks of a different thickness.
The second part of the Invention relates to the sewing of compound seams
by the employment, in combination with two or more needles, of one or more
P2135

page_text: tongues of metal attached to the bed of the machine, and one for each space
between every two needles, which tongue is a narrow strip of metal lying
between the needles to support the fabric between the needles while being
punctured, and under which the concatenating threads from one needle to the
other pass, so that while drawing the stitch tight the said tongue or tongues
prevent the fabric from being puckered, the threads being drawn off from the
end of the said tongue or tongues as the seam progresses. In combination
with the tongue or tongues is a concave bed piece, also attached to the bed of
the machine, and extending a short distance under the tongue or tongues, and
at such distance below the tongues as to permit the free passage of the threads
between them as the seam progresses, the object of the bed piece being to give
support to the cloth on both sides, and in case of accident, or in case of sewing
substances which are difficult to be punctured by the needles, to prevent the
tongue or tongues from being bent down too much.
The third part of the Invention relates to the combining with two or morc
eye-pointed needles a vibrating thread carrier, which after the needles are
drawn up, or while they are being drawn up, carries a single or compound
thread or cord or braid across on the upper surface of the cloth, and in front
of the needles or needle threads, so that when the feed motion advances the
cloth to space the stitches, and the needles are carried down to make the next
stitches, they descend in front of the thread or cord so laid on the surface, and
thereby secure it.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to a method of guiding the cloth
to the needle or needles in forming seams. This object is attained by the
employment of two guide plates attached to the bed or frame of the machine,
and in some cases having the guiding end made thin and sufficiently elevated
from the bed or table to be embraced by the fold of the piece of cloth, which
is thus guided by having the bottom of the fold embraced between the edges
of the two guide plates, so that when the two pieces of cloth are to be con-
nected by a compound seam, both pieces being previously lapped or folded,
the lap or fold of each piece of cloth embracing its appropriate guide, the two
folded edges will be held against each other and presented in a proper manner
to the two needles to sew one range of stitches on each side of the junction;
and in other instances, for other form of seams, one of the guide plates is made
double, to embrace the guiding edge of the other plate with the cloth on it.
The fifth part of the Invention relates to the guiding of the cloth to the
needle or needles in sewing hems. The tube guide for holding the hem to
the bar of the presser foot is attached by a yielding arm having sufficient
space between the upper surface of the presser and the hem guide for the

page_text: passage of the cloth, whereby the folding is effected in closer proximity to the
needle, and the fold presented in a better manner than by any other mode
before known.
The sixth part of the Invention relates to the graduating of the tension of
the spring which holds up the needle thread or threads as the needle descends,
and gives the required tension thereto in closing the stitch as the needle rises.
The arm which carries this tension spring is provided with a series of holes to
receive the end of the spring, so that it can be inserted in either of the holes,
and set nearer to or further from the axis of vibration of the vibrating guide
arm, through which the thread or threads pass before passing through the eye
of the needle or needles.
The last part of the Invention relates to the method of operating the instru-
ment which feeds in the cloth to determine the spacing of the stitches. The
up-and-down and back-and-forth movements are given to the feeding instru-
ment by a single lever mounted on a universal joint, and connected at one
end to the instrument, while the other end is acted upon by two cams.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
CLARK, of New York, in the United States of America, but now of Morley's
Hotel, in the City of Westminster, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward Clark, Her special license that I, the said Edward Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Clark, 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
SEWING MACHINERY," being a communication from Isaac Merritt Singer, of
New York, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Clark, by an instrument' in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly

page_text: 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 date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention, as communicated to me by the Inventor, relates, firstly, to
a method of securing two or more needles in the needle carrier of sewing
machines. The needles are secured in a mortise in the needle carrier or
stock by means of interposed blocks grooved on their parallel faces to receive
the body of the needles, and all clamped by a clamp screw or equivalent
means, whereby any number of needles can be secured, and all held parallel
with each other, and the spaces between the several needles varied at pleasure
to suit the required width of scams, by taking out one set of blocks and
substituting blocks of a different thickness.
The second part of the Invention relates to the sewing of compound seams
by the employment, in combination with two or more needles, of one or more
tongues of metal attached to the bed of the machine, and one for each space
between every two needles, which tongue is a narrow strip of metal lying
between the needles to support the fabric between the needles while being
punctured, and under which the concatenating threads from one needle to the
other pass, so that while drawing the stitch tight the said tongue or tongues
prevent the fabric from being puckered, the threads being drawn off from
the end of the tongue or tongues as the seam progresses. And this part of
the Invention also relates to the combination with the said tongue or tongues
of a concave bed piece, also attached to the bed of the machine, and extending
a short distance under the tongue or tongues, and at such distance below the
tongues as to permit the free passage of the threads between them as the seam
progresses, the object of the bed piece being to give support to the cloth on
both sides, and in case of accident, or in case of sewing substances which are
difficult to be punctured by the needles, to prevent the tongue or tongues from
being bent down too much.
The third part of the Invention relates to a method of uniting compound
scams on the upper surface of the substances to be sewed (whether to bind
the seams or for embroidering the surface), and consists in combining with
tivo or more eye-pointed needles a vibrating thread carrier, which after the

page_text: needles are drawn up, or while they are being drawn up, carries a single or
compound thread or cord or braid across on the upper surface of the cloth,
and in front of the needles or needle threads, so that when the feed motion
advances the cloth to space the stitches, and the needles are carried down to
make the next stitches, they descend in front of the thread or cord so laid on
the surface, and thereby secure it.
The fourth part of the Invention relates to a method of guiding the cloth
to the needle or needles forming seams when one or both pieces of cloth
is or are lapped or folded over to make a flat seam. This object is attained
by the employment, in combination, of two guide plates attached to the bed or
frame of the machine, and in some cases having the guiding end made thin,
and sufficiently elevated from the bed or table to be embraced by the fold of
the piece of cloth, which is thus guided by having the bottom of the fold
embraced between the edges of the two guide plates, so that when the two
picces of cloth are to be connected by a compound seam, both pieces being
previously lapped or folded, the lap or fold of each piece of cloth embracing
its appropriate guide, the two folded edges will be held against cach other,
and presented in a proper manner to the two needles to sew one range of
stitches on each de of the junction; and in other instances, for other form of
seams, one of the guide plates is made double, to embrace the guiding edge
of the other plate with the cloth on it.
The fifth part of the Invention relates to a method of guiding the cloth to
the needle or needles in sewing hems, and consists in attaching the tube guide
for holding the hem to the bar of the presser foot by a yielding arm, having
sufficient space between the upper surface of the presser and the hem guide
for the passage of the cloth, whereby the folding is effected in closer proximity
to the needle and the fold presented in a better manner than by any other
mode before known.
The last part of the Invention relates to a method of operating the instru-
ment which feeds in the cloth to determine the spacing of the stitches, and con-
sists in giving the up-and-down and back-and-forth movements to the feeding
instrument by a single lever, one end of which is connected therewith, and
which lever is mounted on a universal joint, and is acted upon at the other
end by two cams.
In the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved
sewing machine, with part of the frame in section to represent portions of the
machinery which would be otherwise concealed; Fig. 2, a front elevation;
and Figures 3, 4, and 5 are horizontal sections, taken at the lines A, a, B, b,
and C, c, of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the guides for making

page_text: a fold in each of two pieces of cloth which are to be united by a double seam;
and Fig. 7 is a like view of the guides, so modified as to make a single or
double fold; Figures 8, 9, and 10, plan views of the double seam united;
Fig. 11, a face view of a modification of the supporting tongue; Figure 12,
sections of the needle carrier; and Figure 13, a separate view of the hem
folding tube attached to the presser. The same letters indicate like parts in
all the Figures.
a represents a suitable table, formed with a groove b, as a suitable race
for the shuttle c and shuttle carrier d, constructed and reciprocated therein
in the manner and by the means represented in the Drawings, or by other
suitable means. On the table there is a standard e, with an arm ƒ ex-
tending over the table to the required distance, as is well known in sewing
machines. The forward end of this arm carries the ways g, in which the
needle carrier slides vertically or perpendicularly to the table, the said
needle carrier receiving motion from a crank pin i working in a cam groove
on the carrier. The crank pin is on the forward end of a horizontal shaft i
within the arm, and extends through to the back of the machine, where the
driving power is applied in the manner represented, or in any other suitable
manner. The said shaft j, by bevel cog wheels k, k, and a vertical shaft 1,
communicates motion to the shuttle driver d, by a crank and connecting
rod m or equivalent means.
The needle threads, whether one or more, pass from spools around suitable
tension regulators n, and through a guide o on the end of a spring con-
troller p, as represented, and thence to the eye of the needles. Two sets of
such tension apparatus are represented, one for each needle, and should be
increased the number of needles is increased beyond the two represented.
I have so far given but a general description of the machinery, as the parts,
combinations, and arrangements, so far indicated, make no part of the Inven-
tion for which I claim Letters Patent, and may be substituted, in connection
with the above enumerated improvements, by suitable equivalent means.
The spring controller p is an arm, the rear end of which vibrates on an
axis as represented. It is held up by the tension of a spring p2 which acts
under it, and this spring is bent at its opposite end so as to be readily inserted
into any one of a series of holes p³ made in the upper part of the arm f,
so that by shifting from one hole to another it will exert its tensive force on the
arm at a greater or less distance from the axis of vibration of the arm f
and thereby increase or decrease the tension on the needle thread or threads
as may be required for the kind of seams desired to be sewn.
troller p works in two bridles, as represented, one attached to the ways g
The con-

page_text: to gauge the extent of its upward movement, and the other attached to and
moving with the needle carrier to force the controller down after the point of
the needle has entered the cloth, that the thread may be freely supplied to
form the loop for the passage of the thread; but as the needle rises the guiding
end of the said thread controller which is forced up by the tension of the spring
is permitted to rise faster than the needle, because the bridle which permits
its upward movement is between the guide end and the axis of vibration.
The lower end of the needle carrier his formed with a flanch-like pro-
jection q, in which is cut a vertical mortise with parallel sides. In this
mortise are fitted a series of metal blocks r, the contiguous faces of which
are parallel and grooved vertically, so that the shank of a needle s may be
inserted and held between any two of such blocks. The upper ends of these
blocks are flanched to rest on the upper surface of the projection. After the
required number of blocks has been inserted in the mortise with the needles
between them, they are made to gripe the needles and hold them firmly in
place by a temper screw at the end of the mortise. As all the blocks are
grooved in one and the same plane, and the shanks of the needles are inserted
in the said grooves, when clamped, the needles, whether one, two or more,
will be brought to the required position, and when two or more are inserted,
will be parallel with each other and all brought in the same plane, and
parallel with the plane of motion of the shuttle face, that the one shuttle may
carry its thread through the loops of all the needle threads to form the seams.
And it will also be observed, that the distances between the needles will
depend upon the thickness of the blocks, and that by having blocks of different
thicknesses the needles can be readily set at any desired distance from each
other to sew parallel seams, at any required distance apart, by merely taking
out. one set of blocks and putting in another set. It will be obvious, that
instead of the temper screw, a wedge, key, or other equivalent device may be
substituted.
The bed or table of the machine is grooved out at right angles with the
shuttle race to receive two plates u, v, which are secured in the said grooves
by screws or other suitable means, the plate being slotted for the passage
of the securing screw, so that it can be adjusted relatively to the other
plate and relatively to the needles. The inner end of the plate is
formed with a narrow tongue, which extends and lies between the two
needles, and which is nearly equal in width to the space between the two
needles; and when there are three needles the said plate should be provided
with two such tongues, and in that proportion for any other number of needles.
This tongue should be thin, and, as before stated, forms a bed for the material

page_text: to be sewn, that it may resist the puncturing operation of the needles; and as
the shuttle thread or other thread extending from one seam to the other
passes under this tongue, in drawing the stitches tight, the tongue will prevent
the tension on the thread from puckering up the material that is being sewn.
The inner end of the other plate z extends a short distance under the end of
the tongue, and is there made concave, so as to allow sufficient space between
the two for the passage of the thread as it is drawn off from the tongue by the
progress of the seam. The inner edge of this plate u should extend close
up to the needles on one side, and the shoulders of the other plate each
side of the tongue in like manner on the other side, so that the surface of both
plates may give support to the substance that is being sewn as near to the
needles as practicable. That part of the plate u which extends under the
tongue will give support to the tongue and prevent it from being sprung down
too low by the puncturing operation in case of an accidental breaking of the
needles, or from any other accidental cause.
When the space between the needles is materially varied, the plate v is
to be replaced by another having a tongue of the required width, although this
may be accomplished by making the tongue tapering, and setting it further in
or out to suit the space between the needles. And although it is preferred to
apply this part of the Invention in the manner above described, it may be
applied by means of a plate, such as represented by Fig. 11, with a mortise
cut in it of the form represented, the part 1 forming the tongue, extending
between the two needles which play up and down in the parts 2, 2, the
mortise extending from the parts 2, 2, around the end of the tongue to
permit the escape of the thread as the scam progresses. The plate so formed
is to be let into and secured to the bed or table in the same manner as the
two plates u, v.
From the foregoing it will be seen, that as the two (or greater number) of
needles descend, puncturing the cloth (or other substance), and carrying their
threads below, the cloth is amply supported around the needles, and when, by
the upward motion of the needles the needle threads are each formed into a
loop, the shuttle moving in a plane parallel with the plane of the needles,
carries its thread (the shuttle thread) through the loops of all the threads, so
that the two scams are connected below the cloth by the shuttle thread.
After forming one set of stitches, that is, one stitch with each needle, the
feeding or spacing motion takes place to advance the cloth the distance of one
stitch, and then the operation is repeated. The shuttle thread in this case will
extend, as represented in Fig. 8, under the cloth from the first to the
second stitch in the direction of one seam, then across to the other seam, and

page_text: in moving from the second to the third set of stitches, the shuttle thread will
run along under the cloth in the direction of the second seam, and then across
to the first seam, and so on; but if the shuttle be made double-pointed, as is
well known in single-needle sewing machines, to move only in one direction
for each down-and-up motion of the needle, then the shuttle thread will run,
as represented in Fig. 9, under the cloth straight across from the first stitch
in one seam to the first stitch in the other seam, and then diagonally back
from the first stitch in this to the second stitch in the first-named seam, and
so on to the end, forming as complete a union of the two seams as in the first
example. This feeding instrument represented at a, is formed with teeth
or with a roughened surface, which passes through apertures in the table.
Below the table this feeding instrument is attached to one end of a long
lever b below the table, and at about the middle of its length it is connected
by a universal joint c with the under side of the table. The opposite
end of this lever is forced towards two cams on the shaft by the tension
of a spring. One of the cams g2, by the rotation of the shaft I, acts upon
the lever to depress it, that its other end may lift up the feeding instrument,
and cause the toothed or roughened surface to gripe the cloth against the
under face of the presser foot; the other cam 2 then acts on the lever to
move it laterally to the extent required for moving the feeding instrument a
distance equal to the length of the stitches. As the cam g passes by the
end of the lever, that end is lifted up by the spring to depress the feeding
instrument, to liberate it from the cloth preparatory to the back movement,
which is effected by the spring, the revolution of the cam permitting it to act.
The extent of motion of this lever is regulated by a set screw to admit of
varying the length of stitches. For the purpose of uniting the two seams on
the upper surface, the following arrangement of thread carrier is employed:-
A thread y. from a suitable bobbin, after passing through suitable guides, is
carried through an eye or guide in the end of an arm z projecting from a
rocking arbor a', the journals of which are mounted in a bracket piece b'
on the arm f. This arbor is cogged as at c¹ to engage the cogs of a
rack d adapted to slide in the said bracket, and receiving motion for this
purpose from a cam groove e¹ on the shaft l, which receives motion by
çog gearing from the main shaft. The said cam e¹ vibrates a lever f¹,
which is connected at its lower end with the sliding rack d¹.
This move-
ment of the arm z carries the thread y in front of the two needle threads,
while the needles are out of the cloth, so that after the feeding motion has
taken place, and the needles descend and carry their threads again through the
cloth, they carry their threads over the thread y, which is thus secured to

page_text: the upper face of the cloth. By the next operation the thread y is carried
back in the opposite direction and again secured, in this way forming a
complete union of the two seams above the cloth. As represented in the
accompanying Drawings, the arm or thread carrier z vibrates in one direction
for each complete operation of the needles, and that will lay the thread or cord
on the surface of the cloth, as shewn at Fig. 10.
To prevent the tension of the thread y from puckering up the cloth, and
at the same time to hold the cloth down to the bed or table during the
upward motion of the needles, a presser foot is employed in the usual
manner. This presser foot is a plate secured to the lower end of a vertical
bar g' adapted to slide vertically in ways in the arm f, and forced down-
ward by the tension of a spring h¹ in the usual manner; but as this pad,
if made in the usual manner, would prevent the laying of the thread #
on the surface of the cloth, a mortise i', (Fig. 4) is cut through it for the
passage of the said thread from the seams to the vibrating arm z, and to the
plate is secured a tongue j', which projects within the mortise corresponding
with the tongue v below, and performing the same function in relation
to this thread that the tongue below performs with reference to the shuttle
thread below.
The vibrating arm z can be employed either to connect two or more seams
when uniting two pieces of cloth edge to edge, one seam being formed within
each edge, as represented by Fig. 6, where k³, k, represents the two pieces of
cloth; or this vibrating arm may be employed to carry a cord or ornamental
thread for the purposes of embroidering, by laying it on the surface of the
cloth from seam to seam, as represented in Figure 10, whether two or more
seams are made at the same time.
For guiding the cloth or other substance in sewing folds, or in uniting two
pieces of cloth with the edge of each lapped or doubled over, and the two laid
edge to edge as in Figure 6, two plates (o', o¹¹) are employed; thèse plates
are thin and applied in pairs secured to the surface of the bed or table. Each
piece of cloth is folded or lapped over and slipped on to one of the plates, the
end of the plate against the bottom of the fold, and the two edges made by
the folds are brought together by the ends of the two plates. In this way
the two pieces of cloth are properly held and guided to the two needles
to be united by the two seams and cross threads above and below. And in
guiding the cloth, when the two pieces of cloth are laid on each other, and the
edges lapped or turned over together, as in Fig. 7, the plates are formed as
at p, p, one of them p¹ being made like one of the plates o¹, and the
other pbifurcated to receive the end of the plate p¹, with the fold clothes.

page_text: Inese plates are secured to the table by screws, so that they can be adjusted
and changed at pleasure.
For sewing hems, it has been the practice heretofore to use a guide tube,
such as is represented at 1, Fig. 13, but attached to the table, so that the
folded cloth, after passing from this guide tube, had to pass to and under the
presser, and in consequence the seam was frequently defective. To avoid this
the hem-folding tube is made with an arm k, by which it is attached to the
bar of the presser by a screw or equivalent means, placing the under face of
the folding guide just over the presser, but with sufficient space between the
two for the passage of the cloth.
Having thus pointed out the nature of the several parts of the Invention,
and described the manner of constructing and working the same, I, would
remark that it will be obvious that the mode of construction may be varied
without changing the principle of the said Invention; but what I claim under
the above in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the method of securing two or more needles in the needle carrier by
making the said carrier with a mortise, and fitting to and combining therewith
a series of blocks with parallel sides grooved to receive the needles, and
clamping the whole by a clamp screw or equivalent therefor, as set forth.
Second, combining with two or more needles one or more tongues, that is,
one tongue extending into the space between any two needles to form a bed or
support for the cloth between the needles and to resist the tension of the threads
in drawing the stitches, as described.
And I also claim, in combination with the said tongue or tongues and two or
more needles, the employment of a supporting plate extending under the end
of the tongue or tongues, but not in contact with it or them, as described and
for the purpose set forth.
Third, the employment of the vibrating thread, cord, or braid carrier, or the
equivalent thereof, above the cloth, as set forth, in combination with an eye-
pointed needle or needles, as set forth, for the purpose of uniting two or more
seams or ornamenting the surface, as set forth.
Fourth, and also in combination with an eye-pointed needle or needles, or
an equivalent sewing mechanism, the employment of guide plates, substantially
such as described, for holding and guiding the cloth or other substance to be
sewn.
Fifth, attaching the hem guide directly to the bar of the presser, so that the
guide shall be directly over the surface of the presser, as described and for the
purpose specified.
Sixth, operating the feeding instrument, and giving it all the motions

page_text: specified, by means of a lever connected therewith, and which is connected
with the frame by a universal joint, and operated by two cams, as specified and
for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the First day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
EDWARD CLARA. (L.S.)