IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Whitehead, of Crayford, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE ALSO
TO OTHER MACHINES."
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 28th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Whitehead at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th October 1876.
"
FRANCIS WHITEHEAD, of Crayford, in the County of Kent. IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER MACHINES."
In the present sewing machines difficulty has been found to overcome the rotation
of working parts, and also the action of the needle, without the needle after
completing the work in one direction going beyond the part where it is desired to
stop. Now the object of my Invention is to overcome this difficulty, and same
consists mainly in the arrangements herein-after described; and also to enable the
machine to give out its full duty, for which I purpose to apply a larger wheel for
driving purposes than has hitherto been considered necessary, and by this means
acquire a considerable momentum or impetus, to control which I adopt substantially
the following arrangements:-
The machine may be constructed in any convenient manner, say, for example, in
the ordinary way, but in addition thereto I apply a brake or retarder to the pulley
or rigger over which the endless band from the driving wheel passes for driving the
machine. This brake is worked from the front part or plate, or other convenient
part of the machine; as, for instance, by rod or rods forming a lever, or cord or
cords, which pass under the plate, and connected above or in front of same by a stud,
plate, or suitable means, or they may be formed or cast in one piece. The rod or
rods pass along to and under or over the pulley or rigger, and are there connected
together by a piece of metal, to which on the upper side is fixed by suitable means
rubber or other suitable material.
When the machine is desired to be stopped all that is required is to press the
stud or suitable means connecting the rods, and this action presses the rubber or
other suitable material against the periphery of the pulley or rigger, and the
machine is instantly stopped. Or in some cases instead of the lever being held
down suitable cam or other arrangements (whereby the brake may be kept in
CD 13

page_text: position against the pulley or rigger) may be used; or the brake may be worked
instead of by the hand by the foot or knee of the operator. Although I have
described my arrangements as applied to the pulley or rigger it is evident it can if
required be applied direct to the driving shaft instead.
In some cases a lever may be made to act on screw or other gearing or mechanisnı
in place of the rods or cords.
Also in some cases my mechanism may be made to grip the shaft, pulley, or rigger,
instead of pressing against the periphery.
I may here remark that not only may my arrangements be applied to the rigger
or pulley driven by the large or driving wheel, but I can use a friction cam on the
shaft of the needle driven by the pulley which may be so arranged as to be under
the control of the operator, either by hand, knee, or foot, by means of a stud or
button attached to a lever or levers connecting the cam or break attached to the
wheel of the driving shaft.
The important point aimed at by my Invention is that by means of the brake,
gripper, or cam applied as described power is given to the operator to stop the
needle instead of being obliged to stop the wheel, which is the usual way, though
by my Invention both the needle and wheel, or either of them, may be stopped.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th April
1877.
FRANCIS WHITEHEAD, of Crayford, in the County of Kent.
SEWING MACHINES, APPLICABLE ALSO TO OTHER MACHINES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
In the present sewing machines difficulty has been found to overcome the rotation
of working parts, and also the action of the needle, without the needle after
completing the work in one direction going beyond the part where it is desired to
stop. Now the object of my Invention is to overcome this difficulty, and saine
consists mainly in the arrangements herein-after described; and also to enable the
machine to give out its full duty, for which I purpose to apply a larger wheel for
driving purposes than has hitherto been considered necessary, and by this means
acquire a considerable momentum or impetus, to control which I adopt substantially
the following arrangements :-
The machine may be constructed in any convenient manner, say, for example, in
the ordinary way, but in addition thereto I apply a brake or retarder to the pulley
or rigger over which the endless band from the driving wheel passes for driving the
machine. This brake is worked from the front part or plate, or other convenient
part of the machine; as, for instance, by rod or rods forming a lever, or cord or
cords, which pass under the plate, and connected above or in front of same by a stud,
plate, or suitable means, or they may be formed or cast in one piece. The rod or
rods pass along to and under or over the pulley or rigger, and are there connected
together by a piece of metal, to which on the side in contact with the wheel is fixed
by suitable means rubber or other suitable material.
When the machine is desired to be stopped all that is required is to press the
stud or suitable means connecting the rods, and this action presses the rubber or
other suitable material against the periphery of the pulley or rigger, and the
machine is instantly stopped. Or in some cases instead of the lever being held
down suitable cam or other arrangements (whereby the brake may be kept in
position against the pulley or rigger) may be used; or the brake may be worked
instead of by the hand by the foot or knee of the operator. Although I have
described my arrangements as applied to the pulley or rigger it is evident it can if
required be applied direct to the driving shaft instead.
In some cases a lever may be made to act on screw or other gearing or mechanism
in place of the rods or cords.

page_text: machine; Fig. 2, sectional plan view.
Fig. 3, elevation with modified form of brake or retarder; Fig. 4 end elevation
of Fig. 3.
In these Figures only so many of the parts of the sewing machine are represented
as to show the application of my Invention.
In these Figs. A is the pulley or rigger of the sewing machine mounted on
shaft B, as in ordinary machines; C, frame; and D, plate of machine; E is the
brake or retarder; F, rods, to which the brake or retarder is attached, said rods
being free to move on pin G attached to the frame of the machine. The said rods
or arms F are in some cases formed as shewn in plan (Fig. 2), so as to avoid all the
working parts of the sewing machine mechanism, said arms being brought to the
front of the plate D and connected by plate G', which serves the purpose of putting
the brake or retarder in action, as herein-before described.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the brake or retarder is formed as a cam, which when pressed
against the wheel acts in similar manner as the brake shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Modi-
fications of this arrangement by making the cam a fixture free to turn on its axis,
so as to bring the major axis of the cam against the rigger. Various arrangements,
as will be evident to a practical man, may be used to actuate the brake or retarder,
and also instead of having the form of the rods as shewn only one rod may be
used on one side of the machine, terminating in a stud or button which by pressure
of the finger causes the retarder or brake to act. Further, to hold the rods in their
position when in or out of action I may use a spring fixed to the plate D, to keep
same in position, and a counterbalance weight or spring may be applied between the
pin G and brake E, to keep the brake clear of the rigger A.
In conclusion I have to state that I can apply my brake apparatus either to
the rigger or pulley in immediate connection with the needle, or (where sucli
an arrangement is used to the intermediate rigger or pulley placed between the
driving wheel and the needle, placing the brake in this case as near the needle bar
motor as possible; that is to say, the rods or levers are varied in form, to accomodate
the application of the brake to the intermediate wheel, by which brake apparatus
the needle can be stopped at a stitch without the necessity of easing the speed
gradually, and eventually stopping the driving wheel by the foot or feet, which
when often repeated causes a great strain on the muscles and produces well-known
injuries, whereas by my brake appliances the needle is stopped at once, whatever
the speed of the machine, and without the slightest jar, and the machine can
be driven at a much greater pace than is usual, and with greater ease than
formerly, because the needle can be stopped the moment it is required to do so by
the pressure of even a finger and without removing the hand from the work, whilst
without such appliance it is necessary to stop with the feet or else remove the hand
from the work to grasp the wheel,

page_text: In machines other than sewing machines the brake apparatus would be applied to
any suitable moving part of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or put in practice, I
claim the use and adoption of brake apparatus either to the rigger or pulley in
immediate connection with the needle, or where more available to another rigger or
pulley between the driving wheel and the needle; or in the case of other machines
the application of similar apparatus to that herein-before described to any suitable
running part of such machines, all substantially as the said Invention is herein-
before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Whitehead, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
T. MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventor's Patent Right Assn., Ld.,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W.
FRANCIS WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)