IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Smith, of Sadler's Place, London Wall, in the
County of Middlesex, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEWING MACHINES."
Sealed the 7th March 1862, and dated the 10th September 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
September 1861.
I, JAMES SMITH, of Sadler's Place, London Wall, in the County of Middle-
sex, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain mechanical arrangements adapted to
machines for sewing or uniting together materials, and consists in improvements
in the following parts of such said machines.
First, in the arrangements for actuating the needle.
Secondly, in the arrangements for actuating the shuttle or that part employed
to give off the sewing material.
Thirdly, in the arrangements for paying out the sewing material which
passes through the needle.
Fourthly, in the arrangements for advancing the work under the needle.
Fifthly, in the arrangements for securing the shuttle carrier in its place.
Sixthly, in the shape of the shuttle.
As regards the arrangements for actuating the needle, the improvement
consists in placing under the bed of the machine an eccentric, the rod of

page_text: which passes up through the said bed and is attached to the holder of the
needle so that every revolution of the eccentric communicates to the needle
one up and one down motion, thus securing the continuous motion of the
needle without intervals of rest. As regards the arrangements for actuating
the shuttle the improvement consists in fixing to the same eccentric which
actuates the needle a stud; which stud works in a vertical slot in the frame
which carries the shuttle, so that every rovolution of the eccentric communicates
one forward and one return horizontal motion to said carrier, thus securing
continuous motion to the shuttle without intervals of rest. Thus both the
needle and the shuttle are actuated by one and the same eccentric instead of
by separate and distinct arrangements as heretofore practised. As regards
the arrangements for paying out the sewing material the improvement
consists in fixing to the needle holder a stud, which stud presses against a lever
working about a fixed fulcrum, said lever is similar in shape to a common bell-
crank lover except that the arm against which the stud presses is bent some-
what in the shape of the letter S; the other arm of the lever is straight and
acts as a guide to the thread which supplies the needle by having in it holes
or other suitable contrivances through which tho said thread is passed. The end
of the bent arm of the lever is placed obliquely to the direction of the motion
of the needle holder, so that on the needle holder descending with the needle
in order to make a stitch, the stud fixed to the needle holder presses the bent
arm of the lever to one side, thus bringing the other arm of the lever which
acts as a guide to the thread towards another fixed guide for said thread, thus
causing the thread to become slack. This action continues till the needle
has made half its descent when the remaining portion of the bent arm of the
lever becomes parallel to the direction of the motion of said stud, so that the
stud slides along the lever without moving it, and the lever remains stationary
till the needle has completed its descent and half its ascent, and the shuttle
has made three-fourths of its motion, then the lever is released by the stud
and is forced back into its original position by a spring, thus taking up the slack
and tightening the thread and forming the stitch. As regards the arrange-
ments for advancing the work under the needle they consist in fixing to the
shaft which carries the eccentric two cams, which cams at every revolution of
the shaft to which they are fixed operate upon the arms of bell-crank levers,
the other arms of which are attached to the feeder or that part of the machine
which advances the work under the needle, so that when those arms of the
levers which are in contact with the cams are acted upon they effect the
necessary raising and pushing back of the feeder. I also pass through the
top of the leg of the feeder a pin, which pin works in a slot in the frame of

page_text: the machine so that the friction and wear between the feeder and the frame,
in which it works, shall fall upon the said pin, which when worn can easily be
replaced, said pin also gives greater steadiness to the feeder. As regards
the arrangement for securing the shuttle carrier in its place, I form under
the bed of the machine two parallel ledges on which the shuttle carrier rests, and
upon which it can slide, and immediately over the shuttle carrier when resting
on said ledges, I place sliding plates which fit into horizontal grooves in
the bed of the machine, and which, when in their place, prevent said carrier
from rising up, but on withdrawing the sliding plates said carrier can be lifted
up and removed. As regards the shape of the shuttle I form it plain on the
under surface with the nose or point flush with the under side thereof, and not
with the centre as commonly done.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th March 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
SMITH, of Sadler's Place, London Wall, in the County of Middlesex,
Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Smith, Her special licence that I, the said James
Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Smith, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the condition (amongst others),
that I, the said James Smith, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said James Smith, 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, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to certain mechanical arrangements adapted to
machines for sewing or uniting together materials, and consists in improve-
ments in the following parts of such said machines.
First, in the arrangements for actuating the needle.
Secondly, in the arrangements for actuating the shuttle, or that part
employed to give off the sewing material.
Thirdly, in the arrangements for paying out the sowing material, which
passes through the needle.
Fourthly, in the arrangements for advancing the work under the needle.
Fifthly, in the arrangements for securing the shuttle carrier in its place.
Sixthly, in the shape of the shuttle.
As regards the arrangements for actuating the needle, the improvement
consists in placing under the bed of the machine an eccentric, the rod of which
passes up through the said bed, and is attached to the holder of the needle, so
that every revolution of the eccentric communicates to the needle one up and
one down motion, thus securing the continuous motion of the needle without
intervals of rest. As regards the arrangements for actuating the shuttle the
improvement consists in fixing to the same eccentric which actuates the needle
a stud, which stud works in a vertical slot in the frame which carries the
shuttle, so that every revolution of the eccentric communicates one forward
and one return horizontal motion to said carrier, thus securing continuous
motion to the shuttle without intervals of rest. Thus both the needle and the
shuttle are actuated by one and the same eccentric, instead of by separate and
distinct arrangements, as heretofore practised. As regards the arrangements
for paying out the sewing material, the improvement consists in fixing to the
needle holder a stud, which stud presses against a lever working about a fixed
fulcrum, said lever is similar in shape to a common bell-crank lever, except
that the arm against which the stud presses is bent somewhat in the shape of
the lotter S, the other arm of the lever is straight, and acts as a guide to the
thread which supplies the needlo by having in it holes or other suitable con-
trivances, through which the said thread is passed. The end of the bent arm
of the lever is placed obliquely to the direction of the motion of the needle
holder, so that on the needle holder descending with the needle in order to
make a stitch, the stud fixed to the needle holder presses the bent arm of the
lever to one side, thus bringing the other arm of the lever which acts as a

page_text: guide to the thread towards another fixed guide for said thread, thus causing
the thread to become slack. This action continues till the needle has made
half its descent, when the remaining portion of the bent arm of the lever
becomes parallel to the direction of the motion of said stud, so that the stud
slides along the lever without moving it, and the lever remains stationary till
the needle has completed its descent and half its ascent, and the shuttle has
made three-fourths of its motion, then the lever is released by the stud and is
forced back into its original position by a spring, thus taking up the slack and
tightening the thread and forming the stitch. As regards the arrangements
for advancing the work under the needle, they consist in fixing to the shaft
which carries the eccentric two cams, which cams at every revolution of the
shaft to which they are fixed operate upon the arms of bell-crank levers; the
other arms of which are attached to the feeder, or that part of the machine
which advances the work under the needle, so that when those arms of the
levers which are in contact with the cams are acted upon they effect the
necessary raising and pushing back of the feeder. 'I also pass through the
top of the leg of the feeder a pin, which pin works in a slot in the frame of
the machine, so that the friction and wear between the feeder and the frame
in which it works shall fall upon the said pin, which when worn can easily be
replaced; said pin also gives greater steadiness to the feeder. As regards the
arrangement for securing the shuttle carrier in its place, I form under the bed
of the machine two parallel ledges, on which the shuttle carrier rests, and
upon which
I can slide, and immediately over the shuttle carrier, when resting
on said ledges, I place sliding plates, which fit into horizontal grooves in the
bed of the machine, and which, when in their place, prevent said carrier from
rising up, but on withdrawing the sliding plates said carrier can be lifted up
and removed. As regards the shape of the shuttle, I form it plain on the
under surface with the nose or point flush with the under side thereof and not
with the centre, as commonly done.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of Drawings
annexed to these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
At Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 represents a side
elevation of a sewing machine, constructed with my improvements; Figure 2,
a top plan view thereof; Figure 3, an end elevation of the machine at A,

page_text: Figure 1; Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are details hereafter described and referred
to. At Sheet 2, Figure 9 represents a side elevation of the frame of a machine
on a larger scale, adapted with my improved combined excentric motion for
imparting reciprocating movements to the needle and shuttle. Figure 10 is a
plan view of Figure 9; and Figure 11 an end elevation thereof at A, Figure 9.
At each of the foregoing Figures of each Sheet of Drawings I employ similar
letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such parts
appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures and Sheets of Drawings
respectively.
A, A*, are castings, to which are affixed and connected the following parts
or pieces; B, the main driving spindle of the machine, on which are fixed the
cam C, excentric D, and driving wheel E. a, a, are bearings for the spindle B
to revolve in; b is a groove on the wheel E to receive a cord or gut connected
with a steam engine or other motive power machine; G, a piece of metal
screwed to A, and carrying a piece of metal II, connected to G by a pivot a c;
I, the shuttle of the machine supported and carried by the upper part of the
piece H shown in dotted lines at Figure 3; d, a slot formed in the piece II, into
which a pine takes, said pin is fixed in the excentric D; K, a slot or opening
in A for the shuttle I to move in. The nose of this shuttle is formed with the
point thereof nearly on the same plane as the under side of said shuttle as at
Figure 5 to facilitate its entering the loop from the needle. I also recess the
face of the shuttle as at X, Figure 5, and cause the shuttle to rise on a pro-
jecting piece a fixed to one side of the slot or opening K, to prevent the sewing
material being cut or chafed thereby as the shuttle moves backward after it
has passed through the loop, and the stitch has been formed and completed ;
Lis the needle bar capable of sliding in the piece M fixed to the casting A* ;
N, the feeder working in a slot formed at the opposite side of M, and connected
thereto by a pin g, fixed in the upper part of N, a sloth being formed in M to
receive the ping as at Figures 2 and 3; f is a piece of metal or foot connected
to the lower end of N, said piece being employed to advance the work under
the needle i after it is raised out of the work; k, a spring for keeping the
sliding picce N in its groove in the piece M; 7 is a screw in the piece N for
adjusting or regulating the distance the foot f is to bo moved according to the
length of stitch required to be mado in the work. O, a bell-crank lever con-
nected by a universal joint m to the piece A*, as at Figures 1, 2, 3. The
lower end of the arm n' of the lever O is of a peculiar shape as at Figures 6
and 7, and is operated upon by the parts 1 and 2 of the cam C. The part 1
as the cam rotates pushes the arm n' of the lever O away, and thereby pushes
the foot and the work beneath it away from the needle ready to receive

page_text: another stitch (a movement well known in sewing machines) and the swell 3
on the part 2 of the cam C, shewn at Figure 8, acting on the part n of the
lever O, pushes said lever sideways, and by means of the arm n of the lever O
lifts the foot from the work and allows said foot to be pulled back by the
spring k, and to descend again on the work ready to push the work forward or
away from the needle as each stitch is formed. The lever O may be drawn
back after the part 1 of the cam C has pushed it forward, either by a bent
piece of metal n³, as at Figure 7, or by a spring suitably placed for that
purpose. P is an excentric rod embracing by its lower end the excentric D;
the upper end of the rod P is formed cranked or with an arm o, as at Figure 4,
into which is fixed a pin p, which takes in a slot 4 formed in a piece of metal Q,
shewn better at Figure 4; x is another pin fixed in the top of the rod P;
this pin is connected to the needle carrier or slide L for actuating same; the
part y of the pin & also operates on the edge of the piece Q. The piece Q is
connected to a bent lever R by a pin at q formed thereon, which passes through
a hole in M; the lever R has holes formed therein for passing the sewing
material through, said lever being employed for taking up the slack from the
needle, and also for pulling each stitch tight, which is effected as hereafter
described. S is a bobbin carrying the sewing material; T, a piece of metal
fixed to A*; 5 is a hole formed in the piece T, see Figure 2; the sewing
material passes from the bobbin S through the hole 5 aforesaid, is then passed
once or more times round the piece T, according to the nature of the work,
and
passes thence through one or other of the holes in the piece U, fixed to M,
as at Figures 1 and 3, thence through one of the holes in the lever R, and, finally,
through the eye of the needle, grooves 6, 6, being formed in the pieces L and
M to allow the sewing material to be as close to the needle as possible. W is
a friction wheel mounted on a spindle r, and employed for filling the bobbin
with sewing material; said bobbin being held between the part 7 of the
spindler and the spring pin s. X, X, are sliding plates for the work to rest
upon, a hole being formed in one of said plates for the needle to pass through.
The operations of this improved sewing machine are as follows:-Suppose
the bobbin in the shuttle i and the bobbin S to be charged with sewing material,
and the wheel E to be put in motion in the direction of the arrow's flight at
Figure 3, and the several parts of the machine in the position represented at
Figure 1 and 3, and the needle i to have been passed through the material to be
stitched by the action of the excentric D and rod P thereon, the needle now
begins rise, and simultaneously with the rising of thereof, the nose of the
shuttle I enters the loop formed by the material in the needle and passes
through same, the needle continuing to rise pulls the said loop partly through

page_text: the work, when the pin x in the rod P coming into contact with the edge of
the piece Q pushes said piece, and the lever R connected thereto into the
position denoted by the dotted lines at Figuro 4, thereby pulling up the
slack thread still furthor, and finally, the pin p, acting upon the edge of the
slot 4 at, pulls the stitch tight after the pins and p have been withdrawn
from the picce Q, the spring Y pushes the piece Q into its original position.
The part 1 of the cam C now acts upon the lever O and pushes it away, thereby
pushing the footf outwards and advancing the work one stitch away from the
needle. Tho needle now begins to descend, and when it has entered the work
the part 2 of the cam O lifts the foot from the work, and the spring & pulls the
foot back and lowers it on to the top work before the needle begins to ascend.
The machine then makes another stitch as before described, and so on in
succession at each rotation of the spindle B.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my said
Invention of "Improvements in Sewing Machines," together with the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion, that I hereby declaro my Invention to consist in
and I claim the general mechanical arrangements and combinations of parts
above described with reference to the several Figures of the Drawings
accompanying these Presents, as constituting improvements in sewing machines,
and especially I claim the following parts:-
First, the parts marked D, P, a, and e, for actuating the needle and
shuttle.
Secondly, the parts marked T and 5, at Figure 2, for paying out the sewing
material from the bobbin S.
Thirdly, the parts marked C, O, n, n', 1, 2, 3, N, 1, g, h, h, at Figures 1, 2,
3, 6, 7, 8, for advancing the work under the needle, and raising and lowering
the foot f.
Fourthly, and lastly, I claim the parts marked D, P, Q, R, , p, q, Y, 2, 4,
for taking up the slack sewing material in the needle, and pulling the stitch
tight.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
JAMES SMITH. (L.8.)