AN IMPROVED SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bristow Hunt, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT." A communication from abroad by Joseph
Charles Herr, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 7th October 1879, and dated the 10th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bristow Hunt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th April 1879.
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT." (A communication
from abroad by Joseph Charles Herr, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United
States of America.)
This Invention relates to an improved sewing-machine attachment, by which the
needle has a lateral reciprocating motion imparted to it for the purpose of making
lateral or zigzag stitching, such as is required for working button-holes and other
similar operations.
To the lower end of the needle-bar is secured a block grooved for the reception
and lateral guidance of a sliding plate, in the underside of which are formed
openings for the reception and retention of one or more needles.
On the back of the sliding plate are formed two lugs, into the space between
which projects a lower arm of a lever, which is pivoted to a projection formed on
or secured to the block.
To the front of the head of the machine is secured a plate having an arm, from
which projects a pin adapted to a curved slot formed near the upper end of a dog,
the lower portion of which is made in the form of a pointed projection having
inclined sides terminating at the top in shoulders. The upper end of the dog may
have a projection formed thereon, or may be made in the shape of a blunt wedge
for the action of a spring presser, which is adapted to a recessed stud secured to the
arm of the said plate.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
When the parts are in one position the needle-bar has just commenced to rise,
carrying with it the block, its sliding plate, and lever. The pin occupies a position

page_text: at the right hand end of the curved slot in the dog, and the pointed projection of
the latter is inclined towards the head of the machine, so that as the needle-bar
rises an upper arm of the said lever strikes one inclined side of the dog, and is
thereby moved in one direction, thereby imparting a lateral movement in a reverse
direction to the needle-carrying slide plate. At the same time the dog is shifted on
the pin, the latter now occupying a position about mid-way of the curved slot.
The needle-bar still rising, the movement of the lever continues in the same
direction until its upper arm strikes the shoulder at the upper end of the said
incline, when the dog will be shifted from its position to another, in which the pin
will occupy a position at the left hand end of the curved slot and the apex of the
wedge-shaped upper end of the dog be on one side of the centre of the said spring-
presser.
The needle-bar has now reached the limit of its upward movement and com-
nences to descend, and as soon as the upper arm of the lever has cleared the lower
end of the pointed projection of the dog the action of the spring-presser on the
upper end of the said dog will cause it to be shifted to another position, so that on
the next upward movement of the needle-bar the said upper arm of the lever will
act on and be acted on by the other inclined side of the dog, and a lateral movement
in a direction contrary to that above described will be imparted to the needle-
carrying slide plate, as will be readily understood.
When the said projection on the dog is used in place of the spring-presser the
preponderance in weight on one side or the other of the pin is relied upon to cause
the proper shifting of the end of the pointed projection when it is released from
the control of the upper arm of the lever.
In a modified form of dog its shoulders are dispensed with, so that its shifting
movement is effected by the action of the upper arm of the lever directly upon its
inclined sides.
The lower arm of the lever fits loosely between the lugs of the sliding plate, so
as to have more or less play, the extent of the lost motion being regulated by
adjusting a set screw with which the lower arm is provided, the point of this set-
screw striking the foremost lug on the forward movement of the lower end of the
arm, and thereby transmitting the movement to the sliding plate. The rearward
movement of the slide is effected by the direct contact of the lower arm with the
rear lug, which is slotted vertically for the reception of the stem of the set-screw.
The sliding-plate is held in position vertically by means of a screw, the stem of
which is adapted to an elongated opening in the plate.
In order to prevent undue movement of the dog when the spring-presser is not
used a pin projects from the rear of the dog, this pin moving in a recess in the
under edge of the arm of the said plate, and serving by contact with the ends of
the said recess to limit the movement of the said pointed projection of the dog in
one direction or the other.
When after using the attachment it is desired to resume plain sewing on the
machine all that is necessary is to remove the block from the needle-bar and then
secure the needle to the latter as usual.
It is not absolutely essential that the said lever should be used in every case;
for instance, the sliding-plate might have a rigid arm for being acted upon by
the dog.
If desired also the sliding-plate may carry two or more needles for the purpose
of producing ornamental stitching, or in other cases where more than one row of
stitches is desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Bristow Hunt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
October 1879.
BRISTOW HUNT, of Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENT." (A communication
from abroad by Joseph Charles Herr, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United
States of America.)
This Invention relates to an improved sewing-machine attachment, by which the
needle has a lateral reciprocating motion imparted to it for the purpose of making
lateral or zigzag stitching, such as is required for working buttonholes and other
similar operations.
The Invention is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings in Figure 1,
which represents a side view of a sewing-machine provided with the improved
attachment; in Figure 2, which represents a perspective view of the head of the
machine and attachment; in Figure 3, which represents a side view, partly in
action, of a portion of Figure drawn to a larger scale; in Figure 4, which
represents a front view, partly in section, of Figure 3; in Figure 5, which represents
a side view, partly in section, illustrating a modification of the Invention; in
Figure 6, which represents a view of another modification; and in Figures 7, 8, 9,
and 10, which represent diagrams illustrating the operation of the device shown in
Figure 5.
A represents the head of an ordinary sewing-machine (a "Singer" machine, for
instance), and B the needle-bar of the machine, and which is reciprocated vertically
by the usual mechanism, which it has not been deemed necessary to show or
describe.
To the lower end of the needle-bar is secured a block D, grooved for the reception
and lateral guidance of a sliding plate a, in the underside of which are formed
openings for the reception and retention of one or more needles oc.
On the back of the slide a are formed two lugs c, into the space between which
projects a lower arm b, of a lever f, which is pivoted to a projection d, formed on
or secured to the block D.
To the front of the head A is secured a plate J, having an arm f, from which
projects a pin i, adapted to a curved slot m, formed near the upper end of a dog e,
the lower portion of which is made in the form of a pointed projection 9 having
inclined sides n, n', terminating at the top in shoulders v. The upper end of the
dog e may have a projection 8 formed thereon, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6,
or may be made in the shape of a blunt wedge, as shown in Figures 5, 7, 8, 9,
and 10, for the action of a spring presser w, which is adapted to a recessed stud y
secured to the arm f of the plate J.
The operation of the device shown in Figure 5 will be understood on reference
thereto, and to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, and is as follows:-
When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 5, the needle-bar B has just
commenced to rise, carrying with it the block D, its slide a, and lever F. The
pini occupies a position at the right hand end of the slot m in the dog e, and the
pointed projection g of the latter is inclined towards the head A, so that as the
needle-bar B rises, an upper arm b' of the lever F strikes the inclined side n of
the dog e, and is thereby moved in the direction of the arrow Figure 7, thereby
imparting a lateral movement in a reverse direction to the needle-carrying slide a.
At the same time the dog e is shifted on the pin i, the latter now occupying a
position about midway of the slot m.
The needle-bar still rising, the movement of the lever F. in the direction of the
arrow continues until the upper end of the arm 6' strikes the shoulder at the
upper end of the incline n, when the dog e will be shifted from the position shown

page_text: in Figure 7 to that shown in Figure 8, the pin i now occupying a position at the
left hand end of the slot m, and the apex of the wedge-shaped upper end of the
dog being on one side of the centre of the spring-presser w.
The needle-bar has now reached the limit of its upward movement and
commences to descend, as shown in Figure 9, and as soon as the upper end of the arm
b' of the lever F has cleared the lower end of the pointed projection g of the dog e,
the action of the spring presser won the upper end of the dog, will cause it to be
shifted to the position shown in Figure 10, so that on the next upward movement
of the needle-bar the arm b₁ of the lever F will act on and be acted on by the
inclined side n¹ of the dog, and a lateral movement in a direction contrary to that
above described will be imparted to the needle-carrying slide a, as will be readily
understood.
When the projection 8 on the dog is used in place of the spring presser w, the
preponderance in weight on one side or the other of the pin i is relied upon to
cause the proper shifting of the end of the pointed projection g, when it is released
from the control of the arm b¹, of the lever F.
In the modified form of dog shown in Figure 6, the shoulders are dispensed
with, so that its shifting movements are effected by the action of the arm b₁ of the
lever F directly upon its inclined sides.
The lower arın b of the lever F fits loosely between the lugs c of the slide a, so
as to have more or less play, the extent of the lost motion being regulated by
adjusting a set screw z with which the lower arm b is provided, the point of this
set-screw striking the foremost lug c on the forward movement of the lower end of
the arm, and thereby transmitting the movement to the slide a. The rearward
movement of the slide is effected by the direct contact of the lower arm 6 with the
rear lug c, which is slotted vertically for the reception of the stem of the set-
screw z. The sliding-plate a is held in position vertically by means of a screw h,
the stem of which is adapted to an elongated opening in the plate.
In order to prevent undue movement of the dog e when the spring-presser wis
not used a pin j projects from the rear of the dog, this pin moving in a recess in
the under edge of the arm f of the plate J, and serving by contact with the ends of
the said recess to limit the movement of the projection g in one direction or the
other.
-
When after using the attachment it is desired to resume plain sewing on the
machine, all that is necessary is to remove the block D from the needle-bar B, and
then secure the needle to the latter as usual.
It is not absolutely essential that the lever F should be used in every case, for
instance, the sliding-plate a might have a rigid arm for being acted upon by the
dog e.
If desired, also, the sliding-plate a may carry two or more needles for the
purpose of producing ornamental stitching, or in other cases where more than one
row of stitches is desired.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention,
communicated to me by the above named Joseph Charles Herr,--
First. A sewing-machine attachment, in which a slotted dog having a pointed
projection with inclined sides is combined with a pin i and with a needle-carrying
plate having an arm or lever for acting on and being acted on by the dog.
Second. The combination, in a sewing-machine attachment, of a needle-carrying
plate having an arm or lever, a reversible dog, a spring for acting on the said dog,
and devices for operating the same.
Third. The combination of the needle-bar B and its block D having the sliding-
plate a, an arm or lever F, with the plate J carrying the slotted dog e
Fourth. The combination of the needle-bar B, the needle-carrying plate a, the
arm or lever F, the pin i, and the slotted dog e having a projection 8.

page_text: Fifth. The combination of the plate J having a recessed arm f and pin i, with
the slotted dog e having a pin j.
Sixth. The combination of the needle bar B, the sliding-plate a having lugs c,
and the lever F having a set-screw z.
Each and all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
set forth, and as illustrated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bristow Hunt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
BRISTOW HUNT. (L.S.)