Improvements in or connected with Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Sewing Machines.
A communication from abroad by STEPHEN LASKEY, of 1710, Indiana Avenue,
Chicago, County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
1, GEORGE CECIL DYMOND, M. Inst. M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool & 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both in the
County of Lancaster, & 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex. Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to sewing machines, and more particularly to that class of
sewing machine attachments known as hemmers and fellers. These devices, as
usually constructed, are rigid in all their parts, and while they are adapted for uso
upon smooth fabrics, which present no such inequalities or enlargements as transverse
seams, fells or the like, they are not, for obvious reasons, capable of use where such
inequalities or enlargements are present, since, if the passages through which the
cloth or other fabric passes while being turned upon itself, are of such dimensions
as to properly effect their purpose, these enlargements cannot pass through the
same. Other devices of this class are adjustable for the purpose either of obtaining
a wider or narrower hem or fell, or for accommodating the device for operation upon
a thicker or thinner fabric. This class of devices is also open to the same objections,
for the reason that, although adjustable, after the parts have once been adjusted,
they are rigid in their relation to each other, and consequently form in effect while in
operation a rigid device. Still another class exists, in which the parts are free to
expand and contract with relation to each other, this action taking place auto-
matically during the operation of the device. But in every instance of this kind, it
will be found that an expansion of one part of the device causes a corresponding
contraction of another part thereof, which will effectually prevent any enlargements
of the fabric from passing through the device. It is the chief object of the present
invention to provide a hemmer and feller which will operate in an effective manner
to turn the cloth into the desired position to form the hem or fell, which device will
at the same time automatically expand when any enlargements of the fabric, such
as heretofore have been mentioned, enter the same, and permit the same to pass
freely through without clogging or binding and without interrupting in any way
the operation of the machine. The invention has for its further object to produce
a device of this description which will operate with a minimum of friction, and which
will produce a smooth and uniform hem or fell.
In the accompanying drawings,-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a construction embodying the invention;
Figure 2, a similar view, showing one of the seams;
Figure 3, a similar view, showing other forms of seams;
Figure 4, a side elevation ;
Figure 5, a front elevation ;
Figure 6, a detail sectional view, taken on the line 1, 1, of Figure 4 ;
Figure 7, a detail sectional view, taken on the line 2, 2, of Figure 4;
Figure 8, a detail plan section, taken on the line 3, 3, of Figure 7;
Figure 9, a detail bottom plan view of the locking cam, detached;
Figure 10, a side elevation of the attachment, taken from the side opposite to

page_text: .
Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
I will now proceed to describe a construction in which the invention is practically
carried out in one form, and will then particularly point out in the claims those
features which are deemed to be new and are to protect by Letters Patent.
In the drawings, A represents the head of a sewing machine, provided with the
needle bar, B, carrying the needle, b, and actuated in any suitable manner, and the
presser bar, C, which is normally depressed by a suitable spring of considerable
strength, as is usual. To the lower end of the presser bar C is attached a presser.
foot D. It may be connected to the presser bar in any desired manner, the con-
nection being shown in the present instance as effected by forming in the rear
portion of the presser foot, at one side thereof, a groove, d, which receives the
correspondingly flattened lower end, c, of the presser bar, the two parts being
secured in position by means of a screw, C. The central portion of the horizontal
part of the presser foot is cut away from front to rear, thus leaving on each side a
portion, D, which is rigid so far as its connection with the presser bar C is
concerned. These side portions are rounded off at their front ends, as shown
at d, to permit the cloth to pass readily under the same without catching. In the
central ent away space between these side portions there is arranged the upwardly-
yielding centre, D³, which extends from a point slightly in the rear of the side
portions D' to about midway of their length, its forward end being inclined
upward, as shown, and being provided with an aperture, d², through which the
needle passes.
According to this invention the yielding centre is mounted so as to slide vertically
upward in a straight line. For this purpose the said centre is provided with an
upwardly projecting shank, D³, which fits within a corresponding recess, D', formed
in the body of the presser foot. The lower portion of the shank D³ corre-
sponds in diameter to the recess D', and the said shank is provided with an upward
extension, 3, of less diameter than the shank proper. Within the recess D' there
is arranged a spring, D', coiled around the extension d³ and bearing against the top
of the shank D and the top of the recess D', thus serving to normally depress the
yielding centre D². It will be understood, of course, that the spring D is a much
lighter spring and exerts a much lighter pressure than the spring employed to
depress the presser bar C. The extension 3 of the shank D³ passes upward through
a suitable aperture in the top of the body of the presser foot, and is provided with
a collar, De, having cam inclines, d', and free to rotate on said extension. Corre-
sponding cam inclines, d, are arranged on the top of the presser foot D. The
extension d³ is provided at its upper end with a cap piece, do, which serves to hold
the collar D in position, and the said collar is provided with a handle, D', bent
around the presser bar C, as shown, so as to be within easy reach of the right hand
of the operator, and serving to rotate the collar. In order to provide means for
locking the yielding centre rigidly to the presser foot, a transverse slot or groove e,
as shown in Figure 4, is provided in the rear face of the shank D³ of the centre,
and to co-operate with this groove, there is pivoted on the under side of the body
of the presser foot, which projects rearward at this point, an eccentric or cam E, its
pivot being formed by a screw, e¹. The cam E is provided with a handle, E', by
means of which it may be turned as to cause it to enter the groove e, and thus lock
the centre D2 and render the same rigid in its relation to the other portions of the
presser foot.
The devices for turning the cloth upon itself into proper position to form the hem
or fell are mounted upon the forward portion of the presser foot, one of the side
portions or lateral arms D' of which is provided, at a point slightly in the rear of
its front end, with an upright cylindrical post or pin, F, which is screwed into the
same, as shown in Figure 7, or otherwise connected thereto. Upon this post is
mounted a sleeve, G, which carries the lower member of the cloth turning devices.
This sleeve is free to move vertically upon the post F and is also capable of being
turned around the said post when raised to a sufficient height, as hereinafter set
forth. 9 represents a tongue attached to the lower end of the sleeve G, arranged

page_text: within the cut away portion of the presser foot, and forming the lower one of the
two members which serve to turn the cloth. Its under side is normally flush with
the bottom of the presser foot, and it is provided on the side adjacent to the
sleeve G, with a shoulder, g', which, when the parts are in operative position, as
shown more particularly in Figures 5 and 7, abuts against the member D' of the
presser foot to which the post is attached and serves to prevent the rotation of
the sleeve G around said post. The tongue extends about half way across the
cut away space between the members D₁ of the presser foot, and its upper surface
is inclined or curved upward, as shown, to properly turn the cloth or other fabric
operated upon. Within the sleeve G there is formed a central recess or socket, G',
slotted at the front, as shown at g2, and in this recess or socket there is arranged a
second sleeve H, which surrounds the post F, and which is free to move vertically
on said post, both independently of and along with the sleeve G, while it is capable
of rotation around the said post along with the said sleeve G. Upon the sleeve H
there is mounted, near its lower end, a pin, h, extending at right angles to the said
sleeve, through the slot g², and serving to carry the upper member II of the cloth
turning device. This upper member consists preferably of a roller, mounted to
revolve upon the pin has an axis, and having the form of two truncated concs
joined by their apices. The smaller of these cones, ', forms the ends of the roller
adjacent to the sleeve H, while the larger of these cones, 2, forms the other end of
the roller, the entire roller extending entirely across the cut away space between
the lateral arms D' of the presser foot above the lower member g. The surface
of the roller is curved at the junction of the two conical portions thereof, in order
to avoid a sharp angle which might interfere with the turning of the cloth. The
post F extends some distance above the sleeves G and H, and there is coiled around
this upper portion of the said post a spring F', the lower end of which bears upon
the top of the sleeve H, while its upper end abuts against a cap or head piece f
attached to the upper end of the post F. There is formed on the upper surface of
the lateral arm D₁, to which the post F is attached, in front of the said post, a
transverse groove f', of sufficient width to receive the lower member g of the
hemmer when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 10.
In connection with the above apparatus, a feed dog is employed which is
constructed to co-operate with the particular form of presser foot shown and
described. This construction is shown in detail in Figure 11 of the drawings.
I represents the throat plate, and i the needle aperture, through which the needle
passes downward at each stroke. The feed dog J consists of two lateral members J',
corresponding substantially in size and location to the lateral arms D' of the presser
foot. Each of these parts J' is provided at its rear end with the inward lateral
extension, J2, which extensions are directly under the yielding centre D² of the
presser foot. It will be observed that one of these portions J2 of the feed dog is
practically in the rear of and in line with the needle aperture i.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
:-
It will be observed that the lateral arms or side portions D' of the presser foot
bear upon the cloth, during the operation of felling, upon each side of the fell to be
formed, thereby forming gauges which accurately determine the width of the fell,
while at the same time they serve to hold the cloth down upon the feed dog at those
points where only a single thickness of cloth intervenes between the presser foot
and the feed dog, with the full pressure due to the heavy spring which depresses the
presser bar. The rough edges to be turned in and stitched thus occupy the central
cut away space between the said lateral arms. The manner in which the turning it
of these parts is effected is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, in which the
attachment is shown as employed in the operation of hemming. In this latter
operation, of course, one of the lateral arms D' acts merely as a gauge without
assisting in the feeding operation. Figure 2 shows the seam produced in the
operation of felling, by which the two rough edges are turned in and stitched
together, as shown more particularly in section at in Figure 3. If we suppose
the seam xx in said Figure 3 to have been already formed, and it being desired to

page_text: form the seam y y' in said figure, the enlargement at the point 2, where these
seams intersect, could not pass through the ordinary or rigid hemmer or feller. In
the construction which has been devised, however, when this point is reached, the
upper and lower members 9 and H¹ will separate bodily, that is to say, evenly or by
equal resisting movement on direct lines to leave space of uniform dimensions,
sufficiently to allow the said enlargement to readily pass between the same without
in any way interrupting the operation of the device. It will be observed that this
separation of the two members of the hemmer proper produces an enlargement of
the passage through which the fabric passes, without in any way contracting any
other portion of the device and thus causing it to bind, and in this it is distinguished
from devices heretofore known of this class, in which a flat spring, having one fixed
and one free end, in the cloth turning device, forms an enlargement unevenly by
yielding more at the free end and less at the fixed end, whereby, in the passage of
thicker cloth or of the seam, pressure would not be uniform throughout. It will
also be observed that not only can the two members yield upward together, the
lower member being held upon the cloth only by the comparatively light pressure
of the spring F¹, but in addition to this, the upper member His free to yield
upward independently of the lower member g, for the purpose of enlarging the
passage as just described. The upper member being in the form of a roller, the
friction is reduced to a minimum, and the resistance to the operation of the feed
which exists in other attachments of this kind is obviated. The hem or fell thus
formed passes under the yielding centre D2, being stitched just before it passes
completely under the same, and the said centre rides upon the hem or fell with a
comparatively light pressure, in the manner and for the purposes set forth in
Mr. Laskey's previous United States application. The collar D, with its cam
inclines, serves for the purpose of lifting the centre slightly in case of an enlarge-
ment of the cloth, which might tend to clog the apparatus as it passes under the
yielding centre. To effect this, the operator grasps the handle D and presses it
back for an instant, thereby raising the centre sufficiently for this purpose. As
soon as the enlargement is passed, the handle D7 is relaxed, and the parts return to
their original position. As a rule, however, the centre will yield upward auto-
matically sufficiently without necessitating the employment of this device for lifting
the same, which is only necessary when heavy goods are being operated upon.
The cam E, by its engagement with the slot e, serves as a locking device for the
centre. The necessity of this device arises when the apparatus is employed on a
curved scam, such as the hem of a round corner, in which case the lateral feed at
one side of the seam would prevent the successful turning of the corner. By
locking the centre and rendering it rigid with the rest of the presser foot, a central
feed is obtained which obviates this disadvantage. The portion J2 of the feed dog
which is directly in the rear of the needle, and which consequently exerts its pull,
directly in the line of the scam, is of special utility in this operation, although it is,
of course, advantageous under all circumstances.
It will be observed that the entire hemmer proper is pivoted upon the post F in
such manner that it may be swung entirely out of the way when not in use, so that
it will not in any way interfere with the ordinary operation of the machine. This
position of the parts is shown in Figure 10 of the drawings. When the hemmer is
in operative position, as shown in Figures and 7 of the drawings, the shoulder g
locks against the side of the lateral arm D' of the presser foot and holds the
hemmer rigidly in line for work. When it is desired to use the presser foot as an
ordinary presser foot, it is only necessary to raise the hemmer upward upon the
post F and give the same a quarter turn, when it will assume the position shown in
Figure 10, the tongue, which forms the lower member, fitting within the groove f
and serving to lock the parts in this inoperative position, in which they are out of
the way.
An attachment is thus obtained which may be used either as a hemmer
and feller or as an ordinary presser foot, thereby dispensing with the necessity of
re noving one attachment from the presser bar and substituting another.
It is obvious that various modifications in the details of construction may be made

page_text: without departing from the principle of the invention. The particular configuration
of the parts which serve to turn the cloth may be varied as desired, provided the
gist of the invention, which consists of an automatically expansible hemmer, which
during its expansion does not contract any other portion of the device, be retained.
It must not therefore be understood that the invention is limited to the precise
details hereinbefore set forth and shown in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a hemmer and feller, the combination, with the upwardly yielding spring
controlled lower cloth turning member, of the upper cloth turning member arranged
above the former, means for bodily supporting the said member, and a spring
arranged to normally retain the said upper member against the lower, but per-
mitting the entire upper member to yield upward independently of the lower
member to uniformly and simultaneously enlarge the entire opening between the
two members, substantially as described.
2. In a hemmer or feller, the combination, with the lower member consisting of a
tongue provided with a suitable inclined or curved upper surface, of the upper cloth
turning member consisting of the roller composed of truncated cones joined by their
apices, and arranged to co-operate with said tongue, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. In a hemmer or feller, the combination, with the lower member g, consisting of
a tongue provided with a suitable inclined or curved upper surface, of the upper
member H', consisting of a roller composed of a large truncated cone h², and a
small truncated cone joined by their apices and with a convex curve in the surface
of the roller at the said point of junction, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
4. The combination, with the presser foot, provided with a central recess cut
from the front edge of the foot rearwardly, of the cloth turning devices arranged
within said recess in the presser foot, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
5. The combination, with the presser foot cut away centrally from front to rear
of an upwardly yielding centre arranged in rear of said recess, and a cloth turning
device arranged in the front of said recess, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
6. The combination, with the presser foot D, cut away centrally from front to
rear and forming the side portions or lateral arms D', rigidly connected to the
presser bar, of the upwardly yielding centre D2 arranged in the rear portion of the
cut away space and provided with a light spring to depress the same, and a cloth
turning device arranged in the front portion of the cut away space capable of
yielding upward and provided with a light spring to normally depress the same,
substantially as described.
7. The combination, with the presser foot having a vertically pivoting standard
thereon, of a spring controlled cloth turning device on said standard arranged to be
turned aside and held in a turned out position, substantially as described.
8. The combination, with the presser foot D, having its central portion cut out
from front to rear, with the centre piece D2 arranged in said central opening and
free to move up and down bodily, of a spring arranged to hold the centre down to
working position, and a handle whereby the attendant may positively lift the centre
bodily whenever desired, substantially as described.
9. The combination, with the presser foot D, having its central portion cut out
from front to rear, of the central piece D2, arranged in said central opening, a spring
arranged to depress the centre to its work, and a lock whereby the centre may be
secured in working position and made rigid with the stationary portion of the presser
foot, substantially as described.
10. The combination, with the presser foot D, having its central portion cut out

page_text: from front to rear, of the centre D2, arranged within said recess and provided with
the shank D³ d³ and a spring D arranged within a recess D₁ in the body of the
presser foot which encloses said shank, substantially as described.
11. The combination, with the presser foot cut away centrally from front to rear
and provided with lateral arms D', of the upwardly yielding centre D² arranged
between said arms at the rear and a feed dog consisting of lateral members J¹ corre-
sponding in position to the arms D', and lateral extensions J2 arranged under the
upwardly yielding centre, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of August. 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.