US13195A - Improvement in sewing-machines - Google Patents

Description

S'She'es-Sheet l. J. B. WOODRUFF.

Sewing Machine.

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Sewing Machine.

No. 13,195i Patehied july 3, 1855.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Ottica.

JEROME B. VOODRUFF, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l3.l95, dated July-Il, 1855.

TU aZZ wiz/0m, it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, J. B. VOODRUFF, of the city of IVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing Machines; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in which`- Figure l represents a vertical section through the machine, so as to clearly represent all of the main operative parts thereof. Fig. 2 represents an isometric view of the machine when complete and ready for use. Fig. 3 represents a sectional elevation, designed to show the parts which are purposely covered' up in the complete machine. Fig. 4 represents a modified form of the machine as represented in Fig. 2. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are on a reduced scale.

Mymain obj ect is to simplify, cheapen, and render effective a sewing-machine, so that it may be with safety and economy used by any one .without liability to derangement; and my invention may be said to consist in removing all the vunnecessary and complicated parts from the machine, and so combining the few pieces I do use as to have a direct and uniform action of the whole, thus making the machine the most simple of its kind, while its product is not inferior to any known machine, either in the quantity or the quality of its work, and in simplifying the mechanism I have made the machine itself ornamental, each ornament, however, being a part or `parcel of what makes up the Whole, but sacrificing nothingexclusively to ornament. I thus am enabled to furnish a parlor with a neat piece of furniture of the most useful kind.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference refer to like parts.

A represents the base upon which the machine is supported. From this base rises an ornamental center piece,which may be shaped like a lyre, B, Fig. 2, or a hollow column, as seen in Fig. 4, and on this center piece, B, is firmly secured a table, C, furnished for convenience with drawers D, and on top of the table is an escutcheon, E, over which the needle-arm, which I propose to make in imitation of a bird, F, stands. These several pieces may be wrought or ornamentcd to please the fancy of the purchaser or user. Vhen the lyre-shaped piece B is used, it is provided with a door, slide, or other suitable opening, so as to get at-the machine incased within it. The object of incasing or inclosing the operative parts of the machine is t\vofold-viz.,first, to remove them from sight, so as to give the machine the appearance of apiece of furniture, s

but more especially to prevent the oil or lubricator, which the moving parts ofthe machine require to make it run smoothly, from iiying upon and soiling the clothes ofthe user. It will be perceived by 'reference to the drawings, Figs. 2, 4, that in the complete machine every part has a useful function, while there is nothing exposed but what is highly ornamental.

To the base A of the machine is attached a treadle, G, upon which the foot of the operator is placed to give motion to the machine. To this treadle is connected one end of a connecting-rod, H, the other end of said rod being connected to a wrist-pin, a, on the pulleywheel I, said pulley-wheel being provided with several grooves, l 2 3, of varied diameters, for increasing or diminishing the motion of the machine in accordance with the peculiar kind or quality of work to be sewed.

Around the pulley-wheel I, and around a smaller pulley, J, arranged immediately under the` table, and provided also with a series of grooves, passes an endless belt, K, for transmitting a highly-increased motion from'the treadle to said upper pulley, to be further transmitted to the machinery, to be presently described.

IVhen the hollow column, as seen in Fig. 4, is used, the pulleys and belts are dispensed with, and the treadle, instead of a vertical vibratory motion, has a horizontal vibratory motion, which is communicated to the sewing apparatus directly by a rod leading from the treadle to said apparatus. In this case, as in that of Fig. 2, ythe operative parts which require oiling are all concealed, but easily arrived at for repairs, changing speed, oiling, cleaning, or for any other purpose.

To a wrist-pin, b, in the pulley J, Fig. 3, is connected one end of a connecting-bar, L, Fig. 1,.the other end of said bar being connected, by a screw and nut, c, passing through it and through a slot, d, to the arm M, so that by means of said screw and nut and slot the bar L may be made adjustable. i Ihe arm M is a part of or connected to a rock-shaft, N, and by means of the mechanical devices above described said rock-shaft gets its rolling or rocking motion from the treadle.

To the slot d in the arm M is attached, by means of a screw and nut, c, one end of a connecting-bar, o, Jthe other end being connected by awrist-pin, f, to the slnittle-earrier p. The connecting-bar o being adjustable in the slot d of the cam M admits of communicating to the sluittle-carrier an accurately-adj usted motion, which is positive and uniform. rlhis is an important feature in sewing-machines, bebecause the needle and shuttle (or whatever catches up the loop ofthe needle-thread) must work in perfect harmony with each other to insure perfect sewing, and I achieve this result by connecting the two together by a rigid bar, so that the motion oi' both must be uni- 'orm. f

rlhe shuttle-carrier I) is pivoted to a suspended arm, Q., on the under side of the escutcheon at a point, i, which is in a vertical line below or passing through the sewingpoint, and it vibrates in the arc ot' a circle, of which 'i is the center. rlhe shuttle, the feed, and the manner of regulating the length of the stitch may be the same as that represented and described in a former application oi' mine, and need not be particularly mentioned here. Ot' the shuttle, however, it may be as well to mention that-its eye should be forward of the center of the shuttleitself i'or the purpose oi' drawing up the stitch with its thread with the same length of thread that the needle has between its eye and the stitch, which causes each to exert the same force and more perfectly draw up and tighten the stitch. It also slackens up the sluittle-thread as it passes back to make the next stitch. R is a hinged guard which prevents the shuttlcfrom iiying out of its seat in the-carrier, but which guard may be readily raised upto take out or insert the shuttle.

rIhe rock-shaft N rises justabove the top of the escutcheon, and has its bearings in the eseutcheon, and is ornamented to receive a handsoinely cast or wrought bird, F, which is the needlebar. is provided with a hinged lid, S, on the back or upper side, which, when raised up, would stand like the red lines in Fig. l. This lid is provided with a spring-bolt, fn, and button m, by which it maybe secured or opened. fithvfaster than it is required.

The bird is cast hollow, and.

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in the body of the bird i's placed the spool from which the needle is supplied with its thread, and also the thread-tightener 7s, onfrictionspring,to prevent the thread from paying out In the bill of the bird is arranged the needle r, and the thread passes from the spool to the eye of the needle underneath the spring 7.', as seen in red lines in Fig. l.

For the purpose of holding the cloth to the table and preventing it from rising with the needle, I use a coiled snake, s, with the needle (which may represent a prolongation of the bill ofthe bird) passing through the snakes head, thus further carrying out my design of beautifying my machine,while I sacri i i ce n oth ing exclusively to ornament.

Every part of the machine which could not be made ornamental is out of sight.

It is immaterial to the operation ofthe ma chine which way the pulleys run, as they ei'- fect the same motion to the needle and shuttle whether they run one way or another. rI`his is quite important, and is due to the positive and unvaryin g motion ofthe needle and shuttle operated as I have described them.

In many machines the motion must always be in one direction, and great care must be exercised in starting. Vith my machine the foot may be applied to the treadle in any of its positions with entire safety, as the needle and shuttle cannot but work together.

\Vhen leather is to be sewed, a cup or ball of wax may be inserted in the body of the bird, over or through which the thread may pass to wax it.

Having thus fully described the nature ol' my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rIhe making ofthe needle-bar hollow and providing it with a door or slide for the purpose of holding incased therein such parts ot' the machine as may be desired, and this I claim whether the needle-bar be ornamental, as described, or otherwise.

2. rIhe direct and positive connection of the needle-arm and sh Little-carrier, by which means they both move simultaneously and in perfect harmony with each other, so that whichever way the pulley is driven the operation of the machine will be the same, substantially as described.

JEROME B. VOODRUFF.

Witnesses A. I3. SrroUci-rToN, Tiros. II. UrrianMAN.v

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