762 SEWING MACHINES 



frame and guided by a pentagraph.' Several embroidering machines have been 

 irom time to time introduced. See EMBROIDERING MACHINE. 



The second class of sewing machine was that known as the chain-stitch, or 

 ' crotchet.' This is wrought by a so-called crotchet-needle, which terminates with a 

 hook ; the needle is grasped by the opposite end, and the hook pushed through the 

 stuff, so as to catch hold of a thread below, and, being then withdrawn, brings with 

 it a small loop of the thread ; the hook of the needle retaining this loop is then re- 

 passed through the stuff at a short distance in advance of the former passage, catches 

 a new loop, and is again withdrawn, bringing with it the second loop, which thus 

 passes through the first. Such a series is called chain-stitch, and may be used either 

 to connect two pieces together, or as an embroidery stitch, for which it is well 

 adapted by its ornamental and braid-like appearance. M. Thimonnier patented in 

 1830 the first machine of this character. 31. Magnin was associated with Thimonnier 

 in 1848 in a patent for improvements, and in 1861 it was exhibited in London. 



In 1849 Morey and Johnson patented a sewing machine in this country, in which 

 a needle with an eye near the point, perpendicular to the cloth, was combined with a 

 hooked instrument parallel to the cloth, for effecting the same purpose as the crochet- 

 needle. Mr. Singer improved on this, and he introduced a contrivance by which his 

 machine forms a kind of knot at every eighth stitch. 



The third class of sewing machines is wrought, by two threads, and, as the stitch 

 produced by them is known in America as the mail-bag stitch, it may be presumed it 

 was employed by the makers of that article before the introduction of the machine. 

 In the usual mechanical arrangement for its production, a vertical needle, having the 

 eye very near the point, is constantly supplied with thread from a bobbin, and is 

 carried by a bar, which is capable of an up-and-down motion. The cloth being 

 placed below the needle, the latter descends, pierces it, and forms below it a small 

 loop, with the thread carried down by its eye. A small shuttle, which has a horizontal 

 motion beneath the cloth, is now caused to pass through this loop, carrying with it its 

 own thread. The needle rises, but the loop is retained by the shuttle-thread. The 

 cloth being next advanced through the space of a stitch, the needle descends again, 

 and a fresh loop is made. This process being repeated along the line of the seam, it 

 results that the upper thread sends down a loop through such needle-hole, and that 

 the lower thread passes through all these loops, and thus secures the work. The first 

 machine for producing this stitch was invented by Walter Hind, of New York, in 

 1834. Several patents for producing this stitch have been obtained. Howe's patent 

 was one of the most practical. Mr. Thomas of London became the possessor of 

 Howe's patent. This was improved, and a new patent obtained in June 1846, 

 which was modified in December of that year. This machine has been extensively 

 used. This invention, says the patentee, consists in certain novel arrangements of 

 machinery, whereby fabrics of various textures may be sewn together in such a 

 manner as to produce a firm and lasting seam. By this invention a shuttle, when the 

 point of the needle has entered the cloth or other fabric under operation and formed 

 a loop of thread, passes through that loop and leaves a thread on the face of the cloth, 

 by which means the needle, when it is withdrawn from the cloth, instead of drawing 

 back the thread with it, leaves a tightened loop on the opposite side of the cloth to 

 that at which it entered. The fabric then passing forward to the distance of the 

 length of the stitch required, is again pierced with the needle, and a stitch is in liko 

 manner produced. A figure of this machine is shown (Jig. 1760), which will bo 

 understood from the following description : 



1. The needle. Place the needle in the slide A, with its flat side towards the shuttle, 

 and the grooved side in front. Turn the wheel of the machine round till the line y, on 

 the gun-metal slide, is level with the line g on the iron check. Place the eye of the 

 needle level with the top of the shuttle-box, and screw the needle fast. 



2. If the eye is above the box when the marks correspond, the needle is too high ; 

 if the eye cannot be seen, the needle is too low. 



3. The needle should pass down the centre of the hole in the shuttle-box ; but if 

 it does not, it can be made to do so by bending. 



4. The needle-thread runs from the top of the reel, through the rings B, c, and 

 through the eye of the needle. 



5. The shuttle. It is necessary that the first coil of cotton be wound closely on the 

 bobbin, or it will be difficult to make it lie side by side like that on ordinary reels. 

 The reels should not bo filled above the brass, and the cotton or silk should be free 

 from knots, which sometimes pull the wire out of the shuttle. 



6. The thread must run from the under side of the bobbin, round the wire and out 

 through holes, Nos. 1, 2, and 3. If the thread is not tight enough, miss No. 3 and 

 let it come out through Nos. 4 or 5, or it may be drawn through five holes. Put 

 the shuttle in the box, turn the wheel round once, then pull the end of the needle- 





