Vibrating shuttle
Encyclopedia
A vibrating shuttle is a bobbin driver
design used in home lockstitch
sewing machines during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. It supplanted earlier transverse shuttle designs, but was itself supplanted by rotating shuttle designs.
In order to create a lockstitch
a sewing machine intertwines two threads: an upper thread (descending with the needle into the workpiece from above) and a lower thread (ascending into the workpiece from the bobbin below). To intertwine them, the machine must pass its shuttle (containing the bobbin
and the lower thread) through a loop temporarily created from the upper thread.
Early sewing machines of the 19th century oscillate their shuttles back and forth on horizontal tracks—an arrangement called a "transverse shuttle". A vibrating shuttle machine, by contrast, 'vibrates' its shuttle in a circular arc. This movement represents less total mechanical motion, which means less friction, less wear, higher maximum speed, and higher reliability than in a transverse shuttle system.
The shuttle itself is long and slender, shaped like a bullet, with a pointed tip that is sometimes called the hook. The tip is pointed for the purpose of intercepting the small loop temporarily created (by a brief upward needle motion) in the upper thread—see pictures below of its operation. The bobbin too is long and slender to fit inside the shuttle; in this regard it is very different than the fat rotary bobbins of later sewing machines.
sewing machine, the vibrating shuttle was not invented at Singer.
in 1850, just one year before he would invent the rotary hook
design that would eventually prevail over all other lockstitch bobbin driver designs
. Wilson's original patent is US patent 7776, granted 12 November 1850, with reissues RE345 on 22 January 1856 and RE414 on 9 December 1856. The second page of his patent, showing the shuttle in its arc, is shown at left.
He was soon beset with patent litigation from the owners of the John Bradshaw
patent:
His machine "had a considerable sale, but was not satisfactory to its inventor, who set himself to work to produce something more practical" -- a new rotary hook
design.
developed a machine around it which became the company's flagship product—so much so that it was originally named the "White Sewing Machine
", only later taking the name "White Vibrating Shuttle" when a rotary hook
model was added to the product line.
The initial design of the Porter/Baker shuttle would change little throughout the 86 years that it would remain in production at White and then at Singer. This can be seen in the following shuttle-threading diagrams taken from the White and Singer instruction manuals:
Later sewing machines abandoned such designs in favor of the faster rotary and/or hook-based designs.
Rotary and hook-based designs are superior because they do not cause their sewing machine to shake and 'walk' the way that vibrating and transverse shuttles do. Vibrating shuttle machines nevertheless remained in production until the 1960s.
Bobbin drivers
Throughout history, lockstitch sewing machines have used a variety of methods to drive their bobbins so as to create the lockstitch.-"Rotating shuttle":...
design used in home lockstitch
Lockstitch
A lockstitch is the most common mechanical stitch made by a sewing machine. The term "single needle stitching", often found on dress shirt labels, refers to lockstitch.-Structure:...
sewing machines during the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. It supplanted earlier transverse shuttle designs, but was itself supplanted by rotating shuttle designs.
Overview
Lockstitch
A lockstitch is the most common mechanical stitch made by a sewing machine. The term "single needle stitching", often found on dress shirt labels, refers to lockstitch.-Structure:...
a sewing machine intertwines two threads: an upper thread (descending with the needle into the workpiece from above) and a lower thread (ascending into the workpiece from the bobbin below). To intertwine them, the machine must pass its shuttle (containing the bobbin
Bobbin
A bobbin is a spindle or cylinder, with or without flanges, on which wire, yarn, thread or film is wound. Bobbins are typically found in sewing machines, cameras, and within electronic equipment....
and the lower thread) through a loop temporarily created from the upper thread.
Early sewing machines of the 19th century oscillate their shuttles back and forth on horizontal tracks—an arrangement called a "transverse shuttle". A vibrating shuttle machine, by contrast, 'vibrates' its shuttle in a circular arc. This movement represents less total mechanical motion, which means less friction, less wear, higher maximum speed, and higher reliability than in a transverse shuttle system.
The shuttle itself is long and slender, shaped like a bullet, with a pointed tip that is sometimes called the hook. The tip is pointed for the purpose of intercepting the small loop temporarily created (by a brief upward needle motion) in the upper thread—see pictures below of its operation. The bobbin too is long and slender to fit inside the shuttle; in this regard it is very different than the fat rotary bobbins of later sewing machines.
History
Although popularized by Singer's 27/127 model seriesSinger Model 27 and 127
The Singer Model 27/127 is a model series of lockstitch sewing machines produced by the Singer Manufacturing Company around the end of the 19th century. They were Singer's first sewing machines to make use of "vibrating shuttle" technology. Millions were produced...
sewing machine, the vibrating shuttle was not invented at Singer.
Wilson
It was actually invented by Allen B. WilsonAllen B. Wilson
Allen Benjamin Wilson was an American inventor famous for designing, building and patenting some of the first successful sewing machines. He invented both the vibrating and the rotating shuttle designs which, in turns, dominated all home lockstitch sewing machines...
in 1850, just one year before he would invent the rotary hook
Rotary hook
The rotary hook is a bobbin driver design used in lockstitch sewing machines of the 19th and 20th century and beyond. It triumphed over competing designs because it can run at higher speeds with less vibration.-Operation:...
design that would eventually prevail over all other lockstitch bobbin driver designs
Bobbin drivers
Throughout history, lockstitch sewing machines have used a variety of methods to drive their bobbins so as to create the lockstitch.-"Rotating shuttle":...
. Wilson's original patent is US patent 7776, granted 12 November 1850, with reissues RE345 on 22 January 1856 and RE414 on 9 December 1856. The second page of his patent, showing the shuttle in its arc, is shown at left.
He was soon beset with patent litigation from the owners of the John Bradshaw
John Bradshaw
John Bradshaw may refer to:* John Bradshaw , English judge* John Bradshaw , English political writer* John Bradshaw , American educator* John Bradshaw, presenter of It Is Written-See also:...
patent:
- "He was approached by the owners of the Bradshaw 1848 patent, who claimed control of the double-pointed shuttle. Although this claim was without justification, as can be seen by examining the Bradshaw patent specifications, Wilson did not have sufficient funds to fight the claim. In order to avoid a suit, he relinquished to A. P. Kline and Edward Lee, a one-half interest in his U.S. patent 7,776 [...]"
His machine "had a considerable sale, but was not satisfactory to its inventor, who set himself to work to produce something more practical" -- a new rotary hook
Rotary hook
The rotary hook is a bobbin driver design used in lockstitch sewing machines of the 19th and 20th century and beyond. It triumphed over competing designs because it can run at higher speeds with less vibration.-Operation:...
design.
Porter and Baker
The vibrating shuttle got a new lease on life two decades later, in 1876 when all those patents had expired. The White Sewing Machine CompanyWhite Sewing Machine Company
White Sewing Machine Company was a sewing machine company founded in 1858 in Templeton, Massachusetts by Thomas H. White and based in Cleveland, Ohio since 1866. Founded as the White Manufacturing Company it took the White Sewing Machine Company name when it was incorporated in 1876.The company...
developed a machine around it which became the company's flagship product—so much so that it was originally named the "White Sewing Machine
White Sewing Machine
The White Sewing Machine was the first sewing machine from the White Sewing Machine Company. It used a vibrating shuttle bobbin driver design; for that reason, and to differentiate it from the later White models that used a rotary hook design instead, it came to be known as the "White Vibrating...
", only later taking the name "White Vibrating Shuttle" when a rotary hook
Rotary hook
The rotary hook is a bobbin driver design used in lockstitch sewing machines of the 19th and 20th century and beyond. It triumphed over competing designs because it can run at higher speeds with less vibration.-Operation:...
model was added to the product line.
Whitehill
The vibrating shuttle's next development came in 1885, at the hands of Scottish immigrant Robert Whitehill. He designed a new machine around it which Singer bought and popularized.The initial design of the Porter/Baker shuttle would change little throughout the 86 years that it would remain in production at White and then at Singer. This can be seen in the following shuttle-threading diagrams taken from the White and Singer instruction manuals:
| White Sewing Machine | Singer Model 27 and 127 Singer Model 27 and 127 The Singer Model 27/127 is a model series of lockstitch sewing machines produced by the Singer Manufacturing Company around the end of the 19th century. They were Singer's first sewing machines to make use of "vibrating shuttle" technology. Millions were produced... |
|---|---|
Operation
The following photo gallery shows the vibrating shuttle cycling through a single stitch. In the pictures, the silver sliding covers have been opened to show the operation of the shuttle; normally they would be closed to prevent interference between the workpiece and the shuttle.| 1 | Shuttle is forward and beginning to move rearward. Needle is up and beginning to move downward. | |
| 2 | Shuttle is midway and still moving rearward. Needle is down. | |
| 3 | Shuttle is rearward and beginning to move forward again. Needle moves slightly upward to form a small loop in the upper thread at the needle's eye. | |
| 4 | Shuttle is midway, and its point ('hook') has passed through the loop in the upper thread. Upper thread is now looped around the shuttle's waist. Needle is up. | |
| 5 | Shuttle is forward again, having completely passed through the loop in the upper thread. Loop in upper thread is now being pulled straight (trapping the lower thread in a lockstitch) by the take-up arm. Needle is still up. |
Obsoleted
The vibrating shuttle was a significant innovation towards the goal of a simple, fast, and reliable lockstitch sewing machine, and the design remained popular for decades. Indeed, even twenty-five years later, on 10 October 1910, Singer was awarded US patent 1005177 for a new shuttle-ejector mechanism for it. (The improvement is one of those incorporated into the 'modernized' models 127 and 128 that replaced the 27 and 28.)Later sewing machines abandoned such designs in favor of the faster rotary and/or hook-based designs.
Rotary and hook-based designs are superior because they do not cause their sewing machine to shake and 'walk' the way that vibrating and transverse shuttles do. Vibrating shuttle machines nevertheless remained in production until the 1960s.