Illinois Royal St. John , 1883 — User manual

INSTRUCTIONS


                    FOR USING THE

    ROYAL ST. JOHN

SEWING MACHINE,

            _IND

    ATTACHMENTS.


 ST. JOHN SEWING MACHINE CO.,

        SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.





                 SPRINGFIELD, OHIO:
                  GLOBE PRINTING AND PURLISHING COMPANY.

                               1883-

DIREOTIONS
                             FOR USING THE
 "Royal" St. John Sewing Machine.

    PLACING THE MACHINE ON THE TABLH.
    O secure the machine properly to the table, insert the hinged
      pins, on the back oi the machine, into the holes of the rubbers on
      the table, and press them down their entire length, taking care
that the machine does not at any point touch the table.  If the pins do
not enter the rubbers readily, drop a little oil in the holes of the rubbers.
  Every machine, before leaving the factory, has been carefully adjust-
ed, and minutely inspected; having been tested with both coarse and
fine thread.  It is sent out with a sample of work under the presser

 foot, and the machine properly threaded.

  The purchaser will please note carefully the following.
    GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO THE LEARNER.
          FIRsT.-Observe how the machine is threaded, comparing it with the
instructions for threading the machine. (See cut No. 3, page 6, and cut
No. 4, page 8.)
 SECOND.-Seat yourself at the machine, in a chair about eighteen
inches high.  You cannot run the machine easily and without fatigue
if seated in a low chair.  Draw the chair close enough to obtein an
 easy position when the feet are on the treadle.
           THIRD.--Before attempting to sew, become familiar with the use of
 the treadle, so as to be able to work it easily, and with a regular motion
 In order to acquire this, raise the pressure foot; and turn thus,
 the thumb screw in the hub of the hand wheel, which will then revolve
 freely on the shaft without running the machine; then placing both or
 either of your feet on the treadle, with the instep over the rod on which
 the treadle moves, turn the hand-wheel in either direction, allowing the
 foot to follow the motion thus imparted to the treadle, and continue
 this motion by an alternate pressure of the heel and toe, until you can
orthe treadle ensly and to work the treadle regularly, tighten the

 thumb screw in the hub of the hand-wheel, turning it thus,

 fastening the wheel upon the shaft, and the machine is ready for sewing
 The learner will then do well to observe the instructions for oiling the
 machine given on page 5.

OILING THE MACHINE.

He machineOil. Oilshouldevery workingbe kept part,well viz:oiled using only the best Sperm
        FIRsT.-- The bearings of the main and vertical shafts through holes
indicated in Cut 1, by figures 1, 2, 3 and 4
  SECOND.- The take-up pin,through opening in which take-up lever
works indicated in cut 1, by figure 5.
          THIRD.- The needle-bar, and the slide that drives it, by oiling at upper
bearing of needle-bar (figure 6; Cut 1,) and through hole indicated in
Cut 1, figure 7; being sure when putting oil in this hole that the needle-
bar is at its highest point.
  FourTH. -The bearings on under side of machine. To reach these, throw
off the band, and turn back the machine, allowing it to rest on the post:
placed at back of table to support it. Then oiling the end of feed lever,
which works the feeding mechanism; the swivel through which the
feed lever swings, and the screw which attaches feed lever to shuttle
 lever, (figures 8, 9 and 10, Cut 2.)
  FIFTH.- The bearings of the stand, viz.. The hub of the wheel, both ends
of the pitman, and both bearings of the trealle.   (Figures 11, 12, 13, 14 and
15, Cut 1.)
  After oiling wipe off the superfluous oil. When a machine stands
 unused for some time, the oil may become gummed, and cause the
machine to run hard; in which case drop a little coaloil in all the oil-
ing places; run the machine rapidly until it works loose and easy, and
 then oil in the usual way.
              SETTING THE NEEDLE.
  The needle is self-setting.  To put in needle, loosen the thumb-screw
 of needle-clamp, slip needle with flat side to bar, and long groove to
 left hand, under the clamp, into the groove in needle-bar, and be sure to
push it up as far as it will go, OTHERWISE THE MACHINE WILL SKIP
STITCHEs, then tightenthumb-screw securely.  When the needle is
 properly set, the eye should be about one-sixteenth of an inch below
the point of the shuttle, when it and the needle are brought together;

 which can be seen by drawing out the slide which covers the shuttle-
      Be sure that the needle passes down through the center of the
race.
 hole in the throat-plate.
  N. B.- Only turn the thumb-screw sufficient to loosen the clamp, so
as to admit the needle.  If you turn it too much the clamp may drop off.

CUT NO. 3$





         CUT No. 3-Threading the Machine using the
                          Spring Tension.

THREADING THE MACHINE.
Cut No. 3 illustrates the spring or flat upper tension.
   (NOTE THE COURSEOF THE THREAD AS SEEN IN CUT NO. 3 & 33)
      Directions for Threading the Spring Tension.
  Place spool on spool-pin, as shown, and pass the threadinto the slot
in the tension spring; thence through the wheel thread guide on top of
face plate; thence under the wheel guide on face of the machine; thence
up and draw into the slot of the take up lever; thence down between
the two discs A and B, as shown in cut No. 32.
  There is an oblong slot cut in the pin which passes through the two
discs, and a small steel spring lying length wise with the pin and extend-
ing across the slot, andis so arrangedthat by pulling the thread in
between the two discs the front end of the steel spring is pressed down
and permits the thread to enter the slot, and also prevents the thread
from coming out when threaded; the thread is then passedunder and
back of the wire thread guide at lowerend of needle bar; thence
through eye of
thread through needlethe needle.from leftLeaveto right,the threaddrawingsomewhatabout fourslackinchesbetweenof
the tension and needle when starting the machine.
  N. B.
      By carefully noticing the course of theA perfectthread.stitchas showncan notinbeCutmadeNo.unless,3 and
                                       A and Bthe thread is properly10. 8½,andandsecurelyheld thereinpassedbydownthe smalland betweensteel spring.the twoIfthis is not
done a crooked stitch will be the result.
         SIZES OF THREAD AND NEEDLES.
  The general rule for the size of needle to be usedwith any given size
of thread is this; use as fine a needle aswill permit the thread to pass
safely through the eye.  Colored thread or uneven thread requires a
somewhat coarser needle.
 Ts one tee bestYortestmustnotnot armectexpenseto   sort the suite wefe ence
 the glazedIfyouyou eviswish as strong a seam as possible, use the



 SIZE OF                                                   SIZE OF COTTON   NEEDLE.   Class of Work to Sew.      LINEN OR SILK
                                               20 to   Cotton.
               Very thin Muslin, Cambrics, Linen, ete.      20 Silk Twist.
                             Linen, Linen Shirtings,
             Very fine Caliefine Silk Goods,                9o Silk twist.
                             Bleached Calicoes, Mus-           Cotton.
            Shirts,lins, SilksIks andandGeneral        Goods,
                   and all classes of General Work.
             All kinds of heavy Calicoes, light Woolen Goods.         Cotton
                heavy Silks,Seaming, Stitching, &c.     1 and B Silk Twist'
                                                             Twist   6    TickiningWoolenCorsets,Goods,Cloaks,Trowsers,Manties,5, 5 Cloth-A and B a SilkCotton
                                Bags, heavyCoats; A
            He Trousers,rousers, as.,&c., Heang clothing Generally.
                                                               40 to 60Linen and C
               Bags, coarse Cloths, Heavy Goods of any    and D Silk Twist or   8                                                     very coarse Cotton.


    It is not necessary to use as coarse thread as you would in hand sewing.

STILLNAN-GO. GIN. A.
CUT No. 4.-Threading the Machine
      Using the Wheel Tension.

— _—


           THREADING THE MACHINE.
  Cut No. 4 Illustrates the Wheel Upper Iension.

(NOTE THE COURSE OF THE THREAD AS SEEN IN CUTS NOS. 3½
                    AND 4.)
  Place spool on spool-pin, as shown, with thread unwinding
frem nearest side. Draw the thread into the spring guide above
the tension wheel, carry it once around between the tension
discs; thence into wire guide at head of machine; thence
under the wheel guide on face of machine; thence up
and draw into the slot of the take-up lever; thence down be-
twéen the two discs A and B, as shown in cut No. 3½. There
is an oblong slot cut in the pin which passes through the two
discs, and a small steel spring lying lengthwise with the pin and
extending across the slot, and is so arranged that by pulling
the thread in between the two discs the front end of the steel
spring is pressed down and permits the thread to enter the slot,
and also prevents the thread from coming out when threaded.
The thread is then passed under and back of the wire thread
guide at lower end of the needle bar; thence through eye of
needle from left to right, drawing about four inches of thread
through the needle. Leave the thread somewhat slack between:
the tension and needle when starting the machine.
  N. B.-By carefully noticing the course of the thread, as shown
in cut No. 4, you cannot make a mistake in threading. A per-
fect stitch cannot be made unless the thread is properly and se-
curely passed down and between the two discs, A and B, as
shown in cut No. 3½, and held therein by the small steel spring.

11-





              WINDING THE BOBBIN.
                       (See Cut 5.)
N order to wind the bobbin without running the machine.

    loosen the thumb-screw in the centre of the hand wheel, turn-
ing it thus :      Secure the end of the thread by wrapping a
few rounds upon the bobbin; then pulling out knob at left side
of bobbin winder, insert the bobbin into the winder; press the
winder wheel against the band, then operate the treadle as in
sewing. The thread should be wound upon the bobbin evenly
and not too tight, and fuller at the ends than in the centre, as

shown in Cut 5. Alter the bobbin is wound tighten the thumb-
screw thus:     in hand wheel, and remove the winder wheel
from contact with the band. Wind bobbin from another spool
rather than unthread the machine.
 N. B.-Do not wind the bobbin too full.

0

  Out No. 6. Illustrating the shuttle complete with shuttle spring
attached and properly threaded for use.





 CUT No. 6}.  Illustrating the shuttle without shuttle spring, and is so
 illustrated to explain the course of thread in process of threading.
        THREADING THE SHUTTLE.

                      SEE CUTS NO. 6 AND 61.
  Taking the shuttle in left hand, with heel towards you, open heel of
 shuttle with finger or thumb nail, place the bobbin in shuttle, then
 carry end of thread along through Siot A (see cut No. 64) towards point
of shuttle until it passes into hole B, thence pass end of thread under
shuttle spring at opening C, (see cut No. 6) the shuttle is then threaded
ready for use. The tension in shuttle is regulated by the screw at end
of shuttle spring; to increase the tension turn screw to the right, and to
the left to lessen the tension.
  Nore.--The pin attached to shuttle spring, when on shuttle fits in hole
D. (see cut No. 6%-) To avoid breaking the shuttle thread when remov
ing bobbin from shuttle, pull the thread towards point of shuttle until
the pressure or thread from shuttle spring is relieved.

REGULATING THE TENSIONS.

     HE beauty of the stitch depends largely upon the thread being
     drawn evenly into the goods, so that the stitch is alike on both
             This is acquired by means of the tensions.  If the threads
used are of the proper size for the material sewed, and both tensions
are right, the threads will be drawn together and locked in the center of
 he goods thus:
   If the thread should be straight along the upper side of the goods,
thus:                    it is generally because the upper tension is too

tight (but may be because the shuttle tension is too loose.)
  If the thread should be straight along the under side of the goods,
thus :                           it is generally because the upper tension is to
loose, (but may be because the shuttle tension is too tight.)
  When the tensions are once properly adjusted, it is rarely necessary
to change them. When it is needed, observe the following instructions:
  To alter the Shuttle Terision. Turn the screw in lid of shuttle.Turn to
the right to increase tension; to the left to lessen tension.
  To alter the Upper Tension.Turn the upper tension thumb screw to the
right to increase the tension; to the left to lessen tension.
  N. B.-When using very coarse thread, the shuttle tension must be
lessened.
  As the shuttle tension has been set right for general work when the
machine leaves our hands, as before explained,any needed regulation
 of the stitch in this respect should ordinarily be made by changing the
upper tension; if, however, when the upper tension is regulated so the
lock is in the center of the goods, both threads appear to be loose, and
the stitches and seam not smooth and firm, the shuttle tension is too loose
and should be tightened.
                                              without leaving the
upperper tensiontension soso tighttight thatthat thethe threadthreadbreaks,by asy orof i, when the rinsiths
areevenly balanced the goods are " drawn"or 6 puckered,"(this will
occur only in sewing very light and "slazy" fabrics) the shuttle tension
is too tight and should be loosened by turning the shuttle tension screw
to the left, then loosen the upper tension to correspond
  NOTE. -The" Royal St. John   requires less change of tension than any
other machine; in fact, no change is necessary in any ordinary work.
  The aboveparticular explanation is given that every operator may
fully unders and the principles of the tension.

-15-
             TO COMMENCE SEWING.
   PEN the slide covering front of the shuttle-race by pulling
    towards you; place the shuttle in its carrier, with point
     towards you, leaving about three inches of the thread pro-
jecting, and close the slide. Then draw about three inches of
the upper thread through the eye of the needle. Hold the
 thread slack in the left hand, while the needle is moved down
and up again; when bygentlydrawing the needle thread, it

 draws up the shuttle thread through the hole in the throat-plate ;

 the two threads should then be laid from you to the right hand

 Then place the fabrics beneath the needle, lower thepresser-
 foot upon it and operate the treadle. After a few stitches are
 formed stop and examine them. If you find loops projecting, or
 a straight thread upon the lower surface, tighten the tension of
 needle thread as before instructed. If the thread liesstraight
upon the upper surface, loosen the tension of needle threadas
 instructed. When the tension is perfect, the stitch will lock in
 the center of the goods, and appear alike on both sides.

             TO REMOVE THE WORK.

   Raise the needle to the highest point; then lift the presser-
 foot and draw down about four inches of slack thread (pulling it
 just after it leaves the tension); then draw the goods directly
 from you, and cut both threads close to the cloth. Be careful
 not to bend or spring the needle.
      TO ALTER THE LENGTH OF THE STITCH.
   At the right hand of the machine there is a thumb screw for
                          To lengthen the stitch, loosen
 adjustingthe thumb-screwthe lengthandofmovethe stitch.it to the right; to shorten the stitch
 move it to the left. After the proper length of stitch is ob-
  tained be sure to tighten the thumbscrew. The length of the
  stitch should always be proportioned to the size of the thread
 used; the coarser the thread, the longer the stitch; sewing a
  short stitch with coarse thread will cause an irregular seam.

- 16-
          REGULATING THE FEED.
       sewing heavy or dressed goods, you require a heavier
      pressure of the foot on the feed, than in sewing fine
      or thin goods. To increase the pressure, turn thus :
  the presser thumb screw immediately back of the needle bar,
 on top of the     head of the machine. To decrease the press-
  ure, turn thus:     the presser thumb-screw. In all ordinary
  family sewing,     this is all thechange that will ever be
 needed.
 WHERE TO LOOK FOR DIFFICULTIES YOU MAY
              EXPERIENCE.
             BREAKING OF THE UPPER THREAD.
 May be caused by the machine being wrongly threaded; or by
 the tension being too tight, (we can draw a tight stitch,with a
 much lighter tension than most other machines); or by the
 needle not being set up to the seat in the needle bar, or by the
 thread being too coarse for the needle. Sometimes the eye of
 the needle may be rough and occasion the breaking of the
 thread. Or the feed may be too high. Or the throat-plate may
 be roughed by breaking a needle; or the shuttle may be rough;
 or the presser-foot may be turned so that the needle touches it,
 or the needle bent so as to rub in passing through hole in plate.

    BREAKING OF THE UNDER THREAD.

 May be caused by the shuttle being wrongly threaded ; or by the
bobbin being loosely wound and the thread tangled; or by the
bobbin being wound too full, so as not to turn freely in the
shuttle.
          IRREGULAR STITCHES
May be caused by too loose tension, or by using uneven
thread, or thread too coarse for the needle; or by the stitch be-
ing too short for the fabric; or by a thick seam, or fold of the
cloth, being under the presser-foot but not on the feed; or by
pulling the cloth while sewing ; or by the feed being too low.

-17-
            MISSING STITCHES

M iN the see ad the ne toe being or too lo,smallor byforhayethe
       needle; or by needle being bent so as not to run close
 enough to shuttle.

        BREAKING OF THE NEEDLE
 May be caused by its striking the hole in the throat-plate in-
 stead of entering it; or by pulling the cloth when the needle is
 entering it; or by allowing bulky work to drag on the needle
 while sewing.


              NOT FEEDING
May be occasioned by too heavy pressure, thuspreventing
seams passing through; or too light a pressure, thus failing to
engage the work between the presser-foot and feed; or it may
arise from moving the stitch regulator too much to the left, thus
making a stitch so short as not to feed at all; or the feed may
be too low; the rough surface of the feed should be above the
plate when feed is up.


       LOOPS ON TOP OF THE WORK

In sewing soft twisted silk or linen thread, arise from the needle

being too fine, or from its point being bent or hooked; if the

latter, remedy the difficulty by the use of a hone, or a fine file ;

or better still, use a new needle.




  P. S.-Be careful to use a needle that is straight; and neither
bent nor hooked. You cannot do good work with a poor
needle.

-18-





        GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.                   CARE OF MACHINE.
    ETER using the machine see that it is clean before putting
          it away. Before commencing to sew, see if your machine
       runs heavily; in which case oil it, as instructed. (See
page 5.) A machine that has stood for a day or two should
always be cleaned and oiled before commencing to use it.
   If the belt becomes loose, it should be tightened as follows :
Remove one end of the belt from the belt-hook; cut off
obliquely about half an inch; punch a new hole for the belt-
hook in the same direction as the old one, so as to get the full
length of the belt, piercing through the hide, not splitting it.
  Do not tamper with the adjustments of the machine-serious
trouble is almost sure to follow an unnecessary meddling with
the adjustments of the machine by an inexperienced person.

         TO TURN A CORNER.
  Raise the presser-foot when the needle is at its lowest point ;
turn the goods as desired, lower the presser-foot and proceed.

20
    Directions for Using the Attachments.

           NARROW HEMMING.
                             (See Cut No. %)
      'AKE the presser-foot off and fasten the hemmer in the
          presser-bar in place of the foot; let the hole in the hemmer
        be directly over the hole in the throat-plate, and fasten it
  securely to the presser-bar by the screw.   Raise the presser-bar
  and pass the edge of the cloth into the hemmer in the manner
  shown in the illustration, passing it forward into the hemmer as
   far as the NEEDLE-HOLE inorder that the feed may at once
  catch the cloth. By clipping off the corner of the cloth before
  inserting it into the hemmer you canstart it without difficulty.
  Then let the hemmer down upon the feed surface, and operate
  the Machine as usual.  Hold the goods withthe RIGHT hand,
  as shown in the illustration. SHOULD THE EDGE OF THE GOODS
  BEGIN TO RUN OUT OFTHE HEMMER, MOVE IT TO THE right;
  SHOULD TOO MUCH RUN INTO THE HEMMER, MOVE THE GOODS TO
  THE left.  About three-eighths of an inch in width is about as
  much of the goods as is usually required to form a perfect hem.
• If the stitch takes thehem too far from the edge, turn the
   hemmer a little to the right. If, on the contrary, the stitch does
  not catch the edge of the hem, turn the hemmer a little to the
  left.

                 FELLING.
   Sew the two edges of the material together, the under one
  projecting an eighth of aninch beyond the upper, using the
  hemmer as a presser-foot; leave the ends of the thread about
  two inches long attached to the material. Open the work out
 and crease theseamdown to the left, the wide part on top.
  Take hold of the two threads, and draw the edge tobe felled
 into the hemmer as far as the needle, and let down the hemmer
 upon the work, and start the machine.  Pull on the threads until
 two or three stitches have been taken.  Keep the clothsmooth
 and guide it into the hemmer as shown in Cut No. 7 for narrow
 hemming.

22-





                BINDING.
                          (See Cut No. 8.)
    TTACH the binder to the bed of the machine with the
       thumb-screw. When you wish to put on a hem binding,
       cut your binding material about three-fourths of an inch
 wide, place the binding in the scrolls, and the material to be
bound between the scrolls, let down the presser-foot and hold
 your work in the position shown in illustration, (Fig. 8), keeping
 the edge to be bound between the scrolls and well back against
the binding. The binding should be cut bias. Ordinary bind-

ing, about three-eights of an inch wide, can also be put on with
this binder.

            WIDE HEMMING.
  The plate hemmers, which are furnished with each machine,
for wide hemming, are attached to the machine in the same
manner as the binder, and are adapted to four different widths
of hemming.

STILLMAN-DO
               CUT No. 9- Quilting.
  ONSERT the quilting gauge through the small hole in the presser-bar
   and fasten with the small screw in back of presser-bar, moving it tr
    the right or left, the required width of the rows of stitching. Raise
   or lower the gauge according to the thickness of the goods. Having
made the first row the desired distance from the edge, place the work
so that this row will be under and in a line with the lower edge of the
gauge, which will form a guide to each row of stitching; the last row
made always passing under and in a line with the gauge while stitching
the next.

CUT No. 10.-Braiding.
                                            Pass the braid
       as in ordinary sewing.            pattern stamped• upon the
        right side of the goods, and turn the work as may be necessary
to follow the stamping.  If the needle does not pass down through the
center of the braid, swing the braider to the right or left as mayquired.

-26 -




     FOR USING THE TUCK MARKER.
                         (See Cut No. 11.)
    TTACH the Tucker to the machine with gauge-screw. Con-
     nect the Tucker to the needle with the small hook on the
            arm. The figures on the gauge show the width on theAtuck. The figures on the marker show the width of space.
  To make tucks just meet, of any desired width, place the gauge
and marker so that the indicai?; will point to the same figure on
both marker and gauge.
  The space can be regulated by moving the marker to the left
the same distance as the desiredspace. For example, to make
⅜ inch tuck, without any space, let the indicator point to the
figure ⅜ on both mark and gauge. Then if a ¼ inch space is de-
 sired, move the marker to the left ¼ of an inch; indicator will
 then point to ½ inch on marker.
   In commencing, fold the cloth to be tucked and place it between
 the upper and lower plaits of the marker close to the gauge ; after
 sewing this, fold the cloth at the mark and proceed as before, be-
 ing careful to place the edge of the tuck just made so it will run
UNDERNEATH the marking blade, so as to prevent more than two
 thicknesses of cloth passing over the blade while being creased.
 By attending to this a far more distinct crease will be obtained.

-28-




                 CORDING.

                                 (See Cut No. 12.)

     TTACH the corder in place of the presser-foot, with the bow
         to the left, so that the needle passes through the center of
        the needle hole in the cord foot.  The cord, which should
 be of uniform size, (a good cord for most work is No. 4 Crochet
 Cotton) is passed through the hole in the bend of corder, and
 drawn into the split tube; which springs open along the edge
 sufficiently to allow the admission of the cord.



         TO INSERT THE WORK.
  The work being prepared for cording, either by folding it, or
 making a line of stitching against which to lay the cord, insert the
 work with the open edge to the left, one thickness passing above and
 the other under the cord guide, and both under the presser ; then
 pull the cord out an inch or two from you, and beyondthe cord
presser-foot, and draw the goods gently to the left so that the fold
 or seam will bear up against the end of the long cord guide, and
keep it so while sewing, and the cord will be laidin between the

twomachine.Inthicknessescording,againstusethea ratherfold orlongseam,stitch,and stitchedand somewhatin by the

coarserwithout threada cord.than would be used in stitching the same material