US1366420A - Strip guiding and tensioning device for sewing-machines - Google Patents

Description

.l. C. RINGE.

APPLICATION HLEE MAY 10. I918.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

WITNESS- WWW,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY j. 0. M65. STRIP GUIDING AND TENSIONING DEVICE FOR SEWIIJG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILEC MAY 10. 1918- 1,366,420. Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

2 SHEETS'SHEET 2- I INVIENTOR WITNESS ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. RING-E, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STRIP GUIDING AND TENSIONING DEVICE FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

T0 at! "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. RrNen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strip Guiding and Tensioning Devices for Sewing-Ii/iachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to strip-controlling devices particularly adapted for use in connection with sewing machines and has for its primary object to provide improved guiding and tensioning means for a strip of fabric as it is led to the stitch-forming mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide convenient means permitting regula tion of the degree of tension imposed upon a strip of fabric, combined with means permitting adjustment of the strip-guiding and tensioning elements for different widths and thicknesses of strips of fabric.

In its preferred embodiment, the present improvement comprises a supporting plate,

adapted to be secured to the front edge of.

a sewing machine table and provided with aplurality of corrugations extending transversely of the line of scam formation. Pivotally j ournaled in bearings provided in the supporting plate is a spring-torsioned shaft upon which is secured a tensioning member provided with corrugations, mating with the corrugations on the supporting plate and adapted to impose a tension upon a strip of fabric led in a tortuous path therebetween. Means are provided permitting the tension of the spring acting on the shaft to be adjusted to'vary the action of the tensioning member upon the strip. By means of an adjustable stop-element the acting position of the tensioning member may be varied for the purpose of readily adapting the device for controlling heavy or light strips of fabric directed by edge-guiding members adjustably secured upon the supporting plate. A

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front side elevation of a portion of a sewing machine to which the present im provement is applied. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view partly in section of the strip ten sioning and guiding device. Fig. 3 is an end view of the device with the sewing ma- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 25, 1921.

Application filed May 10, 1918. Serial No. 233,615.

chine table in section and as viewed from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of the device as shown in Fig. 1 and omitting the strip of fabric. Fig. 5 is a central horizontal section of the device as shown in Fig. 1 and omitting the strip of fabric.

Referring to the drawings, the sewing machine is shown mounted on a table 1 and, as usual includes a needle-bar 2, reciprocable in the head 3 and carrying a needle or needles, as 4. Any suitable compleinenta]. stitch-forming mechanism may be employed to cooperate with the needles, the particular construction of the sewing machine with which this strip tensioning and guiding device is employed not entering into' the present invention.

Suitably secured to the front edge of the sewing machine table is a supporting plate 5, provided with a plurality of ribs or corrugations, as 6, extending transversely of the strip of fabric 8 being acted upon.- Mating with these corrugations are a plurality of similar corrugations formed by ribs, as 7, arranged alternately with respect to the ribs 6 on a tensioning member or plate 8 secured by means of set-screws, as 9, upon a pivot-shaft 10, journaled in spaced bearings 11 and 12 formed on the supporting plate 5. The ribs or corrugations 6 and 7 together comprise tensioning elements under the action of which the strip is led in a tu u anism.

Suitably secured upon the shaft 10 is a collar 13 formed with an aperture entered by one end of a coiled spring 14, surrounding the shaft and of which the other end is adapted to bear against the supporting plate. It is evident that the degree of tension exerted by the intermeshing corrugations upon a strip of fabric is dependent path to .the stitch-forming mechupon the torsional action of the spring 14.

7 position of the corrugations for properly tensioning heavy or light fabric strips, a stop-element is provided in the form of a screw 16 threaded into an aperture in the against the supporting plate 5, the screw 16 being held in the adjusted position by means of a lock-nut 17 For the purpose of properly guiding the edges of he strip, the supporting plate is provided with a groove 18 in which are slidingly mounted the edge-guides 19 and 20, formed with elcngatedslots 21 and 22 and adapted to be adjustably secured in position by means of screws, as 23 and 24, respectively. It will be observed that by positioning the bases of the edge-guides in the groove 18, the danger of having the strip of fabric slide under the edge-guides is obviated. An opening 25 is provided in the tensioni g member, permitting convenient access to the screws 23 and 24 tor-adjustment of the'edge-guides l9 and 20. The lower ed e 26 of the supporting plate is rounded and partially surrounds the pivotshaft 10 to prevent the strip of fabric from becoming soiled by contact with the shaft and also to form convenient guiding means for the strip as it is led from the supply. The strip may readily be threaded between the supporting plate and the tensioning. member by swinging the latter upon its fulcrum away from the supporting plate, the

lower active edge 27 of the tensioning mem-,

her being spaced sutliciently from its fulcrum to provide a convenient threading opening when swung outwardly away from the supporting plate. Further, by fulcrumin g the tensioning member adjacent one edge thereof as clearly shown in the drawings the strip of fabric may be laterally threaded into the device, thereby obviating the difiiculty heretofore experienced in endwise introduction of the strip.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. A strip tensioning and guiding device for directing a strip of fabric to the action of the stitch-forming mechanism of sewing machines comprising a supportingplate, a strip-tensioning member cooperating with said supporting plate to impose a tension on a strip of fabric passing therebetween,-

means for pivotally sustaining said'striptensioning member, and means permitting the threading of a strip laterally into said device in a direction substantiall oarallel with the pivotal support of said strip-ten sioning member and means for securing said strip-tensioning member in operative relationship with respect to the sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism.

2. A strip tensioning and guiding device for sewing machines comprising a supporting pla e, a strip-tensionin member cooperating with said supporting plate to im- Jose a tension on a strip of fabric passin therebetween, means for pivotally sustaining said strip-tensioning member, edgeguiding means intermediate the free edge and the pivotal support of said strip-tensioning member, and means permitting adjustment of said edge-guiding means in the operative position of said member.

3. In a sewing machine,-the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a striptensioning and guiding device comprising a supporting plate, a pivot shaft journaled upon said supporting plate, a tensioning member secured upon said pivot-shaft, a coiled spring embracing said pivot-shaft tending to hold the tensioning member in yielding contact with said supporting plate, adjustable means for limiting the effective action of'said spring, edge-guiding means intermediate the pivot-shaft and the free edge of said tensioning member, and means permitting the threading of a strip laterally into said device in a direction substantially parallel with the axis of said pivot-shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have slgned' my name to this specification.

JOHN C. amen.

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