US1394936A - Hand portable sewing-machine - Google Patents

Description

M. PRATT.

HAND PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7. 1920.

1,394,936. I Patented oef. 25, 1921..

7PM II I'l 1 I, e M j '75 Z/ u 15H-ff Inde/Lof UNITED STATES MAUD PRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HAND PORTABLE SEWING-MACHINE.

Specification o1' Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Application led December 17, 1920. Serial No. 481,354.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MAUD PRATT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand Portable Sewing- Machines, of which the following is .a specification.

My invention relates generally to improvements in a type of sewing machine which is adapted to be carried by the hand from place t0 place, and which is usually operated by means of an electric motor. Such a machine as heretofore constructed embodies the elements oflightness, compactness and ready portability but has been open to some objections with respect to its use during the sewing operation.

The general object of my invention is to improve the hand portable type of sewing machine so as to make it generally more eliicient,` and in particular to provide means whereby the goods to be operated upon or sewed shall be held and supported in a position to secure the best results.

It is a further object of my invention to provide mea-ns whereby the above result can be attained without increasing the weight or appreciably affecting the cost and without affecting the durability or rigidity of the device.

My invention consists generally in the form, arrangement, construction and coperation of the parts whereby the above named objects, together with others that will appear herein-after are attainable; and my invention will be more readily understood by referencey to the accompanying drawings which illustrate what I consider, at the present time, to be the preferred embodiment thereof.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand portable sewing machine embodying my invention, the parts being positloned as in carrying the machine.

Fig. 2 is a perspective -illustrative view illustrating a step in the course of preparing the hand portable sewing machine for use; and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine ready for use.

As here shown, l, re resents what is usually termed the head`o the sewing machine and which is mounted or supported upon a base 2. The base 2, as here shown, is of rectangular form and houses certain of the operating parts of the sewing machine (not shown). The size of the base 2 is usually no larger than is necessary properly to support the head 1 and the mechanism within the base 2. 3 represents the presser foot of the machine and is in the plane in which the needle of the sewing machine (not shown) operates and in which the sewing is done. The sewing, therefore, is performed relatively close to the end 5 of the sewlng machine base. The base 2 in use is ordinarily placed upon a surface 6 which is representative of a table or some other suitable support.

In using machines of the hand portable type the goods being sewed, in many of the machines heretofore devised, drags over the end of the base corresponding to the end 5 of my base and interferes with the sewing operation. This is particularly objectionable when sewing relatively heavy cloth. Some attempt has been made to obviate this diiculty such for example as by the expedient shown in the Patent to Riddell No. 1344718 of June 29, 1920, but this involves certain objections, such as separate parts which are likely to become misplaced and also involves elements of added cost, weight and multiplicity of parts which are somewhat objectionable.

In my construction I provide a combined cover end and drop shelf or support 7 which is hingedly secured, as indicated at 8, to the end of the base 2 of the machine. The upper surface 8 of the combined cover end and support is in the same plane as the upper surface 9 of the base, .and therefore, forms an unbroken continuation thereof when the member 7 is in the horizontal position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. This forms an ideal support for goods being sewed and makes practicable the use of the portable machine even upon a table or other support which is no larger than the base 2 of the sewing machine. It also assists very greatly in the successful use of the machine even when placed upon a relatively large table, asin either event it removes all tendency of the cloth or other goods to drag upon the 'needle 'and thus -interfere with the free and proper functioning of the stitching mechanism. This also forms a support for the arm when threading the needle.

Being a hand portable machine it is essential that the weight-of the device as a whole be kept down to the lowest possible minimum. This means that the parts must be made of as thin material as is possible without sacriiicing features of strength and durability. Thel head of the machine, and the mechanism mounted in the base 2, is

y necessarily of considerable weightas a large handle and with means for securing same to the base of the machine so that the device, as a whole, may be carried .about by the hand.

I likewise provide means to this end, and as here shown, such means takes the formo a substantially U-shaped cover portion 10,

which is open at one end, and which is closed at the other end by the portion 11 which is a rigid or integral part of the portion. 10.

That is to say the portions 10 and 11. are so firmly secured together as in effect to be integral in form. This enables great rigidity even in material of little weight. As here shown, the base is provided with recesses 12 for the reception of the tongue portions 13 of the cover. Thus to place the cover upon the base the handle 14 is grasped and the portion to which it is attached is moved longitudinally of the base so that the tongues 13 enter the said recesses 12 as is well shown by means of dotted lines in Fig. 3. To close the other end of the cover, so as to form a complete closure, the member-7 is -swung upward y to the position shown in Fig. 1 in' which posi! tion it is locked to the other parts of the machine cover by means of the latch 15 which co-acts with the latch member 16 (shown by means of dotted lines in Fig. 3). This locking construction may vary in detail and is essentially only mechanism which will rigidly x the member 7 to the remainder of the cover portion. When the device is in the form shown in Fig. 1 it appears much as an ordinaryhand ortable machine of the type heretofore emp oyed; has all the strength and rigidity thereof; may therefore be carried about without danger of the parts shaking about vand becoming loose; is no greater in weight than other similarly sized hand portable machines; and can be quickly and easily made ready for the more eilicient use already described. To prepare for use it is but necessary to unlatch the combined cover end and support 7, swing the same to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and then bodily withdraw the remainder of the cover formed by the portions 10 and 11.

The many advantageous characteristics of amy hand portable sewing machine construction will be apparent to those skilled in this art without further comment. I claim 1. The herein described improvements in hand portable sewing machines, embodying therein, a base having a sewing machine head thereon, a two-part cover for said head and connected parts, one part being a combined drop leaf and cover end and belng hinged to the base, bein swingable to a horizontal position to .lie ush with said` base and form va continuation of the top surface of the base, and being swingable to a vertical position to co-act with and form an end closure for the other cover part, said other cover part hav li)ng means for detachably connecting it to the ase.

2. The herein described improvements in hand portable sewing machines, embodying therein, a base having a sewingmachine head thereon, a two-part cover for said head and connected parts, one part being a combined drop leaf and cover end and being hinged to the base, being swingable to a horizontal position to lie flush with said base and form a continuation of the top surface of the base, and being swingable to a vertical position, to co-act with and form an end closure for the other cover art, said other cover part having means or detachably connecting it to the base, and means for securing the cover parts together when said hinged part is in a vertical position.

3. The herein described improvements in hand portable sewing machines, embodying therein, a base having a sewing machine head thereon, a two-part cover for said head and connected parts, one part being a combined drop leaf and cover -end and being hinged to one end of the base, being swingable to a horizontal position to lie flush with said base and form a continuation of the top surface of the base, and being swingable to a vertical position to co-act with and form an end closure for the other cover part, said other cover part having means for detachably connecting it to the base.

4:. The hereln described improvements in hand portable sewing machine, embed ing therein, a base having a sewing machine ead thereon, a two-part cover for said head and' connected parts, one part being a combined drop leaf and cover end and bemg hinged to one end of the base, being swingable to a horizontal position to lie flush with said base and form a continuation of the top surface of the base, being swingable to avertical position to coact with and form an end closure for the other cover part, said other cover part having means for detachably connecting it to the base, and means for securing the cover parts together when said hinged part is in a vertical position.

5. In the herein described improvements in hand portable sewing machines embodying therein a base having a sewing machine head thereon, a two part cover for said head and connecting parts, one part being a combined drop leaf and cover end being hinged to the base and being swingable to a horizontal positionto form an extension of the base and being swingable to a vertical position to coact and form an end closure wall for the other cover part, and means for detachably connecting said other cover part to the base and detachable coupling means between said other cover part and the drop v leaf.

hand portable Sewing machines,

6. The herein described improvements in embodying thereln, a base having a sewing machine head thereon, means for covering said head and connected parts, said means comprising a cover portion substantially U-shaped in cross section, means for detachably securing same to said base, and a combined cover end and drop leaf, means for securing the combined coverl end and drop leaf to the end of the base to enable swinging movement to a horizontal position flush with the base, thereby forming a continuation of the upper surface of the base, and to a vertical position to form an end closure for said substantially U-shaped cover portion.

7. The herein described improvements in hand portable sewing machines, embodying therein, a base having a sewing machine head thereon, means for covering said head and connected parts, said means comprising a cover portion substantially U-sliaped` in cross section, means for detachably securing same to said base, a combined cover end and drop leaf, means for securing the combined cover end and `drop leaf to the end of the base to enable swinging movement to a horizontal position flush with the base, thereby forming a continuation of the upper surface of the base, and to a vertical position to form an end closure for said substantially U-shaped cover portion, and a lock for securing the cover parts together.

8. The herein described improvements in portable sewing machines comprising a base having a sewing machine head thereon, a cover for said head, said cover having an end wall removed, means for detachably connecting the cover to the base, a drop leaf member hingedly connected to the base and adapted to form an extension thereof when disposed in horizontal position, said drop leaf being Swingable to a vertical position to form an end closure wall for the cover and means for connecting the drop lea-f member to the cover when said drop leaf member is in vertical position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 111thl day of December, A. D. 1920.

MAUD PRATT.

Images