US1999986A - Sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

A. R. wooD SEWING MACHINE April 30, 1935.

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1954 llr Vii Webb A. R. WOOD SEWING MACHINE April 30, 1935.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11, 1934 Alfred B. M 0

A fil so, 1935. A R WOOD 1,999,986

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 11, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Alfieal 15. Mom? I I April 30, 1935. R, WOOD 1,999,986

' SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. ll, 1934 5"SheetsSheet 4 Alfred fL-Mood April 30, 1935.

A. R. WOOD SEWING MACHINE F'ild Jan. 11, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 3%, 1935 SEWING MACHINE Alfred R. Wood, Bridgeport, Coim., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. 3., a. corporation of New Jersey I Application January 11, 1934, Serial No. 706,197

7 Claims. (01.11243) This invention relates to sewing machines, more particularly of the type having stitchforming mechanism, a work-clamp, and means including a feed-wheel or pattern-cam for'rela- 5 tively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp to place thestitchesin the desired order or arrangement. Such machines are commonly used in tacking and barring operations, attaching articles such as buttons and labels to fabrics, sewing buttonholes, etc. In such machines, and particularly in buttonhole sewingmachines, it .is desirable that provision be made for turning the feed-wheel or patterncam-xby hand to any position of its cycle,while the-stitch-forming mechanism is at rest, so that inxcase of breakage of the sewing thread during a normal cycle of operations, the sewing operation may be re-started at the point of interruption and continued to the normal end Y 20 of the cycle, without sewing over the entire pattern.

In machines having an over-running clutch or pawl-and-ratchet driving connection. between the main-shaft and the feed-wheel, there-is no difiiculty in turning the feed-wheel forwardly by hand to any desired position, while the mainshait isat'rest. An over-running driving connection for the feed-wheel is objectionable, however, on account of the tendency of the feed- 39 wheel to overthrow, making it necessary to frictionally load the feed-wheel by a braking device.

An object of the present invention is to provide a. sewing machine of the type under consideration which requires, no feed-wheel brakeband or like loading device and in which provision is made for the hand-turning of the feedwheel to any desired position in its cycle, while the main-shaft is at rest, to enable the machine to be used for the repair of a previous imperfectly stitched buttonhole or other'stitched article, without the necessity of sewing through an entire cycle of movement of the feed-wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide the machine with manually controlled means for stopping the machine before it finishes its normal cycle of operations so that, in case 01' needle breakage, for example, the machine may be stopped to avoid damage to the work by the stump of the broken needle.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations; and arrangements or parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the'invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood 'by those skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of a straight buttonhole sewingmachine embodying-the invention; the parts being in their normal positions of rest between stitching periods. Fig. 2 is a left sideelevation of. the machine. Fig. 3 isa horizonal section through the bracket-arm standard of the machine, showing the machine bed inplan. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of themanual control mechanism at the side of the sewing machine bracket arm, as shown in Fig. l, but with the parts in normal machine-running position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view ofa portion of Fig. i. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the machine arm, Fig. .1 at about the level of the main-shaft. Fig. 6 is a-fragmentary top-plan view of thespin-and-star-wheel drive forthe feed-wheel or pattern-cam of the machine. Fig. 7 is a section on" the line 'I'I,'Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is arear end elevation of the machine. Fig. 9 is a section of the machine-frame on theline 99, Fig. 1, showing the driving and driven'elements' of the feed-wheel-coupling engaged in normal driving relation. Fig; 10 is a similar view with the elements of the coupling disengaged. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view on the line ll-ll, Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the feedwheel-coupling operating rack. Fig. 13 is a similar view of the guide for such rack, and Fig. 14 is a perspective view'of the driving-element of the coupling.

The machine-frame comprises the usual'bed I and standard 2 of the overhanging bracket arm 3 terminating in thehead 4 in which is'pivoted on the pins 5 the vibratory gate 6 for the reciprocatory needle-bar 1 carrying the needle 8. The needle-bar I is reciprocated by the usual linkand-crank connection 9, I0, with the main-shaft H, carrying at its rearward ly projecting end the tight-and-loose belt-pulleys l2 and I3, respectively, and a pinion. It meshingwith a stop-gear l5'of twice its diameterto which is fixed a conventional stop-cam I6, Fig. 8. Cooperating with the stop-cam I6 is the upwardly spring-pressed stop-plunger I! carried by the stop-motion lever I8 mounted on trunnion-screws 19 for tilting movements between stopping and running positions, shown in full and dotted lines, respectively, in Fig. 2.. I

The stop-motion lever l8 has a forwardly extending arm 20 rigid with it and this arm 20 is pivotally connected at 2| to a vertical and upbelt-shipper fork 29 fixed to the rearward end of a rearwardly spring-pressed slide-rod 3!) mounted in one arm of a lever 3! fulcrumed at 32 on the standard 2. The other arm 33 of the lever carries a vertically adjustable pin 34 the. lower endof which is in the path of travel of the belt-shipper trippingpoint 35 on the cam-disk -36 fixed to the vertical shaft 31 carrying the feed-wheel 27. A stop block 38, Fig. l, secured to the lever arm 33 engages the frame-bracket 3!..to limit the movement of the lever 3| in one direction under the influence of its biasing spring 39.

The stop-motion lever 18 has an outwardly and upwardly curved arm 40 in which is fixed a horizontal latch-pin 4] cut away. to form a tooth 62 adapted, in the motion of the stop-motion lever F3 from stopping position, Fig. 1,.to running position, Fig. 4, to engage the tooth. 43 on the block 5d fixed to the'rod 31! and shift the rod Biland belt-shipper. fork 25 to running position, Fig. Near the end of a sewing period the leve'r'Bl is tilted by the tripping point 35 to disengage the tooth 43 from the tooth 42 and allow the spring.

pressed rod 39 and belt-shipper fork 29 to'carry the belt 28-to'the loose pulley l3. The machine now coasts to final stoppingpositiondetermined by engagement of the tripping point 26 on "the feed-wheel 2'! with the latch-lever 24 which is disengaged from the notch 25 in the vertical rod 22' secured to the arm 29 of the stop-motion lever 13. The stop-motion device and belt-shipper release above described is thus constructed substantially in accordance with the disclosures of the Allen et al. Patent no. 1,878,091, of Sept. 2i),

1932, and the Allen Patent No. 1,659,937, of Feb.-

Thework-clamp is of the usual construction shown, for example, in the patent to Wood, No. 1,613,634, of Jan. 11, 1927, and having the lower longitudinal slide-plate 45, Fig. 3, mounted in the cross-slide-plate 45; such slide-plates being actuated by the usual connections with the longitudinal and lateral feed- cam grooves 11 and 58,

respectively, in thefeed-wheelfl. The work is' held on the slide-plate 45 by the upper rectangularly apertured clamping foot 49 carried by the a usual downwardly spring-pressed clamp-lever 5U fulcrumed at 5| on a bracket 52 on a lateral extension 53 of the longitudinal slide-plate 45.

During a normal sewing period the feed-wheel shaft 3'? is given a slow step-by-step turning movement by an accelerating and retarding or non-overthrow driving connection with the mainshaft. This connection preferably comprises a bevel-gear 55, Figs. 1 and 6, on the main-shaft H meshing with a gear 55 of double its pitch diameter carrying the diametrically opposed driving pins 56 working in radial slots in the star wi -reel 5'! fixed to the shaft 58 having at its upper end the usual gear-connections 59 with the needle-bar vibrating crank 60, such as disclosed in the Allen Patent'No. 1,864,165, of June 21, 1932.

The shaft 53 carries atits lower end a gear 6! Figs. 1 and 5, which drives the gear 62 concentrio with and fixed to the pinion 63 meshing with the gear 64 fast on the feed-wheel shaft 37. By the means described the feed-wheel is positively geared to the main-shaft and there can be no overrunning of the feed-Wheel during normal sewing operations. The driving connections are as effective in retarding the feed-wheel after the transmission thereto of a driving impulse, as they are in transmitting such driving impulse. Hence no frictional loading means are required for the feed-wheel to prevent overrunning of the latter.

There are times however, in the operation of the machine, when it is desirable to manually turn the feed-wheelforwardly independently of the main-shaft. This has heretofore been permitted by the one-way or overrunning clutch feed-wheel-driving connection commonly used and disclosed, for example, in the patents to Allen, No. 738,591, of Sept. 8, 1903, and No. 806,231, of Dec. 5, 1905.

According to the present improvement there is provided, in combination with the non-overrunning feed wheel-driving mechanism, manually and instantaneously operable clutch means for disconnecting the feed-wheel from the mainshaft, to permit the feed-wheel to be turned by hand to any desired position while the stitchforming mechanism is at rest. To this end, the gear 8! is slidably mounted on theshaft 56, Figs. 9, 10 and 11,.and is formed with ahub having therein a diametral clutch slot 65 and urged upwardly by the spring 56 to embrace the diametral clutch pin 67 in the shaft 58. I

Secured to the frame-arm 3 by the screw 88, Figs. 1, 9,10 and 13, is the vertical-leg 69 of an L-shaped bracket, the horizontal leg 16 ofwhlch is formed with an aperture ll embracing the shaft 58. The vertical leg 69 of the L-shaped bracket is formed with a vertical guideway 12 for the vertical rack-bar 13 having a foot 14 formed with two spaced and downturned toes 15 engaging the upper face of the gear 61.

Slidably and rotatably journaled in an car 16 on the .L-shaped' bracket 69, 10, is a manually operated rod '11 supported at its forward end in a bearing post 18 and formed with an operating handle 79. Fixed to the rearward end of the rod 111 is a long-faced pinion which meshes with the rack 13. It will be evident that the operator may, by turning the handle I5 at any time, instantly rotate the rod I1 and pinion 80 to depress the gears! from the position shown in Fig. 9,to that shown in Figs. 10 and 11, in which the gear 6| and feed-wheel shaft 31 are declutched from the driving shaft 58 and may be turned by hand to any desired position. Upon release of the handle '19, the spring 66 automatically effects a recoupling of the gear 51 to its shaft 58, when the clutch pin 61 and clutch slot 55 are in register.

It may be here explained that to facilitate the hand-turning of the feed-wheel 21 when the main-shaft is stationary, there is providedahandlever 8|, Fig. 3, which is loose on the feed-wheel shaft 31 and carries a spring-pressed pawl 82 in engagement with a ratchet-wheel 83 fixed to the shaft 31. The lever 81 has pivoted to it a handle 84.

There are times when it is desirable to stop the machine during a sewing period before the stitching cycle is completed. For example, in case of needle-breakage, it is desirable that the machine be stopped to prevent injury to the work by the stump of the needle. To this end means are provided whereby the operator may, at will, disengage the tooth 43, Fig. 4, from the tooth 42, thereby permitting the spring-pressed rod 30 and beltshipper fork 29 to'carry the belt 28 onto the loose pulley I3; 'the'stop motion lever 4il and plunger remaining in their tilted or'running position, out of engagement with the stop-cam |6. Pivoted on the pin 4|, Fig. 7, are the legs of an inverted U-shaped levercarrying an adjustable push-screw 86 the head 8'l of which engages the upper inclined end of the'block 44. The lever 85 is connected by a link 88 to an arm 89 freely mounted on and projecting outwardly from the rod 11 and confined between-collars 90 on such rod. Thus the operator may, while the machine is running, push rearwardly upon the rod 11, Fig. 4, and rock the lever 85 on the pin 4| sufiiciently to depress the block 44 and disengage its tooth 43 from the tooth 42, thereby freeing the belt-shipper 29 from the stop-motion lever 40 and allowing the belt-shipper to shift the belt onto the loose pulley l3. Because of the long face of the pinion 86, this endwise movement of the rod 1'! does not disengage such pinion from the rack 13. A stop-collar 9| on the rod 11 is adapted to engage the bearing 16 and limit the rearward movement of the rod H. A stop-pin 92 on the collar 9| is adapted to engage the arm 93 on the L-shaped bracket 69, H3, Fig. 10, and limit the turning movement of the rod 11.

Suppose that the machine has been stopped by the operator in the course of a sewing cycle, by tripping oif the belt-shipper, because of a broken needle. The operator may turn the clutch control rod 11 to disconnect the gear 6| from the shaft 58 and uncouple the feed-wheel 21 from the main-shaft whereupon the ratchet lever 8| may be oscillated by the operator to turn the feed-wheel ahead to its normal stopping position, or until the tripping point 26 on the feed-wheel engages the latch-lever 24 and releases the stopmotion lever i8. The work- clamp 45, 49 is now in normal starting position. The operator may then remove'the broken needle and replace it with a new one. The operator may then further ratchet the feed-wheel forwardly until the workclamp is carried to the position relative to the needle where the stitching wasinterrupted. By now grasping the laterally extending stud 94 or extension of the pin 4|, the stop-motion lever 40 may be tilted to running position, carrying the belt-shipper with it. Thus the sewing may be restarted at or slightly ahead of the point of interruption, to avoid a gap in the stitching, and proceeds normally to the end of the sewing cycle. In case of an interruption to the sewing due to thread breakage or exhaustion of the bobbinthread supply, the machine may be permitted to run to the end of its cycle but without cutting the buttonhole. The operator may then rethread the machine and ratchet the feed-wheel around to the point of interruption of the sewing and pull forwardly on the stud 94 to start the machine, whereupon the sewing is resumed and the partly finished buttonhole completed.

The belt-shipper rod 33 has fixed thereto a de pending finger-piece whereby the belt-shipper rod 30 may, if found desirable in practice for any reason, be pulled forwardly or re-set in running position, independently of the stop-motion lever 8.

The machine is, of course, equipped with the usual buttonhole slit cutter 95 having the usual manually interruptable operative connections, not shown, with the stop-motion-controlled cutter=lever 96, substantially asdisclosed in the Allen Patent No. 743,213, of Nov. 3, 1903.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, whatI claim herein'isz- I 1'. A sewing machine having, in combination,

stitch-forming mechanism, a work-clamp, means including a feed-wheel for relatively moving the including a feed-wheel for relatively moving the 1 stitch-forming mechanism and Work-clamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement, a main-shaft, a stop-motion device therefor, a non-overrunning driving connection between the main-shaft and feed-wheel, manually and instantaneously operable clutch means for uncoupling the feed-wheel from the mainshaft to permit the feed-wheel to beturned by hand to any desired position while the stitchforming mechanism is at rest.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination,

stitch-forming mechanism, a work-clamp, means including a feed-wheel for relatively movingthe stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement, a main-shaft, a stop-motion device-therefor, a pin and star-wheel driving connection between the main-shaft and feed-wheel, manually operable clutch means for uncoupling the. feedwheel from the main-shaft, and manually op-,

erated means for turning the feed-wheel to any desired position while the stitch-forming mechanism is at rest.

4. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a work-clamp, means including a feed-wheel for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement, a main-shaft, a stop motion device therefor, means including a system of reduction-gears for driving the feed-wheel in step-by-step fashion 'from the main-shaft, said means operating to hold back the feed-wheel from overthrow, manually operated means for uncoupling the feed-wheel from the main-shaft, and automatic means for re-coupling the feed-wheel and mainshaft. j

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch-forming mechanism, a work-clamp, means including a feed-wheel for relatively moving the stitch-forming mechanism and work-clamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement, a main-shaft, a stop-motion device therefor, a non-overrunning driving connection between the main-shaft and feed-wheel, a manually operated rotatable and endwise slidable control- 7 rod, means actuatedby one of said movements 1 of said rod to uncouple the feed-wheel from the main-shaft, and means actuated by the other of saidmovements of said rod to disconnect the machine from its source of power.

6. A sewing machine having a frame including a bed and an overhanging bracket-arm, stitchformingmechanism incorporated in said frame and including a reciprocatory needle operating at the free end of said bracket-arm, a work-clamp, means including a feed-wheel for relatively mov-.- ing the stitch-forming mechanism and workclamp to place the stitches in the desired order or arrangement, a main-shaft connected todrive the stitch-forming mechanism and feed-wheel, a stop-m0tion device, a manually operated rod mounted at the side of the bracket-arm for rotary movement, a pinion on said rod, a rack meshing with said pinion, and means operated by said rack for uncoupling the feed-wheel from the main-shaft.

7. A sewing machine having, in combination,

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