US2689538A - Attachment for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

sept. 21, 1954 l. S. RICKMAN Filed Oct. 5l 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l n l y 4 fao l '3| t 5' l L i i 'Hl In.. 50 l 1' SF I I e "I I l l 27% I l l 1| l I INVENTOR f g I ISAIAH S. RlcKMAN W FIG' I' j ATTORNEY Sept. 21, 1954 l. s. RICKMAN 2,689,538

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 3l, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR ISAIAH S. RlcKMAN By Y /vMy/m Sept. 21, v1954 Filed 001'.. 3l, 1951 l. S. RICKMAN ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 gjm/46 /l74 :75.996 F y///////// /////I//` .34' 3e 48 49 C "4' f7/B l '95.7 q I4 l u u '95 |92 las l |85 5o '9 'es 9 INVENTOR FIG. 8.

ISAIAH S. RICKMAN Sept 21 1954 l. s. RICKMAN 2,689,538

ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed OCT.. 5l. 1951 4- Shee'S-Sheet 4 F|G.9. I

lNvr-:NTOR ISAIAH S. RICKMAN /u7 JA'TORNEY l Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Isaiah S. Rickman, Williamsport, Pa. Application October 31, 1951, Serial No. 254,068

. 1 claim. l

This invention relates to an attachment for sewing machines and has particular reference to a retardative element and actuating mechanism therefor, designed to maintain two pieces of fabric, such as a main body section and a pleat or the like, in proper alignment when same are being stitched together.

In the conventional method now in use for stitching two pieces of fabric together, the regulation feeder upon a machine is employed to draw the fabric under the presser foot and the needle. The action of this feeder is such that the lower layer of Vfabric hasatendency to creep as the two layers are being fed under the presser foot of the machine, to such an extent that the ends of two layers of fabric do not come into proper alignment. The end of the upper layer extending beyond the end of the lower layer of fabric, or in other words, the feeder in the conventional machine, as it draws the fabrics under the presser foot, causes the lower fabric with which it directly engages, to pull together and slightly crumple or creep, thereby drawing in the end of the fabric and out of alignment with the endof the upper layer.

The principal object of this invention -is to provide a means `which will overcome this objection or. defect. This means comprises a retardative element engageable through the throat plate of the machine and adapted to horizontal and vertical reciprocal movement in line with the conventional feeder element, and moving simultaneously with it, but with opposite horizontal reciprocal movement. i

Another object of this invention is the means employed to activate the said retardative element, said means comprises rods connecting the said retardative element to conventional operating parts of the machine to impart a reciprocatory horizontal and vertical movement to same.

A further object of this invention is to -provide a fabric retardative element which may be built into new machines or which may be readily attached to machines now in use.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an organization in which therconstituent elements are so arranged structurally and functionally as to assure improved results with materials and members which may be manufactured at reasonable cost, may be easily (Cl. 11B-208) assembled and which will be eicient in operation with minimum wear to the parts.

The best embodiment of the invention has been chosen for illustrative purposes, but this embodiment should be viewed as being illustrative only `and not as limiting because obviously the invention is capable of other embodiments having revised details of construction, so long as they fall within the ambit of the appended claims.

The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, will `best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a partial plan or top View of the base plate at the sewing end of a sewing machine head and shows the throat and slidingI plates in position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but shows parts of the base plate broken away, the throat plate removed and the sliding plate partly pulled out, to disclose the parts directly below the base plate.

Fig. 3 is a sectional, elevational view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and shows the relative position of the needle, needle bar and the presser foot.

Fig. 4 is an elevational end view of the baseplate of the sewing machine, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail, in elevation and partly in section, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged sectional view of a fragmentary detail and is taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 is a top or plan View of the end portion of a base plate with parts broken away, similar to Fig. 2, but showing a slight structural modication.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevational along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail in elevation showing an upper and lower layer of fabric as theyappear after being stitched together in a conventional machine.

Fig; 10 is a diagram, in plan, which will be further on explained.

Fig. ll is a view similar to that of Fig. 9 but View taken shows the upper and lower layers of fabric as they appear after being stitched by a machine which embraces the attachment which is the subject matter of this specification, and invention, and

Fig. 12 is another diagram, in plan, which will be further on explained.

Referring in detail to the parts, il designates the base plate of a sewing machine head. i2 and I3 are depending lugs integrally formed upon the base plate at its further end and are shown only in 3, fl and 8. The lug i2 supports one end of an oscillating shaft Iii the opposite end of which is supported. by a conical bearing member upon theend of.v a threaded bolt i5 which engages througlfiLv a rtlireaded bore in a lug i6 (Figs. 2 and 4). A nut l1 is provided. to tightly lock the threaded bolt l5 securely in place. supports one end of a second oscillating shaft |8,

the opposite end of which is supported by a coni-- base plate is formed .with a cut out portion 22" open at the end 23 (Figs. l, 2 and 7). A ledge 24 extends along both sides and across the rear circular portion of the cut out portion.

A throat plate 25 is secured to the ledge at the inner portion of the cut out 22 by means of countersunk screws 26. Along the ledges 24 at the sides of the cut out portion 22 are under cuts 21 conforming to the edges of a sliding plate 28, shown in closed position in Fig. 1 and in partly withdrawn position in Fig. 2. The throat plate 25 is provided with a needle orifice 29 and with afpair of elongated slots 36 and a pair of shorter slots 3| and 3| through which feeder elements engage as will be hereinafter explained.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 4 and 1, it will be observed that the oscillating shaft I4 has,l integrally formed upon it, a pair of up- right lugs 32 and 33 through which threaded boltsf34 and 35 respectively engage. 'I'heinner ends of the bolts (i4-and 35 are each formed with conical bearing ends which engage a cross bar 36. Lock' nuts 31 are provided vto securely hold the threaded bolts 34 and 35 in place. Integrally formed upon and extending laterally from the cross bar 36 there is a connecting rodx38 terminating in a slot` formation 39 which engages over aroller 40 (Figs. 2 and 7). The` roller 48-is mounted upon a, pin 4| whichis in turn secured to a bracket arm 42 extending from and secured upon the oscillating shaft |8 and oscillates with same. To the vupper' surface ofthe connecting rod 38, there is attached afplate 43 which is secured to the connecting rod by means of screws 44. A portion of the plate 43 extends laterally from its attachment portion as at 45, and is formed with upstanding feed dogs 46 which have serrated upper edges 41. The said portions 46 are engageable through the aforementioned slots 38 and 3| formed in the throat plate 25 (Fig. 1) A bobbin casing 48, shown in outline only, is secured upon one end of a hook shaft 49 which is mounted in bearings (not shown) in a lug 58 depending from the base plate at one end. of same andV suitably mounted in bearings, not shown, at its opposite end.

The above description has referred only to conventional partsin a sewing machine head which forms a part 'of a regulation machine in common use and forms no part of this invention except as it has` cooperative relation with the attachment comprising this invention and whichwill now be describedand `operatively explained.

The lug ill.l

theblock |55 (Fig. 5).

An elongated plate |5| formed with a slot |52, (Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5) is bracketed from and secured to the oscillating shaft |4 by means of a projecting flange |53 and screws |54. A block |55 is slidably mounted upon the slotted plate |5| but is held against sliding movement by means of a bolt |56 formed with a head |51, extending through the block |55 (Fig, 6) encased by a spacer collar |58 which extends slightly beyond the face of the block, a washer |59 and a nut |60. This permits the block |55 to be adjusted along the slot |52 and then tightened in any selected position while at the same time allowing the block |55A to-have apivotal movement about the bolt |51 and its` spacer collar |58. Attached to the block |55 is the depending end |6| of a connecting arm |162. The said depending end being slotted as at |63 and held securely upon the block by screws |64 which engage-through the slot |63 and into The arm |62 is of irregular shape and extends upwardly and then downwardly andfterminates in a slotted end portion |65 which slidably engages a roller |66 upon a pin |61 which in turn is secured upon a bracket arm |68 attached to and extending from the oscillating shaft |81 vThe bracket arm |68 is formed of a flat strip adapted tol encircle the oscillating shaft I8, as indicated at |68 and a bolt |68" is em'- ployed to tighten the flat strap around the o'scillating' shaft' I8. An L-shaped bracket arm |69 extendslaterallly from the'arm |62 andisheld thereon` by means of screw-s |10 vwhich engage through a slot |1| upon the L-shaped arm-. A retardation element, comprising a plate |12 and upwardlyl projecting arms |14 having serrated upper edges |15 which rare engageable through the slots Etrand 3| is attached to the free end of the L-shaped bracket |69, by means ofthescrews |13 (Fig. 2)

When two layers of fabric are stitched together by' a sewing machine which does not'include the attachment comprising this invention, the feeder invariably causes the lower fabric to creep ahead ofl the movement of the upper layer bringing the end of the lower layer out of alignment with the upperl'ayer. This result is clearly shown in Fig. 9'where the upper layer of fabric is represented by the numeral |16 and the lower layer by the numeral |11. The parts of the mechanism indicated are those of a conventionalsewingmachine which is not equipped with the-improved attachment comprising this invention. The overlapping edge ofthe upper layer is shown at |18. The lower layer which has been drawn in shows theedge |19 out of alignment with the'edge |18. Fig. 10 shcws'the offset of the edges |18 and |19 when the lower layer |11 is caused to creepahead of the-'upper layer |16 during the stitchinggaction by the movement of the conventional feeder with its serrated edges 41. Fig. 11 also shows the conventional machine and feeder but withthe addition of the retardative member |14 'of this invention. With this added retardative member the creeping movement of the lower layer is prevented and the two edges come together in perfect alignment, as indicated at and |8| and as shown in plan in'Fig. 12.

Figs. '1 and 8 show a slight structural modication in which a rod |82v is substituted for Athe arm |62 heretofore shown and described. The rod |82 is slidably and pivotally secured, as at |83, to an arcuate member |84 which is slotted at k|85 and is secured to the oscillating shaft |4 by means of an attached flange |86 and screws |81. The opposite end ofthe rod |82 is pivotally attached'at 88,` toa plate member i |89 and is adjustable `.thereon by means of a screw |90 whichis thread- ,which slidably engageswiththe` roller |66Nupon a pin;- |61 .which is" in turn securedato the bracket A flat bar |95 having Va slot |98 is adjustably attached to the plate- |89 bymeans of screws |91 which engage through the slot 96 and are threaded into the" plate |89. The upper end ofthe bar |95 extends approximately atright angles, into a platform formation |98 upon which there is attached the L-shaped bracket |69 which is secured thereon by the screws engaging through the slot |'l|. To the outer, free end of the L- shaped bracket there is secured by means of the screws |13 the retardative element, hereinbefore mentioned, which comprises the base |12 and the upwardly projecting arms |14 having serrated upper edges |15.

As hereinbefore stated the retardative element comprises a multiplicity (usually three) of upstanding arms |14 having serrated upper edges |15 which project upwardly through slots 30 and 3|', (Fig. 1) formed in the throat plate '25. The serrated edges |15 of the arms |14 may be of varying lengths to provide a staggered arrangement of the ends facing the needle opening 29 as shown. The upstanding arms 46 of the conventional feeder element must be shortened to a1- low sufficient space, in the slots 30, for the serrated edge portions |15 of the arms |14 of the `retardative element. The front of the machine head at which an operator sits and faces the needle is indicated on the drawings by the letter F and as viewed in the drawings is at the right. When feeding a fabric into the machine and under the presser foot at the beginning of a stitching operation, the staggered ends of the serrated portions |15 of the arms |14 allows the conventional feeder unit to grasp the fabric and prevent the retardative element from drawing the fabric away from the needle when the machine begins to operate.

'I'he conventional feeder unit, comprising the arms 46 with the serrated upper edges 41 is alternately given a forward and rearward movement by means of its connection through the cross bar 38, coacting with the conventional oscillating shaft I4. When the feeder element has moved rearwardly (to the left as viewed in the drawings) and has reached its extreme rearward position, the bracket arm 42, oscillating with the oscillating shaft I8, moves the pin `4| attached to its free end, downwardly and the roller 40 upon the pin, engaging the slotted end 89 of the cross bar 38 lowers the feeder unit below the upper surface of the throat plate 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 8. While the feeder unit is in this lowered position the oscillator shaft |4 reverses its direction to move the feeder unit forward or to the right. At this point the oscillator shaft |8 also reverses its direction of movement and moves the feeder unit upwardly to bring its serrated edges |15 up against the fabric and presser foot 41', as indicated by dotted lines |16' in Fig. 9. The oscillating shaft I4 and the connecting cross bar 38 now moves the feeder unit rearwardly or to the left until it reaches the position shown by full lines in Fig. 9. The description and operation of thefeeder unit, just recited,

concerns the regulation mechanism in use on all conventional machines and is not a part of this invention but is shown and described so that a clear understanding of its cooperative action with the retardative element which is the subject of this invention.

The retardative element, as heretofore mentioned, comprises a multiplicity of upright members or arms |14 having serrated upper edges which engage through slots 30 and 3|' formed in the throat plate 25 in line with the said conventional, serrated members 46-41. The members comprising the retardative element have horizontal and reciprocal movement corresponding to and simultaneous with the movements of the serrated members of the conventional feeder unit, with the exception of the horizontal reciprocal movement. The horizontal movements of the retardative element, while simultaneous with the horizontal movement of the feeder, are opposite to it. In other words, when the feeder moves toward the rear, the retardative moves in the opposite direction or toward the front when both sets of serrated members are in raised positions and ready to begin such movement. This movement of the retardative member in a forward direction, when in frictional contact with the under surface of a lower fabric (Fig. 11) urges the fabric forward and prevents a creeping action bringing the end |18 of the upper layer and the end |19 of the lower layer in perfect alignment when the stitching is completed. Fig. 1 shows in plan, the spacing and position of the arms having the serrated edges 41 and |15, when same are in raised position and about to be horizontally moved apart. Figs. 4 and 8 show the position, in elevation, of the feeder unit and retardative element in their lowered position and just as they are about to move toward each other, while remaining in their lowered position. They now move together and when they arrive at the position shown in plan, in Fig. l, they are raised to bring their serrated edges slightly above the upper surface of the throat plate 25 to contact the lower surface of the lower layer of fabric and are then given movement away from each other to the position shown in elevation in Fig. 11, and as already explained.

The form illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 shows a means of effecting adjustments not shown in the first form. This second form is desirable in some machines where nner adjustments are required.

I claim:

A sewing machine for stitching an upper and a lower layer of material comprising, in combination, a base plate, a hook shaft mounted in bearings below the said base plate, a pair of oscillating shafts mounted longitudinally along each side of and below the said base plate, and have cam connections with the said hook shafts, a slotted throat plate having a needle orice, secured upon the upper side of said base plate, a connecting rod pivotally attached to one of the said oscillating shafts, the free end of said connecting rod being slotted and slidably engageable with a pin secured upon a bracket attached to a second oscillating shaft, the said connecting rod being given a reciprocatory horizontal movement by means of its pivotal connection with the aforesaid oscillating shaft while the second oscillating shaft imparts reciprocal vertical movement thereto, upstanding feed dogs secured to the upper face of said connecting rod and adapted to vertical and horizontal movement through the said slotted 'pivotally attached toene..osoillatingzshaft andextending forwardly to a slotted end; 'portion fen- -gageable withY a. rollerfpinupon a'bracket arm secured .upon the second oscillating shaft, the AV:stud seconel;1ensei-llatingA shaft being adapted .toimpart horizontal and vertical reciproeatory motion to thersaicleonneoting amm; feed dogs'mounted `upon the lsaidconnecting arm and engageable through the. aforesadslottedgateplate and enacting with the1'-said;,connecting` arm isgiven horizontal and vertical -reciprocatory movement and when mits '8 raised position' isgiven at forward movementand when in l itsV lowermost 1 positonfhasx a rearward movement; Y

References Cited in the ille ofl thisA patent UNITED STATES PA'I'EN'IS,V

Number Name Date 1,879,106 Corrall etal; Sept; 27; 1932 2,009,747- Sauer-v July 30; 1,935 2,509,596 Hale et al. May30, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS" Y Number Country Datei 4'10467 Germany Feb.:16,; 1927

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