US2803207A - Electro-mechanical transmission system for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

B. SOTZKY Aug, 20, 1957 ELECTRO-MECHANICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES "Filed Aug. 26. 1953 FIG.

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United States Patent ELECTRO-NIECHANICAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR SEWING MACHINES Bernard Sotzky, New York, N. Y.

Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,721

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) This invention relates broadly to an electro-mechanical transmission system and more specifically to means for transmitting motion from one mechanical portion of a sewing machine to another mechanical portion of a sewing machine by electrical means.

Convention sewing machines such as are now commonly in use are provided with a needle which executes vertically reciprocatory movement, the rhythm being such, that all stitches produced therey are even. However, it is frequently desirable to produce an uneven pattern of stitches, which necessitates the provision of means to interrupt the even rhythm of the needle, or the even feeding of material to the machine. Towards that end, a multiplicity of attachments are available, each of which must be permanently attached to a sewing machine as the specific need requires. The operation of each of these attachments requires a complex and costly transmission train. This results in an unnecessary expenditure of money in the purchase of a number of sewing machines, each being provided with a specific attachment for a specific need, and whenever such mechanical attachments involve moving parts, they must be geared through trains of mechanical transmission systems to the mechanism of the sewing machine.

With this in mind, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine with a transmission system which converts the mechanical rhythm of the machine to electrical impulses at the balance wheel end of the sewing machine and conveys through electrical wires the impulses which are reconverted to mechanical, properly timed motion near the needle, since that is the desirable and suitable location for selectively providing various attachments.

Another object of the present invention residesinthe provision of a sewing machine, wherein the even motion of the needle can be interrupted at predetermined intervals.

And a still further advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of a converter at the balance wheel end of the sewing machine having a plurality of spaced-apart trips whereby the even rhythm of the needle at the other end of the sewing machine may be interrupted at predetermined intervals and for predetermined periods.

And yet another advantage of the present invention resides in the provision of means whereby the even flow of material to the needle of a sewing machine may be interrupted at predetermined intervals and for predetermined periods. Yet another aim of the present invention resides in the provision of means for tripping the needle bar of aconventional zig-zag sewing machine .at predetermined intervals and for predetermined periods.

A still further aim of the present invention resides in the provision of electrically activated mechanical means for moving a work-piece guide and for interrupting its movement at predetermined intervals.

These and other meritorious aims and advantages, which will become more fully apparent as the descrip- 2,803,207 latented Aug. 20, 1957 tin hereof proceeds, are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming a material component of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional sewing machine having a pleating attachment at its needle and means at its other end to activate the pleating attachment electrically, the machine being illustrated in an open circuit position.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the sewing machine illustrated in Figure 1,part of the machine head being broken away to show the manner in which the pleating attachment is arranged, the machine being illustrated in a closed circuit position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a piece of pleated fabric stitched to a piece of base material, produced by the use of the machine illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an edge view of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial front elevational view of a conventional zig-zag sewing machine showing the application of the electro-mechanical transmission system in connection with this type of machine and showing the manner in which the needle bar of this machine is activated.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the needle end of the sewing machine illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the needle end of a conventional sewing machine, showing the use of the transmission system of the present invention in connection with a sewing machine having a movable guide.

Figure A is a cross sectional view on line AA, Fig. 7.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a piece of fabric provided with stitching produced by the machine illustrated in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of another piece of fabric, the stitching of which is produced by the use of either of the machines illustrated in Figures 5 or 7.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of still another piece of fabric showing two different kinds of stitches, which may be produced by the machine illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 11 is a side elevational view of the needle end of the sewing machine illustrated in Figure 1, showing in detail the pleating blade arrangement.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, the numeral 1 illustrates in general a conventional sewing machine head, having at one end a conventional vertically reciprocating needle bar 1a retaining a conventional needle 1d a foot bar 1b and a presser foot 10, and having at its other end a conventional balance wheel 1f. None of these elements are new and since they do not form a part of the present invention, they will not be illustrated or desribed in more complete detail.

Mounted at one end of the conventional rotatable shaft which normally extends horizontally through a sewing machine head, is a worm 2 which is in mesh with a toothed worm gear 3, rotatably mounted by means of a shoulder screw 70 upon the upper end of a rectangularly curved bracket 7 the other end of the said bracket 7 being attached to the sewing machine head as illustrated in Figure 1. Worm gear 3 is adapted to rotate at a predetermined, reduced rate of speed in proportion to the rate of rotation of worm 2. Worm gear 3 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced tapped openings circumferentially about its outer edge, the openings 5 being adapted to receive and removably retain therein a plurality of trips 4, two such trips being illustrated in Figure l. The number of trips 4 to be used and the length of each trip may vary according to the result to be obtained, as will hereinafter be more fully explained. Worm 2 is mounted above worm gear 3, and mounted below worm gear 3 is a conventional micro-switch 6.

The use of this particular type of switch is, of course, optional and applicant may prefer to use any other suitable and desirable circuit interrupter.

At the needle end of machine head 1, there is provided a downwardly extending bracket 17, secured to the machine head 1 by means of screws or in any other desirable and suitable manner. Secured to the said bracket 17 is a solenoid 3 having a plunger 3a extending vertically therethrough, the plunger 55a extending beyond the upper and lower horizontal edges of the solenoid housing 8, the plunger being controlled by spring 80. Solenoid 3 is provided with a step 812 to limit the expansion of the spring 80. Obviously, any other suitable and desirable electromagnetic device may be used instead of the solenoid 3 with equal effectiveness. Secured to the lower end of plunger 3a is universal shaft 1* terminating in a rocker arm 9, which is retained on rocker shaft ll. Shaft ll is adapted to oscillate in the hollow interior of bracket 12 at the lower edge of bracket 17. A horizontally movable blade I ia is fastened in any desirable and suitable manner to a blade holder 13 which, in turn, is fastened by a set screw or otherwise to shaft ll. Bracket 12; has formed therewith or secured thereto in any suitable and desirable manner, a blade holder 15', the said blade holder being curved substantially rectangularly, its free end being secured by solder or otherwise to a lower, stationary blade 16.

T he electrical wiring is so arranged that the circuit from the source to solenoid 3 is channelled through the switch 6, so that the action upon switch 6 will close the circuit at solenoid 8.

The electromechanical transmission system hereabove referred to may be applied in connection with a conventional Zig-Zag machine as illustrated in Figures and 6, wherein the vertically reciprocating needle bar and needle are slightly moved alternately to the right and to the left, so as to produce substantially V shaped stitches. The needle end of the zig-zag sewing machine illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 shows a vertical activator 1% for a vertically reciprocating needle bar 18a containing a needle 18c. Secured to the machine head is a vertically extending bracket 25, near the upper end of which is attached a solenoid 8 having a spring controlled plunger 3a and a spring stop 81), the lower end of plunger 8a having attached thereto a universal shaft ll), all of which elements have been referred to hereabove. Universal shaft ll? terminates in a rocker arm 19, which is secured to rocker shaft i adapted to oscillate in the hollow interior of hub Zl extending from bracket 25. At the other end of shaft 2i) is rocker arm 22, the lower end of which is provided with an elongated adjusting slot 22a in which is engaged one end of a universal shaft 23, the other end of the universal shaft 23 being attached in any suitable and desirable manner to needle bar holder 24, the other end of the said needle bar holder being fulcrurned in a conventional manner to machine head 1% as at 2%.

The transmission system of the present invention may also be used in connection with the sewing machine illustrated in Figure 7 wherein a conventional sewing machine head 26 having a vertically reciprocating needle, is provided with a guide for a workiece, the guide being referred to by the numeral 2%. Guide 2 3* is secured to one end of a substantially rectangular guide holder 28, its other end forming a T (see Figure A), and being horizontally movable in a T-slot which is a part of bracket 27. A universal shaft activates the horizontally reciprocating movement of guide holder 2%.

The transmission system as applied to different types of sewing machines operates in the following manner:

When it is desired to produce a pleated fabric, the machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is used. The base fabric 3i? is placed under the lower, stationary blade lb and the fabric Tall wnich is to be pleated is placed between the lower blade it? and the movable blade 14a. The sewing machine will then be set in operation in the conventional manner, and the needle will stitch cloth 31 to cloth Bill as shown at 32 in Figure 3. During this operation, solenoid 8 will be inactive, as will worm gear 3 (Figure 1). As worm 2 rotates with the conventional machine shaft, it will cause worm gear 3 in mesh with it to rotate until micro-switch 6 males contact with one of the trips 4. This will cause plunger 8a to move upwardly through the solenoid 8 activating the two rocker arms through the universal shaft, causing the movable blade to move forward a portion of fabric 31 as at 33. Worm gear 3 will continue to rotate and when the trip has passed the microswitch, all of th several elements will return to normal, plunger 8a being drawn downwardly through solenoid 8 by the action of spring 80, its upward movement being limited by stop 3b. Obviously, the result to be obtained will vary with the number and length of trips. For that reason, a plurality of openings 5 are provided on worm gear 3, to accommodate additional or longer trips.

When it is desired to produce the stitches shown in Fig. 10, the machine shown in Figure 5 is employed. Since this is a zig-zag machine, stitches ill will be the normal result of the use of this machine. This result may be varied by having intervals of straight stitches 41 which result is obtained by the use of trips on the worm gear as hereabove explained, which will interrupt the rhythm of the needle bar and needle in an obvious manner.

It is to be noted that the point of origin, that is, the location of the worm, worm gear and the electromagnetic device need not be as illustrated in the drawing. It may be found to be desirable to build these elements into the machine head, instead of positioning them outward of the machine, or they may be secured by a bracket to a position on the machine head other than the position illustrated in the drawings.

in addition to the several applications of the electromechanical transmission system which have hereabove been illustrated and described, many other variations are obviously possible whereby all manner of fancy stitching may be achieved by the introduction of the transmission system to sewing machines and sewing machine attachmerits.

daving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a sewing machine mechanism having a head, a drive shaft extending transversely therethrough, a balance wheel at one end of the drive shaft, a horizontally movable needle bar frame adjacent the other end of the drive shaft, a vertically reciprocating needle bar in the needle bar frame retaining a needle therein; of a worm rotatably mounted on the drive shaft, a support extending from the machine head, a worm gear at the upper end of the support in mesh with said worm, a circuit interrupter adjacent said worm gear, a solenoid mounted at the needle bar frame end, means connecting the solenoid and needle bar frame to reciprocate the needle bar frame, needle bar and needle in a horizontal plane, means on said worm gear activating said circuit interrupter to reciprocate the needle bar frame at predetermined intervals and for predetermined periods, said worm gear having means thereon to selectively alter the frequency and the extent of the interruptions, and said solenoid and circuit interrupter wired in series to a source of electrical energy.

2. The combination with a sewing machine mechanism having a head, a drive shaft extending transversely therethrough, a balance'wheel at one end of the drive shaft, a horizontally movable needle bar frame adjacent the other end of the drive shaft, a vertically reciprocating needle bar in the needle bar frame retaining a needle therein; of a worm rotatably mounted on the drive shaft, a support extending from the machine head, a worm gear at the upper end of the support in mesh with said worm, a circuit interrupter adjacent said worm gear, an electromagnet mounted at the needle bar frame end, said electromagnet having oscillating means thereon, means connecting said electro-magnet and needle bar frame to reciprocate said needle bar frame, needle bar and needle in a horizontal plane, means on said worm gear activating said circuit interrupter to reciprocate the needle bar frame at predetermined interval and for predetermined periods, said worm gear having means thereon to selectively alter the frequency and the extent of the interruptions, and said electro-magnet and circuit interrupter wired in series to a source of electrical energy.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Osborne Mar. 22, 1881 Schulz-Berge July 6, 1886 Biggar Mar. 23, 1897 Peetz et al. Mar. 8, 1932 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 Mahany June 3, 1941 Hagquist Jan. 29, 1952 Littleton July 27, 1954

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