US3031991A - Lubricant cooling means for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

May 1, 1962 H. HACKLANDER LUBRICANT COOLING MEANS-FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Hans Hack/under WITNESS AT TORNE Y H. HACKLANDER LUBRICANT COOLING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed June 2'7, 1958 May 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Hans Hack/under Fig.2 BY

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United States Patent 3,031,991 LUBRIGANT; COOLING 'MEANS" FOR'SEWING MACHINES ansrrI-Iacklanden-Warren *Township,-:N.J.,' assignor to The- Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, NJ., a-vcorporationof New. Jersey Filed June .27, 1958, SenNo. 745,065 4 Claims] (Cl. 1 1 2256) Thepresent invention relates to sewing machines and particularly to a lubricant cooling means for sewing machines.

In modern high speed industrial sewing machines which operate at speeds upwardly of 5,000. stitches per minute, the agitation of thelubricant in the bed of the machine causes excessive heating of the lubricant which necessitates the use of a lubricant cooling means. However, these. high operating speeds ,are attained only in a socalled straight-away, sewing machine, or in other words, in a sewing machine which produces a limited number of lines of stitching such as one or two, or does not have auxiliary mechanism such as a rufliing mechanism, a differential or other auxiliary feeding mechanism, a trimming mechanism or a thread .laying mechanism. When a machineis so equipped, the additional load of the mechanism limits the machine to a relatively loW maximum operating speed. At the same time, the mechanics 'andjinertia of the mechanisms asfwell as the fact that greater manipulation of the work and skill is required in operating a sewing machine .having the auxiliary mechanisms makes it impractical to operate such a machine at an extremely high speed. In such a machine an oil cooling means therefore is; unnecessary and since it'would constitute an itemof expensewithout serving a compensating function, would beundesirable.

In my copending application Serial No; 609,836, filed September 14, 1956, now, Patent No. 2,976,831, granted .March 28, 1961, there is disclosed a universal sewing machine which is designed to be fitted to sew either a single line of stitching or a plurality of lines of stitching and to be fitted with a number of different attachment mechanisms that can be used selectively for any specific sewing operation. Whenfitted for a high speed straightaway ,sewing operation overheating of the lubricant in this machinebecomes a problem and requires a lubricant cooling means whereas when fitted for other operations which are performed/at slower operating sp eeds, this problem doesnot exist. 7 Therefore, to begtruly universal, the machine mustbe adapted to be ,provided with an effective lubricant cooling means when required andalso to be provided without alubricant coolingmeans when it is not required.- The ,machinemust also be adapted to have,a lubri cant coolingmeans subsequently added to it orremovedfrom' it if it is later converted."

In ;accordance with the 3pm,, the, objectof thisinvention is to provide a lubricant cooling means for a sewingmaehine that can be selectively applied to the machine when reqiredf It is also an object of thisinventiofn-to provide a lubricant cooling means 'which'is such that theprovision on the machine'for accommodating the same isre latiyely simplesothat it will not have an appreciable" eifect upon the manufacturing cost of the machiiie and 'therefore, costwise, will'not burden the machinewhen a lubricant cooling'ineans is not required. It'is a fuither'objectof this-invention to provide a lubri: cant cooling means in which the provision on the sewing mae 'inerqi accommodating it cah be readilyand econeniicallyQsealed when the machine is not fitted with a lubricant cooling means." It is also an object of this in vht'ion 'to p'rovide a lubricant cool ing means which can be readily applied to and removed from the' machine, is very stable and durable, efiici'ent, 1 and dependable having 7 3,031,991 Patented May 1, 1952 ice in mind the heavy demands placed upon industrial sewing machines, and which is relatively economical not only in itself but also in the required supporting means and in the connections with the machine.

Having in mind the above and other objects that will be evident from an understandingof this disclosure, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts as illustrated in the presently preferred embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth in suchdetail as to enable those skilled in art readily to understand the function, operation, construction and advantages of it when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view'of a sewing machine together with its drive means and supporting structure, andfhaving a lubricant cooling means in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a staggered vertical sectional view transversely of the machine of FIG. 1 and illustrating the mounting of the lubricant cooling means and the connections with the bed of the sewing machine;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

With reference to the drawings, there is illustrated a sewing machine 1 that is substantially as disclosed in my above noted prior application Serial No. 609,836; to which reference may be had for a detailed description thereof. The machine 1 is herein disclosed only insofar as is necessary for an understanding of the present invention.

The sewing machine 1 includes a hollow frame comprising a bed 2 from the one end of which rises '21 standard'S that carries a bracket'arm 4 terminating in a head 5 overhanging the bed 2. The hollow interior of the bed 2, FIG. 2, is closed by a bottorn'wall 6, a front wall 7 and a rear wall 8 integral with and upstanding from the bottom wall 5, and a gasketed oil-tight cover plate 9 to'define a closed splash lubricated compartment 2a. The operating mechanism Within the bed 2 includes a main shaft 10 journaled longitudinally thereof and having a bevel gear 11 that meshes'with a similar gear 12 on a looper drive shaft 13 iournaled transversely of the bed. A' spur gear 14 is also mounted on the main'shaft 10 adjacent to the gear 1-1 and meshes with a similar gear 15 on a feed actuating shaft 16 journaled in the bed 2 parallel to the main shaft 19.

The sewing machine 2 is mounted upon a table top 17 and'is driven by an electric power transmitter '18 mounted on the underside of the table top 17. The transmitter 18 is as disclosed, for example, inthe patent of Ingalls, No. 2,739,251, March 20, l956',-to which reference may be-had. Insofar as concerns the present invention it is sufficient to note'that the transmitter 18 includes an internal cooling means Which draws air into the same as indicatedby the arrows A'in FIG; 1 and ex hausts it as indicated by the arrows B.

The table top 17 is supported by a stand that includes two pairs of upstanding legs 19 and 20. The right hand 'pair'of legs 2! comprises a front leg 21' and arear leg 22 which in the usual manner, are U-shaped in cross section and are formed of sheet metal. For vertical adjustment, the legs 21 and 22 are formed" in two-parts, the rear leg 22 having a lower portion 23 and an'upper portion 24' that are'secured together in vertically adjusted position "by a bolt 25 and acooperating nut 26, with the bolt 25 extending through an aperture in the base web of the-lower portion 23 and through a vertically elongatedslot 27 in the base web of the upper portion-24 The frontleg 21 comprises a lower portion 28 andan upper portion 29 that are secured together in vertically adjusted position by'a bolt 30 and a cooperating nut 31 the bolt 30'extending through an aperture in the base web of the low portion 28 andthrough a vertically elongated slot 32 in the base web of the upper portion 29. At their upper ends, the upper sections 24 and 29 extend between and are spot welded to the depending webs of an inverted U-shaped top piece 33 that is secured to the underside of the table top 17 by bolts as at 34 and cooperating nuts 35. At an intermediate point, the legs 21 and 22 are connected together by an inverted U-shaped cross piece 36 that at its ends extends between and are spot welded to the side webs of the lower portions 23 and 28.

A lubricant cooling radiator 37 is mounted on the right hand pair of legs 20 in a position such that the exhaust which is indicated by the arrows B from the transmitter 18 will impinge upon it and thus cause a circulation of air around the radiator 37 to enhance the conduction of heat therefrom. The radiator 37 is substantially rectangular and has corrugated external surfaces as illustrated in FIG. 3 which serve to increase the heat dissipating area. The top of the radiator 37 is closed by a gasketed oil-tight cover plate 38 that is secured by screws 39 and has an oil filling aperture that is closed by a screw plug 49. A drain aperture which is closed by a screw plug 41 is provided in the bottom of the radiator 37.

For mounting the radiator 37 on the pair of legs 20, there are provided a pair of vertically arranged straps 42 which are secured to the radiator by screws 43 that extend through apertures in the straps 42 and are thread ed into bosses 44 on the inside of the radiator. At their upper ends the straps 42 are secured to the outer depending web of the top piece 33 by bolts 45 and cooperating nuts 46 while at their lower ends they are secured to the outer depending web of the cross piece 36 by bolts 47 and cooperating nuts 48.

The radiator 37 is connected to the hollow interior of the bed 2 by means of a pair of flexible rubber tubes 49 and 50. The tube 49 which conducts the heated lubricant from the bed 2 by means of a fitting 51 including a nipple 52 having an axial bore 53 and a threaded end 54 that is threaded through a tapped bore 54a in the bottom Wall 6 of the bed 2. The nipple 52 also includes a second externally threaded end 55 which has an annular slot 56 extending inwardly from the end thereof for receiving the end of the tube 49 and in which it is secured and sealed by a wedge-shaped collar 57 that surrounds the tube 49 and is forced into the slot 56 by a nut 58 threaded onto the end 55 and having an integral shoulder 59 for engaging the collar 57 and a second internal shoulder 66 for tightening the nut 58 against the end of the nipple 52. At its opposite end, the tube 49 is connected to the interior of the radiator 37 at the top thereof by a fitting 61 that is the same as the fitting 51.

Within the bed 2, there is press fitted Within the bore 53 of the nipple 52, a vertically arranged standpipe 62 that rises to a point adjacent to the cover plate 9 and constitutes a vertical extension of the tube 49 within the lubricant chamber to close the tube to a point above the level of the lubricant in the compartment. An oil collecting plate or pan 63 is secured to a mounting bar 64 that is in turn secured to the underside of the cover plate 9 and includes a spout 65 that communicates with the top of the standpipe 62 for conducting lubricant deposited on the plate 63 into the standpipe 62.

The tube 50' is connected at its opposite ends by fittings 66 and 67 which are identical to the fitting 51, to the bottom Wall 6 of the bed 2 and to the bottom of the radiator 37. The tube 59 conducts the cooled lubricant from the bottom of the radiator 37 and discharges it into the bottom of the bed 2.

During the operation of the machine, the bed 2 is filled with lubricant approximately to the level indicated by the line 68 in FIG. 2, which is the normal operating level, and the radiator 37 and the tubes 49 and 50 are completely filled, When the machine is operated, parts of the mechanism within the bed, for example, the gears 14 and 15 which are partly immersed in the lubricant, agitate the lubricant to splash lubricate the mechanism within the bed. Some of the lubricant which is impelled by the mechanism in the bed is deposited on the plate 63 and is drained therefrom through the spout 65 into the standpipe 62. The level of the lubricant in the standpipe 62 is thus raised above the level of the lubricant in the bed and a head is created which will force the lubricant down the tube 49 and into the top of the radiator 37 and at the same time will force the cooled lubricant out of the bottom of the radiator 37 through the tube 50 and into the bottom of the bed 2. Because of the diiference in the specific gravity between the hot lubricant and the cooled lubricant, the cooled lubricant will tend to remain at the bottom in the bed 2 and thus force the hot lubricant toward the surface. For the most part, it is the hot lubricant which is thrown onto the plate 63 and delivered to the radiator 37. Within the radiator 37, the hot lubricant will tend to remain at the top and will settle to the bottom as it cools and as additional hot lubricant is delivered to the radiator. Thus, only the cooled lubricant will pass from the radiator 37 and through the tube 50 into the bottom of the bed 2.

To accommodate a lubricant cooling means in accordance with the present invention, the sewing machine need be provided only with two tapped bores in the bottom wall 6 for receiving the fittings 51 and 66. To mount the radiator 37, the stand is provided only with the apertures for accommodating the bolts 45 and 47. When the machine is fitted for an operation in which a lubricant cooling means is not required, it is necessary only to close the bores in the bottom Wall 6 as by screw plugs. Thus, there is no appreciable expense in adapting the machine for the use of the present lubricant cooling means. At the same time, the lubricant cooling means may be subsequently added to or removed from the machine in the event that it is converted so that a cooling means becomes either necessary or unnecessary as the case may be. Not only can the radiator be readily mounted on the stand, but it is mounted for very effective cooling in that it is directly in the exhaust from the transmitter 18.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is:

1. In combination, a support, a sewing machine mounted upon said support and including a bed having a closed lubrication compartment adapted to be filled with Inbricant to a normal operating level and having operating mechanism in said closed lubrication compartment with a portion thereof adapted to dip into the lubricant for agitating the lubricant and thereby splash lubricating the mechanism in said compartment, said bed including a bottom wall having two tapped apertures opening into said closed compartment, and lubricant cooling means comprising a radiator carried by said support, an outlet conduit and a return conduit, means comprising fittings having nipples threaded into said apertures for securing one end of said conduits to and in communication with said closed compartment, means for securing the other end of said outlet conduit to and in communication with the top portion of said radiator, means for securing the other end of said return conduit to and in communication with the bottom of said radiator, means comprising an extension of said outlet conduit for closing said outlet conduit to a point above the level of the lubricant in said closed compartment, and means within said closed compartment for directing lubricant impelled by said operating mechanism into said outlet conduit.

2. In combination, a support, a sewing machine mounted upon said support and including a bed having a closed lubrication compartment adapted to be filled with lubricant to a normal operating level and having operating mechanism in said closed compartment with a portion adapted to dip into the lubricant for agitating the 111 bricant and thereby splash lubricating the mechanism in said compartment, said bed including a bottom wall having two tapped apertures opening into said closed compartment, and lubricant cooling means comprising a radiator carried by said support, an outlet conduit and a return conduit, means comprising fittings having nipples threaded into said apertures for securing one end of said conduits to and in communication with said closed compartment, means for securing the other end of said outlet conduit to and in communication with the top portion of said radiator, means for securing the other end of said return conduit to and in communication with the bottom of said radiator, a standpipe within said closed compartment and connected to the fitting for said outlet conduit with the upper end of said standpipe being disposed above the level of the lubricant in said closed compartment and the bottom of said standpipe being in open communication with said outlet conduit, and means within said closed compartment for directing lubricant impelled by said operating mechanism into the upper end of said standpipe.

3. In combination, a stand comprising a table top and opposed pairs of legs at the opposite ends of said table top for supporting said table top, 'a sewing machine mounted upon said table top, said sewing machine including a bed having a closed lubrication compartment adapted to be filled with lubricant to a normal operating level and having operating mechanism in said closed lubrication compartment with a portion thereof adapted to dip into the lubricant for agitating the lubricant and thereby splash lubricating the mechanism in said compartment, said bed including a bottom wall having two tapped apertures opening into said closed compartment, and lubricant cooling means comprising a radiator mounted upon the pair of legs at one end of said stand, an outlet conduit and a return conduit, means comprising fittings having nipples threaded into said apertures for securing one end of said outlet conduit and one end of said return conduit to'and in communication with said closed compartment, means for securing the other end of said outlet conduit to and in communication with the top of said radiator, means for securing the other end of said return conduit to and in communication with the bottom of said radiator, means comprising an extension of said outlet conduit for closing said outlet conduit to a point above the normal operating level of the lubricant in said closed compartment, and means within said closed compartment for directing lubricant impelled by said operating mechanism into said outlet conduit.

4. In combination, a stand comprising a table top and opposed pairs of legs at the opposite ends of said table topv for supporting said table top, a sewing machine mounted upon said table top, said sewing machine including a bed having a closed lubrication compartment adapted to be filled with lubricant to a normal operating level and having operating mechanism in said closed lubrication compartment with a portion thereof adapted to dip into the lubricant for agitating the lubricant and thereby splash lubricating the mechanism in said compartment, said bed including a bottom wall having two tapped apertures opening into said closed compartment, drive means for said sewing machine comprising a transmitter mounted upon the underside of said table and having means for circulating cooling air through said transmitter, and lubricant cooling means comprising a radiator mounted upon the pair of legs at one end of said stand and in position to be impinged upon by the exhaust of the cooling air from said transmitter, an outlet conduit and a return conduit, means comprising fittings having nipples threaded into said apertures for securing one end of said outlet conduit and one end of said return conduit to and in communication with said closed compartment, means for securing the other end of said outlet conduit to and in communication with the top of said radiator, means for securing the other end of said return conduit to and in communication with the bottom of said radiator, means comprising an extension of said outlet conduit for closing said outlet conduit to a point above the normal operating level of the lubricant in said closed compartment, and means within said closed compartment for directing lubricant impelled by said operating mechanism into said outlet conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,107,830 Ogden Aug. 18, 1914 1,698,386 Batdorf Jan. 8, 1929 1,922,508 Terry Aug. 15, 1933 2,265,078 Marsh Dec. 2, 1941 2,451,873 Roebuck Oct. 19, 1948 2,483,036 Christensen Sept. 27, 1949 2,589,120 OLeary Mar. 11, 1952 2,720,087 Groene Oct. 11, 1955

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