USRE16555E - A coebobation of - Google Patents

Description

Fe 1 v ,F. w. H. COLLETT mumsss 'sm: STITCHING momma Original Filed April 14, 1919:

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- F. W. H. COLLETT MATTRESS SIDE STITCHING MACHINE Original Filed Ap i 1 919 11 Shuts-Sheet 6 15,555 5 1927' F. w. H. COLLETT Re MATTRESS SIDE STITCHING IACHINE Original Filed April 14. 1919 11 Sheets-Sheet r-'b. 22, 1927. Re. 16,555

F. w. H. COLLETT I ATTRBSS SIDE STITCHING MACHINE 4 Original Filed April 14, 1919 11 Sheets-Sheet 1o @MMKWWWJ Feb. 22, 1927. Re. 16,555

F. w. H. COLLETT v MATTRESS SIDE STITCHING MACHINE Originail Filed Apr 1 l9 ll Sheets-Sheet 11 fzyerzfir Fade/ 20% W15. 6' aZZeZZ Rama] Feb. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. H. COLLETT, DECEASED, LA'IE F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS; BY SIMMONS COMPANY. ASSIGNEE, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION 01! DELAWARE.

MATTRESS-SI'DE-STITCHINQ MACHINE.

Original No. 1,342 423, dated June 8, 1920; Serial No. 290,005, filed April 14, 1919. Application for reissue filed June 30, 1921. Serial No. 481,710.

This invention relates to a mattress side stitching machine. the object of the invention being to produce an organized machine for side-stitching mattresses The purpose of what is known as sidestitching is to connect the fabric or covering around the sides of the mattress with the stuffing of the mattress from pointto point in order to keep the sides approximately Square or to prevent them from bulging under the expansive action of the mattress stufling.

In some cases what is known as roll-edge side-stitching is used in which the fabric around the sides of the mattress is engaged by thread or twine extending, diagonally through the stuffing and through the top surface fabric of the mattress in one line of stitching; and through the side surface, stuffing. and lrottom surface in another line of stitching. Thusso long as the stitching holds properly it keeps the corners or lines of junction of the side surface with the top and bottom surfaces square. I

The side-stitching has usually been performed by a hand operation with a continuous length of twine or thread which is passedby a needle through the side surfaces from point to point and engaged with the stufiing, or with the stufiing and the top or bottom surface fabric as the case may be, leaving a short length of the twine showing on the fabric between adjacent needle holes through which the twine passes to the inside of the mattress. If such continuous twine or line of stitching'becomes broken at any point it loosens the entire seam which soon becomes ineffective for retaining the mattress in proper shape or condition.

Other features of the invention are an improved knot-tying mechanism; an improved method of, and apparatus for concealing the knot in the interior oftthemattress. an improvedmethod of and means for severing the ends of twine protruding from the mattress after the. knot has been tied. and an improved mattress-making apparatus so organized as to permit of the insertion of mdividual tles into a mattress to produce a roll edge. 'The practicing of t lie improved process and the use of the improved machine is designed to produce a mattress having important features of novelty and advantage over the prior art.

The present invention is embodied in an organized machine for side stitching ad'a ted to produce side-stitching of the roll-e ge type in which the side surface fabric is connected from oint to point with the top surface fabric iiy'one line of stitching, and from point to point with thebottom surface fabric by another line of stitching, the character of the stitching being however, different from that resulting from the continuous running twine as applied to the usual hand stitching.

In the operation of the machine herein shown and described as an embodiment of the present invention the side surface fabric of the mattress is tied to the top or bottom surface fabric at given points by' loops of the twine or thread. the ends of which are tied together by a knot, in this instance of the kind known as a weavers knot. the knot being drawn through the fabric to the inside.

of the mattress so that nothing shows upon The machine forming the subject of the present invention comprises a stationary table or holder for the mattress. and a traveling stitching. including knot tying, mech anism. mounted for movement on a suitable guideway, and acted upon by a suitable feed mechanism which advances the stitching mechanism from stitch to stitch along the side of the mattress on the mattress support.

For convenience the component of the machine which consists of the mechanism for introducing the thread and tying the knots considered as a unit will be called the sti'tcher. and in the present example of the i nvention the stitcher comprises two similar sets-of cooperating stitch forming de-f f to the-stltcher and the top surface fabric ofthe mattress, while the other acts in a The invention comprises the general organization of the machine as above indicated,

as well as various combinations of mechanismior performing the stitching, including knot-tying, operations as will be eX- plained in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompany in%drawings.

y having the machine the stitching is performed along both edges or corners oi oneside of the mattress at a time, not only is the output more than double that of a machine capable of sewing only one corner at a'time, but the stresses on the mattress are balancedand there is no distortion .such as results when one corner or edge of one side is .stitched before the other corner is stitched.

Stitching one cornerwhile the other corner remains unstitched produces distortion of the side'of the mattress, and an unevenness in the distribution of the stuffing material which are very diflicult to eliminate when the other corner is subsequently stitched.

It will facilitate the understanding of the machine to state that in general the following terminology will be used.

The term blght'. indicatesa fold of the twine back against itself, the part of indefinite length extending from a ball or sup v yond the fold the ends of a comparatively short piece of ply to the fold being called the standing part and the shorter art terminating bebeing cal ed the end.

A loop is a complete turn of the end por tion of the twine and may be regarded as a rather open bight with the end crossing thestanding part of the twine.

A closed loop is merely an endless piece of material such as would result from fastening a loop at the intersection of the endand standing part, or from tying together twine. t I

Each stitch produced by the machine herein shown as an embodiment of the invention; is a closed loop encircling a portion each of the side fabric and of the top or bottom fabfrom the needle holes in-the side fabric to" ric, as the case may be, between two needle holes, and also encircling the portion of the stufling lying between the side and top orbottom fabrics and between lines extending the corresponding needle holes in the bottom or top fabric. 1 I Y While the stitch is made from a single twine of indefinite length, the knotted loop, resulting from each cycle of stitch forming,

operations is cut off from the supply thread, leaving only the short length formingthe closed loop as the final twine component of positions of the knot-tying devices'iwhich each stitch.

so organized that A weaveris knot may be used to tie together two ends of a short length of twine to form a closed loop, and such knot may be regarded as comprising a simple bight at one end, and a loop formed. of the other end around the standing part and end of said ,needle, at the first of which a bight is presented to the knotter, and at the second of which the first bight which was presented to the knotter has been converted thereby into a loop, through which the bightpresented by the needle at its second descent is passed, whereupon said loop, which thus encircles the standing part and end of the second bight, has itsend passed through said. seco'id bight so as to complete the formation of the weavefis knot, after which a surplus which formed a part of the end of the first bight is cutoff and the standing portion of the second bight is cut between the knot and; the needle leaving-a suflicient portion beyond the needle to serve as the end of the first. bight to be presented by the needle for the production of the, next stitch.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation on a reduced scale of a complete mattress side-stitching machine embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 a ,rear elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 an end elevation on a larger scale of the traveling stitcher showing a portion of thefx'ame work of the main machine, including the support or holder for the mattress in section;

Fig. 4 a sectional elevation on a still larger scaleof the stitcher, showing mainly only the components thereof embodied in the. stitching mechanism which acts upon the lower corner of the mattress;

.Fig. 5 an enlarged sectional detail showing the needle and a portion of the cooper ating knot-tying mechanismin the position I occupied just aftenthe first advance of the needle through the material at the beginning of a cyclev of .the operations comprised in a stitch forming, including'knot-tying, operation at one point on the corner of the mattress;

Fig. '6 aperspective view of a portion of lOO izo

said devices in the same relative position as shown *in Fig. 5

Figs. 71 and 8 details showing successive are assumed between the first and secondneedle dcscents in a complete cycle of operations;

Fig. 9 an elevation similar to that of Fig. 5, but with the parts in the position occu pied at the second passage of the needle thil'pugh the material;

1 in Fig. 9 seen from with theneedle in the same position as in Fig. 9, but with some of the knotter parts in a different position;

Fig. 11 a representation of the same parts as in Fig. 10,'but in the position occupied when the needle has traveled a short distance in the direction to withdraw from the fabric;

Fig. 12 a view Figs. 10 and 1% tion assumed hen the needle has a out completed its movement of withdrawal from the material, there being shown also a portion of the cutting mechanism by which the 10 a representation of the parts shown from the ame point as in twine is cut off after the completeknotted,

loop or stitch has been made;

ig. 13 a section detail on line X of Fig. 12 of a portion of the thread clamping and pulling mechanism which cooperates in tightening the knot after the twine presented to the knotter at the fir' t needle stroke has been properly looped around and engaged with the bight presented at the second needle stroke for the formation of the knot as shown in Fig. 11; Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation on line X Fig. 3 showing the stitching mechanism for the lower corner of the mattress mainly in elevation from the same view point as ,in Figs. 10 and 12, and a portion of the stitching mechanism for-the upper cornervof the mattress in section; i

Fig. 15 an end View of a portion of the knot-tyingmechanism that cooperates with the needle; I

Fig. 16 a sectional detail of a poi-tu f thc-knotter;

Fig. 17 an enlarged sectional detail showing the knotter in elevation and adjacent parts of the mechanism; Y 1

Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21 details of the needle operating mechanism and certain twine clamps cooperating therewith in the knottying operation; 7

Fig. 22, a longitudinal sectional detail of the knot-ter mechanism;

Figs. 23 and 24 details showing portions of the needle bar and its actuating mechanism, and the mechanism for operating the clamp jaws ofthe knottcr mechanism;

Figs. 25 and 26 sectional details showing a part of the clamp jaw operating devices of the knotter; a

Fig. 27 a: detail showing a portion bf the actuating mechanism forothe twine cutt rs;

and I a, different angle and with the parts in the osi- 'in its general organization comprises a table or holder 2 for the mattress 3 to be operated upon, said table being mounted upon a suitable supporting frame 4, adjacent to a supporting frame 5 for the principal working arts of the machine, which are located at tie rear, the operator in charge of the work standing at the opposite or front side where the various handles for controlling the apparatus are located.

On the main frame near the rear edge of the table a gaging flange or stop 6 is prostitutes an edge-gage for theside of the mattress when in proper position on the table to be sewn, and a clamping bar 7 is provided for engaging the top of the mattress for its entire length at a short distance from its edge,-directly over the edge of'the table 2 (see Fig. 3) to hold the same firmly during the stitching operation.

Said clamping bar 7 is shown as mounted in an elbow lever 8 'fulcrumed at) on the framework and connected by a link 10 with an operating lever 11 fulcrumed at 12 on the framework and adapted to be moved by the operator from the full to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 to release the mattress, andfrom the dotted to the full line position to clamp and hold the mattress.

after it has been properly placed in gaged connected with the clutch control finger 18,

(see Fig. 28) which acts on a suitable clutch mechanism to effect the starting or stoppmg of the machine at any time. I

The frame 5 at the rear of the machine (includes longitudinal beams 19 which serve also as a track or guideway for the stitcher carriage 30 which supports the mechanism of the stitcher and is shown'as provided with wheels 31 to facilitate its movement along the guideway 19.

The said carriage 30 and mechanism supported thereon in. its entirety will be referred to as the stitcher, and its mechanism includestwo complete sets of stitching instrumentalities with actuating mechanism common to both,- whereby they are caused to operate concurrently, one at the upper andthe other at the lower corner of the side of the mattress clamped on the table 2, as will readily be understood from Fig. 3.

\Vit-hout at this .point explaining the stitching forming operation in detail it should be understood that a complete cycle of operations causes a single closed .loop of the twine to be formed with .ends tied the knot and the needle after stitching automatically,

- Fig. 28) havin upon by a projection 39 together by a weavers knot, and with said loop'in'closing a little of the fabric of the side of the mattress, and of the topor bot tom as the case may be, and of the stuffing of the mattress lying between these portions of the fabric. -Inthe formation of such complete knotted loop or stitch the needle makes two descents or passages through the material, one at a little distance from. the other, the portion of the fabric and material between the needle holes being what is incloscd in or encircled by the knotted loop.

Such a knotted loop or stitch is complete in itself and the twine is cut off between the-knot has, been tied tightly, and in order to make a succession of such stitches along the side of the mattress presented to the stitching mechanism, or to proceed with the side provision is made for feeding the carriage 30 of thestitche'r intermittently between the successivecom plete stitch cycles of operation, during each of which the said carriage remains stationary.

Still referring to Figs. 1 and'2 the working parts of the machine are all actuated from a main shaft 20, said'shaft having a driving pulley 21 loose thereon, and adapted to be connected by a clutch 22, the details of which need not be described until later, with a cam 23, fast on shaft 20, which acts upon a cam roller on the end of an arm 24: connected with a rock shaft 25, (see g twopawl carrying arms 26, 27 provided with pawls 28, 29 (see Figs. 28, 29) which are adapted to act upon crown teeth on a sprocket wheel 32 which actuates a chain 33 connected with the carriage 30 and supported by another sprocket 34 at the other end of the frame (see Fig. 2).

A shifting device 35 best shown at the left hand in Fig. 2, and in Figs. 28 and 29, causes one or the other of the pawls 28 29 to remain out of reach of the teeth of the sprocket wheel 32, and as the said pawls operate in the same direction but at opposite sides of the centerof the sprocket they will cause the latter to be turned for the space of one or more teeth in one or the other direction according as one or the other of said pawls is in operation, and will thus produce a movement or advance of the carriage in one or the other direction at a certain point in the rotation of the cam 23 at a time when the stitching 'mechanism' has completed a cycle of operations and is with the needles withdrawn from the mattress.

The shifting or reversing device or yoke is connected with a rod 36 extending the length of the frame parallel with the track 19 on which the carriage 30 travels and said rod is provided with adjustable engaging blocks or tappets 37, 38 adapted tobe acted from the1carriage 30 when it arrives at the proper position to complete a line of st-itc-hing along oneside I of the mattress.

with the Parts in the P n shown in right as seen in Fig. 2, and when the projection 39 arrives at the tappe't 38 it moves I the same so as to move the yoke35 to a position'to cause the pawl 28 to stop operating and to release the pawl 29, and the projection, 40 of theyoke 35 (see Fig. 28), en-' gages the arm 180 connected with the finger 18, and moves it to position to cause the clutch 22 to bedisengaged, so that the cam 23 and shaft 20 are stopped from operating and the action of the machine automatically ceases when the end of'the side stitching along one side of the mattress is reached. 8

As the stit her is stationary during the formation of each complete knotted loop or stitch, it is immaterial in which direct-ion 'the feed takes place from one stitch to the next; and in order to save time after the stitching has been completed in one direction, say from leftto right in Fig. 2, the mattress is unclamped and turned by the operator and the side next to be operated upon (or the side of another mattress if one has justbeen completed) in afmovement of the carriage from right to left. i Y In order to facilitate the movement of the carriage 30 independently of the automatic feed just described, a hand operated feed wheel320 (see Fig. 1) is provided, preferis then stitched ably located near the middle of the machine, which is connected, by shaft" 321, sprocket wheel 322, and chain 323 with a sprocket wheel 324 fixed on the same shaft as the pawl operated sprocket wheel 32 above described, so that the operator by turning the wheel 320 when the pawls are disengaged, or by turning it'in the direction permitted. by the pawl, if one is engaged, the'carriage may be moved along to the de:ired' position track.

on its supporting to the stitching mechanism,

Referrin now the genera tive to the material operated upon is best shown in Fig. 3. I

To avoid possible ambiguity the entire mechanism which acts upon the twine in applying, it'to the mattress will be called the stitching. 111echanism,'and inasmuch as the instrumentalities,which operate at the u )pcr corner are substantially the same as tliosc that act at the lowercorner of the mattress, the detailed description will be confined llO organization of the partsrelamainly. to the mechanism which acts upon the lower corner, from which thepperation of the mechanism which acts at the upper corner will be readily understood.

The stitching mechanism for acting upon one corner of the mattress, taking or example the lower corner, comprises a needle 100 which penetrates first the lower surface fabric and then passes diagonally upward and emerges with the twin-e from the side surface-fabric; and appliances (which will be referred to collectively, or as a unit, as the knotter) which act upon the twine after it has emerged from the side of the mattress in cooperation with the needle, to hold the blght presented at the first penetration of the needle and cause it to be properly engaged with or tied to the bight which is presented at the second penetration of the needle slightly to one side of the place at which the needle first penetrated.

Although in the actual location in the machine the needle which acts at the lower corner of the mattress penetrates with a diagonally upward movement, the penetrating movement ofthe needlewi'll be referred to as the descent, and the withdrawal movement as the rise of the needle, as these terms are commonly used with various sewing mechanisms, and each complete knotted loop will be referred to as a stitch, and a complete row of such stitches along the corner of the mattress will be called aseam, although the twine is not continuous from one stitch to the next as in a common sewn seam.

Referring to Fig. 3 the entire stitching mechanism is actuated by a hollow cam shaft.

supported in suitable bearings at the ends of the carriage 30, said hollow shaft 50 having a spline connection at 51 with the main shaft 20 so that the cam shaft 50 turns in unison with the main driving shaft 20, when driven by the pulley 21 and clutch 22, whil e being free to move to any desired position along the said driving shaft 20.

The principal working parts of the stitching mechanism are mounted upon a frame of suitable form and. construction comprising a supporting arm 61 having a. piv

otal support at 62 in a bearing afiixed to the lower part of the carriage 30, the purpose being that the entire stitching mechanism and its supporting frame may have a slight. rocking movement on the pivotal support 62 which, being directly below the side of the mattress, causes a movement of the 1 entire sewing mechanism toward and from the side of the mattress.

This causes pressers or work supports 63, 64 affixed to the frame 60 to be prersed inward so as to indent the side of the mattress when in the position shown in Fig. 3, which is the position occupied when the stitches are being made, and to be sl ghtly withdrawn from this position outwarr when the feed of the carriage and sti-tchin;= aechanism is to take p'ace.

This rocking movement of the stitching mechanism is produced by the cam 52 act jug upon a roller 53 on the arm 61, the con- I figuration of the cam being such as to hold the pressers (i3, 64 against the work during the greater part of each rotation of the cam shaft, but to permit them to be withdrawn slightly during a small fraction of each rotation of the main shaft, at which time the projection of the feed cam 23 operates to advance the carriage to the position for the next stitch, as above described.

This slight rocking movement of the main frame of the stitching mechanism does not materially affect the action of the cams on the cam shaft 50 upon the connecting mechanism by which said cams serve to actuate the various parts of the stitching mechanism in proper timed relation to one another, substantially all of the working movements taking place while the frame 6-0 is in its forward position and with the pressers 63,64 holding the mattress material pro erly for the stitch forming operations, an serving as the usual table or work support to act as an abutment for the material while the needle penetrates it- Cooperating with each of the work su porting pressers 63, 6-1 which support t e material against the thrust of the needles near where they emerge is a movable presser foot, that of the mechanism at the lower corner alone being marked 65, which descends or moves toward the material to come press and clamp it against the cooperating work support 63 before the needle descends the first time, and retains it thus clam ed until just before the feed movement ta es place when said presser foot is lifted and at the same time the work support 63 is moved outward by the action of the cam 52 as above describe As will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 3, the action of the work supporting presser and presser foot at the lower corner and that at the upper corner balance one another and produce substantially e ual compression of the stuffing material at t e upper and lower corners, and maintain the side of the mattress in its proper, relation sub stantially square with both the upper and lower surfaces of the mattress. The formation of the stitches at both upper and lower corners while the material is thus held retains the material in the desired balanced condition with the side of the mattress square with the top and bottom, a result thatwould not be attained if only the upper or lower corner was acted upon in one sewing operation, and the mattress had to be released and repositioned on its supportin table before the other corner was stitche As it is unnecessary to describe in detail but one of the sets of stitch making appliances, reference maybest be had now, to

' the needle bar of the Fig. 4 which shows the mechanism acting upon the lower corner of the mattress on a larger scale than in Fig. 3.

Said resser foot 65 is rod 66 having collars engaged by a fork at one end of a lever 67 fulcrumed on the framework at 68 and having its other end provided with a cam roller to be actuated by a groove in the cam 52 on the cam shaft 50, which lifts the presser foot at the time when the feed cam 23 acts to feed the stitcher carriage to the position for the next stitch, as before described. The needle 100 (see Fig. 3) is connected by an arm 71 with a needle bar 72 adapted connected with a to move longitudinally in suitable bearing guides in the frame 60 and connected by a link 73 with an arm 74 on a rock shaft having its bearings in the carriage 30 and con nected with another arm 7 5 having a cam roller operating in a groove in cam 56 which is constructed with two throws to cause the needle to make two descents at each rotation of the cam shaft 50 which efiects one complete cycle of stitch forming operations or makes one stitch of the seam, the said cam groove having the proper configuration to effect such dwells or timing in the movementsof the needle as will cause it to cooperate properly with the knotter and other instrumentalities involved in the stitch making operation. 4

The rock 'shaft. to which'the arms 75 and 74: are afiixed hasanother arm 740 corresponding to 74, connected by a link with stitching mechanism for the upper corner of the mattress as will be readily seen in Fig. 3 without need of designating characters, 'which are consequently omitted in Fig. 3'where both stitching mechanisms are shown.

For the production of the stitch employed in the present embodiment of the invention it 'is necessary that the needle should make a slight lateral movement between its two successive descents so as to penetrate the material the second time at a .shortdistance from" the place of the first penetration, the

material lyingbet-Ween the two lines of penetration being what is encircled by the loop of twine pertaining to the stitch.

To provide for such lateral movement of the needle as shown in the present embodiment of the invention the needle bar 72 is adapted =to-have a slight pivotal or rotary movement in the guides in which it reciprocates, such movement being accommodated in the connection between the link 73 and the needle bar as shown in the enlarged detail Figs. 23, 24, and such oscillation of theme- I dle bar in one direction after its first rise from the fabric, and in the other direction after its second rise, is'efiected by the con- -struction best shown in the detailed view Figs. 17 and 18..-

The boss on the needle bar with which the link 73 is connected is provided with a projection 77 (see also Fig. 23) which travels in a guide in a' plate or bar 78 having at its ends inclined guiding portions 79 adapted to move longitudinally in suitable guideways in the movement thus resulting in a short lateral frame 60, such longitudinal movement of the plate 78 which by the projection 77 causes a slight rocking of the needle bar 72 and a considerably larger'lateral movement or shogging of the needle because it is carried by its arm 71 at a considerable distance from the axis of the needle bar.

The slight longitudinal movement of the plate 78 necessary to eii'ect such lateral movementof the needle bar is produced by a short rack 80 (see Fig. 4) engaged by a toothed segment on a cam lever 81 operating in a groove in the cam 52 whichproduces'a movement. of the plate 7 SM needle shog'ger in one direction about as the needle completes its first rise from the material and in the other direction about 'as the needle completes its next rise from the mate-- rial, the plate remaining stationary during substantially the whole of each complete down and up stroke of the needle.

The work support 63 and presser foot 65 each have two guide passages for the needle, as best shown in the sectional details Figs. 7 and 8, with a slot connecting them'suflicient for the passage of the twine as shown in Figs. 10 and 17 the needle thus being supported and guided close to its point of entrance and emergence. a Referrmg now to the instrumentalities the twine to form the stitch, after which the connecting mechanism by which the several instrumentalities areactuated in proper time and relation to one another will be described. t

For-convenience the complete set of instrumentalities which cooperate with the' needle and twine where the needle emerges from the fabric regarded as a unit will be called the knotter, and said instrumentalities for the most part are mounted on or in the body piece 101 which is mainly cylindrical in form' and is mounted for rotary move-' ment in a.bearing in the framework 60 as appears in the sectional view Fig. 4.

The devices which cooperatemozt directly I with the. twlne are contained in .a. tubular portion 102 (see Fig 4)- and on a sleeve -103 mounted to rotate on said tubular portion 102 as a be'aring said tube 102 being fixed in an -eccentr1c position in the knotter body 101 so that a rotation (in this case a quarter .turn) of the latter-shifts the tube I and parts contained in and carried thereby laterally and at the same time produces a rotary change of position of the tube and parts contained in it for a quarter turn as will be understood by comparing Figs. 7 and 8, such movement having shifted the axis of the tube 102 from a position in line with tlieneedle at one descent to the posi-- t-ion in which the needle makes its next:

descent.

As is well shown in Fig. 4 and on a larger scale in Fig. 1.2 the work support (33 and the shank or bracket by which it is rigidly connectedto the frame (i0 are formed with an opening between themsuti'icicut to accommodate all of the movements of the knotter mechanism.

. As shown in Fig. 5 at the first descent of the needle (which is an eye pointed needle of the usual kind) a bight or hitch of the twine is carried through and beyond the material, the fold being at the needle eye, and the standing part 111 of the twine leading back to the spool or supply through suitable guides and controlling devices which will be described later, while the end part 112 of the bight is long enough to remain in the material of the mattress which in connection with the work support 63 holds the end with friction sufficient to produce a slight tension if pulled upon.

The first descent of the needle is at. the right hand one of theguideways In the presser foot and work support as seen in .-'Figs. 7 and 8, and at the time of the first descent the knotter body stands in the position shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 in which a pairof twine gripping jaws 120, 121' stand slightly apart so that the needle carries the end twine 112 of the bight directly over the slight space betwene the jaws 120, 121., of the gripper which at this moment are slightly apart, and preferably after the needle has started slightly on its rise to the position'show-n in F ig. (5 so thatthe end thread 112 is loosened and thrown slightly away from the needle, said jaws grip the end twine and hold it firmly while the .needle completes its rise thus bringing the twine to the condition shown in Fig. 7 in which the 'end portion 112 of the bight is held by the gripper while the standing portion 111 is drawn back above-the gripper jaws although perfectly free from them.

After the end part 112 ofthe twine has been thus seized by the jaws of the gripper an end controlling finger or hook 122, the form and action of which is best shown i n Fig. 9, on the sleeve 103 makes a slight movement suflicient to engage the end part 112 between the points whcreit is held by the gripper jaws and where it emerges from the material. 'The end part 112 of the first bight ot the twine having been thus seized by the gripper jaws and engaged by the controlling finger 122 of the knotter; the knotter body is then rotated from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8, in which of the tube 102 from the point Where the.

end emerged from the jaws in the position shown in Fig. 7 to the linger 122,,about which a bight is formed, the extreme end of the twine having been thus pulled nearly or quite free from the material and Work holder as shown in Fig. 8.

The standing part 111 of the thread extends almost directly from the gripper jaws to the fabric in the first needle hole, or one shown at the right hand in Figs. 7 and 8.

In this movementthe first. bight presented by the needle has been converted into a loop with the part 111 crossing over the part 112, and the portion 113 of the loop of twine which is wrapped around the tube 102 lies just above a loop spreader consisting of two fingers 124, one at each side of the groove 123.

The knotter parts beingin the position shown in Fig. 8, the needle inakes its next descent as shown in Fig. 9 and just before the point of the needle arrives at the gripper jaws the fingers of the loop spreader 124 are momentarily raised and thus lift the portion 113 of the twine so that the needle passes between it and the end of the aws, the needle in its further movement passing over the portion of the thread still gripped in the jaws so that a new or second bigbt of the twine has been passed through the loop formed from the light of the twine presented to the knotter atithe first needle descent. Directly after the needle has passed under thetwine at 113 the fingers 124 descend to their normal position and free the portion 113 of the twine, which now becomes practically free from where it emerges from the jaws (at the left' hand in Fig. 8) to where it is engaged by the finger 122 and lies loose over the second bightof the needle twine. The jaws 120, 121, of the gripper also release the twine, leaving the loop loose around the second bight.

\Vith the parts in the position shown in Fig.9 and preferably after the needle has risen slightly to slacken the twine, the sleeve 103 makes a further rotary movement, in which a bight spreading finger 125 passes between the needle and the end twine 115 of the second bight and spreads the said bight so that the finger 122 and bight of liNl therein is passed entirely through the second bight at 115, and the extreme end of the twine is drawn free from the material and work support and is in position to be seized by the jaws of a puller or knot tightener 130 as shown in Fig. 10. A stop projection or retarder 126 on the jaw 121 prevents the second bight from being dragged along by the bight spreader 125, and the end of twine which is being passed through the bight by the finger 122. I

The end twine 112 presented to the knotter by the first descent and rise of the needle, has thus been looped around and passed through the bight presented at the second needle descent, in proper relation to tie the said end to the said bight with the well known weavers knot and it remains only to draw the knot tight and to cut off any excess twine at the free end and to cut off the standing twine between the knot and the needle in such manner as to leave a free end extending from the needle of suiiicient length for the end part of the first bight formed b the first needle, descent at the next stitc ing forming operation.

These operations of tightening the knot and cutting the twine and the parts concerned therein are best illustrated in Figs. 10 to 13 inclusive, and Fig. 17 and comprise the knot tightener, marked as a whole 130, including a pair of jaws, the lower member 131 of which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 133 aflixed to a rock shaft 134, by turning which the free end of the jaws may be given a movement from close to the knotter devices as shown in Fig. 10 outward to the position shown in Fig. 11, in which movement the end 112 of the first bight of twine,

' which by the operations above described has been looped around and then passed through the second bight 115 as shown in Fig. 11, is

properly tightened in conjunction with the rise of the needle from the position shown in Fig. 10, to that shown in Fig. 11 which takes up or shortens the bight 115, and as the needle continues to rise and the tension on the end 11.2'is maintained by the puller 130 the knot is finally drawn tight and pulled through the needle hole into the stutting of the mattress as appears in Fig. 12, thus having produced a complete endless loop of the twine, which encircles within it small portions of the bottom and side covering fabrics and the portion of the stutting lying between them. A 3

The end 112 held by the tightening device 130 and the standing twine 118 between the knot and the needle, which now stands at some distance from the prcsser foot (35 and material, are then cut oti' by cutters 150' working in guideways in, the work support 63 and presser foot 65 across the second needle guideway, said cutters being operated 'by actuating mechanism which will 1e,sss

be describedlater, with a quick movement.

to sever the twine, about at the time that the needle completes its rise after the stitch of the twine by said spring 136. The upper jaw 132 is pivoted to the lower jaw at 138 and is acted upon by a spring 139 (see Fig. 17) which normally tends to close the jaws upon the twine, they being however normally held apart by a catch or trigger 140 (see Fig. 13), which is tripped just after the knotter devices arrive at the position shown in Fig. 10, so that the end 112 of the twine which has just been brought by the rotation of the sleeve 103 to the position shown in Fig. 10 just over the lower jaw 131 is snapped upon and grip'ped'by the action of the spring 139 on the release of the upper jaw by the disengagement of the trigger 140.

When the end of the twine has been cut as above described the puller 130 is moved promptly by the spring 136 against the stop 137. and bracket 133 a finger or projection 141 on the upper aw member near its pivot strikes a fixed jaw opening stop 1412 as will be understood from Fig. 12 which causes the upper jaw member to be lifted so that the trigger 14-0 catches beneath it and holds it open until tripped at the next operation. The natural expansion of the mattress, when relieved from the pressure of the presser foot and work support causes the loose ends of twine to disappear inside of the mattresscovering fabric.

This tripping of the upper jaw of the twine puller is effected by a projection 143 carried by the actuating annulus 104 for the sleeve 103 of the knotter, which will be re ferred to later, which projection engages the trigger at the end of the movement by which the end of the twine has been pushed through the second needle bight as shown in Fig. 10, so that the jaws close just at the moment when the end of the twine is presented to them by the action of the finger 122, directlyafter which the sleeve 103 makes its return movement to the position shown in Fig. 11 which trees the end engaged by the finger 122 and also withdraws said finger and the loop spreader 125 from the second bight, leaving said bight free to tighten with the loop made from the first bight as well shown in Fig. 11.

In addition to the needle and parts of the in a further movement of the shown in Fig. 12; these tension or twine gripping devices being mainly shown in Figs. 18*to 21 inclusive, the detailed description of which is deferred until after the description of the mechanical connections by which the various instrumentalities of the knotter mechanism which have already been described are actuated to perform the required movements in proper timed relation to one another and to the movements of the needle.

For moving the knot ti htener 130 to pull up the knot the rock sha t 134 on which the bracket 133 is mounted and which'has its hearings in the frame 60 is provided with an arm,145 adapted to be operated by a suitable cam plate 146 on the cam disk "5 .(see Figs. 17 and 27).

The mechanism for turning the body portion 101 of the knotter from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 is effected by the segmental gear 105 best shown in Fig. 17, fixed to or forming a part of the said knotter body 101 and actuated by the segmental gear 83 on the lever 81,

teeth 82 engaging with the rack 80 operates to shift the plate 78 b which the lateral or sho ging movement 0 the needle is effected.

T e movement of the lever 81 in one direction takes place when the needle has r sen after the first stroke, and shifts the looper' body and parts carried by it from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig.

8 at the same time that the plate 78 is' moved to shift the needle. to the position for its next stroke, and the return movement of the lever 81 by which the knotter body is moved back from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in Fig. 7 takes place about as the needle completes its rise from the material at the end of the secondneedle stroke, and. at the same time the plate 78 is shifted back, retu rnin the needle to the proper position for the first stroke of the next stitch.

The jaws 120, 121 of the gripper are operated by the mechanism best shown in Figs. 22 to 26. Referring to Fig. 22, the jaw'121 is fixed in the tube 102, the opening and closing movement of the 'jawsibeing confined to the jaw 120 which is shown in Fig. 22 in the open position. The movable jaw 120 is formed at the end of a lever 620 fulcrumed at 621 in the tube 102 and connected at its end remote from the jaw, with a jaw actuating slide 622 adapted to work in a transverse guideway-in the tube 102 and being slightly longer than the outside diameter of the tube so that when one end is flush with the outside of the tube the other' end projects slightly therefrom.

by pressing-the projecting end of the bar.

622 inward to a point flush with the outside of the tube the jaw 120 will be closed toward the jaw 121 and the other, end of the bar 622 will project from the other side of the tube, and the reverse movement of the bar 622 back to the position shown in Fig. 22 will then cause the opening or separation of the jaws.

These movements of the jaw operating bar 622 are performed at the pro er time by a cam ring 623 best shown in igs. 25 and 26, which encircles and is ada ted to turn on the tube 102 as a bearing an is rovided with internal cam recesses 624 w 'ch are not diametrically opposite toone another, and thus cause the bar 622 to be shifted from one to the other positionjo open or close the jaws as'shown in Figs.

25, 26 b a comparatively short rotary move 24) mounted on a rod 627 adapted to slide in a suitable guide way connected with the frame 60 and provided with a hub, or block 628 engaged with an arm 629 on a rock shaft provided with an arm 630 operated by suitable projections 631 on the cam disk 55.

The cam block 626 isfirst operated when the knotter body is in the position shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 23, just as the needle begins to rise after its first descent, and by engaging the projection 625 when in the, position shown in Fig. 23 moves it from the position shown in Fig. 25 to that shown in Fig. 26. and turns the ring 623 so as to cause the jaws to-close so that they grip the end portion of the bight of twine which has ust i been laid between them by the needle.

The knotter body is then shifted from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8 as before described, the cam ring ,623 movin with it to the ition shown in Fig. 24, being frictionally eld relatively to the tube and having no further action on the jaw operating bar 622 so that the jaws remain closed. Then at or near-the end of the second needle descent (after it has passed the bight through the loop) the cam block 626 is again 0 rated in the same direction as before, but y r ason of the changed p0- sitionof. the projection 625 of the rm 623 it turns the said ring'in the opposite irection, or from the position relative to the bar 622 shown in Fig. 26 to that shown in Fig. 25, and thus separates the jaws 'to release the loop after the needle has been. properly Ill

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