EP0378965A1 - Presser attachment device for a sewing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

In this device, a rocker lever (70) carrying a presser foot (71) can be guided, by a suitable actuating device, from a low position, in which the foot (71) is laid onto the material to be sewn, into a high position distant from this. …<??>For this purpose, the lever (70) is equipped with rolling members (70c) resting on guide ramps (72a), these members and/or these ramps having such a profile that, during the displacement of the presser foot between its two positions, this foot always follows a vertical path.

Description

The subject of the present invention is a presser device for a sewing machine, comprising, on the one hand, a rocking lever whose free end carries a presser foot and, on the other hand, an actuation device making it possible to drive this lever at least in two limit angular positions, one, low, in which the foot is applied to the material to be sewn, the other, high, in which it is distant.

The stuffing device according to the invention is characterized in that the other end of the lever carries at least one rolling member resting on a guide ramp, the profile of the latter and / or of the portion of said member in contact at all times with the ramp being such that, when the lever is tilted from one of its limit angular positions in the other thereof, the foot fixed to the lever moves on a substantially vertical trajectory.

Claims 2 to 11 define other important characteristics of the stuffing device according to the invention.

• La figure 1 en est une vue en élévation latérale, avec coupe partielle de certains éléments;
• La fig. 2 est une vue de face;
• La fig. 3 est une vue en plan et en coupe partielle selon III-III de la fig. 1.
• La fig. 4 est une vue partielle, de face, selon une première variante d'exécution;
• La fig. 5 est une vue en coupe partielle selon V-V de la fig. 4;
• La fig. 6 est une vue selon VI-VI de cette fig. 4;
• La fig. 7 est une vue de détail, avec coupe partielle, d'une seconde variante d'exécution;
• La fig. 8 montre le schéma d'un circuit électrique de commande d'un dispositif presse-étoffe selon l'invention.

The accompanying drawings represent, by way of example, an embodiment of the present invention:

• Figure 1 is a side elevational view, with partial section of certain elements;
• Fig. 2 is a front view;
• Fig. 3 is a plan view and in partial section along III-III of FIG. 1.
• Fig. 4 is a partial front view, according to a first alternative embodiment;
• Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view along VV of FIG. 4;
• Fig. 6 is a view along VI-VI of this FIG. 4;
• Fig. 7 is a detail view, with partial section, of a second alternative embodiment;
• Fig. 8 shows the diagram of an electrical circuit for controlling a stuffing device according to the invention.

In the drawing (fig. 1), 1 is the base of the housing of a ma sewing machine on which stands a column 2 carrying two arms 3 and 4 of which the first, 3, contains in particular a loop sensor and its control mechanism as well as a device for driving the material to be sewn, all not visible, and whose second arm, 4, carries a mechanism, not shown, for controlling the sliding, alternately in two opposite directions, of a needle bar 5, as well as a device 6 for driving this bar 5 in its throwing movement and a stuffing device 7 whose features will be described below.

The central motor of the sewing machine, not shown, on which depend in particular the drive of the loop sensor, that of the material to be sewn and that of the bi-directional vertical movement of the needle bar, is arranged in column 2, at sides of a step-down transformer and of a rectifier assembly, all not visible in the drawing, for the current supply of the motor as well as an electronic circuit, not shown, grouping in the form of "solid state" chips, information storage memories programmed for controlling the various functions of the sewing machine, and one or more microprocessors on which this control depends. All of these means, their coupling and functions are well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described here.

On its casing, and more particularly on its right front face in the drawing, the sewing machine shown carries a control keyboard of which only a switch 8, for actuating the stuffing device 7, has been shown in FIG. 1.

The device 6 is of the type described in the Swiss patent N °, (request filed by the holder jointly with the present request) to which reference will be made for the structural details.

However, let us say that it comprises a stepping motor 9, with a vertical axis, for controlling the tilting of a lever 10, articulated at 11 on a fixed support 12 and having a frustoconical opening forming a seat for the external face, with a spherical profile, of a bearing 13, arranged in line with a second bearing 14, of structure identical to that of the bearing 13 and engaged in a corresponding seat formed in the upper flange 9a of the motor 9.

The bearings 13 and 14 are held in their respective seats by a spring 15, stretched between these bearings and crossed, like the bearings themselves, by the needle bar 5, the latter being moreover mounted to slide in these bearings.

Under the support 12 is fixed a lamp 16 ensuring the lighting of the sewing area of the arm 3 through a window 4a formed in the wall of the arm 4. A second window 4b, of oblong shape, ensures the passage of the needle bar 5 and allows its throwing movements.

The presser device 7 comprises (fig. 1) a lever 70 at the right end of which is articulated, by an axis 70a, a presser foot 71 located below the needle bar 5 and that the lever 70 is intended to drive either in a low position, shown in solid lines, in which the foot presses the material to be sewn onto a needle plate 3a which has the upper face of the arm 3 of the machine (fig. 3) and more precisely on the claw , not shown, for driving the sewing material, from right to left in the drawing or vice-versa, either in a high position, shown in phantom, which is vertical to that occupied by the foot 71, in the low position .

In this high position, the material to be sewn can be moved freely by hand, in particular to position the part to receive the seam under the needle 5a carried by the needle bar 5.

At this point, it should be noted that the stuffing device according to the invention allows the execution of seams in a very thick fabric, even becoming suddenly irregular, without blocking of this fabric by the foot 71.

Indeed, in this device, the lever 70 can easily switch in one or the other of two directions F₁ and F₂ even when the foot 71 is applied to the fabric to be sewn, which explains the ease with which the machine sewing machine shown can sew stacks of fabric even of substantial thickness.

To do this, the lever 70 carries, on its left part (fig. 1), a flat and rectangular sole, 70b, projecting on each side of the lever and having, along its two longitudinal edges, two toothed sectors 70c and 70d each resting on a straight track specific to each sector, 72a, respectively 72b (figs 1 and 2) with toothed profile, cut on the upper face of a console 72 secured to the frame, partially shown of the sewing machine.

As can be seen in the drawing, the pitch and the shape of the toothing of the toothed sectors 70c and 70d and those of the rolling tracks 72a and 72b are identical, the toothing of the former perfectly meshing with that of the latter.

On the other hand, if the toothing of the tracks 72a and 72b extends horizontally, that of the sectors 70c and 70d of the lever 70, develops along an arcuate profile such that, as the lever 70 swings in the direction F2, the sectors 70c and 70d roll literally on the tracks 72a and 72b, to the left in the drawing, over a length compensating, at all times, for the movement to the right that the foot 71 would not fail to effect if the lever 70 was simply articulated around a fixed axis.

Similar compensation, but in the opposite direction, of course takes place when the lever 70 is driven from its position shown in phantom in that in solid line.

This cinematism is made necessary by the fact that the foot 71 must be able to be raised even if the needle 5a is in its lowest position and this without encountering this needle.

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, it would of course be possible to have rectilinear toothing for the sectors 70c and 70d, the rolling tracks 72a and 72d having a curvature suitable for the desired purpose.

According to another variant, also not shown, one could also design sectors 70c and 70d as well as raceways 72a and 72b each having their own arcuate profile, traced so as to allow the same type of operation to be obtained as in the case of the assembly of fig. 1.

Finally, it is understood that both these sectors and these tracks could have no teeth and have a practically smooth profile, it being understood, however, that it would then be necessary to make a choice of materials offering good mutual adhesion.

The actuation of the lever 10 can be obtained either by means of a motorized control, such as that shown in Figures 1 and 8 in particular, or even by manual control, of the type visible in Figs 4 and 6 for example. It is, of course, possible to provide only the second of these possibilities, in particular in the case of low-end sewing machines, or, on the contrary, that the first, for high-performance sewing machines, such as in particular electronic microprocessor sewing machines. Alternatively, such a type of machine could include both motorized control and manual control of the stuffing device according to the invention.

In the case of a motorized control, this device comprises a stepping motor 73 whose windings E₁ and E₂ (fig. 8) are supplied, in an appropriate manner, by "drivers" D₁ and D₂ controlled by a microprocessor µP, which, in a computerized sewing machine, can also be used for general control of the machine's functions. The actuation of the switch 8 causes the impulse type information to be sent to the microprocessor alternately determining the commissioning of the driver D₁ or of the driver D₂ for a period of time sufficient to drive the foot 71 from its low position to its position high, and vice versa.

The housing of the motor 73 carries a barrel 73a, articulated on the housing of the sewing machine by means of two axes 73b (figs 1 and 3) projecting from the barrel 73a, on either side thereof. . This barrel is crossed by the left end, in the drawing, of a threaded rod 73c extending in the extension of the shaft, not shown, of the motor, integral with this shaft, and engaged in a threaded passage 74a that has an axis 74c carrying two rollers 74b and forming part of a carriage 74 capable of rolling on the sole 70b of the lever 70, and the right end of the latter at its left end and vice versa, according to the direction of rotation of the threaded rod 73c, that is to say of the armature of the stepping motor. The length of the carriage stroke on the sole 70b is fixed by the number of control pulses sent by the drivers D₁ and D₂ on the windings E₁ and E₂ each time the switch 8 is actuated. This number will obviously be identical for each driver so that the stroke of the carriage will be the same in one direction or the other of its movement on the sole 70b.

As seen in the drawing, the carriage 74 is fixed to the lower end of a bar 75 whose upper end, forked at 75a, slidably embraces a guide rod 76 fixed horizontally to the housing of the machine.

Around the bar 75 is arranged a spring 76, prestressed between the rod 77 and the carriage 74 on which it rests and whose length is such that it remains under tension even when the bar 75 which carries it is disposed in its position inclined, shown in phantom in the drawing.

The assembly formed by the bar 75, the rod 76 and the spring 77 form a sort of thrust cylinder exerting its action on the sole 70b of the lever 70 of which it will determine the angular position according to the position occupied at all times by the carriage 74 on the sole 70b. It will be recalled that the latter can be moved on this sole by rotation of the threaded rod 73c in one direction or the other, according to the direction desired for the movement of the carriage 74.

Indeed, as the lever 70 is free to switch in the direction F₁ or F₂, by rolling its toothed sectors 70c and 70d on the corresponding tracks 72a and 72b, it will suffice that the vertical component of the force exerted by the spring 77 on the carriage 74 passes to the left, in the drawing (fig. 1), of the support zone of the sectors 70c and 70d on these tracks so that the lever 70 switches in the direction F₂, from its low position to its high position.

The lever 70 will resume its low position as soon as, by a movement in the opposite direction of the carriage 74, the same vertical component of the force exerted by the spring 77 will pass to the right the support area of this lever.

In the low, working position, of the foot 71, this exerts maximum pressure on the fabric which it is responsible for applying against the claws, not shown, of the mechanism for driving this fabric: in fact, c 'is in this position of the foot 71 that the spring 75 develops its maximum force because, the bar 75 occupying a vertical position, the deflection of this spring is then maximum.

If, during sewing, the thickness of the portion of the material to be sewn arriving at a given instant under the presser foot is much greater than that of the rest of this material, the foot 71 and the lever 70 will be lifted quantity corresponding to this thickness: at the limit, the lever 70 and its foot 71 may even be temporarily driven into the high position shown in phantom in the drawing, giving way to the excess thickness of the material to be sewn without there being machine blocked.

In fact, in such a case, the bar 75 will rise vertically by sliding its forked end 75a on the rod 76 and compressing the spring 77.

This bar will return to its usual axial position, smoothly, by relaxation of the spring 77, as soon as the foot 71 has passed over the temporary excess thickness of the material to be sewn.

Thus, the foot 71 and the lever 70 are somehow mounted on a real suspension allowing them to easily absorb all the obstacles that may present to them the surface of a sewing piece, even of relatively high thickness as is for example the case when it is a question of assembling several layers of coarse Jean type canvas or corduroy for example.

As already described, the stuffing device according to the invention may also include only a manual control of the kind illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 4 to 6.

Such a device differs from that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 8 by the fact that the motor 73 and its annexed parts as well as the circuit which is the subject of FIG. 8 are deleted, with the corresponding modifications for the sewing machine housing especially. Therefore, the carriage 74 * on the sole 70b * of the lever 70 * will be carried out by corresponding horizontal displacement, carried out manually, of a pull tab 78 * secured to the carriage 70 * b and passing through a slot f made in the machine housing, pull tab that the user can control by finger action on a button 78 * fixed to the free end of the latter (figs 1 and 6).

The stroke of the carriage 74 * on the sole 70 * b of the lever 70 * is limited by meeting the rollers 74 * b with two pairs of stops, 70 * d and 70 * e alternately depending on the direction of movement of this carriage (fig. 5).

In a particularly advantageous embodiment (fig. 7), the rolling tracks 172 intended for the toothed sectors 170c of the lever 170 carrying the foot 171 could be cut from a single piece 180 constituting at the same time the lower flange of a motor step by step 190 for controlling the throwing movement of the machine needle bar. The upper flange of this motor, 180 *, would include a fork 180 * a at the end of which would be fixed the rod 176 allowing the axial sliding of the bar 175 of the pressure cylinder formed by this bar in cooperation with a coil spring 177.

The solution mentioned above makes it possible to combine the stuffing device according to the invention, the device for controlling the throwing of the needle bar and this needle bar to form a single aggregate, capable of being manufactured and mounted of independently, independently of the rest of the sewing machine, even in a workshop or factory distant from the final assembly location and at a time different from that of this assembly.

It also makes it possible to facilitate after-sales service, in particular in all cases where any repairs must be carried out in places very distant from the place of production of the machine, and requiring only simple tools. as well as unskilled personnel.

The invention is, of course, not limited to what has been described or shown: in particular, it is obvious that the spring jack visible in particular in FIG. 1 could, for example, be replaced by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.

In addition, in order to obtain an adaptation of the pressure exerted by the device described on the material to be sewn as a function of the nature of this material, it would be possible, in an alternative embodiment of the control circuit illustrated in FIG. . 8, to ensure that the windings E₁ or E₂ receive only a driving impulse by action exerted on the switch 8.

In this way, it will be possible to drive the jack in any intermediate position included, on the one hand, between the right end, in the drawing, of the sole 70b, respectively 170b (FIGS. 1 and 7), and, on the other hand, the bearing zone of sectors 70c and 70d, respectively 170c, on the rolling tracks 72a and 72b, respectively 172, and thus vary the importance of the vertical component of the force developed by this jack on the sole and, therefore , on the presser foot.

One could, moreover, obtain a substantial modulation of the above effect by giving the surface of the sole 70b, respectively 170b (figs 1 and 7), a profile different from the planar profile envisaged in the embodiments shown, so to punctually vary the state of compression of the spring of the jack as a function of the position occupied at all times by the carriage 74 on this sole.

According to another variant, also not shown, the adaptation mentioned above could be automatic thanks to a computerized program operated by the microprocessor of the circuit (figg. 8) and which would be accessible from various control keys, each corresponding at a different position of the jack on the sole 70b, respectively 170b (figs 1 and 7), that is to say at an optimal pressure exerted by the presser foot of the machine on the material to be sewn, according to the characteristics which give it are clean and the nature of the sewing pattern.

Claims (12)

1. Pressing device for a sewing machine, comprising, on the one hand, a tilting lever whose free end carries a presser foot and, on the other hand, an actuating device making it possible to drive this lever at least in two limit angular positions, one, low, in which the foot is applied to the material to be sewn, the other, high, in which it is distant, characterized in that the other end of the lever carries at least one rolling member resting on a guide ramp, the profile of the latter and / or of the portion of said member in contact at all times with the ramp being such that, when the lever is tilted from one of its limit angular positions in the other of these, the presser foot fixed to the lever moves on a substantially vertical trajectory. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said portion of the rolling member as the guide ramp have a toothed profile, these elements being in mutual engagement by their respective teeth. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the lever comprises two rolling members arranged on either side of the lever, each engaged with a clean guide ramp. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the rolling members are integral with a support sole for a jack which is applied to said sole by its thrust end, means making it possible to move the point of application of the jack to the sole of a first range thereof, located, with respect to the contact zone of said rolling members with the corresponding ramps, so that the lever occupies said low position, over a second range of this sole, distant from the first range, with respect to said zone and situated, opposite this first range, in which the lever occupies its high position, and vice versa, by rolling of said members of the lever on the ramps of guidance. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the jack is a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator. 6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the cylinder is a cylinder with elastic energy accumulation. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the jack comprises, on the one hand, a rigid and elongated body resting on the support sole, by a first end, and the second end of which is articulated relative to a fixed point and, on the other hand, a coil spring enveloping this body and which is compressed between the first end of the body and said fixed axis so that the spring pushes on said sole regardless of the part on which the cylinder rests. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises means for controlling the tilting of the rigid body around said fixed point. 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the end of the jack resting on said sole has a carriage rolling on this sole. 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a rod kinematically integral with this carriage, at least part of which is accessible to the user, in order to allow the thrust end of the jack to be moved in various points along the length of said lever sole. 11. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the carriage carries a nut whose axis is oriented parallel to the desired path for the carriage on said sole and in that it comprises on the one hand, a motor step-by-step whose motor shaft controls the rotation of a threaded rod engaged with said nut and, on the other hand, a control circuit of this motor capable of delivering to the latter sufficient voltage pulses to produce the drive of the carriage on the sole, between two determined ranges of the surface thereof corresponding respectively to the high position and to the low position of the sewing foot, and polarity characteristic of the direction of this training. 12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the motor housing is articulated about a horizontal axis so that the threaded rod can follow the position variations of the carriage, relative to a horizontal reference plane, at during the movement of this carriage on the sole of the lever.

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