US1219997A - Book-sewing machine. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. PIERCE.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 1912.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES has A770RIVEY8 mr mwms FETERS co. PHOTU-LHNOH WASNINCIUN, u c.

E. B- PIERCE.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I3, 1912.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

ZW WM WQ m 4 m m H 2 5 w 3 7 a y 2% 2 1| 5 4 a 4 7 MM? 00 f M d? we 1 W 6 .I u e M I o 0 E I I II I 6 I E $0 1 IIIIIII 5 I Y a a b 1 on w .v w W 9 8 9 M 0 w 7 1 z NcRnls psrzns co.. PHOTO-LUNG I WASNINGION. o c.

Patel med Mar. 20, 1917.

a SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR luls ATTORNEYS E. B. PIERCE.

' BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I3, I9I2 WITNESSES ms mmms PEYERS no.1 PHOTO-LUNG. WASHING mu. 0 c.

E. B. PIERCE.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.13, m2. 7

Patented Mar. 20, 1917- 8 SHEETSSHEET 4.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii mmvron V 6% $62M has ATTORNEYS E. B. PIERCE.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Auma, 1912.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5- By his ATTORNEYS WITNES-SE, 14 I I' m: .wwms PETERS cc PHOTw-LITNO.. wAsumcrmv. u c.

'E. B. PIERCE.

BOOK SE APPLICATION WING MACHINE.

FILED AUG. 13. 1912.

Patented Mar. 20,1917. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 6- wzvm, hi6 ATTORNEYS E. B. PIERCE.

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AU'G.13, 1912.

1 ,21 9,997. Patented Mar. 20,1917.

8 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WIT/7588158 INVENTOR 9/ ra '1 N ATTORNEYS E. B. P|ERCE.-

BOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-i3. I912.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

WITNESSES Mdm I ATTORNEYS EDW'IN B. PIERCE, 01? BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BooK-sEwIive MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed August 13,1912. Serial No. 714,758.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN l3. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Book-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for sewing successive signatures together in the making of books. Heretofore, difficulties have been experienced in the well-known method of sewing books, because it has been neoessaryto paste together the first two and the last two signaturesso as to obtain an anchorage of the sewing threads and obtain threads, the ends of which could be glued down, and further because the relation of the backsof these pasted signatures to one another and to the other signatures of the book could not be assured. For these reasons, it frequently became necessary to do over by hand some of the work of the book sewing machine, because the backs would not line up, all of which my invention is designed to prevent.

The object of my invention is to so improve the sewing that the mass of sewed signatures can be severed at any desired place without risk of the sewing breaking and pulling out or the signatures becoming disconnected or weakened, and also without the necessity of pasting together the first two and the last two signatures or gluing down the ends of loose sewing threads.

In carrying out my invention, I tie or form a knot in the sewing threads over the back of each signature, and at the respective places of exit of the sewing needles out of the signatures, so that each thread or group of tl reads is tied securely with reference to each signature, and the threads which extend between andeonnect the signatures together. To effect this result, I employ devices associated with each sewing needle for pulling up and tightening the loops and taking up the slack. I also employa co-acting and yielding looper and spreader, the looper having an all-around motion with reference to the point of he needle; a two part swinging the knot, and in connection with which the spreader opens up an eye in the thread back of the point of the needle for the looper to pass through. V

I preferably employ the needles in reversed series, working toward the ends of the signatures so that knots will be tied over the backs of the signatures nearest the ends of the signatures or volumes being sewed. This brings the strength of the sewing at the places most desired, and the sewing is of such character that the signatures may be sewed continuous and then separated at any one or more places desired, all of which is hereinafter more particularly set forth.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation from the left-hand side of my improved book sewing machine.

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation from the right-hand side,

Fig. 3 is a'vertical section at about the broken line m 00 of Fig. 4, and through the machine between the main side frames.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation with certain parts broken across so as to compact'the view, and in this elevation I have shown for the purpose of illustration, only two oppositely placedsewing needles and their associated devices, it being of course understood that any number of needles may be employed in series, according to the size of the signatures and books to be sewed.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan at about the broken line y 1 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan showing the five cams employed by me in my improved book sewing machine with their main shaft, and in their correct relation to one another, and with numbered radial "lines for the description hereinafter contained, regarding the respective functions performed by the cams.

Figs 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 23 are plan views which are complementary to the elevations Figs. 8, 10, 12, 14:, 16,18,20,22 and 2d of a semi-circular needle, the throat plate, looperand spreader associated with the point of the needle, and the hook associated with the heel of the needle, together with devices employed for taking up the slack of the thread and drawing the loops taut, these views showing the respective and progressive operations of the needle and ascociated parts through a complete cycle of movements.

Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic view of the stitch of the respective signatures commencing with the first signature sewed.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate the same parts in the drawings.

a, a and (4 represent parts of the side frames of themachine, Z) represents a delivery table for the sewed signatures which extencs between these side frames, whatever may be their width apart. Z1 is a top plate which also extends across, between the side frames, and is securely fastened thereto. This top plate is advantageously provided with arbors for the spools of thread 6 and with columns supporting the top thread guide Z), and the thread tension devices 0, which are of any well known description. The threads from these spools pass up over the top thread guide Z) and through the tension devices 0 and return downward to the machine. In connection with the downward position of the thread, I prefer and have shown wire tak -up springs 0 with eyes at the lower ends, through which the threads pass. 0 are thread puller devices for the slack thread, and 2 and 3 are thread guide rollers. The thread passes through the eyes on the lower ends of the springs 0 around the roller 2 to and around the thread pullers c and to and over the thread guide roller 3 and downward to the sewing needles. These sewing needles (Z are semi-circular, as are usually employed in book sewing machines, and in connection therewith I employ loopers e, spreaders j, hooks 7a, a shaft g in bearings on the parts a of the frame, a main shaft 71, also in hearings in the same part of the r.achine, and frame parts is, 73 and 7 1 which come between the portions a (Z1 of the side frames and support the operative parts and are secured in position to the side frames, and also I employ a throat plate '10 associated "ith the semi-circular sewing needles, and cams Z, m, a, 0 and a mounted upon the main shaft 2', the cams Z, we and a being in one group and the cams 0 and s in a second group.

For the ease of understanding the devices and the operation thereof in the machine of my improvement, I shall describe toe needle operating devices in one group, the looper and spreader operating devices in the second group, the hook operating devi es in the third group, the thread puller d vices in the fourth group, and thereafter describe the successive sewing operations, and as the various similar groups are duplicates, the description of the several groups will answer for all.

he semi-circular needles (Z are alike, but the several needles used are reversed in position or reversed in pairs or groups. I have only shown two needles in Fig. i l reversed in position, but any desired number of needles may be employed, according to the size of the signatures to be sewed. Each needle (Z is provided with a groove for the thread in the outer periphery or surface, and on the under surface the needle is cut out back of the eye for a spreader device hereinafter described.

6Z1 represents the needle shaft in suitable bearings in the frame part 7:.

I have shown the needle shaft (Z as slightly inclined, or in other words, at a slight elevation rearward from the needle. This inclination of the needle shaft (Z is sufiicient to raise the pinion (Z above the top of the sewed signatures so that the pinion (Z does not interfere with the delivery of the sewed signatures from the machine. At the end of the shaft (Z opposite the end to which the needle is secured, there is a pinion (Z and I provide at the end of the needle shaft a guide nlate 4-, and employ rack bars (Z and (Z the one over-running the pinion or pinions (Z and the other underrunning the same. On the side frame of the machine shown in Fig. 1, I provide bearings 5 for a shaft which carries the pinions (Z and (Z'. The pinion (Z is also in mesh with the rack bars (Z and (Z 1 provide a vertical rack bar d meshing with the pinion (Z and the lower end of this vertical rack bar moves in a bearing 6. The vertical upand-down movement of the rack bar (Z turns the pinion (Z its shaft, the pinion (Z this in turn moves the rack bars (Z and (Z the one in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

The rack bar (Z actuates one needle or group of needles and the rack bar (Z actuates the other needle or group of needles through their respective pinions and shafts, consequently in this manner a partial rotary or reciprocating motion is imparted to the needle shafts and needle. The vertical rack bar, in turn, is actuated by a bell crank lever (Z to which the same is connected by a pivot pin, and this bell crank lever at its opposite end is provided with a roller moving in a cam groove of the cam Z on the main shaft 1', said bell crank lever (Z in turn being mounted upon the shaft These devices actuate the needles, as shown, and in case more than two needles are employed, it is only necessary to increase the number of the parts to actuate more than two needles simultaneously.

The looper and spreader devices comprise the following, and the description of one will answer for as many duplicates of the parts as it is desired to employ, as they are all alike The looper e and the spreader f are both connected to a head 0 the looper being set in the head and securely fastened, and the spreader f preferably secured upon one face by a nut 13. This head 6 is shouldered and connected to a shouldered auxiliary head 6 by a pivot pin 7. The auxiliary head is received between parts of a bifurcated head c at the forward endof the shaft 6 and these parts are pivotally connected together by a pin which passes through said bifurcated head and the auxiliary head, at right angles to the pivot pin 7, consequently there is a motion on the pin which connects the bifurcated head to the auxiliary head and also a motion on the pivot pin 7 which connects the auxiliary head 6 to the head 6 said motions being at right angles to one another. I provide a post 8 projecting from one side of the head e and having an adjusting screw 9, and a bent or L-shaped arm a, one end of which rests upon the adjusting screw 9 and the other end passes through the upper portion of the auxiliary head 6 and is held in place by a screw 11, there being a spring 10, or equivalent device, fastoned to the said arm a and to the post 8 so as to hold the parts in a fixed relation and yet permit of the swinging movement of the head e with reference to the auxiliary head 6 on the pivot 7, the screw 9 determining the exact relation to one another of said parts and consequently the relative position occupied by the looper and spreader to the semicircular needle. A yielding function is thus provided in the operation of said parts while pulling the thread taut.

Fig. 4: will show two sets of these devices, and Fig. 5 a plan of the same, Fig. 3 showing a side view. The shafts e are in bearings in the up-right frame parts 76 and their back or rear ends carry cranks e and pins 12. These pins occupy positions in the slots of a mortise plate 7 and the ends of this mortise plate are forked or apertured to receive the free ends of arms f which are mounted upon a shaft f and this shaft, near its ends, is mounted in bearings f or bearing brackets which are fastened to the side frames of the machine and are particularly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On one end of this shaft f there is an arm 7, and in the hub of this arm there is secured a wire rod 20, rising above the said shaft with the upper end of this wire rod connected to a spring 18, and the other end of the spring secured to a post on the side frame of the machine. This arm 7, at its lower end, is connected to the upper end of a bell crank lever f mounted on the shaft g, the connection being in the form of a pivot and block let secured to the upper end of the bell crank lever and moving in a mortise at the lower end of the arm The lower end of this bell crank lever f has a roller running on the surface of the peripheral cam 0 mounted on the main shaft 2'. I provide, also, on this shaft 9, a crank arm 7" as hereinafter described.

A face bar f is connected to trunnions f in the side frames of the machine, and the inner face of this bar 7 bears continuously,

as shown in Fig. 3, against the outerface of the auxiliary head 6 in such a manner that the pivot which connects the shaft 0 at its bifurcated head 6* to the auxiliary head 6 coincides with the axial center of this face bar. At one end, one of the trunnions f (the right-hand end of Fig. 5), and the .crank 15 are connected, and an arm 16, having a roller on the lower end, is at its upper end connected to this crank 15. The crank has a short wire rod projecting therefrom, to which the spring 19 is connected. (See Fig. 2.) The lower end of the arm 16 is mortised and receives the free end of the crank arm f, and the roller on the end of the arm 16 runs on the peripheral surface of the cam s on the main shaft 71. (See particularly Fig.2.)

The cam 0, by its rotation, moves the bell -crank lever f, the arm f, and oscillates the shaft F, the spring 18 exerting the desired tension to keep the roller at the free end of the bell crank lever against the surface'of the cam 0. The shaft F, in turn, swings the arms f and moves the mortise plate 7 up and down, and with this up-and-down motion imparts a swinging motion to the cranks e and an oscillating motion to the shafts 6 moving the loopers and Spreaders in a direction that corresponds generally to the same vertical plane traveled by the semicircular needles and simultaneous with this motion the arm 16 is actuated by the cam s swinging the crank 15 and turning the face plate f slightly so as to impart to the loopers and Spreaders a forward and backward motion at right angles to the vertical plane traveled by the semi-circular needles, and the parts are so arranged and timed that this swinging, and the forward and back motion produce a movement of the loopers and Spreaders all around the point of the semicircular needle as the same stands up from and within the signatures as they are sewed, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to the hook devices (see Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5) the hooks h are each connected by a pivot 21 to a vertical rod 7L the latter having a bearing in the forward portion of the frame part 70 and I provide posts 22 in the lower frame part 70 which project back of the hooks. Each hook is formed with a shoulder cam above the posts 22, the same when bearing upon the post tends to swing the hook. The vertical rods are provided with heads 23, 24:, the lower one of which, 24, is securely fastened to the rod, and the upper one, 23, is movable and there is a spring 25 around the upper portion on the rod 72. between the head 23 and a nut at the upper end.

I provide a shaft k in suitable bearings 71/ The free ends of these crank arms are forked so as to straddle the vertical rods 72, between the heads 23 and 24. Consequently, when the shaft h turns in one direction, the vertical rods ]L1 are borne downward, carrying the hooks therewith, and as the same strike the posts 22, the hooks are swung on their pivots 21. In the opposite direction, the vertical rods 7L are elevated or raised against the yielding action of the springs 25, and the hooks h are raised and in the opera-- tion, as hereinafter described, it will appear that this motion provides for the formation of loops of thread. As the hooks h are raised each is maintained against its post 22 by means of the tension applied to the hook by the thread which passes over it.

At one end of the shaft 7L2, there is a crank 72,, and connected thereto link 72, and the lower end of this link is connected to a bell crank lever 72f mounted on the shaft 9. This bell crank lever 72, is provided with a roller which bears on the peripheral surface of the cam m on the shaft 2', consequently with the rotation of this cam, the bell crank lever is oscillated, the link 72, is moved, and the shaft 72 oscillated slightly in opposite directions to a sufiicient amount to cause the proper movement of the hooks h. lension is applied by a spring 72, one end of which is connected to a hook around the shaft 9, or in any other similar convenient manner, while the other end of the spring 71, is connected to an arm upon the free end of the crank 72.

The thread take-up devices comprise the following: (See particularly Figs. 3, a and 5).

25 is a swinging head mounted upon a shaft t which at one end is provided with a hearing on the upper end of the frame part and near the other end with a bearing in one side frame of the machine, and by the oscillation of this shaft, the said swinging head 29 is moved to the timing of a cam. On one end of the shaft t is a crank 25 (Fig. 1), and a link 25 is pivoted to this crank at one end, and at the other end to a bell crank lever t mounted upon the shaft g, there being a roller on the free end of this bell crank lever running on the periphery of the cam n, which is upon the shaft 6, consequently with the movement of this cam in its rotation, the bell crank lever i link and crank 75 are actuated to impart an oscillating movement to the shaft 6 The head 6, connected to this shaft Z carries the thread puller devices 0 for slack thread and comprise rollers on the free ends of arms 26, which are pivoted to the head 25. Pension springs 27, at one end, are connected to the arms 26, and at the other ends to the arms 28, which are also secured to the swinging head i, and t represents stop arms secured in and rising from the head (6 which engage the back of the arms 26 as stops to limit the backward motion which would be imparted to these arms 26 by the contractile action of the springs 27.

I have shown in Fig. 2 a gear 6 upon the main shaft 2' and a pinion i meshing therewith, so as to communicate power and rotation to the shaft 2', the cams Z, on, a, 0 and s, mounted on said shaft and the parts actuated thereby, and I have further shown in Fig. 3,

section of a. presser bar a against the signature to be sewed and a section of part of the signature mounted upon a signature holding bar 71 the signature in this figure coming directly below the throat plate 10 in a position for the sewing needle to enter the signature.

I will now proceed to describe the sewing operation with respect to the illustrations Figs. 7 to 24, inclusive, and at the same time, in stages, describe with reference to Fig. 6, the operation of the cams which affect the respective movements of the needle, loopers, spreaders, and hooks.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the sewing needle (Z is in an el vated position, such as it assumes after sewing a signature, and while another signature is being elevated to position to be sewed and the signature just sewed has been pushed back with other signatures already sewed along the delivery table 6 by the presser bar a.

Fig. 7 shows the position of the signature that has just been sewed and the signature that has just been brought into place centrally beneath the semi-circular needle to be sewed, and in Figs. 7 and 8, it will be noticed that the thread goes into the signature that has just been sewed, passing out in the form of a loop around the looper e and back through the signature and out to the eyepointed end of the needle, the thread coming to the needle from the thread puller device 0 In this connection, I prefer to puncture the signature to be sewed by suitable devices, the needle in Figs. 7 and 8 being ready and in position to pass into the new signature.

' In this position, it will also be noticed that the thread from the needle eye extends across the hook it to the signature that has just been sewed.

in Figs. 9 and 10, the needle is shown as having passed down into and up through the new signature and in descending the needle has left a loop of thread on the hook 7t and has passed through the loop of thread on the looper e, and in this movement thethe way by the pressure bar a and the new slgnature has been brought up to position, this thread puller device has been actuated by the mechanism hereinbefore set forth to pull thread from the spool through the ten- SlOIl device 0 so that slack of thread is in position for the next sewing operation, hence this particular feature will not need further description.

Referring again to Figs. 9 and 10, it will be noticed that the point of the needle is through the loop on the looper and the point of the needle is raised to a position above the horizontal plane of the spreader so that the notch end of the needle behind the eye comes about on the plane of the spreader. In the next movement, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the looper and spreader have been moved back or behind the plane of the needle so that the looper has dropped the thread thereon as a loop and the spreader has passed beneath the thread on the needle. Simultaneous therewith, the hook h has been raised to pull the thread and reduce the size of the loop just dropped from the looper and the hook is then lowered.

This movement of the looper and spreader is that from the position shown in Figs. 9 and 10, to the positions shown in Figs. 11 and 12, and in which the looper and spreader move toward the axis of the needle shaft, the looper performing no function but the spreader forming a loop of the thread extending from the eye of the needle into the signature, as shown in Fig. 12. This loop is formedsubstantially simultaneous with the lowering of the hook h into the position Figs. 13 and 14. These movements areperformed substantially as follows, with reference to Fig. 6, that is to say, referringto the horizontal line 100 and the cam n, the thread puller has moved forward enough to com mence slacking the thread toward the needle and the motion is continued to 102 From 100 to 103 the needle passes through the signature and from 103 to 10?, the looper moves back, casting ofi the loop of thread and the spreader passes between the needle and the thread. From 104 to 105, the looper and the spreader move toward the center of the needle shaft, the looper being behind the needle. From 105 to 107 the hook rises to take up the slack caused by casting the loop from the looper and the hook then drops down allowing the slack thread to be taken up by the movementof the spreader.

Referring now to Figs. 13 and 14:, the spreader has moved away from the loop held in Fig. 12, and the looper passed forward through the loop and in front of the needle, thus leaving on the looper a second loop which passes through the first loop and comes from the signature being sewed. This is. shown in Figs. 13 and 1a, the mechanism then actuating the needle and withdrawing same into the signature being sewed, as in Figs. 15 and 16, so that the point of the needle is entirely within the signature, and the loop from the eye of the needle is around the looper and through the loop of the previously sewed signature, the spreader being out of the way of the operation at this point.

Referring now again to Fig. 6, from 106 to 107 the looper moves backward as to its loop engagement and forward toward the operator, and at 107 moves slightly toward the center of the needle shaft, the thread being transferred from the spreader to the looper forming loop No. 2, as indicated in Figs. 14 to 16, inclusive, and from 10 7 to 108 the needle moves reversely until its point is retracted and concealed in the signature.

From 107 to 108*, the thread puller device moves back sufficient to apply tension to the springs and create a pull on the thread, while from 108 to 109 the looper moves back into line with the needle, as in Fig. 15,in the same position that the looper occupies at 100 I From 108 to 109, there is a slight movement imparted to the looper away from and then toward the axial center of the needle, as a precaution to prevent the second loop from sliding off the looper before the first loop is tightened, and from 108 to 110, the hook it rises partly tightening the'first loo-p, while from 110 to 111', the hook drops, making slack thread toward the looper.

The positions Figs. 17 and 18 will be found to be very similar to the position Figs. 9 and 10', for as between Figs. 15 and 16 on the one hand and Figs. 17 and 18 on the other hand, the needle operating devices have again elevated the needle; this time through the second loop, and the needle through the second loop, occupies substantially the same position as it did through the first one, except that the same signature is being sewed. In this position, the needle will be found through'the second loop, that is to say, through the loop of the signature just being sewed, and in this position it will be noticed that while the needle was in position Fig. 16, the looper passed from the position Fig. 13 to the position Fig. 17, or in other words, from forward of the needle to being in line with the needle, and'from the position Figs. 17 and 18 to the position Figs. 19 and 20, the looper is drawn behind the plane of the needle and from the right-hand to the left-hand behind the needle, or in other words, from the position Fig. 17 to the position Fig. 19, and the spreader has again gone through the thread from within the signature and the eye of the needle and has opened up the same as shown in Fig. 20. Referring again tothe cam, diagram Fig.

6, from the position 110 to 111, the looper moves away, taking up the slack from the hook, and from 111 to 112 the looper moves toward the axial center of the needle, allow ing the slack to be taken up by the thread puller.

From 112 to 113, the hook rises again to finish tightening loop No.1 of the pre viously sewed signature. I

From 113 to 114, the hook drops allowing the slack thread to go to the looper, and from 113 to 114, the looper moves away, taking the slack from the hook.

From 114 to 115, the looper moves toward the needle center, allowing the slack to go to the thread puller.

From 11a to 116, the hook moves toward the needle center, disengaging the thread and leaving a loop of thread around the needle, as in Fig. 20.

From 117 to 119, the movement of the looper tightens the loop of the previously sewed signature. This loop is shown diagrammatically and open in the stitch diagram shown in Fig. 25.

In the cam position 120, the looper is in the same place as at 100. In other words, at the same position as Figs. 8 and 9.

At 120, the thread puller is given a slight forward .movement to slacken the thread, and at 120 to 121 the needle moves through the signature, as in Figs. 18 to 22, inclusive.

In'the cam position 121 to 122, the looper moves back and the spreader passes between the needle and the thread, as in Figs. 19 and 20, and the loop No. 2 is cast off of the looper, as shown in these figures, and from 122 to 123, the looper and the spreader move toward the axial center of the needle, as in Figs. 19 and 20, and the cast off loop is drawn down toward the signature by the motion of the spreader.

From 124 to 126, the looper moves through the loop of thread formed by the spreader, as in Fig. 20, and from 125 to 127, the looper moves in front of the needle,

' and the thread is transferred from the spreader to the looper in the form of loop No. 3, shown in Figs. 21 and 22.

From 126 to 129, the needle moves reversely from the position Fig. 22 to the position Fig. 24:, which corresponds with its initial position Fig. 8, and remains in this position.

While the cam 0 moves from the position 128 to 129, there is a precautionary movement of the looper, the same as at 108, while from 129 to 130 the looper moves forward elongating loop N o. 3.

From the cam position 180 to 131, the looper moves back to correspond to the movement of the pressure bar which presses the signature back, making room for the following or succeeding signature.

From the cam position 130 to 13F, 135

and 136, there are performed a series of movements of the looper alternately away from and toward the needle center to tighten the knot formed by loops 2 and 3.

From the cam position 129 to 138, the thread puller moves back, pulling the thread from the spool and at the same time taking up the slack made by tightening the knot over the back of the signature.

From the cam position, 131 to 133, the hook swings forward under the thread which passes from the eye of the needle into the signature that has just been sewed, and at the cam position 137, the looper is moved toward the axial center of the needle close to the needle, and from these positions, which are the initial positions of movement of the parts in sewing operations, the cycle of movements in sewing is repeated with each signature sewed.

I have described the sewing operations with reference to a single needle, a single looper, spreader and hook. Such description answers for each similar successive group of sewing devices, as the operations are allalike, notwithstanding the fact that for sewing a signature, I prefer to employ two groups of two needles each similarly placed but reversed, all the operations of each set being alike.

From the foregoing description of the sewing, and by referring back to the mechanism, the operation of the shaft 6 in swinging the looper and spreader in planes parallel to the plane of movement of the semicircular needle will be appreciated, and also the action of the face bar i in rocking the looper and spreader devices to move the same backward and forward will also be appreciated, whereby the looper makes a rectangular path completely around the point of the needle for the formation of the respective loops and the tying of the knot.

Letters Patent granted to me July i, 1911, No. 997,005, disclosed the old form of stitch and the form of stitch shown generally in Fig. 25, and employed by me and made by the machine of the present application, but it is thought that Fig. 25 more clearly shows the form of stitch and the knot tied therein and by the machine hereinbefore described than is shown in said patent which aims to protect the method of sewing.

Fig. 25 shows parts of three signatures, a first and the two following, and shows the threads in open form instead of the tied tight knot for the better understanding of the running of the threads.

When signatures are sewed by the machine herein described and a knot is formed over the back of each signature and the threads securely tied together, the two threads that extend from one signature to the other between the knots may be severed, thus separating the signatures, and this, too,

without affecting the knot tied or the relation of the signature on either side of the line of severance to the next signature.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a book sewing machine and in com bination, a needle, a looper, means for actuating the needle to cause the point thereof to pass through a supported signature, then retract the point of the needle into the signature, then to pass the point of the needle again through the signature and to then return the needle to an initial position, a spreader, and means for so actuating the spreader and looper that they cooperate with the needle on each of its passages into and through the signature, causing the spreader, during one of the movements of the needle to take a loop therefrom and by pulling the said loop to reduce a loop previously east 05 around the needle from the looper and finally to cast off the loop so taken from the needle upon the looper, all of said actuations being produced in a single stitch forming cycle.

2. In a book sewing machine and in combination, a needle, means for actuating the needle to project its point through'a supported signature, to then retract the point of the needle into the signature, then again project the point of the needle through the signature and to then return the needle to an initial position, a looper, means for actuating the looper to cast off a loop around the needle the secondtime it is projected through the signature, a spreader, and means for actuating the spreader to take a loop from the needle the second time the needle point is projected through the signature, and by pulling the said loop to reduce the loop previously cast off around the needle, and finally to cast off the loop so taken from the needle upon the looper, all of said actuations being produced in a single stitch forming cycle.

In a book sewing machine and in combination, a needle, means for actuating the needle to project its point through a supported signature, to then retract the point of the needle into the signature, to then again project the point of the needle through the signature and to return the needle to an initial position, a looper, a spreader, and means for operating the said looper and the said spreader to cause the looper to cast off a loop around the needle the first time the needle point is projected through the signature and the spreader to take a loop from the needle and to cast the same off on the looper as the needle is retracted into the signature, to then cause the said looper to cast off a second loop around the needle the second time the needle point is projected through the signature, and the spreader to take another loop from the needle and by pulling the same to reduce the said second loop cast off around the needle, and to finally cast off the last aforesaid loop upon the looper, all of said actuations being produced in a single stitch forming cycle.

i. In a book sewing machine, the combination with 'asewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a looper device and a spreader device, a common head to which the same are connected, devices for imparting a swinging movement to said looper and spreader in planes parallel to the plane'of the needle, and other devices bearing against the support of the looper and spreader and having an axis of oscillation concentric with the swinging axis of the looper and spreader, and devices for actuating the same whereby the looper and spreader are given a movement to encircle the thread about the point of the needle and forming and tieing a knot in the thread over the back of the signature.

5. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a sewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a head, an auxiliary head, to which said head is pivoted for a swinging movement in a plane parallel with the plane of the needle, a shaft and bifurcated head in which the auxiliary head is pivoted for a swinging movement across the plane of the needle, and said shaft adapted to swing both heads together, and means for oscillating said shaft, the looper and spreader both mounted upon and depending from said head in proximity to the point of exit from the signature of the point of the needle, and means acting upon the auxil iary head for swinging the same with the head, the looper and the spreader in a path at right angles to the plane of the needle.

6. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a sewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a head, an auxiliary head to which said head is pivoted for a swinging movement in a plane parallel with the plane of the needle, a shaft and bifurcated head in which the auxiliary head is pivoted for a swinging movement across the plane of the needle, and said shaft adapted to swing both heads together, and means for oscillating said shaft, a looper and spreader both mounted upon and depending from said head in proximity to the point of exit from the si nature of the point of the needle, a face bar bearing upon the surface of the auxiliary head, trunnions for the same, the axis of which is coincident with the axis of the aforesaid shaft, and devices for imparting an oscillating swinging movement to said face bar for swinging the looper and spreader in paths across the plane of the needle.

7. In a book sewing machine, the combi nation with a sewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a hook device adapted for forming a loop of thread and drawing upon the same, a vertically disposed rod to which said hook ispivoted, and said hook having a projection, a fixed post in the frame of the machine coming under said projection and adapted with the movement of the hook to swing the same on its pivot, a lower fixed and upper movable head mounted upon said rod, and a spring on said rod above the upper or movable head, a shaft mounted upon the frame of the machine, and a crank arm connected therewith having a forked end, which forked end comes between the fixed and movable heads, and means for actuating said shaft and oscillating the same for raising and lowering the said vertical rod and hook device with the movement of the crank arm.

8. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a series of sewing needles, of shafts on which said needles are mounted and pinions on said shafts, rack bars located both above and below said pinion's, pinions for actuating said rack bars to impart motion to said sewing needles simultaneously and in opposite directions, a main shaft and a cam thereon, a bell. crank lever actuated by said cam and a vertical rack bar in turn actuated by the bell crank lever to impart movement through the intervening devices set forth to said sewing needles.

9. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a series of sewing needles, of looper and spreader devices in groups, devices to which said loopers and spreaders are connected, shafts for swinging the same in planes parallel with the plane of the sewing needles, cranks on the opposite ends of said shafts, and crank pins therefor, a mortised plate receiving said crank pins, arms, and a shaft to which the same are pivoted, and said arms slotted at the ends to receive the ends of said mortised plate, and means for swinging said shaft and raising and lowering the said mortised plate for imparting movement to said looper and spreader devices.

10. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a series of sewing needles, of looper and spreader devices in groups, devices to which said loopers and spreaders are connected, shafts for swinging the same in planes parallel with the plane of .the sewing needles, cranks on the opposite ends of said shafts, and crank pins therefor, a mortised plate receiving said crank pins, arms, and a shaft to which the same are pivoted, and said arms slotted at the ends to receive the ends of said mortised plate, an arm connected to said shaft and a pivoted bell crank lever connected to the free end of said arm and a cam on the main shaft of the machine against the periphery of which a roller on the free end of the bell crank lever bears as a means for swinging said shaft and raising and lowering the said mortised plate for imparting movement to said looper and spreader devices. I

11. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a sewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a looper and spreader device, a head to which said looper and spreader are secured, an auxiliary head and a pivot pin, for connecting the said heads in a swinging relation, a shaft and bifurcated head to which the auxiliary head is in turn pivoted, the latter pivot being at right angles to the former pivot, a post secured to the said head, an adjusting screw passing through the free end of said post, a bent arm with one part passing through an opening in the upper end of the auxiliary head and a screw for fixing the position of said arm in'said head at said opening, a spring around said post at one end and around said bent arm at the other end for holding the point of the screw against the free end of said bent arm, whereby with the rotation of the said screw the position of the head carrying the looper and spreader may be adjusted in relation to the auxiliary head.

12. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a sewing needle and means for actuating the same, of a looper and spreader device, a head to which said looper and spreader are secured, an auxiliary head and a pivot pin for connecting the said heads in a swinging relation, a shaft and bifurcated head to which the auxiliary head is in turn pivoted, the latter pivot being at right angles to the former pivot, and spring controlled devices connected respectively to the said heads, and adjusting devices connected therewith for fixing the relation of the swinging head to the auxiliary head so as to regulate the desired position occupied by the looper and spreader.

13. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for thereafter returning the needle to its initial position.

14-. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for thereafter returning the needle to its initial position, and mechanism for twice encircling the point of the needle and forming two loops of thread during one complete movement of the needle.

15. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for thereafter returning the needle to its initial position, and mechanism for manipulating the thread of the needle to form two loops therein during one complete movement of the needle. I

16. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for thereafter returning the needle to its initial position, mechanism for holding aloop of thread from a previously sewn signature, mechanism forforming a loop of thread as the needle passes down into and through the signature, mechanism for engaging the thread from the needle adjacent to the point of the needle when the same rises from the signature and forming a loop thereof, devices for swinging the first loop holding member partly around the needle and through the loop thus formed, and in so doing dropping the first loop and taking the second loop, and means for imparting -to said loop forming devices a second encircling movement of the needle before the needle returns to an initial position.

17. In a book sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for there- Oopies of this patent may be obtained for after returning the needle to its initial position, mechanism for holding a loop of thread from a previously sewn signature, mechanism for engaging the thread from the needle adjacent to the point of the needle when the same rises from the signature and forming a loop thereof, devices for swinging the loop holding member partly around the needle and through the loop thus formed,and in so doing dropping the first loop and taking the second loop, and means for imparting to said loop forming devices a second encircling movement of the needle before the needle returns to an initial position.

18. In a hook sewing machine, the combination with a circular needle, of devices for actuating the circular needle to project the same through the back of a supported signature, for then retracting the same so that the point is within the signature, for thereafter again projecting the needle with the point out of the signature, and for thereafter returning the needle to its initial position, mechanism for holding a loop of thread from a previously sewn signature, mechanism for engaging the thread from the needle adjacent to the point of the needle when the same rises from the signature and forming a loop thereof, devices for swinging the loop holding member partly around the needle and through the loop thus formed, and in so doing dropping the first loop and taking the second loop, means for imparting to said loop forming devices a second encircling movement of the needle before the needle returns to an initial position, and yielding defive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

Images