US1234913A - Presser-foot mechanism for sewing-machines. - Google Patents

Description

F. N. LA CHAPELLE.

PRESSER FOOT MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23,1910.

1,234,913. Patentd July 31,1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFEIoE.

FRED N. LA CHAPELLE, OF BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF'PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Application filed July 23, 1910. Serial No. 573,365.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED N. LA CHAPELLE, citizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presser-Foot Mechanism for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta-ins to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a devlce for lifting the presser-foot of a sewing machine.

The present invention as embodied in the mechanism herein described is intended as an improvement 'upon the machine shown and described in the patent to French &v

Meyer, No. 473,870, April 26, 1892, and has for its object the release of the presser-foot upon the reversal of the driving shaft. In

Y practice, the operator, when it is desired to remove the work from the sewing machine, reverses the rotation of the driving shaft until the needle and awl are pulled from the work, and it is the usual practice to so position the clamping bolt of the pulley wheel upon the driving shaft that when the shaft is turned in position to free the work of the awl and needle that said clamping bolt will be on the top of the shaft, the operator Watching the position of the bolt to determine When the work may be removed from the machine. In the Goodyear outsole rapid stitcher, described in the above-mentioned French & Meyer patent, it is usual to employ the resser-foot releasing device shown and described in the patent to Holmes, No. 584,039, June 8th,1897, by which when the operator desires to remove the work he may do so by releasing the presser-foot by means of a hand lever. In my improved device it is possible for the operator to release the presser-foot by hand at any stage of the stitch-forming operation, and I also provide means whereby upon the reverse rotais illustrated in the above-mentioned patent to French and Meyer. It will be understood, however, that my invention is equally applicable to other types of sewing machines, and that it can be otherwise embodied withtout departing from the spirit of my invenion.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, taken partly in cross section, of the mechanism embodying my invention; Flg. 2 is a side elevation showing in more detail the presser-foo't arm and its releasing link, while Fig. 3 shows the releasing link alone.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings 1 indicates a work support against which the work is held by a Presser-foot 2 which is carried by an elbow-shaped lever 3 which is loosely mounted to turn about the stud 4:, which is mounted upon the frame of the machine. Pivotally mounted on the stud 4 is the arm 5 which is yieldingly connected with the elbow-shaped lever 3 by means of the spring 6 and link 7. At the ends of the arms 3 and 5 are the ratchet toothed sur faces 8 and 9 respectively. The ratchet teeth 9 are engaged by a pawl 10 borne upon the end of a lever 11, said lever being pivoted to the frame at 12 and oscillated by a cam roller 13 running in a cam slot formed in the side of the cam wheel 1 1. The upward movement of the lever 11, transmitted to the arm 5 by means of the pawl 10 and ratchet 9, raises the arm 5, putting the spring 6 under compression, and by means of the link 7 and arm 3, forcing the presser-foot 2 upon the work, the presser-foot being firmly held in position by means of the ratchet teeth 8 which are engaged by one or more of the pawls 15, varying preferably in length to thus provide in the usual manner for finer adjustments, said pawls being pivoted upon a stud 16 rigidly secured to the frame. S9

5 as indicated at A and B in my drawings to arm 3 is the bearing stud 19 to which is attached the sliding frame 20 used in varyingthe stroke of the pull-off, the frame 20 being held upwai dly by a light spring 21.

' sure of the spring 6, but when the 'work'is stationary the spring 6 is compressed to force the presser foot against the work to clamp it on the work support. With the exception of the arm 17, the purpose of cushion of leather or other soft material 34 to prevent rattling of the link 30 as it drops into this recess during the normal rotation of the driving shaft as indicated by the artion of the driving shaft 27 is reversed, the

ratchet tooth 33 will engage the pawl 32 and force the link 30 downward, the curved finger 31 forming a bearing against the hub 28 and holding the upper end of the link 30 in which will be hereinafter explained, the'al" position beneath the shaft 27. The lower rangement and operation of the foregoing parts is substantially that disclosed in the above-mentioned French and Meyer patent and Holmes patent, and further detailed description is considered unnecessary. It,

will be noted, however, that with my device applied to the Goodyear rapid stitcher shown in the French and Meyer patent, the

lever and cam roller designated at 7 and f respectively in the French and Meyer patent, are placed above the driving shaft allow space for the releasing link in my device to engage below the driving shaft.

Pivoted about the stud't is a lever 22 bearing the handle 23. Piyoted to the lower extremity of the lever 22 is a bifurcated link 24, the lower 'rearwardly extending arm of this link being forked to engage and be guided by the pin 18 upon the pawl'15 while the upper rearwardly extending arm of this tor to lift the presser foot without havingto; compress by hand the spring'6 as necessary in the device disclosed in the Holmes patent.

Keyed upon the driving shaft 27 is the hub 28 of'the cam wheel 14 and extending to the right of the cam wheel viewing the machine from the front. This hub is longitudinally slotted or recessedat 29, one edge of the slot or recess forming the ratchet tooth or edge 33. Loosely lying against the hub 28 is the upper end of a link 30. The upper end of the link 30 bears a curved finger 31 of the curvature similar to the circumference of the hub 28. The upper end of the link 30 at a point near the branching off of the finger 31 is formed with a pawl tooth 32 which is arranged to be engaged by a single ratchet tooth 33 formed on the hub in making this tooth 33 is padded with a the link 30.

end of the link 30 is bifurcated to form a spring 36 is resisted by a stop 36 limiting the upward movement of the link 30, the

, action of the spring 36 and stop 36 exerting a torque to hold the upper end of the link 30 in engagement with the hub'28. Secured to the link 30 near its lower end is a bearing shoulder 37 which, when the link 30 is forced downwardly will engage the upward end of the arm 1% and by a cam action from the ratchet teeth 8.

The upward thrust of the,

force it to the re'ar,releasing the pawl 15 The operation of my deviceis'as follows r I i a When the driving shaft is reversed the link strikes against a pin 25 carried. by'a ratchet tooth 33 engages the pawl 32 carrying the link 30 downwardly. The link 30 in its downward movement firstcompresses the 7 spring 36, then the shoulder 37, striking the arm 17 releases the pawl 15 from the ratchet teeth 8 and the stud 19, slipping in the slot 31*, is finally engaged at the upper end of the slot, and the arm 3 forced downwardly against the force of the spring 6, thus lifting the presser-foot 2, the parts assuming the positionshown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the pawl 10 still engages the ratchet teeth 9 so that the spring 6 is compressed by the downward movement of the arm 3. The work may now be easily removed from beawl are withdrawn from the work by the backward rotation of the driving shaft. By suitably positioning the notch 29 about the shaft 27, the resser-foot may be lifted at that point in the reverse rotation at which the needle and awl are withdrawn from the work. A new piece of work may now be placed upon the work support beneath the presser-foot and the driving shaft started in its normal direction of rotation. The upper end of the link 30 is now carried upwardly and to the left from the position 7 shown in Fig. 2, thus allowing the presserfoot to again descend upon the work, the

neath the presser foot 2 when the needle and spring 6 forcing the presser-foot down with the same force that it had before the presserfoot was automatically released by the reverse rotation of the shaft, a result which it was impossible to obtain when the operator was compelled to replace the force of the spring upon the presser-foot by hand.

Having now described my invention What is claimed is:

1. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices, a driving shaft, a relatively movable work support and presser foot, yielding means inoperative during the feeding of the work but acting at times when the work 1s stationary to force the work support and presser foot together to clamp the work between them, and means operating in timed relation with the stitch forming and work feeding devices made operative only upon the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for separating the work support and presser foot against the pressure of said yieldlng means, whereby the work may be withdrawn, substantially as described. 7

2. A sewing machine having, in combination,stitch forming and work feeding devices, a driving shaft, a relatively movable work support and presser foot, yielding means 1noperative during the feeding of the work but acting at times when the work is stationary to force the work support and presser foot together to clamp the work between them, means for locking the work support and presser foot against the work, and means operating in timed relation wlth the stitch forming and work feeding devices made operative only upon the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for unlocking said locking means'and for separating the work support and presser foot against the pressure of said yielding means, whereby the work may be withdrawn, substantially as described.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding means, a driving shaft, a work support, a movable presser foot, aspring acting with a heavy pressure to force the presser foot against the work on the work support when the work is stationary, means for relieving the work of the pressure of the spring when the work is fed, and means operating in timed relation with the stitch forming and work feeding devices made operative by the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for lifting the presser foot against the force of the spring, whereby the work may be withdrawn, substantially as described.

4. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices, a work support, a movable presser foot, a weak spring acting with a normally light pressure to force the presser foot against the work on the work support, means including a strong spring inoperative during the feeding of the work but acting at times when the Work is stationary to increase the pressure of the presser foot against the work, and means made operative by the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft to lift the presser foot against the pressure of said second spring, whereby the work may be withdrawn, substantially as described.

5. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices, a driving shaft, a work support, a movable presser foot, means including a spring inoperative during the feeding of the work but acting at times when the work is stationary to force the presser foot against the work on the work support, means operatthe stitch forming ing in timed relation with and work feeding devices made operative only upon the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for lifting the presser foot against the force of the spring whereby the work may be withdrawn, said means upon the resumption of rotation of the driving shaft in normal direction automatically allowing the spring to again force the presser foot against the work, substantially as described.

6. A sewing machine having, in combination, stitch forming and work feeding devices, a driving shaft, a relatively movable work support and presser foot, a spring, means acting through the spring to clamp the work between the work support and presser foot once during each cycle of stitch forming operations and acting to release the work when it is fed, and means operating in timed relation to the stitch forming and work feeding devices inactive during the normal operation of the machine and made operative only upon the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for separating the work support and presser foot against the pressure of the spring, substantially as described.

7 A sewing machine having, in combina tion, stitch forming and work feeding devices, a relatively movable work support and presser foot, a spring for holding the presser foot and work support in light engagement with the work, a second and stronger spring, means acting through the second spring to clamp the work between the work support and presser foot once during each cycle of stitch forming operations and acting to release the work when it is fed, and means inactive during the normal operation of the machine and made operative only upon the reversal of the rotation of the driving shaft for separating the work support and presser foot against the pressure of the second spring so that the work may be removed and having provision for automatically allowing the spring to again clamp the work between the work support and presser foot upon the resumption of rotation of the driving shaft in its normal direction substantially as described.

8. In a sole-sewing machine, the combina- 7 nected from said shaft after said presserfoot is raised, and constructed to leave said resser-foot in raised position. r

9. In a sole-sewing machine, the combination with a drive shaft, a Work support, and a movable resser-foot, of a member connected with said presser-foot, and operating means on said shaft engaging said member upon reversal of said shaft, constructed and arranged to raise said presser-foot and thereafter become disconnected from said member to leave said resser-foot in raised position. i s V 10. A sewing machine having, in combination, a driving shaft, a 'tooth connected with the shaft, a presser foot, a Work s11pport, mechanism including a disconnecting link constructed and arranged to engagethe tooth upon rotation of the driving shaft in 7 reverse direction to raise the presser' foot and upon continued rotation of the driving shaft in reverse direction to become disconnected from the tooth and leave the presser' foot in raised position.

'11. A sewing machine having, in combination, a driving shaft, a tooth connected with the shaft, a presser foot, a work support, presser foot raising mechanism includmeans for holding the presser foot in raised 7 position upon a continued rotation of the drivlng shaft in reverse direction.

FRED N. LA OHAPELLE,

Witnesses:

Cmzsrnn E. Rocnns, LAURA 'M. Gooonroen.

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