US1365041A - Machine for making upholstering-cushions - Google Patents

Description

A,. H. LIGHTER.

MACHINE EUR MAKING UPHOLSTERING cusHloNs.

1,365,041, I Patented Jan. 11,1921. 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Fig/.1.

APPLICATION FILED APR: I5, I9I9- .IIHHIII INVENT''E A. H. LIGHTER.

MACHINE FOR MAKING UPHOLSTERING CUSHIONS.

APPLICAHON man APR.15, 1919.

1,365,041, Patented Jan. 11,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F1' Q. E

INVENTDR UNITED STA'Ig'llQASMPATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPI-I H. LIGHTER, TOLEDO, OHIO.

I MACHINE FOR MAKING UPHOLSTERING-CUSHIONS.

Application filed April 15,

To aZZ /w/Lom it may concern: y

Beit known that I, ADoLPH H. LIGHTER,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Machine for Making Upholstering- Cushins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptiontof the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine whereby cushioned tops or coverings for upholstered seats or backs of automobiles, chairs, couches and the like, may be rapidly made. It has for its object particularly a machine for making eflicient and attractive upholstered coverings for springs used in seats and backs at a low cost of production.

My invention provides a means whereby the cushioned part of an automobile seat and back may be made by a gang sewing machine and whereby the -parts of the cushion may be formed and secured in one operation'of the sewing machine.

The invention may be contained instructures of different forms, inasmuch as my invention contemplates changes in details and application and form of embodiment. I have selected one -of such constructions and shall describe it hereinafter. The structure selected isillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a front view of the gang sewing machine used in securing the parts of the cushion together. Fig. 2 is a side view vof the structure containing my invention. Figs. 3, 4 and '5 illustrate perspective views showing parts broken and 1n section to more clearly illustrate the details of construction and the mode of operation thereof. Fig. 6 illustrates a sectional view of the cushion after it has been formed in the operation of the machine containing my invention. y

1 indicates a gang sewing machine of the ordinary type and having a form well known in the art. 'It has a plurality ofk needles 2 that are operated by.cams 5 lo-- cated on a driving shaft 6 and which are driven by a suitable pulley 7. Suitable feed lowing edges.

' the plates.

Specification of Letters Patent.y Patented Jan. 11 1921 1919. Serial No. 290,123.

I mechanism is operated by the gear wheels 8 that are driven through the operation of the shaft 9 by the gear wheels 10 and 11. These form no part of my invention. i

In front of the needles 2 is located a formf -ing guide 12 which is mounted on a shelf -13 proach, at one end of each of the supporting members 14, the bedplate 13, that is, one end of the overhanging part is located higher with respect to the bed plate 13 than the other end. A plate 15 is placed on the overhanging supportingparts 14 and preferably extends to the outer 'edges of the supporting parts 14 which preferably 4converge toward the needles. A plate 16 is also supported by the supporting members 14 and in spaced relation with respect to the plate l5. Ihe edges of the plates l5 and 16 are located in parallel relation and theleadingedges, with respect to the needles and the movement of the material to the needles, are spaced apart considerably more than the fol- The plates 15 and 16 are fluted or corrugated and the corrugations converge from the leading edges toward their following edges Eind deepen as they approach the following edges. The corrugations 17 of the plates are located in parallel plate fit the corrugations inthe other plate l and so as to leave between the corrugations otheras the corrugations become more pro'- nounced. Near the leading edges the plates are flat and their surfaces are plane while in the following edges the plates are deeply corrugated. The corrugations at the following edges of the) plates are formed in such a way that the concave curvature of the portions of the plates, 4looking from above the plates, is much/sharper than the convex curvature of the other portions of The relative positions of the plates are secured by means ofthe thumb relation, that is, the corrugations of one Y screws 18 and suitable spacing members such as the short sleeves or collars 19. The screws 18 may be threaded into the supporting members 14 while the` spacing members l 19 are located intermediate the plates 15 and 16.

The presser feet`20 of the machinel are located in proximity to the delivery end of the guide and compressing member 12. They areqlowcated in" line'with the concave portions of the guide member and thus the' needles 2 that` coact with the presser feet sew their threads through the material that is delivered from the guide member at these 12, and beneath the presser feet 20 while it is being .operated upon by the needles 2. In forming the cushion, a fabric, such as heavy muslin or canvas 22, is placed on the bed plate or shelf 13 and suitable filling material such as cotton or felt or cushion material 23 is placed on the fabic 22. These are placed between the supporting members 14 which form also guides for the fabric 22 and cushion material 23, as they are drawnthrough the machine. The plate 15 is placed on the supporting members 14 above the cushion material 23 and a'suitable covering material such as imitation leather or leather 24 vis placed on the plate 15.-

The plate 16 is then placed on or above thefcdvering material 24. The arts are then secured together by means of t e thumbv screws or bolts 18. The material 23 is thusV compressed atthe sharply curved portions or parts of the following edges of the plates -while the material intermediate these pints is allowed to remain loose, that is, substantially normal thou h it may be compressed somewhat. Also t e covering material 24 is gatheredalong the -following-edges of the plates, that is, is made to conform to the corrugations'. The material is started through the machine -beneath the presser feet` 20, and the needles2, and is fed vand drawn through the machine and while thus being operated upon, the cushion material 23 is compressed as it approaches the following edges of the plates and the covering material 24 is gathered, that is, made to conform to the 'corrugated shape and as the mater' l passes-beneath the needles they are sewed, to the fabric 22 .fwhereby the 'parts are ses,

cured yin their relative positions. Behind the` needles is located a bar 26 that extends across the machine and above the materiah .v It is connected by parterial -along definite The presser-bar 26 is given reciprocatory movements 1n crosswise direction by means of the rod 28 which is connected to a camstrap 29 operated upon by a suitable cam located -on the cam shaft 30. The shaft 30 is rotated by means of the shaft 31 which is connected to the shaft 9 by the belt 32 which moves over and connects the pulley wheels 33, one located on the shaft 9 and the otheron the shaft 31. Rotation of the shaft 30 causes the presser-bar 26 to move down against the top of the corrugations formed 4in the material when they ha've been selooking from behind the machine. fWhen4 the elevated portions ofthe cushion asdelivered from the needles have thus been folded down, so as to cause'an overlapping of parts of the covering material 24 bythe i operation of `the presser-bar 26 the cushion is passed beneath `a roller 34 which not only operates to make more perfect the folds but also operates to draw the material through the ide and compresser member 12 and beneath the needles 2. The roller 34 is operated by any suitable means such as the4 worm gears 35 which are in turn operated bythe shaft 31. The folding down o f the covering material covers the row of stitches used in' sewing the parts together. If the folding of the vparts between the rows of 'stitches is omitted the parts'will' however,

in use and even in stretching the material over the springs, flatten slightlyand spread so as to close over the stitches and-then practically cover the stitches. As the material is delivered from beneath the roller34 itma be rolled up'by any suitable means and'subse uently may. be cut in suitable lengths an .widths according to the sizes of the seats or backs or otherpartsthat are to be upholstered.

1. In combination with a gang sewing ma` chine, a guide member having a pair of plates the plates having couver ing corrugations and located in spaced re ation with respect to each other, a bed platefor sup-- .porting theplates, the lower plate located in spaced relation with respect to the bed plate.

.2. In combination with a gang sewing ma-V chine, means for compressing a cushion maneedles of. the sewing machine, and means for directing a sheet material over the compressed cushion material.

3; In combination with agang sewingmachine, means for compressing a cushion mate'rlal along definite lines in line with the 'zlallelwlinks 27 to the frameof the-machine. needles of 'the sewing machine, means Afor ines in line.. with the iso' directing a sheet material over the compressed cushion material, and gathering the sheet material to cause it to conform to the sinuous surface of the cushion material produced by compressing the cushion material alon'g definite lines.

4. In combination with a gang sewing machine, a bed plate, a pair of plates .having convergingv corrugations located in 'spaced relation to each other and also with respect to the bed plate and operating to compress a cushion material passing beneath the plates and to feed a sheet material over the cushion material and to gather the sheet material to cause it to conform to the surface pro plates the plates having converging corrul gations and located in spaced relation with terial along definite lines in line withthe needles of the sewing machine and means for directing a sheet material over the come,

pressed cushion material, means for foldingv by lateral 4movement the `portions of tlfe sheet material intermediate the lines of sewing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

ADoLPH H. LIGHTER.

Images