US1444632A - Needle guard for multiple-needle sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1923. 1,444,532

.J. R. MOFF'ATT ET AL NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed NOV. 1'7, 1920 5 sheets-sheet l Feb. s, 1923. 1,444,632

- J. R. MOFFATT ET AL 4 NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 17, 1920 I 54sheets-she et 2 Feb. 6, 1923.

' 1,444,632 J. R. MOFFATT ET AL NEEDLE GUARD F Oli MULTIPLE NEEDILE' SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 1'7, 1920 3 sheetssheet 3 (if 3114mm WC? 7 ldatenteol 5, 1923.

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J'AIiIES 3. I'QOFFAT'I AND RALPH S. KELSO, OF CI IIGAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO.

OF ILLINOIS.

NEEDLE GUARD FOR MULTIPLE-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE S.

Application filed November 17, 1920. Serial No. 424,698.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JAMES R. MOFFAT'I' and RALPH S. KnLso, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle Guards for Multiple- Needle Sewing Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and improvements in needle guards for sewing machines, and more particularly to needle guards for a multiple needle abreast sewing machine having a threaded looper cooperating with each needle and disposed so as to move in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as the loope'rs enter their respective needle loops.

An object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above character with needle guards which are adapted to engage the respective needles on the sides thereof passed by the loopers as the latter enter their respective needle thread loops.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a sewing machine of the above character with means for moving the needle guards into and out of position for engagement with the needles if deflected. A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character having a spreader associated with and movable above each looper, wherein the needle guard engages the needle below the path of movement of the looper. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine of the above character with a needle guard having a groove in its face of slightly less width than the diameter of the needle, whereby the needle will be engaged and positioned without interfering with the free throwing out of the needle threadloop for the looper to enter.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

' In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:- I r v Figure 1 is a view, partly in front elevation' and partly in vertical section, of a useful front portion of a machine having the improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a top plan new of a front portion of a machine showing the parts beneath the work support;

Fig/S is a detail in plan showing the loopers, the Spreaders and the needle guards, and also the needles in dotted lines when the loopers are at the forward ends of their" strokes; I

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the loopers just about to enter the needle thread loops and the needles in section; I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing one of the needles in vertical section, the needle guard, and the looperjust previous to, the

point thereof entering the needle thread loop p and k 6 1s a. sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The invention is directed broadly to a multiple needle sewing machine of the type wherein a plurality of needles are set in a line at right angles to the line of feed and a threaded looper cooperates with each needle, said loopers being supported and positioned so as to move ina direction su stantially parallel with and opposed to the feed as the loopers enter their respective needle thread loops. Also associated with each looper is a movable spreader which en gages the looper thread and holds it away from the body of the looper during the back ward movement of the latter so as to'insure the needle passing downwardly between the looper thread and the body of the looper. The specific details illustrated in the drawings of the above features form no part of the present invention except in combination with the needle guard, as thesespecific features, exclusive of the needle guard, are shown, described and claimed in the application tiled jointly by us October 17, 191$), Serial No. 331,371, and, therefore, these specific details will only be referred to briefly in connection with the drawings.

The machine consists of a bed plate 1 liav ing a work support 2 and an overhanging arm 3 on which is mounted a needle bar 41; reci 'n-ocated in the usual manner by a needle lever 5. Said needle bar is provided with a cross head 6 at itslower endin which is mounted four needles 7 8, 9 and 10. Co operating respectively with these needles beneaththe work support are loopers l1, l2, l3 and 14:. Each looper is of the threaded type and the loopers are mounted on a looper sup porting shaft 15. The looper supporting shaft 15 is oscillated for imparting oscillations to the loopers for moving the loopers into and out of their respective needle loops. The looper support 15 is. moved endwise for giving a needle avoiding movement to the loopers. The material is fed across the work support by feed dogs f, f and 7, which are carried by the usual feed bar which is reciprocated' back and forth and raised and lowered in the well-known manner. Cooperating with the feed dogs is a presser foot P of the usual construction- Associated respectively with the loopers 11, 12, 13 and 14 are spreaders 16, 17, 18 and 19. These spreaders are carried by a spreader supporting bar 20 which is mounted in suitable bearings and is moved endwise by means of a link 21. The link 21 is connected to one arm of a bell crank 22. This bell crank 22 is provided with an arm 23 which is connected to an eccentric strap 24 cooperating with an eccentric on the main shaft 25. This bell crank 22, through the link 26, imparts endwise movements to the looper support 15. The looper support 15 is oscillated by a link 27 connected to a crank 28 on the end of the main shaft 25. These parts, as above noted, are all shown, described and claimed in the joint application above referred to.

The loopers move in a direction substantially parallel with the line of feed, and also in a direction opposed to the feed as they enter the needle thread loops. The loopers are moved laterally for a needle avoiding movement, and during their lateral movement the spreaders also move laterally but in the opposite direction, make contact with the-looper threads of; the loopers with which they are associated, and hold the looper threads away from the bodies of the loopers for the entrance of the needles into the looper thread loops. From the drawings it will be seen that the spreaders move in a path above the loopers.

The present invention is directed particularly to the construction of the needle guards for a machine of the type above set forth.

There is a needleguard for each needle, and

the needle guards for the needles 7, 8, 9 and 10 arerespectively indicated at 31, 82, 33 and 34. These needle guards as shown in the drawings are independentlv mounted. Each needle guard is carried by a collar 35.

The collars for the respective needle guards are. mounted on the support 20' which carries, the Spreaders. These collars may be moved endwise on the support or turned about the support for positioning the needle guard properly relative to the needle with which it is associated, Each collar is pro;

vided with a sleeve 36 into which the shank of the needle guard extends, and a set-screw 3T clamps the shank in the sleeve. This permits the needle guard to be adjusted end wise in the sleeve and also turned angularly in the sleeve if desired. "he spreader bar moves endwise, carrying the spreaders into engagement with the looper threads in a manner fully set forth in the application above referred to.

The needle guards, being mounted on the support 20 for the spreaders, will move laterally with the spreaders from a position shown in Fig. 3 to a position shown in Fig. 6, and when brought to the last-named position each needle guard is so located relative to its respective needle as to prevent the needle from excessive vibration and insure that said needles will be properly positioned for the loopers cooperating therewith to pass the needles without striking the same. The needle guard is located on the side of the needle with which it is associated which is passed by the looper cooperating with the needle during the forward movement of the looper.

Each needle guard is formed with a thread slot 38. The width of thisv slot is slightly less than the diameter of the needle. The slot opens outwardly toward the needle and is positioned in line with the thread groove in the needle. The purpose of this slot is to permit the free bowing out of the needle thread during the upward stroke of the needle. In other words, if the side of the needle at the eye thereof or slightly above the eye be engaged by the needle guard during the upward stroke of the needle, the free bowing out of the needle thread would be interfered with, but by forming the slot so that the thread may bow outwardly into the slot, then the needle thread loopwill be properly formed. The slot in the needle guard is slightly wider than the diameter of the thread so that there is a free space for the passage of the needle, thread. On the other hand, the width of the slotis slightly less than the diameter of the needle so that the needle guard may engage the needle, if said needle is under excessive vibration or deflected, and properly hold said needle to its course of travel so that the looper will pass it without striking it.

Then. again, the slot in the needle guard: serves to maintain the needle thread loop thrown out by the needle in a plane at right angles to the path of movement of; the looper during the forwardimovement of saidlooper. There is a more or less tendency of-the needle thread loop to whip about the needle during the rapid movement of the needle, and thisis prevented by the slot in the nee. dle guard. It will be understood, of course, that if the needle remains. in its proper vertical line, it would enter the loopenthread loop with certainty and the looper, during its forward movement, would not strike and deflect or bend the needle. When the needle reciprocates rapidly it is often thrown into a lateral vibration, or is sometimes deflected by the threads of the fabric being sewed, or by a formed seam in the fabric, and it is to prevent these excessive lateral vibrations or deflections that the needle guards are provided. The needle guard comes into proper position at each stroke of the needle to hold it from lateral movement, and this prevents lateral vibration and insures that the needle will remain in its proper line of reciprocation, so that the needle in its descent will enter the fabric in its normal line of reciprocation and pass the looper without striking the same.

lVhile we have shown the needle guards as independently mounted, it is obvious, of course, that any suitable means maybe provided for supporting the needle guards and that from the broad aspect of the invention this" means may not partake of any lateral movement. In order to simplify the mecha-' nism, we have mounted the needle guards on the support for the spreaders, but there is no particular advantage flowing from the lateral movement of the needleguard; so far as its function is concerned it might be held stationary.

It will be noted from the above that each needle guard is independently mounted and, therefore, may be independently adjusted so as to'be properly positioned relative to the needle with which it is associated. The spreaders are alsoindependently mounted and independently adjustable, although the needle guards and thespreaders are both carried by the same support. It will be noted from the above description and the drawings that the spreaders, as fully described in the copending application, move in path above the loopers so as to engage the respective looper threads and hold the same away from the body of the loopers for each needle to pass between the looper thread and the loopers with which it is associated. It will also be noted. that the needle guards are disposed beneath the path of the loopers as they move into and out of the needle thread loops. Certain of these needle guards also extend between the needles and across a plane containing the needles so as to be disposed alongside of the needle faces which are passed by the loopers as they enter the needle thread loops of the needles with which they are associated.

The support 20 for the spreaders is moved endwise, as above noted, and said support held from rocking movement by an arm 28 which is clamped to the support 20 and extends downwardly and is provided with a forked end straddling the pin 20 From the above, it will be apparent that we have permit a free bowing out of the needle thread loop.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from; the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1-- 1. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving. said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, and a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop.

2. The combination with a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, and a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as. said looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having a vertical slot formed in one face thereof adapted to receivethe needle thread loop. a

3. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged ina line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle,'means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters is needle thread loop, and means for supporting said needle guards and for moving the same laterally, each of said needle guards being disposed so as to engage the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as it enters the.

needle thread loop, provided said needle is deflected or vibrates laterally out of its normalpath of travel.

4. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed. a threaded looper for each needle, means tor moving said loopers in a direction substair tially parallel with and opposed to the direction, of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side oi the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needlethread loop, and means tor supporting said needle guards and moving the same laterally, each of said needle guards being disposed so as to engage the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters the needle thread loop, provided said needle is deflected or vibrates laterally out of its normal path of travel, each needle guard having a slot in the side face thereof adjacentthe needle oi? slightly less width than the diameter of the needle and forming a free space for the entrance ot the needle thread loop of the needle with which it is associated.

The combination oi a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side or" the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, and means for independently supporting the needle guards whereby they may be adjusted laterally and vertically at their outer ends tor-properly positioning each needle guard relative to the needle with which it is associated.

6. The combination of a feeding meeha niism, a plurality of needles arranged in line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respec-.

tive needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by'its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having a slot formed in the face there 0t adjacent the needle with which it cooperates, each slot being of slightly less width than the diameter of the needle and :torming a free space for the needle thread loop o't the needle with: which it is associated, and means for independently supporting said needle guards whereby the same may be adjusted late-rally and vertically at their free ends for properly positioning the same rela tive to the needles with which they are associated.

7. The combination of a feeding, mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substan tially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with which it cooperates, each'slot being of slightly less width than the diameter of the needle and forming a free space for the needle thread loop of the needlewith which it is associated, and means for supporting said needle guards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direction of their length for properly positioning the slot in each needle guard relative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of the needle thread of the needle with which said guard is associated.

8. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction or" feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with which it coopcrates, each slot being of sli htly less width than the diameter of the needle and form ing a free space for the needle thread loop of the needle with which it is associated, means for supporting said needle guards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direction or" their length for properly positioning the slot in each needle guard relative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of the needle thread of the needle with which said guard is associated, and means whereby said needle guards may be adjusted vertically.

9. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged'in a line at right angles to the'line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving'said loopers in a direction substantially parallel. with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a needle guard for each needle disposed at the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the looper enters its needle thread loop, each needle guard having a slot formed in the face thereof adjacent the needle with which it cooperates, each slot being of slightly less width than the diameter of the needle and forming a free space for the needle thread loop of the needle with whichit is associated, means for supporting said needle guards whereby they may be adjusted independently in the direcar ssa tion of their length for properly positioning the slot in each needle guard relative to the needle so as to permit the free bowing out of the needle thread of the needle with which said guard is associated, and means whereby said needle guards may be independently adjusted laterally and vertically.

10. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a. direction substan tially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader coopcrating with each looper, a needle guard for each needle, and a common support for said spreaders and said needle guards.

1.1. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a. plurality of needles arranged. in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating with each looper, a needle guard for each needle, and a common support for said spreaders and said needle guards, the support for said spreaders and needle guards being disposed in front of a vertical plane containing the needles.

12. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, a spreader cooperating with each looper, said spreaders being disposed and movable in a path above their respective loopers for engagin the looper threads to hold them away from the body of the respective loopers, and a needle guard for each needle'located beneath the path of travel of the looper with which it is associated.

13. he combination of feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right. angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper for each needle, means for moving the loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops and for giving said loopers a lateral needle avoiding movement, a spreader cooperating with each looper, and a needle guard for each needle disposed adjacent the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the latter enters its needle thread loop.

14. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a

threaded looperfor each needle, means for moving the loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed tothe direction of feedas they enter their respective needle thread loops and for giving said loop- 'ers a lateralneedle avoiding movement, a

spreader cooperating with each looper, a needle guard for each needle disposed adjacent the side of the needle passed by its respective looper as the latter enters its needle thread loop, and a common support for said Spreaders and needle guards.

15. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a looper co-operating with each needle, and moving in a direction substantially parallel with and opposed to the direction of feed as they enter their respective needle thread loops, aseparate needle guard for each needle located alongside of the needle with which it is associated and cutting a vertical. plane containing allof the needles.

16. The comb'nation of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a looper cooperating with each needle, a sepae rate needle guard for each needle located alongside of the needle with which it is associated and cutting a vertical plane containing all of the needles, and means for supporting the needle guards whereby they may be adjusted in a direction parallel with the line of feed.

17. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the. line of feed, a looper cooperating with each needle, a spreader cooperating with each loop'er, a support in front of the needles and loopers on which said spreaders are mounted, a separate needle guard for each needle mounted on the support for said Spreaders and extending 'rearwardly to a position alongside of the needles with which they are associated.

18. The combination of a feeding mecha nism, a plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a

looper cooperating with each needle, a spreader cooperating with each loo-per, a support in front of the needles and loopers on which said spreaders are mounted, a separate needle guard for each needlemounted on the support for said spreaders and extending rearwardly to a position alongside of the needles with which they are associated, means for moving the spreader support endwise for giving to said spreaders a lateral movement, and means for preventing the support from turning.

19. The combination of a feeding mechanism, a. plurality of needles arranged in a line at right angles to the line of feed, a threaded looper cooperating with each needle, means for moving said loopers in a direction substantially parallel with and 0p- With each needle and below the spreader coposed to the direction of feed as they enter operating With said looper.

their respective needle thread loops, a In testimony whereof, We aflix oursigna- 10 spreader for each looper' located above the tines.

' path of IHOVGDISIlt of the looper, and a needle guard for each needle located below the JAMES R. MOFFATT. path of movement of the looper associated RALPH S. KELSO.

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