US1754608A - Sewing-machine needle-controlling mechanism - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1930. F. M. CARD SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed June 9. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Maia/Mama ATTORNEY Aprii 15, 1930.

F. M. CARD SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed June 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES FREDERIO CARD, OF BRIDGEPQR T, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 31? ELIZABETH, IEEVI' JERSEY, A GOREOR'ATION OF NEW JERSEY Application filed June 9,

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines more particularly of that class in which means are provided for throwing a needle temporarily out o1 action during the continued operation of the other mechanism of the machine. The primary object of thisinvention is to provide a compact, durable and eiiicient mechanism for automatically recoupling a needle-bar with its actuating mechanism after a predetermined period oi operation of the machine subsequently to the throwing out of action under manual control of the disconnected needle-bar, including in dicating means successively denoting the cycles of operation of the actuating mechanism of the machine while the needle is disconnected therefrom.

lhe present needle-bar controlling means comprises an'improvement more particularly of the device disclosed in the prior patent oi J. Kerr, No. 1,588,030, June 8, 1926. In its preferred embodiment, it is'applied to a two-needle sewing machine in which two needle-bars are normally coupled for unison reciprocation and in-which one ofthe needlebars may be at will disconnected from its actuating mechanism in the production of angular seams. In the formation of seams of this character, the work must be turned by tire operator about the operative needle to change the direction of seam-formation, and the present improvement provides means indicating to an operator the eiiacttime when the work must be turned to avoid an elongated or double stitch when the disconnected needle-bar is automatically recoupled with its actuating mechanism, in conformity with the distance between the needles and the length of stitch. The meanslemployed for effecting the automatic re-coupling with its actuating mechanism or" the manually disconnected needle-bar comprises in eiiect an adjustable stitch-counting ,device, which als indicates th formation of successive stitches by the op crative needle while the other needle is idle.

It is essential for efficient operation of the needle-bar controlling device to provide positive means insuring that a predetermined number of stitches will be formed by one needle in the idle periodof the disconnected SEWING-MACHINE NEEDLE-COEETROLLING MEOHAN ISM 1925. Serial No. 35,854.

machine embodying the present improve merits, the improved stitch-counting device being disconnected from its actuating mechanism and the needle-bars being shown in full lines as coupled for unison reciprocation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged rear side elevation of the stitchrcounting device. Fig. i is an enlarged perspective view of the counting device, viewed 'i rom the rear side of the machine. Fig. is an enlarged transverse sectional View of the counting device. Fig. 6 is a sectionai view on the line a7.rc of Fig. 1. Fig. 7. is a front end elevation of the counting-device bracket. F 8 comprises detail perspective views of the neecllerholders. Fig. 9isa sec tion substantially on the line y.g fof Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the forward end of the countingdevice bracket.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated onlyso much oi the sewing machine as is deemed essential to an understanding of the present invention. The sewing machine incl-tit s the renal overhanging lbraclret-arm 1 terminating at its forward end in the :head

2, in which bracket-arm is journaled the rotary main or needle-reciprocating shattii. At its forward end, the shaft 3 carries the usual crank-disk i connected by means oi. a link 5 with a stud 6 projecting laterally from asplit-collar I clamped by meansoi a screw 8 upongamain needle-bar '9. The needle-bar 9 is journaled for'endwise reciprocation in suitable bearings provided by an upperelongatedbushing 10 and a lower bushing 11 disposed in alined apertures in the head 2. The needle-bar 9 is tor-med with a rectangular groove 12 in which is slidingly disposed an auxiliary slab-sided needle-bar 13. The inner surface of the collar ,7 is partially cut away to provide a clearance 14 for the needlebar 13, whereby the needle-bar 9 may be reciprocated by the link independently of the needle-bar 13. Secured by means of a screw 15 upon the lower end of the needle-bar 9 is a segmental collar 16 of a needle-holder 17 in which a needle 18 is suitably fastened by a set-screw 19. Secured by means of screws, as 20, upon the needle-bar 13 is a collar 21 of an auxiliary needle-holder 22 in which a needle 23 is secured by means of a set-screw 24. As the collar 21 overlies the collar 16, the needle-bar 9 is free to reciprocate independntly of the needle-bar 13 when the needlebars are uncoupled as will hereinafter be described.

Adjacent its upper end, the needle-bar 13 is formed with a laterally extending, apertured lug 25 in which a ceupling-pin 26 is slid- .ngly disposed to enter an aperture 27 in the needle-bar 9, whereby to compel unison reciprocation of said bars upon rotation of the shaft 3. The lug 25 projects through a slot 28 formed in the bushin 10, and the couplingpin 26 extends laterally from a vertically apertured coupling-block 29 which is slidingly disposed upon a vertical guide-pin 30 carried by a reciprocatory slideblock 31, said slide-block 31 being mounted in a suitable undercut guideway 32 provided in the forward portion 33 of a counting-device supporting bracket 34. The bracket 34 is secured by a screw 35 upon the bracket-arm 1 of the ma chine and is apertured to embrace the bushing 10 whereby it is fixed against movement. This bracket 34 carries the several elements constituting the stitch-counting device, which is therefore a self-contained unit.

The coupling and uncoupling of the needlebars is effected by reciprocatory movements of the slide-block 31, the movement to uncouple the bars being manually effected. To this end, the slide-block 31 is connected by means of a link 36 with one end of a lever 37 pivotally supported by a screw 37 in a milled out slot 38 provided in an upstanding lug 38 of the bracket portion 33. The other end of the lever 37 has a ball-joint connection with one end of a link 39 of which the other end is pivotally connected with a Vibratory arm 40 fulcrumed upon a stud-screw 41 threaded into the bracket 34. A spring 42 connected at one end with the bracket 34 and at its other end with the arm 40 functions to yieldingly hold said arm in position wherein the needle-bars are coupled for unison reciprocation, this position of the arm 40 being determined by an adjustable stop-screw 43 threaded into a lug 44 upon the bracket 34. The vibratory arm 5 40 is apertured to receive the offset end of a rod 45 connecting said arm with a two-armed lever 46, fulcrumed upon the machine arm 1 and suitably connected with a treadle (not shown), said lever 46 being acted upon by a I spring 47 in the same direction as does the spring 42 upon the arm 40, i. e., to hold the needle-bars in coupled relationship. The movement of the lever 46 under the action of its spring is preferably limited by a stoppin 48 which may be adjustably secured in any suitable manner upon the machine-arm.

It will be apparent that when. the lever 46 is treadle-actuated to swing it in opposition to the spring 47 the arm 40 will be rocked in opposition to the spring 42, which movement is transmitted to the slide-block 31 through the described connections therewith, whereupon the coupling-pin 26 is withdrawn from the needle-bar 9. Means are however provided to prevent the uncoupling of the needle-bars excepting during the upper p0rtion of their stroke, in order to insure that the counting device, to be later described, will register the exact number of reciprocations of the needle-bar 9 while the needle-bar 13 is idle. To this end a bracket 49 is secured by screws, as 50, upon the front face of the lug 38, which bracket is provided at its lower end with a laterally extending stop-member 51. The stop-member 51 is so disposed with respect to the coupling-block 29 as to permit vertical reciprocations of said block but so as to prevent a lateral uncoupling movement thereof during the lower portion of the stroke of the needle-bar 13.

The disconnected needle-bar 13 is carried to the upper end of its stroke by the needlebar 9 and it is retained in this position until again automatically re-coupled with the bar The retaining means comprises a shoulder 52 of a pawl 53 which is pivotally mounted upon the bracket 49 by a pivot-screw 54 and is normally spring-pressed against the bracket member 51 by a spring 55. The shoulder 52 snaps under the coupling-block 29 when the latter is shifted laterally for disconnecting the needle-bar 13 and as said needle-bar reaches the upper end of its stroke. The upstrok of the disconnected needle-bar is preferably limited by a bufi'errod 56 disposed to overlie the nee lie-bar, said rod 56 being slidingly mounted in the bracketlug 38 and acted upon by a spring 57 to yieldingly hold it in a position determined by a collar 58 upon the rod and resting upon the upper side of the lug 38.

Improved mechanism, constituting in effect a stitch-counting device, is provided for automatically re-coupling the disconnected needle-bar with the continuously reciprocated needle-bar after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the latter subsequently to the throwing out of operation of the needle-bar 13. To this end, the vibratory arm 40 carries a pin 59 which in the connected position of the needle-bars overlies the forward end 60 of a latch-lever 61 pivotally mounted upon the rear face of the bracket 34 by means of a pivot-screw 62. The under side of this latch-lever 61 is engaged by a plunger 63 slidingly mounted in a socket 64 of the bracket 34 in which socket is disposed a spring 65 which urges said latch-lever upwardly. The latch-lever 61 is formed at its forward end with a latching-notch 66 and on its upper side with a flat surface 67. When the vibratory arm is actuated to disconnect the needle-bars and the 1atch-pin 59 rides off the forward end 60 of the latch-lever into alinement with the notch 66 whereupon said lever 61 snaps upwardly into latching position under the action of the spring 65. Consequently after manual actuation of the arm 40 to disconnect the needle-bar 13, said arm 40 is locked in this position. To release the arm 40 from the latch-lever 61 after a pre' determined period of operation of the machine there is provided a tappet 68 of which the hub is secured by means of a spot-screw 69 upon one end of a shaft 70. The shaft 70 is journaled for rotary movements within the bore of a sleeve 71 which is itself journaled for rotation Within a stationary bushing 7 2 fixed by means of a set-screw 'Z 3 within a suitable aperture formed in the bracket 34. Mounted upon one end of the sleeve 71 adj acent a flange 74 thereof is an indicator-disk 7 5 which is fixed to said sleeve by a plurality of pins, as 7 6, and is disposed in contact with the front face of the bracket 34 to prevent endwise movement of the sleeve 71 in one direction.

The shaft 70 extends outwardly beyond the disk 7 5 and slidingly secured thereupon, by

1 means of a spline 77, is a tappet-adjusting member 78 having a manipulating knob 7 9. Formed upon the end of the shaft 7 0 opposite to the tappet 68 is a shaft-head 80 disposed within a recess 81 formed in the knob '4' 9 and interposed between said head 80 and the base of the recess 81 is a coil-spring 82 which functions to yieldingly hold the adjusting member 78 in contact with the disk 7 5. Carried by the adjusting-member 7 8 is a locking-pin 83 adapted to enter any one of a plurality of radially equidistant apertures 84 formed in the disk 75, which is suitably graduated to number said apertures on the side of said disk facing the machine operator. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that by pulling upon the knob 'Z9, the adjusting member 2 8 may be moved longitudinally of the shaft 7 0 against the action of the spring 82 to withdraw the locking pin 83 and reposition it in the desired aperture 84. By this repositioning movement, the position of the tappet 68 is adjusted with respect to the latch-lever 61 because of the spline 77 connection between the member 7 8 and the shaft 70.

The movement of the arm 40 to disconnect the needle-bar 13 from the needle-bar 9 throws into eii'ective action an operating mechanism which intermittently advances the tappet 68 into engagement with the latchlever 61 .to release the latter from the pin 59 at a predetermined cycle of operation of the machine, whereupon the spring 42 acts upon the arm 40 to re-couple the needle-bars in the upper position of the needle-bar 9. To this end, a rocker-arm 85 is journal'ed tor oscillatory movement upon an enlarged portion 86 of the bushing 72 formed with an arcuate recess 87. The rocker-arm 85 has a ball-joint connection with one end of apitman 88, which passes through a suitable aperture formed in a coverplate 89 of the machine bracket-arm 1. The other end of the pitman is formed with a strap 90 which embraces an eccentric 91 upon the shaft 3, and consequently the arm 85 is continuously rocked during the operation of the machine. Pivotal'ly mounted upon the rocker-arm 85, by

means of a pivot-bolt 92 is a pawl 93 having an actuating tooth 94 adapted in the operative position of the pawl to engage the teeth 95 formed on a portion of the periphery of a ratchet-wheel 96. The hub of the ratchetwheel is secured by a spot-screw 97 upon the sleeve 71.

Disposed within the bushing recess 87 is a coil-spring 98 of which one end 99 enters a suitable aperture in the ratchet-wheel 96 and the other end 100 enters an aperture in the bushing-shoulder 86.- By adjusting the bushing circularly within its support, the tension of the spring 98 may be varied. The periphery of the ratchet-wheel 96 opposite to the teeth 95 is partially cut away to provide a stop-shoulder 102 which is yieldingly held, by the action of the spring 98, in engagement with a stop-screw 103 adjustably secured in a suitable manner in an apertured car 104 provided on the bracket 34. A bent flat spring 105, which is secured by a screw 106 upon the rocker-arm 85, acts upon the pawl 93 to yieldingly urge said pawl to operatively engage the ratchet-teeth 9'5.

Pivotally mounted upon the frame 34 by means of a pivot-screw 107 is a stop-pawl 108 which is urged by a spring 109 to engage the ratchet-teeth 95 to prevent retrograde movement of said ratchet-wheel during the return movements of the actuating pawl 93 when the latter is in its efiective position. In the coupled relationship of the needle bars, however, both the actuating pawl 93 and the stop-pawl 108 are held out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth 95 by the provision upon said stop-pawl 108 of a shoulder 110 which is engaged by a pin 111 carried by the arm 40 and by disposing the end of thestoppawl 108 below the free end ot the actuating pawl 93. Consequently while the arm 40 is held against the stop-screw 43, the pin 111 holds the stop-pawl and the latter holds the actuating pawl out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth 95.

In the normal operation of the machine, as before indicated, the needle-bars9 and 13 are Zhe buffer-rod 56.

coupled for unison reciprocation and the arm 40 is held against the stop-screw 43 by the spring 12, whereby the latclrpin 59 holes the latch-lever 61 depressed and the pawlsnift-ing pin 111 holds the pawls out of engagement with tie ratchet-teeth 95 so that the arm rocks idly. When approaching an angle in the seam, it is necessary to throw one of the needles out of operation and hold it out of. operation until the other needle has made a definite munber of stitches up to and beyond the seam angle, consistent with the distance between the needles and the length of stitches made. If this is not don the seam will manifestly not comprise spaced parallel lines of uniform stitches throughout,

Consequently when it is deisred to make an angle seam, the operator adjusts the position of the tappet 68 in accordance with the number of corner stitches to be made by the needle-bar 9, this adjustment being effected by manipulating the adjusting member 78 to position the locking pin Q53 in the desired aperture 8 1. For instance, if it is desired to make eight corner stitches, the pin 83 is in sorted in the aperture numbered as 8. As the stitching approaches the angle-vertex, the operator actuates a treadle to rock the lever 46, whereby the arm 40 is swung in a direc tion to permit the latch-pin 59 to ride off the end of the latch-lever 61 into the latching notch 66 thereof and to uncouple the needlehar 13 from the bar 9 through the descriher. connections, although the uncoupling movenent will be nermi'ted only during the upper portion of the stroke of the needle-bars because of the stop-member 51. The needlebar 13, while idle, is retained at the upper end of its stroke by the holding pawl 53 and The movement oi? the arm 410 to uncouple the needle-bars causes it to carry the pawl-shitting pin 111 into a posi tion permitting both pawls 93 and 108 to engage the ratchet-teeth 95 whereupon the con- 1 iginuous rocking movements of the arm 85 are rendered effective to cause intermittent rotati re movements of the ratchet-wheel 96 and thereby cause the tappet 68 to approach the latch-lever 61 step-by-step, i. e., one advancing movement for each stitch made by the needle-bar 9.

As the inoicator-disk 75 is rigidly secured to the ratchetwheel 96, it is also rotated stepby-step, i. e., stitch-by-stitch, the number of stitches of advance of said disk 75 being indicated to the machine operator by a pointer 112 secured by means of a screw 113 upon the bracket 34. When half of the total number of corner stitches have been made, which "fact is indicated to the operator by the disk 7 5 and pointer 112, the operator turns the work to form the desired angle of seam and when the total number of corner stitches have been made, the tappet 68 acts upon the surface 67 of the latch-lever 61 to release said latch-lever whereupon the parts are automatically returned to initial position to recouple the needle-bars, the disk 7 5 being also returned to initial position determined by the engagement of the stop-shoulder 102 with the stop-screw 103 effected by the spring 98.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is- 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with two needle bars, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bars, and controlling means for uncoupling one of said needle-bars from its actuating mechanism during the operation of the machine, of a latch-lever for holding said controlling means in needle-bar uncoupled POSiLlOD, a latchlever releasing tappet, a tappet adjusting member, an indicator-disk, means including a spring for yieldin ly locking said adjusting member to indicator-disk, and operating mechanism brought into effective action by the operation of said controlling means for intermittently rotating said indicatordisk and tappet to release said latch-lever.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with two needle-bars, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bars, and controlling means for uncoupling one of said needle-bars from its actuating mechanism during the operation of the machine, of means for latching said controlling means in needlebar uncoupled position, and a counting device for releasing the controlling means from its latching means alter a predetermined iiterval oi operation of the continuously reciprocated bar, said counting device comprising a stationary supporting frame, a continuously actuated rocker-arm fulcrumed upon said frame, an actuating pawl carried by said arm, a ratchet-wheel journaled upon said frame, an indicator disk secured to said ratchet-wheel, a rock-shaft, an adjusting member splined upon said rock-shaft, means including a spring for adjustably locking said adjusting member to said indicator disk, and a tappet carried by said rock-shaft for releasing said latching means.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with two needle-bars, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bars, and manually controlled means for uncoupling one of said needle-bars from its actuating mechanism during the oper tion or the machine, of a stop-member limiting the effective opera tion of said manually controlled means to the upper p rtion of the stroke of said needlebars, and mechanisms for automatically recoupling said needle-bars.

1. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle, normally inactive indicating device, and means manually operable during a portion only of a cycle of operation of the machine tor initiating the operation of said indicating device in timed relation with respect to said needle-actuating mechanism to definitely denote to an operator the number of the instant cycle of operation of the machine in a plurality of successive cycles of operation thereof.

5. In a sewing machine, stitclrforming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle, a normally ineffective stitch-counting device, and means manually operable during a portion only of a cycle of operation of the machine for rendering said needle inoperative and initiating the operation of said counting device in definitely timed relationship with respect to said actuating mechanism.

6. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle, a stitclrcountin device, means manually operable during a portion only of a cycle of operation of the machine for rendering said needle inoperative and initiating the effective operation of said counting device, and means controlled by said counting device for automatically renderin operative the inoperative needle.

7. In a sewing machine, stitching-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle, a normally ineffective stitch-counting device, means manually operable during a portion only of a cycle of operation of the machine for initiating the effective operation of said counting device in definitely timed re lationship with respect to said needle-actuating mechanism, and means for automatically returning the counting device to initial position after a predetermined number of cycles of operation of the machine have been counted thereby.

8. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a plurality of reciprocatory needles, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needles, means manually operative during a portion only of any complete cycle of operation of the machine for disconnecting one of said needles from its actuating mechanism, a stitch-counting device brought into efiective operation as said needle is rendered inoperative in definitely timed relationship with respect to said actuating mechanism, and automatically acting means for re-connecting said needle with its actuating mechanism and rendering said counting device inoperative.

9. In a sewing machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle, means manually operable during a portion only of a complete cycle of operation of the machine for disconnecting said needle from its actuating mechanism, a counting device brought into effective operation by said needle-disconnecting means for automatically controlling the re-coupling of the needle with its actuating mechanism, and adjustable means for predetermining the recoupling action of said counting device.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination, a needle-carrying bar, actuating mechanism for endwise reciprocating said bar, manually controlled means operable during a portion only of any complete cycle of operation of the machine for disconnecting said bar from its reciprocating means, a counting device thrown into efiective action in definitely timed relationship with respect to said actuating mechanism by the operation of said manually controlled means for predetermining the period of inactivity of the disconnected bar, and an indicator associated with said counting device for visibly denoting to an operator the number of the instant cycle of operation of said actuating mechanism in the successive cycles of operation during the period of inactivity of the disconnected needle-bar.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, a needle-carrying bar, actuating mechanism for endwise reciprocating said bar, manually controlled means for disconnecting said bar from its reciprocating means during the operation of the machine, a normally inefl'ective counting device mounted in fixed position upon the machine frame, means for bringing said counting device into effective operation by the operation of said manually controlled means, and a spring controlled by said counting device for effecting re-coupling of said needle-bar with its actuating mechanism.

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

FREDERIG M. CARD.

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