US1855139A - Work-guiding device for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

*April' 19, 1932. R. J. sAlLER 8 5,

I WORK GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWINGRMACHINES Filed Aug. 30. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 19, 1932. 4 j R. J. SAILER 7 ,855,139

WORK GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Aug. 50. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1 932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUDOLPH J. SAILER, OF TOWNLEY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGEE MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY WORK-GUIDING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Application filed August 30, 1930. Serial No. 478,876.

This invention relates to improvements in v sewing machines and has for its primary ob- The foregoing and other objects and ad-' vantages in view, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following de- 'script-ion of a preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top-plan view of a portion of a sewing machine cloth-plate and of the improved work-guiding devices, with a stripfolder in operative position and an edgefolder in inoperative position. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the edgefolder in operative position and the stripfolder swung out into inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the strip-folder substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 4 is a front side elevation of a portion of the improved sewing machine. Fi 5 is a view in side elevation and Fig. 6 in ront end 'elevation of the sewing machine presser-foot, with one of the edge-guides carried thereby latched in raised position. Figs. 7 and 8 are views similar to Figs. 5 and 6, with the edgeguide lowered'below the presser-foot tread surface. Fig. 9 represents in perspective the several parts of the presser-foot,unassembled.

Referring to the drawings, a sewing machine to which the present improvements have been applied has a bed-plate 1 supporting a cloth-plate 2, and a bracket-arm terminating in a head 3 overhanging the clothplate. J ournaled in the bracket-arm head 3 for vertical reciprocation is a needle-bar 4: carrying, in the present instance, a' pair of Fig.-

laterally spaced needles, 5 with which may cooperate any suitable looper or loop-taker mechanism below the cloth-plate, in the formation of stitches.

Also journaled for endwise movement in the head 3. is the usual presser-bar 6, to the lower end of which is secured, by a screw 7, the shank 8 of a presser-foot having a footplate 9 from the upper side of which rise the laterally spaced lugs 10 disposed at 0pposite sides of the reduced lower portion of the shank 8. The foot-plate lugs 10 and the shank 8 have alined apertures 11 and 12 receiving a headed fulcrum-pin 13 disposed transversely of the length of the foot-plate and held against endwise movement in the apertures 11, 12, by its head 14 and a detachable collar 15. It will therefore be understood that the foot-plate 9 is capable of rocking about an axis transverse .to the line of seamformation, the lower operative face or tread surface of said foot-plate being flat in the rearward portion thereof and upwardly curved at the toe portion 16. 4 The foot-plate is provided, in the present instance, with two laterally spaced needle-apertures 17 between each of which and the adjacent edge of the foot-plate is a slot 18 extending lengthwise of the foot-plate from near the forward extremity of the toe portion 16 to the rear end of said foot-plate.

Disposed in the foot-plate slots 18 for vertical movement therein and extending substantially throughout the length thereof are edgeguide fins 19 and 20, from the upper side near the rearward end of which rise guidepins 21 slidingly entering vertical apertures 22 provided in the foot-plate lugs 10. The lugs 10 also'have vertically disposed apertures 23 receiving coil springs 24'engaging the guide- fins 19, 20 upon the upper edge thereof directly in front of the guide-pins 21, said springs being confined within the apertures 23 by a cap-plate 25 secured upon the lugs 10 by screws '26.

Projecting laterally from the guide-fins. 19, 20 and into vertically elongated slots 27, provided in the outer sides of the foot-plate lugs 10, are stop- pins 28 and 29 which serve to limit the vertical movement of the guideiii) pins. The stop-pin 28 projects beyond its slot 27 to an extenti rendering it engageble by a nose 30 of a fin-lifting lever 31 pivotally mounted upon the side of a lug 10 by a screw 32, whereby the guide-fin .19 may be raised against the action of its spring 24 into an inoperative position wherein the lower surface of said guide-fin is substantially flush with the tread surface of the foot-plate 9. The lifting-lever 31 is releasably held in its fin-lifted position by a latch-lever 33, pivotally secured upon a lug 10 by the head 14 of the foot-plate fulcrum-pin and engaging anose 35.0f the lifting-lever under the action of a bow-spring 36. The spring 36 is secured by a screw 37 upon the rear face of the lug 10 carrying said latch-lever. It will be understood that the guide-fin 19 is automatically latched in raised position by merely operating the lever 31 to lift said guide-fin and that the latter is released and automatically lowered into edge-guiding position by merely releasing the latch-lever 33. Obviously, the described guide-fin lifting arrangement might be duplicated, if desired, for the guide-fin 20. The guide- fins 19 and 20, which partake of any rocking movements of the foot-plate 9 by reason of the guidepins 21 entering the foot apertures 22, are provided in .their upper surfaces with recesses 38 affording the necessary clearance for the fulcrum-pin 13 during the vertical yielding movements of the fins 19, 20, the forward ends of said fins terminating in upstanding toes 39 disposed directly rearward of the upturned presser-foot toe 16.

. Fixed upon the cloth-plate 2 by screws 40 is an angular attachment-supporting plate 41 in part overhanging the front apron of said cloth-plate, upon which plate 41 are suitably secured a pair of guide-loops 42 for a slide-bar or -member 43 shiftable endwise in a direction cross-wise of the line of seamformation. The front edge of the slide-bar 43 has a pair of laterally spaced notches 44 and 45 alternately engaged by a latch comprising a bent spring-plate 46 secured by screws 47 upon the front overhanging portion of the plate 41.

Secured by screws 48 upon the slide-bar 43, at the left hand side of the line of seamformation and for'adjustment lengthwise of said bar 43, the shank 49 of a turn-under edge-folder comprising, in the present instance, a work-supporting apron 50 carrying a folding scroll 51. In its operative position, the scroll 51 is disposed directly in front of the presser-foot to direct the folded edge of material into the path of both needles 5, and in its inoperative position the edgefolder is disposed entirely at the left hand side of both lines of seam-formation.

At the right hand side of the line of seamformation, the supporting-plate 41 has a rearwardlv extending ear52 upon which a bracket-plate 53 is pivotally secured, by a screw 54. Adjustably fastened upon the bracket-plate 53, by screws 55, is the shank 56 of a stripfolder which may be of any suitable or well known construction to fold under the longitudinal margins of a strip of material. The present strip-folder is very similar to the disclosure in the U. S. patent to A. H. De Voe, No. 992,942, May 23, 1911, and comprises a trough-shaped channel-member 57 affording, at its receiving end, upturned parallel guide-lips 58 for the edges of a strip introduced flatwise into the folder. Intermediate its ends,the channel-member guide-lips 58 are turned inwardly to form confining wings 59 whose edges are at first spaced apart to expose the middle portion of the strip for convenience in initially introducing the strip into the folder and then converge together at the delivery end of the folder to thereby form a guide-tube 60. Within the bottom of the receiving end of the channel-member 57 is inserted a rectangular spacing block 61 termiv nating toward the delivery end of the folder in a spring-tongue or arbor 62, freely suspended Within the guide-tube 60 but limited in downward movement by a rib or fin 63 rising from the bottom of said guide-tube. It will be readily understood from the foregoing description that a strip of fabric, of suitable width, in its passage through the folder has itslongitudinal margins folded about the tongue 62 into. engagement with opposite sides of the rib 63 below said tongue. Secured by screws 64 upon the slide-bar 43 to project laterally therefrom is a plate 65 from which rises a pin 66. T he pin 66 enters a cam-slot 67 provided in the strip-folder bracket-plate 53 in a direction whereby endwise movement of the slide-bar 43 imparts swinging movements about the pivot-screw 54 to the bracket-plate 53, and therefore to the strip-folder carried thereby. A stop-pin 68 rising from the supporting plate 41 in a position to be engaged by a side edge of the bracket-plate 53, serves to limit the swinging movement of the edge-folder into operative position. I

When it is desired to prepare folded belt loop strips, the strip-folder is caused to occupy its operative position in front of the presser-foot, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, by shifting the slide-bar 43 to the left, thereby carrying the edge-folder into inoperative position. Also, the latch-lever 33 is released from the presser-foot guide-fin lifting lever 31, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, whereby both guide- fins 19, 20 are yieldingly depressed by the springs 24 below the presserfoot tread surface and form-therebetween a guiding channel for the strip folded by the strip-folder and directed by the guide-fins to and past the needles.

In preparing folded belt-loop strips which are substantially Wider than those folded by the stripfolder, the slide-bar 43 is shifted to the right to an extent limited by the engagement of the'folder shank 49 with the adjacent guide-loop 42, thereby swinging the strip-folder about the pivot-screw 54 into its inoperative position at the right of the line of seam-formation, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. This movement of the slide-bar 43 carries the edge-folder also to the right and into its operative position. The lifting-lever 31 is actuated to raise the guide-fin 19, whereupon the latch-lever 33 maintains the fin in said position. A strip of material supported by the folder-apron 50 has one margin folded by the scroll 51 and the fold-edge is guided to and past the needle by the guide-fin 20. After one folded margin of the strip has been secured by stitching, the material is turned end for end and the opposite lon itudinal margin of the strip is similarly f0 ded and stitched.

It is to be understood, of course, that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific construction or even types of work guides herein described and that finlifting means may be associated with either or'both of the presser-foot guide-fins.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of a pair of guiding devices alternatively operative for directing work to the stitch-forming mechanism, and a member operable to shift one of said guiding devices into operative position from an inoperative position at one side of the line of seam-formation and simultaneously shift the other guiding device to the opposite side of the line of seam-formation from operative to inoperative position.

2. The combination of a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of a pair of guiding devices alternatively operative for directing work to the stitch-forming mechanism, a pivotal support for one of said guiding devices, and a member operable to swing the pivotally supported guiding device from operative to inoperative position at one side of the line of seam-formation and simultaneously shift the other guiding device into operative position from an inoperative position at the opposite side of the line of seam-formation.

3. The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of a member shiftable in a direction cross-wise of the line of seam-formation, a work-guiding device carried into and out of operative posi work-guiding device, and an operative connection between the pivotally supported work-guiding device and said member effective to swing said pivotally supported device into and out of operative position alterthe other is shifted into inoperative position,

tion by said member, a pivotally supportednatively with the work-guiding device carried by said member..

4. The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism of a pair of guiding devices alternatively o erative for directing work to the stitchorming mechanism, and means operative to shift one of said devices in one direction from its operative into an inoperative position at one side of the line of seam-formation andsto simultaneously shift the other guiding device into operative position in the same general direction from an inoperative position at the opposite side of the line of seam-formation.

5. The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of a slide-bar shiftable crosswise of the line of seam-formation, an edge-folder carried by said slidebar having an inoperative position at one side of the line of seamformation, a pivotally supported strip-folder disposed at the .opposite side of the line of seam-formation,

and an operative connection between said strip-folder and the slide-bar acting to swing the strip-folder into and out of operative position alternatively with said edge-folder.

, 6. The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of a pair of guiding devices alternatively operativefor directing work to the stitch-forming mechanism, an operative connection between said guiding devices effective to shift one of said guiding devices into operative position as and an edge-guide c'oacting with both of said guiding devices in their operative position to direct the work past the stitch-forming mechanism.

7 The combination with a sewing machine stitch-forming mechanism, of an edge-folder and a strip-guide alternatively operative for directing work to the stitch-forming mechanism, a presser-foot, a pair of edgeguides carried by said presser-foot disposed to direct past the stitch-formingmechanism the longitudinal edges of a strip passed through the strip-gulde in the operative position of said strip-guide, and means for shifting one of said edge-guides into an in operative position.

8. The comb'nation with a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism and a work-support, of a pair of work-guiding devices alternatively sniftable into operative position in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, a Presser-foot opposed to the work-support, a pair of substantially parallel edge-guides yieldingly opposed to the sewing machine work-support in the oper- 125. ative position of one of said work-guiding devices, and'means for shifting one of said edge-guides into an inoperative position.

9. The combination with a sewlng machine having stitch-forming mechanism and a Work-support, of a pair of work-guiding devices alternatively shiftable into operative position in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, a presser-foot opposed to the 5 work-support, laterally spaced edge-guides carried by said presser-foot yieldingly 0pposed to the sewing machine work-support in the operative position of one of said workguiding devices, means for raising one of said edge-guides into an inoperative position, and means for releasably latching the edge-guide in its inoperative position.

10. The combination with a sewing machine .having stitch-forming mechanism and a work-support, of a plurality of work-guiding devices having their operative positions in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism, a presser-foot opposed to the work-support, laterally spaced edge-guides mounted upon said presser-foot for vertical yielding movements independently of each other and of the presser-foot, said edge-guides coacting with one of the work-guiding devices in directing the work past the stitch-forming mechanism, and means for releasably latching one of said edge-guides in inoperative position.

11. The combination with the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing machine, a work-support, and a pivotally supported Presser-foot opposed to the work-support, of work-guiding means acting to direct work past said stitch-forming mechanism including laterally spaced edge-guides mounted upon said presser-foot for vertical yielding movements independently of each other and of the Presser-foot during the operation of the machine, said edge-guides partaking of the pivotal movements of the presser-foot, 9,,and means for releasably latching one of said edge-guides in inoperative position.

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

' RUDOLPH J. SAILER.

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