US1924157A

US1924157A - Illuminating device for sewing machines or the like

Info

Publication number: US1924157A
Application number: US482554A
Authority: US
Inventors: Doubler Charles W H
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-09-17
Filing date: 1930-09-17
Publication date: 1933-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1950-08-29

Description

Aug. 29, 1933- c, w HDOUBLER 1,924,157

ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 17, 1930 MHWM Patented Aug. 29, 1933 OFFICE mnumiva'rme DEVICE FOR SEWING lmcnmss on THE LIKE Charles W. H'Doubler, Springfield; Mo.

September 11, 19:0 Serial No. 482.554

This invention relates in general to improvements in devices for illuminating work tables and relates more specifically to impro in electric illumination of sewing machines or the like.

While the majority of, the prior sewing machines are equipped with electric illuminating means, the lamps are not properly positioned for casting unobstructed beams of light on the needle nor on the material being sewed at the spot where the needle point enters said material; and, furthermore, being mounted on brackets supported on the outside of the arm, the lamps are exposed to easy breakage, present a crude w seem out of place, and become uncomfortably warm to the touch.

It is one of the objects ofthe present invention to overcome the before mentioned objectionable features.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for effective illumination of sewing machines, whereby the lamp is supported adjacent the needle and in a position to cast an unobstructed beam of light on the point pwtion of the needle while threading is being effected, and on the material being sewed at the place where said needle enters the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for illumination of sewing in which the lamp is positioned within a reees provided in the bottom portion of the head to protect the lamp against breakage, and also to shield the eyes of the sewer from the flare of the light.

A still further object of the invention is to provide electrical illuminating means for sewing machines in which the lamp is mounted in a manner' that will facilitate exchange of lamps as occasion demands.

A further object of the invention is to provide an illuminating device for sewing machines or the like, which is simple and compact in construction and eflicient in operation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved electric illumination of sewing machine work tables or the like set forth in the accompanying on and in the claims annexed to and forming a part thereof.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification and in which the same refer- Y ence characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of the tubular arm of a new type of sewing machine embodying the present invention;

Fig.2isafrontviewoftheheadportionofthe (c1. gin-2.14)

broken away to show interior structure;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the face plate showing the pivotally mounted lighting element adjusted to permit convenient exchange of lamp bulbs; and

Fig. 4 is a side view of the head portion of the tubular arm with the face plate removed and showing a slightly modified embodiment of the invention.

Since the present invention is well adapted for application to the head portion of a standard sewing machine, only the head and a portion of the tubular arm have been illustrated.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates the tubular arm of a sewingmachine which in this specific instance is of unique construction designed to conceal the thread supply and take up means within the tubular arm which terminates in a head portion 5' at the front end thereof.

An annular aperture 6 at the top of the head is provided with a detachable pin 7 centrally posioned within the aperture and adapted to loosely support a spool 8 carrying the thread 9, said spool being retained in a freely rotatable position within the aperture by a cover 10 pivoted to the arm by a shouldered screw 11.

The needle-bar 12 carrying the needle 13 and the presser-bar 14 supporting a presser-foot 15, are mounted in the head for reciprocation, said needle-bar being reciprocated by ordinary means supported in the usual aperture 16 provided in the front of the head.

While sewing with this type of sewing machine the thread 9 travels from the spool 8 under an adjustable tension member 17 and backwards through a horizontally extending groove or threadway 18, partially around an inner portion (not shown) of a thread guide 19, thence forwardly through the threadway 18', over a flared stud 20 and downwardly to the needle 13 through an angular nick 21 provided in the front bottom comer of the head for that purpose.

Now, while the said nick 21 is primarily provided as a threadway between the stud 20 and the needle 13, it also provides a logical site for illuminating means. with that object in view a face plate 22, secured to the head portion by a thumb screw 23 and to the arm by a-screw 24, is provided. This face plate is formed to cover the threadways 18 and 18', and the usual aperture 16 at the front of the head, and also coacts with the nick 21 to form a cavity or aperture 21' which is entirely enclosed excepting for a bot tom'opening. Through this opening an electric lamp 25, is adapted to cast a beam of light on the needle 13 and upon the material being sewed directly under the needle bar, without introducing objectionable shadows from intervening objects. The plate 22 while serving to normally conceal and to protect the lamp 25, does not interfere with ready removal or replacement of the bulb.

To facilitate an exchange of lamps, as occasion demands, said lamp 25 is detachably engaged by a socket 26 supported by the horizontal portion of an L-shaped bracket 28 which may be pivoted either as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to the face plate 22 or, as in Fig. 4, to the inside wall 27 of the aperture 21 by a shouldered screw 29. This pivotal arrangement is such that said bracket, socket and lamp may be swung into a convenient position for an exchange of a lamp.

Owing to the fact that the lamp is disconnected from the source of electric current, each time an exchange of lamps is in progress, spring contacts 30, which are properly insulated and suitably positioned on the wall 27, are-provided to insure good electric contact with the lamp at all times when the face plate 22 is in position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lamp is electrified by conducting wires 31 which are connected with the spring contacts 30 by the usual screws 34, and said wires subsequently proceed to the inside of the tubular arm 5 through apertures 32 and 33 provided in the walls of the head, then backwards and downwards to connect with any suitable source of electric energy. But as shown in Fig. 4 one of the lamp contacts is in good electric connection with the metal head and only one wire 31 connects the lamp with the source of electric energy, the other side of the electric current being grounded upon the metal frame to complete the circuit in the usual manner where one wire lighting is employed. It should be understood, however, that in this instance only low voltage currents are to be utilized.

While I have chosen to illustrate the present invention in connection with a sewing machine of special construction, in which the nick 21 is utilized in connection with the face plate to provide a lamp housing which is a necessary feature of that particular construction, it is not to be construed as limiting the application of this invention to that special type of machine since all of the well known makes may readily be provided with similar apertures in which electric lamps may be mounted in a manner equivalent to that shown in the drawing and defined in the foregoing description.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a sewing machine head having a recess therein with a lower end opening, a removable face plate forming part of the head and a portion of the walls of the recess, a needle reciprocally associated with the head, an

' electrical connection within the recess, an electric lamp socket pivotally connected within the recess of the head and swingable to an outer position when the face plate is removed, said lamp socket being disconnected from the electrical connection when in its outer position to permit removal of a lamp from the lamp socket, and an electric lamp removably mounted in the lamp socket for directing an unobstructed beam of light downwardly upon the lower portion of the needle and upon the material being sewed.

2. In combination, a sewing machine head having a recess formed in one side portion thereof with a lower end opening, an angular removable face plate forming part of the head and a portion of the walls of the recess, a needle reciprocally associated with the head adjacent the recess, a yielding electrical connection within the recess, an electric lamp socket pivotally connected within the recess and swingable to two positions of rest when the face plate is removed, one of said positions contacting with the electric connection within the recess when the face plate is mounted on the head, and an electric lamp removably mounted in the lamp socket for directing an unobstructed beam of light downwardly upon the lower portion of the needle and upon the material being sewed. 3. In combination, a complemental sewing ma chine head comprising ahead block provided with an external angular notch or open recess portion,

a removable face plate co-acting with said notch to form a box-like recess external to the head .block, said recess having a lower end opening an external notch, a removable face plate co-- acting with said notch to form a box-like recess between said face plate and the head block, said recess having a lower end opening thereto, a needle reciprocally associated with'the head, an electric connection within the recess, an electric lamp socket pivotally connected to the face plate and swingable out of and into the face plate portion of the recess after the face plate has been.

removed from the head block, said lamp socket engaging the electric connection when within the box-like recess but being out of contact therewith when the two recess-forming members are separated, and an electric lamp removably mounted in the lamp socket for directing an unobstructed beam of light upon the lower portion of the needle and upon the material being sewed.

CHARLES W. HDOUBLER.