US1933032A - Presser foot for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 31, c F, RUBEL PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 15 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 9% gmm WMWQ Claim/ S Oct. 31, 1933. c RUBEL 1,933,032

PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 31, 1933. c. F. RUBEL PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 gnvenfoa Oct. 31, 1933. c F. RUBEL PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 AZI Z! w 9 3 i a m A l W W 2% y Oct. 31, c RUBEL PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed A ril 15, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M My, mmiizfg Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Special Machine Com poration of Illinois pany, Chicago, III., a cor- Application April. 15, 1931. Serial No.,530,350

9 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in presser foot for sewing machines, and more particularly to a presser foot for use on a machine for trimming the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, turning said trimmed edge portions into flat lapped relation and joining the same by covering stitches.

An object of the invention is to provide a presser foot for a machine of the above character 10 having non-flexible members located alongside the channel which receives the upturned edge portions of the fabric sections, with means whereby said non-fiexible members can be readily and quickly detached from the presser foot and re- '1placed thereon without requiring the disassembling of the parts of the presser foot.

A further object of the invention is to provide a presser foot of the above character wherein the non-flexible members terminate substanjtially at the rear side of the needle opening in said presser foot with a non-flexible member located in rear of the needle opening, and where-.

in said non-flexible members constitute substantially the entire fabric holding surface of the jpresser foot.

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

In the drawings Figure l is a side view of a portion of a sewing machine having the improved presser foot applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in '1plan showing the shank and foot portion with the parts carried thereby;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the presser 'Qfoot, showing the manner of supporting one of the non-flexible members alongside of the channel, and also the non-flexible member in rear of the needle opening;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing jthe non-flexible member partly detached from seam as having passed the needles and about to. pass beneath the non-flexible member at the rear of the foot;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing the cross seambeneath the non-flexible member at the rear of the foot;

Fig.12 is a view in transverse section through the presser foot, and throat plate on a line in front of the trimming mechanism and showing more or less diagrammatically the position of the fabric sections before the edge portions are trimmed.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12 taken at the trimming point and showing the edge portions as trimmed oif.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 12 taken a short distance in front of the needles, and showing the turning down of the trimmed edge portions.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 12 taken at the stitching point and showing the fabric sections turned down for stitching.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15, but showing two thicknesses of fabric at the right of the line of feed, and

Fig. 1'7 is a view similar to Fig. 15, but show- 80. ing two thicknesses of fabric at the left of the line of feed.

The invention is directed to a presser foot for sewing machines which is especially adapted for guiding and directing fabric sections so that they 85, may be trimmed, after which the trimmed edges are placed in lapped relation and united by stitching, which not only joins the edge portions but which covers the raw edges of the trimmed fabric sections. The presser foot is provided with a 00 channel extending in the general direction of the feed from the front end of the foot to a point directly in front of the needle opening. This channel receives the upturned edge portions and directs the same to horizontally disposed trim- 95. ming devices which trim said edge portions, after which the presser foot operates thereon for turn-. ing said trimmed edge portions into lapped relation for stitching. The stitching mechanismv preferably includes a plurality of needles, as shown in the drawings, with which loopers cooperate, and also cover thread laying devices.

The invention is directed broadly to the-construction of that portion of the presser foot which bears on the fabric sections and holds said sec tions either on the work support or in contact with the feed dogs during the operation of the machine. Located along each side of the channel for directing the upturned edge portions isv a non-flexible member. Each non-flexible memllO 2: her is provided with two posts one at each end thereof. The rear post extends through an opening in the foot portion, and a flat spring bears on the upper end thereof. The front post extends through a slot in the foot portion which leads all the way to the front end thereof, and there is a pin through the post which serves as a stop for. limiting the downward movement of the non-flexible member. A spring bears on the forward upturned end portion of the non-flexible member and yieldingly forces said forward end downwardly away from the foot portion. This non-flexible member terminates substantially at the rear end of the needle opening in the foot portion, and there is a third non-flexible member extending all the way across the presser foot in rear of the'needle opening. This non-flexible member is yieldingly pressed downwardly and is so constructed that it can move both above and; below the plane of the lower face of the nonfiexiblemembers when said members are in contact with the foot portion.

It is thought that the invention willbe betterunderstood by a detail description of" the illustratedembodiment. The presser foot includes a. shank portion 1 in the form. of a block which is attached to a presser bar 2. Rigidly carried bythe shank portion 1 is a foot portion 3. There is a needle opening athrough this foot portion through which'the needles indicated .at5, 6 and '7 pass. Thereisa channel'8 in thefoot portion leading from the front end thereof and terminat-. ing in advance of the needle opening. As shown in the drawings, the machine. isprovided with a work supporting arm 9, and said work arm car-.. ries a rib 10 which is V-shaped in cross section, which ribisremovably mounted on the-work arm so that' it can be moved into the channel in. the presser foot. The purposeof. the .rib .is to aid -in the guiding and directing of-theupturned edge portions of the fabric sections. The presser foot is provided with a section 11 secured thereto by a screw 12 which carries a fabric engagingmember 13 that operates on the edge portions of thefabric sections-to turnthe samedownwardly into lapped relation. There is also a-fabric en-. gaging section 14 secured to the foot portion by a screw 15 which-carriesamember 16 (see Fig. 14) that turns down-the under fabric section prior to the turning down of theupper fabric section by the member 13. Thus it is that the. fabric sections are placed in lapped relation one on the other-preparatory to stitching.

The fabric sections as they 'pass'intothechannel are directed first to trimming devices which include a stationary trimming blade-l'l'and a movable trimming blade l8.- Thestationary trimming blade 1'7 is secured to the foot portion bymeans of a clamping member-19. Said clamp- 'ing member is secured tothe foot portion by means of a clamping screw 20. This clampingmember overlaps the stationary trimming blade and firmly secures the same to the foot portion. The movable trimming blade is provided with a guiding finger 21 and the clamping memberis formed with a passageway 22 which receives this guiding finger, and thus it isthat the stationary trimming blade is firmly clamped to thefoot portion, and at the same time, amplespace is given' for the movements of the movable trimming blade. and the guide fingerassociated therewith, Fixed to. the presser foot is a guard plate 23,which;;

deflects away from the stitching mechanism the trimmed oflixedge portions- This guard plateiis:

attached to the foot portion by means of a screw 24.

After the fabric sections have been trimmed they are turned down into flat relation as stated above. The center needle 6 is located so as to pass through the lapped portionswhile the needles Sand 7 pass outside of the respective edges, and thus it is that the lapped edge portions are covered by the stitchformingmechanism. The stitch forming mechanism includes a guide 25 for the cover thread and a hook 26 which cooperates therewith in laying the cover thread so that it will join the outside-rows of needle thread loops. In thework arm-isa complemental stitch forming mechanism which cooperates with the needles for formingconnected rows of loops which cover the under face of the lapped sections.

At each side of the channel 8 in the presser foot is a. non-flexible fabric engaging portion. The non-flexible member at one side is indicated at 2'7 and the non-flexible-member. at the other sideais indicated at 28; This non-flexible member 27. has its outer edge atthe outer face of the presser footportion 3. .Its inner edge extends alongthe channel throughwhich'the upturned edge-portions are guided; Thereis aportion cutaway for the member 13 which aids in the turning. down of the edge portions ofthe fabric sections. The

non-fiexiblemember 28' has .its outeredgesubstantially. inline with the outer edge of .the foot portion .3, while the inner edge is parallel with the wall of the channel in the foot-portion. The. in-

ner edge at the, rearend of the channel is cut away: to provide a-space for the member 16 which aids in turning down the edge portions of .the fabric sections.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, the mountingof the non-flexible member 2811s shown. Adjacent the rearend of the non-flexible member is apost 29 which extends up through an opening in the presser footportion 3. Attached .to the presser foot is ailat spring.30 bymeansofa screw 31; This flat spring'overlies the upper end of :the post 29. Thepost. 29. isof-sufiicientlength so that when the non-flexible member 28 isin contact with the underface ofthe presserfootportionB, the spring willibe under tension, and yieldingly pressing down on the post 29. The front end of.

the non-flexible member 28 is turned upward as indicated at 32. Adjacent the front endcofithe non-flexible membe1228. is a post 33 which extends up through a slot 34 leading in from the front end of the presser foot portion 3.. A'pin 35 extends through the head of this post and is so positioned thatwhen the non-flexible member 28 is against be a slightdistance above the. upper face of the foot portion. A spring 36 is secured to a projecting lug. carried by the foot portion 3 by means of a screw 37. This spring extends over the front end of the non-flexible member 28 and bears on said non-flexible member. When the presser foot is raised from the fabric, the fiat spring 30 hearing on the rear post, and the spring 36 bearing on :the forward end of said non-flexible. member 28 will yieldingly force said member downwardlyaway from the foot portion 3. The extent to which the front post moves downwardly is limited by the stop pin. There is nothing to limit thedownward. movement'of the post 29, except that the forwardpost'33 servesas a fulcrum and the spring36 bearing on the front end of the non- When .it, :isgdesired .to .remove this non-flexible .130 the under face of the foot portion 3, the pin will;

member of the presser foot, all that is necessary is to lift the presser foot and then the rear post 29 canibe withdrawn from the opening as shown inFig. 6, after which the non-flexible member is moved forward, withdrawing the post 33 from the slot 34. The spring 36 is so positioned that the post 33 can be completely withdrawn from the slot. This removing of the non-flexible member is of great aid in the operation of the machine. The lint from the trimming mechanism has a tendency to collect between the non-flexible member and the presser foot and thus limit its action, if not rendering it completely ineffective. The non-flexible member can be very readily and quickly removed without disassembling any of the parts of the presser'foot, or by removing any screws or bolts, and when replaced it will be in its normal position under its normal tension means.

The non-flexible member 27 carries a 'post 3'7 adjacent its rear end, and a leafspring 38 secured to the foot section by 'a screw 39 bears on the upper end of the post. There is a post 40 adjacent the front end of this non-flexible member 2'7, and a pin 41 which limits the downward movement thereof. There is a spring 42 carried by a lug 43 which bears on the forward end of this nonflexible member 27. The proportioning of the parts supporting this non-flexible member 27 and the operation of the same, is precisely the same as the supporting and operation of the non-flexible member 28. The non-flexible members 2'7 and 28 and the yielding mounting of the same per se, form no part of the present invention, but are shown, described and claimed in the patent granted Alfred T. Chidley, August 25, 1931, No. 1,820,438.

The present invention has particularly to do with the mounting of these non-flexible members so that they may be detached from the foot portion of the presser foot, and also so that they form substantially the entire fabric holding surface ofthe presser foot in front of the needle. The devices carried by the presser foot for turning the edge portions of the fabric sections into lapped relation and the'retractible rib on the work support form no part of the present invention per se, but are shown, described and claimed in the patent granted Albert S. Riviere and Charles F. Rubel, October 13, 1931, No. 1,827,613.

The non-flexible members 27 and 28 terminate substantially at the rear side of the needle hole 4 in the presser foot. In-rear of these non-flexible members 27 and 28 and extending all the way across the presser foot is a non-flexible member 44. The foot portion 3 is provided with a recess in its under face adapted to receive this nonfiexible member 44. The member is carried by a post 45 extending upwardly into a recess 46 in the shank 1 of the presser foot. A spring 47 housed in the recess yieldingly moves the post downwardly, and the non-flexible member 44 away from the foot portion 3. A screw 48 passing through a slotin the presser foot shank is l threaded into the post and limits its downward movement.

The non-flexible members 2'7, 28 and 44 constitute substantially the entire fabric engaging and holding surface of the presser foot. The underneath portions of the foot adjacent the non-flexible members may be of any desired shape, as they do not engage the fabric and never serve as a fabric engaging and holding surface. 7

- The purpose "of these non-flexible 'members will be understood by reference to Figures 9 to 17, inclusive. In Fig. 9, a fabric section F having a cross seam c is shown as passing beneath the presser foot. This cross seam will raise the forward end of the presser foot slightly. The rear end of the non-flexible member in front of the needle hole will be forced by the leaf spring bearing on the rear post downwardly into contact with the fabric section. The non-flexible member 44 in rear of the needle hole will, of course, bear upon the fabric, notwithstanding that the presser foot has been raised by the cross seam passing beneath the same. In Fig. 10, the cross seam is shown as having passed all the way to the rear end of the non-flexible members in front of the needle hole. It will be seen from this figure that the spring at the forward end of the foothas forced the non-flexible member downwardly into contact with the material following the cross seam. In Fig. 11 thecross seam has passed the needles and is underneath the non-flexible member 44. The presser foot is still held raised, but the non-inflexible members in advance of the needle hole are moved down on to the fabric and thus hold the fabric against the work support and the feed. It will be seen that the cross seams, whether they are in one or both sections of the fabric, will readily pass beneath the presser foot without disturbingthe complete control of the fabric sections, both in front and in rear of the cross seam. In Fig. 12 the presser foot is shown as bearing on two fabric sections, one at each side of the line of feed; the edge portions are raised and are being directed to the trimming devices. In Fig. 13 the trimming devices have operated to trim the upstanding edge portions preparatory to the turning of the same down into flat relation for stitching. In Fig. 14 the presser foot is operatingupon these trimmed upturned edge portions so as to fold down the one at the left first, and then the one at the right on top thereof. In Fig. 15 the fabric sections are shown in lapped relation and being stitched by the three needles, the center one of which penetrates the lapped sections, while the other two pass outside of the edges of the respective fabric sections. In Fig. 16 there are shown two fabric sections at the right of the line of feed. This causes the presser foot portion 3 to be raised. The non-flexible member 27 is directly against the under face of the foot portion 3. The non-flexible member 28 has, however, through the action of the springs thereon, moved downwardly into contact with the single layer of fabric and is holding the same against the work support and the feet. In Fig. 17 there are two sections of fabric on the left, and the non-flexible member 27 is moved down into contact with the single thickness of fabric.

It will be apparent from the above that a presser foot has been provided wherein the fabric engaging portions at each side of the channel directing the upturned edge portions are nonflexible. They are substantially rigid metal parts, and at the same time, said sections are so mounted that they may yield independently of each other, and yield either at the forward end or the rear end thereof, so as to take care not only of different thicknesses of fabric on opposite sides of the channel, but also cross seams as they pass beneath the presser foot. In order that these non-flexible members will freely move so as to control the fabric sections under all of these conditions, it is essential that the presser foot should be kept clear of collecting lint formed claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is

1. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot. portion to a point in front of the needle opening for'receiving and directing the upturned ed'ge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a non-flexible member beneath the foot portion at each side of the channel, means for supporting each non-flexible member whereby it may be detached from the foot portion by a tilting and endwise movement of the non-flexible member relative to said foot portion, and yielding means associated with each non-flexible member for moving the same downwardly and away from the foot portion.

2. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle opening for receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into fiat overlapping relation for stitching, a non-flexible member at each side of said channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to'a point in line with the rear side of the needle opening, a nonflexible yielding member in rear of the needle opening, said non-flexible members serving as the sole fabric holding surface of said presser foot,

and means associated with each non-flexible member for supporting the same and for yieldingly forcing said member downwardly away from the presser foot.

3. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle opening for receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabricsections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a non-flexible member at each side of said channel extending from the front end of the presser foot to a point in line with the rear side of the needle opening, a non-flexible yielding member in rear of the needle opening, said non-flexible members serving as the sole fabric holding surface of said presser foot, and means associated with each nonflexible member for supporting the same and for yieldingly forcing said member downwardly away from the presser foot, said member in rear of the needle opening being mounted so as to move both above and below the plane of the lower'faces of the non-flexible members along side of the channel. 4. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle openingfor receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a nonfiexible member beneath the foot portion at each side of the channel, means associated with each non-flexible member for supporting the same on said foot portion, said supporting means including devices located substantially at the opposite ends of the non-flexible members, and yielding means associated therewith for normally forcing the non-flexible members downwardly away from the foot section, said supporting means for said non-flexible members being constructed so as to permit the non-flexible members to be independently detached from the foot portion by a tilting and endwise movement of said non-flexible members relative to the foot portion.

5. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle opening for receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a non-flexible member beneath the foot portion at each side of the channel, and means associated with each nonflexible member for supporting the same on the foot portion including a post rigid with the nonflexible member adjacent each end thereof, said posts extending through openings in the foot portion, said opening at the front end of the foot portion being in the form of a slot extending to the front end of the foot so as to permit the nonfiexible member to be quickly removed from the foot portion, and means for yieldingly moving said non-flexible member downwardly away from the foot portion. I p

6. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle opening for receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a nonflexible member beneath the foot portion at each side of the channel, means associated with each non-flexible member for supporting the same on the foot portion including a post rigid with the non-flexible member adjacent each end thereof, said posts extending through openings in the foot portion, said opening at the front end of the foot portion being in the form of a slot extending to the front end of the foot so as to permit the nonflexible member to be quickly removed from the foot portion, a flat spring engaging the post at the rear end of each non-flexible member for yieldingly moving the non-flexible member downwardly, and away from the foot portion, means carried by the post adjacent the front end of each non-flexible member for limiting the downward movement thereof, and a spring bearing on each non-flexible member in front of the posts for yieldingly moving the front end of the nonflexible member downwardly and away from the foot portion.

7. A presser foot for sewing machines com- 150 prising a shank, a foot portion rigidly carried by said shank having a needle opening and a channel leading from the front end of said foot portion to a point in front of the needle opening for receiving and directing the upturned edge portions of fabric sections, said presser foot having means for turning said fabric sections into flat overlapping relation for stitching, a nonflexible member beneath the foot portion at each side of the channel, means for supporting each non-flexible member whereby it may be quickly detached from the foot portion, yielding means associated with each non-flexible member for moving the same downwardly and away from the foot portion, said non-flexible members terminating substantially at the rear end of the needle opening, a non-flexible member located in rear of the needle opening and extending all the way across the presser foot, a supporting post therefor, said shank having a recess adapted to receive said post, a spring in said recess normally forcing the post downwardly, and a stop for limiting said downward movement of the post, said stop being disposed so as to permit the nonflexible member in rear of the needle opening to move above and below the plane of the lower face of the non-flexible members when in contact with the foot portion.

8. A presser foot for sewing machines including a foot portion, a non-flexible member located beneath said foot portion, a post adjacent each end of said non-flexible member, said foot portion having openings therethrough for receiving said posts, a leaf spring bearing on the post at the rear end of said non-flexible member, a limiting pin passing through the post at the forward end of said non-flexible member, said non-flexible member having an upturned forward portion in front of said posts, and a spring bearing on said front end of the non-flexible member for normally forcing said non-flexible member downwardly away from the foot portion and for holding the rear post in contact with the spring associated therewith.

9. A presser foot for sewing machines including a foot portion, a non-flexible member located beneath said foot portion, a post adjacent each end of said non-flexible member, said foot portion having openings therethrough for receiving said posts, a leaf spring bearing on the post at the rear end of said non-flexible member, a limiting pin passing through the post at the forward end of said non-flexible member, said non-flexible member having an upturned forward portion in front of said posts, and a spring bearing on said front end of the non-flexible member for normally forcing said non-flexible member downwardly away from the foot portion and for holding the rear post in contact with the spring associated there-- with, the opening for the post at the front end of the non-flexible member being slotted whereby saidnon-flexible member, when the presser foot is raised, can be quickly released from the foot by Withdrawing the rear post from the opening and moving the front post forward in the slot.

CHARLES F. RUBEL.

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