US1984330A

US1984330A - Multiple needle sewing machine

Info

Publication number: US1984330A
Application number: US586204A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erskine E Boyce
Original assignee: BOYSELL Co
Current assignee: BOYSELL Co
Priority date: 1932-01-12
Filing date: 1932-01-12
Publication date: 1934-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1951-12-11

Description

Dec. 11, 1934. E. E. BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Dec. 1 1, 1934. E, E, BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

. 11, '1934. E. E. BOYCE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

f U M 5 f N MW 5 Y B Dec. 11, 1934. E. E. BOYCE 0 MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N V EN TOR. fmj/r/A/fffioyaf A TTORNEY.

Dec. 11 1934. E. E. BOYCE 1,984,330

MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 12, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE Erskine E. Boyce, Gastonia, N. 0., assignor to The Boysell Company, Gastonia, N. 0.. a corporation of North Carolina My invention relates to sewing machines and generally, though not in all details, to sewing machinespof the multiple needle or gang type.

The invention is generally adapted to machinery of the above character wherein a plurality of needles are arranged in a common carrier or reciprocating head to pierce cloth and carry therethrough yarns or threads so that loops will be formed on the opposite side'of the cloth, and in connection with'which there is provided a plurality of loop retaining and severing members arranged for simultaneous collec tive operation to provide tufting on one face of the cloth so that the finished product will have .a tufted or pile face such as embodied in bath mats and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above character and for accomplishing the above purpose in which the needle carrier, tufting mechanism, and actuating mechanism therefor comprise a comparatively simple construction. and arrangement of parts easily operated and repaired or replaced, and highly eflicient in producing an even tufted surface on the articles manufactured thereon.

A specific object of the invention is to provide in connection with a sewing machine, feeding mechanism for evenly moving a relatively wide strip of material, such mechanism being synchronized with the movement of the stitching mechanism and engaging the cloth at a point remote from the plane in which the needle or needles engage through the cloth.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by the provision of a reciprocating carrier or head for the needlebars to move the needles across the path over which the cloth is moved by the feed-- ing mechanism, and providing on the opposite side of said bed a carrier for the tufting mechanism on which are mounted a plurality of loop receiving members alined with the needles and adapted to be reeiprocated across the path of the needles, there being provided in connection with each of the loop receiving members a loop severing blade preferably operable by movement of the reciprocating carrier and loop receiving member. Under the foregoing arrangement each time the needles descend through the cloth and form a loop, the loop receiving members move across the needles and through the loops and the cutting blades open with respect to the loop receiving members, and then as the needles.

ascend with their carrier, the loop receiving members are moved backwardly or in. reverse direction by their carrier and. the cutting blades which are retained and severed in themanner above mentioned.

In connection with the foregoing, another object of the invention resides in the provision of means for forming patterns on the cloth by automatically making a selected needle or groups of needles ineffective to pierce the cloth so that there will be areas of predetermined patterns or designs on the cloth which have no loops or tufts when the tufting operation has been completed on the machine.

The foregoing object is accomplished by the provision of electrically controlled needlebar latches, there being one in connection with each needlebar, automatically controlled from a pattern determining form preferably movable by and in synchronism with the feeding mechanism to make and break circuits in which the electrical control means are interposed for operating the latches.

Another object of the invention is to provide electrically controlled latching means of the above character operatively associated with the needlebar actuating parts for movement thereby.

Other specific objects and advantages of the invention and the details of construction and arrangement of parts utilized in the practice of the invention will be hereinafter described and pointed out in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein are shown preferred embodiments of the invention and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sewing machine and associated apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section and with parts broken away showing the needle frame, tufting mechanism and actuating parts;

Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line -33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 4 showing the needle and tufting mechanism in another position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 showing the needle and tufting mechanisms in another position;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation showing the cloth feeding and pattern controlling mechanism;

Fig. 7a is a side view of the actuating means for the cloth feeding mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the pattern controlling mechanism shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a modification of the needle releasing mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the letter A designates a frame supporting a plurality of bobbins B from which the threads T are guided through hooks or eyes H through guides G on a frame supported by the sewing machine and over tensioning guides E to the needles, (Fig. 4). Also as shown in Fig. 1, the cloth C is fed from a drum D across the sewing machine and rollers R to the feed roller F (Fig. 7)? the drum D being provided with a pulley P in which is disposed a rope J one end of which is secured to a fixed bracket K and the other end of the rope having afilxed thereto a weight W to provide a frictional restraint on rotation of the drum D. The main frame of the sewing machine is indicated by S in Fig. 1, and it supports the mechanism and parts about to be described in detail and including 1 the actuating mechanism indicated generally at Y in Fig. 1, and driven by the belt U which engages the pulley V rotated by motor M in usual manner.

As shown in Fig.2 a plurality of alined needlebars 10, each shown in detail in Fig. 4 as comprising a stem 11 having a needle receiving opening in its lower end and a screw 12 tapped through said end to retain the needle, are mounted on a carrier 13, the ends 14 of which are slidably mounted on tracks 15 which are secured at opposite ends of the machine frame by bolts 16 to upright supports 17 which are held by angle irons 18 secured to the frame by bolts 19. A shaft 20 (Figs. 2, 4) is rotated by the actuating member Y (Fig. 1) and carries at spaced intervals, preferably adjacent the ends of the frame S, eccentrics 21 which receive the ends 22 of rods 23, the other ends of which are pivotally connected by stub shafts 24 to the couplings 25 which may be adjustably connected to the carrier 13 by bolts 26 extending through slots 27 and the carrier.

Still referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, it will be noted that there are also mounted on the shaft 20, preferably at regular spaced intervals a plurality of discs 28 carrying cams 29 which engage arms 30 of the members 31, the upper ends of which are secured to the beam 32 by bolts 33. Before proceeding further with the description of the construction of the mechanisms employed, I will point out that the cams 29 effect a reciprocating motion of the beam 32 through the members 31 as the shaft 20 rotates, and at the same time the eccentrics 21, rods 23 and couplings 25 effect a reciprocat- The beam 32 is a carrier for tufting mech anism, which, preferably, may be generally similar to and embody essential features .of the tufting mechanism shown and described in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 5'77,81'7, filed Nov. 28, 1931, wherein there is provided a loop receiving member having a hooked end and mounted for reciprocation across the path of reciprocationof the needle and in connection therewith a pivoted cutting blade operated by movement of the loop receiving member to sever a loop or loops on the receiving member. In the present application the reciprocating beam 32 carriers a plurality of loop receiving members of the type above referred to .and each comprising a finger 34 disposed substantially parallel to the bed of the frame S and having at its outer end a loop retaining hook 35 (Figs. 46) There is one finger 34 for each needle and of course the fingers are positioned in alinement with the needles so as to receive the loops formed by the needles as they pierce the cloth. Each finger 34 may be provided with a notched extension 36, Fig. 5, to be received in slots in beam 32 and in which they can be held in place by a bar 3'7 fixed to the beam by 37. A cutting blade 38 is pivotally connected to each finger 34 by a pin 39, and the blade may be provided with an arm 40 having a recess 41 in its bottom to seat on the flange 42 of an angle plate 43 held in position by rods 44 which are secured to the plate 45 by nuts 46, (Fig. 4).

The tufting mechanism just described is housed within a chamber 4'7 (Fig. 4) formed by the plate-45 which has a top flange 48, a plate 49 having a top flange 50 extending toward and disposed in the same plane as flange 48, and cross bars 51 to which members 31 are fulcrumed, secured to the

plates

45 and 49 by bolts 52. A plate 53 is mounted over the chamber 47 on supports 54 located on top of

flanges

48 and 50, and this plate 53 base, plurality of openings 55 alined with the needles and fingers 34. The needles reciprocate through openings 55.

It should be apparent from the foregoing that each time the eccentrics 21 and rods 23 move the needle carrier 13 down the needles will pierce cloth disposed over openings 55, while the cams 29 through member 31 will move the beam 32 and fingers 38 toward the needles so that the fingers will pass through the loops formed below the cloth (see Fig. 4), and as the finger is so moved the blade 38 pivots on 39 and 42 to open position with respect to the lower edge of the finger. When the needle carrier ascends with the needles the finger retains the loop and the cams 29 move member '31 and beam 32 to the position shown in Fig. .5 whereupon the blade 38 pivots reversely and closing over the edge of the finger severs a loop, it being obvious that the relative length of the blade and finger can be varied whereby the loop just caught will not be severed until it has been moved back by the succeeding loop as explained in my said copending application.

To progressively move the cloth across the machine to accomplish a continuous tufting operation, I provide the arrangement of parts shown best in Figs. 1, 7 and 7a. and partly in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1, '7 and M, an eccentric 56 is mounted on shaft 20 and receives the looped end 57 of rod 58, the other end of which is disposed against ratchet wheel 59 on shaft 60. A gear wheel 61 is keyed on shaft 60 and meshes with gear wheel 62 on a shaft 63 which rotatably carries the roller 64 preferably roughened to frictionally engage cloth C. A roller or rod 65 on frame 66 is disposed in front of the roller 64 to press the cloth against the face of the roller, and the cloth can be fed thereover from under the roller 64' to expose the tufted face of the cloth for ready inspection at all times during the tufting operation. A pawl or keeper 67 is pivoted at 68 to the frame to prevent backward movement of the wheel 59. The eccentric 56 is so positioned on the shaft relative to the eccentrics 21 and cams 29 that the rod 58 receives a forward motion to thrust against one of the teeth on wheel 59 after the needle carrier has ascended to remove the needles from the cloth. It should be apparent that the forward thrust of the rod slightly rotates wheel 59, shaft 60, gears 61 and 62 and roller 64, which latter being in frictional engagement with the cloth will move it across the bed of the machine. The ratio of

gears

61 and 62 can determine the length of feeding movement imparted to the cloth.

The apparatus thus far disclosed is sufficient to efi'ect a continuous multiple stitching and tufting operation whereby a solid tufted surface would be produced, but it is frequently desirable to manufacture tufted mats and the like embodying designs by omitting tufting at predetermined intervals to leave untufted areas which can be filled in different colors of threads on other machines, and I. will now describe mechanism which I can provide for automatically and efiiciently accomplishing this on a multiple needle machine.

In Fig. 7, the shaft 63 is connected to a gear 69 which meshes with a gear 70 on a shaft 71 journaled at one end in frame S and at its other end in a support 72 and supporting a cylinder 73 for rotation therewith. As clearly shown in Fig. 8, the cylinder 73 is provided with an inner sheet of electrical conducting material 74 over which is an outer sheet of non-conducting material 75, the latter being provided with openings 76, which, as shown in Fig. 7, are of different length and arranged to determine a motif or pattern 77 on the cylinder. A plurality of fixed contact fingers 78 are mounted through an insulating support 79 with one end disposed against the cylinder and yieldably held in contact therewith by springs 80 mounted on an insulating support 81 and electrically connected to wires 82. The openings 76 are alined with .the contacts 78 so that as the cylinder rotates with feed roll 64 at a ratio determined by

gears

69 and 70 the contacts 78 will engage the sheet 74 for predetermined intervals to establish circuits through elements and for purposes about to be described.

Referring back to Fig. 4, it will be noted that an electro-magnet 83 is secured to the fixed support 84 which extends above and longitudinally of the sewing machine. The wires 82 (Fig. 8) are connected to the electro-magnet, and the wires 85 (Fig. 4) are connected to a source of electric energy (not shown) and which in turn is connected to the conducting sheet 74 on the cylinder 73, it being understood that such connections can be made with any suitable devices to establish a current through the electro-magnet, contact 78, spring 80, sheet 74 and connecting wires to energize the magnet at predetermined intervals during which the contact 78 engages sheet 74 through an alined opening 76. The number of electro-magnets corresponds to the number of needlebars 10, and an armature 86 is pivotally mounted below each electromagnet on a rod 87 having its ends secured by screws 88 (Fig. 3) in blocks 89 carried by plates 90 of angular formation, each of said uprights being pivotally connected as by bolts 91 to plates 92 which move with the needlebar carrier 13. on studs 94 at the upper ends of plates 90 and when the needlebar carrier is in raised position the rollers rest in arcuate seats 95 in the upper ends of guides 96 secured to the frame by angle irons 97 and bolts 98.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4-6, it will be noted that where the pattern forming mechanism is employed with a multiple needle machine, each of the needlebars has a portion of its upper end cut away as at 100 to provide a reduced end terminating at a shoulder 101 (Fig. 6) and an intermediate portion 102 cut away to provide an elongated reduced area terminating at

shoulders

103, 104, to contact the end of a screw 105 mounted through the carrier 13. The shoulder 101 on each bar is adapted to engage the end of a movable locking member such as a pin 106 which extends through the back of carrier 13 and the head 107 of which is normally engaged by a spring 108 secured to the carrier 13 and urging the pin toward the needlebar. Each armature 86 is provided with a hook 109 engageable with the head 107 of the pin when the armature is attracted by its magnet and caused to rotate on its pivot 87 as will be presently explained in detail. The plates 90 carry a beam 110 to which the armatures 86, which in effect are latches, are pivotally secured, and. springs 111 are mounted on the carrier 13 and extend over and engage Rollers 93 (Figs. 2-6) are journaled beam 110 to normally force it and plates 90 and parts carried thereby toward the needlebars.

Above and in alinement with needlebars 10 is a plate or beam 112 fixedly secured on extensions 113, of guide rails 15, such beam or plate serving as an abutment to return any of said bars to normal position after such bar or bars has been idle.

From the foregoing and by reference to Figs.

2-4 it will be seen that each time the carrier.

13 descends the plates 92 descend and the latter exert a pull through bolts 91 on plates 90 which causes the rollers 93 to ride out of the arcuate' seats 95 and downwardly against the edges of guides 96 so that the latches 86 will be swung outwardly from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 6 which illustrates one of the hooks 109 engaging a head 107 of one of the pins 106 which pin has been pulled away from the shoulder 101 of the needlebar so that the downward force of the carrier was not transmitted to that needlebar and the needle therefor did not pierce the cloth to form a loop. This happened because the contact 78 which is in circuit with the particular magnet controlling the armature was engaging the sheet 74 through an opening 76 to close the circuit to energize the magnet and cause it to attract the armature 86 whereby it'moved to the doted line position of Fig. 4 which placed the hook in engagement with the head 107 of the pin. The parts will remain in such position and will function as above on the downward stroke of head 13 as long as the circuit is closed, but as soon as the contact 78 engages sheet 75 again the armature will drop to its full line position when the carrier rises and rollers 93 again seat in recesses 95 and the hook will be released from engagement with the head 107 so that the spring 108 will be again effective to return and maintain the pin 106 on shoulder 101 of therbar 11 to lock said bar to the carrier whereby the motion and chine.

force of the carrier 13 will be applied to bar 11 and move the needle through the fabric. The number of needlebars thus controlled and the duration of their disconnection depends on the pattern or openings on the controlling cylinder 74.

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated a modification of the mechanism for actuating the needlebar latches and wherein 83 designates the electromagnet adiacent the core of which is mounted the armature 115 carried by the non-magnetic plate 116 and to which is attached a hook 117 engaging an eye 118 on thelatch 119, which corresponds to the latch 86, and pivoted intermediate its ends on the rod 87' similar to the rod 87 of Fig. 4. A hook 109 is formed on the end of latch 119. The rod 87' is carried by a support 120 pivoted at 121 to the angle iron 122 supported on a portion of the frame of the ma- The angle iron 122 also supports an upright 123 through which extends an elongated rod 124 having a hook 125 to cooperate with the hook 109. In this embodiment of the invention the rod 124 is preferably of sufiicient length to enable location of the latch operating mech anism further back from the head 13 in which is mounted aneedlebar 11' of the same construction as disclosed in connection with Figs. 46.' The head 13' carries a member 126 having in its rear face an arcuateseat or cam face 127 against which is normally seated a roller 128 rotatably secured by studs 129 to links 130, one end of the links being pivotally connected at 131 to the support 120, and the other end being provided with a slot 132 into which-extends a pin 133 which is fixedly secured to the fixed upright 134. A spring 135 is secured to the link 130 and to the upright 134 and normally tends to=pu1l the link 130 toward the upright 134 to maintain the link in the position shown in Fig. 9 with the pin engaging the end of the slot nearest the support 120. A spring 136 is secured between the rod 124 and the carrier or head 13' and normally tends to pull the rod 124 toward the carrier 13' so that the latch pin 137 which is pivotally secured at 138 to the rod 124 will be maintained in the position shown in, Fig. 9 against the shoulder on and adjacent the upperend of the needlebar 11' to latch the bar to the frame 13 for movement therewith so that the needle will pierce the fabric.

The apparatus disclosed in Fig. 9 operates in the following manner. When the head 13' descends, the member 126 moves therewith and the cam face or seat 127 pushes against the roller 128 which moves with the link 130 backwardly and thereby oscillates the support 120 on its pivot 121 so that the latch 119 is carried backwardly. Obviously, and bearing in mind the description of the other embodiment of the invention, if the electro-magnet 83' is energized it will attract the armature 115 and through the hook 117 will rock the latch 119 on its pivot 8'7 to move the hook 109' into engagement with the hook 125 so that when the member 120 oscillates on its pivot 121 as the head 13' descends the rod 124 will be pulled back and will remove the latch pin 137 from the shoulder of the needle bar whereupon the needlebar will idle andjthe needle will not pierce the fabric to form a loop on the underside thereof. However, as long as the magnet 83' is not energized the hook 125 will not be engaged by the hook 109' and the needlebar will belatched to the head or carrier 13 to pierce the fabric and form loops as the head reciprocates. It will be understood support 120 can oscillate or tilt backwardly as far as permitted by the pin 133 and slot 132. It should also be readily seen that when the latch 109 is released by the electro-magnet and associated mechanism the spring 136 will be ef-- fective to pull the rod toward the carrier 13' and slide the latch 137 through its opening therein into locking engagement with the shoulder of the needlebar.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the character described, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebars individually to the carrier for collective movement therewith, a bed .for fabric meanS for reciprocating said carrier transversely to the plane of the bed, and means operable by movement of said carrier for unlatching one or more of the needlebars to prevent needles carried thereby from piercing the fabric on the bed when the carrier reciprocates.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein means independent of said latching means slidably hold the needlebars inv position on the carrier.

3. The structure of claim l wherein means independent of said latching means slidably hold the needlebars in position on the carrier and an abutment for alining the ends of the needlebars is disposed in the path of, movement of the needlebars. I

4. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebars individually to the carrier, a plurality of loop receiving members, means for reciprocating said carrier to force the latched needles through the fabric to form loops, means for moving said members to catch the loops, feeding mechanism to move the fabric, and-means controlled by movement of said feeding mechanism to unlatch selected needlebars from the carrier to form untufted areas on the fabrics.

5. In a-multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics and including a bed over which fabric is disposed, a needlebar carrier mounted to reciprocate transversely to the plane of the bed, a plurality of needlebars loosely mounted on the carrier, means for locking said needlebars to the carrier for movement therewith to penetrate fabric on the bed, means normally urging said locking means into locking engagement with the bars, and electrically operated means in connection with the locking means for each needlebar for selectively moving selected locking means for locking engagement with one or more of the needlebars.

6. The structure of claim wherein the electrically controlled means comprises an electromagnet, an armature adjacent the core of the magnet, a-catch movable by said armature into engagement with the needlebar locking means, a pivoted support for the catch, and means for moving the portionof saidsupport supporting said catch away from the carrier when the care rier moves toward the bed, said electro-magnet when energized establishes a connection between the latching means and the pivoted support for movement together.

7. In a multiple needle sewing machine including a frame and a bed to receive fabric to be stitched, a reciprocating needlebar carrier supported on said frame above the bed,-a plurality ofneedlebars mounted said carrier,-

means for establishing the needlebars in locked relation to the carrier for movement therewith and in unlocked relation to permit relative movement between the carrier and selected needlebars, said means comprising a member engageable with the carrier and needlebar, means normally urging said member into engagement with the needlebar tolock the same to the carrier for movement therewith, a movable support, a plurality of pivoted latches on said support, an electro-magnet for moving each of said latches on its pivot, means between said latches and members for connecting them when the electro-magnet is energized, and means operable by movement of the carrier toward the bed for moving said latch support and latches away from the needlebars.

8. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means individually and releasably locking the needlebars to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier to force the needles in the latched needlebars through a fabric to form loops, a plurality of loop receiving members, means for moving said members in the path of movement of the needles to catch the loops formed thereby, means for selectively releasing the locking means to make the needles associated therewith ineffective to pierce the fabric, and means for collectively moving said locking means away from the needlebars.

9. The structure of claim 8 wherein said means for selectively releasing the locking means are operable by electro-magnets, and the means for collectively moving said locking means is operable by movement of the carrier.

10. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably locking the needlebars individually to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier to force needles in the locked needlebars through a fabric to form loops, a plurality of loop receiving members, means for moving said members to catch the loops, a plurality of electrically controlled members selectively engageable with each of the locking means, a support for said members, and cam means operable by reciprocating movement of the carrier to move said support and 'members away from the needlebars to release said latching means when said members are in engagement therewith.

11. In a machine of the character described, a reciprocating carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means normally locking each of the needlebars to the carrier for movement therewith, means engageable with said first means for withdrawing said locking means to unlock selected needlebars from the carrier, electro-magnets for actuating said second means, feeding mechanism for moving the fabric, and a pattern controlling member operable by said feeding mechanism for selectively energizing said electro-magnets.

12. In a multiple needle sewing machine for tufting fabrics, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebars individually to the carrier, means for reciprocating said carrier toward and away from the fabric to move the latched needles through the fabric, a'rotatable drum, a pattern sheet secured to the drum for rotation therewith, means to rotate the drum, a plurality of members yieldably urged towards said drum, and a connection between each of said members and the means releasably latching each of the needlebars to selectively unlatch said needles.

13. In'a multiple needle sewing machine, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching the needlebars individually to the carrier, means to reciprocate the carrier toward and away from a fabric to move the latched needles through the fabric, a movable pattern form, a plurality of members yieldably urged toward said form, there being one member corresponding to each of said needlebars, and a connection between each of said members and the means releasably latching each of the needlebars to selectively unlatch said needlebars according to the formations on the pattern form. Y

14. Needle controlling mechanism for machines of the character described comprising a movable pattern form, members normally urged into engagement with said pattern form, a carrier for a plurality of needlebars, means releasably latching said needlebars to said car-. rier, and a connection between each of said members and said latching means to selectively. unlatch said needlebars as determined by said pattern form;

' ERSKINE E. BOYCE.