US2032918A - Method of and apparatus for opening seams - Google Patents

Description

March 3, 1936. Q Q CUTLER 2,032,918

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SEAMS Filed July '7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l Pig-l l 1&1 ELE.

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INVENTOR,

A TTORNEYA Mach 3, 1936. C. Q CUTLER 2,032,918

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SEAMS Filed July '7, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY March 3, 1936. C. Q CUTLER 2,032,918

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SEAMS Filed July 7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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A TTORNE Y.

March 3, 1936.

C. C. CUTLER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SEAMS Filed July '7, 1933.

4SheetS-Sheet 4 NVENTOR.

Char/es @uf/er A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STES YPATENT FFICE METHOD F AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING SEAMS 15 Claims.

My invention relates to methods of and apparatus for opening seams.

In accordance with my invention, the seam formed by stitching the edges of two layers of material is opened by effecting engagement of a face of at least one layer of the material with la surface having a component of motion transversely oi the material, i. e. substantially normal to the line of stitching whereby a portion of the layer adjacent the seam is turned into the plane of the other layer of the material; more specifically and in accordance with one form of my invention, the opposite faces are brought into contact with conveying surfaces whose paths diverge in the direction of feed to bring the seam to one side of the material.

My invention also resides in the features of construction, combination and arrangement herelinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view with parts in sectionand parts broken away of a seam-opening and pressing attachment;

Fig. 1a is a detail view, in plan, showing the relation of parts appearing in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail View on an enlarged lscale taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail View on an enlarged scale taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end View of parts shown in Fig. 3 as viewed in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 5a is a detail view in perspective of parts yshown in Figs. 3 and 5;

Fig. 6 in perspective and on enlarged scale vshows parts appearing in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6a is a detail View in end elevation of parts shown in Fig. 6;

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are plan, side and end elevational views respectively of a. pressing member shown in Fig. 1 with parts in section in Figs. '7 and 8;

Fig.'10 illustrates a modified form of moistening device;

Fig. 11 is a detail View of a feeding finger;

.'Fig, 12 illustrates va modified conveyor construction;

Fig. 13 is a side elevational Viewv of Fig. 12;

Fig. 13a. is a detail View of a linger of thecon- .veyor of Figs. 12 and 13;

Fig. 13b is a side elevational viewof parts. ap- Peallng in Fg 135 Fig. 14 is a plan view of another type of seam opening mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a side elevational view of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is an end elevational view of parts shown in Figs. 14 and 15;

Figs. 17 and 18 are plan and end elevational views, respectively, of a further modification;

Fig. 19 is a plan View illustrating formation and opening of a seam;

Figs. 19a to 19h are side elevational views taken 10 on lines A to H of Fig. 19 to show the successive steps.

Referring to Fig. l, the bracket I suitably see cured to the base 2 of a sewing machine carries the upper conveyor 3, the lower conveyor 4, and 15 the pressing member 5. The conveyors are driven in timed relation to the sewing machine by the ratchet 6 who-se pawl l is carried by arm S connecte-d by link 9 to an eccentric pin It rotatable with the hand wheel I I o-f the sewing machine.

The driving sprocket I2 of the upper conveyor is connected by the universal joint I3 to the shaft I4 to which the ratchet wheel 6 is secured. The lower lift of the upper conveyor, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 2, moves away from the needle N, i. e. from right to left. The upper lift of the lower conveyor moves in the same general direction and at substantially the same speed. The driving sprocket I5 for the lower conveyor is driven from shaft I6 to which is secured gear Il 30 in mesh with gear I8 secured to shaft I 4.

The upper conveyor is an endless chain from the links of which extend spring ngers I9 each having a tip 2t suitably serrated or roughed. as most clearly shown in Figs. 11, 3 and 4. As an 35 alternative, the fingers may be hinged or loosely mounted and held in contact with fabric by springs, cams, or any suitable means; the tips may be faced with carding cloth or the like. As each finger in turn swings around the idler 2I 40 at the receiving end of the conveyor, it drops oi the cam 22 so that its tip 29 engages the upper face of the upper layer of cloth or like material M Which has just passed beneath needle N. The cam 22 prevents the tips from engaging the cloth 45 until their faces are substantially parallel to the plane of the cloth, otherwise they would tend to wrinkle the cloth. The outer edges of the tips of the fingers, as shown in Fig. 1, are in alignment with the line of stitching indicated by broken line S. Preferably and as illustrated, the upper conveyor pulls the cloth away from the needle at an angle of the order of 6 degrees to the direction of feed to the needle.

The lower face of the lower layer of the cloth is engaged by the lower conveyor as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. 'I'he upper faces of the bars 23 which extend from the links of the conveyor are also preferably suitably serrated or roughened. The rows of serrations are preferably so spaced that they alternate with the rows of serrations of the tips 20 of the upper conveyor. Moreover, the rows of teeth of the lower conveyor are parallel to each other and to the rows of teeth of the upper conveyor.

Since the conveyors feed the upper and lower layers of cloth in diverging directions, the layers of cloth slide crosswise with respect to each other as the material as a whole is being fed forwardly. Specifically, with the construction described and as illustrated in Fig. 4, the line of stitching and that part of the lower surface adjacent it is brought to the top side of the material. If the two layers were separate, their edges would simply be slid apart, but since they are stitched together, the original lower layer as it is moved to the right is peeled off the lower conveyor and turned upwardly and back into the plane of the upper layer, as shown in Fig. 4. Otherwise stated, the lower layer adjacent the seam is folded under the seam. A diverging angle of the order of 8 degrees has been found satisfactory to turn the seam'without undue wrinkling of the material and without undue length of the conveyors.

The lower layer of material is fed to the needle beneath the plate 24, Figs. 1 and 6, while the upper layer passes over the plate and beneath the presser foot 25 of the sewing machine. The edge 26 of the plate 24 ts into the bight of the seam, i. e. between the upper and lower seam flaps f1 and is substantially parallel to and slightly spaced from the edges of the finger tips 20 of the upper conveyor Ywhich engage the upper layer of the cloth. As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, the upstanding extension 21 of the plate is curved to rotate the upper flap counter-clockwise about an axis at or adjacent the line of stitching. The finger 28, which may extend from the presser foot, prevents the upper flap from obstructing the movement of the fingers I9 intoengagement with the upper surface of the upper layer near the needle. It also serves as a form which keeps the flap smooth, as it is being turned back, preventing wrinkles which would subsequently be ironed in forming undesired creases. The tip of the iron is provided with a curved surface 29 forming in effect a continuation of the curved surface of the extension 2'I which continues the turning back of the upper flap so that it is pressed against the upper face of the fingers I9, Figs. 3 and 4.

Preferably, the plate 24 is resilient or resiliently mounted, and is vibrated by operation of the sewing machine as it is found that by so doing, the effectiveness of the edge 26 as a guide is enhanced. Specifically, the bracket 30 (Figs. 6 and 6a) is struck by the abutment 25a each time the presser foot descends, and through the screw 3| or equivalent imparts movement to the plate 24. Screw 3| also provides for adjustment of the plate with respect to the base 2 to accommodate different thicknesses of material.

The lower ap f1 is pressed by the surface 32 of the iron which is to the right of its nose. This surface also prevents the flap f1 from moving toward the upper flap during formation of the fold in the material of the original lower layer. The two pressing surfaces 32 and 33, the latter comprising a continuation of surface 29, gradually, in the direction of feed of the material,

come into a plane substantially parallel to the face of the material to press both flaps of the opened seam.

The pressing member or iron is hollow to receive an electrical heating unit 34 whose conductors 35 extend through an opening 36 to a source of current. Any other suitable means of heating may be provided. The flaps are moistened by a brush 3l which transfers a thin film of water to faces of both flaps particularly adjacent the stitching shortly after they pass the nose of the iron. Water may be supplied to the brush by a pipe 38 in communication with a passage 39 in the body of the iron, or as shown in Fig. the brush holder 38a may itself be hollow to provide for passage of water to the brush. A set-screw 531 holds the brush in position and permits its removal and adjustment. In either case, the flow of water may be regulated as by a needle valve, not shown, so that the rate of flow is suitably small.

The upper conveyor and the iron are pivotally mounted as on shaft Ia, so that they can be swung upwardly from the work which can then be readily removed by pulling it to the left, Fig. 3, to clear the machine. This is possible since the device includes no structure inside of the line of stitching.

The successive steps of stitching the cloth to form a seam, and of opening and pressing the seam are clearly shown in Figs. 19, 19a. to 19h.

As shown in Fig. 2, the discharge end of the upper conveyor extends beyond the lower conveyor, so that the material of y its own weight tends to free itself, although supplemental stripping means may be employed if desirable or necessary.

The mechanism is suited for opening curved seams as well as straight seams, as the fingers I9 temporarily pull the seam straight. Each layer may be a single thickness of cloth or may be of several thicknesses as, for example, when one thickness is of lining material. Y

In the construction described, the fingers I9 of the upper conveyor pass beneath the iron 5 in moving from the needle and return over the iron toward the needle. In the modified type of conveyor shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the axes of the sprockets are 'displaced substantially 90 with respect to the sprocket axes of the prior modification so that the fingers in their return movement do not pass above the iron but turn away from the iron at the delivery end of the conveyor. A cam 22a holds the ngers out of en- A gagement with the cloth until they reach a point beyond the presser foot whereupon they drop flatly into engagement with the cloth for pulling it from the needle by their further movement.

The formation of the seam and the progressive opening and pressing thereof is clearly shown in Figs. 19 and 19a to 19h.. At station A, the edges of the cloth beyond the line of stitching are held separated by the plate 24. The two flaps of the seam are held separated in substantially parallel relation by plate 24 as the cloth moves toward and beyond station B. At station C, the cloth behind the line of stitching has been engaged by a conveyor nger which has dropped off of cam 22 and plate 21 has partly swung the upper flap of the seam about the line of stitching as the axis. The opening of the seam is continued by plate 21 due toits shape as the cloth moves toward and beyond station D. The surface 29 of the iron, in effect a continuation of vet plate 21, continues further to open the seam as the cloth moves toward and beyond station E and the tip of the iron engages the apex of the seam to begin the pressing operation. At about station F, the lower conveyor engages the under surface of the cloth and due to the divergence of the upper and lower conveyors, the lower and upper layers of the cloth are pulled in opposite directions bringing the seam to the upper side of the material as shown in Figs. 19]c to 19h, the opening and pressing of the seam continuing as the cloth moves to and beyond these stations.

In the modification shown in Figs. 14 to 16, the plate 24 is replaced by a comb 40, whose teeth 4I bear against the upper face of the upper layer of the cloth leaving the needle. The brush 43 has rows of bristles which are revolved between the teeth in clockwise direction, as Viewed in Fig. 16, to turn back the upper flap, thus performing the function of the curved surfaces 21, 28 of the prior modification. The teeth 4l hold the lower iiap from following the turning back of the upper ap. The device may be used with the previously described conveyor system or with the modified construction now described.

The lower conveyor comprises the reciprocating feeding bars 44 operated by the crank 45 or equivalent to effect a motion similar to that of a feed-dog of a sewing machine. The toothed extensions 45a of the bars on the forward stroke project through openings in the feed table 41 to engage and move the cloth. Above the table, with its axis of rotation on an angle to the `direction of feed of the cloth is a revolving member. 48 whose surface is provided with teeth, bristles, or the like, adapted to engage the upper layer of cloth. This member rotates in the same direction as brush 43, and serves to slide the upper layer of cloth downwardly as Viewed in Fig. 14, and so pulls the seam to the top side of the matrial It does not engage the ap f1.

The lower layer is prevented from transverse movement by the stationary rows of teeth 46, formed on table 41 (Figs. 14 and 15) or alternatively by a second set of toothed feed bars operating alternately with respect to those illustrated.

The opened seam may be pressed by any suitable ironing surface, or as indicated may pass beneath a heated burnishing roll 49 whose axis of rotation is preferably normal to the axis of rotation of roll 48, and which rotates clockwise as viewed in Fig. 15, to assist in feeding of the cloth. It may have one or more teeth 49a. to insure positive feed.

Figs. 17 and 18 illustrate still another arrangement for sliding the upper and lower layers to bring the seam to one side of the material. The fingers 50 are loosely mounted on crank 5| and provided with slots 52 engaging a guide bar 53. As the fingers move downwardly as viewed in Figs. 17 and 18, they engage and push the upper layer in the proper direction. At the end of their forward stroke, they are lifted free by the crank and remain out of engagement with the cloth until the next forward stroke. Preferably, as shown, the fingers are divided into two groups, which operate alternately, one group pushing the cloth while the other group is returning from the pushing stroke. This device may be used in lieu of the member 48 of Fig. 14, or if a plate having an extension similar to that of plate 24 is used, it may replace member 48, comb 40 and brush 43.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific arrangements disclosed and described but is coextensive in scope with the appended claims.

For brevity in the appended claims the expression inside of the line of stitching as used to identify portions of the layers of material is to be understood as descriptive of the material on the side of the line of stitching opposite to the flaps of the seam.

What I claim is:

1. The method of opening a seam formed by stitching layers of material adjacent their edges which comprises turning back the flap o-f one layer extending beyond the line of stitching against said layer, restraining the flap of the other layer in substantially its original position with respect to said rst layer, and sliding said other layei` while in engagement with said first layer in a direction substantially normal to the line of stitching to form a fold substantially in the plane of said first layer.

2. Mechanism of the character described co-mprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, means for feeding the stitched raterial from said stitching means, and movable means beyond said stitching means for -engaging the stitched material inside of the line of stitching and having a component of motion normal to th-e line of stitching for opening the flaps of the seam.

3. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, and means for feeding the stitched material from said stitching means, including movable means independent of said feeding means and beyond said stitching means for engaging the stitched material inside of the line of stitching and having a component of motion normal to the line of stitching for opening the flaps of the seam.

4. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, a pressing device, means for feeding the stitched material from said stitching means to said pressing device, and movable structure beyond said stitching means for engaging the stitched material inside of the line of stitching and having a component of motion normal to the line of stitching for opening the aps of the seam for pressing by said device.

5. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, a pressing device, and means for feeding the stitched material from said stitching means to said pressing device including conveyors engaging the layers and movable in paths diverging in the direction of feed o-f the material to turn the seam onto one side of the material for pressing.

6. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, spaced fingers holding the stitched material adjacent the seam, and means movable between said ngers toengage and turn back one of the seam flaps to open the seam.

7. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, spaced iingers holding the stitched material adjacent the seam, means movable between said fingers to engage and turn back one of the seam naps to open the seam, and movable means engaging said material and having a component of motion nor-i mal to the line of stitching for turning the opened seam onto one side of the material.

8. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges toform a seam, means for guiding the stitched material including a plate entering the bight of the seam,'and means for vibrating said plate. Y

9. Mechanism of the character described comprising means for stitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, a pressing device, means for feeding the stitched material to said pressing device, means for moistening the seam for pressing including a brush adapted to engage the regions to be moistened, and means for supplying liquid to said brush.

10. Mechanism of the character described comprising means forstitching layers of material adjacent their edges to form a seam, a pressing device, and means for feeding the stitched material from said stitching means to said pressing device including conveyors engaging the layers and movable in paths diverging in the direction of feed of the material to turn the seam onto one side of the material for pressing, at least one of said conveyors being displaceable to permit clearing of the mechanism. f

v11. Mechanism for opening tie flaps of a seam formed by stitching adjacent the edges or" overlying layers of cloth which comprises means for feeding the cloth including structures for engaging the opposite faces of said overlying layers inside and on the same side of the line of stitching and means for moving at least one of said structures in a direction having a component normal to the direction of feed of the cloth.

12. Mechanism for opening the seam formed by stitching adjacent the edges oi overlying layers of cloth comprising means for feeding the layers in diverging paths to bring the line of stitching into the plane of one of said layers, means for restraining the seam iiap of the other layer in substantially its original plane during said feeding' movement, and means for turning the seam flap of said first layer through substantially 180 during said feeding movement.

13. Mechanism for opening and pressing the seam formed by stitching adjacent the edges of overlying layers of cloth comprising structure for pressing the opened seam, and means for feeding the cloth thereto and concurrently opening the seam for pressing by said structure comprising means for feeding the layers in diverging paths to bring the line of stitching into the plane of one or said layers, means for restraining the seam flap of the other layer in substantially its original plane during said feeding movement, and means for turning the seam flap of said rst layer through suhstantialiy l80 during said feeding movement.

le. The method oi opening seam flaps disposed outside the line ci stitching joining superposed layers oi material which comprises moving the portions or" the siiperposed layers inside of the line or" stitching substantially parallel to each other in opposite directions each having a com- 'ponent normal to the line oi stitching.

l5. The method of ope ling seam aps disposed utside the line of stitching joining superposed ci material which comprises feeding the material in a direction substantially A rallel to the `iine of stitching, and concurrently moving the portions oi the sup-erposed layers inic of stitching substantially parallel t in opposite directions e-ach having a component normal to the line of stitching.

CHAP-LES C. CUTLER.

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