US2446306A - Sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 3, 1948. G. SAUER 2,446,30

SEWING MACHINE Filed 001:. 31 1944 s Sheets- Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS G. SAUER SEWING MACHINE Aug. 3, 1948.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 31, 1944 INVENTOR. 62 0565 JAVA-7? H, c vwaL Aug. 3, 1948.

Filed Oct. 31, 1944 G; SAUER SEWING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR. 650/7614 Saar? 1948. G. SAU ER 2,44,30

SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. vfia- 6205? ATTQEJVEYS 3, 9 A QSAUEF'Q 2,446,306 SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 3, 1948 SEWING MACHINE George Sauer, Berwyn, Ill.,. assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 31, 1944, Serial No. 561,182

' This invention relates to sewing machines and, more particularly, to new and improved devices or apparatus associated or combined therewith for insuring proper and adequate lubrication of the moving parts of the sewing machine mechanism. More particularly, it relates to new and improved devices incorporated in or associated or combined with the sewing machine'for insuring adequate lubrication'of the work arm and mechanism positioned therein, as well as actuating mechanism new and improved instrumentalities or devices for insuring thorough lubrication of the work arm mechanism and its associated moving parts by supplying the moving mechanism with a lubricant directly conveyed thereto from a reservoir located in the frame of the machine, which reservoir may be continuously or intermittently supplied with oil or other lubricating fluid, preferably without conscious efiort on the part of the operator. The reservoir from which, in accordance with this invention, oil is conveyed through suitably disposed conduits to the operating mechanism in the work arm, may suitably be one of the reservoirs shown, for example, in the copending application of Clarence C. Smith, Serial No. 541,902, filed June 24, 1944, now matured into Patent No. 2,430,370, dated November 4, 1947,

Oneof the objects of this invention is, therefore, to provide for direct and assured movement of oil or other lubricating fluid from a central reservoir to the moving parts in the sewing machine work arm, thereby eliminating hit-or-miss lubrication of these moving parts as in the splash lubrication methods now commonly employed.

It is another object of this invention to-provide a separate oil sump and pumping means by which oil or other lubricant may be withdrawn from a sump and conveyed to a central reservoir located in the frame of the machine, from which central reservoir it may be supplied by gravity flow through suitably positioned conduits to those points within the sewing machine at which it will provide adequate lubrication of the mechanism positioned in the work arm thereof and its actuating mechanism.

A further object, in line with the foregoing, is

Claims. (01. 112--25.6)

to provide for the adequate delivery of lubricant to the mechanisms indicated without subjecting the lubricant to excessive working.

The foregoing objects, features, and advantages of the invention, as well as others which will be hereinafter set forth, may be more fully appreciated by reference to the ensuing disclosure of certain preferred and illustrative embodiments thereof, keeping in mind that these are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. The invention may be readily understood from the detailed description which will now be given connection with the annexed drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the sewing ma:- chine, certain parts being broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a sewing machine to which the invention has been applied, portions thereof being broken away, and only a part of the oil conduit supplying the work arm mechanism being shown, for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the sewing machine taken at the right-hand end of Fig; 2, certain cover plates being broken away for clearness of illustration;

Fig. 4: is a view in vertical section of the sewing machine work arm, certain of the associated mechanism contained therein being shown in elevation, this view also showing, somewhat schematically, one of the oil reservoirs in the upper part of the sewing machine frameand oiliconduits associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the work arm, certain cover plates being removed in order to show the mechanism contained therein;

Fig. 6 is atopview of the work arm cover plate;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the work. arm cover plate;

Fig. 8 is a top view of the oil-distributing plate associated with the work arm beneath the cover plate, adapted to provide lubricant to the moving parts contained within the work arm; andv Fig. 9 is a side view of the oil-distributing plate shown in Fig. 8'.

For purposes of illustration the invention has been shown as applied to a feed-oif-the-armm-achine of the type disclosed in Christensen, et al. Patent No. 1,741,095. Reference may be made to that patent for a fuller disclosure of certain features of construction and operation not essential to an understanding of this invention which are set forth in detail therein. Certain other features of operation and construction, not given in detail herein, will be found in the Christensen patent application, Serial No. 465,947, filed November 18, 1942, now matured into Patent No. 2,372,175, dated March 27, 1945. For a fuller disclosure of the oil pumping system and mechanism associated therewith for conveying the lubricant from sumps to reservoirs positioned in the frame of the machine, reference may be made to the above mentioned patent application of Clarence C. Smith.

Referring to the drawings, the sewing machine includes frame H which may be constructed as shown in the Christensen et a]. Patent No. 1,741,- 095. This frame includes downwardly extending hollow portion I2 and work supporting arm 13. Power is supplied to the machine through a combined hand wheel and pulley l4, secured to a main drive shaft l5, extendin longitudinally of the upper portion of the frame. The power delivered may be supplied by an electric transmitter (not shown), including an electric motor, an associated clutch, and other necessary mechanism. It may be of any known construction such as that shown, for example, in the copending application of LeVesconte and Schweda, Serial No. 449,196, filed June 30, 1942, now matured into Patent No. 2,390,220, dated December 4, 1945, which construction is also illustrated in said copending application of Clarence 'C. Smith. The construction may include. foot treadle I6 adapted, upon rocking, both to start and stop the operation of the sewing machine and to cause the pumping of oil from the main oil sumps to reservoirs at an upper level for distribution to the moving parts of the machine, all as more fully set forth in said copending application of Clarence C. Smith.

Presser bar l8, carrying at its lower end presser foot 19 (Fig. 2), which may be of any suitable form, is mounted for vertical reciprocation in the needle head in a manner well known in the sewing machine art. The presser bar I8 is urged downwardly by means of a spring arrangement 26 of any suitable form. Needles 2! are carried by needle bar 22 mounted'for vertical reciprocation in the needle head in a manner well known in the sewing machine art. 1

Adjacent the presser bar [8 and presser foot 19 there is provided thread controller mechanism, including C-shaped link 23 attached to the lower end of a vertically slidingrod 24 mounted in suitable bearings 25 carried by the end cover plate 21 of the needle head. The lower end of link 23 is connected with the forward section of the presser foot H), which is of tandem construction. At its upper end the rod 24 carries forked member 28, the forked free end of which is adapted to straddle and slide along the presser bar 18, thus preventin rotation of the rod 24. Intermediate the ends of the rod 24 there is secured a block 29 having a laterally projecting portion'wh'ich is in operative connection with certain thread-guiding and controlling means (not shown) This mechanism, including C-shaped link 23, operates as a thread controller varying the amount of needle thread available for the stitch-forming operation. The construction and operation of this mechanism, as well as that of the presser foot, need not be described in further detail here. For description in detail of the thread controller and its mode of operation, see the copending applica tion of Christensen, Serial No. 513,336, filed December 8, 1943, now matured into Patent No. 2,434,608, dated January 13, 1948. (This mechanism cooperates with feed dog 31 and loopers 42 to form stitches, as more fully described in other described below, serves to axially reciprocate rock shaft 36 which carries at its outer end one or more loopers 42 (Fig. 5). These loopers are thus given their needle avoid movement. The end of shaft I5 also carries ball stud 39 cooperating with a -;pitman or compound link 40, the lower end of which is connected with rock shaft 36 by means of a crank arm 4!. Rock shaft 36 is thus oscillated, thereby imparting loop-taking and sheddin movements to the loopers 42. This mechanism'need not be described in detail here since it will be found fully described in Kucera Patents Nos. 2,172,321 and 2,199,666.

. The improved lubricating system, as described in the copending application of Clarence C. Smith. Seria1 No. 541,902, includes a double-acting fourvalve reciprocating pump 44 (Fig. 1), suitably mounted, as by means of screws, upon a portion of the frame. ll of the machine. The pump 44 has a plurality of inlets, one of which is connected by pipe or tube 45 with the main sump. 46 (Figs: 1 and 4) provided in the frame ll of the sewing machine. As shown, a strainer or filter 41 may be provided at the lower end of the tube 45 in order. to insure the circulation of only clean oil.. The-other inlet of the pump 44 is connected by conduit 48 with a similar sump (not shown) which is in the rear of the needle head portion of theframe ll.

One outlet of the pump 44 is connected by tube 49 with dome 50, preferably formed of plastic or other transparent material, while a second outlet 5| is connected with a second transparent dome 52. Each of these domes may be constructed as shown in said copending application of Clarence C. Smith,--Serial No. 541,902. Dome 50 is positioned directly above reservoir 53a suitably mounted upon the frame H beneath cover plate 53 (Fig. 2), which is also secured, by screws or otherwisato the machine frame.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the piston (not shown) of pump 44 is carried at the inner end of a rod 54 having its outer end connected by link 55 with the elbow of L-shaped lever 56. This lever is pivotally connected at 51 with the frame of the machine. The arm 58 of lever 56 projects beyond the pulley l4 and has its outer end connected by a chain 59 or other suitable means with the foot treadle IS. The arrangement is such that when the treadle is depressed to cause the sewing machine to operate, as more fully described in said copending application of Clarence C. Smith, the rod 54 carrying the reciprocable piston of the pump 44 will be shifted toward the left (Fig. 1) against the action of spring 60. The latter is compressed between the enlarged head 6| at the end of the rod 54 and a combined bushing and stufiing box 62, which is threaded into the pump 44 in such a manner as to provide a substantially oil-tight sliding fit with the rod 54. By back and forth movement of the piston (not shown) in the pump 44 oil, or other lubricant, is withdrawn alternately from the two sumps, (only one of which, 46, is shown), and supplied through conduits 4'9 and 5I todomes 50 and '52. From the dome 50 the'oil or other lubricant finds its way through ports 64 in cover member 53 into the reservoir 53a, when it is distributed, as more fully described below, to the parts which are to be lubricated. Reservoir 53a is supported from cross member 66 of the frame II, which also serves as a support for bushing 61 surrounding the main drive shaft I5.

A downwardly extending portion 50 of the reservoir 53a, fitting into an opening 69 in the cross member 66, is provided with an aperture I through which oil or lubricant passes from the reservoir 53a to bushings! for the purpose of lubricating the main drive shaft I in that hearing. As shown, the aperture I0 may terminate in a packing or wicking I I, in order to retain the oil, and deliver it, as needed, to the shaft journal in bushing 61. I

The reservoir 53a is further provided with downwardly extending oi-l pipes 13, I4, and I5, which are wick-filled, and which are located adjaeent the upper ends of the pitmans'3I, 35, and 40, respectively, thus supplying oil for lubricating the bearing surfaces of the eccentric members 30 and 34 and ball stud 39, as more fully de scribed in said copending application of Clarence C; Smith. Reservoir 53a. is further provided with a notch 16' at its upper edge which serves as an overflow, waste lubricant thus finding its way back to the sump 4B. A fourth lubricant tube I8, (Figs. 3 and 4), extends downwardly to supply lubricant to the mechanism in the work arm I3.

' Figs. 4 and 5 show the work arm and contained stitch-forming instrumentalities, which includes the feed dog 31' and the associated mechanism which, in accordance with this invention, is lubricated from the central reservoir 53a. by means of oil distribution tube I0 and conduits in communi-. cation therewith as described below. This mech anism, and its mode of operation, are more fully described in Kucera Patents Nos. 2,172,321 and 2,199,666.

As more fully described in Kucera Patent No. 2,199,666, the feed bar of the sewing machine, designated by the numeral 32, lies horizontally over the looper rock shaft 36 within the hollow of the work supporting arm I3, and is supported at an intermediate point immediately inward of the bearing 19 for rock shaft 3 6 by a pair of links 83. At their lower ends these links 83 are pivotally connected to the front end of a lever 84 which is fulcrumed on a shaft 85 extending. transversely of the work supporting arm with its ends in fixed bosses 86 at opposite sides of said arm (Fig. 5). At its rear end the lever has a ball connection 81 with the pitman 3I, the upper end. of which, carrying eccentric 30, is shown in Fig. 2. By the means thus described rise and fall movements are imparted to the feed bar 32 and this motion transmitted to the feed. dog 31, which is operatively connected by means which need not here be described but which is fully shown and described in said Kucera Patent No. 2,199,666.

Feed bar 32 also receives horizontal to and fro or feed movements by virtue of the connection of its rear end to a rocker 88 mounted for oscillationabout another transverse shaft 89 whereof the ends are suitably journal-led in bosses 90 at the sides of the work supporting arm. The rocker 83 depends for its actuation upon a rocker -9I, to an upwardly extending arm 92 of which it is connected by a pitman 93. As shown, the rocker arm 92. has an arcuate slot 95- concentric with the" front pivot. 96 of the pitman 93 along which slot the rear pivot 97 of said pitman can be shifted to adjust the feed movement of 'th'efeed bar 32 and, in turn, the length of the stitch produced by the machine. 1

The rock shaft 36 is oscillated as aconsequence of the connection of the crank arm M (Fig. 2) at its rear end with pitman 40, the upper end of which, including associated ball stud 39, is shown in Fig. 2. Rock shaft 36 is also reciprocated endwise in bearings I9 and H6 by the mechanism ,described below. Thus, there is imparted the necessary loop-taking and shedding movements and needle-avoid movements to loopers 42 (Fig. 5), which are located adjacent feed dog 31 and are operatively connected to the rock shaft 36 by means fully described in said Kucera patents.

The rock shaft 36 is reciprocated endwi'se in bearings I9 and H6 by movement imparted to it from rocker 9i through a pitman ml which has a ball pivot connection I02 at one end with said shaft and a similar connection I03 at its other end with a pendant arm I04 of said rocker 9I. The rocker Si is mounted for oscillation about'a transverse shaft I06 the ends of which are fixed by set screws (not shown) in bosses I01 located at opposite sides of the work supporting arm of the machine frame (Fig. 5'). The rocker arm I04 has a longitudinal slot I00 alongwhich the ball pivot I03 can be shifted to'adjust the axial throw of the rock shaft 36. The rocker 9| is actuated from eccentric 34 on main drive shaft I5 (Fig. 2) by means of pitman or link 35 which has a ball pivot connection I09 with a horizontal arm III] (Figs. 4 and 5) of the rocker 9 I.

As shown in Fig. 4, the tube or conduit I3 for lubricant extends downwardly from reservoir 53a and terminates adjacent a collecting trough II2 formed in the side wall of the depending portion I2 of the frame I I. A lubricant passage II3 extends downwardly from trough I I2 and communicates with a downwardly extending oil passage II 4 formed in the work arm I3 and terminating at the bearing bushing I I6 of. rock shaft 36. Oil for lubricating purposes is thus supplied to bearing H6. Intermediate the ends of oil passage II I there is a laterally extending oil hole II'I having located therein a short piece of tubing II8 which projects into an oil distributing cavity I20 formed in the depressed area of an oil distributing plate I2I' (Figs. 8 and 9) which underlies a work arm cover plate I22 (Figs. 6 and 7). Oil distributing plate I2 I, together with the cover plate I22, is secured to the work arm by means of a series of screws or the like cooperating with aligned threaded openings I23.

Oil delivered into cavity I20 is conducted through holes in the bottom of the cavity by wicks formed of loops of yarn threaded through said holes, the wicks being so disposed as to be wiped by the part in work arm I3 to be lubricated during operation of the sewing machine. Thus, one length of yarn I25 is formed into a loop I26 to lubricate the front pivot 96 of the feed stroke pitman 93' through the oil hole I21 in the pitman (Fig. 5). The yarn I25 also extends through another hole in the plate I2I as a loop I29 which delivers oil through the oil hole I30 to the rocker 88 which imparts to and fro motion to the feed bar 32. So, also, the yarn I25 passes through a, third hole in the plate I2I as a loop I3I, the lower end of which delivers on to the fulcrum bearing for the feed lift lever 84 through oil hole I3I'a. Loop I3I of the yarn I25 is further engaged inter-'- mediate its ends'by a wick I 32' secured'tothe side 7 of the feed bar 32 by rings I32a, which wick delivers oil picked up from the loop I3I to the bearing points I33 and I 34 of the links 83.

A second length of yarn I35 is formed into a loop I36 which delivers oil to the rear bearing of feed bar 32 through the oil hole I38 (Fig. This yarn is also formed into a loop I39 which extends down to the fulcrum 85 of feed lift-lever 84, supplying oil thereto through oil hole I40. Beyond this the yarn I35 is formed into a loop I4I which engages the depending end I42 of a loop of yarn I43 disposed in a groove formed in a transversely extending member of the work arm I3, thus supplying oil to the bearing I9 for rock shaft I 36 through the oil hole I44.

Excess oil escapes from the cavity I20 through overflow holes I44a (Figs. 4 and 8), and finds its way into the sump 46 in the work arm I 3.-

Some of the surplus oil supplied to the eccentric members 30 and 34 on themain shaft I 5 will flow down their respective pitmans and lubricate the joints at the lower ends thereof. Other surplus oil thrown off by the eccentrics will descend along the side Walls of the frame I I and will encounter deflector I45 (Figs. 4 and 5), which will direct the oil to points requiring lubrication in a manner disclosed in the patent to Rubel et' al., No. 1,812,377. It is thus evident that all points requiring lubrication in the work arm and the actuating means therefor are assured of constant lubrication, and are effectively sealed against the entrance of dust, lint, or other contaminating substances.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been disclosed in considerable detail, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the, general principles and scope of the invention. For example, while the lubricating system for lubricating the mechanism in the work arm of a sewing machine and actuating means for that mechanism is adapted for use in connection with a sewing machine of the type illustrated, its principles are equally applicable to other types of machine, and to machines having other types of supporting structures.

' I claim: v

1. In a sewing machine having a frame with a freely extending work arm of limited cross-section provide with a removable cover and stitchforming mechanism positioned in said work arm, means for lubricating said stitch-forming mechanism, said lubricating means including a reservoir in the frame of said sewing machine which is supplied with lubricant, conduit means for conveying said lubricant to the top of said work arm, and means, including a thin, removable plate at the top of the work arm directly beneath said removable cover and retained in position by the securement thereof, said thi plate forming with said cover plate a shallow, wide, distributing reservoir and being provided with a plurality of yarn elements adapted to deliver lubricant by wick action, for conveying lubricant from the top of said work arm to a plurality of points on the moving parts requiring lubrication positioned in said work arm.

2. A sewing machine comprising a frame having a free ended work arm of the cylinder type; a removable-cover for said work arm; a main drive shaft; a feed dog and loopers in said work arm; a rock shaft positioned in said work arm and having both reciprocating motion and oscillatory motion and serving to operate said loope-rs;

a feed bar positioned in said work arm and having both rise and fall movement and reciprocatory movement and serving-to actuate said feed dog; a lever positioned in said work arm for imparting rise and fall movement to said feed bar: a plurality of bearings for said rock shaft, said feed bar, and said lever, all of said bearings being located in said work arm; means for actuating said rock shaft, said feed bar, and said lever from said main drive shaft of said sewing machine; and means for supplying lubricant from a central reservoir positioned in the frame of said sewing machine directly to said bearings; said lubricating means including conduit means positioned in the frame of said sewing machine, a thin, readily removable lubricant distributing plate located in the-top of said work arm beneath said cover and separate therefrom providing a broad, shallow reservoir, said lubricant distributing plate being in communication with said conduit means and bein arranged to be retained in position by the securement of said removable cover, and means for supplying lubricant from said lubricant distributing plate to said plurality of bearings.

3. In a sewing machine including a frame having a free ended work arm providing an enclosed chamber; a feed dog; loopers; a main drive shaft;

2. rock shaft partly within said chamber in said work arm havingboth reciprocating and oscillating motion, and serving to actuate said loopers; a feed bar partly within said chamber having 'both rise and fall motion and reciDrocatory motion and serving to actuate said feed dog; a lever within said chamber for imparting rise and fall motion to said feed bar; bearings positioned in said work arm for said rock shaft, said feed bar, and said lever; means for actuating said rock shaft, said feed bar, and said lever, from said main drive shaft of the sewing machine; and means for lubricating said bearings; said lubricating means including an elevated reservoir for lubricant positioned in said frame of said sewing machine, a thin, readily removable distributor plate positioned in said work arm and provided with a shallow distributing reservoir extending horizontally over a substantial area, conduit means for conveying lubricant from said elevated reservoir to said reservoir in the distributor plate, means for supplying lubricant from said distributor plate to said bearings to be lubricated, and means for returning excess lubricant to said elevated reservoir, said last mentioned means comprising overflow means of relatively large crosssection communicating between the reservoir in said plate and said chamber at a point remote from said conduit means.

4. In a sewing machine having a frame with a laterally extending, free ended work aim having a removable cover plate, work feeding and stitch-forming devices mounted in said work arm, operating means for said devices including a main drive shaft and connections therefrom to said devices including movable members havin bearing surfaces at widely spaced points in said work arm, and means for lubricating the bearing surfaces of said movable members comprising a sump in said Work arm, an elevated reservoir in said frame above said work arm, means for transferring lubricant from said sump to said reservoir only as an incident to each starting of each seam forming operation of said main drive shaft, means including a thin, readily removable gasket-like plate at the top of said work arm beneath said cover plate and forming a reservoir therewith for delivering lubricant from said elevated reservoir" to said bearing surfaces, and common means for securing said plates to said work arm.

5. In a sewing machine having a frame with a laterally extending, free ended work arm provided with a removable cover plate, work feeding and stitch-forming devices mounted in said work arm, operating means for said devices including a main drive shaft and connections therefrom to said devices including movable members having bearing surfaces at widely spaced points in said work arm, and means for lubricating the bearing surfaces of said movable members comprising a sump in said Work arm, a reservoir in said frame above said work arm, means for transferring lubricant from said sump to said reservoir as an incident to the starting, of the operation of said main drive shaft, lubricant distributing means comprising a removable, shallow distributing reservoir in the top of said work arm substantially coextensive with said cover plate and retained in position by the securement thereof, means for deliverin lubricant from said first mentioned REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,774,149 Mitchell Aug. 26, 1930 1,936,372 Waterman Nov. 21, 1933 2,199,666 Kucera May '7, 1940 2,248,508 Myers July 8, 1941 2,300,826 Brussell Nov. 3, 1942 2,345,992 Sauer Apr. 4, 1944

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