US2496945A

US2496945A - Thread retainer and saver

Info

Publication number: US2496945A
Authority: US
Inventors: Johnson Alfred Hudson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-11-12
Filing date: 1947-11-12
Publication date: 1950-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1967-02-07

Description

Feb, 7, E95 A. H. .JOHNSON 2,496,945

THREAD RETAINER AND SAVER Filed Nov. l2, 1947 Inventor /fr Hodson Johnson Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES* PATENT GFFICE f j l 2,496,945

vTHREAD ND SAVER lAlfred Hudson olinsonrDowney, Calif. Application November 12, 1947, Serial No. 785,412 I Needless to say, and as the introductory state-ald ment of the invention implies, I am suiliciently conversant with the prior state of the art to recognize that all sorts of spool attachments have been adopted and used by competitors and rival inventors, including shields, protectors, thread-1.15 end gripping devices and holders, and the like.

"Therefore, in carrying out the principles of the present invention, I have evolved and produced a simple and expedient attachment which is in the nature of a spring metal yoke, the limbs of-1a20 into the adjacent end of the bore 6 and serves vto clamp this end of the device on the spool. .There is a similar laterally bent end portion or limb i2 .f at-thel opposite end of the spool which has a bend the yoke engaging over the ends or heads ofthe spool, and the intermediate or bight portions being constructed to provide the desired clamping or gripping action for the free end of the thread, More explicitly, in carrying out the prin ..;25 ciples of the invention I provide a substantially U-shaped resilient metal strap which has a return bend, the latter being substantially L- shaped and the U-shaped and L-shaped portions being joined by spring means which provides theA necessary tension between parts so that the thread accommodation apertures in the 'respective coacting parts are normally held out of alignment to grip and hold the thread, but maybe,

by slight pressure, moved into alignment-to permit the thread to be freely pulled therethrough for threading needles and the like.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings. Y

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional. spool of cotton, with the thread saver attach ment in place thereon. v

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional. view through the structure seen in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the plane o the line 3--3 of Figure l, looking in the direction of the arrows. -1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective yiew showing coacting bayonet-slots and complemental notch forming self-threading means and ,il-555 6 Claims.` Cl.

' the thread.

lustrating the initial handling of the free end Figure 5 is a corresponding perspective showingv the next and vilnal threading steps.

Figure 6is a fragmentary perspective with the relatively shiftable limbs separated to better disl close the pilot notch and bayonet slots.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, the spool, which is conventional, is denoted by the numeral 5, and includes the usual central bore 6. The cotton lor thread T is wound on the spool and the free'end, the end which is to be releasably gripped and held 'against displacement, is denoted bythe numera18.

The attachment, as before stated, is formed from resilient strap metal. There is one section of the metal which is of U-shaped form and this is denoted by the numeral 9 and comprises a limb I0 having an olset bend II at one end which ts I3 fitting into said bore 6, whereby this end of the U'shaped part 9 is releasably held in place. The connective or bight portion of said U-shaped meral I6 and is fashioned from the same .length of strap metal. That is to say, the lower limb L1 is integrally joined withthelimb I2 by way of the adaptor I3, the lattervpart serving not only-y as an assembling element but aspring as well. The limb I'I is bent, as at I8, to provide the nal vand remaining limb I9,.which is .in slidablecontact with the limb I4. The extremity of thelimb I9 is bent laterally as at 20, to `provide a tang and this is operable in a slot 2| in the limb I Il, in the manner shown. vIt will be noticed that the shiftg able limb I9 is provided with assembling

hooks

22 and 23, which take over and thus slidably assemble the respective limb portions I4 and I9.

VIn addition, the limb I9 is provided with an outstruck tongue 24, which, if desired, may be used y as va thread cutter.

It will be evident from the description, so. far

given, in conjunction with'thedrawings that the =attachment, structurally visualized is aU -shape'd frame and is readily applicable and removable.

-What is more important, the intermediate. overlapping portions of the relatively shiftablelimbs I4 and I9'are especially constructed with'aperture means` to vfrictionally grip the freenendgf Athe thread but may the slot 25 where it is guided by the finger the thread, to allow it to be released and pulled when unspooling and frictionally gripped and held against unwinding when the spool is not in use. In addition, the aperture means 1s such that it is virtually self-threading. Reference is had iirst to Figure 6 wherein it will be seen that there are two bayonet slots. The slot in the limb i4 is denoted by the numeral 25, the entrance edge 26 being registerable with a pilot notch 21. The finger portion of the notch is denoted at 28 and the crotch portion at 29. Arranged in somewhat reverse order is a bayonet slot 3|] in the other shiitable limb I9 whose finger portion is denoted by the numeral 3l and whose crotch portion is at 32.

action of the limbs |brings portions 29v and 32 into the positions shown for example in Figures 1, 2 and 4. At this time said crotch portions are selves, a so-called thread hole in which the thread is frictionally gripped and held against slippage. Thus, the slots act primarily to grip be shifted in relation to each other when the attachment is squeezed to move the

crotch portions

29 and 32 away .from each other sufficiently far to allow the thread to be freely drawn through said hole. When the thread is `initially placed in position it is seated in the pilot notch 21 and then fed vdown over the entrance edge 26 into the mouth portionzcf lafter Vwhich it is drawn between the two limbs 'H and i9 in the Amarmer shown. This first step is illustrated in Figure 4 and the second 'Figures 5 and 4 respectively vare reversed.

The `invention is relatively simple and for this vreason it is believed not altogether necessary to 'dwell at great length upon the details of construction, for these phases are clear from the drawings.

A careful consideration of the foregoing -de- Vscription in conjunction with the invention as :illustrated in the drawings will enable the reader 'to 'obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty `suiiicient to clarify the construction of the invention `as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice so long asno departure is made -rom the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A spool attachment of the class shown and '.,described comprising a resilient one-piece U- shaped member embodying a central bight portion and laterally disposed iiexible end vportions terminating in attaching and retaining adapters designed, when in position for use, to project into co-acting end portions of the usual bore of' a spool, said bight portion having a threadend receiving and gripping slot opening at one end and extending laterally through one longitudinal edge of said 'bight portion, a latch formling umh superimposed upon and sudabiy con- Normally the spring` the respective crotch 5 wherein the thread is formed, between them- 4 nected to said bight portion, said limb also having a thread-end receiving and gripping slot in registry with said first named slot and opening at one end and extending laterally through a. longitudinal edge of said limb, said limb having a ringer-piece at one end for manually sliding the limb and shifting the slots in relation to each other, and spring means between and connected with said U-shaped member and iingerfpiece, said spring means .serving to retain said 'limb normally in a position to sustain said slots in thread gripping relationship.

2. A spool attachment of the class shown vand described comprising a resilient one-piece U-shaped member embodying a central bight portion vand laterally disposed flexible end portions .terminating in attaching and retaining adapters designed, when in position for use, to project into co-acting end portions of the usual bore of a spool, said bight portionY having a thread-end receiving and gripping slot opening 'at ^one `endand extending laterally through one longitudinal edge of said bight portion, a latch forming limb superimposed upon and slidably 4connected to said bight portion, said limb also having a thread-end receiving and gripping slot 'in registry with said first named slot and opening -at one end and lextending laterally through a longitudinal edge of said limb, said limb having `a, {ringer-'piece at one end for-manually sliding the .limb and shifting vthe slots in relation to each other, said finger-piece being at right angles to lsaid latch limb, spaced from and parallel to the yadjacent lateral end portion of said U-shaped Amember, and spring rmeans joining said iinger- 4piece to said llateral end portion, whereby said limb is normally sustained in a position wherein corresponding closed end portions only of said `slots overlap and serve to frictionally grip said thread-end.

3. The structure defined in claim l, wherein thatledge -oi .the limb through which the second named slot opens is provided with a thread-end ,placement .and guiding notch, the latter being normally in .registry with the open end of the first namedslot.

4. A -spool attachment of the class shown -and described comprising a resilient one-piece U-.shaped member embodying a central bight -oportion and laterally disposed iiexible end .portions terminating in attaching and retaining .adapters designed, when in position for use, to

project into co-acting end portions of the usual rbore of a spool, said bight portion being provided intermediate its ends with a bayonet slot with its open 'end opening laterally through one longitudinal edge of said bight portion, a latch formingl'rmb superimposed upon and slidably joined V.to said bight 4portion and provided at one end 'with a thread cutter, at its opposite end with ,-a lateral finger-piece opposed to and spaced in .parallelism to the corresponding lateral end portion of said .U-shaped member and having spring connection with said lateral end portion,

. saidlimb also having a centrally located bayonet `slot whose 'open end opens laterally through a longitudinal edge of the limb, the respective ciosed ends of Vsaid bayonet slots being normally in registry with each other, and said longitudinal edge of the limb having a thread-end receiving 'and piloting notch in registry with the open end of said rst named bayonet slot.

'5. A spool attachment of the class shown and described comprising a one-piece structural assemblage fashioned from a single length of strap metal, one end portion of said strap being bent upon itself and providing a readily applicable and removable U-shaped member, the other end portion being bent upon itself to provide an L-shaped member, said U-shaped member embodying a central bight portion and lateral end portions, one end portion terminating in a bend which is laterally offset and functions as an adapter to t into an end portion of the bore of a spool, the other lateral end portion terminating in an offset bend and said bend constituting an adapter to fit into said bore and also functioning as a yieldable spring, the short limb of said L-shaped member being attached to said spring and disposed in spaced parallelism in relation to the adjacent end portion of the U-shaped member, the longer limb being disposed in overlapping relation with the bight portion and being slidably connected to said bight portion, said bight portion and longer limb having registerable apertures for passage of a free end portion of the thread on said spool.

6. A spool attachment of the class shown and described comprising a one-piece structural assemblage fashioned from a single length of strap metal, one end portion of said strap being bent upon itself and providing a readily applicable and removable U-shaped member, the other end portion being bent upon itself to provide an L-shaped member, said U-shaped member embodying a central bight portion and lateral end portions, one end portion terminating in a bend which is laterally offset and functions as an adapter to fit into an end portion of the bore 6 of a spool, the other lateral end portion terminating in an offset bend and said bend constituting an adapter to fit into said bore and also functioning as a yieldable spring, the short limb of said L-shaped member being attached to said spring and disposed in spaced parallelism in relation to the adjacent end portion of the U-shaped member, the longer limb being disposed in overlapping relation with the bight portion and being slidably connected to said bight portion, said bight portion and longer limb having registerable apertures for passage of a free end portion of the thread on said spool, the first-named lateral end portion of said U-shaped member being provided