US254543A - Ruffling and shirring attachment for sewing-machines - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

1:". 0. FARWELL. I RUPFLING AND SHIRRING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 254,543. v Patented Mar. 7,1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAY 0. FARWELL, or onnsoo, IOWA.

RUFFLING AND SHIRRING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part'of Letters Patent No. 254,543, dated March '7, 1882.

Application filed December 30, 1881. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FAY O. FARWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oresco, in the county of Howard and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ruffling and Shirring Attachments for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to ruffling and shirring attachments for sewing-machines; and the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of devices, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of the attachment, showing its connection with the presser-foot bar and needle-bar. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line was of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a section and an under plan of the withdrawing shield-support with its attached blade and gage. Fig. 5 is a plan of the base-plate. Fig. 6 is a view of the sliding plate and attached ruflier-blade. Fig. 7 represents views of the actuating cam-levers. Fig. Sis a sectional detail, and Fig. 9 represents the upper guide.

Like letters denote like parts in the several views.

The letter A represents the base-plate, which is provided with an arm, a, for the attachment of the presser-foot B. It is also provided on one side, near its center, with a vertical arm, 0, at the upper end of which is pivoted the actuating mechanism of the ruffling-blade.

An oblong projection, a, at one end of the base-plateA,is provided with slots b b, through which is passed respectively a rivet, o, and screw 0, for securing the shield-support D to the base-plate in such a manner that the said support and its attached blade D may be readily adjusted or partially withdrawn from below the sliding plateE and ruftling-blade E, when desired. The thumb-nut c on the screw 0' holds the parts securely when adjusted in the desired position.

The separator shield-support D is provided at one end with a curve or bend, d, a portion of which is separated from the rest, forming a guide, d. The separator shield or blade D is secured to the broad portion of the bend d. This construction of the shield-support D enables the cloth to be ruffled to be placed in proper position between the blades D and E, either from the right or left, the narrow portion of the bend at forming a guide, d, for the lower hand.

To the upper portion of the vertical arm 0 are attached the cam-levers F G, by means of a common pivot, e. The lever F is provided at its lower end with a pin or pivot, by means of which it is connected with the sliding plate E, and has near its upper end a shoulder, f, against which the end of the adjusting-screw H may be made to rest. This screw has its bearing in a nut formed at the upper end of the cam-lever G. The upper end of the lever F forms a cam through which the lever is actuated bytheneedle-barinitsupwardstroke. The cam or lever G is ad justably secured in contact with the lever F by the pin or pivot e, which passes through the arm 0 and levers F G. This pivot is secured rigidly in the cam-lever G, and rotates in bearings formed in the arm 0. The lever F oscillates on the pivot 0 only when the adjusting-screw H is made to bear against the shoulder f. It will be seen that the lower end of the lever G forms a cam through which the ruffling-blade is actuated by the needle-bar in its downward stroke.

The angular sliding plate E,to which is attached the ruffling-blade E, is'provided at one end. with a nut or ring, c, which forms a hearing for the passage of the pin or pivot 6 by means of which said plate is connected with the lower end of theleverF. The angular sliding plate E is also provided with a projection, h, near its elbow or bend, which projection is designed to rest upon the projection a of the base-plate, and serves to assist in steadying the sliding plate while being reciprocated. A projection or shoulder, z, formed on the under surface of the sliding plate E, also assists in steadying the sliding plate and its attached ruffling-blade while in operation.

The ruffling-blade E is composed of a strip of spring metal, and is suitably notched and toothed at its free end, which projects toward the presser-foot. 'A suitable guide, I, is at-. tached to this blade to guide the upper band or piping, when desired. The separator blade or shield D, which is also composed of spring metal and is slotted or notched at its .end, is secured to the support D, so as to project toward the presser-foot directly under the ruffling-blade.

The presser-foot B has a transverse aperture, 70, for the passage of an adjustable gagerod, K, which is used in several varieties of work. This rod is held in any position to which it may be adjusted by means of a screw, m, passing into the presser-foot.

This ruffling attachment is applied to the presser-foot bar M, as shown in Fig. 1, and is operated by means of a needle-bar N.

The cloth to be ruffled is arranged between the ruffling-blade E and shield D, either from the right or left, as may be convenient, or according to the variety of work to be done. The cloth to be used as the upper band is creased near its edges and the creased edge is placed between the presser-foot B and rufflingblade E, its edge being guided by the guide I on said blade. The lower band is arranged below the shield D, its edge being guided by the guide (1. v

When the sewing-machine is put in operation the needle-bar N rcciprocates just to the left of the actuating cam-levers F G. Near the end of its upward stroke the projection N comes in contact with the cam end of the lever F, causing the ruffling-blade E, which is connected with the lower end of lever F by the sliding plate E, to move forward until its teeth project toa certain point behind the needle, said teeth engaging with the cloth under it andcausin g a fold or plait to be formed, which is held in position by the blade E until the needle descends through the aperture 01. in the base-plate and secures it. As the needle-bar descends the projection N comes in contact with the lower end of the cam-lever G, which projection, N, on the returns the ruftler-blade E in position for another fold. While the cloth is being ruffled or gathered in this manner it is also fed along and stitched near the folded edge of the upper band by the needle 0, working through the aperture a in the base-plate.

By means of the thumb-screw H the camlever G is adjusted, in connection with the lever F, so as to regulate the rearward move-' ment of the slidingplate E, and thus limit the throw of the ruffling-blade E, for the purpose of varying the fullness of the ruffle or gather.

By differently arranging the fabrics employed some fourteen different varieties of ruffles may be readily made.

It will be seen that the separator blade or shield D and its supportD are secured in position by means of the screw 0 and nut 6, so

that they can be readily withdrawn when required. By withdrawing the support D and blade D the toothed end of the ruffling-blade E will come in contact with the fabric or the upper of two fabrics placed under the attachment, thus enabling the operator to ruffle or shirr the upper piece anywhere throughout its entire breadth. Any number of seams may be shirred parallel with each other, the distance between the seams being regulated and guided by means of the gage-rod K, attached to the presser-footB. This gage is used only in shirring, and may be removed while ruffling.

The advantage of arranging the separator or shield D so that it may be readily withdrawn will be apparent. The delicacy of the material used in rufflingis often such that the teeth of the ruffler-blade would ruffle the lower band as well as the ruffle, were it not that the band is protected by the separator or shield D. If this shield could not be withdrawn or removed from below the blade D, a shirr or ruffle could not be made any distance from the edge of the fabric.

It will thusbe seen thatshirring of all kinds and on any ordinary material can be readily accomplished by means of this attachment.-

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a ruffling or shirring attachment for sewing-machines, the combination, with the base-plate A, having projection a, and slots 1) b,of the withdrawing shield-support D, having rivet c, screw 0, and nut 0 substantially as shown and described.

2. In a rufiiing and shirring attachment for sewing-machines, the angular sliding plate E, having projection h, shoulder i, and nut or ring 0, in combination with the baseplate A, levers F G, and blade E, substantially as shown and. described.

FAY O. FARWELL.

Witnesses:

WM. BALDWIN, W. T. IRVINE.

IIO

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