US2694374A

US2694374A - Shuttle feeder for embroidering machines

Info

Publication number: US2694374A
Application number: US414307A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lindner Karol
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-03-05
Filing date: 1954-03-05
Publication date: 1954-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1971-11-16

Description

Nov. 16, 1954 K MNDNER 2,694,374

SHUTTLE FEEDER FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES Filed March 5, 1954 2 Sheet 2 United States Patent SHUTTLE FEEDER FOR EMBROIDERING MACHINES This invention relates to shuttle feeders for embroidering machines.

As is well understood, an embroidering machine comprises a large number of aligned shuttle boxes which rest on a shuttle box bar. Each shuttle box slidably supports a shuttle which is caused to reciprocate substantially vertically, during the operation of the machine. Each shuttle contains a bobbin, the thread of which becomes exhausted. as the embroidering operations continue. Accordingly, it is necessary to replace such bobbins periodically. of replacing the bobbin in the shuttle, a pre-loaded shuttle is substituted for'the exhausted one.

Shuttles are now replaced by lifting them out of the shuttle boxes and substituting a fully loaded shuttle. This is a time consuming and tedious operation since a conventional fifteen year machine has more than 550 shuttle boxes. I am aware that some mechanisms have been introduced to effect feeding but such mechanisms have not been successful because of inaccuracies and complexities and are not in wide usage.

With the foregoing in mind, I have devised a shuttle feeding device which effectively feeds a large quantity of loaded shuttles to the shuttle boxes. The device is so constructed that the feed is positive with little, if any likelihood of a shuttle being misdirected. Means are provided to maintain a great number of shuttles aligned at an angle which insures the proper travel of the shuttle into the shuttle box. The device is further simple in operation and economical to produce and use.

The invention will be further understood from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved shuttle feeder;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is an end ends being the same;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom view of one end of the device;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view further illustrating the operation of the device in feeding shuttles to the shuttle boxes of an embroidering machine (the embroidering machine being viewed as from the rear);

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 5 and illustrating the operation of the device;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 77 of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view as taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 5.

The device comprises an elongated frame 10 which may be of wood or any other suitable material. Frame 10 is formed with a plurality of openings 11 extending therethrough from the top to the bottom thereof and running the length of the frame. Two such parallel rows or series of

openings

12 and 13 are provided in order to increase the capacity of the device. Each opening is inclined diagonally as illustrated in Figure 5. However, the inclination of the openings of row 12 is in an opposite direction from that of row 13 as will be hereinafter described. The angle of inclination is approximately from vertical. The openings are somewhat square in transverse cross-section, the width thereof being slightly more than /8". The length of the openings from top to bottom of the frame, is about 1".

In the form shown, each row contains 36 openings so as to accommodate 36 shuttles. Thus, the combined capacity of the device is 72. Of course, the rows can In actual practice, instead elevational view thereof, both fit .of each strip 17. As will 2,694,374 Patented Nov. 16, 1954 be made longer or shorter as desired but the dimensions of the openings will remain substantially constant.

Referring to Figures 3 and 8 it will be noted that the frame 10 is T-shaped, the openings 11 being formed in the transverse arm or rectangular top section 14 of the T while the centrally depending arm 15 is provided to support the device at the proper height when it is positioned over aligned shuttle boxes for feeding shuttles therein. Each row or series of openings 11 have duplicate operating mechanisms so that the description of one of said mechanisms will also describe the other.

The underside of the transverse arm 14 is formed with a C-shaped slot 16, within which is slidably disposed an elongated metal strip 17 which serves to retain and release the shuttles from the openings of the frame. Strip 17 has the appearance of a ladder with sides 18 and a series of cross bars 19. The cross bars are spaced to an extent wherein they define openings between them of substantially the same dimensions as the openings 11. As will be explained hereinafter, each strip 17 is normally spring biased to a position where the bars 19 close each opening 11 approximately half way across at the bottom so as to retain the shuttles in place in the openings. Means are also provided to shift the bars to fully open position so that the shuttles may fall gravitationally through the openings and into the shuttle boxes of the embroidering machine.

Each end of the device is provided with a metal retaining bar 20 which is of inverted T-shaped form, the central arm 21 serving as a terminal for the coil spring 22. The other end 23 of the spring22 is hooked around end section 24 of strip 17. Accordingly, strip 17 is normally urged in one direction as illustrated in Figure 5 where the cross bars 19 substantially close the lower ends of the openings 11 about half-way or, in any event, to a degree that the shuttles 25 enclosing full bobbins cannot fall through to the shuttle boxes 26. It will be understood that the shuttle boxes themselves are shown somewhat schematically, the illustration being merely to demonstrate the usage of the device.

Spring 22 is disposed within a concave cut-out 27 formed immediately above end bar or section 24 of strip 17. In order to urge each strip 17 to an unobstructing position, an actuating lever 28 is provided at each end of the device, each serving the respective series of openings. 7 As illustrated in Figure 6, lever 28 is pivoted on the pin 29 and has its lower end slidably maintained in slot 30 of end section 31 ofstrip 17. The end sections 24 and 31 are respective opposite ends be recognized from Figure 5, when lever 28 is manually actuated in the direction indicated by arrow 29, the entire strip 17 is shifted to the left as viewed in Figure 5 and all the openings 11 become unobstructed at their lower ends so that the shuttles may drop through to the shuttle boxes.

Means are further provided to insure accurate positioning of the rows of openings with respect to each shuttle box. Thus, a guide member 32 having a depending tongue 33 is disposed between end section 31 and the first bar of strip 17 as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the tongue 33 depending downwardly through the opening of the C-shaped slot as illustrated in Figure 3. Tongue 33 is inclined away from vertical at an angle of 15 so as to complement the fixed angularity of the shuttle boxes 26 as illustrated in Figure 5. Accordingly, when the tongue 33 is disposed against one shuttle box as illustrated in Figure 5, all the shuttles will be in proper position to drop into the shuttle box openings. It will further be noted in Figure 5 that the width of the frame sections 34 which separate and define the openings 11, are the same as the eifective crosssectional width of the shuttle box structures 26.

The device is employed as follows:

Assuming that the bobbins in the shuttles are near exhaustion, the machine is stopped and the shuttles are removed as is customary. Meanwhile, the device will have been filled with shuttles provided with fresh bobbins, the instant device accommodating 72 shuttles. The device is then placed lengthwise adjacent the shuttle boxes, the central arm 15 resting against such shuttle boxes while the tongue 33 is disposed against one shuttle box,

By. means of the angular disposition of the openings, he shutt es .5 are. n angula a isament ith he shuttle box openings. It is now only necessary to manually actuate the lever 28 in the direction of arrow 29 wh r by a h n n s become si l n o s y unobr structed and 36 of the shuttles 25 fall; into place. The

user then reverses the device so as, to; present the other row, i, e., row 13 to the machine, following in succession e sh t o es. cc mm a d y th firs ro He then actuates the other lever 28 in he same direction and 36 more shuttles fall into place. Such feeding action is illustrated in Figure 6. The device is then r moved r m he. machin w c sen r s o. p r ti m It has been found that the device as above described is foolproof and has effected; substantial economies in that less labor is required and the machines are incapacitated for a muchshorter time.

What is claimed is:

l. A shuttle feeding device for embroidering machines comprisi g 211 frame having a] top section of substantially rectangular form, said top section being formed with a series of aligned openings therethrough, said openings, being inclined from the upper face to the lower face of said top section, an elongated shuttle retaining strip disposed adjacent to and under said openings, and nor-. mally closing at least a portion of said openings from. the bottom, and actuating means for shifting said strip to n p n n uno tru t n p si o h eby hu les disposed in said open tional downward; displacement from said openings and at an angle to said top section, said device including a spring on said frame and connected to one end' of said strip for normally urging it to the opening obstructing position, said actuating means comprising a lever on said frame and connected to the other end of said strip for actuating it lengthwise against the action of said pring.

2 A shuttle feeding device for embroidering machines having shuttle boxes, said device comprising an elongated frame' having a top section of substantially rectangular form, said top section being formed with at least one series. of aligned openings therethrough from the upper face to the lower face thereof, a shuttle retaining strip slidably mounted in the frame and underlying said series of openings, said Stl'lP. compr sing cross. bars normally obstructing the lower ends of said openings so as to prevent downward displacement of shuttles disposed in said openings, a spring on said frame for maintaining said str'ip, in 'its normally obstructingiposition, a manually actuable' lever connected to said strip fon shifting it to an unobstructing position against the action of said spring, and a guide rnembe f protruding downwardly at one end of said frame and adapted to guide the positioning of said openings over the shuttle: boxes of the embroidering. machine.

ngs may be released for gravita- 3. A shuttle feeding device for embroidering machines compris ng. a tram ha ng a t p section of substantial y rectangula'r'form, said top section being elongated and formed with a first series of; aligned, substantially square openings therethrough, the side walls of said openings being uniformly inclined from the upper face to the lower face of said top section, a shuttle retaining strip slidably disposed in said frame and underlying said first series of openings, said strip comprising cross. bars normallyobstructing the lower ends of said openings, manual actuating means for shifting said strip to an opening unobstructing position whereby shuttles disposed in said openings may be released for gravitational downward displacement from said; openings and at an angle to said top section, a second series of openings disposed parallel to said first-named-series of openings, the openings of said second series being inclined oppositely from the first series inclination, said second series of openings being provided with a ret-aining strip, manually actuating means substantially duplicating thosev of said first series, said frame being T-shaped with both of said series of openings, being formed. completely through the transverse arm of the T, and a guide tongue protruding downwardly from the underside of the respective ends of the frame, each of said guide tongues being in alignmentwith one retaining strip.

4. A device according to claim 3 and wherein the inclination of said openings isv 15 from vertical and said. guide tongue being also inclined 15 from vertical and; in the, same direction.

5.A device. according to claim 3 and including a spring for each, strip, said. spring having one end connected, to the frame and the other end connected to one stripfor normally urging the strip to its obstructing position, said manual actuating means comprising two levers. respectively connected to the other ends of the strips for actuating the strips lengthwise against the action of the; spring 6.A device according to claim 5 and wherein the underside of said; transverse arm of the frame is formed with two C-shapcd slots in which the respective strips are slidably disposed, said guide tongues extending through the'openings. of the C-shaped slots.

7. A, device; according. to claim 6 and wherein said cross. bars of the strips' form openings between them having. substantially the same, dimensions as the transverse. dimensions of the frame series of openings.

References, Cited, in the file of this patent