US2711144A - Sewing machine with feed mechanism for shirring material at will while stitching - Google Patents

Description

June 21, 1955 .1. 'r. JULLIE 2,711,144

SEWING MACHINE WITH FEED MECHANISM FOR SHIRRING MATERIAL AT WILL WHILE STITCHING File d Dec. 7, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet llll All RE! 1 Q @J m m M Y/ a M M y.

June 21, 1955 MATERIAL AT WILL- WHILE STITCHING Filed Dec. 7, 1953 J. T. JULLIE SEWING MACHINE WITH FEED MECHANISM FOR SHIRRING Sheets-Sheet 2 28 n 9 "I m 1 D4 9 g w |I 25 I /3 3 I I G 266 L 22 V; 2! 4 f I I V I,

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- 2,711,144 MEC ISM FOR SHIRRING June 21, 1955 J. 'r. JULLI SEWING MACHINE WITH FEED MATERIAL AT WILL WHILE STITCHING a She e'ts-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 7, 1953 jzvzmawe Jase-1w 7," J01. L

jms xw Arfamzrr Patented June 21, 1955 SEWING MACHINE WITH FEED h IECHANISM FOR SHIRRENG l't IATERIAL AT WILL VtHILE STITCHING a Ciaims. c1. 1n-ze9 This invention relates to sewing machines which are adapted to stitch and which, under certain conditions, such as re-setting of cams in the material-feeding mechanism, may be adjusted to shirr material as it is being stitched.

While my invention is particularly applicable to certain types of sewing machines for trimming and overedging in one operation as manufactured by the Singer Manufacturing Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, it is also applicable to other sewing machines which utilize for the feeding of material during stitching, a pair of gyratory generally horizontal feed bars provided with cooperating upstanding feed dogs for progressively feeding the material pressed thereagainst during stitching operations.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a comparatively simple but highly efficient mechanism, in sewing machines of the class defined, for instantly producing upon the said mechanism of the machine a shirring action of the material during stitching operations, and for controlling the shifting of the mechanism to shirr at will and to the extent desired.

Another object is the provision of mechanism in the form of an attachment for standard sewing machines of the type manufactured by The Singer Manufacturing Com pany for trimming and over-edging in one operation, which will controllably vary the longitudinal stroke of the gyratory feed bars of the machine from the normal similar longitudinal displacement of the forward and rear feed dogs whereby, subject to instant control by an operator and without discontinuing the stitching operation, material for a desired length may be shirred or pleated and, subsequent to such operation, may again be conventionally J stitched or sewn without shirring etfect.

More specifically, it is on object, in a machine of the class described employing feed-bars gyrated by a pair of eccentric pitrnans, to indirectly and differentially impart to one of the feed-bars the longitudinal stroke from its related pitman so that, through instant control, the longitudinal movement of the feed-bars and their upstanding dogs may be varied from normal equal strokes to an unequal stroke relationship where the front feed-dog moves a slightly greater distance than the rear fced-dog, producing upon the material then engaged a folding or shirring elfect.

One embodiment of my invention in the form of an attachment for standard Singer sewing machines of the type adapted for trimmingand over-edging in one operation may be constructed successfully by mere replacement of two of the important parts of the front and back feedbar assembly of the Singer machine and by addition of a few parts.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to the same figures throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevation with some portions broken away of a conventional type of sewing machine having an embodiment of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of the same machine with some portions broken away;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 taken on a larger scale with portions of the machine broken away and removed but showing the feed-bar assembly with my improved structure applied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 restricted to the feed-bar assembly per so, with my improvements thereon and showing another step in the cycle of operation of said mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a portion of the work where two pieces of fabric are sewed together with overedge stitching and where a portion of the edge is shirred as produced by my novel mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded view of the adjustable linkage dissociated from the rest of the machine.

In the embodiment illustrated, my invention or improvement is applied to the right and left feed-bar assembly of a standard sewing machine for trimming and over edging in one operation, manufactured by The Singer Manufacturing Company as models 246-3 and 2465. The conventional mechanism of this machine includes a main frame and housing H, cloth plate X, a left end pedestal and frame structure L, a driven pulley P at the right end of the machine, a drive belt B and the usual crank shaft C extending longitudinally across the front portion of the machine for actuating a number of the working mechanisms including the right hand and left hand loopers RL and LL respectively and the needle driving shaft assembly which synchronizes and operates the needle N.

'lhe left end portion of crank shaft C is provided with the usual eccentric cylinder or disc E for lifting and operating the conventional feed and knife levers. Outwardly beyond eccentric E, crank shaft C is provided with another eccentric disc portion D eccentrically related to the axis of shaft C to provide relatively small throw as contrasted to the eccentric E. The conventional feed-bar-slide-block (front) S is journaled on portion D of the crank shaft and slides in bifurcated, forward portions 8a and 7a respectively of the feed-bars 8 and 7. Feed-bars 7 and 8 are of conventional structure disposed in side-by-side relation substantially normal to the axis of crank shaft C and the inner or right hand gyratory bar 8 being somewhat longer, as shown, than the outer or left hand gyratory feed-bar 7. A pivoted, rear feed-bar-slide-block 9 slidably engages the bifurcated rear ends of the feed-bars 7 and 8, said slideblock swinging to permit of the gyratory movement of the two bars and to permit relative shifting of the bars in the working strokes thereof. The outer or left hand feed-bar 7 is actuated in conventional manner by a short pitman link 10, the forward and rounded portion 10a of said pitman being journaled upon a removable disc 11, constituting an eccentric cam of predetermined throw keyed for a predetermined aflixation to the concentric outer or left end of crank shaft C. Camming discs of various pitch or throw are conventionally provided with the particular sewing machine models referred to here and are numbered in accordance to the throw. As shown and merely as exemplary, a Singer No. 14 cam (11) was utilized for gyration of pitman 10, while a Singer cam disc No. 7 is utilized, as shown herein, afiixed to crank shaft portion Z inwardly and in juxtaposition to cam 11 and herein identified by the numeral 12, said cam actuating a revised and elongated pitman link 13 disposed inwardly and in side-by-side relation to the short pitman link 10 for effecting the resultant gyration of the inner or right feed-bar 8. The left extremity of crank shaft C is diminished and threaded -.3 to receive a heavy retaining nut 14 which holds the two pitman links and 13 as well as the forward ends of the feed-bars in operative position journaled upon their cooperating eccentric portions of the crank shaft.

The revised and elongated pitman link 13 of my invention is provided with an enlarged, elongated and "longitudinal slot 13a which is of a width to accommodate a conventional connector pin 15 having its inner and reduced threaded end afiixed to a tapped socket in the middle of the outer or left hand feed-bar 7, said pin having the usual spacer sleeve 15a journaled thereon and being retained in working position in a bore formed in the short pitman link 10, by a retaining nut 15b.

The resultant gyration and effective stroke of the inner or right hand feed-bar 8 is effected by a shiftable, stroketransmitting link indicated as an entirety by the numeral 16 having a forward section 16a provided with a tongue portion pivotally connected by a laterally extending connector bolt 17 and spacer sleeve element 17a with the intermediate and depending portion of the inward or right hand feed-bar 8, said connector element being similarly formed to the connector pin 15 and retained in operative position perpendicularly to tongue section 16:1 by a retaining nut 17b threaded upon the outer extremity of pin 17. The connector element 17 is accommodated in the longitudinal slot 13a of the revised and longer pitman link 13 and shifts slightly in said slot in cycles of the gyratory movement of pitman link 13.

The rear end of the revised and elongated pitman link 13 is pivotally connected by a countersunk connector pin 18 with an oscillatory toggle arm 19, the rear end of which is pivoted by a headed pivot screw 19a to the intermediate portion of an upstanding oscillatory mounting bracket 20 provided by my improved structure and suitably pivoted at its upper end at the left side and rear portion of the frame section and pedestal L. As shown, the upper end of mounting bracket 20 is journalled upon the heavy hinge pin 21 upon which the feed-bar-slide-block 9 is also journaled. The hinge pin 21 is mounted within an aperture provided in the upwardly projecting pedestal portion 33 of the machine 7 frame, which pedestal portion 33 is laterally spaced from the main portion or housing H of the machine frame. Mounting bracket 20, as shown, is vertically positioned and depends to a point some distance below the lower edges of the pitman links 10 and 13 and is provided with an upwardly extending, slightly rearwardly declined elongated slot 20a in which a shiftable transverse pivot pin 22 for the stroke-transmitting link 16 is accommodated. The relation of the point of connection of the toggle arm 19 eccentrically of the bracket pivot 21 and the positioningof elongated slot 20a is important in the proper functioning of my mechanism. To this end, it is desirable that pivot screw 19a be disposed a short distance downwardly and forwardly of the hinge pin 21 forming the journal for mounting bracket 20 and that the elongated slot 20a in the bracket and the related length of stroke-transmitting link be such that slot 201: approximates an are or line disposed substantially concentric of the pivotal connection of link 16 at its forward end with right hand feed-bar 8 through connector pin 17.

The form of my stroke-transmitting link 16, as illustrated, comprises a forward section 16a having a longitudinal tapped socket 1611 through the rear portion thereof and a rear section 16c of clevis-shape for embracing the sides of mounting bracket 20, pivot pin 22 extending through the two sides of said clevis-link section and, as shown, having a diminished threaded extremity 22.: which is threaded and removably secured in the inner side portion of the clevis. The clevis section 160 of my stroke-transmitting link with the pivot 22 is free to ride or shift up and down upon mounting bracket 20 to vary the length of the stroke imparted to right feed-bar S. An adjustable screw 23 rigidly interconnects opposed ends of stroke-transmitting link sections 1611 and 16c, having a squared intermediate portion for Wrench engagement and having end portions threaded in opposite directions and threadedly received in the tapped socket 16b of toggle section 16a and in a tapped socket of toggle section 16c, locking nuts 24 being provided to lock screw 23 in a desired adjusted position.

A longitudinal shank extension 16e is integrally formed or rigidly affixed to the rear end of stroke-transmitting link section 15c for suitable connection with a vertical, instantly controllable shift rod 25. Shift rod 25, as shown, has its lower end bent outwardly at approximately to provide a connector pin 25a of circular cross section upon which is journalled the horizontal sleeve 26a, of a T-shape connecting element 26, the head of the T-element 26 constituting a sleeve 26b wherein the shank extension of the stroke-transmitting link is slidably and loosely mounted.

The upstanding shift rod 25 has an intermediate head or piston 25]) afiixed thereto which fits with working clearance within a vertical guide tube 27 rigidly secured as by a bracket 28 to the rear of the housing H and, of course, in concentric relation with the shift rod 25. A coil spring 29 surrounds the intermediate portion of shift rod 25, within guide'tube 27 and is interposed between the head 25b and an abutment-block 27a atfixed to the lower end of tube 27 and axially bored for slidably accommodating the shift rod 25. The upper portion of shift rod 25 is externally threaded and projects through a restricted top piece 27b at the upper end of tube 27 and threadedly engages an adjustable stroke-limiting nut 30 above the upper end of said tube.

Suitable means are provided for instantly pulling shift rod 25 downwardly to its adjusted length of movement and, in the form shown, comprise a chain 31 or other flexible member connected at its upper end with a depending hook 25c afiixed to the lower end of shift rod 25. The lower end of chain 31, as shown in Fig. 4, is secured to the end of a treadle member 32.

It will be noted that there is no direct pivotal or toggle connection between the elongated or revised pitman link 13 and its related right hand feed-bar 8. The toggle arm 19 is connected to effect the oscillation or reciprocation of the depending mounting bracket 20 which, in turn, communicates to right hand feed-bar 8, its stroke through the shiftable stroke-transmitting link 16. The longitudinal stroke of right feed-bar 8 therefore may be varied depending upon the shifting of the rear pivot 22 of the transmitting link 16, a longer stroke being imparted, of course, when the transmitting link-pivot is lowered and, consequently, disposed a-greater radial distance from the journal 21 of the mounting bracket 20.

Feed-bars 7 and 8 have fixedly but adjustably attached to the forward and upper portions thereof, sets of upstanding material-engaging, conventional feed-dogs D-1 A and D-2 respectively. The front feed-dogs D-1 are attached to the inner or right feed-bar 8 and the rear feed-dogs D-Z are attached in conventional manner to the outer or left feed-bar 7, the operation of said dogs with the structure described and in conventional machines of the type defined being such that, in the cycles of movement, the two sets of dogs 13-1 and D2 gyrate together upwardly and longitudinally rearward through equal stroke or distances. During such operation, the cloth is, of course, held downwardly by a conventional pressure foot (not shown).

Operation For the most part, the operation of the entire sewing machine illustrated in the drawings is conventional, including the guiding of the several threads employed in stitching operations, the operation of the right and left loopers, the needle and the trimming operation.

Assuming that two edges of cloth are to be stitched together and that, in conformance with a desired lay-out, over-edge stitching is desired throughout with a certain portion of the stitching operation effecting shirring of the material, the operator, with the two pieces of cloth properly positioned over the sets of front and rear feed-dogs D1 and D2, applies a conventional pressure foot (not shown) to the top of the fabric and the usual stitching will be accomplished with the several parts of the feeder mechanism disposed and related as shown in Fig. 2.

When the lay-out or pattern calls for shirring of the material, the operator instantly pulls shift rod 25 to its limited downward movement through convenient means such as the treadle 32, thereby shifting the connectorlink 16 to the position shown in Fig. 4. In this connection it will be noted that the downward stroke of the shift rod 25 may be adjusted through threaded setting of the stroke-limiting nut 30 at the upper end of rod 25.

In the original and normal position of the various parts of my mechanism, as shown in Fig. 2 with the stroketransmitting link 16 disposed in its upward position be tween the journal or pin 21 of reciprocating bracket 20 and pivot screw 19a which connects the elongated pitman 13 with its toggle link 19, the right and left feedbars 8 and 7 will be gyrated up and down by the eccentric cam portion D of the crank shaft and will be gyrated in rearward longitudinal movement through equal strokes. in this connection, it should be realized that the two eccentric cam discs 11 and 12 for the pitmans ill and 13 are of variable pitch but equalization for similar strokes is accomplished through the relative lengths of pitmans and 13 and through the shifting of the stroke-transmitting link to the upward position where substantially minimum oscillation of depending mounting or bracket is accomplished.

When the pivoted rear portion of stroke-transmitting link 16 is shifted downwardly to the predetermined limit, a relatively longer stroke is transmitted to the inner or right feed-bar 8 from the oscillating or reciprocating Y depending mounting bracket 20, the radial distance from the bracket journal pin 21 to the axis of pivot pin 22 being substantially longer than in the normal positioning of the parts as shown in Fig. 2.

The feed-dogs D-1 and D-2 are then, at the beginning of their cycles of operations, spaced apart as shown in Fig. 4, while, at the conclusion of the feeding strokes, they are spaced closely together as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 and the forward feed-dogs D-l have moved a longer stroke than dogs D-Z, thereby bringing up, folding and shirring the material effected by the presser foot.

It is often desirable in stitching together two pieces of material to form a juncture, that only one ply or piece of material be shirred. In this connection, one of the pieces of material is superimposed over the pressure foot and is not affected by shirring operation, whereas the under-piece of material is applied beneath the presser foot. The extent of the shirring, more specifically the width of the folds, may be varied within a considerable range by adjustment of the stroke-limiting nut at the upper end of shift rod 25.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that one embodiment of my invention may be readily constructed as an attachment for the standard Singer models identified herein by replacement of the revised and novel pitman link 13 for the standard link supplied and by addition of a few new parts combinatively related to the conventional structure and which include the toggle link 16 with its shiftable pivotal connection at the rear portion thereof, the reciprocating, depending mounting or bracket 20, the shift rod 25 and its related guiding mechanism and operating connections.

In Fig. 6 a fragment of one type of the work is illustrated where two pieces of cloth are joined together along a circumferential edge with one of the pieces shirred in part and the other piece unshirred as is often the case in the manufacture of garments.

It will be seen that, in the form of standard construction for a complete sewing machine or as an attachment to models 246-3 and 246-5 of the sewing machines made by The Singer Manufacturing Company, my invention provides a comparatively simple but highly efficient piece of apparatus for instantly producing a shirring action of the material during stitching operations and for controlling the shifting to shirr at will and to the extent desired.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a sewing machine, cloth-feeding mechanism for producing shirring of material as desired while stitching, having in combination a pair of substantially horizontal, gyratory feed-bars disposed in side-by-side relation and each having upstanding feed dogs thereon, the feed dogs of one bar being disposed forwardly of the feed dogs of the other bar, a pitman link for each of said bars, driven eccentric elements upon which the forward ends of said respective pitman links are journaled, one of said'pitman links having a pivotal connection between its rear portion and the lower, intermediate portion of one of said feed bars, a swingable, stroke-transmitting mounting, a connection between the second pitman link and said mount- 1 ing for reciprocating said mounting, a stroke-transmitting link having an end pivotally connected with said second gyratory feed bar and having its other end shiftably connected with said mounting for shifting to a position adjacent the said pitman connection with said mounting to impart a relatively short stroke to its related feeding bar and for shifting to a position removed some distance from said pitman connection to impart a relatively longer stroke to its related feed bar.

In a sewing machine, cloth-feeding mechanism for producing shirring of material as desired while stitching, having in combination a pair of substantially horizontal, gyratory feed-bars disposed in side by side relation and each having upstanding feed dogs thereon, the feed dogs of one bar being disposed forwardly of the feed dogs of the other bar, a pitman link for each of said bars, driven eccentric elements upon which the forward ends of said respective pitman links are journaled, one of said pitman links having a direct connection between its rear portion and the intermediate portion of one of said feed bars, a swingable stroke-transmitting mounting mounted rearwardly of said pitman links for reciprocating on an axis disposed transversely of said pitman links, a connection between the rear portion of the other pitman link and said mounting for reciprocating said mounting and a stroke-transmitting link having a forward end pivotally connected with said second gyratory feed bar and having its rear portion shiftably connected with said mounting for shifting to a position adjacent said axis of said mounting and for shifting to a position removed some distance from said axis and means for instantly shifting said connection of said link from one of said positions to the other on said reciprocating mounting.

3. In a sewing machine, a cloth-feeding mechanism for producing shirring of material as desired while stitching, having in combination a pair of substantially horizontal, gyratory feed-bars disposed in side-by-side relation and each having upstanding feed dogs thereon, the.

feed dogs of one bar being disposed forwardly of the feed dogs of the other bar, a pitman link for each of said bars, driven eccentric elements upon which the forward ends of said respective pitman links are journaled, one of said pitman links having a direct connection between its rear portion and the intermediate portion of one of said feed bars, a swingable stroke-transmitting mounting mounted rearwardly of said pitman links for reciprocating on an axis disposed transversely of said pitman links, a toggle link connecting the rear portion of said other pitman with said mounting for reciprocating the same, a stroke-transmitting link having a forward end pivotally connected with said second gyratory feed bar and having its rear portion shiftably connected with said mounting for positioning adjacent the point of connection of said toggle link and also for positioning and connection with said mounting at a point removed some distance from the axis of said mounting and from the point of connection of said toggle link with said mounting and means for instantly shifting said stroke-transmitting link from one of said positions to the other.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said mounting is pivoted at its upper end and extends downwardly at the rear of said pitman links and wherein said mounting has a longitudinal slot extending generally transversely of the longitudinal center line of the second of said pitrnan links and wherein said stroke-transmitting link is connected at its rear portion with the slotted portion of said mounting.

5. In a sewing machine, cloth-feeding mechanism for producing shirring of material as desired while stitching, having in combination a pair of substantially horizontal, gyratory feed-bars disposed in side-by-side relation and each having upstanding feed dogs thereon, the feed dogs of one bar being disposed forwardly of the feed dogs of the other bar, a pitman link for each of said bars, driven eccentric elements upon which the forward ends of said respective pitrnan links are journaled, one of said pitman links having a pivotal connection between its rear portion and the lower, intermediate portion of one of said feedbars, a swingable, stroke-transmitting mounting, a connection between the second pitrnan link and said mounting for reciprocating said mounting, a stroke-transmitting link having an end pivotally connected with said second gyratory feed-bar and having its other end shiftably connected with said mounting for shifting to a position adjacent the said pitman connection with said mounting to impart a relatively short stroke to its related feeding bar and for shifting to a position removed some distance from said pitrnan connection to impart a relatively longer stroke to its related feed-bar, and instantly controllable shifting mechanism comprising a longitudinally movable shift rod having a connection adjacent one end thereof with said stroke-transmitting link, a guide for said rod, yieldable means for urging said rod to its limit of movement in one direction whereby said link will be disposed in its first mentioned position to impart a shorter stroke, and a pull connection with said rod to instantly shift the same to a limit of movement in the opposite direction for shifting said link to said second mentioned position for imparting a longer stroke to its related feed-bar.

6. The structure set forth in claim 5 and an adjustable abutment element mounted on said shift rod for limiting the shifting movement of said rod for imparting longer strokes to the related feed-bar.

cluding an upstanding housing and an upstanding pedestal laterally spaced from said housing, a rotary shaft journallecl within said housing and extending into the open space between said housing and said pedestal, a plurality of eccentrics carried by said rotary shaft, a pin carried by said pedestal and extending into said open space, a pair of gyratory feed-bars disposed within said open space with each feed-bar having its forward end connected with an eccentric and with its rear endsupported upon said pin, an oscillatory bracket pivotally mounted at its upper end upon said pin so as to depend into said open space, means connecting a first of said feed-bars with one of said eccentrics thereby to reciprocate such feed-bar, means connecting one of said eccentrics with said bracket thereby to oscillate the latter about the axis of said pin, means connecting said bracket with the second of said feed-bars for reciprocating such feedbar, and means to effect a relative shift between the two bracket connections thereby to vary the amplitude of reciprocation of said second feed-bar.

8. An overedge sewing machine having a frame including an upstanding housing and an upstanding pedestal laterally spaced from said housing, a rotary shaft journalled within said housing and extending into the open space between said housing and said pedestal, a plurality of eccentrics carried by said rotary shaft, a pin carried by said pedestal and extending into said open space, a pair of gyratory feed-bars disposed within said open space with each feedbar having its forward end connected with an eccentric and with its rear end supported upon said pin, an oscillatory bracket pivotally mounted at its upper end upon said pin so as to depend into said open space, a pitman connecting a first of said feed-bars with one of said eccentrics thereby to reciprocates such feed-bar, a second pitman connecting one of said eccentrics with said bracket thereby to oscillate the latter about the axis of said pin, link means connecting,

said bracket with the second of said feed-bars for reciprocating such feed-bar, and manually operable means to effect a relative shift between the two bracket connections thereby to vary the amplitude of reciprocation V of said second feed-bar.

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,071,818 Stedman Sept. 2, 1913 1,147,047 Seymour July 20, 1915 1,326,026 Chalman Dec. 23, 1919 2,341,448 Knaus Feb. 8, 1944 I

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