US2712973A - Sewing machine cabinets and means for elevating sewing machine heads - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1955 c. (2. JAMES 2,712,973

SEWING MACHINE CABINETS AND MEANS FOR ELEVATING SEWING lVUXCI'IINE HEADS Filed Dec. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

July 12, 1955 JAMES 2,712,973

SEWING MACHINE CABINETS AND MEANS FOR ELEVATING. SEWING MACHINE HEADS Filed Dec. 18, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V/IIIIIIIIIII/II/II/Illi'l'll/ Hill United States Patent SEWING MACHINE CABINETSAND MEANS FOR ELEVATWG SEWING MACHlNE HEADS Charles C. James, Los Angeles', Calif.

Application December 18 1951, Serial No. 262,290

3 Claims. (Cl. 312-26) The invention relates to improvements in such equipment where a drop head sewing machine is lowered into a cabinet receptacle when not in use, or swung to an operative position when desired; and the objects of the improvements are, first to lighten the heavy load that the operator is forced to lift; second to automatically operate the fiap which heretofore has had to be manually manipulated to clear the passage for the machine head as it is being elevated from a lowered to an operative position; and, third, to reinforce present means for bracing the top extension hinged cover when the same is horizontally extended.

In conventional sewing machine cabinets, insofar as I know, there is no adequate provision for elevating the head adaptable to various makes of cabinets, nor one that has been adopted by the several leading manufacturers, because of additional structural requirements.

Sewing machine cabinets presently in general use entail certain manual operations that are very trying on the average female operator, i. e., she first has to lift the top flush cover and fold it over on its hinges to a parallel position, then raise the flap to clear the way for the passage of the head from a stored to use position, lift the heavy metal head above the raised flap, lower the latter to the cabinet surface level and then lower the head until the edge of its base contacts and rests on the rabbeted edge of the flap which serves as a support.

As sewing machine heads weigh around thirty pounds, the need for a practical elevating device is fairly generally conceded, however, the available space in the storage receptacle of a drop head cabinet, is so limited by knee room requirements and styling that it has baffled former attempts to provide adequate leverage movements and spring expansion.

In an efiort to reduce the number of manual operations and the weight lifting to a minimum, I have developed several features that contribute to this end, consisting of a combination of means for elevating the head to an operative position, cause the flap to rise in unison with the head, and vice versa when it becomes necessary to return the head to an inoperative or stored position. In accomplishing this, I have also overcome the objectionable feature of present cabinet construction by reinforcing the cover leaf when it is extended, thereby eliminating to a great extent its spring board action.

As will be seen from the following description, it is not only possible to incorporate these features in new construction at the factory, but it also is possible to separately attach the feature that eliminates the objectionable task of physically lifting the heads of machines already on the market, or in the homes.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which;

Fig. l is a perspective view of a sewing machine equipped with head elevating means embodying my 2,712,973 Patented July 12, 1955 2 invention, the head being illustrated in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a detail longitudinal section on substantially the line 22 of Fig. l;

Fig, 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the head lowered into the cabinet;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on substantially the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of means for bracing the hinged top extension member when the head is raised and said top member extended;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the head in lowered position;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the means for assisting the raising of the head;

Fig. 8 is a detail plan view of the means for latching the head supporting flap in operative position;

Fig. 9 is a detail section on substantially the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of a machine cabinet illustrating a modified form of the invention, the machine head being in lowered position; and

Fig. 11 is a similar view illustrating the operation of the same.

The invention is primarily designed as part of sewing machines as manufactured, but certain valuable features thereof are adapted for application to machines already constructed. Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive illustrate the form of the invention preferably to be used in new construction at the factory, whereas Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate a modified form adapted for installation on machines already on the market or in the homes.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive of the drawings, 1 indicates the body or cabinet of a sewing machine having fixed end walls 2, a rear wall 2' and a bottom 6 which is upwardly and forwardly inclined to a narrow front piece 2" to provide knee room for the operator. The usual hinged front panel 2 is provided for closing the front of the cabinet when the machine is not in use, and may be provided with the usual receptacle for holding the machine attachments. As this forms no part of the present invention said usual receptacle is omitted from the drawings.

The usual rectangular skeleton top 3 is fixed to the body of the cabinet and the whole is supported by legs 7. The machine head base 15 is hinged to the rear rail 3 of the top 3, as at 16, and the front flap 5 is hinged to the front rail 3 as at 5 vided with a rabbeted edge 5 to engage under the forward edge of the head base 15 to support the same in operative position.

Hinged to the top 3 is a top extension member 4 which while resting on the top 3, as shown in dotted lines in- Fig. 6, closes the top of the cabinet; and when swung to the fully open position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,

forms an extension of the work top.

Pivotally connected to the top extension member 4- is a U-shaped member 10 comprising parallel arms 10' and a transverse, substantially horizontal portion 10 connecting the free ends thereof. At the junction of the arms 10' with the portion 10 are curved cam portions 1i)" and 10 the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. Adjacent the ends of the cam portions 10* and iti the arms 10 are bent as at 10 to offset the portion 19" from the plane of the arms 16. When the top extension member 4 is folded over the top 3 the U-shaped member it) depends into the cabinet in a substantially vertical position, as shown in Fig. 3; and as the ex tension member 4 is swung upwardly and outwardly the U-shaped member is lifted therewith.

Projecting laterally from the adjacent edge of the machine head base 15 is a pin- 14; and a similar pin 24 The flap is pro-- 3. projects from the flap 5, said pins extending into the path of the cam portions 10 and 19*, respectively, of the U-shaped member 16. As the U-shaped member rises said cams '10 and 16 engage the respective pins 14 and- 24 and cam the same inwardly thereby correspondingly swinging the head base 15 and flap 5 out of vertical alignment with their respective hinges, and also bringing the pins into engagement with the transverse portion 10''. Further upward movement tends to raise the head base 15 and flap 5 into horizontal position as shown in Fig. 2. In order to maintain the horizontal portion 16 beneath said pins throughout the operation, a fulcrum plate 25 is fixed to the upper edge of the adjacent end wall 2 and extends inwardly therefrom a suflicient distance for this purpose. The pins 14 and 24 are so positioned as to cause the head base 15 to rise slightly in advance of the supporting flap 5.

When the flap 5 has reached an uppermost position it is automatically latched in position by a pair of latch bars 27 pivotally connected at one end to the opposite ends of a lever 26, the free ends of said bars being bevelled, as at 27' to engage and pass the bevelled ends 7 28' of keepers 28 fixed to the under face of the top 3.

See Fig. 9. Guide brackets 29 are provided for supporting the latch bars 27; and the forward end of lever 26 is'provided with an upwardly projecting extension 26' whereby the latch bars 27 may be retracted when it is desired to close the machine.

It will be noted that the extension member 4 is provided with grooves 11 into which the adjacent portions of the arms 16' rest when the device is open, and the upper face of the top 3 is similarly grooved as at 11' to accommodate the remainder of said arms; said grooves being substantially of a depth equal to the diameter of said arms in order that the same will be flush with the I top surfaces thereby presenting a smooth work face, as

illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Preferably a metal plate provided with the grooves 11 is rabbeted into the upper face of the top 3 to prevent wear. When the cabinet is opened, the cross member 19" including the cams 10* and 10 continues to rest beneath the pins 14 and 24, and it is for this reason that the U-shaped member is offset as at 10. Extending from the oflset portion of the U-shaped member 16 are a pair of prongs 19 which engage under brackets 22 when the device is fully open, thereby maintaining the top extension 4 rigid.

In order to facilitate operation of the device and to relieve the various operative elements from undue strain, a spring arrangement, is provided as illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. To this end an arm 17 extends and depends from the end of the head base as illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. This'arrn can be attached by means of bolts and nuts, by difierent forms of welding, moulded to the unit at the time of manufacture, or by any other suitable form of attachment. As a meansfor attaching, separating and aligning spring means, especially when more than one spring is employed, I have used a link 18, Figure 4, one end of which is pivoted to the arm 1'7 and the other end to spring or springs 20, which in turn are adjustably attached to bracket 19.

In some unit construction the under surface space of the sub-surface surrounding the machine head is very limited for spring installation, I have therefore elected to use for illustration springs of small diameter. This provision permits free and unobstructed swinging of the head.

Efforts have been made to elevate sewing machine heads by the use of vertically positioned springs, however, I have found that while such installations prove effective for the first stage .of the pull, the spring due to limited space for tensioning, has spent its strength at the point where theheavy head unit is at the most difficult stage of its upward travel towards a utile position,

I have therefore utilized the advantage of the greater distance available for substantially horizontal installation, and have attached the spring or springs, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, at the novel location of bracket 19, which can be attached to the cabinet wall, the under surface of the sub-cover or any other available and suitable similarly located point. Bolts and wing nuts 21 are used for tensioning as well as to produce an adequate and properly balanced pull.

A further advantage of a substantially horizontal spring attachment lies in the fact that when the head base 15 is in the stored position shown in Fig. 6, the spring tension does not disturb its vertically disposed position. This is accomplished by positioning the point of attachment of the spring to the arm 17 so close to the base axis 16 that the lifting action of the spring does not become very effective until the arm 17 has been moved from the substantially horizontal position of Fig. 6 to a slightly inclined position. I

The directional pull used by me, also the location of the attachment bracket .19, have proven effective in greatly assisting manual operation in the elevating of the head to an operative position.

Ofisetting the spring or springs slightly beyond the end of the head base, affords clearance for the head'unit to pass up and down; whereas if positioned vertically in the narrow space afiorded by modern styling of conventional cabinets, the under surface of the head mechanism would jam the springs. Moreover the ofifset location I have elected to use, makes it possible to attach the springs horizontally, whereas if an attempt were made to position the springs horizontally away from the end When it is desired to elevate the head'to an utile position, the extension member 4 is manually raised, causing the U-bracket 1t), assisted by the springs already described, to contact extending finger 14, whereupon the cam portion 10 of the U-bracket 10 exerts side pressure on the finger 14 slidably swinging the head base to a position where the springs and the U-bracketco-operate'in elevating the head base to cabinet surface level.

In the course of the elevating operation, the flap 5 is raised to a vertical position then swung away from the machine head'and lowered to a horizontal, or surface level where it forms an extension and alfoids additionalwork space.

When the flap Sis in the position described above,

7 the prongs of the U-bracket have automatically leveled rests beneath the extension pin 14, while the prongs 10 he beneath and are held by anchorage brackets 22,'the midsection of the U-bracket resting on the edge of plate 25 at 23, thereby producing a cantilever efiect and contributing additional support to the suspended cover 4. Usually in conventional cabinet construction the sole support of the suspended cover is produced by the abutment of its edge against the end wall of the machine cabinet.

As a result, at times when overloaded, the weight pries its fastenings and splinters the woodwork adjacent thepoint of attachment.

In the factory installation, I have used a type of flap operation that differs from the conventional, i. e., instead of the operator having to manually raise it from a horizontal position to where thehead base can be raised through the opening in the cabinet top, I have installed the flap so it will rest in a depended position while the head is stored.

As hereinbefore described, extension finger 24 protrudes from the edge of flap 5 and that when the flap is downwardly disposed the finger 24 is positioned above the cam portion 10 of the depending U-member, and during the elevating of the head 15, said cam portion contacts the finger 24 on the flap 5, exerting first side then upward pressure causing the latter to rise in unison with the head base until the edges of both are at a common plane with the edge of the head base resting on the rabheted edge 39 of the flap 5, at which point the latching device as illustrated in Figure 8, becomes operative and locks the flap at surface level.

In jobs already on the market, or in homes, where is not feasible to install the fiush cover U-part of the equipment, the spring elevating feature of the equipment may alone be used. In such cases where the U-member and associated equipment is not used, or installed, it is necessary to install a different type of flap control for which I have made provision as illustrated in l and 11. This type of installation consists of a flap control rod 33 pivotally attached to flap and depending bracket 34, the free end of rod 33 having two abutments 37 and 38 one of which when engaged by the head durir its upward swing causes flap 5 to rise as illustrated in Fig. 11, and then after the head has been swung upward through the opening in the cabinet surface the flap may be lowered to where it rests on the conventional keeper means used in the majority of sewing machine cabinet (Such keeper means usually consists of a small metal extension attached to the under surface of a section of the cabinet sub-surface adjacent the ends of the flap.) After the head has been elevated sumciently to allow the flap to be lowered to where it rests on the keeper means, the head is then lowered, until its edge rests on the rabbeted edge 39 of fiap 5 where it will then be in utile position.

When it is desired to return the head to an inutile position, the head may be slightly raised to a position where the flap can be lifted for its clearance, then the head can be lowered followed by the automatic lowering of the flap, caused by the head base engaging abutment contact point 38, thereby shifting the flap control rod 33 causing the flap to descend to surface level. This movement repositions contact, or abutment 37 to where it will again be in the path of the head movement for re-engagement when the head again starts upward. (The curved bottom 6 represents the usual oil drip receptacle and is so shaped to afford knee room.)

While I have illustrated the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the great variety of cabinet construction encountered in the sewing machine field, will necessitate changes which must be made in the form the apparatus and which I reserve the right to make without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases use certain features of my invention without a corresponding use of other features.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine, a cabinet including an open top having a rear rail and a front rail, a machine head having a base hinged at one side to said rear rail, a head supporting flap hinged to the front rail, to be raised and lowered as said machine head and base are raised to operating or lowered positions, a rigid arm depending from the hinged side of said base at one end thereof, at right angles thereto and adjacent the side of said cabinet opening, an extensible spring connected at one end to the lower end of said rigid arm and extended horizontally along the inner side of said cabinet to the front thereof, a bracket at the front of said cabinet, under said front rail to which the other end of said spring is connected, whereby to pull horizontally on the lower end of said depending rigid arm, to exert lift on said machine head when it is to be moved to operating and tilted positions.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a pivoted link connects the first mentioned end of said spring to said rigid arm depending from the hinged side of said base, and in which said spring comprises a plurality of coiled springs connected with the link and with the bracket under said front rail along the inner side of said cabinet to give clearance for the movement of said machine head and base up and down in said cabinet.

3. A sewing machine cabinet having an open top to receive a sewing machine head therein, a sewing machine head with base hingedly connected at one side with one side of said open top, a head supporting flap hingedly connected with the opposite side of said open top, to be raised and lowered as said machine head is raised and lowered, a rigid arm depending from the under side of said base adjacent an inner side of said cabinet, a link connected to the lower end of said arm, a coiled spring connected at one end with said link and extended horizontally along said inner side of said cabinet to give clearance for the movement of said sewing machine head and base up and down therein, the opposite end of said spring being connected to the opposite inner side of said cabinet, said spring being yieldingly extensible lengthwise whereby to exert horizontal pull on the lower end of said rigid de pending arm to assist lifting said sewing machine base and head, and a control rod for lifting said flap, and means for moving said rod simultaneously with said sewing machine base to and from operating position, thereby to avoid hand operation of said flap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 266,526 Rider Oct. 24, 1882 541,474 Diehl June 25, 1895 719,233 Kundtz Jan. 27, 1903 1,402,805 Stark Jan. 10, 1922 1,712,503 Koch May 14, 1929 2,247,380 Hohmann July 1, 1941 2,318,443 West May 4, 1943 2,589,393 James Mar. 18, 1952

Images