US2925795A - Marking device for sewing machine attachments - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1960 S. P. CALDWELL ET AL MARKING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENTS Filed April 11. 1958 ,5 II-ZIN VENT 0R5 ATTORNEYS United States PatentO MARKING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENTS Application April 11, 1958, Serial No. 727,838 Claims. (Cl. 112-131) This invention relates to sewing machine attachments, and more particularly to an attachment for use as a tucker to make tucks in material with the use of the ordinary domestic sewing machine.

The present invention relates particularly to a device for use upon an attachment of this type which will effectively mark the goods while one tuck is being made so that the line of fold for the next tuck will be clearly indicated to the user. In attachments of this type presently in use, the cloth is folded and run through the machine so as to stitch the fold in place. At the same time that the fold is being stitched, means have been provided to mark a line of fold upon the goods along which line the cloth is folded for the next succeeding tuck. This marking mechanism has usually been in the form of some means to mechanically crease or distort the goods in some manner along the line of the new fold, and in some instances has consisted of a member having an upwardly projecting edge and a lever having a downwardly projecting arm with a V-shaped notch therein to receive this upwardly projecting edge with the material therebetween so as to form a crease in the cloth.

Such a structure has been useful with many kinds of cloth in the past, but in connection with some fabrics, particularly with many of thesynthetic fabrics now in use, it has not been found satisfactory as such cloth will not take a crease or will not retain it, and hence there will be no clear indication as to where the next fold is to be made.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide means which will automatically mark the fabric for the next fold by means of powder or similar material deposited upon the cloth along the line of fold. To this end means is provided to contain a quantity of powder or similar material which will be automatically discharged periodically upon the cloth in response to the movement of the needle bar during the sewing operation. A marking lever is provided which will be forced downwardly upon the cloth at each stroke thereof at a predetermined variable distance from the tuck being sewed and adjacent the end of this lever is a marking device consisting of a container for a charge of powder and plunger means for discharging the powder upon the cloth at each stroke of the needle bar and along a line parallel to the line of stitching. Preferably the marking material, such as powder, maybe furnished in-a plurality of colors in contrast with the color of the cloth being used. One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved attachment for making tucks in material, which attachment 'may be used with the ordinary domestic household sewing machine.

A still further'object of the invention is the provision of an attachment of the character described which will be providedwith imp'roved means for marking the cloth to indicate to the user the line of fold for the next succeeding tuck.

Still another object'of the invention is to provide a sewing machine attachment of the character described provided with means responsive to the reciprocation of the needle bar for discharging powder or the like periodically upon the cloth to indicate a succeeding line of fold of the cloth or for other purposes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a marking device for an attachment of the character described which will deposit powder or the like upon the cloth along a predetermined line relative to the line of stitching, which marking material will be discharged at regular intervals and in measured amounts upon the cloth.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. '1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine attachment embodying our improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts in another position.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawings a sewing machine attachment comprising a frame member consisting of vertically spaced plates 10 and 11 which may be secured rigidly together. The lower plate 10 ,may be depressed slightly at its forward end, as shown at 12, and provided with a cloth-engaging foot 13 having a needle opening 14 therein. ,Also secured to this lower plate is the usual adapter 15 by which the attachment may be Secured to the presser bar of a sewing machine. Pivotally secured at 16 (Fig. 3) to a part of the adapter 15 is a lever 17 which may be engaged by a screw or other part 18 of the needle bar 19.

A guide member 26 is carried by a slide 21 which is slidably mounted in the space between the members 10 and 11, this member 21 having a pointer 22 extending upwardly through a slot 23 in the member 11 to cooperate with the scale 25 on the latter member to indicate the position of the guide member with respect to the needle opening.

A second slide member 26 is also mounted in the space between the members 10 and 11, this member having a neck 27 extending outwardly from between these members which is formed rigidly with a guide plate 28 over which the cloth moves. The slide members 21 and 26 which control the positions of the guide 20 and the plate 28 may be fixed in adjusted positions by the adjusting screw 29. A resilient smoother member 30 extends along one edge of the plate 28 in spaced relation thereto, this member being secured at one end to the plate 28 by the rivet 31, the other end being free so that the cloth may be inserted between this free end and the plate.

Pivoted at 32 to the plate 28 is a marking lever 33, thislever being turned downwardly at its free end, as shown at 34, and there provided with a V-shaped notch 35. One arm 36 of a U-shaped member 37 slidably embraces the marking lever 33, as shown at 36 this member 37 passing below the lever 17 and having a laterally turned arm 38 at the other end by which it is pivoted to the plate 10, the latter being provided with a knuckle or eye 39 for this purpose.

. Referringto Fig.3, it will be seen that the member 37 lies below a recess 40 in the lever 17 so that when the latter is depressed by descent of the needle bar 19, the member 37 will also be depressed and moved downwardly about its pivoted end 38. This movement will in turn force the free end ofthe marking lever 33 downwardly upon the descent of the needle bar. A spring 41 is provided to normally raise the member 37 and the marking lever 33 to the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 upon the ascent of the needle bar.

A lateral guide extension 42 extends forwardly and downwardly adjacent the end of the plate 28, this member being bent into U-shaped form, as shown at 43, so as to receive the edge of the cloth and guide it through the attachment.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that this guide member 43 standsforwardly of the plate 28 and of the resilient smoother member 30 so that the edge of the cloth may be threaded into it without interference from the part 30. Also this end of the guide plate 23 rearwardly of the member 30 is provided with a U-shaped guide 44 and rearwardly of this guide with an upstanding edge 45 which, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, stands below the V-shaped notch 35 in the lower face of the leg 34. It will be seen, therefore, that with the descent of the needle bar the marking lever 33 is depressed and the cloth indicated at 46 will be forced upwardly by the edge 45 into the V-shaped notch 35 and creased. With certain types of material this crease may be sufiicient to mark the material and may be retained by the material so that it may be folded along this line. However, this is not true with cloth of other types and, therefore, means is provided to employ a powder or like material which may be used with any type of cloth although'the mechanical creasing referred to above may still be employed if desired and if the cloth being used is suitable.

To this end a container 50 having tapering side-walls is provided with a stem 51 secured to the free end of the marking lever 33. This stem is provided with an opening or bore 52 which registers with a bore 53'formed in the downwardly extending leg 34 of the lever 33 and which communicates with the V-shaped groove 35. Slidably mounted within the stem 51 is the reduced end 54 of a plunger 55, the upper end 56 of which engages a diaphragm 57 of rubber or like material.

This diaphragm is stretched over a cup-shaped member 58 and secured thereto by a hoop or ring 59, and this diaphragm assembly is secured to the upper end of the container 50 by the nut 60. The diaphragm, therefore, closes the upper end of the container and the cup-shaped member 58 is provided with openings 61 for the passage of air therethrough. Powder or like marking material 62 may be introduced into the container by removal of the nut 60 and the diaphragm assembly.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the needle bar is in its upper position, as shown in Fig. 3, the plunger 55 will be in its lower position in the container 50 with the lower end of this portion of the plunger resting against the lower tapered portion of the container above the stem 51. The bore 52 of the stem 51 is, therefore, closed so that the falling of the powder or marking material therethrough will be prevented. When the needle bar descends and effects a downward stroke of the lever 17, this lever engages the member 37 and moves the free end of the marking lever 33 downwardly so that the parts of the marking device stand in position shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in this figure it will be seen that the lower end of the leg 34 has passed over the creasing edge 45 with the cloth moved upwardly into'the groove 35. This raises the plunger 55 to the position shown in Fig. wherein the bore 52 is opened and marking powder may pass downwardly around the lower reduced end 54 of the plunger. The diaphragm 57 has been expanded or stretched, thus sucking air inwardly through the bore 52.

Upon the up stroke of the needle bar the spring 41 raises the marking lever 33 and thus raises the leg 34 of this lever from the edge 45' of the plate 28. The rubber diaphragm 57 returns by its own flexibility to its original position, forcing air downwardly through the openings 61' and blowing this air'through the stem 51 to expel powder'upon the goods until the bore 52 is closed by the shoulder'between the portions 54 and 55 of the plunger.

This breathing action-of thediaphragm keeps the bore 52 free of the marking material and discharges a measured amount of the marking powder onto the cloth at each stroke of the needle bar. Therefore, as a metered amount of the powder is discharged at each operation, this amount can be definitely determined so that a neat line of marking is placed upon'the cloth to determine the position of the next fold to be made in the material.

If the cloth which is being used is of such a character that the powder is not needed or not desired, the mechani cal marking of the cloth by being creased in the V-shaped groove 35 by the upturned edge 34 is still retained.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

1. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising'a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough,'a plate member secured to the frame for adjustment transversely of the line of sewing, a dep-ressible marking member carried by the plate member, a supply of marking material carried by said member, means for actuating said marking member from the needle bar of the sewing machine, and cooperating means carried'by said marking member and plate member for discharging a marking material upon the cloth in response to by the needle bar.

2. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably supported by the frame, a container carried upon the marking member for containing a supply of marking material, said container having a discharge opening, cooperating means carried by the frame and container for discharging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member toward the cloth, and means effecting such movement of the latter and adapted for engagement by the needle bar of the machine.

3. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment toa presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member for containing a supply of marking material, said container having a dis charge opening, means for discharging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, means efi'ecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to open and close said opening, and means for reciprocating said plunger.

4. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a com tainer carried by the marking member for containing a supply of marking-material, said container having a discharge opening, means for discharging the marking material upon. the. cloth upon movement of said marking member, means effecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container. toopen and close said opening, and means for reciprocating said movement of the marking member 5. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member for containing a supply of marking material, said container having a discharge opening, means for discharging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, means effecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to open and close said opening, means for reciprocating said plunger, said reciprocating means including a member on the frame to engage a part of the plunger and move it upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and a yieldable member to urge said plunger downwardly.

6. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member for containing a supply of marking material, said container having a discharge opening, means for discharging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, means effecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to open and close said opening, means for reciprocating said plunger, said reciprocating means including a member on the frame to engage a part of the plunger and move it upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and a yieldable member to urge said plunger downwardly, said yieldable member comprising a diaphragm covering the container and engaged with the plunger.

7. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member for containing a supply of marking material, said container having a discharge opening, means for discharging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, means effecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to open and close said opening, a yieldable diaphragm spanning the container above the material therein and engaged with the plunger to urge it downwardly, and means on the frame for raising said plunger and stretching the diaphragm when the marking member is depressed whereby movement of the diaphragm forces the marking material through said opening.

8. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member containing a supply of marking material and having a hollow stem communicating with the interior of the container through which the material is discharged, aplunger in the container having a lower end portion extending through said stem, a yielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end of the plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion of the plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and said diaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon the upward movement of the marking member.

9. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member containing a supply of marking material and having a hollow stem communicating with the interior of the container through which the material is discharged, a plunger in the container having a lower end portion extending through said stem, a yielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end of the plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion of the plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and said diaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon the upward movement of the marking member and force air through said hollow stem.

10. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by the marking member containing a supply of marking material and having a hollow stern communicating with the interior of the container through which the material is discharged, a plunger in the container having a lower end portion extending through said stem, a yielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end of the plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion of the plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, said diaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon the upward movement of the marking member,

said hollow stem having an inverted V-shaped recess in v the lower end thereof, and said abutment being received in said recess when said marking member is depressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 308,319 Matthews Nov. 18, 1884 928,838 Beckert July 20, 1909 2,051,672 Baker Aug. 18, 1936 2,181,349 Sichere Nov. 28, 1939 2,368,539 Gluckman Ian. 30, 1945 2,575,180 Lurz Nov. 13, 1951 2,778,529 Appel Jan. 22, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 231,701 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1943

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