US2958304A

US2958304A - Sewing machine

Info

Publication number: US2958304A
Application number: US697630A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard H Arbib
Original assignee: White Sewing Machine Corp
Current assignee: White Sewing Machine Corp
Priority date: 1957-11-20
Filing date: 1957-11-20
Publication date: 1960-11-01
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-01

Description

NOV. 1, 1960 ARBlB 2,958,304

SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTOR. AKHARD H RE B Dada 4" Arrow/5Y5 Nov. 1, 1960 H. ARBIB sawmc MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A 32/ lP/Cl-MAD H ARE/a 6 BY Q ATTORNEYS NOV. 1, 1960 ARBlB 2,958,304

SEWING MACHINE Filed Nov. 20, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 76 I I I fl-"Illllll I! l 51 United States Patent SEWING MACHINE Richard H. Arbib, New York, N.Y., assignor to White Sewing Machine Corporation, Lakewood, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 20, 1957, S91. No. 697,630

Claims. or. 112-260) This invention relates to a sewing machine and more particularly to a portable sewing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable sewing machine wherein the head of the machine can be readily enclosed when the machine is not in use or is being transported by means forming part of the work bed or surface of the machine when the latter is performing sewing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable sewing machine which has swingable front and rear side and end panels which in one position extend in the plane of the work bed of the machine and provide a work surface of substantial area and in another position serve as an enclosure for the head of the portable sewing machine when the latter is not in use or is being transported.

A further object is to provide a portable sewing machine wherein the head is enclosed during nonuse or transportation of the machine by front and rear panels and an end panel hingedly connected to the sewing machine bed and forming part of the work bed or surface of the machine during use while the outer end surface of the vertical arm of the sewing machine head and the upper portion of the horizontal arm thereof provide with said panels when the latter are closed a substantially continuous outer enclosing surface for the machine.

Another object is to provide a portable sewing machine such as referred to in the previous objects and which is compact and includes side and end panels serving the dual functions of enclosing the sewing machine head during nonuse of the machine and of providing a Work bed or surface of substantial area during the use of the machine.

A still further object is to provide a portable sewing machine as referred to above and wherein the front and rear side panels and the end panel can be readily detached from the machine when it is desired to do so.

Further and additional objects and advantages inherent in the invention and not specifically referred to above will become apparent hereinafter during the detailed description of an embodiment of the invention which is to follow and which embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective and elevational view on a reduced scale of a portable sewing machine embodying the invention during nonuse of the machine when it is en-.

closed for storage or transportation.

Fig. 2 is a perspective and elevational view on a larger scale of the sewing machine shown in Fig. 1 with the front and rear side and the end panels in lowered posi tion wherein their upper surfaces are planularly aligned with the upper surface of the Work bed of the machine; the rear side panel being illustrated as moved to its extreme left-hand shifted operative position and the front side panel as being in its most right-hand lowered position prior to being shifted toward the left.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sewing 'ice machine shown in Fig. 2 with the head thereof omitted to illustrate the work bed and the front and rear side and end panels.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in longitudinal vertical section and partly in side elevation, taken substantially along irregular line 55 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows and broken away intermediate its ends to shorten the length thereof.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail vertical sectional view on a larger scale than the preceding views and is taken substantially along line 77 of 'Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a plan view taken substantially from line 8-8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows and with the plate shown in Fig, 7 removed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary substantially horizontal sectional view taken substantially on inclined line 99 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the same scale as Fig. 7 and is taken substantially on line 10-40 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional View taken substantially on line 1111 of Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the portable sewing machine embodying the present invention comprises a hollow base 15, the upper surface of which constitutes a work bed 16. The gooseneck head of the sewing machine is carried by the base 15 and includes a vertical portion 17 and a horizontal portion 18, at the free end of which is the end face portion which mounts the reciprocating needle bar 19 and presser foot rod 20 as will be well understood in the art.

The presser foot carried by the rod 20 overlies the feed plate 21 mounted in the work bed 16 and provided with slots through which the feed dogs 22 operate and with a needle opening 23, see Fig. 3. It will be understood that the mechanism for operating the sewing instrumentalities of the machine will be contained in the hollow base 15, the vertical portion 17 and horizontal portion 18 of the sewing machine head. However, since these instrumentalities form no part of the present invention the same need not be described herein.

The front and rear sides of the vertical and

horizontal portions

17 and 18 of the sewing machine head are offset inwardly to provide recesses 17a and 18a into which front and rear side panels, later to be described, are nested so as to form substantially smooth outer surfaces merging with the top surface 24 and the end surface 25 0f the head as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2.

The end face of the horizontal arm 18 of the sewing machine head is provided with an inwardly offset surface 26 to similarly receive an end panel later to be referred to. The end face of the head just at the juncture of the upper end of the inwardly offset surface 26 and the remainder of the end face is provided with a fitting 27 having a circular base. The right-hand end surface 25 of the head is provided with a similar fitting horizontally aligned with the fitting 27 in the end face of the head and said fittings are for the purpose of attaching a carrying strap (not shown) to the portable sewing machine.

The top surface 24 of the sewing machinehead is provided intermediate its ends with a cutout 28 to furnish a carrying handle 29 to facilitate the handling of the portable sewing machine.

, Reference previously has been made to front and rear side panels and said panels are shown, respectively, at 30 and 31. Also reference was previously made to an end panel and the same is indicated at 32. The

panels

30, 31 and 32 are hingedly connected to the base 15 so that in their lowered position they will be planular with the work bed 16 and provided an extended working surface as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or said panels may be swung upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1 wherein they will enclose the front and rear sides and the end face of the sewing machine head and will merge with the top surface 24 and the opposite end surface 25 to provide a substantially continuous outer surface configuration for the machine when the latter is not in use or is being transported.

The

panels

36, 31 and 32 preferably are hinged to the base 15 in a manner such that they can be readily detached from the base or connected thereto. Also the front and rear panels 30 and 31 are so connected to the base that in their lowered position they can be moved toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2 so that their lefthand edge will align with the left-hand or outer end of the end panel 32 and in such position the panels provide a substantial work table or surface area. The manner in which the panels are thus connected to the base 15 will now be described.

The base 15 at its front and rear sides and just below the work bed 16 is provided with horizontal longitudinally extending slots 33 which communicate at their inner longitudinal edges with vertical slots 34. The

slots

33 and 34 are shown clearly in Fig. 4 and said slots extend longitudinally of the base 15 from the left-hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 2 to adjacent the righthand end but terminate a predetermined distance inwardly of said right-hand end as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3.

Angle-shaped hinge members 35 can be slid into position in the

slots

33 and 34 at the front and rear sides of the base 15 from the left-hand end of the base as viewed in Fig. 2 and said hinge members 35 have eye portions 35a extending outwardly of the horizontal slots 33 at the front and rear sides of the base 15. The eye portions 35a of the hinge members 35 are located in recesses 36 formed in the adjacent longitudinal sides of the panels 30 and 31. The eye portions 35a receive a hinge pin or pintle 37 carried by hinge members 38 fixedly secured to the upper sides of the panels 30 and 31 by suitable means such as screws 39. The hinge members 38 and the heads of the screws 39 are covered by plates 40 forming part of the panels 30 and 31 and constituting the upper surfaces thereof when the panels are in lowered position as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 7 and 10.

The longitudinal sides of the panels 30 and 31 adjacent to the base 15 and on the underside of the panels when the latter are in lowered position as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are provided with a radius 41. Likewise the left and right-hand ends of the panels 30 and 31 are provided with a radius 42, see Fig. 10, and a radius 43, see Fig. 7 so that said panels when in raised or closed position will properly interfit and merge into the contour of the sewing machine head.

It will be seen that the front and rear side panels 30 and 31 can readily be connected to and disconnected from the base 15 by merely sliding the hinge members 35 into or out of the left hand ends of the

slots

33 and 34 as viewed in Fig. 3.

It will also be seen that due to the hinge connection between the panels 30 and 31 the latter when connected to the base 15 can be swung either to the lowered position or to the upper enclosing position and when in the latter said panels can be secured to the head by means later to be described.

The end panel 32 is connected to the left-hand end of the base 15 as viewed in Fig. 2 in a manner similar to the connection between the panels 30 and 31 with the base. The left-hand end of the base 15 just below the work bed 16 is provided with a horizontal slot 44 that communicates with a vertical slot 45 and the

slots

44 and 45 extend the entire width of the end of the base 15. An angle-shaped hinge member 46 similar to the hinge members 35 is adapted to be mounted in the

slots

44 and 45 and is provided with eye portions 46a extending into recesses 47 formed in the adjacent end of the panel 32.

The panel 32 has secured to it by screws 48 a hinge member 49 similar to the hinge member 38 and mounting a hinge pin or pintle 50 which extends through the eye portions 46a. A plate 51 forming the upper surface of the panel 32 when the latter is in lowered position overlies the hinge member 49 and the screws 48 and also the eye portions 46a.

The panel 32 can be connected to the base 15 by sliding the hinge member 46 into the

slots

44 and 45 from either the front or rear sides of the machine when both panels 30 and 31 are in the raised position of Fig. 1. Of course the panel 32 can be readily removed by a reversal of this operation.

The panel 32 in its front and rear longitudinal sides is provided with horizontal slots 52 and vertical slots 53 corresponding to the

slots

33 and 34 in the base 15 and aligning therewith when the panel 32 is in the lowered position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the panel 32 is in such lowered position the front and rear side panels 30 and 31 when lowered can be slid longitudinally of the base 15 toward the left until their left-hand ends as viewed in Fig. 2 align with the left-hand or free end of the panel 32, it being understood that the hinge members 35 will pass from the

slots

33, 34 and into the slots 52, 53 in the longitudinal edges of the panel 32.

The panel 32 at its outer end and on its front and rear sides is provided with angularly shaped stop lugs 54 which overlie the outer ends of the slots 52. The stop lugs 54 are received in cutouts 55 formed in the inner left-hand corners of the panels 30 and 31 as viewed in Fig. 2, and hence said stop lugs 54 act to arrest left-hand sliding movement of the panels 30 and 31 in a position wherein the ends of the panels are in alignment with the end of the panel 32. The cutouts 55 also facilitate the attachment of the end panel 32 to the base 15 since the

slots

44 and 45 are exposed thereby. The stop lugs 34 also perform an additional function which will subsequently be described.

The end panel 32 may be provided with a knob 56 to facilitate the user swinging said panel from its upper position, as shown in Fig. 1, to its lower position as shown in Fig. 2. The free end of the panel 32 is provided with an arcuate recess 57 which interfits the underside of the fitting 27 when the panel 32 is in raised position. The panel 32 mounts in the wall of the recess 57 a springpressed ball detent 58 which snaps into a recess (not shown) in the underside of the fitting 27 when the panel 32 is in raised position to hold the panel in said position.

The front and rear panels 30, 31 are provided with a pair of swingable legs which will now be described. Inasmuch as the legs on the panels 31 and 31 are identical in construction only the legs on the panel 30 need be herein described, it being understood that the legs on the panel 31 are of the same construction.

The panels 3t) and 31 adjacent their left-hand outer corners (as viewed in Fig. 2) are each provided with a leg 59. The leg 59 is substantially rectangular in crosssection and when the panels are in their lowered position the legs 59 will depend substantially vertically from the panels and act as supports for one of the outer corners thereof. The panels 30 and 31 on their outer or undersides are provided with elongated recesses 60 into which the legs 59 can be nested when swung 'to inoperative position when the panels are intheir raised position as shown in Fig. 1. I

The outer or under wall of each panel 30 and 31 has an inwardly extending U-shaped portion 61, the side walls of which mount a pin 62. Each panel 30 and 31 interiorly has a metal strip 63 secured thereto by screws 64. The metal strip 63 is provided with a channel-shaped portion 63a between the side walls of which extend the upper end of the leg 59. The channel-shaped portion 63a in the wall thereof connecting the side walls is slit to provide a spring finger 65 integral with the strip 63 and provided at its free end with a V-shaped portion 65a located between the side walls of the portion 63a and overlying the upper end of the leg 59. The leg 59 has its upper end pivotally mounted on the pin 62 and said upper end of the leg 59 is provided with two V-shaped

recesses

66 and 67 spaced 90 apart and cooperating, respectively, with the V-shaped portion 65a of the spring finger 65 when the leg 59 is in lowered position and in raised position.

The upper ends of the legs 59 on opposite sides thereof are provided with rectangular recesses 68 into which the side walls of the channel-shaped portions 63a of the metal strips 63 extend when the legs 59 are in raised position and are nested in the recesses 60. It will be seen that when the front and rear panels are in the raised position of Fig. 1 the legs 59 will be swung into the recesses 60 and will be held therein by the action of the V-shaped portions 65a of the spring fingers 65 engaging in the V- shaped recesses 67.

When the front and rear panels 30 and 31 are to be swung downwardly the user of the machine can swing the legs 59 outwardly of the recesses 60 and against the spring load of the spring fingers 65, with the V-shaped portions 65a thereof riding out of the V-shaped recesses 67 and snapping into the V-shaped recesses 66 to maintain the legs in substantially perpendicular relationship relative to the panels such that they form stable supporting legs for one of the outer corners of the panels.

The front and rear side panels 31) and 31 are provided in their right-hand outer corner as viewed in Fig. 2 with legs 69. The legs 69 are provided with retaining latches later to be referred to, which when the legs 69' are nested in the recesses 70 formed in the panels engage with keeper portions of the head to retain the panels in raised position. The leg 69 is substantially U-shaped in cross section for the major portion of its length and the retaining latch 71, previously referred to, is either integral with the leg or is a separate member secured thereto as by welding and is located intermediate the side walls of the leg 69 and more particularly is adjacent to the inner side wall thereof as viewed in Fig. 9. The retaining latch 71 has a hook portion 71a at its outer or free end and an upwardly extending portion 71b at its inner end. The upper ends of the side Walls of the leg 69 are provided With slots into which extend

trunnion posts

72 and 73 formed Within the panel. The upwardly extending portion 71b of the retaining latch underlies the trunnion post 73 and the upper end of said portion is arcuately shaped so it can move around the circumference of said trunnion post.

A metal plate 74 is secured to the upper end of the leg 69 by a screw 75 and said plate has a downwardly extending portion 74a as viewed in Fig. 7 which engages the trunnion posts and functions to hold the leg against displacement from said posts. The plate 74 also is provided with a laterally extending lug 74b.

Located within the recess 70 is a coil spring 76, one end of which is provided with a hook or eye portion that extends through a slot 77 formed in the internal structure of the panel and passes around an anchoring pin 78 mounted within a vertical slot 79 as viewed in Fig. 7. The opposite end of the spring 76 is provided with an extended portion having at its end a loop hooked around the lateral lug 74b.

It will be seen that when the leg 69 is in its lowered position wherein it is slightly inclined to the vertical the spring 76 exerts a load tending to hold the leg in such position. Also it will be seen that when the leg 69 is swung into the recess 70 the spring 76 will act to impose a spring load on said leg retaining the same in the recess.

When the leg 69 is in the recess 70 the hook portion 71a of the retaining latch 71 engages in a keeper notch 80 formed in the sewing machine head since during the swinging of the leg 69 into the recess 70 said retaining latch passes through an opening 81 formed in the panel. The action of the spring 76 on the leg 69 when the latter is in the recess 70 is such that the hook 71a is held against the side wall of the keeper notch 80 and thus the panel is firmly latched in raised or enclosing position.

The front and rear side panels 30 and 31 are each provided in its =left-hand edge as viewed in Fig. 2 with a retaining notch 82. When the

panels

30, 31 and 32 are in the raised or enclosing position of Fig. l the stop lugs 54 on the panel 32 tightly interfit the retaining notches 82 of the panels 30 and 31, see Fig. 6, and this assists in maintaining the panel 32 in raised position.

In assembling the side panels 30 and 31 to the base 15 the hinge members 35 carried thereby are inserted into the

slots

33 and 34 from the left-hand end of the base as viewed in Fig. 2 and then the panels are slid as far as possible toward the right of the base. This mounting of the panels 30 and 31 occurs prior to mounting the panel 32. After the panels 31 and 32 have been thus mounted and moved as far to the right as possible and, preferably swung to their upper position, the hinge mem ber '46 carried by the end panel 32 is slid into the slots 44 and '45 from one end thereof and until the panel 32 is in alignment with the Work bed 16.

The side panels 30 and 31 when swung upwardly to enclosing position from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1 should have the legs 69 swung outwardly from the recesses 70. As soon as the panels 30 and 31 are in fully raised position then the legs 69 can be swung into the recesses 70 and the retaining latch 71 Will engage in the keeper notches so that the panels 30 and 31 will be latched in raised position. When this condition exists the end panel 32 can be swung upwardly until the lugs 54 are in the retaining notches 82 of the panels 30 and 31 while the ball detent 58 in the arcuate recess 57 at the outer end of the panel 32 snaps into its cooperating recess formed in the underside of the fitting 27.

The engagement of the lugs 54 in the notches 82 and of the detent 58 in its cooperating recess functions to hold the panel 32 in raised position. At this time the sewing machine head is enclosed and this is the condition it will be in when the machine is not in use or is being transported.

As previously stated, a carrying strap, not shown, can be secured to the fittings 27 located at the opposite ends of the machine, only one of which fittings is shown in the drawing. When it is desired to use the machine for sewing operations the operator grasps the knob 56 on the panel 32 and exerts sufficient pull thereon to overcome the action of the detent 58 and to disengage the lugs 54 from the notches 82 so the panel 32 can be swung downwardly. Then the operator swings the legs 69 in the panels 30 and 31 outwardly from the recesses '70 until said legs are in the full line position of Fig. 7 at which time the retaining latches 71 are disengaged from the keeper notches 80. The operator also swings the legs 59 outwardly of the recesses 60 from their broken line position to their full line position of Fig. 10. Then the panels 30 and 31 are lowered to a horizontal position and are slid toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2 until the hinge members 35 are in the slots 52 and 53 of the end panel 32 and the stop lugs 54 of said panel are in the cutouts 55 of the panels 30 and 31 and act as stops against further lefthand sliding movement of the side panels. It will be seen that the upper surfaces of the panels 30, 3'1 and 32 lie in the'plane of the Work bed 16 of the base 55 and provide a substantial work table area for the portable sewing machine.

if it is desired to remove the panels from the machine the side panels 30 and 31 are slidto their most righthand position as viewed in Fig. 2 and swung to their raised position and then the end panel 32 is removed by sliding the hinge member 46 out of the

slots

44 and 45. When this has taken place the side panels 30 and 31 are swung downwardly and then removed by sliding the same toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2 to remove the hinge members 35 from the

slots

33 and 34.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable sewing machine comprising a base having an upper surface constituting a work bed, a head on said upper surface of said base adjacent one end of the latter and having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion extending from the upper end of the vertical portion and overhanging said base, said vertical and horizontal portions being provided on the front and rear sides and the free end thereof with recesses, front and rear side panels at the opposite longitudinal sides of said base, means hingedly connecting said side panels to said base, an end panel at the other end of said base, means hingedly connecting said end panel to said other end of said base, said side and end panels being swingable about said means hingedly connecting said panels to said base from an upper position wherein they are nested insaid recesses and merge with and contact and enclose the front and rear sides of the head and the free end of the horizontal portion thereof to a lowered position wherein their upper surfaces are substantially in the same plane as the upper surface of said base, releasable means for retaining said panels in said upper position, and means for supporting said panels in said lowered position.

2. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 1 and wherein said horizontal portion of said head has an elongated opening formed therein and extending transversely of said portion from the front side to the back side thereof and defined by end, bottom and upper walls constituting part of said horizontal portion, the upper wall of said opening constituting a handle for moving said portable sewing machine. 7

'3. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 1 and wherein said side panels on their outer sides and adjacent the corners thereof at the outer free ends of said panels are provided with recesses, and wherein legs are pivotally connected to said panels to be swung to a nested position within said recesses or outwardly of said recesses to a supporting position extending away from said panels, and spring means are located in said recesses and cooperate with said legs to retain the same in nested position in said recesses or in the outwardly swung supporting position.

4. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 3 and wherein said head on the front and rear sides thereof is provided with keeper notches while one of said legs on each of said side panels includes a retaining latch member extending laterally from and movable with said one leg :and provided at its free end with ahook portion and when the side panel carrying said one leg is in its upper position and said one leg is nested in its recess said hook portion engages in one of said keeper notches to retain the panel in upper position.

5. A portable sewing machine comprising a base the upper surface of which constitutes a work bed, a head carried by said base and having a vertical portion extending upwardly from adjacent one end of said base and a horizontal overhanging portion projecting from said vertical portion and extending toward the opposite it end of said base, said base on its front and rear sides being provided below the level of its upper surface with horizontal slots extending inwardly of the base from the front and rear sides thereof and longitudinally of the base from the opposite end of said base to adjacent the end thereof mounting said vertical portion of said head, said base also being provided inwardly of the front and rear sides thereof with vertical slots connected to said horizontal slots and coextensive therewith longitudinally of the base, angle-shaped hinge members slidable in said horizontal and vertical slots and insertable therein and removable therefrom at said opposite end of said base, said hinge members having eye portions located outwardly of the front and rear sides of said base, front and rear side panels provided on their longitudinal edges that are adjacent to said base with hinge members hingedly connected to said eye portions of the first mentioned hinge members whereby said side panels can be swung from an upper position wherein they contact and enclose the front and rear sides of the head to a lowered position wherein their upper surfaces are substantially in the same plane as the work bed of said base, releasable means for retaining said panels in said upper position, and means for supporting said panels in their lowered position.

6. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 5 and wherein the opposite end of said base below the level of the upper surface thereof is provided with a horizontal slot extending inwardly of the base and the entire width of said end and with a vertical slot extending the entire width of said end of the base and communicating with the said last mentioned horizontal slot, an angle-shaped hinge member insertable into and removable from said last mentioned horizontal and vertical slots from one end thereof and provided with eye portions located beyond said opposite end of said base, an end panel provided on its end adjacent to said opposite end of said base with a hinge member hingedly connected to said eye portions of said last mentioned angle-shaped hinge member whereby said end panel is swingable from an upper position wherein it contacts and encloses the free end of the horizontal portion of said head to a lowered position wherein its upper surface is substantially in the same plane as the work bed of said base, and releasable means for retaining said end panel in said upper position.

7. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 6 and wherein said end panel on its opposite longitudinal sides is provided with horizontal and vertical slots aligning with the horizontal and vertical slots in the front and rear sides of said base when said end panel is in lowered position whereby said front and rear side panels when in lowered position can be slid toward said opposite end of the base to engage the angular hinge members connected to the side panels in the horizontal and vertical slots in the longitudinal sides of said end panel.

8. A portable sewing machine as define-d in claim 7 and wherein said side panels are provided with cutouts and said end panel adjacent its outer end and on opposite sides thereof is provided with stop lugs engageable with said last mentioned cutouts to limit the sliding movement of the said side panels.

9. A portable sewing machine as defined in claim 8 and wherein said side panels in their margins that are adjacent to said opposite end of said base are provided with retaining notches which when said side panels and said end panels are in said upper position receive the stop lugs on said end panel and act to retain said end panel in said upper position.

10. A portable sewing machine comprising a base, the upper surface of which base constitutes a Work bed, a head carried by said base and having a vertical portion extending upwardly adjacent one end of said base and a horizontal portion overhanging said base and extending from said vertical portion toward the opposite end of said base, said vertical and horizontal portions being provided on the front and rear sides and the free end thereof with recesses, front and rear side panels and an end panel, and means for slidably connecting said panels to and disconnecting the same from said base and including hinge members connected to said panels and said base substantially in the plane of the work bed of the base whereby said end panel and said front and rear side panels can be swung about their respective hinged connections with the base to an upper position wherein said panels are nested in said recesses and merge with and contact and enclose the front and rear sides of the head and the free end of the horizontal portion thereof to a lowered position wherein the upper surfaces of said 10 panels are substantially inthe same plane as the work bed of said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,158,132 Jacovatos Oct. 26, 1915 1,978,827 Vinding Oct. 30, 1934 2,663,607 Schaper Dec. 22, 1953 10 2,677,341 Bell May 4, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 898,277 France July 3, 1944 674,674 Great Britain June 25, 1952