US3009428A - Sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1961 c. H. COOLIDGE SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 30, 1959 H rney Nov. 21, 1961 c. H. COOLIDGE 3,009,428

SEWING MACHINE.

Filed Jan. 30, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Charles H. Coolidge ZZZ wax H o nay Nov. 21, 1961 c. H. COOLIDGE SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 30, 1959 INVENTOR. Cha'rZ es H. Coolidge BY Nov. 21, 1961 c. H. COOLIDGE SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 30, 1959 INVENTOR.

Charles HCooZ1d jc BY H oney Nov. 21, 1961 c. H. COOLIDGE SEWING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 30, 1959 o FORWARD o REVERSE JNVENTOR Charles HCooZidye BY F1 01- as "IIIII NOV. 21, c H, COOLIDGE SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN TOR. ChaTZes HCooZid e United States Patent 3,009,428 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 fiice 3,099,428 SEWING MACHINE Charles H. Coolidge, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Curtis & Marble Machine Co., Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 790,171 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) This invention relates to a sewing machine and more particularly to apparatus arranged to join wide strips of cloth in end-to-end relationship.

In the manufacture of cloth, it is sometimes necessary to subject it to treatment making use of machines which are diflicult to thread. In order to do away with the necessity of threading each coil of cloth through such a machine it has been the practice to sew the rearward end of each coil to the forward end of the succeeding coil. For that purpose a long rail-type sewing machine is situated at the entrance to the machine, and this permits continuous treatment of cloth, thus effecting a reduction in the down-time of the machine and at the same time removing the difiicult job of threading the front end of each coil through the machine. In practice, the rearward end of the first roll and the front end of the second roll are laid together one on top of the other, all edges in registration; the sewing machine travels in the fold across the width of the two strips sewing them together. However, it has been found that there was always a short distance from the edge of the cloth at the selvedge which was not closed because the first stitch was necessarily spaced inwardly of the edge; thus, there was a gap between the two strips of cloth. In such a case, as the cloth passed through the treating machine, the selvedge folded over and interfered with the treatment as well as presenting a problem in a later rolling or treatment stage because of the double thickness of cloth at the selvedge. These and other difficulties which have been experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.

It is, therefore, an outstanding object of this invention to provide a sewing machine for sewing a seam from one side to another of a wide strip of cloth, which machine produces a stitching which locks the two pieces of goods together throughout the entire width and the elimination of any gap at the selvedge.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine for joining wide cloth strips which produces a chain stitch outside of the selvedge of the cloth.

It is another object of this invention to provide a railtype sewing machine which, at the end of the sewing cycle, leaves the needle in a preselected position.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of an attachment for a chain-stitch sewing machine for producing a linking of the stitches prior to entrance of the stitches onto the cloth.

With these and other objects in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in this specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a sewing machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the apparatus taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line IIIlII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a clutch apparatus forming a part of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an axial elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6-, 7, and 8 are front, side and end views, respectively, of an attachment forming part of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic electrical diagram of the electrical components of the invention; and

'FIGS. 10, 11, and '12 are perspective views of the apparatus showing the method of operation.

Referring first to FIG. 1, wherein are best shown the general features of the invention, the sewing machine, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 is shown as consisting generally of a sewing head 11 mounted on a carriage 112, which in turn is slidably mounted on a base 13. Also mounted on the carriage 12 is a bobbin 14 supplying the sewing head with thread 15 which enters the head through an upright mast 1 6 and eventually passes through a needle 17 extending downwardly from the head. The sewing head is also provided with a presser foot 18. Also mounted on the carriage 12 is a reversing switch box 19 having an actuating handle 21. Extending from the base 13 is a power mast 22 from which extends an electrical cord 23 which is joined to the switch 19, the cord being of the coil or spiral type which permits expansion and contraction by considerable amounts.

The base 13 is provided with a forward upper rail 24 which is joined to a lower portion 25 by means of brackets 26 and 27 located at the ends. Slidably mounted at one end of the rail 24 is a clamp 28 from which depends a cam 29. At the other end of the rail a similar clamp 31 is slidably mounted and is provided with a dependant cam 32. These clamps may be fixed in pre-selected positions on the rail by means of thumb screws. The carriage 12 is provided with a front panel 33 on which are mounted rnicroswitches 3'4 and 35 which have upwardly extending actuating fingers 3-6 and 37, respectively, located so as to be engageable on occasion by the earns 29 and 32 during transverse movement of the carriage over the base. An aperture 38 extends through the front panel 33 of the carriage 12 and through this aperture extend cables 3-9 and 41 leading to the switches 34 and 35, respectively. A chaining guide 42 is associated with the clamp 31 in a manner which will be described more fully hereinafter.

:Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the lower portion 25 of the base 13 is an upwardly-opening box having a bottom 43, a front side 44, and a rear side 45. The rail 24 is held a considerable distance upwardly and forwardly of the front side 44 by means of the brackets 26 and 2 7. In this view it can also be seen that the clamp 31 is of a hollow construction extending entirely around the rail 24 and provided with a thumb screw 46. The clamp 31 is provided with a rearwardly-extending arm 47 having two longitudinally-extending arms 48 and 49, which are provided at their outer ends with cloth-grasping pins 51 and 52. The chaining guide 42 is fastened to the arm 49 closely adjacent to its point of attachment to the arm 47. This view shows particularly well the manner in which the cam 32 is aligned with the actuating finger 37 of the switch 35 mounted on the front panel 33 of the carriage 12. The carriage 12 is provided with a broad upper horizontal panel '53 from the front edge of which the front panel 33 is dependent; a rear panel 54 is dependent from the rear edge of the upper panel. Extending between the front panels 33 and the rear panels '54 and suitably mounted in bearings is a shaft 55 on which are rotatably carried flanged wheels 56 and 5-7 engaging and rolling along the upper edges of the front wall 44 and the rear wall 45, respectively, of the base 13.

As is customary, the sewing head 11 is provided with a table 58 adapted to underlie the arms 48 and 49 and to extend forwardly closely adjacent the rail 24. This table is mounted on a base 59 which is, in turn, bolted to the upper horizontal panel 53 of the carriage 12. Extending upwardly from the rearward portion of the base 59 is a column 61 from the upper portion of which extends a neck 62 having at its outer forward end a downwardly-dependent portion 63 from which extends the needle 17, as well as the presser foot 18.

Extending from the rearward portion of the base 59 of the sewing head 11 is an actuating shaft 64 on which is mounted a clutch mechanism 65, the nature of which will be explained more fully hereinafter. Mounted on the clutch mechanism 65 is a pulley 66. Suspended from the under side of the upper horizontal panel 53 of the carriage 12 is an electric motor 67 having mounted on its drive shaft a pulley 68 (see FIG. 3). Also mounted on the under side of the panel 53 is a shaft 69 provided with a pulley 71. The pulleys 66, 68 and 71 lie in a common plane and are mutually engaged by a V-belt 72. The shaft 69 is suitably carried in appropriate bearings in a housing 73. It carries in its central portion within this housing a worm 74 engaging and driving a Worm gear 75, the worm gear 75 having its own mounting shaft 76 suitably mounted within the housing 73, and carrying at an outboard end a bevel gear 77 which engages a similar bevel gear 78 which is keyed to the shaft '55 in the central portion thereof. On the shaft 55 between the bevel gear 73 and the wheel 57 is keyed a sprocket 79. The sprocket 79 engages a chain 81 which extends horizontally throughout the length of the base 13, suitable means being provided at the ends of the base for supporting and maintaining the said chain under tension.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and which show the details of the clutch mechanism 65, the pulley 66 is mounted on and fastened to the outer housing of an overrunning clutch 82 which is of the type manufactured by the Formsprag Company. The inner element of the clutch 82 is keyed t0 the actuating shaft 64 of the sewing head 11 and has mounted thereon a ring 83 having an outer surface formed with a coarse thread 84 of the Acme or square-thread type. Extending from the end of the inner portion of the clutch 82 which faces toward the sewing head is a stop pin 85 which effectively prevents any tendency of the inner member to turn when the clutch is running in the non-driving direction. Mounted on the upper panel 53 of the carriage is an angleiron 86 from which extends a stud 87 having its outer end adjacent a bar 88 capable of pivotal sliding movement along the surface of the panel 53 of the carriage. The bar 88 is pivotally connected to the panel by a bolt located closely adjacent the rod 87. Extending upwardly from the bar 88 and engaging with the thread 84 is a dog 89 capable of a certain amount of vertical adjustment because of a screw and slot attachment properly to engage the thread at all times. Also extending upwardly from the bar 88 is a vertical stop rod 91. The bar 88 is capable of pivotal sliding movement along the horizontal upper surface of the panel but is maintained in an outermost position because of the resilient bias provided by a coil spring 92. The dog 89 and the stop rod 91 are spaced from one another so that when the dog 89 has been fed along the thread 84 in the direction away from the sewing head the stop rod 91 eventually reaches a position where it engages the pin 85 and prevents further motion thereof and of the inner portion of the clutch.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, which show the details of the chaining guide 42, it can be seen that the guide is formed of a thin steel rod and is bent to form three approximately straight sections, including a fastening section 93, an intermediate section 94, and an outer section 95. The fastening section is flattened and provided with apertures to permit fastening by screws to the arm 49. As is evident in FIG. 2, the fastening section 93 extends generally longitudinally of the machine. The intermediate portion 94 is bent at an angle of approximately 150 to the fastening portion 93, this being in an upward direction away from the arm 49 and slightly rearwardly.

The outer section 95 is bent at an angle of around 150 to the intermediate section, this angle lying in a plane substantialy inclined to the vertical, so that this section extends in a generally longitudinal direction further away from the point of attachment to the arm 49, while extending somewhat upwardly and rearwardly.

Referring now to FIG. 9, which shows the electrical connections in the machine, the elements contained in the switch 19 are shown within the dotted outline having that reference number. Also included in the circuit are the motor 67, the power cord 23, and the limit switches 34 and 35. The motor 67 includes a field coil 96 and an armature coil 97. Included within the switch box 19 are switches 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, and 104. The power cord 23 consists of two lines and 106. The other end of cord 23 attaches to the power mast 22 and is, of course, connected to a volt alternating-current source (not shown). The inner end of the line 105 is connected to a line joining the switches 98 and 99. The other line 106 is connected to one side of the limit switch 34 and to one side of limit switch 35. The other side of the switch 34 is connected to one side of the switch 103. The other side of the switch 35 is connected to one side of the switch 104. The other sides of the switches 103 and 104 are connected together and to a ime leading to one end of the field coil 96 of the motor, the other end of the field coil 96 being connected to a line joining the switches 98 and 99. The other side of the switch 98 is connected to one side of the switch 101 and the two are connected to one end of the armature coil 97 of the motor. The other end of the armature coil 97 is connected to the other side of the switch 99 and also to one side of the switch 102. The other sides of the switches "101 and 102 are connected together and by a jumper to the line joining the said other sides of the switches 103 and 104. The switches 98, 102, and 103 are all either closed or opened together and, in the same manner, the switches 99, 101, and 104 are either opened or closed together, the handle 21 associated with the switch box 19 serving to change these two sets of switches so that they are in opposite conditions. For instance, as shown in the drawing, the handle 21 is set in the Forward position so that the switches 98, 102, and 103 are closed, While the switches 99, 101, and 104 are open. When the handle is in the Reverse position the opposite would be true. The switches 34 and 35 are norma lly closed.

The operation of the apparatus of the invention will now be readily understood in view of the above description. First of all, referring particularly to FIG. 9, it is possible to cause the motor 67 to reverse direction by moving the handle 21 from the Forward position to the Reverse position. When the handle 21 is in the Forward position the switches 98, 102, and 103 are closed, and the switches 99, 101, and 104 are open; at that time the path of current is from the line 105 through a portion of the line joining the switches 98 and 99 directly into the field coil 96 of the motor, out at the other end of the field coifl, through the switch 103, and the switch 34 to the line 106. The armature current, on the other hand, passes from the line .105, through the switch 98, to the lower end of the coil 97, and from the upper end of the coil 97, through the switch 102, to the jumper joining the lines between the switches 101 and 102 and the line joining the switches 103 and 104 and, then, through the switch 103 and the switch 34 to the line 106. When the handle 21 is moved to the Reverse position, the switches 98, 102 and 103 are open but the switches 99, 101, and 104 are closed. At that time, the current passing through the field coil 96 leaves the line 105 and goes directly to the upper end of the coil 96, leaves the lower end of the coil 96, and passes through the switch 104 and the switch 35 to the line 106. The armature current, on the other hand, leaves the line 105, passes through the switch 99 to the upper end of the coil 96, leaves the lower end of the coil 97, passes through the switch 101 and the jumper line, and

passes through the switch 104 and the switch 35 to the line 106. It should be noted also that the opening of the switch 34 when the motor is moving in the Forward direction results in the motor stopping, while, when the motor is going in the Reverse direction, the opening of the switch 35 cuts off current to the motor.

Let us assume that the apparatus is in the condition shown in FIG. 1 with the sewing head 11 at the left side of the base 13. The ends of the two strips of cloth which are to be sewed together are laid together and the left hand selvedges are impaled on the pins Hand 52 extending upwardly from the fingers 48 and 49. The other end of the seam (that is to say, the hand selvedge) is impaled on a similar pair of pins extending from fingers which are associated with the clamp 28 at the other end of the base. Assuming that the sewing head is in condition for sewing, the operator moves the handle 21 to the Forward position and the sewing head immediately begins to move toward the right. This is because the rotation of the motor 67 drives the pulley 71 through the V-belt 72. This results in a rotation of the shaft 69, which rotation is transmitted by the worm 74 to the pinion 75. In this way the shaft 76 is rotated and acts through the bevel gear 77 and the bevel gear 78 to rotate the shaft 55. Mounted on the shaft 55 is the sprocket 79 engaging the chain 81 which, as has been stated, is tightly drawn in a line from one end of the lower portion 25 of the base to the other. The rotation of the sprocket, therefore, while in engagement with the fixed chain 81 causes the carriage =12 to move from left to right along the base. The weight of the carriage and the sewing head and associated elements is carried by the wheels 56 and 57 as well as a similar pair of wheels located at the other end of the earriage, these wheels moving along the upper edges of the front side 44 and the rear side 45 of the lower portion 25 of the base. At the same time that the V-belt 72 is driving the pulley 71 it is also passing over and driving the pulley 66 associated with the clutching mechanism 65. The clutch is arranged so that the rotation of the pulley 66 and, therefore, the outer portion of the clutch 82 causes a similar rotation of the inner portion of the clutch and, in turn, the actuating shaft 64 of the sewing head 11. In other words, when the carriage 12 is going in the F orward direction (from left to night in FIG. 1) the clutch 82 drives the shaft 64 cfiectively. This causes the sewing head to operate and the needle to move up and down in the usual manner. Naturally, there is a mechanism un derlying the table 58 of the sewing head which cooperates with the needle 17 to produce the chain type of sewing, but since this is old in this type of sewing head, it is not thought to be necessary to show this action in detail. The first few links of the chain are formed outside the selvage. When the sewing has continued transversely across the width of the two strips and they have been joined, the sewing head passes beyond on the right hand selvedge and, eventually, the operating finger 36 of the switch 34 strikes the cam 29 forming part of the clamp 28. The opening of the switch 34 causes the motor 67 to stop and the carriage to come to rest at the right hand end of the base with the sewing head well beyond the right hand selvedge of the cloth. The operator then removes the cloth and breaks the thread in doing so. It should be noted that the chain of thread continues well beyond the right hand selvedge, and when the operator breaks the thread, he pulls the thread tight, thus closing and forming a knot at the end of the chain, so that the right hand end of the sewing chain does not unravel. The operator then moves the handle 21 to the Reverse position thus causing the motor 67 to turn and move the carriage to the left. At this time the operator grasps the raw end of the thread and pulls a considerable length of it through the needle to be ready for the next part of the operation. The carnia-ge moves to the left and eventually the actuating finger 37 of the switch 35 strikes the cam 32 associated with the clamp 31 and the switch 35 is opened. The opening of this switch breaks the motor circuit and causes the motor 67 to come to a stop, with the carriage 12 at the left hand side of the machine in the position shown in FIG. 1. Now, on the return or Reverse trip across the base, the V -belt 72, of course, drives the pulley 66 as before, although in the opposite direction. The clutch 82 is made in such a manner as to be an overrunning or onedirection clutch, so that the rotation of the pulley 66 in a Reverse direction does not serve to operate the actuating shaft 64 of the sewing head effectively. However, in clutches of this type, there is always a certain amount of drag that will cause the output side to revolve, despite the fact that it is going in the so-called Inoperative direction. Therefore, the sewing head 11 is actuated in the Reverse direction and the needle 17 moves to a certain extent. It is very desirable that, when the carriage 12 reaches the left hand side of the bed in the position shown in FIG. 1, that the needle 17 be positioned in approxinrately the position shown in FIG. 2, that is to say, just barely entering the aperture or slot in the presser foot 18. This position must be reached with the needle in position for a down stroke when the head is actuated in the Forward direction; the reasons for this will be obvious as the description progresses. In order to accomplish this, the clutch 82 is permitted to drive the sewing heads through the actuating shaft 64 for one revolution and the manner in which this is accomplished will be clear from a study of FIGS. 4 and 5. As the pulley 66 rotates on the Reverse trip of the carriage, the thread 84 feeds the dog 89 to the right in FIG. 4 carrying with it the bar 88. The movement of the bar 88 over the surface of the panel 53 of the carriage 12 also moves the stop rod 91 to the right (in FIG. 4) so that it comes into the path of the stop pin associated with the inner part of the clutch 82. The thread size is selected in such a manner that the clutch is permitted one revolution before the pin 85 strikes the post 91. When the pin 85 strikes the post the driving force of the clutch, due to the drag, is prevented and the needle 17 is properly located relative to the presser foot 18.

The apparatus is now in condition to begin another cycle of sewing. First of all, the operator has drawn a considerable amount of thread through the needle and, referring to FIG. 10 which shows the condition of the apparatus at this point, the thread extends forwardly across the rail 24 and the operator grasps it. He moves the bight of the thread over the chaining guide 42 with the thread at first resting on the outer section 95. After Hooping the bight of the thread around the chain guide 42 he moves the thread until it lies across the right hand surface of the needle and on top of the presser foot. With the cloth in place on the pins 51 and 52 at the left hand end and on the corresponding pins at the right hand end of the base, he throws the handle 21 into the Forward position. As is evident in FIG. 12, the carriage 12 has to progress to the right for some distance before the needle and the associated stitch-forming apparatus come in contact with the cloth. ,With previously known devices in this art no stitch was formed and the stitches did not be gin until the needle began to pierce the cloth. With the present invention, however, the operator presses the end of the thread against the arm 48 and holds it in place while the sewing head begins its operation. Because of the looping of the thread about the chaining guide 42 the head immediately begins to form a chain stitch, and this is a tight chain which holds the edges of the cloth firmly together at the selvedge, so that the difiiculties of a slight gap at the selvedge is elminated and the selvage cannot bf accidentally turned during later operations on the c oth.

It is clear that the use of the chaining guide or finger permits the usual chain-type sewing machine to form a chain before entering the cloth, thus preventing a turned selvedge. In order to make use of the chaining guide or finger it is necessary to stop the needle slightly below the presser foot of the sewing machine head and to start the needle on a down stroke; to do this the applicant has provided an overrunning clutch which is used to connect the motor to the actuating shaft of the head. The screw feed formed on the output portion of the clutch moves the finger to eventually engage the stop pin of the clutch. This locating action takes place when the motor is first started up at the start of the return traverse; the sewing head, therefore, does not operate during most of this return traverse, but only suficiently for the needle to move around to its index position.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit thereof. It is not, however, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Invention having been thus described, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A sewing machine for joining the ends of wide strips of cloth, comprising a base having a front side having an elongated track, a carriage movable along the track from one side of the cloth to the other, a chaintype sewing head mounted on the carriage, a motor mounted on the carriage and connected to the sewing head to drive the same, a traverse mechanism driven by the motor for moving the carriage back-and-forth along the track, a chaining guide mounted on the base and located so as to be adjacent the sewing head at one extreme position thereof on the track, the guide consisting of an elongated finger mounted on the side of the needle away from the front side of the base and having a fastening section which is attached to the base, an intermediate section which extends upwardly and away from the said front side, and an outer section which extends at an acute angle to the intermediate section.

2. A sewing machine for joining the ends of wide strips of cloth, comprising a base having a front side and having an elongated track, a carriage movable along the track from one side of the cloth to the other, a chain-type sewing head mounted on the carriage, a motor mounted on the carriage and connected to the sewing head to drive the same, a traverse mechanism driven by the motor for moving the carriage back-and-forth along the track, a chaining guide mounted on the base and located so as to be adjacent the sewing head at one extreme position thereof on the track, the guide consisting of an elongated finger mounted on the side of the needle away from the front side of the base and having a fastening section which is attached to the base, an intermediate section which extends upwardly and away from the said front side, and an outer section which extends at an obtuse angle to the intermediate section, an overrunning clutch interposed between the motor and the sewing head and permitting the head to be driven effectively during movement of the carriage in one direction only, and means associated with the clutch to permit operation of the head for a relatively short predetermined period of time during motion of the carriage in the other direction.

3. A sewing machine for joining the ends of wide strips of cloth, comprising a base having a front side and having an elongated track, a carriage movable along the track from one side of the cloth to the other, a chaintype sewing head mounted on the carriage, a motor mounted on the carriage and connected to the sewing head to drive the same, a traverse mechanism driven by the motor for moving the carriage back-and-forth along the track, a chaining guide mounted on the base and located so as to be adjacent the sewing head at one extreme position thereof on the track, the guide consisting of an elongated finger mounted on the side of the needle away from the front side of the base and having a fastening section which is attached to the base, an intermediate section which extends upwardly and away from the said front side, and an outer section which extends at an obtuse angle to the intermediate section, an overrunning clutch interposed between the motor and the sewing head and permitting the head to be driven effectively during movement of the carriage in one direction only, and means associated with the clutch to permit operation of the head for a relatively short predetermined period of time during motion of the carriage in the other direction, the clutch having threads formed on its outer surface and having a stop pin located on its output portion, a dog engaging the threads and movable thereby, and a stop rod connected to the dog and movable therewith into position to be engaged by the stop pin of the clutch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,163,304 Corrall et al. June 20, 1939 2,593,196 Rotherham Apr. 15, 1952 2,724,352 Gentry et al. Nov. 22, 1955 2,756,704 Lawher July 31, 1956 2,836,133 Gamble et al. May 27, 1958 2,858,783 Lawber Nov. 4, 1958 2,885,985 Kells May 12, 1959

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