US3028822A - Sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1962 A. E. HOLLISTER ETAL 3,028,822

SEWING GUIDE ATTACHMENT FOR A SEWING MACHINE Filed May 27. 1960 INVENTORS ALICE E. HOLLISTER WILLIAM E. HOLLISTEIR Unie The present invention consists of a sewing guide and means for removably attaching it to a fiat surface portion of a sewing machine in a selected oifset relationship with respect to a sewing machine needle and presser foot of the sewing machine in a manner such that the sewing guide attachment acts as a seam gauge or as a stitching guide for gathering lace or for ruifiing material (which is usually accomplished by a suitable auxiliary attachment for the sewing machine), and to do so in a manner providing a desired degree of transverse offset of the longitudinal sewing line, which can be effectively measured by transverse measuring scale means carried by the sewing guide attachment of the present invention. In one specific form of the present invention, the sewing guide attachment means includes a longitudinal member fastened to the flat surface portion of the sewing machine transversely offset from the sewing machine needle and slidably carrying perpendicular thereto a transverse member carrying a slide member thereon provided with a longitudinal marking edge on means cooperable with a transverse measuring scale carried by the transverse member for the offsetsewing-line-determining purposes referred to above, and with the longitudinal member also bearing visibly observable measuring scale means to determine the distance of the transverse member from the sewing machine needle. Under certain circumstances of use, in this form of the invention, the longitudinal member may be removed and the transverse member may be directly attached by attachment and/ or fastener means to the flat surface portion of the sewing machine, with the transverse member carrying the slide member for transverse movement with respect to a longitudinal sewing line longitudinally aligned with the sewing machine needle whereby to provide any desired degree of transverse offset of the sewing line on the material being sewn, gathered, or ruffled. Also, in some versions of this form of use of the invention, the slide member may also be removed, if desired. This use of the invention is particularly desirable for providing a desired seam allowance-in other words, for use as a seam allowance gauge.

t is an object of the preent invention to provide a sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine of the character referred to above, which is of extremely simple, cheap, foolproof construction such as to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows and will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study thereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, one exemplary embodiment of the complete sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying single drawing sheet and is described in detail hereinafter. However, it should be noted that two distinct modes of use of the invention are illustrated in the figures and several distinct types of attachment means for attaching the invention to the fiat surface portion of a sewing machine in a desired relationship with respect to a. sewing machine needle, are shown in the drawing.

PEG. 1 is an oblique view of one illustrative embodiment of the present invention in mounted operative relationship with respect to a flat surface portion of a sewing machine (shown fragmentarily and in broken lines) and with respect to a sewing machine needle and presser foot of the sewing machine (also shown fragmentarily and in broken lines). This view also shows in fragmentary, broken-line form a piece of lace, or the like, which is to be gathered or rufiled with a desired degree of sewing line offset as determined by the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a staggered longitudinal sectional View taken in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows 3-'3 of FIG. '1 illustrating one form of the attachment means for removably attaching the device of the present invention to the flat surface portion of a sewing machine in a transversely offset relationship with respect to the sewing machine needle, as shown in FIG. 1.

H6. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary oblique exploded view of the attachment means shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary oblique view, sowewhat similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the device being used primarily as a seam allowance gauge, with the longitudinal member removed and the transverse member directly fastened or attached by a modified type of attachment means to the flat surface portion of the sewing machine.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded oblique view of the modified type of attachment means shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4 for exemplary purposes, one illustrative embodiment of the invention takes the form of a longitudinal flat planar member, indicated generally at it), bearing visibly observable longitudinal measuring scale means 11 on the upper surface thereof and being provided at a first end 12 with attachment means, indicated generally at 13, adapted for removable and horizontal attachment of the entire device immediately above a flat horizontal surface portion of a sewing machine and in a laterally offset relationship with respect to a sewing machine needle and presser foot of the sewing machine. In the specific example illustrated, the fiat surface portion of the sewing machine is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 14, the sewing machine needle is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 15, and the presser foot is shown fragmentarily and in broken lines at 16.

The first embodiment of the invention also includes a transverse member of generally flat planar configuration, as indicated generally at 17. The transverse member 17 has a first end thereof 18, which is provided with a through longitudinal slot means 19, which slidably encompasses and receives the longitudinal member 10 therethrough whereby =to longitudinally slidably mount the transverse member 17 for manually controlled longitudinal movement along the length of the longitudinal member 10 between the first end 12 thereof and a stop means 20 at a second end 21 thereof, and with the straight edge 22 of the transverse member 17 acting as a transverse marking edge visibly cooperable with the longitudinal measuring scale 11 for visibly indicating any desired degree of longitudinal offset or of distance from the sewing machine needle 15. It should also be noted that the other straight edge 23 of the transverse member may also act as a transverse marking edge, if desired, as may any marking line or portion carried by the transparent upper planar member of the transverse member 17;

in the specific example illustrated, the transverse member, indicated generally at 17, takes a specific structural form wherein it comprises a lower flat planar member 24 and an upper flat planar member 25 of transparent material (usually transparent plastic such as an acrylic resin, or the like, although not specifically so limited) vertically spaced apart by two intermediate spacer members 26 carried therebetween at the first end 18 of the transverse member 17 and spaced therefrom whereby to define therebetween the slot 19 slidably carrying the longitudinal member and also whereby to define an additional receiving slot 27, which slidably carries a slide member, indicated generally at 28, for transverse slidable moverxent between opposite ends of the transverse member 17.

In the specific example illustrated, the slide member 28 consists of an upper member 29, which is preferably transparent, although not specifically so limited, a lower member 30, and 'an intermediate member 31, with all three of the members 29, 30, and 31 being joined together at opposite ends thereof, as indicated at $2, and defining transverse recess means 33 between intermediate portions of the members 29, 30, and 31, which slidably receive the upper and lower planar members 25 and 24 of the transverse member 17, whereby to frictionally slidably mount the slide member 28 thereon. It should be noted that the upper surface of the transverse member 17 carries transverse measuring scale means 34, with which the straight edge 35 of the slide member 28 is adapted to visibly cooperate for visibly indicating any desired degree of transverse offset from a sewing line region longitudinally aligned with the sewing machine needle and indicated in broken lines at 36. It should be noted that the straight edge 35 effectively comprises a longitudinal marking edge for the slide member 28, although the other straight edge thereof or marks carried by the top of the slide member may be used for indicating purposes under certain conditions of use. It should be noted that the left end of the measuring scale 34 carries a marking line 37, which indicates the position of the sewing line 36 in longitudinal alignment with the sewing machine needle 15, whereby any desired degree of offset for the lace or other piece of fabric which is to be sewn, gathered, or ruffled can be produced. This is true even though various types of attachments (not shown) are employed for the purpose of ruffling or gathering the lace. In FIG. 1 the lace is indicated in broken lines at 33.

The attachment means, indicated generally at 13 and briefly referred to in the specific exemplary form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, comprises aperture-defining means 39 carried by the longitudinal member 19 adjacent the first end 12 thereof, and fastener means, indicated generally at 46, including a substantially L-shaped element 40 having a downwardly directed portion 41, which is insertible downwardly through one of the apertures 39 into a corresponding aperture 42 in the fiat surface portion 14 of the sewing machine, with the L-shaped element 40 being provided with a downwardly-apertured washer-shaped portion 43 adapted to receive downwardly therethrough a threaded screw fastener 44, which is insertible downwardly through the other of the apertures 39 and into removable threaded engagement with another aperture 45 of the flat surface portion 14 of the sewing machine, whereby to firmly mount the entire device in the position shown in FIG. 1 and in the manner shown in greater details in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a slight modification of both the use of the invention and of the specific type of attachment means thereof. In this version, identical parts are indicated by identical reference numerals, and similar parts are indicated by similar reference numerals, primed, however. It will be noted that the transverse member 17 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is identical to the transverse member 17 shown in FIG. 1. However, it will also be noted that the longitudinal member 10 of FIG. 1 and the slide member 28 of FIG. 1 have been removed from the transverse member 17, thus leaving only the transverse member 17 in FIGS. 5 and 6. Therefore, vertical aligned pairs of apertures 39' now receive the modified form of fastener means, indicated generally at 46', for fastening the transverse member 17 to the flat surface portion 14 of the sewing machine. It should be noted that the first type fastener means, indicated generally at 46 as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, may also be employed in this modification of the invention. However, the modified type of fastener means 46', shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes two corresponding downwardly directed elements 47, each having an insertion portion or tip covered with elastomeric material, as indicated at 48, and each having an inwardly offset, flat, vertically directed top portion 49 adapted to be resiliently engaged and clamped by resilient spring clamp means 50 after the insertion tips 48 are inserted downwardly through the apertures 39' and through the apertures 42 and 45 (such as shown in FIG. 3) of the flat surface portion 14 of the sewing machine. This will provide a very effective type of fastening or attachment means adapted for quick engagement and disengagement with respect to the sewing machine. It should also be noted that the modified fastening means 46, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, may be employed for fastening the longitudinal member 10, shown in FIGS. 1-4, to the sewing machine surface portion 14, if desired.

FIG. 5 is shown in use acting as a sewing line offset guide or seam allowance gauge for the piece of material indicated fragmentarily in broken lines at 38.

It should be noted that either the complete form of the invention shown in FIGS. l-4 or the subcombination form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 may cooperate with material which is to be sewn in several different ways. For example, the material may be positioned between the upper and lower portions of the transverse member or may be positioned thereunder. Various modes of use of the complete and/or subcombination forms of the invention are contemplated, in addition to those specifically illustrated in the figures, and will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

We claim:

A sewing guide attachment for a sewing machine, comprising: a longitudinal member of flat planar configuration bearing visibly observable longitudinal measuring scale means on the upper surface thereof and being provided at a first end with attachment means for removable and horizontal attachment to a flat horizontal surface portion of a sewing machine laterally offset from a sewing machine needle and being provided at a second end thereof with stop means; a transverse member having a first end thereof provided with through longitudinal recess-slot means slidably horizontally mounted on said longitudinal member for manually controlled movement along the length of said longitudinal member between said first end and said stop means carried by said second end thereof, and being provided with a transverse marking edge visibly coperable with said longitudinal measuring scale means for visibly indicating any desired degree of longitudinal offset from the sewing machine needle, said transverse member being of flat planar configuration substantially co-planar with the fiat planar longitudinal member and being transversely directed therefrom so as to extend to a sewing line region perpendicular thereto and aligned with a sewing machine needle and parallel to said longitudinal member, said transverse member hearing visibly observable transverse measuring scale means on the upper surface thereof; and a slide member provided with through transverse recess means transversely slidably mounted on said transverse member for slidable movement therealong and being provided with a longitudinal marking edge movably cooperable with the transverse measuring scale to visibly indicate any desired degree of transverse otfset from the sewing line region lonverse offset from the sewing line region longitudinally gitudinally aligned with the sewing machine needle; said aligned with the sewing machine needle.

transverse member comprising a lower that planar member and an upper fiat planar member of transparent material References Cited in the 0f this patent adapted to receive therebetween the edge of a niece of 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS material in transverse abutment with the longitudinal marking edge of the slide member slidably carried by said 620,413 'Chatfield 23, 1899 transverse member, whereby to effectively position and 691,705 Lewis 1902' guide the material for movement longitudinally toward ,6 Palin y 28, 1953 the sewing machine needle with a desired degree of trans- 10 2,948,036 Heller Aug. 9, 1960

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