US3050020A

US3050020A - Schiffli embroidery machine

Info

Publication number: US3050020A
Application number: US6892A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bohus Theodore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-02-05
Filing date: 1960-02-05
Publication date: 1962-08-21
Anticipated expiration: 1979-08-21

Description

Aug. 21, 1962 o us 3,050,020

SCHIFFLI EMBROIDERY MACHINE Filed Feb. 5, 1960 INVENTOR. flvcodore 50/105 United States Patent Ofiice aesaeze Patented Aug. 21, 1962 3,050,020 SCHIFFLI EMBROIDERY MACHINE Theodore Bohus, 7024 Durham Ave., North Bergen, NJ. Filed Feb. 5, 1960, Ser. No. 6,892 5 Claims. (Cl. 112-95) The present invention relates to an embroidery machine, particularly to a multiple-needle embroidery machine, of the type generally used for the production of Schiffii embroidery, and is a continuation-in-part of the invention described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 797,951, filed March 9, 1959.

Embroidery machines of the type to which the present invention relates are provided with as many as 680, or even more needles, which are arranged in one or more horizontal rows and are selectively operated by a common mechanism which is generally controlled by a perforated pattern. Each of the needles in such a machine is provided with an associated shuttle. Such shuttles are each slidably disposed in a box," to the other side of the fabric to be embroidered from the needle side thereof. Each box is formed with sliding surface along which the shuttle moves and which is parallel to the path of the reciprocating needles and is disposed in a generally upright direction at an acute angle to the vertical. The shuttle, reciprocating up and down along the slide surface of the box, passes through and around the loop of thread set up by the needle at its innermost position, to form an embroidery stitch.

In embroidery machines of the type referred to above, a large number of the shuttle boxes are supported in closely spaced, parallel relation on a horizontally disposed bar, and the shuttles are each reciprocated in its box by a pin that engages against its relatively thick underside, which pin is removably secured, as are the pins of companion shuttles, on a common reciprocating bar that is disposed above the box supporting bar and parallel thereto and which is driven or reciprocated in a generally vertical direction but slightly diagonal thereto, substantially parallel to the shuttle supporting faces of the boxes, in synchronized relation to the needle reciprocation, by one or more driving shafts operated from the driving mechanism of the machine.

Since the driving pins of the apparatus described above do not positively engage the shuttle bottoms, but only abut them, they are positively effective only for moving the shuttles in the upward direction. As gravity and the weight of the shuttles themselves are not always sufficient for effecting their downward or return movement, or their return at an adequate rate of speed, means has been provided in such embroidery apparatus of the prior art for mechanically positively effecting the return of the shuttle to initial position. Such means includes a second bar connected in parallel to the pin supporting bar on which is resiliently mounted, opposite each shuttle, a finger that extends over the top of the shuttle to engage it for downward movement as the pin supporting bar returns to its down position. Both, the shuttle lifting pins and the shuttle return fingers are removably and adjustably supported in place.

foregoing difiicu'lties by providing positive means for effecting the return or downward movement of the shuttle by providing shuttle-moving pins of permanent magnetic character which have been found effective to lower the shuttles back to full initial position, without any delays. However, I have found that the invention of my said co-pending application, while highly effective, is not the complete and final answerto the solution of the problems pointed out above. For one thing, such permanent magnetic pins are high-priced and costly and, in addition, are relatively brittle and require replacement more often that desired. Further, such permanent magnetic shuttle-moving pins possess magnetic power that may occasionally prove excessive, especially where shuttles and shuttle boxes are too closely associated so that, on occasion, the shuttle pin of one shuttle may magnetically affect an adjacent shuttle, to tilt it away from its sliding surface, and thereby bring about a missed stitch.

It is the object of the present invention to provide Schiftli embroidery machines or the like, of the character described, likewise having magnetic shuttle return means; but in which the foregoing shortcoming are completely overcome and which, While highly effective to bring about the complete and undelayed lowering of the shuttles to initial position, will not exert any appreciable or disturbing magnetic effect on adjacent shuttles.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide magnetic shuttle-returning means for Schiffli embroidery machines, or the like, which are of less brittle characteristics and which may be required in lesser numbers than the shuttle pins, to thereby reduce their initial cost as Well as their replacement cost.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide magnetic shuttle-returning means which are at least as easy and simple to install as the magnetic shuttle pins of my said co-pending application.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the embroidery machines of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the shuttle side of an embroidery machine of the general type to which the present invention relates, partly broken away and in section to show structural details, with the shuttles shown in their lowermost position;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational and partly sectional view of the embroidery machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a box and shuttle assembly of the machine of FIG. 1, as viewed from the needle side, and shown with the needle plate removed and with the shuttle in its uppermost position; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Generally stated, the present invention resides in the utilization on a Schiffii embroidery machine of the character described, of shuttle pins that are of magnetic material and which are magnetized by the utilization of a pin-retaining plate which is of permanent magnetic characteristic and which induces magnetic properties upon such shuttle pins by direct contact with them. 1 have found that the magnetism induced in shuttle pins of a ferrous material by such a retaining plate is fully ample to effect complete and undelayed lowering of the shuttle controlled by such pin, and, at the same time, is wholly insufficient to exert any effect on adjacent shuttles.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, the same show a fragment of a Schifili embroidery machine of generally standard construction. This machine includes a fixed horizontally disposed bar, 10, on which are supported, in generally conventional manner, in closely spaced parallel relation, a plurality, as many as 170, of shuttle boxes of generally conventional construction, each generally designated as 12. Each of the boxes 12 comprises a foot, 14, by which it is secured to the bar 10, and a post, 16, which extends slantingiy upwardly at an acute angle to the vertical in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the bar 10. Each post 16 is formed with a smooth upwardly facing side, 18, slanting in the same direction and at the same angle, on which is slidably supported for vertically slanting reciprocating a steel shuttle, 119, of generally conventional shape. Each post 16 is formed with a flange, 26, along the outer edge of the face 18 and has secured to its inner face, closest to the needle side of the machine, a needle plate, 22, in which is formed a needle opening, 24, in alinement with a needle-receiving groove, 26, provided in the shuttle-supporting face 13 of the post 16. Through this opening 24 and groove 26 reciprocates the needle 28 that passes through the fabric, 29, disposed between the row of needles 28 and the row of boxes 12.

The illustrated embroidery machine is provided with a shingle shuttle-moving bar, 30, disposed substantially parallel to and slightly above the box-supporting bar to. The bar 30 is reciprocable along an axis parallel to the shuttle-supporting faces 18 of the boxes 12, by means of a driving rod, 32, which is secured thereto and is guided in the diagonal bearing, 34, secured to the edge of the shuttlebox-snpporting bar the rod 32 being actuated from the driving mechanism of the machine in the conventional manner. The shuttle-moving bar is provided in the conventional manner with a plurality of transversely-extending grooves, 36, on its bottom surface, preferably of an arcuate cross-section, and each disposed opposite one of the shuttles 19 of the machine.

Each of the grooves 36 is disposed opposite a shuttle \19 and serves as a positioning and retaining means for a shuttle-moving pin, generally designated as 38. Each of the pins 38 i preferably made of a ferrous or other magnetic material, as iron or steel. It is formed with a stem portion, 40, that is disposed in a groove 36, and with a shuttle-contacting portion, 42, that extends from the stem to underlie the oppositely disposed shuttle 19; the latter pin portion 42 being preferably of reduced thickness and being joined to stem portion by a tapering shoulder. The stem portion 40 of each pin 38 is preferably of generally cylindrical shape and is provided with a flattened side, 44, that preferably terminate short of the tapered shoulders connecting it With its extension 42.

Each of the pins 38 is held in place by a retaining plate, 48, which is of permanent magnetic material. Preferably, each plate 48 is of a size to retain a contiguous pair of pins 38 and is formed with one or more central openings, 50, through each of which a headed screw, 52, passes for engagement in an appropriate tapped opening formed in the underside of the bar 30 between pairs of adjacent grooves 36. Each pin 38 has its arcuate surface portion held in a groove 36 and its flattened surface portion 44 disposed against the upper surface of the magnetic retaining plate 48.

It will be apparent that each of the pins 38 supported by the magnetic retaining plate 48 will be magnetized by the contact of its flattened face 44 with the magnetic plate 48. It will also be apparent that magnetic lines of force from the pin stem 40 of the pin will be concentrated in the thinner forward portion 42 thereof, and cause magnetic attraction between the latter and the shuttle 19 resting thereon.

Where the bar 30 is made of magnetic material, such as iron, in any of its forms, a non-magnetic spacer or washer plate, 54, as of aluminum, may be interposed between the underside of the bar 30 and each pair of pins 38 that are supported by a common retaining plate 48; such spacer plate 54 having spaced parallel corrugations, S6 corresponding in shape and spacing to a pair of grooves 36 on the underside of the bar 30, whose crests fit in such grooves and Whose troughs fit over the curved surface portion of the pins 38 secured between it and the magnetic plate 54. It will be readily understood that where the bar 30 is formed of a non-magnetic material, such as aluminum, the spacing plates 54 may be dispensed with, unless required for the adjustment of the vertical position of the pins 38.

The operation of the mechanism thus described will be readily apparent. It will be conventional for the upward movement of the shuttles 19'. The return movement of the shuttles 19 will be partly effected, in addition to gravitational force, by magnetic force exerted on the shuttle by its associated lifting pin 38 that is magnetized by its supporting plate 44. Such magnetic force has been found to be ample to ensure uninterrupted and complete return of the shuttle to its initial lower posit-ion, but not sufficient to extend beyond the effective area of operation of each pin to exert any magnetic effects upon adjacent shuttles, or otherwise adversely affect the operation of the machine.

This completes the description of the improved Schiffii embroidery apparatus of the present invention and the manner of its operation. It will be readily apparent that such apparatus, by providing the specific positive means for the return of the shuttle, as described above, eliminates the difficulties of shuttle movement encountered in the operation of such apparatus as heretofore made, at the same time simplifying the construction of the apparatus and its cost of production, as more clearly pointed out in my co-pending application, and also makes possible the conversion of existing apparatus to provide the same with the advantages of the present invention, at relatively reduced cost of such conversion. It will also be apparent that the apparatus of the present invention, with respect to its shuttle-moving mechanism, may also be maintained at relatively lesser cost, in both labor and materials.

It will further be apparent that numerous modifications and variations [in the improved Schifili embroidery machine of the present invention may be made by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In an embroidery machine, including at least one needle, means reciprocating said needle along its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, a steel shuttle associated with said needle, and means, including a surface inclined to the vertical and facing parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said needle for slidably supporting said shuttle in operative relation to said needle, means reciprocating said shuttle on said surface, including a bar, means reciprocating SBlld bar in a plane parallel to said surface, a magnetizable pin having one end portion thereof engaging against a bottom portion of said shuttle, and a plate of permanent magnetic material removably engaged on said bar contacting the other end portion of said pin and securing the same against said bar.

2. In an embroidery machine, including at least one needle, means reciprocating said needle along its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, a steel shuttle associated with said needle, and means, including a surface inclined to the vertical and facing parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said needle for slidably supporting said shuttle in operative relation to said needle, means reciprocating said shuttle on said surface, including a bar, means reciprocating said bar in a plane parallel to said surface, a magnetizable pin having one end portion thereof engaging against a bottom portion of said shuttle, and a plate of permanent magnetic material removably engaged on said bar contacting the other end portion of said pin and securing same against said bar, said first end portion of said pin being of reduced cross-section relative to said other end portion thereof.

3. In an embroidery machine, including at least one needle, means reciprocating said needle along its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, a steel shuttle associated with said needle, and means, including a surface inclined to the vertical and facing parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said needle for slidably supporting said shuttle in operative relation to said needle, means reciprocating said shuttle on said surface, including a bar, means reciprocating said bar in a plane parallel to said surface, a magnetizable pin having one end portion thereof engaging against a bottom portion of said shuttle, and a plate contacting the other end portion of said pin and securing the same against said bar, said pin being of cylindrical shape end having a flattened surface portion on said other end portion, said plate contacting said flattened surface portion.

4. In an embroidery machine, including at least one needle, means reciprocating said needle along its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, a steel shuttle associated with said needle, and means, including a surface inclined to the vertical and facing parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said needle for slidably supporting said shuttle in operative relation to said needle, means reciprocating said shuttle on said surface, including a bar, means reciprocating said bar in a plane parallel to said surface,

a magnetizable pin having one end portion thereof engaging against a bottom portion of said shuttle, and a plate of permanent magnetic material removably engaged on said bar contacting the other end portion of said pin and securing the same against said bar, said pin being of cylindrical shape with said first end portion thereof of reduced cross-section relative to said other end portion, said other end portion having a flattened surface portion, said plate contacting said flattened surface portion.

5. In an embroidery machine, including at least one needle, means reciprocating said needle along its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane, a steel shuttle associated with said needle, and means, including a surface inclined to the vertical and facing parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said needle for slidably supporting said shuttle in operative relation to said needle, means reciprocating said shuttle on said surface, including a bar, means reciprocating said bar in a plane parallel to said surface, a magnetizable pin having one end portion thereof engaging against a bottom portion of said shuttle, and a plate of permanent magnetic material removably engaged on said bar contacting the other end portion of said pin and securing the same against said bar, said bar being of magnetizable material and a non-magnetic insulating element interposed between said bar and said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,084,904 Schoenfeld Jan. 20, 1914 2,690,724 Eisenbeiss Oct. 5, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS M18,467 Germany May 3, 1956