US3111099A

US3111099A - Cam oscillating arrangement for automatic ornamental stitch sewing machine

Info

Publication number: US3111099A
Application number: US109598A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nishigami Teiichi
Original assignee: Sears Roebuck and Co
Current assignee: Sears Roebuck and Co
Priority date: 1960-05-18
Filing date: 1961-05-12
Publication date: 1963-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1963 TEncHl NISHIGAMI' 3,111,099 CAM oscILLATING ARRANGEWNT Fon AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE Flled May 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR.

TEIICHI HIGAMI BY M ATTORNEYS lNov. 19, 1963 TEucHl NlsHlGAMl' 3,111,099

CAM oscILLATING ARRAgGwENT Foa AUTOMATIC ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE Flled May l2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA r ,I la I6 L |2 INVENToR. 1 TEH Hl NlsmGAMl BY //7=-- L ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,111,099 Patented Nov. 19, 1963 CAM OSCILLATNG ARRANGEMENT FR AUTGMATlC GRNAMENTAL STITCH SEW- ING MACHlNE Teichi Nishigami, Gsaka City, Osaka, Japan, assigner to Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Filed May 12, 1961, Ser. No. 109,598 Claims priority, application Japan May 18, 1960 Claims. (Cl. 112-158) This invention relates to an automatic Zig-zag sewing machine generally, and more particularly to a machine having a plurality of rotatable pattern cams mounted within the machine, the cams being oscillatory and operatively connected with a needle bar to produce a desired Zig-zag stitch.

In accordance with my invention a plurality of pattern cams are mounted for rotation on a suitable support which is itself pivotally mounted on the machine frame, the support being operatively connected to the needle bar of the machine. Through a train of planetary gears the cams are caused to be rotated and also to be oscillated about the axis of the support in counter-response to iixed cam tracking elements, one or more of which may be in engagement with one or more cams. The oscillation of the cam support imparts oscillating motion to the needle bar.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the principal object of this invention is the provision of a plurality of pattern cams mounted for rotation and for oscillation about a pivotal support which is operatively connected to the needle bar of a sewing machine, said cams cooperating with one or more stationary cam tracking elements whereby when one or more of said elements is rendered operative, the cam support is caused to oscillate thereby actuating the needle bar in accordance with the cam pattern.

Among other objects of my invention is the provision of a simplified construction which is economical to manu-facture, which may be assembled eiciently and which may be readily serviced.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description when the same is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a sewing machine embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 with certain parts omitted for clarication;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 6 5 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10' designates a main drive shaft operatively connected to a source of motive power, such as an electric motor, not shown. The shaft 1t)` carries a worm 11 iixed thereon. A fixed shaft 12 is supported at one end in a boss 13 integral with the wall of the machine housing `15. A pair of

worm wheels

14 and 16 integrally connected are rotatably supported on shaft 12 and are confined on the shaft between a head portion 17 and a bushing 18, the latter secured in the boss 13. As will be apparent by reference to PIG. 1, the shaft extends at a right angle relative to the axis of shaft 10 and the worm wheel 14 is in engagement with worm 11.

A bracket 19 is suitably mounted on a shoulder 21 integral with the housing wall 15. The bracket 19 is bored to receive a shaft 22 which pivotally supports for oscillating movement a bracket 23. The said bracket, as will be seen clearly in PIG. 3, is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of spaced upstanding arms 24 provided with registering apertures to rotatably support a shaft 26. The shaft 22 is provided with an extension 2S which rotatably supports an integral Worm 29 and worm gear 31. The worm 29 is in engagement with worm wheel 16. A stack of different stich pattern cams indicated ygenerally by the numeral 32 is carried on shaft 26 and locked thereto as with set screw 33 for rotation therewith, the cams 32 being disposed between the upstanding arms 24 of bracket 23. A planetary spur gear 34 is fixed on the end of shaft 26 and is in meshing engagement with spur gear 31. A pin 36 is carried on the upper end of arm 24 of bracket 23.

A double armed crack lever 37 is pivotally supported as by a screw stud 38 on a casting projection 39 integral with the machine housing 15. One arm 4-1 o-f the crank lever 37 is in engagement with pin 36 while the other arm 42 is coupled to a pitman 43 which is operatively connected tothe needle bar of the machine, not shown. The arm 42 also carries a screw pin 44 to which is connected one end of a tension spring 46 which serves to bias the crank lever 37 in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 1, to maintain the arm 41 in constant engagement with the pin "36.

A plurality of cam tracking elements 47 are arranged in alignment with the cams 32, there being a separate element for each one of the cams. The said elements are supported for pivotal movement on a shaft ed which is suitably supported on the housing wall of the machine.

A plurality of push buttons, indicated generally by the numeral 419, one for each of the cam tracking elements 47 are arranged in alignment with respective tracking elements and extend through a suitable opening in the housing wall '15 of the machine so as to be accessible to the operator of the machine. As will be seen by reference to FIG. 6, each of the push buttons 4,9 includes notched and angular portions as shown at 51 which cooperate with guide plate 52 and slide plate 53, the latter being biased as by a spring 54. Each of the push buttons is biased outwardly by a spring 56.

In FIG. 5 the push buttons 419 are shown as arranged in two tiers one above another. It will be understood that this arrangement is merely for the purpose of providing adequate clearance for the parts so as to maintain the arrangement of parts in as compact a relationship as possible.

In the operation of my invention, a push button 49 is pressed in in order to select a desired cam pattern. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a push button 49 when so pressed is automatically locked into operative position by reason of the slide plate 53 interengaging with a notch on the portion 51. Referring to FIG. 5, it will be seen that the tracking element 47 is caused to engage a respective cam 32 and cooperate therewith. As the main drive shaft it? is driven by the motor of the machine, the shaft 25 is driven at a lreduced speed through the train of

gears

11, 14, 16, 219, 3-1 and 34. The spring 46 through the crank lever 37 normally urges the cams 32 in a direction towards engagement with a cam follower which has been actuated to operative position. It will be apparent that as the cams are caused to rotate the bracket 23 is caused to oscillate about the axis of shaft 22 in accordance with the cam pattern, correspondingly oscillating the crank lever 37 and transmitting such motion to the pitman 43 which is connected to the needle bar of the machine, thereby irnparting lateral swinging movement to the needle bar.

It will be understood that a different cam pattern may be selected merely by depressing a dierent push button 49 corresponding tothe desired cam pattern. Under such circumstances a push button 49 previously depressed will be caused to return to non-operating position.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that my invention provides an arrangement wherein a large assortment of pattern cam discs and a corresponding number of cooperating cam followers, each permanently aligned with one of the cam discs may be incorporated in a highly compact arrangement within a machine housing thereby affording a reduction in the number of machine parts and resulting in a corresponding reduction in the cost of production as well as increased eiliciency in operation and serviceability.

Various changes coming within the spirit of my inventi-on may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art; hence, I do not wish to be Vlimited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of my invention being limited only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A control mechanism for an'ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a cam Isupport mounted for pivotal movement, a plurality of differently shaped cams coaxially mounted on said support for rotation about an axis carried by said support, a plurality of cam tracking elements, a gear train including planetary gear means for continuously driving said cams, spring means biasing the cams against selected cam tracking elements whereby they will engage and cooperate to rock said support While said cams are in rotation, means connecting the support with members to be controlled whereby the members may be actuated in response to the surfaces of selected cams, and

operator influenced means for shifting the cam tracking elements relative to each other thereby to select different cams to be engaged by said cam tracking elements.

2.. A control mechanism for an ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a plurality of rditerent rotary cams, a support for said cams, means pivotally mounting said support, a cam tracking element moveable between operati-ve and inoperative positions, said cam tracking element being engageable with one of said cams and looked against movement in its operative position, a gear train including planetary gear means for continuously driving said cams, means biasing the cams against the cam tracking element whereby the support will oscillatably respond to said cams in rotation, operator influenced means for selecting different cams to be tracked by said tracking element, and transmission mechanism connected to said support.

3. A control mechanism for an ornamental stitch sewing machine comprising a plurality of differently shaped cams ooaxially arranged and mounted for rotation about a shaft, a pivoted support carrying said shaft and said cams, a cam tracking element moveable between operative and inoperative positions, said cam tracking element being engageable with one of said cams and locked against movement :in its operative position, means biasing the cams against the cam tracking element whereby the support will oscillatably respond to said cams in rotation, a gear train including planetary gear means for continuously driving said cams, operator influenced means for moving said stationary cam tracking element into engagement with one of said cams and transmission mechanism connected to said support.

4. A control mechanism for an ornamental stitch sewing machine lcomprising a pivotally mounted support bracket, a plurality of cams coaxially arranged and mounted for rotation on said support bracket, a cam tracking element moveable between operative and inoperative positions, said cam tracking element being arranged to engage with one of said cams and locked against movement in its operative position, means biasing the cams against the cam tracking element whereby the support bracket will oscillatably respond to one of said cams in rotation, a gear train including planetary gear means for continuously driving said cams, and transmission mechanism connected to said support bracket.

5. ln an ornamental stitch sewing machine, a cam support member pivotable about a fixed axis carried on the housing of said machine, a stitch pattern producing cam rotatably mounted on said support, a cam tracking element moveable between operative and inoperative positions, said cam tracking element being engageable with said cam and locked against movement in its operative position, means biasing the cam against said tracking element, gear means including planetary gears for continuously driving said cam, said support member being oscillatable in response to the rotation of said cam, and transmission means connected to said support member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A CONTROL MECHANISM FOR AN ORNAMENTAL STITCH SEWING MACHINE COMPRISING A CAM SUPPORT MOUNTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT, A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENTLY SHAPED CAMS COAXIALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF CAM TRACKING ELEMENTS, A GEAR TRAIN INCLUDING PLANETARY GEAR MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY DRIVING SAID CAMS, SPRING MEANS BIASING THE CAMS AGAINST SELECTED CAM TRACKING ELEMENTS WHEREBY THEY WILL ENGAGE AND COOPERATE TO ROCK SAID SUPPORT WHILE SAID CAMS ARE IN ROTATION, MEANS CONNECTING THE SUPPORT WITH MEMBERS TO BE CONTROLLED WHEREBY THE MEMBERS MAY BE ACTUATED IN RESPONSE TO THE SURFACES OF SELECTED CAMS, AND