US3124256A - Frame exchange mechanisms for quilting machines - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1964 A. SCHWARZBERGER 3,124,256

FRAME EXCHANGE MEcHANIsMs FOR QUILTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 14, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: ARTHUR lSCHWARZBERGER ATTORNEYS.

March 10, 1964 A. scHwARzBERGER 3,124,256

FRAME EXCHANGE MECHANISMS FOR QUILTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 14, 1960 JNVEN TOR.' ARTHUR SCHWARZBERGER ATTORNEY S.

March 10, 1964 A. SCHWARZBERGER 3,124,256

FRAME EXCHANGE MECHANISMS FOR QUILTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 14. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR: ARTHUR SCHWARZBERGER ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Utilice 3,124,256A Patented Mar. l0., 1964 3,124,256 FRAME EXCHANGE MECHANISMS FOR QUILT ING MACHNES Arthur Schwarzherger, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Shirley Schwarzherger, doing business as A-B Mfg. C0., Chicago, Ill.

Filed Nov. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 68,801 3 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) My invention relates to machines which sew line stitching in quilt forming materials. These are carried in frames which move between a preparing table and a carrier; and the materials receive the line stitching operation while in the carrier. Thus, a given quilt unit is mounted in a frame. The latter is placed on the carrier, and the line stitching operation occurs while the quilt unit is on the carrier. During this process the next quilt unit to be stitched is prepared in a second frame identical with the iirst, but mounted on a table located opposite the carrier. Here the new quilt unit is stretched taut and clamped; and when the previous quilt unit has been fully line stitched, the frames are exchanged, whereby to locate the finished quilt unit over the table for removal lfrom its frame, while the prepared quilt unit receives the stitching operation. This process is performed in a machine treated in my co-pending patent application -iiled March 23, 1960I under Serial No. 17,133, now United States Letters Patent 3,044,624, issued July 17, 1962.

In the aforesaid machine, the instrumentalities `for moving the iframe with the nished quilt unit to a frontal position over the table involve a set of sweep arms and extensive controls for the operation of the same. To depart from this arrangement, the main object of the present improvement is to simplify and reduce the expanse of the `frame exchange mechanism, so that it will require but a single manual control to put it in action and a single automatic control to stop its operation.

A Vfurther object is to substitute a compact chain-driven mechanism for the sweep arm `device formerly employed, with a simple motor drive Ifor such mechanism instead of the pneumatic system used in the -device referred to.

Another object is to eliminate idle motion in the framepropelling mechanism by the utilization of all movements therein for the propulsion of the work-bearing frames.

An important object is to include a differential speed factor in the frame-propulsion drives, whereby to accelerate the departure of the prepared-unit frame from the table in order to insure ample clearance for the mounting of the finished-unit frame thereon.

In accordance with the #foregoing a better understanding of the improvement may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FiG. 1 is a top plan View of .the entire machine, duplicating FIG. 1 in my aforesaid patent application Ifor the most part;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the showing in lFIG. 1, viewed from the right-hand side thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged duplication of the left-hand portion of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. is a section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. -6 is an enlarged duplication of a gear :box shown in the lower center part of FIG. y4;

FIG. 7 is a right-hand side view of the showing in FLIG. `6, partly broken away; and

FIG. 8 is an elevation of a hook detail.

The stitching facility and the carriers are shown and described in detail in my co-pending patent application on Follower Unit for Quilting Machines, filed on January 5, 1960, under Serial No. 548. However, brief mention will be made of these units in the present case to help identify them. Thus, specic reference to FIGS. l and 2 of the drawings indicates the bridge frame of the stitching unit at 2d, the left-hand post thereof at 20a, the right-hand post at Zilb, and the sewing machine within the bridge `frame at 2l. The same figure also shows a pair of oor rails 30 extending along the front and rear of the bridge frame 20, respectively. These rails are secured to the oor of lthe space occupied by the machine, and are designed to form a track for the travel of a carrier 32 in the lower par-t of the machine from side to side in the space between the posts. The carrier 32 is formed with cross-bars 33, and has wheels 35 which ride on the rails 30.

The side bars of the carrier 32 are also `formed to serve as a track lfor an upper carrier 4) whose travel is crosswise of the track rails Ell, that is, between front and rear positions. The carrier 4t) also has cross-bars `4l and wheels 42 which ride on the side rbars of the carrier 32.

Mounted as described, the upper carrier 4G may not only be moved forth and back, but from side to side with the lower carrier 32, as the latter rides the track rails 30. This permits any object on the carrier 40 to be wheeled in any lateral direction, such as to follow the meshes of a quilting pattern 45 located underneath the machine.

FIG. l shows a quilt unit at 5l? as clamped in a frame 51, the latter bemg mounted on the carrier 40. The assembly of the lframed quilt uni-t and the carriers may now be wheeled by hand to the position where the yfollower 47 engages the starting point of the patte-rn detail 45a. An electric motor 53 in the carrier 46, and a motor (not shown) for the sewing machine, may now be actuated by suitable controls to set the follower and stitching operation in motion `for imposing the stitching line in the work unit Sli according to the design of the pattern. While this operation is in progress, the other quilt unit frame '55 rests on a table Gil shown in the bottom part of FIG. l and in enlarged side elevation of FlG. 3. The main operation in the present apparatus is to withdraw the yframe 51 from the carrier assembly when the line stitching operation has been concluded, so that such `frame may change places with the alternate .frame 55 (not shown in FIG. 1) the withdrawing movement of the yframe 5l toward the front, and the rearward sliding movement of the alternate frame 55 being accomplished by a mechanism contained in the table 64).

The completing point in the pattern detail is planned to place the finished quilt unit 50 in the position shown in FIG. 1 when the stitching operation has ended, that is, at the rear of the table 60; At this point the attendant of the machine actuates a control-such as a button 65 on the post 2011 of .the sewing machine bridge frame 21-to institute the operation of the frame-exchange mechanism carried by the table 69. Such mechanism will now be described.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show that the sides of the table "66 carry long housings 67 which are rounded at the ends and open on the outer sides. These housings accommodate a pair of conveyor chains 68, these havin-g drive sprockets 7@ at the rear and idler sprockets 7l at the front. The shafts-70a and 71a, respectively-which carry these sprockets are journaled in the housings 67 as indicated at 73.

The power drives for the table mechanism are grouped on a shelf 60a underneath the table. The power source is an electric motor 76 from which a belt 177 extends in front of a gearbox 73 mounted on the shelf 60a. FIGS. 6 and 7 show that the pulley Sil which receives the motor belt is carried by a shaft 81 journaled in the front and rear ends of the gearbox. The purpose of the motor 3 drive is to transmit positive motion to the rear sprocket shaft 70a at a given speed in one direction, and motion to a sprocket 83 journaled on the shaft 70a at twice that speed in the opposite direction. Ordinarily, a regular belt for one drive and a crossed-belt for the other direct from the motor shaft would be used for the sake of simplicity. However the load imposed on the driving mechanism in the present case-plus the presence of a timing factorrequires the use of chain drives instead of belts; and the purpose of the gearbox therefore is to operate the shaft 70a and sprocket 83 as stated by means of chain drives.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show that the shaft 81 carries a worm 81a with which a gear 85 meshes from above and a gear 86 meshes from below. These gears are thus driven in opposite directions. The gear 86 is carried by a shaft 86a; and a chain drive S7 extends from this shaft to a sprocket 82 on the sprocket shaft 79a. The gear 85 is carried by a shaft 85a; and a 2 to 1 speed-reducing chain drive 89 extends from this shaft to the sprocket 83.

FIG. 4 shows that the hub 83a of the sprocket S3 also carries a sprocket 91 at a point midway between the sides of the table. A similar sprocket 92 is journaled with its hub 92a on the frontal cross-shaft 71a in alinement with the sprocket 91; and a conveyor chain 94 connects the sprockets 91 and 92 as shown in FIG. 5.

When a finished quilt unit is situated in the position Shown in FIG. l, it is in readiness to be transferred to the table 60. To do this the button 65 on the bridge frame post Ztlb is actuated to start the motor 76. The gearing from the latter puts the lateral conveyor chains 68 in motion in the direction indicated by arrows in the center of FIG. 3; and the chains carry means designed to draw on the frame 51 which contains the finished quilt unit in order to transfer the same to the table. Such means comprise two pairs of -arms 95 carried at spaced points along the chains; and full lines in FIG. 3 show the frontal pair of arms extended upwardly, while the rear pair of arms extends downwardly. The spacing of the rear pair from the frontal pair is half the length of the conveyor chains.

When a pair of arms 95 rises from the rear in the direction of the dot-and-dash arrows in FIG. 3, the arms secure drawing engagement with the frame 51. As before, the latter has side pins 75 at the front; and the arms 95 terminate with hooks 97 which engage the iside pins 75 from underneath, the hooks having guards 97a to retain the side pins in entrance channels 97b at the source of the hooks. As the latter rise to the dotted-line position in the same figure, the pins fall into pockets 97e offset from the entrance channels 97b. As the hooks rise to the dotted-line position they draw the frame 51 to the dottedline position A; and, as the hooks continue in forward direction they draw the frame to the dotted-line position B. A clearer view of the hook cavities is shown in FIG. 8. As in the previous structure, FIG. 4 shows that the table has upstanding side brackets 77 formed with inwardly directed pins 77e on which rollers 77d are freely mounted, the bracket having bases bolted at 77a to the table. The side bars of the frame 51 ride on the rollers 77d during the forward travel of the frame; and the pockets 97C of the hooks 97 hold the forward portion of the frame down, so that the rear portion thereof may not drag over the carrier 40. When the frame has been carried beyond the dotted-line position B, its forward end is grasped to draw the rear end off the rollers 77d. Now, such rear end slides over short runways 77e, depressing them to a dotted-line position against the tension of torsion springs 77f, whereby to slide the frame down on the table gently. As the frame 51 reaches the dotted-line position B, a lug 68a carried by one of the chains 68 trips a relay switch 100 suitably wired to the motor, shutting the Vsame off and stopping the travel of the conveyor chains.

Mention was made that during the stitching operation on one framed quilting unit mounted on the carrier 40,

another framed quilting unit was being prepared on the table 60 by stretching and clamping it in a frame identical with the one on the carrier. It is necessary that the unit on the table be removed to make room for the transfer of the finished unit to the table as described above, and means for such removal will now be described. It is noted from FIG. 5 that the medial conveyor chain 94 is below the table 60, and that the chain carries a pusher lug a which is projected in outward direction. As in the previous case, the pusher lug rises through a slot 60C in the center of the table to engage the frame of the prepared quilt unit and push such frame in rearward direction to a point where the frame is almost fully mounted on the carrier 40.

It will be recalled that the travel of the medial conveyor (chain 94 is in reverse direction from that of the outer conveyor chains 68, and at twice the speed thereof. Consequently, the upper run of the chain 94 travels in rearward direction as indicated by arrows in FIG. 5; and the chains are so timed that when the pusher lug 105:1 rises through the table slot 60C, it will bear rearwardly on the prepared unit frame as soon as the finished unit frame has progressed half-way from the dotted-line position A to the one B, as illustrated in FIG. 4. As the prepared unit frame will be pushed at twice the speed of the incoming frame, assurance is had that the table will be cleared of the prepared unit frame well before the finished unit frame is due for deposit on the table.

When the exchange of frames has been made as described, the automatic shut-off of the motor leaves everything at rest over the table 60; and the finished quilt unit may therefore be removed from the frame located on the table. Then the prepared quilt unit on the carrier 4i! may be given the line stitching operation. While this operation is in progress, quilt material is deposited and prepared in the frame located on the table 60. When the line-stitching operation has ended, and the frame 51 with the finished quilt-unit is in the position indicated by full lines in FIG. 3, it is time for the exchange of the frames, this process being instituted by pushing the starting button 65. as stated before.

The advantages of the improved machine will now be enumerated. First, the mechanism to transfer the workbearing frame from the carrier to the table has been reduced, not only in terms of parts, but also to the zones of the conveyor chains, leaving the space in and around the lower part of the table practically clear of moving parts. Further, the provision of two pairs of the hooks 97 utilizes each period of chain travel to simultaneously deposit a frame on the table and present a pair of hooks at the point of pick-up for the next frame on the carrier. Further, the pusher-lug chain also presents a pusher lug during each turn, with the double-speed factor, in order to preclude any possibility of interference between the incoming frame and the outgoing one, and to quickly clear the table for the incoming frame. Further, an odd and compact arrangement in the gearbox procures the opposed conveyor chain drives with a minimum of parts, and independently of the extent or timing of such drives. Finally, the simple starting and stopping controls reduce the electrical equirnent for the machine to an installation which is simple and familiar to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A frame exchange mechanism comprising a support and a carrier arranged laterally on which commodity bearing frames are adapted to be deposited singly, a pair of endless-conveyor side chains carried by the support and operable with upper runs in a direction departing from the carrier, arm means fixed to said side chains and movable therewith to draw and elevate each frame from the carrier in said direction to a position over the support, a third endless conveyor chain operable in a direction opposite that of the side chains intermediately of said pair of side chains and, including an upper arm with a projection to push each frame deposited on the support beneath an elevated frame to a position over the carrier, and driving means connected to and simultaneously driving the chains in opposite directions making the above drawing and pushing actions concurrent and the pushing action at a greater rate than said drawing action during each cycle of operation.

2. A frame exchange mechanism comprising a support and a carrier arranged laterally on which commodity bearing frames are adapted to be deposited singly, a pair of endless-conveyor side chains carried by the support and operable with upper runs in a direction departing from the carrier, coupling means projected from said side chains to draw each frame from the carrier in said direction to a position over the support, an intermediate conveyor chain operable oppositely from the side chains, with a projection from its upper run effective to push each frame deposited on the support to a position over the carrier, and driving means for the chains making the above drawing and pushing actions concurrent, and the pushing action at a greater rate than said drawing action during each cycle of operation, said driving means cornprising a cross-shaft with sprockets to drive said side chains, a sprocket journaled on the cross-shaft to drive the intermediate chain, and a power-operated gear box with a drive to the cross-shaft in a direction to procure said drive for the side chains and a reverse drive to said sprocket to operate the intermediate chain as stated, the gear box having a power driven worm shaft and a pair of worm gears meshing with the worm from opposite sides in order to be operated thereby in reverse directions, and said drives leading from the worm gears.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 in which said drive means comprises differential drive portions respectively connected to said pair of endless conveyor chains, and said third endless conveyor chain for driving said third conveyor chain at a rate of speed twice that of said pair of conveyor chains.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. A FRAME EXCHANGE MECHANISM COMPRISING A SUPPORT AND A CARRIER ARRANGED LATERALLY ON WHICH COMMODITY BEARING FRAMES ARE ADAPTED TO BE DEPOSITED SINGLY, A PAIR OF ENDLESS-CONVEYOR SIDE CHAINS CARRIED BY THE SUPPORT AND OPERABLE WITH UPPER RUNS IN A DIRECTION DEPARTING FROM THE CARRIER, ARM MEANS FIXED TO SAID SIDE CHAINS AND MOVABLE THEREWITH TO DRAW AND ELEVATE EACH FRAME FROM THE CARRIER IN SAID DIRECTION TO A POSITION OVER THE SUPPORT, A THIRD ENDLESS CONVEYOR CHAIN OPERABLE IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF THE SIDE CHAINS INTERMEDIATELY OF SAID PAIR OF SIDE CHAINS AND, INCLUDING AN UPPER ARM WITH A PROJECTION TO PUSH EACH FRAME DEPOSITED ON THE SUPPORT BENEATH AN ELEVATED FRAME TO A POSITION OVER THE CARRIER, AND DRIVING MEANS CONNECTED TO AND SIMULTANEOUSLY DRIVING THE CHAINS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS MAKING THE ABOVE DRAWING AND PUSHING ACTIONS CONCURRENT AND THE PUSHING ACTION AT A GREATER RATE THAN SAID DRAWING ACTION DURING EACH CYCLE OF OPERATION.

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