US3401656A

US3401656A - Automatic sewing path copying device for sewing and the like machines

Info

Publication number: US3401656A
Application number: US603303A
Authority: US
Inventors: Becker Ernst; Notz Karl
Original assignee: QUICK ROTAN BECKER AND CO
Current assignee: QUICK ROTAN BECKER AND CO
Priority date: 1965-12-22
Filing date: 1966-12-20
Publication date: 1968-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 1985-09-17
Also published as: DE1485291A1

Description

Sept. 17, 1968 E. BECKER ErAL 3,401,656

AUTOMATIC SEWING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l K Or/ NOrZ BY :TAZL. B TH A Tree v5) Sept. 17, 1968 BECKER ETAL 3,401,656

AUTOMATIC SEWING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W n/mp5 Aor/ IVO7Z BY KARL RAT H United States Patent 11 Claims. (Cl. 112-2) The present invention relates to automatic sewing path copying devices for sewing and the like machines of the general type comprising a driven stencil having a contour configuration conforming with the contour of a workpiece to be operated on along the edge thereof, said workpiece being mounted in a tentering frame coupled with said stencil through a cross-slide mechanism, to move the same past the stitch-forming or the like tools of said machine.

While the invention will be described in the following with specific reference to an automatic edge stitching device suitable for embodiment in a conventional sewing machine, it will become apparent that the improved control and operating mechanism as disclosed and described herein may be utilized with equal advantage in conjunction with other operations, such as welding, to be performed along the zone adjoining the edge of a workpiece of any given contour or configuration.

According to known automatic sewing devices of the referred to type, a first cross-slide coupled with the tentering frame holding the workpiece is operably connected with a second cross-slide through a cable drive, said second cross'slide having one slide member thereof connected to the stencil. Furthermore, the tentering frame is connected to a slide member of the first cross-slide through a releasable coupling, while the stencil is arranged for cooperation with a U-shaped stencil operating frame secured to a member of said second cross-slide. Finally, the members of each cross-slide are operably connected with one another through ball-bearing type sliding door devices or mechanisms.

In the use of devices of the foregoing type, the necessity arises frequently in practice, depending upon the character of the sewing goods or due to other causes, to interchange, during relatively short time periods, one stencil for another stencil of different size. Besides, in order to enable a releasable coupling of tentering frames of varying size, corresponding numbers of coupling devices are required. Finally, it may be desirable, if not necessary, to change from one type of coupling device to another device, depending upon whether or not the coupling devices between the tentering frame and cross-slide intersect or cross sewing path to be produced.

The carrying out of such interchanges is practically connected with great difiiculties when using arrangements according to the prior art referred to herein in that, aside from other defects and limitations, the U-shaped stencil operating frame principally allows of the use of stencils of substantially equal size only. Besides, the cross-slide member coupled with the tentering frame is normally fitted with a distinct number of coupling elements of definite type, whereby to make it necessary to exchange both the members connecting the cross-slide with the frame, on the one hand, and connecting the cross-slide with the stencil, on the other hand, while at the same time necessitating a loosening or release of the coupling between the sliding door mechanisms of the remaining coupling members of said slides.

Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is the provision of improved means connecting a single cross-slide mechanism of a sewing path copying 3,401,656 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 device of the referred to type with the tentering frame, on the one hand, and with the control stencil, on the other hand, whereby the foregoing and related difficulties and defects inherent in the prior devices are substantially eliminated or minimized.

A more specific object of the invention is to simplify and expedite the interchange of both the tentering frame and control stencil in a device referred to hereinbefore.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of an improved and simplified coupling mechanism between the tentering frame, cross-slide and stencil of a sewing path copying device of the referred to type, whereby a desired number of coordinated pairs of frames and stencils may be interchangeably mounted upon the device expeditiously and without special skill on the part of the operator.

The invention, both as to the foregoing and ancillary objects, as well as novel objects thereof, will be better understood from the following detailed description, taken in reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of automatic sewing apparatus comprising a conventional sewing machine and sewing path control mechanism constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken on line III-III of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

Like reference numerals denote like parts in the different views of the drawings.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention involves generally the provision of a carrier preferably in the form of a profiled rail of inverted U-shaped crosssection and constituting one of the cooperating members of a cross-slide operating mechanism of the automatic copying device and carrying both the tentering frame and control stencil of the device. The connection or coupling of said carrier with the tentering frame may advantageously be of the releasable type, to enable the use of different frames interchageably with one and the same stencil, for the purpose which will become more apparent as the description proceeds.

Expressed in other words, according to the present invention the workpiece tentering frame and control stencil are connected with the same member, referred to as the carrier member herein, of a single cross-slide operating mechanism, said carrier being in turn releasably or removably coupled with the other slide operating member. As a consequence, a number of carriers may be provided for different types of sizes of coordinated stencil and tentering frame combinations and interchanged whenever required instantly and expeditiously, to suit varying types of work at hand as well as other varying operating conditions or requirements.

In order to achieve these aims, in particular to enable a quick interchange without the use of special tools or skilled labor, the carrier, forming one member of the cross-slide, is maintained in operative engagement with the other cross-slide member by magnetic attraction produced by a plurality of slidable holding magnets supported by one of the members of the slide, to allow of relative movement therehetween in accordance with conventional cross-slide design and operation.

In order to ensure a smooth gliding movement of said carrier upon the cooperating cross-slide member, the holding magnets advantageously take the form of permanent magnetic rollers forming a roller bearing with one of the slide members and engaging a magnetic glide 3 strip of iron or the like afiixed to the cooperating slide member.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cooperating slide member also takes the form of a guide rail of inverted U-shaped cross-section embraced by said carrier and displaceably mounted at right angle to its longitudinal axis upon the sewing table of the machine, said rail having rotatively mounted therein, about a plurality of horizontal axes, a number of supporting rollers of magnetic material which slightly project through apertures in the top part of the rail, to engage the magnetic strip affixed to the carrier or cooperating cross-slide member. As a consequence, the permanent magnet rollers, forming a roller bearing together with said rail and attracting said carrier ensure an intimate and smooth releasable sliding connection between the cooperating members of the cross-slide mechanism. For the latter purpose, the carrier of inverted U-shaped cross-section advantageously consists of non-magnetic material and has afiixed to the inside of its horizontal portion a strip of magnetic material, such as iron or the like, engaged by said rollers in the coupled or operative position of the members.

With an arrangement of the foregoing construction, all that is required for the mounting or coupling of a desired carrier and associated stencil is to place the same upon the guide rail of the slide, to effect a firm and intimate gliding engagement therewith, by virtue of the magnetic attracting forces between said rollers and said strip, along both vertical and horizontal planes. In order to further improve the guidance of the carrier, the guide rail member of the cross-slide may be fitted with additional guide rollers rotatable about vertical axes and cooperating with vertical lateral guide plates or the like fast on said rail.

According to a further improved feature of the invention, the profiled carrier or cross-slide member carries the coupling member of a least one coupling device releasably connectable to a cooperating coupling member fast upon the tentering frame, to enable a ready and expeditious interchange of similar or different frames for the purpose, among others, of assembling one frame during the operation of the sewing machine loaded with another frame.

In arrangements of the afore-described type, the cow I pling element between the tentering frame and cross-slide may obstruct or intersect the path of the seam to be sewn, whereby to limit the operation to seams extending over a restricted portion only of the contour of the tentering frame or, in other words, to prevent the sewing of substantially closed seams or patterns.

In order to obviate the last-mentioned defect, a plurality or array of coupling devices are provided connecting the tentering frame with the cross-slide carrier in conjunction with suitable by-pass means, to temporarily release or deflect the coupling elements of the devices and to allow of free or unobstructed passage of substantially the entire contour zone or area of the frame or workpiece past the stitching tools of the sewing machine, in a manner as will become further apparent as the description proceeds in reference to the drawings.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the sewing path copying device shown includes a conventional sewing machine 2 mounted upon a sewing table or support 1 and a sewing goods carrier or tentering frame 4 resting upon and movable over said table and past the stitch-forming tool or needle 3, FIGS. 3 and 4, of said machine. As more clearly shown by the latter figures, the tentering frame consists of a lower clamping plate 5 of magnetic material, such as iron, and an upper clamping plate 6 consisting of non-magnetic material and fitted with a plurality of permanent magnet elements 7, FIG. 1, suitably distributed over the area of the plate. Both plates 5 and 6 being of like size have a contour or configuration conforming with the desired path or pattern of the seam to be sewn upon the work 8 (fabric, etc.) operated on.

The fabric or workpiece 8 being of somewhat larger size than, but having a configuration or contour conforming with the contour, of the plates 5, 6 in the registry position, is placed or mounted between the plates, to be clamped thereby by the magnetic attracting force between the magnets 7 and plate 5 acting as a magnetic armature. As a consequence, a constant edge zone of the workpiece 8, shown in the form of -a glove for purposes of illustration, projects from and along the contour of the frame, to enable edge-stitching or seaming of the work upon passing underneath the needle 3 of the sewing machine.

The tentering frame shown and the means for assembling or loading the same with a workpiece is further described in and forms the subject of our copending patent application Ser. No. 603,208 filed on even date herewith and entitled Sewing Goods and the Like Tentering Frame and Assembly Device Therefor, which copending application is herewith embodied in the instant application by reference.

The upper clamping plate 6 carries three (in the example shown) spaced

coupling elements

9, 10, 11 which terminate in ball-pointed coupling rods or bars 12, FIG. 3. The coupling rods 12 are designed to releasably engage in slits 13 of

coupling members

14, 15, 16, respectively, which are connected to a profiled carrier or rail 17 forming one of the cooperating members of a crossslide operating or control mechanism. In the example shown, the

coupling members

14, 15, 16 are pivotally mounted upon the carrier 17 about an axis being parallel to the carrier axis and normally urged to the horizontal position shown by the action of suitable return springs 19 urging the members to engage an abutment 20 fast upon the carrier 17.

The carrier 17, being constructed of non-magnetic or magnetically low-conducting material, such as aluminum, advantageously consists of a hollow profiled rail 21 of inverted U-shaped cross-section as shown in the drawing. Secured to the inside of the central part 22 of the rail 21 is an insert of magnetically active material, such for instance in the form of an iron strip or coating 23.

Carrier 17 in turn rests upon a guide rail 24 also having an inverted U-shaped cross-section and constituting the cooperating member of the cross-slide control mechanism. Mounted within the guide rail 24 are a number of permanent magnetic rollers 25 rotatable about horizontal axes at right angle to the longitudinal rail axis, The rollers 25 slightly project through apertures 26 in the upper (horizontal) part 27 of the rail 24, or beyond the upper face of the rail, for engagement and cooperation with the magnetic strip 23 of the carrier 17. The rollers 25 of ring shape are preferably magnetized in the radial direction. Alternatively, the rollers may be of soft magnetic material, such as iron, and the strip 23 of permanent or hard and suitably premagnetized material, to provide a required magnetic attracting force.

Further mounted in the horizontal rail 24 are bearing pins 28 supporting ball-bearings 30 secured to the pins by nuts 29 threadedly engaging the same, said bearings rotating about vertical axes, projecting through opposed apertures 31 in the lateral depending parts of the guide rail 21 and slidably engaging the inner faces of the rail.

Connected, by means of screws or the like, to each of the opposite ends of the guide rail 24 is one

part

34, 35 of a pair of angle pieces, the remaining trapezoidalshaped parts of which are arranged to move within

vertical guide slots

36, 37 in the table 1, in a manner to afford displacement of the cross-slide carried 17 in the coordinate directions at right angle to one another, as indicated by the double arrows a and b in FIG. 1.

Items

39 and 40 are brackets connecting the carrier 17 with a control stencil 41 having a configuration similar to part 27 of the guide the contour of the tendering frame 4 and operated by a pair of driving rollers, to cause the frame 4 to be displaced along a predetermined sewing path, such as the outer contour of a glove shown by the drawings for illustration.

In use, a frame 4 holding a workpiece 8 is coupled with the carrier 17 by inserting the ball pointed coupling rods 12 of the

elements

9, 10, 11 into the slits 13 of the

members

14, 15, 16. Subsequently and while the sewing machine is still at rest, the carrier 17 is manually operated to or adjusted at its starting position according to FIG. 1 and the rollers 42 set into rotation by a suitable drive (not shown), whereby to displace the stencil 41 along a path corresponding to its contour configuration, thus in turn displacing the tentering frame 4 along a similar path, in the manner described herein. After the stencil reaches the starting point of the seam upon the upper horizontal portion of the sewing path, FIG. 1, an electric microswitch 43, FIG. 2, carried by the rail 24 is actuated by its spring-urged actuating lever 44 engaging a camshaped depression 45 of the strip 23 of the carrier 17. Actuation of the switch in turn causes the starting of the sewing machine and initiation of a sewing cycle, in a manner known and readily understood.

During the sewing cycle, after the seam reaches the lower horizontal portion of the sewing path, FIG. 1, a cam 46, FIG. 4, secured to the front of the sewing machine engages the coupling member 16, whereby the pointed end of the cam causes the member 16 to be lifted and deflected sufficiently upwardly, to allow the tentering frame 4 and workpiece 8 to move freely past the needle 3. During the latter operation or temporary release of the coupling member 16, a rigid coupling connection is maintained between the frame 4 and cross-slide mechanism (carrier 17) through the remaining coupling elements 9, 10 and coupling members 14, 15, respectively. After its subsequent release by the cam 46, the coupling member 16 is returned to its normal (coupling) position by the action of the spring 19 causing the coupling rod 12 of the element 11 to re-engage the coupling slit 13 of the member 16. In the same manner the remaining coupling members 14 and 15 are temporarily raised or deflected by the cam 46 and returned to their normal (coupling) positions, to thereby enable sewing of the entire lower section of the seam, FIG. 1, without obstruction by or interfering with the needle operation of the sewing machine. FIG. 4 shows the intermediate position of the tentering frame with the coupling member 15 in the raised or deflected position.

After completion of the lower portion of the seam, FIG. 1, the sewing machine is stopped by a second microswitch (not shown) similar to and actuated in a manner analogous to the switch 43, while the stencil continues to operate until reaching the starting position of the device shown in FIG, 1.

If it is desired to exchange a coordinated stencil and cross-slide unit for another unit of different size and/or type, all that is necessary in accordance with the present invention is to life the carrier 17 off the guide rail 24 and to apply another carrier and stencil unit, the coupling and alignment of the latter being automatically effected by the magnetic attraction therebetween and the magnetic rollers of the cooperating member or guide rail 24.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described in reference to a specific illustrative device. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as the substitution of equivalent parts or elements for those shown herein for illustration, may 'be made without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

We claim:

1. An automatic sewing and the like working path copying device for use in connection with sewing and the like machines comprising in combination:

(1) a support,

(2) a control stencil having a contour conforming with the configuration of said path and displaceable upon said support,

(3) drive means to operate said stencil,

(4) a mounting frame holding a workpiece to be operated on also displaceable upon said support, and

(5) a cross-slide coupling mechanism operably connecting said stencil with said frame, to operate said frame through a path conforming with the stencil operating path and past the stitching or the like tools of a machine mounted upon said support, said mechanism including (a) an elongated carrier supporting both said frame and said stencil,

(b) a guide rail parallel to and slidably supporting said carrier for movement in a direction along the axis thereof,

(c) means slidably support for movement angle to said axis, and

(d) cooperating magnetic means upon said carrier and said rail, to urge said carrier into releasable sliding engagement with said rail.

2. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, including roller bearing means intervening between said carrier and said rail and comprised of magnetic roller and glide strip elements, one of said elements being of hard and permanently magnetized material and the other element consisting of soft magnetically active material.

3. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, including roller bearing means intervening between said carrier and said rail and comprised of a plurality of permanent magnetic rollers and a magnetic glide strip supported, respectively, by said rail and said carrier.

4. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, both said carrier and said rail having an inverted U- shaped cross-section and arranged in mutually interengaging and relatively slidable relation to one another.

5. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 1, both said carrier and said rail having an inverted U-shaped cross-section and slidably interengaging one another.

6. An automatic copying device for a sewing machine as claimed in claim 5, said frame comprising a pair of aligned clamping plates having a contour conforming with the contour of said stencil and supporting a workpiece clamped therebetween with its contour zone projecting beyond said plates for edge seaming by the stitching tools of said machine, and said coupling mechanism including an array of horizontal coupling elements extending from said frame and adapted to releasably engage corresponding coupling members extending from said carrier, means pivotally supporting said members upon said carrier for deflection between a normal horizontal position and a retracted vertical position, spring means to urge said members into said normal position, and stationary cam means carried by said machine and adapted for cooperation with said members, to temporarily deflect said members while moving past the stitch-forming tools of said machine.

7. In an automatic copying device as claimed in claim 6, said coupling elements terminating in ball-pointed coupling rods and adapted to engage vertical coupling slits in said members.

8. An automatic copying supporting said rail on said in a direction at right device as claimed in claim 1, said coupling mechanism including an array of spaced coupling elements extending from said frame and adapted to releasably engage corresponding coupling members extending from said carrier.

9. An automatic copying device as claimed in claim 8, said coupling elements terminating in ball-pointed coupling rods adapted to engage coupling slits in said members.

10. A cross-slide mechanism comprising in combination:

(1) a support,

(2) an elongated carrier,

(3) a guide rail parallel to and slidably supporting said carrier for movement in a direction along the axis thereof,

(4) means slidably supporting said rail on said support for movement in a direction at right angle to said axis, and

(5) cooperating magnetic means upon said carrier and said rail, to urge said carrier into releasable sliding engagement with said rail.

11. In a cross-slide mechanism as claimed in claim 10,

including roller bearing means intervening between said carrier and said rail and comprised of permanent mag References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Schmidt. Abel.

Slinn. Lockwood. Milligan et a1.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. A. R. GUEST, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN AUTOMATIC SEWING AND THE LIKE WORKING PATH COPYING DEVICE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH SEWING AND THE LIKE MACHINES COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A SUPPORT, (2) A CONTROL STENCIL HAVING A CONTOUR CONFORMING WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF SAID PATH AND DISPLACEABLE UPON SAID SUPPORT, (3) DRIVE MEANS TO OPERATE SAID STENCIL, (4) A MOUNTING FRAME HOLDING A WORKPIECE TO BE OPERATED ON ALSO DISPLACEABLE UPON SAID SUPPORT, AND (5) A CROSS-LIKE COUPLING MECHANISM OPERABLY CONNECTING SAID STENCIL WITH SAID FRAME, TO OPERATE SAID FRAME THROUGH A PATH CONFORMING WITH THE STENCIL OPERATING PATH AND PAST THE STITCHING OF THE LIKE TOOLS OF A MACHINE MOUNTED UPON SAID SUPPORT, SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING (A) AN ELONGATED CARRIER SUPPORTING BOTH SAID FRAME AND SAID STENCIL, (B) A GUIDE RAIL PARALLEL TO AND SLIDABLY SUPPORTING SAID CARRIER FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION ALONG THE AXIS THEREOF, (C) MEANS SLIDABLY SUPPORTING SAID RAIL ON SAID SUPPORT FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLE TO SAID AXIS, AND (D) COOPERATING MAGNETIC MEANS UPON SAID CARRIER AND SAID RAIL, TO URGE SAID CARRIER INTO RELEASABLE SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID RAIL.