US3534695A - Sewing devices - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Inventor John Anderson Oram Osborne Cottage, Heath Road, Leighton Buzzard, England App]. No. 796,677

Filed Feb. 5, 1969 Oct. 20, 1970 Feb. 10, 1968 Great Britain 6,717/68 Patented Priority SEWING DEVICES 10 Claims, 17 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl .4

Int. Cl

Field of Search t.

112/154 D05b l/OU 112/154, 93, I39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,506,506 5/1950 Ketterer l l2/l 39 3,224,397 12/1965 Van Ness l 12/154 Primary ExaminerPatrick D. Lawson Att0rneyWoodhams, Blanchard and Flynn ABSTRACT: Sewing mechanism in which each loop of thread is locked against withdrawal by a retaining peg The pegs are arranged in an interconnected series and located one at a time on a peg-holding member. A severing device severs each peg from the series and a peg-ejector puts each peg into its loop. Shuttles and shuttle spools are avoided and all the mechanism can be on one and the same side ofthe cloth.

Patented Oct. 20, 1970 3,534,695

Sheet 3 014 M Ma) SEWING DEVICES The present invention relates to sewing devices.

At the present time a number of problems have arisen in relation to sewing devices. For example developments in techniques such as computer controls need, for their full realisation in applications to sewing, stitching mechanisms providing facilities which cannot be realised with existing sewing mechanisms. For instance, rapid sewing under close control can be effected but frequent reloading of shuttle spools reduces greatly the speed otherwise realisable with computer controls. In another example it would be of considerable advantage if the sewing mechanism could all lie on one side of the material to be stitched. This is particularly the case where the material to be stitched covers a large area as in sails for yachts and in carpets.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sewing mechanism whereby such problems can be solved.

According to the present invention there is provided sewing mechanism, wherein to form each stitch there is provided a needle-reciprocating mechanism whereby a thread can be formed into a loop through material to be stitched, a source of pegs so connected to one another as to form an interconnected series, a peg-locating mechanism coupled to the needie-reciprocating mechanism for operation in synchronism therewith and adapted to locate the leading peg of the series on or in a peg-holding member, a peg-severing mechanism coupled to the needle-reciprocating mechanism for operation in synchronism therewith and arranged to sever the leading peg from the series of pegs, and an ejector mechanism coupled to the needle-reciprocating mechanism for operation in synchronism therewith and arranged to actuate the peg-hold ing member in such a manner that the peg lies in and trans verse to the loop of thread whereby the loop is locked against withdrawal. Thus no shuttle is required in putting the invention into effect and, as will be described later, because of this the source of pegs, the peg-locating mechanism, the peg-holding member, and the ejector mechanism can all be on the same side of the material as the needle-reciprocating mechanism.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows schematically the general form of the stitch made by embodiments of the present invention,

FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 show one embodiment of the invention using two needles,

FIGS. 10, II, 12 and 13 show a second embodiment of the invention using only one needle, and

FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 show another embodiment using only one needle.

Referring to FIG. I, this shows the form of stitch made by the embodiments described. Cloth 1 is stitched by loops 2 of thread 3 passing through the cloth from one side and locked against withdrawal by pegs 4 of which there is one for each loop. Each peg is transverse to and lies in its associated loop as shown. This form of stitch is made by the two-needle embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 9 and by the single-needle embodiments of FIGS. to 13 and 14 to 17.

Referring to the two-needle embodiment, FIG. 2 shows the manner in which each stitch is formed. The cloth 1 is pierced by a conventional needle 5 which carries with it a conventional thread 2 through an eye 6 in accordance with standard sewing practice.

A second needle 7 of tubular or channel section, or provided with a suitable recess below the point, and constituting a peg-holding member carries a stiff peg 4 of plastic material. After the second needle 7 has pierced the cloth near to the needle 5 an ejector mechanism (described later) advances the peg 4 partly out of the needle 7 and into a loop 8 of the thread 2 formed by the action of the needle 5. This loop is formed in conventional manner by reduction of tension in the thread during the initial withdrawal movement of the needle 5.

The peg 4 has a series of annular grooves 9 along its length and the peg 4 is so positioned as shown in FIG. 2 that the loop 8 of thread is located around the central groove 9. As the tension in the thread is reestablished and both needles are withdrawn through the cloth, the peg 4 is drawn firmly onto the surface of the cloth by the thread and the loop 8 is locked against withdrawal.

It will be appreciated that all the mechanisms for actuating the needles 5 and 7 and the pegs 4 lies on one and the same side of the cloth. As there is no abutment on the other side of the cloth to hold it against the thrust of the needles as they pierce the material, provision must be made to hold the cloth against the face of the machine adjacent to apertures in the face through which the needles 5 and 7 operate.

As shown in FIG. 3 this face 10 (shown as if made of transparent material) has an aperture II for the thread-carrying needle 5 and an aperture 12 for the peg-holding needle 7. The aperture II can be adjusted in length by moving a slider 13 the end of which forms a serrated or otherwise high friction abutment 14. The slide 13 is arranged to be adjustable by movement parallel to the line of stitching to permit the selection of the desired stitch length.

A finger 15, preferably with serrations coinciding with those on the abutment 14, is arranged below the surface 10 and serves to trap the thread 2 as is shown in FIG. 4 thus holding the cloth firmly against the surface 10 while the two needles pierce the cloth.

Although the path of the needle 5 through the cloth I is shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 as substantially normal to the plane of the cloth, it can with advantage be inclined as shown in FIG. 6 so as to minimise the tendency of the needles to hinge the cloth about the point at which it is anchored by the thread from the last completed stitch.

FIG. 4 shows the path of the thread from the reel 18 through a tensioner 17 and then to a cyclic detension arm 16 that has imparted to it an upward movement to momentarily slacken the tension and allow the loop 8 to form during the initial downward motion of the needle 5. From the cyclic detension arm 16 the thread passes up one side of the needle 5, through the needle eye 6, forms the loop 8 for the peg 4 (shown in FIG. 2) and passes down the other side of the needle 5, under the finger 15 and so to the last completed stitch.

As soon as the peg is located in the loop the two needles are withdrawn and the finger l5 commences to move on a roughly triangular path as shown by the broken lines and arrows in FIG. 5 which is a plan view through the top of the machine.

When the needles have almost reached their lowermost position the needle 5 is so positioned that the finger 15 can pass above it, picking up the tautened thread as shown in FIG. 7 and striking the thread back to trap it against the abutment I4 and thus moving the cloth relative to the mechanism. This action can be assisted by reciprocating claws acting on the underside of the cloth in accordance with orthodox sewing machine practice.

The peg-holding needle may be straight and arranged to follow a linear sloping path, or as shown at 7 in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 9 be curved and arranged to swing about a pivot 22 (FIG. 9) on its centre of curvature.

The pegs, shown in more detail in FIG. 8, may be of circular section in the form of a grooved roller the six larger diameters 20 being separated by necks of smaller diameter so as to have a greater grip on the weave of the cloth being sewn. The central groove 9 is so shaped as to take the thread 2. These pegs are preferably moulded in a material such as nylon and are interconnected by short integral filaments 19 so as to form an interconnected series that may be stored on a reel 31 shown in FIG. 9. The pegs will be slightly bent by being constrained to conform with the curved bore of the needle 7 and will thus have a frictional restraint to prevent unwanted movement within the peg-holding needle 7.

As the needle 7 retracts from the cloth its flared lower end 2] permits the leading peg 23 of the series to enter the tube and a blade 24 sliding in guide 25 severs the interconnecting filament 19. After the peg-holding needle 7 has pierced the cloth 1 its motion is arrested by an arm 26 abutting onto a stop 27. An arm 28 constituting peg-locating mechanism and eccentrically pivoted at 30 moves into the slot 29 pushing the group of pegs contained within the tubular needle forward so that the peg nearest the needle tip is correctly positioned (as shown in FIG. 2) within the loop 8.

The various mechanisms described must. of course. be operated synchronously with the mechanism for reciprocating the needle in order that the actions described shall take place in their correct sequence. The provision of suitable gears, cams, cranks, levers, links or other means necessary to convert the rotation of a drive motor into the required sequence of actions can be arranged to suit design and need no description.

Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 10, 11, I2 and 13, FIG. shows a peg 32 the upper extremity of which forms a sharp point 33 suitable for piercing the cloth being sewn. Such pegs are preferably moulded in a hard plastic such as nylon and are interconnected one to another at the points 34 and 35 the one illustrated having been severed from the adjoining peg by blade 43.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a peg 32 as it would appear when pulled down into the surface of the cloth being sewn by the thread 36. The end 41 remote from the point 33 is narrower so that the peg may locate in a needle-shank 37 (FIGS. l0, l2 and 13) the two together forming a smoothly contoured needle suitable for piercing a laminate of cloth. The thread 36 passes up a shallow channel 38 on one side of needle shank 37, across the top within the gap between two tongues 39 and a recess 44 in the peg 32 and on down a channel similar to 38 on the far side of needle shank 37 (FIG. 12), thus retaining the peg 32 securely into position.

In the channel formed between the two sides of the needle shank 37 is a sliding ejector 40 the end of which is shaped obliquely so that upward movement of the ejector will tilt the peg 32 so that the lower extremity 41 projects beyond the side of the needle shank 37. This ejector is operated by a suitable cam (not shown) so that when the peg and needle shank start descending from the uppermost limit of motion the ejector 40 remains stationary for such time as causes it to tilt the peg 32 into a roughly horizontal position. The ejector then moves with the needle shank 37 and as they withdraw through the material the peg 32 is positioned on the surface of the material with serrations 42 engaging the weave of the material.

FIG. 13 shows the needle shank 37 retracted to its lowest position and the endmost peg 46 of an interconnected series of pegs 46, 47, 48, advanced so that firstly thread 45 is engaged in the recess 44 after which the needle shank 37 (with ejector 40 retracted to its original position) moves to pick up the peg 46 and the blade 43 severs the interconnecting filament between the peg 46 and the next peg 47.

As previously described, a finger passes above the tip of the united peg and needle shank to sweep the tensioned thread extending from the just-completed stitch and trap it against the serrated abutment thus moving the material in readiness for the next stitch.

Referring nowto the embodiment of FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17, FIG. 14 is a vertical section parallel with the axis of a fixed tubular needle guide 49 inside which a tubular needle 50 may slide axially. The needle 50 is provided with a slot 51 (shown in FIG. 15 which is a view looking down on the needle tip in the direction of the arrow above FIG. 14) extending down the needle for such distance that it appears below the cloth being sewn when the needle has penetrated to the fullest extent. The needle 50 is also provided with an aperture 52.

Within the tubular needle 50 is a peg-holder 53 which may slide axially within the needle. FIG. 14 shows the needle at its lowest position when the aperture 52 is aligned with a similar aperture 54 formed in the needle guide 49. FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the upper end of the peg-holder 53.

A peg 55 is the leading peg of a series of identical pegs interconnected by narrow filaments. In FIG. 14 the pegs have been advanced by an appropriate mechanism until the hooked end 56 of the peg 55 has engaged over the lip 57 formed in the peg-holder 53. A pawl 58 then retracts the next peg 59 a short distance thus rupturing the fine connecting filament and leaving broken ends 60 and 61.

The thread 62 comes from a reel via a tensioning device and up the channel 63 in the peg-holder 53. During the peg location and severing operations the linger 64 (shown in FIG. 17) sweeps across above the tip of the needle 50 and carries the tensioned thread 62 so as to trap it against the abutment 65 in the same manner as described in the preceding examples. In so doing it moves the cloth 66 along ready for the next stitch.

A suitable crank or cam mechanism slides the needle 50 and the peg-holder 53 upwards. As the needle passes through the cloth 66 the thread 62 loops over the peg 55 locating in the U- shaped notch in the peg 55 and passing down the channel 65 in the peg-holder 53, this channel being aligned with the slot 51 in the needle 50.

Upward movement of both needle and peg-holder continue until the peg is totally above the upper surface of the cloth whereupon the peg-holder's movement is arrested but the needle retracts through the material. As soon as the needle tip is clear of the material the peg-holder starts to retract and in doing so allows the protruding end of the peg 55 (terminating in broken filament end 60) to make contact with the surface of the material. Further downward movement of the pegholder 53 causes the peg 55 to be tilted into the horizontal position. While the tensioned thread 62 slides over the peg 55 the peg is prevented from rocking over by being located within side members 67 and 68 of the peg-holder 53.

Finally the peg is seated firmly into the cloth preferably across the line of stitching and the peg-holder 53 withdraws into the needle so as to be ready to accept another peg from the series.

lclaim:

1. Sewing mechanism comprising:

a. a needle-reciprocating mechanism whereby a thread can be formed into a loop through material to be stitched;

b. a source of pegs connected to one another to form an interconnected series of pegs;

a peg-holding member;

. peg-locating mechanism to locate the leading peg of said series on said peg-holding member;

. peg-severing mechanism to sever the leading peg from said series;

f. peg-ejector mechanism to actuate the peg-holding member and leave said leading peg in and transverse to said loop whereby said loop is locked against withdrawal; and

g. means coupling said needle-reciprocating, peg-locating, peg-severing and peg-ejector mechanisms to one another for synchronous operation.

2. Sewing mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein all of said mechanisms are arranged for operation to one and the same side of material to be stitched.

3. Sewing mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein said peg-holding member is in the form of a second needle.

4. Sewing mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the ejector mechanism operates to feed pegs along the second needle to the tip thereof, and said severing mechanism includes a cutting blade adjacent the end of the second needle remote from said tip.

5. Sewing mechanism as claimed in claim 2, wherein the peg-holding member constitutes part of a needle by which each said loop of thread is formed, and each said peg is pointed to constitute the tip of said needle when located 'on the peg-holding member.

6. Sewing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said severing mechanism includes a cutting blade on said part.

7. Sewing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said ejector mechanism includes an ejector mounted inside said part for axial sliding motion therein.

8. Sewing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a hollow needle is provided to form each said loop, said peg-locating member is located inside said hollow needle for axial slidthe located pcg from the series 10. Sewing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein to hold material to be stitched against the thrust of the needle or needles a finger is arranged to sweep the thread emerging from a stitch against a stop and to clamp it against the stop.

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