US3605658A - Sewing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A SEWING MACHING FOR UNITING BY A SEAM WORK PIECES OF UNEQUAL LENGTHS BY PUCKERING THE LONGER WORK PIECE SO THAT ITS LENGTH MATCHES THAT OF THE SHORTER AS THE INSERTION OF THE SEAM PROGRESSES. THE PUCKERING, WHICH IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL IN SEWING A MOCASSIN VAMP TO A MOCCASIN PLUG, IS ACCOMPLISHED BY A MECHANIUSM INCLUDING A PUCKERING AWL WHICH ENGAGES THE LONGER OF THE TWO PARTS, TYPICALLY THE VAMP, AHEAD OF A SEWING PLANE. THE AWL IS ADVANCED IN A STRAIGHT LINE TOWARD THE SEWING PLANE TO A GREATED EXTENT THAN THE PLUG THEREBY CAUSING THE VAMP TO PUCKER.

Description

P 20, 1971 J. R. IOANNILLI 3,605,658

SEWING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Joseph I? Joann/Ni By his Attorney Maw J. R. IOANNILLI SEWING MACHINES Sept. '20, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1970 P 20, 1971 J. R. IOANNILLI 3,605,658

SEWING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 P 20, 1971 J. R. IOANNILLI 3,605,658

SEWING mcnms Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 20, 1971 J. R'. IOANNILLI 3, 3

SEWING MACHINES 7 Filed July 8, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 1mm w l llHn \i W United States Patent 3,605,658 SEWING MACHINES Joseph R. Ioannilli, Beverly, Mass., assignor to USM Corporation, Boston, Mass. Filed July 8, 1970, Ser. No. 53,173 Int. Cl. Db 15/00 US. Cl. 112-54 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sewing machine for uniting by a seam work pieces of unequal lengths by puckering the longer work piece so that its length matches that of the shorter as the insertion of the seam progresses. The puckering, which is particularly useful in sewing a moccasin vamp to a moccasin plug, is accomplished by a mechanism including a puckering awl which engages the longer of the two parts, typically the vamp, ahead of a sewing plane. The awl is advanced in a straight line toward the sewing plane to -a greater extent than the plug thereby causing the vamp to pucker.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in sewing machines and more particularly to work advancing devices adapted to operate upon work plies having edges of unequal length which are matched by longitudinally compressing and puckering the longer edge in advance of the sewing point.

In my copending application Ser. No. 829,309, filed June 2, 1969, now Pat. No. 3,530,808, there is disclosed a machine especially useful for sewing together parts of a true moccasin comprising a vamp which, in the completed shoe, extends beneath the foot of the wearer and has a relatively long edge joined to a shorter edge of a plug. In the machine of my copending application the margin of the vamp is matched to that of the plug by progressively longitudinally compressing or puckering the vamp margin at a point in advance of the insertion of stitches. Longitudinal puckering is accomplished in the prior machine by instrumentalities including an awl to which is imparted two arcuate motions, one in a vertical plane to engage and disengage the vamp and the other in a horizontal plane for compressing the margin of the vamp ahead of the sewing point. The combination of motions imparted to the vamp by the awl moving in arcuate paths requires considerable operator skill for the guidance of the moccasin parts. In addition, it is sometimes necessary to lower the sewing speed to produce a product of uniformly high quality. A high degree of operator skill and a low sewing speed are required when operating upon leathers which are either thick or stiff and resistive to puckering and when the moccasin style is abruptly curved, particularly in the toe area.

It is a general object of the present invention to improve the productivity and reduce the amount of skill required in the operation of a sewing machine adapted to insert a seam in joining parts of unequal length such as a vamp to the plug of a moccasin.

Another object is to improve the quality and uniformity of machine-sewn moccasins at the same time that productivity is also enhanced.

Still another object is to permit the insertion by machine, of a seam uniting the parts of moccasins of much more diversified styles than have heretofore been possible.

The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a vamp puckering awl shaped and actuated in a combination of motions according to features of the invention so as to cooperate effectively with stitch forming and 3,605,658 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 work advancing instrumentalities of the machine to facilitate the guidance and manipulation of the work pieces at the sewing point. The shape of the puckering awl is arcuate and it is adjustably mounted so that it may be concentrical or if desired, slightly eccentric with a curved machine awl which perforates both plies of the work and a curved hook needle which penetrates the work through the perforation formed by the machine awl and retracts carrying a loop of needle thread as a step in the formation of a stitch. The puckering awl is oscillated vertically for engaging and releasing the vamp and in addition is reciprocated along a straight line in a direction generally perpendicular to a plane in which the machine awl and needle oscillate to perform its puckering function.

The foregoing objects and features of the invention will best be understood from a detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary detailed view in perspective as seen from the front of the machine, illustrating work manipulating instrumentalities according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view on a reduced scale and in perspective with some parts omitted and others shown in exploded relationship for clarity, of stitch forming and work puckering instrumentalities of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in right side elevation of the instrumentalities depicted in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4-9 are similar views in perspective as seen from a direction above and slightly to the right of the sewing point depicting progressive steps in the formation of a stitch and the accompanying operation of work puckering and advancing devices of the machine;

FIG. 10 is a view in perspective taken in approximately the same direction as FIGS. 4-9 illustrating a puckering awl equipped with a resilient pleat former for use upon materials which are resistive to puckering;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating the pleat former of FIG. 10 in engagement with a work piece during sewing; and

FIG. 12 is a detail view in perspective illustrating the mounting of the pleat former around the work puckering awl. l I

Turning now to the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive, it is seen that Work piece manipulating and feeding devices of the present invention are incorporated in a lock stitch shoe sewing machine, typically such as that disclosed in US. Letters Pat. No. 2,420,643, issued May 20, 1-947 in the name of Fred Ashworth. The machine includes a shuttle or loop taker 20, a curved hook needle 22, and a work penetrating curved machine awl 24 mounted for oscillatory motion in a fixed plane with the needle 22. Work feed is accomplished by a work advancing clamp comprising a work support 26- and a presser foot 28 similar to that disclosed in my aboveidentified copending application. The motion and form of a work puckering awl of the present machine constitute a substantial improvement over those disclosed in my copending application. The basic timing of the machine and some of the parts have remained unchanged in the present one. For example, the retaining finger 30 performs the same function in the present machine as its counterpart does in the machine of my copending application. The finger 30 is pivoted at 32 and is actuated to grip and release the vamp on the underside of the work support 26 by a link 34 which is one of the work support 26 by a link 34- which is one of the connections between the finger and a cam-actuated lever 36. The pivot 32, as best seen in FIGS. 4 to 9, is supported in ears mounted for movement with the work support 26 and ice hence the pivot reciprocates with the work support in a work feeding and return direction. The finger 30 thus grips the vamp on the underside of the work support 26 to assist in retaining puckers. The presser foot 28 is raised and lowered out of and into clamping engagement with the plug on the upper surface of the work support in the proper time relationship to cooperate in the work advancing function of the feeding clamp.

Shown in FIG. 1 is the right end portion of a generally horizontal link 38 which imparts an oscillatory motion in a horizontal plane to a lever 40 in a manner similar to that of the corresponding lever of my copending application. The motion imparted by the link 38 to the lever 40 is variable in its extent as in my copending application to change the amount of puckering imparted to the work piece while the machine is in motion. The interconnection between the lever 40 and a curved work puckering awl 42 of the present machine is significantly different from the arrangement of my copending application. In addition, mechanism for raising the awl 42 into engagement with the vamp preparatory to the puckering motion and for lowering for withdrawal from engagement with the vamp also represent significant improvements over the copending application.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the curvature of the awl 42 coincides generally with that of the needle 22 and the awl 24, being mounted for motion approximately about the same axis. The fact that the awl 42 closely coincides in its shape and its path about the axis of the awl 24 permits a transfer of engagement of the work from the awl 42 to the awl 24 without deflecting the work piece laterally of the line of the seam. In FIGS. 3, 8, 9 and 11 the plies of the work are shown as a vamp 44 and a plug 46.

The awl 42 is fixedly secured to the leftward end of an irregular shaped carrier 48 slidably mounted on a cylindrical guide 50. The awl carrier 48 receives a combination of longitudinal sliding and oscillating motions along and about the guide 50 which is fixedly mounted in upstanding ears of a bracket 52. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 the bracket 52 is secured by screws 54 to the work support assembly so that the guide 50 reciprocates in a work feeding direction with the work support 26. The location of the guide 50 determines the axis about which the awl 4-2 swings. Generally the guide 50 is mounted coaxially with a stud 56 about which the needle 22 and the machine awl 24 oscillates. However, the relative positioning of the guide 50 and the stud 56 can be varied by raising or lowering the bracket 52 and clamping it by the screws 54 which for this purpose pass through enlarged openings in the bracket. The raising or lowering of the bracket 52 so that the axis of the guide 50' is either above or below that of the stud 56 and thus slightly eccentric with respect thereto causes the entry of the awl 42 to impart a slight outward or inward motion to the vamp which is useful in facilitating the guidance of certain styles of moccasins.

For engaging and releasing the vamp 44, the awl 42 receives a pivotal motion about the guide 50 through mechanisms including a vertical link 58. Longitudinal puckering motion is imparted to the awl 42 through a reciprocating motion of the carrier 48 which for this pur pose is connected to a horizontal link 60.

As seen in FIG. 2, the lever 40 is pivoted at 66 near its outer end and is actuated through an adjustable oscillatory motion about the pivot by the link 38 in the same manner as its counterpart in my above-identified copending application. At its inner end the lever 48 has a ball joint connection with the link 60 which is also similarly connected to a depending car 68 of the awl carrier 48.

For imparting the oscillatory motion to the carrier 48 about the guide 50 the end of the link 58 is connected by means of a ball pivot to the inner end of a generally horizontal lever 70 which is pivoted at 72 on the lever 40. The outer end of the lever 40 is pivotally connected at 74 to a link 76 which is reciprocated vertically by a cam to impart the work engaging and releasing motion to the awl 42. The upper end of the link 58 is pivotally connected by means of a ball joint to an outwardly projecting ear 78 of the awl carrier 48.

Thick and stiff leathers may be so resistive to longitudinal compression that the puckering does not produce uniform creases each extending in essentially a sharply defined straight line from the vamp edge through the stitch holes a further distance comparable to the distance from the stitch holes to the edge of the vamp. In order to assist in the formation of uniform creases in such resistive materials there is provided a resilient former 82 shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 inclusive, having a vamp engaging edge 84 aligned with the awl 42. The former 82 is pivoted on a stud 86 and is formed with a tail 88 which maintains the edge 84 at a level close to the point of the awl 42. When the vamp 44 is penetrated by the awl 42 the edge 84 is pressed against the vamp along a line passing near the awl perforation and generally perpendicular to the edge of the vamp. The motion of the awl to the left toward the sewing plane in which the needle 22 and the machine awl 24 oscillate causes a sharply defined crease to form accurately along the edge 84.

The relative timing in the operation of the work feeding, vamp puckering and stitch forming instrumentalities of the machine will be understood by reference to my aboveidentified copending application since the timing of the machine functions has not been changed. In a general way, however, the operation of the machine will be understood from FIGS. 4 to 9 inclusive in which there are shown successive steps in an operating cycle. In FIG. 4 the instrumentalities are depicted as they are disposed when the machine is about to start. The presser foot 28 has been lowered into engagement with the plug 46 but the work feeding clamp which comprises the presser foot 28 and the work support 26 has not yet been backfed nor has the puckering awl 42 which is shown in contact with the machine awl 24 been returned to the starting position of its next work puckering motion. In FIG. 5 the awl 24 has penetrated both the vamp 44 and the plug 46' while the awl 42, out of engagement with the vamp, has already been backfed. During the backfeeding motion of the work feeding clamp, which takes place after the time depicted in FIG. 5 and before the showing of FIG. 6, the relative orientation of the plug 46 and vamp 44 is maintained by the machine awl 24. In FIG. 7 the machine awl 24 is almost completely retracted from the work and is being closely followed by the needle 22 as the awl 42 is engaging the vamp prior to the start of the puckering motion. As shown in FIG. 8, the needle 22 is in the process of retracting, carrying a loop of needle thread to be interlocked by the shuttle 20 with a locking thread in a conventional manner to form a lock stitch. The puckering awl 42 after having penetrated into the vamp 44 has advanced toward the awl 24 thereby causing the formation of a pucker 88. The formation of the pucker is accomplished by the advance of the awl 42 first while the needle 22 is in the vamp and then, after the needle 22 is withdrawn, by the clamping action of the retaining finger 30' which prevents the vamp from sliding leftwardly thus avoiding the formation of a pucker. In FIG. 9, the loop of needle thread has been taken up by the shuttle and the needle is therefore ready for its next work penetrating and thread withdrawal action. At the same time, the machine awl 24 is rising toward the vamp 4-4 to penetrate the vamp at a point as close as possible to the perforation formed by the puckering awl 42 and thereafter to penetrate the plug 46, rising to the level depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. Because the awl 42 is curved about the same axis and at a radius equal to that of the awl 24 there is no displacement of the vamp 44 when the machine awl enters the vamp in a perforation immediately adjacent that formed by the puckering awl 42. There is also no displacement of the work piece out of the line of the seam nor distortion since the puckering motion of the awl 42 is in a straight line centered with the working clamp comprising the work support 26 and the presser foot 28.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for sewing together a first ply and a second ply of a workpiece comprising stitch forming instrumentalities including a needle actuated at a sewing point for forming stitches, a puckering awl adapted to engage the second ply of the workpiece and movable toward the sewing point and actuating means for imparting to the awl is longitudinal straight line work compressing motion in advance of the sewing point whereby portions of the margin of the second ply are joined in puckered relationship by stitches to the margin of the first ply.

2. The machine according to claim 1 further comprising a curved machine awl and means for oscillating the machine and through a work penetrating and withdrawal motion and further characterized in that the puckering awl is curved on a radius equal to that of the machine awl.

3. A machine according to claim 2 further characterized in that the motion of the two awls is coaxial.

4. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising means for adjustably mounting the puckering awl for movement either concentrically or eccentrically with relation to the machine awl.

5. A machine according to claim 1 further comprising a resilient former having a work creasing edge located in line with the puckering awl and generally perpendicular to the work compressing motion.

6. A machine for sewing together a first ply and a second ply of a work piece, comprising stitch forming instrumentalities including a curved hook needle oscillated in a sewing plane and a curved puckering awl adapted to engage the second ply only of the work piece and movable toward the sewing plane and actuating means for imparting to the awl a longitudinal work compressing motion in advance of the sewing plane whereby portions of the margin of the second ply are joined in puckered relationship by stitches to the margin of the first ply.

7. A machine according to claim 6 further comprising a curved machine awl having a radius of curvature equal to that of the work engaging awl.

8. A machine according to claim 7 further characterized in that the two awls are mounted for oscillatory motion about the same axis.

9. A machine according to claim 6 further comprising a work advancing clamp including a work support and means for imparting a work advancing motion to the work support during a part of each sewing cycle.

10. A machine according to claim 9 further comprising a guide fixedly mounted on the work support and means for imparting to the awl a straight line work puckering motion relatively to the Work support and along the guide.

11. A machine according to claim 10 further comprising means for oscillating the awl about the guide to engage and disengage the second ply of the work piece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,705 3/1885 Barsby 11228 1,284,646 11/1918 Grammeter 112-54 2,336,703 1/ 1945 Ashworth 15698 2,420,614 5/ 1947 Ashworth 264239 2,972,316 2/1961 Ashworth et a1. 112-36 3,530,808 9/1970 Ioannilli 112-54 r PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner a

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