US393414A - Sewing-machine - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

H. P. ALDRIGH.`

SEWING MACHINE.

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SEWING MACHINE. No. 393,414. Patented Nov. 27,1883.

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HOSEA P. ALDRCH, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part ci Letters Patent No. 393,414, dated November 27, 1888.

Application tiled November l0, 1,186, Serial No. 218,478.

To all whom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, l-,Iosna P. ALDRICH, of Somerville, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, havevinvented an Improvement in Sewing-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relating to sewing-machines is embodied in adouble-thread lock-stitch machine using waxed thread, and especially intended for various kinds of leather-work. The main devices for forming the stitch may be and are shown as of usual construction, and comprise an awl operating above the work-snpport to pierce the material, a hooked needle that enters the hole thus made 'from below the work-support, a thread-guide or looper above the work-support that throws t-he upperth read into the hook of the needle when projecting above the material, and a shuttle containing the under thread,whieh is thrown through the loop of upper thread that is drawn down below the under surface of the material being sewed by the hooked needle.

The invention consists, mainly, in details of construction of the devices for presenting the thread to the stitch-forming devices before mentioned; for regulating the tension of the upper and under threads; for taking up the loop in the upper thread after the under thread has been passed through it hy the shuttle, and for applying the waX to the thread and retaining the parts properly heated, so that the wax remains soft and pliable, and in various combinations of devices co-operating with the 'main stitch-forming appliances, as will be hereinafter specified.

Sonie of the devices forming the subject of this invention are not absolutely essential to the operation of the machine, but are auxiliaries that increase the certainty and positiveness of the operation of the other parts, and thus enable the sewing to be made more rapidly and with greater uniformity than can be effected without such auxiliary devices.

The machineA is shown as having an awlfeed; but this is not essential, as any suitable means for feeding the stock may be employed.

An important feature of the invention consists in the means employed for eontrollingthe (No model.)

tension of the upper th rcad,waxin g the thread, supplying it to the stitch-forming devices,and taking up the thread that has been required to form a loop sufficiently large for the shuttle to pass through. The wax for the upper thread is contained in a stationary receptacle or reservoir, (shown as heated by a steam-pipe passing through it,) and from the said reservoir the Wax is carried by suitable passages to a take-up device or vibrating arm, upon which is supported the tension-wheel for the upper thread, and also a small waxing-receptacle having perforated nuts at its opposite ends, through which the thread passes from the tension-wheel to the stitch-forming devices. by which the moving` waxing-receptacle on the vibrating arm or take-up is retained in constant communication with the wax-reservoir, and by which a constant circulation of steam is also maintained on the said arm for the purpose of keeping the small moving wax-receptacle heated, and steam is also kept circulating through pipes along the shuttle-racc, so that the shuttle and under thread are kept heated by the conduction of heat through the metallic parts. The tension-wheel is provided with a brake or stop that prevents it from turning while the take-up arm is making its .up-and-down movement,and the said brake is released at the end of the upward movement of the arm, by which the last stitch is drawn up, and at this moment enough thread is drawn off over the tension-wheel for the next stitch.

The machine is provided with a threadmeasuring device which holdsthe upper thread in such position that the hook ot' the needle will draw down the loop of thread without causing the thread to run through the hook, thus relieving the thread from the wear which it would otherwise get, and while such a threadmeasuring device is not broadly new, it is believed that the arrangement of the said device with relation to the other parts and the means for actuating it are novel. The other novel features will be described in connection with the drawings that illustrate the machine.

Figure l is a side elevation of a sewing-niachine embodying this invention with parts of the frame-work'broken away; Fig. 2, a sectional detail on line X X, Fig. 1, showing in Suitable connections or ports are made Y IOO plan view the thread guide or looper, the thread-measuring device, presser-foot, worksupport, and some of the parts below; Fig. 3, a front end elevation ofthe machine, showing only the parts at the front end of the machine; Fig. 4, a sectional view through the shuttleraee showing the shuttle and shuttle carrier as seen when looking from the rear toward the front of the machine; Fig. 5, a plan view of the shuttle-carrier, showing the shuttle and a part of the shuttle-race in dotted lines; Fig. G, a horizontal sectional detail on line .s c, Fig. 3; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section of the shuttle; Fig. S, a plan View of the hub or axis of the vibrating take-up arm; Figs. 9 and 10, details illust ating the operation of the looper or thread-guide and thread-measuring device.

The main framework of the machine, comprising a base portion, a, that supports the operative devices below the material being sewed, and an arm, c', that supports the devices above the material, may be of any suitable shape, material, and colistruction, varying somewhat with the nature of the material to be operated upon. The working parts are all actuated by a main shaft, b, (shown as driven by a pulley, b', in the usual manner.) There is nothing of novelty in the devices for actuating the awl c, needle d, looper or threadguide e, and presser-footf, all of which,except the needle, are shown as actuated by mechanism substantially the same as shown in Patent No. 332,317, granted to me December 15, 1885, to which reference may be had. The actuating mechanism for these parts may bc briefly pointed out as follows: rllhe awl-bar c', which is vertically movable in guides in a carriage, ci, is connected by a link,"c", with an arm, c', on the shaft c5, all best shown in Fig. 3, which shaft is provided at the rear of the machine (see Fig. 1) with an arm, c", connected by a link, c7, with a lever, c, provided with a pro jection that enters a groovein a cam, c", on the main shaft b, and through these connections each rotation of the main shaft causes an tip-- and-down movement of the awl catthe proper time with relation to the movement of the other parts.

The carriage ci, in which the awl-bar moves, is connected by a dovetail guide, as shown in Fig. l, with the end of the arm a of the machine, andis horizontally movable on the said guide to produce the feed of the material. r1`his horizontal movement of the carriage is produced at the proper times-mame] y, in one direction while the awl is in the material, and in the opposite direction when the aw] is out of the material-by means of an arm, c", (see Fig. 3,) on a shaft, c, extending along the rear of the arm a', as seen in Fig. l., the said shaft c being provided at its other end with another arm, c, connected by a link, c, with an arm, c, actuated bya cani, 0"", on the main shaft.

The pressenfootf is supported on a bar, f (sec Fig. 3,) having a nut or projection, f2, at its upper end, and a sleeve, f3, free to move up and down on the said bar, but engaging the projection f in its upward movement, and thus raising the bar and presser-foot from the material being sewed at the time that the lateral or feed movement ofthe awl takes place. This sleevef is connected by a link.f', with an arnnf, (see Fig. 1,) on a shaft, f", (shown as a hollow shaft,) having its bearings on the shaft c, although it might have independent bearings, if desired. The said shaftf is provided near the rear of the machine with an arm, f", connected by a link, f, with an arm, f, actuated by a cam, f, on the main shaft l. These trains of mechanism from the main shaft to the awl, awt-bar carriage, and presserfoot are all substantially alike, except in the shape and positions ofthe cams, and the arms c, ci", and f that are actuated directly from the different eams,are all fulcrumed on a rod, c, supported in brackets a on the base of the machine.

rilhe looper or thread guide c is fastened upon an oscillating shaft, c', provided with an arm, l?, (see Fig. 3,) connected by a link, c, with an arm, c, at the upper end of a vertical rockshaft, c", having an arm, e", at its lower end engaged and operated by a cam, el, on the main shaft b, as in the patent hereinbcfore mentioned.

The threadmeasu rer g, the function and operation of which will be hereinafter more fully explained, consists of a finger forked or notched at its end, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 10, connected with a sleeve, g', of the looper-shaft, and is provided with an arm or crank-pin connected by a link, y, with an arm, g, on a vertical rock-shaft, g5, provided with an arm, g, actuated by a cam, gl, on the main shaft b,and the mode ot' operation of this connecting mechanism between the main shaft and the threadmeasnrer is substantially the same as that which actnates the thread-guide, which is the same as shown and described in Patent No. 113,962, granted to me April 25, 1871.

The hooked needle d below the plate or work-support h of the machine is supported on a bar, d', (see Fig. 4,) connected by a link, d2, (see Fig. 1,) with an arm, di, pivoted on a shaft, d", and actuated by a cam, d, on the main shaft b. rlhe said necdlebar d works in a guide-passage formed in an upright, a3, projecting from the base of the machine, the upper portion of which upright forms a shutt1e race, a, which is entirely open at one side, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

rlhe shuttle i is shown as made mainly of a single piece of metal of somewhat irregular shape externally, as shown in the various gures, having a longitudinal cylindrical bore, as shown in Fig. 7, and a cap, i', that screws into the end of the bore and holds the bobbin 2 in place, said bobbin bearing at one end on a yielding pivot or step, i3, and resting at its other end against a friction plate, i, which may be pressed against the end of the bobbin with greater or less force by a follower, i5, having a split threaded stem working in a threaded IOO IIO

opening in the cap t, and fastened when properly adjusted by atapering screw, i6. By turning the follower t5 inward toward the body of the shuttle the spring at the other end will he compressed, and thus cause greater pressure on the friction disk i* and increased resistance to rotation of the bobbin il until the thread is caused to draw oft' properly from the said bobbin, the thread passing out through an opening, is, in the upper part of the shuttle. It is preferable to wax the thread before winding it on the bobbin il, and when the machine is in operation the entire shuttle and inclosed thread are kept heated, by means hereinafter described, sutiieiently to kcepthe thread soft and pliable. The upper thread, 7c, Fig. l, is taken dry or unwaxed from a bali or yspool and passed through a suitable guide, 7c', on an arm, cl,pivoted at the side'of the arm a' ot' the machine, and from the said guide lc the thread passes around a tensionwheel, pivoted on the end of the arm It and having the resistance to its rotary movement adjusted by a friction device, as is usual on the tension- V wheels of sewing-machines, which wheels are not, however, usually placed on the vibrating take-up arm, as in this invention. From the wheel k3 the thread passes through the waxingreceptacle It", which is ashort cylinder fastened on the end of the take-up arm k'land having its ends partially closed by plugs or nuts h5, having openings through which the thread passes, the thread lling the said openings, so that the wax will not run out, but the thread will be thoroughly saturated with wax in pass` ing through the said waxing-chamber, vfrom which it is carried through the eye ot' the thread-guide or looper e, which operates to place the threadin the hook ot' the needle d in the usual manner.

The hot melted Wax is supplied from a reservoir, on, having an outlet pipe, m', that passes to a ring or collar, m2, that is stationary on the pin ma, on which the takeAup arm k2 turns, and bears laterally against a ring or collar, m", that turns with the arm k2 about the pin m3 as an axis, and is provided with a pipe, in, that leads tov the waxing-receptacle liz. rlhis construction maintains a constant commu nication between the waxing-1cceptaele k" and the wax-reservoirm, while permitting the wax-receptacle t to move with the arm r'l; but it is obvious that a iiexible duct may be employed to convey the wax from the reservoir to the receptacle, instead of the jointed connection in ml. erly melted in the receptacle m by a steanr pipe, n, that passes through the same and out from the receptacle, as indicated at n', and the said pipe forms a continuous circuit t'or the iiow ot' steam around all the parts of the machine that have to be heated. It is necessary to keep the arm and wax-receptacle It* heated, and this is eiiected as follows: The steam-pipe a', issuing from the wax-reservoir in, passes to a collar, ai, (see Fig. 8,) on the pin m3 ofthe takeup arm k2, and the said pipe n connects lThe wax is retained propthrough a lateral port in the said collar, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 8, with a corresponding lateral port in the ring m", and with a pipe, n, which extends along the arm 7c, as shown in Fig. 1, out nearly to the wax-receptacle 76, and is then turued'hack on itself and again enters the ring in", as indicated at a5, Figs. i and S, where it is connected through lateral ports, similar to those before described, with a stationary pipe, n, which passes from the stationary collar ai', and is then led, as shown in Fig. l, over to the upright tti of the machine, and then passes back and forth along the side of the raceway, as represented at ai, Figs. l and 3. after which the end as of the pipe is carried to any desired point to discharge the steam and condensed water.

The collar n2 has a tubular hub (indicated in dotted lines at if, Fig. S) extending along over the pin mi and within the rings m2 and mt, and the ringmq is held in place on the tubular hui) if" by a nut, n, which may be turned up, so as to cause the ported side faces of the rings mt', m1, and ai to bear against one another sufficiently to prevent leakage either of the Steam or wax when passing from the stationary rings mL n! into the ring m, that turns on the hub n?" with the arm .73'. The waxreservoir and wax-receptacle and duct connecting them are thus retained heated, so that the wax flows readily to the receptacle and saturates the upper thread as it passes through the same, and the shuttle-race and shuttle are also kept thoroughly heated by conduction from the pipe n?, so as to keep the under thread in the proper state of pliability.

The take-up arm 7.? is provided with an arm, ICH, connected by a link, lc, with one arm of the lever la, the other arm of which is engaged and operated by a hub, la, on the main shaft b, and thus produces the vibrating movement ofthe take-up arni at the proper times, adjustability ofthis movement being provided for in the usual manner by a slotted connection between the link koand lever kas clearly shown in Fig. 1.. By having the waxingreeeptacle fastened to and movable with the take-up the thread merely passes through the said receptacle in proportion as it is used,and is not drawn back and forth through the receptacle at every stitch, as is the case when the thread passes through a stationary waxingreceptacle located at some point between the stiteh-forn1ing devices and the take-up.

The tension wheel 7c is provided with a brake, 0, mounted on a lever, o, pivoted on the arm kand acted upon by aspring, 02,that normally forces it against the wheel 7c3, so as to prevent the same from turning during the up-anddown movement ofthe take-up lever lc". At the end of the upward movement of the said lever the end of the arm o comes in contact with a cam, ot, on the framed', which raises it from the tension-wheel k, leaving the latter to tnrn with only resistance required to give the proper tension to the upper thread. llhe tension-wheel is thus released from the IOO brakcjnst as the stitch is being formed and drawn up tight, and at this time the feed of the stock takes place and a sufficient amount of thread is drawn over the tension-wheel and through the waXing-ieeeptaele k* for the next stitch. At this time the loopcr or thread guide e is back from the path ofthe needle and awl, as shown in l0, and the threadmeasurerg is then turned from the position with its forked end just under the eye ot' the thread-guide, as shown in Fig. 2, to the position shown in Fig. l0, and in this movement it engages the upper thread extending from the last stitch to the eye of the looper and draws through the eye of the looper a porA `tion of thread which it holds, as indicated in liuelines, Fig. 9. The needle then comes ,up and the looper swings around and carries the thread between its eye and the end of the threadmeasurer g into the hook ofthe needle, which then descends, and at thc same time the arm 7:7" descends, relaxing the thread extending from one side of the needle-hook, and the thread-measurer g turns baek,relaxing the tllread at the other sidc of the needle hook, which thus draws down a loop of sufficient length to permit the shuttle to pass through without causing the thread to run in the hook of the needle, as would be the case it' the thread measurer g were not used and the thread were carried by the looper direct from the last stitch into the hook of the needle. The point of the shuttle i is directly in line with the shaft of the needle, so that when the shuttle is thrown forward it passes into and opens the loop held on the hook ofthe needle.

In order to prevent the loop flom being dragged by the shuttle, a loop-pusher, may be employed, consisting ofa linger, (bcstshown in Figs. l and 2,) which rests against the side of the shuttle inst in front ot' the loop, and holds or pushes the loop toward the rear end ofthe shuttle, so that thc shuttle will not drag the loop along with it iu passing through, and when thc shuttle has passed wholly through a loop ol' upper thread the loop-pusher or h'nger t is disconnected trom the loop,'which is also cast off or thrown out from the hook of the needle by the device n (see Figs. 4 and 5) on the shuttle-carrier, consisting ot' a pair of yielding blocks supported on springs u, Fig. 5, which pass over the hooked end ofthe needle, as shown in Fig. 4, pushing the thread out from the hook, and alter this is donc the take-up arm k2 makes its upward movement, drawing up the loop of upper thread, and with it the under thread, extending from the 4last stitch to the shuttle, as shown iu Fig` 4.

The under thread is at this time held with suiiicient tension to prevent it from drawing too t'ar toward the upper surface of the mate rial by a tension-pad, e, that clamps the thread between it and the shuttle, as shown in Fig. l, and when this clamp is properly adjusted the parts will operate to make a lock stitch on thick or thin stock without change of adjustment.

The actuating mechanism for the shuttlecarrier, loop-pusher t, and tension device ois as follows: The shuttle i is vibrated by the shuttle-carrier r, that consists of a frame having a finger, r', (sec Fig. 5,)t-hat engages a recess inthe side of the shuttle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, and a projection, r2, that engages the rear end of the shuttle, which is placed in the shuttle carrier by a lateral and downward movement, and then is confined therein by a fastening-plate, 1', Fig. 3, that fits in a dovetail guide, r, and serves to hold the shuttle in the shuttle-carrier and shuttlerace. The shuttlc'carrier is supported on an arm, r, pivoted at r at the front ofthe base a of the machine, and connected by a link', T7, with an arm, yr, on the rock-shaft d", which is provided with an arm, rl", (see Fig. 1,) actuated by a cam, r, on the main shaft b. The pivotal connections and the various arms are made adjustable to vary the throw of the op erative parts in the usual manner.

The loop-pusher t is supported on a lever, I', pivoted at l? on a stud that is itself pivoted at i3 on a bracket or frame piece. t, fastened to the framework ot' the machine, as best shown in Fig. 3. The loop pusher t has an inward and outward movement toward and from the path of the needle, produced by the ,vibration of the lever L' on the stud t2, and is normally pressed inward, so as to bear against the side ofthe shuttle by a spring, t5, and thus catches the loop just as the point of t-he shuttle enters it, as will be understood from Fig. 2. Then as the shuttle advances and the thicker or wider part comes opposite the loop pusher, the latter is moved outward by a lever, t",(s e Figs. l and 6,) having a cam-shaped end, t7, (sec Fig. 6,) that is engaged by thearm rs that actnates the shuttle. The rear end ofthe looppusher is turned laterally toward the rear of the shuttle, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that it tends to open the loop aswell as hold it back toward the rear end of the shuttle when it is moved out by the action ofthe lever t as the shuttle ad vances. The movement ofthe lever taround the pivott (see Fig. 3) tends to move the end of the loop-pusher in the line ot' movement of the shuttle, and it is normally held just in advance of the needle and loop by the action of a spring-pressed plunger, t, (see Fig. (3;) but ,just as the shuttle reaches its forward position a projection, t, on the shuttlecarricr engages the arni t', as best shown in Fig. 2, and moves the looppusher t in the same direction as the shuttle far enough to carry its laterallyprojectingend out from thc loop, so as to leave the latter free to draw up, and at the same time the cast-off u alsov passes over the end ofthe needle, as shown in Fig. 4, pushing the loop out from the hook of the necdle,so that it may now be drawn up bythe upward movement ofthe take-up arm 7c".

The tension device or clamp v for the under thread that holds the thread between it and the shuttle, as best shown in Fig. 4, is supported on a lever, c', (see Fiff. l,) provided IIO with an adjustable lever, v2, which, when the shuttle is in its forward position and the takeup lever k2 is making its upward movement, is acted upon by a cam projection, o3, which forces it down on the under thread and holds the same, so that it will not be drawn up by the upper thread too near the upper surface of the material being sewed, and by properly regulating this device the lock of the upper and under threads will be formed just about midway between the upper and under surface of the material, as desired.

It will be noticed that the upper thread is not waxed until it has passed the tensionwheel k3, orjnst before it is presented to the stitch-forming devices, and consequently the Vtension-wheel and parts which operate to take up the loop are exposed only to dry thread, and consequently do not become gummed up, so as to interfere with their proper operation, as is the case when the thread is waxed before passing to these devices. Mounting the tension-wheel k directly on the take-up lever and making it and its brake oaportion of the takeup mechanism greatly sirnplies the machine, which can be operated with great rapidity and certainty, and the construction of the stitchforming devices is such that they enter very little into the space around the work support, so that the machine may be conveniently employed for stitching along the welt or edge of the sole of a boot or shoe without striking the upper.

The invention is not limited to the construction and arrangement of the parts shown for actuating the main stitch-forming devices, as this may be greatly varied, and will in practice be varied in accordance with the work that the machine is intended to perform, and no novelty is-claimed for the coustructionand arrangement shown for these parts, the main features of novelty consisting in the devices for waxing the upper thread and heating the machine, in the take-up mechanism for the upper thread, the arrangement of the thread measurer and its actuating mechanism with relation to the looper in the loop-pusher, and the clamp or tension device for the under thread. c

I claiml. In a sewing-machine, a movable take-up and waxing-receptacle attached to and movable with said takenp, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-machine, a movable talieup and waxi ng-reeeptacle fixed thereon, combined with pipes extending along the said takeup and maintained in communication with stationary pipes on the sewing-machine for the purpose ot' heating the said arm and waxingreceptacle, substantially as described.

3. In a sewingmachine, a movable takeup, combined with a waxing-receptacle fixed on said take-up, and a tension-wheel on said takeup, over which wheel the dry thread passes into the waxing-receptacle,substantially as described.

4. The combination ofthe movable take-up and tension-wheel supported thereon with a spring-pressed brake connected with said take-up normally retained by its sprang-pressure in engagement with said tensionwheel, and a stationary stop on the frame-work in position to be engaged by said brake in its m'ovement produced by said take-up, substantlally as and for the-purpose described.

5. The needle and looper, combined with the threadnneasuring device and its supporting sleeve or collar mounted on the shank of the looper, as set forth, and the actuating link, arms, and cani for the said threadmeasuring device, which vibrates on an axis concentric with that of the looper, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a hooiied needle, shuttle and shuttle-carrier, and their actuating mechanism with a cast-off composed of yielding blocks that pass over the end of the needle and throw the thread out from the hook thereof, substantially as described.

7. The combination of the needle and shuttle with the tension device, consisting of a pivoted lever having a thread-holding portion that bears on the thread and clamps the saine between said thread holding portion and the body of the shuttle, and a rotating cam on the main shaft of the machine that operates the said tension device, substantially as described.

S. The combination of a needle and shuttle with the loop engaging finger tand its supportinglever and fulcrumpiece therefor, the said lever being pivoted on said fulcrumpiece, which is itself pivoted on the framework,combined with means for operating said parts. substantially as described.

9. rlhe combination of the vibratingtake-up arm with a tension-wheel pivoted on said arm and accompanying the movements thereof, a spiing pressed lever, also pivoted on said arm and provided with a friction-block that bears on the said tension` device and constitutes a brake therefor, and a stationary engaging device cooperating with said pivoted lever, as described, whereby the friction-block is disengaged from the tension device during the last partof the movement of the take-np in one direction, substantially as described.

10. In a sewingmachine, a vibrating take` up arm and waxingreceptacle thereon, combined with a wax-reservoir and passage conneeting the same with said waxingreceptacle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HOSEA I. ALDRICII.

Witnesses:

Jos. l?. Lrvnmronu, M. E. Hrm..

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