US460506A

US460506A - The union

Info

Publication number: US460506A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 1908-09-29

Description

(No Model.)

R. M. HUNTER.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND SEWING FABRICS.

Patented Sept. 29

'FIGJ I ED UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SPECIAL SEIVING MACHINE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND SEWING FABRICS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,506, dated September 29, 1891.

Application filed October 13, 1890. Serial No. 367,942. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Holding and Sewing Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric sewing-machines especially adapted to sewing of IO carpets; and it consists of certain improvements which are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

This application (Case177) embodies certain I 5 features wherein the sewing-machine is carried upon a traveling carriage adapted to move .upon a railway supported along the under edge of a long table or frame, upon which table or frame the carpet or fabric to be sewed is laid or stretched. The sewing-machine is operated by an electric motor, which, through the action of the feed mechanism of the said sewing-machine, causes the carriage holding the sewing-machine and motor to be bodily moved along the railway to follow the edge of the fabric, The carriage is provided with two sets of supporting-wheels, one of which sets presses upon the upper surface of one rail and theother upon the under surface of the second rail. A source ofelectric energy connects with the two rails, and through the respective wheels the current is collected therefrom and delivered to the electric motor through a suitable regulator.

Another improvement forming part of my present invention relatesto the arrangement of the carriage upon its wheels so thatthe entire carriage with the motor and sewing-machine may be adj usted laterally with reference to its direction of travel, whereby the machine may be moved to or from the edge of the table and with respect to the fabric which is supported thereon. The carriage is made to move along the railway-tracks in such a manner as to exert great leverage for the purpose of pressing the supporting-wheels in opposite directions to make positive contact with the respective rail conductors. The entire carnage and sewing-machine may be laterally adjusted during the travel of the machine withgo outin theleast interfering with the function of the sewing-m achine while sewing the fabric.

The invention is equally adapted to all kinds of sewing where long strips of material are to be united by their edgessuch, for in- 5 5 stance, as carpets, awnings, sails, 85c.

My invention also comprehends minor details of improvement, which are fully set forth hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-section through the table and railway on line 00 m, Fig. 2, and shows my improved electric sewing-machine applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the construc- 6; tion and arrangement of the electric circuits; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the carriage arranged for lateral adjustment upon its supporting-Wheels.

A is the table, which may be made in any suitable manner and is supported upon'suitable supporting legs or frames B. This table in practice would be made-about forty feet in length, but might be made longer, if desired. To the legs of the table are secured brackets 7 5 G, upon which are supported a V-shaped rail D, which is clamped in place by means of the clamps (l. Secured to the under part of the table is a second rail I, which may be formed of a T-raii or of an angle-iron, and this latter 8o rail may be shielded by a depending wooden stringer K to prevent accidental touching of the .said rail 1. The rail I acts as a positive conductor and has connection with one pole of the generator 0 or source of electric supply, and the other rail D connects with the opposite pole of said generator or source of electric supply and acts as the-return-conductor.

The resistance changer or regulator B may be employed in the main circuit to control the amount of current passing to the conductors I D.

It is quite evident that the rail D might be the positive conductor and the rail I the nega- 5 tive, if so desired.

E is the carriage and is provided with the brackets h, upon which are journaled the two grooved wheels H, which rest upon the V- shaped rail I), and also with an intermediate arm or bracket j, upon which is journaled the grooved wheel J, running upon the rail 1. The brackets 71 and j are insulated from each other and are respectively connected with the terminals of the conductor P, which includes a resistance changer or regulator M, carried by the carriage E, and also the electric motor L.

F is the ordinary sewing-machine, preferably of the kind known as the Union Special, which is provided with a very heavy feed mechanism, and said sewingunachine is operated by the electric motor through a transmitting-band N.

G is the fabric-guide, secured to the sewingmachine so that the edges of the fabric are guided in the proper position for passing under the needle and in the right connection with the feed mechanism f. The operation of the feed mechanism upon the fabric causes the entire carriage and its appendages to travel upon the railway. By this construction of railway-tracks the conductors and tracks are located where they are out of the way of danger and form no obstruction to the operator. The rails are preferably both arranged back of a vertical plane through the edge ofthe table.

It is often desirable that the sewin g-1nachine may be adjusted laterally to follow any irregularity in the edges of the fabric to be sewed when said fabrics are of very heavy in aterial and are supported or stretched upon the table in such a manner that they are not readily shifted thereon, and to accomplish this I form the brackets h and j with long axles 7L: and 1', respectively, in Fig. 3, upon which the wheels are journaled. The wheel J is loosely sleeved upon the axle t, and the wheels H are journaled upon a sleeve S, which slides upon the axle 7t and may be adjusted by means of a link 3, a lever T, and a locking-detent mechanism If. The lever T is fitted to the bracket h, and it is evident that bymoving said lever the carriage E may be shifted bodily upon the wheels II and J and with it the electric motor and sewing-machine. This shifting may be performed while the machine is in operation and is under the control of the operator, who may be walking along with the traveling machine.

In the construction herein set out the clothplate of the sewing-machine is on a level with the upper surface of the table, so that the fabric may extend from the table upon the cloth-plate machine in a proper position to be acted upon by the feed mechanism.

By locating the main portion of the carriage E with the motor and sewing-machine to one side of the rails the weight thereof is brought to bear upon the respective rails with considerable leverage to positively exert good electrical contact with the respective rails which form the conductors. Furthermore, this arran gement enables me to locate the rails back of the edge of the table and within a space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge of the table.

I do not limit myself to the mere details of construction, as they may be modified without departing from the principles of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, a traveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upper side of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of the other of the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with the carriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate the sewing-machine, a source of electric energy, circuit-s connecting the source of energy with the respective rails, and an electric circuit secured to the carriage, including the electric motor, and having its terminal electrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels running upon the two railway-tracks.

2. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, a traveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upper side of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of the other of the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with the carriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate the sewing-machine, a source of electric energy, circuits connecting the source of energy with the respective rails, an electric circuit secured to the carriage, including the electric motor, and having its terminal electrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels running upon the two railway-tracks, and shifting mechanism for moving the carriage and sewing-machine laterally upon the suppo'rtingvheels.

In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table, two rails arranged upon said table below its upper surface, a traveling carriage having supporting-wheels, part running upon the upper side of one of the rails and part running upon the under side of the other f the rails, a sewingmachine secured to and moving with the carriage, an electric motor upon the carriage to operate the sewing-machine,a source of electric energy, circuits connecting the source of energy with the respective rails, an electric circuit secured to the carriage, including the electric motor, and having its terminal electrically connecting, respectively, with the wheels running upon the two railway-tracks, shifting mechanism for moving the carriage and sewing-machine laterally upon the supporting-wheels, and a lock to lock the said carriage in its shifted position upon the said wheels.

4. In an apparatus for supporting and sew- IIO ing fabrics, the combination of a table having a horizontal supporting-surface for the fabric, a railway arranged parallel to the edge of the table and at a lower level than its supporting-surface, a traveling carriage provided with supporting -wheels movable upon said railway and located wholly to one side of the table, a sewing-machine secured to the carriage and movable therewith and having its cloth-plate substantially on a level with the surface of the table, and laterallymovable guides between the carriage and supporting-wheels for the purpose of moving the sewing-machine laterally with respect to the supporting-wheels, whereby the sewing-ma chine may be moved to follow the edge of the fabric being sewed.

5. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table having a horizontal supporting-surface for the fabric, a railway arranged parallel to the edge of the table and at a lower level than its supporting-surface, a traveling carriage provided with supporting-wheels movable upon said railway and located wholly to one side of the table, a sewing-machine secured to the carriage and movable therewith and having its cloth-plate substantially on alevel with the surface of the table, adjustable mechanism for laterally adjusting the carriage and the sewing-machine upon the supporting-wheels, and a locking mechanism to lock the carriage in its adjusted position upon the wheels, whereby the sewing-machine may be caused to travel at various desired positions with respect to the edge of the table to follow the edge of the fabric being sewed.

6. In an apparatus for holding and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table having a horizontal surface for supporting the fabric, a railway arranged along one side of the table and supported directly upon it, so as to form no obstruction to access to the table, a laterally projecting traveling sewing machine support having wheels adapted to run upon the railway and move the sewing-machine parallel to the edge of the table, means to adjust said sewing-machine support laterally with respect to its wheels, and a sewingmachine secured to the laterally-adjustable support, whereby it may be moved to or from the edge of the table, and having its clothplate in substantially the same horizontal plane as the supporting-surface of the table.

7. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table, a rail arranged immediately under the table and projecting downward, supporting-brackets projecting laterally from the under portion of the table, arail supported by said brackets at a lower elevation than the first-mentioned rail, a traveling carriage having supportingwheels, part of which are adapted to run upon one face of one rail and part upon the opposite face of the other rail, a sewing-machine supported upon the carriage, and an electric motor upon said carriage mechanically connected to operate the sewing-machine.

S. In an apparatus for supporting and sew ing fabrics, the combination of a table, a rail arranged immediately under the table and projecting downward, supporting-brackets projecting laterally from the under portion of the table, a rail supported by said brackets at a lower elevation than the first-mentioned rail, a traveling carriage having supportingwheels, part of which are adapted to run upon one face of one rail and part upon the opposite face of the other rail, a sewing-machine supported upon the carriage, an electric motor upon said carriage mechanically connected to operate the sewing-machine, a source of electrical energy connecting with the respective rails, and an insulating depending shield projecting downwardly from the table to shield the upper rail,

9. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table with two electric conducting or contact rails immediately below the upper part of the table and at adistance from the floor and located within the space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge of the table, an electrically-propelled sewing-machine adapted to travel parallel to the edge of the table, and a supportin g-carriage for the sewing-machine, provided with electrical contacts traveling in contact with the respective contact-rails.

10. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table with two electric conducting or contact rails arranged immediately below the upper part of the table and at a distance from the floor and located within the space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge of the table, a depending insulating-shield to shield one of the rails against exposure or accidental contact, an electrically propelled sewing machine adapted to travel parallel to the edge of the table, and a supporting-carriage for the sewing-machine, provided with electrical contacts traveling in contact with the respective contact-rails.

11. In an apparatus for supporting and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table with two electric conducting or contact rails immediately below the upper part of the table and at a distance from the floor and located within a space bounded by a vertical plane through the edge of the table, and an electric sewingmachine and carriage supported upon said railway and located on the opposite side of the said vertical plane.

12. In an apparatus for holding and sewing fabrics, the combination of a table having a horizontal surface upon which the fabric to be sewed is placed, a railway arranged parallel to the table and at a lowerlevel than its upper surface, a carriage running upon said railway and having its body or frame laterally adj ustable upon the'wheels resting upon the rails of the railway, and a sewingmaehine located Wholly to one side of the edge of the table and secured to the adjustable body or frame of the carriage, whereby the sewing-machine may be propelled over the railway adjacent to the edge of the table and adjusted laterally with respect thereto.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER.

Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, A. J. DUNN.