US830562A - Sewing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

han ll PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. J. BOLTON & J. WEISS. SEWING MACHINE APPLIOATIOII FILED MAY 27. 1906.

2 SHEETSr-SHEET 1 NO- 830,562. PATENTED SEPT 11, 1906.

J. BOLTON & J. WEISS. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1905. Q

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

' Application filed May 27,1905. Serial No. 262,697.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES BOLTON and JOHN WEIss, citizens of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, are the first, original, and joint inventors of certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines provided with one or more shuttles oscillating on a horizontal axis and to which end all of said shuttles areconnected with a horizontal rocl -shaft below the bedplate, in turn connected by a pitman with the main shaft in the overhanging arm of a sewing-machine; and our invention also relates to improvements in sewing machines in which one or more shuttles rotating on a vertical axis are actuated by a horizontal counter-shaft and a main shaft located between the bed-plate and connected by a belt with the shaft in the overhanging arm of the machine.

In both of the sewing-machine structures above mentioned undesirable space is 00- cupied, resistance met with, and power required for actuating the shuttles, which, together with the cost of production of such shafts and gearing and their requirements of lubrication, &c., obviously make such structures more or less objectionable.

When a plurality of needles are employed, both of said structures require a corresponding number of shuttles-that is to say, a shuttle for each needle-and in thefirst structure all of the shuttles are necessarily simultaneously in motion even though but one needle is being used, and in the second structure, while the shuttles may be adjusted along the counter-shaft with reference to the needle, no shuttle can be adjusted with any other needle than that to which it is specifically assigned. In other words, in the rockshaft structure a plurality of needles requires a corresponding number of shuttles, none of which are adjustable and all of which are necessarily simultaneously actuated even when but one needle is in use and with the result that it is only possible to have a variation in the distance between two lines of stitching by leaving one or more needles unthreaded. I/Vhile in the counter-shaft construction it is true that any of a plurality of shuttles may be thrown out of action by slipping the pinions, it is equally true that the number of shuttles correspond with the numgitudinal section ber of needles that may simultaneously be employed and that it is not possible to vary the Width between two lines of stitching other than by throwing out of action one or more of such shuttles or unthreading their needles, so that not only do these disadvantages of duplication of parts exist with their corresponding parts, but those of lubrication and power required to actuate the machine.

The prime object of our invention is to entirely dispense with gears and shafts below the bed-plate for actuating shuttles in a sewing-machine when either one or more are used and in so doing correspondingly reduce the force-required to actuate shuttles, the cost in producing sewing-machines, and at the same time to substantially promote uniformityin the rotation of shuttles and increase the limit of their of theirrotation.

A further object is not only to dispense with gearing for actuating a plurality of shuttles, but to have a second shuttle actuated by a lever connection with the first or main shuttle and have said lever so connected with a shifting fulcrum that a uniform rotary motion of both shuttles is maintained.

speed and the smoothness A still further object of our invention is to i have one of a plurality of shuttles so mounted that it may by the turning of a set-screw be entirely detached from connection with and operation by the main shuttle.

With these ends in view our invention consists of certain features of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts by which said objects and certain other objects hereinafter ap nearing are attained, all as fully describe with reference to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

- In said drawings, Figure 1 represents a detail side elevation of a sewingmachine head with the forward end of its overhanging arm broken off, with parts broken. away, showing the usual horizontal shaft therein and vertical shaft gearing therewith with the devices embodying our invention shown in full lines in said elevation. Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan view of a sewing-machine head containing our invention; Fig. 3, a vertical lonon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal section on the line 4 4 in the direction indicated by the-arrows, and Fig. 5 a transverse sectionon the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of our invention in which the connection be- IIO tween the vertical shaft and the power-shaft I by which is by means of a crank-arm connection. Fig. 7 shows the slotted bearing connecting the power-shaft with the vertical shaft.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawin s.

6 indicates the rear portion of the over hanging arm of a sewing-machine; 7, the bedlate thereof; 8, the power-shaft in said overanging arm; 9, the vertical shaft connected with the power-shaft 8 by the usual beveled gears 10 and 11 in the usual bearings and projected through the bed-plate to a point below the same. On the lower end of the vertical shaft 9 is a sprocket-wheel 12, the teeth or pins 13 of which preferably con verge to points and are at regular intervals on the horizontal sprocket 12 and engaged by a belt 14 with corresponding perforations adapted to be engaged by said teeth, which belt connects the sprocket 12 with a sprocket 15, upon which is supported a shuttle-carrier or hook 16, and is journaled on a vertical shaft 17 in a depending portion or extension 18 of the bed-plate through the medium of a downward-inclined extension or projection 19 therefrom.

By the construction above described the shuttle 16 is directly and continuously rotated by means of a single belt to the exclusion of any and all gearing below the bed-plate and with the result that its movement and also of its connections with the vertical shaft 9 are entirely noiseless, that such connection is of the cheapest and lightest possible form, actuated with a minimum of power, and that the shuttle may thereby have any desired degree of high speed and be operated at any speed with a perfectness and smoothness and uniformity not possible when such a shuttleis connected with the vertical shaft 9 by means of either a rock-shaft or a main and counter shaft construction. This belt connection of a sewing-machine shuttle with the vertical shaft or other device transmitting power from the horizontal shaft 8 in the arm is made possible for the first time by the fact that a shuttle rotated on a vertical aXis has a belt-wheel so located and arranged that a continuous belt having perforations by which it may be continuously positively actuated by corresponding teeth may be con veniently placed in its operative position on its driving and transmitting sprockets at the desired and necessary tension and which has been prohibitive in sewing-machines as heretofore constructed.

While the successful rotation of a single shuttle by means of a belt, and thereby dispensing with all gearing therefor below the bed-p ate of a sewing-machine, is an important feature of our invention, another important feature is the providing of means driven in gearing, but that it may be adjusted with reference to two or more needles for varying the width between parallel rows of stitches simultaneously produced by the same machine and at the same time be continuously and uniformly rotated. To these ends the horizontally-projecting arm 18 of the bed plate is provided at opposite sides with grooves 20, in which are fitted and guided corresponding ribs 21 on arms 22 22, forking from aplate 23, said arms 22 being provided with longitudinal slots 24 in their sides, through which and through a perforation in the arm '18 projects a screw-bolt 25, which may be provided with a nut 26 or other means for tightening the same and whereby the plate 23 may be secured in any desired longitudinal adjustment upon the arm 18. The plate 23 at its outer end is provided witha hub 27, in which is journaled the vertical spindle 28 of a supplemental shuttle or shuttle-holder 29. On the lower projecting end of the spindle 28 is a crank-arm 30, secured to the spindle by a screw or pin 31, a similar crank-arm 32 being secured to the spindle 17 of the shuttle 16 by a screw or removable pin 33.

Projecting from the under side of the plate 23 at a point between the hub 27 and the base of the arms 22 is a stud or post 34, in which is secured a screw 35, on which a lever 36 is fulcrumed and may be shifted by reason of an elongated longitudinal slot 37 therein when moving the plate 23 back and forth on the arm 25 to adjust the shuttle 29 with reference to a plurality of needles with which it is designed to cooperate, as hereinafter eX- plained.

The lever 36 is connected at one end with the crank-arm 30 by a pin or roller 38, projecting upwardly into an elongated recess 39 in the under side of the crank-arm 30, the other end portion of the lever being connected with the crank-arm 32 by means of a screw 10, secured into the crank-arm and forming a bearing for a bushing 11, fitting in the slot of the crank-arm and adapted to be tightened thereon against movement by a nut 42.

Our invention is not limited to the em ployment of two shuttles, and to this end the shuttle 29 and the several parts connecting it with the shuttle 16 and its support may be entirely omitted without a substantial departure from certain important features of our invention hereinafter described and claimed, and so, also, when the shuttle 29 is in its connected position with the shuttle 16 and it is desirable to operate but one shuttle, which may be readily and conveniently disconnected by removing the single screw or pin 33, passing through the spindle 17 and the hub of the crank-arm 32. When both a second shuttle may not only be the entire absence of shafts and.

. lever 36 and of the u centered at its upper end upon a cone 1),

shuttles, however, are designed to be used in 1 connection with a sewing-machine provided with a plurality of simultaneously-operating needles for producing parallel rows of stitching varying in width, the adjustable shuttle 29 is adapted for cooperation with any one of these needles save that which permanently cooperates with the shuttle 16 and by adjusting the shuttle 29, as will now be described.

Let us suppose that in addition to the needle for the shuttle 16 there are two other needles in parallel arrangement therewith and with each other and extending to the left of the shuttle 16 in Fig. 1 and that, as shown in said figure,the shuttle 29 is adjusted to the needle at the extreme left, and therefore that the machine is making parallel rows of stitching at a correspondin distance apart and it now becomes desirab e to narrow the distance between said rows of stitches. To this end the set-screw 25 and bushing 40 are loosened, and then the shuttle 29 is moved the required distance toward'the shuttle .16 to bring it in its operative position underneath the middle needle, and to which end the plate 23 is correspondingly moved on the arm 18 and at the same time the lever 36 accordingly shifts on its fulcrumscrew 35, and when this adjustment is completed both the screw 25 and nut 42 on the bushing are again tightened, the shifting of the fulcrum of the point of securing the bearing of the crank-arm 32 by this bushing to the lever serves to maintain the required uniform distance between the fulcrum and both crank-arms 30 and 32, and the elongation of the bearing of the roller or pin 38 in the crankarm 30 provides the necessary form of bearin preventing the crankarms from being he (1 on a dead-center and providing for a uniformly free rotation of both shuttles, however rapid that rotation may be.

Our invention is not limited to employing an endless belt directly driving one or more rotating shuttles, but includes its use for driving oscillating shuttles, and for which purposes the sprocket 12 may be connected with the power-shaft by means of a pitman or crank-shaft connection, and when so used the belt need not be perforated throughout its length. In other words, as illustrated in Fig. 6, the shaft 9 instead of being provided with a gear meshing with the gear on the driving-shaft 8 is provided with a yoke a,

screwed into a perforation in the u per wall of the arm and provided with an 01 -passage 0. The shaft 8 from about the point of its passage through the yoke is bent to the form of a crank-arm d, which has its bearing in a vertical slotted arm 0, secured to a lug f, pror jecting from the vertical shaft 9. Thepurpose of the yoke is merely to form a direct passage through the aXis of the shaft 8.

As before stated, the belt as shown is-not perforated throughout its length, nor need it be, because of the crank-arm connection it is confined to an oscillating movement.

While we have shownand described a perforated belt engaging pins on a sprocket as one of the best means of securing a positive certain movement of the belt and uniformity of rotation of shuttle-carriers or hooks, it will be no departure from our invention to substitute any well-known form of belt and actuating devices therefor.

aving described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hook and the powershaft, of an endless belt directly connected with and actuating said carrier or hook, and a shaft connected with the power-shaft and actuating said belt, substantially as described.

2. In a sewing-m achine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hook, the powershaft and a belt actuating said carrier orhook, of a vertical shaft geared to the power-shaft and provided at its lower end with a sprocket carrying said belt, substantially as described.

3. In a sewing-machine, the combination with a shuttle-carrier or hook horizontally rotating upon a vertical axis, a sprocket-wheel rotating upon the same axis and rigidly connected with said shuttle-carrier, an endless belt upon said sprocket, a power-shaft and means connecting said shaft with and actuating said endless belt, whereby the carrier or hook is given a continuous rotary movement, substantially as described.

4. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality of shuttle-carriers or hooks, means for operating one of said carriers or hooks from a main shaft, and a lever and crank-arm connection between said carriers or hooks, whereby one of said carriers or hooks is actuated by the operation of the other, substantially as described.

5. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality of shuttle-carriers or hooks,

means connecting and operating one of said carriers or hooks from the main shaft, a lever and crank-arm connecting and actuating one of said carriers or hooks through the operation of the other, and means for adjusting one of said carriers or hooks toward and from the other, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a plurality of shuttle-carriers or hooks, a power-shaft, means connecting and actuating one of said carriers or hooks from the powershaft, means for adjusting one of said carriers or hooks with reference to the other, and a crank-arm and a lever connection between said carriers or hooks, said lever connection being provided with a shifting fulcrum, substantially as' and for the purpose described.

7. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a power-shaft in the overhanging arm thereof, a sprocket below the bed plate, means connecting said sprocket and powershaft, a plurality of shuttle-carriers or hooks,

- an endless-belt connection between one of said carriers or hooks and said sprocket, and means for ad usting one of said carriers or 'hooks toward and from the other and simulwith the power-shaft, a non-adjustable shuttle-carrier or hook, a sprocket rigidly connected therewith, an endless belt directly actuatingsaid carrier or hook, another shuttlecarrier or hook mounted in a plate adjustable upon the support of the first carrier, both of said carriers being mounted upon a vertical axis, and acrank-arm and shifting fulcrumlever connection between the hooks or shuttle-carriers and secured to said sliding plate, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. A sewing-machine comprising in combination a powershaft, a vertical shaft, an overhanging arm inclosing said shafts, a bed-plate, a sprocket upon the vertical shaft at a point below said bed-plate, a projection from the bedplate provided with longitudinal grooves, a shuttle-carrier or hook, a shaft therefor having its bearing in said projection, a crank-arm upon the shaft, a plate provided with forking arms having ribs engaging said grooves, and means for lockingsaid plate and support in their adjusted position, a shuttle-carrier or hook, a shaft therefor journaled in said adjustable plate, a crank-arm on the end of the shaft of said shuttle-carrier or hook, a slotted lever connection between said two crankarms, and means for securing said lever to the adjustable plate and providing for the shifting of the fulcrum of said lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JAMES BOLTON. JOHN WEISS. Witnesses:

J NO. G. ELLIOTT, Mo S. REEDER.

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