US1189406A - Sewing-machine. - Google Patents

Description

L. E. IOPHAM.- SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. H, 1912.

Patented July 4, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

L. E. TOPHAM.

SEWlNG MACHINE. APPLICATION man 1mm. m2.

Patelited July 4, 1916.

'5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L. E. TOPHAM.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man JAN. 11, 1912.

Patented July 4, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

" h 'lnesses s inventor mm a L. E. TO'PHAM.

SEWINQ MACHINE. v APPLICATION FILED MN. 11. 1911,

1,189,406.- Patnted July 4,1916.

I 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

li ii'nesws: 1 j I lnvenlore- W y W L. E. TOPHAM. SEWING MACHiNE.

APPLKCATION FILED IAN. H, 19 12.

Patented July 4, 1916. 5 SHEET5SHEET 5 ing to-be a full, clear,

I ning continuously rotating cranks.

LAURENCE E. TOPEAI, OF BEVERLY, MAS MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATEBSON,

SACHUSETTS, ASSIGN'OB TO UNITED SHOE NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW sEwme-mcnm'n Specification or letters rate'nt.

Toallwhomitmayconcem.

Be it known that I, LAURENCE E. Tor- HAM, a citizen of'the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to ing machines employing a hook needle. In machines of this type on account of the difliculty encountered in driving the various parts, particularly the needle, awl, takeup and loop taker in their. properly timed relations, it has been the more usual practice heretofore to employ cams needle, awl and take-up. It is impracticable to run machines thus constructed athigh speed on acount of the shock, vibration and wear on the parts produced by rapidly runcam mechamsms. Machines of this have been constructed in which the awl and take-up are operated by It is essential that the needle thread be kept taut during the laying of the thread about the needle and during the loop drawing stroke of the type needle,

' needle until the needle hook enters the work in order to insure the proper threading of I the needle and the retention of the thread in the needle hook. In the crank-operated take-up mechanisms heretofore devised for machines of this type, the return movement of the take-up, after its loop drawing or taking-upstroke, is so rapid that it is impossible to control the delivery of the thread by means of the takeup during the laying of the thread about the needle and the loop drawing stroke of the needle. For this reason in addition to the take-up some form of thread controlling means has been employed to deliver the needle thread and keep the thread taut during the laying of the thread about the needle and the loop drawing stroke of the needle until the needle hook enters the work.

The primary object of the present invention is to produce an improved and simplified lock-stitch hook needle sewing machine which may be run at high speed without ex- Application filed January 11,

have invented certain'new.

declare the followlock-stitch sewfor driving the the take-up;

I Patented July 4,1916. 1912. Serial No. 670,627.

cessive shock, vibration or wear on the parts ofthe machine.

With the above object in view one feature of the invention'contemplates theprovision in a sewlng machine of the class referred to havin a hook needle, a loop taker and an awl o a take-up operating while moving in one direction to pull the loop from the loop taker and set the switch and while moving 1n the opposite direction to deliver thread and keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work and a continuously rotating crank for operating the take-up. By this; provision the disadvantage of a cam mechanism for operating the take-up is obviated andthe necessity of mechanism in addltion to the take-up for controlling the thread during the laying of the thread about the needle and stroke of the needle until the needle hook enters the work is eliminated.

Further features of the invention consist of certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts and claimed, the advantages of be obvious to one skilled in the art from the following description.

In the drawings illustrating a sewing machine embodying the invention in its preferred form-Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the head of the machine taken in a plane immediately to the rear of Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 taken in substantially the same lane a detail plan view partly in section of the ranged and operated substantially as shown and described in applicants co-pendingapthe loop drawing hereinafter described a which will take-up mechanism; and Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10-

plication, Serial N 0. 621,286, filed April 15, 1911. p a

For a full and complete description of the parts not fully described herein refer- Y nections from continuously rotating cranks.

The take-up in the present invention is of the oscillatory type and consists of an arm secured to the forward end of a rock shaft and provided at its free end wlth a thread-engaging roll as in apphcants copending application referred to above. The take-up is operated through novel connecti g mechanism from a contlnuously rotatof the needle.

mg crank so that the machine is capableof being run at high speed without excessive shock or vibration. In the present invention, however, in addition to pulling the loop from the loop taker and setting the stitch while moving in one direction, the take-up operates while moving in the oposite direction to deliver the thread and lieep the thread taut during the laying of the thread in the hook of the needle and during the retracting or loop drawing stroke of the needle until the needle hook enters the work. By operating the take-up to thus control the thread the necessity of a thread detainer or other mechanism to deliver the thread as required by the stitch forming mechanism during these steps in the stitch fonning operation is eliminated. Since the rotating hook or loop taker in the present embodiment of the invention makes three revolutions during a single cycle of operations of stitch forming mechanism and since the taking-up movement must take place during approximately half a revolution of the hook or loop taker, it is essential that the taking-up movement of the take-up be exceedingly rapid. During the laying of the thread in the hook of the needle the movement of the take-up to deliver the thread and keep the thread taut must be comparatively slow. However, when the needle starts on its retracting movement to draw the loop the thread must be delivered quite rapidly by the take-up until the needle ook enters the Work but must be held back sufficiently to retain the thread in the hook After the thread is drawn into the work the resistance of the work against the thread insures the retention of the thread in the needle hook and it is theredrawings fore no longer necessary that the take-up control the thread.

In the present embodiment of the invention a take-up mechanism has been devised in which there is imparted to the take-up'a loop drawing or taking-up movement of suflicient rapidity and angular extent to properly pull the loop from the loop taker and set the stitch, a slow return movement duringthe laying of the thread in the hook of the needle and a more rapid return movement during the retracting stroke of the needle, the said mechanism being constructed and arranged so that the take-up delivers just 'suflioient thread and keeps the thread taut during the two last mentioned steps in the stitch forming operation until the needle hook enters the work. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the take-up indicated at 4 consists of an arm secured to the forward end of a rock shaft 5 and provided at its forward end with a take-up roll 6 which cooperates with the thread guiding rolls 7 and 8 to draw out the loop in the needle thread. To secure ease, smoothness and certainty chine is running at high speed, the rock shaft 5 carrying the take-up arm 4 is operated through suitable oonnecting'mechanism from a continuously rotating crank pin 9 Wl1lCh is carried by the cam wheel 10, by which the lower thread lock and feedin mechanism are operated, the said cam whee being mounted on the forward end of the main driving shaft 11. To produce the proper timing .of the awl and looper the crank pin 9 is arranged somewhat in advance of the crank 12 mounted on the front face of the cam Wheel 10 by which crank the link 13 and rock shaft 14 of the awl actuating mechanism are operated, and to this end is mounted on the extremity of an arm 15 formed on and projecting forwardly from the crank 12 in the direction of rota tion. The said connecting mechanism comprises an arm 16 upon the rear end of the rock shaft 5 and a link 17 connecting the said arm with an arm 18 carried by a rock shaft 19 journaled in the machine frame to the rear of the rock shaft 5 and arranged parallel to but out of alinement with said shaft. The arm 18 is constructed of somewhat greater length than the arm 16 so that upon angular movement of the arm 18 between the positions illustrated in Figs. 3 and 2, a movement of greater angular extent is imparted to the arm 16. A second arm 20 is carried by the rock shaft 19 and is connected by means of a link 21 to the short arm 24 of a two-armed lever 25 pivoted on the rotating crank pin 9, the said link being pivotally connected with the arm 20 and with the arm 24 of the lever 25 by pins 22 and 23 respectively. A lever 2? is pivoted at 26 on the machine frame and is connected of operation when the ma maaaoa V f by means of a pin 28 with the long arm 29 of the two-armed lever25. The rock shaft 19 and arms 20 and-18 carried by said rock shaft constitute an intermediate pivoted lever between the lever 25 and the take-up, the arm 20 and the. arm 18 constituting the ower receiving and delivering arms 0 said ever. By means of the mechanism above described a variable crank motion is imparted to the pin 23 and through the connection 'of said pin with the take-up, a movement is imparted to the take-up in'one direction to pull the loop from the loop taker and set the stitch and a movement in the opposite direction to control the thread and to keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work.

In the diagrammatic views Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the various levers and connecting links have been represented by lines, the various points of connections between the several levers and links by circles and the pivotal points of the levers by concentric circles. In each figure the parts are re resented in full lines'in the position w ich they assume at the beginning of a step in the cycle of operations and by dot and dash lines in the position which they assume at the 'end of the step. The various parts of the take-up mechanism are indicated in the diagrammatic views by the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. In Figs. 3 and 4 the parts are represented in the positions which they assume whenthe take-up is in its extreme right-hand position out of contact with the thread'at the conclusion of its retracting stroke. It will be noted that at this point in a cycle of operations the pin 23, the crank pin 9 and the pin 22 are brought substantially into line. This is the position whichthe parts ofthe mechanism assume at the turning point in the movement of the take-up and the takeup immediately ing-up stroke. By the continued rotation of the driving-shaft 11, the crank pin 9 is carried out of alinement with the pins 22 and 23 and by the combined action of the lever 27 on the lever 25 and the rotary movement of the crank pin 9 the pin 23 is moved in the path indicated by the arrow ain Fig. 7 during the taking-up stroke of the take-up, the parts bein represented in said Fig. 7 by dot and dash lines in the positions which they assume at the conclusion of the takingup stroke. It will be noted that during this step in the cycle of operations the pin 23 is carried in toward the axis of the arm 20 and moves very nearly in a straight line tangent to a circle having its center at a point in the axis of said arm. A rapid angular movement is therefore imparted to the arm 20 and a still more rapid angular movement is given to the shaft 5 due to the construction and arrangement of the arm 18 of the interthereafter starts on its takmediate lever, the arm 16 mounted on the take-up shaft and link 17 connecting said arms as above described. An angular movement of sufiicient rapidity and angular ex-- tent is thus imparted to the take-u to pull the loop from the loop taker an set the stitch in 'a' satisfactory manner. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the angular movement of the crank pin 9 during the taking-up stroke of the take-up is substantially eighty degrees and the angular movement of the take-up is approximately one hundred and twenty-five degrees. In Fig. 2 the parts are illustrated in the positions which they assume at the conclusion of the taking-up stroke of the take-up. It

will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2

and Fig. 7 that the arm 20 at the conclusion of the taking-up stroke assumes a position to the right of the center of rotation of the crank pin 9 and that the pin 22. at the extremity of said arm has been brought nearly to a position of dead center with the center of rotation of said crank For about sixty-five degrees of a revolution of the crank pin 9 from the position illustrated in Fig. 2, in dot and dash' lines in Fig. 7 and infull lines in Fig. 8, the pin 23 is moved by the combined action of the lever 27 on the lever 25 and the rotary movement of the crank pin through the path indicated by the arrow 0 in Fig. 8 substantially concentric with the center of the rotation of the crank pin 9 During this step in a cycle of operations the pin 22 is moved through the path indicated by the arrow 0! in Fig. 8 and the arm 20 is moved to the left to the position indicated in dot and dash lines in said figure. Therefore during this step in a cycle of operations a slight retracting movement is imparted to the take-up. This occurs at the time that the thread arm and looper are going out or away from the needle, and the movement imparted to the take-up is suflicient to deliver the thread to the thread arm and looper and to keep the thread taut.

During the movement of the looper inward to lay the thread in the hook of the needle which constitutes the next step in a cycle of operations and consumes about eighty degrees of a revolution of the crank pin. 9, the pin 23 is moved in the path indicated by the arrow e in Fig. 9 and the arm 20 .is moved to the position indicated in dot and dash lines in said figure. It will be noted that during this step the angular movement of the arm 20 is comparatively slow but is somewhat more rapid than the movement of said arm during the previous step in a cycle of operations. The take-upis thereby operated to deliver the thread to the looper during its inward movement to lay the thread in the hook of the needle. During the next step in a cycle of operations the needle moves downwardly or retractsto draw a loop of thread through the work and to'bring the loop into the path of the rotating hook or loop-taker and as the needle retreats the thread arm moves inward toward the needle to give up the loop which lies over said arm.

. During this ste which consumes about seventy degrees a revolution of the crank pin 9, the pin 23 is moved through the path indicated by the arrow fin Fi and arm is moved to the position in icated in dot and dash lines in said figure. -The movement of the arm 20 and the movement imparted to the take-up through its connection with said arm is more rapid during this step than during the two previous steps in the stitch forming operation to give up thread to the needle durin its retracting stroke. As-soon as the needfia book has entered-the work which occurs before the needle has movement of said rm carries the take-up to I the position illustrated in Fig. 4 out of engagement with the bight of the thread between the thread guiding rolls 7 and 8 as the thread is drawn tautin passing about the shuttle. This is the position which the take-up assumes when about to start on its taking-up stroke. Sufficient time ,is consumed during the retreat of the take-up and its movement before it again engages the thread, so that the time consumed ,by the take-up in expanding the thread loop is only about 80 of a revolution of the driving shaft. The movement of the take-up roll 6 when it engages the thread is at a substantial angle to the direction in which the loop is drawn out so that although the take-up is moving more rapidly when it first engages the thread, its action upon the thread loop is such that at the very beginning of the loop expansion, thethread will be drawn comparatively slowly and will not be subjected to a sudden snap or strain by the take-up. This allows the thread to be drawn in slowly just after it has passed over the middle of the bobbin case and before the rapid movement which is necessary to draw it up along the side of the bobbin case and into the work.

When the take-up is nearing the extremity of its loop-expanding stroke, the take-up roll 6 is also moving in a direction which is greatly inclined'to the direction of the loop expansion so that the thread'jis drawn slowly during the final setting of the stitch in the work.

is arranged to reach a position approxi-.

mately central with relation to the loop which it draws out, this central position being the position of the greatest loop expansion. Since the take-up roll 6 is moving in the neighborhood ,of its central position in an are lying at nearly right angles to the direction in which it pulls out the thread loop, any overthrow of the take-up will have very little, if any, appreciable effect to further drawout' the loop has a definite timed relation to the movement of the rotary hook or loop-taker which carries a loop of thread over the bobbin case and the needle and awl have a definite timed relation to the movement of the. take-up and rotary hook.

The invention is not limited to the details of construction and operation of the illustrated embodiment but may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims.

The nature and object of the invention having been explained and a preferred form of invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is:

1. A lockstitch sewing machine, having in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a looper, athread finger, a loop taker, and take-up mechanism comprising a draftv device for engaging the needle thread, a continuously rotating crank,

and connections therefrom for operating of thread, The take-up the draft device to give said device a rapid movement in one direction to pull the loop from the loop taker and set the stitch and a retarded movement in the opposite direction to pay out the thread to the looper, thread finger and needle as required b the same and to keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the Work.

2. A lockstitch sewing machine, having in combination, stitch forming devices includ ing a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger, a continuously rotating loop taker, and takeup mechanism comprising a draft device for engaging the needle thread, a continuously rotating crank, and connections therefrom for operating the draft device to give said device a rapid movement in one direction to pull the loop from the loop taker and set the stitch and a retarded movement in the opposite direction to pay out the thread to the looper, thread finger and needle as required by the same and to keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters thework.

3. A lockstitch sewing machine, having in combination, stitch forming devices including a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger,

7 an oscillating opelzating p m movement in one direction combination, stitch forming rating the take-up ing a lever pivoted on the crank, and means an awl, a take-up,

a continuously rotating loop taker making three complete revolutions during each cycle of operations, and take-up mechanism comprising a draft 'device for engaging the needle thread, a continuously rotating crank, and connections therefrom for operating the draft device to give said device a rapid to pull the loop set the stitch and a retarded movement in the opposite direction to pay out the thread -to the looper, thread finger and needle as required by the from the loop taker and same and to keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work.

4. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having in devices including a hook needle, a looper, a thread finger, a loop taker, take-up mechanism comprising draft device movable to an approximately central position with relation to the loop which it draws out, .a continuously rotating crank and connections therefrom for operating the draft device to give it a rapid movement in one direction to pull the loop from the loop taker and set the stitch, and a retarded movement in the opposite direction to pay out the thread to the looper, thread finger and needle as required by the same, and to keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work.

5. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook needle, a loop-taker, an awl, a take-upacting while moving in one direction to pull the loop from the loop-taker and set the stitch and while moving in the opposite direction to deliver the thread and keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work, a continuously rotating crank and connecting mechanism for operfrom the crank comprisfor varying the angular position of the lever as the crank rotates.

6. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook needle, a loop-taker, v acting while moving in one direction to pull the loop from the looptaker and set the stitch and while moving m the o posite direction to deliver and eep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work, a continuously rotatmg the take-up from the crank comthe thread crank and connecting mechamsm for lever pivoted on the crank and a second lever pivoted on the frame and pivotally connected with. the first lever.

7. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having, in combination,a hook needle, a loop-taker," an awl, a take-up acting while moving in one direction to pull the loop from the looptaker and set the stitch and while moving in the opposite direction to deliver the thread and keep'the thread taut until the needle hook enters the work, a continuously rotating crank and ,connecting mechanism for operating the take-up from the crank comprising an intermediate pivoted lever, -a second lever pivoted on the crank and connected with the first lever, and means to vary the angular position ofthe second lever as the crank rotates.

8. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook needle, a loop-taker, an awl, a take-up acting while moving in one direction to pull the loop from the looptaker and set the stitch and while moving in the opposite direction to deliver the thread and keep the thread taut until the needle hook enters the'work, a continuously rotating crank and connecting mechanism for operating the take-upfrom the crank comprising an. intermediate pivoted lever, a second lever pivoted on the crank and connected with the first lever, a third lever pivoted on the frame and pivotally con-' nected with the second lever to vary the angular position thereof as the crank rotates. 9. A lock-stitch sewing machine, having, in combination, a hook needle, a loop-taker, an awl, a take-up, a rock shaft on which the take-up is mounted, a continuously rotating crank and connecting mechanism for operatingv the rock'shaft fromthe crankcomprising an arm carried by the rock shaft, an intermediate pivoted lever, a link connecting the said arm with the lever, a two-armed lever pivoted on the crank, a link'connecting one arm of the two-armed lever with the intermediate lever, a third lever pivoted on the frame and pivotally connected with the other arm of the two-armed lever to vary the angular position of the two-armed lever as the crank rotates.

LAURENCE E. TOPHAM.

Witnesses:

CHESTER E. Rooms, Lam M. Goonnmen.

Images