US1332447A - Looper-operating mechanism for sewing-machines - Google Patents

Description

L. ONDEBDONK. LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-*SHEET I.

8 mum/$01 L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1916.

1 ,332, 4:47. Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2- L.-ONDERDONK. I LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24, 191s.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

um/who;

L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLlCATION FILED MAY24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETSSHEET 4- (Mann avg 7K mo s L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24, I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 5 Suveutoz QM M Elf/11mm APPLICATION FILED MAY24. I916.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6 APPLICATION FILED MAY24,19I6.

Patented Mar. '2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

L. ONDERDONK.

LOOPER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

APPLICATION FILED MAY24. I916.

a citizen of the United States,

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTCE. i

LANSING ONDERDONK, OF NEW YORK, N. 35., ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LOOPER-OPEBATING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed May 24, 1916. Serial No. 99,620.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANSING ONDERDONK, residin at New York, in the county of New Ybrk, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looper-Operating Mechanisms for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in looper operating meohanisms for sewing machines, and more particularly to a looper operating mechanism of the character shown and described in my prior Patents, Nos. 1,111,703 and 1,111,704, granted September 22, 1904.

An object of the invention is to provide a looper operating mechanism wherein the looper support may be oscillated and moved endwise from an operating shaft located beneath the work support through a single train of mechanism also disposed below the work support.

A further object of the invention is to provide a looper operating mechanism of the above character wherein the looper is moved into and out of the needle loop on the same side of the needle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for connecting the looper carrier to the looper support and controlling said connections so that the loopers may be shifted laterally to threading position. only when said loopers are at the rear end of their stroke, and to also provide a controlling means whereby the main shaft is locked against rotation while the loopers are in threading or inoperative position.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way. of illustration one embodiment of the inven tion:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a machine having my improvements applied thereto, the work support being removed;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in plan, of the parts beneath the work support;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 41 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in end elevation, certain of the parts being omitted for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism for operating and moving the looper support endwise;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a view showing, more or less diagrammatically, the looper, the needle, the work support, and the eccentric for operat ing the looper, the looper being at the rear end of its stroke, and also showing in dotted lines the looper at the forward end of its stroke;

Fig. 9 is a plan view showing, more or less diagrammatically, the throat plate, the looper and the needle, the looper being at the rear end of its stroke, and showing in dotted lines the looper at the forward end of its stroke;

Fig. 10 is a detail inplan showing the connection between the operating lever for the looper and the intermediate rock shaft;

Fig. 11 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, showing the end of the operating lever for the looper, the looper support, the intermediate rock shaft, and the connections between the looper support and the rock shaft and between the looper and the rock shaft;

Fig. 12 is an end view of the rock shaft, showing the arm which is connected to the looper support;

Fig. 13 is a detail in section through the head on the end of the looper supporting shaft, also showing the sliding rod which imparts movement to the looper supporting shaft; 0

Fig. 1 1 is a detail 1n vertical sect on showing the means which releases the latch for the looper carrier in position for releasing the latch;

Fig. 15 is a detail, partly in section and partly in plan, showing the releasing pin for lifting the latch and. the end of the latch;

Fig. 16 is a detail view in plan showing the looper support, the loopers and the needles.

Fig. 17 is a similar view, but showing the looper moved to position for threading.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view showing multiple needle sewing machine wherein theneedles are arranged abreast and the loopers are moved back and forth in the general clirection of the line of'feed. In my prior patents, I. have shown a looper mechanism wherein the looper enters the needle loop and moves, out of the needle loop on the same side of the needle. Said looper is positioned, when at the forward end of its stroke, so as to carry the looper thread to the opposite side of the needle and said looper is retracted in time for the needle to pass the looper on the same side as when the needle loop is taken by the looper. This construction and method of operating the looper does away with all necessity of using 100p spreaders and the looper is moved back and forth in substantially the same path.

The present invention is especially directed to'the mechanism for operating the looper support so as to give the looper the required movements; This is accomplished by alever which is located beneath the work support and which is oscillated from an eccentric strap cooperating with an eccentric on the main shaft beneath the work support. The looper support on which the looper is mounted is capable not only of oscillation but ofendwise movement, and this is accomplished by a single oscillating rock shaft which receives. itsmovements from the lever referred to, and saidrock shaft, owing to its oscillation about a vertical axis, not only oscillates the looper support but moves the same endwise.

Referring more in detail to the drawings: My improved machine consists of a supporting bed 1 carrying an overhanging arm 2 on whichis mounted a needle lever 3. Said needle lever is pivoted at 1 and is oscillated by an eccentric strap 5 which cooperates with an eccentric on the main shaft 6. At the forward end of the overhanging arm 2t'here is a reciprocating needle bar 7 which. is connected by a link 8 to the needle lever 3. Said needle bar, as herein shown, is provided with fourneedles, indicated at 8. The material to be stitched rests on the work support 9 and is held thereon by a presser foot 10 carried by a presser bar 11 which are of the usual construction.

The material is fed across the work. support feed dogs 12 which are mounted on the feed bar. 13 This feed bar is moved back and forth through a connection 14; at the end of the main shaft 6, and said feed held in place by set-screws 18. The looper carrier 17 is mounted on a looper support 19 which is herein shown as in the form of a shaft extending through bearings 20 and 21.

The looper carrier 17 is in the form of a yoke having arms 22 which encircle the loopcr support 19. Intermediate these arms 22 of the yoke there is a collar 23 which is firmly clamped to the looper support by a set-screw 2 1. This collar project's upwardly and is recessed, at 25, so as to receive the lower side of the looper carrier 17. The collar 24' is the sole means for connecting the looper carrier to the'support for causing the same to oscillate therewith. The carrier is held from endwise movement on the looper support by a latch 26. This latch is in the form of a spring arm fixed at 27 to the looper carrier, and said latch has a laterally extending lip 28 which is normally disposed on the left hand side of the collar '23 and prevents the carrier from being moved'to the right, asviewed in Fig. 1. When theloopers are in position to' cooperate with the needles and the latch is in its operative position, the arm 22 of the looper carrier rests against the collar 23 and this prevents the looper carrier from moving farther to the left, as viewed in this figure. After the disengag ing of the latch 26, the looper carrier may be slid along the looper support to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, so as to bring the loopers out from underneath the feed dogs into position for convenience in threading, the slide plate 9 on the work support permit ting access to the loopers when they are so shifted.

Inasmuch as the loopers are movable latorally to position for threading, it is essential to provide some means for preventing the disconnecting or lateral movement of the loopers, except when the loopers are at the rear ends of their strokes, so that the lateral movements of the loopers will not disturb the stitches. which have been formed, nor strike the needles. It is also essential to provide means for holding the main shaft against rotation as long as the loopers are moved laterally to inoperative or threading position. To this end, means is provided for raising the latch 26, which means can only be operated when the loopers are at the rear end of their. stroke. This means also engages a moving element on the main'shaft, which performs the double function of timing of the releasing of the latch so that it can only'be released when the loopers are at the rear'ends of their strokes, and of locking the shaft against rotation until the loopers are returned to their operative position.

As shown in the drawings, 1 have provided a latch lever 29 which has a handle 3C extending toward the front of the machine to a position where it may be easily accessible to the operator. This lever is pivoted at 31 to a suitable bracket 21 carried by the machine, and said lever extends rearwardly from the bracket to a point directly underneath the main shaft 6. The rear end of the lever is turned up at Mounted on the main shaft 6 is a collar 33 having a recess 34 formed therein. When this recess is in register with the end 32 of the lever 29, the outer end of said lever may be pressed downward, and the up-turned portion 32 will move up into said recess. lVhen, however, the recess is not in alinement with the upturned end of the lever 29, then the collar 33 serves as a stop to prevent this lever from being depressed to the full extent when engaged by the operator. Extending through the collar 23 is a pin which is directly underneath the latch 26. The lever 29 has an arm 36 which is adapted to engage the pin 35 provided the lever can be moved to its full extent, and this engagement of the arm 36 with the pin 35 may cause the pin 35 to lift the latch, and thus release the looper carrier from the support therefor. After the latch has been released, then the looper carrier may be moved laterally on the looper shaft to inoperative or threading position.

The arm 22 of the looper carrier, when the looper carrier is in operative position, is disposed at one side of the lever 29 which permits the lever to swing freely. As soon, however, as the carrier is moved to any extent to the right, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, then the arm 22 of the looper carrier moves over the top of the lever 29. This arm 22 is extended so that any attempt to release the looper carrier and move it laterally, when the front end of the lever 29 is raised, is prevented for the reason that the arm will strike the lever. When the lever is depressed, as shown in Fig. 14, then the arm 22 will move over the top of the lever, and when the lever is released with the arm in this position, the lever strikes the arm, and said arm prevents a suflicient movement of the lever to withdraw the upturned por tion 32 from the recess in the collar 33. This collar 33, having the recess 34 therein, together with the lever 29, performs the double function of timing the release of the latch 26, so that it will be released when the loopers are at the rear end of their stroke, and of locking the shaft against rotation until the looper carrier is returned to operative position. When the loopers are at the rear end of their stroke, the recess 34 will register with the up-turned portion 32,

and this permits the lever to be depressed and the lifting of the latch. When the loopers are at the rear end of their stroke they may be moved laterally without disturbing the previously formed stitches, as above noted, and without striking the needles. Just as soon as the lever is shifted laterally, the arm 22 moving over top of the lever 29 holds the up-turned portion 32 in the recess 34 until the looper carrier is returned to its operative position. This positively locks the operating shaft from movement, and this prevents the operator from starting the machine or turning the main shaft until the looper carrier and the loopers have been moved back to operative position. In other words, the main shaft is automatically locked against movement by the looper carrier when said looper carrier is in inoperative position.

The latch 26 is formed with an extension 37 which is hook-shaped, and this serves as a means whereby the looper carrier may be shifted laterally after it is released. A spring 38 normally holds the lever 29 with the end 32 thereof retracted from engagement with the recess in the collar 33..

The looper support 19 extends through the bearing 21 and on the end thereof is a sleeve 39. Said sleeve 39 is formed with a head 40 in which is mounted to slide endwise a rod 41 carrying a ball stud 42. This rod 41 is located so as to move diametrically relative to the looper support 19. The ball 42 at the lower end of the rod 41 is connected to an arm 43 carried by a vertical rock shaft 44. This arm 43 is clamped to the rock shaft by a suitable screw 45. The rock shaft 44 is journaled so as to oscillate freely on a supporting stud which extends down through the bed 1 and is clamped thereto by a clamping nut 46. The rock shaft 44 receives its oscillations from a lever 47 which is pivoted at 48 to the supporting bed 1 of the machine. Said rock shaft, which a matter of fact is in the form of a rocking sleeve, has a projecting arm 49, see Fig. 10, which is pivotally connected to one end of a link 50, the other end of the link 50 being pivoted at 51 to the lever 47. The pivotal connection between the link and the arm. 49 is indicated at 52. The lever 47 is oscillated by an eccentric strap 53 which is connected at its outer end to a ball stud 54 fixed to the lever 47. Said eccentric strap coiiperates with an eccentric 55 on the main range of movement of the arm 43 is from a position substantially in line with the axis of the looper support 19, as shown in Fig. 5, to a position at right angles thereto, as shown inFigs; 2 and 11 of the drawings. As the. ball 42 moves in the arc of a circle within its limits of movement, as above described, the carrier supporting shaft 19 is oscillated and will be moved endwise. The rod 41 carrying the ball 42 moves up and down in the supporting head to permit this positive connection and, at the same time, oscillating movements of the arm 43, as described.

When the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 6, the loopers are at the rear end of their strokes. When the parts are positioned as shown in Figs. 2 and 11, then the loopers are at the forward end of their stroke. The lever 47 at its extreme outer stroke when the parts are positioned as shown in Fig. 5, and this position of the eccentric which operates the lever 47 is indicated in full lines in Fig. 8. When the eccentric is at the other end of its stroke, then the looper will be positioned as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. When the lever 47 moves from the position shown in Fig. 5, the looper begins its forward movement, and as it moves forward the looper support 19 will be moved endwise. This endwise movement will be at first comparatively slow relative to the forward movement of the looper, and at the final movement of its stroke it will be comparatively fast relative to the forward move ment of the looper. This movement of the parts causes the looper to move forward with a slight lateral movement when is entering the needle thread loop, and after the needle has raised above the looper, then thelooper moves rapidly laterally to the end of its stroke. This forward and lateral movement of the looper is shown diagrammatically inFig. 9, and it will be apparent from this figure that the looper, when at the forward end of its stroke, has crossed the path of the needle. The looper thread running from the eye of the looper to its pre vious stitch is positioned wholly at the op posite side of the needle from that passedby the looper as it entered the needle loop.

When the looper reaches the forward end of its stroke, the lever 47 is in the position shown in Fig. 10. The pivotal point 51 between the lever 47 and the link has crossed the line 0aw passing through the fulcrum of the lever 47 and the pivotal point 52 be tween the link 50 and the arm 49. The re sult of this positioning of the parts is to give a dwell to the rock shaft 44 and also a dwell to the looper support with the looper at the forward end of its stroke. Thls pen mits the needle to descend for the next stitch and the needle point to pass the looper thread before the looper is retracted to any great extent, and after the needle point has passed the looper thread, then the looper will be quickly retracted so that the needle may pass between the looper thread and the body of the looper. The looper is slightly curved, as shown in Fig. 9,.to facilitate the positioning of the looper thread, as above noted, and to insure that the needle may pass the looper without striking the same. i

From the above it will be apparent that T have provided a looper operating mechanism wherein the looper is operated by a direct train of connections from the main shaft beneath the work support. The looperis moved forward and laterally by the same train of mechanisms, the looper being given a dwell at the forward end of its stroke so as to permit the needle to pass the looper thread before the looper is retracted, after which the looper is quickly retracted so as to per nit the needle to pass between the looper thread and the body of the looper.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a work support, a main shaft located beneath the work support, a looper, a looper support on which said looper is mounted and means for oscillating the looper support and for moving said looper support endwise, said means including a lever located beneath the work support and oscillating in a horizontal plane, a rock shaft connected to said lever, a supporting head carried by the looper support, a rod mounted to move endwise transversely of the axis of the looper support in said head, said rock shaft having a projecting arm and said arm being connected to said rock shaft, said rock shaft being disposed relative to the looper support, so that the oscillations of said rock shaft impart to the looper support its oscillating and endwise movement.

2. The combination with a work support, a main shaft located beneath the work support, a looper, a looper support on which said looper is mounted, and means for oscillating said looper support and for moving said looper support endwise, including a lever pivoted to the bed plate beneath the work support so as to oscillate about a vertical axis, an eccentric on the main shaft, an eccentric strap cooperating therewith and connected to said lever for oscillating the same, a rock shaft located below the work support and operating about a vertical axis substantially intersecting the axis of the looper support,

said rock shaft having a projecting arm, a

link connecting said projecting arm with said lever, said rock shaft having a second arm, a supporting head carried by said looper support, a rod mounted to move endwise transversely of the aXis of the looper support in said head, said rod being connected to the last-named arm of the rock shaft.

3. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cooperating with each needle, a looper carrier on which said loopers are mounted, a looper support on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft, means for actuating said looper support from said shaft, means for causing the looper carrier to oscillate with the looper support, means for holding said looper carrier from endwise movement on said looper support, including a latch, devices under the control of the operator for releasing the latch, and means timed by said shaft for preventing the operation of the latch releasing devlces except when the loopers are at the rear ends of their strokes.

4-. A sewing machine including in combination, feeding mechanism, a needle, means for operating the needle, a looper, a looper carrier on which said looper is mounted, a looper support on which the carrier is mounted, said looper support being disposed so that said looper moves back and forth substantially in the plane of the feed, a main shaft, means for actuating said looper support from said shaft, means for securing the looper carrier to the support, whereby the looper carrier may be moved laterally on the support to inoperative or threading position, and means for locking the main shaft against rotation while said looper carrier is out of operative position.

5. A sewing machine including in combination, a feeding mechanism, a needle, a looper cooperating with the needle and movable back and forth substantially in the plane of the feed, a looper carrier, a support for said looper carrier, a main shaft, means for operating said support from said main shaft, means for connecting the looper car- ,rier to said support whereby said carrier may be moved to inoperative or threading position, and means for preventing the movement of the looper carrier to inoperative or threading position except when the looper is at the rear end of its stroke.

6. A sewing machine including in combination, a feeding mechanism, a needle, a looper cooperating with the needle and movable baclt and forth substantially in the plane of the feed, a looper carrier, a support for said looper carrier, a main shaft, means for operating said support from said main shaft, means for connecting the looper carrier to said support whereby said carrier may be moved to inoperative or threading position, and means for preventing the movement of the looper carrier to inoperative or threading position except when the looper is the rear end of its stroke and for locking the shaft against rotation until said looper carrier is returned to operative position.

7. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cotiperating with each needle, a looper car *ier on which said looper is mounted, a looper support on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft, means for actuating said looper carrier from said support, means for causing the looper carrier to oscillate with the looper support, means for holding said looper carrier from endwise movement on said looper support including a latch, a lever, an arm carried by the lever, devices operated by said arm for releasing the latch, and means carried by the main shaft for preventing movement of the lever to release the latch except when the loopers are substantially at the rear end of their stroke.

8. The combination of a plurality of needles, a looper cooperating with each needle, a looper carrier on which said looper is mounted, a looper support on which said looper carrier is mounted, a main shaft, means for actuating said looper carrier from said support, means for causing the looper carrier to'oscillate with the looper support, means for holding said looper carrier from endwise movement on said looper support including a latch, a lever, an arm carried by the lever, devices operated by said arm for releasing the latch, and means carried by the main shaft for preventing movement of the lever to release the latch except when the loopers are substantially at the rear end of their strokes, said lever operating to prevent the rotation of the shaft until the looper carrier is returned to operative position.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

LANSING ONDERDONK. l/Vitnesses:

J onn H. HOWELL, lV. BLANCIIARD.

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