US1332536A - Sewing-machine attachment - Google Patents

Description

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, I917- Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. BAYNARD, 0F BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BEGKWI'I'E BOX TOE COMPANY, 0]? DOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATIDN OF MAINE.

SEWING-MACHINE ATTACH ENT. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1917. Serial No. 180,091.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BAYNARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Braintree, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Attachments, of which the following is a specification. I

"In machine-stitching certain materials, especially when the machine. is running at high speed, the friction of the needle against such material generates heat to such an extent as to impair the efliciency of the machine, and this is particularly true when the material is dense or compact, or contains substances which impede the penetration and passage of the needle. ample, in stitching toe boxes in the manufacture of shoes, which boxes consist of felt saturated with a. bituminous, asphaltic or resinous substance for imparting stiffness thereto, the needle soon becomes heated to such an extent that it is desirable or necessary to stop the machine to permit the needle to cool. Moreover, when the material being stitched contains foreign substances, such for example as those mentioned, there is likelihood of the needle. becoming coated or incrusted therewith, which adds to the frictional resistance to the passage of the needle through the work.

The present invention has for its object to provide an attachment or appliance which may be employed for cooling the needle, and, if desired, for lubricating the needle and the thread. It consists of a reservoir for containing the cooling orlubricating medium, which is in liquid form, and means by which such medium is supplied to the needle.

On the accompanying drawing,-

Figure 1 illustrates a sewing mechine equipped with an attachment which constitutes one embodiment of my invention.

.Fig. 2 represents the attachment in plan view, the presser-foot and the presser-bar being shown in section.

Fig. 3 illustrates the attachment in side elevation.

Fig. 4 represents on a larger scale a front elevation, partially in sectlon, of sald attachinent.

Fig. 5 is a like View, some parts being broken away, and showing the valve (to be described) in closed position.

I have selected for the purpose of ex- For explaining one wayin which an embodiment 'of- .the invention may be used, a Union trated as attached to and supported by the presser-bar guide 15, and to it is imparted the vertical reciprocation of such guide, but generally speaking, it is supported by the presser-foot mechanism.

The particular attachment, which is illustrated and which will now be described in detail, consists of a wick placed within a holder so arranged that the operative end of the needle will pass through it, a reservoir for containing a supply of the cooling or lubricating medium, a valve for controlling the delivery of such medium to the wick, and means for operating the valve.

The reservoir consists of a cylinder 19 of which the lower end is closed, and which is placed upon a flat plate 20 and secured thereto by a screw 21 formed on the end of the cylinder and projecting through an aperture insaid plate, and a nut 22. The plate is secured upon a shouldered post 23 Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

by a nut 24 on the threaded end thereof, and

of the reservoir is closed by a removable.

cap or cover 27, the marginal flange of which 'has angular slots 28 to receive pins 29 pro- The jecting radially from the reservoir.

any other suitable means.

At one side of the reservoir is the valvecasing which consists of a tube 30 extending cap may be secured removably in place by vertically from the upper end of the reser- I voir to a point below its lower end, the lower extremity of the tube being tapering to provide a minute outlet port 31 and a conical valve seat 32. A port or duct 33 leads from the interior of the reservoir to the valve casing. The valve consists of a plunger 34, the lower end of which is tapered to fit the valve seat as best shown in Fig. 4. The upper extremity of the plunger has a lug or ear 35, secured thereon, from which a spring 36 extends to a fixed pin 37 to hold the valve normally seated. The valve is lifted intermittently by the following parts. Pivoted between its ends upon a pivot 39 on the supporting member 25 there is a lever 38, which has one end bent upwardly to lie under a fixed stop or projection such as the guide 17. The other end of the lever is pivoted to the lower end of a rod 40 having at its upper end a lug or ear 41 encircling the plunger 34 and engaging a nut 42 thereon. When the presser-bar rises, the end of the lever engages the fixed stop and is tilted about its axis to lift the valve from its seat through the connections just described and permit a drop of the lubricant to emerge from the valve port 31.

The wick holder consists of a tube 43 which is flattened and closed at its outer end 44. Its other end is closed by a screw plug 145. Within the holder is placed a wick consisting preferably of a body of sponge or equivalent absorbent 45 inwrapped or incased in muslin, cheesecloth, or other suitable material 46. A curved funnel 47, having a flaring mouth 48, is formed on the wick holder and is normally located below the valve to receive the drops of lubricant and conduct them to the interior of the Wick holder. The rear end of the wick holder is formed with ears 49 which embrace a comlemental lug 50 formed on a block 51 ad- ]ustably secured by a horizontal screw 52 to the head of a bolt 53 passed through the member 25 and clamped frictionally thereon by a nut 54. A leaf spring 55 secured to the under side of the wick holder bears against the block-51 and holds the wick holder yieldingly in position with its flattened e'nd above the presser-foot 13 and in the path of the needle. The said flattened end has a through aperture 56 for the needle, and such additional apertures, or vents, as may be needed. The free end of the wick holder may be swung laterally out of the needle path, the bolt 53 being rotatable in its bearing. A spring latch 156 secured on the side of the member 25 is arranged to engage a vertical notch 57 (see dotted lines in Fig. 2) in the head of bolt 53, normally to hold said wick holder in its operative position.

From the foregoing description of the several parts, the operation of the attachment will now be fully understood without further explanation, it being remembered that, during the operation of the machine, the'valve is lifted and depressed once for each complete reciprocation of the presserfoot. The valve, however, may be automatically operated in other ways, and the wick holder and reservoir may be otherwise mounted, though I prefer that the wick holder should be reciprocated so as not to interfere with the operation of the presserfoot. In the present case, its reciprocation is synchronous with that of the presserfoot, in consequence of which the end of the holder may extend down so as to rest on the presser-foot as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. As the lubricating or cooling medium, I may employ any suitable liquid according to the character of the material being stitched. For example, I can use water, or carbon tetrachlorid, light or heavy oil, or other substance which will serve the purpose desired, and consequently I do not limit myself to the use of any particular compound.

It is evident that the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims, are not limited to the details of construction which have been herein described, except as the same are specifically recited in such claims.

The wick or body of absorbent, such as may be employed for the purposes herein mentioned, and the holder, in which it is held in position to make contact with the needle, constitute what may be considered as a moisture or liquid container or a lubricator, and to this element the cooling or lubricating liquid is supplied from the reservoir, such supply being automatically controlled by a valve mechanism which includes an automatically operated valve actuator. Such valve actuator in the present with the plunger valve.

caseincludes the lever and its connections Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of making and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a wick, a holder therefor adapted to be placed in the path of the needle and having a through aperture to receive the needle, and a liquid reservoir arranged to supply liquid to said wick.

2. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a wick, a holder therefor adapted to be placed in the path of the needle and having a through aperture to receive the needle, a liquid reservoir adapted to be secured to-the machine, and a valve for controlling the supply of liquid from the reservoir to said wick holder.

3. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a liquid reservoir, a valve con trolling the delivery of liquid therefrom, a wick and a wick holder adapted to be arranged across the path of the needle so that the needle will pass therethrough, and

means by which the valve is intermittently opened to permit the passage of liquid from the reservoir to said wick holder.

4. A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a wick and a wick holder located in the path of the needle and having an aperture for the passage of the needle therethrough, and means for supporting said holder above said p'resser-foot with said aperture in the path of the needle.

A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a wick and a wick holder having an aperture for the passage of the needle therethrough, means for supporting said holder above said presser-foot with said aperture in the path of the needle, and means for reciprocating said wick holder.

6. A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a moisture container having an aperture for the assage of the needle, and adapted to be arranged in the path of the needle, means for supporting said container above the presser-foot, and means for supplying moisture thereto.

7. A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a moisture container having an aperture for the passage of the needle, and adapted to be arranged in the path of the needle, means for supporting said container in said path of the needle, and a reservoir arranged to supply liquid to said container.

8. A sewing machine, comprising aneedle, a movable presser-foot and a presser-bar guide movable therewith, in combination with a member attached to said presser-bar guide, a moisture container supported by said member and arranged in the path of the needle, and a liquid reservoir adapted to deliver liquid to said container.

9. A sewing machine, comprisinga needle,

a movable presser-foot and a presser-bar guide movable therewith, in combination with a member attached to said presser-bar guide, a moisture container supported by said member and arranged in the path of the needle, a liquid reservoir adapted to deliver liquid to said container, and an automatic valve for intermittently checking the a valve controlling the delivery of said liquid, and valve-operating mechanism operated automatically by the reciprocation of said presser-bar guide.

* 11. A sewing machine, comprising a nee 'liquid and having a casing communicating with said reservoir and a plunger valve therein, and means for automatically reciprocating said plunger valve.

13. A sewing machine, comprising a me dle and a presser-foot, in combination with a moisture container for supplying moisture to the needle and having an aperture through which the needle may pass, and

means for movably supporting said container to permit said container to be moved laterally into and out of the path of the needle to locate the aperture into or out of registration with the needle. 14. A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a tubular holder having a flattened and apertured end portion adapted to be placed in the path of the needle, and an absorbent filling in said holder for making contact with said needle.

15. A sewing machine, comprising a needle and a presser-foot, in combination with a tubular holder having a flattened and apertured end portion adapted to be placed in the path of the needle, and an absorbent filling in said holder for making contact with said needle, and means for conducting liquid to said holder.

16. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a reservoir for containing li uid, an, apertured holder containing absor ent material and adapted to be depressed across the path of the needle, a valve controlling the passage of liquid-to said holder, a valve actuator, and means for attaching said elements to the sewing machine.

17. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a reservoir for containing liquid, a holder containing absorbent material, a valve controllin the passage of liquid to said holder, a v ve actuator, and a member for attachin said elements to the presserfoot mechanism of the machine with the holder in the path of the needle.

18. A sewing machine, comprising, in combination with the stitch-forming and resser-foot mechanisms,a member attached to the presser-foot mechanism, and the following elements supported thereby, to wit, a moisture container adapted to be arranged in the path of the needle, and means for supplying moisture thereto.

19. A sewing machine, comprising, in combination with the. stitch-forming and presser-foot mechanisms, a member attached to the presser-foot mechanism, and the'fol lowing elements supported thereby, to wit, a moisture container adapted to be arranged in the path of the needle, a liquid reservoir,

and means for conducting liquid from said reservoir to said container.

20. A sewing machine, comprising, in combination with the stitchforming and presser-foot mechanisms, a member attached to the resser-foot mechanism, and the following elements supported thereby, to wit, a moisture container adapted to be arranged in the path of the needle, a liquid reservoir, a valve controlling the delivery of liquid therefrom, and a valve-actuating mechanism includin a member adapted to engage a fixed portion of said machine.

21. A sewing machine attachment, comprising a reservoir, a valve casing communicating therewith, a valve-therein, a valve actuator, a wick holder arranged to receive liquid from the valve and having an aperture for the passage of the needle, and a wick in said holder.

22. A sewing machine attachment, comprising a reservoir, a valve casing communicating therewith, a valve plunger therein, an actuator for reciprocating the plunger, a wick holder arranged to receive liquid from the valve, a wick in said holder, and a member for supporting the attachment on a sewing machine with the wick in the path of the needle thereof.

23. A sewing machine, comprislng a. reciprocatory presser-bar guide and a needle,

in combination with a supporting member attached to said presser-bar guide to reciprocate therewith, a liquid reservoir carried by said member, a valve controlling the passage of liquid from said reservoir, a moisture container sup orted by said member and adapted to lie in the path of the needle and to receive liquid from said reservoir,

forming mechanism, a lubricator adapted to lie across the path of the needle and having an aperture for the passage of the needle, means for pivotally supporting said lubricator to yield in lines approximating the path of movement of said needle, and a spring yieldingly holding said lubricator in position.

, 26. An attachment for sewing machines, comprising a wick consisting of a body of sponge and a textile casing or covering, therefor, and a metallic holder inclosing said wick and having an aperture for the pasiage of the needle into contact with said w1c In testimony whereof'I have aflixed my I signature. 5

WILLIAM H. BAYNARD. l

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