US3151586A - Feeder chute construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 6, 1964 1. MEDOFF ETAL FEEDER CHUTE CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1961 INVENTORS. 5 ram/6 M'flaAF ca /$245: eoMmA me BY Oct. 6, 1964 LMEDOFF ETAL 3,151,586 FEEDER CHUTE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 6. 1961- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 My Array/04s Oct. 6, 1964 1. MEDOFF ETAL 3,151,586

FEEDER CHUTE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 6, 1961 INVEN TORS Lew/m; 4/ 0 Oct. 6, 1964 1. MEDOFF ETAL FEEDER CHUTE CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 6, 1961 INVEN TORS'. .zemva M'M meat: ddAKI/G Wlf BY fig,

S mlbnrrakA/a s United States Patent 0 3,151,586 FEEDER CHUTE CONSTRUCTION Irving Medcif, Flushing, and Charles Bonsignore, Queens Village, N.Y., assiguors to Emsig Manufacturing Co., New York, N.Y., a partnership Filed July 6, 1961, Ser. No. 122,161 3 Claims. ((31. 112113) This invention relates to a button feed device and more particularly to a shank button feed device for use in conjunction with a button sewing machine whereby buttons from a bulk supply in a button hopper are oriented in sewing position beneath the needle of a button sewing machine.

More particularly, this invention relates to an improved button feed device of the general type shown in Troll Patents Nos. 2,597,912, 2,661,709 and 2,830,549. In button feeders, including feeders in accordance with the aforesaid patents, buttons contained in a hopper are mechanically aligned in a chute which leads from the hopper to a presser foot mounted to lie beneath the sewing machine needle. In such known feeders, a button in the button chute is positioned by any of a number of known means at a predetermined point on the presser foot, when the latter is raised to the work releasing position. The operator .then may position work beneath the sewing machine needle, cause the presser foot to be lowered, and initiate a sewing cycle whereby the shank button is stitched at a desired point to the garment. In such previously known devices, raising and lowering of the presser foot results in a bodily moving or shifting of the button hopper and the button chute which connects the presser foot to the hopper. Enlargement of the hopper to increase the capacity makes the hopper rather a heavy assembly, and the raising and lowering of the presser foot results in considerable stresses being applied both to the chute which links the presser foot with the hopper, and to the presser foot lifting apparatus which is forced to raise the additional weight of the hopper and where foot treadle operation is involved causes fatigue to the operator.

Accordingly, in one phase thereof, this invention re- 7 lates to a novel button feeder device having novel linkage means between the presser foot and hopper whereby the hopper load is eliminated on the presser foot action and is permitted to remain stationary upon raising or lowering of the presser foot, and, accordingly, the presser foot may be raised and lowered without the necessity of lifting the weight of the hopper.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a button feeder attachment on a button sewing machine or the like, whereby a presser foot is connected to receive buttons discharged from a stationarily mounted hopper.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a feeder attachment of the type described whereby the presser foot may be raised or lowered without lifting the weight of the hopper.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a feeder of the type described having an articulated chute member forming a button raceway joining the presser foot and the button hopper, which chute will, upon raising or lowering of the presser foot, permit said presser foot to remove relatively to a fixed hopper without interrupting the smooth flow of buttons in said raceway.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a button feeder attachment including a button guide chute having relatively movable linkage parts to provide for relative movement of a presser foot secured at one end of said chute, and a fixed button hopper at the other end of said chute.

A further object is to provide novel, adjustable work 3,151,586 Patented Oct. 6, 1964 "ice clamping means in combination with a feeder device as aforesaid which clamping means permits ready adjustment of the presser foot to accommodate fabrics of varying thickness.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel presser foot for a button feeding device or the like, having novel button clamping means.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a button feeder device having a presser foot which includes novel button clamping means permitting ready positioning beneath the sewing machine needle of buttons of a wide variety of button head shapes.

In order more fully to describe the invention and illustrate its use, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a button sewing device to which has been attached a feeder in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded, pre-assembly view of the flexible linkage between the upper and lower chute segments of said feeder assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the presser foot, chute and hopper assembly in the lowered or sewing position of the presser foot isolated from the sewing machine for clarity of inspection;

FIGURE 3A is a view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the position of the parts in the raised position of the presser foot;

FIGURE 4 is a magnified section, taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a magnified side elevational view taken in the direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a partial section taken on the line 7--7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken on the lines 8-8 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 in the raised position of the presser foot;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective, exploded view of portions of the presser foot assembly showing the novel spring clamping means; and

FIGURES 11 and 12 are horizontal sections showing the position of buttons held in the spring clamp means of FIGURE 10, which buttons have variously shaped heads and head depths.

In accordance with the invention, there is shown in FIGURE 1, a conventional shank button sewing machine it), adapted upon actuation, to apply a series of button securing stitches to a garment G clamped to the work piece 11 of the machine. Suitable shank button sewing machines are generally of two types. In the first type, the sewing machine needle oscillates alternately in two paths, one of which paths serves to direct the needle through the sewing hole of the button, and the other of which directs the needle adjacent the shank. In the second type button sewing machine, the needle oscillates in a single path, but the Work piece is periodically shifted so that on alternate needle strokes the needle passes respectively through the sewing hole, and adjacent the shank. The invention herein described may be adapted in use with either type sewing machine, the illustrated machine being of the oscillating needle, stationary work piece design.

The button feed apparatus functions to orient buttons beneath the needle in position to be sewn, and comprises a hopper H containing a bulk supply of buttons, a chute C for conducting in aligned condition buttons deposited therein by the hopper to the presser foot P. A pawl 12 pivotally carried by presser foot P, functions after comsubstantial canting of the buttons.

7 .60 of said chute.

pletion of a sewing cycle and upon raising of the presser foot to enter behind a button in the presser foot and eject the sewn button while at the same time advancing the button adjacent the sewn button into position to be sewn;

. standard is in turn secured by means of flange F to a horizontal support table;

By reason of the novel chute C, hereinafter described, which permits relative movement of the presser foot and hopper, no substantial movement of the hopper occurs upon raising. and lowering of the presser foot.

-' The hopper H functions under the influence of motor M to tumble the bulk supply of buttons therein contained,

and to feed a steady supply of edge-to-edge oriented buttons which are properly positioned into the adjoining chute C which defines an internal raceway to guide the buttons to sewing position. The'construction of hopper H'does, not form a part of this invention and may 'be of any known type which includes means for permitting properly positioned shank buttons to pass chute C while excluding improperly positioned buttons,

The chute C at its upper, hopper adjoining end and substantially throughout its length, includes an extended rear button face engaging wall or strip 21, and extended button shank confining guide strips 22,23. The guide strips 22, 23 are secured to wall 21 by bolts 24, spacers 25 being interposed between the guide strips 22, 23, and face engaging wall 21, to permit sliding movement of the buttons within the chute C without permitting See FIGURE 4. The walls 22, 23 are spaced laterally apart, defining there between a slot 26 through which the button shanks S project. v

The slot 26 is of a size to accommodate the noncircular shank portions S of the buttons (see FIGURE '6) in a manner to prevent rotation of the buttons in the chute and maintain the axis of the sewing holes of the buttons, normal to the direction of travel of buttons inthe chute.

Buttons descend down the chute through the flexibly connected and telescopically arranged center section 30 and lower section 60 to the presser foot P,subsequently to be described in more detail. The presser foot is lowered by chain Ch which may depend from thesewing machine lift bar, or may optionally be treadle operated or automatically actuated, as by solenoid or air pressure impetus in a manner known to those skilled in the art. Raising and lowering of the presser foot P is, of course, accompanied by relative movement of the upper hopper adjoining end 20 of the chute C and the lower section The center section 30,. see FIGURES 2 and 4, comprises a bracket 32 secured at its upper end by bolts 33 to rear wall 21 of the lower end 34 of upper chute section A slot 35 is formed in the lower end of bracket 32. -As best seen in FIGURES '2 and 3A, the lower end 7 22a of. guide strip 22 is bent outwardly so as to be paral- *lel to, but further spaced from, wall 21, than the main body of strip 22.

The center articulated section 30 includes, backing link 7 41, the upper end of which lies in the plane of the lower end 34 of the upper chute section 2 la. Guide strips ,the uppermost portion of link 41, the'u'pperend 23d 4 being bent outwardly to be parallel to, but further spaced from, wall 21, than strip 23.

The lower end 34 of wall or strip 21 is provided with a transverse recess 42 within which recess the upper end of spring blade member 43 is received. The lower ends of strips 22, 23 and spring blade 43 are secured to the lower end 34 of wall 21 by bolts 24 passing through registering apertures in the elements 22, 23 and 43, respectively, and threaded into complemental receiving apertures 44, 44 in wall 21. Spacer members 25 interposed between strips 22, 23 and blade 43, respectively, space said strips from said blade, and at the same time seat the blade 43 in recess 42 to form a smooth continuation of wall 21.

The blade spring member'43, in addition, includes a depending spring finger portion 45 which extends a distance beneath the lower end portion 34 of wall 21 for purposes which will appear hereafter.

The center section '30, which optionally but preferably is curved longitudinally, is' shifably secured to the upper chute assembly by means of bolt which passes through slot 35 of bracket 32, and is threaded into aperture 51 of link or plate 41. The bolt 50 is threaded and locked into aperture 51 in a manner to permit both sliding and pivotal movement of the parts 41 and bracket 32. When thus assembled (as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4), guide strip part 23a overlaps the end of strip 23 and part 22a overlaps strip 22b so that, despite relative shifting of section 30 with respect to the upper section 21a of chute C, either strip 23 or. strip- 2212 will be in button guiding contact with buttons progressing across the junction between section 30 and the upper section 21a. As best seen in FIG. 4, the depending portion 45 of spring member 43 overlays the upper end 41a of link or plate 41 in the lowermost limiting position of bolt 50 in slot 35, to provide a smooth and substantially unbroken surface against which the buttons travelling down the chute may ride. Also, the spring blade 43 tends to maintain wall 21 in alignment with link 41 despite the slightly loose fit of bolt 50. in slot 35 which permits slight transverse articulation of section 30 with respect to the upper end of the chute C. I

The lower end 41b of plate 41 is provided with a semicircular cutout 41c. The lower terminal edges 22e, 23c of strips 22b, 231), respectively, are cut away'and taper upwardly from a low point adjacent the slot '26 defined by the spaced strips.

This relative movement" is accomi standing the pivoted relationship of Depending from the intermediate chute section 30 there is pivotally supported the lowermost chute section 60, the terminal portion of which comprises the presser foot'P. The back 'plate 61 of chute section 60 is provided with guide strips 22 23 which formcontinuations of the strips 22, 23} Strips 221', 23 are secured in relation to space back plate 61 by bolts 24 and spacers 25. The

upper ends 22g, 23g of said strips. are cut away and taper 22g and 23g, thus permit a range of relative pivotal movement of sections 30 and 60 without interference, which would result if such terminal edgeswere right angular and close enough to each other to provide a continuous button guide. The ends aforesaid are arranged closely to approach eachother so that a button sliding across the junction between'sections 30 and 60 will be maintained within the guideway or raceway formed within chute "C by the adjacent terminal endsiof the guide strips, notwithwith respect to each other. 7 1 a The plate 61 is provided with an upwardly extending semi-circular lug 61a, the outline of'which correspondents substantially tothe cutout 410 formed in plate 41'. .A

1 bracket 65 is secured to plate 41 in a rrranner to project lug 66 a distance below the lowermost neer plate 41.

se'ctions 30 and 60 V ened in a manner to prevent binding of lugs 61a and 66. When assembled as above indicated, lug 61a will be partly within but not concentric with cutout 410, thus permitting a pivotal movement, the range of which is limited by abutment of the adjacent ends of plates 41 and 61.

As previously indicated, the presser foot P comprises the terminal end of the lowermost chute section 60. As best seen in FIGURES 3, 6 and 9, guide strips 22 23] terminate in rigid finger portions 22h, 23h, respectively, and guide the shanks of buttons in this portion of the chute so that the sewing hole portions are vertically oriented in the terminal portion of the chute and project a distance therebeyond.

Whereas a certain degree of looseness of the buttons in the button chute is not only permissible but necessary, it is important that buttons in the sewing area of the chute adjacent the presser foot be prevented from movement toward or away from the rear plate 61 of the chute. The importance of such button orientation is appreciated by bearing in mind that the sewing machine needle oscillates a precise distance from the plane of fingers 22h, 23h, and varying positions of the button shanks at this point could result in the needle striking a portion of the button shank rather than entering the sewing hole. Also, the buttons must be clamped during the sewing operation.

To secure such clamping action and precise orientation of the sewing holes of the buttons with respect to the needle path, the lower end 70 (see FIGURE of plate 61 is recessed at 71, and a leaf spring 72 is fastened within recess 71 by bolt 73. toward the fingers 22h, 23k, and in the path of buttons travelling down the chute. It will be readily understood that the feeder pawl 12 acts, upon raising of the presser foot, to shift a button to a position adjacent spring 72 whereupon the under face of the button surrounding the shank is forced against the inner surface of fingers 22h and 2312, and in predetermined projected position with respect to the needle. As seen from FIGURE 11, the alignment of the sewing hole of the button a fixed distance beyond the outer face of fingers 22h, 23h is accomplished without reference to the shape or size of the button head, since the distance between the sewing hole and the underside of the button head surrounding the junction of the button head and shank is the determinative factor. Thus, it will be readily recognized that shank buttons having various sized heads may be sewn without adjustment of the feeder so long as the distance between sewing hole and the underside of the button head is a constant. In FIGURES 11 and 12 there are illustrated a plurality of buttons B B with different sized and shaped head portions advanced to sewing position in the presser foot. It will be appreciated that each shown button may be sewn without adjustment, since the distance d between the sewing hole and underside of the head is the same.

As seen in FIGURES 6, 9 and 10, a lever 80 pivotally mounted on stub shaft 81 carried by the sewing machine, is secured to the presser foot P. A bracket 82 extends upwardly from lever 80 and lift chain Ch is made fast to the bracket. The terminal end 83 of the lower chute section (comprising a continuation of plate 61) is secured to the forward end 84 of lever 80. Thus, when the lever 89 is pivoted upwardly or downwardly about shaft 81 by the raising or lowering of chain Ch, the presser foot P and lower chute section 60 are similarly raised and lowered. A stud 85 is threadably and adjustably secured by lock nut 86 to flange 37 of lever 80. The stud 85 is provided at its lower end with foot portion 88. When the chain Ch is in lowered position, the Weight of the presser foot P and allied assembly is supported by the stud 85, the foot portion 88 thereof lying against the work piece 11 of the sewing machine. The stud 85 may be adjusted upwardly and downwardly by variable threading of nut 86, the adjustment being dependent upon the thickness of the garment to which buttons are applied.

The spring 72 extends normally The operation of the device will be readily understood from the preceding description. A continuous supply of buttons is fed from the hopper into the chute C. These buttons descend the chute with the shank portions thereof extending outwardly through the slot 26.

A garment G is placed in proper position on the work piece and the presser foot P lowered. The endmost button will have been oriented by the pawl 12 at the previous raising of the presser foot. The lowered presser foot clamps the garment, as shown in FIGURE 6, only a light pressure being applied at the outer end of the presser foot, the majority of the weight being borne by the contact of stud against the work piece 11.

Upon completion of the stitching cycle, the presser foot is raised by chain Ch. The force required to lift the presser foot P is greatly reduced by the fact that the presser foot P may be moved relative to hopper H. Thus it is not necessary upon lifting the presser foot to lift the weight of the hopper.

As the presser foot raises from the position shown in FIGURE 6 to that of FIGURE 9, the upward movement is accormnodated by a corresponding combined telescoping and pivotal movement of the chute. (Compare FIGURE 3, down position, and FIGURE 3A, up position.)

The telescopic movement is accommodated by the sliding of bolt 50 within the limits of slot 35, thereby permitting chute section 30 to move vertically relative to the other portions of the chute. By reason of the curvature of chute sections 30 and 60, the upward sliding movement may be accompanied by a flexing or transverse pivoting of chute section 30. The spring finger portion 45 will be biased by such lateral pivoting or flexing, and upon lowering of the presser foot parts will urge the sections to return to their normal position, as shown in FIGURE 4. The gap between plate 21 and link 41 is at all times spanned by spring finger portion 45, so that the button heads may ride uninterruptedly down the chute. In the course of telescopic movement flange portion 23a rides over strip segment 23 and portion 22a over segment 2212. Thus at all relative posi tions of the two chute segments, at least one of the strips 22b or 23b will function to maintain buttons against movement transversely of the chute.

Raising and lowering of the presser foot will likewise cause a pivoting of plate 61 and bolt 50 in aperture 68. Thus, in the raised position of the presser foot (FIG- URE 3A), the chute sections 30 and 60 are angularly oriented rearwardly and in slightly flexed position, while in the lowered position of the presser foot (FIGURE 3), the sections 30 and 60 have been brought substantially into alignment. It will be appreciated that the relative movements aforesaid will enable the hopper H to be maintained stationary when the presser foot is raised and lowered. Thus, the force required to lift the presser foot is greatly reduced, as compared to feeders heretofore known wherein the hopper was secured to a semi-rigid chute and lifting of the presser foot required lifting of the hopper.

While there has been described and illustrated a semirigid chute in connection with the feed of shank buttons, it will be readily appreciated that those skilled in the art may adapt the teachings hereof for use with other types of buttons, such as sew through buttons. In each instance it will be appreciated that by eliminating the neoessity of lifting the mass of the hopper from which the bulk supply of buttons is fed, it will be possible to utilize hoppers having increased button holding capacity, thereby eliminating the necessity of frequently reloading the hopper. A presser foot assembly suitable for feeding sew through type buttons and suitable for adaptation to the semi-rigid chute assembly herein described, is illustrated in Troll Patent No. 2,661,709.

The inclusion of an adjustable, depending support foot beneath the presser foot reduces wear on the foot and 7 reduces the likelihood of the presser foot being thrown out of adjustment by hearing the entire weight of the chute and foot on the tip of the presser foot.

Also, the novel button positioning spring construction of the presser foot assures proper adjustment of the button sewing hole laterally a predetermined distance beyond the side of the presser foot, regardless of the shape and thickness, of the shank button, head.

Having thus described our invention and illustrated its use, what we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In. combination with a button sewing apparatus having a'vertically movable presser foot for clamping the work and a fixedly mounted button hopper adapted to orient buttons in peripheral edge-to-edge contact located at a level above the level of said presser foot, a chute for guiding the oriented buttons from said hopper to said presser, foot while permitting relative movement be- (tween said presser foot and hopper, said chute comprising an, upper section depending from said hopper and arranged to receive edge-to-edge contacting buttons from said hopper, a lower chute section connected with said presser foot and sized to maintain buttons therein in peripheral edge-to-edge contact, and. anintermediate section for guiding oriented buttons from said upper chute section to said lower chute section, said intermediate section having its lower end pivotally connected to the upper end of said lower chute section and having its upper end pivotally and longitudinally slidably connectedwith the lower end of said upper chute section, said spring having an end .fixed to one of said chute sections and having a free end biased against the other of said chute sections,

said spring urging said upper and intermediate chute sections into alignment.

2-. A device in" accordance with claim 1 wherein said upper section includes a downwardly extending flange member spaced from and overlapping portions of said intermediate section and said intermediate section includes an upwardly directed flange member spaced from and overlapping portions of said upper section;

3. In a feeder fora button sewing apparatus including a button hopper and a sewing machinehaving a vertically shiftable presser foot member, said hopper being at a level above said presser foot member, a chute linking said hopper to said presser foot member while permitting relative movement between said hopper and presser foot member, comprising an upper chute section depending from said hopper, a lower. chute section con-. nected with said presser foot member and an intermediate section for guiding buttons from said upper to said lower chute section, said intermediatesection having one end pivotally and longitudinally shiftably connected to an end of onesaid chute section and having its other end pivotally connected to said other chute section, and blade spring means spanning'portions of both said longitudinally movable sections, said blade spring 'means being fixed to one of said longitudinally movable sections and overlapping'and yieldingly bearing against portions of the other of said longitudinally movable sections in all longitudinally adjusted positions of said sections, said blade spring permitting a relative pivoting movement between said longitudinally shiftable sections in a different plane than the pivotal movement permitted by said'first mentioned pivotal connection between said sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BUTTON SEWING APPARATUS HAVING A VERTICALLY MOVABLE PRESSURE FOOT FOR CLAMPING THE WORK AND A FIXEDLY MOUNTED BUTTON HOPPER ADAPTED TO ORIENT BUTTONS IN PERIPHERAL EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACT LOCATED AT A LEVEL ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID PRESSER FOOT, A CHUTE FOR GUIDING THE ORIENTED BUTTONS FROM SAID HOPPER TO SAID PRESSER FOOT WHILE PERMITTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID PRESSER FOOT AND HOPPER, SAID CHUTE COMPRISING AN UPPER SECTION DEPENDING FROM SAID HOPPER AND ARRANGED TO RECEIVE EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACTING BUTTONS FROM SAID HOPPER, A LOWER CHUTE SECTION CONNECTED WITH SAID PRESSER FOOT AND SIZED TO MAINTAIN BUTTONS THEREIN IN PERIPHERAL EDGE-TO-EDGE CONTACT, AND AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION FOR GUIDING ORIENTED BUTTONS FROM SAID UPPER CHUTE SECTION TO SAID LOWER CHUTE SECTION, SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION HAVING ITS LOWER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID LOWER CHUTE SECTION AND HAVING ITS UPPER END PIVOTALLY AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLY CONNECTED WITH THE LOWER END OF SAID UPPER CHUTE SECTION, SAID SPRING HAVING AN END FIXED TO ONE OF SAID CHUTE SECTIONS AND HAVING A FREE END BIASED AGAINST THE OTHER OF SAID CHUTE SECTIONS, SAID SPRING URGING SAID UPPER AND INTERMEDIATE CHUTE SECTIONS INTO ALIGNMENT.

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