US3318273A

US3318273A - Presser foot

Info

Publication number: US3318273A
Application number: US390947A
Authority: US
Inventors: George F Eddy
Original assignee: Talon Inc
Current assignee: Talon Inc
Priority date: 1964-08-20
Filing date: 1964-08-20
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09

Description

y 9. 1967 G. F. EDDY 3,318,273

PRESSER FOOT Filed Aug. 20, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. GEO/( 65 E EDD! ATTORNEW United States Patent 3,318,273 PRESSER FOOT George F. Eddy, Conneaut Lake, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 390,947 11 Claims. (Cl. 112-235) This invention relates to a presser foot for a sewing machine, and, more particularly, to a sewing machine presser foot for use in sewing a slide fastener to a garment or the like.

Slide fasteners for closing an opening in a garment are commonly mounted upon tapes which are sewed to the marginal portions of the cloth on each side of the opening. Because it is desirable to conceal the slide fastener from view to maintain the attractive appearance of the garment, the tapes of the side fastener chain are sewn to the garment closely adjacent to the fastener elements, preferably with the marginal portion of the opening of the garment overlapping the outermost edges of the stringer tapes, each of which carries a plurality of fastener elements secured to one of its edges.

Generally, it has been the prior practice for the operator to separately sew each stringer tape to the marginal portion. This construction has proven to be time consuming as well as costly because of the number of steps that must be performed by the operator. First, the operator places a tape along one edge of the opening in the garment, taking great care to align the tape of the slide fastener with the edge of the opening in the garment. Next, the operator sews the tape to the marginal portion adjacent the side of the opening of the garment to secure the slide fastener tape thereto. Then the entire sewing operation must be repeated to sew the second tape to the garment. In performing these operations, the operator must make-sure that each row of stitching that secures the slide fastener to the garment is aligned substantially parallel to each other as well as spaced an equal distance from the edge of the opening, so that when the opening in the garment is closed, the slide fastener chain is centered relative to the opening and no part of the finished garment is puckered to thus create an unsightly appearance. After each tape is stitched to the garment along its length, one or both of the ends are cross stitched to close the ends of the fastener.

It is the general object of this invention to provide an improved sewing machine presser foot for simultaneously guiding the tapes of a slide fastener chain into overlapping registration with the marginal portions of an opening in a garment.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved presser foot for a double needle sewing machine which separates the slide fastener chain and guides the individual tapes into parallel paths past the sewing station.

A further object of this invention is to provide a compensating presser foot for sewing the stringer tapes of a slide fastener to a garment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved sewing machine presser foot for simultaneously sewing to the marginal portions of an opening in a garment the opposed tapes of a slide fastener chain.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention can be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the presser foot of the present invention and showing elements of the sewing machine to which it is attached;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plane view of the improved presser foot of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the improved presser foot 3,318,273 Patented May 9, 1967 shown in FIG. 2 with opposed slide fastener tapes in position relative to an opening in a garment; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective framentary view, partly in section, of a slide fastener sewn to a garment by means of the improved presser foot of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the presser foot of the present invention is disclosed in operative relation to only those parts of a sewing machine considered essential to fully comprehend the invention, it being understood that the remainder of the sewing machine is of conventional construction. The sewing machine includes a flat bed 10 and a reciprocating needle assembly 12, carrying a pair of needles 14. A presser foot assembly 16 is supported in operative disposition to needle assembly 12 by a bracket member 18 fastened to a suitable presser bar (not shown) of a sewing machine.

As shown in the drawings, a rear plate 20 of the presser foot assembly 16 is attached to bracket member 18. A pair of vertical grooves 22 and 24 formed in plate 20 slidably accept the

vertical legs

26 and 28, respectively, of a pair of L-

shaped shank members

30 and 32. The lower legs 34 and 36 of

shank members

30 and 32, respectively, extend forwardly of plate 20. A connecting bar 38 is pivotally mounted to rear plate 20 by a bearing member 40 located intermediate grooves 22 and 24. A pair of apertures 42 and 44, located adjacent the remote ends of bar 40, accept

pins

46 and 48, respectively, which pins project outwardly from the rear surface of

vertical legs

26 and 28, respectively. A transverse member 50 secured to plate 20 retains the vertical'legs 26 and 28 of

shank members

30 and 32, respectively, in vertical grooves 22 and 24. Thus, connecting bar 38 is interconnected to

shank members

30 and 32 and will pivot about bearing 40 in response to the thickness of the garment G moving across bed 10 of the sewing machine and passing under presser foot assembly 16 to thereby maintain a substantially constant pressure on the garment. Each of the legs 34 and 36 of

shank members

30 and 32 are transversely apertured adjacent their free end to receive a pin 52 for pivotally supporting the upstanding and apertured spaced lugs 54 and 56 of

adjacent presser feet

58 and 60, respectively. Connecting bar 38 interconnected to

shank members

30 and 32 of

presser feet

58 and 60, respectively, provides the usual compensating arrangement for a sewing machine.

Each of the

presser feet

58 and 60 includes a flat sole portion 62 and 64, respectively, and a merging

upturned toe portion

66 and 68, respectively. This configuration will allow a garment G, slidably moving across fiat bed 10 of the sewing machine, to pass under each of the

presser feet

58 and 60 and in contact with the bottom surfaces of the sole portions 62 and 64. A needle clearance aperture 70 is located in each of the sole portions 62 and 64, respectively, for accepting the pair of needles 14 carried by the reciprocating needle assembly 12.

A substantially U-shaped member 72 is located at the tip of each upturned

toe portion

66 and 68 of

presser feet

58 and 60, respectively, with its bight portion 74 located at the outer surface thereof. The innermost surface of one leg of member 72 is secured, such as by welding or the like, to the upper surface of its respective toe portion in a manner such that the innermost surface of the lower leg 76 is spaced from the lowermost surface of its respective toe portion. The lower surface of each of the upturned

toe portions

66 and 68, as well as the bight portion 74 and the lower leg 76 of member 72 provide an open end guide channel which guides a material of a given thickness in a manner to be hereinafter described.

A substantially vertical separating fin 77 can be formed on the outer tip of toe portion 68, adjacent its innermost edge, such that fin 77 is centrally positioned, substantially intermediate the width of presser foot assembly 16. Fin

77 has a leading edge 78 which is of sufficient length such that it acts on the interlocked chain 80 regardless of its path of movement from its supply (not shown) to the sewing station of the presser foot assembly 16 of the sewing machine. Thus, if some other arrangement is made to separate the interlocked chain prior to the presser foot assembly 16, then fin 77 is not essential to the operation of the improved presser foot. It should also be 'noted that fin 77 can be located on either or both

toe portions

66 and 68 without changing its function.

In the normal use of a double presser foot with a sewing machine, the

adjacent presser feet

58 and 60 are laterally spaced from each other such that a knife blade 82 having a tapered cutting edge 83 can be mounted to the needle assembly 12, intermediate the pair of needles 14. Knife blade 82 reciprocally enters the space separating

presser feet

58 and 60 for cutting an opening in garment G prior to its movement past the sewing station. However, if an opening has previously been made in the garment, the knife blade 82 will be ineffective.

As best shown in FIGS..2 and 3, .

grooves

84 and 86 are formed in the underside of

presser feet

58 and 60, respectively, which grooves extend from the foremost edge of the

upturned toe portions

66 and 68 to the rearmost edge of sole portions 62 and 64 of

presser feet

58 and 60, respectively. Each of

grooves

84 and 86 extend substantially parallel to each other and are located in their respective presser feet adjacent to the outermost edge thereof. However, in particular applications grooves 84 and 86 could be located adjacent to the innermost edge, if desired.

The rows of fastener elements 88 secured to one edge of

tapes

92 and 94 normally project above the flat surfaces thereof, and are accommodated in

grooves

84 and 86 in a manner such that one flat side of

tapes

92 and 94 will slidably engage the underside of

presser feet

58 and 60.

In operation, the slide fastener chain is separated into two stringer tapes, 92 and 94, each having a plurality of substantially identical fastener elements 88 located along one edge thereof. are threaded by the operator into guide channels formed by wire members 72 and the bottom surfaces of the

upturned toe portions

66 and 68. As is best shown in FIG. 1, each tape leader end is oriented substantially 180 about its longitudinal axis such that the fastener, elements 88 lie on the outermost edge of the

respective tapes

92 and 94 and are placed in alignment with

grooves

84 and 86 of

presser feet

58 and 60, respectively.

Tapes

92 and 94 will overlay the marginal portions of an opening in the garment, with tape 92, as shown in FIG. 3. If there is no opening in the garment, upon actuation of the sewing machine, the reciprocal movement of needle assembly 12 will move knife blade 82 in manner such that it progressively pierces the garment as it moves across bed of the sewing machine.

Once the sewing machine is actuated by the operator, the first stitch secures the leader ends of

tapes

92 and 94 to the garment G after which the movement of the garment across bed 10 of the sewing machine will pull interlocked chain 80 from the supply as required. As the chain 80 is withdrawn from the supply, the separating ifil'l 77 will tend to separate the interengaged fastener elements 88 and separate the chain 80 into two

stringer tapes

92 and 94. Because elements 88 of

tapes

92 and 94 are slidably accommodated only in

grooves

84 and 86,

tapes

92 and 94 will move in parallel relation to each otherto the sewing station where they will be stitched to the garment. The compensating mechanism of presser foot assembly 16 will permit each presser foot 58 and 60m exert a substantially uniform downward force on the

tapes

92 and 94 as well as garment G in the usual well known manner.

As shown more particularly in FIG. 4, the compensating presser foot of this invention can also be used to sew in a single, pass of t e garment through the machine, a

The leader ends of tapes 92 and 94 i pleat or flap 96 to the garment simultaneous with the sewing of

tapes

92 and 94 thereto. Flap 96, which is a length of fabric material generally folded over upon itself, will cover the slide fastener chain from view. Initially flap 96 is positioned by the operator to overlay the marginal portion of garment G with its folded end remote from the opening. With pleat or flap 96 in position, the garment G is moved in one pass over bed 10 of the machine and the

opposed tapes

92 and 94 as well as flap 19 are stitched S to the garment.

The finished slide fastener merely requires a separate stitching of the ends of the pleat or flap 96 as well as the closing of one or both ends of the

tapes

92 and 94 in order to maintain the elements 88 in operative relation. These operations are performed by a separate sewing operation which is substantially transverse to the sewing operation performed with the presser foot assembly 16, described hereinabove, wherein the opposed tapes are attached thereto in but a single operation.

It should be specifically pointed out that by the use of the improved presser foot 16, the marginal portions of the garment G and

tapes

92 and 94 which are now stitched together, as shown in FIG. 4, provide a substantial area of material of several thicknesses which can be used to attach another part of the finished garment such as a cloth pocket, or cloth lining for the finished garment or the like.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to an embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a presser foot for a double needle sewing machine which is adapted to attach simultaneously the separable stringer tapes of a slide fastener chain to the marginal portions of an opening in a garment or the like moving past the sewing station, said presser foot including a toe portion for directing the moving garment into a given plane and a sole portion which slidably rides on the upper surface of the garment as it moves in said given plane, the improvement comprising:

first means located on said toe portion of said presser foot for orienting each of said stringer tapes to move in separate paths past the bottom surface of said toe portion, said first means including an arcuate member having a portion spaced from the botom surface of said toe portion a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said tape; and,

second means formed in the bottom surface of said toe portion and said sole portion for maintaining each of said stringer tapes in a given path of movement from said first means to the sewing station of said double needle sewing machine at which point each of said stringer tapes is sewn to said garment.

2. A presser foot according to claim 1 wherein said arcuate member is a substantially U-shaped member secured by one of its legs adjacent to the remote end of said toe member with its other leg spaced from the bottom surface of said toe portion a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said tape.

3. A presser foot according to claim 2 wherein said U-shaped member is secured by its upper leg to said toe portion and its lower leg is located substantially parallel to the lower surface of said toe portion and substantially transverse to the direction of movement of each of said tapes.

4. A presser foot according to claim 1 wherein said second means includes a pair of grooves for accepting said fastener elements to maintain said tapes in separate paths past said sewing station.

5. In a compensating pressor foot for a double needle sewing machine which is adapted to attach simultaneously the separate stringer tapes of a slide fastener chain '3 to the marginal portions of an opening in a garment or the like moving past the sewing station, said compensating presser foot including a pair of separated presser feet each having a toe portion for directing the moving garment into a given plane and a sole portion which slidably rides on the upper surface of the garment as it moves in said given plane, the improvement comprising:

an arcuately shaped member located on each of said toe portions for orienting each of said stringer tapes to move in separate paths and including a portion spaced from the bottom surface a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said tape;

a groove formed in the bottom surface of each of said presser feet and extending from the foremost end of said toe portion to the rearmost end of said sole portion of each of said presser feet for slidably accepting fastener elements of a greater thickness than said tape and which are secured along one edge of each of said stringer tapes,

said groove and said arcuately shaped member on each presser foot cooperating to form a guide for maintaining each of the stringer tapes to be sewn to the garment in substantially a fixed path as each of said tapes move through the sewing station.

6. A compensating presser foot according to claim wherein each of said arcuately shaped members is a U- shaped member secured by one of its legs to said toe portion of said presser foot with its other leg spaced from the bottom surface of said toe portion a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said tape.

7. A compensating presser foot according to claim 6 wherein said U-shaped member slidably engages said stringer tapes to guide said tape into slidable engagement with the bottom surface of said toe portion and to guide said fastener elements secured along one edge of said stringer tape into slidable engagement with said groove whereby each of said stringer tapes is prevented from moving in a lateral direction.

8. A compensating presser foot according to claim 7 wherein each groove on each presser foot is of a uniform shape and extends the length of the bottom surface of each of said presser feet adjacent to that lower corner thereof which is remote from the separation of said presser feet.

9. A compensating presser foot according to claim 8 wherein each of the bight portions of each of said U- shaped members is disposed laterally outwardly of that side of said presser foot which is remote from the separation of said presser foot.

10. A compensating presser foot according to claim 9 wherein a separating member extends forwardly of said toe portion of each of said presser feet for separating said slide fastener chain as it moves from a supply towards said presser foot into separate stringer tapes each of which has a plurality of fastener elements secured thereto along one edge.

11. A compensating presser foot according to claim 10 wherein said separating member includes a vertical fin mounted to said toe portion of one of said presser feet adjacent to the separation of said presser feet, said fin intercepting the path of said slide fastener chain as it moves from said supply towards and said presser foot to separate said chain into separate stringer tapes each having a plurality of fastener elements secured thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,834 5/ 1937 Blumenkrantz 112-235 2,366,134 12/ 1944 Tllrrisi 112-235 2,545,980 3/1951 Vanadia et al 112235 3,003,444 10/ 1961 Gary 112-235 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A PRESSER FOOT FOR A DOUBLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO ATTACH SIMULTANEOUSLY THE SEPARABLE STRINGER TAPES OF A SLIDE FASTENER CHAIN TO THE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF AN OPENING IN A GARMENT OR THE LIKE MOVING PAST THE SEWING STATION, SAID PRESSER FOOT INCLUDING A TOE PORTION FOR DIRECTING THE MOVING GARMENT INTO A GIVEN PLANE AND A SOLE PORTION WHICH SLIDABLY RIDES ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE GARMENT AS IT MOVES IN SAID GIVEN PLANE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: FIRST MEANS LOCATED ON SAID TOE PORTION OF SAID PRESSER FOOT FOR ORIENTING EACH OF SAID STRINGER TAPES TO MOVE IN SEPARATE PATHS PAST THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID TOE PORTION, SAID FIRST MEANS INCLUDING AN ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING A PORTION SPACED FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID TOE PORTION A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID TAPE; AND, SECOND MEANS FORMED IN THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID TOE PORTION AND SAID SOLE PORTION FOR MAINTAINING EACH OF SAID STRINGER TAPES IN A GIVEN PATH OF MOVEMENT FROM SAID FIRST MEANS TO THE SEWING STATION OF SAID DOUBLE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE AT WHICH POINT EACH OF SAID STRINGER TAPES IS SEWN TO SAID GARMENT.