Patent GB-190312328-A (GB)
Title: Improved Means to Ensure the Proper Automatic Taking Up of Fabrics on Cloth Rollers after having been Stitched on Sewing Machines.
Inventor: MCARTHUR ALEXANDER
Filed: 1903-05-29
Granted: 1904-04-28
Abstract: 12,328. McArthur, A. May 29. Grouped machines; multiple-needle machines; guiding materials, feed.-Relates to means for automatically operating on a cloth roller, so that fabric being wound on the roller will not exert any pull on the feed-mechanism, of sewing- machines adapted to hem the edges of the fabric, and also to a device which ensures that the fabric is rolled at a uniform tension on the roller. A spindle e of a cloth roller E, on which the fabric D is wound, is removably supported .in bearings at the upper end of standards A, A', mounted on a work-table B, on which are arranged two sewing- machines C. The spindle e carries a crank e<1>, a pin e<2>, of which engages in a slot in a crank f<1>, carried by a second spindle f, which is mounted in alignment with the spindle e. As the driving-shaft H of one of the sewing-machines G rotates, an eccentric h actuates a rod g<1>, which communicates, either directly, or through a rocking lever g<2>, Fig. 2, an oscillating motion to a crank G, which is loosely mounted on the spindle f. The crank G is provided, at its free end, with a spring-controlled pawl g, which engages a ratchet-wheel F, fixed to the spindle f, and rotates the cloth roller E, the latter being prevented from returning by a spring- controlled check pawl g<3>. After the fabric D has passed through the machines C, it is allowed to sag slightly, but, should the sag become less than a pre-determined amount, a drag wire J, which may be either a rod, with or without rollers, or a number of rollers, and which rests on the slack part of the fabric D, is raised, causing the end of a lever j<2>, connected to the drag J, to press against an adjustable set-screw or the like, carried by a lever j<3>, so that the latter lifts the pawl g out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel F, and stops the rotation of the roller, until, when the sag in the fabric again becomes normal, the drag J falls, and the pawl g again gears with the ratchet-wheel F. Preferably, however, the rate of feed of the roller E is adjusted so that the fabric is wound on the roller at the same rate as it is fed out of the machines C, and, for this purpose, the crank G has pivoted to it a link k<3>, Fig. 4, the other end of which is pivoted to a rod, which slides through two lugs on a bar K, which receives a rocking movement about a pivot on a bracket k, by means of the link g<1>. The link k<3> is attached to this rod at a position between the lugs, and is so arranged that, by sliding the rod in one direction or the other, the length of stroke of the pawl g, and consequently the amount of feed of the roller E, is varied from a maximum to nil. The rod is also adapted to adjust the feed of the roller E automaticaily by passing the lever j<2> through an aperture in its free end, so that the rod causes the pivoted end of the link k<3> to move towards or away from the fulcrum of the bar K, according as the sag in the fabric D decreases or increases. To ensure that the fabric is wound at an even tension on the roller E, it is led, on its way to the roller, over a bar N, Figs. 1 and 2, supported by the standards A, A<1>, and under a rod n, carried in brackets fixed to the bar N, and extending nearly across from one standard to the other. Beneath the bar N is arranged a spring bar O, which is pivotally carried in brackets o, fixed to the bar N, and to which is fixed a spring plate P. The latter is pressed against the fabric, as it passes over the bar N, by the action of springs p, which act on arms p<1> fixed to the bar O. The pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for rotating the roller E may be replaced by friction or other clutches, and the drag J may be placed under the fabric D and held in contact therewith by a spring or counterpoise, and, instead of the two machines C, only one may be employed, or a machine having a duplicate needle and shuttle mechanism may be used.