Patent GB-921995-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to stockings and the like
Inventor: STOKES GEORGE EDWARD
IPC: D05B27/18
Filed: 1958-09-02
Abstract: 921,995. Stitched seams; sewing-machines; Stockings. ENGLISH ROSE Ltd. Aug. 24, 1959 [Sept. 2, 1958], No. 28093/58. Classes 112 and 141. The seam in a fully fashioned stocking is formed with a tight portion TS, Fig. 4, at the toe, a relatively flat portion FS along the foot, and a tight portion TS up the leg. The sewing is performed in a three-thread cup-feed machine, the portions TS being stitched in the normal manner, while, for the portion FS, thread is fed to the needle at an increased rate, whereby enlarged needle loops 2, Fig. 2, are formed which combine with the looper thread loops 3l, 3r to produce a gap between the edges 4l, 4r of the fabric, when the latter is held taut, the gap being from 0.1 to 0.125 of an inch wide. The sewing-machine comprises a needle 13, threaded loopers 14, 15 and feed cups 16, 17 driven from a main shaft 20. The latter is also connected by reduction gearing 29a to a shaft 37 carrying a thread-feed unit comprising looper thread-feed pulleys 40, 41 arid a needle threadfeed pulley 42. Looper threads LT pass from tensioners 43, 44 over a grooved wheel 45, over the feed pulleys 40, 41, and through fixed guides 46, 47 to the loopers. The needle thread NT passes from a tensioner 48 over a grooved wheel 49, over the feed pulley 42 and through a fixed guide 50 to the needle. Journalled on the hub 42b of pulley 42 is a rage 51 carrying a spindle 56 on which are journalled interconnected gears 54, 55. Gear 54 meshes with a gear 52 concentric with shaft 37 and fixed to pulley 42. Gear 55 meshes with a gear 53 concentric with and fixed to shaft 37. A wheel 57 fixed to cage 51 is formed with external teeth 57b normally engaged by a lug 58 on a lever 59 to hold cage 51 stationary. Pulley 42 is then driven at a reduced speed, relative to pulleys 41, 42, for the sewing of the tight seam portions TS. When lever 59 is rooked by a Bowden cable 60, via a knee pad, lug 58 is disengaged from wheel 57, and a lever 64, interconnecting lever 59 with a clutch member 63 slidably but non-rotatably mounted on shaft 37, shifts member 63 against a spring 63a to engage a lug 62 on member 63 with internal teeth 57a on wheel 57 to couple cage 51 with shaft 37. Pulley 42 is then driven at the same speed as pulleys 40, 41 to supply the extra needle thread for the open seam portions FS. Actuation of the knee pad also serves to rook lever 59 also serves to rock a lever 68 via a link 69, whereby a fabric guide 25, coupled to lever 68 via a pivotal connection 73, is lowered to decrease the amount of fabric incorporated in the edge of the seam. Rocking of lever 68 also serves to rock a lever 70 via a stud 72 at one end of the latter, whereby a bar 27b raises a stitch finger 27 (not shown) about which the stitches are formed. A bar 75 fixed to lever 70 has a stop 76 which, on the rocking of lever 70, engages a lug 77 on a slide 74 to move the latter under the stitch finger, whereby the fabric is retained at the lead to which it is lowered by the guide 25. In a modification the Bowden connection 60 is dispensed with, and rocking of lever 68 serves to close a switch for energizing a solenoid adapted to rock the lever 59. In a further modification, the slide 74 is dispensed with, and rocking of lever 68 opens a valve to admit compressed air to a duct adapted to direct a current of air along the seam.