Patent GB-116422-A (GB)
Title: Sewing Machine.
Inventor: FAIRWEATHER WALLACE
IPC: D05B25/00
Filed: 1917-09-07
Abstract: 116,422. Fairweather, W., (Singer Manufacturing Co.). Sept. 7, 1917. Grouped machines; button-hole sewing-machines.-The invention relates to a conveyer for delivering to and from one or a series of sewing-machines, a succession of similar articles, and is described as applied to button - hole - stitching machines comprising the usual stitch-forming mechanism, workclamp. and d feeding mechanism, buttonhole-cutting devices and automatic stop mechanism. For operating on collars or cuffs, the machines are arranged m pairs, as shown in Fig. 1, on opposite sides of the conveyer, one being in front of the other in the direction of travel of the conveyer, and the articles are successively positioned with opposite ends under each machine in succession, and delivered as a finished product; or the machines may be arranged in line behind each other or only one machine may be used. All the parts are controlled by a cam-shaft 44 which is intermittingly driven from a countershaft, and is started by the hand-lever 63 moving the pinion 57 into gear with the wheel 62 which is connected to a ratchet wheel housed in a cavity in the side of a cam-wheel 66 secured to the shaft. The driven pulley 50 is loose on the shaft and is connected by suitable gearing to the shaft of the pinion 57. The ratchet wheel is connected to the wheel 66 by a spring-pressed pawl which is released, at the end of a complete rotation of the shaft, by engagement with a finger 80 secured to a rock-shaft 86 and carrying an arm 82 tracking the peripheral cam-groove 67. This finger is disengaged from the pawl by the upward movement of the stop-motion lever 27 of the right-hand sewing-machine at the end of a stitching operation. The movement of this lever is transmitted to a latch lever 93 which is pivoted to the end of one arm 90 of a lever secured on the shaft 86 and bears with its opposite end against a cam rib on the face of the cam-wheel 66, an enlargement of the cam-groove 67 being provided to allow this lateral movement. The stitching mechanisms are started just prior to the arrest of the cam-shaft by face cams on the wheels 102, 103 acting through rock-shafts 109 connected to the stop gears through arms 114 and chains 115. In the event of failure of the automatic means for releasing the clutch lever of the shaft 44, a push-bar 123 is connected to the arm 91 by the lever and link connexions shown. Overrunning and recoil of the cam-shaft is prevented by a brake-strap 128 embracing the hub of the cam-wheel 102 and a spring detent 130 engaging a notch in the cam-wheel 66. The conveyer comprises a series of blocks 143. Fig. 11, connected bv links 145, the pivot pins 146 having end rollers running on rails secured to the table 1. Two pairs of sprocket wheels 141 are mounted on shafts 137 supported on bearings at the front and rear of the table. The front shaft is driven intermittingly with periods of rest during the stitching operations by means of a pinion and train of gear wheels connected to a disk with radial slots engaged by a lateral pin on the face of the cam wheel 103. Each block has an undercut transverse groove in which is slidably mounted a cruciform block 156, Fig. 21, which is also slotted and grooved transversely at 159<1> to take a slide 160 with screw-stud 161 and steady pins 162. The blocks 156 carry studs with rollers 165 tracking a fixed groove 203, Fig. 20, on the frame. The work-carrier, Figs. 23 and 24. which is secured to the block 156 by the pins 161. 162, comprises two adjustable plates 166, 167 each formed with an aperture 168 and adjustable guides 180, 181 for positioning the articles to be sewn. The work is held by nippers 193 which are pivoted on a telescopic fulcrum pin 190, 191 mounted in bearings in the two parts of the work-carrier, and have tail pieces 195 adapted to be engaged at the proper times by the releasing devices. The guidetrack 203, Fig. 20, is continuous and lies above and below the table. The upper stretch is straight to a point opposite the left-hand machine, then inclined to a point opposite the right-hand machine. At this point, it 'is provided with a cross-member 204 in which slides a block 206 with a groove 207 adapted to register with the groove 203, and movable to carry the work-carrier laterally to position it under the right-hand machine. The block 206 has a make-and-break connexion through a spring pawl and trip gear with a rod 209, Fig. 1, connected to a lever 215 actuated by a cam-groove 104 in the wheel 103. The trip gear is operated by the work-carrier when it has moved laterally to a predetermined position. The lever 215 is also connected by a link 235 with a slide bar which engages apertures in one of the driving sprockets to lock the conveyer when the bar 209 has moved the work-carrier laterally to the proper position. The advancing movement of the bar 209 causes a nipper-releasing frame 251, Figs. 1 and 24, secured to a spring-controlled rockshaft 243, to come into position for raising the nippers on the carrier at the front of the machine to receive an article, and when the rod 209 is retracted to permit a forward movement of the conveyer, the nippers are disengaged and caused by their springs to grip the article. The work clamp of each machine is opened and closed to take and deliver the work to and from the carrier and feed it during the stitching by connecting the ends of the clamp arms 34 by chains 255 to levers actuated by cams on the shaft 44. The worknippers on the carriers are released during the stitching operation to allow the feed of the work by spring-controlled levers which are actuated by the stop levers when moved to set the stitching mechanism in action. The nippers are again released at the forward end of the bench to allow the finished product to fall into a suitable receptacle by a plate which is actuated by connexion with the stop-motion controlling shaft 109. Thread-cutters. - The work-clamp carries a rocking pin which at its lower end is provided with a thread-cutting knife and at its upper end with an arm connected to a spring-retracted rod 287. In the movements of the work clamp, this rod is carried forward and is retained in this position by a latch plate 288 secured to a rock-shaft 290 which is rocked by connexion with the stopmotion lever to release the rod 287 which is actuated by its spring to operate the knife and sever the upper thread. The cutter for the lower thread is connected to an arm 299 of a rocker 294 loosely mounted on the shaft 290 and provided with a lateral arm 295 pivotally connected to a vertically guided rod 296 having a roller 298 which is engaged by the clamp arm 34 when raised to deliver the sewn article to the conveyer.