Patent Publication Number: US-8973859-B2

Title: Thread guide for sewing and embroidery machines

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of sewing and embroidery machines, and more particularly pertains to a thread guide for use with such machines. 
     2. Description of the Related Technology 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,655 which issued to V. McCarthy on Dec. 1, 1998 discloses a thread and yarn dispenser for supplying threaded material in different wound configurations to a user in the process of knitting or crocheting. The dispenser includes a base adapted to rest on a level surface and a circular support plate mounted for rotation on the base by a ball bearing. A cone shaped member having a coarse outer surface is centrally stationed in a vertical position on the support plate and has an elongated rod extending therethrough, such that the cone and the rod rotate with the support plate. The cone shaped member is adapted to engage a variety of wound spools of yarn or like threaded material and hold the spools securely on its coarse surface while rotating. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,219,611 which issued to Eva and Freddie Troncoso on May 22, 2007 discloses a sewing machine embroidery thread guide including a bent embroidery thread guide wire attached to a base mount releasably attached to a spool pin rod of an embroidery and sewing machine. An open spiral bent loop end of the upwardly bent wire adjusts to a position spaced slightly apart from and approximately centered on an embroidery thread spool mounted on the machine. A stepped base mount receives embroidery thread spools of different diameters. 
     The entire disclosure of each of the aforementioned patents is incorporated herein by this reference thereto. 
     Most larger thread spool cones are made with a variety of machine wound thread patterns which differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some thread cone cores are gradually tapered, while others have a cylindrical core. Both the larger tapered and cylindrical cores typically have a bell shaped flange located on the bottom portion of the lower cone opening. Presently, there are no unified dimensional standards which govern the dimensional criteria for manufacturing sewing and embroidery thread cones, thread cores, or bell flange openings. 
     As a result of the aforementioned dimensional differences, sewing and embroidering machine users often resort to use of a series of spacers or adapters to accommodate use of the various different available thread cones. 
     Manufacturers of sewing and embroidering machines in recent years have provided horizontal, rather than vertical, thread spool pin support rods, which further hinders usage of the wide variety of available thread cones, particularly those of a larger, and thus more economically desirable size. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a thread guide device for use with sewing and embroidering machines which is adjustable to accommodate a variety of differently dimensioned thread spools or cones and is adapted for use with machines having a horizontally disposed thread spool support rod. 
     The thread guide device may include a base having a support rod secured to the base for supporting a spool or cone of thread on a rotor journalled for rotation on the support rod and dimensioned for insertion into the core of a spool or cone of thread. The rotor may include a tapered end portion for accommodating spools or cones of different sizes. A thread guide secured to the base and mounted for selective lateral adjustment relative to the support rod may take the form of a wire loop having a first portion disposed within a slot of a slotted arm and a second portion provided with a coil wrapped around the slotted arm. 
     A tapered retaining cap having a central axial aperture receiving the support rod, includes a fastener for securing the retaining cap to the support rod. The thread guide device may include a free floating thread retaining ring dimensioned for placement over an upper portion of a core of a thread spool or cone, whereby thread may be fed between the retaining ring and the core. The thread guide device may include a support ball received on the support rod for limiting lateral movement of a thread spool or cone, and a set screw for mounting the support ball in a selected adjusted position on the support rod. In one embodiment of the invention, a thread guide mounting member mounted for movement along an adjustment rod secured to the base is secured in a selected adjusted position by a fastener, wherein the thread guide is mounted for selective independent adjustment along two perpendicular directions. The thread guide mounting member may include a ball having a cylindrical aperture slidably receiving the adjustment rod therethrough, such that the thread guide is selectively and independently adjustable in two perpendicular linear directions and also mounted for selective and independent adjustment around a first axis of rotation and a second perpendicular axis of rotation. 
     These and various other advantages and features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view illustrating a thread guide device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a thread guide device according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating the thread guide device of  FIG. 2  with a thread spool mounted thereon. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S) 
     With reference to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a thread guide device  10  according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described. The thread guide device  10  includes a generally circular mounting base  14  provided with a flattened bottom region  15  adapted to abut a surface of an embroidery or sewing machine to assist in the support and stabilization of the device  10 . The mounting base  14  includes a central circular aperture  16  dimensioned and disposed to receive a horizontal spool pin  12  of the sewing machine. A threaded boss  18  receives a nylon set screw  20  which clamps the base  14  in position on the spindle pin  12 . An optional elongated support brace  22  includes an enlarged washer portion  24  slip fit on the screw  20  to assist in supporting the base  14  on machines with slanted or angled upper thread and accessory compartments and facing. 
     An internally threaded vertical stub shaft  25  extends within a hollow, generally frustoconical vertical support base  26 . The support base  26  includes a first laterally extending arm portion  28  having an internally threaded boss  30  which engages a nylon screw  32  which may be adjusted up or down for the purpose of tightening the unit onto the horizontal spool pin of the machine, thus facilitating the purpose of transforming a horizontal spool pin machine into a sewing embroidery machine capable of using a vertical spool pin which allows use of the larger and heavier type of thread spool cones. An oppositely extending second arm portion  34  of the support base  26  receives a slotted rod  36  in press fit relation within the arm  34 . A wire loop thread guide  38  includes a straight shaft portion  40  disposed within the slot provided in the rod  36  and terminates in a spiral coil  42  in frictional engagement around the rod  36  such that the thread guide  38  may be adjusted by sliding along the length of the rod  36  and also by rotating the rod  36  within the arm  34 . In each instance, the adjusted position is maintained by frictional engagement due to close fitting tolerances of the associated parts. A nylon nut  44  engages a lower threaded portion of a spool holder rod  46 , which also engages the vertical stub shaft  25 , securing the mounting base  14 , the support base  26 , and the spool holder rod  46  in fixed relation. 
     A support rotor  48  journalled for rotation on the spool holder rod  46  terminates at a lower upwardly tapering frustoconical portion  50  for the purpose of accommodating different size spools or cones of thread S thereon. In use, a spool or cone of thread S having a hollow interior portion is over the rotor  48  for rotation therewith. A downwardly tapering frustoconical retaining cap  52  includes a central cylindrical aperture which receives an upper end portion of the spool holder rod  46  therethrough. A nylon set screw  54  clamps the retaining cap  52  to the rod  46  and adjacent an upper end portion of the spool S, thus restraining the spool S against upward movement along the rod  46 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a thread guide device  100  according to a second embodiment of the invention is adapted for use as a free standing unit, without attachment to a sewing or embroidering machine, and toward that end includes a rectangular base  102  provided with a vertically extending threaded aperture  103  which receives a lower threaded end portion of a vertical adjustment rod  104 . A thread guide mounting member in the form of a ball  106  includes a central cylindrical aperture  110  dimensioned to slidably receive the rod  104  therethrough. A set screw  108  functions to clamp the ball member  106  at a selected vertical and rotationally adjusted position relative along the rod  104 . A slotted rod  112  is received in press fit relation within an aperture provided in the ball member  106 . A wire loop thread guide  114  includes a straight shaft portion  115  disposed within the slot provided in the rod  36  and terminates in a spiral coil  116  in frictional engagement around the rod  112  such that the thread guide  114  may be adjusted by sliding along the length of the rod  112  and also by rotating the rod  112  within the aperture in the ball member  106 . In each instance, the adjusted position is maintained by frictional engagement due to close fitting tolerances of the associated parts. Thus, the thread guide  114  is selectively and independently adjustable in perpendicular X and Y directions and also selectively and independently rotationally adjustable about the axis of the rod  104  as indicated by arrow A and about the axis of the arm  112  as indicated by arrow Q. 
     A vertically disposed spool holder rod  120  includes a lower end portion received in a threaded aperture  122  provided in the base  102 . A support rotor  124  journalled for rotation on the spool holder rod  120  terminates at a lower upwardly tapering frustoconical portion  126  for the purpose of accommodating different size spools or cones of thread S thereon. In use, a spool or cone of thread S having a hollow interior portion is placed over the rotor  124  for rotation therewith, with an internal surface of a bell shaped base B of the spool S engaging the frustoconical surface  126 . A downwardly tapering frustoconical retaining cap  132  includes a central cylindrical aperture  134  which receives an upper end portion of the spool holder rod  120  therethrough. A set screw (not shown) received within a threaded aperture  136  clamps the retaining cap  132  to the rod  120  and adjacent and partially within an upper end portion of the core C of the spool S, thus restraining the spool S against upward movement along the rod  120 . 
     A set screw  130  clamps a support ball  128  in a selected vertically adjusted position along the rod  120  for the purpose of limiting wobble and undue lateral movement or off-center movement caused by undesirable slack or misalignment of the spool S by bracing and stabilizing the spool by virtue of contact between the inner wall of the spool core. A free floating thread guide retainer ring  138  surrounds the upper end of the core C of the spool S and the free end of the thread T passes between the inner cylindrical surface of the ring  138  and the outer cylindrical surface of the core C, controlling unspooling of the thread T and eliminating potential snarling and tangling of the thread T, particularly during high speed sewing or embroidering operations. The end of the thread T passes through the loop wire guide  114  and then to the sewing or embroidering machine. One important feature of this embodiment of the invention is that it feeds thread from the top segment of a thread spool cone without requiring any rotation or gyrations of the thread spool cone. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.