US3587496A

US3587496A - Sewing devices

Info

Publication number: US3587496A
Application number: US694154A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald L Timby
Original assignee: MACHINERY AUTOMATION RESEARCH
Current assignee: MACHINERY AUTOMATION RESEARCH; MACHINERY AUTOMATION RESEARCH CORP
Priority date: 1967-12-28
Filing date: 1967-12-28
Publication date: 1971-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-28

Abstract

A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A FOLDING ASSEMBLY DISPOSED REARWARDLY OF THE PRESSER FOOT AND FEED BAR OF A SEWING MACHINE FOR FOLDING BACK SECTIONS OF A PAIR OF OVERLAPPED PIECES OF MATERIAL ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SEAM PERPENDICULARLY FROM THE SEAM INTO PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP AND A MOVING AND PRESSING ASSEMBLY FOR MOVING THE SEWED OVERLAPPED SECTIONS OF MATERIAL REARWARDLY FROM THE MACHINE THROUGH THE

FOLDING ASSEMBLY AND PRESSING THE FOLDED SECTIONS IN THEIR PERPENDICULAR POSITIONS IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER.

Description

United States Patent lnventor Ronald L. Timby Dallas, Tex. Appl. No. 694,154 Filed Dec. 28, 1967 Patented June 28, I971 .Assignce Machinery Automation Research Corporation Dallas, Tex.

SEWING DEVICES 19 Claims, 28 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 112/217 Int. Cl. D051) 27/00 Field olSearch ..112/217,63

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 528,468 10/1894 Emmons 112/217(X) 2,159,416 5/1939 Anderson. .1 112/217 3,478,451 11/1969 Sigoda 1l2/217X Primary Examiner-Richard .1. Scanlan, Jr. Attorney-Walter J, Jagmin ABSTRACT: A sewing machine having a folding assembly disposed rearwardly of the presser foot and feed bar of a sewing machine for folding back sections of a pair of overlapped pieces of material on opposite sides of the seam perpendicularly from the seam into parallel relationship and a moving and pressing assembly for moving the sewed overlapped sections of material rearwardly from the machine through the folding assembly and pressing the folded sections in their perpendicular positions in parallel relationship to each other.

PATENIED JUN28 |97| SHEET 01 OF INVENTOR Roland L. Ti mby M BY a? 5 ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJUN28l97| 3.587.496

SHEET 03 0F 12 Fig.3

. INVENTOR Rolo nd L.Timby PATENTEI] JUN28 19H SHEE 0 0F INVENTOR Roland L.Timby 4W W X4 2 ATTORNEYS Fig.l6

ATENIED JUN28 1971 SHEET 05 [1F INVENTOR Av 111' j W92 v Roland L Tumby 277 VI I HIM Fig.5

PATENTEUJUH28I97| 3,587,496

SHEET 08 0F 12 mvmon 'Rolo'nd L.Timby I; ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUN28 19m SHEET 07 OF PATENTEI] JUN28 I97! SHEET 08 0F Ronald L. Timby 40M 326 Fig I3 320 IIIIIX 330 33 --32? 4 T5} 549 W gFgbs {q Q hm 9 mv 34o ENTOR Roland L..Timby BY ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JUN28 |97| sum 10 0F 12 mvzmon Roland L.Timby BY a Twonmws ATENTEU JUN28 |97l SHEET 12 0F Fig. 22

Fig.24

INVENTOR Roland L.Timby M l? W ATTORNEY;

SEWING DEVICES This invention relates to sewing apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for sewing a pair of overlapped pieces of material, folding sections of the pair of overlappedsewed pieces of material on opposite sides of the seam perpendicularly from the seam into parallel relationship and pressing the folded sections to cause them to remain permanently in positions parallel to one another.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved sewing apparatus for sewing two overlapped pieces of material and for folding the sections of the two pieces of material lying on opposite sides of the seam joining them to one another to cause such sections. to remain in parallel relation to one another.

Another object is to provide a folding assembly which is of simple construction and is easily securable to the base plate of the usual power sewing machine and which does not unduly interfere with the handling of the material during the sewing operations. I

Still another object is to provide a folding assembly which permits the two pieces of material sewed together by the sewing machine to move in a straight horizontal direction from the sewing machine without change of direction and wherein the sections of each piece of material on opposite sides of the seam are moved into vertical parallel abutting relationship by the folding assembly for movement in this vertical position through a pressing and moving assembly.

A further object is to provide a new and improved apparatus of the type described wherein the moving and pressing assembly comprises a-rotary drive andlieating roller coupled to a driving means by a yieldable or overload release clutch coupling which permits the driving and heating roller to remain stationary during periods of time during the sewing operation in which the pieces of material are held stationary. by the presser foot and feeder bar of'the sewing machine.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved folding device of the type described having conduit means for directing steam at the folded sections of the pieces ofmaterial moving from the folding assembly prior to their movement into engagement with the driving and heating roller, wherein the conduit means is provided with heating means toprevent condensation of moisture therein during the periods of time when the device is inoperative.

Another object is to provide a folding assembly which includes a stationary member providing a vertical stop surface and a cam plate having a vertical surface extending parallel to the vertical stop surface, wherein the cam plate is yieldably biased toward the stop surface to permit the cam plate to move toward and away from the stop surface to accommodate folded back sections of pieces of material of different thicknesses.

A further object is to provide a folding assembly wherein the stationary member is provided witha device for cuttinga chain of stitches connecting two successive sewed pairs of pieces of material and for thereafter holding the chainstitchiof the last pair of pieces whereby the driver and heating or presser rollerby engaging the chain of stitches connected to the subsequent pair of pieces of material may move said subsequent pair from the sewing machine through the folding device.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved means for connecting the driving and heating roller of the pressing assembly to a driver means which when the force resisting the movement of the material exceeds a predetermined force permits the driver and heating roller to remain stationary even though the driver means continues to operate.

Another object is to provide a sewing device which. is modified to permit the driver and heating roller to be located directly behind the presser foot and feeder bar of the sewing machine and at foot same level therewith so that the pieces of material sewed together by the sewing machine move directly rearwardly while in horizontal position without any upward or downward movement thereof.

Still another object is to provide a folding assembly and a driving and pressing assembly having means for preventing conduction of heat from the assemblies to other operative elements of the apparatus.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a sewing machine provided with a folding and pressing apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a frontview of the sewing machine illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4is a sectional view, with some parts broken away, taken on line 4-4'of FIG. 5;

Flg. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective view of the folding and pressing assemblies with portions of the sewing machine removed;

Flg. 8 is a view taken with some parts removed taken on line 8-8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side view of the overload release device illustrated in FIG. 9 with a housing thereof removed;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is asectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIG. 10;

Flg. 13 is a sectional view taken on line 13-13 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 14 is a sectional'view, with some parts removed, taken on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view taken on line 15-15;

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a chain stitch cutting and holding assembly of the apparatus;

FIG. 17 is an exploded'perspective view of a cam plate assembly of the apparatus;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view with some parts broken away showing the drive assembly of the feeder bar of thesewing machine modified to permit the driving and heating roller to be disposed in vertical alignment with the presser foot and feeder bar of the sewing machine;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 19-19 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the sections of a pair of pieces of material are progressively moved into vertical positions during their movement through v the folding and pressing assemblies;

FIGS. 21, 22, 23, 24 and show the relative positions of the side sectionsof the pieces of material at the locations indicated by the lines 21-21, 22-22, 23-23, 24-24, and 25-25; respectively, of FIG. 5;

FIG. 26 is a fragmentary top view with some parts removed showing a modified form of the folding assembly;

FIG. 27 is areduced vertical sectional view taken on line 27-27 of FIG. 26; and

FIG. 28 is a diagrammatic illustration of control system of the apparatus.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 through 25 of the drawings, the apparatus embodying the invention for sewing two overlapped pieces 51 and 52 (FIGS. 20-25) to one another long a longitudinal seam 53 moving the

sections

55 and 56 of the bottom piece 51 on opposite sides of the seam downwardly into parallel abutting relationship and the

sections

57 and 58 of the top piece 52 vertically upwardly from the seam into parallel abutting relationship and pressing the folded sections to cause them to assume permanent or set flat and folded back positions includes the usual sewing machine support frame 60 on which is mounted a power sewing machine 61, a folding assembly 62 which folds back the sections of the two pieces in opposite directions into parallel relationship from the seam as the portions are sewed together by the sewing machine and move rearwardly therefrom, and a moving and pressing assembly 64 which moves the sewed portions rearwardly through the folding assembly and presses the sections of the two pieces in their folded back positions illustrated in FIG. 25. The moving and pressing assembly includes a steam conduit 65 through which steam flows from a suitable source and is transmitted and directed through the outlet 66 of the conduit (FIG. 6) to the folded sections of material as they move from the folding assembly into the driving and heating assembly. 1

The support frame 60.may include the four columns 67 a--d provided at their lower ends with foot plates 68 to which is secured a top 69. A support plate 70 extending below a forwardly opening aperture of slot 71 of the top is rigidly secured to the top in any suitable manner as by bolts 73. The support frame 60 may also include longitudinally extending braces 74 between the end columns on each side of the frame, a rear transverse channel-shaped brace member 77 which extends between the rear columns 67a and 67b and a bottom bar 78 which extends transversely; between the bottom longitudinal braces 74 and is rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner as by bolts 76. A pairof treadles 76 and 80 which control the operation of the sewing machine are pivotally mounted on the bar 78.

The treadle 79 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 81 extending between the lugs 82 and is connected by a suitable flexible member or chain 83 to theusual mechanism of the sewing machine (not shown), which raises the usual vertical presser plate 84 of the sewing machine when the treadle 79 is depressed. The treadle 80 ispivotally mounted on the bar 78 by means of a shaft secured to the lugs 91. A link 92 has its lower end pivotally connected as by a shaft or pin 94 to a bracket 95 rigidly securedv to the treadle and upper end pivotally secured by means of a pin 96 to the arm 97 ofa bellcrank 100 which is pivotally secured as by a pin 102 to a bracket 104 rigidly secured to the housing of an electric motor 105. The upper end of the bellcrank is secured to the pin 105a of a clutch 106 which, when the treadle is depressed and the bellcrank is pivoted in'a counterclockwise direction about its pin 102, FIG. 2, connects a pulley 110 in drive relation with and to the drive shaft of the electric motor.

- The motor is mounted to the plate 70 a bracket 112 whose upper horizontal plate 113 is secured to the support plate 70 by bolts 114 and whose rearwardly and downwardly extending arm 115 is pivotally secured, as by a shaft 116, to the lugs 117 of the motor. An adjustable arm 120 has a top section 121 pivotally secured by means ofa pin 122 to the brackets 123 integral with the plate 113 and a lower tubular section 125 into which the top section 121 is telescoped. The bottom section has an elongate slot 127 through which a bolt 128 is threaded in a suitable aperture of the top section may extend. It will be apparent that the vertical position of the motor 105 and the tension on a belt 130, which extends about the pulley 110 and a pulley 131 secured to the sewing machine drive shaft 132, may be adjusted by varying the telescoped position of the top section in the bottom section 125 in which it is secured by the bolt.

A sprocket 134 is also secured to the drive shaft 132 and is connected by a belt 136 to a sprocket 137 rigidly secured to the input shaft 138 of a speed reducing transmission 140. The belt 136 is provided with teeth 1370 which mesh with appropriate teeth of the

sprockets

134 and 137. The input shaft extends through the

sidewalls

141 and 142 of the transmission housing, secured to the horizontal top plate 144 of a bracket 145 which is secured by screws or bolts 146 to the sewing machine housing, the sidewalls being provided with suitable bearings 14b in which the shaft is journaled. The input shaft 138 has secured thereto a worm gear 147 and a stop collar 148. The worm gear meshes with a gear 149 secured to a transverse shaft 150 which extends longitudinally through the transmission housing and is journaled in the

end walls

151 and 152 of the housing. The ends of the shaft may extend through

suitable bearings

153 and 154. The gear 149 is secured to the transverse shaft by a setscrew 155. A worm gear 156 rigidly secured to the transverse shaft meshes with a gear 159 rigidly secured, as by a setscrew 161, to the output shaft 162 of the speed-reducing transmission which is journaled in the

sidewalls

141 and 142 of the transmission housing by means of suitable bearings 166. Stop collars and 171 secured to the output shaft 162 by setscrews 172 limit its longitudinal movement.

The output shaft 162 of the speed-reducing transmission extends outwardly of the sidewall 142 of the speed-reducing transmission 140 into the housing 174 (FIG. 9) of an overload release coupling 175 which is secured to the sidewall 142 by means of screws 176 which extend through suitable apertures in the flanges 177 of the coupling housing 174 into threaded bores in the sidewall 142. The overload release coupling 175 which connects the output shaft of the speed-reducing transmission to a connector shaft 180 includes a dish-shaped input coupling 181, rigidly secured to the output shaft 162 by a setscrew 183, whose diametrically opposed lugs 184 extend into the diametrically opposed peripheral slots 185 of an outer pressure plate or ring 189. The hub is longitudinally slidable on the connector shaft and is held against rotation relative thereby by a pin 191 which is rigidly secured to the shaft which extends radially outwardly into a longitudinal slot 192 of the hub. A ring 194 of friction material such as cork or the like is adhesively secured to one of the pressure plates, for example, the pressure plate 186, and frictionally engages the other friction plate 189. The input coupling has a similar friction ring 196 secured thereto, as by an adhesive or bonding agent, which is interposed between the facing surfaces of the inner pressure plate and the input coupling.

The outer pressure plate 186 is yieldably biased inwardly toward the input coupling by a spring 198 whose outer end bears against the external flange 199 of a nut 200 threaded on the inner reduced end 201 of the connector shaft bearing 202 located in the reduced bore 204 of the housing and held against rotation relative thereto by a setscrew 206. The other end of the spring bears against a spring centralizer plate 207 slidable longitudinally on the hub 187 of the inner pressure plate or ring. A roller bearing assembly 210 is disposed about the hub and interposed between the outer pressure plate 186 and the centralizer plate. The force with which the spring biases the pressure plates inwardly toward the input coupling 181 may be adjusted by rotating the nut 200 whose flange 199 is accessible through a top opening 212 of the housing 174. A lockscrew 214 threaded through a suitable aperture of the housing is engageable with the nut 200 to hold it against rotation on the threaded portion 202 of the bearing 203 in any adjusted position to which it is rotated.

It will be apparent that as the speed-reducing transmission output shaft 162 rotates, the input coupling 181 and the outer pressure plate 186 rotate with the output shaft 162 and the frictional engagement of the

friction plates

194 and 196 with the inner pressure plate 189 tends to cause it to rotate with the output shaft and thus also cause rotation of the connector shaft 180 such rotation of the inner plate relative to the connector shaft 180 is prevented by the engagement of the pin 192 with the surfaces of the hub 187 of the inner pressure plate defining the slot 192. If the force tending to resist rotation of the connector shaft 180 exceeds a predetermined valve, which may be adjusted by adjusting the location of the adjusting nut 200 on the threaded portion 201 of the shaft bearing 202, the shaft 180 and an inner pressure plate 189 will remain stationary, the friction rings 194 and 196 then sliding on the opposite surfaces of the inner friction plate 189. When the force tending to resist rotation of the connector shaft 180 is again decreased while the output shaft 162 continues to rotate the connector shaft 180 will again be rotated. It will thus be apparent that the overload release coupling 175 causes the output shaft 162 to rotate the shaft 180 whenever the force resisting rotation of the connector shaft does not exceed a predetermined value.

The end of the connector shaft 180 remote from the overload release coupling 175, FIG. 4, extends inwardly through the suitable opening in a sidewall 218 of a gear housing 219. The gear housing is secured by screws 220 to a plate 221 which is secured to the sewing machine housing 222 by the bolts 223 which secure the head plate or cover 224 ofthe sewing machine to the housing. A suitable bearing 225 is provided in the sidewall for the connector shaft.

A bevel gear 228 is secured as by a setscrew 229 to the connector shaft and meshes with a bevel gear 231 secured to a vertical shaft 232, as by a setscrew 233, which is journaled by suitable bearings 235 in the top and bottom walls 237 and 238 of the gear housing. The bottom end of the vertical shaft 232 is connected to the top end of the shaft 240 ofa roller 241 of the moving and pressing assembly 64 by a flexible coupling 243 which includes a top section 244 telescoped on the lower end of the vertical shaft 232 and rigidly secured thereto by a pin 245, an upper tubular section 247 which is connected to the top section for pivotal movement about mutually perpendicular axes by means of a pivot member 247 which is connected to the upper section by pins 247a and to the top section by pins 248, a lower tubular section 251 which is connected by a connector member 252 to a bottom section 253 for movement relative thereto about mutually perpendicular axes, the bottom section being telescoped over the top end of the roller shaft 240 and secured thereto by a pin 254. The connector member 252 is rotatably secured to the lower end of the lower section by pins 256 and to the bottom section by pins 257.

The upper and lower sections of the flexible coupling 243 have

inserts

259 and 260 rigidly secured thereto which are provided with passages 26] and 262, respectively, of square cross-sectional configuration in which is received the connector bar 265 which is also square in cross section. The connector bar is rigidly secured in any adjusted position to the upper connector section 246 by a setscrew 267 which extends through suitable threaded apertures in the upper tubular section 246 and the inset 259. The lower portion of the connector bar is longitudinally slidable in the insert 260 of the lower connector section 251. The flexible coupling 243 is required since the shaft 240 is swingable about the axis of pivotal movement of the roller bracket 270 on which it is rotatably mounted by means of the bearing assemblies 271 disposed in suitable apertures in the upper and lower

horizontal arms

272 and 273 of the bracket.

The roller bracket 270 is mounted on the horizontal arm 275 of a mount bracket 276 (FIGS. 4, 6 and 13) whose vertical legs 277 are secured to the base 280 of the sewing machine, which itself is secured to the support plate 70 by bolts 281, by means of screws 282. The screws extend through suitable apertures in the legs of the mount bracket and the heat insulation blocks 283 which hold the legs out of contact with the metal base to minimize heat transfer to the base of the sewing machine. As illustrated in FIG. 13 it is preferable that the screws by of somewhat smaller diameter than the apertures of the legs through which they extend, so that the heat transfer from the legs is through only the relatively small area of contact of the screw heads with the legs.

The shaft 285 by which the roller bracket 270 is pivotally secured to the mount bracket 276 extends through bearing

assemblies

286 and 287 disposed in the vertically aligned

apertures

288 and 289 of the arm 275 and a bearing block 290, respectively, rigidly secured to the leg 277 by means of screws 291. The upper reduced end portion of the bolt 285 is threaded in the reduced top portion 294 of the downwardly opening bore of the roller bracket.

The roller 241 has a central hub 297 through which the shaft 240 extends and which is rigidly secured to the shaft 240 by a setscrew 298. The cylindrical outer rim of the roller, which is preferably knurled on its external surface, is integral with an annular connector portion 302 of the roller so that the roller provides upwardly and downwardly opening

annular recesses

304 and 305, respectively. The roller is heated by a suitable heating element or assembly 310 which is positioned within the annular top recess 304 by means of an annular insulating ring 311 to which it is secured in any suitable manner.

The insulation disc itself is connected to the top arm 272 of the roller bracket by L-shaped brackets 312 which are screwed to the top arm by screws 314 and to the insulation ring by screws 315. The heating element 310 is connectable across an input circuit of electric current by

conductors

316 and 317 which are connected to the threaded terminal 318 of the element by nuts 319.

The roller bracket is movable in a clockwise direction, FIG. 6, from its inoperative position about the axis of the shaft or bolt 285 by an operator assembly 320 which includes a pneumatic ram 321 whose cylinder 322 is secured by means of the screws 323 of the cylinder which extend through apertures in the flanges 325 of the cylinder into downwardly opening bores in a block of heat insulating material 326. The block is secured to the mount bracket 276 by means of screws 327 whicliiextend into suitable threaded horizontal bores of the insulation block. Air from a suitable source of air under pressure may be introduced into and exhausted from the outer end of the ram cylinder thorough a fitting 330 which is threaded at 331 in the outer end of the ram cylinder and which is connected to a conduit 332, provided with a manually adjustable pressure regulator valve 333, which extends to such source. The piston 335 of the ram is provided with an O-ring 336 which seals between the piston and the internal surfaces of the cylinder and its rod 338 extends outwardly through a suitable bushing 339 in the end cap 340 ofthe cylinder which is secured thereto by screws 342. An exhaust port 344 of the cylinder permits flow of air into and exhaust of air from the cylinder between the piston and the end cap. The piston is biased to its retracted or inoperative position by a spring 348 whose opposite end portions bear against the end cap 320 and the piston.

The piston rod at its outer end is provided with a screw 349 which extends through an elongate slot 351 in a spring 352. The end of the spring is disposed in a slot in the horizontal portion of a bracket 353 and is secured thereto by screws 354. The bracket 353 is secured to the lower arm 273 of the roller bracket 270 of the roller by screws 356, FIG. 5.

It will be apparent that when air under pressure is introduced into the outer end of the ram cylinder 322 through the fitting 330, the piston is moved to its operative position against the resistance of the spring 348 and thus causes the roller bracket to pivot in a clockwise direction about the axis of its shaft 285. The spring 352, of course, may flex somewhat when the pivotal movement of the roller bracket is arrested. The force with which the roller 241 presses the folded sections of the pieces of material may be adjusted to any desired value by adjustment of the pressure regulator valve 333 which regulates the pressure of the air admitted therethrough to the cylinder. The roller 241, when the roller bracket 270 is pivoted in a clockwise direction moves toward the rear concave surface 360, which lies in a cylindrical vertical plane, of a stationary block 361 of the folding assembly. The radius of curvature of the concave surface 360 is substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the external surface of the moving and pressing roller 241. The stop block also has a front vertical convex surface 363 at its forward end which curves toward a substantially planar vertical surface 364 intermediate the concave and convex

vertical surfaces

360 and 363.

The stop block has front top and

bottom surfaces

367 and 368, respectively, which curve divergently rearwardly to the planar top and

bottom surfaces

369 and 370 thereof so that vertical thickness of the block increases from the forward end of the block at the locations of the vertically convex side surfaces 363.

The stationary block at its front end is provided with a thin L-shaped divider or guide plate 372 whose front end is rigidly secured as by welding, brazing or the like in a forwardly opening slot of the block 361. The rearwardly forwardly extending long portion 373 of the guide plate extends along the left side, FIG. 6, of the usual feeder bar 374 of the sewing machine and its front portion 375 extends forwardly in front of the feeder bar 374. The rear portion of the guide plate has an enlarged portion providing a convex edge 376.

The block 361 has an outwardly extending arm 380 which is secured to the rear end of a substantially L-shaped over arm 381 by a pair of screws 383 which extend through suitable apertures in the arm 380 and a heat insulating block or pad 384 into suitable threaded bores in the reduced end portion 385 of the over arm. The insulation block is provided to limit transfer of heat from the block 361 to the over arm. A cam piece 386 is also secured to the over arm to provide an upwardly sloping surface from the top surface of the over arm to the top surface of the arm 380. The cam piece is spaced from the adjacent side of the arm 380 to prevent heat flow therefrom. The over arm has a front transversely extending portion 387 which extends in front of the sewing machine feeder bar and is secured by screws 385 to a bracket 390 whose vertical leg 39] is secured by screws 392 to the base of the sewing machine.

The folding assembly 62 includes a vertical cam plate 401 which is disposed rearwardly of the feeder bar 374 and a very short distance to the right of the needle aperture 402 of the throat plate 403 which has a raised or boss 405 at the location of the usual

longitudinal slots

406 and 407 thereof through which the feeder bar is movable so that its teeth may move up wardly of the top surface 408. The cam plate has top and

bottom edges

411 and 412, respectively, which diverge rearwardly, the central horizontal axis of the cam plate being substantially aligned with the top surface 408 of the throat plate boss 405 so that the top edge extends upwardly and rearwardly of the top surface 408 and the bottom edge 412 extends downwardly and rearwardly of the top surface 408.

The cam plate is rigidly secured, as by welding, to a guide plate 414 which extends forwardly at the right side of the boss 405 and has a front angular portion or leg 415 which overlaps the portion 375 of the guide plate 367. The guide plate 414 is secured by rivets 416 to a slide bar 417 which in turn is mounted on spacer bar 419 by means of a pair of screws 420 and 421. The screws 420 extend through an elongated slot 423 of the slider bar into threaded bores of the spacer bar. The slider bar and therefore the cam plate 401 is biased toward the throat plate by a spring 425, one of whose hooked ends extends about a pin 426 which extends transversely through the slot 423 and whose other end is hooked about the shank of the screw 421. Rearward movement of the slider bar in the opposite direction is adjustable limited by an adjusting screw 428 which is threaded through a suitable bore in the end of the slider bar and whose inner shank is engageable with the shank of the screw 420. The spacer bar in turn is secured to a support member 429 of the sewing machine. The throat plate is also secured to the support member 429 by screws 432.

The folding assembly also includes a vertical-stop 435 which is adjustably secured to the sewing machine table member 436 by means of screws 437 which extend through the elongate slot 438 and the leg 439 of the stop.

The stop 435, as will be explained below, predetermines the width of the sections56 and 58 of the material which extend outwardly of the seam 53, it being apparent that if the stop is moved to the right, their width is increased and ifit is moved to the left their width is decreased.

A top plate 440 which may be pivoted to the broken line position indicated in H0. 6 is pivotally secured by a screw or bolt 443 to the support member 429. The plate is releasably held in its normal operative position by a spring clip 444 secured to the underside of the arm 390 by a threaded stud 391 which extends through a slot in the clip and a wing nut 448.

The sewing machine itself may be any suitable commercially available type, as for example, a Union Special, and operates in the usual well-known manner. Such machine, however, is modified only in that the top surface 408 of its throat plate at the location of the feeder bar is raised by the provision of the boss 405 and by the modification of the usual feed bar rack 450 which permits the location of the roller 241 rear wardly of the feed bar and downwardly of the top surface 408 of the throat in order to permit the folded sections of the pieces of material both above and below the seam to be engaged between the roller and the concave surface 360 of the stop block 361 without in any manner changing the linear rearward movement of the sewed pieces of material. The feed bar rack 450 which is driven by a shaft 451 of the sewing machine causes the feeder bar to be in an upper position holding the pieces of material being sewed against the pressure plate or foot 84 of the sewing machine which is mounted on the presser bar 452 during each downward and upward vertical reciprocation of the needle 453 secured to the needle bar 454, then moves the feeder bar rearwardly to move the pieces of material being sewed rearwardly a predetermined distance, then moves downwardly then forwardly and then upwardly to again hold the cloth being sewed against the presser foot during the next vertical downward and upward reciprocation of the needle.

The modification of the feed bar rack 450 resides in the provision of the arm 458 which slopes downwardly and rearwardly at a lower level than such arm is present in the usual sewing machine feed bar rack and its connection to the arm 459 of a bracket 460 which is mounted on a shaft 461 of a rocker 462 of the sewing machine. The structure and mode of operation of such machine being well known will not be described in greater detail herein.

The conduit 65 through which steam is conducted to the folding assembly is provided throughout its length with an electric heating element or wire 470 wound about the conduit 465. A layer 471 of insulation, such as asbestos, in turn covers the heating element 470. The conduit is secured by a suitable clamp or connector 474 to a post 475 which in turn is secured by suitable screws to heat insulation block 476 which in turn is mounted on the insulation block 326 to which the hydraulic ram 321 is secured. The mounting of the main conduit on heat insulating blocks also protects the sewing machine operative elements of the sewing machine from becoming overheated.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 28 of the drawings, the operation ofa solenoid valve 480 which alternatively connects the conduit 332 to a conduit 482 which in turn is connected to a source of gas under pressure or to a vent 483 and of a solenoid valve 485 which when open controls flow of steam from the conduit 489 to the steam conduit 65, is controlled by a normally closed switch 490 mounted on the bellcrank 100 which, when the treadle is depressed, closes as its operator button 491 moves out of engagement with the housing of the electric motor. The bellcrank is biased to its inoperative position wherein the drive shaft of the motor is not connected to the drive shaft of the sewing machine by a hook 494, which engages the vertical arm of the bellcrank and a spring 495. The hook is biased to the'left as seen in FIG. 2, by the spring, one of whose ends bears against a bracket 496 to which the shank of the hook extends and whose other end bears against a washer 497 which is held in any suitable adjusted position on the hook shank by a wingnut 498. lt will be apparent that the force which the bellcrank and the treadle are held in their inoperative positions may be adjusted by adjusting the position of the wing nut on the threaded shank of the hook 494.

When the switch 490 closes, it connects the relay winding 501 ofa relay 502 across the input circuit 503 by means of the

conductors

504, 505 and 506, and also simultaneously connects the relay winding 508 ofa relay 509 across the input circuit by means of the

conductors

504, 505, 510, 511 and 506. When the relay winding 501 is energized, it moves its contact 514 to its closed position and causes the solenoid winding 516 of the compressed air valve 480 to be connected across the input circuit through the

conductors

504, 418, 519, 520 and 506. When the solenoid winding 516 is energized, the operative element of the valve 480 is moved to such position that the conduit 332 is connected by the valve to the conduit 482 so that compressed air is transmitted to the cylinder of the pneumatic ram thus causing the roller bracket to be pivoted and the roller 241 to move toward the stopblock 361.

The relay winding 508 when it is energized causes its contact 530 to move to closed position and connects the solenoid winding 531 of the steam valve 485 across the input circuit by means of the

conductors

504, 532, 533, 534 and 536 and 506. The valve 485 when its solenoid winding 531 is energized opens to permit steam to flow from the source 89 to the steam conduit 65. The heating element which is wound about the conduit 65 is connectable across the input circuit through the

conductors

504, 532, and 538, a manual switch 539, a conductor 540, a thermostatic switch 541 which opens when the temperature of the conductor conduit 65 exceeds a predetermined temperature, for example, 2l5 F., and the

conductors

542, 536 and 506.

The sewing machine motor is connectable across the input circuit by a manual switch 550 and the

conductors

504, 532, 538, 551, 552, 536 and 506.

The heating element 310 of the roller 241 is connectable across the input circuit bythe manual switch 539, the

conductors

504, 532, 533, 55.6"and 557, a thermostat 558 which opens when the temperature of the roller exceeds a predetermined value, and the conductors 559', 560, and 536.

In use, when itis desired to sew the two

pieces

51 and 52 of material to one another and fold the section 58 on the section 57 and the section 56 on the section 55, the manual switches are closed, the heating element 310 then raises the temperature of the roller, and the heating element 470 raises the temperature of the steam conduit.

The switch 550 is then closed and the electric motor runs. The sewing machine, however, will now remain inoperative until the treadle 80 is depressed. The two pieces ofmaterial 51 and 52 are then overlapped in desired relationship in which they are to be sewed to one another, the bottom piece 51 is then inserted below the over arm and above the plate 443 the top piece is placed over the over arm, and the pieces are then moved laterally until the edges of the two pieces engage the stop 535 and then rearwardly. The presser foot is raised by depressing the treadle 79 and the leading edges of the pieces are then moved below the presser foot in the usual manner wherein the treadle 79 is allowed to rise. The treadle 80 isthen depressed causing the clutch 106 to connect the pulley 110 to the motor drive shaft and cause operation of the sewing machine. During this depression of the treadle 80, the switch 490 closes thus causing the valve 485 to open and the valve 480 to connect the conduit 332 to the supply conduit 482 of compressed air. As a result, steam now begins to 'flow through the heated conduit 65 and discharges through the apertures 66.

of the steam conduit toward the stopblock rearwardly of the cam plate and the piston of the pneumatic ram is moved to its extended position causing the-roller bracket to pivot in a clockwise direction about the axis ofits shaft 240 and the roller is thus moved toward the concave surface 360-of the stopblock 361.

The movement of the clutch 106 to its operative position now causes the sewing machine to operate in the usual manner and also causes the input shaft 138 of the speed reducing transmission 140 ,to be rotated which causes its output shaft 162 to rotate. The overload release coupling 175 now causes the connector shaftZ'182 to rotate whichin turn causes the ver-v tical shaft 323 and therefore the moving and heating roller manner. The top piece ofmaterial moves over the

guide plates

373 and 414. As the forward edges 570 an 571 of the top and bottom pieces move to the positions of the cam plate and the stopblock 361, the

sections

55 and 56 of the bottom piece are folded downwardly-from the seam to positions parallel to one another and the

sections

57 and 58 are folded upwardly parallel to each other from the seam. As the pieces of material move toward the locations oftheir engagement with the roller, they are subjected to the steam from the outlet or nozzle 66 of the steam conduit 65; The heat and pressure applied thereto by the roller presses the folded sections and as they move from rearwardly of the stopblock, the folded back sections are pressed and will remain in such folded positions. During the sewing process, the pieces are alternately moved rearwardly and held against movement by the presser bar.

If the roller tends to exert a rearward force on the pieces of material which exceeds a predetermined value when the rear ward movement of the pieces is prevented by the presser bar, the overload release clutch permits rotation of the shaft 162relative to the connector shaft 180.

When the pieces of material are sewed throughout their length, the operator continues to operate the sewing machine making a chain of stitches C until the rear or trailing edges of the two pieces of material move out of contact with the roller and the block. The operator then pulls to the left such sewed pieces of material and the chain of stitches, which extends from the needle to the rear ends of the pieces, is moved forcibly to the left and between a pair of adjacent coils of a spring 580 secured to the

ears

581 and 582 of a bracket 583 which is secured to the stopblock 361 by the screws 584. The hooked opposite ends of the spring are received in apertures 585 and edge slots 586 of the ears. A knife or razor blade 590 is also secured by the screws 584 between the bracket 583 and the stopblock and its edge 581 which is positioned forwardly of the edge 592 of the bracket and it cuts the chain stitch. The operator then inserts a second pair of pieces into the apparatus in the manner described above and as the sewing thereof proceeds, the roller presses the chain of stitches against the stopblock and move the chain of stitches rearwardly until the leading edges ofthe second pair move into engagement with the concave surface of the stopblock and the peripheral surface of the roller. It will thus be seen that the operator need guide the leading edges of only the first pair of pieces sewed by the operator and thereafter the chain stitch will be employed to pull and guide the leading edges of each pair of sewed pieces of material through the folding assembly and into the pressing assembly.

Due to the fact that the sewed pieces of material never change direction either vertically or horizontally during their movement from the sewing machine through the folding and pressing assemblies, no wrinkling of the pieces of material at the locations of their folding will take place and a smooth pressed job is obtained.

The cam plate since it may move laterally outwardly to the right, as seen in FIG. 6, as the thickness of the material requires as the folded sections move between the vertical planar surface of the cam plate and the facing vertical planar surface 364 of the stopblock 361. The spring 425 causes the cam plate to exert a predetermined pressure or force against the material. This adjustable mounting of the cam plate also permits accommodation of the position of the cam plate to compensate for variations in the thickness of the pieces being sewed together.

It will now be seen that a new and improved sewing apparatus has been illustrated and described which includes guide means, such as the over arm bar and the

guide plates

373 and 414 separating top and bottom pieces of material which are sewed by the sewing machine, folding means for folding the sections of each piece in the same direction from the seam and means for moistening the folded sections with steam and then pressing the folded sections.

It will further be seen that the elements of the pressing'apparatus which are hot, such as the roller and the steam conduit 65, are secured to the other elements of the apparatus by means which minimize transfer of heat from the pressing assembly to the other elements and thus prevent damage to the machine or injury or discomfort to the operator which could occur if elements of the machine were raised to a high temperature which cause the lubricating oil to dry up.

It will further be seen that the apparatus is provided with a device for cutting and holding a chain of stitches formed by the sewing machine which extends from the rear or trailing edges of the sewedpieces of material and the needle of the machine so that the leading edges of a subsequent pair of pieces of material may be pulled and guided through the fold ing apparatus by the moving and pressing assembly.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 26 and 27 of the drawings, the over arm 381 is provided with a moving as sembly 600 which permits the operator to move the over arm laterally to the left when desirable, as during the sewing ofzip pers to the pieces of material. The lateral section 387a of the over arm extends over and slides on the top surface of the bracket 390 and within a U-shaped guide member 601 and below a top cover plate 603. The guide member and cover plate are secured to, the bracket 390 by bolts or screws 605. A rack gear 608 is secured-by screws 609 to the section 387a. A section gear 608 whose teeth mesh with the teeth of the rack gear is rigidly secured" to a shaft 612 which extends downwardly through 'a suitable aperture in the bracket 390 and a bearing block613 secured to the leg 391 of the bracket The shaft 612 is rotatable by the left knee of the operator by means of a linkage which includes a lever 615 pivotally mounted intermediateits ends as at 616 to a bolt 617 which extends downwardly fromthe support plate 70. The lever is biased in a counterclockwise direction, as seen from above, by a spring 618 one of whose ends is secured to the bracket 620 secured to the support plate and whose other end is secured to the rear end of the lever 615. The rear end of the lever is also connected by a link 620 to an arm 622 to an arm 623 secured to the lower end of theshaft 612 in any suitable manner as by a hub 624 and setscrew 625. The link 622 is pivotally connected to the rear ends of the lever 615 and the arm 623.

It will now be apparent that a new and improved apparatus has been illustrated and described which includes a folding assembly 62 for folding upwardly into vertical

parallel relationship sections

57 and 58 of a top piece 52 sewed to a bottom piece 51 overlapped by the top piece and for folding downwardly into vertical

parallel relationship sections

55 and 56 of the bottom piece extending from the seam, and a moving and pressing assembly 64'disposed rearwardly of the folding assembly for pressing the vertical sections of the pieces to cause them to lie in flat and parallel relationship.

It will further be seen that the folding assembly includes

guide plates

372 and 414 disposed on opposite sides of the presser foot and feed bar of a sewing machine for separating the top and bottom pieces on opposite sides of the line of the seam and a cam plate 401 and a stopblock 361 having rear wardly divergent surfaces for folding the sections of each pieces sewed by the machine on opposite sides of the seam into parallel positions.

It will also be seen that the cam plate is biased toward the stopblock and its movement toward the stopblock is adjustably limited by an adjusting screw 428.

It will also be seen that the stopblock has a means for cutting a chain of stitches rearwardly of the block and holding the portion of the chain which extends from the rear end of the stopblock to the needle of the sewing machine and in position to be engaged by a presser roller 241 so that the roller by engaging the chain and holding it against the stopblock may move the next pair ofpieces through the folding device.

it will further be seen that the apparatus includes means for causing the presser roller to rotate and move toward the stopblock each time the sewing machine is placed in operation.

It will also be seen that the heated elements of the folding and pressing assembly are mounted on other components of the apparatus by means which prevent or limit heat transfer therefrom.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the construction illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope ofthe appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

lclaim:

1. An apparatus for use with a sewing machine having a feeder bar and presser foot for engaging pieces of material being sewed by the machine, said apparatus including: a folding assembly positionable rearwardly of the feeder bar and presser foot of a sewing machine for folding upwardly into vertical parallel relationship sections of a top piece of material extending from a seam sewed by the machine connecting the top piece to a bottom piece of material overlapped by the top piece and for folding downwardly into vertical parallel relationship sections of the bottom piece of material extending from the seam; and a moving and pressing assembly disposed rearwardly of said folding assembly for pressing the vertical sections of the pieces to cause them to lie permanently in flat and parallel positions, said folding device including means positionable on opposite sides of the feeder bar and presser foot ofa machine for separating the top and bottom pieces of material as they move rearwardly through the machine and are stitched together by the machine on opposite sides of the seam connecting the'two pieces, a block positionable rearwardly of the presser foot and feeder bar at on side of the seam being stitched by the machine and providing a vertical planar surface, and a cam plate providing a vertical surface at the other side of the seam and facing said vertical surface, said block and said cam plate having top surfaces extending rearwardly and upwardly and bottom surfaces extending downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and bottom surfaces extending downwardly and rearwardly of the horizontal plane of the seam.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, said block having vertical concave surface rearwardly of said vertical planar surface, and a roller movable towards said concave surface for pressing the folded sections against said concave surface and rotatable for moving said pieces rearwardly.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, and first means for moving said roller toward said stopblock and drive means for rotating said roller.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said drive means includes a driving shaft, a driver shaft, an overload release coupling connecting said shafts and permitting rotation of said driving shaft relative to said driver shaft when the force resisting the rotation of said driver shaft exceeds a predetermined value, and means connecting said roller to said driver shaft.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, and means for heating said roller and steaming means for directing steam on the folded sections of the pieces between said folding assembly and said moving and pressing assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, and means for mounting said apparatus on a sewing machine, said mounting means including insulting means for preventing conduction of heat from said moving and pressing assembly and said steaming means to the sewing machine.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, and means for heating said roller.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, and steaming means for directing steam on the folded sections if the pieces between said folding assembly and said moving and pressing assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, control means for controlling operation of said steaming means, and means operatively associated with said control means, said first means and said drive means for causing operation of said steaming means, said first means and said drive means during the sewing of a pair ofpieces ofmaterial.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cam plate is mounted for limited movement relative to said planar surface, and means biasing said cam plate toward said planar surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, and means for limiting movement of said cam plate toward said planar surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, and means for moving said stopblock away from said cam plate.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, and means biasing said stopblock toward said cam plate.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said block is connected to an arm extending forwardly of the presser foot and feeder bar of the sewing machine and having a front extension extending substantially perpendicularly from said arm and in front of the feeder bar and presser foot of the sewing machine. and means for securing said front extension remote from said arm to a sewing machine to permit the bottom piece to move under the arm and extension and the top piece to move over the arm and extensionduring the sewing of the pieces to one another by the sewing machine.

15. The apparatus of claim [4, and insulating means between said stopblock and said arm for preventing conduction of heat from said block to said arm.

16. The apparatus-of'claim l5, and means operatively associated with said means for securing said extension to a sewing machine for moving said arm laterally away from said cam plate. 1-

17. The apparatus of claim I, and means for cutting a chain of stitches secured to said stopblock, and means for holding a chain of stitches extending from the needle of the sewing machine to the cutting means. i

18. An apparatus for use with a sewing machine having a feeder bar and pressure .foot for engaging pieces of material being sewed by the machine, said apparatus including: a folding assembly positionable rearwardly of the feeder bar and presser foot of a sewing machine for folding upwardly into vertical parallel relationship sections of a top piece of material extending from a seam sewed by the machine connecting the top piece to a bottom piece of material overlapped by the top piece and for folding downwardly into vertical parallel relationship sections of the bottom piece of material extending from the seam; and a moving and pressing assembly disposed rearwardly of said folding assembly for pressing the vertical sections of the pieces to cause them to lie permanently in flat and parallel positions, and steaming means for directing steam on the folded sections between said folding assembly and said moving and pressing assembly, said steaming means including a conduit having a nozzle opening for directing steam form said conduit, said conduit being connectable to a source of steam, and means for heating said conduit to prevent condensation of moisture therein.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, and means for mounting said apparatus on a sewing machine, said mounting means including insulating means for preventing conduction of heat from said moving and pressing assembly to the sewing machine.