US1743874A - Device for feeding work in circular paths - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 14, 1930. s. E. ANDERSON ,8

DEVICE FOR FEEDING WORK IN CIRCULAR PATHS FiledJan. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1y WWW) ma Jan. 14, 1930. e. E. ANDERSON 1,743,874

' mavxcn FOR FEEDING wonx m cmcumm runs Filed Jan. 1-2, 1925' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 perforating coincide with the lines. In con Patented Jan. 14, 1930 nNrrr. STATES PATENT OFFICE GUSTAF E. ANDERSON, 0F BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PEERLESS MACHHVERY COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHUSET'IS DEVICE FOR FEEDING WORK IN CIRCULAR PATHS Application filed January 12, 1926. Serial No. 80,808.

This invention relates to a device for feeding work in a circular path for use in sewing, perforating and similar machines.

In the manufacture of shoes, it is customary in many styles to ornament various portions of the shoe uppers with stitching or perforating in various designs. These designs are generally first marked or indicated on the shoe parts by dies or stamps or in other suitable ways and the operator in the stitching or perforating operation feeds the work by hand to follow the marked lines. When the design is made up of curved or circular lines the operator has more or less difficulty in feeding the work to have the stitching 01'' sequence, the lines of stitching or perforating making up the design frequently lack symmetry and are uneven and irregular thereby spoiling the attractive appearance off the shoes.

The main object of my invention is the provision of a device applicable to sewing, perforating or similar machines for feeding the work in such manner'that the usual operation of the machine produces sewing, pera so forating or similar work in mechanically perfect circular lines.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character described which is simple and efficient in construction, which may be applied to the machine with facility and which is durable.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means so constructed that the radius of the circular stitching or other work may be varied at will by the making of a few simple adjustments.

An additional object is the provision of a device so constructed as to permit of ad justment in close proximity to the work feed ing means in order to secure circular stitching, perforating or similar work of very small radii.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described hereafter.

.' In its preferred form, my invention conberand means for securing or clamping the Work thereon so that it will turn with the rotatable member. The rotatable member, such as a turn-table, for instance, may be mounted on the work-support of the machine and when the work is secured thereto the usual and ordinary operation of the feeding instrumentalities of the machine upon the work causes it to swing with the turn-table as a pivot with the result that the stitching, perforating or other operation on the work will run in a true circle thereon, the radius of the circle being the distance from the center of the turn-table to the operating device. By changing the work on the turntable after each circle,half circle or other portion of a. circle has been stitched or perforated on the work, it is possible to decorate the Work with a great variety of designs all mechanically perfect. The rotatable member and clamping members may be so mounted as to be movable toward and from the operating instrumentality for producing circular curves of various radii. There is practically no limit to the variety of designs which may be produced with mechanical perfection by the use of my invention.

' In the drawings, illustrating one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of the operative end of a sewing machine provided with a feeding device constructed and adapted for operation in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, looking from left to right in'Figure 1; Fig.3 is a central vertical sectional view. partly in elevation of the rotatable member and means for clamping the work thereon, shown in an inoperative position; Fig. 4 s a similar view in an operative position; Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the means for exerting pressure upon the means for clamping the work upon the rotatable member; Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the arm carrying the clamping means showing the method of mounting said arm to permit it to be turned out of the way when not in use; Fig. 7 is a View in perspective of the rotatable member or turn-table; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a shoe vamp provided with stitching of the character performed by the the rotatable. member; or e-turnrtable. and .arranged so thatwhen the WOBk iszfedit will:

turn with the turn-table and will in eifect be pivoted on a pointinthe center-Jot .rota'tiom thereof. For preventing any relative movement between the workandthe'turn-table and clamp, a plurality of pin points 14 for piercing the work may be formed either, on} the turn-table or the clamp. Since the work is generally fed in machines of this character with the right side uppermost, the pin points 14 are preferably placed upon the turn-table in order to penetrate the'wrong sideof the work and thereby avoid marring the right side but where the workis fed 'with'the wrong side uppermost, then the pinpoints shouldbe placed upon the clamp. Thelower face of the clamp maybe providedwith an annular recess in which may be forced a .ru'bberring 15 adapted to-project downwardlybeyond the face of the clamp for engaging the work and to prevent any marking thereof which might Eesult from the pressure-of a hard metallic ace. 1 The clamp 12 may be threaded-upon a stem 16 which is loosely mounted'in a. bearing 17 formed on the end of an arm 18 and the upper portion of the stem may be enlarged to form a shoulder 20for engaging a complementary shoulder in the bearing l7 to limit its downward movement. Although the stem is loosely mounted inthe bearing 17, it is locked therein, on one side by its enlarged upper portion and on the other side by the clamp 12. The latter may also be provided with a central bore which extends upwardly into the "stem and is there enlarged for receiving looselya pin 22 which is retained within the clamp by its enlarged head 23 and which acts as a pivot guide 'pin for locating the work in exact and proper position upon the turn-table. Thepin is held in lowermost position 'bygravity but being loosely mounted it does not mark the work and when the clampis depressed tohold the work on the turn-table theguide-pin is retracted into the clamp.

Any suitable means maybe provided for moving the turn-table to vary the radius of the work and "one suchrmeans is showncomprising a ,sl-i'de28" (Fig. '1) which may be mounted in the work-support 30 of the machine and in one end "of which the turn-table 10 is rotatably mounted. The latter may be made in a collar button shape as shown in Fig. 7 and thereby locked'loose-lvin-said slide against removal but being left free to turn therein; The slidemay 'be provided with a of a rod 36 loosely mounted in a bushing-38 which'inturnzmay be fastened by .a set-screw 40 transversely in the enlarged end 41 of a rod'42. The -latter-;rod:is supported in the downwardly turned end 44 of an arm 45 adapted to be mounted in the presser-bar 47 or other suitable partof the machine to which my device is applied. That end of the arm 45 which is fastened to the presserbar may be formed in the shape of a split colla1"-50 adapted to surround the Presser-bar and'to'be closed tightly-about it by a screw 52.

The rod 42' may be normally held fixed in the end 4401? the arm 45 by a set-screw 54 but when-the set-screw is released the rod 42 may be moved longitudinally to adjust theclamp 12in accordance with the adjustmentof the turn-table'in relation to the operating instrumentalities. The clamp 12 may also be adjusted in a direction transverse to the foregoing adjustment in order to take -care of variations in thedistance bet-ween the; presserbar or other part carrying the arm 15 and the operating tool which may differ in the different machines to which my device may be applied. One form of such means is shown comprising-the bushing 38 carrying 'the rod 36 upon which the clamp mechanism is {astened. Upon releasing the set-screw 10 the bushing'mayb'e adjusted longitudinal-l in the end o'f-the rod 42; that is, in a transverse direction to the main axis-of the machine and may be fifxed in that adjusted position by tightening the said set screw.

In order to permit the clamp mechanism to be turnedupwardly and out of the way when my device is not in use, the rod 36 may be, extended beyond the bushing and a helical spring.5 8 may be mounted thereon abutting the bushing 38 at one endand a cotter-pin 60 in the rod at the other end, said spring beingunder compression at all times. A collar 62 fastened to the rod 36 by a screw 63 maybe provided with a tongue 65% adapted to lock into a; correspondingrecess 65 in the v end of the bushingBS..therebytholding thearm 18 locked' in normal operative position; Then it is desired to turn-the arm-into a horizontal inoperative position, it maybe grasped and pulled out moving the rod 36 longitudinally, compressiiu thesprihg 58 and pulling the tongue 64' out of the recess 65 when the arm may be turned laterally upwardly into-the position shown in Fi 6-. The spring 58 will holdthearm-in such lateral position.- 'To restore it to normal position the arm is simply turned until the tongue snaps into the recess.

To force the clamp down upon the work in order that the pin points on the turn-table may penetrate it to hold it securely against movement relative to the turn-table, any suitable means capable of exerting the required pressure may be employed. Preferably such means should be independent of the clamp mechanism so as not to interfere with the cor rect placing of the work in relation to the pivot guide pin 22. Furthermore, such an arrangement enables me to apply the pressure to the clamp mechanism when needed and not before, that is, just before and so long as the clamp engages the work.

In the form of means shown, a pressing arm 67 (l ig. 5) may be pivotally mounted at one end on a screw stud 68 set in a depending bracket 70 fasten by a screw 71 to the face 72 of the overhanging arm of the machine. The pressing arm may extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine and its free end may have its lower edge turned laterally to form a shelf or flange 74 adapted to engage the top of the clamp carrying stem 16, the flange 74 being sufficiently long to engage the stem whatever its adjusted position. A spring 76, having one end turned over the upper edge of the free end of the arm and its other coiled about the screw stud 68, and under tension forces the arm downwardly to impart the necessary pressure upon the clamp. The coiled end of the spring 76 may be arranged in the split end of a bushing 77 loosely mounted on a screw 78 threaded through a laterally bent portion 79 of the bracket 7 0 and the pressure exerted by the spring may be adjusted to a certain extent by turning the screw 7 8 in one direction or the other. A set-nut 80 holds the said screw in adjusted position.

For controlling the position of the pressing arm 67 a laterally extending lug 81 may be fixed to the pressenbar in position to act as a stop engaging the lower edge of the pressing arm to hold it in a raised position so that it will not engage the stem 16 to exert pressure on the clamp until near the end of the downward movement of the presser-bar. The time of the engagement may be regulated by adjusting the lug 81 vertically on the presser-bar;

In the drawings my invention is illustrated as applied to a sewing machine of ordinary and well-known construction; only a portion of the work-support and the end of the overhanging arm and the operating instrumentalities carried thereby being shown. parts of the 'machine not heretofore mentioned comprise a needle-bar 82 carrying a needle 83, secured therein by a screw 84; the said bar being vertically reciprocable in a housing 85 in the end 86 of the overhanging arm. In the work-support 30 is arranged a The feeding-member 87 adapted to cooperate with an idler roll 88 rotatably mounted in the end of an arm 89 supported in a yoke-hanger 90, an adjustable stop 91 being arranged in the upper portion of the arm 89 adapted to bear against a lower portion of the yoke-hanger to limit the inward movement of the idlerroll. A spring 92 in the yoke-hanger overlaps a portion of the arm 89 and holds it in operative position. A lever 94 may be connected to the presser-bar for raising and lowcring it independently of the operation of the machine.

In Figs. 8 to 10 inclusive are shown four samples of circular stitching which may be used for ornamental work. In Fig. 8 is shown a vamp 100 having a line of circles 101 across the toe cap and a line of half circles 102 abutting the inside edge of the vamp. In Fig. 9, a portion of the work 104 is shown having the design made up of a row of half circles 106 in overlapped arrangement and in Fig. 10 a portion of the work 108 showing another arrangement of half circles 110. In preparing the work which is used in the operation of my device, all that is necessary is to mark it with lines in which the centers of the circles or portions of circles are to be located. For instance, in the line of circles 101 a guide line shown as a broken line 112 is marked upon the vamp in the proper location and in this line lie the centers of all circles used for that particular decoration. Where half circles are arranged adjacent an edge of the work, it is unnecessary to mark the shoe part since the pivot point of the turn-table forming the center of each half circle may be located just within the edge. In Fig. 9, one line 114 is all that is required but in Fig. 10, two lines 116 and 118 are necessary for the centers. Where intricate designs are produced, it may be necessary to use more lines for the various centers. It will be noticed that there is no limit to the variety of designs which may be produced by the use of my device and it is possible to produce very intricate and beautiful ornamentations which may be further heightened by the use of different colored threads where the work is done by a stitching machine or in case of perforating, the material may be backed up by backing layers of different colors. In the operation of my device, the turntable is first adjusted by manipulation of the screw 34 so that the distance between the center of the turn-tableand the operating instrumentalities is equal to the radius of the circle of work desired, and the clamp mechanism is likewise adjusted by manipulation of the set-screw 54 so that the pivot guide pin is exactly over the center of the turn-table.

. The work 107 is then placed upon the worksupport of the machine and adjusted so that the center of the first circle is under the pivot guide pin. The presser bar is them dropped and the clamp descends upon the work, the pivot guide pin being retracted in the bore thereof as the plunger descends. Toward the end of the downward stroke of the presser-bar, the pressing arm 67 descends and the shelf 74 engages the top of the stem 16 exerting a downward pressure thereon and forcing the clamp down upon the work thereby causing the points on the turn-table to penetrate the Work and to hold it securely against relative movement on the turn-table. The machine may then be started in operation and in the case of a sewing machine, the needle starts to stitch and the work is fed by the feeding member 87 acting in cooperation with the idler-roll 88. The work being pivoted on the turn-table and the turn-table and clamp and stem all being freely rotatable, the ordinary feeding movement causes the work to be turned and the stitching to be laid on in a circular path. After the circle has been completed, the operator then raises the presser-bar and clamp, moves the work to a new center and resumes the process and so on until the line of circular stitching has been completed. In marking half circles, the operator may at the end of a half circle, leave thegneedle down in the work and to get the next center may pivot the work on the needle when the stitching may be resumed for the next half circle. In this manner of operat ing, the needle is used as apivot for moving the work to the new center on the turn-table 2 so that half circles or quarter circles may be placed with great accuracy.

It will be observed that-my device is so constructed that it is adapted for application to existing sewing, perforating and similar machines without necessitating any radical changes therein and without changing the normal operation of said machines. After application, the machine may be used for other classes of work by merely turning the clamping member upwardly and out of the way.

Furthermore, the relatively small diameters of the turn-table and the clamping members permit these members to be adjusted, when desired, in close proximity to the operating instrumentalities of the machine for operating on circles of small radii which is an advantage of special importance in ornamenting shoe parts with circular stitchingor perforating.

Although I have shown my invention applied to a sewing machine for ornamenting shoe parts, it is perfectly evident that this device is not to be limited to shoe parts since it may be used on all kinds of work for making ornamental designs either by stitching, perforating, embossing, imprinting, or in other ways, nor is it ,to be limited to any particular class of machinessinceit is capable of alarge and extended use in many machines.-

In some cases slight changes may be required to adapt my invention to particular machines but such will be obvious to one skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the precise form herein shown and described since it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms of construc tion all within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed Work-support, means for operating upon the work normally in a straight line, a slide set in said worksupport and adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a turntable rotatably mounted in said slide and means for clamping the work on said turntable; both said turn-table and said clamping means being adjustable independently of each other toward and away from said operating means in a path perpendicular to the normal line of feed.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for feeding and operating upon the work norm ally in a straight line, a turn-table set in said work-support and a clamp for clamping the work to said turn-table; said clamp being centrally bored and having a pin loosely mounted and retractible therein for centering the work without injury thereto on said turn-table.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for feeding and operating upon the work normally in a straight line, a slide set in said work support and adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a turn-table rotatably mounted in said slide and an independent clamp for clamping the work to said turn-table, said turntable and said clamp being both adjustable independently of each other in relation to said operating means along a line from said operating means perpendicular to the normal line of feed, and means independent of said clamp for exerting a clamping pressure thereon in all positions of adjustment thereof. 7

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means foroperating upon the work normally along a straight line, a turn-table set in said work-support, a clamp vertically and loosely mounted above said turn-table, both said turn-table and said clamp being adjustable in relation to said operating means along a line perpendicular to the normal line of feed, and a pivotally mounted spring pressed arm having its free end adapted to engage the top of said clamp irrespective of its adjusted position for forcing said clamp downwardly to hold the work on said turn-table.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for 'feeding the work, mans for operating upon the work, a slide mounted in said work-support having its longitudinal axis perpendicular to the normal line of feed at the operating means and being longitudinally adjustable, a turn-table rotatably mounted in said slide, a vertically movable clamp adapted for pressing the work down upon said turn-table, means for adjusting said clamp corresponding to the adjustment of said turn-table, a pivot guide finger loosely mounted in said clamp for locating the work upon said turn-table and retractable therein and means for exerting pressure upon said clamp to hold said Work on said turn-table against movement in relation thereto.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for operating upon the work normally along a straight line, a presser-bar, a turntable set in said work-support, a clamp vertically and loosely mounted above said turn-table, both said turn-table and said clamp being adjustable in relation to said operating means along a line perpendicular thereto and to the normal line of feed, a pivotally mounted spring pressed arm having its free end adapted for engagement with the top of said clamp irrespective of its adjusted position for forcing said clamp downwardly to hold the work on said turn-table and means carried by said presser-bar for raising said arm to release said clamp when said presser-bar is raised.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for operating upon the work normally along a straight line, a presser-bar, a turn table set in said work-support, a clamp Ver- .tically and looselv mounted above said turntable, both said turn-table and said clamp being adjustable in relation to said operating means along a line perpendicular thereto and to the normal line of feed, spring-pressed means, independent of said clamp, for fore ing said clamp downwardly, when said press er-bar is lowered, to clamp the work on said turn-table and means carried by said presserbar for raising said spring-pressed means to release said clamp whenever said presser bar is raised.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, mean for operating upon the worknormally in a straight line, a turn-table mounted in said work-support, a clamp loosely mounted above.

said turn-table and provided with a central bore opening downwardly, said turn-table and said clamp being adjustable toward and from said operating means along a line perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a pin loosely mounted in said bore for centering the work on said turn-table, said pin being retractable in said bore to avoid injury to the face of the work when said clamp is in clamping position, and means, independent of said clamp, for forcing it downwardly to clamp the work on said turn-table.

9. In a device or" the character described, the combination of a fixed work-support, means for operating upon the work normally along a straight line, a slide set in said worksupport and adjustable therein along a line perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a turn-table carried by said slide, a clamp loosely mounted above said turn-tableindependent thereof and adjustable along said perpendicular line to correspond to the adjustment of said turntable, said clamp being so mounted as to be capable of being turned upwardly and out of the way when not in use, and means for forcing said clamp downwardly to clamp the work on said turn-table.

10. The combination with, a work-support, presser-bar and means for operating upon the work normally in a straight line of means for holding the Work close to said operating mean to cause it to feed in a circular path of small radius; said means comprising a slide mounted in said work-support and adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a turn-table carried by said slide, a spindle clamp for holding the work on said turn-table, said turn-table and said clamp being of approximately equal diameter, and means whereby the work is clamped on said turntable by said clamp whenever the said presser-bar is lowered.

11. In a device of the character described the combination of a slotted work-support,

means for operating on the work, a slide mounted in the slot in said work-support and adjustable therein in a direction perpendicular to the normal line of feed, a turn-table rotatably mounted insaid slide, and means independent of said turn-tablefor clamping the work on said turn-table.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a work support having a slot perpendicular to the normal line of feed, means for operating on the work, a slide adjustably mounted in said slot, a turn-table carried by said slide and an independent clamp for clamping the work on said turntable; said turn-table and said clamp both being of a diameter sufiiciently restricted to permit said members to be adjusted'with their center close to said operating means in order to produce circular ornamentation of a radius sufficiently small to be suitable for shoe parts and similar work. V

In witness whereof,I hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of December, 1925.

v GUSTAF E. ANDERSON.

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