US2341686A - Presser foot for sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 15, 1944. E. J. BILLINGTON PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 19, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 mm a. J a M ATTOR EY Feb. 15, 1944.

E. J. B ILLINGTON PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jtily 19, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5W4 J. flay/V670 ATTORN Y' Feb. 15, 1944. E. .1. BILLINGTON PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 19, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR I 1514/4 dffl/u/n/era/v A TTORN Y Patented Feb. 15, 1944 PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Emil J. Billington, Chicago, 111., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, 'Chicago,.Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 19, 1941, Serial No. 403,111 12 Claims. (cl. 112- 151 This invention relates to a presser foot having an attachment or portion which may be readily shifted into operative or inoperative position as the sewing of a seam proceeds and which, when in operative position, serves to assist in turning under or infolding the edge of one of thematerials being'united and in presenting the same correctly to the stitch forming means. The invention also includes the improved construction and arrangement of the parts of a multi-sectioned presser foot.

A device constructed in accordance with this invention is especially suited for use in the attachment of collars and cufis to shirts. In the normal operation of attaching a collar, for example, the inner ply of the band of the collar which is to be attached to the shirt is first laid back to back against the inner side or inner ply of the shirt. The outer ply of the band is turned back while the inner ply and stiffener are then secured to the top of the shirt by a line of through-and-through stitching. Upon completion of this operation, the shirt is turned over and the collar is unfolded in preparation for the stitching of the outer ply of the collar band. It is in connection with this operation that the attachment forming part of the present invention comes into play to assist in infolding the outer ply of the collar just in advance of the point at which it is stitched down. Provision is made for readily swinging the attachment into either operative or inoperative position. As the line of stitching swings sharply around the ends of the collar, the attachment is normally disabled.

The improved presser foot is formed in, two sections, which are both tiltable, independently, on the supporting shank and one of which is movable bodily on the shank. This enables the presser foot to accommodate itself readily "to variations in the thickness of the work at different points, including variations as between the two sides of the presser foot. Such adjustability of the presser foot sections is of particular importance in conjunction with the attachment.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of an i1- lustrative form of the same which wil1 now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a plan view of the improved presser foot and attachment, showing a presser bar in section and showing a portion of the work on which the device is operating, the attachment being in inoperative position;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure I but showin op erative position;

ing the presser foot in a different" position in relationto the work and showing the attachment Figure III is an enlarged front elevation of the presser foot, the attachment being shown in section along the line 3-3 of FigureII and being shown in dotted lines in its inoperative position; Figure IV is an exploded perspective view of all of the various elements embodied in the presser foot and attachment; I

Figure V is a bottom view of the device; Figure VI 'is a rear elevation of the device; Figure VII is a cross section through one of the members of the presser foot, taken along the line 1-! of Figure IV, and

Figure VIII is a plan view of a collar and shirt assembly at one stage in their attachment.

Turning now to the drawings, the improved presser foot comprises a shank 6 adapted to be secured in any convenient way to a presser bar 1, which, as indicated in Figures I and II, may suitably be hexagonal in cross section at its lower end. This presser bar, it will be understood, may be mounted in any convenient manner in the needle head of the sewing machine and will be urged downwardly toward th 'work support by an appropriate spring. The shank of the presser foot may be provided at one side with a suitable channel 8 conforming with the shape of the adjacent portion of the presser bar. 'A slot 9 communicating with the channel is adapted to receive the body of a screw I0 having threaded engagement with the presser bar for clamping the shank thereto.

The lower end of the presser foot shank is bifurcated to provide spaced downward extensions II and 12, each having a. hole 13 adapted to receive a pin l4 which may be retained in place'by friction or by peening over .its ends, after the assembly of the various parts. The presser foot may be suitably formed in two sections l5 and i6. Section or member I5 has integrally formed therewith an upwardly extending block or projection ll having an aperture l8 whichreceives the pin l4 and thus permitstilting or pivotal movement of the section IS in relation to'the shank. Section or member I6 of the presser foot is preferably provided with a slotted upward extension forming a pair of spaced, integral blocks I9 and 2i). Each block has a laterally extending I portion 2| adapted to overlie the adjacent edge curved upwardly to a slight extent. Due to the;

cooperation Of the overhanging portions 2| with the top of the section 15, the latter also tends to:

follow the movements of section It. The tilting of the two sections under influence of the spring 24 is limited by engagement of the section [5 with the forward corner I la of the shank. However, the two sections of the presser foot in passing over the work are capable of independent rocking movement and the section It; is also capable :of bodily, .upward movement relative Zto the pini Hand hence relativeto. the section;l5. This enables the presser foot to accommodate itself -ireadily to varying thicknesses of material as seams andthe like are brought beneatheither or-bothzof the sections. The forward end or toe -..2E.of the .section l51is preferably curved upwardlyto a slight extent and the side of .this:section, adjacent thesection I6, is no-tched,.as.indicated at 21, to permit the passage'oftheneedle. The side of'..section:lBtoward the section IBispreferably curved away .from the latter slightly, as

. :indicatedat-28in Figure V, and this SldeilS pref- 1erably..-a1so provided with a concave depression 29, as shown in Figures :V and VII, which grad- .ually .becomes shallower and then disappears some distancein from the end. In .line. with theslot 22, betweenthe blocks l9 Q and. 20, or. slightly .in advance thereof, :.and at the opposite sideof thesection I6, there.'is pro- .ivided a downwardly and .inwardly sloping sur- .face ..This is -adapted toflreceive the -under surface of a correspondingly inclinedextension .3! .of .a'fabric guide attachment32. The latter is .esecuredto the section it by meansbf :a screw .33whiclrpasses through-an...aperture.34 in the :extension 3| and is received by-a threadedopen- .ings351 perpendicular to. the surface 30. The screw 3 3 preferably has. a smooth annular. shoulde 'cpor- .tion directly beneath the-.head, about whichrthe attachment?! is adapted toswingfreely even 7 when the screw is tightened in: place. .Extension 7 3| has its inner end .36 roundedand thesurface 31 on the member IS, with which--this. rounded end .cooperates, is similarly curved to permit the attachmentto be swun freely 'fromthe fullline position .of Figure III .to .the .broken-line .position in said figure. For this .same :purpose the corner 30a of the. surface 30. is beveledand.

. rounded slightly. to avoidinterference with the shoulder 3la.onthe attachment.

To enable the attachment to be swung readily from one position to. an0ther,.it. is.preferably .provided with a small handle or knob 38 which may be. engaged readily by the finger orzthumb of the operator. When the attachmentisswurie .to its. inoperativeposition, indicatedin broken linesin Figure III, itis preferably retained sucheposition simply by friction. Whenishifted into-.operative.position, it will be retained not only by friction but also by gravity,.acting-as a result of the inclination of thesurface 30, and also by the frictional drag of the material which passes over and under a. portion ofthe'attachment, in the manner. to be later explained. However, if desired, any suitable detent may be employed for retaining the fabric guide in either operative or inoperative position.

Extending laterally from the attachment 32, adjacent its free end, is a, wing portion 39 having an edge 40 extending across the ends of the sections 15 and 16 when the attachment is in operative position. A notch 4| in the edge 40 is in line with a small space 4 la provided between the forward ends of the two sections of the Presser .foot, by the cutting away of a portion of the toe 26 of section [5. On its under surface the wing portion 39 is preferably provided with a rib or ridge 42 at one side of the notch 4|, this rib 'havingone edge formed as an extension of the inner'side of the section IS. The rib I4 preferably presents a square shoulder at this edge from which the outer end of the wing extends as a blade 39a. However, on the opposite side of the rib there may be provided a smoothly curved fillet 43. Rib 42 and-fillet 43 may be formed-as an integral part of the attachment. or, .as indicated in Figure III,these maybe welded orotherwise secured to the under'surface of the wing. The under surface of the rib is in thehplane of the bottom of section l6 when the guide is in operative position. At its forward end the rib is rounded or curved slightly upwardlyto-facilitate its passage over seams and-the like. Themain portion of the guide 32 is relieved slightly on-its under surface so that actualcontact .with the work is made only-by the-rib and-blade portions ofthismember.

We shall now 'describein.v greater detaila-typical operation in connection withwhich the. invention may appropriately be. used, .i. e., theattachment ofcollars .to shirts. JReferring'jto .Fig-

vnure VIII, there .isindicatedlthe first step in this operation. 'The inner pliesof a shirt-45 and a collar 46. are first placed back to back with their free-edges '4'! juxtaposed. The various pliesol the shirt and collarare best indicated .iniFigure III,-in which viewfhowevenf'they are. ready 'for the second operation. 'Thus, theshirt may comprisean innerply -4'8 and across the shoulders an outer ply 49, the inner ply being backed against the inner ply ofltheband of a collar. A.stiffener" 5l is providedbetween the inner ply illand'the outer ply 52 of thecollar. While the collar and shirtuare placed back'to back, inthe manner explainedjthe. inner plyand stiffener of the collar are.secured tol'theplies of the shirt by athrough-an'd-through line of. stitching 53. At this time'the outerply'52 ofJthe collar is' turned back, asbest shown in'Figure VIII. If this operation is performed on .themahineembodying the improved construction,. the.. attachment 32 will be swung outwardly to 'its'inoperativeposition.

Next, the shirt willIbe-turned over andthe collar folded out into the.positionindicated'inJFigures LlIand III. A lineof stitching. will then be formed aroundthe endoflthe collar, commencing approximatelyat .the ..-point 54a. As the stitching is formed v.aroundthe .pointed .end 55 of the collarb-and, and. thepresser foot isclose .to the button .56, the attachment is left in inoperative position, as shown in Figure l. The inturning of the outer ply is performedby hand at this time. However, when the stitching reaches the point shownin Figure II the attachmentis swung into place by a flip of-the' fingeragainst theknob 38rso that the end of the blade 39a-passes between the outer ply 52 of the=cdllarand the outer-ply 49 of. the shirt. With :but slightassistancefrom correctly to the needle operating through the opening 21. At the same time the square shoul- "der presented by the rib 42 and also the inner side of the section is, ridingagainst' the slight shoulder on the work formed bythe stitching 53,

will assist further in presenting the work correctly to the needle. A more uniform product is thus formed. Moreover, variations in the thickness of the work at one or both sides of the line of stitching, due to seams and gathers in the yoke of the shirt, will be readily taken care of by the construction and arrangement of the various parts. When the opposite side of the shirt is reached, and the stitching is to be carried around the point and the buttonhole at this end, the attachment is again swung outwardly into inoperative position until the operation is completed.

The invention may also be used to'advantage in the attachment of cuffs to shirts and in a number of other operations of related character.

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the specific construction and operation of the device without departing from the principles and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described a presser foot shank, a presser foot member rockably mounted on said shank, said member having a shoulder adapted to assist in infolding the edge of a section of fabric and to maintain said edge at a uniform distance from the line of stitching, and an attachment pivotally carried by said member, said attachment having a portion adapted to be passed between plies of the work being stitched to facilitate the infolding operation or to be freely swung outwardly laterally of the line of stitching and upwardly into inoperative position at will during the formation of a single seam.

2. In a device of the class described a presser foot shank, a presser foot member mounted for free rocking movement on said shank, and an attachment carried by said member on a pivot inclined at an acute angle to the axis of said shank, said attachment having a portion adapted to be passed between plies of the work being stitched and to extend across the line of stitching or to be swung outwardly and upwardly about said pivot into inoperative position at will. 3. In a device of the class described a presesr foot shank, a presser foot member mounted for free rocking movement on said shank, and an attachment carried by said member on a pivot inclined at an acute angle to the plane of the work engaging surface of said member, said attachment having a portion adapted to be. passed between plies of the work being stitched and to extend across the line of stitching or to be swung outwardly and upwardly about said pivot into inoperative position at will.

4. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a presser foot shank secured to said bar, a foot member mounted for free rocking and bodily movement on said shank, and an attachment carried by said member and movable in a plane at an acute angle to the axis of said presser bar, said attachment having a portion normally extending between superposed plies of the workbeing stitched and across the line of stitching and adapted upon movement in-said plane to hes-mm ed outwardly and upwardly into inoperative' position at will. Y

' 5. In a device -'of the class described a presser bar,- a shank secured to said bar, a foot member carried by said shank, said member having a shoulder adapted to assist in infolding the edge of a section of fabric and to maintain said edge at a uniform distance from the line of stitching, and an attachment mounted on said member for movement freelyjinto either operative or inoperative position at will during the formation of a single seam, said attachment having a portion arranged when in operative position to pass between plies of the work in advance of said member and to extend across the line of stitching-to facilitate the infolding operation, said portion being above the work and spaced laterally outwardly at one side of said member whenin ino'perative position. v I

6. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a shank secured to said bar, a foot member carried by said shank, and an attachment mounted on said member for movement freely in; a continuous sweep into either operative or inoperative position at will during the formation'of a single seam, said attachment having a portion arranged when in operative position to pass between plies of the work in advance of said member and to extend across the line of stitching, said portion cooperating with the member to infold the edge of the upper ply,said portion being above the work and spaced laterally outwardly at one side of said member when in inoperative position. 7. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a shank secured to said bar, a plurality of independently movable foot members carried by said shank, and an attachment mounted on one, of said members for movement freely in a continuous sweep into and out of operative position at will, said attachment having a portion arranged when in operative position to extend across the ends of said foot members and pass between plies of the work in advance of said members, said portion cooperating with the member by which it is carried to facilitate infolding of the edge of the upper ply before it is carried beneath another of said members.

8. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a, shank secured to said bar, a plurality of independently movable foot members carried by said shank, and an attachment pivotally mounted on one of said members for movement in a continuous sweep either into or out of operative position at will, the pivot for said attachment being adjacent said presser bar and having its axis inclined at an acute angle thereto, said attachment having a portion arranged when in operative position to pass between plies of the work and extend across the line of stitching in advance of said members and cooperating with the latter to infold the edge of the upper ply.

9. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a shank secured to said bar, a plurality of independently movable foot members carried by said shank, each of said members being rockable on said shank and one being movable bodily thereon, and an attachment mounted on said one of said members for movement freely in a continuous sweep either into or out of operative position at will during the formation of a single seam, said attachment having a portion arranged when in operative position to pass between plies of the work and -;extend across the line ,of stitching 'in advance of said members and to cooperate with the latter to infold the edge of the upper ply, said portion being disposed above and to one side of said members when out of operative position.

10. In a device ofthe classdescribed a -presser bar, .a shank secured to ,said bar, a plurality of independently movable fo0t members carried by said shank, each of saidmembers being rockable on said shank and one -being movable bodily thereon, the Work engaging surfaces of said members being normally at different elevations, and an attachment mounted on said one of said members for movement into and out of operative position at will, said attachment having a portion disposed in a plane between the normal elevations of said Work engaging surfaces and arranged when in operative position to pass between plies of the work in adv-anceof said members and cooperating with the latter to infold the edge of the c i p 11. In a device of the class described a presser bar, a shank secured to said bar, said shank having its lower end 'bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced downwardly extending walls, a pivot pin extending between said walls, a presser foot member having an upward extension mounted for rocking movementon said pin, a second presser -f,oot member having aslotted projection cooper ating with,-.said pin to enable both bodilyi and -rocking movementwithrespect thereto, said prov jectiont engaging said first-mentioned member to limitoutw-ardmovement of said second member, ,anda spring urging such outward movement :of

thesecond member.

l'2.,I n ;adevice of the class describeda presser bar, ashanl; secured tosaid bar, said shank having its lower endbifurcated to provide a pair of spaced downwardly extending walls, a, pivot pin extending between said walls, a presser foot operating with said pin to enable both bodily and rocking movement with respect thereto, said. projection engaging said first-mentioned member to limit outward movement of said second member, a

spring urging such outward movement of the second member, and an attachment mounted on said second member having a portion normally extending across the forward end of said memhers, saidattachment being movable on said second member to carry said portion upwardly and outwardly-away from said members.

EMIL J. BILLINGTON.

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