US2470286A - Blind stitching means - Google Patents

Description

1 1949' 'S.I.J. BIRGINAL r 2,470,286

- BLIND STITCHING MEANS Filed April 24, 1946 I I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w y 7, 1949. s. J. B IRGINAL 2,470,286

BLIND STI TCHING MEANS Filed April 24, 1946 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLIND STITCHING MEANS Sylvester J. Birginal, Chicago, 111.

Application April 24, 1946, Serial No. 664,661

This invention relates to a blind stitching apparatus and more particularly to an attachment for a conventional sewing machine adapted to make it convertible into a blind hemmer or back to conventional use with the minimum of effort or trouble.

This invention is an improvement on the structure shown and claimed in my copending application for a blind stitchin apparatus heretofore filed on. July 8, 1944, as Serial No. 544,051.

One feature of the structure shown in this and in the aforesaid copending application is that it provides improved blind stitching apparatus. Another feature is that the apparatus embodying this invention may be used in blind sewin work of flat or small or large tubular design on a conventional sewing machine without the need of a tubular knee, a special bed, or the like. Still another feature is that it includes means for precisely adjusting the position of the means guiding the material being sewed, this adjustment being with respect to the path of the needle of the sewing machine and enabling proper blind stitching of materials of widely varying thicknesses.

Yet another feature is that the adjusting means includes motion-reducing connections and calibrated indicating means facilitating setting of the apparatus for the material to be blind stitched.

The present invention has, in addition to the into a non-operating position wherein the guide member is flush with the throat plate of the machine. Yet another feature of the present invention is that it provides a snap-action locking of the guide member in either the operating or non-operating position. Another feature of this invention is that the manual actuating means for precisely adjusting the guide member is located on the throat plate on the opposite side of the needle with respect to the guide member. A further feature is that the blind stitching apparatus is contained within the periphery of a throat plate of conventional size and shape.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the head and a portion of the bottom of a sewing machine including blind stitching apparatus embodying my invention; Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlar ed detailed view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are illustrative of material during and after blind stitching of a hem therein, Figure 3 being a sec- 10 Claims. (Cl. 112140) tional View of the material immediately after the stitch has been made therein, Figure 4 being a similar sectional View of the material unfolded into the shape into which it is worn and Figure 5 being a fragmentary view of the surface of the material indicating the path of the stitching; Figure 6 is a plan view of the throat plate and a portion of a bed of a sewing machine together with blind stitching apparatus embodyin my invention, as illustrated in Figure 1; Figure '7 is a sectional view along the line 'l-1 of Figure 6, the inoperative position of the guide member alone being shown in dotted lines; Figure 8 is a View partly in section of the underside of the throat plate of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a view, partly in section, along line 9-9 of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a sectional view along line |ll-l0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a view partly in section along line Illl of Figure 12; Figure 12 is a front elevational view of the presser foot and guiding arm for blind stitching.

The value and need for blind stitching in sewing articles such as the bottoms of mens trousers and the heme of womens skirts is well known. I have invented a blind stitching apparatus embodied in a throat plate of conventional shape which can be attached to the ordinary sewing machine by merely removing a few screws therefrom and replacing the throat plate with which the machine was originally supplied, with the throat plate embodying my invention.

The arrangement is such that the guiding means for guiding the path of the material closely adjacent the path of the needle can be swung into operating position for blind stitching, and it is held in that position by action of a snap look. When it is desired to use the machine for conventional sewing, the guiding member can be swung to a non-operating position wherein it i held flush with the throat plate and presents no projections to catch on or interfere with the passage of material bein stitched; and the spring-urged presser shoe can be swung up out of the way, so that no parts need be removed from the machine. The presser foot which is used in conjunction with the guiding member has two positions, one for blind stitching and one for conventional sewing, and is equipped with a springurged guiding arm to press the material being stitched against the guiding member.

In the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated herein, a conventional sewingmachine is partially illustrated. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, this comprises a metal bed 20 mounted upon a. wooden base or table arrangechronism with the needle reciprocation. These toothed members will for the most part not be further described here, it being understood that my blind stitching attachment may beiused' one the conventional sewing machine so long as longer dogs are associated with it.

As may be best seen in Figuresfi-lO, the throat:

plate is of conventional shape and is provided with a throat hole or opening 26 in which the needle is reciprocable. On the underside of the throat plate; as' best seen in Figure. 8, is-the: mounting plate or mountingmember heretiden-rtified: as 2'l'.- The mounting member is sli'dab'le longitudinally (that is, in a direction.perpendicu lar'to'thedirection-of movement of the: needle) in .1 slots 28;- beingguidedin said slots by .screwmem brsfifi attachedto the'underside of the throat plate and projecting "through and engaging-thew slots 28. Longitudinal movementof the mount ing mem-beriis :achievedathrouglrthe lever 30; this lever being pivotally mounted to the throat'plate at:r3l, and pivoted to lever member 32 at-33 asshown. Lever member 32-i's pivoted to the throat plate at 34 and'pivotally attached to the mounting member at 2 35 as shown. It 'can' be seenthalt moving'lever member 30 in a c1ockwise'or.counter-= clockwisedirection'serves through the lever members 'just described to move the mounting mem ber longitudinally in slots28. Le'vermemberfl protrudes through slot 36 tothe upper side of the throat plate and terminates in a pointer'3'labove theindicating scale 38on the righthand' side' of the'throat plate; as viewed'in'Figure' 6.

As seen 'in Figure '7, the'mounting member 21" has at its left hand side 'a downwardly projecting portion 39' terminating in a shoulder 40. A cy-j lindrical collar 4! is fixed-on the shoulderfld'as' shownyand is provided with a hole aligned with a hole of similar size in'the shoulder 40 to receive the' pivot'42. Pivot 42 is rotatablymounted'in' and projects through the holes just mentioned to' a point some distance below-the shoulder40, terminating in a threaded end 43'on whioh'nut'M is screwed. A compression "spring 45 is inter posed between nut 44' and shoulder '40 toLc0n'-" stantly exert a downward pressure on thepivott: 421- Fixed to the upper end of' pivot 42 "isthe. guiding member of the genera-lshape as shown '60 needle 24 when" the guidingmember'is in the in Figure 6, and the guiding member is provided. with'a slot 4'! adapted vto be aligned with the operative position shown by the solid lines of Figure 6. The. collar 4| has. a diagonally cut-.1

awayportion 48 to actas a cam, upon which cam.-

the pin 49 (which is'integral with the pivot 42)" rid-es. The arrangement is such thatwhen the. guide member 46- is in" the operating position shown by the solid lines in Fi-gures'fi and 7,'the pin 49is in the position shown in Figure 9, that is, at the upper portion of cam 48; and is held'in'" that-position in a slightly-downwardly inclined portion of thecamby'the tension of the spring 45-. (the*downwardly inclined portion, the pin and thespring cooperate to form a snap action lock) and?the guide -member is spaced' above the-throat these portions plate, as shown, and positively held against rotation when the material passes along its guiding edge during sewing. Rotating the guide member approximately 180 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 6, will cause the pin 49 to ride down the diagonal cam portion 48 lowering the guide member until the pin is in the position shown at the left hand side of Figure 10. At that time the guide member will be in the nonoperating position wherein/it is in theisameplane, that is flush with the throat plate 25 (this position being illustrated by the dotted lines in Figures 6 and '7), and held in that position by the tensionrofwthe spring. The portion of the guide member around the pivot 42, when swung to the non-'operating-position just described, fits into a cut-away portion-.50: of the throat plate. While in the operating position, the material guidingedge "5|"of'the guide member can be precisely adjusted towards or way from the needle by the actuation of leveri-3fl', :the "guide :member being held against. movement. 'in a direction parallel to": the path'of'movement of thetneedle'xby'pivot4252i Inconjunction with my inventionas herein dis-" closed, I prefer-to use a special presser foot; Asa this presser foot is fully described in my copend "v ing' application heretofore referred to,":it will be but'briefly described hereinyas 'comprisingian or-' I dinary presser foot 53':- '(=Figuresl-l'and 1'2) and a 1 vertical shank-portion 54 mountable on the presser fo'ot supportingmembe'nSS in two'spaced posi tions;

A mounting'bracke't 56i's rotatablymounted on shaftSTj'and a guiding arm 5'8is pivotally mount-- ed on" the mounting bracket asshown;

Torsion spring 59 *urges the guidingarm'and the pressuresho'e'tll against theedge of the material being sewed;--' the torsion-spring providing"- greatflexibility; thus freelypermitting smooth passage'of seams, and shaft 51 provides means of swinging the" guidirigzarm' approximately about the axis thereby'provided to a compact; out". of the way;;non=operatingposition when .it is desired to do conventionalsewing:

The way in which" myattachnoent facilitates blind" stitching; .and.more particularly blind hemming; (Willib best understood" from a considera-. tion of Figures 2-5 inclusive." In loading the ma-. chine for blind stitching, the material is folded intoa double Lfold asshown'in FiguresZ and '3 and; with the'guide member in inoperative position', the folded material'is placed under the lifted. presser 'foot so' that the portion 63 .is directly. under the needle, andnthe. presser foot is then. droppeddown toexertpressure on the material and: hold it in .place. With the. material lying thus and held'by the presser foot, the horizontal. pivotal action of the guide memberwprovides a very convenient .andeasy method of inserting the. guide means into thenf old between. layers 62 and '64f'so that .its material guidingledge ,5l .is against 2 the portion 63 of the'fold, merely'by a swinging movement of the member; Referring: first to Figure 2, it .will be seen that the material to be hem-med; as "the bottom. of'a trouser leg, here identified asifil; has'a portion" 62 overlying the guide memberflfi'and a portion :63" bent around the guiding edge 5 I "of the" guide member, a portion 64' extending back to "the'left under the guide member, "anothercurved 'or" folded portion 65" which is to become'the" bottom'of the garment, and a straight portiontfifiextending. back .under th'eportion. 64 and slightly out beyond the needle,

:84 ands-6'6 lying ,on each other,:be.- tween thethroat plate 25and the guiding member 4-6. The material is so placed during this operation that the wrong side of the material faces upwardly in the part 62, downwardly in the part 64, and upwardly again in the part '66. The guiding edge 5| of the guide member is preferably spaced from the center of the path of movement of the needle 24 by a distance equal to about one-half the thickness of the material so that during the sewing operation the needle pierces the middle of the folded end portion 63 in the manner shown and then passes straight through the right hand end of the portion 66 of the material. The fold 6 3 of the material is held in proper relation to the guiding edge 5| of the guide member 46 by the arcuate surface of the pressure shoe 60.

As the material is moved beyond the stitching point it appears substantially as illustrated in Figure 3, the parts of the material being stitched together by the thread 61. When the hem has been finished and the fold or bend 63 is straightened out, the material appears as shown in Figure 4 in cross-section and Figure 5 in elevation, the stitching being shown in dotted lines because it is not visible through the right side of the material.

Whil I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine having a reciprocal needle, apparatus of the character described rendering the machine readily convertible for blind stitching or conventional stitching, including: a throat plate for replacing the throat plate of the machine; a guide member insertable into a fold of the cloth to guide said fold while it is being stitched, and adapted to have the material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of movement of the needle; a mounting member having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon, the mounting member being movable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the needle; and actuating means for moving the mounting member to adjust the position of the guiding edge of the guide member with respect to the path of movement of the needle, the actuating means including a manually movable actuating member and a motion reducing actuating connection between said actuating member and the mounting member, said guide member, said mounting member and at least the major portion of said actuating means being contained within the periphery of the throat plate.

2. In a sewing machine having a reciprocal needle, blind stitching apparatus of the character described, including a throat plate of conventional size and shape: a guide member insertable into a fold of the cloth to guide said iold while it is being stitched and adapted to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of movement of the needle; a mounting member mounted on said plate and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon, the mountin member being movable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the needle; and actuating means for moving th mounting member to adjust precisely the position of the guiding edge of the guide member with respect to the path of movement of the needle, the actuating means including a manually movable actuating member positioned on the opposite side of the need-1e from the said guide member and mounting member, and a motion reducing actuating connection between said actuating member and the mounting member.

3. Apparatus of the character described, rendering a sewing machine readily convertible for blind stitch-ing or conventional stitching, including: a throat plate of conventional size and shape having a hole adapted to receive the end of the reciprocal needle of -a sewing machine; a guide member having an operating and a non-operating position; a mounting member attached to said throat plate and being movabl in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon said pivot extending through a cut-away portion in the throat plate, the mounting being such that said guide member is adapted while in the operating position to be spaced above the throat plate and to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of the needle and is adapted while in a non-operating position to be received in said cut-away portion wherein it is flush with the throat plate.

Apparatus of the character described, rendering a sewing machine readily convertible for blind stitching or conventional stitching, including: a throat plate having a hole adapted to receive the end of the reciprocal needle of a sewing machine; a guide member having an operating and non-operating position; a mounting member attached to the under side of the throat plate and being movable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the needle said pivot extending through a cut-away portion in the throat plate, the mounting being such that said guide member is adapted while in the operating position to be spaced above the throat plate and to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of the needle and is adapted to be pivoted about its axis approximately to the non-operating position wherein it is received in said cut-away portion and is flush with the throat plate.

5. Apparatus of the character described, rendering a sewing machine readily convertible for blind stitching or conventional stitching, including: a throat plate of conventional size and shape having a hole adapted to receive the end of the reciprocal needle of a sewing machine; a guide member having an operating and a non-operating position and adapted to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of movement of the needle; a mounting member attached to the under side of the throat plate and movable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the needle, said pivot extending through a cut away portion of the throat plate the mounting being such that said guide member is adapted while in the operating position to be spaced above the throat plate and to have the material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of movement of the needle and is adapted to be pivoted about its axis approximately 180 to the non-operatin position wherein it is received'in said cut-away portion; actuating means for moving the mounting member to adjust precisely the position of the guiding edge of the guide member with respect to the path of movement. of the needle; and means for mainattaining; the guide imemberl in the; operatingigand non+operating positions ssaida :last named cmeans :including ;camrand springimeans.

. 6.':Apparatus oflrthexcharacter described for use in a sewing machine having a reciprocalzneedle *and azpresser .foot' supporting member'ior' renderiing.--,the.imachine readily'nconvertible for blind --stitching or :conventionallstitching, including: a :irthroat-plate having"slotsrthereint-for feed means ::and a hole adapted to receive "the end of the :needle; a guidesmemberi adapted to have a mate- -rial guiding edge closelyadjacent the path of --movement of vthe'needle; a mounting member -L'having the guide member pivotally mounted ithereonabout an axis: parallel to, and spaced from the line of movement of the needle, said :guide member. being adapted tobe'pivoted about its axisto a. position spacedabove the throat plate sand: to "have a imaterial "guiding edge closely adjacentthe path of the :needle and adapted to :positions longitudinally of the line of stitch; a J

:guiding' arm pivotally mounted on said presser "foot and havingan end adapted'to lie in front of one end of the presser foot; spring means for urging said-end of the uiding arm toward said material guiding edge to press the material being sewed thereagainst; and 'feed'means operable in the slots in 'said throat plate and of sufiicient length to effect proper feeding of the material sewed in either-position of the presserfoot.

[Apparatus of the character described for use in a sewing machine having a reciprocal needle and a presser foot supporting member-for rendering the machine readily convertible for blind stitching or conventional-stitching, including: a throat plate having a hole adapted to :receive the end of the reciprocal needle of a sewing machine; a guide member having an operating and a non-operating-position; amounting tmember movable in a plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of the-needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the needle and-movable about the pivot in a plane generally perpendicular. thereto, ,said pivot being providedwith means-ior spacing the guide member above'the throat plate while in the operating position wherein theguide means is adapted to have ,atmaterial guiding edgeclosely adjacent. the path of the needle and ,-said means being adapted to maintain the guidemember in a positionfiush with the throat plate while said guide member is in the non-operating position; a presser foot having means for connection to ,said supportin wmember in two spaced positions longitudinally of the line of stitch; a'guiding arm pivotally mounted on said presser foot and having an end adapted to lie in front of one end of the presser foot; spring means for urgingvsaid :guidingwdge to press the materia'lrbeingpzsewcd .zthereagainst.

' V 8. :Apparatus oflthe character described for-rise in a sewing machine having a reciprocalneedle and" a presser foot supporting. memberv for: rendering the machine' readily L convertible-ior5blind stitching t or conventional stitching, includingz a threat plateof conventional size and shapeh-av- :inga hole adapted to receive the end of'the-reciprocal needle of .a sewing machine; aiguide member having arr-operating; and a non-operating position; a mounting memberattached to said throat plate and being'movable in a planewperpen'dicular to the direction of movement ofthe needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon, said pivot extendingthrough a "cut-away portion in the throat. plate, the mounting-being suchthatsaid guide member is adapted "while in the operating position to be spacedabove the throat plate-and to have a material guiding edgeclosely adjacentithe path of the needle and is adapted while in a non-operatingposition to be received in said cut-away portion wherein it is flush with the throat plate; a presserfoothaving meansfor-connection to said-supporting member in two spaced positions longitudinally of the line of: stitch; a guiding arm pivotally mounted onsaid .presserifoot and having an end adapted-try lie .in front of onevend of the presser foot; spring -means .for urging said end ofthe guiding arm :toward said-material guiding edge topress'the material being sewed thereagainst.

9. Apparatus of the character described-*for use in a sewing machine having a reciprocal :needle and-a presser foot supporting member for rendering the machine readily convertible for ."blind stitching or conventional stitching, including: a throat plate of conventional sizeand shape :having a, hole adapted to receive theend of the :reciprocalneedle of a sewing machine; a guide :member having an operating and non-operating position; a mounting member attached to the underside of'the throat plate and being movable in aplane perpendicular to the direction of='movement of the needle and having the guide member pivotally mounted thereon about an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the needle,-s'aid pivot-extendingthrough a cut-away portion of-the throat plate; the mounting beingsuch that's'aid :guide member is adapted while in the operating position to be spaced above the throatplate and to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of the needle and is adapted to be pivoted about its: axis approximately '180" to the-"nonoperating position wherein it is received insaid cut-away-portion and is fiush with the throat plate; a-presserfoot having means for connection to said supporting member in two spaced positionsrlongitudinally of the line of stitch; a-guiding arm pivotally mounted on said presser-foot and having an end adapted to lie in front of one 'endof the presser 'foot; springmeans for urging said end of the guiding arm toward said-material guiding edge to press the material being sewed thereagainst.

' 16. Apparatus of the character described for use in a sewing machineha'ving a reciprocal needle and a presser foot supporting member for rendering-the machine readily convertible for blind "stitching or conventional stitching, includingz-a mounted on the underside of saidthroat plate and rend. .oistheiguidingi armstowardiesaid J material :movable ma plane perpendicular tothe-directicin of movement of the needle; a guide member having an operating position wherein it is adapted to have a material guiding edge closely adjacent the path of movement of the needle, and having a non-operating position; a, pivot having one end attached to the guide member and extending through a cut-away portion in the throat plate and through an opening in a portion of the guide member; a compression spring interposed between the other end of said pivot and the edges of said opening for constantly exerting the downward tension on said pivot; a cylindrical collar attached to said portion having a cam surface; a pin integrally attached to said pivot and adapted to ride on said cam surface, said cam and pivot being so constructed and arranged so as to maintain the guide member in a position spaced above the throat plate while in the operating position, and said guide member being adapted to be rotated approximately 180 from the operating position to the non-operating position, said rotation causing said pin to travel on a downwardly extending surface of said cam whereby said guide member is lowered into said cut-away portion wherein it is flush with the throat plate, a presser foot having means for connection to said supporting member in two spaced positions longitudinally of the line of stitch; a guiding arm pivotally mounted on said presser foot and having an end adapted to lie in front of one end of the presser foot; spring means for urging said end of the guiding arm toward said material guiding edge to press the material being sewed thereagainst.

SYLVES'I'ER J. BIRGINAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 814,603 Herman Mar. 6, 1906 1,047,974 Moore Dec. 24, 1912 1,911,190 Harrison May 30, 1933 1,943,301 De Voe Jan. 16, 1934 2,043,735 Carroll et a1 June 9, 1936 2,064,733 Conaway Dec. 15, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 347,457 Great Britain Apr. 30, 1931

Images