US2666405A - Hinged presser-foot - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1954 J. P. ENOS 2,666,405

HINGED PRESSER-FOOT Filed June 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1954 os 2,666,405

HINGED PRESSER-FOOT Filed June 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

- BY Jivlm PEnas WITNESS 4?? ATTORNEY 1 embodying the present invention;

Patented Jan. 19, 1954 HINGED PRESSER-FOOT John P. Enos, Union, N. J., assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application June 5, 1951, Serial No. 229,978

4 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to darning or embroidering attachments designed for use with a number of different types of family sewing machines.

When a family type sewing machine is used for darning or embroidering it is desirable either to render the work feeding mechanism of the sewing machine ineffective in a manner such as is described in U. S. Patent No. 1,879,191, or if the sewing machine is not equipped for rendering the feeding'mechanism ineffective, it is desirable to cover the feed-dog of the sewing machine so that the work being darned or embroidered will not be engaged by the feed-dog. One type of feed-dog cover-plate formerly used is shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,122,999. Darning and embroidering is usually done with the help of a work-holder similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,325,515. When such a work-holder is used, it is desirable to provide some means by which the work-holder may easily be passed under the presser mechanism of the sewing machine. This is especially necessary when the available space below the bottom of the presser mechanism is reduced by the use of a feed-dog cover-plate of the type forming the subject of the present patent application. One means that might possibly be used for providing increased space below the presser-bar of a sewing machine is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 349,439. Devices heretofore generally used have for the most part been designed for use with one particular type of sewing machine and thus one object of the present invention is toprovide improved darning and, embroidering attachments for use with a number of various types of sewing machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved feed-dog cover-plate that may be attached to any one of several types of sewing machines.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved presser-foot that is especially adapted for use during darning and embroidering operations.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises I the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of a sewing machine, partly in section, and showing a presser mechanism and a feed-dog cover-plate Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the pressermechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 2a is an exploded perspective view of the presser-mechanism shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 3'is a side elevational view of the pressermechanism as seen in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i represents a section of the presser-foot taken on the line 5-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top-plan view of the bed-plate of one type of sewing machine showing the feed-dog cover-plate secured thereto, the bracket-arm of the machine being shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the feed-dog cover-plate shown in Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of feed-dog cover-plate; Fig. 7 being the top plan View and Fig. 8 being a bottom plan view thereof; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 5-9 of Fig. 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, wherein Figs. 1 through 6 disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to a sewing machine having a substantially rectangular bedplate or base 25, providing on its upper side a work-support plate 22 and having a hinged extension plate 23. A hollow standard 22 (Fig. 5) rises from the bed 2! and carries an overhanging bracket-arm (not shown) terminating in a head 26 (Fig. 1) and housing the usual reciprocating needle-bar 2'1 and presser-bar 28.

The work-support 22 is provided with a throatplate 29 having feed slots 3i, through which operates a serrated feed-dog 32. The needle-bar 21 has held thereto by a clamp 33, a reciprocatory needle 34, which cooperates with sewing instrumentalities (not shown) but which are disposed below the throat-plate 29 to form stitches in a well known manner. The work-support plate has a pair of threaded holes indicated generally in Fig. 5 by the numerals 3S and 3?. These holes 36 and 3? are conventionally provided in most family-type sewing machines and are intended for locating and securing various forms of attachments to the work-support plate 22.

Presser-mechanism The presser-mechanism, as best seen in Figs. 2 through 4, comprises a conventional U-shaped attaching shank 38 of which one leg and a bridge 9 are provided with a notch 45. When the presser-mechanism is supported from the presser-bar 28, the U-shaped shank 33 embraces the lower end of the presser-bar 23 and is secured thereto by a clamp-screw located in the notch M. The other leg at of the U-shaped shank 38 has formed integral therewith an upstanding post 44 having an offset ear 48 substantially midway of its length. The upper end ll of the post is has an integrally formed horizontally extending bar member is embraced by a resilient tube 49 which may be of rubber. The tube 49 is positioned to be engaged and lifted by a portion of the needle-bar clamp 33 each time the needle-bar approaches the upper limit of its travel. A pivot screw 5! threaded into the offset ear portion of the upstanding post Mi hingedly supports a presser-arm 52 which is forwardly offset as at 52 and carries at its lower or free end a presser-foot 5% which depends below and to one side of the presser-foot shank 38. The leg 43 of the U-shaped shank 3% also has an integrally formed, folded back wing 56 that provides a vertically extending slot 51 for receiving a portion of the presser-arm 52. Intermediate the ends or the presser-foot carrying arm 52 there is formed a backwardly extending loop 58 from which depends the free end of a presserfoot latching member in the form of a spring latch arm 59. This arm 59 extends downwardly at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and at its lower end is provided with a hole 6!; the extreme end of the arm 52 being bent outwardly as at E2, to form a handle piece 63. The hole Si in the latch arm 59 is positioned to be enteredby a pin or complemental latch-element 65 carried on the outer surface of the previously mentioned folded back wing 5%. Engagement of the hole 61 by the pin 64 holds the hinge presserarm 52 in its operative position.

Covcwplate A feed-dog cover-plate T l, which is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and is designed to fit most familytype sewing machines, is in the form of a dished plate which is substantially pear-shaped in outline, and has a circular portion ii, a neck or shank-arm portion '53, and a depending rolled edge E4. The circular portion '52 of the plate "H is apertured by an elongated slot "55 positioned to allow passage of the needle of the sewing machine. The shank-arm "it of the plate "ii. is provided with a hole ii for accommodating a threaded thumb-screw it for pivotally in'ountii the plate ii upon the free end of a curved base plate 19 which has a threaded hole it entered by the screw The other end of the base-plate 79 has an elongated fastener screw receiving slot 82 that is fashioned to register with the standard attachment-holes 36 and in the bed-plate of the sewing machine. The elongated slot 82 countersunk in its upper face as at E33 and thereby accommodates the heads of pair of flathead machine screws 35 and The under surf-ace 88 of the free end of the plate is covered byan adhesively held crescent shaped felt pad 35 which extends slightly below the level of the rolled edge Te, thereby providing a non-scratching surface for engaging the upper, usually painted surface, of the work-support plate 22. A lugmember Si is secured to and depends from the lower surface 88 or" the plate H, while a curved rib member 92 depends from the same surface 88. These depending members fil and 82 act as guides to properly position the plate it with respect to the base plate 15;.

Operation When it is desired to perform darning or er broi ering operations, the presser mechanism of this invention is secured in place by the clampscrew d2. Next by removing the thumbv screw 78,

the feed-dog cover-plate 'ii is disconnected from the base-plate '59. Then the anchor-plate i9 is secured by means of the screws Bil-87 to the work-support 22 in the position shown in Fig. 5. Thereafter, the feed-dog cover-plate ll is again secured to the base-plate 19 by the thumb-screw [8 care being taken that the end of the baseplate 19, which contains the slot 82, is positioned between the lug 9i and the rib 92. This positions the elongated needle-slot '55 in register with the needle 34. Then the operator presses the handle 63 of the spring latch 59 sufiiciently to disengage the hole 65 from the pin 5 This permits swinging the presser-arm 52 from the lowered operative position shown in solid lines in Figs. 1 and 2 to the upper or raised inoperative position shown in dotted lines. In the raised position, every part of the presser-arm 52, the offset 53 and the presser-foot "i i are above the lowermost end of the shank 3%. Then the needlebar 21 and the needle 3d are moved, in a known manner, to the highest position. This permits the operator to slide the work to be darned or embroidered, and which preferably is carried on a work-holder, similar to that indicated in 1 by the numeral 95, beneath the sewing machine head 25. Then the presser-arm 52 is swung from the dotted position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the position shown therein by solid lines. The sewing machine is now ready to perform darning or embroidering operations. When it becomes necessary to raise the hinged extension-plate 23 of the bed-plate of the machine, in order to replace the lower thread supply or to store the sewing machine in a cabinet, the thumb-screw T8 is loosened sufficiently to permit movement of the cover-plate from the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 5 to the position shown by dotted lines.

Modification The modified form of feed-dog cover-plate, shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, is designated as I l and comprises an inverted dished and generally circular portion 12 having rolled edges i l and from one side of which extends a shank-arm 73. The under side of the plate H has a crescent shaped felt pad similar to that discussed in connection with Figs. 5 and 6. The circular portion 72- of the plate H is apertured by two elongated slots 16' and 96. The slot 16 is positioned to allow passage of the needle and the other slot iii? is in register with and permits access to another elongated slot 82, presently to be discussed. The shank arm 13' of the feed-dog cover plate "H" is provided with a hole 11 for accommodating a pivot screw 18 by which the plate ll pivotally mounted upon a support member or base-plate 79 that is held to the support plate 22 of the sewing machine by a pair of screws (not shown but similar to screws 86 and 81 previously mentioned). These screws enter the previously mentioned threaded holes 363! in the machine bed-plate. The screws 86 and 8? pass through a slotted hole 82 which is countersunk as at 83, and the screws are accessible through the H by means of the previously mentioned oblong. hole or screw access slot 96 in the cover-plate II. The base-plate 79 has threaded thereto a thumb-screw 98 positioned in. a curved notch 9s formed in the outer end of the shank 73 of the cover-plate arm 1 I and by which the cover-plate H can be locked in place. When the thumb screw 98 is loosened, the cover-plate H may beswung on the screw T8, thereby to move the plate 'H' from above the hook or shuttle of the particular sewing machine with which the same is being used.

The modified form of cover-plate H is used in much the same way as the feed-dog cover-plate H shown in Figs. and 6; the major diiference being that the anchor-plate I9 is, by means of the screw 18' semi-permanently secured to the feed-dog cover-plate 1|, and in that access to the fastening screws 86 and 81 (not shown in Figs. 7 and 8) are obtained through the oblong hole 96 in the feed-dog cover-plate 1|.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is: V

1. A presser mechanism forsewing machines having a presser-bar and a needle-bar, comprising an attaching shank, a post rising from said shank, a horizontal bar secured to the upper end of said post and positioned for engagement by a portion of said needle-bar, a presser-foot carrying arm pivotally mounted upon said post for swing out movement of the presser-foot from an operative position below to an inoperative position above the level of the lower portion of said shank, a presser-foot latching member carried by said presser-arm, and a complemental latchelement carried by said shank.

2. A presser mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, an attaching shank, a post rising from said shank, an offset ear substantially midway of said post, a presser-foot carrying arm pivotally mounted upon said post adjacent said oflset ear for swing out movement of the presserfoot from an operative position below to an inoperative position above the level of the lower portion of said shank, a presser-foot latching member carried by said presser-arm, and a complemental latch-element carried by said shank.

3. A presser mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, an attaching shank, a post rising from said shank, a presser-foot carrying arm piv otally mounted upon said post for swing out movement of the presser-foot from an operative position below to an inoperative position above the level of the lower portion of said shank, a folded back portion formed integral with said shank thereby forming a vertically extending slot for receiving a portion of said presser-foot carrying arm, a presser-foot latching member carried by said presser-foot carrying arm, and a complemental latch-element carried by said shank.

4. A presser mechanism for sewing machines, comprising, an attaching shank, a post rising from said shank, a presser-foot carrying arm pivotally mounted upon said post for swing out movement of the presser-foot from an operative position below to an inoperative position above the level of the lower portion of said shank, a

folded back portion formed integral with said shank thereby forming a vertically extending slot for receiving a portion of said presser-foot carrying arm, a presser-foot latching member including a spring loop formed integral with an intermediate portion of said presser-foot carrying arm and depending therefrom at an angle of forty-five degrees, and a complemental latchelement carried by said folded back portion.

JOHN P. ENOS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 225,274 Diehl Mar. 9, 1380 235,456 Rose Dec. 14, 1880 349,439 Looker Sept. 21, 1886 937,112 Stafford Oct. 19, 1909 1,122,999 Pettit Dec. 29, 1914 1,306,752 Devoe June 17, 1919 1,726,450 Pettit Aug. 27, 1929 1,981,837 Hemleb Nov. 20, 1934 2,024,435 Eames Dec. 17, 1935

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