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WO9424355 A1: IMPROVEMENTS TO SEWING MACHINES
UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM CORLETT, Esmond, Nigel HASLEGRAVE, Christine, Mary THOMPSON, Robert, Pettigrew GUANGYAN, Li Inventor(s):CORLETT, Esmond, Nigel ;HASLEGRAVE, Christine, Mary ;THOMPSON, Robert, Pettigrew ;GUANGYAN, Li
Application No. GB9400771 GB, Filed 19940413, A1 Published 19941027
Abstract: A sewing machine (10) comprising a sewing head (27) pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis for angular displacement in relation to a support platform (13) which defines a work surface for material being sewn, the sewing head having a sewing needle (18) passing through an opening in said platform during sewing and said pivotal axis being arranged to pass in close proximity to said opening.
Int’l Class: D05B07300;
Priority: GB 9307633.9 19930413
Designated States: JP US AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE
Patents Cited: CH677120 A (A) [0] and US2394510 A (A) [0]
Patents Citing this One: No US, EP or WO patents/search reports have cited this patent.
Title in French: AMELIORATION DES MACHINES A COUDRE
I IMPROVEMENTS TO SEWING MACHINES The present invention relates to sewing machines and in particular 14 to improvements made to sewing machines.
6 The task of sewing is highly dependent on both visual and manual interaction by an operator and sewing machines generally known cause musculoskeletal problems by the operator continuously varying the posture in attempting to gain better visual and manual access to the work being sewn.
It is therefore desirable to provide a sewing machine that will relieve the operator of musculoskeletal problems caused by the operator varying the posture.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a sewing machine comprising a sewing head pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis for angular displacement in relation to support platform which defines a work surface for material being sewn, the sewing head having a sewing needle which passes through an opening in said platform during sewing, and said pivotal axis being arranged to pass in close proximity to said opening.
Preferably the sewing head is angularly adjusted about a pivotal connection and may be lockably secured at a desired angular position through a range of between 0°-40°.
Preferably the platform is tiltable and may be lockably secured through a range of between 0°-40°.
Various aspects of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: – Figure I is a front diagrammatic view of a sewing machine; V in Figure 2 is a side view of the machine of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view-taken through line III of Figure 2. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a sewing machine 10 for sewing various types of material.
The construction of conventional sewing machines is generally well known in the art and therefore will not be discussed in great detail for the purposes of this description.
The sewing machine 10 comprises a machine head 27 mounted on a base 20 which in turn is secured to a support platform 13 which also defines a work surface over which material to be sewn is moved. The head 27 includes a drive end 24 and a terminal (sewing) end 25 with a bridging member 26 there between.
The terminal end 25 of the machine head 27 includes a needle guide foot 17 through which passes a reciprocating needle 18. The drive end 24 of the machine head 27 is pivotally mounted on base 20 by means of pivotal connection 21.
P The pivotal connection 21 preferably comprises accurate sliding faces 21a,21b formed on mutually abutting sides of the base 20 and drive end 24 respectively. Accordingly, pivotal adjustment of the head 27 is achieved by loosening a locking means 22, preferably in the form of a nut 29 and associated load bearing washer 30, moving the head 27 about the base 20 and then securing the head 27 in a desired position by tightening locking means 22. Access to the locking means 22 is achieved preferably by means of an elongate slot 23 in the base 20. When the locking means 22 is released, by slackening the nut 29, the sliding surfaces 21a,21b of the pivotal connection 21 in contact with one another are freed such that the head 27 may be adjusted relative to the base 20 through an angle from the vertical axis. The head 27 may be adjusted through a continuous range preferably in the order of 0°-40° and in this respect the strike angle of the needle 18 relative to the table 13 is adjusted. As an alternative to the nut arrangement 29,30 a lever locking system of known type (not shown) may be employed for easier adjustment.
The needle 18 passes through an opening (not shown) in’ the platform and the pivotal axis defined by the pivotal connection 21 is arranged to pass in close proximity to the opening. In this way the pivotal adjustment of the head 27 may be made without affecting co-operation between the needle and looper mechanisms (not shown).
The support platform 13 of the sewing machine 10 is preferably mounted on a support structure 31 so as to be tiltable. Preferably the platform 13 is pivotally mounted about a pivot point 19 to enable the platform 13 to be adjusted through an angle from the horizontal axis.
Adjustment of the platform 13 relative to the support structure 31 is further provided by means of an adjustment bracket 14. The adjustment bracket 14 comprises a first bracket member 15 secured to the support structure 31 and a second bracket member 16 of elongate form, pivotally mounted about pivot 16a to the platform 13. Preferably the second bracket member 16 has situated along its length a series of holes l6b to provide angular adjustment of the platform 13 at discrete angular positions. Preferably these discrete angular positions are of 5° increments although if the series of holes were to be replaced by an elongate slot then the angular movement would be infinitely variable over a range.
Typically the range provided is advantageously chosen to be in the order of 0’-40°.
Angular adjustment of the -platform 13 is achieved by removal of a locking pin 16c that is lockingly received by a hole at 16c in the first bracket member 15 and one of the series of holes 16b in the second bracket member 16. The platform 13 is then pivoted about pivot 19 and the new angle of the plate 12 is then achieved by aligning one of the series of holes 16b of the second bracket member 16 with the hole in the first bracket member 15. The platform 13 is then fixed in this position by passing the pin 16c through newly aligned holes between the first and second bracket members 15,16.
The sewing machine of the present invention includes both a head 27 which is inclinable relative to the support platform 13 on which the material to be sewn is supported and also preferably includes a platform 13 which is tiltable. By adjusting one or both of these variables it is possible to obtain an optimum position at which the work being sewn can be viewed and accessed without the need for the operator to assume an uncomfortable posture. In the above described example, the platform 13 and sewing head 27 are movable independently for adjustment purposes. It is envisaged that the platform 13 and head 27 may be mechanically linked so that adjustment can be effected simultaneously.
It is also envisaged that variable adjustment of the angular position of the head and/or the platform 13 may be dispensed with such that the head and/or platform are fixedly set at a predetermined angle.
I Claims (English)
CLAIMS 1. A sewing machine comprising a sewing head pivotally mounted about a pivotal axis for angular displacement in relation to a support platform which defines a work surface for material being sewn, the sewing head having a sewing needle passing through an opening in said platform during sewing and said pivotal axis being arranged to pass in close proximity to said opening.
2. A sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the sewing head is angularly adjusted in relation to a base mounted on the platform about a pivotal connection and is lockably secured by locking means through a range of between 0°-40°.
3. A sewing machine according to claim 1, wherein the support platform is tiltable and lockably secured by locking means through a range of between 0°40’.
4. A sewing machine according to claims I or 2, wherein the locking means provided is in the form of a nut engaging a load bearing washer.
5. A sewing machine according to claims 1, 2 or 4, wherein the locking means is accessible through a slot in the base of the sewing head.
6. A sewing machine according to claim I or 3, wherein the support platform is pivotally mounted for angular ad4justment by adjustment means onto a support structure.
7. A sewing machine according to claims 1, 3 or 6, wherein the adjustment means includes first and second bracket members, the first bracket member being secured to the support structure and second bracket member being pivotally mounted on the support platform, the second bracket member being of elongate form and having situated along its length a plurality of adjustment apertures to provide angular adjustment of the platform through various angular positions.
8. A sewing machine according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of apertures yield discrete angular movement of the platform through positions of substantially 5° increments.
9. A sewing machine according to claim 7, wherein the second bracket member includes a slot yielding infinitely variable increments over a range of angular movement of the platform.
10. A sewing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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