Title of Invention

SEWING MACHINE

Abstract This invention relates to a sewing machine with a hook (8) that is drivable in rotation about a vertical axis comprises a bobbin case (21) with a lifter cam (31). A case lifter (33) is provided, having a sensing lever (40) and a lifter lever (32) that bears against a lifter cam (28). The sensing lever rests on a cam face (42) of an axial cam disk (39), which is mounted on the transmission shaft that actuates a hook-driving shaft (10).
Full Text Sewing Machine
The invention relates to a sewing machine.
DE 100 25 851 C1 teaches a sewing machine of the generic type which
includes an arm, a base plate and a needle which is mounted in the arm for
up and down reciprocation, guiding a needle thread. It further comprises a
hook which is lodged in a hook-bearing case in the base plate and rotatable
by a vertical hook-driving shaft for rotation in a direction of rotation, and a
drivable transmission shaft which is mounted in the base plate. A step-up
gear transmission, which is disposed between the transmission shaft and
the hook-driving shaft, is provided for actuation of the hook-driving shaft
at twice the speed of the transmission shaft. A bobbin case is mounted in
the hook for free rotation relative thereto; it houses a bobbin and is pro-
vided with a lifter cam and comprises a stopping rib which combines with a
stopping cam that is stationary in relation to the base plate, preventing the
bobbin case from rotating in the direction of rotation. A case lifter is pro-
vided, comprising a lifter lever that is applicable to the lifter cam and an
operating lever joined thereto non-rotatably. Provision is made for a case-
lifter drive mechanism which comprises a cam with circumferential cam
face. This cam is driven by the hook-driving shaft via a reduction gear at
half the speed of the hook. The operating lever bears against the circumfer-
ential cam face. The constructional requirements of this design are rather
complicated because of the two gears.
German patent 872 148 teaches a retaining mechanism for a bobbin case.
The hook-driving shaft of a hook that is rotatable about a vertical axis is
driven via a step-up gear by a transmission shaft, actuation of which is de-
rived from the sewing-machine drive mechanism. On the transmission

shaft, provision is made for an eccentrically disposed as a cam, driving a lifter
lever for the bobbin case by way of a spring-loaded lever. The sensing lever is
pivoted in dependence on the position of the eccentrically arranged cylinder,
releasing or retaining the bobbin case.
It is an object of the invention to embody a sewing machine of the generic type
for the drive mechanism of the case lifter to operate based on especially simple
and reliable means.
This object is attained by the features of the invention. With case-lifter deriving
directly from the front of the transmission shaft, actuation of the lifter takes
place directly at the correct speed, namely that of the transmission shaft which is
only half the speed of the hook. This offers the possibility of a very compact
structure. On the other hand it is not necessary that the hook is disposed directly
above the gearing between the hook-driving shaft and transmission shaft.
Furthermore, the number of structural components is low, reducing the cost of
manufacture. The mass of movable parts is likewise insignificant. Since only a
single gearing is necessary, transmission of the motion is substantially free from
play.
Details of the invention will become apparent from the ensuing description of an
exemplary embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
in which
Fig. 1 is a lateral longitudinal view of a two-thread lock-stitch sewing machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the hook-bearing case of the sewing machine
seen in the direction of the arrow II of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hook-bearing case with a case lifter in accor-
dance with the arrow III of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a side view of the cam disk of a case-lifter drive mechanism in
accordance with the arrow IV of Fig. 2; and
Fig. 5 is an illustration, in a coordinate system, of a development of the
cam face of the cam disk.
The two-thread lock-stitch sewing machine seen in Fig. 1 customarily
comprises a top arm 1, a vertical standard 1 and a bottom base plate 3 of
the type of a housing. An arm shaft 4 is mounted in the arm 1, with a nee-
dle bar 5, together with a needle 6, being drivable thereby in up and down
reciprocation. The shaft 4 further actuates a thread lever 7.
The base plate 3 houses a vertical hook 8 which is a two-thread lock-stitch
hook 8 driven in rotation about a vertical axis 9. A hook-driving shaft 10,
which supports the hook 8 and is drivable about the axis 9, is rotatably
lodged in a hook-bearing case 11 that is disposed in the base plate 3. It is
driven by a transmission shaft 12 by means of a step-up gear 13. The
transmission shaft 12 is driven by the arm shaft 4 by means of a synchro-
nous belt drive 14. The synchronous belt drive 14 has a transmission ratio
of 1:1. The step-up gear 13 is dimensioned for a transmission ratio of 1:2.
This means that the hook 8 rotates twice when the arm shaft 4, respectively
the transmission shaft 12, rotates once. For this to be put into practice, the

driving bevel gear 15 that is mounted on the transmission shaft 12 has
twice the number of teeth of the driven bevel gear 16 that is mounted on
the hook-driving shaft 10.
A needle plate 17 with a stitch hole 18 is fixed above the hook 8 on the top
side of the base plate 3. The cup-shaped hook 8 comprises a beak 19 which
runs directly past the needle 6 when sunk into the stitch hole 18, seizing a
needle thread 20 held thereby. A bobbin case 21 is lodged in the hook 8; it
is freely rotatable about the axis 9 in relation to the hook 8. The bobbin
case 21, which is also open upwards, comprises a stopping rib 22 of ra-
dially outward projection relative to the axis 9 and upward projection rela-
tive to the needle plate 17, the rib 22 being substantially non-rotatably re-
tained between two stopping cams 23, 24 that are formed on the bottom
side of the needle plate 17.
As seen in particular in Fig. 2, a first lateral air gap 25 is located between
the first stopping cam 23 and the stopping rib 22, a top air gap 26 is located
between the stopping rib 22 and the needle plate 17, and a second lateral air
gap 27 is located between the stopping rib 22 and the second stopping cam
24. In the central position of the stopping rib 22 seen in Fig. 2, the air gaps
25, 26, 27 constitute a continuous duct.
A bobbin 29. which holds an under-thread 28, is disposed in the bobbin
case 21; it is retained in the bobbin case 21 by means of a releasable latch
30. On its top edge, the bobbin case 21 comprises a lifter cam 31 which
stands out substantially radially of the axis 9 and cooperates with a lifter
lever 32. The lifter lever 32 constitutes an arm of a case lifter 33. The case
lifter 33 comprises a lifter shaft 34 which is mounted in the hook-bearing
case 11 for rotation or pivoting motion in a bearing 36 about a vertical axis

35 that is parallel to the axis 9. The axial position of the shaft 34 relative to
the hook-bearing case 11 is adjusted and fixed by a set collar 37.
The lifter shaft 34 is part of a case-lifter drive mechanism 38. This mecha-
nism comprises an axial cam disk 39 which is mounted on the shaft 12
frontally upstream of the driving bevel gear 15 and adjustable by a set
screw 39'; and a sensing lever 40 which bears against the axial can disk 39
and is non-rotatably joined to the lifter shaft 34. The sensing lever 40 in the
form of a bolt is transversely inserted into the lifter shaft 34 and adjustably
fixed by a set screw 41 which is disposed in the shaft 34. By its free end,
the lever 40 bears against the frontal cam face 42 of the axial cam disk 39.
The sensing lever 40 is pressed against the cam face 42 by a pre-loaded
helical compression spring 43. To this end, this compression spring 43
bears against the sensing lever 40 on the one hand and against an adjusting
screw 44 on the other, the screw 44 being provided in the hook-bearing
case 11. This screw 44 serves to set the pre-load of the compression spring
43 and thus the load by which the sensing lever 40 bears against the cam
face 42.
The lifter lever 32 is joined to the lifter shaft 34 by means of a screwed
connection 45 so that accurate adjustment of the case lifter 33 relative to
the lifter cam 31 is possible. As seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4 in total, the
compression spring 43 presses the lifter lever 32 in a direction towards the
lifter cam 31, of course only to the extent allowed by the respective rotary
position of the cam face 42.
As seen in Fig. 5, the cam face 42 is curved such that the sensing lever 40,
and thus the lifter lever 32, make a harmonic motion upon revolution of the

cam disk 39. At the highest elevation of the cam face 42 - seen at the top in
Fig. 4 - the maximum lift 46 of the cam face 42 is reached as seen in Fig.
5. In this area, the lifter lever 32 is most remote from the lifter cam 31. In
the lowermost area of the cam face 42 - plotted at the bottom in Fig. 4 -
the minimum lift 47 of the cam face 42 is reached as seen in Fig. 5 i.e., in
this area the lifter lever 32 rests on the lifter cam 31, moving the bobbin
case 21 counter to the direction of rotation 48 of the hook.
If however - as mentioned - the lifter lever 32 lifts off the lifter cam 31,
the bobbin case 21 is entrained in the direction of rotation 48 by the friction
between the hook 8 and bobbin case 21 until the stopping rib 22 rests on
the first stopping cam 23.
The fundamental mode of operation is the same as generally known for
case lifters. When the lifter lever 32 does not rest on the lifter cam 31, then
the stopping rib 22 of the bobbin case 21 bears against the first stopping
cam 23 due to the fact that the bobbin case 21 is entrained by the hook 8 in
the direction of rotation 48. In this case, the second lateral air gap 27 is
enlarged as opposed to the illustration of Fig. 2, whereas the first lateral air
gap 25 is closed. By the sensing lever 40 resting in the area of maximum
lift 46 of the cam face 42, the lifter lever 32 is pivoted to such an extent
that a gap 49 of 1 to 1.5 mm of width forms between the lifter cam 31 and
the lifter lever 32. In the associated position of the hook 8 and the bobbin
case 21, a thread loop that is formed by the needle thread 20 is taken by the
beak 19. The under-thread 28 is guided via the latch 30 to the stitch hole
18. As the hook 8 rotates, the axial cam disk 39 and the cam face 42 make
a rotary motion in the direction of rotation 50, with the speed of the axial
cam disk 39 corresponding to only half the speed of the hook 8.

As the hook 8 continues rotating, the thread loop is slung around the sta-
tionary bobbin case 21, which is familiar and customary. Shortly before the
loop is expanded maximally by the hook 8 i.e., prior to it being slung
around the stationary bobbin case 19, the sensing lever 40 reaches the area
of minimum lift 47 of the cam face 42. This starts a pivoting motion of the
case lifter 33 counter to the direction of rotation 48 by the load of the com-
pression spring 43. In the process, the bobbin case 21 is pivoted counter to
the direction of rotation 48. The stopping rib 22 is lifted off the first stop-
ping cam 23. In accordance with Fig. 2 - the stopping rib 22 is moved ap-
proximately centrally between the two stopping cams 23 and 24 so that the
first lateral air gap 25, the top air gap 26 and the second lateral air gap 27
are continuously open. The loop of the needle thread can slide unimpeded
through the duct formed by the air gaps 25, 26, 27.
As the hook 8 continuous rotating, the loop of the needle thread is released.
By continuing rotation of the cam face 42, the sensing lever 40 is pivoted
in a direction towards the maximum lift 46 thereof; the gap 49 between the
lifter lever 32 and the lifter cam 31 is again opened so that the thread loop
can slide unimpeded through this gap 49, combining with the bobbin thread
28 to form a two-thread lock stitch.

WE CLAIM
1. A sewing machine, comprising
- an arm (1);
- a base plate (3);
- a needle (6), which is mounted in the arm (1) drivably in up and
down reciprocation, for guidance of a needle thread (20);
- a hook (8) which is mounted in a hook-bearing case (11) in the
base plate (3), rotatable by a vertical hook-driving shaft (10) in a
direction of rotation (48);
- a transmission shaft (12), which is drivably lodged in the base plate
(3);
- a step-up gear (13), which is disposed between the transmission
shaft (12) and the hook-driving shaft (10) for actuation of the
hook-driving shaft (10) at twice the speed of the transmission shaft
(12);

- a bobbin case (21) housed in the hook (8) freely rotatably in
relation thereto, wherein the bobbin case (21)
- houses a bobbin (29),
- is provided with a lifter cam (31)
- has a stopping rib (22) which cooperates with a stopping cam (23)
that is stationary relative to the base plate (3), preventing the
bobbin case (21) form rotating in the direction of rotation (48);
- a case lifter (33),
- which comprises a lifter lever (32) that is applicable to the lifter
cam (30),
- a sensing lever (40) loaded by a spring (43), and
- a lifter shaft (34), which is pivotably mounted in the hook-bearing
case (11), non-rotatably joining to each other the lifter lever (31)
and the sensing lever (40); and
- a case-lifter drive mechanism (38),

- which comprises an axial cam disk (39),
- which is non-rotatably connected to the transmission shaft (12) and
directly drivable thereby for rotation at a speed that is only half the
speed of the hook (8), and
- which comprises a frontal cam face (42), against which is pressed
the sensing lever (40).
2. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing lever (40) is
fixed to the lifter shaft (34) adjustably in length.
3. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial cam disk (39) is
adjustably mounted on the transmission shaft (12).
4. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gear acting between
the hook-driving shaft (10) and the transmission shaft (12) is a step-up
gear (13); and wherein the axial cam disk (39) is fixed to the transmission
shaft (12) in the step-up gear (13).
5. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring (43) loads the
lifter lever (32) counter to the direction of rotation (48) of the hook (8).

6. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifter lever (32) and
the sensing lever (40) are joined to each other for adjustment one relative
to the other.
7. A sewing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifter lever (32) and
the sensing lever (40) are joined to each other by a screwed connection
(45).
This invention relates to a sewing machine with a hook (8) that is drivable in
rotation about a vertical axis comprises a bobbin case (21) with a lifter cam (31).
A case lifter (33) is provided, having a sensing lever (40) and a lifter lever (32)
that bears against a lifter cam (28). The sensing lever rests on a cam face (42)
of an axial cam disk (39), which is mounted on the transmission shaft that
actuates a hook-driving shaft (10).

Documents:


Patent Number 224710
Indian Patent Application Number 01087/KOLNP/2004
PG Journal Number 43/2008
Publication Date 24-Oct-2008
Grant Date 22-Oct-2008
Date of Filing 29-Jul-2004
Name of Patentee DURKOPP ADLER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address POTSDAMER STRASSE 190, D-33719 BIELETELD
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 CHRISTOPH HECKNER HEIDSIEKER HEIDE 70, D-33739 BIELEFELD
2 MARKUS RICHTER SPERBERWEG 5, D-32760 DETMOLD
PCT International Classification Number D05B 57/26
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2003/014626
PCT International Filing date 2003-12-19
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 10261339.7 2002-12-28 Germany