US3007426A - Portable sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 7, 1961 Filed Jan. 19, 1959 I. A. LESLIE PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES 4 Sneets-Sheet l Inventor 14 01 a 4/9: a "0/"- [@J/IE Nov. 7, 1961 1. A. LESLIE PORTABLE szwmc MACHINES Filed Jn. 19, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 17 0 n 4424121134 101%2 in/ 4 mm Nov. 7, 1961 l. A. LESLIE PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 19, 1959 Inventor .Z'Van I/ezan a/e Ze-r/z'c Nov. 7, 1961 LEsLlE 3,007,426

PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 19, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/GZ 2 F/G8.

n "1 I 1 2/ 22 I s Ylll . Inventor l ekfindnr ZCI'//' United States Patent 3,007,426 PORTABLE SEWING MACHINES Ivan Alexander Leslie, Nantwich, England (Silvanhurst 82, Broomy Hill, Hereford, England) Filed 'Jan. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 787,539 Claims priority, application Great Britain Feb. 3, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-258) This invention relates to portable sewing machines, and has for its object to provide such a machine which, whilst possessing adequate lateral stability when in use, is capable of being collapsed so as to. occupy a smaller overall compass than in its operative condition such that it may be enclosed within an enclosing case or cover of a conveniently small size for carrying by hand.

According to the invention, a portable sewing machine comprises a U-shaped hollow frame containing the mechanism of the machine, permanently attached to a base or supporting means which, when the machine is in use, extends laterally from each side of the machine, said frame and base or supporting means being angularly and/or slidably movable relatively to one another in a lateral direction in relation to the frame, whereby with the said relatively-movable parts in one relative position the frame takes a vertical position with the base or supporting means extending laterally from both sides thereof, whilst withl e said parts in another relative position they are relativelycollapsed so as to occupy a smaller overall compass than in the first-named position. The lower portion of the frame may be hingedly connected to a base through the medium of two swingable controlling links movable in vertical planes and pivoted to each end of the frame respectively at two spaced points and also to the base at two. spaced points, said links enabling the frame to move angularly in a lateral direction and lie horizontally upon the base and at the same time causing the frame to move bodily laterally in relation to the base, so as to lie within the confines of said base. Suitable catch means may be provided for holding the frame either in its extended vertical position or in its horizontal folded position.

In modifications of the invention, the frame may be directly hinged at one side to a slide mounted on the base, or folding, pivoted or sliding supporting parts may be mounted on the lower part of the frame so as to be adapted to extend laterally from the frame when the machine is in use, but to collapse relatively to the sides of the frame when the machine is not in use.

FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation of a portable sewing machine according to one form of the invention, the machine being shown in its extended position for use.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1, with a portion broken away to show the catch device.

FIGURE 3 is a front end elevation of the machine in its position for use.

FIGURE 4 is an end of the machine when folded and enclosed within a carrying case or cover, shown in section.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the machine in its folded condition.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical section on line VI-VI, FIG- URE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a modification.

FIGURE 8 is a cross-section on line VIIIVIII, FIG- URE 7.

Referring to FIGURES l to 6 of the drawings, the portable sewing machine therein shown comprises a U- shaped hollow frame 1 enclosing the whole of the operative mechanism of the machine the needle mechanism being in the forward portion of the top arm, the feed 3,007,426 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 ICC ' mechanism in the forward portion of the lower arm, and

the motor and driving means for the needle and feed mechanisms being in the rear portions of the frame.

The frame 1, when in its vertical position for use, extends across the middle pontion of a rectangular base board 2 the width of which, in the transverse direction of the frame, is somewhat greater than the overall height of the frame, and a flat lower face of the frame rests on parallel transverse bearer bars 3 secured to the base board. The said frame 1 is permanently connected to the base board 2, at each front and rear end, by means of two links 4, 5. The link 4, which is of angular form as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, is pivoted to the end of the frame 1 towards one side thereof,-at 6, the other end being pivoted to a bearer bar 3 on the base board 2 at 7, so that the link takes an oblique position when the frame 1 is vertical, as seen in FIGURE 3. The other link 5 is in the form of a plate extending transversely across the two bearer bars 3 (FIGURE 2), and its 0p 1 posite ends are turneddown in the form of flanges having, adjacent opposite longitudinal edges, cars which are respectively pivoted to the frame 1 at 8 and to the bearer bars 3 at 9. The pivot 8 is near the side of the frame remote from that'which is adjacent to pivot 6, being spaced from the latter and also being at a lower level, and with the frame 1 vertical the link 5 lies nearly horizontally (FIGURE 3). 7

In order to collapse and fold the frame 1 when the machine is not'in use, the said frame is slightly lifted and is at the same time turnedlaterally and angularly towards a horizontalposition, the links 4, 5, controlling the movement and constraining the frame to follow a definite path of movement, the frame being caused to move bodily towards one edge of the base board so that in the final collapsed condition the frame lies resting by its side on the bars 3 in a horizontal position and wholly within the contour of the base board. In this condition,

the link 4 takes a nearly horizontal position and the link 5 a nearly vertical position, as shown in FIGURE 4.

In order to retain the frame 1 in its vertical position for use and also in its folded out-of-use position, a suitable catch or locking device is employed. As shown, this device may take the form of a T-shaped latch lever 10 pivoted at 11 beneath an elevated plate 12 (FIGURE 6) fastened upon a supporting part 13 secured to the base board 2. The lever 10 has a cross-head 14 the arms of which are adapted, when the lever is turned in a horizontal plane, to engage with two notched pegs 15 on the bottom face of the frame 1 in order to lock the latter in a vertical position. Likewise, in order to lock the frame in its collapsed condition, one of the arms of the cross-head 14 engages a single notched peg 15 provided on a side face of the frame. Holes 16 are provided in the link plate 5 to receive the pegs 15 when the frame is folded down.

When the frame has been collapsed, as in FIGURE 4, a cover 17, provided with a carrying handle (not shown) at one side, is placed over the machine, being interlocked with the base at 18 and secured at the opposite side by any suitable fastening device indicated at 19.

In the modification indicated diagrammatically in FIGURE 7, the frame 1 of the machine is directly hinged at 20 to a slide 21 movable, in the transverse direction of the frame, in a dovetail groove 22 in the base board 2. By moving the slide 21 outwardly in the groove and at the same time turning down the frame laterally, the said frame can take a horizontal position, shown by dotted lines within the contour of the base 2. Any suitable means (not shown) may be used for locking the frame in its vertical position.

As a further modification, a single link, such as one of the links 4, 5, in FIGURES 3 and 4, may be used at each end of the frame, the folding of the latter being controlled by hand.

The terms vertical and horizontal used in the description and claims is intended to include positions which are nearly vertical or nearly horizontal.

I claim:

1. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base separate from said frame, and connecting means permanently pivotally connecting said frame to said base with the pivot axis of said frame extending in longitudinal direction of said frame for selectively tilting said frame about said pivot axis from an upright position into a folded-down position into contact with said base, and vice versa.

2. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base separate from said frame, and a pair of link means permanently pivotally connected to said frame and to said base, said frame being pivotally connected to said link means along a line extending in longitudinal direction of said frame for selectively tilting said frame about said pivot axis from an upright position into a folded-down position into contact with said base, and vice versa.

3. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base provided with a slideway extending in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal direction of said frame, and a slide selectively movable in said slideway and permanently pivotally connected to said frame along an axis extending in longitudinal direction of said frame for selectively folding said frame about said axis from an upright position toward said base, and vice versa.

4. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base, connecting means permanently pivotally connecting said frame to said base with the pivot axis of said frame extending in longitudinal direction of said frame for selectively tilting said frame about said axis from an upright position into a folded-down position into contact with said base, and vice versa, notched pegs arranged on the underside of said frame, and lever means mounted on said base and operable in response to a certain turning movement of said lever means to engage said notched pegs in upright position of said frame.

5. A portable sewing machine according to claim 4, in which a notched peg is provided on a side Of the frame for engagement by said lever means when said frame is in its folded-down position.

6. A portable sewing machine comprising a U-shaped frame, a base separate from said frame, and a pair of swingable controlling links permanently pivotally connecting said frame to said base with the pivot axis of said frame extending in the longitudinal direction of said frame for permitting of said frame being angularly folded down from an upright position and, at the same time, moved bodily in a direction lateral to the longitudinal plane of the machine, so that the frame rests in said folded down position upon the top face of the base.

7. A portable sewing machine according to claim 6, wherein said swingable controlling links are movable in vertical planes and are pivoted to an end of the frame at two spaced points and also to the base at two spaced points.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,663,607 Schaper Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,330 Germany Jan. 17, 1944 425,915 Italy Oct. 15, 1947 896,150 Germany Nov. 9, 1953 148,012 Sweden Dec. 7, 1954 OTHER REFERENCES Anker-Werke, German application, Serial No. A17755, printed December 8, 1955, 3 dwg, 2 spec.

Images