Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~77~
MIM 008 P2 -1-
ADJU~:TABI,E ~3~aNI) F'OR i:EWING~ NaC~IINE8
Bac]cqround of the Invention
The invention relates to adjustab:le stands, and
particularly so-called ergonomic standr" for supporting
industrial sewing machines and the like. The purpose of the
stand is to optimiæe user-machine interface and comfort, and
also to provide a stand which can support different makes of
sewing machines and auxiliary devicesO
Due to the large variety of jobs required of industrial
(or commercial) sewing machines, it is often necessary to
arrange special devices to hold, to guide, to feed and/or to
remove, various sizes and shapes of ~loth and similar pieces
being joined by the mechanism of the sewing head of the
machineO In the past~ each adaptation has been a custom
arrangement, often haphazardly erected by the user of the
equipment, and little planning has been expended on the
provision of adaptable stands, etcO by the suppliers of the
equipmentO
In addition, as consciousness regarding employment of
handicapped persons has expand~d/ there has baen a
realization that, with some forethought, the operation of
industrial sewing equipment is a job market available to
persons with varying handicaps, and who may be wheel-chair
bound or similarly partially incapacitated. This
availability can readily be enhanced by design of adaptable~
ergonomic stands andlor supports for the sewing equipmentO
Thus, a need has been observed for a basic adjustable sewing
machine stand which can accomplish three-dimensional
adjustment of the sewing head to present it conveniently to
such workers, while also adapting to a variety of specific
job-related needs.
SummarY oP the Invention
The present invention provides a stand with an open
base design, readily accessible to users in special seating
such as wheel chairs, and likewise accessible to accessory
2~7 ~84
MI~ 008 P2 -2-
equipment related to the handling of materialsO A
vertically adjustable pedestal extends upward from one side
of the base, and at the top of the pedestal, extending out
over the base, is a framework or platform which can receive
and hold a variety of sewing machines~ This platform
includes adjustable attaching mechanisms for connecting to
the bases of different sewing machines, so as to support
them securely and to present them at a desired orientation
above the open base of the stand.
There are also attaching mechanisms for a variety of
table configurations, each of which may be adapted to the
con~iguration of the sewing machine mounted in the standO
This allows quick interchange of tables onto the platform
when a certain table design is needed to facilitate a
specified task to be performsd by the-machine and operator.
The platform is attached to the top of thP pedestal by
a rotary joint of substantial proportions which provides for
rotation of the entire platform about an axis extending
horizontally~ side-to sideO over the open baseO The entire
stand is mounted on feet and/or rollers which permit
rotational motion of the entire stand and the machine
thereon about vertically extending axesO
The principal object o~ the invention7 there~ore, is to
provide a unique adjustable ~tand for a sewing machinel to
provide such a stand which will accept a varie~y of
commercial type sewing machines~ to provide such a stand
having an open base construction permitting placement of
special operator seating and auxiliary equipment into
convenient and comfortable proximity to the sewing head of
the supported machinel to provide in such a stand a vertical
adjustment for a framework-like platform onto which the
various styles of machine can be latched; to provide
mechanisms for quick mounting and interchange of special
tables on the platform, at least partially surrounding the
machine base; to provide a rotatable supporting joint
2 ~
MIM 008 P2 -3-
between the stand and platform allowing tilting of the
supported machine and table about a horizontal axis
extending over the base of the stand; to provide support for
the stand itself which allows adjustm~nt of the machine
about vertical axes.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be
apparent from the following description, the accompanying
drawings and the appended claimsO
Brief Descri~tion of the Drawinqs
Fig. 1 is a perspective over-all view of the adjustable
sewing machine stand provided by the invention, with a
typical sewing machine and one form of work table mounted
thereon;
FigO 2 is an exploded view o~ the base parts of the
pedestal or tower of the stand;
FigO 3 is a perspective view of the pedestal supported
platform and its rotatable mount, wi~h portions of the mount
shown separated from each other~
FigsO 4 and 5 are enlarged perspective views of details
of the ad~ustable platform mechanisms which atta~h to th2
bases of different sewing machine headsO and to different
forms of tables, and
FigO 6 is a perspective view of an extended post sewing
machine and its supporting pedestal a~d standl which
comprises another form of the invention~
Descri~tion of ths Preferred Embodiment
Referring to the drawings/ particularly to Fig. 1~
there is illustrated in somewhat schematic manner a sewing
machine 10 including a sewing head 11 and a base 12. The
base includes the usual presser foot 13 and reciprocating
power driven needle 14, and a foot plate (within the base
12) which includes the usual bobbin and reciprocably moving
feed dog ~not shown). The present invention .is adaptable to
a variety of such machines, it being understood that sach
includes basically the aforementioned elements in unique
MIM 008 P2 -4-
design and dimensional arrangement~ ~ motor 15 i5 mounted
in a ixed relation to the sewing head~ as later described,
and provides rotary power for the sewing head and for the
parts within the oot plate, in conventional fashion. A
table 16 surrounds bass 12. The table 16 has an internal
opening which is contoured to surround base 12 of machine
10, and an outer configuration which may be variable, and is
adapted to particular tasks of the machine. Table 16 is
thus demonstrative of a variety of table sizes and shap~s
which can be mounted interchangeably about the base of the
machine as later described in more detailO
The entire machine is mounted to a stand 20, and
including a generally U-shaped base 22 having a shorter leg
22A~ a longer leg 22B, and a rearward located cross member
22C connecting the two legs~ Adjacent the ends of the legs,
adjustable feet 23 are provided, these feet may also be in
the form of rollers or casters (not shown). A vertically
extending post 25 extends upward from the front to back
center of the longer leg 22Bo
As seen in Fig. 2~ post 25 is hoilow, of generally
square cross-section, and is fitted with four gibs or guide
plates 267 at least some of which may be adjustable with
respect to their associated post wall, so as to maintain a
tight sliding bearing assembly within post 25. A hydraulic
jack 28 is located within the bottom of post 25, and may be
actuated by inserting an appropriate rod through access hole
29O
A vertically adjustable internal post 30 (see Fig. 3)
is received in telescopic fashion within post 25~ and can be
raised by jack 280 on top of post 30 i9 a cross-mounted
cylindrical bearing support or sleeve 32, which preferably
includes a clamp 32A for adjusting the tightness of the
bearing sleeve. A plate 33 extends about and downward from
one end of sleeve 32, and provides a mounting for a worm
gear 34A which has attached to it a rotating handle 34B~
~7~81~
MIM 008 P2 ~5-
Support sleeve 32 receives and holds a horizontally
extending shaf~. 35 which is fixed at one end to a plate 360
That plate ~orms one end of a machine and table supporting
platform 40. This platform is skeletal in nature, formed
for example of square tubing or bar stock, and comprises
upper and lower front rails 42A, 42B, similar rear rails
43A, 43B~ and a connecting end rail 43C. The rails are all
secuxed, as by welding, to each other and to an ~nd plate
44~ ~xtending outward perpendicular to its surfaceO with the
centerline of sleeve 32 being approximately coincident with
the center of the plat~orm between the upper rails~ thls
¢enterline is indicated in FigO 3 by the dot-dash line 45O
The worm wheel 34C is bolted (or-otherwise attached) to
plates 36 and 44 on the side opposite shaft 35, with i~s
center (axis of rotation) located on centerline 45O
Therefore, rotation of handle 34B causes worm wheel 34C to
xotate and adjust the angular position of the entire
platform 40 about a horizontal axis, e~g centerline 45O A
bracket 48 ~-xtends from plate 36~ spaced from and parallel
to shaft 351 and provides a convenient mounting for the
motor 15 ~Fig~ l~ which drives the s~wing machine. This is
a conventional motor having a belt drive to the sewing head,
and preferably having a digital controller (not shown3 such
as i9 often used in such machinesO ~hus~ the motor l5 and
its mounting rotate with the sewing machine and supporting
platform 400 and belt tension or other adjustments are not
disturbed by such rotationO
FigsO 4 and 5 show details of adjustable mounting
mechanisms 50 which are fitted to the platform rails, and
can slide therealong~ Sewing heads typically have two
spaced apart fittings which form a hinge mounting aligned
along the rear of the machine base 12. The machine support
receptaclss incorporated into mechanisms 50 include
receptacles 55A, 55B to receive these fittings, and include
slots 56A, 56B into which the ~itting can be engagedO The
MIM 008 P2 -6-
mechanisms 50 and receptacles are supported on the rear
upper rails ~3A and can be moved along those rails, and
clamped at a selected position, to accommodate the hinge
~itting spacings of different machinesO The front of the
machine base 12 is supported by similar mechanisms carried
on front upper rail 42A and providing rest pads in place of
the receptacles. Thus, the rear of a machine base 12 is
effectively hinged ~o the rearward platform rail, and the
front of the machine base rests on pads whi~h support the
base on the front platform railO
Various forms of table 16~ as mentioned~ may be used.
The mechanisms 60 provide the basis for adjustable table
supports~ and as seen in FigO 5l are slidably mounted on the
lower rails 43B (corresponding mechanisms, not shown, are
provided on the front rails), and on the extension of the
upper rails as shown in FigO 5O The mechanisms 60 include
vertically adjustable extensions 62 having support shoes 64
at their tops, with angled entry ends 65~ 5hoes 64 are
adapted to enter into slottPd receptors or pockets ~not
shown) on the table bottomsO Only the rear shoes on the
platform are illustrated, it being understood that the front
shoes are of complementary construction.
Thus, a desired table can be mounted simply by
adjusting the location of mechanisms 60 on platform 40 and
then securing the table to the shoes by simply sliding the
tabIe receptors over the four shoes. This facilitates quick
interchange of tablesO Such interchange may be as a result
of particular job requirements, or a need to adapt a
particular machine to the specialized needs of a handicapped
operator.
Referring to FigO 6, a post-type sewing machine is
shown having a main vertical extension 70 and a vertlcally
elongated stitching post 72 supported on khe machine base
74, and in turn supporting and ~orming a mounting for a
conventional sewing head 75. A motor 77 provides rotary
2 ~ P~
MIM 008 P2 ~7-
power for the sewing head and (through extended shafting not
shown) for the parts within the post 72, in conventional
fashionO The entire machine is mounted to a stand indicated
generally at 80 which includes a generally open H-shaped
base 81 and a vertically adjustable upward extending
pedestal 82 on top of which is a cross-mounted bearing
support or sleeve 84. This support rece.ives a hori20ntally
extending shaft which i5 fixed at one ,end to the main
vertical extension 70, holding the base 74 of the machine
suspended slightly above the stand base 800 A worm/worm
gear mechanism 87 is mounted between pedestal 82 and sleeve
84~ to control rotational adjustment of the machine over the
standO
While the forms of apparatus herein described
constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to
be understood that the invention is not limited to these
precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made
therein without departing from the scope of the invention
which is de~ined in the appended claimsO
What i~ claimed is
