Needle guard

Abstract

Gripper hook (1) for a lockstitch sewing machine, wherein the sewing machine comprises a vertically mounted needle (5) for an upper thread, a stitch plate and below the stitch plate a housing which houses the gripper hook (1), substantially formed into an open cylinder and rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis, a bobbin basket (4) which is concentrically supported inside the gripper hook (1) and is designed as an open cylinder for receiving a bobbin case, the bobbin case housing a bobbin for an under thread and the needle (5) in executing a stitch being brought down perpendicularly to the axis of the rotary gripper hook in front of the open part of the gripper hook (1) through an opening (11) in the wall of the bobbin basket (4) so that a gripper hook tip catches the upper thread and leads the upper thread around the bobbin basket (4), thereby forming a stitch by interaction with the under thread when the needle is brought back up, and wherein the gripper hook (1) has a cylindrical side wall (3), which is at least wide enough for the side wall (3) to protect the bobbin basket (4) from being struck by the needle (5) in a situation in which the needle (5) is brought downwards when a force is pressing the tip of the needle out of an alignment in which it normally runs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.