Apparatus for driving thread levers on embroidery machines

Abstract

A device for driving at least one of a plurality of thread levers on multi-needle embroidery machines in which the thread levers of the needles which are disconnected at the time can be uncoupled from a oscillating drive shaft by displaceable coupling elements. In order to obtain an enclosed accident-proof development of the coupling elements at the same time with high reliability in operation and only slight wear, the thread levers are arranged on coupling sleeves, which sleeves surround the drive shaft, are mounted in common in a housing and are displaceable with the housing in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft. Furthermore, at least one coupling sleeve can be coupled to the drive shaft by means of a coupling piece fastened to the drive shaft, while the other coupling sleeves (4) are held fast in non-turnable manner together with the housing by holding bars which extend into a groove of the sleeves, the bars being fixed in position and extending parallel to the drive shaft. The outer contour of the coupling piece and the opening in the coupling sleeves which surrounds the drive shaft can have a polygonal cross section with a plurality of drive surfaces, preferably in the manner of a spline shaft. The holding bars engage in part into the groove of the coupling sleeves and in part into a groove of the housing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.