Handwheel clutch for sewing machines
AssigneeThe Singer Company
InventorThomas G. Graham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A clutch element fastened to the end of a sewing machine main shaft by a shouldered screw is slidable thereon to a first position wherein axially extending clutch fingers thereof extend through guide notches in an interlock element fixed to the main shaft by the shouldered screw, into axially aligned recesses in a belt driven handwheel so as to drive the sewing machine main shaft. In a second position of the clutch element, the axially extending fingers thereof are withdrawn from the recesses in the handwheel so that the sewing machine main shaft is not driven. Detent means are provided to maintain the clutch element in a selected position.
Claims5
In a sewing machine having a main shaft, a driven wheel freely journalled relatively to said main shaft, operator influenced clutch means for selectively drivingly engaging or disengaging said driven wheel and said main shaft, said clutch means comprising:
- a clutch element shiftably supported for sliding movement axially of said main shaft,
- complemental axially engageable clutch surfaces formed on said clutch element and on said driven wheel, detents formed on said clutch element spaced apart axially of said main shaft,
- and an interlock element formed with surfaces adapted to interlock rotationally with said main shaft, guide surfaces on said interlock element slidably accommodating said clutch element in rotationally interlocked relation with said main shaft, and a spring finger on said interlock element cooperatively related with said clutch element detents to locate said clutch element selectively into or out of an axial position of engagement of said complemental clutch surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.