Sewing machine with articulated table assembly
OwnerMario Portillainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sewing machine with an articulated table is provided to facilitate the proper positioning and removal of workpieces. The drive shaft disposed under the table also is articulated to rotate with a portion of the table. An alignment piston is provided to securely align the drive shaft prior to any articulation thereof. An articulation piston is provided to positively move the table through its range of articulation. A locking piston also is provided to lock the table into its nonarticulated condition. The various piston members are preferably controlled by a common unit to ensure coordinated action.
Claims16
A sewing machine comprising:
- a power means for operating said sewing machine;
- an arm member including a needle assembly for performing a sewing operation and a drive means in communication with said needle assembly and said power source for enabling the operation of said needle assembly;
- a support structure connected to and supporting said arm member;
- and
- a table including a support portion and an articulated portion, said support portion being securely connected to said support structure and disposed in fixed relationship to said arm, said articulated portion being hingedly connected to said support portion and rotatable relative thereto, said table further including a drive shaft means in communication with said power source, said drive shaft means including a supported portion generally adjacent to the support portion of said table and an articulated portion generally adjacent the articulated portion of said table, said articulated portion of said drive shaft means being hingedly movable with respect to said support portion thereof such that the articulated portions of said table and said drive shaft means can hingedly move with respect to the support portion of said table.
An articulated table for a sewing machine having an arm and needle assembly, said table comprising a support portion to which said sewing machine arm and needle assembly are mounted and an articulated portion articulated to said support portion thereof and hingedly movable between a first position in substantially the same plane as said support portion of said table and a second position angularly rotated away from the needle assembly, said table further including an articulated drive shaft comprising a support portion disposed generally parallel to and adjacent the support portion of said table and an articulated portion coupled to said support portion of said drive shaft and disposed generally adjacent the articulated portion of the table, the coupling between the support and articulated portions of said drive shaft enabling said articulated portion of said drive shaft to hingedly move about said coupling relative to said support portion thereof, whereby the articulated portions of said table and said drive shaft can be selectively articulated away from the needle assembly of the sewing machine mounted on said table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.