Abstract: A manual thread cutter for a sewing machine is disclosed in which a cutting blade is supported on a canted surface merging toward the corner of the hollow interior of a face plate covering the head end of the sewing machine. A slot extends continuously through adjacent walls of the face plate approximately medially of the canted surface so that sewing thread may be drawn through the slot to the cutting edge of the cutting blade. A platform extends from one of the adjacent walls coextensive with the bottom surface of the slot so that thread may be pivoted about the platform and drawn into the slot to impinge upon the cutting edge of the cutting blade.

Abstract: An in-line sander for hand held operation and having a housing in which a rotating electric motor drives a drive shaft to rotate on a first axis, with a second axis of the drive shaft canted to the first axis and supporting a bearing thereon. A bearing housing is supported on the bearing to orbit therewith, the bearing housing having an arm extending to a platen support and extensibly and pivotably connected to a portion thereof. This orbiting of the bearing housing influences motion of the platen support in accordance with the angle of the cone described by the second axis of the drive shaft. The platen support is made of a resilient material and carried by the housing on legs extending to a base portion, which legs have a low moment of inertia in the direction of in-line sanding, and a high moment of inertia normal to the direction of in-line sanding, so as to be disposed to motion in the in-line sanding path only.

Abstract: A presser attachment device for implementing needle feed in which a presser foot is elevated when a sewing needle is in engagement with work material to facilitate lateral shift thereof by the sewing needle. The presser foot is supported on one end of a substantially centrally pivoted presser foot carrier lever, the other end of which is formed with a gear segment. A pinion and ratchet combination is supported on one end of a pinion carrier lever, the other end of which is carried on the presser foot carrier lever pivot and has a pinion portion thereof in engagement with the gear segment. A combined cam and pawl is provided in which a pawl portion is in engagement with a ratchet portion of the combined pinion and ratchet when the sewing needle extends through the work material so as to lock the pinion against further rotation, depress the pinion and rotate the presser foot carrier lever to elevate the presser foot out of contact with the work material.

Abstract: An in-line sander for hand held operation and having a housing in which a rotating electric motor drives a drive shaft to rotate on a first axis, with a second axis of the drive shaft canted to the first axis and supporting a bearing thereon. A wobble housing is supported on the bearing to orbit therewith, the wobble housing having an arm extending to a platen support and extensibly and pivotably connected to a portion thereof. This orbiting of the wobble housing influences motion of the platen support in accordance with the angle of the cone described by the second axis of the drive shaft. The platen support is made of a resilient material and carried by the housing on legs extending to a base portion, which legs have a low moment of inertia in the direction of in-line sanding, and a high moment of inertia normal to the direction of in-line sanding, so as to be disposed to motion in the in-line sanding path only.

Abstract: An in-line sander for hand held operation and having a housing in which a rotating electric motor drives a drive shaft to rotate on a first axis, with a second axis of the drive shaft canted to the first axis and supporting a bearing thereon. A wobble housing is supported on the bearing to orbit therewith, the wobble housing having an arm extending to a platen support and extensibly and pivotably connected to a portion thereof. This orbiting of the wobble housing influences motion of the platen support in accordance with the angle of the cone described by the second axis of the drive shaft. The platen support is made of a resilient material and carried by the housing on legs extending to a base portion, which legs have a low moment of inertia in the direction of in-line sanding, and a high moment of inertia normal to the direction of in-line sanding, so as to be disposed to motion in the in-line sanding path only.

Abstract: An in-line sander for hand held operation and having a housing in which a rotating electric motor drives a drive shaft to rotate on a first axis, with a second axis of the drive shaft canted to the first axis and supporting a bearing thereon. A wobble housing is supported on the bearing to orbit therewith, the wobble housing having an arm extending to a platen support and extensibly and pivotably connected to a portion thereof. This orbiting of the wobble housing influences motion of the platen support in accordance with the angle of the cone described by the second axis of the drive shaft. The platen support is made of a resilient material and carried by the housing on legs extending to a base portion, which legs have a low moment of inertia in the direction of in-line sanding, and a high moment of inertia normal to the direction of in-line sanding, so as to be disposed to motion in the in-line sanding path only.

Abstract: A connection adapter module for a wire trap switch, trigger speed control, or the like that plugs into the wire trap system and provides screw clamp connections to the control for a portable electric tool such as a drill, sabre saw, or the like, enabling the tool to be rewired or the control replaced by a customer with a standard screwdriver, comprising an insulator body carrying a plurality of connector elements and which can be "piggy-backed" on the control, connector elements generally comprising inserts in the insulator body including a barrel portion having a screw threaded through the wall thereof for receiving and clamping a wire therewithin and a thin wire-like projection or pin portion extending longitudinally therefrom projecting out of the insulator body to be engaged within the switch or control wire trap.

Abstract: A means for selectively elevating a presser foot out of pressure contact with a work material when a sewing needle extends through the work material. The device includes a needle bar lever pivotally supported by the sewing machine frame and having an operative connection to the endwise shiftable needle bar for implementing oscillation thereof. A lug extending from the needle bar lever may cooperate with the second end of a lift lever having a first end operatively connected with the presser foot of the sewing machine. The lift lever is carried on a selectively shiftable pintle supported by the sewing machine frame, the pintle having a first shiftable position in which the lug extending from the needle bar lever does not engage with the second end of the lift lever and a second shiftable position in which the lug does engage with the second end of the lift lever whereby the lug will effect rotation of the lift lever and have the first end elevate the presser foot out of pressure contact with the work material.

Abstract: A power head device for use with an external source of vacuum, which device includes an outer housing defining therewithin, in one embodiment, a brush chamber, a vacuum chamber and a dry chemical carpet cleaning powder retaining chamber. The powder retaining chamber is situated adjacent the brush chamber and is further fashioned with a device for selectively dispensing the powder onto a carpet. A horizontally oriented brush is provided having bristles offset with respect to a centerline thereof so as to provide improved agitation of the powder into a carpet on rotation of the brush opposite the direction of the offset during a cleaning mode of operation. In a vacuum mode of operating, the brush rotates in the direction of the bristle offset and towards the vacuum chamber of the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for implementing bobbin winding in place in a looptaker of a sewing machine. When a presser foot lift lever is manipulated to elevate a presser foot, and the sewing machine motor is activated, a series of two or three endwise reciprocations of the sewing machine is effected to bring an upper thread to the lower thread carrying bobbin, after which further endwise reciprocation of the sewing needle is held in abeyance while actuation of the sewing machine motor is continued, to provide the least disturbance of upper thread passage to the lower thread bobbin. No other bobbin winding signaling steps are required.

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.

Abstract: A basting stitch mechanism in which a latch is carried on the side of the needle bar carrier and is fashioned with a front portion extending in front of the needle bar terminating in a wedge, which wedge fits into a notch in a driving stud hinge pin extending about the needle bar and slidable thereon. The latch wedge connection to the driving stud eliminates the requirement for establishing a clearance between the needle bar carrier and the driving stud carrying the driving stud hinge pin. An extension spring connected between the sewing machine frame and a rear portion of the latch operates to increase the latching force as the needle bar is moved downwardly. By proper design of the wedge on the latch and the notch on the driving stud hinge pin, separation of the driving stud hinge pin from the latch may take place at some force designed to avoid breakage of the sewing needle.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for providing in a tool, appliance, or other electrically operated device the safety feature of requiring that the trigger or ON-OFF switch be in or returned to the OFF position before the tool will respond to placing the trigger or ON-OFF switch in the ON position.

Abstract: A power head unit for use with an external source of vacuum, which unit includes an outer housing defining a brush chamber, a vacuum chamber and a dry chemical carpet cleaning powder retaining chamber. The powder retaining chamber is fashioned with at least one slot extending adjacent the brush chamber which slot is closed off by a covering device such as a sliding door. The sliding door is fashioned with apertures the size of the at least one slot so that correspondence thereof will permit the dry chemical carpet cleaning material to escape from the slot. A powder dispensing roll is provided internally of the powder retaining chamber to convey the dry chemical carpet cleaning material to the slot.

Abstract: A position indictor for an industrial sewing machine, particularly a programmable industrial sewing machine, in which an elongate slender member may be selectively extended through a tubular conduit to have an end of the member adjacent the work supporting bed so as to indicate to an operator the starting position for a work material from which stitching may initiate. The elongate slender member, which is best implemented by a wire, may also be used as an edge guide or a pivot point. Extension of the member through the flexible conduit may be initiated by an air cylinder or solenoid, and may be initiated by program control to take place when the sewing needle and the sewing machine presser foot are elevated.

Abstract: For a family sewing machine having the capabilities to complete a buttonhole in a single step, an arrangement is provided to permit an operator to reinitiate the buttonhole operation in the event of a thread breakage in the middle of the buttonhole, however, without necessitating stitching during that part of the buttonhole in which stitching has already been implemented. If a thread breakage takes place and after repair thereof the buttonhole may be repositioned to the initiating position and the buttonhole pattern may be reselected together with, for example, a selection of reverse feeding or any other input which is not normally selected during buttonholing. This dual selection is effective to signal the needle bar release logic to suspend endwise reciprocation of the needle bar.

Abstract: A continuous monogrammer utilizing a peripheral frame to support therein a pair of rollers and drive mechanism therefor to transport a continuous strip of material laterally beneath the sewing machine needle. A bridge straddles the rollers and is slidingly supported on a pair of shafts on opposite sides of the peripheral frame. The bridge is affixed to the sewing machine presser bar so as to elevate the frame and rollers thereby. A second drive mechanism is carried by the bridge and provides an operative connection between the bridge and the peripheral frame so as to move the peripheral frame and the work fabric upon which it rests in the longitudinal direction beneath the sewing needle.

Abstract: A work manipulating mechanism for a sewing machine attachable to the presser bar thereof which utilizes a pair of spaced apart endless belts on a first drive plate to feed an endless quantity of work material through a sewing machine in the formation of an ornamental pattern or monogramming, the first drive plate being shiftable in an orthogonal direction by a second drive plate attachable to the presser bar of a sewing machine. The first drive plate may be shifted by a rack and pinion connection to a stepper motor supported on the second drive plate, and the work material may be shifted by a stepper motor connected to one of a pair of shafts carrying sprockets encircled by the endless belts in contact with the work material.