Abstract: A throat plate having a anti-haloing member attached thereto to separate the work limb of a loop of needle thread from the take-up limb during the setting of a stitch thereby preventing the work limb from being drawn up through the material being sewn by frictional interengagement with the take-up limb.

Abstract: A latch mechanism for a sewing machine bed extension including a spring biased latch button contained on the surface of the bed extension. The latch button actuates one extremity of a pivotally mounted lever having a tang at the locking extremity. The bed extension has a guide stud which engages an aperture in the base of the sewing machine. The tang passes through the guide stud to lock the bed extension to the base. The bed extension may be removed from the base by actuation of the latch button which causes the tang to disengage from the base.

Abstract: A hammer drill having a reversible switch which is forward biased normally to prevent the drill from operating in the hammer mode while the switch is in the reverse position. This is a precaution to prevent damage to the clutch teeth which are designed for ratchet action when the tool is operated in the forward direction, but will lock down in reverse to stall tool or damage the mechanism.

Abstract: A package for retaining sewing machine needles in a plurality of compartments. Means are provided for selecting a needle stored in a compartment by rotating a base containing a dispensing slot until the slot is aligned with an aperture of the desired needle compartment. An information disc, containing needle selection information, is interposed between the compartments and the base. Needle data may be read through an aperture or frame contained on the base, thereby advising the sewer of the appropriate uses for the needles contained within the selected compartment.

Abstract: An SCR motor speed control system having a capacitor for triggering the SCR into conduction is provided with circuitry for limiting the top speed of the motor by sensing the time of a predetermined proportion of a motor revolution to determine the motor speed. When the time is below a predetermined time interval, indicative of motor speed above a desired top speed limit, a path is closed to bypass the charging path of the capacitor.

Abstract: A pneumatic needle threading assist is disclosed which has a thread collecting chamber in which, due to the air flow therethrough, thread having passed through the eye of a sewing needle, is therein deposited in a series of spiral loops limiting the amount of thread in the vacuum line and preventing the vacuum source from being contaminated with the thread.

Abstract: An improved visual aid mechanism for a presser device for facilitating the making of buttonholes. The mechanism will sense and indicate to the operator the approaching end of the first leg of a buttonhole being sewn whose length has been preset by the operator. This invention utilizes flexible fingers which are substantially deflected by an adjustable stop member to provide a magnified visual indication. Thus the operator may stop the sewing operation very precisely resulting in buttonholes of consistently uniform length and quality.

Abstract: A buttonhole controlling device for use in causing a sewing machine to form a buttonhole of a selected length, and including means for effecting a reversal in the direction in which material is fed under a sewing needle as required for the formation of a final leg of the buttonhole, is provided with an adjustable stop enabling an operator to precisely define the end position of the final leg and so assure closure of the buttonhole without overlap.

Abstract: An electrically actuated cam follower retracting mechanism is disclosed for facilitating cam selection in a zigzag sewing machine. By means of a rotary solenoid energized in response to the initial movement of a manual cam selector member, the cam followers are automatically retracted from tracking relation with the pattern cams so as not to interfere with cam selection. Provision is disclosed for releasing the needle bar from its drive and for retracting special cam followers. The retracting mechanism is latched into effective position and the solenoid is deenergized when retraction is complete. The latch is released when operation of the sewing machine is resumed after the new selection has been made.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for producing blind stitches with a household sewing machine, including a removable throat plate having a thread deflecting member reciprocatorily driven into engagement with a loop of thread carried by the loop taker to insure engagement of the loop of thread by a hook needle. The thread deflecting member is driven in timed relation to the rising and falling motion of the feed dog by a cam which is fastened to the feed drive shaft.

Abstract: A light detector is supported in a mask box which extends into the cavity accommodating the looptaker with an edge of the surface adjacent the looptaker and upstream to the air currents generated by the looptaker closer to the looptaker than an edge downstream in order to discourage lint build up on the adjacent surface. A light source is fashioned with a lens projecting into the cavity accommodating the looptaker similarly to discourage lint build up.

Abstract: A presser and needle bar head end subassembly and a needle bight control subassembly are mounted in the rear casing section of a zig zag sewing machine on coplanar surfaces which establish a common reference plane for the location of the parts of such subassemblies. The head end subassembly is secured in the machine casing section in an unalterable position, and a feed, loop taker and throat plate subassembly is mounted in the casing to permit lateral adjustment of the throat plate and loop taker relative to a sewing needle.

Abstract: A sewing machine is provided with a safety device which protects an operator's fingers from the needle and includes a ring suspended over the presser foot of the machine. The suspended member is movable by finger pressure applied thereto in any direction and when so moved, completes an electric circuit to shut off the machine.

Abstract: In addition to the binary code that controls the image, or portion thereof, that is to be graphically traced on the screen of a cathode ray tube, a refresh memory also provides an identification code indicative of the image, or portion thereof, within the refresh memory. While the image, or portion thereof is being traced on the screen of the cathode ray tube, the identification code from the refresh memory is stored in a register. A light pen output signal generated by sensing light from the trace on the screen of the cathode ray tube enables the identification code stored in the register to be transferred to a computer to provide the computer with an accurate input as to which image, or portion thereof, the operator identified with the light pen. Means are also provided to disable the light pen whenever the portion of the display being traced on the screen of the cathode ray tube is not intended to be accessible to the operator by means of the light pen.

Abstract: A low bobbin thread detection system for sewing machines. A light source transmits a beam of light through a pair of passageways contained in the bobbin case and toward a photodetector enclosed in a shield to shelter it from stray light. The light shield contains a pair of spaced apertures whose axes are in optical alignment with the light source and the bobbin case passageways. The thread carrying bobbin lies intermediate the passageways and does not permit the transmission of light from the first to the second passageway while thread remains thereon. When sufficient thread has been consumed from the bobbin, light may pass from the light source to the photodetector. Light which is directed at the shield surrounding the photodetector from any angle other than that coincident with the optical axis formed by the two apertures is blocked from impinging on the photodetector and will not falsely trigger a low bobbin thread alarm.

Abstract: A bobbin thread run-out detector having a light source and means for directing a beam of light toward a set of retro-reflecting reflectors on the bobbin and toward a reference reflecting spot on the loop taker. Bobbin thread wound around the bobbin is interposed between the light source and the retro-reflecting reflectors. When a sufficient quantity of thread has been consumed to expose the indentations to the source of light, the light is reflected to a photodetector. Light from the source is also intermittently reflected onto the photodetector by the reflecting spot on the loop taker during each revolution of the loop taker. An electronic circuit compares the light received by the photodetector from the bobbin with the light received from the reflecting spot on the loop taker. When the quantity of light reflected from the bobbin changes relative to the quantity of light reflected from the loop taker a low bobbin thread alarm is activated to warn the operator of the impending exhaustion of bobbin thread.

Abstract: A sewing machine is provided with a unique needle bight control module including a rotatable cam stack, a cam follower for each of the cams of the cam stack, and a drum with interposers thereon selectively disposable against the cam followers for causing needle bight controlling linkage means to be moved during rotation of the cam stack according to the design of the cam which is associated with the cam follower selectively engaged by the interposer. Indexing means embraces and holds the cams, interposers and cam followers in alignment.

Abstract: A pump is disclosed having a housing with a recess therein, an elastomeric diaphragm stretched across said recess forming a pump cavity in which the medium being pumped is circulated, and inlet and outlet valves. An electronically controlled linear actuator is attached to the diaphragm within the pump cavity thereby allowing compactness in the construction of the pump and improved heat dissipation from the linear actuator. The pump fits within the frame of a sewing machine and creates an air vacuum for assisting in needle threading.