Patents Assigned to SSMC Inc.
  • Patent number: 5052633
    Abstract: A tension shaft projects upwardly from a frame. A tension adjusting nut is adjustably screwed into an upper portion of the tension shaft. A pair of tension disks are rotatably supported by the tension shaft. A tension spring is supported by the tension shaft between one of the tension disks and the tension adjusting nut for urging one of the tension disks toward the other tension disk. A thread guide member fixed to the tension shaft has a plurality of thread holes. The device is characterized in that a bobbin thread threaded into the plurality of thread holes is elastically clamped between the pair of tension disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kawakubo, Yoshimi Koguchi
  • Patent number: 5050515
    Abstract: A presser foot retainer system for use in a sewing machine which utilizes a presser foot device including an elongated generally horizontal foot, a horizontal cross pin positioned above the foot and extending in a direction generally at right angles to the direction of elongation of the foot, and a connector connected both to the pin and the foot to support the pin in said position. A presser bar has a slot in the lower end of the bar which extends generally parallel to the pin. The pin is detachably engageable in the slot to detachably secure the device to the bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventor: George Lawrie
  • Patent number: 5047722
    Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the total internal resistance of a multicell battery having positive and negative terminals employs a first transistor device having an input and an output and having mutually exclusive conductive and non-conductive electric states. An arrangement of resistances is connected in series with the device to form a network. The network is connected between the positive and negative terminals. An operational amplifier has an output connected to the input of the device and first and second inputs. The first input is connected to the network at a point connected to both of the device and the arrangement. A square wave signal alternating between a positive voltage and ground on alternate half cycles is applied to the second input. The device is in the conductive state when the alternating voltage is positive and is in the non-conductive state when the alternating voltage is at ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Wurst, Stephen A. Garron, Allan M. Dob
  • Patent number: 5046437
    Abstract: A device for use in a button sewing machine which uses a wire of elastic material for maintaining looseness to that portion of the needle thread between a button and material to which the button is to be sewn while preventing the needle thread from being pulled out of the eye of the needle and at the same time preventing the wire from being warped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuo Hiratsuka, Imao Yazaki, Koichi Nakayama, Masanori Ayuta
  • Patent number: 5044290
    Abstract: A wiper unit has a supporter secured to the arm of a sewing machine. A stopper is secured to the supporter. A wiper shaft is rotatably supported by the supporter. The stopper restricts the rotation of the shaft. A wiper is mounted on the shaft. The wiper has a wiper arm and a tip end thereof. The tip end has a hook for wiping the tip end of an upper thread. A wiper operation crank is secured to the wiper shaft for adjusting a turning operation thereof relative to the wiper. An operation link is connected by a pin to the operation crank. A driving unit drives the operation crank reciprocally and drives the crank and shaft to turn about the axis of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5029536
    Abstract: An automatic cloth feeding device in a cycle sewing machine is provided with first and a second cloth pressers which are placed on a working table and respectively hold and release both ends of the cloth in the lateral direction. Rotary motion of a first rotary shaft is changed to a linear motion by a first converting mechanism to cause the first cloth presser to move laterally while rotary motion of a second rotary shaft is changed to a linear motion by a second converting mechanism to cause the second cloth presser to move laterally. The first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft are connected with or disconnected from each other by a clutch so that the first rotary shaft is driven by or released from a drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kambara, Hideyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5027732
    Abstract: A thread end holding unit of a sewing machine employs a needle thread gripping puller driven so as to be positioned either at a thread catch position or a return position. The puller has a hook portion at a tip end thereof adapted for catching a needle thread extended from a needle when the needle thread gripping puller is positioned at the thread catch position. The needle thread is caught and held by the hook at the return position. First and second holding members are respectively fixedly mounted on a supporter fixed to the arm. These holding members have press portions forcibly pushed elastically by both sides of the needle thread gripping puller for pressing and holding the thread end of the needle thread caught by the hook when the hook portion is positioned at the return position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5027731
    Abstract: A thread cutting knife device in a sewing machine having a bed has a lower shaft rotatably supported at the bed and a throat plate mounted thereon. A hook is attached to the lower shaft and extends beyond a throat plate. A thread cutting knife and a loop spreading plate are adapted to cross between the hook and the throat plate to cut a needle thread looping portion at a cloth side and a bobbin thread. The knife and the plate are respectively rotatably supported by the lower shaft. The knife has a blade at an upper edge of the tip end thereof. The loop spreading plate has a thread dividing portion extending into the needle thread looping portion at the cloth side and a thread looping portion at the side of the needle. A thread drawing portion is formed at one edge of a base of the dividing portion for holding the needle thread looping portion at the cloth side and the bobbin thread. A blade positioned at the side of the throat plate and is opposed to and crosses the blade of the thread cutting knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Yoshimi Koguchi
  • Patent number: 5025738
    Abstract: A needle thread drawing device utilizes a thread end holding device rotatably mounted on an arm of a sewing machine. A needle thread gripping puller which can be disposed to be at a thread catch position or a return position has a hook portion at a tip end thereof for catching a needle thread extended downward from a needle hole of a needle. A needle thread drawing member is mounted swingably on the side of the arm and has a hook portion at a tip end thereof. A cam member is positioned at the side of the thread end holding device and is rotatable in synchronism with the puller for rotatably swinging the needle thread drawing member so that the hook portion can hold the needle thread when the needle thread holding portion is positioned over the needle hole of the needle and can draw a thread end of the needle thread when the hook portion of the puller is positioned under the needle hole of the needle when the puller is disposed in the thread catch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5022334
    Abstract: A stop lever fixing lever supported at a bed body of a sewing machine has one end to be contacted by a projection of a pattern wheel. A connecting member has one end connected to the other end of the stop lever fixing lever. A first presser bar lifter has one end connected to the other end of the connecting member. A second presser bar lifter has one end defining an operation arm positioned at a lifting position and has a folded projection provided with a hole. A stepped screw having a knurled thumb at the peripheral surface thereof is rotatably inserted in the hole of the folded projection edge with a small diameter screw portion at the tip end thereof. A lever shifting member is screwed into the small diameter screw portion at the folded projection edge. A presser bar lifter cam is disposed along a cutting axis and has a projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuo Hiratsuka, Yoshiyuki Odaka, Takayuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5020462
    Abstract: A slackened needle thread assuring unit includes a thread tension member mounted on a side wall of a frame secured to the bed of a sewing machine. A thread takeup is positioned above the thread tension member. A needle/bobbin thread cutter is positioned apart from and under the frame for cutting a needle thread. A thread end holder holds an end of the thread to be cut by the needle/bobbin thread cutter. A thread guide extending across the front portion of the frame has one end supported by a support plate and the other free end defining a hook. A drive mechanism supported by the support plate reciprocally moves the hook in the direction substantially perpendicular to the threading direction of the needle thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Yoshiharu Kobayashi, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5010832
    Abstract: A quick feeding shaft is rotatably supported at a bed of a perforating sewing machine. A quick feeding shaft rotatable in one direction and has one end coaxially connected to a magnetic clutch shaft and the other end coaxially connected to one end of a quick feeding shaft body provided with a worm. A magnetic clutch is secured coaxially to the magnetic clutch shaft and operatively connects the magnetic clutch shaft to the quick feeding shaft. A pattern wheel shaft is disposed at right angles to the quick feeding shaft and has a pattern wheel for feeding a sewn cloth quickly. A worm wheel coaxially secured thereto at an intermediate portion thereof to mesh with the worm. The worm wheel and the worm form a gear mechanism for transmitting the rotational driving force of the quick feeding shaft to the pattern wheel shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuo Hiratsuka, Yoshiyuki Odaka, Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5009177
    Abstract: A thread cutting unit cooperating with the bed of a sewing machine includes a lower shaft, a cutting knife and a loop spreading plate respectively fixed to the lower shaft and positioned adjacent to the hook. The thread cutting knife and the loop spreading plate cross each other in a space between the hook and the throat plate. The thread cutting unit is provided with a thread cutting driving unit which comprises a thread cutting knife driving shaft, a loop spreading plate driving shaft, a rotational motion transmission device, a thread cutting supporting member carrying thread cutting knife, a first turnable interlocking mechanism and a second turnable interlocking mechanism. The thread cutting supporting member is rotatably supported on the bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Yoshimi Koguchi, Yoshiharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5007358
    Abstract: A thread end guide groove communicating with a needle location groove is defined in a cloth presser foot. A knife is secured to the rear surface of the cloth presser foot and extends across the thread end guide groove. A needle thread restriction plate is provided on the cloth presser foot and open at the side of a thread end holder. The needle thread restriction plate covers the upper surface of the thread end guide groove so that an inclined angle .theta.1 defined between an inclined portion of the needle thread restriction plate and a sewn material is set to be greater than an inclination angle .theta.2 defined between the extension thread and the sewn material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kawakubo, Shuichi Sato
  • Patent number: 5007356
    Abstract: A cutting actuator for a button perforating sewing machine enables sequence of various operating steps in a button perforating operation of sewn cloth to be changed under control of an operator.The actuator employs a solenoid controlled arrangement wherein actuation of the solenoid selects one sequence while deactuation of the solenoid selects another sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuo Hiratsuka, Yoshiyuki Odaka, Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5003901
    Abstract: A feeding adjusting dial has at an inner circumferential surface thereof a plurality of teeth fixed to a stopper defined in the body of an arm of the sewing machine at both sides of the feeding rate adjusting shaft meshes with one of the plurality of teeth of the feeding rate adjusting dial. The feeding rate adjusting shaft is screwed into the body of the arm at a portion thereof and has a tip end thereof brought into contact with a cam surface of a feeding adjusting cam. The feeding adjusting cam is connected to a feeding adjusting table via a link. The feeding rate adjusting shaft comprises a first member, a second member and an elastic coupling for connecting the first and second members. One of the first and second members is screwed into the body of the arm of the sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Yoshiharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 4993336
    Abstract: A needle locker has a body having therein a first needle receiving hole and a second needle receiving hole. The first needle receiving hole is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the cloth feeding direction. The second needle receiving hole is adjacent the first needle receiving hole and arranged in the same direction. Two needles are disposed in the first needle receiving hole in adjacent parallel relationship and are detachably secured in the first needle receiving hole by a first setscrew. A single needle is inserted in and fitted detachably to the second needle receiving hole by a second short needle setscrew.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori Mizunuma
  • Patent number: D313097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1990
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Donald R. Davidson, Gerald J. Creed, Howard D. Rogers
  • Patent number: D316248
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventor: Allan M. Dob
  • Patent number: D317754
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventor: Mario B. Accumanno