US3823993A

US3823993A - Sewing machine

Info

Publication number: US3823993A
Application number: US00327481A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Kakishima; Y Nomoto
Original assignee: RICCAR SEWING MACHINE CO Ltd
Current assignee: RICCAR SEWING MACHINE CO Ltd
Priority date: 1972-01-31
Filing date: 1973-01-29
Publication date: 1974-07-16
Anticipated expiration: 1991-07-16
Also published as: DE2304667A1; JPS4881646A

Abstract

A cabinet box for housing and supporting a sewing machine of a free arm type, which is provided with a free arm projecting horizontally from the standing portion of the machine and used for sewing tubular pieces, etc. The cabinet box has a top cover composed of a plurality of elongated plates which are arranged in parallel with one another and connected pivotally so that they serve for a cover for completely closing the top portion of the cabinet and at the same time as a large area of a flat work support surface for sewing flat cloth in cooperation with the arm work support surface.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Kakishima et al.

[4 July 16, 1974 SEWING MACHINE Riccar Sewing Machine Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan Filed: -Jan. 29, 1973 Appl. No.: 327,481

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 31, l972 US. Cl 312/21, 312/30, 312/196 Int. Cl. A47b 81/00, A47b 57/00 Field of Search 312/21-30, 312/283, 208, 304-307, 195, 196

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1962 Parsons 3112/30 Japan 47-10516 3,062,605 11/1962 Cannon ..312/3Ox 3,438,687 4/1969 Wikey ..312/21 Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlew and Tuttle [5 7 ABSTRACT A cabinet box for housing and supporting a sewing machine of a free arm type, which is provided with a free arm projecting horizontally from the standing portion of the machine and used for sewing tubular pieces, etc. The cabinet box has a top cover composed of a plurality of elongated plates which are arranged in parallel with one another and connected pivotally so that they serve for a cover for completely closing the top portion of the cabinet and at the same time as a large area of a flat work support surface for sewing flat cloth in cooperation with the arm work support surface.

9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures P ENTEDJUL 1 SIM SMEEI 3 OF 4 1 SEWING MACHINE This invention relates to a cabinet or housing case for a sewing machine which is provided with a free arm projecting substantially horizontally from the standing portion of the machine body and having a work supporting surface formed in said arm.

The above type of sewing machine is called an arm sewing machine or a free arm sewing machine and adapted to be suitably used for sewing tubular cloth pieces such as sleeves, circular pieces or curved parts, etc. However, the arm sewing machine which has hith-. erto been known has a certain disadvantage; namely, it is not suited to sew a flat cloth of a relatively greater size, because the arm portion projecting fom the machine can not inherently provide a large work supporting area or surface such as that available in case of the machine for domestic use.

In order to reduce or eliminate such disadvantage, it has been proposed to use an auxiliary or additional sewing bed plate having a notch of a configuration corresponding to the contour of the projecting arm portion provided with the work support surface. When the arm machine is to be used for sewing a flat cloth, the separately provided auxiliary bed is disposed in the machine housing with the arm portion being fitted within the notch of the auxiliary bed so that the work support surface of the arm may lie flush with the surface of the auxiliary bed. Thus, a relatively large working area is available as in the case of the household machine. However, this solution can not be evade from the drawback that the mounting or installation of the auxiliary bed requires a troublesome and time consuming work.

machine which allows the machine to be used in the two different states without resorting to additionally or separately provided auxiliary bed plate and mechanical positioning structure, to thereby eliminate the disadvantages of the hitherto known machines as above described.

According to the present invention, the above object can be accomplished by providing a box-like cabinet for housing and supporting an arm sewing machine of the type described in the preamble, characterized in that said cabinet comprises an intermediate shelf composed of a swingable mounting plate for fixedly mounting said sewing machine and a top cover provided above said intermediate shelf and comprising a plurality of top cover plates which are connected to one another and to said cabinet at the top. portion foldably so that, when the sewing machine is to be used for sewing on a work support surface of said projecting arm, said plurality of plates are folded so as to expose said intermediate shelf and when said machine is to be used for the sewing work on a large area of flat work support surface, selected ones of said plurality of plates are unfolded and extended flat so as to provide a large area of work support surface in cooperation with said flat work support surface of said machine arm portion, while all of said plurality of top cover plate are adapted to be unfolded to completely cover said top portion of said cabinet, when the machine is housed therein by swinging down said machine mounting plate.

With the construction of the cabinet for the arm sewing machine according to the present invention as above mentioned, the three different states of the ma- Furthermore, because the auxiliary bed plate is physically separated from the sewing machine or supporting structure thereof, it is likely to be missed, whereby offhand mounting thereof is made difficult.

Another proposition to solve the first mentioned problem is to provide a separate supporting structure which isadapted to make use of the arm sewing machine for sewing large flat clothparts. In this case, however, the machine body must be removed from the original cabinet and installed on the separately provided support structure having a large area of sewing bed.

Accordingly, this solution is very expensive and actu-- ally impracticable.

Moreover, it has further been proposed to mount the body of the sewing machine in one and the same housing in such a manner that the machine body may take two different vertical positions; namely, the first position wherein the arm portion of the machine projects freely so as to allow the sewing work of the tubular parts, etc., and the second vertical position wherein the working surface of the arm portion lies substantially in the same horizontal plane as'a bed plate which is originally attached to the cabinet as a part thereof. However, in order to accomplish such positioning of the machine and maintain the predetermined positions, a complex mechanism is necessarily required, which does not result in the expensiveness, but also the troublesome manipulation of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a cabinet box or supporting structure for an arm sewing chine; namely the housed state, the first working state wherein the work support surface of the projecting arm is used and the third state wherein a large area of the work support surface such as that of the machine for domestic use is available can be selectively, easily and offhand set by the plate members originally built in the cabinet without necessitating any additionally and separately provided means. The inventive cabinet can be easily manufactured at very reasonable costs. Furthermore, the manipulation by the operator for changing the states of the machine can be very simply effected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The other objects as well as features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of abox-like cabinet for housing and supporting an arm sewing machine, said cabinet being shown in the closed state with the machine housed therein,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same cabinet and shows it with cover plates constituting stop cover being all folded to expose an intermediate shelf on which the machine is disposed,

FIG. 3 is the same view as FIG. 2 and shows the machine in one of the sewing states, I

FIG. *4 is a perspective view of the cabinet to show the machine in the other working or sewing state,

FIG. 5 shows a partial section of the top cover portion of the cabinet at the left side as viewed in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 shows a partial section of the top cover portion at the right side of the cabinet as viewed in FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a lock device provided for holding a top cover plate in the closed position,

FIG. 8 is a partially sectional side elevational view of FIG. 3 with the state shown in FIG. 4 being indicated by phantom lines, 7

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a top portion of the closed cabinet to show the state of the housed machine and a swingable mounting structure for the machine, i

FIG. 10 is a side viewshowing the swingable machine A fected when the machine is to be housed within the cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring at first to FIG. 3, the reference character A generally indicates an arm sewing machine provided with an arm portion B, a sewing work surface C and a base plate or platform D.

The above sewing machine A is adapted to be housed within a cabinet or casing box 1 having a left wall 2 and a right side wall 3. There are provided at the front side of the cabinet three

drawers

4, 5 and 6 which serve for containing therein small varticles such as needles, rolls of threads, etc. J uxtaposed to the vertically aligned

drawers

4, 5 and 6 at the right side thereof is a door 7 which is swingably connected to the right-side wall 3 by her lap and feet within the room behind the door 7.

Reference numerals

8 and 9 indicate supporting legs which are secured to the underside of a bottom plate of the cabinet 1. An elongated plate or transverse beam wardly retired position relative to the latter. Futhermore, a second similar beam member 11 is provided behind the front beam member 10 and fixedly connected to the

side walls

2 and 3. Refer to FIGS. 5 and 6. It is to be noted that the first or front beam member 10 is secured to the second or rear beam plate 11 at the front surface thereofby means of'wood screws so as to facilitate the removal of the formerfrom the latter, as occasion requires. The elongated beam 10 serves also as a dressing plate for the drawer 4 and the door 7.

Reference numeral 12 indicates a beam-like top plate which lies substantially in the same vertical plane as the door 7 and serves to cover the top portion of the front side of the cabinet 1. The top plate 12 is hinged to the underside of the hereinafter described base plate 35 by way of .a splice. piece 13 so that, when the plate 12 is forwardly brought down, it may lie and remainsubstantially in a horizontal plane (FIG. 5). In this connection,

said beam-like plate 12, asindicated by phantom lines in FIG. 5. Referring again to FIG. 1, there are provided in juxtaposition with the front top cover plate 15 a midthe top portion of the cabinet, when the latter is in the closed position with the sewing machine completely housed therein.

It will furthermore be noted that, at the junction be tween the

plates

17 and 18, the plate 17 is formed with a notch 20 to allow the arm portion B of the sewing machine to be fitted therein and the plate 18 is provided with a projection 21 of a corresponding complemental configuration. The

plates

17 and 18 are separately connected to the rear top coverplate 19 by means of pairs of hinges 22;23 and 24;25, respectively, whereby the

plates

17 and 18 can be individually folded toward the rear top cover plate 19 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Referring to FIG. 2, reference numerals 26, 27 and 28 represent holding magnets which are mounted on the rear top cover plate 19 at the underside thereof and serve to magnetically attract armature pieces 29, 30 and 31 which are secured to the

plates

17 and 18 at the lower surfaces thereof in the positionscorresponding to those of the magnets 26, 27 and 28, whereby the

plates

17 and 18 are, upon being folded toward the rear plate 19, held in the folded position under the action of the above mentioned magnets and armature pieces.

Next referring to FIG. 8, reference numeral 32 indicates a top portion of the rear wall of the cabinet I, while numeral-33 represents a lower portion thereof. The rear top cover plate 19 is hinged to the top portion 32 of the rear wall of the cabinet at the upper edge thereof so as to pennit the plate 19 to be selectively. closed or opened. Provided below the top cover constituted by the plates l5, l7, l8 and 19 and spaced therefrom by a distance substantially equal to the distance tion 35" and a narrower leg portion 36, as is shown in FIG. 3. The plate 35 is fixedly secured to the

side walls

2 and 3 as well as to the top portion 32 of the rear wall. It will be understood that the

drawers

4, 5 and 6 are disposed below the left wider portion 35' of the mounting plate 35. An inner wall plate 37 is provided in parallel to the leftside wall 2 at the right side of the drawers (refer to FIG. 2, dotted line), the top edge of said inner wall plate 37 being fixedly secured to the base plate 35 at the undersurface thereof. Reference numeral 38 inthe splice piece 13 can be omitted in dependence upon the thickness of an actually used base plate 35. A front top cover plate 15 is swingably connected to the transverse top beam member 12 at the upper longitudinal edge thereof by means of hinges 16. Thus, when the beam 12 is brought down in the horizontal position, the front top cover plate 15 may be folded and lie flat on supporting plate 35 (FIG. 5). Thus, the machine mounting plate 38 may be rotated or swung around the front edge thereof. Furthermore, reference numeral 40 indicates an auxiliary base plate which is also swingably connected to the sewing and machine mounting plate 38 at the rear longitudinal edge thereof by means of hinges 41 (FIG. 8) so that the auxiliary plate 40 may be moved flexed together with the machine mounting plate 38 when the sewing machine is to be housed within or taken out from the interior of the cabinet casing 1.

Mounted on the inner surface of the side walls 2 and I 3 above the base plate 35 within the cabinet casing 1 are a pair of supports or

holders

42 and 43 for the top cover plate 15, each of which is in a form of a thin plate having a curved front edge. Referring to FIG. 5, there is shown the support plate 42 mounted on the left side wall 2. As will be seen therefrom, the curved front edge of the plate 48 serves for guiding the hinged front top cover plate to the intended position, when the top beam-like plate 12 is brought down in the'horizontal position as indicated by phantom lines.

The support plate 42 is formed with a notch 45in the horizontal portion contiguous to the curved edge 44. On the other hand, the front top cover plate 15 is provided with a projection 46 at the underside along the left side thereof. In the position shown in FIG. 5 and indicated by solid lines wherein the front top cover plate 35 is disposed in the closing or covering position, the projection 46 is latched by the notch 45 formed in the supporting plate 42 to thereby prevent the top cover plate 15 from being automatically slidably displaced in the horizontal direction. In order to additionally secure the above locked or latched condition, ball locks 47 of a known construction are provided at the right and left sides of the front top cover plate 15, respectively. Referring to FIG. 7. the numeral 48 indicates a ball lock comprising a ball projecting into a receptacle member 49 under the influence of resilient means (not shown), the member 49 being naturally secured to the front top cover plate 15 at the both sides thereof. When the front top cover plate 15 is to be folded to the horizontal position so as to uncover the top portion of the machine cabinet, the plate 15 is slightly upheld, which results in the disengagement of the projection 46 from the notch 45 and simultaneously the unlocking of the ball lock device 1 (48 and 49 This position is indicated by the dotted line 15 in FIG. 5. Then, the front top cover plate 15 is automatically moved along the curved edge 44 of the supporting member 42 as the top beam-like plate 12 falls into the horizontally lying position (refer to dotted line 15" in FIG. 5), wherein the top cover plate 15 folded over the beam 12 lies in horizontal alignment with the base plate 35. Reversely, in case the top beam 12 is moved into the vertically standing position, the plate 15 is displaced to the covering position as guided by the curve 44. Referring to FIG. 6, the supporting plate 43 for the front top cover plate 15 is pro-- vided with a projection 51 in the horizontal edge portion contiguous to the curved guide edge 50. The function of this projection 51 is to limit the movement of the front top cover plate 15 when the latter is brought into the closing or covering position over the cabinet 1,

to thereby set the plate 15 in the predetermined place.

Additionally, the respective rear end portions of the

plates

42 and 43 constitute supports for the middle cover plate 17, the cover plate 18 shaped in the configuration corresponding to that of the arm portion or the machine base, and the rear top cover plate 19 at their closed positions.

Now, explanation will be made on the movements as I well as the positions of the various plates constituting parts of the cabinet as above mentioned, when the sewing arm machine is set to its operating or working states. As described hereinbefore, the cabinet 1 is in the position shown in FIG. 1 with its top portion completely closed by the plates 15, l7 l8 and 19, when the machine is not used and accommodated within the cabinet 1. Starting from this state, when the front top cover plate 15 is brought down forwardly together with the supporting beam plate 12 therefor as viewed in FIG. 1, the front top cover plate 15 is folded over the plate 12 at the substantially same level as the base plate 35. (See FIGS. 2, 3 and 8.) Next, by moving upwardly either the middle cover plate 17 or the contoured plate 18, the rear top cover plate 19 is swung around the hinged 34 into the vertically standing position at which the

plates

17 and 18 are held against the plate 19 in the vertically aligned state by means of the combination of permanent magnets 26, 27 and 28 and the magnetic pieces 29, 30 and 31 as hereinbefore stated with reference to presented only by the upper surface C of the arm portion B. This working state is useful or convenient for sewing tubular pieces such as sleeves.

When the machine is to be used in a usual way, namely in the state where alarge flat area is available as the work supporting surface, the folded middle top cover plate 17 is then unfolded to bring down the vertically standing rear plate 19 forwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. 8 with the contoured middle cover plate 18 remaining still in the folded position against the lower surface of the now horizontally lying plate 19 (see FIG. 8, dotted line 18'). Additionally, the front beam-like plate 12 is set up and the front top cover plate 15 is unfolded flat. A larger working area is now provided by the

plates

15, 17 and 19 and the working surface C of the machine arm-B which lie horizontally flush with one another. The machine can be operated as in the case of a sewing machine for domestic use (FIG. 4).

As will be appreciated from the above explanation,

the construction of the cabinet or housing for a sewing arm machine according to the present invention allows two different working states to be set in a simple way for the machine which itself is not requiredv to be subject to any vertical displacement. The first working state is the one shown in FIG. 3 in which only the upper surface C of the machine arm B serves for the work support area. The second working state is the one just above described and shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 9 to 11, it will be described subsequently how the machine can be housed within the cabinet. FIG. 9 shows an additional mechanismfor securing the operations of the machine mounting plate 38 and the auxiliary plate 40. Although FIG. 9 illustrates the mechanism provided on the inner surface of the right side wall of cabinet as viewed in FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that a similar construction is arranged at the left wall surface 37 indicated by dotted line in FIG. 2 in a symmetrical relation to the one shown in FIG. 9. Sincethe both mechanisms have the same structure,

explanation will be made only on the mechanism provided on the lower surface of the same plate at the sides thereof. The latch apparatus 52 comprises a mounting base 53 having a vertical wall and a latch 54 formed with an inclined edge surface at the tapered end 55 thereof, the latch 54 being rotatably mounted on the mounting base 53iat the other end by means of a shaft 56. Reference numeral 57 indicates a spiral spring tensioned between said other end and a pin 58 anchored at the mounting base 53.

' When the latch apparatus 52 is attached to the machine mounting plate 38, the latch plate 54 is usually held in a horizontal position with the tapered end 55 pointing rearwardly under the influence of the tension spring 57. In case external force is applied to said end 55, the latch member 54 can be rotated about the shaft- 56 in either directions. The auxiliary mounting plate 40 hinged to the machine mounting plate 38 is provided with a guide roll 59 on the lower surface thereof, which rides on a guide rail 60 which in turn extends downwardly from the rear top wall portion 32 of the cabinet and is fixed to the side wall 3 as shown in FIG; 9. The roll and rail combination serves to smoothly guide the movement of the auxiliary mounting plate 40, when the machine mounting plate 38 is rotated or swung about the hinges 39 to take out or house the machine.

Reference numeral 61 indicates a stopper which is fixed to the inner surface of the right wall 3 at a position to stop the rotation of the machine mounting plate 38 around, the hinges 39, when the plate 38 with the machine thereon reaches the position for allowing all the top cover plates to be completely closed. Also mounted fixedly on the inner surface of the side wall 3. is a latch catch means 62 which comprises a vertically extending plate 63 having an upper end 64 curved arcuately to the rearward and a lower end 65 bent forwardly. It will be appreciated from FIG. 9 that the location of the latch catching means 62 on the wall 3 is so selected that it may be positioned adjacent to the junction of the plates 38 and when they are disposed v horizontally as shown in FIG. 10.

In the stored or housed state of the machine as indicated by phantom lines in FIG. 9, the mounting plate 38vbears against the stopper 61 and is kept in this stationary. position. The latch plate of the latch apparatus 52 isin .the released position under the action of the spring 57. The auxiliary plate 40 is flexed around the hinges 41 with the guide roll 59 being positioned at the lower end of the inclined guide rail 60. Whenthe machine A is to be set up after all the

top cover plates

15, 17, Band 19 have been opened in the manner as hereinbefore explained, the machine mounting plate 38 is rotated around the hinges 39 toward the horizontal position flush with the auxiliary plate 40 (FIG. 10). During this movement phase, the latch plate 54 of the latch apparatus 52 bears against the lower bent end 56 of the plate 62 and is rotated in the counter clockwise direction to be positioned vertically. At this position, it is im-' possible to maintain the machine mounting plate 38 in the stationary horizontal position. In order to attain such position, it is required to further move the mounting plate38 upwardly for a short distance (refer toFlG. 10, phantom lines) so that the pointed end 55 of the,

latch plate 54 overrides the lower bent end and rides on the vertical flat portion 63 of the latch receiving plate 62 (see dotted line 54 Thereafter, the mounting plate 38 is lowered. Then the downwardly directed tapered end 65 of the latch 54 bears against the upper horizontal position and the sewing operation may now be performed.

When the machine is to be housed after the sewing work, the machine body is pulled forwardly, whereby the machine mounting plate 38 is swung upwardly together with the plate 40 about the hinges 39 and the latch 54 is disengaged from the catch plate 62, as shown in FIG. 11. The latch 54 then returns to the released position (FIG. 11 Thereafter, the

plates

38 and 40 are lowered. During this movement phase, the latch 55 engages the curved upper end of the catch 62 to be slightly rotated in the clockwise direction and can move over the stopper end 65 without being subject to any hindranceto the housed position shown in FIG. 9.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to a preferable embodiment shown in the drawings. It will, however, be understood that many modifications and changes in design can be easily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present'invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Cabinet for supporting and housing a sewing machine which is provided with a free arm projecting substantially horizontally from a standing portion of the machine and having a work supporting surface formed thereon, characterized in that said cabinet comprises an intermediate shelf composed of a swingable mounting plate for fixedly mounting said sewing machine, and a top cover portion provided above said mounting shelf and comprising a plurality of top cover plates which are connected to one another and to said cabinet at the top portion and are foldable so that, when the sewing machine is to be used for sewing on a work support surface of said free arm, said plates being foldable so as to expose said intermediate shelf, said machine being usable for the sewing work on a large area of said work supporting surface, wherein selected ones of said plates are unfolded and extended flat so as to provide a large ad- .ditional work support surface area in cooperation with claim 1, wherein said cabinet comprises a right side face of the lower bent end 65 of the stopper wall 63,

whereby the plates'38 and 40 are maintained in'the' wall, a left side wall, a front wall and a rear wall connected to one another in a box-like form, characterized in that said plurality of top cover plates are composed of a rear top cover plate rearwardly swingably connected to said rear wall along the top edge thereof, a pair of middle top cover plates pivotally connected to said rear top cover plate along the opposite edge thereof so that said middle top cover plates and may individually be folded toward the lower surface of said rear top cover plate and a front top cover plate pivotally connected to said front wall along the top so that said top cover plate may be folded toward the inner surface of said front wall portion, wherein one of said pair of middle top cover plates is of a configuration corresponding to the contour of said free arm portion of said machine.

3. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 2, characterized in thats aid side walls are, respectively, provided with surrounding and guiding plates for said front top cover plate, said supporting and guiding plates being formed with a curved edge inclined downwardly toward the front wall so as to guide the folding movement of said front top cover plate.

4. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that one of said supporting nal edge thereof, said auxiliary plate having guidemeans slidable on rail members fixed to said side walls, respectively, and inclined downwardly toward the front wall of said cabinet.

6. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that stoppers are fixed to said side walls to stop the downwardly swinging movement of said machine mounting plate at the position in which said machine may be fully housedwithinthe closed cabinet.

7. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said machine mounting plate is provided with a latch which cooperate with catch means fixed on said side walls to releasably hold said machine mounting plate and said auxiliary plate in a stationary horizontal working position.

8. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 7, characterized in that magnetic holding means are provided on the lower surfaces of said rear top cover plate and said pair of middle plates so as to maintain selectively the folded position of said middle top cover plates.

9. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that the top portion of said front wall of said cabinet to which said front top cover plate is swingably connected is composed of a beamlike plate which are pivotally connected to the remaining front wall portion of said cabinet so that said plate together with said front top cover plate maybe brought down to a substantially horizontal position flush with said machine mounting plate.

Claims

1. Cabinet for supporting and housing a sewing machine which is provided with a free arm projecting substantially horizontally from a standing portion of the machine and having a work supporting surface formed thereon, characterized in that said cabinet comprises an intermediate shelf composed of a swingable mounting plate for fixedly mounting said sewing machine, and a top cover portion provided above said mounting shelf and comprising a plurality of top cover plates which are connected to one another and to said cabinet at the top portion and are foldable so that, when the sewing machine is to be used for sewing on a work support surface of said free arm, said plates being foldable so as to expose said intermediate shelf, said machine being usable for the sewing work on a large area of said work supporting surface, wherein selected ones of said plates are unfolded and extended flat so as to provide a large additional work support surface area in cooperation with said work support surface of said machine arm portion, all of said plurality of top cover plates being adapted to be unfolded to completely cover said top portion of said cabinet, when the machine is housed therein by swinging down said machine mounting plate.

2. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cabinet comprises a right side wall, a left side wall, a front wall and a rear wall connected to one another in a box-like form, characterized in that said plurality of top cover plates are composed of a rear top cover plate rearwardly swingably connected to said rear wall along the top edge thereof, a pair of middle top cover plates pivotally connected to said rear top cover plate along the opposite edge thereof so that said middle top cover plates and may individually be folded toward the lower surface of said rear top cover plate and a front top cover plate pivotally connected to said front wall along the top so that said top cover plate may be folded toward the inner surface of said front wall portion, wherein one of said pair of middle top cover plates is of a configuration corresponding to the contour of said free arm portion of said machine.

3. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that said side walls are, respectively, provided with surrounding and guiding plates for said front top cover plate, said supporting and guiding plates being formed with a curved edge inclined downwardly toward the front wall so as to guide the folding movement of said front top cover plate.

4. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 3, characterized in that one of said supporting and guide plates and said front top cover plate are provided with locking means for maintaining said front top cover plate in the closed position, while the other plate is provided with a stop projection to set said front top cover plate at a predetermined closed position.

5. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 2, characterized in that said machine mounting plate is downwardly swingably connected to a top portion of the cabinet front wall at one longitudinal edge thereof and to an auxiliary plate at the other longitudinal edge thereof, said auxiliary plate having guide means slidable on rail members fixed to said side walls, respectively, and inclined downwardly toward the front wall of said cabinet.

6. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that stoppers are fixed to said side walls to stop the downwardly swinging movement of said machine mounting plate at the position in which said machine may be fully housed within the closed cabinet.

9. Cabinet for arm sewing machine as set forth in claim 8, characterized in that the top portion of said front wall of said cabinet to which said front top cover plate is swingably connected is composed of a beam-like plate which are pivotally connected to the remaining front wall portion of said cabinet so that said plate together with said front top cover plate may be brought down to a substantially horizontal position flush with said machine mounting plate.