Bobbin case retaining means

Claim 1

A sewing machine having a work supporting bed, a loop taker arranged for rotation about a vertical axis, said loop taker having a rim including a thread seizing beak formed therein, a bobbin case within said loop taker, a bracket removably attached to said bed and with said loop taker providing the sole support for constraining said bobbin case rotationally, radially, and vertically said bracket loosely connect to said bobbin case to permit the passage of thread between said bobbin case and said bracket during the formation of lockstitches, said bobbin case being vertically supported only at a first location on said bracket and at a second location on said rim of said loop taker, said second location having less than 180° of angular displacement, said bracket being of unitary integral construction having a vertical wall adjacent said first location on said bracket for loosely abutting said bobbin case, said bracket overlaying a portion of said bobbin case in third and fourth spaced apart locations, said second, third, and fourth locations being positioned on one side of a plane containing said vertical axis of said loop taker and said first location being positioned on the other side of said plane whereby said bobbin case is retained in operational engagement with said rim and removal of said bobbin case is prevented without removal of said bracket.