Singer 120U User manual

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SEWING MACHINE MODEL 120u
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From the library of: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC

CONTENTS
Introducing the New SINGER Sewing Machine Model 120U 1
Oiling the Machine 2
Needles 3
Thread 3
Inserting the Needle 4
Threading the Machine 5
Removing the Bobbin Case and Bobbin 6
Winding the Bobbin 7
Threading the Bobbin Case 8
Replacing the Bobbin Case 8
Preparing to Sew 9
Sewing 9
Setting Thread Tensions 10
Adjusting Presser Foot Pressure 11
Adjusting Stitch Length 11
Machine Pin Cushion 12
Hints for Perfect Operation 12
Copyright © 1972 THE SINGER COMPANY
Ail Rights Reserved Throughout the World
From the library of: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC

SINGER
Introducing the New SINGER* Sewing Machine Model 120U !
The most dependable, lightest running machine of its kind. This
machine will produce top quality straight-line single-needle lock stitch
ing in fabrics as fine as ladies' lingerie or as heavy as men's overcoating.
This machine can reach speeds up
to 5000 revolutions per minute.
With an oil reservoir, a pump and a minimum of wicking, all parts
requiring oil are kept constantly lubricated. Oil flow can be checked
easily through a "window" on arm top cover.
Quiet and smooth in operation, the Model 120U was designed for your
comfort, making sewing more pleasant, quicker and more profitable to
you.
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From the library of: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC

OILING THE MACHINE
Oil your machine! For best results, use SINGER*"TYPE A"or "TYPE
C" Oil. "TYPE C" Oil is used when an oil is desired which will produce
minimum staining of fabrics even after along period of storage.
Fig. 2
TIP MACHINE BACK
NEVER ALLOW OIL TO FALL
BELOW LOW MARK
FILL TO HIGH MARK
Tip machine back on its hinges and fill the oil reservoir as illustrated in
Fig. 2.
When a machine is NEW or has been idle for several weeks, it is
advisable to remove the face plate and oil the needle bar and take-up
bearings.
CAUTION: Correct lubrication is indicated by a continuous stream of
oil passing the oil flow window
while machine is running, as shown
in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3
SHOULD SHOW
STEADY OIL FLOW
Should this oil flow become erratic,
STOP the machine and check the
reservoir oil level. Fill if needed.
At least twice each month, check
the oil level in the reservoir. Never
allow the oil level to drop below
LOW mark, shown in Fig. 2.
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NEEDLES
The needles you use have a veiy directeffect on the quality, strength
and appearance of the stitching produced by your machine. This is
why it is so important to use SINGER needles according to the follow
ing chart.
MACHINE
NEEDLES
CAT. NO.
CLASS and
VARIETY
SIZES
120U3
1361
88x9
8, 9,10,11,12,13,14,16, 17,
18, 19, 20,21 and 22
1315
88 X 1
I20U13
2254
16x231
16, 18, 19, 21, 22 and 23
2270
16x257
8, 9,10, 11,12,13,14,16, 17,
18, 19, 20,21,22, 23 and 24
A bent needle will cause your machine to skip stitches and drift away
from adesired sewing direction.
A
hook or burr on the needle point will result in a blurred finish and
may cut the material.
THREAD
In the Class 120U, use ONLY left twist thread in the needle. Either
right or left twist thread can be used in the bobbin. To determine the
thread twist, hold the thread as shown below. Then roll the thread held
by the right hand over toward you—if the strands of the thread wind
tighter, the thread is left twist; if the strands unwind or separate, the
thread is right twist.
HOLD THIS END
Fig. 4
ROLL OVER
TOWARD YOU
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Fig, 5
MOVE TO
HIGHEST POINT
LOOSEN SCREW
INSERT NEEDLE UP
AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
LONG GROOVE
120U3 MACHINE
—
Fig. 6
MOVE TO
HIGHEST POINT
LOOSEN SCREW
INSERT NEEDLE UP
AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
LONG GROOVE
120U13 MACHINE
INSERTING THE NEEDLE
Turn the machine pulley over
toward the operator until the
needle bar moves to its highest
point.
After loosening the needle clamp
ing screw, insert needle UP into
needle bar AS FAR AS IT WILL
GO, as instructed in Figs. 5 and
6.
The long groove of the needle
MUST face the left end of the
machine, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.
Securely tighten the needle clamp
ing screw.
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THREADING THE MACHINE
First, turn machine pulley over toward you until needle is at its highest
point, then pass the needle thread from the thread stand through the
threading points in the order shown in sketch below. Draw about two
inches of thread through the eye of the needle.
NOTE: For better sewing results, use needle bar thread guide A
(Fig. 9) when sewing lightweight fabrics with the 120U3 machine.
CAUTION: When using the needle bar thread guide, DO NOT run the
machine with presser foot up.
O
Fig. 8 120U3 MACHINE Fig.9 120U3 MACHINE Fig. 10 120U13 MACHINE
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LATCH
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
REMOVING THE BOBBIN CASE AND BOBBIN
Turn machine pulley over toward
you until the thread take-up lever is
at its highest point.
Open slide plate and reach under
the bed of the machine with left
hand and remove the bobbin case as
shown in Fig. 11.
LATCH
BOBBIN DROPS OLIT
Releasing the latch will allow
bobbin removal as shown in Fig.
12.
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WINDING THE BOBBIN
PRESS DOWN
TO PUSH PULLEY u--/
AGAINST BELT -/M
\/
Fig. 13
Place bobbin on spindle C of bobbin winder pushing it on as far as it
will go and pass thread through threading points as shown in Fig. 13.
Wind end of thread around the bobbin a few times. Press down on
thumb latch and start machine.
The bobbin winder will stop automatically. Fore more thread on the
bobbin, turn screw Aclockwise; for less thread on the bobbin, turn
screw A counterclockwise.
When winding a bobbin with fine thread, alight tension should be used.
Adjust the knurled nut D, Fig. 13, to regulate the tension.
If thread winds unevenly on bobbin, loosen screw B and move tension
bracket to the left or right, as required. Tighten screw B.
Bobbins can be wound while the machine is stitching!
Oil your bobbin winder occasionally. Apply a few drops of oil to the
oil well in bobbin winder as shown in Fig. 13.
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SLOT NEAR TOP
DRAW THREAD
UPAND INTO
DELIVERY EYE
Fig. 14
PULL THREAD
INTO SLOT
QD
DRAW THREAD
DOWN AND
UNDER SPRING
Fig. 15
REPLACE BOBBIN CASE
ON STUD
PRESS BOBBIN CASE
FIRMLY INTO PLACE Fig. 16
THREADING THE BOBBIN CASE
Hold the bobbin so that thread will
unwind in the direction shown in
Fig.14.
Hold the bobbin case as shown in
Fig. 14 and place the bobbin into
it and thread as shown in Fig. 15.
REPLACING THE BOBBIN CASE
After threading, take bobbin case
by latch in left hand and place
bobbin case on center stud of
bobbin case holder, as shown in
Fig. 16 and release latch. Press
bobbin case firmly into place.
Allow about two inches of thread
to hang free.
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PREPARING TO SEW
Hold end of needle thread with
left hand very lightly. Then turn
the machine pulley over toward
you slowly until the needle moves
down and up. Pull on the needle
thread and the bobbin thread will
come up through the hole in the
throat plate as shown in Fig. 17.
Place both threads under the
presser foot prior to sewing.
SEWING
Place the material under the presser
foot and lower the presser foot.
You are now ready to sew—quickly,
smoothly and easily.
Stop the machine when the needle
bar has just started to come down
for best material removal. Raise
the presser foot, draw the work
behind the presser foot and cut the
threads close to the work.
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Fig. 17
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PERFECT STITCH
B
NEEDLE THREAD TENSION TOO TIGHT
NEEDLE THREAD TENSION TOO LOOSE
Fig. 18
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Fig. 19
MORE
C1
TENSION
LESS TENSION
Fig. 20
SETTING THREAD TENSIONS
Normally, tension on the needle
and bobbin threads should be
balanced so that if you were to
look at a cross section of a line of
stitching, the needle and bobbin
threads would be locked in the
center of the thickness of the
material as shown in Fig. 18-A.
Incorrect settings will produce the
conditions as shown in Figs. 18-8
and 18-C.
Regulate the needle thread tension
as shown in Fig. 19. Be sure the
presser foot is down when making
tension adjustments.
Tension on the needle thread
should be just enough to set the
stitch properly in the material. See
Fig. 18-A.
For average sewing, the tension on
the bobbin thread should be very
light.
Should regulation of the tension on
the bobbin thread be necessary,
remove the bobbin case and adjust
as shown in Fig. 20.
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ADJUSTING PRESSER FOOT PRESSURE
Correct presser foot pressure helps
feed the work properly.
The pressure on the material should
be as light as possible, while still
sufficient to insure proper feeding.
Adjust the pressure as shown in
Fig. 21 and tighten nut firmly.
ADJUSTING STITCH LENGTH
Depress and hold feed reverse lever
A in center position and turn stitch
length regulating dial as shown in
Fig. 22.
The machine will produce a maxi
mum 6 stitches to the inch (4mm
stitch length).
To change the direction of feed for
back tacking, depress feed reverse
lever quickly to lowest position
until back tack is completed.
NOTE: Numerals on stitch length
regulating dial are reference points
and do not denote actual number
of stitches per inch.
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MORE
Fig. 21
LONGER
SHORTER
Fig. 22
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Fig. 23
MACHINE PIN CUSHION
For your convenience, a pin cushion
has
been provided as shown in Fig.
23.
It is easily removed and replaced.
Remove the cushion by pulling it
from its seat and replace it by
pressing the cushion into position.
HINTS FOR PERFECT OPERATION
*Keep the oil level in the oil reservoir at the HIGH mark.
* When turning the machine pulley, always turn it over toward you.
*Always keep the bed slide closed when the machine is in operation.
*Clean out any lint or other waste around the hook and between the
feed rows on the underside of the throat plate.
* Don't try to "help" the machine by pulling the fabric.
*
Don't press the knee lifter while the machine is running.
* Don't run the machine when threaded unless there is material under
the presser foot.
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The Same!
To get replacements that
are the same as parts in
new machines ....
BUY PARTS AND
NEEDLES MADE
BY SINGER
TO BE DOUBLY SURE
of new machine performance, make sure that
all replacement parts and needles are precisely
identical to those in new SINGER machines.
LOOK FOR THE TRADEMARK
SINGER
1. on every package or container
2. on the needle or numbered part
Needles in containers marked
"For Singer Machines" are
NOT made by SINGER
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
The improper placing or affixing of the Trademark "SINGER" or
any other of the trademarks of The Singer Company (all of which are
duly Registered Trademarks) on any machine that has been repaired,
rebuilt, reconditioned, or altered in any way whatsoever outside a
SINGER factory or an authorized SINGER agency is forbidden.
* A Trademark of THE SINGER COMPANY
From the library of: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC

Form \) 229 "]
Printed in Jopon
UNITY SEWING SUPPLY CO.
824 E. 8th St.
Los Angelesi CA 90081
From the library of: Superior Sewing Machine & Supply LLC