Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a pant garment such as a standard jean wherein the level of comfort in the jean is increased by incorporating a stretchable material in particular sections of the garment construct. Thus, the majority of the jean or pant garment may be made of standard rigid denim or the like material but the yoke and the rear section of the waistband may incorporate a stretchable quality. This material is designed to be visually indistinguishable from the other non-stretch material of the garment.

Abstract: A digital signal processor system is provided which detects defect in tubular knit fabric. The signal processor system is attached to a circular knitting machine or the like and utilizes a fiber optic scanning head for obtaining light reflectance data from the material. Fiber optic material is utilized to project light against the fabric web and another fiber optic bundle is utilized to read reflected light. A opto-sensor pixel array is utilized to provide voltage data to a digital signal processor which then analyzes the data to determine the existence of end out, holes, light or heavy yarn and needle run conditions.

Abstract: A powerized apparatus utilized in handling and unrolling large rolls of fabric, on the order of 600 pounds has pneumatically controlled air cylinders to raise and lower a loading door for proper loading of large fabric rolls. Dual air actuators are connected to two pinch rollers to pull fabric up and away from the large fabric roll. Within the containment bin are a plurality of rollers which allow the large fabric roll to spin within the containment bin, two of said rollers powerized to turn the fabric roll. When activated, the apparatus not only rotates the large fabric roll but also pulls the material through the pinch rollers at a high rate of speed, up to about 310 yards/minute. The containment bin also has an adapting unit for placement of smaller 50 pound fabric rolls within the containment bin.

Abstract: A tubular knitting machine having a separate take-up assembly and removable knitting head. The knitting head drive mechanism is removably attached to the take-up assembly. A separate drive mechanism is provided for take-up tension and drive rollers. The take-up assembly supports various diameter size needle cylinder and has fully adjustable drive arms for attaching a table-gear of the knitting head to the take-up assembly wherein the take-up assembly of the present invention can support tubular knit rolls of up to 800 pounds.

Abstract: An automatic hemming machine, including a multi-belt conveyor, for folding the top edge of a pocket to be subsequently sewn on a shirt and hemming it with a back binding tape, severing the binding tape sewn on the pockets with a fast acting scissors type trimming assembly, and thereafter stacking a predetermined number of pockets after being fed off of the conveyor and returning one or more stacks in a bundle to an operator who does not have to leave the work station to unload the bundle from the machine.

Abstract: An automatic hemming machine, including a multi-belt conveyor, for folding the top edge of a pocket to be subsequently sewn on a shirt and hemming it with a back binding tape, severing the binding tape sewn on the pockets with a fast acting scissors type trimming assembly, and thereafter stacking a predetermined number of pockets after being fed off of the conveyor and returning one or more stacks in a bundle to an operator who does not have to leave the work station to unload the bundle from the machine.

Abstract: A take-up roll doffing apparatus for a circular knitting machine includes a take-up roll extending between and supported for rotation at opposite ends of the opposed side frames of the take-up frame of the knitting machine. The take-up roll is pivotably supported at one end on one of the opposed side frames and is free to swing outwardly away from the other of the opposed side frames to position the roll of fabric in a doffing position. A fabric roll receiving rod includes a free end and a supported end. The fabric roll receiving rod is supported on the floor adjacent the main frame of the knitting machine and is adapted to be manually moved between an inactive vertically disposed position and an active horizontally disposed position with the free end being aligned with the other end of the fabric take-up roll to permit longitudinal sliding of the fabric roll from the fabric take-up roll and onto the fabric roll receiving rod.

Abstract: A conveyor belt carries a plurality of cut pieces of fabric in succession to an edge trimmer which successively cuts a trim edge on each cut piece along a predetermined straight line. A band of trim of double thickness is placed in tension and sewed to the cut pieces to overlap the trim edges thereof. The trim edges are closely spaced together to reduce trim waste. A forwardmost cut piece is separated from the next following cut piece so as to increase blade clearance between them. The resulting blade clearance is large enough to permit the forwardmost cut piece to be severed from the next following cut piece by a blade which cuts that intermediate band section which joins the two. The served cut piece is then picked up and dropped to fall flat on top of a stack.