Abstract: A curtain, drape, shade, or the like movable to a position in which it has a ballooning effect is mounted in a simple and effective manner. A first conventional curtain rod supports a fabric sheet comprising the shade, or the like, at a top portion of the sheet. A second conventional curtain rod is spaced from the first rod and is adjacent the top of the sheet. A number of rings, disposed in columns, are formed on the back of the fabric sheet, and a cord passes through all the rings in a column. Each cord is connected at a first end to a bottom portion of the fabric sheet, and the second end of each cord passes through one or more eyelets mounted in a fixed position with respect to the second curtain rod. Each eyelet may be moved to any desired position along the curtain rod by loosening a screw fastener, and when the screw fastener is tightened it is fixed at the particular position to which it has been moved along the curtain rod.

Abstract: A pleating machine for automatically forming pleated drapes from blank drapery panels. The pleating machine is comprised of six stations which cooperate automatically under the control of a controller. The pleating machine is comprised of a loading station, a loop-forming station, an overhead transfer assembly, a corner sewing station, at least one pleat and sewing station and at least one ejection assembly. After a drapery panel is loaded in the pleating machine, the machine automatically forms a header in the panel, determines the spacing required to form pleats uniformly across the panel just loaded and forms uniformly spaced single loops along the header. Thereafter, the corners of the header are sewn, and the entire panel is transferred to the pleat and sewing station, where each loop is formed into a pleat and sewn. After the last pleat is sewn the entire panel is ejected.

Abstract: A pleating machine for automatically forming pleated drapes from blank drapery panels. The pleating machine is comprised of six stations which cooperate automatically under the control of a controller. The pleating machine is comprised of a loading station, a loop-forming station, an overhead transfer assembly, a corner sewing station, at least one pleat and sewing station and at least one ejection assembly. After a drapery panel is loaded in the pleating machine, the machine automatically forms a header in the panel, determines the spacing required to form pleats uniformly across the panel just loaded and forms uniformly spaced single loops along the header. Thereafter, the corners of the header are sewn, and the entire panel is transferred to the pleat and sewing station, where each loop is formed into a pleat and sewn. After the last pleat is sewn the entire panel is ejected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel, compact device for attaching correctly sized strips of buckram material along the top edge of an unstretched drapery panel and overcomes prior art alignment difficulties associated between the drapery panel and strips of buckram, while at the same time assuring the production of a square straight edge along the top edge of the drapery panel. The process includes the trimming away of pre-measured portion of the top edge of each panel thereby removing any unevenness that may have occurred during the production of the drapery panel. At the same time, the device maintains a straight flat alignment between the panel and the buckram strip and includes a novel doffing device for removing the drapery panel from the apparatus subsequent to the sewing process.

Abstract: A device for use with a sewing machine using bobbins to determine either when a predetermined amount of bobbin thread remains on the bobbin or, alternatively, when the bobbin is completely empty. The device employs a probe which is inserted into the bobbin when the sewing machine is not operating and will thereafter produce a signal if the bobbin is low on thread or empty.