Abstract: A guiding system for use with translucent textile work pieces is disclosed. A free edge (52) of a tubular work piece extends along a continuous processing path and is folded under the work piece to form a hem in the work piece. The work piece is then advanced along the processing path toward a downstream sewing machine (11), whereupon the hem is sewn in the work piece. A lower ply sensing opposed beam sensor (76) upstream of the sewing machine detects a multiple ply leading edge of the folded hem, and is moved by a pneumatic cylinder (88) into a position laterally with respect to the processing path where it will detect the free edge of the folded and sewn hem, and will control a lower work piece guide assembly (34) so as to maintain a proper depth of the hem. This enables the sewing needles (20) of the sewing machine to align the two spaced parallel lines of stitching (68) at the beginning and end of the hem line for minimizing waste in such hem forming operations.

Abstract: A semi-automatic leg binding attachment system includes a pair of infeed guide plates leading towards and terminating in a pair of sew heads. To align the garment as it is fed into the sew heads, a combination of pneumatic garment aligners and active, mechanical garment aligners are provided. The pneumatic garment aligners preferably include fine and coarse pneumatic garment aligners attached to the infeed guide plates. A central material blower blows downwards towards the garment to eliminate folds and maintain garment tension against which the active, mechanical aligners pull. Easy operator access during garment loading is provided by devices which disengage the fine pneumatic aligners and the active, mechanical aligners away from the infeed guide plates. To load the garment, the operator lays the garment onto the infeed guide plates and places a leading edge of the garment below material present/foot drop sensors.

Abstract: A hemming and seaming machine is disclosed, the machine having a hemming conveyor on which a workpiece is moved along a first leg of a U-shaped path of travel toward and through a hemming station which sews a hem in the workpiece. Thereafter, the hemmed workpiece is then moved downstream toward a folding station where a spaced series of first air jets selectively emit a stream of air in a direction opposite the direction of the path of travel between a folding plate and a clamping plate to create a vacuum therebetween to draw the leading edge of the workpiece upward and between the folding plate and the clamping plate. Thereafter, the leading edge of the workpiece is held between the clamping and folding plates while a second series of air jets positioned upstream of the folding plate selectively blows a stream of air underneath the folding plate and against at least a portion the workpiece as it moves along the path of travel.

Abstract: A stitching clamp for an automatic sewing sewing machine. The stitching clamp has a flexible membrane defining a track for the presser foot of a sewing head to maintain the presser foot in a spaced relationship with respect to a workpiece as the workpiece is moved through a sewing head by the combination of at least one feed dog and a servocontrol. The stitching clamp further includes a label clamp for securely holding a label against a workpiece.

Abstract: A highly efficient, simplified method and apparatus for joining knitted shirt sleeves to shoulder openings of knitted shirt bodies. A knitted sleeve section, oriented outside-out, is engaged by a limited shoulder edge margin only by guide rollers, which can be separated to apply a very limited, controlled circumferential tension to the mounted sleeve section. A knitted shirt body, oriented inside-out, is positioned with a shoulder edge margin directly surrounding the shoulder edge margin of the sleeve section, and also maintained under light tension. A retractable support is positioned underneath the free portion of the sleeve section during loading of the shirt body. The two fabric sections are arranged to be controllably advanced in unison by the guide rollers on which they are supported while a sewing operation is performed.

Abstract: An apparatus for high production assembly and sewing of tubular sleeve sections to shirt bodies. Tubular sleeve sections are loaded onto sleeve cones, preferably of cylindrical or frusto-conical form. The sleeve cones may be mounted for pivoting movement to facilitate manual loading. A retractable hollow body shell closes over the loaded sleeve cones, and a shirt body is loaded over the body shell and previously loaded sleeve sections. Load fixtures, comprising a body shell and a pair of sleeve cones, are mounted on a carrier, preferably a rotary turret, for advancement from one work station to another, for loading, sewing and unloading operations. For sewing, the load fixtures are bodily detachable from the carrier, and rotated about the axis of the sleeve cones, while the shoulder seams are sewn by a stationary sewing apparatus. Shirt bodies are loaded with an inside-out orientation for the sewing operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for high production assembly and sewing of tubular sleeve sections to shirt bodies. Tubular sleeve sections are loaded onto sleeve cones, preferably of cylindrical or frusto-conical form. The sleeve cones may be mounted for pivoting movement to facilitate manual loading. A retractable, hollow body shell closes over the loaded sleeve cones, and a shirt body is loaded over the body shell and previously loaded sleeve sections. Load fixtures, comprising a body shell and a pair of sleeve cones as described, are mounted on a carrier, preferably a rotary turret, for advancement from one work station to another, for loading, sewing and unloading operations. For sewing, the load fixtures are bodily detachable from the carrier, and rotated about the axis of the sleeve cones, while the shoulder seams are sewn by a stationary sewing apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sewing sleeve sections to a knitted shirt body. The sleeve sections are provided with a right-side-out orientation and are engaged and supported for sewing by a limited edge margin. A shirt body, supplied in an inside-out orientation, is applied over a previously loaded sleeve section, and is also engaged by only a limited edge margin at the sleeve opening, with the shoulder margin of the shirt body closely surrounding and approximately aligned with the edge margin of the sleeve section. The two components are placed under limited tension to equalize the respective circumference dimensions and are controllably advanced while a shoulder seam is sewn. The respective edges are guided and aligned as they approach the sewing position. A pair of opposed fixtures and sewing heads are provided at each sewing station, so that both sleeve sections and both sides of the shirt body can be loaded in preparation for sewing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for automating the sewing of tubular sleeve sections onto tubular shirt bodies, as in the manufacture of T-shirts. Shirt bodies and sleeve sections are applied over a generally cylindrical body form having portions aligned with the sleeve openings of the shirt body. In one version, the sleeve sections are applied inside-out and inner end first over opposed hollow sleeve cones. The areas of the shirt body surrounding the sleeve openings are engaged at spaced points by positioning devices, which independently position segments of the sleeve opening edges with respect to predetermined reference planes. Thereafter, tubular sleeve sections are applied axially over the body form, in surrounding relation to the shoulder areas of the shirt body. As segments of the sleeve inner edges approach the reference planes, individual segments are engaged and retained in position, until all portions of the sleeve edges are aligned with their respective reference plane.

Abstract: There is disclosed a computerized control system for stitching apparel parts in various stitching patterns according to individual designs or styles. The control system prevents mismatching the hardware components used to hold the apparel parts during stitching thereof and a selected computerized program which controls an individual stitching pattern. A program may not be selected unless a code identifying such program is found to match the code which identifies the hardware used for a particular style or design.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for automating the sewing of tubular sleeve sections onto tubular shirt bodies, as in the manufacture of T-shirts. Shirt bodies are applied over a generally cylindrical body form having portions aligned with the sleeve openings of the shirt body. The sleeve sections are applied inside-out and inner end first over opposed hollow sleeve cones. The body form, oriented horizontally for loading, is indexed to a sleeve inserting station, where it is re-oriented vertically. The areas of the shirt body surrounding the sleeve openings are engaged a spaced points by positioning devices, which independently position segments of the sleeve opening edges with respect to predetermined reference planes. Thereafter, tubular sleeve sections are applied axially over the body form, in surrounding relation to the shoulder areas of the shirt body.

Abstract: An apparatus for affixing garment parts, such as pockets to a tubular knit garment body (for example, a T-shirt) which permits conversion of conventional pocket setting equipment, the apparatus providing means to convert the tubular body essentially into a flat undistorted .garment surface prior to and during the stitching operation; followed by subsequent restoration of the tubular garment body prior to stacking.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for low cost, high production setting of pockets on tubular shirt bodies. An indexable turret apparatus is provided forming a plurality of radially extending work platforms arranged successively to receive and support loosely draped tubular shirt bodies and to support and position pocket plies thereover. At successive index positions, the pocket plies are folded and clamped on the front of the shirt bodies, then sewn to the shirts in the desired manner, and then removed and draped over a stacking bar, for eventual further processing. A single operator, working at the load station, places the shirt bodies and pocket parts in position, after which successive indexings of the equipment cause the necessary production operations to take place.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is disclosed for the automated forming and hemming of pocket plies or like parts provided with a contoured top flap. Individual pocket plies are picked from a stack and positioned on a plate provided with V-contoured forward end edge. A clamping die clamps the ply to the plate and conforms a projecting hem-forming margin to the V-contoured (or other shaped) forward edge. A transfer mechanism completes the hem fold and, by the use of a transfer clamp, engages the folded hem area. After the clamping die is opened, the transfer clamp removes the ply and conveys it to a sewing station, while forming the top fold of the pocket ply. The top fold is completed as the transfer mechanism places the ply on the surface of the sewing table and transfers it to the control of a controllably movable sewing clamp.