Abstract: A thread take-up arm drive means for a multihead embroidery machine in which identical heads have automatic color change capability such that the color thread stitched on the plurality of embroidery heads is changed substantially simultaneously. A sliding carriage associated with each head contains a plurality of associated color stitching sets of thread take-up arms and needle bars. Each color stitching set is for stitching a different color thread. A computer controls a step motor to position the carriage and thus place the particular color stitching set in contact with the drive means. The thread take-up arm drive means is a pushplate biased in an up position by a leaf spring having adjustable tension. A cam follower is attached to the pushplate and moves the pushplate cyclically under force of and according to the design of the periphery of a cam. The cam is attached to the drive shaft that drives both the thread take-up arm and the needle bar of a color stitching set.

Abstract: A weft brake for a loom, especially for one of the shuttleless type, comprises a stationary blade and a movable blade cantilevered in overlapping positions on respective posts rising from a supporting plate, the free end of the movable blade being spring-biased toward the stationary blade for clamping a weft thread therebetween but being periodically deflected away therefrom for releasing the weft thread to facilitate its transportation through the shed of the associated warp threads. The weft thread passes between the stationary blade and a leaf spring forming an intermediate blade, inserted between the two other blades of the brake and cantilevered on the same post as the movable blade, so as to be frictionally restrained by the elasticity of that intermediate blade in the unclamping position of the movable blade.

Abstract: A double-function sewing machine, which is provided with a lock stitch forming mechanism and an overlock stitch forming mechanism, has a common driving source and a common flywheel for the two mechanisms. The sewing machine is provided with a switching device which includes a switch key connected to the flywheel of the machine. The switch key is selectively switchable to engage the shaft of the lock stitch-forming mechanism or a drive of the overlock stitch-forming mechanism. The switching device further includes a switching pawl which is engageable with and disengageable from the drive of the overlock stitch forming mechanism to hold the latter when the lock stitch forming mechanism is operated.

Abstract: In a double-function sewing machine including a lock stitching mechanism and an overlock stitching mechanism a common driving source and a common flywheel for both stitching mechanisms are used. A switching device for switching the sewing machine from operation with the overlock stitching mechanism to the operation with lock stitching mechanism and vice versa is provided in the sewing machine. This device includes a belt wheel bush rotatable with respect to the machine frame and driven by the driving source and secured to the shaft of the flywheel, a belt wheel for overlock stitching rotatably supported with respect to the machine frame and connected to the overlock stitch forming mechanism, a ratchet guide member mounted on the main shaft of the lock stitch-forming mechanism and pivoted with respect to the machine frame, two sliding plates one of which is the mounted on ratchet guide member and another one of which is mounted on the belt wheel, and a switching lever.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing rectangular pieces of fabric wherein the piece of fabric is moved in a first direction until the front edge reaches and is held in a predetermined front position, whereas the remaining part of said piece continues to move in said first direction until the rear edge reaches and is held in a predetermined rear position. The piece is thereafter moved in a second position while the front and rear edges are kept apart at a predetermined distance, and the aforesaid edges are hemmed simultaneously by hemming machines. The method and device according to the invention are used for hemming pieces having two parallel edges, and in particular rectangular pieces cut from a continuous web of fabric, such as for example floor cloths.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic embroidery machine having a plurality of single-needle embroidery heads which are driven by a common main drive shaft. In order to also be able to produce drill patterns with such an automatic embroidery machine, a drill rod provided with a drill is arranged in each embroidery head, the rod being supported for movement parallel to the embroidery needle and being adapted to be driven from the main drive shaft by a transmission which makes it possible to stop the drill rod in the disengaged position. This transmission comprises a ring eccentric arranged on the main drive shaft and two carriages which are supported for displacement in a linear guide and can be coupled with each other, the drive carriage being connected via a connecting rod with the ring eccentric and the driven carriage being connected by a push rod with a central drive lever which actuates a continuous drive shaft for all drill rods.

Abstract: A table top for an embroidering machine having a plurality of embroidering units with stitch plates which are arranged in a plane on an associated embroidering frame, comprises a step bearing adapted to be secured in position adjacent the frame. A bearing strap is pivotally mounted in the step bearing for rotation about a horizontal axis and it carries a table top which may be pivoted therewith between a horizontal position aligned adjacent the plane of the stitch plates to a substantially vertical position below the stitch plates. The pivot for the strap is located in a horizontal plane below the assemblies of the embroidering units. The position of the table may be finally adjusted by means of an adjusting screw. Construction includes a control shaft for actuating the embroidering units which are located beneath the units and extend over the entire length of the table top and is displaceable for controlling the embroidering machines.

Abstract: Small fabric pieces to be embroidered are secured to the undersurface of an adapter member by tape strips or the like. The adapter member is then received in a female receiving seat in a fixture or frame secured to the conventional machine frame displacing device which presents the fabric pieces to one of the embroidery heads of a multi-head embroidery machine according to a prescribed pattern.

Abstract: A yarn brake for a textile machine. The yarn brake comprises a stationary clamping plate and a movable clamping plate. The plates are forced together by first and second biasing means to provide full braking pressure on a yarn passing between the plates. De-activating means operate to selectively nullify the effect of the second biasing means to provide partial braking pressure on the yarn, or to nullify the effects of both biasing means so that there is no braking pressure on the yarn. The invention also includes a weft yarn braking system for a multi-weft loom utilizing a yarn brake of the present invention for each weft yarn. Control means, operating in timed relation to the loom, operate the brakes in a programmed sequence. The yarns are fully braked when not being inserted into the loom.

Abstract: An apparatus for the drive of the thread take-up on multi-head embroidery machines with at least one embroidery needle in each head, with which the thread take-up comprises a thread take-up lever, which thread take-up lever is mounted on the embroidery head pivotable back and forth about a horizontal axis and is driven by the machine main shaft. The thread take-up levers of all embroidery heads are secured on a common thread take-up shaft, the latter extending over the entire length of the machine. The thread take-up shaft is driven by a crankdrive mechanism from the main shaft of the machine.

Abstract: The weft yarn is selectively gripped and released by movable and stationary disc members in response to the weaving operation of the loom. The gripping force applied to the weft yarn by the members is such controlled that under beating of the reed, the magnitude of the force is decreased by a predetermined value thereby inducing a slippage of the weft yarn in the members.

Abstract: A device for simultaneously hemming one edge of a curtain or drapery panel, while sewing a strip of buckram or other stiffening material along an oppositely disposed edge. The device includes a pair of parallel elongated panel supporting and transporting units, each having moving belts which engage an edge of the panel therebetween, and transport the panel to a sewing station. The belts are synchronized with respect to linear speed, so that opposed edges of the panel are maintained in the same relative position. One sewing station includes edge-folding means located ahead of a sewing needle. The other sewing station includes means for positioning a strip of buckram against the area of the panel adjacent an edge thereof. Photosensitive means controls thread and buckram strip severing operations at the completion of each finished panel.

Abstract: A bag for forming into a quilted article is produced by pleating two sections of material and by feeding pairs of the folded edges thus formed through respective work stations, each pair comprising one edge from each section and the two edges from each pair being fed side by side and simultaneously through the respective station. At each station, the longitudinal edges of a respective strip of flexible material are simultaneously secured to the respective pair of folded edges so as to produce elongate quilting pockets. Apparatus for producing the bag has a plurality of the work stations, means for folding the sections of material, guides which receive the material from the folding means and feed means which co-operate with the guides to feed the folded edges of each pair side by side and simultaneously to the respective work station. The feed means also serve to draw the strips of flexible material from supports for these strips and through the respective work stations.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming triple type of tucks in a curtain cloth is disclosed. The apparatus comprises on a base frame a first sewing machine with a first presser, a second sewing machine with a second presser, a movable base plate arranged for movement in the transverse direction of the cloth, and a stationary base plate arranged adjacent the second sewing machine. Further, a pair of upper and lower keep plates, a pair of upper and lower expansion spatulas, and a width setting spatula are mounted on the movable base plate for movement in the lengthwise direction of the cloth, and extend therefrom over a face plate. A double tucking plate with two sheet metals extends from the stationary base plate over the face plate.

Abstract: Elongated quilted webs which have line out flaws are moved from a first container at high speed in a downward direction in front of an operator, then laterally through a sewing station toward the operator, then downwardly away from the operator to a second container. When a flaw in the web is detected by the operator as the web moves at inspection speed in a downward direction toward the sewing station, the operator allows the flaw to move through the sewing station and then stops the movement of the web. The operator then reverses the direction of movement of the web so that the flaw moves back through the sewing station at sewing speed where one of several sewing machines which is closest to the flaw is energized at the sewing station and operates concurrently with the movement of the web to sew through the web.

Abstract: This serging machine uses a righthand serging sewing head for serging one edge of an elongate strip of material and another, preferably identical, righthand serging sewing head for serging the opposite edge of that same strip comtemporaneously. This is accomplished by directing the strip material from a front supply roll rearwardly through the machine along one run of a given path, turning the strip 180.degree. at the rear end of the machine to return it forwardly through the serging machine and its feed rolls along another generally parallel run of said path and then rewinding it on a front rewind roll at the front end of said path. One edge is serged during the rearward run; the other during the forward run. First and second motors are used to drive the serging sewing heads continuously. A third motor is used not only to drive the feed rolls continuously to pull the strip through the machine but also to drive the rewind roll through a slip clutch.

Abstract: A device for simultaneously hemming each side of a continuous planar web of textile or similar material utilizing a pair of known blind-stitch sewing machines, each operating in conventional manner and direction of rotation in synchronism with the other. One of the sewing machines is driven in standard fashion, and the other of said sewing machines is coupled thereto in such manner that varying widths of web may be accommodated in planar condition without the necessity of forming a centrally disposed longitudinally arranged fold in the web. The machine driven in standard fashion is adjustably positionable upon a frame element at varying distances from the other of said sewing machines to accommodate the varying widths. The other machine is in relatively fixed condition upon the frame element, and the parts disposed above and below the web are driven through linkages disposed laterally outward of the frame element, so as to provide a clear path for the web passing therebeneath.

Abstract: There is provided a draping conveyor having a narrow upper margin, a flatwork piece feeding means for feeding sequentially flatwork pieces to a draping station, and flatwork piece engaging means for engaging the flatwork piece at the draping station and pushing a portion thereof over the top of the narrow margin of the conveyor as the feeding means continues to operate, so the flatwork piece is draped over the conveyor with a fold located on one side thereof and the confronting portions thereof extending from the fold depending and both exposed on the other side of the conveyor. The draping conveyor is moved first to a sewing station on the opposite sides of which sewing machines are positioned so operators can readily grasp the exposed end portions of the flatwork piece delivered thereto and apply the same to their sewing machines simultaneously.