Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a valance with a number of transverse pockets from a continuous strip of material. The apparatus may include a feed pull assembly positioned along a predetermined path for pulling a predetermined length of the continuous strip of material onto a tabletop, a cutter assembly for cutting the predetermined length of the material from the strip, a first fold assembly to fold a first end of the length of the material, a second fold assembly to fold a second end of the length of the material under the first end, and a hemming assembly to sew the transverse pockets.

Abstract: A garment portion processing assembly receives uncut material to process the material into a desired shape, such as the shape of a shirt collar, and then organize the formed material into separate stacks. The garment portion processing assembly includes a stack queuing assembly, a garment portion cutting apparatus, and a garment receiving assembly. In operation, the stack queuing assembly prepares the stacks of garment portions to be collected by the garment portion cutting apparatus to be processed. The garment portion cutting apparatus then collects the garment portions and processes the garment portions as desired by the user. The garment portion cutting apparatus includes a folding assembly for precisely folding the garment portion in an even manner, a shaping knife assembly treat is used to trim the garment portion according to the desired pattern, and a width knife assembly that makes sure the garment portion has the proper width.

Abstract: A quilting machine (10,100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) is provided with a printing station (20, 125, 225, 325, 425, 525, 611, 626, 631) and a quilting station (44, 127, 227, 327, 427, 527, 627, 632). A master batch controller (90, 135, 235, 335, 435, 535) assures that the proper combinations of printed and quilted patterns are combined to allow small quantities of different quilted products to be produced automatically along a material web. Ticking is preprinted with a plurality of different patterns, organized and communicated by the computer so that a print head can scan the material and print different patterns of different panels (32) across the width of a web. Identifying data (40) for matching the panels of a mattress product can be provided in data files printed on the fabric.

Abstract: An engagement groove provided near a corner of a sewing cartridge is engaged with a pin shaft protruding from a free end side of an oscillating arm oscillatably provided on the front of an engagement plate. A tip of an engaging member rotatably provided to the oscillating arm is engaged with an engagement portion provided on a right side of the sewing cartridge to maintain a posture of the sewing cartridge. An operating member rotatably supported by the engagement plate is used to disengage the engaging member from the engagement portion of the sewing cartridge. A thread cutting device disposed on the back of the engagement plate is actuated in conjunction with the disengagement of the sewing cartridge using the operating member. With the movement of the operating member after thread cutting operation is completed, a limit switch provided on the engagement plate is turned off, so that a signal is not outputted.

Abstract: An apparatus for stitching a penetrable material. The apparatus has a support for material to be stitched and a head assembly with a stitching head capable of directing a thread carrying needle through the material to be stitched that is in an operable position on the support to thereby produce a pattern on the material in the operative position. The support has a surface against which a material to be stitched can be placed in the operative position. The surface on the support is movable relative to the stitching head around a first axis to thereby allow material in the operative position that is to be stitched to be repositioned relative to the stitching head.

Abstract: A sewing apparatus includes a thread cutting mechanism that cuts a thread connected to a work cloth. In response to an operation of an operating member and detachment of a sewing cartridge from a sewing apparatus body, the thread cutting mechanism is actuated. The thread cutting mechanism includes a thread cutting lever, a link mechanism, cutting blades, and an engagement mechanism.

Abstract: An embroidery stitch data producing device with two-way data transmission function is disclosed, wherein a first embroidery stitch data producing part A comprises a connecting means 6, a control means 7, an image data memory 2, a stitch data producing means 3 and a stitch data memory 4, while a second embroidery stitch data producing part B comprises a second image data memory 51, a stitch data producing/compiling means 52 and a second stitch data memory 53. The image data memory 2, the stitch data producing means 3 and the stitch data memory 4 may be connected through the connecting means 6 to the second image data memory 51, the stitch data producing/compiling means 52 and the second stitch data memory 53 so that the data may be exchanged therebetween so as to be variously converted for optional embroider stitching.

Abstract: An embroidery data processor includes: a thinning unit that reduces thickness of lines in the image data to produce thin-line image data including at least one thin-line outline defining a bounded region corresponding to a region of the embroidery pattern; and a bounded region extractor that extracts the bounded region defined by the thin-line outline. Because the bounded region is extracted from data that has been subjected to the thinning processes, no gaps through which the workpiece cloth is exposed will form between outlines and bounded regions sewn based on the data even when outlines are sewn in an extremely narrow width.

Abstract: A quilting machine (10, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600) is provided with a printing station (20, 125, 225, 325, 425, 525, 611, 626, 631) and a quilting station (44, 127, 227, 327, 427, 527, 627, 632). The printing station is located either in line and preferably upstream of the quilting station, with a conveyor (520) extending through each of the stations to convey a web of quilting material through the machine, or is off of the quilting line such that the material with a pre-applied pattern thereon is transferred, preferably in web form, to the line of the second station for the application of a pattern in registration with the first applied pattern. At the quilting station, registration longitudinal and transverse registration is measured and skewing or rotation of the material is determined. Opposite transverse sides of the material are differently adjusted to orient and register the material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically cutting notches at specific locations on a web which are separated by predetermined lengths which are the outer dimensions of a pillowtop mattress. The web is pulled through a sewing station with a traction drive. Slack is induced in the web downstream of the traction drive. Predetermined lengths are drawn out of the slack bin in a single motion through a linear measuring device. A knife disposed in close proximity to the measuring device cuts the notches at the specific locations and subsequently severs the notched portion from the remainder of the web.

Abstract: A serial bus control system for an automatic sewing station for attaching a series of work pieces includes a serial bus cable connected to a power supply and a system controller. A program module is plugged into the serial bus cable and is programmed with an operations program or set of command instructions that are accessed and run by the system controller for controlling the automatic sewing station. A series of input modules are removably connected to the serial bus cable and receive inputs from various detectors monitoring the position and movement of the work pieces along a sewing path through the automatic sewing station.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for simultaneously feeding one or more rolls of material into a sewing and cutting system. In one embodiment, the material is cut into predetermined lengths of cloth and during processing, each side of the cloth is hemmed automatically. The system of the present invention is particularly well suited to producing draperies and other similar fabric products.

Abstract: Ticking for the production of mattress covers is preprinted with a plurality of different patterns by a computer controlled printer that prints in response to pattern data communicated from a control computer. The pattern data is organized and communicated by the computer so that a print head, for example, can scan the ticking material, such as in rows across the width of a web, and print different patterns. For example, different border panels can be oriented along a web and positioned side-by-side across a web and each printed with a different pattern. Top and bottom panels having corresponding patterns can be printed on the same or a different web. Identifying data for matching the panels of a mattress product can be provided in data files in the same or a different computer or can be printed on the fabric along with the patterns on the panels.

Abstract: A hem monitoring system for a textile finishing device having one or more sewing heads positioned along a predetermined path for finishing the hem on a textile product in a high speed manner. The monitoring system includes a camera, a monitor, and means for controlling the camera such that an image of the hem is captured and displayed on the monitor so as to inspect the quality of the hem.

Abstract: A quilting system that includes a multiple needle quilting machine is provided with batch processing capability by the addition of a panel cutter in-line with and downstream of the quilting machine. The panel cutter is equipped with a programmed controller that is loaded with batch information for the production, on the quilting machine, of a plurality of quilts by stitching patterns on a multilayered web of fabric. The batch information includes information of a number of quilts to be quilted as well as the patterns to be quilted on each quilt and the composition of the material on which the patterns are to be quilted. Information is derived by the panel cutter controller from sensors on the panel cutter, which information is used to control the quilting machine by adjusting the length of quilted material from the quilter.

Abstract: A sewing installation for the production of a piped pocket opening in a cloth workpiece comprises two cutting units each with a corner cutting knife, which have two knives each. For the production of straight or diagonal corner cuts, one knife of a corner cutting knife is pivotally adjustable about an axis in the direction of the incision which substantially constitutes the pocket opening.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for sewing handles lengthwise on a strip of mattress border material or other elongated strip of material. A fold is formed and aligned on a leading end of handle stock and is advanced to a sewing head where the fold is sewn to the strip of material. The handle stock is then cut at a point to leave the proper length of handle stock to form the handle and a fold is formed in the trailing end of the handle, aligned and positioned at the sewing head where it is sewn to the strip material to complete the handle. All of the above are performed automatically under programmable control.

Abstract: Native code for a CNC stitching machine is generated by generating a geometry model of a preform; generating tool paths from the geometry model, the tool paths including stitching instructions for making stitches; and generating additional instructions indicating thickness values. The thickness values are obtained from a lookup table. When the stitching machine runs the native code, it accesses a lookup table to determine a thread tension value corresponding to the thickness value. The stitching machine accesses another lookup table to determine a thread path geometry value corresponding to the thickness value.