Abstract: A creasing method includes: a gripping and rotating step of bunching and gripping a continuously drawn long fiber non-woven fabric and rotating the gripped part so that the long fiber non-woven fabric is twisted and a first folding line is formed; a heating step of heating the twisted long fiber non-woven fabric to fix the first folding line; and a widening step of releasing the long fiber non-woven fabric having the first folding line formed thereon.

Abstract: The device includes a toothed wheel on which pleats of a sheet 10 are preformed, in some cases with the aid of a second toothed wheel 31, and a device for holding by a vacuum; then the preformed pleats are transferred to a pleat gathering wheel 13 either directly or through the medium of a pleat pressing wheel, where they are laid down then fixed to form a pleated sheet 23. The toothed wheels 5 and 31 and the pleat pressing wheel and/or the pleat gathering wheel 13 can be arranged to produce areas with no pleats at regular intervals.

Abstract: A loading apparatus for an automatic sewing machine which includes a setting device for setting thereon a lower workpiece, a shirring plate hinge to the setting device, and a work holder having an upper blade and a lower blade for holding the workpiece therebetween during the sewing operation. The shirring plate has forks for mounting thereon an upper workpiece. The upper blade has corresponding forks for engaging in the forks of the shirring plate. The setting device is movable relative to the work holder to transfer the workpiece to the work holder.

Abstract: Apparatus for lacing a flexible line through sheet material, such as shade cloth, of an indefinite length in a continuous operation. The apparatus has a set of pleating rollers, each with a series of teeth spaced apart about the periphery. The pleating rollers are mounted for rotation so that the teeth intermesh in a mesh zone, sheet material feeding through the mesh zone during apparatus use being caused to fold by the teeth into successive pleats. A lacing needle projects toward the pleating rollers and has a leading end positioned in the mesh zone. Sheet material pleats successively formed in the mesh zone are pierced by the leading end and received onto the lacing needle. The lacing needle is collectable to a flexible line for lacing through the material. A set of feed rollers are positioned downstream of the pleating rollers, each with a circumferential groove and being mounted for rotation so that the circumferential grooves are in register one with another.

Abstract: A pleating machine having a frame supporting two pairs of rollers formed with intermeshing teeth. Each pair is comprised of upper and lower intermeshing rollers, with a roller of the first pair intermeshing with a roller of the second pair to form a continuous train of gears. Each roller is provided with registering circumferential grooves along the length thereof. A needle having a pointed tip end and an eye end is disposed in "floating" relation in the machine with its pointed end positioned between the first pair of rollers (entrance rollers) and with its eye end extending just beyond the second pair of rollers. The needle is provided with a predetermined length which extends from the pointed tip to the eye end of the needle which is disposed proximate an arc prescribed by rotation of a point on the outer periphery of the lower of the second set (exit) of rollers.

Abstract: A pleating machine with two engaging pleat forming chain conveyors, one with forming rollers and the other with forming plates both directly mounted on special links in the chains.

Abstract: A pleating machine having a frame supporting two pairs of rollers formed with intermeshing teeth. Each pair is comprised of upper and lower intermeshing rollers, with a roller of the first pair intermeshing with a roller of the second pair to form a continuous train of gears. Each roller is provided with registering circumferential grooves along the length thereof. A needle having a pointed tip end and an eye end is disposed in "floating" relation in the machine with its pointed end positioned between the first pair of rollers (entrance rollers) and with its eye end extending just beyond the second pair of rollers. The needle is provided with a predetermined length which extends from the pointed tip to the eye end of the needle which is disposed proximate an arc prescribed by rotation of a point on the outer periphery of the lower of the second set (exit) of rollers.

Abstract: French pleated draperies of any selected length are manufactured by serging panels of fabric together to provide a wide section of material. After hemming the bottom and serging a strip of buckram to the top of the section, the upper and lower edges of the section then are positioned on a pleat marking table. Ultraviolet markings then are made on the fabric to produce invisible marks at the locations of the centers of the pleats to be formed and also to indicate where fan folds should be formed at the bottom of the drapery. After a desired width of the section has been pleat marked, that width is cut from the section of material. After sewing the side hems, pleats are formed using a conventional pneumatic pleat forming machine by illuminating each ultraviolet sensitive pleat center mark with a center blade of the pleat forming machine and then forming that pleat. The pleat then is sewn by two pleat sewing machines.

Abstract: A smock gathering apparatus includes a base board having two spaced apart bearing blocks mounted thereon. A shaft adapted to support a roll of cloth material to be gathered is mounted for rotation in bearing apertures in the bearing blocks. The blocks are adjustably secured on the base board and means are provided for removably securing a smock gathering machine on the base board between the two bearing blocks and in operative relation to the shaft.

Abstract: The disclosure relates broadly to sewing machines and provides a machine for pleating a fabric or other sheet material by passing it between intermeshed toothed rollers which produce pleats and deliver the material onto needles which are supported by the rollers.

Abstract: A fabric creasing machine is disclosed for applying one or more creases in fabric. Only that portion of fabric to be creased is sucked by vacuum into the space between a pair of heated creasing bars by vacuum, and is subjected to steam while being pressed by the pressing bars.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for forming or restoring the pleats of draperies which have been newly made or freshly dry cleaned. The drape or drapes are supported from a horizontally extending hanger bar which in turn is vertically movable on an upstanding frame. An improved horizontally mounted pleater bar assembly is also vertically movable on the frame and includes a stationary bar mounted on the frame having a plurality of spaced plates or fingers extending generally normal to the drapes and a movable bar carrying a plurality of spaced, flexible fingers, which movable bar is movable from a position away from the drape or drapes to a position whereby the fingers interleave with the plates with the drapery pleats passing about the fingers and plates. A releasable lock is provided for quickly and easily locking approximately 90% of the drapes between the plates and fingers.