Abstract: A sewing machine utilizing an intermittent upper feeding foot to feed work material in any direction. The upper feeding foot is carried internally of and swivels within a presser tube supporting on the end thereof a presser foot. Means are provided to alternate force on the presser foot during needle penetration and withdrawal, and on the feeding foot during feeding of a work material. During the period when force is applied to the presser foot, the upper feeding foot may be positioned by driving devices to an initial position, and may be driven to a final position after the force has alternated to the feeding foot. The driving devices may be responsive to information retained in intelligence record carriers in order to achieve the initial position and the final position. One driving device is connected by suitble linkage to a Y slide movable in a "Y" direction and connected to the end of the rod opposite the feeding foot.

Abstract: An optical buttonhole switching arrangement in which the movement of reflective means carried on a moveable buttonhole foot are sensed as the foot is moved by the fabric feeding movement of a feed dog against the garment being sewn. The foot includes adjustable optical targets whose movement may be sensed by a photosensor carried on the sewing head. The spacing of the optical targets may be manually adjusted to accommodate buttons of different sizes. The photosensor is connected to an electronic circuit whose output may be used to control the retrieval of buttonhole stitching information from an electronic memory.

Abstract: A buttonhole producing mechanism for a sewing machine is disclosed in which an operator influenced selector dial includes settings for providing two differently proportioned buttonholes. The selector dial is also connected with a zig-zag stitch width influencing mechanism in the sewing machine and arranged automatically to provide that width of zig-zag side stitches in a buttonhole which is appropriate for the selected buttonhole proportion.

Abstract: A method of stitching a buttonhole in an electronically controlled sewing machine having the capability to generate a mirror image of a pattern. A first half of a buttonhole pattern is implemented which includes steps therein to return the work material to its starting position. Thereafter, a mirror image of the first half of the buttonhole pattern is implemented to provide a second half of the buttonhole which is perfectly symmetrical to the first half thereof. Additional reinforcing stitches about the cutting space of the buttonhole may be provided by the steps to return the work material to its starting position.

Abstract: A sewing machine is provided with an actuator controlled thread take-up lever. A microprocessor is programmed to provide signals for controlling the actuator to provide a system wherein the interaction of the needle, the needle thread take-up and needle thread tension are optimally controlled. A thread metering mechanism, also under microprocessor control, is included in the system.

Abstract: The needle bar of a sewing machine is mounted in a spherical bearing which is located adjacent the lower end of a needle bar bracket. The bearing is pivoted as a gate in the frame of the machine and the bracket is pivoted as a pendulum at its upper end to fixed structure in the machine head for movement in mutually perpendicular directions.

Abstract: A lock stitch sewing machine is provided with mechanism controllable by a servo motor for pulling thread from a bobbin, and including a selectively positionable member operably connected with a feed dog and bobbin thread engageable means for causing thread to be pulled from the bobbin by the thread engageable means during downward motion of the feed dog in amounts determined by the position of the selectively positionable member.

Abstract: A sewing machine, wherein a stitch controlling instrumentality is positioned during operation of the machine by a motor acting through connecting linkages, is provided with a ring magnet that is connected to said linkages for angular displacement thereby about its axis and with a linear output Hall effect sensor that is disposed within the ring magnet to produce an output voltage proportional to displacement of the stitch forming instrumentality.

Abstract: A sewing machine having a presser bar operated by a lever having a movable fulcrum to vary the mechanical advantage of the lever and thereby vary the effective pressure on the presser bar.

Abstract: A sewing machine is provided with an electronically controlled top feed arrangement wherein an upper feed dog and a presser foot are adapted to alternately apply and relieve pressure upon a work fabric, the upper feed dog and the presser foot being oppositely phased with respect to each other. A linear actuator is coupled to reciprocate the upper feed dog along a feed line and a memory stores feed data including for each stitch a first data portion for controlling the feed stroke of the upper feed dog and a second data portion for controlling the return stroke of the upper feed dog.

Abstract: A holder containing the light detector of the low bobbin thread detection system of a sewing machine and including a light admitting aperture through which light may pass to a photodetector is provided with a plastic tubular collar which extends over the aperture and serves both as a shield to keep lint out of the aperture and as a lens to focus light on a light sensitive surface in the photodetector.

Abstract: A system for sensing the position of a laser writing beam is provided wherein at least two laser beams of unlike frequency are superimposed on the laser writing beam. The combined laser beams are simultaneously deflected in a common optical deflection system. Once deflected, the unlike frequency laser beams are separated from the writing laser beam and focused onto a diffraction grating. The position of the focused beams of unlike frequency on the diffraction grating corresponds to the position of the writing laser beam on the writing media. The focused laser beams of unlike frequency produce a traveling interference pattern on the grating and are diffracted by the grating into a plurality of beams. By sensing the frequency of at least one of the beams diffracted by the grating, the position and movement of the writing laser beam can be determined.

Abstract: A sewing machine presser device is provided with a sole plate and with a latching spring which can be snapped into a retaining notch at the rear edge of a shank on the device and easily removed therefrom with only slight pressure applied to the toe end portion of the plate.

Abstract: The upper one of two spherical bearings supporting the needle bar of a sewing machine for endwise reciprocation is carried in a gate that is pivotally mounted between bifurcated portions of a fixed support located on the rear side of the machine casing. A link is pivotally mounted between bifurcated portions of the gate and operably connected to driving means effective to impart reciprocating movements to the gate resulting in zig-zag motion of a needle attached to the lower end of the needle bar.

Abstract: A sewing machine hook is provided with a hook body which can be adjusted relative to a drive shaft both along a radial line extending from the axis of the shaft through the hook beak and circumferentially about such axis to properly position the hook beak for seizing a loop of thread from a sewing needle.

Abstract: A bobbin alarm for a sewing machine which utilizes a light source and a pair of light sensors to provide a warning of low bobbin thread remaining or of a full bobbin condition. The light sensors are arranged with respect to the light source so that one sensor lies substantially on a line from the light source tangent to the hub of the bobbin and the other sensor lies substantially on a line from the light source tangent to the periphery of an imaginary cylinder having the bobbin flanges as the ends thereof. A circuit is provided which is responsive to light stimulation of both sensors (empty bobbin condition) or no stimulation of both sensors (full bobbin condition) to provide a signal to an operator in the form of an illuminated LED.

Abstract: Sewing machine stand having an adjustable height telescoping pedestal and adjustable link rods connecting a treadle with the sewing machine wherein the link rods are provided with remotely operable locking means which can be operated simultaneously with the pedestal height locking means.

Abstract: An automatic control means for overriding the manually operable fast/slow control switch of a sewing machine to assure slow speed operation while the machine is operating in skip stitch mode, such as while basting to facilitate positive latching and unlatching of the needle bar. The automatic control means cooperates with the needle bar lateral jogging mechanism of the sewing machine such that when the needle bar is jogged beyond a predetermined range of laterally jogged positions, wherein skip stitch mode is effected, the automatic control means will automatically impose slow speed operation independent of the setting of the fast/slow control switch as selected by the operator.

Abstract: A thread guiding system for sewing machine bobbin winders in which the last thread constraining eyelet is positioned laterally centrally of the bobbin spindle and a plurality of smooth surface guide pins are positioned between the thread constraining eyelet and the bobbin with the axis of each pin parallel to that of the bobbin spindle. The pins exert no lateral influence on the thread which is allowed to move freely along the pins. With this construction the distance from the last thread constraining position to the bobbin is greatly reduced from that normally required for smoothly winding thread uniformly about the bobbin.

Abstract: A mount system for mounting sewing machines provided with hinge pin sockets adjacent an edge of the work supporting surface, comprising a pair of elongated equal height mounting brackets having pins adapted to be inserted into and locked within the hinge pin sockets, the brackets being adapted at their other end to be mounted to a machine supporting surface or shelf, together with a machine rest also adapted to be mounted with the machine supporting surface to sustain the front of the sewing machine bed, the system thereby locating the work supporting surface at the desired height independent of the machine bed height or depth through the fixed hinge pin socket distance relationship, and the fixed height of the bracket pin on the bracket.