Abstract: A device for untangling crossed hooks of a conveyed material transported hanging on hangers or the like. The hooks grip around, and are transported by, a rotating, substantially cylindrical hollow body. The untangling device is directed radially outward from the body to engage between two hooks. The untangling device includes a plurality of mutually parallel pins that are mounted resiliently within the hollow body and extend through slots in the hollow body.

Abstract: An automatic sewing machine comprises a stand, on which a workpiece guide and feed device is mounted. This device substantially comprises an x carriage, a y carriage displaceable thereon and a lever with a workpiece holder for the displacement of workpieces on a workpiece receiving plate. The y carriage is drivable by a drive stationary on the stand by way of a shaft which is likewise stationary on the stand and passes though the x carriage. A drive for the y carriage is supported on the shaft by means of a torque/linear bearing. Driving the shaft takes place in proximity to the sewing head and at a distance from an auxiliary station so that inaccuracies of guidance occasioned by torsion of the shaft are minimized during the sewing operation.

Abstract: A thread-cutting mechanism for a sewing machine (2), especially an eyelet-buttonhole sewing machine with a moving blade (12 or 12") and a stationary blade (16). The moving blade travels back and forth in a groove (19) in a plate (1) with an aperture for the needle to pass through while it is producing a stitch. The needle-aperture plate comprises at least a top (11 or 11") and a bottom (10 or 10"). The moving blade is entirely accommodated between the top and the bottom of the plate. The stationary blade is part of the top.

Abstract: A device for counting the number of and determining the direction of travel of articles being conveyed, particularly articles of clothing, hanging on hangers provided with hanger hooks. Each hanger hook has a stem that is conducted through a light barrier connected with a counting and evaluating unit. The light barrier has at least two receivers that are spaced apart vertically in a plane and consist, in each case, of two sensors which operate independent of each other. The sensors are separated by a small distance. With this device, counting of the hangers is possible regardless of their position and, in particular, erroneous counting due to crossed hangers is excluded.

Abstract: Above a workpiece-receiving plate for an lower workpiece, a folding device for an automatic sewing machine comprises two swords, namely a lower sword and an upper sword for receiving an intermediate workpiece and an upper workpiece, respectively. For the folding of the intermediate workpiece about the outer edges of the lower sword, folding modules are mounted on the underside of an outer frame. For the folding of the upper workpiece about the outer edges of the upper sword, folding modules are provided on the upper side of the outer frame. The swords are mounted on a common carriage and movable in height relative to each other. The carriage iself is likewise displaceable in height.

Abstract: Actuator (1) adapted to be actuated by pressurized fluid as shown for example in FIG. 3, having a plurality of piston-cylinder units (A, B, C, D, E, F) arranged one behind the other and displaceable in the direction of a longitudinal axis (9), in which adjacent parts such as a piston of one unit and a cylinder of the adjacent unit are combined to form a connecting part. The individual piston-cylinder units (A, B, C, D, E, F) are so dimensioned in their lengths that the piston-cylinder units can be provided with different respective stroke lengths (ha, hb, hc, hd, he, hf). The stroke lengths can be varied by devices such as screws with hexagonal sockets (26, 110, 111, 113), and adjusted by a screw-turning tool (34). The actuator (1) has a small number of inexpensive individual parts and is easy to manufacture.

Abstract: A device for cutting and turning a piped opening in a cloth workpiece which includes a main piece of cloth and a cloth strip sewed to it. The workpiece has a slit, and corner cuts are formed at the slit ends by corner knives with the workpiece lying on a support plate. Turning tools are introduced into the slit at positions located spaced from the corner cuts. The turning tools are then moved apart toward positions located closer to the corner cuts and thereupon lowered, so as to turn the piped opening. Inserting devices may be provided for initially pushing at least part of the workpiece into the slit before being engaged by the turning tools. An orienting device furthermore may orient the workpiece at an acute angle or perpendicular to the support plate for being engaged by the turning tools.

Abstract: A folding stamp for folding sewing parts which are to be attached to a main sewing part, in a sewing system for making pockets in articles of clothing. The additional sewing parts, such as flaps or pocket-bag blanks, can be fed manually. This folding stamp has a fastening unit arranged on an upwardly and rearwardly extending extension formed on a vertical web. The fastening unit thereby extends above a resting surface on top of the web and in the direction toward the rear end of the folding stamp. The folding stamp is thereby arcuate or C-shaped in longitudinal cross-section, which gives it a compact construction and gives the operator an unimpeded view of the region in which he must feed the additional sewing parts.

Abstract: A device for removing conveyor carriages from a conveyor-path region of an overhead conveyor in the event of an alarm, particularly in the region of a fire door. The overhead conveyor has a plurality of conveyor carriages received on a travel rail, a drivable pull line driven by a main drive for the conveyor carriages, and a plurality of drivers connected to the pull line, on each of which displaceable stop pawls are arranged. Within the conveyor-path region that is to remain clear, there is arranged in a fixed position a rail which acts upon the drivers as they pass the rail and in each case swings the stop pawl not in contact with the conveyor carriage into a non-driving position, so that upon the triggering of an alarm, although the overhead conveyor is stopped, a conveyor carriage present in the conveyor-path region can be moved out of conveyor-path region by an auxiliary drive which is also located in the conveyor-path region.

Abstract: A hanging device for use in a hanging conveyor for receiving the hook of a clothes hanger is adapted to open for the release and/or ejection of the clothes hanger. It has a frame-shaped body and a flap pivotally fastened therein, the frame-shaped body having, in its rear region, a slot which permits the ejection of the hook. With such a hanging device it is possible to load clothes hangers from both sides, even while the conveyor is moving at a high speed.

Abstract: A continuous conveyor for transporting individual clothes hangers, the conveyor being inclined by an angle with respect to a horizontal axis which is perpendicular to the transport direction, and having a driven circulating chain. The chain has triangular pushers projecting from the chain and serving to transport the hanger hooks. The chain is guided in a bipartite frame which engages and defines the entire run of the chain. Such a design makes possible a limited structural height so that even hangers that have only a short hook can be conveyed.

Abstract: An overhead conveyor system with rolling conveyor carriages guided on rails. The pushers provided for moving the conveyor carriages out of the main track and onto a secondary track are provided with a claw which can be swung in a direction opposite to the direction of transport (T) into an upward-swung third position. In this position, a conveyor carriage which is blocked in the region of a switch and cannot be moved out of the track can be passed by the pusher without damage to the conveyor carriages or the overhead conveyor system. When the claw is swung upward, a flap is at the same time moved out laterally, which can serve as a signal for immediately stopping the conveyor system. The outwardly swung flap may assist maintenance personnel in finding the switch at which a conveyor carriage cannot be properly moved out of the line. The pusher includes a recess which is covered by a spring-loaded plate. The claw is fastened asymmetrically in the pusher so that it swings upward into the recess.

Abstract: A drive element for rail-guided load carriers of an overhead conveyor system in which the driver, which is mounted on the drive element via a hole, has a horizontal groove which extends outward from the hole. Too high a horizontal force acting on the driver causes the drive to be pulled off of the pin. Thus, the drive element which is continuously driven via a drive chain can travel past a conveyor carriage which is blocked in the direction of conveyance without the drive element or the conveyor carriage being destroyed. In order to prevent a driver that has been pulled off of the pin from doing any damage, it is secured via a wire bow which is inserted into a continuous hole provided on the driver. If the overhead conveyor system is developed with branches and a pusher is arranged on the conveyor chain behind each conveyor carriage for pushing the conveyor carriage onto a branch, the pusher claw can be developed in the same way as the driver.

Abstract: A method and sewing apparatus including a twin-needle sewing machine (3) for making a pocket insert having a flap. The workpiece (47) is placed in a preparation station (50) and gripped by clamping plates (41, 42), then transported into a sewing position (51), and thereafter into a cutting position (52). Before the seams are made, measurement variables which provide information with respect to the angles formed by the flap-limiting edges are fed to a control (23). As a function of the measurement variables, a control (23) automatically sets the angles of the corner knives (69, 70) provided at the cutting position (51).

Abstract: A thread tensioning device comprising a stationary electromagnet mounted on a sewing machine arm and a tensioning wheel having a relatively low mass. The tensioning wheel is rotatable concentric to a longitudinal axis of the electromagnet and is mounted on the electromagnet so as to be moveable only slightly in the direction of the longitudinal axis. A friction disk is positioned at one end of the electromagnet so as to be between the electromagnet and the tensioning wheel. A current flows through an excitation winding in the electromagnet and its value is varied within given limits by a suitable current control device, thereby causing the electromagnet to pull a flat side of the tensioning wheel with corresponding force against an application side of the friction disk, whereby a corresponding variable thread tensioning force is applied to a sewing thread passing through the tensioning wheel to the sewing machine.

Abstract: A sewing unit (1) for producing a seam in a sewing-material part (92), in particular for the production of a dart seam in an article of clothing, has a sewing-material holder (45) which receives the sewing-material part (92) between two plate edge parts (54, 55) and moves it via a displacement drive (44) along a sewing machine (2). The sewing-material holder (45) is provided with plate edge parts (54, 55) which frictionally smooth the sewing-material part (92) as it is being fed by a feeding plate (11) into the sewing-material holder (45) which is then placed in its clamping position. This eliminates any need for a further transfer of the sewing-material part 92 to a clamping rail for guiding it along the sewing machine 2. The plate edge parts (54, 55) serve, in the clamped position of the sewing-material part (92), for holding the sewing-material part (92) during the sewing process.

Abstract: Fastened to the bobbin for reception of the supply of looper thread which is inserted in the looper of a sewing machine, there is a data carrier (22) in which there is stored data which describe the supply of looper thread present on the bobbin with respect to the amount thereon and possibly also the nature of the sewing thread wound thereon. The data carrier is scanned by a sensor which preferably includes a first read/write head (27) and a second read/write head. After the winding of an empty bobbin, the data defining the supply of looper thread is recorded by said second read/write head in the data carrier of the said bobbin. After the sewing has been effected, the data defining the existing supply of looper thread is entered/read with the first read/write head in/from the data carrier of the corresponding bobbin. Thus, the bobbin provides information at any time as to the supply of looper thread present on it.

Abstract: A thread-pulling device is fastened on the arm of a sewing machine. The thread-pulling device has a thread clamp that can be opened and closed on the thread, and can be moved toward and away from the sewing machine arm. In operation, the needle thread, which has been pulled off the spool and extends to the sewing needle, is conducted through the thread clamp. After an initial seam has been completed, the thread clamp is closed on the thread and moved to an extended position which is remote from the arm. In this way, a given length of the needle thread is pulled off the spool, thus providing the proper length of needle thread for dependable formation of the first stitch of the following seam. Then, shortly after the start of the following sewing process, the thread clamp is moved back over an intermediate distance toward the sewing machine arm so as to pull back the initial piece of the needle thread that is now hanging down from the back of the material at the start of the seam.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rail for accommodating and guiding a conveyor for transporting goods hanging on hangers. The conveyor may be a roller chain which travels and is guided in a chain channel in the rail. The tips of the hanger hooks rest on the roller chain. The chain channel is recessed with respect to the top side of the rail, which faces the hanger hook, and a conical groove extends upward from the roller chain and opens upward toward the outside of the rail. These features make it possible to transport the hanger hooks on their tips. The bevel which is formed by the conical groove, as well as the shape of the rail and the relative positions of the chain channel and the side edge of the rail, ensure that the hanger hook always slides in a well-defined position and orientation on the roller chain regardless of how it has been placed on the conveyor.

Abstract: A device for the precise edge alignment and shift-free transfer of sewing material includes a feed device, a clamping carriage, and a swingably mounted stop straightedge. The material is manually placed in the feed device, between lowerable clamping tongues and a substantially flat support arm, in such a manner that its forward edge, which is to be aligned, is located in the vicinity of the stop straightedge, which is temporarily swung upward for aligning the material. The stop straightedge has a vacuum chamber which exerts suction on the material, and the suction action is further intensified by jets of air which emerge from the bottoms of the clamping tongues and are directed obliquely to the stop straightedge. In this way, the edge of the material is aligned precisely along the stop straightedge, without contact by the operator. Thereupon the aligned material is transferred forward, without shifting, to a position beneath the clamping levers of the clamping carriage.