Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically making a pocket opening having a flap and a pocket bag, one half of the pocket-bag blank being sewn to the workpiece together with the flap and the piping strip. The formation of the seam takes place as a function of the detected presence of the flap. During the transport of the workpiece, flap, and blank to the sewing place, the part of the pocket-bag blank which rests on the flap is lifted off of the flap, the presence of the flap is detected by an opto-electronic sensor, and the pocket bag is again placed on the flap before the parts are sewn together. The sewing machine is controlled in response to the sensor so that the seam corresponds precisely to the length of the flap. The pocket-bag blank is lifted off and replaced on the flap by a folder which has an arrangement of guide plates for carrying out the invention.

Abstract: In the sewing unit for the successive production of a number of stitch groups in a workpiece, a carriage supported slidably in two opposite directions on a frame and bearing a stitch group sewing machine. The sewing unit is periodically driven by a drive unit back and forth. A clamping device, slidably supported on the frame, is periodically coupled to the carriage by a clutch unit. The stitch group sewing operation takes place during the synchronous motion of the stitch group sewing machine and the clamping device. When the sewing operation is completed and the carriage is at rest, a pushing device attached to the frame pushes the clamping device, once it has been uncoupled from the carriage, in the opposite direction to its previously executed motion, back into its initial position.

Abstract: A sewing machine has at least one rotating top thread hook, the hook enclosing a bobbin housing which accommodates a bottom thread. A spring bar is mounted in the base of the sewing machine and has a free end for bearing against the bobbin housing. The free end of the spring bar is displaceable by the top thread as it is being looped. To prevent unwanted displacement or oscillation of the spring bar, a cam is disposed in the base closely adjacent to the free end of the spring bar. The cam prevents displacement of the free end beyond a predetermined range of displacement.

Abstract: A device in a sewing machine for applying a variable downward force to a presser bar. A guide lever engages the presser bar and in turn is urged downward by the force of a spring. The bottom of the spring is held fixed to a lock sleeve on the guide lever. The top of the spring is fixed to a sleeve on a shaft which is disposed vertically inside the spring. The shaft passes freely out the bottom of the spring and through the guide lever without engaging either of these. The shaft and thereby the top of the spring are urged downward by a controllable pneumatic device in order to set the compression of the spring and thereby the downward force applied to the pressure bar by the guide lever. The pneumatic device preferably includes a pair of separately controlled pneumatic pistions arranged in series for moving the shaft to at least two predetermined positions.

Abstract: By means of this method and apparatus for sewing a seam, it is possible to end a seam exactly at a predetermined location. When the predetermined location is reached, the forward movement of the sewing material is interrupted, and only the stitch that had been begun at the time of the interruption is completed. In this way, on the one hand, visually attractive seams can be produced and, on the other hand, it is possible to sew a small part onto a main part with a seam which does not extend past the small part.

Abstract: A method and sewing unit for folding a strip of cloth and then transporting it to a sewing machine together with a sewing material blank to which it is to be sewn. In accordance with this invention, the sewing material blank 109, which has been laid out in accordance with markings at a layout point 101 of the sewing unit, together with the strip of cloth 110, are transferred by a feed device 8 to a transfer point 106 beneath the sewing-material holder 9, which has previously been raised. A pivotable and displaceable folding-plate 94 provided on the sewing-material holder, together with a counterplate 54 of the feed device 8, carries out the folding of the strip of cloth 110. Then the folding-plate 94 is pulled forward and the counterplate 54 backward, and the feed device 8 is placed in its raised position. The sewing-material holder 9 moves the folded strip of cloth 110 and the blank 109 lying under it to the sewing point 108 at the sewing machine 3.

Abstract: For producing properly shaped button holes in which the first zigzag stitches of the first button-hole caterpillar pattern are formed flat by covering the needle-side piece of thread which is held clamped, the button-hole sewing machine 1 is provided with a push device 41, a release device 58 and a shift mechanism 78. In this way, the thread cutting and clamping device 26 is moveable in synchronism with a material-presser basket 9 during its first phase of motion (I-II) which is directed parallel to the sewing-material transport direction NV. Furhtermore, towards the end of the first movement phase I-II, the needle-side piece of thread which is held clamped at the beginning of the sewing is automatically released by the release device 58 at a predetermined place so that it is completely covered by the following zigzag stitches of the first button-hole caterpillar pattern 92.

Abstract: A small part (42) is automatically lowered, with its front side (76) facing upward, directly onto a main part (43) which is spread out on a worktable (2), the front side (76) of said main part also facing upward. The respective patterns of the main part (43) and the small part (42) are aligned. Then the small part (42) is automatically turned over, whereby it then can be deposited, with its front side (76) facing downward, on a sewing-material clamp (8). The latter transports both the main and small sewing parts, fixed in position, first to the sewing station (68) and then to the cutting station (6).

Abstract: In order to permit a reliable alignment, in the direction transverse to the direction of rotation, of the edge 5 of the opening of a tubular workpiece 4 of medium-heavy to heavy sewing material which is drawn with considerable pre-tension over a tensioning device 3, each of the tensioning rollers 6, 7, 8 belonging to the tensioning device 3 has at least three alignment members 15 distributed uniformly over its circumference. Each alignment member 15 has an engagement side with a gripping surface. After optically scanning the edge 5 of the opening of the workpiece 4, one or more of the alignment members are displaced by a pulsating action of a pressure fluid, radially and axially, in the tensioning roller 6, 7, 8. In this way, the gripping surfaces of the alignment members 15 grip the inner side of the tubular workpiece 4 and displace it transversely to its direction of rotation.

Abstract: A sewing machine adapted for moving a workpiece in a downstream direction for sewing a seam therein, and for automatically terminating the seam at a predetermined point a selected distance from a trailing edge of the workpiece. An edge sensor on a base is located a predetermined distance upstream of the sewing point for sensing the downstream passage of the trailing edge, and generating edge sensing signals in response thereto. A stroke sensor on the base senses the length of the strokes of the feed dog and generates stroke length signals which are indicative of the stroke length and of the length of the stitches.

Abstract: A servo device for a multineedle sewing machine which includes two needle bars; driving and steop devices for said needle bars; devices for engaging and disengaging the two needle bars relative to the driving and stop devices; a feed-length adjustment device associated with at least one feed dog for the transport of the material being sewn; an adjustable thread tensioning device for the needle threads; devices for locking each needle bar selectively in its highest position; a positioning drive for the multineedle sewing machine; and a device including a position indicator attached to an arm shaft of the multineedle sewing machine, for adjusting the speed of rotation and positioning of the needle bars in predetermined positions.

Abstract: A sewing-material cutting device includes a movable upper knife and a stationary bottom knife which cooperates therewith. The upper knife includes a knife holder which holds a replaceable turnable cutting plate having a plurality of cutting edges. A polygonal fastener is provided on the cutting plate for selectively engaging the knife holder in a plurality of positions corresponding to respective cutting positions of the plurality of cutting edges.

Abstract: A computer-controlled system for transporting workpieces, in which each workpiece is placed on a load carrier, each workpiece and load carrier being marked with an identifier. A central computer is loaded with data relative to each given workpiece, its respective load carrier, and work to be performed on such workpiece, and predetermines a path to be followed by such load carrier. The load carrier is placed on a main path, its identifier is read, and if work is to be performed on a workpiece carried thereon, a switch is thrown to divert the load carrier to an auxiliary path and then to a work station. The load carrier may be diverted to the work station by a swing-out device or by a spur path, for example. After such work, the load carrier is returned to the main path and its identifier is read again to determine whether it again is to be diverted to an auxiliary path for performing further work on a workpiece carried thereon.

Abstract: A coding device for conveying systems comprises code carriers in connection with individual conveying units (30,32) of the conveying system and at least one reading device (48) which is arranged at the conveying track of the conveying system. The code carriers are constructed as rotatable discs (30), and a driving device (50) for rotating the discs during the reading process is provided in connection with the reading device (48).

Abstract: A device for the removal of bobbins from an automatic rotor spinning machine having a conveyor belt placed on the automatic spinning machine for collecting and delivering completed bobbins comprises a transfer device with a frame, a receiving conveyor belt swiveling on the frame in a vertical direction for receiving bobbins from the automatic spinning machine, a roller conveyor section extending the receiving conveyor belt and which can be swiveled between a position inclined in the direction of feed and a horizontal position, a receiving chute placed parallel to the roller conveyor section, a pusher for transfer of bobbins from the roller conveyor section to the receiving chute, a lifting device for vertically moving the receiving chute between a position adjacent to the roller conveyor section and a number of additional positions, and a tilting device for tilting the receiving chute around its longitudinal axis between a horizontal receiving position and a position essentially at a 90.degree.

Abstract: In apparatus for transporting and storing bobbins, especially for removing them from automatic spinning machines, the bobbins are received and collected in an inclined collecting chute from a conveyor belt, are then brought into a horizontal arrangement as a result of the pivoting of the collecting chute, and are pushed in groups from the collecting chute into a transfer chute. A conveyor carrier belonging to a suspension conveyor and provided with at least one chute portion for receiving a group of bobbins is brought into a position adjacent to the transfer chute. The transfer chute is moved into a position located next to the chute portion of the conveyor carrier, and the bobbins are transferred into the chute portion of the conveyor carrier. The bobbins are subsequently moved into a desired target position by means of the conveyor carrier.

Abstract: A button feeding device includes a button alignment shaft having a longitudinal axis which is displaceable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the main drive shaft. The button alignment shaft and the main drive shaft are advantageously linked for rotation by a coil spring. The device has a pin holder which aligns the button and transfers it into a button clamp, a carriage being provided to move the pin holder over a substantially linear quadrangular path.

Abstract: A thread-tensioning device for being mounted on a bobbin housing, the bobbin housing having an upper part and a lower part which define a space for receiving a bobbin, and a jacket for substantially surrounding the bobbin. The thread-tensioning device includes a thread-tensioning member, such as a lever, having a first end swingably supported on the upper part of the housing, and a second end comprising a finger for bearing on the thread package on the bobbin. A central part of the lever is received by a slot in the jacket of the bobbin housing. A leaf spring bears upon the lever to urge the finger toward the interior of the bobbin-receiving space and against the thread package. The arrangement produces a detaining force and a braking force which combine to result in a relatively constant thread-tensioning force.

Abstract: A sewing device for producing piped openings such as pocket slashes, with or without a pocket flap. The sewing device includes a two-needle sewing machine having a vertically moveable center knife for cutting an opening to be piped, a cutting device including two vertically moveable angle cutting knives for performing gusset cuts, and a material transport device for receiving material to be sewn and transporting such material between the sewing machine and the cutting device. Also provided is a control system including a microprocessor for adjusting the operating positions of the various components to move the points of commencement of the parallel seams, the center knife, and the angle cutting knives, individually or jointly, forward or backward, to conveniently and selectively change these sewing parameters in response to the specific workpiece. In one embodiment, a common drive motor is provided for the two-needle sewing machine, the transport device, and the cutting device.

Abstract: In a sewing machine, particularly one useful for producing piped pockets, wherein the pieces to be sewn to a workpiece include a slide fastener or zipper, a transfer device for transferring the slide fastener containing sewn pieces to the workpiece is provided. The transfer device includes a grip-fold stamp which is vertically movable toward the piece to be sewn which is held over a plate by vacuum, with the slide fastener held in a pocket of the plate. The grip-fold stamp is moved down to the plate and holds the area of the sewn piece adjacent to the slide fastener. A clamping strap on the grip-fold stamp is movable by an appropriate servoelement, either electromagnetic or air pressure cylinder, into the pocket in the plate and beneath the slide fastener for holding the sewn piece at the slide fastener at the underside of the grip-fold stamp.