Patents Assigned to TD Quilting Machinery
  • Patent number: 5095835
    Abstract: An automatic quilting machine for use in stitching individual selected patterns into a large fabric such as a bedspread or quilt. The bedspread or quilt is stretched on a large metal frame which is mounted on a table which can be moved in the X-direction, the Y-direction, or any X-Y combination direction through a process controller. The precise location of a sewing machine needle and fabric is illuminated and a color video camera which is mounted on a cross beam holding a sewing machine head is also focused on this location. The color video camera is connected through a preprocessor and a frame grabber to a process controller. A pattern creation means is also connected to the preprocessor and through the frame grabber to the process controller. The process controller includes a Machine Vision - R program which takes the pattern created by the pattern creation means and converts it into a pixel. The pixel is then mapped on a grid to determine the locations where the pattern is to duplicated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: Thomas K. Jernigan, David Brower
  • Patent number: 5027726
    Abstract: A roll to roll machine which incorporates the features of using a video camera and monitor to locate an intersection of a sewing needle and material and create a visual image of this intersection so that a remote operator can create a pattern of thread sewn into the material as the material passes from one or more feed rollers to a pickup roller. The movement of the vertically oriented U-shaped frame which carries the sewing machine head is controlled by one process controller while the sewing and stitching functions of the sewing machine head is controlled by a second process controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 4969410
    Abstract: A roll to roll machine which incorporates the features of using a video camera and monitor to locate the intersection of the sewing needle and material and create a visual image of this intersection so that a remote operator can create a pattern of thread sewn into the material as the material passes from one or more feed rollers to a pickup roller. The movement of the vertically oriented U-shaped frame which carries the sewing machine head is controlled by one process controller while the sewing and stitching functions of the sewing machine head is controlled by a second process controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 4953483
    Abstract: An automatic quilting machine for use in stitching individual selected patterns into a large fabric such as a bedspread or quilt. The bedspread or quilt is stretched on a large metal frame which is mounted on a table which can be moved in the X-direction, the Y-direction, or any X-Y combination direction, either through a manually operated automatic joystick or mouse or through an automatic remote control directed by a computer. The sewing machine function is controlled by one computer connected to the sewing machine head and the quilting table motion in the X-direction, Y-direction, and X-Y direction is controlled by a separate computer. When it is desired to change a sewing machine computer function such as a stitch or accessory functions such as trim, the sewing machine computer can be independently reprogrammed. When it is desired to change the pattern, the separate computer controlling the X-Y table movement direction can be independently reprogrammed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 4953485
    Abstract: An automatic quilting machine for use in stitching individual selected patterns into a large fabric such as a bedspread or quilt. The bedspread or quilt is stretched on a large metal frame which is mounted on a table which can be moved in the X-direction, the Y-direction, or any X-Y combination direction. The sewing machine head is mounted on a cross beam which is aligned at the approximate center point of the metal frame on which the fabric is stretched. The needle of the sewing machine head can stitch a pattern into any location in the fabric and the metal frame is moved in any direction relative to the fixed sewing machine head in order to bring the desired stitch location on the fabric into alignment with the sewing machine head. The pattern can be created through reading by a scanner which then converts the pattern into machine readable language which is stored in a process controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1990
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 4876976
    Abstract: An automatic quilting machine for use in stitching individual selected patterns into a large fabric such as a bedspread or quilt. The bedspread or quilt is stretched on a large metal frame which is mounted on a table which can be moved in the X-direction, the Y-direction, or any X-Y combination direction through an automatic joystick. The sewing machine head is mounted on a cross beam which is aligned at the approximate center point of the metal frame on which the fabric is stretched. The needle of the sewing machine head can stitch a pattern into any location in the fabric and the metal frame is moved in any direction relative to the fixed sewing machine head in order to bring the desired stitch location on the fabric into alignment with the sewing machine head. The precise location of the sewing machine needle and fabric is illuminated and a color video camera which is mounted on the cross beam holding the sewing machine head is also focused on this location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan
  • Patent number: 4860675
    Abstract: A automatic quilting machine for use in stitching individual selected patterns into a large fabric such as a bedspread or quilt. The bedspread or quilt is stretched on a large metal frame which is mounted on a table which can be moved in the X-direction, the Y-direction, or any X-Y combination direction through an automatic joy stick. The sewing machine head is mounted on a cross beam which is aligned at the approximate center point of the metal frame on which the fabric is stretched. The needle of the sewing machine head can stitch a pattern into any location in the fabric and the metal frame is moved in any direction relative to the fixed sewing machine head in order to bring the desired stitch location on the fabric into alignment with the sewing machine head. The precise location of the sewing machine needle and fabric is illuminated and a color video camera which is mounted on the cross beam holding the sewing machine head is also focused on this location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: TD Quilting Machinery
    Inventors: David Brower, Thomas K. Jernigan