Abstract: Support section for contacting and movably supporting a string-shaped material is provided between a material holder and a guide member, and it supports the material, paid out from the holder, in a slackened condition while it applies a tensile force, corresponding to a state of the contact, to a portion of the material to be directed to the guide member. The consumed amount and the paid-out amount of the material can be controlled to agree with each other, which can prevent any excessive tensile force from being applied to the portion to be supplied to a sewing position and which can reduce the tensile force acting on the material and yet keep the tensile force generally constant. As a result, the string-shaped material can be sewn accurately in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

Abstract: Sewing machine includes a needle bar that is vertically moved to perform a sewing operation, a fabric holder supported on the needle bar in such a manner that the fabric holder is vertically movable relative to the needle bar, and an urging member for normally urging downward the fabric holder on the needle bar. The sewing machine further includes a position restricting member for mechanically restricting a position of the fabric holder to prevent unwanted upward movement of the fabric holder having reached a lower dead point along with the vertical movement of the needle bar.

Abstract: Sewing machine includes a tension detection section (26) for detecting tension acting on a sewn material (A) paid out from a rotary holder member, and a drive section for driving the rotary holder member, and the driving operation of the drive section (14) is controlled on the basis of the detection by the tension detection section. Once the tension acting on the sewn material has increased, the rotary holder member is driven to rotate by the drive section, so that the sewn material can be paid out smoothly from the rotary holder member. The sewing machine is particularly useful in a case where the rotary holder member is constructed into an increased size so that an increased amount of the sewn material can be wound thereon.

Abstract: Sewing machine includes a plurality of machine heads, and at least one sequin feeder apparatus provided for each of the machine heads. The sequin feeder apparatus of a desired number of machine heads of the plurality of machine heads are grouped into a group, and a sequin feed pitch is variably set independently for each of the grouped sequin feeder apparatus in that group. Such an arrangement allows sequins of different sizes (different feed pitches) to be set on all of the sequin feeder apparatus in the group. If the plurality of machine heads are controlled on a group-by-group basis in order to sew a sequin-contained embroidery pattern, it is possible to increase the variety of sizes of sequins that can be used in the embroidery pattern.

Abstract: A needle bar drive apparatus for a sewing machine includes a dedicated drive source (16) for driving a needle bar (3) of the sewing machine to move up and down. When a sewing operation is to be performed, a control section (160) controls the drive source to cause the needle bar to move up and down within a predetermined stroke range, but, when no sewing operation is to be performed, the control section controls the drive source to cause the needle bar to retreat to a predetermined evacuation position set above a top dead center in the predetermined stroke range. The control section is also capable of varying a timewise pattern of the upward and downward movement of the needle bar within the predetermined stroke range. Thus, it is possible to secure an increased space between the lower end of the needle bar and the upper surface of a sewing machine table (6) during a non-sewing period while limiting the stroke of the needle bar to a necessary minimum during a sewing period.

Abstract: Main frame (100; 30) includes an upper support member (6; 32), and a lower support member (4; 34) positioned in substantially parallel relation to the upper support member with a predetermined interval therebetween and integrally joined with each other via a joint member (5; 35). Supporting leg section (110; 40) is attached to a predetermined position of the main frame to support the main frame in a substantially horizontal orientation at a predetermined height. The main frame and supporting leg section are provided as separate component parts. Sewing machine frame is constructed by attaching the supporting leg section to the main frame. Because the main frame is constructed of the upper and lower support members integrally joined via the joint member, the main frame and the supporting leg section can be transported to a predetermined assembling place before the supporting leg section is attached to the main frame. Thus, the main frame and the supporting leg section can be transported efficiently at low cost.

Abstract: Sewing machine includes: a needle bar driven to move up and down to perform sewing operation; a jump mechanism electrically controlled to bring the needle bar to a jump sewing state; a holder member controlled to move, in synchronism with the up-and-down movement of the needle bar, for holding a sewing workpiece from above when the holder member is in its lowered position; and a holder mechanism for, when the sewing operation is to be stopped, moving the holder member upward to a predetermined evacuating position and mechanically retaining the holder member in the evacuating position; and an interlocking mechanism for mechanically retaining the needle bar in the jump sewing state in interlocked relation to the holder member being mechanically retained in the evacuating position.

Abstract: An embroidery frame for holding an embroidering fabric in a spread-out condition is detachably attached to mounting members at a predetermined position. Positioning members are removably fixed to a base frame at a predetermined position. The mounting members are attached to the positioning members so that their mounted positions relative to the positioning members are adjustable, so that the embroidery frame is adjustably and removably mounted on the base frame via the mounting members and the positioning members. Once the position of the mounting members relative to the positioning members has been established, and when the mounting members are to be detached from the base frame, the mounting members only have to be detached together with the positioning members so that the relative positional relationship between the adjusted positional state of the mounting members relative to the positioning members can be maintained.

Abstract: A cutting apparatus which is comprised of a main body including a hook section for hooking thereon a sewn material, a fixed blade fixed to a predetermined position of the main body, a cutting blade that cuts the sewn material by moving toward the fixed blade, and a drive device that moves the main body between a predetermined retracted position that does not interferer with sewing operation and a predetermined cutting position for cutting the sewn material. In sewing the sewn material, the main body is held at the retracted position, and in cutting the sewn material, the main body is caused to move from the retracted position to the cutting position by the drive device. The hook section is provided in the main body and at such a position as to hook thereon the sewn material as the main body moves to the cutting position. In cutting the sewn material, the cutting blade moves toward the fixed blade in response to driving operation of the drive device.

Abstract: Transfer mechanism (20) is provided for reciprocally transferring a bobbin grasping device (10), grasping a bobbin case (B) at the distal end of a chuck section (11), between a rotary hook (6) of a sewing machine and a bobbin stock section (8). First cam plate (31) is provided adjacent to one end for orienting the chuck section (11) toward the rotary hook (6) during the transfer, while a second cam plate (41) is provided adjacent to the other end for orienting the chuck section (11) toward the bobbin stock section (8) during the transfer. The cam plates (31, 41) are detachable from the transfer mechanism (20), and, in transportation of the machine, one of the cam plates is transported as an attachment to a main sewing table, while the other plate is transported as an attachment to an extension sewing table. The bobbin grasping device (10) includes a moving body section (13), chuck section (11), and a spring member (19) for normally biasing the chuck section toward a predetermined neutral position.

Abstract: Sewing workpiece is set on a holding frame in such a manner that a predetermined sewing reference line of the sewing workpiece forms an inclination of a given angle ? relative to a plane perpendicular to a rotation axis of the holding frame. Desired sewing pattern data are corrected in accordance with a predetermined correction function with the given angle ? as a variable. Sewing is performed onto the sewing workpiece by the holding frame being relatively rotated and linearly moved in accordance with the corrected sewing pattern data. Thus, a desired pattern corresponding to the sewing pattern data can be sewn onto the workpiece in generally parallel relation to the predetermined sewing reference line.

Abstract: Sequin feeder device includes an adjustment member mounted on a feed lever, and the adjustment member controls pivot timing of a lock lever by its adjustment piece abutting against a lock lever. The pivot timing of the lock lever is adjustable as desired, in accordance with a relative position of the adjustment piece, and thus, timing at which an engaging claw of the lock lever engages a sequin is adjustable as desired. Further, on a support plate, there is mounted a sequin feed guide member for guiding a continuous sequin strip to allow the sequin strip to be fed straight in the predetermined feeding direction. The sequin feed guide member can be appropriately positioned by merely being fixed to the support plate with its side edge abutted against a side wall of the support plate, without a need for particular positional adjustment of the guide member.

Abstract: A feeding mechanism (6) feeds a plurality of continuous sequin strips (3, 60), which are supplied in an overlapped state, a predetermined pitch at a time to a sewing mechanism (2, 31, 32, 41, 50, 51) while keeping the continuous sequin strips in the overlapped state. The sewing mechanism sews leading sequins (S, S2) of the respective continuous sequin strips together in the overlapped state onto a sewn-to member. A cutting mechanism (27, 30) cuts the sequins sewn at the same time in the overlapped state. For example, a plurality of continuous sequin strips let out from a plurality of reels (5, 61) housing the respective continuous sequin strips are overlapped via a lead-in section (63), so that the plurality of continuous sequin strips (3, 60) are supplied in the overlapped state. As a result, a highly decorative sequin sewn member in which a plurality of sequins are overlapped can be produced with ease.

Abstract: Sequin feeding operation is performed by causing a feed lever (18) to move forward with a distal-end hook portion (18a) of the feed lever engaging a sequin center hole (3a) of a continuous sequin strip (3) let out from a reel (5) and then placed on the upper surface of a supporting plate (8), and the successive sequins can be fed one by one by repeating forward and rearward movement of the feed lever. Lock lever (33) having an engaging claw (33a) engageable with the sequin center hole is pivotably supported near the feed lever. When predetermined-pitch feeding, by the feed lever, of the continuous sequin strip has been completed, the engaging claw (33a) of the lock lever is caused to engage a center hole following the center hole engaged by the hook portion of the feed lever, to thereby immovably lock the continuous sequin strip.

Abstract: Sequin feeding operation is performed by causing a feed lever (18) to move forward with a distal-end hook portion (18a) of the feed lever engaging a sequin center hole (3a) of a continuous sequin strip (3) let out from a reel (5) and then placed on the upper surface of a supporting plate (8), and the successive sequins can be fed one by one by repeating forward and rearward movement of the feed lever. Lock lever (33) having an engaging claw (33a) engageable with the sequin center hole is pivotably supported near the feed lever. When predetermined-pitch feeding, by the feed lever, of the continuous sequin strip has been completed, the engaging claw (33a) of the lock lever is caused to engage a center hole following the center hole engaged by the hook portion of the feed lever, to thereby immovably lock the continuous sequin strip.

Abstract: Provided is an embroidery frame clip which can effectively prevent itself, without marring operability of fitting it to an embroidery frame, from slipping off the frame, when the tension of an embroidering cloth is increased as stitching goes on. The embroidery frame clip is designed to hold an embroidering cloth a in tension over a rectangular embroidery frame 1 by clipping the cloth a between a rail 2 formed on an upper surface of the embroidery frame circumferentially along the inner rim thereof and the clip fitted on the rail 2. The clip has a clip main body 6 to be fitted on the rail 2 and auxiliary members 7 attached to the clip main body 6, for preventing the clip main body 6 from deforming to open as stitching of the embroidering cloth goes on.

Abstract: In a frame movement command device for an embroidery machine, which device can control the movement of an embroidery frame based upon signals that are outputted from a frame drive means when a frame movement command switch is operated, the frame movement command switch includes a single operation portion that is operable to incline in a plurality of directions, and the frame drive means outputs signals in order to move the embroidery frame in directions that correspond to the inclined directions of the operation portion. According to this construction, by inclining the single operation portion of the frame movement command switch in the plurality of directions, the embroidery frame can move in directions that correspond to the inclined directions. Therefore, the operator can accurately operate the switch in order to move the embroidery frame toward a desired position, which depends only on the feeling of his or her fingertips touching the operation portion without viewing the frame movement command switch.

Abstract: A multi-head sewing machine includes a machine table (10) and a plurality of sewing heads (12). The sewing heads are disposed to oppose to the machine table and arranged in a row in a first direction substantially parallel to a surface of the machine table. A workpiece setting frame (20) serves to releasably hold a long workpiece (40) and is movable within a plane substantially parallel to the surface of the machine table. A feeding mechanism (W1, 30, W2) serves to feed the workpiece relative to the workpiece setting frame in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction.

Abstract: According to the present invention, in a sewing machine, a cylindrical frame for retaining tubular objects is mounted integrally on a cylindrical drive ring that is reciprocally driven in a rotational direction around a cylinder bed and that is linearly reciprocally driven along an axis of the cylinder bed; the drive ring is rotatably supported by a support member that is arranged to contact the outer periphery of the drive ring at three or more positions. By utilizing this construction, not only the drive ring, but also the frame that is mounted thereon may have a small diameter, and the drive ring can be stably supported by the support member so that it smoothly rotates. As a result, the frame can retain tubular objects having a small diameter, such as golf club covers and wrist bands, and a sewing operation, such as an embroidery operation, can be suitably performed along the periphery of the tubular object.

Abstract: A power transmission device serves to transmit rotation of a main shaft of a sewing machine to a slave shaft of the sewing machine, which slave shaft extends in a torsional relationship with the main shaft. The device includes a first timing pulley mounted on the main shaft, a second timing pulley mounted on the slave shaft and a timing belt extending between the first and second timing pulleys in a twisted form.