Abstract: A firefighter's garment as disclosed herein may be a coat or trousers or a vest. The garment has an outer layer, an intermediate layer, and an inner layer. A spacer element or elements are positioned between two of the layers of the garment. The spacer element or elements in the firefighter's garment establish and maintain an air space or air spaces between the layers of the garment, even when localized pressure or weight is applied to portions of the garment. Thus, the firefighter's garment has excellent heat insulation qualities without being heavy and/or bulky. Thus, a firefighter wearing the garment is continually protected and is subject to minimum stress and is able to work more effectively than a firefighter wearing a firefighter's conventional garment.

Abstract: A preknotted adjustable necktie comprises a knot former having, an inner body (62) and an outer body (61), an inner tie member with a zipper (3), an outer tie member (5), and a rivet (63). The knot former serves forming and control functions, and the inner tie member is sandwiched between the inner and outer bodies thereof, with a pulling button of the zipper slider on the inner tie member secured to the inner and outer bodies of the knot former and to the outer tie member by a rivet. The outer tie member is tied into a fixed knot over the knot former. By means of the presence of a pair of leaf springs (622) on the inner body, the position of the tie knot and the zipper slider can be adjusted freely and retained in the position set.

Abstract: To produce a collar, which consists of two lower collar parts and if necessary an upper collar, on the body of an article of clothing, the edge of the body and, if necessary, the corresponding marginal zone of the upper collar are arranged between the associated marginal zones of the two lower collar parts prior to sewing. Sewing with only one continuous closed seam then takes place.

Abstract: A hemmer seamer assembly comprising an apparatus for positioning a chain of stitches for stitching onto fabric having a needle and a throat plate, including a device for positioning the chain of stitches forwardly of the needle, and a device for moving the fabric to the throat plate for sewing the chain onto the fabric.

Abstract: Apparatus for stretching and folding a limp fabric piece (1), having a plurality of opposed elastic bands (12,12',13,13') extending therefrom comprising a platform (2) having a foldable segment, means for folding said foldable segment relative to the platform (2),A limp fabric piece feeding plate (5) for feeding said limp fabric piece (1) to said platform (2) and holding said fabric piece (1) thereon in an extended condition and in a pre-determined position to enable eventual folding of the fabric piece (1) to produce a garment,means for moving said plate (5) horizontally or vertically,suction means located adjacent said platform (2) for applying suction to the elastic bands (12,12',13,13') extending from the fabric piece (1),elastic band gripper means associated with the suction means for gripping and holding the sucked-in elastic bands (12,12',13,13'), relative to said suction means,means for moving said suction means relative to said platform (2) to stretch said fabric piece (1),garment gripper means assoc

Abstract: A tufting machine having a mainshaft rotatably driven by one or more A.C. motors reciprocably drives a needle bar carrying a multiplicity of needles. Two brakes are associated with the shaft, the first brake being actuated when the motors are deenergized, and the second brake is actuated after the speed of the shaft has been reduced to a predetermined speed which permits the shaft to be stopped with the needle bar and the needles at the top of the reciprocating stroke. The motors may also be gradually started so that attainment of full speed is not reached until after the expiration of a predetermined time interval. Thus, "stop marks" may be substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A protective under garment having a waterproof outer surface and an absorptive inner surface. The garment has a waistband and leg bands for securing the garment about the user. The garment is open faced and leg bands secured to the crotch of the garment hold the garment in place to form a comfortable and convenient protective shield.

Abstract: A bifurcated trunk with thigh length leg portions, each terminating in a lower extremity, has closure structure to tighten the lower extremity. The closure structure can include a slit extending upwardly from the lower extremity and defining first and second sides of the leg portions on respective sides of the slit. Structure is provided for fastening one of the sides of each leg portion to the other. The fastening structure is preferably cooperating hook and pile surfaces, one on each side of the leg portions. The closure structure of the invention is also useful on other types of garments. Padding is provided in the rump area to protect the buttocks against scrapping and bruising. The padding preferably extends a distance into the leg portions where it is influenced by the closure structure so as to retain the flexible padding in a protective position protecting the buttocks and thighs of the wearer even during strenuous sports activity, particularly sliding into bases.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for constructing pillowcases, upper and lower layers of fabric are conveyed along separate paths with their obverse surfaces facing upwardly. Cuffs are formed along one longitudinal edge of each layer. The upper layer of fabric is then reversed to an obverse-side down orientation, and the upper and lower layers of fabric are superimposed with their obverse surfaces mutually facing and their cuffed lateral edges mutually corresponding. The superimposed upper and lower layers of fabric are then stitched together along the lateral edge opposite the cuffed lateral edge. Next, a length of the superimposed upper and lower layers of fabric is cut to a length equal to the desired width of a finished pillowcase. The resulting rectangular workpiece comprises upper and lower panels of fabric stitched together along one transverse edge and cuffed at their opposite transverse edge.

Abstract: This invention relates to an automatic sewing machine exclusively used for sewing a zipper on a workpiece and its related art. The automatic sewing machine exclusively used for sewing a zipper on a workpiece comprises a sewing machine (10, 20) capable of at least sewing linearly, a drive device movable in two axes right angles to each other in a plane vertical to the movement direction of the needle (11, 21) of the sewing machine and a zipper setting device (12, 22) attached to said drive device for gripping said zipper (33) and workpiece (1) in a predetermined relationship.

Abstract: A multilayer textile article for the production of laminated materials has layers each consisting of a two-directional cloth, the layers being joined together by a third thread extending in a direction inclined to the direction in which the threads of the layers extend. According to the invention the third thread forms a continuous stitching (C), the stitching extending helically from one end of the layers to the other.

Abstract: A cold weather system for keeping a wearer comfortable in a temperature of about -60.degree. F.-+40.degree. F. and winds up to 100 miles per hour; utilizes a shirt, pants, parka and wind shirt and wind pants. A sleeping bag and moisture handling pad/deicing cloth are compressed in compressor bags and easily transported by the wearer for comfort during sleeping too, and used with a bivvy sack having a tent flap. The shirt and pants are ventable so that they provide comfort over a wide temperature range, the vents being completely closed when maximum thermal protection is desired. The parka includes a windskirt which engages the wearer's legs. The wind garments are made of fine denier 100% synthetic material tightly woven so that they have very low air porosity. The parka and wind shirt can be connected together to provide an emergency bivac sleeping bag.

Abstract: A button sewing apparatus comprising a button supply device, a X-Y mover, a stay button chucking device, a surface button chucking device, a surface button turning device, a presser foot device, a thread guiding device and a thread holding device. Button neck wrapping is performed in a manner closely simulating "hand" sewing. After sewing both a stay button and a surface button to a workpiece, a sewing table makes a circular motion while keeping a needle entry as the center, and a thread is slidably clamped and guided to pass through a guide hole tentatively formed underneath a needle such that the thread wraps firmly around the button neck.

Abstract: In the quilting machine the loosely superposed cover material webs and at least one filler material web, while being drawn into the quilting machine, are joined along their marginal portions by means of joining devices which are arranged laterally of the superposed webs. The web sections or selvedges lying outside the formed seams are separated and removed.

Abstract: A device for the automatic transfer of pantyhose and similar manufactured articles from a toe sewing machine, of a carrousel type with vertical axis, to a drawing machine of the type having a pair of vertical fixed shapes, includes a gripper for gripping the elastic edge of the articles in a loading station of a sewing machine, in order to transfer an elastic edge out of the sewing machine, overturning the edge, and for keeping the pantyhose in pendent and overturned attitude. The device includes a pusher for picking up the elastic edge of the pantyhose from the gripper while stretching it in the form of a rectangle and transferring the article in a pendant attitude to a predetermined position relative to the shapes of the drawing machine.A transfer device for transferring the article onto the drawing machine effects the fitting of the legs of the pantyhose articles on the relevant shapes.

Abstract: A new and improved basketball gripping glove or gripping glove for any similar size spherical object or ball to be worn by a Basketball player or other athlete. The glove is constructed of a wrist anchor strap with a plurality of five elastomeric bands extending therefrom the other end of the bands being each attached to a single finger cowl for the five fingers of ones hand. The finger cowls are constructed of a material possessing a high coefficient of friction. The elastomeric bands must possess a sufficient coefficient of elasticity to retain the finger cowls over the finger tips and in direct abutment thereto. The anchor strap can be made of leather or other similar stretch resistant material. The strap is fastened by means of a buckle or loop and hook material. This glove allows one to grip a basketball with one hand in order to facilitate pass fakes and various other Basketball moves including "dunking".

Abstract: Pieces are cut off the end of a long web by first impaling the leading end of the web on a crosswise circulating needle bar that is then moved downstream from a cutting to a holding section. Then at the cutting station another such circulating needle bar and a noncirculating needle bar are poked through the web, with the noncirculating bar being downstream (relative to the displacement direction of the web) of the circulating bar. Then the web is cut across between the two upstream bars and the noncirculating bar and the downstream circulating bar are dropped down to transfer the piece thus cut from themselves to a transverse needle-chain conveyor. Then the circulating bar is moved back from the downstream holding station to the upstream cutting station while the second circulating bar pulls another piece of the web downstream across above the transverse conveyor.

Abstract: A hemmer seamer assembly comprising an apparatus for positioning a chain of stitches for stitching onto fabric having a needle and a throat plate, including a device for positioning the chain of stitches forwardly of the needle, and a device for moving the fabric to the throat plate for sewing the chain onto the fabric.

Abstract: An environmental protective garment, especially for use in "clean rooms", is an at least partly air resistant garment having suitable body seals and an air mover means for providing a negative pressure within the garment when worn. The exhausted air from the air mover means may be passed through a scrubber or filter. Greater wearer comfort is possible than with known suits.

Abstract: A jacket comprising a pair of front panels, a back panel, a collar and sleeves. The outer surface of the jacket having vent panels attached to front and rear panels which create accessible, upwardly extending vent panel pockets. Inside each vent panel pocket is a detachable flexible informational display panel which can be stored inside each pocket and hidden from view. When the situation arises, the flexible informational display panel can be repositioned and extended downwardly below the vent panel pocket and used to display information.