Abstract: Tufting apparatus includes servomotors driving front and back yarn feed rolls for feeding yarns to the needles of the front and back needle bars, respectively. Incremental servomotor control for each stitch enables a height differential between immediately adjacent stitches in excess of 3/32 inch (2.38 mm). By providing yarns of multiple colors and textures, a variety of patterns and textured surface effects are provided in the surface of the tufted pile fabric.

Abstract: A garment for wear during game play provides protection against impact forces. The garment comprises inner and outer layers of a fabric mesh with an intermediate support layer. A support layer includes a primary air channel extending along the normal seam locations of the garment with an interwoven grid of secondary air tubes being in communication with the primary air channel. Pressurized air is introduced through a valve in the primary air channel so as to inflate the air channel and grids connected thereto. Upon inflation, the grids cover the underlying body parts so as to protect against impact forces. The valve allows for a quick deflation of the air channel for allowing the garment to be worn during normal game play. The garment may also be worn in non-game environments in order to support the underlying muscles of the wearer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing a small number of flexible objects, such as circular knit hosiery blanks from a mass of randomly arranged flexible objects, depositing the flexible objects on a turntable in spaced apart relation, removing individual flexible objects from the turntable, conveying the individual flexible objects to a sensing location, sensing the orientation thereof, returning to the turntable any flexible objects that are not properly positioned for the sensing of the orientation thereof, conveying the flexible objects which have had the orientation thereof determined along one of two alternate paths of travel determined by the orientation that has been sensed and the orientation desired at the delivery point, delivering the properly oriented blanks to a transfer location, transferring the blanks to a further processing apparatus, and further processing the flexible objects.

Abstract: An auxiliary yarn feed mechanism for a tufting machine having a plurality of needles for tufting yarns through a moving base fabric. A tufting machine with a pattern control yarn feed mechanism is provided with an auxiliary yarn feed to permit the tufting machine to be threaded with yarn and operated to produce rugs in a variety of sizes with side and end borders.

Abstract: A method of forming a stitch and the stitch which includes three needle threads and cooperating looper threads for forming three parallel rows of stitches that are joined by a spreader thread that lies on the upper surface of the work piece. The spreader thread follows a serpentine pattern and is configured to lie both forward of and rearward of the penetrating points of the needle threads such that it connects and covers the three parallel rows of stitches.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuously planting seed in subjacent soil over which the apparatus traverses. The apparatus has a frame to be drawn by a towing vehicle, structure on the frame for resituating residue away from a row into which seed is to be deposited, structure on the frame for continuously parting soil as the apparatus is advanced in a direction of travel to define a seed slot, structure on the frame for continuously depositing seed in the seed slot, structure on the frame for continuously replacing soil in the seed slot to cover seed in the seed slot, and structure on the frame for continuously applying an additive to the soil between the residue resituating structure and the seed depositing structure. The invention is also directed to a method of planting and applying an additive.

Abstract: Trousers specifically designed for the wearer engaged in strenuous, albeit casual and informal, athletic activity. The trousers have padding to protect the thighs, knees, buttocks, and genital areas. The abdominal and upper back portions of the trousers are made as one whole piece tightly secured in the front by a vertical fly containing a vertical row of buttons. Beneath the front row of buttons the trousers have a pouch fly with a two-way zipper along three sides permitting the wearer to open and close the pouch fly from either side, and to open the fly outward. The abdominal, upper back and fly segments of the trousers have soft-lined padding, thereby providing comfort and protection. The hip seam arches over the wearer's hip joints thereby causing the trousers to collapse and crease where it would naturally do so when sitting or bending, forming a V-like pattern. The pouch fly top cross seam also forms a natural horizontal crease thereby forming a triangle pattern in the trouser crotch area.

Abstract: An air isolation hand covering has a bladder consisting of a plurality of interconnected or independent inflation cells that is positioned between the hand and a hand-held tool or other vibrating object. The cells are oriented to permit easy bending of the hand covering in directions appropriate for grasping an object. The effectiveness of the bladder in reducing the vibration energy transmitted to the hand is a function of the shape and configuration of the bladder, the pressure in the bladder, the compressible fluid used, the volume of the bladder, and the grip force and push force used when clasping a tool or other object. The bladder can be filled with air or other fluid during the fabrication of the bladder or it can be inflated or deflated with a small pump and integral air valve connected to one of the air cavities.

Abstract: A protective device to protect the palm, index finger and thumb which may be worn inside a conventional baseball or softball glove is provided. The protective device comprises a padded catching panel and flexible back panel which are connected along their margins to form a glove-like arrangement. The index finger, thumb, and palm of the athlete's hand are protected by the catching panel to minimize pain from impact of a baseball, to reduce instances of injuries, and to distribute the impact forces among a greater surface area caused by a ball caught at great velocity.

Abstract: A garment is clamped against a frame-like feed plate of a computer controlled sewing machine by a clamping frame defining a set of openings of different sizes, and corresponding different size emblems or other patches are held against the garment within the openings by a corresponding set of clamping pads. Stitching gaps are defined within the openings around the pads, and the pads are supported within the openings by corresponding laterally projecting U-shaped inversion arms. The arms carry corresponding pinions which engage a rack operated by a fluid cylinder to provide for simultaneously rotating the inversion arms in opposite directions through 180.degree. to provide for automatically and successively stitching the patches to the garment completely around each clamping pad.

Abstract: In the context of an apparatus for the manufacture of patterned tufted fabric comprising a needle bar, which has a transverse member extending right along its length, on which a plurality of rotatably mounted needle carriers are arranged in a row, which respectively bear several radially projecting needles for threads and by means of a swiveling device are able to be moved into stitching positions, it is possible to attain a high degree of accuracy and a compact construction if the swiveling device associated with each needle carrier, which is able to be locked by means of an abutment device in the stitching positions of its needles, possesses an associated transmission element able to be actuated by an associated drive device and in mesh with a segment provided on the needle carrier side, or if the needle carriers are designed a rotors of disk rotor stepper motors arranged in a row on the transverse member, respectively having a disk-like stator which is stationary in relation to the transverse member and at

Abstract: The present invention provides a tufting machine having a needle bar movable between at least two transverse locations in response to a control signal, a motor, a yarn supply, a backing cloth feed, a stitch drive, looper drive, yarn feed roller and all timed for moving the respective components at times in the stitch cycle when the needles are clear of the backing; the tufting machine operating to produce a series of stitches through the backing material by moving the needle bar to cause the needles to pierce the backing cloth and interact with the looper mechanism to produce a tufted fabric; and having a needle bar shifter comprising:a frame having a first end and a second end;a first belt attachment at the first end and a second belt attachment at the second end;a roller mounted between the first and second belt attachments;a belt attached to the first belt attachment looped around the roller and attached to the second belt attachment,a roller drive supplying rotational energy to the roller;whereby activati

Abstract: A method for forming a partial mattress sack which prevents radial bunching includes feeding first and second panels having different edge lengths at different rates through a sewing machine to form the partial mattress sack. An apparatus for sewing the partial mattress sack includes a mechanism for driving upper and lower walking feet at varying rates and a mechanism for driving the upper walking foot at the same speed as a second lower walking foot.

Abstract: An attachment for a sewing machine which automatically conveys and folds cloth into an imitation cuff prior to sewing. The attachment comprises a conveyor which is modified to accept a tuck fold blade, an imitation cuff folder and an edge trimmer. After the material is conveyed through the edge trimmer, the imitation cuff folder forms an edge fold and a tuck fold in the material, as it is conveyed to the sewing area. The imitation cuff folder has two slots which guide the cloth into the two folds. The material is positioned in the folder by an edge fold tongue, which is attached to the imitation cuff folder and by the tuck fold blade which guides a portion from the center of the cloth into the tuck fold slot. The attachment converts to a plain hem configuration by retracting the tuck fold blade and adjusting the position of the edge trimmer.

Abstract: A knee pad unit for protecting the knee of an individual in a kneeling position and having outer plastic shell and a plurality of inflatable pneumatic tubes attached within the shell. The shell has two exterior rails having a front portion formed in a curved configuration to permit rocking. The plurality of inflatable tubes includes a central ring for suspending the knee and rear tubes for suspending the upper leg.

Abstract: The waist band (16) is placed in straddling relationship about spindles (12-15). The waist edge (23) of the shirt body (17) is telescoped about the waist band, also in straddling relationship about the spindles (12-15). The garment parts are advanced by the rotation of the spindles and the sewing needle (9) forms a line of stitching at the aligned edges of the shirt body and waist band. In the meantime, the end spindles (14 and 15) move laterally of the sewing path to adjust the position of the waist band in response to the position of the folded edge (21) of the waist band as detected by photocell (30/138), and the star wheels (32) (FIGS. 5-7) reach across the waist band and urge the shirt body toward or away from the sewing path as controlled by the photocell (31/208).

Abstract: An upper needle guide (10) and a lower needle guide (40) for guiding a sewing needle during a stitching operation in order to keep the sewing needle laterally aligned along a stitching path so that the thread loop thrown by the sewing needle beneath the material being sewn is in alignment with the path of movement of a thread loop pick-up device (98). The upper needle guide includes a needle hole having a thread relief passageway (22) therein for providing a relief space for the sewing thread (34) as the needle moves through the needle hole. The lower needle guide includes a thread and needle slot (44) having a pair of V-shaped notches (46) therein. The V-shaped notches are aligned with the stitching path (84). In an alternative embodiment, the lower needle guide can comprise a feed dog (52) having a diamond-shaped needle hole (58) therein.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for forming a facing seam at a relatively high rate that will insure that the cover thread is properly interwoven between each stitch of two parallel rows of stitches. The facing seam is formed by two needles and cooperating loopers for forming two parallel rows of stitches that are joined by a cover thread that lies on the upper surface of the work piece. The cover thread is controlled by a conventional spreader and a cover thread assist member. The cover thread assist member is formed from a lightweight hardened wire that is fixed to a mid portion of the conventional spreader.

Abstract: Armor resistant to knife attack comprises a flexible sheet having a threat side facing a direction of threat and a protected side adjacent, in use, an area to be protected, and a plurality of armor plates attached to the sides of the sheet, the plates being grouped such that a first group attached to the protected side is in overlapping registration with a second group attached to the threat side, the registration being such that exposed regions of sheet on the threat side register with the first group of plates so preventing penetration of the armor through the exposed regions. By placing the overlapping groups on separate sides of the sheet, the armor is made more flexible than arrangements where the plates are mounted on the same side and are in engagement.

Abstract: A tufting machine has a main drive shaft, a looper shaft and parallel to the main shaft, a drive train therebetween in which a spindle supports, on its end, a sprocket which is driven by an endless belt from a wheel on the drive shaft. The other face of the sprocket carries a stroke control lug provided with a orbital crank pin which reciprocates a link connected to a lever on the looper shaft thereby for rocking the looper shaft, rocking the loopers carried by the looper shaft.