Abstract: A process of and a feeding device for feeding material in fibre form to a machine for preparing the material for subsequent spinning includes a material feeding bin through which the material is continuously fed to a substantially horizontal feeding table situated approximate a rotary preparing roll. The horizontal feeding table and the approximate rotary preparing roll define an air gap therebetween. A feeder roll is located above the feeding table which conveys the material toward the air gap, and the feeding table is supported to move in a substantially radial direction relative to the rotary preparing roll under the influence of data detected by a detecting device which detects the impurity level of the material at a point upstream of the feeding table relative to the direction of fibre flow.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of knitting a thick fabric, which is less in elasticity, less likely to deform, and firmer than a conventional fabric. The method is performed by using a flat knitting machine possessing a transfer lock capable of selecting and guiding the knitting needles to the loop transfer track or loop receiving track within the same phase as at least one knitting lock capable of selecting and guiding the knitting needles to three positions of knit, tuck and welt.

Abstract: A shirt having a longitudinally extending body with a front and a back, a collar at a top end of the body, sleeves projecting from sides of the body, and buttons on the front of the body, is folded by first orienting the shirt flat with the body and arms generally coplanar and then folding side parts of the body inward along longitudinal fold lines and folding the sleeves down to lie on the folded-in side parts. Then a bottom part of the body is folded up against the back of the body along a transverse fold line such that a portion of the bottom part projects upward past the collar and some of the front buttons are positioned on the back of the folded-up bottom part. The projecting portion of the bottom part is then tucked between the folded-in side parts and the back of the body to impart to the shirt a generally rectangular shape.

Abstract: A drawing-in machine for threading weaving machine harnesses is provided with apparatus for separating one at a time the drop-wires to be threaded from a stack of drop-wires. The stack of drop-wires is moved toward a stop located adjacent a slit. A selecting member (31) in the form of a friction wheel contacts the front face of the forwardmost drop-wire of the stack of drop-wires to urge that drop-wire transversely into the slit so as to separate that drop-wire from the stack. The selecting member moves the front drop-wire from the drop-wire stack into an intermediate position from which it can be separated completely from the stack and threaded with a warp thread. The drop-wires do not need to have any specific configuration at the point of application of the selecting member and they also do not need to be lined up or arranged in a specific manner. The friction wheel contacting the drop-wires at their front face is able to singularize all types of drop-wires.

Abstract: An article is constituted of pieces of self-cohesive, pliable plastic which form a well sealed enveloping structure which may be manually unsealed and opened for the insertion of decorative or information conveying material and then manually be closed again and well resealed, at least one piece of the plastic being transparent, then at least one piece being selected so as to permit viewing of decorative or information conveying material in the enveloping structure.

Abstract: A health-care glove constituted of thin elastic rubber-like material and having a thumb at one side edge and a pinkie at the opposite side edge. The glove has distinctive visual indicia for immediately indicating to the user, the location of the thumb thereby to enable him to initially pick up the glove and easily apply it onto his hand with the thumb and pinkie in the proper relative sense.

Abstract: A shoulder pad/chest protector combination is provided for use in lacrosse or other sports in which the individual's arm is raised above shoulder level. The shoulder pad is pivoted to the chest protector by a lacing arrangement and is adjustable down the length of the arm by adjustment of the pivot point on the chest protector, with the shoulder pad being made to pivot with the arm by strapping the distal end of the pad to the arm. In one embodiment, the pivotal motion is provided by virtue of the twisting of the laces between the chest protector portion and the overlying shoulder pad. In another embodiment the shoulder pad includes a cuff for securing the distal end thereof to the arm of the individual. In one embodiment, lateral adjustment of the pivot point is made possible by providing laterally running lacing apertures at the top of the chest protector over the shoulder, with the lace passing through two apertures in the chest protector and four apertures in the shoulder pad.

Abstract: A sewing machine, capable of at least partial automatic operation, performs a second stitched seam, e.g. a deck seam, about joined ends of a pair of fabric panels which are components of an air bag. The machine features a vertically extended pedestal supporting the sewing head and a corresponding veritcally extended post supporting the plate beneath the head. The post supports the joined bag panels draped around it with the joint of the draped panels located between the sewing head and plate for stitching the edges of the panels to one of the panels while the remainder of the panels hang vertically around the post. A fixed lower guide plate and retractable upper guides are provided which will move a previously made stitched perimeter joint in the panels into precise spaced relation with a sewing head, so as to stitch the materials outside the first seam to each other and to one of the panels, forming the deck seam.

Abstract: A visored cap-type protective helmet for a bicyclist or the like is formed of a spherical fabric head shell defined by an outer fabric body and a matching spherical inner lining. Circumferentially spaced, generally radial fold lines join the outer fabric body to the inner lining and formed circumferentially adjacent, separate, sector shaped, arcuate pockets. Soft protective foam plastic pads sized to and of correspondingly sector shape fill the pockets. A visor integrated to the head shell at a circumferential bottom edge projects outwardly at the front of the helmet. A latching strip having one end fixedly mounted to a pocket at the front of the unit detachably fastens to a pocket at the rear of the head shell to permit the unit to be employed as a pouch for carrying articles and permitting the visor, when folded in, to be captured within the same pocket.

Abstract: A knitting machine has a bed, knitting implements which are mounted displaceably in the bed and which each have at least an operating and a pivotably first control butt, and at least one patterning arrangement which has a cam portion intended for guiding the butts, with at least one respective non-knitting, tuck and knitting track formed by cam member, and a selector intended for pivoting the control butts, by means of which the butts are distributed to a respective one of said tracks. The selector has a first control unit for controlling selected knitting implements into the non-knitting track and a second control unit for selectively distributing the other knitting implements to the tuck or knitting track.

Abstract: An upper feed device for a sewing machine comprises an upper feed arm having its base end coupled with a longitudinally swinging crank and an upper feed dog attached at its front end. The mechanism for vertically moving the upper feed arm consists of a clutch mechanism comprising a lever rotatably mounted on a vertical feed shaft and swinging in cooperation with the main shaft, an abutment disposed on the lever and an abutment of a collar disposed on the vertical feed shaft, which is capable of disconnecting the cooperation of the lever and the vertical feed shaft, and a crank having a roller slidably fitting with a guide disposed parallel to the upper feed arm and which moves vertically through its attachment to the vertical feed shaft. A block is provided below the roller to engage with the free lower end surface of the crank and is adjustable in its mounting position to prevent the roller from descending more than specified.

Abstract: A protective leg or arm covering is manufactured from a single piece of material. The material is cut into a blank having the shape to fit the purpose needed to protect the portion of the leg or arm desired. It is designed to be wrapped around the leg or arm, securing snugly but comfortably in the area of protection from the top of the leg or arm with the lateral edges extending to the bottom of the leg or arm or any partial area in between. A hook and pile closure sewn at the corners of the top and the bottom elevations of said blank of material provides the user with adjustability to the desired snugness of the fit. A hook and pile closure sewn along the lateral edges of said blank of material provides the user with full or partial protection from anything that would penetrate or enter the opening along said lateral edges.

Abstract: A convertible fur piece is disclosed which consists of an elongated strip of fur having hook and loop connecting strips secured to its opposed longitudinal edges which enable the strip of fur to be folded in half with its edges secured together to form an elongated hollow tube which receives a shoulder bag strap, or the like, to form a decorative element for the shoulder bag strap and a protective guard to reduce wear resulting from rubbing of the shoulder bag strap against the fur coat. Additionally, the ends of the fur strip have additional hook and loop connecting strips respectively secured thereto enable the fur strip to also serve as a head band.

Abstract: A needle selection device for circular knitting machines for women's stockings, including a pusher jacks associated with each of a plurality of needles of a needle cylinder, each pusher jack having two heels including an upper heel interacting, in a selection position, with a lower cam and a lower heel interacting, in a selection position, with a pressure cam, acting in a radial direction with respect to the cylinder, and with a raising cam. A horizontal collar is provided formed of non-magnetic material anchored around the needle, the collar defining a plurality of radial grooves. A plurality of horizontal elastic selector jacks are positioned in one of the radial grooves. A permanently magnetized ring is fastened below the collar, facing the selector jacks, spaced a distance from the selector jacks to retain said selector jacks only when said selector jacks are inclined downwardly.

Abstract: This invention is a hinged knee joint for the ice hockey goaltender's protective leg pads. It is comprised of wedge shaped openings located in the side walls of the pad. These openings are covered with a protective plate that is attached to tracks to keep the plate flat against the sides of the pad and cover the openings during all possible degrees of movement.

Abstract: The cam arrangement for a knitting machine has a first support in the form of a cam support (11) and at least one second support in the form of a segment (14) and at least one cam part (16) mounted on the segment. For rapid fixing of the segment on the cam support there serves a fixing device (31), which includes a first claw (32) associated with the cam support and a tightening device associated with the segment (14). In accordance with the invention the tightening device consists of a coupling pin (36) with a threaded section (37), a second claw (33) fitted thereon and cooperating with the first claw (32) and a tightening element (38) screw-connected with the threaded section (37) and mounted rotatably on the associated segment (14) (FIG. 2).

Abstract: A protective fireproof outfit includes an overall garment in combination with an undershirt and hood. The overall garment is comprised of an outer fabric layer of fireproof yarn and a plurality of mesh liner portions sewn in the outer layer in those areas requiring greater protection. At least one layer of netting and one or more additional layers of lining may also be secured in areas requiring greater protection. The lining material is also made of fireproof yarn and all layers of material are highly permeable to the passage of air to facilitate the transfer of heat. The hood and undershirt may also be of mesh fireproof material with selected lining portions of fireproof material, all of which are highly permeable to the passage of air.

Abstract: A combination suspenders for use with button and buttonless trousers includes interchangeable clip ends and button strap ends connected to the suspender straps via a clip carrier. The clip carrier is formed of a horizontally folded flexible material forming a channel which engages a button strap end or a connector on the clip end having a pair of horizontally extending opposed arms. In one embodiment, the clip connector is T-shaped with outwardly extending arms and engages the channel via a slit which vertically bisects the channel into opposed halves. In another embodiment, the clip connector is C-shaped and engages the channel from the outside with inwardly extending arms.

Abstract: A sliver can which facilitates the location of a trailing end portion of the sliver. The sliver can includes a main body and a tubular member associated with the main body for receiving an end portion of the sliver. By positioning the end portion of the sliver in a specific area, i.e. the within tubular member, the end portion may be easily located.

Abstract: A feeding aid for assisting in the feeding of laundry flatwork to laundry processing equipment such as an ironer. The air comprises spaced clamping stations including at least one pivotally mounted clamping wheel which is actuated into a lowered clamping position when a leading edge of a piece of flatwork such as a sheet is sensed beneath an associated laundry sensing device such as a photosensor. After one corner is clamped in place, the sheet leading edge is drawn taut and the opposite sheet corner portion is placed beneath the clamping wheel in a second clamping station. The clamping action of the two stations prevents the weight of the sheet depending from the feed conveyor from causing the sheet to fall by gravity from the conveyor. After a short time delay following clamping by a second clamping wheel, the feed conveyor on which a sheet or the like is clamped is actuated to feed the sheet into engagement with an ironing cylinder or the like.