Abstract: An arrangement in a sewing machine including a fabric feed dog (14; 44) for feeding a fabric to be sewn, and a vertically movable presser bar (12; 42) having a presser foot (13; 43; 63) and a presser spring (23; 53). The presser bar is actuatable by a power-driven actuator(19; 49) connected to the presser spring and slidable in parallel with the presser bar. The actuator is movable relative to the presser bar to adjust the presser foot pressure and operatively connected to the presser bar to raise and lower the presser foot during the sewing procedure in accordance with a predetermined program. In one embodiment, the presser foot (13, 43) is slidable to follow the fabric during the feeding step. In another embodiment, the presser foot (63) is provided with a top feed ruffler (69, 70) for forming tucks or pleats in the fabric being sewn.

Abstract: A sewing machine of the type having an electronic control unit is provided with an arrangement comprising a needle mechanism with a needle bar, a presser bar (12) provided with a presser foot (13) and actuated by a resilient means (22) to provide a controllable presser foot pressure on the cloth (28) to be sewn, and a lifting device for adjusting the presser foot between its operative position and an inoperative position spaced from the cloth. According to the invention, the lifting device comprises a power driven lifting lever (15) coacting with the presser bar (12) for adjusting the presser foot (13) between said two positions and a third, operative position, in which the presser foot pressure is relieved, and the lifting lever (15) is operatively connected to said resilient means (22) for controlling the presser foot pressure.