Abstract: An apparatus is provided for feeding and slitting mattress covers, quilts and other soft goods supported on a table. The apparatus has a first slitting wheel rotatable by a motor. A second slitting wheel is rotatable by the motor and contacts the first slitting wheel to provide a cutting action. The apparatus further includes upper and lower conveyors operable by the motor for conveying the soft goods past the slitting wheels. The upper conveyor is resiliently vertically movable and applies a compression force against the soft goods as they are moved between the upper and lower conveyors and past the slitting wheels.

Abstract: A modular material supply system for an automated quilting machine having a variety of fill material supply devices, a cover material tick magazine, a fill laminator, and optionally a digital printer. The system is capable of selecting the desired cover and fill materials and supplying them continuously to a laminator to form a layered material, which is then fed to the quilting machine. The flexibility of the modular system reduces the need for system downtime to changeover component materials for producing different quilted products.

Abstract: A quilting machine has at least one needle and looper set for forming chain-stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress ticking, preferably a panel of the continuous web clamped stationary on a frame. The stitch forming elements are mounted on separate heads that move independently transversely relative to the panel on a bridge that moves longitudinally relative to the panel. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate linear servos. The needle and looper are each driven by a linear servo having an armature to which the element is directly fixed to reciprocate without intervening mechanical linkage assemblies. A controller drives the servos to chain-stitch patterns, differentially move the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection and to phase the needle and looper to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having at least one set of single needle stitch forming elements for forming chain stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress cover. The machine is preferably web-fed, with a panel of the continuous web being clamped and held stationary on a frame. The stitch forming elements include a needle and a looper mounted on separate heads that are independently moveable on a bridge transversely relative to the panel, which is moveable longitudinally relative to the frame. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate servos. The stitching elements on each head are driven by separate servos. A controller drives the servos to chain stitch patterns and differentially move the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection. The drives of the needle and looper are phased to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection. The controller determines or predicts needle deflection.

Abstract: A quilting apparatus is provided with a computer controlled presser plate adjusting mechanism. A presser plate rocker shaft is separate from and mechanically connected to a needle rocker shaft and imparts a reciprocating motion to the presser plate. The presser plate rocker shaft is adjustable to vary the range of its output link to the presser plate, thereby changing the endpoints of its reciprocating path of travel. Certain embodiments have an output end of the presser plate rocker shaft adjustable relative to the input end through a coupling to different angular positions relative to an input end in order to change the upper and lower ends of the range of reciprocation of the pressure plate relative to the needle plate. Alternatively, the length of a link between the needle and pressure plate rocker shafts is variable to make the presser plate adjustment.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having at least one set of single needle stitch forming elements for forming chain stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress cover. The machine is preferably web fed, with a panel of the continuous web being clamped and held stationary on a frame. The elements include a needle and a looper mounted on separate heads that are independently moveable transversely on a bridge, which is moveable longitudinally on the frame. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate servos. Each head is driven by a separate servo. A controller drives the servos to chain stitch patterns and differentially moves the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection. The drives of the needle and looper are phased to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection.

Abstract: Quilts (120) are made from unquilted comforter bags (206) without premounting the panel on a rectangular frame (11,11a). A leading edge clamp (50,250) is preattached along the leading edge of a panel and fed from an operator station (15) onto a shuttle (20) movably mounted on the frame of a programmed single needle quilting machine (10,10a). Opposed belt conveyors (61,62) on opposite sides of the shuttle (20) advance the clamp (50,250) and pull the panel onto the shuttle (20), gripping the side edges of the panel as it is pulled. A trailing edge clamp bar (48) frictionally engages the panel as the panel is pulled onto the shuttle (20). The shuttle (20) reciprocates longitudinally under a sewing head (18) that moves transversely on the frame (11,11a) to stitch a pattern in the panel.

Abstract: The quilting of rectangular comforter bags, mattress cover panels or other similar panels is provided without the need to premount the panel on a rectangular frame. A leading edge clamp is preattached along the leading edge of a panel and the clamp is fed from an operator station to the upstream end of a shuttle movably mounted on the frame of a programmed single needle quilting machine. Opposed belt conveyors on opposite sides of the shuttle advance the clamp and pull the panel onto the shuttle, with the belts gripping the side edges of the panel as it is pulled. A trailing edge clamp bar frictionally engages the panel to provide trailing edge securement to the panel, with the belts and leading edge clamp providing securement around the other edges to stretch the panel on the shuttle. The shuttle reciprocates longitudinally under a sewing head that moves transversely on the frame at a quilting station, while the sewing head operates to stitch a pattern in the panel.