Abstract: A relatively rigid needle pack comprising only a web of flexible material and a plurality of sewing machine needles arranged in groups of from about 3 to about 25 with their shank portions parallel and contiguous one another and the blade portion of each of the plurality of needles pierces the web to define a line of concatenated fenestrations. The web is wrapped tightly around the needle shank portions to secure the shank portions closely together forming a relatively rigid strip package containing about 3 to about 25 needles per strip. The web may be severed between groups of needles, forming separate packages or a plurality of groups of needles may be retained in a single uninterrupted web for multiple unit packaging.

Abstract: A lockstitch sewing machine utilizing a needle looper to extend upwardly through a work material to grasp an upper thread and pull it downwardly through the work material to a looptaker which casts the upper thread about a lower thread in order to form a lockstitch. When the needle looper is in an upper position to catch an upper thread, a hook needle is exposed and thread is deflected into the hook thereof. As the needle looper is retracted to a depressed position the hook needle is moved to a guard position so as to retain the upper thread therein during transit. When the needle looper is at its lower position, the hook is again exposed to release its thread to a looptaker for concatenation with a lower thread.

Abstract: A lockstitch sewing machine utilizing a needle looper to extend upwardly through a work material to grasp an upper thread and pull it downwardly through the work material to a looptaker which casts the upper thread about a lower thread in order to form a lockstitch. When the needle looper is in an upper position to catch an upper thread, a hook needle is exposed and thread is deflected into the hook thereof. As the needle looper is retracted to a depressed position the hook needle is moved to a guard position so as to retain the upper thread therein during transit. When the needle looper is at its lower position, the hook is again exposed to release its thread to a looptaker for concatenation with a lower thread.

Abstract: A lock stitch sewing machine having a rotary loop taker adapted to carry a loop of thread about a stationary bobbin thread case. The bobbin thread case is restrained from rotation by a finger which is disposed between abutments in the bobbin thread case for opening a passage to allow the needle thread loop past the bobbin thread case rotation restraining means, the rotation restraining finger is vibrated at a frequency greater than four cycles per rotation of the loop taker.

Abstract: A felting needle with a barb having a fiber deflecting section and a fiber gripping section. The barb is within a triangular blade needle and has a fiber gripping section disposed in the bottom portion of the trailing edge of the barb and disposed at approximately a 70 degree undercut angle relative to the needle axis and the fiber deflecting section extends upwardly and rearwardly from the fiber gripping section at approximately 30 degrees to the needle axis. The effective depth of the gripping section is less than approximately 75% of the total barb depth. With this arrangement, owing to the barb fiber gripping edge positioned within the triangular blade and with no kick-up, the backing material fibers are protected and fiber distortion is reduced.

Abstract: A sewing machine needle is disclosed in which the needle blade including the long groove and the eye portion with a thin eye-accommodating web is cold formed in one finless flow pressing operation. Regardless of the diameter of the needle blade a uniform relation thereof with the needle orienting flat on the needle butt is achieved by lateral displacement of the needle blade axis relatively to the axis of the needle butt. In addition, the side flanges of the long groove, particularly in the eye portion are flared to facilitate threading.

Abstract: A dual color coding system is disclosed for sewing machine needles in which the color appearing on one area of the needle denotes the needle type, whereas that appearing on another area denotes the needle size. A dye which leaves no discernable surface coating is applied to the needle shank to denote one of the characteristics, preferably needle type; whereas a narrow band of pigmented material is applied as a surface coating over the dye colored surface at the juncture of the needle shank and blade to denote another characteristic, preferably needle size.

Abstract: A device which introduces compressed air at an angle to thread placed in a split tube. When this split tube is placed adjacent to the eye of a sewing needle, the compressed air will shift the thread through the tube and thence through the needle eye. The split is provided in the tube to allow the device to be removed from the thread after the needle has been threaded. Frictioning means may be included for holding the thread in the tube until the compressed air is introduced.

Abstract: The method of fabricating a sewing machine needle is disclosed in which the needle blade including the long groove and the eye portion with a thin eye-accommodating web is cold formed in one finless flow pressing operation. The method of forming the needle orienting flat on the needle butt and laterally displacing the needle blade relatively thereto by a flow pressing operation is disclosed. A method of flaring the side flanges particularly in the eye portion to facilitate threading and a needle so constructed is also disclosed.

Abstract: The steps in the manufacture of a sewing machine needle are disclosed in which the needle blade is shaped by first being subjected to a flow-pressing operation to form a groove with raised side flanges and thereafter the eye portion is subjected to a die pressing operation which can further raise the side flanges. The needle is then completed by eye punching, pointing, and fin removal.

Abstract: A non-woven textile fabric having a non-woven central web and tufts projecting from opposite faces of the web is produced by pushing through the central web simultaneously and from opposite sides thereof a plurality of needles constructed to displace strands of the web beyond opposite faces thereof.

Abstract: A method of manufacture is disclosed by which punched holes in mass produced parts, such as sewing machine needles and yarn guiding elements for textile machines, can be readily shaped, deburred and polished using die-shaping procedures only.

Abstract: An improved felting needle barb having a kick-up of novel design such that the barb has greatly improved wear characteristics and more efficient transportation of fibers over an appreciable longer period of operation than existing felting needle barbs.

Abstract: A tufting needle construction in which the axis of the eye and point portion of the needle is parallel but offset relative to the axis of the needle and the blade of the needle just above the needle eye is parallel but offset relative to the eye and point portion to form the clearance above the eye portion of the needle. The axis of the eye and point portion passes into the clearance above the eye. The construction is such that the cross section of the needle at the eye is less than that of known needles of similar gauge and the clearance above the eye may be equal to or greater than that of such known needles.