Rufflers And Gatherers Patents (Class 112/132)
  • Patent number: 10286583
    Abstract: A unit for carrying out operations on first and second areas of packaging material which are spaced a first distance along direction when a portion of packaging material comprising first and second areas is flat; unit comprising: a feeding group feeding a packaging material web along a direction and in a first sense; a first tool to carry out first operation on first area arranged in a first desired position; a second tool to carry out second operation on second area arranged in a second desired position; first and second tool spaced for a second distance along direction; feeding group comprises: advancing device controllable to arrest web in a position, at which second area is spaced an intentional offset from second desired position; and an actuator controllable for moving second area towards second desired position to recover offset; absolute value of difference between first and distances being equal to offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: TETRA LAVAL HOLDINGS & FINANCE S.A.
    Inventor: Marco Ricco'
  • Patent number: 9751443
    Abstract: A seat cushion of a seat, which can avoid creation of wrinkle or crease in an area of a trim cover element corresponding to a lateral side of the seat cushion, irrespective of a downward load applied to the seat cushion, thereby making it possible to maintain an outer appearance of the seat cushion in a good quality condition. In a surface of a recessed region of a padding forming a part of the seat cushion, defined flexible portions are formed to be flexed in an inward direction by a downward load applied thereto. Non-bonding areas are defined between the trim cover element and the flexible portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Tabata, Hideki Kamata
  • Patent number: 9340911
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a needle bar base, a support shaft, an adjustment member, and an urging portion. The needle bar base has a through hole on an upper end portion. The support shaft is inserted through the through hole and pivotably supports the needle bar base. The support shaft includes a leading end portion. The leading end portion includes a first screw portion. The adjustment member is provided on the support shaft and is configured to move along an axial direction of the support shaft. The adjustment member includes a second screw portion and a first contact portion. The second screw portion is screwed into the first screw portion. The first contact portion is in contact with the needle bar base. The urging portion urges the needle bar base toward the first contact portion of the adjustment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Hasegawa, Shin Ota, Kenichi Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7841057
    Abstract: A panel for a mattress including first and second fabric layers joined together along their edges and a padding material between said fabrics. The padding material includes at least a layer of resilient foam provided with through-holes. The foam layer is quilted between the first and second fabric layers. A method of manufacturing the panel includes forming a resilient foam body provided with recesses, horizontally cutting a plurality of single layers in the body in the recesses portion to result in at least one layer with through-holes, sandwiching at least one of the single layers provided with through-holes in each panel between the first and second fabric layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: SAPSA Bedding SRL
    Inventors: Luciano Abrigo, Renzo Villa, Bruno Macció
  • Patent number: 7100525
    Abstract: A system for forming and attaching pillowtop attachment gussets and borders to panels, with the gusset or border material being fed from a supply into a sewing station. The gusset or border material is passed through a folder assembly that directs the gusset or border material into a sewing zone where it is attached to the panel. A ruffler mechanism engages and forms a series of ruffles in the gusset or border material as it is sewn about the corners of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Elvin C. Price, Samuel B. Goodwin, Jeffrey A. Moore, Preston B. Dasher, Tadeusz Olewicz
  • Patent number: 6423165
    Abstract: A method for forming convexities and/or concavities on cloths for a garment at almost entire portions of the garment or any desired portion of the garment without any substantial limitation from a design point of view. The method for forming a garment having convexities and/or concavities which can expand and contract in both the weft and wrap directions like a knitted fabric. Cloths including thermoplastic fiber are cut into parts of the garment, the parts are sewn in a shape of the garment. The garment is overlaid on a thermo-shrinkable cloth. They are sewn together with stitches of water-soluble threads. The sewn cloths are heated under dry heat and without applying any pressure to the cloths so as to permit the thermo-shrinkable cloth to shrink and form convexities and/or concavities on the cloths of the garment. The water-soluble threads are solved and removed, and the cloths of the garment are separated from the thermo-shrinkable cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Inventor: Yoshiki Hishinuma
  • Patent number: 5771829
    Abstract: A shirring attachment for a sewing machine that includes a programmable control operable to independently control the operation of individual shirring tools that are located at different points across the width of the material to be shirred. The shirring control stores a plurality of different shirring pattern programs some of which represent shirring patterns that vary across the width of the shirring material. Consequently, a number of shirring patterns can be produced that were not previously possible. Further, the shirring attachment is designed for a high production environment in which sewing machines operate at up to 1,000 stitches per minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Batesville Casket Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilbur Schebler, Louis H. Werner, Dale J. Enneking
  • Patent number: 5501165
    Abstract: A method for forming decorative creases in a trim cover assembly for an automotive seat, which basically involves using one unitary sheet of base trim cover assembly and effecting a gather sewing to such base trim cover assembly so that at least one decorative crease is formed therein in a fashion developing symmetrically relative to the sewing direction. The resulting decorative crease may be deepened for more aesthetic effect by pinching and sewing a part of reverse side of the trim cover assembly corresponding to the crease, along the sewing direction. Also, an automotive seat with the trim cover assembly made by such method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Tachi-s Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Nagashima
  • Patent number: 5355816
    Abstract: A shirring blade assembly is added to a quilting machine to enable the fabrication of a shirred topmost quilting layer on an upper sleeping surface of a mattress fabricated by the machine. The various layers to be laminated into the quilted upper sleeping surface include filler and foam layers for resilience. As the various layers are fed through the quilting machine, the shirring blade assemblies reciprocate in and out to gather the material in the desired shirred configuration, and the configuration is fixed by stitching along selectively spaced stitch lines. The resulting product is cut, trimmed and beaded about its periphery, after which it is incorporated in a mattress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Inventor: Michael A. Echevarria
  • Patent number: 5265778
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing material having knife-pleats on either side, for use in manufacturing reversible knife-pleated garments such as skirts or dresses. Patterned material is woven with alternating narrow and wide sections, wherein each narrow section is identical in width to the next narrow section and each wide section is identical in width to the next wide section. A template is provided for use in stitching the layers of material together to form pleats. The template is also used in creating pleats from solid-colored material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Joujou Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Albert Shehebar
  • Patent number: 5080267
    Abstract: A textile web corrugating machine comprises a support table along which a textile web is transported, a folding plate disposed above the support table for folding in a generally zig-zag fashion the textile web then as it passed below the folding plate, a retainer member positioned above the support table in face-to-face relationship with the folding means for urging folds successively formed on the textile web into a web transport passage positioned downstream of the support table with respect to the direction of transport of the textile web, and a compressing unit disposed along the web transport passage for applying a compressive force to the successively formed folds from above and also from a lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Taketaro Yoshizumi & Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeyoshi Yogo
  • Patent number: 5080030
    Abstract: Device for forming and sewing folds is provided in which one double fold DF and a plurality of single folds SF, located at spaced locations therefrom, are formed simultaneously on a cut, and the folds are also to be laid out flat with the folding tools.Three pairs of strips are provided as the holders for the folding tools, and the first of these pairs has two hinge-connected strips 86 and 87, which can be moved between the extended position and a buckled position. The strips of the second and third pairs can be moved in opposite directions and in opposite directions to the strips of the respective other pair, wherein the strips 88/89 and 90/91 of the second and third pairs of strips carry at least one folding knife. The first pair of strips carries the corresponding holders 112. The relative position of the first pair of strips 86/87 relative to the other two pairs of strips 88/89 and 90/91 is variable. The device is intended for producing workpieces with a plurality of folds of varying shapes, e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Eisele Apparate-und Geratebau GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Taddicken
  • Patent number: 5031554
    Abstract: A method for the production of decorative fabrics having flat narrow fabrics stitchingly secured in a longitudinally compressed convoluted condition to a substrate or devoid of a substrate. The narrow fabrics are such as lace, ribbon, braid or tape. The narrow fabric is guided into the path of a conventional reciprocating sewing needle whereby the needle on each downward stroke strikes the narrow fabric and advances it in a compressed convoluted condition toward the needle plate whereupon the fabric is attached in its compressed convoluted condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Sewing Center Supply Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Glenn
  • Patent number: 4754720
    Abstract: In the process for manufacture of seat covers with honeycomb cells, a plain and folded segment of a cover material is introduced by means of a fold forming traveler into a first of several grooves of a foam plastic panel and after the traveler is retracted, the fold of cover material is sewn to the foam panel. Then, a new segment of the cover material is folded back over the seam by the traveler in the direction of the adjacent second groove and, after forming a fold, is sewn in this groove. In the seat covers produced by this process, the seams are fully concealed by the cover material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1988
    Assignee: Pfaff Industriemaschinenen GmbH
    Inventors: Herbert Dietrich, Kurt Petry
  • Patent number: 4619211
    Abstract: A panel of fabric is guided from a spool to a gathering device. The gathering device includes a spindle located above and across the width of the panel of fabric and having a plurality of spaced apart wheels attached thereto. Extending radially from the wheels are a plurality of flexible mechanical fingers, or alternately, flexible bristles. As the wheels rotate the flexible projections gather the fabric into folds. A panel of backing material is guided to underlay the gathered fabric. The gathered fabric is then adhered to the backing material. A means for conveying the fabric and backing material is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1986
    Assignee: Casket Shells, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Semon, William J. Semon, Lawrence J. Bonczar, Helen Ceresko, William T. MacKirdy
  • Patent number: 4599958
    Abstract: French pleated draperies of any selected length are manufactured by serging panels of fabric together to provide a wide section of material. After hemming the bottom and serging a strip of buckram to the top of the section, the upper and lower edges of the section then are positioned on a pleat marking table. Ultraviolet markings then are made on the fabric to produce invisible marks at the locations of the centers of the pleats to be formed and also to indicate where fan folds should be formed at the bottom of the drapery. After a desired width of the section has been pleat marked, that width is cut from the section of material. After sewing the side hems, pleats are formed using a conventional pneumatic pleat forming machine by illuminating each ultraviolet sensitive pleat center mark with a center blade of the pleat forming machine and then forming that pleat. The pleat then is sewn by two pleat sewing machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1986
    Assignee: Multiple-Housing Drapery Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph D. Stiers
  • Patent number: 4583472
    Abstract: A sewing machine for making ruffles and a ruffler attachment comprises a base, an upstanding standard mounted on the base, an overhanging arm mounted at one end thereof on the upper end of the standard, a head carried by the other end of the arm and including a reciprocating needle bar and a presser foot, feed means are carried by the base beneath the presser foot and cooperating therewith to feed the material being sewn, and drive means for the needle bar and the feed means. A ruffling mechanism comprises an auxiliary shaft having its opposite ends journaled in the standard and the head for oscillatory movement and disposed in parallel relation to the overhanging arm. An elongate member is mounted at the end of the auxiliary shaft adjacent the head for movement with the auxiliary shaft and extends downwardly and outwardly therefrom to its outer end which is disposed in front of the presser foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Inventor: Samuel A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4425173
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for elasticizing the leg areas of a conformable garment is disclosed in which a continuous length of web material is continuously fed onto a moving support surface. As the web is fed onto the support surface, oscillating means moves the web in alternating directions in the direction of movement of and opposite to the direction of movement of the web as a whole to form spaced apart relatively flat folds in the web. Continuous, moving elastic ribbon is applied and adhered to the web in a tensioned condition across the folds, the folds are at least partially opened and the elastic is severed opposite the partially opened folds to provide discrete elastic strips attached at desired locations to the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1984
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventor: Richard H. Frick
  • Patent number: 4388880
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a machine with which it is possible to effect the stitching between the vamp and the upper part of the shoe and thus to create the upper border on "moccasin" type shoes, in particular, those of the "tubular moccasin" type, which utilize a continuous end sealed vamp. An improved ruffling of the vamp prior to attachment to the upper portion is accomplished by synchronized ruffling jaws. The machine operates in a fully automatic fashion and has the capability to vary the length of the stitch and of the ruffle of the vamp in the region of the upper part of the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1983
    Inventor: Mario Ciucani
  • Patent number: 4364317
    Abstract: A machine for sewing together two workpiece parts having edges of equal or unequal length by using a bead seam, especially for joining together the edge of a vamp and the shorter edge of a plug of a true moccasin shoe, so that the length of the plug matches that of the longer edge of the vamp, in only one operation. The bead seam forming device essentially consists of an auxiliary folding and ruffling finger acting in front of the needle of the sewing machine and in synchronous driving connection with the needle; several machines are described which are provided with different bead seam forming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1982
    Assignee: Kochs Adler AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Schneider, Rolf Ludwig, Jochen Fischer
  • Patent number: 4353774
    Abstract: An automatic unit for the programmable tucking in of part of a piece of material and the automatic fixing of this tuck by a heat-sealed reinforcement comprises two machines arranged at an angle of 150.degree. relative to one another and symmetrical with respect to the median axis separating them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1982
    Assignee: Vestra-Union, S.A.
    Inventor: Andre Zaehringer
  • Patent number: 4274345
    Abstract: A machine for sewing together two workpiece parts having edges of equal or unequal length by using a bead seam, especially for joining together the edge of a vamp and the shorter edge of a plug of a true moccasin shoe, so that the length of the plug matches that of the longer edge of the vamp, in only one operation. The bead seam forming device essentially consists of a folding finger acting in front of the needle of the sewing machine and in synchronous driving connection with the needle; several machines are described which are provided with different bead seam forming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1981
    Assignee: Kochs Adler AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Schneider, Rolf Ludwig, Jochen Fischer
  • Patent number: 4157688
    Abstract: A conventional ruffling machine, which contemporaneously receives a forwardly moving strip of base material (a.k.a. dust ruffle platform) and an overlying flat faster moving strip of stock material to be ruffled, whch progressively forms a succession of ruffles in said ruffling stock material along a given line and which immediately sews the ruffles to the base material, is provided with one or more (length or speed) measuring rolls engaged with and rotated by said fast moving ruffling material and an indicator actuatable by at least one roll and operative, when actuated, to indicate the actual (length or speed) ratio, between a given length of ruffling material fed rapidly to said machine and the corresponding smaller length of sewn ruffled material delivered more slowly from said machine, and its relationship to a desired ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 12, 1979
    Assignee: Louisville Bedding Company
    Inventor: Harold C. Forrester