Edge Patents (Class 112/153)
  • Patent number: 11763045
    Abstract: A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Dragan Jurkovic, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean
  • Patent number: 11341291
    Abstract: A tool path for treating a shoe upper may be generated to treat substantially only the surface of the shoe bounded by a bite line. The bite line may be defined to correspond to the junction of the shoe upper and a shoe bottom unit. Bite line data and three-dimensional profile data representing at least a portion of a surface of a shoe upper bounded by a bite line may be utilized in combination to generate a tool path for processing the surface of the upper, such as automated application of adhesive to the surface of a lasted upper bounded by a bite line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick Conall Regan, Dragan Jurkovic, Chih-Chi Chang, Ming-Feng Jean
  • Patent number: 10986907
    Abstract: A securement apparatus for a portable electronic device including a body having a panel and a plurality of elastomeric retainers secured to and extending from the panel. Each retainer forming a loop defining an opening, the openings adapted to receive therein a corner of a handheld electronic device. A tether is connected to and extending from the body. A strap is secured to the tether. An attachment device is operably connected to the strap to secure the apparatus to a member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: DACA DESIGN LLC
    Inventors: Nina Bransfield, Brannen Brock
  • Patent number: 10557225
    Abstract: Provided is a sewing machine including: a cylinder unit 3 configured to support two materials Fi and Fo having annular edges by being inserted therethrough while they are stacked, with one being located on the inner wheel side and the other being located on the outer wheel side; a stitch plate 12 configured to support the material Fi on the inner wheel side supported by the cylinder unit 3 by abutting it from below; a material presser 13 configured to press the material Fo on the outer wheel side supported by the cylinder unit 3 above the stitch plate 12; and a material sandwiching unit 41 provided on the near side of the stitch plate 12 and the material presser 13 and configured to sandwich, from above and below, the two materials Fi and Fo stacked, with the material Fi on the inner wheel side being located on the lower side and the material Fo on the outer wheel side being located on the upper side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: YAMATO MISHIN SEIZO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10323346
    Abstract: A method and related apparatus for assembling a fabric strip to a knitted article. The method includes the steps of loading a knitted article onto a loading form, wrapping at least an end portion of the knitted article so that an open end thereof is accessible, loading a fabric strip onto loading members, and wrapping it thereon so that a first welt is accessible. Additionally, the method includes mutually positioning the loading form and the loading members by aligning the loading form with respect to the loading members, introducing the loading form into an inner space of the loading members so that the fabric strip surrounds outside the end portion of the knitted article, and letting the first welt overlap and match the open border.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SANTONI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Ettore Lonati, Fausto Lonati, Andrea Lonati
  • Patent number: 9631308
    Abstract: A sewing machine for hem includes a turn-back device provided in front of a needle location position on a sewing machine bed, the turn-back device turning back an edge part of cloth into a state of being folded one above the other, and then feeding the turned-back cloth. In front of the turn-back device, a feed belt and a cloth presser foot are arranged opposite to each other with a cloth feeding path in between. By virtue of operation of a rotary solenoid performed on the basis of a detection result of a detector arranged in front of the opposing portion, the cloth presser foot is raised and lowered and thereby holds the cloth in cooperation with the feed belt so as to exert a movement force in the right and left directions onto the cloth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Yamato Mishin Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Hayashida, Takashi Iba
  • Patent number: 9303344
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a bed, a needle plate, a needle bar, a needle bar swing mechanism, a lift mechanism, an optical detecting portion, and a control portion. The lift mechanism is configured to raise and lower a presser foot. The optical detecting portion is configured to optically detect a cord guided by the guide portion, and to output data representing the cord. The control portion is configured to calculate a width of the cord based on the data output by the optical detecting portion, calculate a height position of the presser foot based on the width of the cord, and cause the lift mechanism to move the presser foot to the height position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Harumi Kobayashi, Midori Magara
  • Patent number: 9279204
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an embroidery cloth presser which prevents a needle thread from being sandwiched between the embroidery cloth presser and a cloth to allow an embroidery frame to move smoothly and which also prevents inappropriate draw-in of the needle thread, that is, prevents a cross-over thread of the needle thread resulting from long-distance movement of the embroidery frame from remaining on an embroidery surface. An embroidery cloth presser is installed on a presser bar of a sewing machine to press a cloth to be embroidered and which includes a projection provided on a bottom surface of the cloth presser which contacts the cloth around a needle and forming, between the cloth presser and the cloth, a gap through which a needle thread passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Tomizawa, Eiichi Shomura, Yukio Hosaka
  • Patent number: 9243358
    Abstract: A guiding tool for a sewing machine includes a first guiding member and a second guiding member. Each of the first guiding member and the second guiding member includes a base portion having a predetermined periphery, a guide surface facing to a side of the base portion, and a connecting portion for connection of the first guiding member and the second guiding member. The base portion includes a bottom surface provided with an attaching portion for attaching the guiding tool to an attachment surface of an object due to adhesion or suction. The guide surface of the first guiding member and the guide surface of the second guiding member are configured to be flush with each other when the first guiding member and the second guiding member are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CLOVER MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mariko Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8839728
    Abstract: An undergarment includes at least one piece of fabric that forms the undergarment. The undergarment has leg openings. The fabric includes edges that surround the leg openings, whereby at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings has a plurality of fibers and at least some of the fibers have free ends terminating at the at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings. A bead of a cured polymer is disposed over the at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings. The cured polymer bead forms a finished edge that is stretchable for adjusting to movement of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Cupid Foundations, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Angelino, David Welsch, Ronald Boser
  • Patent number: 8215251
    Abstract: An undergarment includes at least one piece of fabric that forms the undergarment. The undergarment has leg openings. The fabric includes edges that surround the leg openings, whereby at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings has a plurality of fibers and at least some of the fibers have free ends terminating at the at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings. A bead of a cured polymer is disposed over the at least one of the edges surrounding the leg openings. The cured polymer bead forms a finished edge that is stretchable for adjusting to movement of the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Cupid Foundations, Inc.
    Inventors: David Welsch, Anthony Angelino, Ronald Boser
  • Patent number: 7984681
    Abstract: A system for automatically attaching a flanging material to the edges of a panel such as for a mattress, including a work table on which the panel is supported and a sewing assembly having a sewing machine located along a path of travel of the panel across the work table. The flanging material is fed from a supply of flanging material located adjacent the sewing assembly, and is attached to the side edges and about the corners of the panel by the sewing machine of the sewing assembly. A clamp mechanism engages and holds the panel as the sewing machine of the sewing assembly attaches the flanging material about the corners of the panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company
    Inventors: Warren Oxley, John S. Chamlee, Van H. Nguyen, Danny V. Murphy, John P. Phillips
  • Patent number: 7975633
    Abstract: A seaming machine for seaming segments of sheet material to one another to form larger sheets includes a frame defining a sheet-receiving area and a pair of spaced seaming devices on opposed sides of the sheet-receiving area for respectively seaming opposed edges of the segments of sheet material to one another. The frame typically defines a table-receiving space for a table to support the sheet segments. The machine provides for the seaming of multiple sheet segments while the sheet segments remain atop the table or another work surface. Relative back and forth movement between the frame and work surface facilitate the process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Miller Weldmaster Corporation
    Inventors: Brian D. Henry, Rodney M. Tunistra
  • Patent number: 7726252
    Abstract: A method for straightening the edges of a work piece. The method includes the steps of determining the average edge position of each edge of the work piece, calculating an average edge line for each edge of the work piece, determining an actual corner point for each corner of the work piece, calculating a determined edge line through each of the actual corner points of the work piece, determining a number of actual edge points, determining if actual edge points are within the determined edge lines, and adjusting the determined edge lines inward until the actual edge points are within the determined edge lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Maples Industries, Inc
    Inventor: Robert A. Trobaugh, III
  • Patent number: 7584710
    Abstract: A holder for use on a duty belt comprising a backing portion including a synthetic material coupled to a cover portion including a synthetic material is disclosed. An edging portion at least partially covers an edge of either the backing portion, the cover portion, or both. The backing portion and the cover portion are coupled by stitching, the stitching passing through the backing portion and the cover portion, and the backing portion and the cover portion are substantially flush along a seam at which the backing portion and the cover portion are joined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Armament Leather, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary M. Grundy, Jacqueline M. Dunstan
  • Patent number: 7401563
    Abstract: An edge sewing apparatus for carrying out edge sewing in a curved shape along one side edge of a cloth piece in a strip-like shape while rotating the cloth piece, which includes: a press rotating member rotated in accordance with feeding of the cloth piece while pressing the cloth piece; a rotational angle measuring device that measures a rotational angle of the press rotating member; and a press releasing device that releases the press rotating member from being pressed when the rotational angle measured by the rotational angle measuring device reaches a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Sho
  • Patent number: 7360496
    Abstract: A workpiece cloth ruler is disclosed which is detachably attachable to an attaching part of a cloth presser holder or a walking foot to which a cloth presser is attached to press workpiece cloth. The ruler includes a bar-shaped support detachably attachable to the attaching part of the cloth presser holder so as to be directed in a right-left direction and so as to be substantially horizontal, a connecting part located on an end of the bar-shaped support, a cloth guide pivotally non-releasably attached via a supporting part to the connecting part of the bar-shaped support so as to be vertically pivotable, and an elastic member biasing the cloth guide to the workpiece cloth side so that the cloth guide pivots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoyasu Niizeki
  • Publication number: 20070215025
    Abstract: A workpiece cloth ruler is disclosed which is detachably attachable to an attaching part of a cloth presser holder or a walking foot to which a cloth presser is attached to press workpiece cloth. The ruler includes a bar-shaped support detachably attachable to the attaching part of the cloth presser holder so as to be directed in a right-left direction and so as to be substantially horizontal, a connecting part located on an end of the bar-shaped support, a cloth guide connected via a supporting part to the connecting part of the bar-shaped support so as to be vertically pivotable, and an elastic member biasing the cloth guide to the workpiece cloth side so that the cloth guide pivots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomoyasu Niizeki
  • Patent number: 7240629
    Abstract: A sewing machine that can be easily set up for minimizing selvedge includes a needle plate assembly and a reciprocating needle. The reciprocating needle is supported above the needle plate for joining at least two pieces of material together. A sew guide is spaced laterally from the reciprocating needle a predetermined distance corresponding to a selvedge length of selvedge extending from the joined material for guiding the pieces of material being joined beneath the needle. A spacer abutting the sew guide laterally spaces the sew guide at the predetermined distance corresponding to the selvedge length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: Eagle Ottawa, LLC
    Inventor: Catherine M. Patterson
  • Patent number: 6997125
    Abstract: The automated sewing device itself includes several known constitutional elements similar to those of the earlier described prior-art automated sewing devices. Namely, a known sewing machine (M) having a sewing needle (32), a pressure foot member (31), and a feed dog member (33) is fixedly provided on a table (3), and a stationary guide plate (2) having a pair of first and second guide grooves (20A)(20B) formed therein is fixedly mounted on the table (3). And, movably attached on that stationary guide plate (2) is a movable guide plate (1) which has a pair of guide rollers (12)(12) rotatably provided on the reverse side thereof. Designation (30) denotes a guide member disposed adjacent to the sewing needle (32), which is so designed that both end portions (53) and (63) respectively of the first and second base materials (5)(6) will be slidably contacted therewith and thereby be guided in a direction to that sewing needle (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihito Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Takei
  • Patent number: 6725795
    Abstract: An improved sewing machine is disclosed for making consistent edge seams. The improvement automatically adjusts a width of a sewn seam based upon feedback from a sensor which detects a position of a sewn edge. Feedback from the sensor causes a transverse adjustment in the position of an edge guide. An outside foot of the sewing machine may be suspended on a biased linkage to permit its transverse displacement when making an adjustment to a seam width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Inventor: Felix Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 6725791
    Abstract: A fabric guide device for a sewing machine has an upper plate and a middle plate, and is disposed at the fabric feed side of the presser foot of the sewing machine. The upper plate is disposed on the sewing machine bed in a state of keeping a certain clearance from the sewing machine bed, and its fabric feed side portion is warped upward. The middle plate is disposed beneath said warped portion of the upper plate, and is free to project and retreat from and into the sewing machine bed. The middle plate has upper and lower surfaces for guiding the upper and lower bodies. When sewing said bodies together, first the middle plate projects from the sewing machine bed to insert between the bodies. Then the bodies are pulled forward, and the over-edge chain stitching portions are engaged with the middle plate to be tilted to the fabric feed side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Pegasus Sewing Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirochika Mukai
  • Publication number: 20030209177
    Abstract: A fabric guide device for a sewing machine has an upper plate and a middle plate, and is disposed at the fabric feed side of the presser foot of the sewing machine. The upper plate is disposed on the sewing machine bed in a state of keeping a certain clearance from the sewing machine bed, and its fabric feed side portion is warped upward. The middle plate is disposed beneath said warped portion of the upper plate, and is free to project and retreat from and into the sewing machine bed. The middle plate has upper and lower surfaces for guiding the upper and lower bodies. When sewing said bodies together, first the middle plate projects from the sewing machine bed to insert between the bodies. Then the bodies are pulled forward, and the over-edge chain stitching portions are engaged with the middle plate to be tilted to the fabric feed side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Inventor: Hirochika Mukai
  • Patent number: 6481362
    Abstract: A panel positioning system can be used to position side panels during manufacture of a pant. As a pant is transported in a machine direction, the panel positioning system moves a pant side panel in a direction generally perpendicular to the machine direction. The panel positioning system can comprise a drive mechanism, a positioning mechanism operatively connected to the drive mechanism, and a head connected to the positioning mechanism. The drive mechanism and the positioning mechanism can cause the head to move in an orbital profile and contact the side panel. The orbital profile can lie in a plane generally perpendicular to a pant transport plane or in a plane oblique to a pant transport plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventors: Lloyd Carl Hietpas, Joseph Daniel Coenen, David Arthur Kuen, David Albert Maxton, Robert Lee Popp, Charles Robert Tomsovic
  • Patent number: 6257158
    Abstract: The invention provides a sewing machine with uncurling device comprising a separating plate and a suction tube, the separating plate is placed in front of the needle drop point and it separates upper and lower fabrics fed to a needle drop point with their respective edge hems overlapped, and the suction tube has an air-intake with its size covering across upper and lower surfaces of the separating plate and it straightens curls at separated edge hems of the both fabrics by air flow sucked into the suction tube through the air-intake. As the overlapped edge hems of the both fabrics are fed into the needle drop point, the curls at the edge hems are reliably straightened regardless of the shape thereof. Therefore, it eliminates troublesome manual labor for straightening the curls before feeding of the fabrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Yamato Mishin Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Asazuma, Tadanori Inoue
  • Patent number: 6244202
    Abstract: The needle plate for the sewing machine supporting the material to be sewn (the fabric) which is pressed by the pressing piece forming the sewing machine, wherein the fabric is sent into the interfacing space between the needle plate and the pressing piece and the support of the receiving plate is elastically turned down, keeping the fabric at intervals allowing for the sending and thus preventing the puckering on the fabric. The fabric guide set on the needle plate for the center sewing is provided on the needle plate where the needle falls and carries out the sewing by regulating the fabric by a determined width of the sewing. The three-fold guide installed on the needle plate for the three-fold sewing is provided on the location where the needle falls, and carries out the sewing by winding the fabric around to make it three-fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventor: Shigeharu Tsuta
  • Patent number: 6129030
    Abstract: A device for positioning and joining at an angle, by means of a sewing machine, the borders of two flaps of fabric, particularly of a horizontal cloth and of a vertical band for forming the case of a mattress, having an angular element which comprises a first laminar channel, forming a guide for the border of the cloth, and a second laminar channel, which forms a guide for the border of the band; the channels are arranged at a right angle and each channel is comprised between two walls: one wall is external to the channels and the other wall is internal thereto; respective through openings are formed in the outer wall and two feeders are also provided which comprise rotating heads which are arranged so as to tangentially engage the cloth and the band through the through openings in order to place the borders of the cloth and of the band, guided in the channels, adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2000
    Assignee: Resta S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto Resta
  • Patent number: 6119612
    Abstract: A hem former (16) for folding the margin of a sheet of material in preparation for sewing is mounted to the sewing bed (11) of a sewing machine (10). The hem former has a mounting plate (17), a guide plate (18) having a guide edge (23), a support plate (22) having a front edge (28) reciprocally mounted upon the guide plate and channels (24), and a guide cap (36). The guide cap has air nozzles (38) coupled to a supply of compressed air so as to generate an airstream directed beneath the front edge of the support plate and into the channels of the support plate. The airstream urges the margin of material over the front edge of the support plate and into abutment with the guide edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Bottoms Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph A. Bottoms, Ronald C. Lovejoy
  • Patent number: 6092479
    Abstract: In the apparatus, a lateral supply section is provided on one side of a fly-conveying passage, and an angle-changing member with a desired inclination angle is provided on the other side of the fly-conveying passage. A fly is supplied from the lateral supply section so as to abut on the angle-changing member and to be displaced at the desired inclination angle, then the fly is conveyed to a sewing section by a first longitudinal conveying belt and a second longitudinal conveying belt provided at a conveying section with the displacement of the fly being maintained. Thereafter, a slide fastener chain is placed and sewn onto the fly, thereby mechanically manufacturing the fly to which the slide fastener chain is sewn diagonally. The thus finished fly with the slide fastener chain is good and uniform in quality while its manufacturing can be efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: YKK Corporation
    Inventor: Yasutoshi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 5992340
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method and device for laterally aligning a lateral edge of flat material webs (10) fed to a machining station (16). The lateral position of the edge (26) transversely to the feed direction (14) is detected, so that a position signal is formed and the flat material web (10) is conveyed transversely to the feed direction as a function of this position signal. According to the invention, the transverse conveying, two elongate cylindrical friction rollers (32, 34), whose axes of rotation are aligned transversely to the feed direction (14), are first alternatively urged against the flat material web so that they entrain the flat material web (10) in the sense of their axes of rotation (32', 34') and, as a function of the position signal are moved in a reciprocating manner between two end positions and, secondly are raised off the flat material web, the change of rollers being triggered whenever the end positions are reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Rombold System GmbH
    Inventor: Peter M. Rombold
  • Patent number: 5979346
    Abstract: A motor-driven sewing machine and method of making the same that includes a needle movable between advanced and retracted positions through a sewing station, a mechanism for controllably advancing the peripheral portion of a work piece past the sewing point and a mechanism for causing the sewing machine to apply stitches to the work piece border as the work piece automatically moves through the sewing station. The sewing machine is provided with a specifically configured feed dog and a presser foot which controllably moves the work piece along a work piece fence surface so that precisely configured stitches are expeditiously formed along the border of the work piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: Rosty Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 5941187
    Abstract: A device and method of guidance equipping a sewing machine provided with a work carrier plate, and a presser foot (5) for driving the material to be sewn, associated with at least one needle comprising at least one member (10) for adjusting the transverse position of the material, applied in contact with the material at a point of contact (12): offset laterally from a driving straight line (18); situated in operation at least substantially in line with the presser foot (5) and oriented with a fixed non-zero angle with respect to the driving straight line. A machine equipped with this device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventors: Patrick Rouleau, Alain Rouleau, Jean-Pierre Touret
  • Patent number: 5918560
    Abstract: A textile fold control system (40) includes a hem engager (46) mounted to a downstream side of a sewing machine (42), and a roller (76) for engaging and moving a hem formed in a textile work piece slightly downward so as to bend the hem about a trailing edge (79) of a work surface (54) of the sewing machine, thereby applying increased frictional contact between an edge portion (88) of the work piece and the work surface, and additional surface-to-surface contact between the edge portion and an adjacent body portion (90) of the hem in order to avoid the curling or unfolding of the hem during a pre-feed portion of the sewing cycle of the sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company
    Inventors: Preston B. Dasher, John S. Chamlee, Tadeusz Olewicz
  • Patent number: 5881661
    Abstract: A semi-automatic leg binding attachment system includes a pair of infeed guide plates leading towards and terminating in a pair of sew heads. To align the garment as it is fed into the sew heads, a combination of pneumatic garment aligners and active, mechanical garment aligners are provided. The pneumatic garment aligners preferably include fine and coarse pneumatic garment aligners attached to the infeed guide plates. A central material blower blows downwards towards the garment to eliminate folds and maintain garment tension against which the active, mechanical aligners pull. Easy operator access during garment loading is provided by devices which disengage the fine pneumatic aligners and the active, mechanical aligners away from the infeed guide plates. To load the garment, the operator lays the garment onto the infeed guide plates and places a leading edge of the garment below material present/foot drop sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Jet Sew Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John Thomas Lawendowski, Tadeusz A. Olewicz
  • Patent number: 5802998
    Abstract: A machine includes a fixed guide (3) which longitudinally defines two work tops (P1 ,P2), the work tops supporting and guiding the edges (30a,40a) of leather articles (30,40) to be sewn together. As it moves following an arcuate path, the needle pierces the edges (30a,40a), located on the work tops (P1,P2). After a stitch is made, the needle and a rotating crochet (19) are shifted toward the machine structure, making the two edges of the leather articles move one step forward. After having left the edges of the leather articles (30,40), located on the work tops (P1,P2), the needle and the rotating crochet (19) rise and are shifted in the opposite direction up to their starting position. Two presser feet (15a,15b), situated beside the two work tops, at the back of the needle (14), press the edges of the leather articles (30,40), when the needle pierces them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Inventor: Mario Ciucani
  • Patent number: 5782192
    Abstract: An automated sewing system including a loading unit, a seam folding unit and a sewing unit which are mounted on a support table. The automated sewing system further includes a control system for monitoring and controlling the loading unit, seam folding unit and sewing unit. The loading unit includes a loading assembly for receiving the two articles and a conveying assembly for advancing the two articles to the seam folding unit. The seam folding unit includes a seam folder for receiving the edges of the articles therethrough to interlock the edges of the articles and a conveying assembly for advancing the two articles to the sewing unit. The sewing unit includes a sewing machine which sews the two articles together at the seam to produce a sewn product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: VMW Automated Apparel Equip.
    Inventors: Jerry S. Kear, Larry C. Dulaney, Douglas H. Capps
  • Patent number: 5765494
    Abstract: A machine for automatically producing apparel sleeves that includes a station at which the sleeve blank is trimmed, folded and hemmed. Another station is provided at which the hemmed sleeve blank is folded and turned inside out. The sleeve blank must then be stopped at a position at which it is aligned with a seaming sewing machine and then transported to the sewing head of the seaming sewing machine. A curve generating mechanism then controls the sleeve blank as it is fed through the seaming sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Jr., Stephen S. Ruderman, Chengyu Sun, Carlton I. McElwain, Kevin L. Lunsford
  • Patent number: 5755167
    Abstract: A device for decorative sewing of articles made of leather includes a longitudinal guide (7) a part of which is laterally delimited by two inclined flat surfaces (7a, 7b) upwardly convergent, forming at the top a tooth (10) on which an article (1) to be sewn is moved. A folding member (12), situated over the longitudinal guide (7), clamps the article (1) to the tooth (10), by folding this article (1) on the inclined flat surfaces (7a, 7b), when the needle (20) has formed a stitch (4). A leather pressing element (15) oscillates on a plane that is transversal with respect to the longitudinal guide (7) and presses the article (1) in position adjacent to the stitch 4 just formed, on the side where the needle (20) enters the article (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1998
    Inventor: Mario Ciucani
  • Patent number: 5743202
    Abstract: A looped elastic waistband (14) is positioned along a circular sewing path (12) with the waist edge (21) of a pair of pants (12) in straddling relationship thereover. The garment parts are advanced past a folding assembly (61), which folds the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) over the waistband (14), and past sewing needles (13) that form lines of stitching along the aligned edges of the pants (16) and waistband (14) and through the folded portion (22) of the pants waist (19). In the meantime, the position of the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) over the waistband (14) is adjusted in response to position the waist edges (21) as detected by body edge sensor (13) which controls the reciprocation of a pair of drive wheels (87 and 88) of an edge guide assembly (86) which engage and urge the waist edge (21) of the pants (16) across from the sewing path (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Atlanta Attachment Company
    Inventors: Elvin C. Price, Preston B. Dasher, Michael Pate
  • Patent number: 5738026
    Abstract: An improved device for sewing two articles with overlapped edges, includes a longitudinal guide (7), laterally delimited by two inclined, upwardly convergent, flat surfaces (7a,7b) on which a first article (1) and second article (2) to be sewn are moved. A curved winglet (11) is made integral with the top of the guide (7) and is bent downwards to overhang one of the inclined surface (7b). A folding over member (12), moves vertically over the longitudinal guide (7), so as to clamp an edge (3) of the first article (1) on the curved winglet (11), thus folding over the edge (3) so as to overlap a corresponding edge of the second article (2), while a needle (20) makes a stitch (4). A support element (17), equipped with a presser foot (18), presses the edge of the second article against the inclined surface (7b) of the guide (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Inventor: Mario Ciucani
  • Patent number: 5709162
    Abstract: A sewing machine in combination with a workpiece control and advancing mechanism for automatically forming a seam along the aligned edges of a two ply waist band and a shirt body. The mechanism includes edge guiders, that are controlled by sensors, for individually controlling each workpiece edge such that the marginal edges of all layers are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen J. Pagett, Maxmilian Adamski, Jr., Richard J. Kurtz, Conrad L. Fernandez
  • Patent number: 5694876
    Abstract: A fabric feed mechanism that includes a forward feed roller located forward of the stitch forming area and a rear feed roller located to the rear of the stitch forming area. The drive to the forward and rear feed rollers is synchronized such that the fabric is fed to the stitch forming instruments in a relaxed and unstretched condition. There is a independently applied downward pressure to forward and rear feed rollers and the forward feed roller is raised along with the presser foot. The front feed roller has sections that are located on opposite sides of the presser foot toe to thus ensure that the top layer of fabric is fed under the presser foot rather than riding up the front roller. A material folding device is located forward of the stitch forming area for folding material to be fed to the stitch forming area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: One Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Manfred Ackermann, Dale R. Carr
  • Patent number: 5687660
    Abstract: A cloth edge control device for a sewing machine includes a pair of rollers, an optical sensor, and controller. The pair of rollers are arranged near a needle location in such a manner that the rollers are rotating about an axis perpendicular to a direction in which a cloth material is fed, so as to be pushed against the cloth material. The optical sensor is adapted for detection of the cloth material at a plurality of points on a line along a direction intersecting with the feed direction before the needle location. The controller detects the position and curvature of the edge of the cloth material according to a light intercept signal from the optical sensor and rotates the rollers independently of each other according to the position and curvature thus detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Honda, Nozomi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 5664508
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a side panel for a mattress sack or a box spring enclosure. The apparatus includes a double needle sewing machine and a guide for the ends of the folded side panel which are being stitched together which aligns and guides the ends through the stitching area. Photocells are provided to start and stop the stitching process. The method includes the step of stopping the stitching process after a predetermined number of stitches if light from a second photocell in the feed direction is not interrupted within a predetermined number of stitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Porter Sewing Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles E. Mulcahey, Michael R. Porter
  • Patent number: 5636582
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semi-automatic device for sewing full felled inseams or outer seams on jeans. The fell seamer employs optical sensors and spline rolls to guide the material into and through the folder. Sensors are embedded in the folder of the device to indicate the amount of material to be introduced into the folder. A computer controlled interface indicates the adjustments to be made and automatically sends instructions to the machine to effect the adjustments. The full fell seamer device includes an upper cylinder assembly, an upper pivot assembly, an upper spline assembly, an upper flex shaft assembly, a lower cylinder assembly, a lower spline assembly, a folder assembly, an upper motor assembly, a lower flex shaft assembly, a control box assembly and a pneumatic assembly. The vision, logic and drive systems sense the material being fed and compute the information gathered and then effect the drive system functioning as required by the material to be sewn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: AMF Reece, Inc.
    Inventors: Vivian Ferguson, Louis A. Tocchio
  • Patent number: 5605106
    Abstract: A fabric feed mechanism that includes a forward feed roller located forward of the stitch forming area and a rear feed roller located to the rear of the stitch forming area. The drive to the forward and rear feed rollers is synchronized such that the fabric is fed to the stitch forming instruments in a relaxed and unstretched condition. There is a independently applied downward pressure to forward and rear feed rollers and the forward feed roller is raised along with the presser foot. The front feed roller has sections that are located on opposite sides of the presser foot toe to thus ensure that the top layer of fabric is fed under the presser foot rather than riding up the front roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 25, 1997
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Manfred Ackermann, Dale R. Carr, Larry D. Crisler
  • Patent number: 5603271
    Abstract: A piston and cylinder combination is mounted on the backside of a sewing machine and a piston rod projects from the cylinder toward the bed plate of the sewing machine intermediate the sewing machine head and the support standard. At the lower end of the piston rod is a seam gauge or guide to abut one edge of fabric being sewn by a needle. Retraction of the piston rod retracts the seam gauge from close proximity to the needle and bed plate. The piston and cylinder combination is mounted on a track secured to the back of the sewing machine. The piston and cylinder combination is movable transversely on the track for adjusting the spacing between the seam gauge and the needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Findlay Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry L. Reinhart, Vaughn J. Piper
  • Patent number: 5570647
    Abstract: A sewing machine in combination with a workpiece control and advancing mechanism for automatically forming a seam along the aligned edges of a two ply waist band and a shirt body. The mechanism includes edge guiders, that are controlled by sensors, for individually controlling each workpiece edge such that the marginal edges of all layers are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Jr., Richard J. Kurtz, Conrad L. Fernandez
  • Patent number: 5566633
    Abstract: An automatic industrial sewing machine which increases productivity and improves quality in the sewing of linings to facing material in the manufacture of jackets. The machine automatically inserts a plurality of different rates of fullnesses at predetermined locations in the seam between the lining and the facing, for a preset number of stitches for each fullness. It also provides positive feeding for piping sewn into the seam which eliminates stretching or bunching of the piping. Finally, the material is held in position after release of the drag clamp by the use of a jet stream of air impinging on the material. The operation of the machine is automatic in that the operator need only place the facing and lining into the drag clamp and into the air guide and depress a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: G&G Sewing Machine Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin K. Wesstrom
  • Patent number: 5560308
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing peripheral selvedges of fabric. The apparatus includes a sewing machine unit for sewing up fabrics; an air table mechanism incorporating a number of jet apertures through which air is jetted onto an upper surface of the table in an obliquely upward direction towards a product guide member; a supplementary roller unit which vertically ascends and descends to shift a processable fabric synchronously with feeding of the sewing machine unit; a rotating unit having a fabric holding unit which descends only when sewing of a fabric corner is executed in order to hold and rotate the objective fabric by a predetermined angle and then ascends after rotating the fabric by a predetermined angle; a flange strip supply unit for supplying a flange strip to the sewing machine unit; and a controller unit for integrally controlling operation of the above component units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Matsushita Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Eto