Abstract: A device for producing a composite sandwich structure (1), wherein the sandwich structure comprises at least a first and second face sheets (2, 3) of a fibrous reinforcing material sandwiching between them a sheet of a core material (4), the device comprising a connecting fibre inserting apparatus for connecting the first face sheet (1), the core material (4) and the second face sheet (3) by means of connecting fibres (6). The connecting fibre inserting device comprises at least one needle bar extending transversally in the moving direction of the sandwich structure (1) and provided to exert a reciprocating movement in height direction of the sandwich structure (1). The needle bar comprises a plurality of spaced apart needles (11), arranged to face the first face sheet (2), and provided to take along a length of connecting fibre yarn (6) when reciprocating in and out of the sandwich structure (1) thereby forming a loop at the lower surface of the second face sheet (3).

Abstract: A quilting needle for achieving substantially uniform stitches in a multi-layer fabric/batten quilting substrate. The needle is formed as an elongated straight slender needle body having an eyelet at one end thereof sized for receiving a quilting thread therethrough and a sharp quilting fabric piercing point at another end of the needle body. A viewable stitch size guide is permanently disposed on the needle body so as not to disrupt the smooth needle body surface and is positioned from the point a distance equal to a desired stitch size. Successive stitches formed into the substrate of uniform size or length when the needle body is consistently pierced through the substrate to a depth defined when said stitch size guide just touches or meets and aligns with an obverse surface of the substrate before piercing the point into a reverse surface of the substrate to complete each stitch.

Abstract: In a chain stitch sewing machine which performs a required chain stitch sewing with respect to a cloth to be processed, by cooperation of a needle reciprocable up and down and a looper arranged under a needle plate, the chain stitch sewing machine comprises: (1) a large diameter drive gear rotatably provided in a base, (2) a looper support supported by the base so that it can slide in a lateral direction, (3) two or more loopers arranged on the looper support at intervals of a predetermined pitch along the lateral direction and freely rotatable on their own axes, (4) small diameter driven gears respectively provided in the two or more loopers and each engageable with the drive gear, and (5) a lock mechanism for non-rotatably locking the two or more loopers at a required timing.

Abstract: A looper is rotated under a throat plate, a stitching needle moves up and down through a needle hole formed in the throat plate and thus a cloth on the throat plate is stitched. After the cloth has been stitched, the thread between the needle hole and the looper is brought to a thread holding means disposed aside by thread drawing pieces and is maintained at its position by the thread holding means. Accordingly, even when the thread at this position is cut over the thread holding means, the thread can remain extending from the looper.

Abstract: A chain stitch insert receivable in the bobbin case of a sewing machine is formed with a topside ledge which captures and consumes thread as a hook point carries a loop of thread around the bobbin case. The ledge enables the formation of chain stitches without the need for a special eyelet on the machine.

Abstract: A sewing machine with a vertically reciprocable and laterally swingable needle for sewing provided with an upper thread includes a rotatable loop taker for catching a thread loop during synchronous rotation thereof with the needle, and is rotatable in a horizontal plane with respect to the needle. A bobbin member is mounted within the loop taker and carries a lower thread forforming a lock stitch with the lower thread when the loop taker catches a thread loop. A feed dog member includes a plurality of feed dog elements for synchronously moving vertically and horizontally with the needle so as to allow the fabric to be moved relative to the needle. A thread guide is disposed adjacent a certain one of the plurality of feed dog elements for guiding the lower thread to a predetermined side of the swinging needle each time the feed dog member is vertically moved.

Abstract: A chain stitch conversion throat plate for a lock stitch sewing machine, the throat plate carrying a thread loop retaining pin and a thread stripper device actuated by the up and down motion of the sewing machine feed dog. The thread stripper device includes a block pivotably supporting a wire form having one end for extending beneath the feed dog for up and down motion therewith, and the other end extending adjacent the thread loop retaining pin for stripping the retained loop therefrom on downward motion of the feed dog.

Abstract: In a stitching machine having a main shaft, a stitching needle and a looper and means for driving the shuttle so that the looper effects thread loop seizing and dropping movements and needle evading movements, the improvement in which the means for driving the looper comprises a crank rigidly connected to the main shaft, a slide mounted on the crank for driving by the crank, the slide having a free end which is formed with an outer spherical surface and an inner spherical surface which is offset relative to the outer spherical surface, a guide cylinder having a segment shaped cut out, the outer spherical surface being received in and guided by the guide cylinder, a ball having a bore and being rotatably mounted in the inner spherical surface, a looper shaft for mounting the shuttle, a transmission lever having one end rigidly connected to the looper shaft and the other end in engagement with the bore in the ball.