With Thread Wiping Patents (Class 112/286)
  • Patent number: 10982366
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a controller and a thread cutter which cuts an upper thread passed through a sewing needle and which has a fixed knife, a moving knife, and a driving source to drive the moving knife. The moving knife cuts the upper thread by guiding the upper thread. The moving knife has a through-hole into which the sewing needle is loosely insertable and includes a thread cutting portion in an inner edge portion of the through-hole. By controlling the driving source, the controller makes a stitch point of a first stitch of the sewing needle with respect to the through-hole of the moving knife, and moves the moving knife to a position where the fixed knife and the moving knife cut a sewing start end portion of the upper thread after a stitch point of a second stitch of the sewing needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: JUKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nomatsu, Daisuke Kato, Toshiyuki Takeda
  • Patent number: 10781544
    Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs. A quilting machine includes a cutting edge, a looper from which thread is provided to form stitches, and an adjuster assembly. The adjuster assembly extends an adjuster toward the thread between the looper and the retainer. When the adjuster is moved, a predetermined amount of thread is pulled away from the looper by the adjuster to provide a controlled length of thread between the looper and the cutting edge. The looper assembly may also include an air nozzle that urges the thread away from the adjuster after the thread has been cut. The thread passes through a thread tension monitor that monitors tension in the thread. The tension monitor includes a lift arm that selectively disables the tension monitor so that a loss of tension in the sewing head does not shut down the quilting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Michael A. James, Terrance L. Myers, Matthew C. Smallwood
  • Publication number: 20150136004
    Abstract: A needle plate base in a multi-thread chain stitch sewing machine with a seam ravel preventing apparatus is divided into a left needle plate base for attaching a needle plate thereto and supporting a swinging support shaft of a thread hanging hook; and a right needle plate base for fixedly supporting a stopper member and a thread handling air cylinder and a stopper air cylinder. The right needle plate base is fastened to a sewing machine bed. The left needle plate base is fastenably and unfastenably fastened to an upper surface of the bed via screw members. Adjustment of stitch performation, and maintenance, e.g., replacement of various kinds of components stored inside the bed, can extremely easily and simply be carried out without having much trouble and requiring labor and time, and therefore, the stitch performation and predetermined ravel preventing function can be constantly surely reproduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Yamato Sewing Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Seiji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8844454
    Abstract: The activation for a path and time related motion of a thread cutting and lead-in stitching unit (7) and the thread brake (25) occurs by a cam drive driven by the primary shaft (9) and a cam drum (75) arranged on the upper shaft (17). This way, an absolute synchronization of the elements of the thread cutting and lead-in stitching unit (7), the thread brake (25), and the hook as well as the needle is ensured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: BERNINA International AG
    Inventors: Severin Brunner, André Stucki
  • Patent number: 8651037
    Abstract: A drive structure for driving an upper thread wiper of a sewing machine is provided, wherein the upper thread wiper and a drive device for driving the upper thread wiper are disposed on the cantilever and located close to the end of the needle shaft. In addition to that the drive device simplifies relative motion transmission structure, the cooperative arrangement between the upper thread wiper and the drive device further improves the power transmission efficiency and stability. The upper thread wiper can be quickly and easily assembled onto or removed from the wiper arm through a quick release device. Moreover, the drive structure is further provided with a clutch device which is capable of effecting or interrupting power transmission as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Inventor: Hsien-Chang Tseng
  • Patent number: 8061288
    Abstract: A multi-needle chain-stitch quilting machine and method of operation thereof are provided that imparts relative motion between the needles and the material that is controlled so as to pull needle thread tails from the needle side of the quilted material. The feature of controlling thread tails may be optional to provide selection of either a high speed mode of operation without thread tail control or a quality mode of operation with reduction or removal of needle thread tails from the face of the quilted material. Thread trimmers may be included at each needle location on the looper side of the material to cut both needle and looper threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Michael A. James, Jeff Kaetterhenry
  • Patent number: 7905190
    Abstract: In a sewing machine, a control device is configured to execute a needle thread cutting operation including driving a movable cutting blade to a predetermined pivot location, driving a wiper driving mechanism for protruding a wiper by a predetermined stroke, driving the thread take-up driving mechanism to lower the thread take-up by a predetermined distance, driving a wiper driving mechanism to draw back the wiper by a predetermined amount corresponding to the lowering of the thread take-up, driving the movable cutting blade to a standby position, driving the thread tension adjusting mechanism to release a thread tension adjusting mechanism, and driving the thread take-up driving mechanism to move the thread take-up to an original uppermost position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20070186831
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a thread take-up, a thread take-up driving mechanism driving the thread take-up, a thread cutting mechanism including a fixed cutting blade and a movable cutting blade both cutting the needle thread and a movable cutting blade driving mechanism driving the movable cutting blade, a thread wiper wiping the cut needle thread away over workpiece cloth, a wiper driving mechanism driving the thread wiper, and a control device which, upon receipt of a needle thread cutting command to actuate the thread cutting mechanism, controls the movable cutting blade driving mechanism and the wiper driving mechanism so that the thread wiper carries out a thread amount securing operation to secure a predetermined amount of needle thread located downstream relative to a needle eye of a sewing needle in a state previous to cutting of the needle thread where the needle thread is seized by the movable cutting blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7134398
    Abstract: The wiper device for a sewing machine having a wiper member swingable from the operating position to a non-operating position on an embroidery presser foot, in which a needle thread-end is retained by being clamped between a frictional-resistance applying member fixed to an underside of a thread engagement portion located on a distal end of the wiper member and an upper surface of a cloth presser pressing a workpiece cloth by a returning movement of the wiper member from an operating position in which the wiper member performs a thread wiping operation to a stand-by position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Babushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7093549
    Abstract: A wiper device includes a trimmer to trim an needle thread, a needle bar mounted so as to be vertically moveable and having a sewing needle attached in the lower end, a wiper member to wipe the needle thread extending from an eye of the sewing needle as to pull the needle thread above the upper surface of work cloth after trimming the needle thread, a wiper driving unit to actuate the thread wiping movement of the wiper member and a switch unit to switch the wiper member between an operable state and an inoperable state in conjunction with the position of the needle bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinya Fujihara
  • Patent number: 7082886
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a threader including a threading nook for passing a thread through an eye of a needle, and a thread drawer including a thread drawing member wiping the thread extending through the needle eye downward, the thread drawing member also drawing a looped thread having been passed through the needle eye by the threading hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasukaza Noguchi, Yasuhiko Kawaguchi, Masato Kato
  • Patent number: 6941881
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a threader including a threading hook for passing a thread through an eye of a needle, and a thread drawer including a thread drawing member wiping the thread extending through the needle eye downward, the thread drawing member also drawing a looped thread having been passed through the needle eye by the threading hook.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasukazu Noguchi, Yasuhiko Kawaguchi, Masato Kato
  • Patent number: 6860213
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a sewing mechanism including a needle bar, a thread take-up lever and a shuttle, a picker capable of holding a needle thread extending from an eye of a sewing needle near the shuttle located below a needle plate, and a picker driver driving the picker between a first stop position where the picker is capable of holding the needle thread and a second stop position spaced farther away from the shuttle than the first position. The picker is movable to a third position spaced farther away from the shuttle than the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6766752
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a hook having a distal end formed with a thread hooking portion, and a thread hooking device mounted on the thread hooking portion of the hook. Thus, the thread hooking device includes a plurality of thread guide portions provided on the bottom of the thread hooking portion to draw a plurality of sewing threads of different patterns and colors, thereby enhancing the diversity of the sewing threads so as to satisfy the user's different requirements. In addition, the sewing threads can be introduced into the thread hooking portion rapidly and conveniently, thereby facilitating operation and replacement of the sewing threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Inventor: Tseng Hsien Chang
  • Patent number: 6568339
    Abstract: A thread wiper assembly mountable to the side of a sewing machine. The thread wiper assembly is particularly advantageous with sewing machines that are equipped with a walking foot. The thread wiper is mounted sidewardly relative to the needle and includes a picker arm, that while in a retracted position, is disposed sidewardly relative to the needle and out of its path of travel. Because the thread wiper is mounted to the side of the sewing machine and sidewardly relative to the needle, the picker arm is able to traverse along a path between the needle and the walking foot without interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Clinton Indusries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk Brian Campbell, Peter Schueler
  • Patent number: 6422164
    Abstract: A sewing machine has a thread pull-away mechanism (24), which prevents the needle thread end from being jammed under the presser foot (9) at the beginning of a sewing operation. The thread pull-away mechanism (24) has a pin (22) with a thread eye (23), which extends at right angles to the path of the needle thread (27) extending between two thread guides (25, 26) and can be moved through at right angles to the path of the needle thread (27) between an inoperative position and a functional position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: G.M. Pfaff Aktiengesellschaft In Insolvenz
    Inventors: Franz Gries, Hermann Rutz
  • Patent number: 6318282
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an air cylinder which is driven by compressed air. When sewing with a spreader thread, the air cylinder drives a movable catcher and a fixed cutter to cut off a spreader thread, which is then clamped by a spring plate to facilitate the next sewing operation. When sewing without a spreader thread, compressed air is used through an air passage to blow the free end of the needle thread cut off by an under trimming mechanism away from the underside of the presser foot after the presser foot is lifted at the end of a sewing operation to facilitate the next sewing operation. The air cylinder in the present invention may also be replaced by an electromagnetic relay, which, when powered up, stretches and retracts the central shaft to drive a movable catcher and a fixed cutter and thereby cut off the spreader thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Kaulin Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wen-Chen Tsai
  • Patent number: 6205941
    Abstract: A sewing machine includes a machine bed, a presser foot and a needle seat. The presser foot and the needle seat are disposed vertically and movably on the machine bed. A row of vertical stitching needles of different lengths are mounted fixedly on the needle seat, and are arranged one behind another. A front one of each adjacent pair of the stitching needles has a lower end, which is located below that of the rear one. A thread pushing device is disposed on the machine bed behind the needle seat, and includes a needle-thread pushing member that can be driven by a power source and that is adapted to move gradually forward and downward between the presser foot and the stitching needles along a curved path so as to be adapted to push suspended needle threads away from the presser foot just before the presser foot moves downward toward a fabric to be stitched on the machine bed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Inventor: Ming-Tung Yu
  • Patent number: 6021727
    Abstract: An upper thread-hooking method for industrial sewing machines uses an upper thread-hooking device installed above one side of the needle and the presser foot for hooking the thread and cutting with a cutter by means of an electronic component moving a main sway arm and an auxiliary sway arm. The hooking device is located between the needle eye and the needle point behind the needle, performing a hooking thread process so that the hooking member never occupies the gap between the needle point and the presser foot. Then the sewing machine may have the highest rising level for the presser foot for comparative thick cloth to be sewn, without possibility of the hooking member colliding with the needle or the presser foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Inventor: Fei-Lung Ku
  • Patent number: 5551359
    Abstract: An under trimming device for a multi-needle sewing machine with multiple longitudinally extended loopers mainly including a cutting part and a clamping part. Both the cutting and the clamping parts are longitudinally and reciprocatingly movable, so that multiple looper threads may be pulled by multiple movable catchers of the cutting part into the clamping part before they and corresponding needle threads are simultaneously cut by a fixed cutter of the cutting part, permitting free ends of the cut threads to have uniform length and being held at the same position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Kaulin Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 5417173
    Abstract: When needle threads that move vertically together with a plurality of needles which move vertically to pass through a throat plate positioned on a cylinder bed, and a looper thread that is caused to intertwist with the needle threads by a looper which reciprocates in accordance with the vertical motion of the needles are to be cut, the needles are stopped at the bottom dead point or in the vicinity thereof and the looper thread is cut, and then the needles are stopped at the top dead point or in the vicinity thereof and the needle threads are collectively cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Yamato Mishin Seizo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiro Mitsuji
  • Patent number: 5367969
    Abstract: An upper thread holding device for use in a sewing machine having a body and a needle from which an upper thread depends, the device includes a holding member pivoted to the body and movable between a waiting position and an upper thread holding position in such a manner that the holding member passes an upper thread taken-off position located between the needle and the waiting position, a driving device for moving the holding member, a stationary blade connected to the body so as to be in sliding engagement with a lower surface of the holding member and designed for cutting the upper thread in cooperation with the holding member in its return movement at the waiting position, and a press plate fixed to the stationary blade and defining a space therebetween in which the holding member is accommodated in its waiting position for holding between the press plate and the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1994
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Nonaka
  • Patent number: 5289791
    Abstract: A double-stitch sewing machine is provided which, in a preferred embodiment, includes a throat plate and feed dog with a needle opening for supporting a material to be sewn, a reciprocating needle to penetrate the material, the needle having an eyelet for insertion of a needle thread, the needle being able to penetrate through the sewn material and carry the needle thread through the needle opening, a rotating hook for pulling on the needle thread after insertion of the needle thread through the needle opening, forming a loop in the needle thread with a first leg of the loop being joined with the sewn material and the needle and a second leg of the loop being joined only with the sewn material, a bobbin carrier mounted within the rotating hook having an adjacent clearance with the rotating hook, allowing the rotating hook to cause the needle thread to be brought underneath the bobbin carrier, the bobbin carrier dispensing bobbin thread in cooperation with the rotating hook pulling of the needle thread, a firs
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Sanders, Leon L. Reister
  • Patent number: 5255623
    Abstract: A wiper for a sewing machine wherein a hook portion formed at the tip end portion thereof comprises an inclined guide portion for contacting an upper thread in the forward stroke of a wiping operation of the wiper so as to guide the upper thread toward the tip end thereof. The wiper has an inclined introduction portion for guiding the upper thread, and has a thread hooking guide portion formed inside the inclined guide portion, for hooking the upper thread.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: The Singer Company N.V.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5178084
    Abstract: In a trimming device for cutting a cover thread (30) on a multiple needle chainstitch sewing machine, a moveable thread catcher (15) picks up the cover thread (30), which runs between the cover thread guide (27) and a hook part (29) on the spreader (28), and presses the cover thread (30) towards a trapping and cutting device (49,51,48,40) of the trimming device which is disposed adjacent to the left-hand sewing needle (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1993
    Assignee: Union Special GmbH
    Inventor: Gunter Rohr
  • Patent number: 5127350
    Abstract: A cover thread cutter for a multi-needle sewing machine, the hook of the thread cutter retracts at an oblique angle above a curved cover thread laying finger and captures the cover thread at a position above the curved cover thread laying finger. While pulling the captured cover thread up to the cutting position, it is held against a specified needle, as in ordinary seam forming, and the thread end is held in this state after being cut off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: Pegasus Sewing Machine Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Okada, Yoshikazu Kageyama, Takashi Ichimura
  • Patent number: 5080031
    Abstract: A sewing machine having a needle thread cutting unit and a needle thread holding device for holding a cut leading end portiion of the thread drawn from an eye of a needle. The needle thread holding device includes a holding means provided at the pressure foot. The holding means is movable between a needle thread clamping position and a needle thread releasing position. The holding device also includes drive means connected to the holding means for selectively moving the holding means to one of the needle thread releasing position and the needle thread clamping position, pressure foot position detection means for detecting a position of the pressure foot, needle position detector for generating a needle position signal indicative of the upper needle position and the lower needle position, and control means connected to the pressure foot position detection means the sewing machine energization signal generating means and the needle position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hajime Suzuki, Kazuhisa Ito
  • Patent number: 5044290
    Abstract: A wiper unit has a supporter secured to the arm of a sewing machine. A stopper is secured to the supporter. A wiper shaft is rotatably supported by the supporter. The stopper restricts the rotation of the shaft. A wiper is mounted on the shaft. The wiper has a wiper arm and a tip end thereof. The tip end has a hook for wiping the tip end of an upper thread. A wiper operation crank is secured to the wiper shaft for adjusting a turning operation thereof relative to the wiper. An operation link is connected by a pin to the operation crank. A driving unit drives the operation crank reciprocally and drives the crank and shaft to turn about the axis of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5027731
    Abstract: A thread cutting knife device in a sewing machine having a bed has a lower shaft rotatably supported at the bed and a throat plate mounted thereon. A hook is attached to the lower shaft and extends beyond a throat plate. A thread cutting knife and a loop spreading plate are adapted to cross between the hook and the throat plate to cut a needle thread looping portion at a cloth side and a bobbin thread. The knife and the plate are respectively rotatably supported by the lower shaft. The knife has a blade at an upper edge of the tip end thereof. The loop spreading plate has a thread dividing portion extending into the needle thread looping portion at the cloth side and a thread looping portion at the side of the needle. A thread drawing portion is formed at one edge of a base of the dividing portion for holding the needle thread looping portion at the cloth side and the bobbin thread. A blade positioned at the side of the throat plate and is opposed to and crosses the blade of the thread cutting knife.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Yoshimi Koguchi
  • Patent number: 5027732
    Abstract: A thread end holding unit of a sewing machine employs a needle thread gripping puller driven so as to be positioned either at a thread catch position or a return position. The puller has a hook portion at a tip end thereof adapted for catching a needle thread extended from a needle when the needle thread gripping puller is positioned at the thread catch position. The needle thread is caught and held by the hook at the return position. First and second holding members are respectively fixedly mounted on a supporter fixed to the arm. These holding members have press portions forcibly pushed elastically by both sides of the needle thread gripping puller for pressing and holding the thread end of the needle thread caught by the hook when the hook portion is positioned at the return position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5025738
    Abstract: A needle thread drawing device utilizes a thread end holding device rotatably mounted on an arm of a sewing machine. A needle thread gripping puller which can be disposed to be at a thread catch position or a return position has a hook portion at a tip end thereof for catching a needle thread extended downward from a needle hole of a needle. A needle thread drawing member is mounted swingably on the side of the arm and has a hook portion at a tip end thereof. A cam member is positioned at the side of the thread end holding device and is rotatable in synchronism with the puller for rotatably swinging the needle thread drawing member so that the hook portion can hold the needle thread when the needle thread holding portion is positioned over the needle hole of the needle and can draw a thread end of the needle thread when the hook portion of the puller is positioned under the needle hole of the needle when the puller is disposed in the thread catch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventors: Shuichi Sato, Shirou Ayusawa
  • Patent number: 5025739
    Abstract: In the needle thread wiper of sewing machine according to the invention, the hook formed at the front end of a leaf spring is projected in or out from the front end of the guide element formed nearly in a J-form, and when inserting this hook into the front end of the guide element, the needle threads extending between the needle and cloth is hooked on the front end of this hook so as to be placed into the front end of the guide element together with the hook. At the front end of the guide element, at the positions corresponding to the both flat surfaces of the leaf spring, notches are formed so as to extend from the front end to the base part side. The needle thread introduced into the front end of the guide element is guided by the notches and placed deeply into the guide element. The needle thread is held merely in a state of being hooked between the hook and the guide element, and so that is easily unhooked, almost without any resistance, when the needle is lowered upon start of next sewing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Pegasus Sewing Machine Mfg., Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 4903623
    Abstract: A hemmer seamer assembly comprising an apparatus for positioning a chain of stitches for stitching onto fabric having a needle and a throat plate, including a device for positioning the chain of stitches forwardly of the needle, and a device for moving the fabric to the throat plate for sewing the chain onto the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Robert L. Kosrow, Stephen Ruderman
  • Patent number: 4858546
    Abstract: A hemmer seamer assembly comprising an apparatus for positioning a chain of stitches for stitching onto fabric having a needle and a throat plate, including a device for positioning the chain of stitches forwardly of the needle, and a device for moving the fabric to the throat plate for sewing the chain onto the fabric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Robert L. Kosrow, Stephen Ruderman
  • Patent number: 4831947
    Abstract: A device for a two-needle overedge sewing machines for sewing in a thread chain. The device has a pair of needles, and a pair of slots in a needle plate for the needles. The device further has a pair of stitch formation tongues, and a directing mechanism in order to guide the thread chain into a needle hole slot between one of the stitch formation tongues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Union Special G.m.b.H
    Inventor: Gert Haisch
  • Patent number: 4774900
    Abstract: In a two-needle overedge sewing machine, a thread chain guide recess is formed for positioning the thread chain at a given position on the throat plate so that the thread chain is spaced apart from the outer needle descending point. The thread chain guide recess may be made at a tip portion of an outer finger of the throat plate or at a tip portion of an outer finger of a presser foot. Furthermore, the thread chain guide recess may be formed by the combination of the outer finger of the throat plate and the outer finger of the presser foot. In an improved embodiment, a thread chain guide groove is formed in an upper surface of the outer finger of the throat plate so that the thread chain is substantially fully received therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1988
    Assignee: Tokyo Juki Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kikuo Aida, Shingo Iwae
  • Patent number: 4738210
    Abstract: An attachment for a semi-automatic sewing machine ensures that any excess thread chain extending from the leading or trailing edge of a garment during an operation on the garment with the sewing machine, is stitched directly to the garment so that no loose or free ends of thread chain are provided. The completion of stitching by the sewing machine of a first garment is sensed and the first garment is engaged in response to the sensing by a rubber wheel which moves the garment away from the stitching needle more quickly than the sewing machine stitches the stitch chain. The excess thread chain is automatically severed by a movable plate rotating with respect to a stationary plate, and the excess severed thread chain is automatically positioned by an air blower in association with a rotatable thread catcher so that excess thread chain is stitched to the second garment by the sewing machine. The rotatable thread catcher comprises a tapered wheel with a serrated ring catching thread blown onto the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1988
    Inventor: J. Herbert Keeton
  • Patent number: 4706588
    Abstract: In a sewing machine which is so designed that its cloth presser driven to press a material to be sewn for a sewing operation is automatically released when the sewing operation is ended, a sewing machine control device comprising drivers for operating a brake to stop the vertical movement of the needle, for operating the cloth presser, and for operating a thread wiper and a control section. When the needle is moved to its upper position at the final stage of the sewing operation, the control section operates the driver for the thread wiper and restores, after the thread wiper has been restored, the cloth presser. Alternatively, if the thread wiper isn't used, when the needle is moved to the upper position, the control section operates the brake and releases the cloth presser whereby the time which elapses until the cloth presser has been released is shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 4566395
    Abstract: A sewing machine has a bobbin mechanism, a sewing needle mechanism, and a mechanism capturing and severing bobbin thread comprising a stationary blade, a picker having at least one hook for capturing a bobbin thread and wherein the picker is movable towards the blade to sever the bobbin thread. At least one notch is disposed on the picker for capturing at least one needle thread and is cooperative with the blade for severing the needle thread upon movement of the picker towards the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1986
    Assignee: Clinton Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John Tummino
  • Patent number: 4450781
    Abstract: A multiple needle sewing machine having a shiftable needle mechanism wherein threaded needles may be shuttled from an active to an inactive position and vice versa. A thread wiping mechanism, comprising an arrangement of articulated fingers is disposed adjacent the needles' inactive positions. Upon a proper signal, the fingers extend to a position to await the inactive needle, whereupon, the fingers will be retracted, catching only the thread of the inactive needle holding it out of the way of the needle in the active position. The thread wiping mechanism may be actuated by reciprocable means attached to the fingers, which actuation occurs upon receipt of a proper signal during operation of the sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 29, 1984
    Assignee: USM Corporation
    Inventors: Francis A. Wickers, Adolph S. Dorosz
  • Patent number: 4436044
    Abstract: Mechanism on a sewing machine for engaging and withdrawing a severed sewing machine needle thread end from a workpiece at the completion of a sewing operation. The thread wiper mechanism includes a thread engaging element which is reciprocally movable along and about an axis extending generally parallel with the needle's path of travel with the element sweeping beneath the needle, across the needle's path and returning to its initial position at the completion of the sewing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1984
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Eric W. Nordstrom, Laurence A. Manoski
  • Patent number: 4422397
    Abstract: A needle thread wiping device having a mounting bracket supported beneath the head behind the needle bar. The mounting bracket supports a pair of shafts which extend laterally therefrom towards both sides of the head. A thread wiper assembly may be fastened to one side or to both sides of the mounting bracket by means of a lever which may be affixed to a forwardly located shaft by a set screw. One end of the lever carries a sleeve. A link is carried on the second shaft, the link also carrying a sleeve, both sleeves slidably supporting therein a thread wiper having a hooked end. A back plate is provided having a curved slot supported on the second shaft and having a pivotal connection to the sleeve in the end of the lever. The thread wiper also has a connection to the back plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: The Singer Company
    Inventors: Reinhold Papajewski, Lothar Reinfurth
  • Patent number: 4401045
    Abstract: A solenoid operated sewing machine thread trimmer with a compression spring influenced armature, a spring offsetting permanent magnet, and solenoid coil means with energizing circuits alternately offsetting the permanent magnet freeing the compression spring to shift the armature in one direction or augmenting the permanent magnet to return the armature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1983
    Assignee: The Singer Company
    Inventor: Angus R. T. Russell
  • Patent number: 4370940
    Abstract: An automatic thread trimmer for use on a computerized embroidery sewing machine having a work table, a bobbin mechanism below the work table, an arm overhanging the work table with a needle driver therein movable through one cycle for each cycle of operation of the sewing machine needle, and a computerized control connected to the machine for driving the needle driver and shifting the needle according to the computer program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 1, 1983
    Assignee: Louisville Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Zecharia Melzer, John E. Rice, Sr.
  • Patent number: 4328758
    Abstract: An apparatus and method in which loose thread ends are drawn by air flow into a tube adjacent the needle of a sewing machine, at least between sewing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1982
    Assignee: Clevepak Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald Souza, Owen F. Dunne
  • Patent number: 4303030
    Abstract: A device for sewing machines having more than one stitch forming needle for grouping together and aligning the threads of stitch chains with the sewing axis which were formed on individual tongues of the machine's needle plate. An integral projection formed on the needle plate in spaced relation to the tongues is provided on each side thereof with camming surfaces one of which is effective in grouping all of the threads together withdrawn from their respective tongues and the other guides the grouped threads to a position for entry into one of the plate's needle throats after which they become aligned with the sewing axis and then cut to a desired length and the cut portion restrained for incorporation into the next seam to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1981
    Inventors: Giovanni Palacino, Angelo Radice
  • Patent number: 4235179
    Abstract: A picking arm for an underbed thread trimmer which engages the bobbin thread and one limb of the needle thread and holds them so that a thread catching arm may engage the bobbin and needle threads and draw them into severing relation with a cutting edge of a thread cutting blade. After the threads have been cut, the picking arm returns to a rest position with the end of the bobbin thread retained in a channel contained in its thread engaging extremity. The bobbin thread is held in a position where it will be available for concatenation with a needle thread for the production of lockstitches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1980
    Assignee: The Singer Company
    Inventor: Roger J. Ross
  • Patent number: 4230056
    Abstract: A sewing machine with a thread cutting device, a pneumatic/automatic presser foot lifter and an air hose attached to the exhaust of the presser foot lift cylinder or its solenoid valve, the air hose directing the air flow to an air jet tube attached to the presser foot shaft behind the needle by a special holder with a single screw simultaneously holding the presser foot to the presser bar lifter. The presser foot lift cylinder and a solenoid valve connected thereto are mounted as a compact unit on a plate, with a piston of the lifting cylinder operatively disposed adjacent to a lifting angle bracket, the latter being connected to the lifting linkage inside the sewing machine. When the solenoid and lifting cylinder are released to lower the presser foot, the exhaust air from the cylinder is forced through the air jet tube up to its open end held by the holder for blowing the thread end above the presser foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 28, 1980
    Assignee: Glen Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Irving H. Steinbach
  • Patent number: 4202286
    Abstract: A thread cutting device applicable to sewing machines includes elements connected to a support plate to be installed in the sewing machine at the position therein where the common sliding elements are to be located. The support plate has a screw which acts on a bridge element when the bridge element is pressed against the lower face of a panel of the machine. One of the elements of the thread cutting device has a generally Y-shaped configuration and is provided with an alternating lineal movement, either by means of manual, electro-pneumatic or electromagnetic operation, in directions parallel to that of the sewing of the machine. Such shaped element angularly operates a movable knife against a fixed knife in synchronized cooperation with a thread collecting hook which also has an angular displacement. The arrangement further includes a thread withdrawing device and a thread tension opening device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1980
    Assignee: Industrias P. Freire, S.A.
    Inventor: Alfonso Freire Costas
  • Patent number: RE44885
    Abstract: A multi-needle chain-stitch quilting machine and method of operation thereof are provided that imparts relative motion between the needles and the material that is controlled so as to pull needle thread tails from the needle side of the quilted material. The feature of controlling thread tails may be optional to provide selection of either a high speed mode of operation without thread tail control or a quality mode of operation with reduction or removal of needle thread tails from the face of the quilted material. Thread trimmers may be included at each needle location on the looper side of the material to cut both needle and looper threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: L&P Property Management Company
    Inventors: Michael A. James, Jeff Kaetterhenry