Rotary Feed Patents (Class 112/322)
  • Patent number: 9150991
    Abstract: A feed mechanism for a sewing machine, either separate from the rest of the machine or incorporated as a part thereof, greatly improves quality of sewn products, permits a multitude of stitches and increases production rates with less labor content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: US Sewing Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: Daniel K. Kalkbrenner
  • Patent number: 7441508
    Abstract: A mattress edge sewing machine including a frame having a material supporting surface, a sewing station defined by a needle bar mounted in the frame for generally vertical reciprocatory movements along a fixed centerline, and a feeding mechanism for pulling material through the sewing station of the machine. The feeding mechanism includes upper and lower positively driven feed rollers which are continually biased into operable engagement with each other. The feed rollers are arranged less than 0.8625 inches, measured in the direction of material advancement, separates the centerline of the feed rollers from the centerline of the needle bar. The needle bar is moved in timed relation relative to the movements of the looper, and with the needle bar traversing a distance in a single vertical direction at a ratio greater than 3:1 relative to the distance in a single lateral direction traversed by the looper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. Faber, Bob C. Turner
  • Publication number: 20040226496
    Abstract: An automated sewing device capable of neatly feeding a material(s) of easily contractible property to a sewing machine, without the material(s) being curled. In the automated sewing device, blower tubes are arranged so as to allow air to be blown therefrom to the material(s), thereby applying an appropriate degree of air pressure thereto at desired angles. With such blower tube arrangement, air pressure is effectively used for stretching the material(s) outwardly and neatly so as to prevent the same from curling, and also for automatically feeding the material(s) toward the sewing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Applicant: TACHI-S CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20020069803
    Abstract: An apparatus for sewing finishing a piece cut from a length of textile material unwound from a roll and closing the leading edge thereof, comprising: advancement rollers for advancement of the length of textile material, to unwind two successive portions of the length of material, for a total longitudinal extension equal to the longitudinal extension of the piece; a cutting blade suitable to cut a piece from the length of textile material with a cut that is perpendicular to the unwinding direction and forms the rear edge of the cut piece and the leading edge of the length of textile material to be unwound; and positioning elements for arranging the leading edge of the unwound length of material with respect to a sewing machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: RESTA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Roberto Resta
  • Patent number: 6250238
    Abstract: A device for positioning and joining at an angle, by a sewing machine, the edges of two flaps of fabric, particularly of a horizontal sheet and of a vertical band for forming a mattress case, said device comprising a first guiding wall for the edge of the sheet and a second guiding wall for the edge of the band, said walls forming mutually adjacent cylindrical sectors, two advancement elements being further provided which comprise rotating heads accommodated within cavities formed by said walls, said walls being movable between a position in which said rotating heads tangentially engage the edges of said sheet and said band on said walls in order to advance said edges toward a sewing region and a position in which said walls allow said heads to disengage from said walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Resta S.r.l.
    Inventor: Roberto Resta
  • Patent number: 6095070
    Abstract: A drive means for feeding a material to be sewn on a sewing machine (1) includes a feed dog (7) to be coupled to a continuous rotary drive (9) via at least one intermediate drive. To achieve optimum drive conditions in a comparatively simple way, the intermediate drive consists of a belt drive (10) with a belt (13) circulating around a drive wheel (11) and a driven wheel (12), where the belt (13) having an excess length is guided over a control roller (14) at the working portion thereof (131) and over a tension roller (15) at the return portion (132) thereof, and the control roller (14) and the tension roller (15) are mounted so as to be periodically reciprocated in the sense of a release or deflection of the belt (13) for decelerating, stopping and accelerating the rotation of the driven wheel, and the driven wheel (12) is in rotary connection with a feed dog (7) designed as circular conveyor, in particular as conveyor belt (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Inventor: Johannes Sahl
  • Patent number: 6082277
    Abstract: An automatic flange applying machine for sewing the raw edges of a mattress panel and attaching a flange strip. A multi-speed sewing machine sews at high speed along straight sides and a straight top end and bottom end and forms rounded corners at a slower speed as the mattress panel is incrementally rotated about a pivot point. Photodetectors align the edges of the panel with the sewing needles while other detectors determine the location of the panel so that suitable operations begin. The panel is moved by pressure rollers through the sewing machine and the corners are formed by reversing certain of the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Galkin Automated Products
    Inventors: Charles Block, Paul Block, Michael Lydick
  • Patent number: 6055918
    Abstract: A portable carpet binder applies and sews a binding tape to a carpet edge. The binder includes a sewing head having a carpet support table, a sewing mechanism, a motor, means for folding the binding tape over the carpet edge, and wheels to move the carpet binder on a floor. The binder operates using a puller having a U-shaped puller bracket, means for mounting the puller bracket on the sewing head above the table, a first longitudinally serrated roller rotatably mounted on the puller bracket, a second longitudinally serrated roller rotatably mounted on the puller bracket parallel to the first roller, and coupling means for rotatably and synchronously coupling the first roller to the second roller so as to transfer rotary motion from the first roller to the second roller. Also provided are driving means for intermittently driving the puller in unidirectional rotation, and timing means for adjusting a timing relation between the driving means and the sewing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: N.C. Carpet Binding & Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Akl Hajjar, Melvin Maher
  • Patent number: 6024036
    Abstract: A sewing machine for automatically hemming garments includes an arm shaft for driving a sewing needle up and down, upper and lower feed rollers disposed by the sewing needle for moving a hem of a garment under pressure, and first and second drive motors for driving the upper and lower feed rollers, respectively, independently of the arm shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Hams Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuji Miyachi, Kouji Miyachi
  • Patent number: 6000352
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sewing flange material to a fabric panel, preferably the top or bottom panel of a mattress sack. The apparatus includes a sled which pulls the fabric panel to and through the sewing machine. The apparatus also includes an edge guide that guides one edge of the panel to the sewing machine as well as provides a thickness measurement of the panel and smooths the fabric panel prior to sewing. The apparatus also includes a moveable dolly which carries the sewing machine find the flange material, and a wheel which engages the fabric panel during movement of the sewing machine away from the fabric panel to prevent movement of the fabric panel. The apparatus also includes apparatus for automatically removing the fabric panel from the table after completion of the sewing operation, as well as a cutter for cutting the trailing flange material and the sewing threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Porter Sewing Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Porter, Steven Marcangelo, Frank W. Laroe
  • Patent number: 5964171
    Abstract: A method for sewing leather articles includes positioning one edge of a first article (8) and one edge of a second article (9) to be sewn together against respective flat side surfaces (7a,7b) of a longitudinal guiding plate (7) formed at the top of a ring-like block (11). The ring-like block (11) rotates on a pin (12) that is supported, with horizontal axis and perpendicular to said guiding plate (7), by a free end of an arm (13) that swings with respect to a stationary support frame (2). The edges of the articles (8,9) are sewn together by means of an arc-shaped needle (6), which is reciprocated on a plane transversal to the guiding plate (7), between a retracted position, in which the needle is located beside one of said flat side surfaces (7b) and a piercing position, in which the needle pierces said articles (8,9); the needle (6) is moved forward and backward according to a predetermined step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Inventor: Mario Ciucani
  • 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: 5875723
    Abstract: A portable carpet binding machine comprising a housing defining an interior region, a drive mechanism supported by the housing and at least partially disposed in the interior region, a prime mover operatively coupled to the drive mechanism for providing motive power to the drive mechanism, a sewing assembly driven via the drive mechanism for sewing a strip of material to a piece of carpet, the sewing assembly including a binder guide, a sewing needle and a looper, the binder guide operating to fold the strip of material around an edge portion of the piece of carpet, the sewing assembly, when driven, operating to stitch the strip of material to opposite sides of the edge portion of the piece of carpet using first and second pieces of thread. The portable carpet binding machine includes a carpet feeding assembly including a feed driver mechanism and a coacting puller mechanism operating in substantially synchronous movement to linearly feed the piece of carpet relative to the sewing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Binders Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry Lobur
  • Patent number: 5809917
    Abstract: A system for controlling tension improves carpet quality by maintaining tension along a primary backing material at a constant value. The system controls the tension by maintaining the speed of an entry pin roller slightly slower than the speed of an exit pin roller. The exit pin roller is driven with a main drive motor while the entry pin roller is independently driven by a separate vector drive motor. An encoder, coupled to the exit pin roller, is driven in synchronism with the exit pin roller and produces a pulsed output which is converted into an analog signal representative of the speed of the exit pin roller. A controller receives a user-defined desired value of tension and monitors outputs of a pair of load cells to determine the amount of tension actually on the primary backing material. Based on the difference between the actual value of tension and the desired value of tension, the controller produces a control signal which is fed to a drive circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Interface, Inc.
    Inventors: O. W. McGowan, David H. Gustashaw, Shawn L. Wheeler, James T. Channell, Daniel H. Daley
  • Patent number: 5782190
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for the assembly of pillow-top mattress covers. In the method of this invention, the gussets for a pillow-top mattress cover are prepared in a single step in which the gusset material is folded longitudinally, and the flange material is attached thereto and the gusset material is sewn together in one stitch. Thereafter, a gusset is attached to each of the top and bottom panels of the cover along its outer edge. Each gusset is secured to the underside of its associated top or bottom panel at the folded edge using a blind stitch which is not visible externally of the panel. No gluing is required. During the step of attaching the gusset to its associated mattress cover panel, precisely positioned mitered corners are formed on the gusset where the gusset is to be attached to the corner of its associated panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Porter Sewing Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Porter, Charles E. Mulcahey, John J. Kirby
  • Patent number: 5662057
    Abstract: A connecting device for connecting a cloth pulling arrangement to a sewing machine including first connecting member having first, second and third connecting portions, a second connecting member mounted on an arm of a sewing machine, an adjustable frame including a first rail and a second rail which are slidably engaged with the third connecting portion of the first connecting member, a first fixing member for fixedly mounting the first connecting portion of the first connecting member to a back of a housing of the sewing machine using one of existing holes of the housing, a second fixing member for fixedly mounting the first connecting portion of the first connecting member to the back of the housing using another of the existing holes, means for installing a governor to the second connecting portion of the first connecting member, and means for mounting the cloth pulling arrangement and a solenoid actuator means to the second connecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Inventor: Shueh Chung Leu
  • Patent number: 5642681
    Abstract: A work station for an operator using two sewing machines that have automatic sew cycles and work piece control and advancing mechanisms for setting sleeves in shirt bodies. Sleeves and shirt bodies are presented to the operator at the work station in a manner that they can be easily and quickly grasped which enables the operator to load the work piece components on one machine while the automatic sew cycle of the other machine being performed. The sewn products in both the intermediate and final stage are automatically removed from the sewing machines and discharged to a completed product tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Union Special Corp.
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Jr., Steve J. Pagett
  • 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: 5622128
    Abstract: An automated circular sewing machine system for attaching an elastic band to a tubular body of fabric or forming and sewing a hem thereon without the elastic band. The system includes a sewing head which is located between a pair of elongated work holding roller assemblies which project outwardly on either side of the sewing head. The roller assemblies include a front or feed side rolling assembly and a rear or drive and tensioning roller assembly. The front roller assembly is free wheeling and is fixed in position relative to the sewing head while the rear roller assembly includes a motor driven drive and tensioning roller. The front roller assembly is a split roller assembly consisting of a pair of mutually aligned and free wheeling roller sections, with the outer section being preferably tapered, while the inner section is flanged for receiving and holding the elastic band in place thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1997
    Assignee: Jet Sew Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Johannes Sahl
  • 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: 5603275
    Abstract: A device for automatically forming a loop-like anchor member on a trim cover assembly. The device includes a recessed groove arranged between a slit formed in a table of sewing machine and a movable feed member of sewing machine, a guide duct member extending through the slit from below the table up into the recessed groove, and a feed control device provided in an anchor material supplying/folding mechanism disposed below the table. An folded-over form of anchor member supplied via the guide duct member from the anchor material supplying/folding mechanism is fed and stopped by the feed control device to such degree that the forward extremity of the folded-over form of anchor member is moved in the recessed groove and positioned within the operative feeding range of the movable feed member of sewing machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 5568778
    Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a workpiece in a machine tool, particularly in a sewing machine, comprises a main conveyor for longitudinally conveying the workpiece in a feeding direction and an auxiliary conveyor for transversely conveying the workpiece to align the same, which auxiliary conveyor comprises a conveying mechanism, which precedes or succeeds the main conveyor and is engageable with the workpiece as it is guided along a guideway and comprises conveying elements which are adapted to be driven to move transversely to the feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Inventor: Johannes Sahl
  • Patent number: 5555831
    Abstract: A festooning machine has at least one transport element for a forward transportation and transverse transportation of a sewing product, two vertically movable needles arranged at a distance near the transport element and parallel to a direction of the transverse movement with an adjustable distance therebetween, a needle drive for vertically moving the needles, and a independent drive unit which supports the transport element and provides movements of the transport element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 17, 1996
    Assignee: Maier-Unitas GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Teeth, Dietmar Lippert
  • Patent number: 5553561
    Abstract: An apparatus for high production assembly and sewing of tubular sleeve sections to shirt bodies. Tubular sleeve sections are loaded onto sleeve cones, preferably of cylindrical or frusto-conical form. The sleeve cones may be mounted for pivoting movement to facilitate manual loading. A retractable, hollow body shell closes over the loaded sleeve cones, and a shirt body is loaded over the body shell and previously loaded sleeve sections. Load fixtures, comprising a body shell and a pair of sleeve cones as described, are mounted on a carrier, preferably a rotary turret, for advancement from one work station to another, for loading, sewing and unloading operations. For sewing, the load fixtures are bodily detachable from the carrier, and rotated about the axis of the sleeve cones, while the shoulder seams are sewn by a stationary sewing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Jet Sew Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernst Schramayr, Tadeusz A. Olewicz
  • Patent number: 5540164
    Abstract: Two workpiece portions (30, 32) that are to be stitched together along a stitching path (28) each have a stitching region (24, 26) which corresponds to the stitching path (28), but which is so shaped that the regions do not overlap when the workpieces (30, 32) are in a substantially flat condition. Thus some three-dimensional shaping is imparted to the portions during stitching. Each of the workpiece portions (30, 32) is clamped between two rollers (10, 12, 24) one of which is driven and the other freely rotatable, the driven rollers (10, 12) serving to distort the stitching regions into a desired overlapping position progressively in preparation for each successive stitching operation. The rollers are also bodily movable to advance the workpiece portions (30, 32) step-by-step through the operating locality (4) of the sewing machine. For sensing when the stitching regions are in the desired overlapping relationship suitable edge sensing means (40, 42, 44) is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 30, 1996
    Assignee: British United Shoe Machinery Limited
    Inventors: John W. Grantham, Paul M. Taylor, Gaynor E. Taylor, James M. Gilbert
  • Patent number: 5522329
    Abstract: A band feeding device feeds a selected one of a plurality of band-type materials (e.g. cloth tape, rubber) to a sewing machine for sewing to a ring-shaped garment such as, for example, the waist or crotch of a pair of trousers or briefs. One of a plurality of secondary rollers is moved to pinch its respective band between itself and a main roller. All other secondary rollers are moved away from the main roller, so that only the selected band is fed. This permits changing the type of band material being fed to the sewing machine without requiring the operator to remove and reinstall band materials each time. The number of elements in the overall device remains small, thus providing an inexpensive and compact device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Yamato Sewing Machine Mfg. Co, Ltd.
    Inventor: Norio Nakata
  • Patent number: 5505148
    Abstract: A side-by-side material feed system is provided for feeding two dissimilar strips of material. The material is fed along parallel feed paths by first and second material feeders which move the material toward respective cutters. The operation of the feeders and the cutters is controlled by a programmable controller which permits each of the material strips to be fed and cut to form pieces of predetermined length which may be removed by an operator or conveyed to a subsequent station for further processing. In a further embodiment of the invention, the feeders are supported on an ergonomic arm mounted to a portable cart whereby the feeders may be used at different sewing stations and the ergonomic arm may be positioned at an optimum location for each of the sewing stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: MIM Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph F. Conley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5505149
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sewing sleeve sections to a knitted shirt body. The sleeve sections are provided with a right-side-out orientation and are engaged and supported for sewing by a limited edge margin. A shirt body, supplied in an inside-out orientation, is applied over a previously loaded sleeve section, and is also engaged by only a limited edge margin at the sleeve opening, with the shoulder margin of the shirt body closely surrounding and approximately aligned with the edge margin of the sleeve section. The two components are placed under limited tension to equalize the respective circumference dimensions and are controllably advanced while a shoulder seam is sewn. The respective edges are guided and aligned as they approach the sewing position. A pair of opposed fixtures and sewing heads are provided at each sewing station, so that both sleeve sections and both sides of the shirt body can be loaded in preparation for sewing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Jet Sew Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernst Schramayr, Tadeusz A. Olewicz, Robert J. Sheets, Andrew T. Colerick
  • Patent number: 5501164
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for the assembly of pillow-top mattress covers. In the method of this invention, the gussets for a pillow-top mattress cover are prepared in a single step in which the gusset material is folded longitudinally, and the flange material is attached thereto and the gusset material is sewn together in one stitch. Thereafter, a gusset is attached to each of the top and bottom panels of the cover along its outer edge. Each gusset is secured to the underside of its associated top or bottom panel at the folded edge using a blind stitch which is not visible externally of the panel. No gluing is required. During the step of attaching the gusset to its associated mattress cover panel, precisely positioned mitered corners are formed on the gusset where the gusset is to be attached to the corner of its associated panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Porter Sewing Machines, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Porter, Charles E. Mulcahey, John J. Kirby
  • Patent number: 5493979
    Abstract: A guide mechanism for the roller presser bar of a sewing machine of the type that includes an upper surface roller feeder for imparting movement to the upper work surface and a presser foot that cooperates with the feed dog. The guide mechanism for the roller presser bar is independent of the guide mechanism for the presser foot bar. The independent guide mechanism for the roller presser bar avoids binding of the roller presser bar that occurs when a common guide mechanism is utilized for both the roller presser and the presser foot bar. The roller presser bar guide mechanism includes a pair of movable vertically aligned surfaces attached to the bar and a cooperating block attached to the sewing machine housing with a pair of adjustable guide plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Manfred Ackermann, Troy Vanderhoof, David Wilke
  • Patent number: 5370072
    Abstract: A device for aligning the margin and leading edges of plies of material to be sewed and locating the aligned edges at the stitch forming location of a sewing machine. A first sensor for detecting the presence of the work piece and actuating a power driven gripper wheel in response to sensing the work piece. The power driven gripper wheel moves the work piece toward a second sensor that detects the work piece's margin edge and stops the power driven gripper wheel and actuates a power driven feeding wheel that feeds the work piece toward the stitch forming location. A third sensor detects the leading edge of the work piece as it approaches the stitch forming location. Control mechanisms are provided for commencing the sewing operation when the work material is at the stitch forming location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventor: Maximilian Adamski, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5341755
    Abstract: An automated multiple-needle sewing device which comprises a table, a guide plate movable on the table, a multiple-needle sewing mechanism, a feed roller mechanism, a yarn cutting mechanism, and a guide plate returning mechanism. A material to be sewn is placed on the guide plate and undergoes the sewing, feeding and yarn cutting processes in an automated manner. The guide plate is automatically returned to an initial position for mounting a new other material to be sewn. The feed roller mechanism includes a lifting device for lifting or raising a shaft and feed roller(s) away from contact with the material and guide plate being fed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 5331910
    Abstract: An auxiliary transport device for sending out workpieces sewn on an elastic tape by a sewing machine is composed of front and rear rollers and a belt transmission device, and a cutter between the rollers, and one of the rollers is rotated and driven in synchronism with the sewing machine. A belt of the belt transmission device transmits the rotation of one roller to the other roller and works to transport the workpieces while pressing and flattening them on the cloth feed surface, and prevents the end of workpieces from curling up due to shrinkage of the tape when the tape is cut, thereby leading the end smoothly to the rear roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Pegasus Sewing Maching Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirochika Mukai, Tomoyuki Nakajo
  • Patent number: 5307750
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for maintaining the continuity of a free thread chain between successively sewn fabric parts by tensioning the free thread chain with a puller roller activated by drive means responsive to the sensing of the edges of the fabric parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Inventors: Alan J. C. Glassman, Richard Musko, Joseph H. Hollander
  • Patent number: 5269239
    Abstract: An apparatus for and method of attaching an elastic band to the body of a garment is provided. The workpieces are monitored and aligned during the attachment process by sensors and guide mechanisms, electrically coupled to a controller that facilitates the activities, while a tensioning mechanism maintains the workpieces in a desired configuration. The use of the apparatus and method results in an efficient and automatic process of attachment that eliminates the need for an operator to manually align and guide the workpieces through the sewing instrumentality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1993
    Assignee: Union Special Corporation
    Inventors: Maximilian Adamski, Jr., Don M. Ford
  • Patent number: 5251557
    Abstract: A workpiece guide device on a sewing machine serves for the automatically controlled alignment of a workpiece, with respect to its edge, for the purpose of sewing along the edge of the workpiece at the correct distance from that edge. The circumferential side of a motor-driven guide wheel (36) carries wheels (34) which are likewise motor-driven and which guide the workpiece transversely to the direction prescribed by the guide wheel (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1993
    Assignee: Union Special GmbH
    Inventor: Gunter Rohr
  • Patent number: 5249540
    Abstract: A sewing-material feeding device for a sewing machine has an upper material feeder and a lower material feeder which coact for feeding the sewing material, the lower material feeder being adjacent to the throat plate. The needle passes downward through an extension associated with the upper material feeder, the extension defining a downward-facing resting surface, the resting surface obstructing upward movement of said sewing material and thereby reducing fluttering of the sewing material as the needle is pulled upward and out of the sewing material. A tongue adjacent the throat plate is urged upward and against a portion of the upper material feeder so as to further reduce fluttering of the sewing material as the needle is pulled upward and out of the sewing material. The tongue has a throat hole for receiving the needle when it pierces the sewing material and passes into the throat plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1993
    Assignee: Durkopp Adler Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Reinhard Sielemann
  • Patent number: 5235923
    Abstract: A device for producing a rolled hemming of a cloth including a rolling tool for rolling an edge of said cloth therein. The tool has an outer shell member and an inner shell member. A spiral shaped gap is formed between the shells for feeding the cloth edge therethrough. The gap has an entry opening for receiving the cloth edge and a discharge opening from which the cloth edge is discharged. The width of said gap decreases from the entry opening to the discharge opening. The tool is fixedly mounted upstream of a presser foot of a sewing machine with respect to a feeding direction of the cloth and downstream of the presser foot with respect to a cloth edge rolling direction. A cloth feeding mechanism for coercively tucking the cloth into the rolling tool in the rolling direction includes an endless sliding member for clamping the cloth edge at a portion of the shells whereby a portion of the cloth is exposed out of both shell members; and a rotary driving mechanism for driving the endless sliding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: The Singer Company N.V.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kojima, Takeshi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5230294
    Abstract: A zip-fastener feeding device for an automatic sewing unit comprises an introduction device, an endless drawing means guided via a drive wheel and via deflection pulleys and a guiding device. Zip fasteners can be introduced through the introduction device by means of the drawing means by at least one guiding channel of the guiding device onto a workpiece retaining plate or a zip-fastener retainer provided in the latter and these zip fasteners can be precisely positioned there.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Durkopp Adler Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Klein
  • Patent number: 5203268
    Abstract: An apparatus for sewing elastic hems on fabric pieces is designed as a tandem machine. In a first sewing machine (26a), an elastic band (6) is prefixed at the edge of a fabric piece (8). During further conveyance thereof, the thus created double-ply structure is folded by 180.degree. by a baffle plate (34). A pair of conveying rollers (36, 38) withdraws the double-ply structure from the baffle plate. Between the first sewing machine (26a) and a second sewing machine (26b), provided for finishing the elastic hem, there is provided a deflection roller (40) deflecting the triple-ply structure, formed by said folding and consisting of fabric edge portion, an elastic band, and a fabric folding portion, from the horizontal. The deflection roller (40) is driven in a direction opposite to the conveying direction and thus takes care that the triple-ply structure, also in case of curved seams, remains closed and is sewn correctly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Schips AG Nahautomation
    Inventor: Helmut Schips
  • Patent number: 5111759
    Abstract: An apparatus for picking up and feeding, one by one, workpieces which are stacked in a guide, such as shirt cuffs or the like having an inconsistent thickness. A pair of delivery rollers is rotated so as to slacken the lowermost workpiece so that the latter is readily drawn from the guide by a pickup means for supply to an automatic sewing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Hiramatsu, Akiyoshi Urano
  • Patent number: 5038692
    Abstract: Wheel low fabric feeding for sewing machines where oscillations of the feeding shaft are transmitted to two gear couples mounted on free release wheels fixed to a support pivoted free to rotate. By acting on a stitch length regulator device one of these couples engages the feeding wheel for reversing the rotation direction of the wheel and thus the work feeding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignee: Necchi Macchine per Cucire S.r.l.
    Inventor: Flavio Bisson
  • Patent number: 5010834
    Abstract: A needle thread feeding assembly in which the thread is positively fed at a desired stitch pitch while being clamped in between a presser roller and a drive roller, whose rotation is frictionally transmitted from a drive source. An encoder detects a predetermined amount of rotation and signals to restrict the drive roller, while allowing the drive shaft to continue rotating. A main-shaft-angle-detector detects predetermined angles adapted to operate the required stitch pitch and to start counting of pulses at the encoder. When a required number of pulses corresponding to the stitch-pitch is counted, the encoder signals to restrict the drive roller. Thus, the needle thread is positively and intermittently fed according to the stitch pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Juki Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuro Iimuro, Toshiki Matsushita, Toshihiro Furuya
  • Patent number: 4986524
    Abstract: A label injector for placing labels in the hems of towels, or the like, is disclosed. The labels are extracted from a vertical magazine onto the surface of a wheel by a combination of suction into openings on the surface of the wheel and upward movement of the magazine. The wheel is then rotated until the extracted label passes through a slot in the adjacent hemming track into the hem being folded. Suction is terminated, releasing the label, and the wheel is returned to its original orientation to receive another label. Other embodiments disclose a magazine for double thickness labels, and an applicator carrying a belt in a peripheral groove to assist in moving the labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Dundee Mills, Inc.
    Inventors: John C. Meintzer, Jr., Michael E. Chandler
  • Patent number: 4981093
    Abstract: A sewing machine has a needle bar, which is mounted in a frame, a continuously operating feed device for the workpiece, a looper which reciprocates transversely to the workpiece feed direction, a spindle which is mounted in the sewing machine arm, and a cam, which is disposed on the arm spindle in order to swing the frame in the workpiece feed direction. The frame is driven in dependence upon the movement of the arm spindle by way of a positively connected transmission. Two cams permit optimum adaptation of the swinging movement of the frame to the continuously moving workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Union Special G.m.b.H.
    Inventor: Karl-Dieter Schopf
  • Patent number: 4949658
    Abstract: A tape feeding device comprises a binder arrangement for bending shape tape so that the bent portion thereof extends longitudinally. The binder includes a first binder for guiding a base of the tape and a second binder for bending the tape in a predetermined shape while guiding a tip end of the tape. A cutting unit is disposed between the first and the second binders to cut the tape. A tape feeding mechanism feeds the tape from the first binder to the second binder after the tape is cut by the cutting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignee: SSMC Inc.
    Inventor: Hideyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 4947771
    Abstract: A sewing machine for making a threefold hem in each of the legs of a pair of trousers has a folding guide member for turning a bottom edge of the trouser leg inwardly of the trouser leg, a revolving roller positioned below the folding guide member for rocking motion in a direction rightwards and leftwards, and a detecting plate positioned above the folding guide member for the detection of the passage of at least one seam in the trouser legs over the folding guide member and movable up and down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1990
    Assignee: Hams Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuji Miyachi, Keniti Miyake
  • Patent number: 4922843
    Abstract: A tape feed device for a sewing machine for feeding to a sewing location of the sewing machine at least one tape from a supply having a drive roll for feeding the tape, a feed roll disposed in the path of the tape between the supply and the drive roll, a stepping motor for driving both the drive roll and the feed roll, and a guide for passing tape around at least part of the feed roll which is capable of feeding more tape than the drive roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 8, 1990
    Assignee: Union Special G.m.b.H.
    Inventor: Bohumil Hyca
  • Patent number: 4867083
    Abstract: A sewing machine comprises a bed 3 on which a work-supporting table 3a is defined and from which a post 4 carrying a cantilevered support arm 5 provided with a needle-holding head 6 at its free end, rises up. An upper shaft 9 performing a rotating motion is housed within the arm 5 and it imparts a reciprocating movement, through a connecting rod-crank linkage 10, to a needle bar 11 vertically slidable in the head 6. Along the upper shaft 9 a plurality of eccentrics 19, 20, 21 are distributed to which auxiliary sewing operation devices 22, 32, 39 detachably associated with the sewing machine 1 are operativley engageable through respective connecting rods 23, 33, 50 and transferring motion mechanisms. A preformed opening 5 is formed in the support arm 5, through which connecting rod 50 is mounted to eccentric 21. An opening 36 is formed in support arm 5 through which stem 37 passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Rimoldi S.r.l.
    Inventors: Emilio Fietta, Ezio Maggi, Franco Marchesi
  • Patent number: 4860676
    Abstract: A waistband sew-in device to carry out. The sewing of waistbands in the waist part of briefs, skirts and trousers by retaining a cloth in a hoop shape with a stationary frame equipped with an inverted two-legged U-shaped guide surface, inserting a stretched waistband outside the cloth, folding over a cloth edge of the cloth in two plies to the outside of the waistband, further folding the cloth edge of the already folded part in two plies to be pushed into the space between the waistband and the cloth, sliding a belt strip reeled on the guide surface of the stationary frame on the guide surface by a take-up and rewinding mechanism installed on each leg of the two legs of the stationary frame, and sending the cloth having the waistband reeled in its three-folded cloth edge into a sewing unit of a sewing machine together with said waistband.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Morimoto Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironao Kawai, Shigetoshi Fukui, Kenji Ikeda