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US 3,970,017 AGranted
Fabric edge finishing machines
AssigneeUSM Corporation
InventorsEdward S. Babson, Oliver C. Brett, Jr., Warren A. Cavicchi, Carlton G. Lutts
Life of this patent
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AssigneeUSM Corporation
InventorsEdward S. Babson, Oliver C. Brett, Jr., Warren A. Cavicchi, Carlton G. Lutts
Estimating the term…
This invention relates to automatic mechanism for processing the edges of pile type fabrics and the like from which thinner or non-pile margins are to be removed. Fabric edge finishing machines are provided with a means for sensing relative thickness of work piece portions, such as terry material as distinguished from thinner or marginal non-terry portions. Accordingly washcloths and the like, as directed by an edge guide and corner turning mechanism, are under the control of a sensor and are automatically guided through the operating localities of instrumentalities, such as the needle and trimming mechanism of an overedge stitcher, or other edge treating machines, to provide for removal of the non-terry material and processing directly along the edge of the remaining terry material.
An automatic edge finishing machine for removing non-terry margin material, if any, from terry-type material and edge finishing the latter comprising, in combination with a machine having a work support, an operating tool, trimming means, and mechanism for feeding the work on the support to and through the operating locality of the tool and of the trimming means, an edge guide formed and disposed over the support to clear the non-terry material and progressively abut the edge of the terry material, and automatic work guidance mechanism including a sensor spaced from the edge guide and in advance of the tool for distinguishing the effective level of the surface of the terry-type material on said support from the non-terry margin material and responsively causing the trimming means and the tool to operate progressively along the edge of the terry material as the work is fed by the work feeding mechanism.
In combination with a sewing machine having stitching instrumentalities including a reciprocable needle, a reciprocable edge trimmer, a work support and means for rectilinearly feeding multi-sided flexible workpieces on the support to and through the operating localities of the needle and the trimmer, each piece initially having a thicker inner portion delineating it from its margins, and edge guide having an undercut end adapted to guide the workpieces along the edges of the thicker portion, a corner turning mechanism, and an automatic work guidance control mechanism including a sensor for actuating the corner-turning mechanism, the sensor being responsive to distinction of the margins from the thicker material and being spaced ahead of the knife and needle and more inwardly of the work than the needle whereby each piece is progressively trimmed of its margins as the thicker portion has its corners rounded and edges stitched.
A machine for finishing the terry edge of a fabric having an interior of terry material initially bounded on one or a plurality of sides by non-terry margins, the machine comprising the combination with an edge treating mechanism, a trimming means adjacent to said mechanism, means for linearly feeding the fabric through the operating locality of the trimming means and of the edge treating mechanism, and an edge guide aligned with the trimming means and inlcuding elements vertically displaceable by the margins within limits for guiding the fabric along the edge of the terry material ahead of the trimming, a corner turning mechanism for exerting a torque on a portion of the fabric to urge it about a turning center, and a control circuit for said corner turning mechanism, said control circuit including a sensor responsive to transition of a sensed work locality from terry to non-terry or no work material to signal for actuation of the corner turning mechanism.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.