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US 4,224,883 AGranted
Apparatus for manufacturing pillowcases
AssigneeFieldcrest Mills, Inc.
InventorsGeorge E. Zeigler, Jr., Charles B. Sumpter, Jr., Carl A. Wortham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A continuous, automated method and apparatus for manufacturing pillowcases in which a hem is continuously formed along one longitudinal edge of an indeterminate length fabric, and the fabric is thereafter successively cut to length and folded, with the folded pieces being sewn along the side and end thereof to form successive completed pillowcases. The versatile method and apparatus of this invention is adapted for manufacturing pillowcases of the conventional folded hem style, as well as pillowcases of the attached hem and mock attached hem styles.
Claims12
Apparatus for continusouly manufacturing pillowcases having an attached hem along the mouth of the pillowcase, said apparatus comprising
- means for receiving from a supply source an indeterminate length relatively narrow width fabric web for forming a hem and longitudinally folding the web about the midpoint of its width so that the longitudinal edge portions thereof overlie one another,
- means for simultaneously receiving from another supply source an indeterminate length relatively wider fabric web for forming the body portion of a pillowcase and positioning one longitudinal edge thereof between the overlying longitudinal edge portions of the folded hem forming web,
- a hem sewing station positioned for receiving the thus associated hem-forming and body-forming webs and including means for sewing the overlying edge portions of the folded hem-forming web to the portion of the body-forming web positioned therebetween to thereby form an attached hem along one longitudinal edge of the continuous length body-forming web,
- a cutting station positioned for receiving the hemmed body-forming web from the hem sewing station and including cutter means for cutting the web into successive individual pieces of predetermined length,
- a folding station positioned for receiving the successive cut pieces from the cutting station and including means for successively folding the cut pieces along a transversely extending fold line located medially of the cut edges to position the cut edges of each successive piece in closely adjacent relation to one another and with the hemmed longitudinal edges in substantial alignment with one another,
- a side seaming station positioned for receiving the successive folded pieces from the folding station and including means for sewing along the closely adjacent cut edges of the successive pieces to form a seam therealong, and
- an end seaming station positioned for receiving the successive pieces from the side seaming station and including means for sewing each successive piece along the edge located opposite the hem to form a seam therealong and thereby close the end of the piece to form a pillowcase therefrom.
4 more elements
Apparatus for continuously manufacturing pillowcases comprising
- a cutting station adapted for receiving an indeterminate length fabric web having a hem formed along one longitudinal edge thereof and including means for cutting the indeterminate length web into successive individual pieces of predetermined length,
- a folding station positioned for receiving the successive cut pieces from the cutting station and including means for successively folding the cut pieces along a transversely extending fold line located medially of the cut edges to position the cut edges of each successive piece in closely adjacent relation to one another and with the hemmed longitudinal edges in substantial alignment with one another,
- a side seaming station positioned for receiving the successive folded pieces from the folding station and including means for sewing along the closely adjacent cut edges of the successive pieces to form a seam therealong and also forming thread chains extending between and interconnecting the successive pieces, and said side seaming station also including means for successively severing the thread chains which interconnect the successive pieces, and
- an end seaming station positioned for receiving the successive pieces from the side seaming station and including means for sewing each successive piece along the edge located opposite the hem to form a seam therealong and thereby close the ends of the pieces to form successive pillowcases therefrom.
1 more element
Apparatus for continuously manufacturing pillowcases comprising
- a cutting station adapted for receiving an indeterminate length fabric web having a hem formed along one longitudinal edge thereof and including means for cutting the indeterminate length web into successive individual pieces of predetermined length,
- a folding station positioned for receiving the successive cut pieces from the cutting station and including a folding bar located downstream from said cutting station a predetermined distance, an elongate endless conveyor, and a plurality of sets of grippers carried by said conveyor and adapted for movement therewith along a repeating endless path, one end portion of said elongate conveyor being located adjacent the downstream side of said cutting station and positioned to bring the respective sets of grippers into grasping engagement with the leading cut edge of the continuous web at the cutting station, and said conveyor extending downstream from said cutting station and beyond said folding bar for a predetermined distance whereby said grippers, upon engaging the leading cut edge of the web, serve to pull the leading cut edge of the web therewith across and beyond the folding bar, and said sets of grippers being located in spaced relation from one another on said conveyor so that as one set of grippers is completing the pulling of the web across and beyond the folding bar, another set of grippers is being brought into position adjacent the cutting station for grasping and pulling the web,
- and said folding station also including means operating in timed relation with said grippers and with the cutting of the web into an individual piece for grasping the piece at the folding bar and removing the piece therefrom to form a transversely extending fold line located medially of the cut edges and to position the cut edges of each successive piece in closely adjacent relation to one another and with the hemmed longitudinal edges in substantial alignment with one another,
- a side seaming station positioned for receiving the successive folded pieces from the folding station and including means for sewing along the closely adjacent cut edges of the successive pieces to form a seam therealong, and
- an end seaming station positioned for receiving the successive pieces from the side seaming station and including means for sewing each successive piece along the edge located opposite the hem to form a seam therealong and thereby close the end of the piece to form a pillowcase therefrom.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.