US 4,241,681 AGranted

Tubular work feeder for sewing machine

OwnerRobert E. Porterinventor

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Abstract

Circumferential stitching of a tubular workpiece is assisted by means of a moving support and feed system which includes a rotatable drum of smaller diameter than the workpiece having an upper end surface positioned adjacent to a stitching station with a conventional stitching mechanism. The workpiece is prepared for stitching by pulling it axially onto the drum like a sleeve. The portion of the workpiece to be stitched is then advanced transversely through the stitching station by a puller which engages the top of the workpiece while the drum is rotated synchronously to keep the workpiece from twisting. A portion of the drive system for the stitching mechanism runs through the interior of the rotating drum. A blind cutter next to the stitching station enables the operator to cut excess thread inside the workpiece after stitching simply by moving the workpiece in a certain manner. The apparatus is particularly designed for sewing a series of spaced reinforcing rings on a long flexible tube of fireproof fabric.

Claims9

Dependent claims

In a machine for circumferentially stitching a tubular workpiece, said machine having a source of drive power, a workpiece support having a stitching station removed from said source of drive power and cooperating stitching needle means at said stitching station and feed means for feeding the portion of said workpiece to be stitched through said stitching station at a selected feed rate in a given direction of advancement, said needle means and feed means being operated synchronously by said source of drive power, the improvement comprising a tubular workpiece support of relatively great length and relatively small diameter and feeding system including:

a cylindrical drum of smaller diameter than said workpiece mounted for rotation upon said workpiece support and extending axially from a point adjacent said stitching station toward said source of drive power, the top of said drum parallel to its axis being aligned with said stitching station at right angles to said direction of advancement;
and
first drive means connected to said source of drive power for synchronously rotating said drum to cause the top of said drum to move at said feed rate in said direction of advancement, whereby portions of said workpiece surrounding said drum near to and distant from said stitching station are conveyed over the workpiece support at said feed rate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.