Workpiece guide for automatic sewing machine

Abstract

A thread guide is used in combination with a standard sewing machine having a work table and a fabric feed for displacing a workpiece to be sewn on the table in a predetermined forward longitudinal direction through a sewing station on the table. The fabric guide comprises a transversely elastically deformable band extending generally in the workpiece-displacement direction and oriented on edge and holders engaging the band at a plurality of longitudinally offset locations for securing the band on the table with each of the locations in any of a multiplicity of transversely offset positions. Thus the band can be deformed into and held in a nonstraight shape. The guide further has a carriage displaceable on the table along the guide and provided with a clip fastenable on the workpiece, and a counterweight urging the carriage and clip longitudinally in a backward longitudinal direction opposite the forward longitudinal direction. The band is a ribbon of flexible spring steel that is longitudinally substantially inextensible and that is only deformable transversely to its plane.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.