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US 4,425,858 AGranted
Means for processing sheets of material
AssigneeAMF Incorporated
InventorFrancis B. Hargett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for tri-axially aligning, folding, trimming and edge stitching a cloth sheet particularly adapted for making pockets for garments.
Claims10
Apparatus for automatically aligning, folding, trimming and stitching a sheet of fabric material, comprising
- table means having a starting position and an alignment position with a plurality of sensors for sensing three edges of a sheet of material when appropriately aligned;
- a folder mounted on said table means and having a pair of oppositely rotating rollers forming a nip therebetween;
- arm means having a contact member for engaging and moving a sheet of material from said starting position to said alignment position and for releasing said sheet of material when aligned;
- means for moving said arm means with said sheet of material laterally and longitudinally and for rotating said contact member and said sheet of material for axially aligning a desired fold line of the material with the nip of said rollers;
- means for longitudinally moving said aligned sheet of material to said folder and for urging the material at the desired fold line into the nip of said rollers;
- means for delivering said sheet of material with the desired fold first to a sewing machine with a reciprocating needle and a feed dog for the edge of said sheet of material being stitched;
- blade means adjacent said needle for trimming the edge before stitching;
- friction means inboard of said needle engaging and forming a fixed center of said sheet of material while its edge is being stitched;
- means for sensing the edge of said sheet of material;
- and means for moving said friction means in response to said sensing means for changing the fixed center of said sheet of material according to variations in the profile and said sensed edge.
7 more elements
A method of automatically aligning and folding a fabric sheet, and trimming and stitching one edge of the sheet at the end of the fold, comprising the steps of
- providing table means, and a folder mounted on said table means and having a pair of oppositely rotating rollers with a nip therebetween;
- moving a fabric sheet to an alignment position on said table means and providing means for sensing three edges of said sheet when a desired fold line of said sheet is axially aligned with the nip of said rollers;
- simultaneously moving said sheet laterally and rotatably on a vertical axis to axially align the desired fold line with the nip of the rollers while moving the sheet longitudinally to permit contact of the sheet by delivering means;
- moving said fabric sheet longitudinally to said folder and urging the fold line into the nip of the rollers;
- delivering said folded fabric sheet fold first to a sewing machine having a reciprocating needle and feed dog for edge stitching and trimming the edge prior to stitching;
- providing friction means engaging said fabric sheet inboard of said needle forming a pivot point for the fabric sheet during stitching;
- and means sensing the edge before trimming, and moving said friction means to adjust the pivot point of said fabric sheet in response to sensed changes of said edge profile.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.