# US 5,345,887 A · Thread manipulations at the beginning and end of a seam > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,345,887 A - Document ID: US5345887A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 07/955,662 - Filed: 1992-10-02 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1991-10-04 - Assignees: Durkopp Adler Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Gunter Droste - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345887A ## CPC - D05B 65/00: Devices for severing the needle or lower thread - D05B 47/00: Needle-thread tensioning devices; Applications of tensometers - D05D 2207/02: Pneumatic or hydraulic devices - D05B: SEWING (appliances for the tailoring trade A41H; sewing tables A47B29/00; sewing in bookbinding B42B2/00; sewing machines modified for knitting D04B39/08) - D05D: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES D05B AND D05C, RELATING TO SEWING, EMBROIDERING AND TUFTING ## Abstract A thread-pulling device is fastened on the arm of a sewing machine. The thread-pulling device has a thread clamp that can be opened and closed on the thread, and can be moved toward and away from the sewing machine arm. In operation, the needle thread, which has been pulled off the spool and extends to the sewing needle, is conducted through the thread clamp. After an initial seam has been completed, the thread clamp is closed on the thread and moved to an extended position which is remote from the arm. In this way, a given length of the needle thread is pulled off the spool, thus providing the proper length of needle thread for dependable formation of the first stitch of the following seam. Then, shortly after the start of the following sewing process, the thread clamp is moved back over an intermediate distance toward the sewing machine arm so as to pull back the initial piece of the needle thread that is now hanging down from the back of the material at the start of the seam. The initial piece of needle thread is pulled back to such an extent that only a short piece of the needle thread, of predetermined length, will remain on the back of the material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance, comprising the steps of: cutting a needle thread and a bobbin thread at the end of a previous first seam such that a trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out from a sewing needle, and then forming a subsequent second seam in a material to be sewn, wherein in an initial phase of forming the subsequent second seam, said trailing end portion of the needle thread is located so as to hang from an underside of the material and is provided with a first predetermined length by pulling the needle thread back from said material, so that only a short piece of needle thread having said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material when said second seam is produced, thereby producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a second predetermined length of the needle thread upon the completion of the previous first seam and before the cutting of the needle thread. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: a) conducting the needle thread from a spool to the sewing needle through a thread clamp which is provided on a stationary thread-pulling device, the thread clamp being operable and closable and being variable in position transversely of the needle thread; b) at the end of forming the previous first seam and simultaneously with preparation for the cutting of the needle tread, closing the thread clamp, and at the beginning of cutting of the needle thread, bringing the thread clamp into an extended position in a direction transverse to the needle thread, such that said second predetermined length of needle thread is made available for the cutting of the needle thread; c) upon the cutting of the needle thread, the length of needle thread which has been made available is pulled downward past the bottom of a throat plate, as a result of which, after the cutting of the needle thread, said trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out of the sewing needle; d) during a beginning phase of the second seam to be produced, moving the thread clamp which holds the needle thread transversely in a direction opposite to its previous direction of movement into an intermediate position, thus pulling back the needle thread from the material at the start of the second seam so that said first predetermined length of said trailing end portion of the needle thread remains on the underside of the material; e) upon reaching the intermediate position, the thread clamp is opened; and f) during the sewing of the following stitches of the second seam, the thread clamp is returned from the intermediate position into its retracted position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein said intermediate position is adjustable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) A method according to claim 3, wherein the opening and closing of the thread clamp as well as the extension and retraction of the thread clamp are effected by means actuatable by pressure fluid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A method according to claim 5, wherein said means are actuatable by compressed air. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method according to claim 1, wherein a trailing end portion of a bobbin thread hangs out from a looper, said trailing end portions of the needle thread and the bobbin thread being provided for the formation of a first stitch of said subsequent second seam. ### Claim 8 A device in a sewing machine for producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance, comprising: a first device for cutting a needle thread and a bobbin thread in said sewing machine at the end of a previous first seam such that, after cutting, a trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out from a sewing needle, said trailing end portion of the needle thread being provided for the formation of a subsequent second seam; and a second device for providing said trailing end portion of the needle thread, located so as to hang from an underside of a material to be sewn, with a first predetermined length, by pulling the needle thread back from the material so that only a piece of needle thread having said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material when said subsequent second seam is produced in said material, thereby producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A device according to claim 8, further comprising a third device for withdrawing a defined length of the needle thread from a thread supply of said sewing machine upon the completion of the previous first seam and before the cutting of the needle thread. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A device according to claim 9, further comprising: a) means for conducting the needle thread from a spool to the sewing needle; and b) a thread clamp which is provided on a stationary thread-pulling device on said sewing machine, the needle thread being conducted through said thread clamp, the thread clamp being openable and closable and being variable in position transversely of the needle thread. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A device according to claim 10, wherein the thread clamp is closable at the end of forming the previous first seam and simultaneously with preparation for the cutting of the thread, and is movable at the beginning of cutting of the thread, into an extended position in a direction transverse to the needle thread, such that a second predetermined length of needle thread is withdrawn from the spool and is made available for the cutting of the thread. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A device according to claim 11, wherein, upon the cutting of the thread, the sewing machine is operable to pull the length of needle thread which has been made available, downward past the bottom of a throat plate, such that after the cutting of the thread, said trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out of the sewing needle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A device according to claim 12, wherein the thread clamp is movable, with the needle thread, at the start of forming the second seam, transversely in a direction opposite to its previous direction of movement into an intermediate position, thus pulling back the needle thread from the material at the start of the second seam so that said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A device according to claim 13, wherein said movement into said intermediate position takes place within a period of time Just after the start of rotation of an arm shaft of said sewing machine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) A device according to claim 8, wherein after cutting, a trailing end portion of a bobbin thread hangs out from a looper, said trailing end portions of the needle thread and the bobbin thread being provided for the formation of a first stitch of said subsequent second seam. ### Claim 16 A method of producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance, comprising the steps of: cutting a needle thread and a bobbin thread at the end of a previous first seam such that a trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out from a sewing needle, and a trailing end portion of a bobbin thread hangs out from a looper, both end portions being provided for the formation of a subsequent first stitch; and forming a subsequent second seam in a material to be sewn, wherein in an initial phase of forming the subsequent second seam, said trailing end portion of the needle thread is located so as to hang from an underside of the material and is provided with a first predetermined length by pulling the needle thread back from said material, so that only a short piece of needle thread having said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material when said second seam is produced, thereby producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of providing a second predetermined length of the needle thread upon the completion of the previous first seam and before the cutting of the needle thread. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of: a) conducting the needle thread from a spool to the sewing needle through a thread clamp which is provided on a stationary thread-pulling device, the thread clamp being openable and closable and being variable in position transversely of the needle thread; b) at the end of forming the previous first seam and simultaneously with preparation for the cutting of the needle thread, closing the thread clamp, and at the beginning of the needle thread, closing the thread clamp, and at the beginning of cutting of the needle thread, bringing the thread clamp into an extended position in a direction transverse to the needle thread, such that said second predetermined length of needle thread is made available for the cutting of the needle thread; c) upon the cutting of the needle thread, the length of needle thread which has been made available is pulled downward pas the bottom of a throat plate, as a result of which, after the cutting of the needle thread, said trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out of the sewing needle; d) during a beginning phase of the second seam to be produced, moving the thread clamp which holds the needle thread transversely in a direction opposite to its previous direction of movement into an intermediate position, thus pulling back the needle thread from the material at the start of the second seam so that said first predetermined length of said trailing end portion of the needle thread remains on the underside of the material; e) upon reaching the intermediate position, the thread clamp is opened; and f) during the sewing of the following stitches of the second seam, the thread clamp is returned from the intermediate position into its retracted position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18, wherein said intermediate position is adjustable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A method according to claim 18, wherein the opening and closing of the thread clamp as well as the extension and retraction of the thread clamp are effected by means actuatable by pressure fluid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20, wherein said means are actuatable by compressed air. ### Claim 22 A device in a sewing machine for producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance, comprising: a first device for cutting a needle thread and a bobbin thread in said sewing machine at the end of a previous first seam such that, after cutting, a trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out of a sewing needle and a trailing end portion of a bobbin thread hangs out from a looper, both end portions being provided for the formation of a subsequent first stitch; and a second device for providing said trailing end portion of the needle thread, located so as to hang from an underside of a material to be sewn, with a first predetermined length, by pulling the needle thread back from the material so that only a piece of needle thread having said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material when said subsequent second seam is produced in said material, thereby producing a sewing seam with an attractive appearance. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A device according to claim 22, further comprising a third device for withdrawing a defined length of the needle thread from a thread supply of said sewing machine upon the completion of the previous first seam and before the cutting of the needle thread. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A device according to claim 23, further comprising: a) means for conducting the needle thread from a spool to the sewing needle; and b) a thread clamp which is provided on a stationary thread-pulling device on said sewing machine, the needle thread being conducted through said thread clamp, the thread clamp being openable and closable and being variable in position transversely of the needle thread. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A device according to claim 24, wherein the thread clamp is closable at the end of forming the previous first seam and simultaneously with preparation for the cutting of the thread, and is movable at the beginning of cutting of the thread, into an extended position in a direction transverse to the needle thread, such that a second predetermined length of needle thread is withdrawn from the spool and is made available for the cutting of the thread. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A device according to claim 25, wherein, upon the cutting of the thread, the sewing machine is operable to pull the length of needle thread which has been made available, downward past the bottom of a throat plate, such that, after the cutting of the thread, said trailing end portion of the needle thread hangs out of the sewing needle. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A device according to claim 26, wherein the thread clamp is movable, with the needle thread, at the start of forming the second seam, transversely in a direction opposite to its previous direction of movement into an intermediate position, thus pulling back the needle thread from the material at the start of the second seam so that said first predetermined length remains on the underside of the material. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A device according to claim 27, wherein said movement into said intermediate position takes place within a period of time just after the start of rotation of an arm shaft of said sewing machine.