Clamping device and method for an automatic sewing system
AssigneeJet Sew Technologies, Inc.
InventorsGeorge Mitchell, Tadeusz Olewicz, Ernst Schramayr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stitching clamp for an automatic sewing sewing machine. The stitching clamp has a flexible membrane defining a track for the presser foot of a sewing head to maintain the presser foot in a spaced relationship with respect to a workpiece as the workpiece is moved through a sewing head by the combination of at least one feed dog and a servocontrol. The stitching clamp further includes a label clamp for securely holding a label against a workpiece.
Claims26
A stitching clamp for securely holding a workpiece with a fixed outer perimeter on the supporting surface of a work table and for carrying the workpiece through the sewing head of a sewing machine between a presser foot and at least one feed dog under at least one needle, the stitching clamp, comprising:
- holding means with first and second faces, the second face directed toward the supporting surface of the work table and having an outer perimeter less than the outer perimeter of the workpiece;
- a non-metallic bendable membrane with a first surface attached to the second face of the holding means and a second surface for engaging a workpiece positioned on the supporting surface of the work table for moving it through the sewing head in cooperation with the presser foot and feed dogs;
- and
- said membrane having an outer perimeter less than the outer perimeter of the workpiece but greater than the outer perimeter of the second face of the holding means such that a portion of the membrane extends beyond the edge of holding means creating a track for the presser foot that separates the presser foot from the workpiece as the at least one feed dog advances the edge of the workpiece through the sewing head without interfering with operation of the at least one needle, the membrane being sufficiently pliable to allow the presser foot maintain contact between the at least one feed dog and workpiece by applying pressure through the membrane.
A method of automatically hemming a workpiece using a stitching clamp, the steps of the method comprising:
- clamping a workpiece against a supporting surface with a stitching clamp having a membrane;
- moving the clamped workpiece through a sewing head having at least one needle, a presser foot and at least one feed dog for hemming the edge of the workpiece;
- and
- wherein in said moving step, positioning a portion of the membrane between the presser foot, the workpiece and the at least one feed dog;
- urging the presser foot against the membrane to hold the workpiece in engagement with the at least one feed dog while moving the workpiece through the sewing head.
An automatic sewing system for securely holding a workpiece with a fixed outer perimeter on the supporting surface of a work table, the system comprising:
- a sewing machine having a presser foot and at least one feed dog under at least one needle;
- holding means with first and second faces, the second face directed toward the supporting surface of the work table and having an outer perimeter less than the outer perimeter of the workpiece;
- a flexible membrane with a first surface attached to the second face of the holding means and a second surface for engaging a workpiece positioned on the supporting surface of the work table for moving it through the sewing head in cooperation with the presser foot and at least one feed dog;
- and
- said flexible membrane having an outer perimeter less than the outer perimeter of the workpiece but greater than the outer perimeter of the second face of the holding means such that a portion of the flexible membrane extends beyond the edge of holding means creating a track for the presser foot that separates the presser foot from the workpiece as the at least one feed dog advances the edge of the workpiece through the sewing head without interfering with operation of the at least one needle, the flexible membrane being sufficiently pliable to allow the presser foot to maintain contact between the at least one feed dog and workpiece by applying pressure through the membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.