Tubular hooping device for embroidery hoops

A tubular hooping device for accurately and precisely seating a male hoop portion within a female hoop portion and securing therebetween a portion of fabric to be embroidered and a portion of backing material, the device comprising:

• a base plate having a proximate end and a distal end and a top side and a bottom side;
• a keyed recess sized to receive a female hoop portion, the keyed recess being formed into the top side of the distal end of the base plate;
• a second recess sized to receive a male hoop portion, the second recess being positioned coaxial with the keyed recess and formed into the top side of the base plate such that the male hoop portion received within the female hoop portion will also be received into the second recess, the second recess further being sized so as to prevent the ingress of the female hoop portion;
• and
• an aligning arm supported above the base plate, the aligning arm having a proximate end and a distal end, the aligning arm being further comprised of a first finger and a second finger, the first finger and the second finger being joined at the proximate end of the aligning arm by a web, the aligning arm being coupled to the proximate end of the base plate at the web, the first finger and the second finger each being provided at their distal end with a positioning block arranged so as to form a slot on the distal side of the positioning block, each finger further being provided with a positioning structure mounted distal to each positioning block, the positioning block and the positioning structure capable of engaging an edge of a male hoop portion so as to removably secure the male hoop portion to the aligning arm whereby the male hoop portion may be brought into mating contact with the female hoop portion without removing the male hoop portion from the aligning arm.

A method for properly aligning a portion of a garment to be embroidered between a male hoop portion and a female hoop portion, the method comprising the steps of:

• placing a female hoop portion in a keyed recess of an aligning portion of a tubular hooping device;
• securing a portion of backing material over the female hoop portion received in the keyed recess of the aligning portion using at least one location means, the location means being affixed to the aligning portion immediately adjacent the keyed recess;
• arranging the portion of the garment to be embroidered over the female hoop portion;
• mounting a straight edge device upon an aligning arm of the tubular hooping device, the straight edge device being arranged to point out the center of the female hoop portion and to create a vertical and a horizontal reference against which a user of the tubular hooping device can compare the alignment of the portion of the garment to be embroidered;
• adjusting the portion of the garment to be embroidered over the female hoop portion to a position in which the portion of the garment to be embroidered is properly centered with respect to the center point indicated by the straight edge device and aligned with the horizontal and the vertical references of the straight edge device;
• removing the straight edge device from the aligning arm of the tubular hooping device;
• mounting a male hoop portion upon the aligning arm of the tubular hooping device;
• and
• applying pressure upon the male hoop portion so as to securely seat the male hoop portion within the female hoop portion, thereby capturing the portion of the garment to be embroidered and the portion of backing material between the male hoop portion and the female hoop portion, the portion of the garment to be embroidered being properly centered and aligned within the male and female hoop portions.

A straight edge device for determining whether a portion of a garment to be embroidered is centered within a male and a female hoop portion and for determining whether the portion of the garment to be embroidered is properly aligned within the male and the female hoop portion, the straight edge device comprising:

• a substantially flat rectangular body, having two linear parallel longitudinal sides, and a first end and a second end;
• means for mounting the body of the straight edge device upon an aligning arm of a tubular hooping device, the means comprising an edge capable of being received in a slot formed by at least one aligning block, the at least one aligning block being affixed to an aligning arm of a tubular hoop device, and at least one hole, the hole being arranged to receive at least one positioning structure, the at least one positioning structure being affixed to the aligning arm distal to the aligning blocks, and;
• a plurality of registration marks inscribed upon the body of the straight edge device, at least one registration mark indicating the location of the center of the portion of the garment to be embroidered, at least one other registration mark creating a horizontal reference and at least one other registration mark creating a vertical reference, the center, horizontal, and vertical references being used to determine whether the portion of a garment to be embroidered is properly aligned.