Strip sewing apparatus and method

Sewing apparatus for sewing a tape to a web of material, said apparatus including a web feed station to feed a web of material along a predetermined path, a sewing station including a sewing head to attach said tape to said web and a drive to move said head transverse to said predetermined path, a transfer station to move said web from said sewing station to a collection zone, said web feed station including a first support for a first roll of web material and a second support for a second roll of web material, said supports being spaced apart in a direction transverse to said predetermined path, each of said rolls delivering a respective strip of web material with the spacing of said supports delivering said web material to said sewing station in side by side relationship, said sewing head traversing each of said strips to secure said tape thereto and form a unitary web.

A sewing apparatus to sew a tape to a web, said apparatus comprising a web feed station to feed said web of material along a predetermined path, a sewing station having a sewing head and a drive to move said head in a direction transverse to said predetermined path, a tape dispenser associated with said sewing head to deliver a tape to said sewing head for attachment to said web, and a transfer mechanism to transfer said web from said sewing station to a collection zone, said sewing head carrying a supplementary mechanism to perform supplementary operations on said web as said head traverses said web.

A sewing apparatus to sew a tape to a web, said apparatus including a web feed station to feed a web of material along a predetermined path, a sewing station having a sewing head and a drive to move said sewing head in a direction transverse to said predefined path, a tape dispenser to deliver a tape to said sewing head for attachment to said web, and a transfer mechanism to transfer said web from said sewing station to a collection zone, said sewing station including a pair of rails extending transversely to said predetermined path, a carriage supported on said rails by a pair of wheel assemblies, and a pedestal to mount said sewing head, said drive being operable to move said carriage along said rails to sew said tape to said web.

Sewing apparatus for sewing a tape having attachments located periodically therealong to a web of material, said apparatus including a web feed station to feed a web of material along a predetermined path, a sewing station including a sewing head to attach said tape to said web and a drive to move said head transverse to said predetermined path, and a transfer station to move said web from said sewing station to a collection station, said collection station including a rolling device to receive one end of said web and form it into a roll and a cutter assembly to sever said web in a direction transverse to said predetermined path.

A method of sewing a tape having attachments located periodically therealong to a web, said method including the steps of advancing said tape through a sensing head, sensing an attachment at a predetermined location and advancing said sewing head across said web to secure said tape to said web.

A method of securing a tape having hooks disposed periodically along said tape to a web, said method comprising the steps of positioning a tape having hooks secured thereto adjacent to said web, advancing said tape with said hooks through a sewing head disposed adjacent said web, and advancing said sewing head across said web while performing a sewing operation between said tape and web to secure said tape to said web.