Automated apparatus for manufacture of mattress borders with sewn handles

A machine for automatically sewing ends of a fabric handle to a mattress border, the machine comprising:

• a supply of border material;
• a supply of handle material;
• a handle folding assembly;
• a double frame handle press;
• a sewing platform, and
• a sewing head;
• drive rollers for drawing border material from the border material supply onto the sewing platform;
• drive rollers for drawing handle material from the handle material supply into the handle folding assembly;
• a handle material cutter for cutting a length of handle material from the handle material supply;
• the handle folding assembly having:
• a folding plate with first and second ends about which ends of a piece of handle material are folded;
• folding blades which are actuated to descend down upon the ends of the handle material and under the folding blade;
• folded handle transfer arms which transfer the handle material with the ends folded from the folding blade on to the border material on the sewing platform;
• and
• a double frame handle press which compresses down upon the handle on the border material.

A material folding device operative to fold a portion of a piece of material under a plate and to transfer material in a folded condition, the device comprising:

• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting at least a portion of material to be folded, and ends beyond which a piece of material may extend;
• at least one material holding device above the folding plate, the material holding device being controllable to extend downward into contact with a piece of material on the folding plate,
• at least one folding blade operative to extend downward past an end of the folding plate and to extend under an end of the folding plate,
• a top plate in which at least one material holding device is mounted, and
• at least one side wall between the top plate and the folding plate, and wherein the side wall is moveable.

A material folding device operative to fold a portion of a piece of material under a plate and to transfer material in a folded condition, the device comprising:

• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting at least a portion of material to be folded, and ends beyond which a piece of material may extend;
• at least one material holding device above the folding plate, the material holding device being controllable to extend downward into contact with a piece of material on the folding plate, and
• at least one folding blade operative to extend downward past an end of the folding plate and to extend under an end of the folding plate,
• at least one fold compression device operative to extend down on top of a piece of material on the folding plate and over a portion of the piece of material under the folding plate,
• wherein the fold compression device is operative to move a piece of folded material to a side of the folding plate.

A material folding device operative to fold a portion of a piece of material under a plate and to transfer material in a folded condition, the device comprising:

• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting at least a portion of material to be folded, and ends beyond which a piece of material may extend;
• at least one material holding device above the folding plate, the material holding device being controllable to extend downward into contact with a piece of material on the folding plate,
• at least one folding blade operative to extend downward past an end of the folding plate and to extend under an end of the folding plate,
• wherein the material holding device is an inflatable diaphragm positioned over the folding plate.

A material folding device operative to fold a portion of a piece of material under a plate and to transfer material in a folded condition, the device comprising:

• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting at least a portion of material to be folded, and ends beyond which a piece of material may extend;
• at least one material holding device above the folding plate, the material holding device being controllable to extend downward into contact with a piece of material on the folding plate,
• at least one folding blade operative to extend downward past an end of the folding plate and to extend under an end of the folding plate,
• at least one fold compression device operative to extend down on top of a piece of material on the folding plate and over a portion of the piece of material under the folding plate,
• wherein the fold compression device further comprises a spring member on an underside which contacts the material on the folding plate.

A device for folding a first piece of material, transferring the first piece of material in a folded state onto a second material, holding the first piece of material in a folded state in a fixed position on the second material, and moving both the first piece of material and second piece of material in unison in a pattern under a sewing needle, the device comprising:

• a folding assembly operative to fold at least a portion of the first piece of material, the folding assembly having:
• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting the first material and at least one end beyond which a portion of the first material may extend,
• a folding blade operative to extend down past an end of the folding plate and to move under the folding plate to thereby fold an end of the first piece of material under the folding plate,
• a fold compression device operative to come in contact with a portion of the first piece of material over a portion of the first piece of material folded under the folding plate,
• the folding blade and fold compression device each operative to move to a side of the folding plate to transfer the first piece of material in a folded state onto a second piece of material,
• a press for holding the first piece of material in a folded state in a fixed position against the second piece of material, the press being connected to a carriage mechanism operative to move in a stitch pattern under a sewing needle of a sewing machine to attach the first piece of material to the second piece of material by sewing, and
• wherein a portion of the folding blade which contacts the first material is recessed, and wherein a folded portion of the first piece of material stays within the recessed portion when the folding blade moves to a side of the folding plate.

A device for folding a first piece of material, transferring the first piece of material in a folded state onto a second material, holding the first piece of material in a folded state in a fixed position on the second material, and moving both the first piece of material and second piece of material in unison in a pattern under a sewing needle, the device comprising:

• a folding assembly operative to fold at least a portion of the first piece of material, the folding assembly having:
• a folding plate having a planar surface for supporting the first material and at least one end beyond which a portion of the first material may extend,
• a folding blade operative to extend down past an end of the folding plate and to move under the folding plate to thereby fold an end of the first piece of material under the folding plate,
• a fold compression device operative to come in contact with a portion of the first piece of material over a portion of the first piece of material folded under the folding plate,
• the folding blade and fold compression device each operative to move to a side of the folding plate to transfer the first piece of material in a folded state onto a second piece of material,
• a press for holding the first piece of material in a folded state in a fixed position against the second piece of material, the press being connected to a carriage mechanism operative to move in a stitch pattern under a sewing needle of a sewing machine to attach the first piece of material to the second piece of material by sewing,
• wherein the fold compression device has a spring member which contacts the first piece of material.