The Singer Company

Alfred John Zenger

Barney D Hunts

Frederick A Rupinski

John Vernon Landau, Jr

Kenneth F Kaltenbach

A programmable industrial sewing machine adapted to learn and store, in Automatic Learn or Key Learn Modes of operation, a series of sewing machine operations for later automatic duplication. In both modes of operation provision is made for an operator to select the number of initial and final locking stitches prior to commencing stitching operations. Operator actuated controls, such as knee shift device and foot treadle, operate identically in both Learn Modes of operation and as they would operate in a normal manual industrial sewing machine. In the Automatic Learn Mode of operation, a record is compiled in segments, consisting each of a stitch count, a pivot delay time, and a speed copy. In appropriate circumstance, the pivot delay time may be zero. Various positions of the foot treadle, including the neutral and heel position, elicit an appropriate response by means of a computer to effect a recording of a logical series of stitching operations for later automatic reproduction with operator guidance of a work material. In the Key Learn Mode of operation, provision is made for operator imposition of sewing speeds and pivot delay times to facilitate, for example, a rapid record production for automatic operation of the sewing machine at a slower rate of speed with an inexperienced operator.

Programmable sewing machine

A programmable sewing machine adapted to learn and store, in Automatic Learn or Key Learn Modes of operation, a series of sewing machine operations for later automatic duplication, in an Automatic Sew Mode of operation, at the same sewing rate as the initial operation, or at the peak sewing rate achieved during each operation; or, in a Control Sew Mode of operation, at a controlled lower speed. Additionally, the machine operation may be limited in a Set Up Mode to preset rates for machine speed, copy or peak speed automatic operation, number of start stitches, number of stop stitches, start speed and stop speed. The machine may be operated in the Manual Mode with provision for first tack and last tack and thread trim and wipe when desired. The automatic operation of the sewing machine may be interrupted to go into a Repair Mode during which the sewing machine may be operated manually, and, on proper command, to revert back to the Automatic Sew Mode at the particular operation which was interrupted. A Quit control is provided which permits reversion to an Initialization Mode from which a specific mode of operation may be selected. Provision is made to Erase specific learned and stored series of sewing machine operations, and to warn when the storage capacity may be exceeded.

Programmable sewing machine operable in a plurality of modes

A feed system for an industrial sewing machine having a toggle type stitch regulator. The feet stop for determining forward stitch length is located in the sewing machine frame for direct engagement with the stitch length regulating yoke to reduce vibration and noise in the system. The feed length is adjusted by a knob through a gear train connected through the bed of the machine to the stop abutment so as to allow stitch length adjustment without tipping the sewing machine. An elastomeric dynamic damper is included in the regulating system so that during reverse feed when the regulating yoke is displaced from the stop abutment the damper is effective to reduce vibration and noise that would normally travel through the system to the reversing lever.

Sewing machine stitch regulating mechanisms

A programmable industrial sewing machine adapted to learn and store a series of sewing machine operations for later automatic duplication, in an Automatic Sew Mode of operation, at the same sewing rate as the initial operation, or at a peak sewing rate achieved during each operation; or, in a Control Sew Mode of operation at a controlled lower sew speed. The automatic operation of the sewing machine may be interrupted in order to vary the sew speed, and will revert to automatic operation on operator command where the interruption took place. In the Automatic Sew Mode of operation, stitching may also be interrupted to vary a prior pivot delay time, i.e. a time duration with the presser foot elevated and the sewing needle in a lowered position through a work material. Again, stitching will be reinitiated on operator command at the point at which interrupted. In the Control Sew Mode of operation, stitching is interrupted at each pivot delay and requires manipulation of a foot treadle by an operator in order to resume stitching. Thus, the length of the pivot delay in the Control Sew Mode of operation is under operator control. In both the Automatic Sew Mode of operation and the Control Sew Mode of operation, the automatic operation of the sewing machine may be interrupted to go into a Repair Mode during which the sewing machine may be operated manually, and, on proper command reverts back to the mode from which it came at the particular operation which was interrupted. During each pivot delay, in either the Automatic Sew or Control Sew Modes of operation, the prior completed switch count may be modified in order to compensate for any variables in, for example, a work material.

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Montville, NJ, United States of America

Alfred John Zenger