Gerber Technology, Inc.

Gerber Garment Technology, Inc.

United Technologies Corporation

Joseph R Vivirito

Richard Kuchta

Robert J Pomerleau

Ivan Markowitz

Kevin A Pearl

Peter Hasiuk

Richard S Szewczyk

Gordon Randall Perry

Robert M Vaida

Donald C Button

Vladimir Evenzon

Philip W Cenedella

Zdenek Zeman

George Reekie

Thomas King

Tim Vander Vos

Roy McDougall

Steve Venditti

Alexander Zusmanovich

Jude Tan

Eli Elysee

Timothy R Vos

John H Gates

Timothy VanderVos

John Genereux

Barbara St John

A sheet material cutting apparatus includes a cutting head and a knife frame rotatably coupled to the cutting head. A blade defining a cutting edge is coupled for reciprocation to the knife frame, as is a primary sharpener for sharpening substantially the entire cutting edge of the blade after it becomes dull from operation. A presser foot having a secondary sharpener mounted thereon, is also coupled to the knife frame for movement between a raised non-working and a lowered working position. The secondary sharpener includes a sharpening member engageable with the cutting edge of the blade via the action of an actuator, for sharpening a portion of the blade's cutting edge between primary sharpening operations.

Dual sharpener apparatus for maintaining the sharpness of the cutting edge on blades used to cut sheet-type work materials

A bristle cleaner station for a conveyorized sheet material cutting machine includes a plurality of air jets that direct pressurized air between downwardly extending bristles of a bristle bed to dislodge debris; and a vacuum chamber adjacent to the bristles to draw away the dislodged debris. The preferred embodiment uses air needles that extend into downward extending bristles to riffle or bend the bristles, making an enlarged space between them. The air needles direct pressurized air into the enlarged space to dislodge debris, and an upwardly open vacuum channel adjacent to the air needles and bristles collects the dislodged debris. A method to clean bristle beds is also disclosed whereby pressurized air is directed between the bristles and vacuum draws away dislodged debris.

Bristle bed cleaner and method

In an apparatus for notifying machine operators of the necessity for preventive maintenance, predetermined difficulty factors corresponding to the severity of particular machine operating conditions are stored in the memory of a controller. Maximum acceptable values are also stored in the controller's memory. Sensors, detect any one of a number of different machine operating parameters and the duration for which the machine functions under a particular operating condition. These parameters are quantified with respect to one of the difficulty factors most closely related to the operating condition. The quantified parameters are accumulated and compared with the appropriate maximum value. When the accumulated quantified parameters reach the maximum value, an operator is alerted to the fact that maintenance is needed.

Method and apparatus for notifying machine operators of the necessity for preventive maintenance

In a method of inertia-testing movable machine components, a machine motor is powered to impart constant motion on various components. The power supply to the motor is then cut, causing the moving components of the machine to continue moving, due to inertia or angular momentum, until a resting state is achieved. The time required to reach a resting state is measured and recorded for comparison to predetermined data indicative of a normally operating machine. If the time required to achieve a resting state varies from the predetermined data by a substantial amount, it may be indicative of a damaged, worn or maladjusted component.

Inertia-testing method and system

A method and apparatus for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material.

Apparatus for cutting sheet material

In an apparatus for minimizing vacuum losses from a permeable support surface having one or more layers of sheet-type work material positioned thereon, the support surface includes opposed lateral edge surfaces, each defining an upper and lower section. At least two upper seals are coupled to the frame, each engaging the upper section of one of the lateral edge surfaces and extending approximately the length of the support surface. At least two side seals are also provided and are coupled to the frame, each engaging the side section of one of the lateral edge surfaces and also extending approximately the length of the support surface. During operation of the apparatus, vacuum is drawn through the permeable support surface and causes the upper and side seals to be drawn and held against the lateral side sections, forming a seal there against.

Side and edge seal for minimizing vacuum losses from a permeable support surface

Combined computer, display screen, keyboard, and mount assembly

In a cutter table for performing work operations on one or more layers of sheet-type work material a work material support surface is mounted to a frame having an elongated support mounted for movement thereon. A cutter head for carrying a reciprocating cutting blade is mounted to the support and movable relative thereto in response to commands issued from a programmable controller. Indicators in the form of an array of colored lights are also provided and illuminate in response to commands issued from the controller to alert an operator as to current machine conditions.

Cutter table for performing work operations on one or more layers of

In an apparatus for retaining one or more layers of sheet type work material on a permeable support surface, at least two vacuum manifolds are positioned under the support surface, each defining at least one vacuum inlet for drawing vacuum therethrough. Proportional control valves are coupled to the manifolds for selectively controlling the location and intensity of the vacuum being drawn, such that work material positioned on the support surface is held thereto by the vacuum drawn through the inlets and the support surface. The intensity of the vacuum is selectively controlled by the valves to concentrate vacuum in the area along the work material where a work operation is being performed.

Method and apparatus for retaining one or more layers of sheet type work

Cloth cutting machine table

In machinery panel and mounting system therefore, a shaped panel shell is provided that includes a finished outer surface, and an inner surface that defines an interior area. A reinforcing member defining at least one recess is positioned in the interior area and attached to the inner surface of the shaped panel shell. At least one bracket adapted to be mounted on a machine surface, includes a protrusion receivable within a recess defined by the reinforcing member to support the panel on the machine.

Construction of and mounting system for machinery side panels

In an assembly including preloaded bearings, a sleeve is provided and has an exterior surface and an externally threaded section adjacent to an end of the sleeve. At least two bearings, each having an inner bearing race, an outer bearing race, and a plurality of rolling elements positioned between the inner and outer bearing races, are slidably mounted on the exterior surface of the sleeve. The sleeve further includes a bore extending part-way into the sleeve adjacent to the externally threaded section, the bore defining inner interior surface. A bearing retainer is also provided and includes an internally threaded section engaged with the external threads of the sleeve for urging the inner bearing race of one of the bearings toward the inner bearing race of the other bearing, thereby preloading the bearings. The exterior surface of the sleeve and the interior surface of the bore cooperate to define a cylindrical sleeve thickness that allows the sleeve to stretch as the bearing retainer is tightened against the inner race of one of the bearings, thereby urging the external threads of the sleeve against the internal threads of the retainer, preventing the retainer from loosening as the machine in which the assembly is installed, is operated.

Assembly including preloaded bearings

A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material. An origin point is located at a known position with respect to the sides and ends of the marker. The origin point of the marker is then registered relative to the cutting table and the centerline of the layup.

Method for cutting sheet material

A method for cutting sheet material allows multiple layups of sheet material to be cut in side-by-side or stacked relationship on the cutting table of a computer controlled cutting machine. A different marker or array of pattern pieces can be cut from each of the stacked layups. Also, for certain layups, whether stacked or not, markers are located with reference to the centerline of the layup to insure that the pattern pieces of the marker are cut symmetrically or in alignment with ornamentation or designs in the material.

An expert system containing a built-in application knowledge is used with a controllable cutting system to automatically seek an optimal feed rate during cutting in response to various of a number of possible changing system cutting parameters wherein a programmable controller defines and specifies a preset configuration file defining the specific cutting system control parameters for directing the operation of the cutting system in accordance with a contour defining a path be followed by a cutter carried by the cutting system and which cutter is moved in an X, Y and C coordinate space across the cutting surface of the cutting system. The X, Y and C axes motors are driven with a commanded current to move the cutter with a velocity defined in the configuration file. The cutting force developed by the cutter is determined at predetermined portions of the contour to determine the toughness of the spread and the actual cutting force is compared to the optimal cutting force with the feed rate being adjusted to increase when the actual force is below the expected force and decrease when the actual force is above the expected force and to shut down the cutting system to rebuilt the contours when the actual force exceeds the expected force by a predetermined magnitude. The feed rate is computed for the contour taking into account information concerning the toughness of the material being cut, the sharpened data, the vacuum level, the knife motor current and the knife velocity.

Growing community of inventors

South Windsor, CT, United States of America

Joseph R Vivirito