Jet Sew Technologies, Inc.

Other

Fruit of the Loom, Inc.

Robert J Beasock

Ernst Schramayr

Tadeusz A Olewicz

Timothy G Clapp

John R Russo, Ii

Hadi M Hamid

An apparatus and method for automatically stitching a material portion by moving the material portion over a sewing table relative to a sewing head. In particular, the present invention includes a structure, device, or other mechanism for reducing friction between the material portion and the sewing table, whereby the material portion is more easily movable over the sewing table. The present invention especially relates to the manufacture of mats having a non-skid backing which would otherwise be very difficult to move relative to a sewing head for sewing the mats.

Apparatus and method for stitching a material portion

An automated apparatus and method for sealing an edge region of a planar material ply includes a central controller and at least one platform. The automated apparatus and method further employs a mechanism for picking a single planar material ply in addition to a mechanism for moving the single planar material ply to the platform. The automated apparatus and method includes a sealing device which seals the edge region of the planar material ply where the sealing device provides a fluid to a predetermined focused region within the edge region. The fluid substantially shrinks and melts strands in the focused region of the planar material ply.

Method and apparatus for sealing an edge region of a planar material ply

There is disclosed an improved fabric picking device having a circumferentially toothed picking wheel carried at one end by an elongated inner frame, a shoe adjacent thereto carried by an outer frame, the inner and outer frames being hingedly connected for limited relative movement at their ends opposite the wheel and shoe, of the wheel being responsive independently to controlled spring pressure such that the gap for receiving and pinching fabric between wheel and shoe is rendered self-adjusting for an infinitely variable range of fabric thickness.

Self-adjusting fabric ply picking device

Method and apparatus is disclosed for the automated forming and hemming of pocket plies or like parts provided with a contoured top flap. Individual pocket plies are picked from a stack and positioned on a plate provided with V-contoured forward end edge. A clamping die clamps the ply to the plate and conforms a projecting hem-forming margin to the V-contoured (or other shaped) forward edge. A transfer mechanism completes the hem fold and, by the use of a transfer clamp, engages the folded hem area. After the clamping die is opened, the transfer clamp removes the ply and conveys it to a sewing station, while forming the top fold of the pocket ply. The top fold is completed as the transfer mechanism places the ply on the surface of the sewing table and transfers it to the control of a controllably movable sewing clamp. After retraction of the transfer mechanism, the movable sewing clamp advances the folded ply relative to a sewing needle, for sewing of the folded, V-contoured hem to the body of the pocket ply, simultaneously completing the hem and the 'V' pocket flap. Special clamping devices enable the pocket ply to be gripped by one clamp before being released by the other to maintain positive control over the part.

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Clark Mills, NY, United States of America

Robert J Beasock