Universal drapery making equipment

Abstract

A universal drapery making machine having a horizontal working table for handling a drapery panel that has its bottom edge and its two side edges hemmed at prior stations, and an unfinished top edge of the drapery. The operator is able to attach the bottom edge of the drapery panel face down to a transverse bar that is movably supported over the top planar surface of the table. Motive means moves the bar toward the rear edge of the table, and the panel is then measured to size, and the top edge of the drape is simultaneously cut and a stiffening tape such as buckram with its own adhesive strip is attached along the cut edge. Then this stiffened edge is manually folded over twice and stapled temporarily in place so the drapery may be removed to a later station for forming the pleats in this header. The table is pivotally supported by a transverse pivotal support means. The table is provided with motive means for raising the back edge of the table toward a vertical standing position or any tilted or slanting position therebetween. A slanting or vertical table is useful when working with loose woven, dimensionally unstable fabric such as casement fabric. In that event a different procedure would be followed. The unfinished drapery panel would be attached to the transverse bar by its bottom hemmed edge, the bar moved toward the rear of the table, the table elevated at the rear so as to suspend the drapery panel by its own weight to obtain a more accurate measurement before cutting and applying the buckram.