The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 11, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 14, 2000
Raymond D. Swaney, Plantation, FL (US);
L&P Property Management Company, South Gate, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for automatically changing a bobbin case on a quilting machine having a hook drive operatively supporting the bobbin case during a stitching operation. The apparatus includes a staging station adapted to support at least one bobbin case normally having a full spool of thread, and a carriage movable between the staging station and the hook drive. A finger is movably mounted on the carriage, and the finger moves a release lever on the bobbin to an unlock position and clamps the release lever at the unlock position. A method of using the above apparatus in an automatic bobbin changing operation is also provided. A controller determines the need for a bobbin change, for example, by counting stitches and calculating the thread remaining on the bobbin. The bobbin change can be carried out between patterns or during a pattern by cutting the bobbin thread or both the top and bottom threads. The sewing of tacking stitches may also be done in sequence with the thread cutting and bobbin changes.