Textiles: ironing or smoothing – Smoothing implements – Stretchers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-15
2001-04-03
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Textiles: ironing or smoothing
Smoothing implements
Stretchers
C038S102210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209240
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to quilting, needlework and other textile holding frames, and more particularly to improvements in the art of textile holding frames to facilitate the support, retention, and/or tensioning of the textile or other materials for comfortable and efficient use, and the maintenance of proper tension on the textile or other materials to be worked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Quilting frames and other textile supporting frames have traditionally been constructed from various types of wood, and have frequently included some form of structure for orienting the materials to be worked into a comfortable position for the user. The simplest wooden frames were four lengths of wood arranged in a rectangle, temporarily attached at the corners with metal clamps usually supported on chairs over which was stretched the basted quilt to be worked. These tensioned the quilt adequately, and were inexpensive, but were awkward, essentially immobile, required basting of the quilt “sandwich” before actual quilting, and took up a large amount of space. The more sophisticated wooden frames included three or even four rotating parallel wooden poles with a support for positioning the frame in a comfortable position. The first rotating pole farthest from the quilter held the fabric which would comprise the top surface/side of the quilt; the second rotating pole held a supply of fabric and batting which would comprise the underside and middle batting layer of the quilt; and the third rotating pole received the three layers comprising the finished quilt after the quilting operation had been completed. Structure was provided for applying the necessary tension to each of the rotating poles to tension the quilt “sandwich” ready for quilting, generally a ratchet mechanism. Advantages of the three pole frames are the ability to quilt without first basting the quilting layers together, and retaining the textile totally on the frame members for cleanliness and neatness. Although generally satisfactory, the most sophisticated wooden frames using the two, three or four rotating pole design are often expensive to produce, large, immobile, heavy, and difficult to assemble for use and to disassemble for storage.
Kramer U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,522 discloses a quilting/textile frame that represents an improvement over the prior art wooden frame designs. The '522 patent discloses a generally rectangular frame that is somewhat analogous to a large embroidery hoop in function, and is formed from lightweight but firm tubular plastic material (PVC) held together with plastic pressure connections along with permanently attached connections, and uses crescent shaped clamp members that are snap fitted over the textile and rod member for tensioning the textile. As compared with prior art wooden frames, the device disclosed in the '522 patent is lightweight, easy to store, relatively easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to move, easy to tension the textile through rotation around the smooth stationary frame member, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture. However, the crescent shaped clamp members disclosed in the '522 patent can be difficult to install, and because of the snap fit and lack of a place to grip the clamp can be quite difficult to remove. Because the clamps must be removed and replaced multiple times to change the position of the textile, this is a major deficiency. In addition, the device of the '522 patent does not provide a structure for supporting the frame in a position comfortable and healthy for the user, either in orientation or height. Furthermore, the '522 frame design uses only clamps for tensioning, and does not provide an alternate frame design providing adequate means for tensioning materials for quilting without first basting the quilting layers together before actual quilting, as in the 2, 3, or 4 rotating pole wooden frames.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a textile holding frame which overcomes the foregoing and other deficiencies noted in the prior art. The inventive apparatus includes a textile holding frame having a pair of side frame members and two or more lateral frame members extending between the sides to define a generally rectangular configuration, all as is well known in the art. The invention includes two basic embodiments, each using an alternate textile tensioning method, along with suggested frame support bases. One embodiment uses stationary frame members with improved retainers for tensioning, and the alternate embodiment uses rotating frame members to provide the desired tensioning and which may be used with the improved retainers for retention of the textile. Both embodiments may be constructed in a wide variety of frame designs and sizes, and utilized with or without additional slip joints for ease of use, ease of assembly and disassembly, and the comfort and health of the needleworker. As used herein, a “slip joint” is a sliding, rotating, and/or pivoting contact between PVC connectors or other cyclindrical components having varying diameters and/or thickness. This feature of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detailed in the final six paragraphs of the Summary of the Invention, infra. Alternative frame designs include small “lap” supported versions, table supported versions for machine sewing, or a variety of larger, floor supported versions.
The first “stationary member frame” embodiment of the invention employs improved retainers for securing the quilt materials, other needlework/textiles, or other materials to the stationary, firm plastic frame members. The retainers are removable clamp members which include one or more extensions or other structural features to allow an improved hand or fingertip hold to assist in the placement and removal of the retainer from the frame, thus overcoming a deficiency of the prior art. Even though similar in shape to prior art clamps, these structural changes significantly improve the ease of placement, positioning and removal of the retainer. The retainers preferably have roughly the cross-sectional shape of the Greek letter “Omega” due to the presence of lip or flange portion(s), which features can be gripped by the user's fingertips and are therefore readily slipped into and out of engagement with the frame member to secure the quilting material or textile to effect both retention and tensioning. One version of the inventive retainer includes directional ridges on the inside surface for greater ability to grip the textile, thus increasing tensioning ability when rotating the retainer around the stationary frame member. The Omega-shaped retainer at least partially encircles the stationary pole (e.g., at least 180 degrees). The preferred stationary member frame embodiment includes a base portion to support the frame in an appropriate position.
The alternate “rotating member frame” embodiment of the invention also has the advantage of a frame made with tubular plastic and pressure joints and retains the advantages of the prior art three pole wooden quilting frames, but without the disadvantages. The three lateral member design allows for a no-baste technique—a significant time saver. In addition, it maintains the entire lengths of textile rolled onto the lateral members for cleanliness and ease of use.
The rotating member frame embodiment may include two, three or four rotatable lateral frame members adapted to selectively rotate relative to stationary side frame members. The rotatable lateral frame members may be supported internally or externally by the stationary side members. Textiles other than quilts can be supported when two rotatable lateral members are used for tensioning. Structure is provided for applying the necessary stability or positioning of each of the rotatable lateral members to tension the textile or quilt “sandwich”. The rotatable poles/lateral members may be rotated and held in a selected position by an internal or external ratchet, friction, elastic c
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