Textiles: ironing or smoothing – Smoothing implements – Stretchers
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-27
2002-09-17
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Textiles: ironing or smoothing
Smoothing implements
Stretchers
Reexamination Certificate
active
06449885
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to frames for stretching fabric. In particular, this invention is drawn to an adjustable tension frame.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known to provide a frame for supporting a sheet of cloth fabric for various purposes. For example, the cloth fabric could be used for the background or base medium for needlework. In needlework, the general objective of the frame is to hold the fabric in a flat position such that both sides of the fabric are available, permitting a needle to be alternately inserted from opposite sides.
Examples of typical prior art frames are described and shown in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,944,105, Des. 318,756, and 5,351,424, which are incorporated by reference herein. In addition, below is a description of the prior art. A needlework frame such as those described in the references listed above is particularly advantageous in that it provides generally parallel side members and cylindrical top and bottom members, forming a rectangular frame, with pieces of fabric permanently attached to the top and bottom members to which the needlework fabric can be temporarily stitched. The top and bottom members can be loosened and rotated to roll part of the needlework fabric onto one or both of these members, permitting the needlework fabric to be scrolled from the top to the bottom, for example, as the work progresses.
FIG. 1
is a diagram of a typical prior art scroll framed designed for holding needlework fabric.
FIG. 1
shows a scroll frame and base with the needlework omitted for clarity. The frame, indicated generally at
10
, includes parallel side members
12
and
13
which are interconnected by upper and lower members
15
and
16
, respectively. Members
15
and
16
are provided with long, narrow pieces of coarse cloth
18
to which the upper and lower edges of the needlework fabric can be basted to hold the cloth between the upper and lower members. Normally, the needlework fabric will be longer or taller than the distance between members
15
and
16
, in which case a portion of the fabric can be rolled onto one or both of the members
15
and/or
16
. Members
15
and
16
are provided with threaded bolts protruding from the ends thereof that pass through holes formed in side members
12
and
13
. The threaded bolts are secured by wing nuts
20
.
The scroll frame is held on support arms
22
and
23
by carriage bolts
25
and wing nuts
26
. The bolts
25
pass through spacer blocks
24
and the upper ends of the support arms
22
and
23
. The lower ends of the support arms
22
and
23
are attached to support blocks
28
and
29
, again by carriage bolts and wing nuts. Support blocks
28
and
29
are fixedly attached to slider plates
30
and
31
which form part of the base structure along with blocks
28
and
29
and support arms
22
and
23
.
A generally H-shaped structure indicated generally at
35
includes front and rear elongated base members
36
and
37
and a central member
39
which extends between members
36
and
37
and is fixedly attached thereto. Central member
39
holds members
36
and
37
in a generally parallel relationship and extends between those members at a location intermediate the ends thereof to form the H-shaped frame structure. Member
39
is dimensioned so that slider plates
30
and
31
can fit between the inwardly facing parallel edges of members
36
and
37
. Track members are attached to members
36
and
37
and are arranged to slidingly engage plates
30
and
31
so that those plates can be slidably moved relative to the H-shaped structure.
One problem with a scroll frame such as that shown in
FIG. 1
is that to tighten the needlework fabric installed on the scroll frame, a user must manually twist the upper or lower members
15
or
16
and then tighten the wing nuts
20
. First, it can be difficult to get the fabric as tight as desired. Second, for a user with weak or sore wrists, it can be difficult to twist the members
15
or
16
.
FIG. 2
is a partial view of a prior art side member having a threaded yoke for receiving a hexagonal bar.
FIG. 2
shows the end of a side member
40
with a concentric hole
42
drilled through the end of the side member
40
. A threaded yoke
44
is inserted into the hole
42
with a threaded washer
46
threaded onto the yoke
44
. A hexagonal bar
48
can then be inserted into the open end of the yoke
44
. Note that the bar
48
is hexagonal so that it will not rotate within the open end of the yoke
44
. By turning the threaded washer
46
, the yoke
44
can be pressed outward from the hole
42
, tightening fabric wound around the bar
48
. The side member shown in
FIG. 2
has several disadvantages. First, as mentioned, the bar
48
must be shaped so as to not turn within the yoke
44
. Second, without the tension of fabric connected to the bar
48
, there is nothing to hold the bar
48
within the yoke
44
. Third, in order to turn the bar
48
to coarsely adjust the tension of fabric, the bar
48
must be lifted out of the yoke
44
. Then, when the bar
48
is inserted into the yoke
44
, the fabric will be loose again, until it is tightened by the treaded washer
46
. This procedure makes adjusting the tension of the fabric difficult and touchy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus of the invention is provided for an adjustable side member for a needlework frame including a side member having first and second ends, wherein the first end of the side member is adapted to be coupled to a first dowel; a movable adjustment member positioned near the second end, the movable adjustment member being adapted to be coupled to a second dowel; and an adjustment mechanism coupled to the side member and to the movable adjustment member for adjusting the position of the movable adjustment member relative to the side member in order to adjust the distance between the first and second dowels.
One embodiment includes an adjustable needlework frame comprising: first and second side members disposed generally parallel to each other; a first adjustment member slideably disposed within an elongated opening formed in the first side member perpendicular to the length of the first side member; a second adjustment member slideably disposed within an elongated opening formed in the second side member perpendicular to the length of the second side member; a lower member coupled between the first and second side member; and an upper member coupled between the first and second adjustment members forming a substantially rectangular frame that is adjustable by moving the first and second adjustment members back and forth within the elongated openings.
Another embodiment of the invention provides a method of
15
. A method of maintaining a desired tension on fabric held by a frame comprising the steps of: providing first and second side members; providing a first adjustment member disposed with an opening formed in the first side member; providing a second adjustment member disposed with an opening formed in the second side member; providing a first dowel coupled to the first and second side members; providing a second dowel coupled to the adjustment members and disposed at least partially within the openings formed in the first and second side members; attaching a piece of fabric to the first and second dowels; and adjusting the tension of the fabric by moving the first and second adjustment members relative to the first and second side members.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 335762 (1886-02-01), Levinson
patent: 378914 (1888-03-01), Arbogast
patent: 566049 (1896-08-01), Wolford
patent: 606915 (1898-07-01), Butler
patent: 940070 (1909-11-01), Russell
patent: 1092348 (1914-04-01), Fridlund
patent: 1223015 (1917-04-01), Woodley
patent: 1269751 (1918-06-01), Shelton
patent: 2569337 (1951-09-01), Rice
patent: 3553862 (1971-01-01), Hamu
patent: 3785972 (1974-01-01), Meyer et al.
p
Izaguirre Ismael
Johnson & Associates
LandOfFree
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