Sewing – Method of sewing – Workpiece manipulation other than straight line feeding
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-13
2003-05-06
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3765)
Sewing
Method of sewing
Workpiece manipulation other than straight line feeding
C112S470130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06557478
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for altering the edges of a piece of fabric. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for producing bound or sewn edges extending continuously along the periphery of a piece of heavy fabric, such as an area rug or automotive floor mat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often the case that the precut carpet sections are cut from a carpet roll and the edges stitched by an operator-controlled sewing machine, with the operator guiding the carpet section manually. When one edge of, for example, a rectangular section is completed, the operator rotates the sample 90° and continues sewing the second edge. This requirement that the sample be rotated at the proper time and to the proper orientation requires a degree of skill and a high degree of concentration on the part of the operator. In a mass production environment, such requirements can be both stressful and tiring, leading to error and consequent wastage. The edging procedure continues until all four edges of the sample have been sewn, whereupon the operator removes the carpet section from the machine. Because the carpet material is usually fairly heavy and stiff, the entire process can be quite tiring for the operator in addition to being slow and, of course, labor intensive. Examples of binding machines that can be used as described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,307 to Michelberger and U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,723 to Lobur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,462 to Brocklehurst discloses an apparatus for finishing the edges of flat, soft textile products, such as wash cloths and the like. The apparatus disclosed by Brocklehurst includes a transport plate, which bears against the cloth piece being edged and moves it into a sewing machine in response to a first sensor being covered. As the trailing edge of the piece passes over and uncovers a second sensor or detector, the transport plate rotates. By rotating the workpiece through, for example, an angle of 90°, the first and second sensors are covered, and the workpiece is advanced by the plate until the second sensor is again uncovered. The arrangement disclosed by Brocklehurst cuts an edge in the material and immediately thereafter stitches the cut edge around the periphery of the workpiece. This apparatus works effectively for small, relatively-light, and flexible pieces of fabric, but is ill suited for large heavy sections of carpet.
Other prior art arrangements utilize sensors to detect when to rotate the workpiece, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,290 to Manuel et al. The arrangement disclosed by Manuel et al. has the sensors placed on the sewing machine, which trims the edge of the workpiece prior to sewing the edges. This arrangement works well for soft materials, such as towels, wash cloths, and the like, which are relatively-thin and flexible, but is ill-suited for large heavy sections of carpet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,969 to Thomas et al. discloses an automated carpet binding apparatus particularly suited for small sections of heavily-piled, relatively-stiff materials. The apparatus disclosed by Thomas et al. has a robot member, which engages a piece of the material and forces it to bear against a fence along one edge. The robot moves the piece through a sewing station where tape is applied and sewn to the edge as it is pulled through the station by a splined wheel. A rotating mechanism rotates the piece 90° and the second edge is finished. When all four edges have been finished, a cutter removes any trailing tape. An automatic hopper moves pieces into position to be gripped and lifted by a gripper mechanism and placed on the work table for the robot to engage the piece.
There remains a need for a non-labor intensive device to bind the edges of pieces of heavy fabric, such as an area rug.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a contour following machine, such as a sewing machine, a knife, or a water jet, for altering the edge of a material. The present contour following machine includes a horizontal work surface; a dial plate through which a vacuum pump may draw a vacuum, the dial plate being situated on the horizontal work surface; an edge-altering device; a rotary table upon which the edge-altering device is positioned; and a cut-out channel through which a connection between the dial plate and the vacuum may be established. The edge-altering device is located at an end of the horizontal work surface. The cut-out channel extends from the edge-altering device end of the horizontal work surface to a far end of the cut-out channel located at a position extending beyond a center point of the work surface, such that the dial plate can be moved to any position between the far end of the cut-out channel and the edge-altering device end of the cut-out channel.
The present invention is further directed to a method for binding material using the above-described contour following machine. The present method generally includes inserting a binding material into a binder guide and placing the material onto a horizontal work surface such that the material is approximately centered over the dial plate. The material is moved by a linear actuator, which moves the dial plate and the material along the cut-out channel in the horizontal work surface toward a sewing head of a sewing machine, which rests on the rotary table. The rotary table is rotated such that the sewing machine and the sewing head are in a start position after which a sewing cycle is begun by penetrating the material with a sewing needle and beginning to sew using the sewing machine. The location of the edge of the material is detected using a first sensing arm connected to a first spring-loaded sensor and a second sensing arm connected to a second spring-loaded sensor. The position of the linear actuator and the angular location of the sewing head are corrected to provide a normal thread stitch, such that the sewing head maintains a tangential orientation to the edge of the material. The material is pulled through the sewing head by way of the action of the sewing needle and a presser foot. After a complete rotation of the material is detected, the sewing spindle is rotated to remove the needle from the material, the binder material thread is cut, and the completely edge-bound material is removed from the horizontal work surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3641954 (1972-02-01), Kalning et al.
patent: 4062307 (1977-12-01), Michelberger
patent: 4601249 (1986-07-01), Frye
patent: 4722290 (1988-02-01), Manuel et al.
patent: 5018462 (1991-05-01), Brocklehurst
patent: 5216969 (1993-06-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5560308 (1996-10-01), Eto
patent: 5647293 (1997-07-01), Price et al.
patent: 5875723 (1999-03-01), Lobur
patent: 6014938 (2000-01-01), Uto
Sherwin George W.
Sherwin Stephen J.
Izaguirre Ismael
Webb Ziesenheim & Logsdon Orkin & Hanson, P.C.
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