Textiles: ironing or smoothing – Smoothing implements – Stretchers
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-04-10
Izaguirre, Ismael (Department: 3632)
Textiles: ironing or smoothing
Smoothing implements
Stretchers
C038S102200, C038S102900, C038S102910
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212800
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates, in general to an apparatus for positionally retaining flexible material. In particular the invention relates to an apparatus for positionally retaining quilting material, craft projects, and flexible fabric. More particularly the invention relates to an apparatus for positionally retaining materials quilting wherein the apparatus has a plurality of positions relative to the quilter or user. Each selected position creates a hands free environment for quilting or craft projects.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Flexible materials that provide warmth have changed and matured over the years. For example, quilts at on time were thought of only as a means to keep warm or as a bed cover. Historically, a quilt is a coverlet or blanket made of two layers of fabric with a layer of cotton, wool, feathers, or down in-between. All are stitched firmly together usually in a decorative crisscross design. Today, quilts are still used for warmth and bed comforters but they are also works of art. The International Quilt Festival, Houston, Tex., 1999 evidenced the art form to which quilts have become. Quilts have become fabric mosaics depicting important events in people's lives and events in history. The quality and artistry of the quilters is comparable to traditional works of art.
Quilting has become a business, a recreational activity, and a source of joy for men and women alike. Machines to hold quilting material have evolved from a simplistic hoop positioned on a person's lap to very large quilting mechanisms used in factories. The quilting mechanisms used by individuals outside of a factory setting are generally quilting stands used to support the quilting material. In generally, these stands evolved from stretcher frames and embroidery hoops. These types of quilting frames are generally round. Quilts are inherently square or rectangular. The plurality of quilting workpieces used to produce a single quilt are inherently square because the quilt is square. Stretcher frames and embroidery hoops provided the quilter with a hands free environment but the quilter would be required to frequently reposition the quilting material because of the inherent difficulty in matching a square pattern to a round hoop.
In the past quilting machines that provide a hands free environment for the quilter had limited mobility and could only be positioned in a limited number of ways. The quilting stand was generally fixed or rigid and could not be easily moved, stored, or transported. The rigidity was thought to be necessary to support the weight of the quilting material. The engineering effort of the past equated weight to rigidity and rightly so. The strength of materials in the past is not the strength of materials today.
The engineering design of quilting machines or frames to be useful in quilting requires the frame to be multi-positionable. The multiple positions of the frame in relation to the quilter enables the quilter to quilt with both hands provided the frame can be locked into the selected position. In the past attempts were made to lock or clamp the frame in-place. These efforts failed because the locking or clamping mechanism was borrowed from another industry and did not lend itself to quilting. These clamping mechanisms were for positioning workpieces relative to a machine that would do work on selected workpieces.
It would be desirable to have an apparatus for positionally retaining flexible material that is easy to disassemble and fold into a compact unit for transport. The apparatus would have a substantially rectangular hoop or retaining mechanism to hold the flexible material. The hoop would be multi-positionable and enable an operator or user to use both hands when performing activities such as quilting. The retaining mechanism would be able to rotate 360° (degrees) in the vertical plane relative to the user. The retaining mechanism would be able to rotate 360° (degrees) in the horizontal plane relative to the user. The retaining mechanism would be positionally adjustable in the vertical plane relative to the user to accommodate a seated or standing user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a transportable multi-positionable apparatus for retaining flexible material. The present invention has a substantially rectangular hoop or retaining mechanism to hold the flexible material. The retaining mechanism may, if desired, be swivelable and positionally connected to a substantially rectangular footed stand member. The swivel action permits the retaining mechanism to rotate 360° (degrees) both the vertical and horizontal plane relative to a seated or standing user. The retaining mechanism may, if desired, be adjustably positioned vertically relative to the seated or standing user. The present invention creates a positionable and hands free environment for the seated or standing user.
The substantially rectangular footed stand member has an upright substantially rectangular portion selectively connected to a substantially rectangular footed portion. One end of an elongated cantilever member is connected to one end of the upright portion oppositely spaced from the substantially rectangular footed portion. The cantilever member's other end has the flexible material retaining mechanism mounted thereto via a clamping mechanism. The cantilever member may, if desired, be selectively adjusted in the vertical plane relative to the footed portion of the substantially rectangular footed stand member.
The clamping mechanism has an outwardly extending swivelable first shaft that is connected to the base of the retaining mechanism. The first shaft enables the flexible material retaining mechanism to rotate 360° (degrees) in the horizontal plane relative to the footed portion of the substantially rectangular footed stand member. The first shaft may, if desired, be selectively rotated 90° (degrees) with respect to the vertical plane of the footed portion of the substantially rectangular footed stand member. The flexible material retaining mechanism may, if desired, be rotated 360° (degrees) in the vertical plane relative to the footed portion of the substantially rectangular footed stand member.
The clamping mechanism has a second outwardly extending shaft. The second shaft traverses one end of the cantilever member oppositely spaced from the upright portion of the substantially rectangular footed stand member. The second shaft is adjustably secured to the cantilever member by an adjusting knob. The other end of the second shaft is connected to a clamping shoe disposed within the clamping mechanism.
The clamping shoe partially surrounds the swivel portion of the swivelable first shaft. To selectively position the flexible material retaining mechanism, the adjusting knob is loosened and the retaining mechanism is positioned as desired. The adjusting knob is then tightened causing the clamping shoe to engage the swivel portion of the first shaft and lock the swivel portion in-place.
An edge tool may, if desired, be used in concert with the present invention to provide stretching or added weight to the flexible material positioned within the confines of the retaining mechanism. The edge tool may, if desired, be an elongated shaft with a channel or slot disposed along its longitudinal length. One edge of a substantially rectangular flexible sleeve is mounted into the channel or slot. The other edge of the sleeve, oppositely spaced from the channel or slot, is detachably secured to one edge of the flexible material. During the insertion process of the flexible material into the retaining mechanism the edge tool may, if desired, be connected to the material to stretch, pull, or provide weight to the edge of the material facilitating the mounting of the material into the retaining mechanism.
When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims, other features and advantages of the present invention become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 35127
Izaguirre Ismael
McComas Richard C.
Patent Focus, Inc.
LandOfFree
Apparatus for positionally retaining flexible material does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus for positionally retaining flexible material, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus for positionally retaining flexible material will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2516766