Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2~979
r~
AUTOMATIC ATTACHMENT OF PRE-CLOSE~
~LASTI~ WAISTBANDS
Fleld of the Invention
The present inventlon relates, generally, to an apparatus
for and method of sewing, and more particularly, to an apparatus
and method related to the automatic attachment of pre-closed
clrcular elastlc walstbands to the body portion of a circular
garment.
Description of the Prior Art
The automation of the sewing operatlon has existed for many
years. Over time, machlnes and methods have been developed that
allow operators to position pieces of materlal in a specified
locatlon where, thereafter, the sewing machlnes would complete
the aligning and sewing operation. The entire operation was
8 lmplest when there was one workpiece and the geometry of the
material sewn was basic (e.g. straight edges), the conflguration
of the sewn material was easy to malntain during the sewing
operation (e.g. an even alignment), and the path of the stitching
was not complicated (e.g. stralght and flat).
The automation of the aligning and sewing operations i snot
as simple when the characteristics of the material to be sewn
venture from the basic, e.g. the sewlng of an elastic closed-loop
workplece material to a tubular edges of another non-elastlc
workpiece. The operator, or the machine, must strive to align
the materlals such that, when sewn together, the non-elastic and
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elastlc workpleces are configured with the desired amount of
tension in the different materials. If either material i8 not
tensioned properly, the resulting combination will have problem
areas wher~ the look, feel and final size of the completed
garment could be unacceptable.
The co~figuration of the elastlc an~ non-elastic materials
is critlcal when the elastic material is being used as a
waistband. The elastic material is susceptlble to more
notlceable flaw ln lts conflguration wlth the non-elastic
materials because the ends of the elastlc materlal must be ~olned
to form a loop. If the alignment of the two materlals is not
accurate, the elastic loop may not close properly decreasing the
quality of the completed garment.
The garments' walstband can be sewn closed wlth more
accuracy if the loop ls closed before the band ls sewn to the
body of the garment. However, it is burdensome thereafter to
attach the pre-closed band to the body of a garment because the
time and skill necessary to manoeuvre the materialæ during the
sewlng operation decreases the efficiency and speed of the entire
process. It is time consumlng for an operator to manually align
the materlals, begin to sew, and then have to realign the
materlals periodically throughout the sewing operation until the
stitching is complete. Thls tedlousness results from the
dlfflculty ln positloning any loop materlal, elastic or
otherwlse, ln proper alignment with the body of a garment and
thereafter sewlng the materlals together in a contlnuous
operation, maintaining the alignment such that the entire loop
is sewn to the rest of the garment in the desired conflguratlon.
The presently known device or method have been less than
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ade~uate for sewing pre-closed elastlc bands onto other materials
that is efficlent, accurate, ~peedy and automatlc, addresslng the
concerns stated above. Such a devlce or method would most
deslrably elimlnate the need for manual posltioning of the
materlals ln relatlon to each other durlng the sewlng operatlon,
and keep both materlals at the proper tenslons, whlle also
ellmlnating the need for manual manoeuvring of the aligned
workpleces through the sewlng machine.
For e~ample, U.S. Pat. No. 4,~79,447 and U.S. Pat No.
4,827,856, both lssued to Rohrr dlscloses an embodlment that sews
the edge of a tubular workplece. Two other patents lssued to
Rohr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,268 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,734, and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,473,017, issued to Letard et al., relate to
sewlng apparatus that support and tenslon a tubular workplece
whlle the workplece passes through a sewlng machlne. The typlcal
workplece here is a garment with a hem or other edge that must
be sewn in place. U.S. Pat. No. 4,744, 319J also issued to Rohr,
discloses a devlce that controls a wor~plece durlng a sewlng
operation. The device ls appllcable for sewlng flat (open)
materlals - lt feeds materlal ln a substantlally stralght llne.
It is, thereforeJ an ob~ect of the present lnventlon to
provlde a new and lmproved apparatus for and method of
automatlcally attaching elastic band materlals onto garment
bodies to allow the operator to load a second machlne whlle the
first machine ls ~oinlng the elastlc band to the body of the
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.
garment, thereby increaslng productivlty.
It ls a further ob~ect of the invention to provide a new
and improved apparatus for and method of attachlng pre-closed
clrcular elastic walstbands to circular underwear, swimwear,
etc.
Still another ob~ect of the present inventlon is to provlde
a new and improved apparatus for and method of Joining a pre-
closed band to another portion of a garment while expanding and
tensloning the materlals as necessary for a proper configuratlon
of the completed garment.
The foregoing speclfic ob~ects and advantages of the
invention are illustrative of those which can be achieved by the
present lnventlon and are not intended to be exhaustive or
llmlting of the possible advantages whlch can be reallzed.
Thus, these and other ob~ects and advantages of the invention
will be apparent from the descrlption hereln or can be learned
from practicing the inventlon, both as embodied hereln or as
modified in view of any varlations which may be apparent to
those s~illed in the art. Accordingly, the present invention
resldes in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements,
combinations and lmprovements hereln shown and described.
Summary of the Inventlon
The above-mentioned and other objectlve of the invention
are met by a new and improved apparatus and a method accordlng
to the present lnvention. In accordance with an aspect of the
present invention, there is provided an apparatus for attaching
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a pre-closed band to a garment workplece comprlslng: means for
loading sald pre-closed band at sald apparatus; means for
loading sald garment workplece at said apparatus; attaching
means for attaching said pre-closed band to sald garment
workplece; sald apparatus includlng a tensioning roller for
exerting actlve tension and for ad~ustlng the tenslon exerted
upon said pre-closed band and sald garment workpiece during
attachment to sald garment workplece, said tenslonlng, roller
engaglng both sald pre-closed band and sald garment workpiece to
actively pull sald pre-closed band and said garment workplece
durlng attachment by sald attaching means; an upper roller
engaglng sald pre-closed band to keep said garment workplece and
sald pre-closed band separated from one another during
allgnment; and gulding means for guldlng and allgnlng said pre-
closed band and sald garment workpiece through said attachment
means.
In another aspect of this inventlon/ there ls provided an
apparatus for attaching a pre-closed band to a garment workpiece
comprising: means for loading said pre-closed band at said
apparatus; means for loadlng sald garment workpiece at said
apparatus; control means; attaching means for attaching said
pre-closed band to sald garment workpiece; a tensioning roller
for exerting active tenslon and for ad~ustlng the tension
exerted upon said pre-closed band durlng attachment to sald
garment workpiece, sald tensionlng roller engaglng both said
pre-closed band and said garment workpiece to actively pull said
pre-closed band and sald garment workplece to tenslon said pre-
closed band and sald garment workplece durlng attachment of sald
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.
pre-closed band to said garment workpiece by said attaching
means; at least one sensor for monitorlng said pre-closed band
and sald garment workplece posltlons and slgnalling said
positions to sald control means; guidlng means for guiding and
aligning said pre-closed band and said garment workpiece through
said attachment means ln response to signals for said control
means7 and an upper roller engaglng sald pre-closed band to keep
said garment workpiece and sald pre-closed band separated from
one another durlng allgnment.
Yet in another aspect o~ thls lnventlon, there ls provided
a method of attaching a pre-closed band to a garment workpiece
lncludlng the steps of: continuously applying actlve tension to
sald pre-closed band and said garment workpiece and ad~ustlng
the tension exerted upon same by engaglng a tensioning roller to
sald pre-closed band to pull sald pre-closed band and said
garment workpiece during the attachment operation; sensing said
pre-closed band and said garment workpiece positions7 aligning
and gulding said pre-closed band and sald garment workpiece in
response to said sensed positions while keeping said pre-closed
band and said garment workpiece separated durlng allgnment; and
attachlng sai~ tensioned and aligned pre-closed band to sald
tensioned and aligned garment workpiece.
The preferred method of attachlng the elastic bands to the
body of the garments includes sensing when the materlals are ln
posltion, tensioning the materials, urging the materials through
the sewlng machlne at the same tlme the materials are kept in
tension and in thelr deslred
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alignment, monltoring the allgnment and positlon of the materlals
such that correctlons ln ~helr allgnment and posltlon may be made
as deemed necessary, and automatically termlnatlng the sewlng
process when the stltching ls completed.
In a preferred embodlment, the attachment apparatus lncludes
a frame, sensors that can determlne when the elastlc band and the
body of the garment are present, a guldlng mechanism that
manoeuvres the edge of the garment and malntains the deslred
alignment while the materials are attached to each other, a
tensloning component that ensures the maintenance of the proper
tension in the two materlals durlng the sewlng process, sensors
that monlto~ the allgnment and posltlon of the workpieces such
that their signal may be used to manoeuvre the workpieces to the
desired positions, and a sewing machine that completes the
attachment process.
It will be appreciated by those skllled ln the art that the
foregolng brief descriptlon and the followlng detailed
description are exemplary and explanatory of the invention, but
are not intended to be restrictlve thereof or llmltlng of the
advantages which can be achleved by the invention. Thus, the
accompanying drawlngs, referred to herein and constituting a part
hereof, lllustrate preferred embodlments of the lnvention and,
together wlth the detailed descriptlon, serve to explaln the
prlnciples of the lnvention.
Brlef Description of the Invention
The above and other ob~ects, features and advantages of thls
invention will be apparent from the following detailed
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- descrlptlon, especially when taken in con~unction wlth the
accompanylng drawlngs, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an attachment apparatus
accordlng to the lnvention and its elementæ;
FIG. 2 is a plane view of the elements of the apparatus that
initially come lnto contact with an elastic band workpiece;
FIG. 3 ls a plane view of the elements of the apparatus that
initially come into contact with a ga~ment body workpiece;
FI~. 4 is a plan view of an attachment apparatus according
to the invention wlth elastic band and garment body workpieces;
FIG. 5 is a slde view of an attachment apparatus accordlng
to the inventlon;
FIG. 5a is a top view of the top roller throw out seam
sensor at the polnt when the start of stitchlng comes lnto
contact wlth lt;
FIG. 5b 18 a top view of the conflguration of the garment,
elastlc band and stitching when the stltchlng fl~st comes in
contact with the end of sew sensing mechanism;
FIG. 5c is a top vlew of the end of sewlng sensing mechanism
after the start of stitching has passed;
FIGS. 6a and 6b are portions ~f a tlming chart demonstratlng
the sequence of actlvitles in the attachment process; and
FIG. 7 is an lnterconnect diagram detailing the input~output
of the attachment apparatus control system according to the
in~ention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments
Referring to the drawings, a preferred em~odiment of the
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attachment apparatus, according to the present inventlon, is
lllustrated ln FIG. 1. In thls particular embodiment, frame 20
supports the attachment apparatus. Control system box 22 is
secured to the lower, back portion of frame 20. Inslde control
æystem box 22 are the central processing unit (~PU~ that
activates and monltors the sewlng and manoeuvring operations.
The motor controls for the various moving components are also
located ln control system box 22.
Sewin~ machine 24 is affixed to the top of frame 20. Sewing
machine 24 ls electrically connected wlth the approprlate
controls in control box 22.
Also electrlcally connected to the appropriate controls in
control box 22 are the motors for the manipulatlng cylinder for
top roller 28r for rear puller roller 34, and for tenslon roller
carrlage 36.
End of sew proxlmlty sensor 58, top roller proximity sensor
56, coarse edge gulder sensor 44 and varlable home and selected
position magnetic proximity sensors 72 are mechanlcally connected
to the attachment apparatus at varlous locations and are
electrlcally connected wlth control box 22. Each sensor produces
a signal that is used to control various steps in the attachment
process. Roller 25, roller 26 and tenslon roller 30 are also
shown.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show a more detalled view of manoeuvring
components in reference to the posltlon of elastic band 38 and
garment body 40 after the two workpieces have been posltioned in
the attachment apparatus, ~ust before the sewlng operatlon has
begun. The operator manually loads elastic band 38 first,
positioning band 38 against edge stop 54. It will be apparent
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- to one skllled in the art that the loadlng of elther elastic band
38 or garment body 40, or both may be accompllshed by a
mechanical or automated means.
Elastic band 38 ls typlcally a pre-closed clrcular
waistband, but may be the band of another plece of a garment
(e.g. a collar, a wrist band) and need not be elastlc. The
invention, however, ls deslgned to attach elastlc band to
garments, a more dlfflcult sewing operatlon.
Elastic band 38 is situated such that it is under presser
foot 42 of sewing machine 24 and over roller 25, roller 26, top
roller 2B and tension roller 30. Roller 25, roller 26, top
roller 28 and tension roller 30 rotate relative to the movement
of elastlc band 38. Roller 25, roller 26, top roller 28 and
tenslon roller 30 should be constructed of materlals approprlate
to manoeuvre elastic band 38 without allowing slippage and
without causlng undeslrable wear and tear on elastic band 38
during the sewing operations. The two long rollers (tension
roller 30 and roller 26) should preferably have crowned sectlons
to keep the elastic band on track. However, roller 25 ls
preferably tapered wlth a hlgh frlctlon surface to prevent
elastic band 38 from slipping until the tensionlng is completed.
The taper should force elastic band 38 on the wlder portlon of
roller 25 ~oward the flxed edge stop 62, and away from the open
edge of roller 25.
The portlon of garment body 40 on to which elastlc band 38
will be attached is manually sltuated (in this particular
embodiment) over the coarse guider roller 32. Llke the other
rollers, coarse gulder roller 32 should be of a material and slze
approprlate for manoeuvrlng garment body 40 durlng the sewing
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operation ln the desired fashion. Moreover, the roller ls
preferable smooth wlth low friction so that garment body 40 can
move when responding to the edge aligning forces.
Garment body 40 is then routed under presser foot 42,
located to cover coarse edge guider sensor 44 and fine edge
gulder sensors 50 and then positloned over tension roller 30 and
roller 26. Coarse edge gulder sensor 44 may be of such a type
as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,734, issued to Rohr on
August 28, 1984. It monitors the alignment and produces a
signal that may be used to make rough allgnment ad~ustments. On
the other hand, flne edge guider sensor 50 may be of such a type
as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,319, issued to Rohr on ~ay
17, 1988. It provldes the slgnal that controls, for lnstance,
a flne alignment mechanism incorporated in the sewing head that
maintains the edge of garment body 40 in a very precise location
during sewing. Fine edge gulder sensor 50 may be, for example,
a photo optlc sensor that reflects off an ob~ect above lt.
Although the sequence of positioning the two work-pleces
over the rollers and under presser foot 42 may differ, the
lnitial configuration, ln thls embodiment, is critical. That
is, in the loaded, pre-sewn configuration, elastic band 38
should be under presser foot 42 and over roller 25, roller 26,
tension roller 30 and top roller 28 while garment body 40
should be positioned under presser foot 42 and over coarse
guider roller 32, roller 26, tension roller 30, fine edge
guider sensor 50 and coarse edge guider sensor 44. The
remainder of garment body 40, that which is not being attached
to elastic band 38, should be
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allowed to fall between the attachment apparatus and the
operator.
End of sew proximity sensor 58 sits in between elastic band
38 and garment body 40 when the workpleces are loaded. ~nd of
sew proximity sensor 58 has a flag 78 whlch 18 positioned above
flne ed~e gulder sensor 50 until flag 78 ls moved by the stltch
~olning the workpieces (see discusslon of FIGS. 5b and 5c).
Under garment body 40, stepper motor 62 is positloned to move the
alignlng feed dog ln response to the signal generated by fine
edge guider sensor 50. Stepper motor 62 may be of the type, for
example, dlsclosed ln U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,734. Feed dog 46 which
helps urge the workpieces from one slde of presser foot 42 to the
other may be of the kind, for example, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
4,744,319. Rear puller motor 64 is in posltion to rotate rear
puller roller 34 when rear puller roller 34 ls lowered onto
elastic band 38 and garment body 40 by rear puller llft cyllnder
68. Knife throw out cylinder 70 i8 poised to place the cutting
knlfe in its normal operative position after elastic band 38 and
garment body 40 are ln place.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show the main components of the attachment
operation. ~IG. 4 includes garment body 40 and elastlc band 38
ln order to demonstrate a "loaded" conflguratlon. As garment
body 40 ls posltloned over coarse gulder roller 32, flne edge
guider sensor 50 and coarse edge gulder 44, sewlng process
beglns. Followlng the se~uence programmed by the CPU, presser
foot 42 ls lowered to compress elastlc band 38 and garment body
40. Rear puller roller 34 is posltloned by rear puller llft
cyllnder 68 such that roller 34 ls ln contact wlth elastlc band
38 and garment body 40. Tenslon roller 30 descends
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to its pre-programmed position, movlng with tenslon roller
carrlage 36 and monitored by varlable home and selected
position magnetic proxlmlty sensors 72 (see FIG. 1), to tension
both elastlc band 38 and garment body 40 to a pre-determined
extent. Thereafter, sewlng machlne Z4 is started and rear
puller 34 and feed dog 46 begin to urge the workpleces through
sewing machlne 24. An example of a feed dog mechanism
partlcularly applicable to this sewing process is taught in
U.S. Pat. No. 4,g67,674 to Rohr et al. whlch ls entltled
"Sewlng Machine For Sewlng On A Tape" and lssued November 6,
1990. FIG. 5 shows a slde vlew of the invention and some of
its parts dlscussed above, including sewlng machine 24, roller
28, tension roller 30, tenslon roller carrlage 36, coarse
guider roller 32, passer foot 42, roller 25 and roller 26.
As the movement of elastic band 38 and garment body
40 beglns, flne edge gulder sensor 50 and coarse edge gulder
sensor 44 monitor the allgnment of the workpieces. These
sensors send signals to control box 22 which uses the slgnals
to determine the necessary manlpulations of the workpieces
during the sewing-aligning-realignlng process.
FIG. 5a shows the operatlon of top roller throw out
seam proximity sensor 56. As the start of the stitching 52
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between elastlc band 38 and garment body 40 passes spring blased
plvotlng le~er 76, stitchlng 52 moves lever 76 ln the dlrectlon
of the workpieces' motlon. This movement actlvates top roller
throw out seam proxlmity sensor 56 whlch sendæ a si~nal to the
CPU. The CPU, in turn, sends a signal whlch causes top roller
28 to retract from beneath elastlc band 38. Althou~h coarse
gulder roller 32 is also shut off, rear puller roller 34 and feed
dog 46 contlnue to manoeuvre the workpleces through the sewing
machlne and to urge the workpiece from one slde of presser foot
42 to the other.
FIGS. 5b and 5c show the operatlon of end of ~ew proxlmity
sensor 58 a~ the tlme ~ust be~ore and after start of stitching
52 comes into contact wlth sensor 58. When start of stltchlng
52 pushes end of sew flag 78l end of sew proxlmlty sensor 58
sends a signal to the CPU. The signal ~nitiates the ~PU s stitch
countlng process. After a pre-determlned stltch count has been
generated, the sewing operatlon ls termlnated and all of the
apparatus' mechanlsms and controls return to the inltlal, stand-
by con~lguratlon. This return to lnltial settings includes the
return of end of sew flag 78 to lts position out of the elastlc
band 38 for easler loadlng of elastic band 38 by the use of flag
throw out cyllnder 80.
The operator, or a mechanlcal means, may now unload the
completed garment, and the apparatus ls ready for the next
operatlon cycle.
The tlmlng of the automated actlvltles, in a preferred
embodlment, is shown in the tlmlng chart illustrated in FIGS. 6a
and 6b. The power up functlons, the systems that come on when
the power ls turned on, lnclude a micro-computer that controls
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an~ monitors the automated activities, and a dlsplay that
provides a means for an operator to see the lnitlal settings, to
see changes made ln the settings, and to monitor the programmed
actlvities.
The automated activities begln when the end of sew sensor
and the coarse gulder sensor are covered by the garment body.
The sewing start switch ls pressed. In additlon, the tensioning
cyllnder value ls turned on while the stop value is turned of,
whlch in combination lowers the tension roller (moving the
carriage out and tensioning the workpieces). The tension
cyllnder moves the roller downward untll the selected position
proxlmity assoclated wlth the positioning sensors indicate that
the tension roller is in its pre-determined posltion (which
varles depending of the size of the garment).
Several automatlc sewlng functions are also commenced when
the tension roller has reached the pre-determlned locatlon. The
knife throw out cylinder, the flag throw out cylinder, the final
seam proxlmity trlp switch (electrlcally connected to end o~ sew
pivoting proximity sensor 58J see FIGS. 5b and 5c), and the
venturi are all turned off. The knlfe throw out cyllnder moves
the knife into its operable positlon durlng the sewing process.
It retracts the knlfe to a lower position after the sewing
process is complete to make it easier to load the next
workpieces. The flag throw out cyllnder moves the flag to lts
normal position during the sewing process from a location away
from the work area where the flag dld not lnhlbit the easy
loading of the workpieces. The venturi is a vacuum which sucks
the workpiece edge trimmings after the knife has cut the edge of
the garment body.
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Other automatlc sewing functions commence after the flrst
set of automated actlvitles has ~egun. For instance, a pre-
determined time after tension roller has been lowered, the belt
puller cylinder is turned on while the presser foot llft cylinder
ls turned off (i.e. the presser foot is lowered). After another
pre-determlned delay, the synchronizer and the sewlng head motor
begins to move the sewing needle in the motlon necessary to
produce a seam that ~oins the elastic band to the garment body.
~In additlon, miscellaneous outputs produced during the sewing
cycle such as those assoclated with the plvoting feed dog
photocell, the pivoting feed dog stepper motor, the front feed
roller photocell, and the micromoter drlven front gui~ance roller
are generated slmultaneous wlth or very soon after the stitching
beglns.)
In a small interval of time after the stitchlng begins (e.g.
a pro~rammed duratlon e~uivalent to 0 m sec), the belt motor is
turned on. After a pre-determined number of stltches (preferably
4 stltches), the front feed roller drive motor ls turned on and
the workpieces begln to move.
The sewlng process is now in its programmed operation. This
sewing operatlon continues untll the flrst seam proxlmity trlp
swltch (electrically connected to top roller throw out seam
proximity sensor 56, see FIG. 5a) ls turned off. Thls actlon ls
slmultaneous with the terminatlon of the front feed roller
photocell (in a covered configuration) output and the micromoter
drlven front guldance rollers (in and off conflguratlon) output.
After the trip switch is turned off, the top roller pullout
cylinder, which had been on since the power switch was turned on,
ls automatically turned off, i.e. the top roller ls retracted.
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(The first seam proxlmlty trip switch turns back on sometime
after the top roller pullout cylinder has been turned off f
returning the swltch to lts initial position.)
Later, the flnal seam proxlmity trlp swltch ~electrlcally
connected to end of sew pivotlng proxlmity sensor 58, see FIGS.
5a and 5b) ls turned on and off. When the switch is turned on,
the stitch countlng routine commences, the plvoting feed dog
photocell ~egins to output a constant covered signal, and the
pivoting feed dog stepper motor begins to output a counter-
clockwlse (CCW) slgnal.
The stitch bunching cyllnder is turned on at the same timethat the belt puller cyllnder is turned off a pre-determined
number of stitches (e.g. 5 stitches) after the final seam
proxlmity trlp switch has been turned on. After another pre-
determined number of stltches (e.g. 12 stitches), the sewing head
motor, the front feed roller driver motor and the belt puller
motor are turned off, thereby terminating the stitchlng activity.
After the stitching has stopped, (1) the tension roller is
ralsed, (2) the selected position proximity are in the uncovered
mode, (3) the knife throw out cylinder is turned on, (4) the flag
throw out cylinder is turned on, ~5) the final seam proximity
trip swltch is turned on for the second time during this cycle,
(~) the stitch bunching cylinder is turned off, (7) the venturi
is turned on, (8) the presser foot lift cylinder is turned on
(raising the presser foot), (9~ the pivoting feed dog photocell
returns to its initial uncovered output mode, (10) the pivoting
feed dog stepper motor returns to its initial clockwlse ~CW)
mode, and (11) the front feed roller photocell returns to its
initlal uncovered mode.
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When the tenslon roller carriage has returned to the lnitial
positlon (the carriage has moved home and the tensioning cyllnder
stop valve has been turned on), the top roller pullout cyllnder
i8 turned off ~returnlng the top roller to the loadlng posltlon).
At such time, all of the system components and slgnals have been
returned to thelr initlal status, the operator may remove the
cornpleted ~arment and load the apparatus ln preparatlon for the
next sewlng (attachment) operation.
The inputs and outputs of control box ~2 (see FIGS. 1 and
5) are shown ln FIG. 7. The lnputs to control box 22 lnclude
inputs into the CPU such as sensor readlngs from position
sensors, e.g. the feed dog sensor ~fine edge gulder sensor 48,
see FIGS. 2 and 3) and the materlal present sensor ~e.g. coarse
edge gulder sensor 44, see FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). Inputs also come
from a slgnal from the synchronlzer (ln control box 22, see FIGS.
1 and 5), end o~ sew proximlty sensor 58 (see FIGS. 5b and Sc)
and top roller proxlmity sensor 56 (see FIG. 5a). In addltion,
the CPU receives a 220 volt, 60 hz signal (3 degree phase shlft),
along wlt~ lnformatlon from the machlne operator s key pad box.
The output from the CPU come dlrectly from the CPU or
indlrectly via way of a D.C. motor driver board or stepper motor
drlver boards. The direct output goes to components that control
such ltems as, for example, presser foot 42 (see FIGS. 2 and 3),
the feet do~ sensor flag ~flne edge guider sensor 50), the knlfe
(by manlpulating knlfe throw out cylinder 70, ~ee FIGS. 2 and 3),
tension roller 30 (manipulated by tenslon roller carriage 36, see
FIGS. 1, 4 and 5), the sewlng machlne motor (part of sewlng
machlne 24, see FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), rear puller llft
cyllnder 68 (see FI&S. 2, 3 and 4), and top roller 28
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; . (manipulated by cyllnder 66, see FIGS. 1 and 5). The output from
the stepper motor goes to rear roller motor 64 (see FIGS. 2, 3
and 4) and feed dog motor 74 (see FIGS. 2 and 3~ while D.C.
motors goes edge aligner motor and edge guider motor (which
combined make up the stepper motor 62, see FIGS. 2 and 3~.
Although illustratlve preferred embodiments have thus been
described herein ln detail, lt should be noted and will be
appreclated by those skllled ln the art that numerous variatlons
may be made wlthln the scope of thls lnvention wlthout departing
from the principle of the invention and without sacriflcing lts
chlef advantages. For example, the workpiece materials may be
placed in thelr lnltlal posltlon in the apparatus by a mechanlcal
means lnstead of the manual means presented ln thls disclosure.
The terms and expressions have been used as terms of descriptlon
and not terms of llmitation. There is no intentlon to use the
terms or expresslons to exclude any equlvalents of features shown
and descrlbed or portions thereof and the inventlon should be
defined in accordance wlth the clalms whlch follow.
~,,
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