Pattern controlled driving mechanism for quilting machine

Claim 1

A PATTERN CONTROLLED DRIVING MECHANISM FOR IMPARTING RELATIVE FEED MOVEMENTS IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE TO THE SEWING MECHANISM AND TO THE QUILT PANEL SUPPORTING TABLE ASSEMBLY OF A QUILTING MACHINE INCLUDING A TEMPLET AND A POWER DRIVEN TRACKING HEAD ENGAGED THEREWITH, WHICH COMPRISES A TEMPLET MOUNTED IN A FIXED RELATION TO ONE OF SAID SEWING MECHANISM AND SAID QUILT PANEL SUPPORTING TABLE ASSEMBLY, SAID TEMPLET HAVING MOUNTED THEREON A COG TRACKING BELT LAID OUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DESIRED PATTERN, A TRACKING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A TRACKING HEAD SUPPORTED TO TURN ON A VERTICAL AXIS FIXED WITH RELATION TO THE OTHER OF SAID SEWING MECHANISM AND QUILT PANEL SUPPORTING TABLE ASSEMBLY, A POWER INPUT DRIVE MEMBER SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ON SAID VERTICAL AXIS TO SUPPLY POWER TO SAID TRACKING HEAD, AND A TRACKING GEAR MOUNTED ON SAID TRACKING HEAD TO TURN ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS, HAVING TEETH FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID COGS, AND AT EACH SIDE THEREOF FLANGES TO GUIDE THE TRACKING GEAR ON SAID TRACKING BELT IN DIRECTIONS CONFORMING TO THE TRACKING DIRECTIONS OF SAID TRACKING BELT, AND CONNECTIONS CARRIED BY THE TRACKING HEAD BETWEEN SAID INPUT DRIVE MEMBER AND THE TRACKING GEAR FOR TRANSMITTING A ROTATIONAL DRIVING TORQUE TO SAID TRACKING GEAR AND AN INCIDENTAL ROTATIONAL TORQUE TO SAID TRACKING HEAD, SAID TRACKING GEAR BEING OFFSET ALONG SAID HORIZONTAL AXIS FROM SAID VERTICAL ROTATIONAL AXIS IN A DIRECTION WHICH WILL OPPOSE THE ROTATIONAL BIAS OF THE BACK THRUST OF SAID TRACKING GEAR UPON THE TRACKING HEAD TO THE BIAS OF SAID INCIDENTAL ROTATIONAL TORQUE, SAID OFFSET BEING CHOSEN SO THAT THE PRODUCT OF SAID OFFSET AND SAID BACK THRUST SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALS SAID INCIDENTAL ROTATIONAL TORQUE TO PERMIT THE FREE TURNING OF SAID TRACKING GEAR IN DIRECTIONS CONFORMING TO THE TRACKING DIRECTION OF SAID TRACKING BELT.