Drapery pleating, finishing and size control machine

Claim 1

A PLEATING MACHINE COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT FRAME INCLUDING A SPACED PARALLEL PAIR OF VERTICAL GUIDE MEANS, A BAR EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN THE UPPER PORTIONS OF SAID GUIDE MEANS, MEANS REMOVABLY MOUNTABLE ON SAID BAR FOR DETACHABLY SUPPORTING THE UPPER EDGE OF A PLEATED DRAPERY AT A PLURALITY OF SPACED POINTS WHICH ARE NORMALLY THE POINTS AT WHICH DRAPERY HOOKS ARE ENGAGED WITH THE DRAPERY, A PLEATING FRAME EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY BETWEEN SAID GUIDE MEANS BENEATH SAID BAR, SAID PLEATING FRAME COMPRISING GUIDED MEANS AT EACH END RESPECTIVELY ENGAGING SAID GUIDE MEANS WHEREBY SAID PLEATING FRAME MAY BE MOVED VERTICALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BAR, SAID PLEATING FRAME COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PLEATING PADDLES ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED RESPECTIVELY INTO THE PLEATS OF THE DRAPERY FROM ONE SIDE THEREOF AND A PLURALITY OF PLEATING FINGERS ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED RESPECTIVELY INTO THE PLEATS OF THE DRAPERY FROM THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF, MEANS ON SAID PLEATING FRAME MOUNTINF ALL OF SAID PLEATING PADDLES FOR SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT FROM INACTIVE POSITIONS AT ONE SIDE OF THE DRAPERY TO ACTIVE POSITIONS WITHIN THE PLEATS OF THE DRAPERY, MEANS ON SAID PLEATING FRAME MOUNTING ALL OF SAID PLEATING FINGERS FOR SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENT FROM INACTIVE POSITIONS AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRAPERY TO ACTIVE POSITIONS WITHIN THE PLEATS OF THE DRAPERY, SAID PLEATING PADDLES AND SAID PLEATING FINGERS INTERDIGITATING WHEN IN ACTIVE POSITIONS, AND INTERCONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN SAID PADDLE MOUNTING MEANS AND SAID FINGER MOUNTING MEANS FOR CAUSING SIMULTANEOUS MOVEMENTS THEREOF FROM THEIR INACTIVE POSITIONS TO THEIR ACTIVE POSITIONS AND RETURN.