Electronic control system for a self-programming sewing machine apparatus

Claim 1

AN ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED SEWING MACHINE APPARATUS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: SEWING MEANS; FABRIC SENSING MEANS SELECTIVELY LOCATED ADJACENT SAID SEWING MEANS TO SENSE THE PRESENCE AND POSITION OF A WORK PIECE OF FABRIC AND GENERATING A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL SIGNALS IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH; FIRST MOTOR MEANS INCLUDING A DRIVE SHAFT COUPLED TO SAID SEWING MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID SEWING MEANS; A FRAME ADAPTED TO HOLD SAID WORK PIECE OF FABRIC UNDER TENSION FOR OPERATION THEREON BY SAID SEWING MEANS AND OPERABLE TO MOVE IN COORDINATE DIRECTIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SEWING MEANS; TIMING MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FIRST MOTOR MEANS FOR GENERATING A PLURALITY OF TIMING SIGNALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT DURING EACH COMPLETE ROTATION THEREOF; SECOND MOTOR MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FRAME FOR MOVING SAID FRAME IN SAID COORDINATE DIRECTIONS IN RESPONSE TO COMMAND SIGNALS APPLIED THERETO; AND A LOGIC CIRCUIT COUPLED TO SAID TIMING MEANS AND SAID FABRIC MEANS, RECEIVING INPUT SIGNALS THEREFROM COMPRISING SAID TIMING SIGNALS AND SAID DETECTION SIGNALS FOR GENERATING SAID COMMAND SIGNALS APPLIED TO SAID SECOND MOTOR MEANS, SAID LOGIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING MEANS FOR DETERMINING AN EDGE OF SAID WORK PIECE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID DETECTION SIGNALS FROM SAID FABRIC SENSING MEANS AND CAUSING SAID FRAME TO MOVE SO THAT SAID SEWING MEANS FOLLOWS AND OPERATES ON SAID EDGE.