Automatic setting and sewing of pocket pieces to garments

Claim 3

The method claimed in claim 1 wherein the retractable folding means includes a window means for the additional step of viewing the workpiece through the window means to assist in aligning the patterns between said pocket piece and said garment.

Claim 4

The method claimed in claim 1 wherein a pair of darts are sewn in the pocket piece and garment at the first and last corners thereof including the step of guiding the pocket piece at each of the darts by a yieldable guide biased in one of two positions to prevent flapPing of the pocket piece while the dart is being sewn.

Claim 5

In a device for automatically setting and sewing a pocket piece to a garment, a motor driven template frame, a sewing machine, a fixture connected to be driven by the frame adjacent the sewing machine in a path prescribed by the template comprising: a. a clamp carried at the free end of the fixture to be shifted toward and away from the garment: b. an upper setting plate on the clamp defining a marginal edge for sewing the pocket piece to the garment; c. a split lower setting plate on the clamp to interact with the upper setting plate to receive the pocket therebetween; d. the split lower setting plate having an expanded position extending outwardly of the marginal edge and a retracted position lying inwardly of the marginal edge; e. slide pins connected to the lower setting plate; f. a crank member mounted on the clamp to engage the slide pins; g. a pneumatic actuator connected to the crank member to effect a cranking motion therewith and selectively to shift the slide pins whereby the lower setting plate will be urged into an expanded or retracted position; h. a bracket connected to the fixture and spaced a predetermined distance outwardly of the upper and lower setting plates; and i. edge folding means retractably mounted in the bracket selectively to fold the edges of the pocket piece under the expanded lower plate whereby the clamp can be shifted toward the garment, and the folding means and lower plate are retracted prior to sewing the pocket piece to the garment along the marginal edge.

Claim 6

In a device for automatically setting and sewing a pocket piece to a garment, a motor driven template frame, a sewing machine, a fixture connected to be driven by the frame adjacent the sewing machine in a path prescribed by the template comprising: a. a clamp carried at the free end of the fixture to be shifted toward and away from the garment: b. an upper setting plate on the clamp defining a marginal edge for sewing the pocket piece to the garment; c. a split lower setting plate on the clamp to interact with the upper setting plate to receive the pocket therebetween; d. the split lower setting plate having an expanded position extending outwardly of the marginal edge and a retracted position lying inwardly of the marginal edge; e. slide pins connected to the lower setting plate; f. a crank member mounted on the clamp to engage the slide pins; g. a pneumatic actuator connected to the crank member to effect a cranking motion therewith and selectively to shift the slide pins whereby the lower setting plate will be urged into an expanded or retracted position; h. a bracket connected to the fixture and spaced a predetermined distance outwardly of the upper and lower setting plates; and i. edge folding means retractably mounted in the bracket selectively to fold the edges of the pocket piece under the expanded lower plate whereby the clamp can be shifted toward the garment, and the folding means and lower plate are retracted prior to sewing the pocket piece to the garment along the marginal edge.

Claim 7

The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein: a. the upper setting plate has inwardly inclined edges adjacent the marginal edge of initial and final sewing and b. a dart guide is yieldably mounted on the upper plate adjacent each of the inclined edges, c. an actuator pin fixedly mounted to the sewing machine to contact the dart guide and urge the same toward or away from the inclined edge to prevent flagging of the pocket piece during the dart sewing operation.

Claim 8

The combination claimed in claim 5 including: a. a spring means connected to one of the dart guides to bias it toward the adjacent inclined edge, and b. a spring means connected to the other dart guide means to bias it away from the adjacent inclined edge.

Claim 9

The combination claimed in claim 4 wherein: a. the lower setting plate is split longitudinally to form two overlapping segments; b. a pair of slide pins slidably mounted in the clamp and one of which is connected to each of the plate segments; and c. each of the slide pins is shiftable responsive to the crank member to slide along an inclined line with respect to the longitudinal split.

Claim 10

The combination claimed in claim 7 wherein: a. said split in the lower setting plate extends centrally longitudinally thereof; and b. the slide pins are slideably disposed in the clamp each to slide along an oppositely inclined line forming an angle of 45* with respect to the longitudinal split.

Claim 11

In a device for automatically setting and sewing a pocket piece to a garment, a motor driven template frame, a sewing machine, a fixture connected to be driven by the frame adjacent the sewing machine in a path prescribed by the template comprising: a. a clamp carried at the free end of the fixture to be shifted toward and away from the garment: b. an upper setting plate on the clamp defining a marginal edge for sewing the pocket piece to the garment; c. the upper setting plate has inwardly inclined edges adjacent the marginal edge of initial and final sewing; d. a dart guide yieldably mounted on the upper plate adjacent each of the inclined edges; e. a lower setting plate on the clamp to interact with the upper setting plate to receive the pocket therebetween; f. the lower setting plate having an expanded position extending outwardly of the marginal edge and a retracted position lying inwardly Of the marginal edge; g. a bracket connected to the fixture and spaced a predetermined distance outwardly of the upper and lower setting plates; h. edge-folding means retractably mounted in the bracket selectively to fold the edges of the pocket piece under the expanded lower plate whereby the clamp can be shifted toward the garment, and the folding means and lower plate retracted prior to sewing the pocket piece to the garment along the marginal edge; and i. an actuator pin fixedly mounted to the sewing machine to contact the dart guide and urge the same toward or away from the inclined edge to prevent flagging of the pocket piece during the dart sewing operation.

Claim 12

In a device for automatically setting and sewing a pocket piece to a garment, a motor driven template frame, a sewing machine, a fixture connected to be driven by the frame adjacent the sewing machine in a path prescribed by the template comprising: a. a clamp carried at the free end of the fixture to be shifted toward and away from the garment: b. an upper setting plate on the clamp defining a marginal edge for sewing the pocket piece to the garment; c. the upper setting plate has inwardly inclined edges adjacent the marginal edge of initial and final sewing; d. a dart guide yieldably mounted on the upper plate adjacent each of the inclined edges; e. a lower setting plate on the clamp to interact with the upper setting plate to receive the pocket therebetween; f. the lower setting plate having an expanded position extending outwardly of the marginal edge and a retracted position lying inwardly Of the marginal edge; g. a bracket connected to the fixture and spaced a predetermined distance outwardly of the upper and lower setting plates; h. edge-folding means retractably mounted in the bracket selectively to fold the edges of the pocket piece under the expanded lower plate whereby the clamp can be shifted toward the garment, and the folding means and lower plate retracted prior to sewing the pocket piece to the garment along the marginal edge; and i. an actuator pin fixedly mounted to the sewing machine to contact the dart guide and urge the same toward or away from the inclined edge to prevent flagging of the pocket piece during the dart sewing operation.

Claim 13

The combination claimed in claim 9 including: a. a spring means connected to one of the dart guides to bias it toward the adjacent inclined edge; and b. a spring means connected to the other dart guide means to bias it away from the adjacent inclined edge.