US3613610A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods of automatically controlling manufacturing operations such as sewing operations and the like
Assignee: Kayser-Roth Corp
•
Filing: 1969-05-23
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Granted: 1971-10-19
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Expires: 1989-05-23
Abstract
Abstract The manufacturing operations involve equipment preferably in the form of sewing equipment comprised of a usual sewing head with a reciprocal up and down moving needle electrically driven for sewing a plurality of stitches in an article to be sewn. A presser foot retains the article in place during sewing and downwardly against usual feed dogs which move the article forwardly and rearwardly appropriate for the various stitching operations. A needle positioner is operable with the sewing head for positioning the needle in a selected up or down position relative to the article at the termination of any sewing operational step, the needle preferably being positioned down extending through the article between at least certain successive sewing steps so that the article may be manually repositioned by an operator between said steps. A thread cutoff component is operably arranged with the sewing head for cutting off thread used by the needle in stitching at the termination of selected sewing steps, the thread cutoff being operable when the needle is up above the article as positioned by the needle positioner. Required for certain of the methods of the invention, the needle positioner also includes a counter device automatically counting reciprocations of the needle and capable of transmitting an electrical signal equivalent to such movement count. The sewing equipment may be controlled by the usual manually operable switches such as knee control and foot control switches. The equipment likewise may include usual components such as an automatic pickup for supplying articles to the operator and an automatic stacker for removing sewn articles from the operator, and the sewing head may make use of usual attachments such as pleater and buttonhole attachments. Further, required for certain of the methods of the invention, an automatic controller, a power interface and preferably an automatic recorder are electrically connected with the sewing equipment, and a permanent record command switch is preferably arranged with the foot control switch. The power interface serves to electrically integrate the manually operable switches and the automatic controller with the sewing equipment, said power interface being selectively switchable between a manual mode and an automatic mode. In manual mode, the power interface connects the manually operable switches for usual control of the sewing equipment to perform a plurality of operational steps in an overall sewing operation as the article to be sewn, while at the same time, the power interface translates each of the component operational steps into composite instruction signals for transmission to and temporary recording at the automatic controller, any selected of said composite instruction signals being permanently recorded by the automatic controller in sequence by actuation of the permanent record command switch. Each instruction signal includes both function, the component being operated, and duration, either pure time in time elements or needle reciprocations froM the needle positioner and counter. The automatic recorder is connected to the automatic controller and is selectively actionable for inserting in proper sequence into temporary and permanent recording of the automatic controller composite instruction signals equivalent to certain of the composite instruction signals resulting from actual operation of the sewing equipment so that selected of the sewing equipment operations either need nor be replaced by the automatic recorder. Also, the automatic controller is arranged for inserting instruction signals for determined time delays between selected component operations, either by permanently recording actual delays between component operations or by inserting numbers of time elements with the automatic recorder. Instructions for indeterminate time delays between component operations and training time delays intermediate selected component operations may likewise be appropriately inserted into the automatic controller. After completion of the permanent recording, when the power interface is in the automatic mode, the automatic controller may be operated to transmit back to the power interface the permanently recorded instruction signals in sequence which are translated by the power interface into commands for operating the various components to repeat the component operational steps to carry out the overall sewing operation method including the now inserted determined delays, indeterminate delays and training delays. During the determined delays, a preceding operating component is stopped, the determined delay carried out in time, and a latter component started automatically. During the indeterminate delays, the preceding component operation is stopped, but the latter component operation is not started until manually actuated by a manual control. The training delays are indeterminate and may be intermediate a selected component operation interrupting such operation until manual control actuation or between component operations as an ordinary indeterminate delay, in either case, there being means on the automatic controller for selected elimination of the training delays with the effect of removal from the automatic controller permanent recording.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman M Hinerfeld
- 👤 David S Noble
- 👤 William H Bartley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 03:19
CPC Classifications
D; D05; D05B; D05B69/00; D05B69/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, actuating at least one of said manufacturing components through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated substantially identical movements during each actuation of said one manufacturing component with the number of said one manufacturing component movements in any given operation of said one manufacturing component being free of required relationship to any other operation of said one manufacturing component; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in an automatic controller at least certain of said manufacturing component actuations in said preplanned order including exactly counting and exactly recording said exact count of the number of said one manufacturing component consecutively repeated substantially identical movements during each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations to create at least part of a record of said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said record created by said manufacturing component manual actuations in said automatic controller, automatically actuating said manufacturing components by said automatic controller to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured including the repeating of said one manufacturing component exactly counted and consecutively repeated substantially identical movementS for each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations exactly as recorded by said automatic controller.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
280 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, actuating at least one of said manufacturing components through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated substantially identical movements during each actuation of said one manufacturing component with the number of said one manufacturing component movements in any given operation of said one manufacturing component being free of required relationship to any other operation of said one manufacturing component; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in an automatic controller at least certain of said manufacturing component actuations in said preplanned order including exactly counting and exactly recording said exact count of the number of said one manufacturing component consecutively repeated substantially identical movements during each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations to create at least part of a record of said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said record created by said manufacturing component manual actuations in said automatic controller, automatically actuating said manufacturing components by said automatic controller to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured including the repeating of said one manufacturing component exactly counted and consecutively repeated substantially identical movementS for each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations exactly as recorded by said automatic controller.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
173 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which each of said manufacturing operations carried out by said step of manually actuating said manufacturing components consists of both function and duration, said function being measured by the particular of said manufacturing components being manually actuated, said duration being measured by the exact number of said consecutively repeated substantially identical movements for each manufacturing operation of at least said one manufacturing component during said manual actuation and an elapsed time measured in a given number of preset time elements sufficient for operation of others of said manufacturing components during said manual actuation; in which said step of recording said manufacturing component actuations includes the recording of both said function and the exact count of said repeated movements and said time elements for said duration; and in which said step of automatically actuating said manufacturing components by said automatic controller includes said actuating according to said function and said repeated movement and said time element exact counts for said duration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
132 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller preplanned instruction commands independently artificially generated free of said manual actuation of said manufacturing components intermediate said recording of said certain manufacturing component actuation but in exact finally intended sequence relative thereto, said preplanned instruction commands when used by said automatic controller causing automatic actuation of particular of said manufacturing components to exactly carry out in proper intended sequence particular of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations; and in which said step of directly using said automatic controller record includes the directly using of said record created by both said manufacturing component manual actuations and said artificially generated preplanned instruction commands.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
120 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said recording of preplanned of said component actuations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other to form a part of said automatic controller record, and causing said determined time delays in sequence between said preplanned component actuations upon said direct use of said automatic controller record during which determined time delays none of said manufacturing components are actuated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
248 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said recording of preplanned of said component actuations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other to form a part of said automatic controller record, and causing said determined time delays in sequence between said determined manufacturing components upon said direct use of said automatic controller record during which determined time delays none of said manufacturing components are actuated; and in which said step of recording said determined time delays in said automatic cOntroller includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording said determined time delays in said automatic controller in said exact finally sequence by one of delaying for a predetermined time between said manufacturing component manual actuations while continuing said recording creating a time delay equivalent to a particular intended of said determined time delays for recording in said automatic controller record and inserting an artificially generated preplanned instruction command calling for a predetermined exact number of said preset time elements into said automatic controller record equivalent to a particular of said determined time delays at appropriate sequential location in said automatic controller record to cause said particular intended determined time delay.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller record by artificial generation and independent insertion therein at preplanned locations in proper sequence indeterminate time delays intermediate certain of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations causing said automatic controller to delay for an indeterminate period of time upon sequentially reaching one of said indeterminate time delays intermediate one of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations in said automatic controller record during said direct use of automatic controller record and requiring a manual actuation of said automatic controller to commence resumption of said sequential direct use of said automatic controller record in continuing particular of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
243 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said recording of preplanned of said component actuations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other to form a part of said automatic controller record, and causing said determined time delays in sequence between said preplanned component actuations upon said direct use of said automatic controller record during which determined time delays none of said manufacturing components are actuated; and in which same method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller record by artificial generation and independent insertion therein at preplanned locations in proper sequence indeterminate time delays intermediate certain of said one manufacturing components manufacturing operations causing said automatic controller to delay for an indeterminate period of time upon sequentially reaching one of said indeterminate time delays intermediate one of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations in said automatic controller record during said direct use of said automatic controller record and requiring a manual actuation of said automatic controller to commence resumption of said sequential direct use of said automatic controller record in continuing the particular of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
233 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller record by artificial generation and independent insertion therein at preplanned locations in proper sequence indeterminate time delays intermediate certain of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations causing said automatic controller to delay for an indeterminAte period of time upon sequentially reaching one of said indeterminate time delays intermediate one of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations in said automatic controller record during said direct use of said automatic controller record and requiring a manual actuation of said automatic controller to commence resumption of said sequential direct use of said automatic controller record in continuing the particular of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operation; and in which said method includes the step of later permanently eliminating for any desired period of time during later repeated uses of said automatic controller record at least certain of said indeterminate time delays from said automatic controller record without otherwise affecting said automatic controller record and the direct use of said record, said automatic controller record after said certain indeterminate time delay elimination being directly usable to automatically actuate said manufacturing components by said automatic controller in the same preplanned sequence as if said certain determinate time delays had not been inserted in said automatic controller record.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
231 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said recording of preplanned of said component actuations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other to form a part of said automatic controller record, and causing said determined time delays in sequence between said preplanned component actuations upon said direct use of said automatic controller record during which determined time delays none of said manufacturing components are actuated; and in which said method includes the step of later selectively varying the determined length of said determined time delays in said automatic controller record by varying the length of each of said preset time elements making up each of said determined time delays without otherwise appreciably affecting said automatic controller record and the direct use thereof in automatically actuating said manufacturing components, said selective varying of said determined time delays causing said determined time delays in said automatic controller record to permanently have the delaying effect according to said selective variation thereof in the same preplanned sequence during later repeated uses of said automatic controller record until further selectively varied.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
170 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said step of manually actuating said certain manufacturing components includes the actuation of said one manufacturing component to carry out its said plurality of manufacturing operations and the placing of said one manufacturing component in a first position at the end of some of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations and in a second position at the end of at least one of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations; in which said step of recording in said automatic controller said manufacturing component actuations includes the recording of the appropriate of said first and second positions for the stopping of each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations; and in which said step of directly using said automatic controller record includes the automatically actuating said one manufacturing component for said plurality of manufacturing operations and the stopping of said one manufacturing component in said appropriate of said first and second positions according to said automatic controller record.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
148 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said manufacTuring equipment is sewing equipment and said at least one of said manufacturing components is a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuatable through said plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out sewing operations and the others of said manufacturing components are other sewing equipment components actuatable for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; and in which said steps of manually actuating, recording said manual actuations and directly using said record created include the use of needle reciprocation exact count for determining and controlling each of said reciprocal needle sewing operations, and make use of time periods sufficient for operation of said other sewing equipment components for determining and controlling at least certain of said operations related to said sewing operations.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
191 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said at least one of said manufacturing components is a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through said plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out sewing operations and the others of said manufacturing components are other sewing equipment components actuated for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of consecutive sequential sewing operations; and in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said sequential sewing operations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other causing said determined time delays in sequence between said sequential sewing operations during use of said automatic controller record for permitting said operator to reposition said article between said sequential sewing operations.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
296 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said at least one of said manufacturing components is a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through said plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out sewing operations and the others of said manufacturing components are other sewing equipment components actuated for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of consecutive sequential sewing operations; in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller in exact finally intended sequence determined time delays between said sequential sewing operations with said determined time delays being measured in a given exact number of preset time elements and each determined time delay being free of required relationship to any other causing said determined time delays in sequence between said sequential sewing operations during use of said automatic controller record for permitting said operator to reposition said article between said sequential sewing operations; and in which said method includes the step of during said manufacturing component manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller indeterminate time delays at selected locations in proper sequence in said automatic controller record intermediate certain of said sewing operations causing indeterminate time delays during use of said automatic controller record when said record locations intermediate said certain sewing Operations are reached upon said direct use of said record during which none of said sewing equipment components are actuated including said reciprocal needle and requiring a manual actuation by said operator to resume said use of said automatic controller record and actuation of said reciprocal needle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
300 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said at least one of said manufacturing components is a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through said plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out sewing operations and the others of said manufacturing components are other sewing equipment components actuated for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations; and in which said method includes the steps of during said manufacturing components manual actuation, recording in said automatic controller record by artificial generation and independent insertion therein at preplanned locations indeterminate time delays causing said automatic controller to delay for an indeterminate period of time upon reaching one of said indeterminate time delays in said automatic controller record during said direct use of said automatic controller record and requiring manual actuation of said automatic controller to commence resumption of said direct use of said automatic controller record, at least certain of said indeterminate time delays being located in said automatic controller record intermediate certain of said sewing operations, and later permanently eliminating for any desired period of time during later repeated uses of said automatic controller record at least certain of said indeterminate time delays from said automatic controller record without otherwise affecting said automatic controller record and the direct use thereof, said automatic controller record after said certain indeterminate time delay elimination being directly usable to automatically actuate said manufacturing components including said sewing head reciprocal needle by said automatic controller in the same preplanned sequence as if said certain indeterminate time delays had not been inserted in said automatic controller record.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
403 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 1 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said at least one of said manufacturing components is a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through said plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out sewing operations and the others of said manufacturing components are other sewing equipment components actuated for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations, said reciprocal needle upon stopping thereof being capable of being positioned in either of a needle down position extending downwardly through an article to be sewn and a needle up position spaced above said article to be sewn; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations; in which said step of manually actuating said certain manufacturing components includes the actuation of said sewing head reciprocal needle to carry out said sequential repeated reciprocation sewing operations and the positioning of said reciprocal needle upon stopping thereof in said needle down position at the end of some of said sequential sewing operations during which said article to be sewn may be repositioned and in said needle up position at the end of at least one of said sequential sewing operations during which a certain one of said other sewing equipment components requiring such needle positioning for proper actuation thereof may be actuated; in which said step oF recording in said automatic controller said manufacturing component actuations includes the recording of the appropriate of said positioning of said sewing head reciprocal needle in its needle down and needle up positions upon the stopping of said sewing operations, the recording of article-repositioning time delays at the ends of said some sequential sewing operations and the recording of actuation of said certain other sewing equipment component at the end of said one sequential sewing operation; and in which said step of directly using said automatic controller record includes the automatically actuating said sewing head reciprocal needle for said sequential sewing operations and the positioning upon stopping of said reciprocal needle in said appropriate of said needle down and needle up positions according to said automatic controller record, the repositioning of said article at the ends of said some sequential sewing operations and the actuation of said certain other sewing equipment component at the end of said one sequential sewing operation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, temporarily recording in an automatic controller said manufacturing component actuations in said preplanned order; permanently exactly recording at least certain of said temporary recordings in said automatic controller in said preplanned order to create at least part of an exact record of said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said record at least partially created by said manufacturing component manual actuations permanently recorded in said automatic controller, automatically reactuating said certain manufacturing components by said automatic controller to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
168 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuation, temporarily recording in an automatic controller said manufacturing component actuations in said preplanned order; permanently exactly recording at least certain of said temporary recordings in said automatic controller in said preplanned order to create at least part of an exact record of said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said record at least partially created by said manufacturing component manual actuations permanently recorded in said automatic controller, automatically reactuating said certain manufacturing components by said automatic controller to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said step of permanently exactly recording at least certain of said temporary recordings includes the elimination of certain of said temporary recordings automatically directly during selected permanent recording of others of said temporary recordings.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said step of permanently exactly recording at least certain of said temporary recordings includes selective elimination of certain of said temporary recordings and selective permanent recording of others of said temporary recordings, replacing selected of said eliminated temporary recordings by permanently recorded commands artificially generated and exactly equivalent to selected manual actuations of said manufacturing components,
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller record at interspersed selected locations independently artificially generated commands causing actuation of said manufacturing components exactly according to said independently generated commands upon reaching said record locations during said direct use of said automatic controller record.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
131 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said steps of temporarily recording and permanently recording include the recording of said manufacturing component manual actuations in the form of composite instructions consisting of both function and duration, said function of each of said composite instructions being the particUlar of said manufacturing components actuated, said duration of each of said composite instructions consisting of one of an exact plural number of consecutively repeated substantially identical movements required for a particular at least one of said manufacturing components to carry out particular of said preplanned manufacturing operations and a sufficient length of time for permitting movement of a particular of at least certain others of said manufacturing components for carrying out particular of said preplanned manufacturing operations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
85 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller record determined time delays each of selected time duration between certain of said permanent recordings of said manufacturing components actuations causing exactly equivalent determined time delays between said manufacturing component actuations during said direct use of said automatic controller record and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
203 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said steps of temporarily recording and permanently recording include the recording of said manufacturing component manual actuations in the form of composite instructions consisting of both function and duration, said function of each of said composite instructions being the particular of said manufacturing components actuated, said duration of each of said composite instructions consisting of one of an exact plural number of consecutively repeated substantially identical movements required for a particular at least one of said manufacturing components to carry out particular of said preplanned manufacturing operations and a sufficient length of time for permitting movement of a particular at least certain others of said manufacturing components for carrying out particular of said preplanned manufacturing operations; in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller record determined time delays each of selected time durations between certain of said permanent recordings of said manufacturing component actuations causing exactly equivalent determined time delays between said manufacturing component actuations during said direct use of said automatic controller record and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
201 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuatable through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out an equivalent plurality of sewing operations, and other sewing equipment components actuatable for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; and in which said steps of temporarily recording, permanently recording and directly using said record include the recording for said record of said manufacturing component actuations a record reflecting both function and duration, said function relating to the particular of said sewing head reciprocal needle and said other sewing equipment components being actuated, said duration relating to an exact count of plural numbers of movements of said sewing head reciprocal needle for each of said plurality of said sewing operations and a time period sufficient for movement upon actuation of at least certain others of said other sewing equipment components with said exact count of said reciprocal needle movements in each sewing operation being free of any necessary relationship to said exact count in any other sewing operation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
255 words
A method of automatically controlling Manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuatable through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out an equivalent plurality of sewing operations, certain of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations including a plurality of sequential sewing operations; in which said steps of temporarily recording, permanently recording and directly using said record include the recording for said record an exact count of plural numbers of reciprocal movements of said sewing head reciprocal needle for each of said plurality of said sewing operations with said exact count of said reciprocal needle movements in each sewing operation being free of any necessary relationship to said exact count in any other sewing operation; in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller to form a part of said automatic controller record determined time delays each of selected time durations between said sewing operations resulting in time delays exactly equivalent to said determined time delays between said sequential sewing operations during which said sewing head reciprocal needle is not actuated during said direct use of said automatic controller record and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration; and in which said method includes the step of manually repositioning said article to be manufactured during said determined time delays.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
345 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 16 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuatable through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out an equivalent plurality of sewing operations, and other sewing equipment components actuatable for carrying out operations related to said sewing operations; in which said steps of temporarily recording, permanently recording and directly using said record include the recording for said record of said manufacturing component actuations a record reflecting both function and duration, said function relating to the particular of said sewing head reciprocal needle and said other sewing equipment components being actuated, said duration relating to an exact count of plural numbers of movements of said sewing head reciprocal needle for each of said plurality of said sewing operations and a time period sufficient for movement upon actuation of at least certain others of said other sewing equipment components with said exact count of said reciprocal needle movements in each sewing operation being free of any necessary relationship to said exact count in any other sewing operation; in which said step of manually actuating said certain manufacturing components includes the manually actuating of said sewing head reciprocal needle to carry out a plurality of sequential sewing operations; in which said steps of permanently recording and directly using said automatic controller record includes the steps of permanently recording in said automatic controller record determined time delays each of selected time durations between said sequential sewing operations by said sewing head reciprocal needle resulting in time delays exactly equivalent to said determined time delays upon said direct use of said automatic controller record during which said sewing head reciprocal needle is not actuated and with each determinated time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration; and in which said method includes the step of manually repositioning said article during said determined delays between said sequential seWing operations.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuations; translating at least certain said manual actuations in said preplanned order into instruction signals corresponding to said manufacturing component manual actuations; permanently recording in an automatic controller at least certain of said instruction signals in said preplanned order to create at least part of a permanent record of said instruction signals corresponding to said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said permanent instruction signal record created in said automatic controller, retranslating instruction signals permanently recorded in said automatic controller into commands automatically actuating said manufacturing components to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
177 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment normally manually controlled by an operator for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, the steps of: manually actuating certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of preplanned manufacturing operations in a preplanned order on an article to be manufactured; during said manufacturing component manual actuations; translating at least certain said manual actuations in said preplanned order into instruction signals corresponding to said manufacturing component manual actuations; permanently recording in an automatic controller at least certain of said instruction signals in said preplanned order to create at least part of a permanent record of said instruction signals corresponding to said preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order; and directly using said permanent instruction signal record created in said automatic controller, retranslating instruction signals permanently recorded in said automatic controller into commands automatically actuating said manufacturing components to repeat said carrying out of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations in said preplanned order on an article to be manufactured.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said method includes the step of recording in said automatic controller preplanned independently artificially generated instruction signals at determined locations in said instruction signal record, said independently generated instruction signals being exactly equivalent to instruction signals causing preplanned particular actuation of particular manufacturing components during said direct use of said instruction signal record.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
307 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said method includes the step of recording in said automatic controller record preplanned determined time delay instruction signals at determined locations between said instruction signals for said manufacturing component actuations resulting in preplanned determined time delays each of selected time duration between said determined manufacturing component actuations upon said direct use of said instruction signal record of said automatic controller and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration. 29. A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which at least one of said certain manufacturing components upon said manual actuation thereof is movable through a plurality of consecutively repeated substantially identical movements to carry out each of certain of said series of preplanned manufacturing operations; in which said step of permanently recording in said automatic controller includes the recording in said automatic controller of instruction signals from one of instruction signals translated directly from manual actuation of said repeated movement manufacturing component and instruction signals independently artificially generated but equivalent to those which would be translated from said manual actuation of said repeated movement manufacturing component; and in which said steps of permanently recording said instruction signals and said direct use of said instruction signal record for said actuation of said repeated movement manufacturing component includes the use of instruction signals consisting of both function and duration, said function corresponding to actuation of said repeated movement manufacturing component, said duration being measured in an exact count of the number of repeated movements of said repeated movement manufacturing component during each said actuation with said exact count for any one of said actuations being free of required relationship to said exact count for any other of said actuations.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
149 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said certain manufacturing components include a component during each actuation thereof carrying out a plurality of consecutively repeated substantially identical movement and being positionable in either of first and second positions after each actuation thereof, said series of preplanned manufacturing operations including a plurality of manufacturing operations carried out by said positionable manufacturing component; and in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller to create a part of said automatic controller permanent record, instruction signals which when translated cause positioning of said positionable manufacturing component in said first position at the end of certain of said positionable manufacturing component repeated movement actuations and the positioning of said positionable manufacturing component in said second position at the end of at least one of said positionable manufacturing component repeated movement actuations.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
412 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through a plurality of manufacturing operations each comprised of a number of consecutively repeated needle reciprocations for carrying out an equivalent plurality of sewing operations; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations; and in which said method includes the steps of recording in said automatic controller permanent record preplanned determined time delay instruction signals between instruction signals for said sewing head reciprocal needle actuations in carrying out said sewing operations resulting in determined time delays each of selected time duration between said sewing operations upon said direct use of said permanent instruction signal record of said automatic controller and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration, and manually repositioning said article during said determined time delays between said sewing operations. 32. A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated for carrying out sewing operations; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations; in which said sewing head reciprocal needle upon said manual actuation thereof is movable through a plurality of needle reciprocations to carry out each of said sewing operations; in which said step of permanently recording in said automatic controller includes the recording in said automatic controller of instruction signals from one of instruction signals translated directly from manual actuation of said sewing head reciprocal needle and instruction signals independently artificially generated but equivalent to those which would be translated from said manual actuation of said reciprocal needle; and in which said steps of permanently recording said instruction signals and said direct use of said instruction signal record for said actuation of said sewing head reciprocal needle includes the use of instruction signals consisting of both function and duration, said function corresponding to actuation of said sewing head reciprocal needle, said duration being measured in an exact count of the number of reciprocal movements of said reciprocal needle during each said actuation with said exact count for any one of said actuations being free of required relationship to said exact count for any other of said actuations.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
185 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in clAim 26 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through a plurality of repeated needle reciprocations for each actuation thereof for carrying out sewing operations and being positionable in either of a needle down position extending downwardly through an article to be sewn and a needle up position spaced above an article to be sewn after each actuation thereof; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations carried out by said sewing head reciprocal needle; and in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller to create a part of said permanent automatic controller record, instruction signals which when translated cause positioning of said sewing head reciprocal needle in said needle down position at the end of certain of said reciprocal needle sewing operations and the positioning of said reciprocal needle is said needle up position at the end of at least one of said reciprocal needle sewing operations.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
339 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 26 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle actuated through a plurality of repeated needle reciprocations for each actuation thereof for carrying out sewing operations and being capable of positioning at the end of said sewing operation in either of a needle down position extending downwardly through an article to be sewn and a needle up position spaced above said article to be sewn at the end of said sewing operations, a thread cutoff; in which said series of preplanned manufacturing operations include a plurality of sequential sewing operations; in which said method includes the steps of permanently recording in said automatic controller permanent record preplanned determined time delay instruction signals between instruction signals for said sewing head reciprocal needle actuation in carrying out said sequential sewing operations resulting in determined time delays each of selected time duration between said sequential sewing operations upon said direct use of said permanent instruction signal record of said automatic controller and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration, and manually repositioning said article to be sewn during said determined time delays between said sequential sewing operations; and in which said method includes the step of permanently recording in said automatic controller to create a part of said permanent automatic controller record, instruction signals which when translated cause positioning of said sewing head reciprocal needle in said needle down position at the end of all of said sequential sewing operations except the last of said sequential sewing operations and the positioning of said reciprocal needle in said needle up position at the end of said last of said sequential sewing operations, and permanently recording in said automatic controller to created a part of said permanent automatic controller record, an instruction signal which when translated causes actuation of said thread cutoff following said last of said sequential sewing operations.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
220 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, said series of manufacturing operations requiring according to an overall manufacturing plan interspersed manual operations on said article by an operator, the step of: automatically starting, running and stopping in exact sequence certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of exactly preplanned sequential manufacturing operations on said article to be manufactured according to said overall manufacturing plan; automatically stoppIng said manufacturing components between certain of said manufacturing equipment manufacturing operations for selected determined time delays each of selected time durations during which operations are required to be performed manually by an operator on said article according to said overall manufacturing plan and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration; maintaining all manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment free of running throughout said determined time delays; manually performing said operator manual operations on said article during said determined time delays according to said overall manufacturing plan; and automatically starting the appropriate of said manufacturing components at expiration of said determined time delays to continue said series of preplanned sequential manufacturing operations on said article to be manufactured according to said overall manufacturing plan.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
220 words
In a method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment for carrying out a series of manufacturing operations on an article to be manufactured, said series of manufacturing operations requiring according to an overall manufacturing plan interspersed manual operations on said article by an operator, the step of: automatically starting, running and stopping in exact sequence certain manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment to carry out a series of exactly preplanned sequential manufacturing operations on said article to be manufactured according to said overall manufacturing plan; automatically stoppIng said manufacturing components between certain of said manufacturing equipment manufacturing operations for selected determined time delays each of selected time durations during which operations are required to be performed manually by an operator on said article according to said overall manufacturing plan and with each determined time delay duration being free of necessary relationship to any other determined time delay duration; maintaining all manufacturing components of said manufacturing equipment free of running throughout said determined time delays; manually performing said operator manual operations on said article during said determined time delays according to said overall manufacturing plan; and automatically starting the appropriate of said manufacturing components at expiration of said determined time delays to continue said series of preplanned sequential manufacturing operations on said article to be manufactured according to said overall manufacturing plan.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
156 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which said method includes the step of interspersing preplanned indeterminate time delays each of indeterminate time duration intermediate selected of said automatic running of said manufacturing components, said indeterminate time delays causing said manufacturing components to stop and remain stopped until manually actuated to resume said automatic running and complete that particular of said automatic running operation and stop; in which said method includes the steps of terminating each of said indeterminate time delays by said manual actuation; and in which said method includes the step of later eliminating and removing the effect of at least certain of said indeterminate time delays with said elimination of said indeterminate time delays being free of otherwise effecting said automatic carrying out of said manufacturing operations and said determined time delays and with said elimination being permanent for future automatic carrying out of said manufacturing operations.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
66 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which said method includes the step of selectively proportionally changing permanently until rechanged the duration lengths of a certain plurality of said determined time delays according to the same proportional change despite the freedom of the necessary relationship between said durations and without otherwise effecting said automatic carrying out of said manufacturing operations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
143 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which at least one of said certain manufacturing components is a manufacturing component which when started runs through a plurality of consecutively repeated substantially identical component movements to carry out particular of said manufacturing operations; in which said overall manufacturing plan requires a plurality of said particular manufacturing operations involving said one manufacturing component; and in which said step of automatically starting, running and stopping said one manufacturing component includes the controlling of the duration of running of said one manufacturing component in carrying out each of said plural repeated movement one component manufacturing operations by automatically exactly counting said one component repeated movements and determining the duration length of each of said one manufacturing component manufacturing operations based on exact predetermined numbers of said one manufacturing component repeated movements.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
161 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle capable of being run through a plurality of needle reciprocations for carrying out each of a plurality of sewing operations; in which said step of automatically starting, running and sTopping said certain manufacturing components includes the automatic starting, running and stopping of said sewing head reciprocal needle through a plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations on an article to be sewn; in which said step of automatically stopping said manufacturing components includes the automatic stopping of said sewing head reciprocal needle between each of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations for said predetermined time delays each of said selected time durations; and in which said step of manually performing said operator manual operations includes the manual repositioning of said article to be sewn during said determined time delays.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
207 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle capable of being run through a plurality of needle reciprocations for carrying out each of a plurality of sewing operations, said sewing head reciprocal needle being capable of being positioned down upon stopping thereof extending downwardly through an article being sewn; in which said article to be manufactured is an article to be sewn; in which said steps of automatically starting, running and stopping said certain manufacturing components, and automatically stopping said manufacturing components include the automatic starting, running and stopping said sewing head reciprocal needle through a plurality of consecutive sewing operations with said determined time delays between said consecutive sewing operations, automatically positioning said reciprocal needle down extending downwardly through an article to be sewn upon said stopping of said reciprocal needle between said consecutive sewing operations and during said determined time delays therebetween; and in which said step of manually performing said operator manual operations includes the manual repositioning of said article to be sewn with said reciprocal needle extending downwardly therethrough during said determined time delays between said consecutive sewing operations.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
379 words
A method of automatically controlling manufacturing equipment as defined in claim 35 in which said manufacturing equipment is sewing equipment and said manufacturing components include a sewing head with a reciprocal needle capable of being run through a plurality of needle reciprocations for carrying out each of a plurality of sewing operations, said sewing head reciprocal needle being capable of being positioned in either of a needle down position extending downwardly through an article to be sewn and a needle up position spaced above an article to be sewn upon stopping of said reciprocal needle, a thread cutoff capable of being run with said reciprocal needle in said needle up position for cutting off thread used by said reciprocal needle in carrying out said sewing operations; in which said article to be manufactured is an article to be sewn; in which said step of automatically starting, running and stopping said certain manufacturing components includes the automatic starting, running and stopping said sewing head reciprocal needle through a plurality of reciprocations to carry out each of a plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations, automatically sensing each of said needle reciprocations during each of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations and automatically determining the length of each of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations by automatically exactly counting said needle reciprocations during each of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations; in which said step of automatically stopping said manufacturing components between certain of said manufacturing equipment manufacturing operations for predetermined time delays includes the automatic stopping of said sewing head reciprocal needle and positioning said reciprocal needle in its needle down position extendinG downwardly through said article to be sewn at the end of each of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations each followed by said determined time delays except the last of said operations; in which said step of manually performing said operator manual operations includes the manual repositioning of said article to be sewn during said determined time delays; and in which said method includes the steps of automatically positioning said sewing head reciprocal needle in its needle up position at the end of said last of said plurality of preplanned sequential sewing operations, and automatically running said thread cutoff after said last sewing operation.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-10-18 | 1975-04-19 | 1975-10-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-10-18 | 1979-04-19 | 1979-10-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-10-18 | 1983-04-19 | 1983-10-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |