Zipper foot attachments

Claim 1

For use with a sewing machine equipped with a presser bar, a reciprocating needle and a material-advancing mechanism, a zipper foot assembly, comprising: a foot component having a forward end, a zipper tooth passageway extending rearwardly from said forward end through at least the lower portion of said foot component, said passageway being defined at least in part by guide surface means configured to guide and orient the zipper teeth into a predetermined path of travel and attitude relative to the needle, and a presser surface for exerting a downward pressure on the zipper tape and the material to which it is being sewn; mounting means for securing said foot component to the presser bar in a position at least partially over said materialadvancing mechanism; and the improvements comprising: the forward end of the foot component being spaced rearwardly of said needle, so that the needle region is in full view of the user and the downward pressure of the presser surface is exerted only rearwardly of the needle region and the user can pull on the materials being sewn in opposition to the pull of the advancing mechanism, and in that manner straighten such materials and maintain them substantially flat while they are being sewn in the needle region, for lessening puckering; and said guide surface means being configured to twist the zipper tooth chain from its natural attitude into an attitude at the guide means which will result in the zipper teeth adjacent the needle being substantially properly oriented for close-to-theteeth sewing.