Automatic feeder for workpieces of fabric or the like

Claim 2

In apparatus having a machine for operating on workpieces of limp material, means for automatically feeding such workpieces one after another from a stack thereof to and through said machine, comprising a table over which workpieces may be fed to and through said machine, means adjacent one end of the table for holding a stack of workpieces, means for separating and picking up the top workpiece of the stack and delivering it to said table, and means for feeding the workpiece over the table to said machine and entering it in said machine with the workpiece in position for being fed through the machine for operation thereon by the machine comprising a gripper engageable with the top of a workpiece on the table, and means for moving the gripper downwardly from a raised retracted position into engagement with the top of a workpiece delivered to the table and then moving it forwardly and laterally over the table from a rearward retracted position to slide the workpiece forwardly and laterally over the table, said machine being a sewing machine for stitching along one edge of the workpiece, and said gripper sliding the workpiece forward and laterally into position for its entry into the sewing machine for stitching of the workpiece along its said one edge, then sliding it farther forward into the sewing machine, and then retracting.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 having means for starting the sewing machine in response to the positioning by the gripper of the workpiece for its entry into the sewing machine and stopping the sewing machine on completion of stitching of the workpiece.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the means for moving the gripper over the table to the sewing machine is operable first to move the gripper and workpiece forward over the table from its position of delivery to the table to an advanced position, then laterally over the table to a position of alignment with respect to the needle of the sewing machine, and then again forward over the table for entry into the sewing machine.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 having means for guiding the workpiece as it is fed through the sewing machine for contour stitching of the said one edge thereof, said guiding means comprising a guide wheel mounted to be lowered down on the Workpiece and raised for passage of the workpiece thereunder as it is being fed forward by the gripper for entry into the sewing machine, and means for lowering the wheel in response to forward feed of the workpiece under and past the wheel, and for raising it in response to passage of the workpiece out of the sewing machine.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the means for moving the gripper over the table to the sewing machine is operable first to feed the workpiece forward over the table from its position of delivery to the table to an advanced position, then laterally to a position of alignment with respect to the needle of the sewing machine, and then again forward for entry into the sewing machine, and wherein the means for lowering the guide wheel is responsive to the lateral feed of the workpiece by the gripper to said position of alignment with respect to the needle.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 having means for starting the sewing machine in response to the positioning by the gripper of the workpiece for its entry into the sewing machine and stopping the sewing machine on completion of stitching of the workpiece, and wherein the means for starting the sewing machine is responsive to the lateral feed of the workpiece by the gripper to said position of alignment with the needle.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said gripper moving means, the means for lowering and raising the wheel, and the means for starting and stopping the sewing machine are air-operated, and wherein the operation of said gripper moving means to feed the workpiece laterally, the operation of the means for starting the sewing machine and the operation of the gripper moving means to feed the workpiece forward for its entry into the sewing machine are controlled by a first air jet sensor for sensing the edge of the workpiece, and wherein the operation of the means for lowering the wheel is controlled by a second air jet sensor for sensing the end of the workpiece.

Claim 9

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the stopping of the sewing machine is controlled by the trailing end of the workpiece passing by the second air jet sensor.

Claim 10

In apparatus comprising a machine for operating on workpieces of limp material, said machine having means for feeding workpieces therethrough, means for automatically feeding such workpieces one after another from a stack thereof to said machine, comprising a table, means adjacent one end of the table for holding a stack of workpieces, means for separating and picking up the top workpiece of the stack and delivering it to the table, pneumatically operated means for feeding the workpiece forward over the table to a first position wherein it is located longitudinally for entry into the machine but offset laterally from a second position for entry into the machine, then feeding the workpiece laterally to its said second position, and then feeding the workpiece forward from its said second position for entry into the machine and subsequent feeding of the workpiece through the machine by the feeding means of the machine, said pneumatically operated means including an air jet sensor for sensing the arrival of the workpiece at its said second position, the leading end of said workpiece, when it is fed to its said first position, being forward of said sensor, said machine being a sewing machine for stitching along one edge of the workpiece, and said apparatus having means for starting the sewing machine in response to said air jet sensor sensing the arrival of the workpiece at its said second position, and means for stopping the machine on completion of stitching of the workpiece.

Claim 11

In apparatus comprising a machine for operating on workpieces of limp material, said machine having means for feeding workpieces therethrough, means for automatically feeding such workpieces one after another from a stack thereof to said machine, comprising a table, means adjacent one end of the table for holding a stack of workpieces, means for separating and picking up the top workpiece of the stack and delivering it to the table, pneumatically operated means for feeding the workpiece forward over the table to a first position wherein it is located longitudinally for entry into the machine but offset laterally from a second position for entry into the machine, then feeding the workpiece laterally to its said second position, and then feeding the workpiece forward from its said second position for entry into the machine and subsequent feeding of the workpiece through the machine by the feeding means of the machine, said pneumatically operated means including an air jet sensor for sensing the arrival of the workpiece at its said second position, the leading end of said workpiece, when it is fed to its said first position, being forward of said sensor, said machine being a sewing machine for stitching along one edge of the workpiece, and said apparatus having means for starting the sewing machine in response to said air jet sensor sensing the arrival of the workpiece at its said second position, and means for stopping the machine on completion of stitching of the workpiece.