Method and system for attaching a pocket to a portion of a garment

Claim 1

A method of automatically and accurately attaching a pocket to a portion of a garment comprising the steps of depositing a preformed garment portion having an inside and an outside surface on a platform for transportation thereon to garment working stations with the outside garment portion surface facing up away from the platform, aligning the deposited garment portion along predetermined reference working lines to accurately locate the garment portion relative to successively spaced garment working stations, clamping the aligned garment portion to the platform to preserve alignment during transportation and garment working operations, indexing the clamped garment portion to a garment cutting station, cutting a pocket opening slit in the garment at a location bearing a predetermined position and orientation relative to the reference working lines, said slit being bordered by upper and lower garment portion tabs, folding the cut garment portion to protrudingly expose the lower garment portion tab, indexing the folded garment portion to a pocket attachment station, depositing a preformed and prefolded pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a lower lip and a predefined upper attachment line located along a pocket flap on the platform with the pocket lower lip protrudingly exposed and the pocket flap folded over the pocket receptacle portion, aligning the deposited pocket with its exposed lower lip in predetermined registration with the indexed protrudingly exposed lower garment portion tab, guiding the aligned pocket to the indexed folded garment portion until the pocket lower lip is in desired attaching relationship with the protrudingly exposed garment portion lower tab, fastening the pocket lower lip to the garment portion lower tab, indexing the partially assembled pocket and garment portion to a first manipulation station, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the pocket flap to protrudingly expose the upper attachment line, indexing the partial assembly with the exposed upper attachment line to a second pocket attachment station, fastening the garment portion upper tab to the pocket along the exposed upper attachment line, unfolding the garment portion to expose the outside surface of its pocket opening, indexing the unfolded garment portion to a bar tack forming station, stitching the end locations of the slit in the unfolded garment portion to form bar tacks located at sides of the pocket opening in the assembly and complete an attractive quality pocket, indexing the completed garment portion assembly to a removal station, removing the completed garment portion from the platform.

Claim 2

A method of automatically and accurately attaching a pocket to a portion of a garment comprising the steps of depositing a preformed garment portion having an inside and an outside surface on a platform for transportation thereon to garment working stations with the outside garment portion surface facing up away from the platform, aligning the deposited garment portion along predetermined reference working lines to accurately locate the garment portion relative to successively spaced garment working stations, clamping the aligned garment portion to the platform to preserve alignment during transportation and garment working operations, indexing the clamped garment portion to a garment cutting station, cutting a pocket opening slit in the garment at a location bearing a predetermined position and orientation relative to the reference working lines, said slit being bordered by upper and lower garment portion tabs, folding the cut garment portion to protrudingly expose the lower garment portion tab, indexing the folded garment portion to a pocket attachment station, depositing a preformed and prefolded pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a lower lip and a predefined upper attachment line located along a pocket flap on the platform with the pocket lower lip protrudingly exposed and the pocket flap folded over the pocket receptacle portion, aligning the deposited pocket with its exposed lower lip in predetermined registration with the indexed protrudingly exposed lower garment portion tab, guiding the aligned pocket to the indexed folded garment portion until the pocket lower lip is in desired attaching relationship with the protrudingly exposed garment portion lower tab, fastening the pocket lower lip to the garment portion lower tab, indexing the partially assembled pocket and garment portion to a first manipulation station, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the pocket flap to protrudingly expose the upper attachment line, indexing the partial assembly with the exposed upper attachment line to a second pocket attachment station, fastening the garment portion upper tab to the pocket along the exposed upper attachment line, unfolding the garment portion to expose the outside surface of its pocket opening, indexing the unfolded garment portion to a bar tack forming station, stitching the end locations of the slit in the unfolded garment portion to form bar tacks located at sides of the pocket opening in the assembly and complete an attractive quality pocket, indexing the completed garment portion assembly to a removal station, removing the completed garment portion from the platform.

Claim 3

A method of automatically and accurately fastening a pocket to a rear panel for a garment comprising the steps of feeding a preformed rear panel onto an annular horizontal platform alOng a radially inward direction, said platform being shaped to provide a circular transportation path for rear panels to be indexed to garment working stations angularly arranged at predetermined angular and radial locations, said rear panel being fed in a horizontal position with its outside surface facing up and a top section thereof oriented toward the outer edge of the platform, aligning an angularly located edge and a top edge of the rear panel along radial and circumferential reference working lines respectively to accurately register the panel with the garment working stations, clamping the aligned panel to the platform to preserve its registration during transportation and garment working operations, rotationally indexing the clamped panel to a dart forming station, folding the top section of the panel along a generally longitudinal radial fold line located to form a preselected dart fold, stitching the dart fold along a stitch line bearing a preselected angle relative to the dart fold, unfolding the panel top section to a horizontal position, rotationally indexing the dart formed panel to a cutting station, cutting a pocket opening slit and side located slits in the panel at a preselected radial location on the platform to form upper and lower panel tabs, folding a top part of the panel radially inwardly over the panel along a fold line selected to protrudingly expose the panel lower tab in a radially outward horizontal direction, rotationally indexing the panel to a pocket attachment station, depositing a preformed and prefolded back pocket horizontally on a pocket alignment station located on the platform, said back pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a frontally located lower lip and a backwardly located upper lip with the upper lip located on a pocket suspension flap along an attachment line, said pocket being deposited with its pocket receptacle portion folded under the upper lip and flap to protrudingly expose the lower lip, aligning the pocket with its lower lip registered along a line effectively tangential to the indexed position of the protrudingly exposed lower panel tab and with the pocket receptacle portion extending radially outwardly from the lower lip, moving the pocket generally along the tangent line to position the lower pocket lip over the lower panel tab at the pocket attachment station with portions of the lip extending beyond the sides of the lower tab, sewing the lower lip to the lower panel tab, rotationally indexing the panel and partially sewn back pocket to a first manipulation station and simultaneously lifting the back pocket flap from the pocket portion, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the pocket suspension flap and the upper lip, rotationally indexing the manipulated panel and back pocket to a second pocket attachment station, moving the panel inwardly folded top part radially outwardly a distance selected to position the panel upper tab in sewing relationship over the upper lip along the attachment line, sewing the panel upper tab to the upper lip on the suspension flap, rotationally indexing the panel and back pocket to a second manipulation station, returning the inwardly folded top part of the panel to an unfolded horizontal position with the outside surface of the panel facing upwardly, rotationally indexing the unfolded panel to a bar tack forming station with the end located sides of the pocket opening slip operatively located beneath bar stitching machines, stitching the ends of the pocket opening slit to form attractive bar tacks, rotationally indexing the bar tacked panel and back pocket assembly to a removal station, unclamping the panel and back pocket and radially removing the panel and back pocket from the platform.

Claim 4

A method of automatically and accurately fastening a pocket to a rear panel for a garment comprising the steps of feeding a preformed rear panel onto an annular horizontal platform alOng a radially inward direction, said platform being shaped to provide a circular transportation path for rear panels to be indexed to garment working stations angularly arranged at predetermined angular and radial locations, said rear panel being fed in a horizontal position with its outside surface facing up and a top section thereof oriented toward the outer edge of the platform, aligning an angularly located edge and a top edge of the rear panel along radial and circumferential reference working lines respectively to accurately register the panel with the garment working stations, clamping the aligned panel to the platform to preserve its registration during transportation and garment working operations, rotationally indexing the clamped panel to a dart forming station, folding the top section of the panel along a generally longitudinal radial fold line located to form a preselected dart fold, stitching the dart fold along a stitch line bearing a preselected angle relative to the dart fold, unfolding the panel top section to a horizontal position, rotationally indexing the dart formed panel to a cutting station, cutting a pocket opening slit and side located slits in the panel at a preselected radial location on the platform to form upper and lower panel tabs, folding a top part of the panel radially inwardly over the panel along a fold line selected to protrudingly expose the panel lower tab in a radially outward horizontal direction, rotationally indexing the panel to a pocket attachment station, depositing a preformed and prefolded back pocket horizontally on a pocket alignment station located on the platform, said back pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a frontally located lower lip and a backwardly located upper lip with the upper lip located on a pocket suspension flap along an attachment line, said pocket being deposited with its pocket receptacle portion folded under the upper lip and flap to protrudingly expose the lower lip, aligning the pocket with its lower lip registered along a line effectively tangential to the indexed position of the protrudingly exposed lower panel tab and with the pocket receptacle portion extending radially outwardly from the lower lip, moving the pocket generally along the tangent line to position the lower pocket lip over the lower panel tab at the pocket attachment station with portions of the lip extending beyond the sides of the lower tab, sewing the lower lip to the lower panel tab, rotationally indexing the panel and partially sewn back pocket to a first manipulation station and simultaneously lifting the back pocket flap from the pocket portion, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the pocket suspension flap and the upper lip, rotationally indexing the manipulated panel and back pocket to a second pocket attachment station, moving the panel inwardly folded top part radially outwardly a distance selected to position the panel upper tab in sewing relationship over the upper lip along the attachment line, sewing the panel upper tab to the upper lip on the suspension flap, rotationally indexing the panel and back pocket to a second manipulation station, returning the inwardly folded top part of the panel to an unfolded horizontal position with the outside surface of the panel facing upwardly, rotationally indexing the unfolded panel to a bar tack forming station with the end located sides of the pocket opening slip operatively located beneath bar stitching machines, stitching the ends of the pocket opening slit to form attractive bar tacks, rotationally indexing the bar tacked panel and back pocket assembly to a removal station, unclamping the panel and back pocket and radially removing the panel and back pocket from the platform.

Claim 5

A method of automatically and accurately fastening a pocket to a portion of a garment comprising the steps of depositing a portion of a garment horizontally on an annular platform arranged about an axis for garment portion transportation to garment working stations Located at predetermined angular and radial locations about the platform, said garment portion being horizontally deposited with its outside surface facing up and a top section thereof oriented towards the radially outward edge of the platform, aligning an angularly located edge and a top edge of the deposited garment portion along radial and circumferential reference working lines respectively to accurately register the garment portion with the garment working stations, clamping the aligned garment portion to the platform to preserve its registration during transportation and garment working operations, rotationally indexing the clamped garment portion to angularly successive index locations operatively associated with garment working stations, cutting the clamped garment portion at a predetermined radial location from the axis to form a pocket opening slit bordered by upper and lower tabs, depositing a preformed pocket on the platform, said pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a front located exposed lower lip and a back located upper lip for respective fastening to the lower and upper garment portion tabs along the pocket opening slit, with the pocket receptacle portion folded under the upper lip to extend radially outwardly towards the platform, aligning the pocket with its lower lip registered along a line effectively tangential to the indexed position of the lower garment portion tab at a pocket attachment station, moving the pocket along the tangential line to position the lower lip over the lower tab in fastening relationship and fastening the lower pocket lip to the garment portion lower tab, indexing the clamped garment portion and the pocket attached thereto to a pocket manipulation station, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the back located upper lip to isolate the upper lip for attachment to the garment portion upper tab, fastening the upper lip of the pocket to the upper tab of the garment portion, and indexing the assembly of garment portion and pocket to a removal station and removing the assembly from the platform.

Claim 6

A method of automatically and accurately fastening a pocket to a portion of a garment comprising the steps of depositing a portion of a garment horizontally on an annular platform arranged about an axis for garment portion transportation to garment working stations Located at predetermined angular and radial locations about the platform, said garment portion being horizontally deposited with its outside surface facing up and a top section thereof oriented towards the radially outward edge of the platform, aligning an angularly located edge and a top edge of the deposited garment portion along radial and circumferential reference working lines respectively to accurately register the garment portion with the garment working stations, clamping the aligned garment portion to the platform to preserve its registration during transportation and garment working operations, rotationally indexing the clamped garment portion to angularly successive index locations operatively associated with garment working stations, cutting the clamped garment portion at a predetermined radial location from the axis to form a pocket opening slit bordered by upper and lower tabs, depositing a preformed pocket on the platform, said pocket having a pocket receptacle portion commencing at a front located exposed lower lip and a back located upper lip for respective fastening to the lower and upper garment portion tabs along the pocket opening slit, with the pocket receptacle portion folded under the upper lip to extend radially outwardly towards the platform, aligning the pocket with its lower lip registered along a line effectively tangential to the indexed position of the lower garment portion tab at a pocket attachment station, moving the pocket along the tangential line to position the lower lip over the lower tab in fastening relationship and fastening the lower pocket lip to the garment portion lower tab, indexing the clamped garment portion and the pocket attached thereto to a pocket manipulation station, removing the pocket receptacle portion from under the back located upper lip to isolate the upper lip for attachment to the garment portion upper tab, fastening the upper lip of the pocket to the upper tab of the garment portion, and indexing the assembly of garment portion and pocket to a removal station and removing the assembly from the platform.

Claim 7

A system for automatically and accurately assembling a back pocket to a back panel for a garment comprising platform means defining a plurality of successively spaced garment working stations, means for automatically successively indexing a back panel to the garment working stations with predetermined constant registration relative thereto, means for automatically feeding a back panel to said indexing means for indexing to the garment working stations, registration means located at a first garment working station for receiving a fed in back panel and adjusting the position thereof relative to the indexing means to establish said predetermined constant registration prior to further garment working operations, dart forming means located at a second garment working station and operative on said indexed panel to automatically form a dart therein at a station location bearing a predetermined registration with the indexing means, cutting means located at a third garment working station for slitting the dart provided back panel at a location bearing a selected registration with the indexing means, said cutting means forming a pocket opening with upper and lower tabs shaped for fastening to a back pocket, means for automatically feeding a preformed back pocket to a fourth garment working station, said back pocket having upper and lower lips to be respectively sewn onto upper and lower panel tabs, means located in the vicinity of said fourth garment working station for automatically aligning a lip of a fed in back pocket with predetermined registration relative to a corresponding tab of a back panel indexed to said fourth station by the indexing means, means for automatically positioning the aligned back pocket lip in sewing relationship with the corresponding tab of the back panel at said fourth station, means for sewing said aligned back pocket lip to the corresponding back panel tab, means located at a fifth indeX station for manipulating the back panel and sewed on back pocket and isolate the other back pocket lip for sewing to the other tab of the back panel, means located at a sixth index garment working station for sewing the other back pocket lip to the other back panel tab along a predetermined attachment line having a preselected registration relationship with the indexing means, means located at a seventh index garment working station for simultaneously forming a back tack at ends of the slit in the back panel and means located at a garment working station for removing bar tacked garment panels from the indexing means.

Claim 8

A system for automatically and accurately assembling a back pocket to a back panel for a garment comprising platform means defining a plurality of successively spaced garment working stations, means for automatically successively indexing a back panel to the garment working stations with predetermined constant registration relative thereto, means for automatically feeding a back panel to said indexing means for indexing to the garment working stations, registration means located at a first garment working station for receiving a fed in back panel and adjusting the position thereof relative to the indexing means to establish said predetermined constant registration prior to further garment working operations, dart forming means located at a second garment working station and operative on said indexed panel to automatically form a dart therein at a station location bearing a predetermined registration with the indexing means, cutting means located at a third garment working station for slitting the dart provided back panel at a location bearing a selected registration with the indexing means, said cutting means forming a pocket opening with upper and lower tabs shaped for fastening to a back pocket, means for automatically feeding a preformed back pocket to a fourth garment working station, said back pocket having upper and lower lips to be respectively sewn onto upper and lower panel tabs, means located in the vicinity of said fourth garment working station for automatically aligning a lip of a fed in back pocket with predetermined registration relative to a corresponding tab of a back panel indexed to said fourth station by the indexing means, means for automatically positioning the aligned back pocket lip in sewing relationship with the corresponding tab of the back panel at said fourth station, means for sewing said aligned back pocket lip to the corresponding back panel tab, means located at a fifth indeX station for manipulating the back panel and sewed on back pocket and isolate the other back pocket lip for sewing to the other tab of the back panel, means located at a sixth index garment working station for sewing the other back pocket lip to the other back panel tab along a predetermined attachment line having a preselected registration relationship with the indexing means, means located at a seventh index garment working station for simultaneously forming a back tack at ends of the slit in the back panel and means located at a garment working station for removing bar tacked garment panels from the indexing means.