Fabric, joining and sewing device

Claim 1

A device for joining two work pieces for sewing the same together comprising, a work piece support surface, a sewing machine including a sewing table positioned adjacent said work piece support surface, means for advancing a first work piece to a first predetermined position on said support surface, means for advancing a second work piece to a predetermined position on said sewing table immediately below said support surface and a first work piece thereon; a first work piece support member, normally positioned adjacent to said support surface, selectively operable means for holding a first work piece advanced to said first predetermined position on said support member, selectively operable means for moving said support member between a first position adjacent said support surface and a second position adjacent said sewing table, said means for holding being operative during movement of said support member from said first to said second positions thereof, thereby to transfer a first work piece from said support surface onto a second work piece therebelow on said sewing table; means for clamping said first work piece to said second work piece on said sewing table in position for sewing together of said work pieces by said sewing machine.

Claim 2

A device for joining two work pieces for sewing the same together comprising, a work piece support surface, a sewing machine including a sewing table positioned adjacent said work piece support surface, means for advancing a first work piece to a first predetermined position on said support surface, means for advancing a second work piece to a predetermined position on said sewing table immediately below said support surface and a first work piece thereon; a first work piece support member, normally positioned adjacent to said support surface, selectively operable means for holding a first work piece advanced to said first predetermined position on said support member, selectively operable means for moving said support member between a first position adjacent said support surface and a second position adjacent said sewing table, said means for holding being operative during movement of said support member from said first to said second positions thereof, thereby to transfer a first work piece from said support surface onto a second work piece therebelow on said sewing table; means for clamping said first work piece to said second work piece on said sewing table in position for sewing together of said work pieces by said sewing machine.

Claim 9

A device for joining two work pieces for sewing the same together comprising: means for advancing a first work piece to a first predetermined position; means for advancing a second work piece to a second predetermined position below said first work piece with respect to said first predetermined position of said first work piece; means for holding said first work piece including means for placing said held first work piece on said second work piece; means for clamping said first work piece to said second work piece; and means for sewing together said clamped work pieces; said means for holding said first work piece including means for placing said held first work piece on said second work piece comprising: a. a frame; b. a tray pivotally mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting said first work piece, said tray having an extension therefrom and having a work piece barrier thereon for properly positioning said first work piece; c. at least one air jet positioned vertically adjacent said tray and oriented toward said work piece barrier for urging said first work piece against said barrier; d. a photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said tray and adjacent to said work piece barrier for sensing a properly positioned first work piece; e. a vacuum bar positioned above said tray, said vacuum bar having at least one bore therethrough for vacuum engagement with said properly positioned first work piece; f. at least one conduit in communication with said vacuum bar bore and cOnnected to a vacuum source; g. a first pneumatic cylinder mounted substantially vertically on said frame, said first pneumatic cylinder having a downwardly projecting piston rod in pivotal engagement with said extension of said tray for pivoting said tray away from said engaged first work piece; h. a second pneumatic cylinder mounted on said frame, said second pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod angled downwardly relative to a horizontal plane and attached to said vacuum bar for repositioning said vacuum bar; i. an elongated slide guide attached to said second pneumatic cylinder, said slide guide positioned downwardly parallel to said second pneumatic cylinder piston rod and aligned above a predetermined position of said first work piece and a predetermined position of said second work piece for guiding said vacuum bar; j. a microswitch positioned on a lower end of said slide guide and activated by said vacuum bar, said microswitch operatively interconnected to the vacuum source for deactivating said vacuum source when said first work piece engaged by said vacuum bar is vertically adjacent said second work piece.

Claim 10

A device for joining two work pieces for sewing the same together comprising: means for advancing a first work piece to a first predetermined position; means for advancing a second work piece to a second predetermined position below said first work piece with respect to said first predetermined position of said first work piece; means for holding said first work piece including means for placing said held first work piece on said second work piece; means for clamping said first work piece to said second work piece; and means for sewing together said clamped work pieces; said means for holding said first work piece including means for placing said held first work piece on said second work piece comprising: a. a frame; b. a tray pivotally mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting said first work piece, said tray having an extension therefrom and having a work piece barrier thereon for properly positioning said first work piece; c. at least one air jet positioned vertically adjacent said tray and oriented toward said work piece barrier for urging said first work piece against said barrier; d. a photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said tray and adjacent to said work piece barrier for sensing a properly positioned first work piece; e. a vacuum bar positioned above said tray, said vacuum bar having at least one bore therethrough for vacuum engagement with said properly positioned first work piece; f. at least one conduit in communication with said vacuum bar bore and cOnnected to a vacuum source; g. a first pneumatic cylinder mounted substantially vertically on said frame, said first pneumatic cylinder having a downwardly projecting piston rod in pivotal engagement with said extension of said tray for pivoting said tray away from said engaged first work piece; h. a second pneumatic cylinder mounted on said frame, said second pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod angled downwardly relative to a horizontal plane and attached to said vacuum bar for repositioning said vacuum bar; i. an elongated slide guide attached to said second pneumatic cylinder, said slide guide positioned downwardly parallel to said second pneumatic cylinder piston rod and aligned above a predetermined position of said first work piece and a predetermined position of said second work piece for guiding said vacuum bar; j. a microswitch positioned on a lower end of said slide guide and activated by said vacuum bar, said microswitch operatively interconnected to the vacuum source for deactivating said vacuum source when said first work piece engaged by said vacuum bar is vertically adjacent said second work piece.

Claim 14

A device for joining two workpieces for sewing together comprising: a. a stand; b. a frame mounted on said stand; c. a tray pivotally mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting a first workpiece, said tray having an extension therefrom and having a workpiece barrier thereon for properly positioning said first workpiece; d. means for conveying said first workpiece onto said tray; e. at least one air jet positioned vertically adjacent said tray and oriented toward said workpiece barrier for urging said first workpiece against said barrier; f. a first photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said tray and adjacent to said workpiece barrier for sensing a properly positioned first workpiece; g. a sewing table slidably mounted on said stand opposite said frame and below said tray, said sewing table having a side ledge positioned on the top surface of said sewing table for properly positioning a second workpiece, and a workpiece capture hood attached to said side ledge for holding said second workpiece against said sewing table; h. means for conveying said second workpiece onto said sewing table against said side ledge and under said capture hood; i. a second photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said means for conveying a second workpiece and horizontally positioned near an edge of a conveyed second workpiece for sensing sideways alignment of said second workpiece; j. a third photoelectric cell and lamp adjacent said capture hood and vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said sewing table for sensing a proper position of said second workpiece under said capture hood and against said side ledge; k. a vacuum bar positioned above said tray, said vacuum bar having at least one bore therethrough for vacuum engagement with said properly positioned first workpiece; l. at least one conduit in communication with said vacuum bar bore and connected to a vacuum source; m. a first pneuMatic cylinder mounted substantially vertically on said frame, said first pneumatic cylinder having a downwardly extending piston rod in pivotal engagement with said extension of said tray for pivoting said tray away from said engaged first workpiece; n. a second pneumatic cylinder mounted on said frame, said second pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod angled downwardly relative to a horizontal plane and attached to said vacuum bar for repositioning said bar from and upper first workpiece engagement position to a lower workpiece joining position; o. an elongaged slide guide attached to said second pneumatic cylinder, said slide guide positioned downwardly parallel to said second pneumatic cylinder piston rod and extending to the lower workpiece joining position; p. a first detecting means positioned on a lower end of said slide guide and activated by said vacuum bar, said detecting means operatively interconnected to the vacuum source for deactivating said vacuum source when said first workpiece engaged by said vacuum bar is vertically adjacent said second workpiece; q. a sewing machine mounted on said stand substantially opposite said frame, said sewing machine having a base gear integral therewith; r. a pair of presser foot pneumatic cylinders rigidly and vertically attached to said sewing machine, said presser foot pneumatic cylinders having downwardly extending piston rods; s. a horizontal guide rail attached to ends of said presser foot pneumatic cylinder piston rods; t. a presser foot holding frame having a vertical guide rail mounted thereon, said vertical guide rail movably engaged with said horizontal guide rail; u. a presser foot connected to said vertical guide rail and positioned over said sewing table for holding said first and second workpieces together and against said sewing table; v. a gear train including a first transfer gear engaged with said base gear, a second transfer gear axially connected to said first transfer gear, a third transfer gear engaged with said second transfer gear, a sleeve gear engaged with said third transfer gear, a clutch and gear plate axially connected to said sleeve gear, an electric clutch engageable with said clutch and gear plate, and a pinion gear axially connected to said clutch; w. a rack attached to said sewing table and positioned in the direction of a line of sewing, said rack engaged with said pinion gear for advancing said sewing table under said sewing machine; x. a second detecting means mounted on said stand and positioned adjacent said presser foot holding frame for sensing completion of sewing; y. a pneumatic table return cylinder mounted on said stand parallel to said rack, said return cylinder responsive to said second detecting means and having a piston rod attached to said sewing table for returning said sewing table to a starting position after completion of sewing said first and second workpieces together; z. means for controlling and cycling said device operatively interconnected with said first pneumatic cylinder, said second pneumatic cylinder, said vacuum source, said first photoelectric cell, said first detecting means, said electric clutch, said sewing machine, said pneumatic table return cylinder, said second photoelectric cell, said third photoelectric cell, said presser foot pneumatic cylinders, and said second detecting means.

Claim 15

A device for joining two workpieces for sewing together comprising: a. a stand; b. a frame mounted on said stand; c. a tray pivotally mounted on said frame for receiving and supporting a first workpiece, said tray having an extension therefrom and having a workpiece barrier thereon for properly positioning said first workpiece; d. means for conveying said first workpiece onto said tray; e. at least one air jet positioned vertically adjacent said tray and oriented toward said workpiece barrier for urging said first workpiece against said barrier; f. a first photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said tray and adjacent to said workpiece barrier for sensing a properly positioned first workpiece; g. a sewing table slidably mounted on said stand opposite said frame and below said tray, said sewing table having a side ledge positioned on the top surface of said sewing table for properly positioning a second workpiece, and a workpiece capture hood attached to said side ledge for holding said second workpiece against said sewing table; h. means for conveying said second workpiece onto said sewing table against said side ledge and under said capture hood; i. a second photoelectric cell and lamp vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said means for conveying a second workpiece and horizontally positioned near an edge of a conveyed second workpiece for sensing sideways alignment of said second workpiece; j. a third photoelectric cell and lamp adjacent said capture hood and vertically positioned on respective opposite sides of said sewing table for sensing a proper position of said second workpiece under said capture hood and against said side ledge; k. a vacuum bar positioned above said tray, said vacuum bar having at least one bore therethrough for vacuum engagement with said properly positioned first workpiece; l. at least one conduit in communication with said vacuum bar bore and connected to a vacuum source; m. a first pneuMatic cylinder mounted substantially vertically on said frame, said first pneumatic cylinder having a downwardly extending piston rod in pivotal engagement with said extension of said tray for pivoting said tray away from said engaged first workpiece; n. a second pneumatic cylinder mounted on said frame, said second pneumatic cylinder having a piston rod angled downwardly relative to a horizontal plane and attached to said vacuum bar for repositioning said bar from and upper first workpiece engagement position to a lower workpiece joining position; o. an elongaged slide guide attached to said second pneumatic cylinder, said slide guide positioned downwardly parallel to said second pneumatic cylinder piston rod and extending to the lower workpiece joining position; p. a first detecting means positioned on a lower end of said slide guide and activated by said vacuum bar, said detecting means operatively interconnected to the vacuum source for deactivating said vacuum source when said first workpiece engaged by said vacuum bar is vertically adjacent said second workpiece; q. a sewing machine mounted on said stand substantially opposite said frame, said sewing machine having a base gear integral therewith; r. a pair of presser foot pneumatic cylinders rigidly and vertically attached to said sewing machine, said presser foot pneumatic cylinders having downwardly extending piston rods; s. a horizontal guide rail attached to ends of said presser foot pneumatic cylinder piston rods; t. a presser foot holding frame having a vertical guide rail mounted thereon, said vertical guide rail movably engaged with said horizontal guide rail; u. a presser foot connected to said vertical guide rail and positioned over said sewing table for holding said first and second workpieces together and against said sewing table; v. a gear train including a first transfer gear engaged with said base gear, a second transfer gear axially connected to said first transfer gear, a third transfer gear engaged with said second transfer gear, a sleeve gear engaged with said third transfer gear, a clutch and gear plate axially connected to said sleeve gear, an electric clutch engageable with said clutch and gear plate, and a pinion gear axially connected to said clutch; w. a rack attached to said sewing table and positioned in the direction of a line of sewing, said rack engaged with said pinion gear for advancing said sewing table under said sewing machine; x. a second detecting means mounted on said stand and positioned adjacent said presser foot holding frame for sensing completion of sewing; y. a pneumatic table return cylinder mounted on said stand parallel to said rack, said return cylinder responsive to said second detecting means and having a piston rod attached to said sewing table for returning said sewing table to a starting position after completion of sewing said first and second workpieces together; z. means for controlling and cycling said device operatively interconnected with said first pneumatic cylinder, said second pneumatic cylinder, said vacuum source, said first photoelectric cell, said first detecting means, said electric clutch, said sewing machine, said pneumatic table return cylinder, said second photoelectric cell, said third photoelectric cell, said presser foot pneumatic cylinders, and said second detecting means.