US3815530A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods and apparatus for forming seams
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-10-31
•
Granted: 1974-06-11
•
Expires: 1992-10-31
Abstract
Abstract A sewing machine for stitching leather or fabric sheet is provided with means for manually or automatically steering a work sheet past the sewing head to ensure that the line of stitching follows a required path, the steering being effected by imposing a local frictional drag on the sheet at a point offset from the line of action of the mechanical feed of the machine. The platen of the machine may be provided with a pair of domed studs which protrude upwardly one on each side of the feed line enabling the operator to press the work sheet down differentially on the studs with his fingers to effect a steering of the work by frictional drag. In another arrangement a yoke plate is rigidly or tiltably mounted on the presser bar of the machine and carries a pair of downwardly-protruding domed pressure studs which when pressed down differentially provide the required steering action. One of these pressure studs may be deeper than the other to act as an edge-follower for engaging a curved edge of the work sheet, whereby automatic steering of the work sheet is possible by which the seam will be stitched parallel to but inset from the edge being followed. Instead of cooperating with an edge of the work sheet itself, the edge-follower stud may follow an edge of a template or overlay placed on the work sheet, or an edge of a change in thickness or level in the work sheet, produced for example by a surface channel or the edge of an underlay. The invention may be applied to cutting, welding, finishing and other linear work as well as to stitching.
Inventors
- 👤 M Denton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 06:56
CPC Classifications
D; D05; D05B; D05B35/00; D05B35/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of performing a linear work operation on sheet material by means of a machine tool provided with a work head and a mechanical feed means which acts on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to said work head, to draw the sheet positively in a pre-determined feed direction past the feed point, the feed means having a predetermined fixed line of action passing through the feed point, which method comprises: imposing localized drag on the work sheet at at least one point, which is stationary with respect to the machine tool and is located in a position upstream (with respect to the direction of feed by the feed means) of a transverse line passing through the said feed point at right angles to the said line of action of the feed means, the said drag point being offset from the line of action of the feed means so as to cause a rotation of the work sheet in its own plane as it is advanced past the work head, and so controlling the drag as to steer the linear work operation along a required path on the sheet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
193 words
A method of performing a linear work operation on sheet material by means of a machine tool provided with a work head and a mechanical feed means which acts on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to said work head, to draw the sheet positively in a pre-determined feed direction past the feed point, the feed means having a predetermined fixed line of action passing through the feed point, which method comprises: imposing localized drag on the work sheet at at least one point, which is stationary with respect to the machine tool and is located in a position upstream (with respect to the direction of feed by the feed means) of a transverse line passing through the said feed point at right angles to the said line of action of the feed means, the said drag point being offset from the line of action of the feed means so as to cause a rotation of the work sheet in its own plane as it is advanced past the work head, and so controlling the drag as to steer the linear work operation along a required path on the sheet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the said drag is a frictional drag produced by applying local pressure to a small area of the work sheet at said drag point.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 which in the imposing step comprises applying local pressure to the work sheet at two pressure points disposed on opposite sides of the feed line, and controlling the said pressures differentially so as to steer the work sheet past the work head of the tool along said required path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 in which the said drag is imposed by causing a dome-shaped follower member to engage and follow an edge of the work sheet, thereby guiding the linear work operation along a path parallel to said edge.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 in which the edge-follower follows an edge of a local change in thickness of the work sheet itself.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said parallel path is horizontally inset a substantial distance from the edge being followed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in claim 6 which comprises simultaneously applying local pressure to the surface of the work sheet by means of a domed pressure member offset on one side of the feed linE to produce a steering action tending to hold the said edge pressed against the edge-follower member, the latter being located on the other side of the feed line.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
160 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 in which a first part of said drag is a frictional drag applied to a first small area on the work sheet on one side of the feed line; and wherein the drag is controlled by: adopting a template curve patterning said required path; fixing the spatial relation of the template curve relative to a second small area on the opposite side of the feed line on the work sheet; fixing the spatial relation of a curve follower relative to the work head and placing the curve follower in position for following the template curve, so that as the sheet is drawn past the work head, if the curve follower is following a rising portion of said template curve, steering control is predominately applied at said second small area and if the curve follower is following a falling portion of said template curve, steering control is predominately applied at said first small area.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said template curve is superimposed on the work sheet to fix the spatial relation therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 9 wherein said template curve is disposed on a perimetrical edge of a second work sheet and said second work sheet is superimposed on the first-mentioned work sheet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
185 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having on the platen a pair of smoothly-rounded upwardly-protruding domed studs onto either of which the work sheet can be pressed manually by an operator to impose a local pressure and a corresponding local frictional drag on the work sheet for steering the work sheet past the tool head, the two studs being located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which presses through the feed point, and the two studs being located on opposite sides of the said line of action so that the local functional drags attributable to the respective studs respectively exercise oppositely-directed steering actions on the work sheet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
185 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having on the platen a pair of smoothly-rounded upwardly-protruding domed studs onto either of which the work sheet can be pressed manually by an operator to impose a local pressure and a corresponding local frictional drag on the work sheet for steering the work sheet past the tool head, the two studs being located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which presses through the feed point, and the two studs being located on opposite sides of the said line of action so that the local functional drags attributable to the respective studs respectively exercise oppositely-directed steering actions on the work sheet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
153 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction, the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having at least one smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure member mounted thereon and movable downwardly under applied pressure to apply local pressure to a small area of the advancing work piece at a pressure point which is offset to one side of the line of action of the feed means, said pressure member being located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which passes through the feed point on the work/sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
153 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction, the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having at least one smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure member mounted thereon and movable downwardly under applied pressure to apply local pressure to a small area of the advancing work piece at a pressure point which is offset to one side of the line of action of the feed means, said pressure member being located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which passes through the feed point on the work/sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 12 having two of the said pressure members located on opposite sides of the said line of action of the feed means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
189 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and machanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having on the platen at least two upwardly protruding ribs of smoothly-rounded cross-section on to a selected point of each of which the worksheet can be pressed manually by an operator to impose a local pressure and corresponding lOcal frictional drag on the work sheet, the two ribs having major operative portions of their length which are located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which passes through the feed point, the said major portions of the two ribs being positioned on opposite sides of the said line of action and being oblique to the said line of action and convergent in the direction of feed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
189 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and machanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having on the platen at least two upwardly protruding ribs of smoothly-rounded cross-section on to a selected point of each of which the worksheet can be pressed manually by an operator to impose a local pressure and corresponding lOcal frictional drag on the work sheet, the two ribs having major operative portions of their length which are located upstream with respect to the direction of feed of the work sheet by the feed means of a line transverse to the line of action of the feed means which passes through the feed point, the said major portions of the two ribs being positioned on opposite sides of the said line of action and being oblique to the said line of action and convergent in the direction of feed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
38 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 14 in which the ribs are of arcuate form each having its center of curvature lying on the said line transverse to the said line of action of the feed means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 14 in which the two pressure members comprise part-spherical pressure studs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
The machine tool of claim 13 further including a yoke member having two laterally opposite ends; means pivotally mounting the yoke member on the machine tool so as to straddle the line of action of the feed means and for rockable movement about a generally horizontal axis parallel to the line of action of the feed means; the two pressure members being carried on respective ones of said two opposite ends of the yoke member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
191 words
The machine tool of claim 16 wherein: the yoke member constitutes a first generally horizontal plate, the two pressure member studs being carried on the underside thereof; a second generally horizontal plate fixedly mounted on the machine tool in superposition to the first plate; means defining three vertically coincident opposed pairs of ball detents on the first and second plates, these pairs of detents being arranged in a triangular array with one pair being located substantially on said feed line and the other two pair being respectively disposed at sites laterally offset from the feed line and on opposite sides thereof; a ball received in and mounted between each pair of ball detents; a compression spring having one end disposed to act against one of said plates substantially on the feed line near said array and means connecting the opposite end of the spring to the other of said plates in a sense to normally force the first plate to ride evenly on all three said balls, so that downward pressure applied on the yoke near one end thereof tilts the first plate against leveling force provided by said compression spring.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 18 in which the mounting plate is secured to the lower end of a support member detachably secured to the tool head of the machine, the assembly of plates being held by the support member in a horizontal position immediately upstream of the feed point.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
189 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction, the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having an edge-follower member with a smoothly-rounded dome-shaped surface adapted to engage against and follow a curved edge being fed over the platen past the tool head with the work sheet, the dome-shaped surface of the edge-follower overlying and being directed towards the surface of the platen at a spacing therefrom such as to pinch the said edge of the work sheet between the inclined side of the dome-shaped edge-follower and the opposed surface of the platen and thereby to generate a local tangential frictional drag on the workpiece at its point of engagement with the edge-follower, the said drag tending to steer the advancing work sheet towards the edge-follower, the said engagement of the follower member with the edge having a steering effect on the work sheet.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
189 words
A machine tool having a tool head for performing a linear work operation on a work sheet, and having a platen and mechanical feed means by which the work sheet is drawn positively over the platen in a predetermined direction, the feed means acting on the work sheet at a single feed point adjacent to the tool head, and the tool having an edge-follower member with a smoothly-rounded dome-shaped surface adapted to engage against and follow a curved edge being fed over the platen past the tool head with the work sheet, the dome-shaped surface of the edge-follower overlying and being directed towards the surface of the platen at a spacing therefrom such as to pinch the said edge of the work sheet between the inclined side of the dome-shaped edge-follower and the opposed surface of the platen and thereby to generate a local tangential frictional drag on the workpiece at its point of engagement with the edge-follower, the said drag tending to steer the advancing work sheet towards the edge-follower, the said engagement of the follower member with the edge having a steering effect on the work sheet.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
59 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 20 having means thereon retaining the edge-follower member in engagement with the curved edge at a point laterally offset from the single feed point and thereby to steer the work sheet in such a way that the lineaR work operation follows a path parallel to but laterally offset from the said edge.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
113 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 21 in which the said means for automatically controlling the operation of the follower member comprises a second smoothly-rounded dome-shaped pressure member mounted on the machine and arranged to apply local pressure to the surface of the work sheet at a pressure point spaced from the line of action of the feed means on the opposite side thereof to the edge-follower, the second pressure member applying a steering effect to the work sheet in the opposite direction to that produced by the edge-follower member and being overriden by the steering effect of the edge-follower member except when the latter tends to separate from the curved edge.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
59 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 22 in which the edge-follower member and the second pressure member are both mounted on the under side of a yoke plate carried by the tool head and at opposite ends of the yoke plate, the follower member projecting further in the downward direction from the yoke plate than the pressure member.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 23 in which the yoke plate is rigidly mounted on the tool head.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
A machine as claimed in claim 24 including means for adjusting the attitude of the yoke plate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
85 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 23 in which the yoke plate is resilient supported beneath a fixed mounting plate by spring means acting between the two plates, and in which three balls are trapped between the two plates in a triangular disposition whereby the yoke plate can be tilted relatively to the mounting plate against the action of the spring means to alternatively lower the left and right ends of the yoke, the fixed mounting plate being rigidly secured to the tool head.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
88 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 22 in which the edge-follower member is fixedly mounted on the platen adjacent to the feed means for engagement with the edge of the work sheet when the adjacent marginal portion of the sheet is fed through the feed means, and in which the pressure member is resiliently mounted above the platen separately from the edge-follower in a position to bear down on the upper face of the work sheet at a pressure point spaced from the edge-follower and feed means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
84 words
A machine tool as claimed in claim 27 which is a sewing machine having a vertically-reciprocating needle and a frusto-conical presser wheel by which the margin of the work is pressed against a power-driven feeder wheel, the needle being located to one side of the pressure wheel and feeder wheel, the edge-follower being located on the same side of the needle as the presser wheel and feeder, and the pressure member being located on the opposite side of the needle to the edge-follower member.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
83 words
A maching tool as claimed in claim 22 which is a sewing machine having a vertically-reciprocating needle and a frusto-conical presser wheel by which the margin of the work sheet is pressed against a power-driven feeder wheel, the needle being located to one side of the pressure wheel, and in which the edge-follower is located on the opposite side of the needle to the presser wheel whilst the pressure member is located on the opposite side of the presser wheel to the needle.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
155 words
An attachment for a sewing machine, which comprises a rigid elongated yoke member secured to a mounting member adpated to be clamped to the presser bar of the sewing machine to hold the yoke member in a horizontal position above the platen upstream of the feed mechanism and needle the yoke member carrying at one end of its under side a downwardly-directed smoothly-rounded dome-shaped pressure stud for applying a local pressure to the upper surface of a work sheet being fed through the machine, and carrying at the other end of its under side a smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped edge-follower member adapted to engage against and follow an edge of the work sheet, or of a template thereon, the edge-follower member Projecting further downwardly from the yoke member than the pressure stud, whereby the attachment automatically steers a work sheet past the needle of the machine along a path parallel to the work edge being followed.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
155 words
An attachment for a sewing machine, which comprises a rigid elongated yoke member secured to a mounting member adpated to be clamped to the presser bar of the sewing machine to hold the yoke member in a horizontal position above the platen upstream of the feed mechanism and needle the yoke member carrying at one end of its under side a downwardly-directed smoothly-rounded dome-shaped pressure stud for applying a local pressure to the upper surface of a work sheet being fed through the machine, and carrying at the other end of its under side a smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped edge-follower member adapted to engage against and follow an edge of the work sheet, or of a template thereon, the edge-follower member Projecting further downwardly from the yoke member than the pressure stud, whereby the attachment automatically steers a work sheet past the needle of the machine along a path parallel to the work edge being followed.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 30 in which the yoke member is a plate rigidly secured midway between its ends to the mounting member.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 31 having means for adjusting the attitude of the plate relatively to the mounting member.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
46 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 30 in which the yoke member is pivotally-mounted on the mounting member and is spring-biassed to a level position from which it can be tilted in either direction about a transverse horizontal axis against the action of the spring means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
77 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 33 in which the yoke member is a plate and is resiliently supported beneath a fixed mounting plate by spring means acting between the two plates, the fixed mounting plate being rigidly secured to the mounting member, and in which three balls are trapped between the two plates in a triangular disposition whereby the yoke plate can be tilted relatively to the mounting plate against the action of the spring means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
177 words
An attachment for a sewing machine, which comprises in combination, a dome-shaped edge-follower member, means for mounting the edge-follower member on the platen of the machine in a position adjacent to the feed means of the machine such that when the margin of a work sheet is being fed through the feed means for stitching, the edge of the work will abut against and be followed by the edge-follower member with a steering action in one angular direction on the work sheet, and a smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure stud, and means for mounting the pressure stud above the platen on the opposite side of the feed means to the edge-follower, the pressure stud being spring-biassed downwardly to apply local pressure to a small area of the upper surface of the work sheet with a steering action which opposes that due to the edge-follower and tends to keep the edge of the sheet bearing against the edge-follower, whereby the sheet is steered past the needle of the machine along a path parallel to the work edge being followed.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
177 words
An attachment for a sewing machine, which comprises in combination, a dome-shaped edge-follower member, means for mounting the edge-follower member on the platen of the machine in a position adjacent to the feed means of the machine such that when the margin of a work sheet is being fed through the feed means for stitching, the edge of the work will abut against and be followed by the edge-follower member with a steering action in one angular direction on the work sheet, and a smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure stud, and means for mounting the pressure stud above the platen on the opposite side of the feed means to the edge-follower, the pressure stud being spring-biassed downwardly to apply local pressure to a small area of the upper surface of the work sheet with a steering action which opposes that due to the edge-follower and tends to keep the edge of the sheet bearing against the edge-follower, whereby the sheet is steered past the needle of the machine along a path parallel to the work edge being followed.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
132 words
An attachment for a sewing machine which comprises a rigid elongated yoke member secured to a mounting member adapted to be clamped to the presser bar of the machine to hold the yoke member in a horizontal position above the platen upstream of the feed mechanism and needle, the yoke member carrying on its under sides respectively at opposite ends thereof a pair of smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure studs for applying local pressure at spaced pressure points to the upper surface of a work sheet being fed through the machine, the yoke member being tiltable manually about a transverse pivotal axis in either direction relatively to the mounting member to cause the said pressure studs to act differentially on the work sheet and provide a steering action thereon in both angular directions.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
132 words
An attachment for a sewing machine which comprises a rigid elongated yoke member secured to a mounting member adapted to be clamped to the presser bar of the machine to hold the yoke member in a horizontal position above the platen upstream of the feed mechanism and needle, the yoke member carrying on its under sides respectively at opposite ends thereof a pair of smoothly-rounded downwardly-directed dome-shaped pressure studs for applying local pressure at spaced pressure points to the upper surface of a work sheet being fed through the machine, the yoke member being tiltable manually about a transverse pivotal axis in either direction relatively to the mounting member to cause the said pressure studs to act differentially on the work sheet and provide a steering action thereon in both angular directions.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
23 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 36 in which the yoke member is spring-biassed towards a centralised position relatively to the mounting member.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
77 words
An attachment as claimed in claim 37 in which the yoke member is a plate and is resiliently supported beneath a fixed mounting plate by spring means acting between the two plates, the fixed mounting plate being rigidly secured to the mounting member, and in which three balls are trapped between the two plates in a triangular disposition whereby the yoke plate can be tilted relatively to the mounting plate against the action of the spring means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-10 | 1977-12-10 | 1978-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-10 | 1981-12-10 | 1982-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-10 | 1985-12-10 | 1986-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |