US3824964A — Automated pleater for draperies

Claim 1

Independent Claim 96 words

Apparatus for automatically pleating draperies and the like which comprises a first station including a pleater for successively forming pleats in a length of drapery material at spaced intervals, a second station spaced from the first station including a securing means for securing the pleats in the drapery material, and means for automatically transferring the pleats from the first to the second station, wherein the said means for automatically transferring the pleats from the first to the second station includes means to automatically space the pleats at uniform intervals along the length of said drapery material.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 96 words

Apparatus for automatically pleating draperies and the like which comprises a first station including a pleater for successively forming pleats in a length of drapery material at spaced intervals, a second station spaced from the first station including a securing means for securing the pleats in the drapery material, and means for automatically transferring the pleats from the first to the second station, wherein the said means for automatically transferring the pleats from the first to the second station includes means to automatically space the pleats at uniform intervals along the length of said drapery material.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means to automatically space the pleats at uniform intervals is adjustable to accommodate various drapery materials.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said pleater includes a plurality of pleat forming members to successively form individual legs of the pleats whereby the drapery material is not subjected to stress.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means for automatically transferring the pleats includes a gripping means to take hold of the pleats when formed by the forming members, for movement therewith and having means to place the pleats in a sewable position in the second station.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said securing means comprises a sewing means which is programmed to sew a line of stitching to secure each of the pleats formed in the drapery material and placed in said sewable position in the second station by said means for automatically transferring the pleats.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein a presser foot clamps the pleats in the second station for sewing to accommodate release of said gripping means and the return to said first station of said means for automatically transferring the pleats.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plurality of pleat forming members include upper and lower members which are operably interposed to form said pleats consisting of a plurality of juxtaposed pleats, and wherein said upper and lower members are activated individually in sequenced relationship, relative to one another by a drive means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the drive means comprises a separate cam drive means for the upper and lower pleat forming members interconnected by synchronizing gearing which is driven by a power source.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the upper and lower pleat forming members are adjustable relative to one another whereby the pleat fullness may be regulateD.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 33 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the said gripping means is clamped onto the pleats commensurate with the activation of the last to be activated of the said plurality of pleat forming members.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 80 words

A pleat forming apparatus for forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in a drapery material comprising: a frame; a plurality of spaced upper pleat forming members carried by said frame; a plurality of lower pleat forming members carried by said frame and operably interposed between said upper forming members; sequentially timed driving means for said upper and lower forming members to successively fold individual legs of each pleat in the drapery material whereby material drawn into the pleat is unstressed.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 80 words

A pleat forming apparatus for forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in a drapery material comprising: a frame; a plurality of spaced upper pleat forming members carried by said frame; a plurality of lower pleat forming members carried by said frame and operably interposed between said upper forming members; sequentially timed driving means for said upper and lower forming members to successively fold individual legs of each pleat in the drapery material whereby material drawn into the pleat is unstressed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 52 words

The pleat forming apparatus of claim 11 wherein the said driving means is operably coupled to said upper and lower pleat forming members to alternately activate said members in an interdigitating relationship to thereby form said individual pleat legs while continually adding material to form the pleats, from an unrestricted upstream direction.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 38 words

The pleat forming apparatus of claim 12 wherein said frame includes a work surface having a stop guide means to slidably support and guide the drapery material therealong from said upstream direction into the formation of said pleats.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 29 words

The pleat forming apparatus of claim 13 wherein the interdigitation between upper and lower forming members is adjustable to regulate the length of drapery material included in the pleats.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 49 words

The pleat forming apparatus of claim 14 wherein said driving means includes a separate cam drive means for the upper and the lower pleat forming members which are driven by a common power source through synchronizing gearing to alternately activate each of said upper and lower pleat forming members.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

The pleat forming apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of said cam drive means includes a plurality of cam members with one cam operably connected to each of the plurality of upper and lower pleat forming members.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 123 words

An apparatus for automatically securing a series of regularly spaced pinch pleats along the length of a drapery panel comprising: means for forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the panel at a forming area; clamping means to hold the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats together as formed; advancing means to move the formed plurality of pleats from said forming area to a securing area including means to automatically space the pleats at uniform intervals along the length of said drapery panel; a securing means arranged to permanently secure the plurality of juxtaposed pleats, which comprises a pinch pleat, in the drapery panel; and means to recycle the said apparatus for the formation and securing of subsequent pinch pleats in the drapery panel.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 123 words

An apparatus for automatically securing a series of regularly spaced pinch pleats along the length of a drapery panel comprising: means for forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the panel at a forming area; clamping means to hold the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats together as formed; advancing means to move the formed plurality of pleats from said forming area to a securing area including means to automatically space the pleats at uniform intervals along the length of said drapery panel; a securing means arranged to permanently secure the plurality of juxtaposed pleats, which comprises a pinch pleat, in the drapery panel; and means to recycle the said apparatus for the formation and securing of subsequent pinch pleats in the drapery panel.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the securing means comprises a sewing machine.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 95 words

A method for automatically securing a series of regularly spaced pleats along the length of a drapery panel comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the drapery panel at a forming area; clamping the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats together as formed; automatically advancing the pleats a predetermined distance from the forming area to a securing area; retaining the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats in said securing area; securing the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the drapery panel and repeating the previous steps along the length of the drapery panel.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 95 words

A method for automatically securing a series of regularly spaced pleats along the length of a drapery panel comprising the steps of: forming a plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the drapery panel at a forming area; clamping the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats together as formed; automatically advancing the pleats a predetermined distance from the forming area to a securing area; retaining the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats in said securing area; securing the formed plurality of juxtaposed pleats in the drapery panel and repeating the previous steps along the length of the drapery panel.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 19 wherein automatically advancing the pleats from the forming area to the securing area provides the regular spacing between the adjacent pluralities of juxtaposed pleats.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 20 wherein securing the pleats in the drapery panel is accomplished by sewing.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of forming a pinch pleat in drapery material comprising the steps of: clamping the drapery material to a working surface, folding a first leg of a first pleat upward adjacent the clamping location while drawing maTerial into the pleat from a direction remote from said clamping location, folding a second leg of the first pleat downward along said first leg while also drawing material into the pleat from a direction remote from said clamping location, and folding additional legs of additional pleats in a like manner.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of forming a pinch pleat in drapery material comprising the steps of: clamping the drapery material to a working surface, folding a first leg of a first pleat upward adjacent the clamping location while drawing maTerial into the pleat from a direction remote from said clamping location, folding a second leg of the first pleat downward along said first leg while also drawing material into the pleat from a direction remote from said clamping location, and folding additional legs of additional pleats in a like manner.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 88 words

An apparatus for automatically forming and securing pleats in drapery panels which comprises an adjustable pleat former operative to take up selected widths of material in a drapery panel, a pleat securing means spaced from the pleat former, mechanism for automatically transferring the pleated portion of the drapery panel to the securing means, and means for pre-setting the apparatus to control the distance of the first and last pleats from the side edges of the drapery panel, the fullness of the pleats, and the spacings between the pleats.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 88 words

An apparatus for automatically forming and securing pleats in drapery panels which comprises an adjustable pleat former operative to take up selected widths of material in a drapery panel, a pleat securing means spaced from the pleat former, mechanism for automatically transferring the pleated portion of the drapery panel to the securing means, and means for pre-setting the apparatus to control the distance of the first and last pleats from the side edges of the drapery panel, the fullness of the pleats, and the spacings between the pleats.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-07-22	1978-01-21	1978-07-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-07-22	1982-01-21	1982-07-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-07-22	1986-01-21	1986-07-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automated pleater for draperies

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