Sewing machines

Claim 2

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; a drive means and first and second lead screw means coupled to said drive means for advancing first and second members in first and second substantially orthogonal directions respectively in response tO said drive means, said first and second members slideably engaging said fabric support means whereby said fabric support means follows said first member in said first direction and said second member in said second direction, a right angle drive assembly and first and second electrically controlled clutches, said right angle drive assembly having a first input shaft coupled to said drive means, a first output shaft coupled to said first lead screw means through said first clutch, and a second output shaft substantially orthogonal to said first output shaft and coupled to said second lead screw means through said second clutch.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 wherein said drive means is a stepper motor, said motor being coupled to said input shaft through a changeable gear ratio.

Claim 4

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means including means to cause each of said switch means to be operable when said fabric support means and the respective one of said switch means are in a predetermined relative disposition, each of said switch means being adjustable in physical location in a plane so as to each define a location of a sewing pattern change on a desired two dimensional sewing pattern; sensing means coupled to the sewing machine to provide a signal response to the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means.

Claim 5

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means including means to cause each of said switch means to be operable when said fabric support means and the respective one of said switch means are in a predetermined relative disposition, each of said switch means being adjustable in physical location in a plane so as to each define a location of a sewing pattern change on a desired two dimensional sewing pattern; sensing means coupled to the sewing machine to provide a signal response to the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means.

Claim 6

The improvement of claim 3 wherein said drive means comprises: first and second lead screw means coupled to said stepper motor for advancing first and second members in first and second substantially orthogonal directions respectively in response to said stepper motor, said first and second members slideably engaging said fabric support means whereby said fabric support means follows said first member in said first direction and said second member in said second direction.

Claim 7

The improvement of claim 4 wherein said fabric support means has a first and second substantially orthogonal bars coupled thereto, said first and second bars slideably engaging said first and second members respectively.

Claim 8

The improvement of claim 4 further comprised of a right angle drive assembly and first and second electrically controlled clutches, said right angle drive assembly having a first input shaft coupled to said stepper motor, a first output shaft coupled to said first lead screw means through said first clutch, and a second output shaft substantially orthogonal to said first output shaft and coupled to said second lead screw means through said second clutch.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 6 wherein said stepper motor is coupled to said input shaft through a changeable gear ratio.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 3 further comprised of an advance switch, said advance switch being coupled to said electronic means, said electronic means further being a means for causing the advance of said fabric support means in the next one of said first and second directions upon actuation of said advance switch.

Claim 11

The improvement of claim 3 further comprised of a return switch, said return switch being coupled to said electronic means, said electronic means further being a means or causing the return of said fabric support means to a predetermined starting position upon actuation of said return switch.

Claim 12

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means so as to be operable thereby, said switch means being adjustable in physical location so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired sewing pattern; sensing means to sense the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position and to provide a signal in response thereto; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means; first and second lead screw means coupled to said stepper motor for advancing first and second members in first and second substantially orthogonal directions respectively in response to said stepper motor, said first and second members slideably engaging said fabric support means whereby said fabric support means follows said first member in said first direction and said second member in said second direction; a right angle drive assembly and first and second electrically controlled clutches, said right angle drive assembly having a first input shaft coupled to said stepper motor, a first output shaft coupled to said first lead screw means through said first clutch, and a second output shaft substantially orthogonal to said first output shaft and coupled to said second lead screw means through said second clutch.

Claim 13

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means so as to be operable thereby, said switch means being adjustable in physical location so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired sewing pattern; sensing means to sense the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position and to provide a signal in response thereto; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means; first and second lead screw means coupled to said stepper motor for advancing first and second members in first and second substantially orthogonal directions respectively in response to said stepper motor, said first and second members slideably engaging said fabric support means whereby said fabric support means follows said first member in said first direction and said second member in said second direction; a right angle drive assembly and first and second electrically controlled clutches, said right angle drive assembly having a first input shaft coupled to said stepper motor, a first output shaft coupled to said first lead screw means through said first clutch, and a second output shaft substantially orthogonal to said first output shaft and coupled to said second lead screw means through said second clutch.

Claim 14

The improvement of claim 10 wherein said stepper motor is coupled to said input shaft through a changeable gear ratio.

Claim 15

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means including means to cause each of said switch means to be operable, said switch means being adjustable in physical location in a plane so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired sewing pattern; sensing means to sense the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position and to provide a signal in response thereto; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means; an advance switch, said advance switch being coupled To said electronic means, said electronic means further being a means for causing the advance of said fabric support means in the next one of said first and second directions upon actuation of said advance switch.

Claim 16

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, said drive means including at least one stepper motor; a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means including means to cause each of said switch means to be operable, said switch means being adjustable in physical location in a plane so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired sewing pattern; sensing means to sense the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position and to provide a signal in response thereto; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for generating a series of pulses in response to the output of said sensing means, to step said stepper motor a predetermined number of times, said electronic means further being a means for providing signals to said drive means responsive to said plurality of switch means to control the direction of stepping of said stepper motor and the selection of said first and second directions for advancement of said fabric support means; an advance switch, said advance switch being coupled To said electronic means, said electronic means further being a means for causing the advance of said fabric support means in the next one of said first and second directions upon actuation of said advance switch.

Claim 17

The improvement of claim 12 further comprised of a return switch, said return switch being coupled to said electronic means, said electronic means further being a means for causing the return of said fabric support means to a predetermined starting position upon actuation of said return switch.

Claim 18

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means, said fabric support means including means for actuating each of said switch means when said fabric support means and the respective one of said switch means are in a predetermined relative disposition, each of said switch means further being adjustable in position in a plane so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired two dimensional sewing pattern; sensing means coupled to said sewing machine for providing a signal responsive to the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for advancing said drive means in response to said signal from said sensing means and in a direction determined by the last of said switch means to be activated.

Claim 19

An improvement for sewing machines comprising: a fabric support means for supporting fabric to be sewn in cooperative disposition with respect to the needle of a sewing machine; drive means for advancing said fabric support means in first and second directions in response to drive means control signals, a plurality of switch means cooperatively disposed with respect to said fabric support means, said fabric support means including means for actuating each of said switch means when said fabric support means and the respective one of said switch means are in a predetermined relative disposition, each of said switch means further being adjustable in position in a plane so as to define points of sewing pattern change for a desired two dimensional sewing pattern; sensing means coupled to said sewing machine for providing a signal responsive to the passing of the sewing machine needle drive shaft through a predetermined angular position; electronic means coupled to said switch means, said sensing means and said drive means, said electronic means being a means for advancing said drive means in response to said signal from said sensing means and in a direction determined by the last of said switch means to be activated.