Automatic sewing machine

Claim 2

An automatic sewing machine, comprising: a sewing needle; a work holder for holding a work piece, said work holder being movable relative the needle; driving means for moving the work holder relative the needle; means for directing the driving means to sew a pattern with the needle in the work piece while controlling the closeness of approach by the work holder toward the needle; and auxiliary means for preventing contact of the work holder with the needle and being effectively driven responsive to said driving means.

Claim 3

The sewing machine of claim 1 wherein the preventing means comprises, means for limiting the amount of movement of the work holder toward the needle.

Claim 4

The sewing machine of claim 1. wherein the preventing means comprises, means for stopping the work holder at a position spaced from the needle while approaching said needle.

Claim 5

The sewing machine of claim 3. wherein the work holder approaches the needle from a plurality of directions, and the stopping means stops the work holder at a plurality of positions spaced from the needle while approaching said needle.

Claim 6

The sewing machine of claim 3. wherein the stopping means stops movement of the work holder toward the needle in a region at least partially surrounding the needle.

Claim 7

The sewing machine of claim 3 wherein the stopping means comprises mechanical stop means preventing said driving means from moving the work holder past said position toward the needle.

Claim 8

The sewing machine of claim 6. wherein said stop means prevents movement of the work holder toward the needle past positions on opposed sides of the needle.

Claim 9

The sewing meachine of claim 3. wherein the stopping means is adjustable to adjust the distance of said position from the needle.

Claim 10

The sewing machine of claim 3. wherein the stopping means comprises switch means actuable at a predetermined position of the work holder, and means responsive to actuation of the switch means for deenergizing the drive means and preventing movement of the work holder.

Claim 11

The sewing machine of claim 9. wherein said switch means actuates at predetermined spaced positions of the work holder.

Claim 12

The sewing machine of claim 3. wherein the stopping means comprises, shaft means rotatably driven by said driving means, trigger means secured to and rotably movable with the shaft means, first and second limit assemblies located at first and second angular positions relative the shaft means, with said trigger means being movable between and contacting the limit assemblies at said first and second angular positions of the shaft means.

Claim 13

The sewing machine of claim 11. wherein said first and second limit assemblies comprise first and second mechanical stops preventing movement of the trigger and shaft means past said first and second angular positions.

Claim 14

The sewing machine of claim 11. wherein said first and second limit assemblies comprise first and second switches actuating responsive to contact by said trigger means.

Claim 15

The sewing machine of claim 11. wherein the angular positions of said first and second limit assemblies relative said shaft means are adjustable

Claim 16

The sewing machine of claim 11. wherein said driving means comprises a stepping motor having a drive shaft and pulley means secured to the drive shaft, and including pulley means secured to the shaft means and an elongated flexible element connecting the pulley means on said drive shaft and shaft means.

Claim 17

The sewing machine of claim 1. wherein the driving means comprises, first drive means for moving the work holder in a first coordinate direction, and second drive means for moving the work holder in a second coordinate direction, and in which the preventing means comprises, first limit means for limiting the amount of movement of the work holder toward the needle in the first coordinate direction, and second limit means for limiting the amount of movement of the work holder toward the needle in the second coordinate direction.

Claim 18

The sewing machine of claim 15 wherein the preventing means limits movement of the work holder toward the needle between spaced positions.

Claim 19

An automatic sewing machine, comprising: a sewing needle; a work holder for holding a work piece, said work holder being movable relative the needle; driving means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position and for moving the work holder away from said home position, said driving means comprising first drive means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position in a first coordinate direction and for moving the work holder away from said home position in the first coordinate direction, and second drive means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position in a second coordinate direction and for moving the work holder away from said home position in the second coordinate direction; and means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from said home position toward the needle in an amount less than the distance between the work holder at said home position and the needle along the direction of movement toward the needle, said limiting means comprising first limit means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from the home position in the first coordinate direction, and second limit means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from the home position in the second coordinate direction.

Claim 20

An automatic sewing machine, comprising: a sewing needle; a work holder for holding a work piece, said work holder being movable relative the needle; driving means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position and for moving the work holder away from said home position, said driving means comprising first drive means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position in a first coordinate direction and for moving the work holder away from said home position in the first coordinate direction, and second drive means for positioning the work holder at a predetermined home position in a second coordinate direction and for moving the work holder away from said home position in the second coordinate direction; and means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from said home position toward the needle in an amount less than the distance between the work holder at said home position and the needle along the direction of movement toward the needle, said limiting means comprising first limit means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from the home position in the first coordinate direction, and second limit means for limiting the distance of movement of the work holder away from the home position in the second coordinate direction.

Claim 21

The sewing machine of claim 18 wherein the limiting means limits the distance of movement away from said home position in opposed directions of the work holder.

Claim 22

The sewing machine of claim 18 wherein said first and second limit means limit the distances of movement of the work holder in opposed directions from said home positions in said first and second coordinate directions.

Claim 23

A limit assembly for a work holder of an automatic sewing machine, comprising: a work holder; a support assembly; a shaft rotably received in said support assembly; means for moving said shaft in positional synchronism with said work holder; a first limit bracket secured to said support assembly and having a limit member located at a first preselected angular position relative said shaft; a second limit bracket secured to said support assembly and having a limit member located at a second preselected angular position relative said shaft; and a trigger connected to said shaft and movable only between the limit members of said first and second limit brackets so as to limit movement of the work holder.

Claim 24

A limit assembly for a work holder of an automatic sewing machine, comprising: a work holder; a support assembly; a shaft rotably received in said support assembly; means for moving said shaft in positional synchronism with said work holder; a first limit bracket secured to said support assembly and having a limit member located at a first preselected angular position relative said shaft; a second limit bracket secured to said support assembly and having a limit member located at a second preselected angular position relative said shaft; and a trigger connected to said shaft and movable only between the limit members of said first and second limit brackets so as to limit movement of the work holder.

Claim 25

The limit assembly of claim 21 wherein the limit members of said first and second limit brackets comprise mechanical stops to prevent movement of said trigger and shaft past said first and second angular positions.

Claim 26

The limit assembly of claim 21 wherein the limit members of said first and second limit brackets comprise first and second switches actuated by said trigger at said first and second angular positions.

Claim 27

The limit assembly of claim 21 including a pulley rotably received on said shaft, means for connecting the pulley to the shaft, and means for adjusting the rotational position of the pulley relative the shaft.

Claim 28

The limit assembly of claim 24 wherein said trigger is secured to said pulley.

Claim 29

The sewing machine of claim 3 wherein the stopping means comprises, shaft means rotably driven by the driving means, an abutment member secured to and rotably movable with the shaft means, and a mechanical stop member engageable with the abutment member at an angular position of the shaft means to limit rotational movement of the shaft means.