Expanded entry for programmable memory of a sewing machine

Claim 1

A programming device for a sewing machine having stitch forming means including a sewing needle and feeding system, said stitch forming means being operative to form successive stitches and including mechanisms for influencing stitch position coordinates of said successive stitches in the formation of a pattern of stitches, said sewing machine further including logic means responsive to input data representative of stitch position coordinates for producing stitch position coordinate electrical signals, actuating means responsive to signals from said logic means for controlling the position of said stitch forming means in accordance with input data fed to said logic means, said programming device being operably connected with said sewing machine and including memory means operative for storing digital input data corresponding to a stitch pattern selected by the operator and for transmitting electrical digital output signals to said logic means such that an operator may select a stitch pattern program for entry into the sewing machine for automatic reproduction of the stitch pattern by the sewing machine, said programming device further including a plurality of operator manipulating means each for generating stitch position coordinate information, said operator manipulating means being arranged in an array of columns and rows related, respectively, to selected lateral position of needle penetration and to selected feed increment from a just prior stitch position coordinate for feed, each row of said array of said operator manipulating means being assigned a digital coded character as a stitch position coordinate for feed and manipulation of any of said operator manipulating means in a given row will generate a specific stitch position coordinate for feed, said programming device including a feed data latch for preserving a current stitch position coordinate for feed for subsequent use as a just prior stitch position coordinate for feed and a feed subtractor to obtain the feed increment of the current stitch position coordinate for feed over the just prior stitch position coordinate for feed, wherein the improvement comprises; means for originating an artificial signal representative of a new starting point, and means for inserting said artificial signal in said feed subtractor in place of said just prior stitch position coordinate for feed.