초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for accurately aligning the top and bottom edges of a garment\s workpieces to assure even cuffs after sewing, the apparatus comprising two locking jaw assemblies which cooperate with drive rollers (all of which are located upstream of the sewing head) and the conventional bot

An apparatus and method for accurately aligning the top and bottom edges of a garment\s workpieces to assure even cuffs after sewing, the apparatus comprising two locking jaw assemblies which cooperate with drive rollers (all of which are located upstream of the sewing head) and the conventional bottom feed action of the lower feed dogs on a sewing machine to capture any excess length or slack of the garment\s panels between the locking jaws (to match the cuffs ) and then to drive any excess slack out of the panels as they are fed to the sewing head to be sewn.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for automatically matching the trailing edges of two overlaid workpiece panels as they are simultaneously transported to a sewing workstation where side edges of the panels are sewn together, comprising: conveyor means (6a, 6b) for transporting said panels (2,4) to the workstation (111)

An apparatus for automatically matching the trailing edges of two overlaid workpiece panels as they are simultaneously transported to a sewing workstation where side edges of the panels are sewn together, comprising: conveyor means (6a, 6b) for transporting said panels (2,4) to the workstation (111); a plurality of sensor means, (13a, 13b, 13c) disposed upsteam of said workstation and along the transporting path (5a, 5b) of said panels, for sensing the trailing edge of said panels such that when one of said sensor means detects the trailing edge of a panel, said conveyor is de-energized and movement of said panels towards the workstation ceases; a first fabric engaging means, (12a, 12b) energized when movement of said panels cease, to engage said panel whose trailing edge has not been detected by one of said sensore means, to advance said panel for a predetermined distance towards said workstation; a first fabric gripping and locking means, (16a, 16b) energized when said first fabric engaging means is de-energized, for gripping both of said panels upstream of said worstation; a second fabric engaging means (14a, 14b) energized to engage said panel which was first detected by one of said sensors and advance said panel in the direction of said workstation until the trailing edges of both of said panels are even one with the other; a second gripping and locking means (18a, 18b) for gripping both of said panels such that an amount of both panels (15) is now trapped between said first and second gripping and locking means; and means for re-energizing said conveyor means to continue movement of said panels towards said workstation with said workpiece panels being continuously tensioned by said gripping and locking means and said conveyor means until the first of said locking means releases said panels proximate said workstation followed by the second one of said locking means releasing said panels just before the trailing edges of said workpiece panels are introduced to the workstation.