Patent · US Expired

Workpiece positioning apparatus

US5540164A · kind A · utility

2Cited by
4References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 28, 1995
Grant dateJul 30, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 28, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
  • CPC primaryD05B35/102
  • WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Two workpiece portions (30, 32) that are to be stitched together along a stitching path (28) each have a stitching region (24, 26) which corresponds to the stitching path (28), but which is so shaped that the regions do not overlap when the workpieces (30, 32) are in a substantially flat condition. Thus some three-dimensional shaping is imparted to the portions during stitching. Each of the workpiece portions (30, 32) is clamped between two rollers (10, 12, 24) one of which is driven and the other freely rotatable, the driven rollers (10, 12) serving to distort the stitching regions into a desired overlapping position progressively in preparation for each successive stitching operation. The rollers are also bodily movable to advance the workpiece portions (30, 32) step-by-step through the operating locality (4) of the sewing machine. For sensing when the stitching regions are in the desired overlapping relationship suitable edge sensing means (40, 42, 44) is provided.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.