A workpiece detector for a sewing machine including a rotatable detecting lever in which small angular displacements at the end of the detecting lever, caused by differences in workpiece thickness, are multiplied mechanically causing the rotation of an electrical converter. Detectable output signals are generated such that overlapping of workpieces or the end of a workpiece may be detected during stitching. The length of the detecting lever is adjustable such that the detecting point may be varied.
A motor-driven sewing machine and method of making the same that includes a needle movable between advanced and retracted positions through a sewing station, a mechanism for controllably advancing the peripheral portion of a work piece past the sewing point and a mechanism for causing the sewing machine to apply stitches to the work piece border as the work piece automatically moves through the sewing station. The sewing machine is provided with a specifically configured feed dog and a presser foot which controllably moves the work piece along a work piece fence surface so that precisely configured stitches are expeditiously formed along the border of the work piece.
A strip of acetate of a selected length is cut from a ribbon of acetate by a heated cutting wire after the strip has a middle portion clamped between two pairs of fingers. A first outer portion of the strip is then folded beneath the middle portion of the strip at an angle thereto and adjacent thereto after which a second outer portion of the strip is folded at an angle to both the first outer portion and the middle portion and adjacent the first outer portion. The folded portions of the strip are held in the folded relationship as the fingers are advanced to an attaching apparatus at which the portions of the strip are attached to each other to form a bow and to a garment. Activation of the attaching apparatus is prevented if the operator has an extremity disposed in an area where the extremity will be struck by a portion of the attaching apparatus during activation of the attaching apparatus.
An automated labeling apparatus is provided for positioning and applying identifying labels on predetermined positions along a layup of sheet material prior to cutting. The apparatus includes multiple labeling carriage assemblies mounted on a support beam for independent movement thereon. At least one label printer-load station is attached to the apparatus so as to be accessible to the labeling carriage assemblies for providing preprinted identifying labels. A central processing computer controls movement of the support beam and the labeling carriage assemblies as well as the functioning of the label printer-load station so as to coordinate operation of the labeling carriage assemblies for efficient operation.
A method and device for controlling movement of the needle in a sewing machine (1) based on a detection device (27), which detects the movements of the visible surface of the manually displaceable article to be sewn (3) is provided. The stitch formation of the sewing machine (1) is controlled by detected changes in positions of the article to be sewn (3) in connection with a predetermined stitch length. The detection device (27) can be integrated into a sewing foot (23) entirely or partially.
