Claims
- 1. In a method of forming folded hems in the edge portions of the sheets of cloth and the like wherein a series of sheets of cloth are moved along a path with the edge of each sheet to be hemmed extending approximately parallel to the path and the edge portion of each sheet of cloth is moved through a folder and folded over in the folder and the folded edge portion is moved through a sewing machine and is sewn, the improvement therein of prior to the step of sewing the folded edge portion moving a band member along its length into contact with each sheet of cloth at a position adjacent its folded edge portion and moving the band member along its length while in contact with each sheet of cloth adjacent the sewing machine at a linear velocity approximately the same as the rate at which the edge portions of the sheets of cloth are moved through the sewing machine, detecting the trailing edge of each sheet of cloth as the trailing edge of each sheet of cloth approaches the sewing machine, and decreasing the linear velocity of the band member in response to the detection of the trailing edge of each sheet of cloth to retard the movement of the trailing edge of the sheet of cloth at a position adjacent the folded over edge portion so that the trailing edge of the folded over edge portion becomes located ahead of the trailing edge of the sheet of cloth.
- 2. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of increasing the linear velocity of the band member back to approximately the same as the rate at which the edge portions of the sheets of cloth are moved through the sewing machine prior to moving another sheet of cloth into the sewing machine.
- 3. A method of forming a folded hem at an edge of each of a series of sheets of cloth and the like comprising moving a series of sheets of cloth along a path with the edges to be hemmed extending along the path, folding the edges to be hemmed, moving the folded edge of each sheet of cloth through a sewing machine at an approximately constant rate of speed and sewing the folded edge, detecting the trailing edge of each sheet of cloth as the trailing edge of each sheet of cloth approaches the sewing machine, and in response to the detection retarding the movement of the trailing edge portion of each sheet of cloth adjacent its folded edge as the trailing edge portion approaches the sewing machine while the folded edge of the sheet of cloth continues to move at an approximately constant rate of speed through the sewing machine so that the trailing edge of the folded over edge portion become located ahead of the trailing edge of the sheet of cloth.
- 4. In apparatus for forming folded hems in the edge portions of lengths of cloth and the like including means for moving cloth lengths in sequence along a path with the edges to be hemmed extending along the path, folding means positioned at one edge of the path for folding over the edge portion of the cloth lengths, a sewing machine adjacent said folding means for sewing through the folded edge portion of each cloth length, said sewing machine including feed dogs for pulling the folded edge portion through the sewing machine, detecting means for detecting the movement of the trailing edge portions of the lengths of cloth into said sewing machine, endless band means including a lower flight movable along its length into contact with and along the path of the lengths of cloth as the lengths of cloth move through said folder and sewing machine at a position adjacent the folded edge portion of the lengths of cloth, said endless band means being responsive to said detecting means to decrease the rate of movement of its lower flight to a rate slower than the rate at which the feed dogs of the sewing machine pull the lengths of cloth through the sewing machine to retard the movement of the portion of the lengths of cloth adjacent the folded edge portion thereof as the sewing machine sews through the folded edge portion at the trailing edge portion of the lengths of cloth.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 799,786 filed May 23, 1977 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,180.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
799286 |
May 1977 |
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