MAGIC BINDING MAKER

Abstract

A creasing device for preparing creased fabric strips includes an upper housing member and a lower housing member joined together by a hinge assembly. The housing members have a pair of opposed guide surfaces and at least one creasing ridge adjacent to one of the guide surfaces. The housing members can be rotated with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position. The creasing device has a latch assembly that secures the housing members together in the closed position. A method of preparing creased fabric strips with the creasing device includes disposing a folded first end of a fabric strip in the device; drawing the fabric strip over the creasing ridge to impart a longitudinal crease in the fabric strip; and extending the fold from the folded first end along a length of the fabric strip as it is passed through the device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to quilt-making and in particular to a method and device for preparing binding for quilts involving creasing a folded fabric strip without the use of an ironing device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Quilts are prepared using a plurality of layers, including a woven cover sheet, a woven backing sheet and batting therebetween. Typical construction also includes a binding which is a cloth or other type of creased strip secured to the periphery of the quilt in order to bind the various layers together and prevent separation during use.

In the prior art, cloth binding strips are folded and creased with an iron or other heating device. Some seamstresses also use a thumbnail to crease the folded fabric, but this method requires a relatively high level of skill and is subject to variations in the creased product which can be wasteful and/or unsightly in the finished quilt.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention utilizes a creasing device to impart a crease to a folded fabric strip by way of feeding the folded fabric strip to the device, advancing the folded fabric strip between an opposed pair of guiding surfaces and drawing the folded fabric strip over one or more creasing ridges before the strip exits the device, preferably in the absence of heating the strip. The guiding surfaces typically are adjacent to a pair of perpendicular edge guides to further guide the strip through the device and provide uniformity to the creased strip.

In an aspect of the present invention, a creasing device for preparing creased fabric strips comprises an upper housing member as well as a lower housing member joined together by a hinge assembly, such that the upper and lower housing members can be rotated with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position and wherein the upper and lower housing members have a pair of opposed guide surfaces and at least one creasing ridge adjacent one of the guide surfaces; and a latch assembly securing the housing members together in a closed position.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of preparing creased fabric strips comprises disposing a folded first end of a fabric strip in a creasing device having a creasing ridge; drawing the fabric strip over the creasing ridge to impart a longitudinal crease in the fabric strip; and extending the fold from the folded first end along a length of the fabric strip as it is passed through the creasing device.

A typical construction of the device includes an upper housing member with a guide surface hinged to a lower housing member with another guide surface so that the device may be opened or closed, and one or more latches for securing the upper and lower housing members together in a closed position where the device has a feed opening and a binding exit. A pair of edge guides perpendicular to the guide surfaces keep the strip on track while it is drawn through the device over one or more creasing ridges so that the folded strip maintains the desired orientation with respect to the device.

Inasmuch as it is common to stitch strips together for longer lengths of binding, the latch or latches are preferably resilient or elastomeric, for example, silicone rubber, such that the device has some “give” so that it can accommodate the added thickness of a stitched-on strip extension without jamming as the strip is drawn through the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a front elevation view of a creasing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, shown in a closed position;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view thereof;

FIG. 1C is another perspective view thereof, shown in use in an open position;

FIG. 1D is another perspective view thereof;

FIG. 1E is a left side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 1F is a right side elevation view thereof;

FIG. 2A is a folding step in a method of creasing fabric according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2B is an insertion step thereof into the creasing device of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2C is a positioning step thereof;

FIG. 2D is a creasing step thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the creasing device of FIG. 1A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is a creasing device operative to crease a folded fabric strip without the need for an iron or other heating device.

The invention is described in detail in connection with the drawings below wherein FIGS. 1A through 1F show various views of the creasing device,

FIGS. 2A through 2D illustrate operation of the creasing device and FIG. 3 is an enlarged version of FIG. 1C with labels indicating salient parts.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a creasing device 10 comprising an upper housing member 12 as well as a lower housing member 14. The upper housing member has a pair of outer hinge elements 16, 18 coupling it to the lower housing member with inner hinge elements 20, 22. The housing members have a pair of opposed guide surfaces 24, 26. Surface 24 of upper housing member 12 has a pair of slots 28, 30 provided to accommodate a pair of perpendicular edge guides 32, 34 provided on lower housing member 14. Upper housing member 12 has a creasing ridge 36 at a forwardmost position of guide surface 24, while lower housing member 14 has a creasing ridge 38 at a forwardmost position of guide surface 26. Ridges 36, 38 project away from their adjacent guide surfaces a slight distance on the order of a millimeter or so (0.5 to 3 millimeters typically) to provide a crease to a folded fabric strip 40 as is discussed below and illustrated in FIG. 2.

To facilitate passage of the fabric strip, a pair of rollers 42, 44 adjacent rearwardmost positions of the guide surfaces are provided which form a roller nip when the device is in a closed position.

Also provided is a latch assembly 46 which is used to secure the upper housing member to the lower housing member in a closed position. Preferably, the latch assembly is resilient or elastomeric in order to accommodate a stitched (double thickness) fabric strip which may be used because a quilt may be of larger dimensions than the fabric source. To this end, the latch assembly may be constructed in the form of silicone rubber bands indicated at 48, 50.

Operation of the device is described with reference to FIGS. 2A through 2D. In FIG. 2A, there is shown a folded fabric strip prior to creasing. In FIGS. 2B and 2C the folded strip is fed to the creasing device from a feed entrance at the rear portion of the device in an open position. In FIG. 2D the device is latched to a closed position over the strip such that the creasing edges engage the strip which is subsequently drawn over the creasing edges to crease the fold into the strip to produce the creased binding strip which is extracted from an exit of the device as shown. It will be appreciated from the diagrams that it is only necessary to fold the strip at one end, since the device will automatically fold the strip as additional length is drawn through the creasing device.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A method of preparing creased fabric strips, comprising: disposing a folded first end of a fabric strip in a creasing device having a creasing ridge;drawing the fabric strip over the creasing ridge to impart a longitudinal crease in the fabric strip; andextending the fold from the folded first end along a length of the fabric strip as it is passed through the creasing device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the creasing device comprises: (a) an upper housing member as well as a lower housing member joined together by a hinge assembly, such that the upper and lower housing members can be rotated with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position and wherein the upper and lower housing members have a pair of opposed guide surfaces and the creasing ridge adjacent one of the opposed guide surfaces; and(b) a latch assembly securing the upper and lower housing members together in the closed position.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the latch assembly is resilient.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the latch assembly includes an elastomeric band.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the elastomeric band is formed of silicone rubber.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the creasing device further comprises at least one additional creasing ridge adjacent the other of the opposed guide surfaces at a forwardmost position with respect to the opposed guide surfaces.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein one of the upper and lower housing members has a pair of slots positioned adjacent a guide surface and configured to accommodate a pair of perpendicular edge guides disposed on the other housing member adjacent the other guide surface.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein a pair of rollers adjacent rearwardmost positions of the opposed guide surfaces are provided which form a roller nip when the creasing device is in the closed position.

9. A creasing device for preparing creased fabric strips comprising: (a) an upper housing member as well as a lower housing member joined together by a hinge assembly, such that the upper and lower housing members can be rotated with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position and wherein the upper and lower housing members have a pair of opposed guide surfaces and at least one creasing ridge adjacent one of the opposed guide surfaces; and(b) a latch assembly securing the upper and lower housing members together in the closed position.

10. The creasing device according to claim 9, wherein the latch assembly is resilient.

11. The creasing device according to claim 10, wherein the latch assembly includes an elastomeric band.

12. The creasing device according to claim 11, wherein the elastomeric band is formed of silicone rubber.

13. The creasing device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one creasing ridge comprises creasing ridges adjacent both of the opposed guide surfaces at a forwardmost position with respect to the opposed guide surfaces.

14. The creasing device according to claim 9, wherein one of the upper and lower housing members has a pair of slots positioned adjacent a guide surface and configured to accommodate a pair of perpendicular edge guides disposed on the other housing member adjacent the other guide surface.

15. The creasing device according to claim 9, wherein a pair of rollers adjacent rearwardmost positions of the opposed guide surfaces are provided which form a roller nip when the creasing device is in the closed position.