The present invention relates to a template clamping apparatus.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template.
The art of making a hand-made quilt for covering a bed or the like requires much skill and patience and is labor intensive. However, the end product is often a work of art that is completely unique in both appearance and texture.
Basically, a quilt is made up of a mosaic of small pieces of fabric or cloth material. These small pieces of cloth material are cut from various rolls of material and are then sewn together to make the quilt. The small pieces of cloth which may for example be about 4 inches by 4 inches may all be of the same shape such as a square. Alternatively, these pieces may be of various shapes such as a rectangles, triangles or other shapes. However, the periphery of each piece of cloth must usually consist of at least three straight sides. Each straight side is sewn to an adjacent straight side of another piece of material. This stitching is along a line approximately one quarter of an inch away from and parallel to the straight sides of an adjacent piece. Usually, a template is pressed against the material to hold the material so that the piece of material can be accurately cut around the outer edges of the template by a hand-held rotary cutter. The quilt template is made from a translucent material such as Perspex or the like. For example, a triangular quilt template will be used for cutting a piece of fabric having three straight sides. Additionally, the template will typically include a dashed line imprinted one quarter inch inbound relative to the periphery of the template to indicate to the quilt maker that the adjacent sides of the pieces to be sewn together must be sewn one quarter inch from the respective and adjacent straight sides.
The art of quilt making requires great skill and often the materials used for cutting out quilt pieces are very costly. However, although quilt making is costly and time consuming, the resultant quilt product may become a work of art with each resultant quilt being completely unique.
Nevertheless, the use of various quilt templates for firmly holding down the material during cutting has proved to be difficult. More particularly, when trying to press the template against the material with one hand and trying to accurately cut the material around the template with the other hand, slippage of the material relative to the template can occurs. Such slippage of the material will cause the piece of material to be cut inaccurately. Consequently, such faulty pieces must often be discarded.
The present invention provides a unique apparatus for firmly pressing and holding the quilt template against the material. The apparatus of the present invention also allows several layers of the stacked material to be cut along the peripheral edges of the quilt template at the same time.
The present invention relates to a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template. The apparatus includes a base which has an upper surface and a lower surface. A turntable is supported by the base, the turntable defining a working surface which is rotatable relative to the base. An arm is rigidly connected to the base, the arm having a first and a second end. A clamp is connected to the second end of the arm such that when the clamp is disposed in a loading disposition thereof, loading of the fabric between the quilt making template and the turntable is permitted. However, when the clamp is disposed in a clamping disposition thereof, the fabric is clamped between the quilt making template and the turntable. The arrangement is such that when the clamp is disposed in the clamping disposition, relative movement between the quilt making template and the fabric is inhibited. At the same time, the apparatus enables the fabric sandwiched between the turntable and the quilt making template to rotate relative to the base so that cutting of the fabric in conformity with the quilt making template is facilitated.
In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the base is cut from a rigid sheet of material and the sheet of material is fabricated from a plastics material.
Also, the base includes a plurality of spaced support legs.
Moreover, the turntable includes a first portion which defines a plurality of spaced recesses. A plurality of ball bearings is arranged such that a ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings is disposed within each of the spaced recesses.
Additionally, a second portion of the turntable defines at least one concentric track such that each one of the ball bearings cooperates with the at least one concentric track such that relative rotation between the first portion and the second portion of the turntable is permitted.
In this manner, the turntable is bearingly supported for rotation relative to the base.
Also, the first end of the arm is rigidly anchored to the base. A brace has a first and a second extremity, with the first extremity of the brace being rigidly secured to the base. The second extremity of the brace is rigidly secured to the arm between the first end and the second end of the arm.
The arm includes a first part which extends upwardly from the base. A second part of the arm extends from the first part, the second part extending horizontally and spaced relative to the base.
A block is connected to the second end of the arm, the block defining a bore.
Additionally, a lever is connected to the block, the lever having a first extremity and a second extremity.
Moreover, the clamp includes a rod which slidably cooperates with the bore of the block, the rod having a proximal end and a distal end.
The first extremity of the lever is pivotally connected to the proximal end of the rod. A link has a first end and a second end. The lever is pivoted between the first extremity of the lever and the second extremity of the lever to the first end of the link. The second end of the link is pivoted to the block. The arrangement is such that when the lever is disposed in a first location thereof, the clamp is disposed in the loading disposition and when the lever is disposed in a second location thereof, the clamp 34 is disposed in the clamping disposition.
Also, an anchor is rigidly secured to the second end of the arm for adjustably securing the block relative to the second end of the arm.
Furthermore, the clamp further includes a coupling which is secured to the distal end of the rod. The coupling defines a recess.
Additionally, a bearing cooperates with and is at least partially disposed within the recess of the coupling.
Further, a template holder is supported by the bearing such that relative rotation between the template holder and the distal end of the rod is permitted. The arrangement is such that when the clamp is in the clamping disposition thereof, rotation of the turntable rotates the fabric, the template and the template holder to facilitate cutting the fabric along a pattern defined by the template.
More particularly, the template holder includes a suction pad.
Also, a cutting sheet is disposed between the fabric and the turntable for protecting the turntable during cutting of the fabric.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template that facilitates cutting of the fabric.
Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template that reduces the possibly of fabric wastage due to incorrect cutting of the fabric.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template that prevents any slippage of the fabric relative to the template thus reducing the possibly of fabric wastage of the fabric.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a template clamping apparatus for clamping a fabric against a quilt making template that increases the rate of production of the number of pieces cut from the material.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention contained herein.
Many modifications and variations of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the present invention. However, such modifications and variations fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the various views of the drawings.
The art of quilt making requires much skill and the rolls of materials from which quilt pieces are cut can be very costly. However, although quilt making is expensive and time consuming, the end product may turn out to be a work of art with each resultant quilt being completely unique.
Nevertheless, the use of various quilt templates for pressing and firmly holding down the material during cutting has proved to be difficult. More particularly, slippage of the material relative to the template may occur when attempting to hold down the template with one hand and cutting around the template with the other hand. If slippage occurs, the pieces that are cut are not of the required shape and must be discarded. The present invention provides a unique apparatus that firmly presses and holds the quilt template against the material or even several layers of the material while it is cut along the edges of the quilt template.
In a more specific embodiment of the present invention, the base 16 is cut from a rigid sheet of material 38. The sheet of material 38 is fabricated from a plastics material.
Also, the base 16 includes a plurality of spaced support legs 40, 41 and 42.
In this way, the turntable 22 is bearingly supported for rotation relative to the base 16 as indicated by the arrow 26.
As shown in
The arm 28 includes a first part 64 which extends upwardly from the base 16. A second part 66 of the arm 28 extends from the first part 64, the second part 66 extending horizontally and spaced relative to the base 16.
As shown in
Moreover, the clamp 34 includes a rod 78 which slidably cooperates with the bore 70 of the block 68, the rod 78 having a proximal end 80 and a distal end 82.
The first extremity 74 of the lever 72 is pivotally connected to the proximal end 80 of the rod 78. A link 73 has a first end 75 and a second end 77. The lever 72 is pivotally connected to the first end 75 of the link 73 between the first extremity 74 of the lever 72 and the second extremity 76 of the lever 72. The second end 77 of the link 73 is pivotally connected to the block 68. The arrangement is such that when the lever 72 is disposed in a first location thereof as shown in
As shown in
Furthermore, the clamp 34 further includes a coupling 86 which is secured to the distal end 82 of the rod 78. The coupling 86 defines a recess 88.
Additionally, a bearing 90 cooperates with and is at least partially disposed within the recess 88 of the coupling 86.
As shown in
More particularly, the template holder 92 includes a suction pad 96.
Also, a cutting sheet 98 is disposed between the fabric 12 and the turntable 22 for protecting the working surface 24 turntable 22 during cutting of the fabric 12.
In operation of the template clamping apparatus 10, the fabric 12 is placed on the cutting sheet 98 as shown in
The present invention provides a unique template clamping apparatus that greatly assists in the making of a quilt.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1788417 | Weis | Jan 1931 | A |
2145060 | Stroop | Jan 1939 | A |
4646666 | Burrier | Mar 1987 | A |
4685408 | Frye | Aug 1987 | A |
5024174 | Ferguson | Jun 1991 | A |
5557996 | Reber | Sep 1996 | A |
5647292 | Morgulis | Jul 1997 | A |
5860375 | Williams | Jan 1999 | A |
6321457 | Lariviere, Jr. | Nov 2001 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20230295850 A1 | Sep 2023 | US |