摘要:
The quilting of rectangular comforter bags, mattress cover panels or other similar panels is provided without the need to premount the panel on a rectangular frame. A leading edge clamp is preattached along the leading edge of a panel and the clamp is fed from an operator station to the upstream end of a shuttle movably mounted on the frame of a programmed single needle quilting machine. Opposed belt conveyors on opposite sides of the shuttle advance the clamp and pull the panel onto the shuttle, with the belts gripping the side edges of the panel as it is pulled. A trailing edge clamp bar frictionally engages the panel to provide trailing edge securement to the panel, with the belts and leading edge clamp providing securement around the other edges to stretch the panel on the shuttle. The shuttle reciprocates longitudinally under a sewing head that moves transversely on the frame at a quilting station, while the sewing head operates to stitch a pattern in the panel. A pickup head then engages the clamp and directs it along a conveyor across an outfeed table at the top of the frame, pulling the quilted panel over the table where the clamp is released to drop the panel on the table, where it is folded and conveyed to a stacker. When a first quilted panel is free of the shuttle, another front edge clamp similarly pulls another panel onto the shuttle. When a clamp has released a panel at the outfeed table, it is returned by the conveyor to the operator station for reuse.
摘要:
A quilting machine has at least one needle and looper set for forming chain-stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress ticking, preferably a panel of the continuous web clamped stationary on a frame. The stitch forming elements are mounted on separate heads that move independently transversely relative to the panel on a bridge that moves longitudinally relative to the panel. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate linear servos. The needle and looper are each driven by a linear servo having an armature to which the element is directly fixed to reciprocate without intervening mechanical linkage assemblies. A controller drives the servos to chain-stitch patterns, differentially move the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection and to phase the needle and looper to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection. The controller determines or predicts needle deflection, either based on stored empirically determined data or optical sensing, and generates deflection compensation signals to drive the servos.
摘要:
A quilting machine is provided having at least one set of single needle stitch forming elements for forming chain stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress cover. The machine is preferably web fed, with a panel of the continuous web being clamped and held stationary on a frame. The elements include a needle and a looper mounted on separate heads that are independently moveable transversely on a bridge, which is moveable longitudinally on the frame. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate servos. Each head is driven by a separate servo. A controller drives the servos to chain stitch patterns and differentially moves the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection. The drives of the needle and looper are phased to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection. The controller stores empirically determined data and responds to control signals or sensors to determine deflection and calculate the needle deflection compensation from which it generates deflection compensation signals to drive the servos.
摘要:
A quilting machine has at least one needle and looper set for forming chain-stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress ticking, preferably a panel of the continuous web clamped stationary on a frame. The stitch forming elements are mounted on separate heads that move independently transversely relative to the panel on a bridge that moves longitudinally relative to the panel. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate linear servos. The needle and looper are each driven by a linear servo having an armature to which the element is directly fixed to reciprocate without intervening mechanical linkage assemblies. A controller drives the servos to chain-stitch patterns, differentially move the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection and to phase the needle and looper to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection. The controller determines or predicts needle deflection, either based on stored empirically determined data or optical sensing, and generates deflection compensation signals to drive the servos.
摘要:
A quilting machine is provided having at least one set of single needle stitch forming elements for forming chain stitched patterns on a thick multilayered material such as a mattress cover. The machine is preferably web-fed, with a panel of the continuous web being clamped and held stationary on a frame. The stitch forming elements include a needle and a looper mounted on separate heads that are independently moveable on a bridge transversely relative to the panel, which is moveable longitudinally relative to the frame. The bridge is longitudinally moved by a servo and the heads are transversely moved on the bridge by separate servos. The stitching elements on each head are driven by separate servos. A controller drives the servos to chain stitch patterns and differentially move the heads transversely to account for transverse needle deflection. The drives of the needle and looper are phased to compensate for longitudinal needle deflection. The controller determines or predicts needle deflection. It may store empirically determined data and respond to control signals and/or sensors to determine or predict deflection and to calculate the needle deflection compensation, in response to which it generates deflection compensation signals to drive the servos. Infrared, LED or magnetic deflection sensors are preferred, but many other types are or will become available that will be suitable.
摘要:
Quilts (120) are made from unquilted comforter bags (206) without premounting the panel on a rectangular frame (11,11a). A leading edge clamp (50,250) is preattached along the leading edge of a panel and fed from an operator station (15) onto a shuttle (20) movably mounted on the frame of a programmed single needle quilting machine (10,10a). Opposed belt conveyors (61,62) on opposite sides of the shuttle (20) advance the clamp (50,250) and pull the panel onto the shuttle (20), gripping the side edges of the panel as it is pulled. A trailing edge clamp bar (48) frictionally engages the panel as the panel is pulled onto the shuttle (20). The shuttle (20) reciprocates longitudinally under a sewing head (18) that moves transversely on the frame (11,11a) to stitch a pattern in the panel. A pickup head (86) engages the clamp (50,250) on the shuttle (20) and moves it to an outfeed table (81,281) at the top of the frame where the clamp (50,250) releases the quilted panel (120), folded once, onto the table (81,281) from which it conveyed to a stacker (200) by belt conveyors (82) or a moveable conveyor table (283). Preferably, the quilted panels (120) are conveyed to an elevator platform (302) at the operator station (15) that lowers a stack (320) of quilts (120) onto a cart (204) on which the unquilted panels (206) were supplied. When a quilted panel (120) is free of the shuttle (20), another front edge clamp (50,250) is clamped to the next panel to similarly pull it onto the shuttle (20). When a clamp (50,250) has released a quilted panel (120) at the outfeed table (81,281), it is returned by the pickup head (86) to the operator station (15) where it is released for reuse.
摘要:
A multi-needle quilting machine (10) and method in which provided bridges (21,22) are provided having selectively operable stitching element pairs (90). Either the material or the bridges or both may be moved relative to the frame. Control schemes are provided to quilt continuous patterns, discrete patterns, linked multiple patterns, 360 degree patterns, closely spaced patterns. A plurality of small presser feet (158) are provided, each for one or more needles (132), with a wide spacing for material passage between the needle and looper plates. Combinations of intermittent and continuous feed and feed transition are employed during tack sequence sewing and other direction reversals in sewing, as well as double needle guards and thread deflection.
摘要:
A multi-needle quilting machine (10) and method are provided, in most embodiments of which needles (132) reciprocate horizontally through material (12) supported in a vertical quilting plane (16). Two or more bridges (21,22) are provided having separate motion control. Each bridge (21,22) has a row of selectively operable stitching element pairs (90), which may be fixed to or transversely moveable on the bridges (21,22). Either the material or the bridges may be moved relative to the frame. The bridges (21,22) each move transversely and vertically with the stitching elements (90) on each bridge can operate at different speeds. Each of the needle drives (25) and, in some embodiments the looper drives (26), can be selectively activated and deactivated. Control schemes are provided to quilt continuous patterns, discrete patterns, linked multiple patterns, 360 degree patterns, closely spaced patterns. A plurality of small presser feet (158) are provided, each for one or more needles (132). Looper adjustment, thread cutting and thread tension control are provided, as well as other features set forth in the specification. Thread tail wipe and tuck techniques, missed stitch avoidance, stitching element timing, tacking sequences, and other features are disclosed.
摘要:
A quilting machine includes a multiple needle quilter with a panel cutter located in-line therewith and downstream thereof and having an accumulator therebetween. A programmable controller operates the quilter to stitch a programmed series of one or more patterns on a web. A feed roller angular encoder measures the quilted web length fed under tension to the accumulator. A detector signals when the accumulator is full, whereupon the controller causes web to be fed from the accumulator to the panel cutter, where it passes without tension thereon toward a photo sensor. The photo sensor signals the controller which activates the cutter to sever a predetermined panel length from the web. The controller then reads information from the encoder and the accumulator detector to determine the amount of stressed quilt required to replenish the cutoff panel length. The ratio of measurements is then processed to determine the elongation change or "shrinkage", which information is used to control the relative feed at the quilter, cutter and fabric supply and to track the quilted patterns and splices in the fabric of the web through the machine.
摘要:
Polishing machines, fixtures and methods for polishing one or more optical fibers upon distinct wear paths are provided. For example, in some embodiments a polishing fixture is provided with a number of ports for fixing optical fibers. The ports may be positioned within the fixture to follow a number of distinct wear paths when the fixture is moved relative to a platen retaining an abrasive film. In some embodiments, the ports may have an angular separation or be positioned at one or more radial distances in order to provide distinct wear paths on the abrasive film.