Abstract:
A method for garment manufacture fixes a smaller panel to a larger piece of body fabric using adhesive to form a panel/body fabric assembly that provides at least one of smoothness, fit adjustability, support and/or control to the a garment. The adhesive is applied to a predetermined limited region of the panel. The adhesive is a thermosetting adhesive. After the adhesive is applied, the body fabric is assembled to the panel. A system of fixing the panel to the body fabric provides a coordinate surface that supports and places the body fabric and the panel in a fixed predetermined location. An adhesive dispenser is positioned relative to the coordinate surface by a controller based upon the coordinates of the panel on the coordinate surface. The dispenser then dispenses adhesive on the. The system aligns and assembles the body fabric to the panel to form the body fabric/panel assembly.
Abstract:
An air-equipped table is disclosed which includes a frame mounted table top of sturdy, planar construction. The table top is formed with a laminate of a thin top hardboard layer, a thin bottom hardboard layer and a relatively thick particle board layer sandwiched therebetween. A plurality of air distribution channels are formed in the particle board layer prior to lamination to provide an integral air distribution system beneath the table top surface. A plurality of equally spaced orifices are drilled through the thin top layer to communicate with the air distribution channels in a manner to provide a uniform air cushion over the table surface. An air moving unit is interconnected with the air distribution channels and is designed to provide either air pressure or suction forces at the plurality of orifices.
Abstract:
An apparatus is disclosed for working on sheet material, such as woven and non-woven fabrics, plastic or paper with a tool which translates over the sheet material to perform a cutting, plotting or other material processing operation. The apparatus holds the sheet material down during the operation and includes a table, such as a vacuum table, which supports the material, either a single sheet or a layup of the material, and a fluid compartment which is positioned over and exposes the material to pressurized air to force the material onto the supporting surface of the table. While maintaining a region of increased air pressure in the immediate vicinity of the tool, the compartment may be translated along one or two orthogonal directions in conjunction with the movements of the tool. The compartment is open or perforated at the side confronting the material to expose the material to the air under pressure within the compartment. When appropriate, a sheet of impervious material may be overlaid on a layup of the material to increase the effective pressure on each ply of the layup.
Abstract:
A transfer table system includes a plurality of stationary work tables positioned with their respective longitudinal axes in parallel spaced relationship and a transfer table movable into end to end juxtaposition with the work tables. The transfer table and the work tables each include a boundary layer of pressurized air above the table top to facilitate the transfer of previously stacked layers of cloth between the work tables and the transfer table.
Abstract:
A mobile air-equipped transfer table and method of using the transfer table is disclosed. The transfer table includes a perforated top and an air system to provide uniform quantities of pressurized air at the table top openings. Gearmotor drives are mounted at each end of the transfer table to rotate frictional, floor contacting drive wheels. In use, the transfer table is moved to a position adjacent to a stationary, air-equipped table and the pressurized air systems of both tables are energized. A boundary layer of pressurized air is formed at each table top to allow a single operator to move heavy loads from one table to the other. In a preferred arrangement, spreading, cutting and bundling tables are arranged in side by side juxtaposition and the transfer table is moved in tracks into longitudinal alignment with each of the tables to serially advance a layered fabric spread from table to table.
Abstract:
TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR A WEB MATERIAL PROCESSING MACHINE COMPRISING A SUPPORT HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL TABLETOP SURFACE FORMED WITH AN ARRAY OF COMPRESSED-AIR NOZZLE OPENINGS AND DIVIDED INTO A PLURALITY OF NOZZLE FIELD ZONES EXTENDING IN THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF A WEB OF MATERIAL BEING FOLDED THEREON, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING COMPRESSED AIR SELECTIVELY TO THE NOZZLES OF ONE OF THE FIELD ZONES SO AS TO FORM AN AIR CUSHION UNDERLYING THE FOLDED WEB MATERIAL LOCATED OVER THE ONE FIELD ZONE.
Abstract:
In an apparatus for minimizing vacuum losses from a permeable support surface having one or more layers of sheet-type work material positioned thereon, the support surface includes opposed lateral edge surfaces, each defining an upper and lower section. At least two upper seals are coupled to the frame, each engaging the upper section of one of the lateral edge surfaces and extending approximately the length of the support surface. At least two side seals are also provided and are coupled to the frame, each engaging the side section of one of the lateral edge surfaces and also extending approximately the length of the support surface. During operation of the apparatus, vacuum is drawn through the permeable support surface and causes the upper and side seals to be drawn and held against the lateral side sections, forming a seal there against.
Abstract:
In an apparatus for retaining one or more layers of sheet type work material on a permeable support surface, at least two vacuum manifolds are positioned under the support surface, each defining at least one vacuum inlet for drawing vacuum therethrough. Proportional control valves are coupled to the manifolds for selectively controlling the location and intensity of the vacuum being drawn, such that work material positioned on the support surface is held thereto by the vacuum drawn through the inlets and the support surface. The intensity of the vacuum is selectively controlled by the valves to concentrate vacuum in the area along the work material where a work operation is being performed.
Abstract:
A shelf-like anvil with a field-area thereof provided with perforations communicating with a pneumatically evacuatable plenum chamber. A relatively porous and areally broad sheet material is laid directly against the anvil so as to cover the pneumatically evacuatable openings, and the lower-surface of a relatively non-porous and areally smaller backing is superimposed upon the sheet material and vertically overlying the anvil multiperforate field-area whereby the backing-sheet combination is pneumatically secured together and also pneumatically clamped to the anvil. The secured backing-sheet combination remains clamped to the anvil so long as the plenum chamber subatmospheric pressure is maintained whereby the clamped backing-sheet combination is amenable to a variety of operational treatments including joining the sheet material to a relatively inflexible backing as a fold-form, which folding and joinder can be embodied into novel apparatus.
Abstract:
A vacuum hold down table includes a surface sheet having perforations arranged so as to reduce surface cracking when the surface sheet is subject to forces during use of the table; the perforations may also be arranged to that a greater hold down force is produced in that portion of the table where the workpiece will be located, this may be accompanied by varying the hole diameter and/or hole spacing.