Lopez, Enrique (El Paso, TX)
Spidle, Robert D. (El Paso, TX)
Beazley, Aubrey Glenn (El Paso, TX)

05/044710

10/12/1971

06/09/1970

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Farah Manufacturing Company, Inc. (El Paso, TX)

112/470.050

101/287, 112/65, 112/470.360, 112/303, 112/237

A41H43/02; D05B23/00; D05B25/00; D05B33/00; D06H1/02; D05B65/00; A41H43/00; D06H1/00; D05B33/00

112/121.29,121.11,121.12,121.15,2,203,262,65 270/58,53 101/287 12/146C 112/10 271/60

3531107	METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING FABRIC WORKPIECES	September 1970	Rovin et al.
3544098	METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFERRING AND REGISTERING FABRIC WORKPIECES	December 1970	Hawley

Boler, James R.

We claim

1. A machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components each of which component is comprised of a plurality of parts comprising:

2. A machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components each of which component is comprised of a plurality of parts comprising:

3. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for feeding the first and second part of said garment component comprises:

4. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 3 and wherein the means for arresting the means for rotatingly twisting said first and second part, respectively, is operatively interconnected with means for determining a malfunctioning delay and means for signaling said delay.

5. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 4 and wherein the means for sensing a single or a plurality of said first or second parts, respectively, of said garment component is operatively interconnected with means for signaling a malfunctioning event and means for interlockingly arresting an order of like garment components in said machine.

6. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for individually feeding into the machine a first part of said garment component comprises:

7. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for automatic operation includes means for time-delay monitoring of operative events operatively interconnected with said alarm means whereby said alarm means activate means for interlocking the machine to maintain said parts of garment components and said garment components in a serial order and signal a malfunction to an operator.

8. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for signaling an alarm condition is operatively interconnected with means for signaling a lack of material in said means for feeding said first part;

9. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for turning over said second part of said garment component comprise:

10. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for mating said first and second part of said garment component comprises means for urging sidewise said second part of said garment component operatively interconnected with means for gradual elevation of said second part and positioning said second part on top of said first part; and,

11. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for feeding said mated parts of said garment component for sewing of same comprise means for removing a barrier restraining said mater parts;

12. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for sewing together said first and second parts of the garment component including the means for initiating and terminating by said garment component a sewing operation comprise:

13. means for detecting the arrival of said mated first and second part of said garment component said means for detecting the arrival initiating:

14. means for detecting a passage of a trailing edge of said mated first and second part of the garment component being sewn, said means for detecting the passage initiating;

15. means for determining a failure in an upper and lower thread of said sewing machine including means operatively interconnected therewith for stopping said sewing machine upon failure of either of the threads.

16. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing, operatively interconnected with said means for sewing comprises:

17. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for severing successive garment components sewed together by said means for sewing comprises:

18. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for marking of each of said garment components in said series comprise:

19. The machine for automatically producing a series of like garment components as defined in claim 15 and wherein the means for marking of each of said garment components in said series comprises:

20. The machine for automatically producing a series of garment components as defined in claim 1 and wherein the means for stacking said marked garment components comprise:

This invention relates to a machine which assembles and sews items used in producing garments; more particularly, this invention pertains to a machine which assembles a welt or facing patch in a proper "faceup" manner with a stiffener ply, then sews the welting patch and stiffener together, identifies and marks the sewed assembly and removes the same from the machine.

In producing garments having a welting patch used for defining an opening in the garment such as a pocket, for an example a man's pants back pocket, it is necessary to have the welt fabric defining this opening matched as closely as possible to the fabric from which the garment components surrounding the pocket are made. Slight variations in color and shade can easily be discerned by merely looking at the garment and thus, the product obviously cannot be as marketable as one in which these flaws do not stand out. As is well known to those skilled in the art, the variations in color or shade are found in any dyed bolt of fabric, no matter what pains are taken in assuring the correct processing and dyeing of the fabric.

In producing a number of similar garments, it is the accepted practice in the trade to lay out a bolt of cloth on a pattern table about 125 feet in length for a pattern drawing or arranging. This bolt is folded alternatively face side up and face side down for a total of about 120 layers.

Obviously, on laying out this cloth, each of the layers differs from the previous layer in slight degree of shading as it has heretofore been impossible to produce cloth of the same uniform dyeing characteristics or dyed properties. As a consequence, each layer of the cloth or fabric is marked for assembling garments therefrom in as closely related manner as possible. Further, when laying out the patterns, an important consideration is the assembly of garment components from adjacent or similar parts of the fabric. These parts must be incorporated in the garment in a manner such that the closely related, visible components are assembled from the same area of the cloth or fabric.

The fact that the cloth is laid out on these pattern tables face side up and face side down and the component parts of the garment must come from the same vicinity of the cloth has occasioned many problems in assembling the materials. Thus, skilled assemblers have been necessary to lay the cloth and arrange the patterns in each bolt of material. Further, considerable training has been necessary to enable the workmen to tell the difference in shading and color so that the garment components can be assembled in a proper face side up relation in the subsequent use of these garment components.

In assembling the welting patch used for incorporating the same in a garment such as a man's pants back pocket in a manner as understood from U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,359 the welting patch cloth has been die cut in a pinking pattern around three edges thereof. Thereafter, a skilled workman is needed to mark the faceup and facedown layers as follows. A special marking and handheld printer is used by an operator after the first layer has been peeled off and it and the following layer have been impact or punch marked by the handheld printer. These layers are then laid aside and the next two layers are marked again. The handheld marker automatically switches after the last of two punches to the next number. The procedure is repeated until the 120 layers are so marked. Consequently, the numbers will read from 1 to 60.

Thereafter, the operator separates each of the layers by turning over one and stacking it in one stack and keeping the faceup layer in its position and stacking it in another stack. After this operation, the stack, in a rather disarrayed manner, is given to another operator who then sews a stiffening patch to each of the welt facings, each of the patches being joined to the next by a thread chain. Another operator cuts these individually sewn but chained pieces and separates these in a stack.

As a consequence of this operation, numerous problems are encountered in sewing these welting patches of which especially troublesome is the misalignment of the individual pieces with the stiffener, which misalignment causes nonuniform product. Additionally, the work performance of each individual varies and thus the products are often of varying quality. Although the operator which has been used to cut and sever the individual pieces as these come from the machine can be replaced with automatic cutting devices recently made available, still the general operating mode in the industry has been to carry out the assembly of the operation in the manner as outlined before. Further, in sewing these different pieces, the operators, because of the normal fatigue associated with this type work, often can lose the order in which the facing patches are assembled or matched and thus, mistakes are being made in the sequence. Consequently, the product uniformity also suffers as a result of the normal fatigue factor associated or inherent in any operator-attended machine.

It has now been discovered that a novel welt facing patch assembly machine can eliminate a number of quality-reducing operations as well as produce a product which is more uniform, at a higher rate from that possible by manual operation and with a proper assembly sequence interlocked and maintained throughout the production cycle.

Further, the amount of training which is needed before an operator becomes highly proficient is materially reduced from that needed in the manual performance of the same operation. Thus, according to the present invention an automatic welting patch assembly machine has been invented in which the face up and face down stack of patches are being properly separated, a stiffener mated to each of the welt patches, the stiffener and welt patch sewn together, the sewn patch separated each from the other, properly marked for use in subsequent sewing operations, and removed from the machine in two neatly stacked bundles for use in welt-forming machines such as mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 2,573,359.

Further, a novel subcombination has been formed in which welting patches are fed to the machine whereby one of the patches is sent on for sewing without inverting, the other patch inverted, and this alternative operation is carried out in a continuous manner, while at the same time a welting patch is mated with a stiffener patch. The stiffener patch may be fed simultaneously into this machine. In this connection, it has been discovered that the stiffener layer can be fed into the machine either as an individual piece or it can be formed from a suitable material as it is on a reel, pressed, and slit and cut to sever an individual patch. Thus, the stiffener material is longitudinally cut to the desired length as a last step before the ends of which are automatically slit longitudinally for the necessary length for proper functioning in the welt-forming machine.

Still further, after the welt patch and stiffener have been sewed together by a conventional serging sewing machine such as Union Special Sewing Machine No. 39500GP the chained together welt patches are separated by a guillotine cutter in which the timing of the patch is made in such a manner as to allow a chain of the threads to be cut by means of this cutter. Thus, novel guillotine cutter allows, in combination with other means, the controlled severing of the welting patches as these are being chained off the serging machine.

As the previous operation is being carried out, the individually advanced welt patch and stiffener assembly or garment component is also marked in predetermined, consistent location with a marking unit which carries out this operation automatically, resets itself automatically and which achieves the marking operation by a novel, especially driven marking tape device. Additionally, disclosed herein is a device in which the individually sewn, severed, and marked patches are being stacked in two different bundles in a stacking unit which insures the proper relationship of the properly marked welting patches.

With reference to the foregoing and the FIGS. herein, the invention will be described in more detail in which the various items in the FIGS. will be marked with the same identifying numbers or the items which function substantially similarly will be identified by the same identifying numbers, and wherein:

FIGS. 1a to 1 d show the work product of the machine in certain stages of production;

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of the novel machine;

FIG. 3 shows the top view of the machine energized in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates the twist pickup head of the machine shown in section 4--4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates the top view of a single twist pickup head illustrated in the vicinity of section line 4--4 in FIG. 3 but in more detail from that shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 illustrates a pneumatic system for automatic two-step engaging for each of the first pickup head for a facing patch and the second pickup head for the stiffener patch;

FIG. 7 illustrates an isometric view of a modification in the feed device used for feeding and producing the stiffener patch from a tape;

FIG. 8 further illustrates the stiffener-patch-producing device shown in FIG. 7 in a cross section along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates the top view of the stiffener-patch-producing device shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows the scissor device employed with the stiffener-patch-producing device shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

FIG. 11 illustrates a thickness sensor and a schematic pneumatic circuit therefor used with the welting or stiffener patch pickup device shown in FIG. 4 depicting schematically also the principle of the thickness sensor operation;

FIG. 12 illustrates the welt patch turnover or face inversion device;

FIG. 12a to 12c illustrate schematically how the turnover device accomplishes the welt patch inversion;

FIG. 13 illustrates isometrically the welt patch rake which mates the welt patch with the stiffener;

FIG. 14 illustrates a cross section along lines 14--14 of the rake device shown in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 illustrates isometrically the welting-patch-serging machine, a guillotine cutter, a printing device and a welt-patch-stacking device shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 16 illustrates a side view of the sewing machine, cutter printing and stacking devices recited in FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 illustrates isometrically the printing plate and its drive and return means;

FIG. 18 illustrates a partial cross section of the printing tape drive means and tape takeup and supply reel arrangement;

FIG. 19 illustrates the conveyor roller control unit; and

FIG. 20 illustrates the thread breakage detector device employed with the sewing machine described herein;

FIG. 21 illustrates the presentation of the electrical control circuit composed of FIGS. 21a to 21e;

FIG. 21a illustrates the electrical control circuit for the facing patch pickup and transfer device;

FIG. 21b illustrates the electrical control circuits for the modified facing patch stiffener forming and cutting device, for the facing-patch-inverting device, and for the facing patch and facing-patch-stiffener-mating device;

FIG. 21c illustrates the electrical control circuits for the sewing machine used for serging the facing patch and stiffener, for the facing patch marker device and for the stacker device; and,

FIG. 21d and e illustrate the electrical alarm system which keeps in interlocked order the previously described circuits and thus assures the correct sequential production of the welting patch.

The invention herein will now be described in general terms first and in more detail for ready understanding of the same as disclosed in the various figures.

OPERATION SEQUENCE OF THE MACHINE

Thus, to explain the operation of the machine shown in FIG. 2 and in reference to the product produced by it in FIGS. 1a to 1d, the welt patch 10 with the pinked edges 13 is fed into the machine by means of a twist and separation device 20 simultaneously with the feeding of the stiffener patch 11 which has in each of its ends a longitudinal slit 12 for the ready inversion of the patch in the subsequent incorporation of this garment component in a garment as previously explained. As shown in FIG. 1d, patch 10 and stiffener 11 are sewn together with a serging seam 14.

A thickness sensor, further illustrated in FIG. 11, detects whether or not a single ply or multiple plies of the welting patch or the stiffener are being fed onto the conveyor rollers 51. If multiple plies are being fed, the machine will be stopped by appropriate electrical means further described in the specification. A puller wheel 50 assists the conveying and separation of the welting patch and the stiffener for their conveyance along the conveyor rollers 51.

Next, as every other welt patch must be turned over so that it is in its proper faceup relationship for sewing together with the stiffener, it must be accomplished by means of the welt patch turnover device. This device is shown in FIG. 12 and designated as 200. The turnover is accomplished by capturing the welt patch by means of a turnover trap gate 207 resting between two rollers in a row of specially covered conveyor rollers 201. The front end of the welt patch is engaged by the trap gate 207 at a predetermined distance and the elastometrically covered conveyor rollers accomplish the inversion of the welt patch by sweeping the other end of the patch underneath the trapped edge.

Thereafter, the trapped edge is disengaged and the welt patch is guided along the conveyors as urged by a side guide 205 onto a rake-and-patch-mating device shown in FIG. 13 and designated as 230 wherein the welt patch arrival is detected by a photocell which activates a rake bar 234 holding rake 236 urging or sweeping the welt patch over the welt patch ramps 240 which are smoothly buffed metal surfaces. By this raking or sweeping action the properly positioned welt patch is mated with the stiffener patch which is held on the conveyor by the stiffener stop or drop gate 243 until the welt patch is placed on top of the stiffener patch. Thereafter, the stiffener stop gate 243 drops, a puller wheel 250 aids the conveyor rollers 51 to forward the welting patch and stiffener onto the sewing table for sewing by machine 301 which is a conventional serging machine such as Union Special Machine Co. Sewing Machine No. 39500GP, which is well known in the art.

After the presser foot 306 engages the welt patch and its stiffener and sews along the edge thereof, a previously sewn welting patch is severed from the patch being sewn by means of the guillotine cutter 310. The severed patch is urged onto the conveyor by means of a puller wheel 322 over the marking plate 326 for impact printing with a proper numeral by means of a print hammer 329. Two welt patches are marked with the same number before the marking plate 326 is advanced another number for marking the next two welt patches. After the printing, the puller wheel 336 engages the printed and marked welting patch and urges it along conveyor rollers 51 until the patch strikes the end gate 344 and interrupts the path between the photocell lamp 346 and its photocell 347. This also signals that the next patch must be stopped for its stacking by the second stacking grid iron 352. The second welt patch is stopped by an upwardly extending stop rod 342 acting as an end gate for the second patch.

The arrival of the second patch is detected by the photocell and photocell lamp 350 and 349, respectively. This also activates the gridiron stackers 351 and 352 which deposit the two patches by means of a rack 360 driving a pinion 359 on a common axis or common shaft 356. The two facing patches are deposited in stacking receptacles or traps, 364 and 364a, respectively.

The machine will now be explained by reference to the specific FIGS., by describing the same in the order as outlined above in the operating sequence.

DOUBLE TWIST PICKUP DEVICE-- 20

Returning now to the feed device which supplies to the sewing machine 301 with the welting patch 10 as well as the stiffener 11, reference is made to FIG. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and in particular FIG. 4 and 5 which illustrate a cross section and a top view, respectively, of the pickup device 20. Thus, number 21 designates the motors which are identical and have substantially no coasting characteristics. This motor drives through a shaft 22 having an adjustable shaft extension 24, the serrated twist head 26 which is a large-diameter hole cutter commonly available for home workshop use.

Upon activation of a pneumatic control valve as explained further herein, pneumatic fluid such as shop air is admitted through an opening 46 and passage 34 into a piston 30 which piston is connected to a table or platform 29 holding in this case the stiffening patches in a stack illustrated as 27. The facing patch stack 28 is held on table 33. The various electrical circuits used with the machine herein as well as the pneumatic fluid valves or solenoid valves controlling the admission of the fluid to the various pneumatically operated devices are housed in console 17 shown in FIG. 2.

As the pneumatic fluid is admitted through port 46, it drives upwardly the table 29 by means of the piston 30 and as the stack 27 engages the serrated twist head 26 the originally supplied pneumatic fluid is switched to a pneumatic fluid at a lower pressure which momentarily relieves the pressure on stack 27 against the head 26 and allows the separation of one ply from the other by twisting the head 26 for 90° in a clockwise direction until the stiffening patch 11 (or the welting patch 10) interrupts the beam from lamp 36 to photocell 37 at which time a signal is sent to motor 21 stopping the clockwise rotation. Also, during this twisting operation and shortly thereafter, the pneumatic fluid is vented through port 46 allowing the table to drop.

In order to maintain a reasonable constant stack 27 pressure against the twist head 26 during the operation, a bleed port 32 is provided in the piston 30 which provides a constant, upwardly urging force on the table to maintain the stack 27 under a reasonable uniform pressure against the head 26. The table 33, with the stack 28 is indicated in FIG. 4 by dashed lines on the left-hand side of this figure. This illustrates the upward and downward movement of the piston 30 on the shaft 38 and thus, stacks such as stack 28 or 27.

In reference to FIG. 6, it shows the two-stage pneumatic system which engages a stack.

All pressures shown in this figure are typical and may be varied for optimum operation. When the high-pressure three-way valve identified by a legend in FIG. 6 is energized such as by a solenoid valve, the facing stack is held against the twist head 26 by 6 p.s.i. The force of the facing stack against the twist head 26 is reduced by simultaneously turning off the three-way valve and turning on the two-way valve also identified by a legend in FIG. 6 which supplies 4 p.s.i. The higher pressure (6 p.s.i.) then bleeds to the atmosphere through the exhaust port of the three-way valve until 4 p.s.i. is reached and maintained. The output of the 4 p.s.i. regulator will also feed through the exhaust port to the atmosphere but this air loss is minimized by inserting a needle valve to restrict the airflow from the three-way valve exhaust port.

When the individually separated patch has been twisted the full 90°, a thickness sensor shown in FIG. 11 determines if a single or a multiple ply has been picked up. This sensor consists of a sensing head or finger 39, which is adjustable to accommodate the various thicknesses of fabrics encountered in garment manufacture between the head 39 and sensing anvil 39a. The finger 39 is activated by the thickness sensor pneumatic cylinder 42 depressing the lever 41 pivoted at point 41a thereby closing and opening port 38a located in a block 40 connected to a back pressure sensor. The thickness sensor 39 is pivoted from frame 43 from which the acticulated cylinder 42 moves the lever arm 41. By closing the port 38a, from which air escapes in normally open position, the pressure is built up in the supply line. The buildup of pressure is detected when a single ply is between finger 39 and anvil 39a and not detected when two or more plies are interposed between finger and anvil 39 and 39a respectively.

The sensing device represents a simple and efficient means for determining the thickness of one or two plies. If one ply 27 is present, then the sensing finger or tap 39, when appropriately adjusted for the thickness of ply 27, when striking anvil 39a will give either a "yes" or a "no" signal depending on the circuit design. This signal is obtained as follows:

When a proper timing mechanism or circuit causes solenoid valve 42d to admit working fluid such as shop air from a source 65 to cylinder 42, the cylinder 42 pivots the machine element 41, in this case the thickness-sensing finger or tap lever 41. At the same time as the solenoid valve 42d admits the working fluid under pressure to cylinder 42, the solenoid valve 42d also admits working fluid to a pneumatic activator 61, appropriately throttled down, if necessary, by means of a valve such as a needle valve 62. The fluid escapes from the pneumatic activator 61 through a port such as 38a on which accurately rests lever 41 if a single ply or a ply of a correct thickness is present.

Almost simultaneously, the pressure builds up in pneumatic activator 61 which then triggers appropriate means to signal the presence of a single ply. Obviously, if two plies are present, port 38a will not be blocked by lever 41 and the signal will not be forthcoming. The pneumatic activator 61 is a reasonably fast-acting valve such as a diaphragm valve which may be interfaced with means such as a relay drive means, a microswitch, a fluidic flip-flop device or means to activate a fluid circuit, other valves or an electrical circuit. The interfacing of the illustrated thickness-sensing device with the electrical control circuit for the twist pickup device and the alarm circuit is disclosed further herein.

The twist pickup motors 21 are supported on a crosspiece 23 which in turn is supported from a member 25 projecting upwardly from the conveyor support frame 52. This frame also carries crossmember 23 to which is attached puller wheels 56 one for each twist head and only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 5. These wheels consist of a puller wheel 56 driven downwardly by the cylinder 50 and engaging the constantly rotating conveyor rollers 51. To provide a better engagement, an elastomeric O-ring type of rib 58 is provided on the puller wheel 56. The wheel is rotating around axis 59 during the engagement with a ply. The puller wheel axis in turn is carried by shaft post 54 connected to the puller wheel through a hexagonal rod 50a which is thus internally guided to prevent the puller wheel 56 from rotating and sending the welt patch or stiffener, respectively, in a misaligned direction.

To prevent more than one welt patch ply 10 or stiffener ply 11 from being picked up, a corner-securing device 49 in the form of a plate is affixed to the twist pickup table corner frame 33a as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to provide a smooth travel of the tables 29 and 33, respectively, a vertical bearing 31 has been provided on the shaft 30 which surrounds shaft 38. Further, in order to allow the proper positioning of photocell and its lamp 37 and 36 respectively these have been aligned to project askewingly through the conveyor rollers and are carried on support frame 35.

After the puller wheel 56 has engaged the welting patch 10 or stiffener 11, these are sent onto conveyor rollers 51 which are supported by conveyor roller side frame 52. These rollers are rotatably driven through shafts 53 at the end of which a sprocket wheel or a gear may be carried. Thus, a chain, not shown, may drive the conveyor rollers 51 in an interconnected manner. A separate, but operatively interconnected drive, is provided for the conveyor rollers on the left-hand and right-hand side of the machine. These rollers 51 are similarly driven by chain or other appropriate means such as interlinked gearing to accomplish substantially the same purpose. These rollers rotate at approximately the same speed for the right-hand as well as the left-hand conveyor sections.

STIFFENER PATCH FEED MODIFICATION

Another aspect of this invention is illustrated in a modification pertaining to the stiffener-patch-forming device 11 shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 used to feed a stiffener patch when it is supplied as a tape 76 from a reel 71. The tape 76 is fed onto a tape travel rail 77 and guided by a guide channel or guide shroud 79 which forms a rectangular aperture 79a, the stiffener tape 76, properly guided into a press section 80 is pressed therein. This press section 80 consists of a heated plate 80a insulated by a plastic insulation 81 such as a silicone rubber layer and supported by, if needed, an additional cushioning layer 82. The cushioning layer 82, in turn, is attached to the stiffener press head cylinder 86 which when appropriately activated removes the inherent curl from the stiffener tape 76, developed when the stiffener is unwound from reel 71. A conventional resistance heating unit, not shown, is introduced in apertures 80b in the press head 80a. The press head as well as the supply reel is affixed to the feed support channel 78, the reel being dependent therefrom by arm 74 carrying on it a shaft 72 on which the reel 71 is mounted. The stiffener tape travel rail 77 is supported under the press head section by support members 87 mounted on the channel member 78, this member in turn is rigidly affixed to the machine frame 16 shown in FIG. 2.

As a stiffener patch 11 must have on each end thereof a longitudinal slit 12, in the middle of it, a cutting section has been provided which allows cutting adjacent ends of two stiffener patches. Thus, the stiffener tape travel rail 77 has a cutout or slit for blade 91 and a blade shroud 90 having a corresponding slit 89a in the latter. The cutting is effected by means of a conventional single-edge razor blade 91 driven upwardly by a pneumatically activated piston 92 driving a rod 93 holding the end of the cutting blade 91 in a blade-securing fixture designated as 94. The upward travel of the blade is arrested by internal means in piston 92 although external stop means may also be provided by merely extending the blade-securing fixture 94 such that it engages the tape travel rail 77.

The stiffener tape thereafter proceeds under the feed shroud 96 between feed roller 97 and idler roller 99. The length of the stiffener patch designed for a specific purpose can be adjusted by the feed stroke of cylinder 102 driving rack 100 and pinion 101 which is mounted on shaft 106 connected to the feed roller 97 as shown in more detail in FIG. 9.

The feed is effected when the rack 100 is being retracted by cylinder 102. The rack is also supported by a rack support roller 107 which prevents the rack being disengaged from pinion 101. As illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 the rack cylinder 102 is supported by support 104 projecting upwardly from channel member 78.

As mentioned before, the stiffener patch of a predetermined length is fed when the cylinder 102 is being retracted. During the feed cycle, idler roller 99 which is weighted for engaging properly with the stiffener tape, also helps in guiding the stiffener tape during the feed cycle.

When the stiffener feed stroke has been achieved, a scissors blade 116 shown in FIG. 10 is activated by a cylinder 122 shown in FIG. 8. The blade 116 is attached to the cylinder by means of a cylinder-rod-holding block 124. The cutting is effected when the cylinder moves on an upward stroke and pivots the scissor blade 116 on shaft 120 which shaft is held by block 121. The scissors block, i.e. the other blade of the scissors is labeled as item 117 in FIG. 10. The block 121 in turn has been affixed to scissor aperture shroud 119. At the same time as the scissors cut the facing patch, a return of the feed roller 97 is effected by lifting the idler roller 99 which is mounted through shaft 110 in an idler shaft travel frame 111. This travel frame in turn is positioned between two U-shaped channels 112 in which the travel frame 111 moves upwardly when being urged by a cylinder 113 carrying at the end of its rod an extension 114. A retract aid pin or holder pin 127 illustrated in FIG. 10 simultaneously with the lifting of the idler roller 99 is engaging the stiffener by projecting downwardly through an aperture in shroud 119. The retract aid pin or holder pin 127 is mounted on the scissor block shroud 119 by the retract-aid-pin-holding frame 130 which carries the retract-pin-activating cylinder 129. This pin has been found useful in that it prevents the stiffener tape from being accidentally retracted backwardly when the rack 100 moves forwardly thus rotating reversibly cylinder 97. In the ready-to-feed position the rack 100 comes to rest against an adjustable rack stop 109.

After the scissor blade 116 has been urged downwardly and completed its cutting cycle, the cylinder 112 retracts the same until the blade comes to a rest against the scissor stop pin 126. This operation then completes the feed stroke of a single stiffener patch which is aided along the roller conveyor by being momentarily engaged with a puller wheel which in its operation is the same as previously described in connection with the double twist head device and labeled as item 50.

As it can be appreciated, the present machine allows the feeding of the stiffener patch which is either preprepared with its ends having a longitudinal cut or which can be prepared in a continuous manner such as illustrated by the devices in FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10. As motor 21 and the thickness sensor frame 43 can be readily disconnected along with the photocell 36 and 37 all as shown in FIG. 4, the interchange of the modified feed device with a twist pickup head is readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

TURNOVER DEVICE 200

As it was mentioned before, every other welting patch 10 must be inverted so that it presents its face up position for sewing to the stiffening patch. This inversion is accomplished by the facing turnover device illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 12a to 12c. As the welting patch travels along the conveyors 51, it interrupts the path between the photocell 202 and its lamp 204 which may be conveniently attached to the conveyor frame 52 as shown in FIG. 11 or attached to a welting patch turnover device frame 212 as shown in FIG. 2. The rollers both preceding the welting patch turnover gate 207 have been labeled as 201. These are covered with an elastomeric material which provides the necessary frictional engagement with the welting patch for its inversion and subsequent advancement along the conveyor rollers 51 to the next work station. A suitable elastomeric material has been found to be silicon rubber. Furthermore, the number of rollers covered with this material may vary. The presently disclosed device has been operated with six rollers covered with elastomeric material, three preceding and three following the turnover gate 207. Of course, the number of rollers 201 covered with the elastomeric material may be varied such as dictated by the fabric material, its frictional characteristics and the turnover behavior of the fabric based on its thickness and stiffness. Thus, an appropriate number may be chosen such as five rollers preceding the turnover device and four following.

The turnover gate 207 is a round rod bent in a U-shape with the legs affixed to a frame 209 which in turn is affixed to a pneumatic cylinder rod 211 and activated by the pneumatic piston 210. The gate is urged against an elastomeric cushioning pad 216 on an upstroke of the rod 211. The cushioning pad 216 is held rigidly in a position parallel to the rollers by a support bar 214 affixed to the turnover gate support frame 212. This bar has two notches 214a and 214b to guide gate 207 in its work stroke.

A schematic operational sequence of gate 207 is illustrated in FIGS. 12a to 12 c. An approximate position of the welting patch 10 in FIG. 12a is shown shortly before the piston rod 211 retracts upwardly the turnover gate 207 for capturing the welting patch against the elastomeric material 216. Thereafter, as soon as the appropriate period of time has elapsed, the welting patch is released by moving downwardly rod gate 207 in one continuous motion. As the down travel is not unduly fast, the welting patch is pulled away by the rollers clad with the elastomeric material and the turnover gate 207 then assumes its downward rest position ready for the next welting patch to pass undisturbed between the U-shaped upturned legs of gate 207. The rod 211 is conveniently in the form of a hexagon guided within the cylinder 210. A side guide shown in FIG. 2 as 205 urges the welt patch onto the next work station thereby properly positioning the same.

RAKE-AND-PATCH-MATING DEVICE-- 230

As the welting patch is being urged along the conveyor rollers 51 with a side guide 205 being attached to the conveyor roller frame 52, a beam from a rake photocell lamp 231 to photocell 232 is interrupted by an arriving welting patch 10. The photocell lamp 231 is mounted in a frame 232a extending over the flat portion of the welting patch ramp 240 and before a patch stop plate 233.

The welting patch proceeds onto the flat part of the welting patch ramp 240 being urged thereon by the conveyor rollers 51. The ramp consists of highly polished metal plate in which slots have been cut to accommodate the rake fingers 236. The edges of this ramp between rake fingers 236 are highly polished in order to prevent the welting patch from striking by the edges and being held up thereby. A convenient number of rake fingers 236 are provided. It has been found that about five are sufficient, two of which are in slots in the facing patch ramp 240 and the rest of which are between the conveyor rollers in the ready position on the leftmost side of the conveyor as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 13. In order to allow the tail end of the welting patch to be swept uniformly over onto a stiffening patch, a welting patch tail end ramp 241 has been provided.

The welting patch tail end ramp 241 consisting of fingers, three being shown in FIG. 13, each having slots between adjacent finger to fit the rake fingers 236 therebetween. The ramp 241 is attached to a securing ledge 243 which is in turn affixed to the conveyor roller frame 52 by appropriate means not shown.

The conveyor rollers 51 on both sides of the conveyor are mounted in the frame 52 having two outside and one inside support also labeled as 52, with each conveyor roller being on a common shaft or axis 51 a. Thus, the conveyor rollers 51 on the right-hand side of the machine as shown in FIG. 2 all have common shafts even though a welting patch is moved along one side thereof and the stiffener along the other side thereof.

The rake fingers 236 which are carried by the bar 234 shown also in FIG. 14 urge leftwardly the welting patch onto ramps 240 and 241 thus effectively placing the welting patch onto a stiffener patch which has been advanced by the conveyor rollers 51 and stopped by drop gate 242.

When drop gate 242 moves downwardly, a puller wheel 250 urges the mated welting patch and stiffener onto the sewing machine 301. Stop or drop gate 242 is dropped when photocell 246 is not receiving a light beam from lamp 244, while uncovering photocell 246 after the tail end of the patch assembly has passed causes the gate 242 to be uplifted by cylinder 242a.

An appropriate delay time is provided for the drop gate 242 activation so that the assembled welting patch and stiffener can be moved towards the sewing machine.

The rake is activated when the photocell 232 as well as the photocell 246 are covered. If one is not covered the rake is inoperative and will not urge a welting patch over on the right-hand side of the conveyor as shown in FIG. 13.

The electrical control devices which are employed herein, will be described in more detail following the mechanical description of this invention.

Referring to FIG. 14, which is a cross section view along line 14--14 of FIG. 13, the rake bar rod 237 is affixed to rake bar cylinder 239. The puller wheel 250 is suspended from puller-wheel-holding frame 249 and activated by the puller wheel cylinder 252 driving downwardly rod 254 which carries at the end thereof a puller wheel shaft frame 251.

Further, in reference to FIG. 14, the rake bar is stopped, on its return stroke, by rake bar stop 256 attached to the conveyor frame 52. On the other side of the conveyor frame, rake cylinder 239 is held to conveyor frame 52 by bracket 2392.

SEWING MACHINE AND CHAINED WELTING PATCH SEPARATOR-- 300

The welting or facing patch and its stiffener patch are sewed together and chained off from a sewing machine 301 of a type previously identified and which operates in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The modifications employed with the sewing machine 301 to make it operative for the present purpose will be explained in greater detail in connection with the actual sewing operation.

Thus, when the mated welting patch and the stiffener patch are advanced from the roller conveyors 51 as aided by the puller wheel 250, a photocell and photocell lamp combination 304 and 302, respectively, signal the approach of the welting patch and cause presser foot 306 to be lifted by means of pneumatically operated presser foot lift cylinder 305 which activates the linkages normally manually operated by a foot-pedal-operated presser foot. The pneumatically operated cylinder 305 which accomplishes this has not been shown.

In a similar manner, the electrical circuit means further explained herein also cause the "transmitter" 366 (i.e. the sewing machine motor) to be operated and the sewing machine 301 thus commences sewing the welting patch 10 and the stiffener patch 11 together and moves the sewn assembly across the table 307 in the conventional fashion by means of feed dogs, not shown.

As the welting patch is being sewed, it is still chained together to the previous patch by a thread chain formed by the sewing machine 301.

In order to separate the connected welting patches, a cutting means have been provided in which a guillotine blade 310 is driven by a pneumatically operated cylinder 314 onto a guillotine anvil 311 on which the thread chain rests. The cutting operation is indicated when a beam from the guillotine blade photocell lamp 317 strikes the guillotine blade photocell lamp 320, i.e. when the previous workpiece has advanced sufficiently far on the conveyor rollers 51 such that these hold the welting patch sufficiently taut across the anvil 311. This makes it certain that the following facing patch has been arrested in its forward movement by the stoppage of sewing machine 301. Thus, the guillotine blade then severs the chained together welting patches and permits the marking to be carried out in the next work station. The guillotine blade 310 and is pneumatically operated downstroking cylinder 314 is fixed to the roller conveyor frame 52 by its holding frame 319 which also carries the photocell lamp 317.

In order to initiate the movement of the welting patch along the conveyors, a puller wheel 322 has been provided, with the thread-cutting operation. This puller wheel is mounted on a puller wheel frame 324 which also carries an appropriately located photocell 332 activating the next work cycle at the next work station.

The puller wheel 322 operates in a manner similar to the previously described puller wheels and consequently, is not described at this juncture.

For this purpose of holding taut during the cutting operation the workpiece being severed from the following workpiece, the conveyor rollers 51 both preceding and following the guillotine anvil 311 may also be covered with an elastomeric material and in a manner similar to that described in connection with the turnover gate device 200.

Instead of a guillotine head cutter 310, a cutting attachment 313 (not shown, but available from Union Special Machinery Co.) may also be employed. This device operates by blowing into a scissors means a jet of air which forces the chain of thread between two facing patches to be captured and cut by the scissors means. Moreover, this device also allows the excess thread to be cut which is formed between the two facing patches. An appropriately sized hose, not shown, captures the thread remnants, forced into the scissors means by a jet, and conducts the remnants into a container.

The stoppage and the start of the sewing machine 301 is effected by the previously mentioned "transmitter" which is well known to those skilled in the art and available from commercial sources such as Singer Sewing Machine Co. This transmitter has been identified in FIG. 2 as 366.

Further, in order to assure the proper operation of the machine a thread breakage detector has been employed with the present machine. This thread breakage detector is illustrated in FIG. 20 and will be described later.

In respect to the sewing machine 301, it is well that it does not run during the period when the preceding workpiece has been sewed and the following workpiece has not reached the sewing machine. Thus, the sewing machine is started when the photocell 302 senses the approaching edge of the welting patch with an appropriate delay time provided as further explained in connection with electrical control circuit.

In turn, the machine is stopped when the trailing edge uncovers the photocell 304 and again after appropriate delay time, allowing for the welting patch to be sewn or walked through the machine, the sewing machine is stopped. As this is an automatically operated machine, the presser foot raising is accomplished by means of the previously mentioned pneumatically operated cylinder 305 which normally replaces a pedal which the operator depresses. Further, the "transmitter" which is a brake and a clutch combination is operated by a two-way pneumatically driven cylinder 301a (not shown) which in one position is assuming the "clutch-engaged" position and in another is assuming the "clutch-disenaged" position. Normally, an operator will operate the clutch by one and the brake and presser foot by another pedal.

In respect to the thread breakage detector, illustrated in FIG. 20, the top thread in the respective thread holder rods 474 has been identified as 471 and is obtained from spool 473 while the bottom thread as 472 which in turn has been obtained from spool 475. At the other end of the rods 474 a magnet 476 has been attached. When there is no tension, (normally present in both the top and the bottom threads) the magnet 476 activates a reed switch 477, i.e. the reed is drawn up by means of this magnet and completes a relay contact which operates a relay which in turn operates an alarm system and turns off the machine. These two magnet-holding rods 474 are pivotally affixed to a shaft 478 and balanced in such a manner as to render the reed switch operative only upon failure of the thread tension.

MARKER DEVICE-- 325

As the sewn and severed welting patch is urged by the conveyor roller 51 along the conveyor towards the next work station, it has been found convenient to introduce a wedge 335 affixed to the conveyor frame 52 which urges the workpiece over marker plate 326. The arrival of the welting patch is detected by the marker photocell lamp 332 and marker photocell 334 acting in combination. As the space between the conveyor frame 52 is narrowed by wedge 335 in the vicinity in which the marker plate 326, a marker support frame 331 can be readily affixed to the conveyor frame 52. The marker frame 331 holds the marker hammer 329 (which can be placed on either side of conveyor frame 52) and its marker hammer cylinder 330 as well as the marker station puller wheel 336. The puller wheel cylinder 337 is attached to the frame 331 by means of holding arm 339. This wedge 335 narrowed location on the conveyor assures a reasonably consistent position for marking each of the welting patches with the appropriate number.

The marking is accomplished by the marking hammer 329, driven by the pneumatically operated cylinder 330 striking a tape or ribbon 368 and marker plate 326. The marker plate 326 after being struck twice to mark the correctly aligned welting patches is moved on the marker plate slide 328. The marker plate in turn is carried on the marker plate rack labeled in FIGS. 15 and 17 as 327.

In order to prevent the marker rack 327 from being unduly long, numbers above nine are placed in a vertically aligned position.

The struck or marked welting patch is removed by means of a puller wheel 336 in a manner as previously explained in conjunction with the twist pickup device. After striking two successive welting patches with the correct number, the market plate 326 is advanced by an in line ratchet 369 carrying a ratchet tooth 370 and a ratchet-positioning surface or "ratchet cam" surface 371 which upon the return stroke of cylinder 376 causes the ratchet tooth 370 to assume the correct position when the ratchet tooth surface 371 is pulled against the ratchet-positioning stop or "cam" surface 372. In order to assure proper marking position, the rack 327 is held in the appropriate position by means of ratchet tooth 370 when urged against the marker plate rack 327.

After the 120 patches have been marked, a properly positioned retract microswitch 379 activated by stop trip 380 causes a pneumatically operated cylinder 381 to retract the marker plate 326 to its starting position. The cylinder 381 retracts the rack 327 by means of chain 382 driven over a sprocket wheel 384 which sprocket wheel is affixed to the housing frame 16.

As shown in FIG. 18, the marking ribbon or belt 368 is lead from reel 341 guided by guide rollers 399 over ribbon guide rods 367, the marking ribbon being advanced on each impact of the marking hammer 329. The takeup of the ribbon is effected by motor 391 driving a serrated drive wheel 393, i.e. a driven wheel 393, which drives the ribbon by urging the same against an idler roller 392, which is held engaged with the driven wheel 393 by means of a lever 394 pulling a spring 397 the lever being pivoted at pivot point 396. In FIG. 18 the tape takeup reel is depicted as 340 and the tape supply reel as 341. Each of these reels 340 and 341 is driven by a low-torque motor 395 and 397 which exert enough tension on the tape to keep it taut but does not advance or retract the tape, i.e. these motors drive in opposite directions reel 340 and 341 in order to keep the marking ribbon taut. These motors are freely available in the trade.

As the stiffener is generally a white material, it is marked in preference to the welting patch. The stiffener is a nonwoven material commonly available in the trade and known as Perlon. In FIG. 18 the serrated roller is 393 engaged to the idler wheel 392. The last is covered with an elastomeric material.

STACKER DEVICE-- 343

After the respective welting patches have been marked on the underside thereof by the appropriate number the faceup patch or the first patch is forwarded onto the first stacking gridiron 351 and the facing patch, which has been inverted, to gridiron 352 for its stacking the patches in tray 364 and 364a, respectively.

The stacking is accomplished when the first welting patch hits the end stop 344 and activates the photocell 344 which then causes to project upwardly, by an appropriately transmitted signal, the gate rod 342 driven by cylinder 342a stopping the second welting patch marked with the same number.

The gridirons are caused to stack the patches when the second welting patch interrupts the light beam from light 349 striking photocell 350. At this moment a rack 360 driving a pinion 359 on a shaft 356 which is common to the first and second stacking gridiron 351 and 352, respectively, causes the patches to be pivoted through approximately 180° and deposited on tray 364 and 364a. The pinion 359 is housed in a shaft housing 357. The stacking gridiron consists of an end guide 355 which is in form of an angle iron to which are affixed the stacking rods 354. The other end of these rods is affixed to the common shaft 356.

A U-shaped rack guide channel 361 is provided to confine the rack 360 in its work position. The rack is driven by cylinder 362 which is a two-way pneumatically activated cylinder.

CONVEYOR DRIVE MECHANISM-- 450

One of the aspects of this invention is the interlocking relationship of the facing patches as these are being assembled and sewn. It is essential that the left-hand and right-hand conveyor are stopped in the position where a machine malfunction may occur; hence, when malfunctions occur, it is well that both the left-hand conveyor and right-hand conveyor are synchronized. This is accomplished by providing the conveyor drive motor 451 with a sprocket wheel 452 which drives the chain 453 which sprocket wheel also carries a sprocket brake band 454 trained around brake wheels 456. When an appropriate malfunction signal has been received from the machine, as further explained herein, a pneumatically operated brake device in the form an elastomeric material covered roller 457 is urged against the brake band 454 by the cylinder 459 stopping the motor 451 as well as any advance by the conveyor chain 453. The left-hand side and the right-hand side brake of the conveyor are operated in the same manner.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT

Referring to FIG. 21 which represents the organization of FIGS. 21a to 21e, these figures depict in their totality a schematic diagram of the electrical control circuit of the welt facing machine. The operation of the control circuit will now be explained by describing, in sequence, the manner in which the electrical circuit controls the operation of the welt facing machine.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR

FACING PICKUP AND TRANSFER DEVICE 20

Operation of the facing pickup and transfer device 20 is initiated by momentarily depressing the start switch 899, in the manual mode of operation, causing relay 602 to energize, In the automatic mode of operation, relay 602 is energized in an alternative manner as will be described hereinafter. The energization of relay 602 is results in the following:

1. Relay 602 latches in its energized condition through the contacts of relay 604.

2. High-pressure release valve 888 is deenergized and low-pressure release valve 887 is energized causing the stack to relax under the twister head 26.

3. The input to delay circuit 606 is ungrounded causing delay circuit 606 to commence its delay interval.

After a time interval sufficient to ensure that the stack has sufficiently relaxed beneath the twister head 26, so as to permit rotation of twister head 26, the output of delay circuit 606 is grounded, causing relay 608 to energize. This causes twister motor 21 to be energized, resulting in the rotation of the facing which adheres to the twister head 26.

When the twister head 26 has rotated so that the facing adhering thereto interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 36 to facing twister photocell 37, relay 610 is energized by photocell amplifier 612, with the following results:

1. Twister motor 21 is deenergized, thereby stopping the rotation of the twister head.

2. Relay 614 is energized, with the following results:

a. Low-pressure release valve 887 is deenergized.

b. Ply monitor valve 42d admitting working fluid to cylinder 42 is energized.

If the ply thickness is correct, namely, if a single ply of facing is present, ply monitor microswitch 42e is actuated into its closed position, causing relay 616 to energize, with the following results:

1. Relay 616 latches in its energized condition.

2. Ply monitor valve 42d is deenergized.

3. The inputs of delay circuits 618, 620 and 622 are ungrounded, causing these delay circuits to commence their delay intervals.

4. Puller valve 56d admitting pressure to cylinder 50 is energized causing the facing to be pulled onto the conveyor.

After a time interval sufficient to ensure that the facing is on the conveyor, the output of delay circuit 618 is grounded, causing relay 624 to energize. This causes puller valve 56d to deenergize.

Shortly thereafter, the output of delay circuit 620 is grounded, causing relay 604 to energize, with the following results:

1. Relays 602, 608 and 614 are deenergized.

2. High-pressure release valve 888 is energized causing the stack to move up into high-pressure contact with twister head 26.

As the facing proceeds down the conveyor, the trailing edge of the facing uncovers the facing patch twister photocell 37, permitting the light beam from lamp 36 to impinge thereon, causing relay 610 to be deenergized by photocell amplifier 612.

After a time interval corresponding to the desired time between repetitive operations of the facing pickup and transfer unit, the output of delay circuit 622 is grounded, causing relay 626 to momentarily energize. The time interval for which relay 626 is energized is determined by a resistor 628 and a capacitor 630 connected across the coil of relay 626. The momentary energization of relay 626 causes relays 616, 604 and 626 to deenergize.

All circuits have thus been restored to their initial conditions, marking the end of the facing pickup and transfer operation. In addition, relay 626 may be used to generate an automatic start signal for the facing pickup and transfer unit, in a manner to be described hereinafter.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR

STIFFENER PATCH PREPARING AND

FEEDING MECHANISM

If a stiffener-patch- or lining-patch-feeding mechanism of the same type as the facing twister mechanism is employed, electrical control circuitry similar to that already described may be employed. The following is a detailed description of the electrical control circuitry for the alternative embodiment in which the lining material is supplied in roll form.

The momentary energization of relay 626 causes relay 632 to energize and latch through relay 634, marking the start of the lining-feeding operation. The energization of relay 632 results in the following:

1. Holder pin, idler roller and press valve 129d activating the corresponding and following cylinders 129, 113, and 86 is energized. This single valve causes the press 80 to go down, the idler 99 to release, and the holder pin 127 to clamp the lining.

2. Feeder advance valve 102d is deenergized.

3. The input of delay circuit 636 is ungrounded, causing delay circuit 636 to commence its delay interval.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that these mechanical functions have occurred, the output of delay circuit 636 is grounded, causing relay 638 to energize, with the following results:

1. Scissors, feeder reset, slitter and puller valve 122d activating the corresponding and following cylinders 116, 102, 92 and 50 is energized, causing the scissors 116 to cut the lining, the puller wheel 56 to send the cut lining down the conveyor rollers 51, the slitter 91 to cut the longitudinal slit 12 in the lining and the feeder cylinder rack 100 to reset.

2. The input of delay circuit 640 is ungrounded, causing delay circuit 640 to commence its timing interval.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that these mechanical functions have occurred, the output of delay circuit 640 is grounded, causing relay 634 to be momentarily energized. Relay 634 remains energized for a time interval determined by a resistor 642 and a capacitor 644 connected across the coil of relay 634. The momentary energization of relay 634 results in the following:

1. Relays 632 and 638 are deenergized.

2. Holder, idler and press valve 129d and scissors, feeder reset, slitter, and puller valve 122d are deenergized.

When relay 634 deenergizes, the feeder advance valve 102d is energized, causing the next lining to be advanced in place, All circuitry has thus returned to its initial condition, marking the end of the lining feed operation.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR TURNOVER DEVICE 200

As the facing proceeds down the conveyor rollers 51, the leading edge thereof interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 204 to turnover photocell 202. This causes the input to a delay-on and delay-off circuit 646 (or delayed stop and start circuit as it is also known) to be grounded by photocell amplifier 648.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that the leading edge of the facing is aligned properly beneath the turnover mechanism, this time interval corresponding to the "on-time" delay of delay circuit 646, the output of delay circuit 646 is grounded, causing relay 650 to energize with the following results:

1. Capacitor 652 is charged to 150 volts DC through resistor 654.

2. Assuming that the stepper relay 656 (which causes the turnover gate 207 to be inoperative in respect to every other facing patch) is in the position as shown, turnover valve 210d is energized, causing the leading edge of the facing to be captured by the turnover mechanism.

When the trailing edge of the facing uncovers turnover photocell 202, permitting the light beam from lamp 204 to impinge thereon, the input to delay circuit 646 is ungrounded by photocell amplifier 648.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that the turnover operation is complete, this time interval corresponding to the "off-time" delay of delay circuit 646, relay 650 is deenergized with the following results:

1. Turnover valve 210d is deenergized, causing the facing to be released.

2. Stepper relay 656 is momentarily energized by charged capacitor 652, causing stepper relay 665 to change state. Stepping relay 656 will remain in its new state until the next time it is energized. This causes the turnover gate 207 to be inoperative for alternate facing patches.

All circuits have thus returned to their initial condition marking the end of the turnover operation.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR PATCH-MATING OPERATION

When the facing patch arrives at the rake device 230, it interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 231 to facing photocell 232, causing relay 658 to be energized by photocell amplifier 660. Soon thereafter, the lining arrives at the stop gate 243 interrupting the path of the light beam from lamp 244 to lining photocell 246. This causes relay 662 to be energized by photocell amplifier 664, with the following results:

1. Relay 658 is latched through relay 662, so that relay 658 will not deenergize when facing patch photocell 232 is uncovered.

2. Rake valve 239d is energized causing the facing to be moved in the manner described before.

3. The input of delay circuit 66 is ungrounded, causing delay circuit 666 to commence its delay interval.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that the facing patch has been transferred onto the lining, the output of delay 666 is grounded, causing relay 668 to energize, with the following results:

1. Rake valve 239d is deenergized.

2. Stop gate valve 242 d, which is normally energized, is deenergized, causing the gate to retract so that it does not obstruct the conveying path of the mated patches.

3. Relay 670 is momentarily energized by capacitor 672, causing puller valve 252d to be momentarily energized. This causes the mated material to be conveyed away from the mating mechanism.

When the trailing edge of the mated patches uncovers lining photocell 264, permitting the light beam from lamp 244 to impinge thereon, the coil of relay 662 is ungrounded. After a short time interval, to permit the trailing edge of the mated material to be conveyed past the gate, relay 662 deenergizes. This time interval is determined by a resistor 676 and a capacitor 678 connected across the coil of relay 662. The deenergization of relay 662 results in the following:

1. Relays 658 and 668 are deenergized.

2. Stop gate valve 242d is energized returning the stop gate 242 to its initial position.

3. Capacitor 672 is discharged by resistor 674, returning the capacitor 672 to its initial condition.

All circuitry has thus been restored to its initial condition marking the end of the mating operation.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR

SEWING machining AND THREAD

CUTTER MECHANISM

As the mated patches proceed down the conveyor 51, the leading edge thereof will interrupt the path of the light beam from lamp 302 to sewing machine photocell 304. This causes the input to a delay-on and delay-off circuit 680 to be grounded by photocell amplifier 682.

After a time interval sufficient to assure that the leading edge of the mated material is underneath the pressor foot 306, this time interval corresponding to the "on-time" delay of delay circuit 680, relays 684 is energized by delay circuit 680, with the following results:

1. Sewing machine brake and presser foot valve 305d are deenergized, and sewing machine clutch valve 301e is energized, causing the sewing machine to commence operation.

2. Relay 686 is energized causing air trim valve 313d to energize so as to blow the thread into the thread cutter 313.

When the trailing edge of the mated material uncovers sewing machine photocell 304, permitting the light beam from lamp 302 to impinge thereon, the input to delay circuit 680 is ungrounded by photocell amplifier 682. After a time interval sufficient to assure that the sewing operation is complete, this time interval corresponding to the "off-time" delay of delay circuit 680, relay 684 is deenergized with the following results:

1. Sewing machine brake and presser foot valve 305d are energized.

2. Sewing machine clutch valve 301e is deenergized.

3. Puller valve 322d is energized causing the sewn material to be accelerated down the conveyor.

4. The coil of relay 686 is ungrounded.

It is noted that if the guillotine cutter 310 is used, instead of the scissor means 313, then the timing circuit is equivalent in operation to that associated with the "start-sew" operation of the sewing machine 301, as initiated by the photocell 302 detecting the approaching edge of mated patches.

After a time interval determined by a resistor 688 and a capacitor 690 connected across the coil of relay 686, relay 686 deenergizes. This time delay is provided to maintain the airblast after the sewing operation is finished so as to aid the thread cutter 313 in cutting the thread as close as possible to the edge of the sewn material. The deenergization of relay 686 results in the following:

1. Air trim valve 313d is deenergized.

2. Puller valve 322d is deenergized.

All circuitry is thus restored to its initial condition marking the end of the sewing and thread cutting operation.

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FOR MARKER DEVICE 325

As the sewn material proceeds down the conveyor, the leading edge thereof interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 332 to photocell 334. This causes relay 692 to be energized by photocell amplifier 694, resulting in a capacitor 696 being charged to 150 volts DC through a resistor 698.

When the trailing edge of the sewn material uncovers the marker photocell 334, permitting the light beam from lamp 332 to impinge thereon, relay 692 is deenergized by photocell amplifier 694, causing relay 700 to be momentarily energized by charged capacitor 696 with the following results:

1. Marker valve 330d is momentarily energized, causing the marker to mark the sewn material.

2. Capacitor 702 is charged to 150 volts DC through resistor 704.

When relay 700 deenergizes, charged capacitor 702 is connected to the input of relay driver amplifier 706, causing a pulse to appear at the output thereof. This causes relay 708 to be energized for a time interval determined by capacitor 702 and the input impedance of relay driver amplifier 706, with the following results:

1. Tape motor 391 is momentarily energized causing the marking tape to be advanced.

2. Puller valve 337d is momentarily energized causing the material to be accelerated down the conveyor.

All circuitry has thus returned to its initial condition marking the end of the marking operation.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR STACKER MECHANISM 343

When the marked material arrives at the end of the conveyor, it interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 346 to second stacker photocell 344. The input to relay driver amplifier circuit 712 is grounded by photocell amplifier 710, causing the output of relay driver amplifier circuit 712 to be conductive. This causes relay 714 to energize with the following results:

1. Second stacker photocell 344 is disconnected from the input of photocell amplifier 710, and first stacker photocell 350 is connected thereto.

2. The input to relay driver amplifier 712 is ungrounded, causing the output of relay driver amplifier 712 to be nonconductive.

3. Relay 714 latches through the contacts of relay 720. A resistor 716 and a capacitor 718 are connected across the coil of relay 714 to prevent relay 714 from deenergizing during its switching operation.

4. The output of relay driver amplifier 712 is connected to the coil of relay 720.

5. Stacker gate rod valve 342d is energized causing the gate rod 342 to rise so as to provide a stop for the next marked material.

As the next marked material proceeds down the conveyor, it is stopped by gate rod 342, so that is interrupts the path of the light beam from lamp 349 to first stacker photocell 350. The input to relay driver amplifier circuit 712 is grounded by photocell amplifier 710, causing the output of relay driver amplifier 712 to conduct. This in turn causes relay 720 to energize. A resistor 722 and a capacitor 724 are connected across the coil of relay 720 to ensure that relay 724 remains energized during its switching. The energization of relay 720 has the following results:

1. +26 volts DC is supplied to a second input of relay driver amplifier 712 so as to ensure that the output of relay driver amplifier 712 remains conductive when the stacker photocells 344 and 350 are uncovered.

2. Stacker and number change valve 376d is energized causing the stacker device 343 to stack the marked patches and the marker plate 326 to advance to the next number.

3. The input of delay circuit 726 is ungrounded causing the delay circuit 726 to commence its delay interval.

After a time interval sufficient to ensure that the stacker mechanical operation is complete, this time interval corresponding to the time delay of delay circuit 726, the output of delay circuit 726 is grounded, causing the output of relay driver amplifier 712 to be nonconducting. This in turn causes relay 714 and 720 to deenergize, thus returning all circuitry to its initial condition and marking the end of the stacking operation.

AUTOMATIC MODE AND ALARM CIRCUITRY

AUTOMATIC MODE CIRCUITRY

The welt-facing machine is placed in the automatic or repetitive made of operation by momentarily closing automatic switch 901, (located on top of electrical circuit console 17, the later is shown in FIG. 2) which causes relay 730 to energize with the following results:

1. Relay 730 latches in its energized condition.

2. Contacts of relay 626 are connected to the coil of relay 602 so that relay 602 will energize when relay 626 is momentarily energized. This causes the facing pickup and transfer mechanism to restart at the end of each of its operating intervals.

3. +26 volts DC is applied to the coil of relay 732 and 120 volts AC is applied to the coil of relay 734, to energize the alarm system.

The welt facing machine may be taken out of automatic mode by momentarily opening manual switch 902, (on top of console 17) which causes relay 730 to deenergize thereby restoring the automatic mode circuit to its initial condition.

TEMPERATURE ALARM

If the temperature of the press head of the lining feed mechanism is within operating limits, relay 736 is energized by the ground signal at terminal 738, which originates from the temperature controller for the lining press head. Should the temperature be outside of operating limits, the temperature controller will unground terminal 738 causing relay 736 to deenergize, with the following results:

1. Temperature out light 904 (located on top of console 17) will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that the temperature of the press head is not within operating limits.

2. Relay 730 is deenergized, causing the welt-facing machine to return to its manual mode of operation.

ALARM CONDITION

Should other alarm conditions occur, these alarm conditions to be described hereinafter, relay 732 will be energized, with the following results:

1. Alarm lamp 906 and alarm buzzer 907 are energized indicating to the operator that an alarm condition is present.

2. Conveyor motors 451 and conveyor brake valve 459d are deenergized, so as to simultaneously stop both conveyors. This assures that the proper relationship between workpieces will not be distributed.

3. The facing pickup and transfer mechanism is deenergized by deenergizing relays 602, 614 and 616, ply monitor valve 42d and motor(s) 21.

4. The turnover mechanism is deenergized by deenergizing turnover valve 210d.

5. The sewing machine is deenergized by deenergizing sewing machine clutch valve 301d and relay 684.

The following alarm circuits associated with various devices previously described are provided to energize relay 732 in the event of various malfunctions.

MARKER RESET ALARM

When the marker reaches the count of 60, the count microswitch 379 is actuated causing relay 740 to be energized. A reset marker switch 909 is also provided to energize relay 740 so as to reset the marker at any time desired by the operator. The energization of relay 740 results in the following:

1. Relay 732 is energized through resistor 733, placing the welt-facing machine in alarm mode as hereinbefore described.

2. A capacitor 742 which has been previously charged to +26 volts DC through resistor 744, is connected to the input of relay driver amplifier 746.

Relay driver amplifier 746 produces an output pulse of a duration determined by capacitor 742 and the input impedance of relay driver amplifier 746, corresponding to the time required to reset marker plate 326. This causes relay 748 to be momentarily energized with the following results:

1. Marker reset valve 381d is energized so as to reset the marker.

2. The stacker and number change valve 376d activating both cylinders 362 and 376 is energized.

3. Relay 750 is momentarily deenergized, causing conveyor motors 451 and conveyor brake valve 459d to deenergize, so as to stop the conveyors during the marker reset operation.

LINING MATERIAL RUNOUT ALARM

Should the lining material be exhausted or should it break, the lining material runout microswitch 75 shown in FIG. 7 would be actuated, with the following results:

1. Relay 732 would be energized through resistor 733, placing the welt-facing machine in alarm mode as hereinbefore described.

2. Lining material runout light 910 (located on top of console 17) would be ungrounded, causing it to energize through resistor 751, indicating to the operator that the malfunction causing the alarm condition is the lining material's being exhausted or broken.

THREAD BREAKAGE ALARM

Should the sewing machine thread break or run out, thread detector microswitch also designated as reed switch 477 would close, causing relay 742 to energize with the following results:

1. Relay 732 would be energized through resistor 733, placing the welt-facing machine in alarm mode as hereinbefore described.

2. Thread breakage light 911 (located on top of console 17) would be energized indicating to the operator that the malfunction causing the alarm condition is a thread breakage or runout.

TIMER ALARMS

The following timer alarms are provided to indicate malfunctions in various stages of the welt-facing machine. This is accomplished by timing the interval between certain events in the operating cycle of the machine. If the time interval between these events exceeds a predetermined time interval, relay 732 will be energized, placing the welt-facing machine in alarm mode as hereinbefore described. The following timer alarms are provided.

PICKUP TIMER ALARM

The pickup timer 756 is started when relay 608 is energized. This corresponds to the time when the twister head 26 starts to rotate.

Timer 756 is reset when relay 616 energizes. This time corresponds to the completion of the ply thickness test.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 756 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described and a pickup timer light 912 will be illuminated indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred in the pickup mechanism.

PICKUP TO TURNOVER TIMER ALARM

The pickup to turnover timer alarm 758 is started when relay 616 energizes, corresponding to the completion of the ply thickness test. This causes relay 760 to energize and latch.

Timer 758 is reset when relay 650 energizes, causing relay 760 to deenergize. This corresponds to the arrival of the facing at the turnover mechanism.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 758 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described and a pickup to turnover timer light 914 (located on top of console 17) will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the pickup and turnover mechanisms and the mating mechanism.

TURNOVER TO MATING TIMER ALARM

The turnover mating timer 762 is started when relay 650 is energized, causing relay 764 to energize and latch. This corresponds to the arrival of the facing at the turnover station.

Timer 762 is reset when relay 670 is energized, causing relay 764 to deenergize. This time corresponds to the removal of the mated material from the mating mechanism.

If the time interval between those two occurrences is too long, timer 762 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described, and a turnover to mating timer light 916 (located on top of console 17) will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the turnover mechanism and the mating mechanism.

MATING TO SEWING MACHINE TIMER ALARM The mating to sewing machine timer 766 is started when relay 670 is energized, causing relay 768 to energize and latch. This time corresponds to the removal of the mated material from the mating mechanism.

Timer 766 is reset when relay 684 is energized, causing relay 770 to be momentarily energized by capacitor 772, which has previously been charged to 150 volts DC through resistor 774. The momentary energization of relay 770 causes relay 768 to deenergize. This time corresponds to the arrival of the mated material at the presser foot.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 766 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described, and a mating to sewing machine timer light 917 will be illuminated indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the mating mechanism and the sewing machine.

SEWING MACHINE TIMER ALARM

Sewing machine timer 776 is started when relay 684 is energized. This corresponds to the arrival of the mater material at the presser foot.

Timer 776 is reset when relay 684 deenergizes, corresponding to the completion of the sewing operation.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 776 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described and a sewing machine timer light 919 (located on top of console 17) will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred in the sewing machine mechanism.

SEWING MACHINE TO MARKER TIMER ALARM

The sewing machine to marker timer 778 is started when relay 684 deenergizes, causing relay 780 to energize and latch. This corresponds to the completion of the sewing operation.

Timer 778 is reset when relay 700 is energized causing relay 780 to deenergize. This corresponds to the passage of the trailing edge of the sewn material over marker photocell 334.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 778 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described, and a sewing machine to marker timer light 920 (located on top of console 17) will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the sewing machine and the marker mechanism.

FIRST MARKER TO STACKER TIMER ALARM

The first marker to stacker timer 782 is started when relay 708 is energized, causing relay 784 to energize and latch. This corresponds to the departure of the marked material from the marker device 325.

Timer 782 is reset when relay 714 energizes, causing relay 784 to deenergize. This corresponds to the arrival of the marked material at the end of the conveyor.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 782 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described, and a first marker to stacker timer light 921 will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the marker mechanism and stacker mechanism.

SECOND MARKER TO STACKER TIMER ALARM

The second marker to stacker timer 786 is started after relay 714 has been previously energized by the arrival of the first marked material at the stacker and relay 708 is energized. This causes relay 734 to energize and latch. This corresponds to the departure of the subsequent marked material from the marker device 325.

Timer 786 is reset when relay 714 deenergizes, causing relay 734 to deenergize. This corresponds to the arrival of the second marked material at the stacker mechanism.

If the time interval between these two occurrences is too long, timer 786 will energize relay 732 causing an alarm condition as hereinbefore described, and a second marker to stacker timer light 922 will be illuminated, indicating to the operator that a malfunction has occurred between the marker and the stacker.