Patent ID: 6223668
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: D05B,D10B

Abstract:
A method for hand stitching a multi-panel sports ball, comprising the steps of:applying pressure to a lever pedal to move the free ends of opposed gripping arms of a panel gripping assembly into an open position;positioning a pair of panels to be stitched to form a multi-panel sports ball between the free ends, with edges of the panels and holes formed along the edges being in position for stitching;moving the free ends from the open position to a closed position;inserting a stitching fiber through a first set of aligned holes in a panel;forming a first stitch in the panels by passing a first end of the stitching fiber and an opposite, second end of the stitching fiber, in opposite directions, through another set of aligned holes in the panels;engaging the first and second ends of the stitching fiber in first and second gripping members disposed at opposite sides of said gripping arms;tightening the stitch by actuating a pneumatic cylinder associated with the first and second gripping members to move the first and second gripping members relatively apart;removing the first and second ends of the stitching fiber from the first and second gripping members; andrepeating the stitch-forming and stitch-tightening steps to form subsequent stitches, until stitching along the edge is completed.