Patent ID: 6041725
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: D05B

Abstract:
An apparatus for automatically changing bobbin cases which contain empty bobbins with bobbin cases which contain full bobbins, in a quilting machine including a movable carriage on which a sewing machine is supported, the sewing machine having a hook assembly composed of a cup for accommodating a bobbin case, a pivot, and a tab, said case being supported by said pivot which is located inside said cup, with said tab being guided at right angles to said pivot and being movable between a position for engagement on an annular groove of said pivot in order to retain said case inside said cup and a position for disengagement from said pivot in order to allow to extract the case from said cup; the apparatus comprising: a rotating magazine containing full cases, being supported on said carriage so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis thereof, said magazine being provided with a plurality of receptacles mutually equidistant along a circumference which is concentric to said axis, each one of said receptacles having a respective pivot for supporting a respective full case; rotation means for rotating said magazine with a pitch being equal to an angular distance between two successive said receptacles; a case pick-up element; transfer means on which said pick-up element is mounted for transfer between a first position, in which the pick-up element is aligned with said hook assembly, and a second position, in which said pick-up element is aligned with a receptacle of said magazine containing a full case; a collection container; and actuation means for actuating said pick-up element into said first and second positions for gripping and extracting an empty case contained in said hook assembly, depositing the empty case in the collection container, and respectively, for gripping and removing a said full case from said receptacle and transferring the full case into said hook assembly.