Abstract:
An apparatus for preparing a cut length of cloth for sewing a drapery panel which feeds out a selected amount of cloth, provides alignment guides to fit a length of buckram into the proper location for attachment to the piece of cloth, aligns a cutter to the proper position to cut the proper length of cloth, sprays an ultra violet line to mark the edge of the hem as the cloth is cut and includes a marking gauge for hand or automatic marking the proper position for the pleats. The resulting piece of cloth is ready to be sewn singly or with other pieces into a drapery panel and to have the pleats or rod pockets sown.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application also claims priority from Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/395,140 filed on May 8, 2010 which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of equipment used to make drapes and more particularly equipment which enables cutting to length and preparation of cloth for sewing drapery panels and sewing in the pleats. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0003]    The applicant is unaware of another apparatus in the art which contains the same elements and performs the same functions as the invention described herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,083 for PROCESS FOR MAKING DRAPERIES issued on Dec. 7, 1976 teaches and apparatus for facilitating the proper alignment and application of buckram to a cut piece of cloth. The apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,083 is not capable of holding a bolt of cloth and feeding out a selected length, does not provide a cloth cutting member which is configured to facilitate required straight and properly positioned cut, and does not facilitate the marking of a bottom hem position or the proper position for required pleats. 
         [0005]    The present invention provides an apparatus which holds a bolt of cloth so that cloth can be fed from the bolt, feeds a selected amount of cloth from the bolt, holds the cloth in proper alignment for buckram application and cutting, provides alignment elements for the proper placement and application of buckram which is provided with adhesive,
       provides a cloth cutting device which is capable of cutting the cloth to the proper length accurately and straight,   provides an alignment gauge for marking the proper position for pleats,   provides an ultraviolet marker which marks the proper bottom hem position while the cutting device performs the cut, and   removes and stacks the cut portions of cloth for removal by a user.       
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The steps for fabricating a drapery without the use of the present invention are as follows:
   1. Fabric is measured and may be inspected.   2. Fabric is cut to length and this piece of fabric is commonly called a ‘width’.   3. A selected number of widths are sewn together to form a ‘panel’   4. The side hem is sewn along the sides.   5. Then the bottom hem and/or heading, near top of the panel, is installed as follows. If the bottom hem is sewn first, the panel is then measured to length and the heading (a stiff material such a buckram) is attached near the top edge of the panel for pleated drapes. On the other hand, if the heading is installed first, then the finished length is measured and the bottom hem is sewn or glued. Where pleats are not needed, rod pockets or tabs may be sewn in near the top of the panel.   6. The drapery can now have the pleats, rod pockets or tabs sewn.   7. The drapery can now be folded and bagged for delivery.   
 
         [0018]    The present invention eliminates the steps of measuring for length, hem or pleats and facilitates the cutting of the ‘width’ and the installation of the buckram and marking of pleats and automatically marks the hem position as the ‘width’ is being cut. A ‘width’ is a piece of drapery material which has been cut to length, has buckram installed if required, and is ready to be sewn into a drapery panel. 
         [0019]    The steps for fabricating a drapery using the present invention are as follows:
   1. Fabric bolt is placed and threaded on the machine.   2. Finished length is programmed into the machine.   3. The fabric advances over the platform on the machine and stops so the buckram can be attached and the heading is marked either for pleats, rod pockets, etc.   4. Then the fabric advances into position where the ‘width’ is cut to length just past the buckram which was just installed for the next ‘width’ . Simultaneously, an ultraviolet mark is sprayed onto the ‘width’ marking the proper position for the bottom hem.   5. The machine then automatically removes and stacks the cut ‘width’.   6. One or more widths can now be sown together, hemmed and pleated.   
 
         [0026]    The present invention does away with the need to measure the length to cut the material, to measure or mark hems or pleats since they are already marked, or to measure and install the buckram by hand. 
         [0027]    Presented herein is a combination buckram applicator, pleat and hem marker and cutter for drapery material comprising, consisting of, or essentially consisting of a frame comprising and open box like structure wherein longitudinal members form each edge of the open box structure, the frame including a work table affixed to a front side of the frame, the work table including a planar surface with buckram alignment guides, a buckram bracket configured to rotatably hold a coil of buckram to be applied to drapery material, the table also including an adjustable pleat marking alignment gauge, a front drapery material clamp fixed at a front edge of the work table, and a bolt holding cradle containing rollers which is configured to either allow a bolt of drapery material to be freely spun or the rollers may be motor driven to provide drapery material tension control if desired. The frame also includes a pair of motor driven continuous loops of chain connected by two pairs of drapery material carrier rollers, a drapery ‘width’ receiver frame which is configured to be raised to a drapery ‘width’ receiving position and lowered to a drapery ‘width’ removal position, a rear drapery material clamp and shelf, the shelf being located behind a rear edge of the work table with the pair of chains moving upward vertically through a gap between the shelf and the work table, the pair chains further traversing upward to a top portion of the frame, back to a rear edge of the frame and then returning downward to a location under the shelf and the rear clamp. Power shears are slidably mounted on a drapery cutting guide with a limit switch at both ends of travel on the cutting guide, the shears have an ultraviolet hem marking sprayer. One of the limit switches senses that a cut has been performed and thus causes the controller to open the rear clamp and to drive the chain drive motor to carry a newly cut ‘width’ away from the power shears. The other of the pair of switches senses that the power shears have been return to a power shear hold position thus causing the controller to close the rear clamp onto the newly cut free end of the drapery material. There are pneumatic solenoids for controlling the ultraviolet sprayer and pneumatic cylinders for the front and rear material clamps. There is also an operator panel including operational switches and a programmable controller for controlling the chain drive motor, the cradle roller motor, and the solenoids. The programmable controller receives inputs from operator switches, limit switches and a drapery material length monitoring device. The programmable controller is programmed to receive a selected cut length value and capable of controlling the clamps and the chain drive motor to deliver drapery material at a selected position to apply buckram and to deliver the drapery material at the selected cut length whereupon a user can cut the selected length of material. 
         [0028]    It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which holds a bolt of cloth so that cloth can be fed from a bolt or roll. 
         [0029]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which feeds a selected amount of cloth for cut length from the bolt. 
         [0030]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which holds the cloth and buckram in proper alignment for application and cutting. 
         [0031]    It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which provides alignment elements for the proper placement and application of buckram. 
         [0032]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which provides a cloth cutting device which makes and easy task of cutting the cloth to the proper length squarely and accurately. 
         [0033]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which provides an alignment gauge for marking the proper position for pleats. 
         [0034]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which provides an ultraviolet marker which marks the proper bottom hem position while the cutting device performs the cut. 
         [0035]    It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus which removes and stacks a plurality of cut portions of cloth for removal by a user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0036]    A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the views wherein: 
           [0037]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the drapery cutting apparatus from an upper left viewpoint. 
           [0038]      FIG. 2  is a left side view of the drapery cutting apparatus. 
           [0039]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the cutting device and the ultraviolet marking device. 
           [0040]      FIG. 4  is a left view of the exact stop device. 
           [0041]      FIG. 5  is a left view of the work table. 
           [0042]      FIG. 6  is a right perspective view of the drapery cutting apparatus. 
           [0043]      FIG. 7  is a left perspective view of motor  19 . 
           [0044]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the operator control panel 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0045]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for measuring a length of drapery material, applying buckram, marking for bottom hem and pleats, rod pockets or tabs, and cutting drapery material to length. Shown in  FIG. 1 , the drapery cutting apparatus  10  comprises a frame  12  comprising an open box like structure wherein longitudinal members form the edges of said box like structure, a work table  70 , a bolt holding cradle  50 , drive chains  20  and  21 , carrier roller pairs  22 / 23  and  24 / 25 , a drapery ‘width’ receiver frame  27  and an operator panel  80 . 
         [0046]    The chain pair  20 / 21  are driven by motor  19  which is controlled by a programmable controller  82 . Controller  82  also controls solenoid valves  54  and  55  which operate pneumatic cylinders which open and close pneumatic clamps  94  and  95 . Controller  82  is programmed with a selected length to which the drapery material shall be cut. When a user presses a particular switch on operator panel  80 , controller  82  starts motor  19 . Drapery length measuring device  90  gives controller  82  a signal as to the amount of material being pulled by means of a roller  91  which is caused to turn by the cloth passing underneath as shown in  FIG. 5 . When controller  82  senses that the proper amount of cloth has been dispensed, the controller stops motor 19 . Exact stop device  41 , shown in  FIG. 6 , comprises a pneumatic cylinder  42  with a stop pawl  40  which is forced into a link of chain  20  as a positive stop measure. Stop pawl  40  is thrust into chain  20  by pneumatic cylinder  42  controlled by solenoid  48  which is energized by controller  82  at the same time motor  19  is stopped, to ensure that chain  20  is stopped immediately and the proper length of material will have been fed. Because inertia would tend to keep motor  19  turning for a short time, an overrun clutch  14  is included on the drive shaft of motor  19  to allow exact stop device  41  to stop chain  20  while inertia causes overrun clutch  14  to slip for a short time. 
         [0047]    Chain pair  20 / 21  carries carrier roller pairs  22 / 23  and  24 / 25  in a cyclical path upward past the work table  70  to the top of frame  12 , back toward the rear of the machine and back down below the work table  70  and then upward through the space between shelf  97  and work table  70 . 
         [0048]    It is understood that at the beginning of a cycle, a free end  114  of material  110  is held by rear clamp  95 . A piece of buckram has already been adhered to the material  110  a few inches below free end  114 . Front clamp  95  is released and raised above table  70  and drapery material  110  by pneumatic cylinders  96  on each end of front clamp  94 . At this point in the cycle, the user is ready to advance material  110  to the position for applying the next piece of buckram as determined by counter  90 . 
         [0049]    At the beginning of the cycle, the length of cut is programmed into the controller  82 . The operator switches selector switch  126  to the “cut length” position and pushes the “cut length” button  122  which causes controller  82  to start motor  19 . Chains  20  and  21  carry carrier roller  23  upwards between table  70  and shelf  97 . Because rear clamp  95 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , holds the free end  114  of material  110  tight against shelf  97 , as carrier roller  23  moves upward, material  110  will be pulled upward by roller  23 . Because controller  82  has been programmed to feed a selected length of material, motor  19  will stop and exact stop pawl  40  will be thrust into chain  20  automatically at a first position where the user will manually feed a length of buckram  62  from a coil  64  rotatably mounted on a bracket  66  through table guides  60 . The buckram is provided with adhesive and can be cut and pressed by hand onto the under side of material  110 . After the buckram is installed, the user uses adjustable pleat gauges  71  to align a handheld ultraviolet marker and make pleat marks on material  110 . These marks will be used later when the pleats are made on another machine. 
         [0050]    The user now moves selector switch  126  to the buckram advance position and presses buckram advance button  124 . This causes controller  82  to run motor  19  to feed the material  110  a few inches further and automatically stop at a second position where the ‘width’ may be cut. At this point, controller  82  energizes a solenoid  54  which causes clamp  94  to be lowered down onto material  110  and hold material  110  tight against table  70 . This will prevent material  110  left on work table  70  from dropping to the floor after power shears  46  are used to cut the new ‘width’. The user starts and pushes power shears  46  ( FIG. 3 ) along shear guide  44  to cut material  110  at precisely the correct length. Ultraviolet marker  45  simultaneously sprays a hem line mark onto material  110  as the material is being cut. As the shears finish the cut, limit switch  47  is made and causes controller  82  to energize a solenoid  55  which opens rear clamp  95  and after a brief delay, starts motor  19  which causes the newly cut ‘width’ to rise upward. With clamp  95  still open, the newly cut free end  114  drops into clamp  95 . When the user returns power shear  46  to the left most position, limit switch  43  is made, and this causes controller  82  to close clamp  95  to hold newly cut free end  114 . At this point, controller  82  de-energizes solenoid  54  to open clamp  94  again. Controller  82  causes motor  19  to stop just before carrier roller  24  contacts material  110  just below shelf  97 . At this point the cycle is started at the beginning, above, but, as the material  110  is pulled up into position to apply the buckram, the new ‘width’ that has just been cut is delivered onto receiver bars  27 , which are in their raised position. End of cycle. 
         [0051]    When the user has performed enough cycles and made the desired number of ‘widths’, the ‘widths’ must be removed from receiver bars  27 . But first, motor  100  is started manually to lower receiver bars  27  along with the ‘widths’. Motor  100  turns shaft  72  and pulleys 74  which feed cables  76  down and thus lower frames  30  with bars  27  attached thereto. Rollers  31  roll against frame  12  to keep bars  27  in a horizontal relationship as frames  30  are lowered. 
         [0052]    A bolt of drapery material is supported in a nest of rollers forming cradle  50 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . As material  110  is pulled from the bolt, the bolt rolls against the rollers which support the bolt and cause material  110  to feed out squarely without slipping to the left or the right on work table  70 . Cradle  50  is configured to allow the bolt to freewheel or the cradle rollers may be motor driven by motor  52  if the tension in the material is critical. In this situation, motor  52  would feed out just enough material so that the desired tension would be maintained. 
         [0053]    Further switches are provided on the operator panel for selection of auto/manual control, as well as motor jog switches, manual front and rear clamp switches, and a switch to raise and lower the receiver bars. These switches are helpful during initial threading of drapery material, maintenance and troubleshooting. 
         [0054]    The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modification will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made upon departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, this invention is not intended to be limited by the specific exemplification presented herein above. Rather, what is intended to be covered is within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.