An apparatus for aligning the cross-seams of similar lateral edges of two composite limp material segments, where each composite limp material segment includes two panels joined at a cross-seam extending transversely from corresponding points in the lateral edges-to-be-aligned. Following alignment of the cross-seams of the lateral edges, the segments are fed from the apparatus with the lateral edges and corresponding points of the cross-seams in overlapping alignment. Thereafter, the aligned edges may be joined using a conventional sewing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is in the field of clothing manufacture, more 
particularly relating to the automated assembly of garments. 
Garments have long been made by joining two or more panels of limp fabric, 
forming seams, so that the composite surface of the joined panels 
establishes a desired three-dimensional contour. Typically, the design 
process for a garment includes the step of segmentation of the desired 
finished contour into planar patterns having shapes corresponding to 
panels for the garment. These patterns are used to generate the panels 
which may be cut from a portion of a limp fabric. The panels are then 
joined at their edges (by manual or machine sewing) to form the finished 
garment. For automated garment assembly, it is preferable that the design 
permits the joining operation to be performed in a plane. In most cases, 
however, in the prior art, the seam joining for a garment requires three 
dimensional positioning of the joining stitches. As a result, such seam 
joining is generally accomplished manually. 
Thus, to manufacture a garment using planar patterns, the patterns are used 
to define the contours of panels on a portion of fabric, and the panels 
are then cut from that portion. Thereafter, the cut panels are joined to 
form the garment. In order to efficiently produce large numbers of 
garments, for example in commercial production, the panels may be cut from 
elongated strips of fabric extending from bolts of fabric. Various 
computer controlled systems have been developed in the prior art to 
accomplish garment production from such bolts of fabric. For example, 
there are known systems for automatically laying out panels, accommodating 
a full range of garment sizes, on a strip of material from a bolt which 
maximizes fabric utilization (i.e., minimizes waste). There are also 
computer controlled cutting systems, for example using reciprocating 
knives, which accurately and quickly cut panels from a large number of 
strips at one time. Further, there are systems which can automatically 
position the cut panels so that certain of their edges-to-be-joined may be 
joined by sewing, or fusing, under the control of a computer. 
One of the principle limitations of the prior art clothing assembly 
techniques is that most automatic, or computer controlled, joining systems 
can only effectively perform panel edge joining in a flat plane, i.e., the 
seam must lie in a plane. Since many garments include seams which may be 
formed in a flat plane, automated systems have been very effective in 
enabling the efficient production of garments or other articles. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,591 shows a system for manufacturing simple 
garments which include only flat plane seams which may readily be 
performed by known systems. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,118 shows a 
method for assembling pants from two substantially identical fabric panels 
using flat plane seams for joining two panels. 
However, most garments must be assembled with at least some seams which are 
not flat plane seams, i.e., the garment design includes seams which cannot 
be formed in a plane. By way of example, a pair of pants might be formed 
from two panels which are joined with an inseam and crotch seam 
intersecting at a saddle region, with the inseam extending between the 
lowermost portions of the leg portions of the pants and the crotch seam 
extending between two points on the top of the pants. Using conventional 
assembly techniques for such pants, one of these seams is first formed in 
its entirety and then the other is formed using other than automated flat 
plane sewing techniques. In order to assemble such garments in the prior 
art, these non-flat plane seams cannot be formed using known automated 
seam-joining systems, but rather must be formed either by hand or, more 
typically, human operator-controlled feeding of the panels to a sewing 
machine (or other type of machine) head. Consequently, the labor cost is 
relatively high compared to that encountered for a garment which might be 
assembled entirely by a computer system. 
However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,118, assigned to the assignee of this 
application, discloses a method for forming pants having such intersecting 
crotch and inseams where all seam joining is performed in a flat plane. 
One requirement for that method is that the cross-seams be mutually 
aligned prior to completion of the inseam. While this step is easily 
performed with human intervention, there are no known automated mechanisms 
which can perform this step. With such a mechanism, fully automated 
assembly of pants could readily be performed. 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an 
improved apparatus of garment manufacture. 
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an apparatus for 
aligning cross-seams during the assembly of articles using flat plane seam 
joining techniques. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for aligning the 
cross-seams of similar lateral edges of two stretchable composite limp 
material segments, where each composite limp material segment includes two 
panels joined at a cross-seam extending transversely from corresponding 
points on the lateral edges-to-be-aligned. Following alignment of the 
cross-seams of the lateral edges, the segments are fed from the apparatus 
with the corresponding points (of the cross-seams) in overlapping 
alignment. Thereafter, the aligned edges may be joined using a 
conventional sewing machine, for example. 
In the preferred form of the invention, the apparatus includes a support 
table having a ply separator plate disposed above the table. A segment 
feed assembly is positioned near the downstream end of the table. A 
positioning assembly is adapted to initially position the composite limp 
material segments adjacent to opposite sides of the separator plate with 
the lateral edges of the segments in nominal overlapping alignment and 
with the downstream portions of those lateral edges in substantial 
overlapping alignment and held adjacent to the table. 
In one form of the invention, a tension device is adapted to apply a 
desired force to the trailing portion of each of the segments to 
continuously establish tension (in a predetermined manner or adaptively) 
in that segment. 
A seam aligner assembly includes a body member that is slidingly (in the 
feed direction) coupled to the table. Two elongated finger elements, 
extend in parallel from the body member in a direction transverse to the 
feed direction and opposite, and separated by a gap from, the respective 
sides of the ply separator plate. The gap is selected to be greater than 
the thickness of the panels of the segments but less than the thickness of 
the cross-seams. The seam aligner is biased in the upstream direction. 
The system operates to initially position the segments with the lateral 
edges and cross-seams in nominal overlapping alignment with the leading 
edges in substantial overlapping alignment. Then, the tension device, when 
present, is actuated to establish the desired tension in the segments, 
followed by placement of the finger elements over the segments downstream 
of the cross-seams. Then, the feed assembly is actuated to drive the 
segments from the apparatus. As the segments are so driven, first one 
cross-seam and finally the other engages a respective one of the finger 
elements. Following such engagement, the seam aligner is driven toward the 
downstream end of the table in response to the forces applied by the 
cross-seams to the respective finger elements, and the segments are drawn 
together with the cross-seams substantially aligned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Briefly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus for bringing 
into overlapping alignment the cross-seams of similar lateral edges of two 
stretchable composite limp material segments, where each composite limp 
material segment includes two panels joined at a cross-seam extending 
transversely from corresponding points on the lateral edges-to-be-aligned. 
Following alignment of the cross-seams of the lateral edges, the segments 
are fed from the apparatus with the corresponding points of the 
cross-seams in overlapping alignment. Thereafter, the aligned edges may be 
joined using a conventional sewing machine, for example. 
The invention may be used to align the lateral edges of two discrete 
composite limp material segments, or, alternatively, two different lateral 
edges of the same composite limp material segment (where the portions of 
that segment bearing the two lateral edges-to-be-aligned are each 
considered to be a separate segment). The latter case is illustrated in 
FIGS. 1-3 which shows two panels 12, 14 having edges 20a, 20b, 24a, 26a 
(panel 12) and 22a, 22b, 24b, 26b (panel 14). Panels 12, 14 are initially 
overlaid (FIG. 1), then sewn to join edges 24a and 24b and to join edges 
26a and 26b and then unfolded along axis 12a (FIG. 2), and then folded 
along axis 12b (FIG. 3). As folded in this manner, the upper portions of 
panels 12 and 14 establish a first composite segment S1 having a first 
lateral edge (LE1) composed of edges 20b and 22a and a cross-seam composed 
of joined edges 24a and 24b extending transversely from point A. In a 
similar manner, the lower portions of panels 12 and 14 establish a second 
composite segment S2 having a second lateral edge (LE2), similar to 
lateral edge LE1, composed of edges 20a and 22b and a cross-seam composed 
of joined edges 26a and 26b extending transversely from point B. As 
illustrated in FIG. 3, the lateral edges LE1 and LE2, as well as 
corresponding points A and B, are in substantial overlappinq alignment. 
Lateral edges LE1 and LE2 may be joined using flat plane seam joining 
techniques, thereby forming a pair of pants in accordance with the 
teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,118. 
FIG. 4 shows a system 30 in accordance with the present invention which is 
adapted to place a pair of overlapping composite limp material segments, 
such as those shown in FIG. 3, with the lateral edges in nominal 
overlapping alignment, with leading points C and C' of the lateral edges 
in substantial overlapping alignment. The system 30 thereafter establishes 
substantial overlapping alignment of the lateral edges LE1 and LE2 and 
corresponding points A and B while feeding the aligned panel from the 
system 10 in the direction of a feed axis 32. 
System 30 includes an elongated support table 40 extending generally in the 
direction of the feed axis 31 from an upstream end 42 to a downstream end 
44. As used herein, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are in reference 
to the feed direction indicated by arrow 32 along feed axis 31. A feed 
assembly 46 is disposed near the downstream end of table 44. Assembly 46 
is adapted to selectively drive limp material segments adjacent to it from 
the system 30 in the direction of arrow 32. In the illustrated embodiment, 
assembly 46 includes a simple pair of opposed rollers, but other 
conventional fabric drivers might readily be used, for example, a sewing 
head with associated feed dog fabric drivers. Fabric edge position 
controllers (active or passive) may be integrated with system 30 at the 
downstream end of table 40. 
A rigid planar ply separator plate 50 is disposed horizontally above, and 
separated from the table 40, extending from points near upstream end 42 of 
table 40. In the present embodiment, the location of the plate 50 is fixed 
with respect to the top of table 40. Preferably, the principal (upper and 
lower) surfaces of plate 50 are smooth, so as to permit nearly 
frictionless passage of a limp material workpiece on those surfaces. In 
the illustrated embodiment, which is particularly adapted to align the 
lateral edges of limp material segments in the folded form shown in FIG. 
3, plate 50 is supported so that the rear edge (as shown in FIG. 4) of 
that plate is free to receive that folded limp material segments, with the 
first composite limp material segment S1 positioned adjacent to and above 
plate 50, and the second composite limp material segment S2 positioned 
adjacent to and below plate 50. In alternative embodiments, the invention 
may be configured with plate 50 (and feed axis 32) other than horizontal, 
for example vertical, and without a support table. 
In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, tension devices 52a and 52b 
are slidingly coupled to table 40 near its upstream end 42. Devices 52a 
and 52b are each adapted to selectively apply a force in the direction 
opposite to the feed direction 32 to the trailing portion of a respective 
one of limp material segments S1 and S2 adjacent to the surfaces of plate 
50. Tension devices 52a and 52b are adapted to slide in the direction of 
the feed axis 31. The tension devices, when operating, establish a drag 
tension in the composite limp material segments S1 and S2 positioned 
adjacent to plate 50. Moreover, as the segments are driven in the feed 
direction 32, the tension devices 52a and 52b track the motion of the 
trailing portions, while maintaining a desired tension in the segments. 
The tension devices may be active devices, with a servo-controlled 
mechanism for slidingly positioning those devices in the direction of axis 
31 along table 40. Alternatively, the devices 52a and 52b may be passive 
devices which passively provide a predetermined force to the trailing 
portions of the segments. In the latter case, the force may be established 
by coupling a free weight by way of cables extending from the devices 52a 
and 52b over pulleys to the upstream end 42 of table 40 and to the 
trailing portions of the upper segments. 
A cross-seam aligner assembly 60 is also slidingly coupled to table 40, 
between the tension devices 52a and 52b and the feed assembly 46. Aligner 
assembly 60 includes a base member 62, and two elongated finger element 66 
and 68 extending parallel from the base member 62 and transverse to the 
feed axis 31. The base member 62 is subjected to a bias force in the 
upstream direction (i.e. opposite feed direction 32) established by a 
passive force assembly. In the illustrated embodiment, the passive force 
assembly establishes a force F on body member 62 by coupling a free weight 
W thereto by way of a cable 62a extending from base member 62 over pulley 
63 to the upstream end of table 40. 
The distal end of finger element 66 is disposed above, and separated by a 
gap G from, the upper surface of plate 50. The distal end of finger 
element 68 is disposed below, and separated by a gap G' from, the lower 
surface at plate 50. The gaps G and G' are greater than the thickness of 
the panels of the composite limp material segments but are less than the 
vertical (when in adjacent to plate 50) thickness of the cross-seams 
joining the panels of the respective composite segments. In operation, as 
described more fully below, the aligner assembly 60 is initially 
positioned (with respect to axis 31) so that the finger elements are 
adjacent to the portions of the composite limp material segments that are 
downstream of the cross-seams. As a consequence, as the segments are drawn 
in direction 32 by feed assembly 46, the cross-seams of both composite 
segments S1 and S2 eventually come into interfering engagement with a 
respective one of finger elements 66, 68. When both cross-seams are so 
engaged, the interference from both cross-seams on finger elements 66, 68 
is sufficient to overcome the bias force F and to drive the seam aligner 
assembly 60 in the direction 32. 
With this operation, as the upper segment S1 and lower segment S2 are 
initially drawn in the feed direction 32 by assembly 46, both segments S1 
and S2 advance until the cross-seam closest to the downstream end of table 
40 engages the finger element on its side of plate 50. Then, as the feed 
assembly 46 continues to feed both segments, the segment having its 
cross-seam engaged with a finger stretches (since the force on just one of 
fingers 66, 68 is insufficient to overcome the bias force F, and move 
assembly 60) while the other segment is fed freely (without stretch) until 
its cross-seam interferingly engages the finger element on its side of 
plate 50. Thereafter, since the force on both finger elements 66, 68 is 
sufficient to overcome the bias force F and move assembly 60, the segments 
are thereafter fed with substantially the same amount of stretch in the 
feed direction, and with the cross-seams (points A and B) in overlapping 
alignment, with assembly 60 tracking that motion. By selecting the 
magnitude of weight W, the amount of tension (which determines the 
stretch) in the two segments can be controlled; greater weight causes 
greater stretch and lesser weight causes lesser stretch. 
With the illustrated embodiment, the cross-seam alignment and stretch 
control is established in a passive manner, since those factors are 
determined by the weight W and the force necessary to move assembly 60 in 
opposition to the bias force F. 
FIG. 6 shows a preferred form of the aligner assembly 60. In that form, the 
base member 62 is coupled to table 40 by a ball slide element 82. The 
finger elements 66 and 68 include engager members 66a and 68a, 
respectively, extending from rods 66b and 68b of air cylinders 66c and 
68c, respectively. The rods 66b and 68b have a hexagonal cross-section so 
that the members 66a and 66b may be maintained in position without 
rotating. With this configuration, the finger elements 66 and 68 may be 
selectively withdrawn during the loading of the composite limp material 
segments. The finger elements 66 and 68 may also be angularly separated 
through the actuation of an air cylinder 84. 
A controller 70, such as a programmed digital computer, is adapted to 
control the various elements of system 30 to operate in the manner shown 
in FIGS. 7A-7E. 
Initially, the first and second composite limp material segments are 
positioned on opposite sides of separator plate 50 with the lateral edges 
to be aligned in nominal overlapping alignment, with the leading edges C, 
C' in substantial overlapping alignment. In the illustrated configuration, 
points A and B are initially not in overlapping alignment. The segment 
portions bearing points C and C' are held in place at the feed assembly 
46. The tension devices 52a and 52b are coupled to the trailing portions 
of the segments S1 and S2, and the devices 52a and 52b are operated to 
establish a continuing desired tension in the segments. During this 
operation, the rods 66b and 68b of the aligner assembly 60 are in their 
retracted positions. The cross-seam aligner 60 is then positioned against 
bias force F positioned so that members 66a and 68a of the finger elements 
66 and 68 are downstream of the cross-seams of the two segments. The 
resultant configuration is shown in FIG. 7A. 
Then, the feed assembly 46 is operated to pull the aligned portions of the 
two segments therethrough and to feed those aligned portions out of system 
10. Initially, both the upper and lower segments S1 and S2 are driven (by 
assembly 46) together in the feed direction 32 until the forwardmost 
cross-seam B comes in contact with finger element 68, as shown in FIG. 7B. 
Then, as assembly 46 continues to drive the segments in direction 32, 
segment S1 continues to be driven in direction 32 while the seam B remains 
stationary as the portion of segment S2 downstream of seam B is stretched. 
This operation continues until both seams A and B are adjacent to the 
finger elements 66, 68, as shown in FIG. 7C. 
As assembly 46 continues to drive the segments in direction 32, the seams A 
and B apply a force to finger elements 66, 68 that is sufficient to 
overcome the bias force F and drive assembly 60 in direction 32, as shown 
in FIG. 7D. Finally, as assembly 60 nears feed assembly 46, the controller 
70 causes finger elements 66, 68 to lift away from plate 50 (FIG. 7E) and 
retract rods 66b and 68b, permitting the cross-seam portions of segments 
S1 and S2 to be fed from system 30 with the seams A and B in substantial 
overlapping alignment. The bias force F then drives the assembly 60 back 
to its start point, awaiting loading of the next workpiece. 
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing 
from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present 
embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative 
and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the 
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes 
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are 
therefore intended to be embraced therein.