EP0129043B1 - Device and process for quilting - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of automatically producing seams in fabric webs, especially sackings or ticks of (wadded) bed quilts, by producing the seams during, and with the aid of, a freely programmably relative movement between the fabric web and at least one sewing machine head. The fabric web is drawn continuously or successively (in steps) and against a constant take-up force along a linear path, and the sewing head performs program-controlled motions in a processed web portion extending transversely of said path a system for carrying out this method, utilizes a machine table and an associated quilting-sewing machine having an arm and a machine head mounted to the latter. The arm (20) is guided by a pair of supports (6, 7) positioned perpendicular with each other and adapted to be moved in the longitudinal direction (X) and transverse direction (Y) by freely programmably controlled drive apparatus.

Description

The invention relates to a method for the automatic application of seams to fabric panels, in particular quilted bedding, by attaching the seams during and with the aid of freely programmable relative movements between the fabric panel and at least one sewing machine head, and a device for carrying out this method.

In the prior art, inlets for quilted beds have so far been sewn purely manually. With these inlets, an upper and lower plate for a filling made of down feathers or nonwoven fabric are stitched together, mostly in a circular shape, but also connected as lines. In manual sewing, the sewing machine sets a circular movement of the fabric below the needle.

The disadvantage here is both a low working speed and insufficient accuracy of the circular movement, which is hampered by the hard-to-move ticking.

Quilting machines are already known which move freely over the entire surface of a quilted bed and produce the quilting seams with a sewing head.

The whole part to be sewn is firmly clamped with a frame corresponding to its dimensions. This frame is in turn movably arranged on all sides on a horizontal table top, each with a longitudinal and transverse support, in two direction coordinates, and can also be pivoted mechanically in the horizontal plane about an articulation point. A sewing head is immovably arranged on a long arm approximately in the center of the table. When quilting, the mechanical guide system of the supports and swivel mechanism guides the frame with the part to be sewn back and forth in freely programmed movements under the sewing head and the quilting pattern is stitched.

The technical limits and difficulties of this automatic quilting device are that the movements can be carried out only relatively slowly, which affects the working speed. Furthermore, manual clamping of the inlet onto the frame requires considerable working time. Because more than a hundred different assembly dimensions have been introduced in the trade due to the variation in length and width, a corresponding number of clamping frames is required. Furthermore, with this working principle, the size of the sewing area is naturally limited and also leads to very large investment costs for medium-sized inlets.

With regard to the implementation of the method mentioned at the outset, it was already proposed in the earlier application EP-A-0 087 395 (prior art according to Article 54 (3) EPC) to clamp the part to be sewn firmly during the sewing process and to free the sewing by one programmable sewing head that can be moved in two directions on supports. However, this sewing device has the disadvantage that it works relatively slowly, since large distances have to be covered by the sewing head and that only one sewing head can still be used.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a method and a device for the automatic sewing of quilting patterns on fabric webs by means of which the disadvantages and technical limits described in the prior art are overcome. In particular, the working speed should be increased significantly while the quilting pattern being as accurate as possible, the use and handling of tenter frames should be eliminated, and the automatic sewing of quilting patterns should also be possible without difficulty even with inlets with the largest usual dimensions, for example 280 x 280 cm. A corresponding device should be uncomplicated and can be created in relation to its performance with low investment costs compared to known quilting machines. In addition, uncomplicated operation and the greatest possible security in the context of the task is an as well. important and self-evident concern.

With the invention, the object is achieved in a method of the type mentioned in that the fabric web is gradually drawn against a constant pulling force along a straight web and two sewing heads in a transverse, limited in length and width processing web section program-controlled Carry out movements so that the sewing heads stitch the processing web section of the fabric back and forth in one operation according to the program when the fabric web is stopped, and that the two sewing heads each freely programmable top stitch a processing web section each half the width of the web.

In this case, the fabric web can advantageously be transported step by step by the width of a web section after each operation.

Advantageously, the method according to the invention achieves a significantly higher quilting speed than when the sewing head is stationary and the material is moving. Because of the possibility of a more precise guidance of the machine, the programmed quilting patterns are adhered to with great accuracy. It is also an advantage that there is no need to clamp the sewing material on a frame, and the expensive and expert storage of over a hundred different frames.

In particular, the pull-off force is generated by sucking the web onto vacuum beams of the processing web section, which can be effective on both sides.

By restricting the machine guidance during automatic quilting to a limited area of the fabric web, the mechanical and technical management effort remains limited. This also ensures optimum leadership quality and exact adherence to the quilting pattern.

The resulting method of working is characterized by its simplicity, clarity and simple operation.

To achieve a quilting product of the highest quality standard, it is advantageous that the fabric web is guided under longitudinal tension into the working area of the sewing head and is kept under tension during the sewing process.

Advantageous refinements of the mechanical device according to the invention can be seen from the features of claims 5 to 7.

• Figur 1 eine Draufsich auf eine automatische Steppeinrichtung nach der Erfindung.
• Figur 2 die automatische Steppeinrichtung gemäß Figur 1, in schematischer Seitenansicht.
• Figur 3 ein Schema des Arbeitsablaufes nach dem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren, im Diagramm und
• Figur 4 einen Schnitt durch den Ansaug- und Nähbereich einer Stoffbahn.

The invention is explained in more detail below with its advantages and with regard to its function on the basis of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in the drawing. Show it :

• Figure 1 is a plan view of an automatic step device according to the invention.
• Figure 2 shows the automatic quilting device according to Figure 1, in a schematic side view.
• Figure 3 is a diagram of the workflow according to the inventive method, in the diagram and
• Figure 4 shows a section through the suction and sewing area of a fabric.

The automatic quilting device 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a work table 2. Its dimensions in length and width are at least as large as the dimensions of the largest part to be quilted. In front of the head of the work table 2 is the work station 3 for an operator 4. At this work station 3, two long-arm quilting machines 5 are arranged on a machine frame 19. Each of these quilting machines 5, 5 'is arranged in a transverse support 6 and a longitudinal support 7. Each of these supports 6, 7 is equipped with a drive (not shown). In cooperation, the supports and their drives each result in an exact, mechanical guide system for the long-arm quilting machine 5, 5 'which is guided with it. This guide system enables a movement play in the longitudinal direction by a stripe width X (FIG. 3) and in the transverse direction corresponding to the largest arm passage of the automatic quilting machine by the amount Y. In the resulting machining path section or working field 8 in the form of a rectangle with the sides X and Y (FIG. 3), the quilting machine 5 is movably guided in inevitably controlled movement sequences in accordance with a quilting program programmed into a control unit (not shown).

The arm passage 15 is 140 cm in the embodiment shown in the figures. Thus, with the automatic quilting device, a quilt with a largest width dimension of 280 cm can be quilted in one pass with the two long-arm quilting machines 5, 5 'arranged and controlled in opposite directions. Each of these quilting machines 5, 5 'is equipped with a machine arm 20 which overlaps the arm passage 15 and at the free end of which the sewing head 21 is located. The needle guide is designated with the reference number 14 in the illustration. The switching on and off of the quilting process and at the same time the program control of the entire workflow is controlled by the operator 4 by means of the foot switch 27 or a safety hand switch.

In contrast to previous manual quilting processes, the task of the operator is no longer to move the fabric under the needle, but merely to position a narrow side of the inlet under the machine arm 20 and in the catching device of the clamp beam 17. The operator shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 4 is busy with this process. For this purpose, the automatic quilting device has a feed device 9. This includes the storage trough 10, from which the fabric web 28 to be sewn, the ticking, is pulled upwards and via a deflection edge or roller 29 into the working area 8 of the quilting machine 5, 5 '. positioned and clamped by the brackets 22 of the bracket beam 17. Clamping takes place with the aid of a pneumatic closing device (not shown) of the clamps 22 of the clamp beam 17. The feed device 9, which during the quilting process keeps the fabric web 28 smooth and tensioned in the work area 8, is behind the deflecting edge or roller 29 for this purpose Provide a vacuum bar 12 on each side of the needle guide.

The tensioning device thus consists, in addition to the tensioning beam or clamp beam 17, of two vacuum beams 12 which are arranged on both sides next to the lower machine arm 34 of the quilting machines 5 and which have suction openings 35 for the fabric web on their upper side. The vacuum bars 12 are connected by means of vacuum lines 36 to a vacuum container or generator, not shown.

The vacuum bars 12 have a flat, triangular cross section with the tip pointing upward, the base surface partially overlapping the lower machine arm 34 and the suction openings being arranged in the upper, arm-side side surface.

The suction openings are therefore at least partially still above the lower machine arm 34 and guide the fabric web down to and from it again and hold the fabric web in the sewing position under tension and in a sufficient rest position even when sewing at high speed. In this context, it should be noted that the ticking materials to be sewn have a high level of tightness.

In this context, it has surprisingly been found for the person skilled in the art that in addition to the Clamping bars and the suction through the vacuum bars 12 further guide means can be unnecessary.

In the longitudinal direction on both sides of the work table 2, guides 16 are arranged, in which the clamp beam 17 is guided in the longitudinal direction 18, or in the opposite direction 18 'when moving back. A drive (not shown) moves the clamp bar step by step in each case by a strip width X in accordance with the work cycles. In this way, the fabric web 28 is pulled strip by strip by one working field 8 as soon as the quilting machine 5, 5 'has finished stitching a working field.

At the discharge-side end 23 of the table 2, the clamp bar 17, after opening the clamps 22, transfers the narrow side of the inlet 28, which is in the transport direction, to the transport roller 24. This conveys the finished quilted fabric web 28 by a predetermined amount and into the working area of the stacking device 25. This stacks the finished quilted fabric web 28 in a known manner, for example on a bundle carriage 26 provided. During this time the clamp beam 17 has moved back to the starting position 30 in the direction 18 'and a further part 28 to be quilted is positioned next.

A work flow diagram is shown in FIG. 3. Starting from the position of the quilting machine 5 shown in FIG. 1, the needle guide 14 being, for example, on the narrow side, seen by the operator 4, of an inlet 28 that only occupies half the table width, the program is started. The quilting machine 5 sews a plurality of dots 31, for example at regular transverse distances Z, each of these dots 31, as is known in the technical term, is a rosette-like quilted structure in a circular shape approximately the size of a coin. Moving further in the direction of the arrows 32 according to the program, the quilting machine finally reaches the last point 31 in the first work area. Once here, the fabric web 28 is transported further by the strip width X with the aid of the clamp beam 17 and the next work area is stitched point by point. This results in a relative movement sequence between the sewing head 21 and the fabric web 28 to be quilted, or rivets according to the meandering line 33.

• 1. Steppmaschine 5, 5' steht in Ausgangsposition. Transportvorrichtung in Form des Klammerbalkens 17 befindet sich dicht unter dem Nähkopf 21.
• 2. Die Bedienungsperson 4 positioniert die Schmalseite der zu nähenden Stoffbahn 28, des Inletts, unter den Maschinenarm 20 und in die Klammern 22 des Klammerbalkens 17 ; die Klammern werden pneumatisch geschlossen ; die Vakuumbalken 12 durch Vakuum aktiviert ; die Bedienungsperson 4 startet den automatischen Stepprozeß mit dem Schalter 27, die Steppmaschine 5 läuft.
• 3. Nun werden Punkte 31 gesteppt, dabei erfolgt jeweils nach Fertigsteppen einer Reihe ein Reihenvorschub X, und der automatische Steppvorgang läuft entsprechend der mäanderförmigen Linie 33 so lange, bis alle Reihen X genäht sind ; danach stoppt die automatische Steppeinrichtung nach vorgewähltem Nähprozeß oder nach vorgegebener Anzahl von Punkten 31 automatisch.
• 4. Zum Ende des Steppvorganges werden die Klammern 22 pneumatisch gelöst, der Klammerbalken 17 fährt in Ausgangsposition 30 zurück, die vordere Schmalseite des Inletts 28 wird mit der Transportwalze 24 ein Stück weit vorgezogen und vom Stapelgerät 25 auf den Bündelwagen 26 abgelegt.

The functional sequence of the automatic quilting device or the corresponding method according to the invention, which part of the description of the figures has already been explained, can be briefly represented as follows:

• 1. Quilting machine 5, 5 'is in the starting position. Transport device in the form of the clamp bar 17 is located just below the sewing head 21.
• 2. The operator 4 positions the narrow side of the fabric web 28 to be sewn, the inlet, under the machine arm 20 and in the clamps 22 of the clamp beam 17; the clips are closed pneumatically; the vacuum bars 12 activated by vacuum; the operator 4 starts the automatic quilting process with the switch 27, the quilting machine 5 is running.
• 3. Now points 31 are quilted, a row feed X takes place after finished stitching of a row, and the automatic quilting process runs according to the meandering line 33 until all rows X are sewn; the automatic quilting device then stops automatically after a preselected sewing process or after a predetermined number of points 31.
• 4. At the end of the quilting process, the clamps 22 are released pneumatically, the clamp beam 17 moves back to the starting position 30, the front narrow side of the inlet 28 is pulled forward a little with the transport roller 24 and deposited on the bundling wagon 26 by the stacking device 25.

Then the workflow is repeated.

As mentioned, this is controlled centrally and automatically by an electronic control unit with a program input unit. Such control units are known in the prior art mentioned at the beginning of existing quilting machines and have been designed in many cases. Because such controls have long been a matter of course in equipping machines controlled in a sequence of work steps and movements, a detailed description within the scope of the invention has been dispensed with.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the quilting machine can be preceded by a cutting machine which automatically cuts the top and / or bottom plate to the desired dimensions and which automatically transfers the cut plates or webs of material to the clamp bars 17 of the quilting machine arranged at the entrance by means of transport rollers.

Claims (7)

1. A method of automatically applying seams to fabric webs, especially bed sackings of quilted beds, by applying the seams during, and by means of, freely programmable relative movements between the fabric web and at least one sewing machine head, wherein :

the fabric web is gradually drawn (in steps) along a rectilinear path against a constant withdrawing force, and a pair of sewing heads perform programm-controlled motions in a processing web portion extending transversely of said path and being limited with respect to length and width ;

the sewing heads quilt the processing web portion of the fabric web in one operating step each while reciprocating in accordance with the program with the fabric web being stopped ; and

the pair of sewing heads each quilt a processing web portion with the width of one-half of the fabric web each in freely programmable fashion.

2. The method according to claim 1 characterized in that the fabric web is gradually fed (in steps) by the width of one web portion after every operating step.

3. The method according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the withdrawing force is generated by sucking the fabric web onto vacuum beams of the processing portion or section.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the vacuum beams are effective on opposite sides of the processing portion.

5. A quilting system for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a machine table and at least one quilting (or stitching) machine associated with said table and including an arm and a machine head disposed thereon, wherein the arm is guided by a pair of mutually orthogonal supports (6, 7) and formed to be movable in longitudinal (X) and transverse (Y) directions by freely programmably controlled drive means, and the quilting system includes as a tensioning means, a pair of vacuum beams (12) which are positioned on opposite sides adjacent the respective lower machine arm (34) of a pair of quilting (or stitching) machines (5, 5'), and which include suction ports (35) for the fabric web in their upper side(s), with the vacuum beams (12) having a flat triangular cross-section - with the apex pointing upwards, with the base of the vacuum beams partially overlapping the lower machine arm (34), and the suction ports (35) being provided in the upper side face at the side of the arm.

6. The system according to claim 5, characterized in that on the outlet-side end of the machine table (2), there are provided a conveying roll (24) adapted tod be driven, and a stacking apparatus (25) which are designed to cooperate with each other in the stacking lay-down operation.

7. The system according to any one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that it includes as an input means, a cutting machine which automatically transfers upper and/or lower plate(s) by means of conveying rolls to a clamping beam (17) or a supply roll (11) of the quilting system.

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