US2518147A

US2518147A - Electric blanket sewing machine

Info

Publication number: US2518147A
Application number: US696850A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles E Johnson; Edward E Woller
Original assignee: Simmons USA Corp
Current assignee: Simmons USA Corp
Priority date: 1946-09-13
Filing date: 1946-09-13
Publication date: 1950-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-08

Description

Aug. s, 195o c.; JAoHNsoN ErAL ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE I 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 13. 1946 Aug'. s, 195o c. E. JoHNs-oN s'rAl. 2,518,147

Y ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Filed Sept. 15. 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. E. JoHNs'oN EIA'.

ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Aug. s, 195o Filed spt. 1s. 194e www III. Ill

8 Sheets-Sheet 4 C. E. JOHNSON ETAL ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Aug. 8, 1950 Filed Sept.. 13,

Aug. 8, 1950 c. E. JoHNsoN Erm.

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Filed Sept. 13, 1946 Aug. 8, 1950 c. E. JoHNsoN Erm.

ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Fileasept. 1s, 194e' I 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 c. E. JoHNsoN E-rAL ELEc'rRIc BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Aug. 8, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Sept. 13, 1946 fm y,

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hluIIlIIIrI .Il u F n n. III|IIIU|IIIIIIP|H |UI|H|I.I|I""IIII "Ils" II.IIIIIIIII|| fd. III |11 II IIIIII" I. l.. "IIIIIIIIIIIFIIII III III! A \\...||.||||ll IlllIIIIIIIIIIIIrII IIIIIIIIIIILIIIII. IIIIIII. IQ 8 n I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I\N| fl C E JOHNSON ETAL ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Aug. s, '195o' Filed Sept. 15, 1946 Patented Aug. 8, 1950 ELECTRIC BLANKET SEWING MACHINE Charles E. Johnson, Richmond, Va., and Edward E. Woller, Kenosha, Wis., assignors to Simmons Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 13, 1946, Serial No. 696,850

19 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to a machine for manufacturing an electric blanket which embodies a pair of relatively superposed plies of textile fabric and electrical conductors or cables between said textile plies.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a machine for assembling the textile plies of the blanket and uniting them according to a predetermined pattern to form pockets or channels for the required electrical wiring; to provide such a machine whereby the textile plies will be united in such a manner that the uniting means will be concealed within the blanket; to provide a machine of the character indicated with means for inserting or placing the required wiring in the blanket between the plies thereof; to provide equipment of the character indicated which will be substantially automatic in its operation and which will require a minimum amount of attention from an operator; and, to provide equipment of the character indicated which will operate at high speed and in a substantially trouble-free manner.

Other objects of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (8 sheets) wherein there is illustrated ione example of the type of blanket to be produced by the machine, and 9, selected form of machine for producing the blanket.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation,

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the right-hand end of the structure as shown in Fig. 1, and on a, somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a plan section of the right-hand end portion of the machine, approximately on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section approximately on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a plan section of the left-hand end portion of the machine more or less corresponding to the right-hand end plansection shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a plan section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 9,

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9--9 of Fig 71 Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section on the line Ill- I0 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a blanket of the characler to be produced by the machine illustrated, an

Fig. 12 is a sectionV in the plane of the line II-II of Fig. 10.

The electric blanket which is to be produced by the machine, consists of two plies I and 2 of suitable woven textile material and an electrical cable 3 interposed between the blanket plies I and 2 as best represented in Fig. l1. The electrical cable 3 consists, in this instance, of two wires, one of which is wound about the other and the cable is run back and forth lengthwise of the blanket in a more or less zigzag fashion as shown in Fig. l0. Terminal portions of the cable emerge from the blanket in a suitable flexible cord portion 4 having suitable terminal cap 5 at its end for facilitating connection of the blanket to electric current control apparatus which is not illustrated.

Each of the parallel lengths or legs G of the electric conductor is housed in a pocket formed between the blanket plies I and 2 by stitching the inner face portions of the plies together as represented at 1 1. The stitch rows I are confined to the in ner portions only of the blanket plies so that they are not visible on the outside of the blanket but instead are concealed within the same.

At one end of the blanket, alternate stitch lines Ia extend somewhat beyond the adjacent ends of the intervening stitch'lines 1b, and at the opposite end of the blanket the stitch lines 1b extend beyond the adjacent ends of the said alternate stitch lines 1a. This arrangement of the stitch lines is incident to the connecting loops 8 between the ends of the adjacent lengths of the conductor as shown. The stitching does not traverse the conductor at any point but is so arranged as to effectively pocket the respective conductor lengths and to prevent shifting of the same into mutual contact. Proper spacing and distribution of the conductor lengths over the area of the blanket is thereby maintained.

The blanket construction may vary from that described, the described arrangement being merely typical of the character of blanket structure which the following described mechanism is designed to produce.

The machine for producing the described blanket structure embodies a fixed jaw 9 and a movable jaw I0 over which the blanket plies I and 2 are disposed so as to position portions Ia and 2a of said plies in or nearly in face to face relationship while the remaining portions of the said plies extend away from each other. As best asian? shown 'in Fig. 9, the plies I and 2 are folded around the upper edge portions of upwardly extending jaw ups Il and l2, respectively. so as to present narrow, co-pianar horizontally disposed blanket portions at I3 and It on the upper edges of each of said jaw lips II and I2. The conductor wire ,3 is fed into piace between the adjacent portions Ia and 2a of the blanket plies and near the upper edges of said jaw lips II and I2 and the stitching 1 is effected through the horizontalLv disposed narrow portions I3 and I4 of the blanket plies. The stitching l is effect-ed by any suitable sewing machine such as a Lewis blind-stitch sewing machine, a portion of which is represented at I5. Such a sewing machine employs a curvedJ needle indicated at IB which is adapted to be passed through the thicknessof the said horizontal narrow portions I3 and I4 of the blanket plies. The stitching. therefore, does not pass from one side of the blanket to the other, but instead merely passes into and out of the blanket plies on one side thereof without ever reaching the opposite side of the respective plies.

The nxed jaw '9 is rigidly mounted on the upper side of a stationary frame member I1 which in this instanceis in the form of a channel iron member. Said channel iron member I1 is rigidly and xedly supported by a main frame structure which includes, at each end of the machine, an angle iron base member I8, and

.upwardly extending end member I9, and a pair of upper frame angle members and 2|. The end members I9 may be of suitable cast construction or fabricated of metal plates and shapes, or of any other form and material. The opposite end members are suitably rigidly interconnected in part by the said stationary frame member Il and in part by a pair of oppositely facing

channel members

22 and 23 at-the back of the machine, and an overlying angle or L- shaped member 24. The various parts may be bolted, riveted, welded or otherwise suitably intei-connected.

The movable jaw i0 is mounted on the upper end of a channel iron member 25 which is secured at its ends to the upper ends of a pair of angle iron legs or posts 25-26. The said legs or posts 26 are pivotally mounted at their lower ends as indicated at 21 on forward extensions of the base frame elements I8 at the opposite ends of the machine. The posts 26 at the op- .posite ends of the machine are guided between forward end extensions of the end frame members 2I as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 1, 2. rI. and 8.

Adjustment of the jaw I0 toward and from the fixed jaw 9 is effected through the agency, at each end of the machine, of a link 28 which is pivoted at one .end as indicated at 29 to the stationary end frame I9, and provided at its other end with a short link connection 33 to the leg or post 26. The post connected ends of the links 30 are secured to a shaft 3l which extends from end to end of the machine and is rotatably mounted in the respective posts 26. At one end of the machine a hand-lever 32 is .provided for rocking the shaft 3| and thereby adjusting the links 28 and 30 to open and close the jaws. The hand-lever is provided with a stop lug or boss 32a adapted to engage the face of one of the flanges of the adjacent post 23 to thereby limit turning of said shaft 3I in jaw-closing direction. The linkage 28, 30, is desirably so arranged that it locks the jaws in closed position by an over-the-center locking effect when the handle lug 32a is in engagement with the post 25. The open position of the jaw I0 is represented in broken lines inl Fig. 2.

To permit tine adjustment of the spacing between the jaws 9 and III in their closed position, the pivot 29 embodies an eccentric element 33 whereby rotation of the normally xed pivot 29 effects inward or outward movement of the respective links 28 and the parts connected to the free ends thereof.

The blanket .plies are automatically fed between the jaws by being passed 'between a pair of cooperating feed rolls 34 and 35 which are housed within the oppositely facing channels Il and 25 (see Fig. 9). The said rolls extend the full length of the machine being carried by

suitable shafts

33 and 31 .which are journaled in* anti-friction bearings 38 and 39 (Figs. 2 and 8) secured to the vertical Webs of the said channels 25 and I1, respectively. The

rolls

34 and 35 are connected for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions at the same surface speed by means of intermeshing gears 4|) and 4I secured t'o the

respective shafts

36 and 31 at their ends as shown in detail in Fig. 8. The roll 34 is driven through the said intermeshing gears and through the roll 35 which is in turn driven by mechanism which will presently be described. The intermeshing gear connection between the

rolls

34 and 35 permits the roll 34 to be separated from the roll 35 when the jaws are opened, the driving connection between the rolls being readily reestablished when the jaws are closed.

The jaw II) and its companion roll 34 are made movable relative to the fixed jaw 9 and its companion roll 35 to facilitate initial threading of blanket material plies into the machine. For starting a pair of blanket plies into the machine, the jaws and feed rolls are separated and the leading side edges of the blanket plies, preliminarily clamped together by a suitable clamping device indicated at 42 (Fig. 9), are passed downwardly between the opened jaws and rollers to substantially the relationship indicated in Fig. 9. Then when the jaws and rollers are closed or brought together, the blanket plies will be gripped between the rolls so that subsequent rotation thereof will feed the blanket plies downwardly between the jaws 9 and I0. the jaws remaining in their closed position as illustrated in Fig. 9. It will be understood that the jaws do not clamp the blanket plies together but merely support them in such spaced relation as is required to receive the cable 3 between them and to form the required narrow, horizontal blanket .portions for stitching purposes as above explained. The feed rolls 34 and 35 squeeze the blanket plies together quite tightly to insure positive feeding of the blanket the required distance each time that the rolls are driven. 'Ihe bulges produced by the interposed cable 3 in the blanket readily pass between the rolls since the blanket material itself is quite thick and substantially compressible, and since the diameter of said cable is small enough to be readily accommodated between the blanket .plies passing between the feed rolls in the manner indicated. Furthermore, the movable jaw l0 and roll 34 may be sprung slightly away from the fixed jaw 9 and roll 35 if required by the extra thickness of the blanket material passing between the rolls resulting from the presence of the cable. The surface of the

rolls

34 and 35 may be knurled or otherwise treated to aid in the blanket feeding operation.

For starting the sewing of a blanket, it is de- 8 sirable to locate the first line oi'v stitching at a fairly accurately predetermined distance from the leading side edges of the'blanket plies. To aidrin this matter, the clamp 42 is engaged with an adjustable positioning stop carried by the frame structure of the machine at its opposite ends. .The clam-p may consist of a pair of main plates 43 and 44 between which the blanket plies are gripped' and reinforcing

edge plates

45 and 46, these parts being pivotally interconnected as represented at 41 (Fig. 9). Coil springs such as represented at 48 interposed between handle-like extensions of the clamp plates 43 and 44 serve to resiliently hold the clamp plates 43 and. together at their free edges. 'I'he clamp plates 43 and 44 are extended beyond the opposite edges of the blanket and the extended end portions of said clamping plates, or the extended edge of at' least one of them, may be engaged with stops such as represented at 49 at the opposite ends of the machine. Stops 49 are vertically adjustably mounted on bolts such as represented at 50 which are threaded into suitable parts carried by the frame structure, and nuts such as represented at may be adjusted up or down on the bolts 50 to adjustably support the stop members 49 at the desired elevation. By appropriately positioning the clamp with reference to the leading edges of the blanket plies and by employing the stops 49 as gages, the iirst line of stitching may be accurately located with reference to the leading side edge of the blanket plies.

As best shown in Fig. 9, the jaws 9 and I0 are formed of angle iron members arranged with their inside angles facing upwardly so as to form upwardly facing channels or troughs in which the blanket plies and through which said blanket plies are guided by means of rolls or rods 52 and 53, respectively, the said guiding rods being unattached to said jaws and merely resting in the bottoms thereof. The jaw forming angles are supported in upwardly spaced relation to the upper legs of the channels I1 and 25 by means of suitable angle mounting blocks 54, disposed at suitable space locations across the length of the machine as best shown in Fig. 1.

A pan or tray 55 is suitably supported in the4 stationary frame structure of the machine in downwardly spaced relation to the jaws 9 and l0 and feed rolls 34 and 35, said tray serves to receive the free portions of the blanket plies which extend downwardly from the outer edges of the jaws 9 and I0 and also the united, cable containing plies of the blanket fed downwardly from between the

rolls

34 and 35. The blanket is thereby kept off the floor and maintained clean.

For` convenience when threading blanket plies between the jaws and feed rolls, the rods 52 and 53 may be supported in holding brackets represented at 56 (Figs. 3, 4, and '1), such holding brackets being suitably anchored to the opposite end frames of the machine where they will not interfere with other parts of the mechanism, and where the rods will be conveniently accessible for movement to the jaw troughs when desired.

The sewing machine l5 has its -base portion 51 mounted on the horizontal leg 58 of an angle iron shelf member 59. 'I'he vertical leg 60 of said shelf member is pivoted at its upper end as indicated at 6I (Figs. 2 and 3) in suitable ears which project forwardly from the upper margin of a plate 62. The base 51 of the sewing machine is secured to said shelf plate 56 by means of bolts 63which extend upwardly through slots in the shelf plate (Fig. 3) .and into the sewing machine base. The

slots through which the bolts 63 pass are elongated transversely of the machine sothat the sewing machine may be suitably adjusted to locate its stitching mechanism in the desired relationship to the blanket holding jaws 9 and I0. Vertical adjustment of the stitching mechanism relative to the jaws 9 and I0 is also provided. It consists of an adjusting screw 64 which is threaded through the vertical wall portion 60 of the shelf bracket, the end of the screw being caused to bear against the adjacent face of the plate 62. It will be seen that by appropriately adjusting the screw 64, the shelf bracket 59 may .be caused to swing about its pivot mounting 6l thereby effecting substantially vertical adjustment of the needle mechanism ofthe sewing machine. The adjusting screw 64 facilitates the making of very fine vertical adjustment of the path of movement of the needle so that it can be caused to penetrate the thickness of the blanket material at the desired point, intermediate the opposite faces thereof.

The plate 62 constitutes a part of a horizontally movable carriage structure which is portably supported by a fixed plate-like rail 65. The rail 65 extends from end to end of the machine, and itis supported by being bolted to the vertical flange of the angle frame member 24. Suitable spacers 66 serve to properly space the rail 65 from the frame member 24 as best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5.

The sewing machine is movable lengthwise of the machine along the rail 65, and the plate 62 constitutes part of the sewing machine carriage which is guided by said rail 65. The carriage, in addition to the plate 62, includes upper and lower angle iron members 61 and 68 which are secured to the plate 62 and extend rearwardly therefrom.

At the opposite ends of said angle iron members 61 and 68 there are secured endwise extending brackets 69 (see Fig. 3) which support rollers 10 which ride on the top and bottom edges of said rail 65. Said angle members 61 and 68 also support pairs of rolls at each end in such position as to embrace the upper and lower margins of the rail 65 to thereby position the carriage in substantially xed transverse relation to the said rail 65. Each of said roll pairs comprises front rolls 1i and rear rolls 12. It will be seen that the roller arrangement described supports the carriage for movement lengthwise of the roll but against transverse rocking or shifting.

The carriage is automatically propelled back and forth along the rail 65. For this purpose an endless chain 13 is driven by means of an electric motor 14 through the agency of a suitable speedreducing unit 15, the out-put shaft of which has secured to it a sprocket 16 which engages the chain as best shown in Fig. 1. The motor 14 and the speed-reducing unit 15 are mounted on the back of the machine, suitable frame parts or brackets being provided for that purpose. From the drive sprocket 16 the chain is carried upwardly over an idler sprocket 11 suitably mounted on the supporting frame of the machine, thence upwardly and around a sprocket 18 which is suitably journalled at one end of the machine. From the sprocket 18 the chain is carried in a substantially horizontal direction across the length of the machine to another sprocket 19, and thence over and downwardly around said sprocket 19 to another idler sprocket and back to the driving sprocket 16. The sprockets 18 and 19 are journalled on stub shafts carried by the frame member 24 (see Fig. 2). In order that the sew- 7 ing machine be caused to travel back and i'orth along the length of the machine, the chain is correspondingly driven alternately in opposite directions. In the horizontal upper reach of the vchain there is provided a special link or connecting block 8| which is provided in its upper edge with a notch or recess 82 for receiving a latch bar 83 pivoted at one end as shown at 84 to the carriage structure (see Figs. 3 and 5). The latch bar is pivoted directly to a mounting block 85 which is in turn bolted to the carriage member 61,

and the free end of said latch bar is adapted to engage in the said notch B2 of the chain block 3|. Travel of the horizontal reach of the chain 13 will thereby be transmitted to the sewing machine carriage. The chain is supported under said latch bar by a bar 85a which is securedto said carriage member 61. A chain guide 85h is also provided on the top of the free end portion of said bar 85a.

The electric motor 14 which drives the chain is of a suitable reversible type.. and automatically actuated control means is provided for reversing the motor so as to reverse the direction of travel of the chain upon the completion of each traverse of the sewing machine head over the length of the apparatus. This control means will now be described.

A bar 86 extending lengthwise of the machine is mounted in suitable guides for longitudinal sliding movement. At the ends of the machine, the bar is slidably supported in guide blocks`81 (see Figs. 3 and 7), and intermediate the ends of the apparatus there are provided a vseries of suitably spaced guide blocks 88 mounted on frame carried brackets such as 89. The slide bar B6 may be suitably anchored against upward displacement from said guide blocks if desired, but there is no force exerted in an upward direction except at one end so that such anchoring means is not essential, and is not herein shown. However, it may consist of a plate mounted on one or more of the guide blocks and extending across the tcp oi.' the slide bar, or it may consist of key and slot interconnections between one or more of the guide blocks and the slide bar. At one end, said slide bar 86 is provided on its lower surface with a gear rack 90 (Fig. 4) which meshes with a gear segment 9|. At that end of the machine the guide block 81 has secured to its top surface at one side of the guideway therein, a retaining plate 92 which extends into overlapping relationship to a rearward marginal portion of the slide bar 86 (see Figs. 3 and 4) The overlapping portion of the plate 92 will adequately serve to prevent upward displacement of the adjacent rack bearing end of the slide bar. A similar holding plate may be provided at the other end of the holding bar and on the intermediate supports, if desired.

The slide bar 86 has mounted on its top surface at properly spaced longitudinal points, cam bars 93 and 94 respectively (Figs. 3 and 7) and stops 95 and 96 are respectively mounted on top of the said cam bars 93 and 94. The stops 95 and 96 are respectively engageable by the lower end portions of bar-like members 91 and 98, respectively, which are vertically adjustably mounted on the opposite ends of the carriage plate 62 (see Figs. 2, 3, and 7). When the carriage approaches the righthand limit of its travel, the lower end of the member 98 will engage the stop or abutment 96 and thereby impart sliding movement to the slide bar 86 toward the right-hand end of the machine as viewed in Fig. 3, or the left-hand end as viewed in Fig. 4. Such lengthwise movement of the slide bar 86 will. of course. be transmitted to the gn' segment 9| which is mounted for oscillating movement on a stub shaft 99 which is suitably supported in a stationary bracket |00 which is provided for that purpose. Said segment 9| has aS- sociated with its hub portion a bevel gear |0| which meshes at its opposite sides with a pair of cooperating bevel gears |02 and |03 which are respectively secured to the hub portions of arms |04 and |05, the said bevel gears and arms being suitably mounted Ior oscillating movement independently of each other in portions of said bracket |00. It will be seen that when the gear segment 90.1s rocked in one direction, the bevel gears |02 and |03 will be turned in opposite directions so as to cause the arms 04 and |05 to rock simultaneously in opposite directions.

The oscillating movements of the arms |04 and |05 are employed for periodically driving the blanket feed rolls 34 and 35 to advance the blanket plies upon the completion of each row of stitching. For this purpose, the arms |04 and |05 are connected by drag links |06 and |01l respectively, to over-riding clutch mechanisms |08 and |09 which are carried by an extension of the shaft 31 of the blanket feed roll 35. The clutches 08 and |09 are alike in construction, and they may be of any suitable for-m which will operate to transmit counter-clockwise rotation from the clutch bodies to which the links |06 and |01 are connected to the feed roller 35 (as viewed in Fig. 2). It will be apparent that when the arm |05 is rocked in a clockwise direction, it operates through its drag link |01 to eiect feed movement of the feed roller 35 in the proper direction. When the arm |05 is moving in blanket-feeding direction, the arm |04 is rocked in counter-clockwise direction and the clutch body |08 will rotate counter-clockwise and free of driving connection to said feed roll 35. Similarly, when the arm |05 is moved counter-clockwise, its clutch |09 will be idled but the arm |04 will be rocked in clockwise or blanket-feeding direction. Hence, it will be seen that the blanket feed rollers will be driven in a step by step manner, always in the same direction, each time that the sewing machine carriage reaches the righthand end of the machine as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3. Like feed roller movement is e'ected each time that the sewing machine carriage reaches the left-hand end of its travel, the movement being then eiected by reversely sliding the slide bar 8S incident to engagement of the lower end of the member 91 with the stop 95 (Fig. '7).

The member 91 is provided with an offset extension element ||0 which is adapted to engage the adjacent end of a rod ||2 which is slidably mounted near one end in a lug ||3 carried by the cam bar 93. The other end of said rod ||2 is connected as shown at ||4 to a suitable counting mechanism ||5 which will be caused to register each time that the sewing machine head reaches the end of its travel at the lefthand end of the apparatus. By means of the counter ||5 it is easy to determine whenthe required number of electric conductor legs have been encased between the blanket plies. For example, in the blanket structure illustrated in Fig. 11, there are 17 rows of stitching 1a which include the two outermost rows of stitching. The blanket sewing operation is conducted so that the counter I5 will be actuated each time that a row of stitching 1a is completed. Hence, when the register shows the completion of 17 rows of stitching a complete blanket unit is ready to be `ing of the switch arm |2|.

desired it may embody separate units, one for counting the total number of rows of stitching, another for counting the number of stitches formed in each blanket unit, another` for counting the number of blanket units produced. If such multiple counter is employed, separate resetting mechanisms should, of course, be provided for each unit.

As shown in Fig. 2, the rock arm |04 has its free end operation extended and provided with a stud H1 which is slidable in an elongatedslot I|8 provided in an ar-m or link H3. The link ||9 is pivoted vat its opposite end as shown at \|20 to the arm |2| on a suitable switch mechanism |22 which controls the reversible motor 1 4. Wh'enthe rock arm |04 is rocked counter-clockwise from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 its stud ||1 will engage the link ||9 at the righthand end of the slot I8 to thereby initiate rock- An over-the-center spring |23 is provided for completing the movement of the switch arm, such movement being limited by stop pins such as shown at |24, |24.

Suitable electrical connections (well known to those skilled in the art) are, of course. made so that when the switch arm 2| is rocked from one side to the other, the motor |14 will be reversed to thereby effect reversal of the travel of the chain 13 and thereby to eiect reversal of the travel of the sewing machine. Manual stop and start switches may be provided as indicated at |25.

The sewing machine mechanism I is driven by a separate electric motor |26. The motor |26 is suported on a shelf-like bracket |21 having a ieg portion |28 secured to the leg 60 oi' the sewing machine head bracket 59 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The motor shaft is provided with a pulley |29 for driving a belt |30 which transmits power to the pulley |3| on the power shaft of the sewing machine mechanism. Electric power is delivered to the sewing machine motor |26 through the agency of a suitably supported ilexible conductor cord |32, a switch |33 being provided for breaking the motor circuit when the motor is to be stopped at the end of each line of stitching.

As best shown in `Fig. 3, the switch |33 is mounted on a bracket |34 which extends upwardly from the carrier angle member 61 and the switch includes a depressible button |35. When the button is pressed inwardly, the circuit is broken to thereby de-energize the sewing machine motor. The switch |33 is automatically opened upon the completion of each row of stitching by means of cam bars |36 and |31 (Figs. 1 and 3) which are'adjustably mounted on the upper edge of a bar |36. The bar |33 extends lengthwise of the apparatus immediately over the upper edge of the frame member 24 and it is longitudinally slidably mounted in suitable brackets such as represented at |39 near the ends of the bar. One or more intermediate sup'- ports such as represented at |40 (Figs. 1 and 5)' may be provided. The cam bars |36 and |31 have rounded or beveled corners which constitute cam edges for engaging and forcing the switch button |35 inwardly incident to the movement of the switch laterally over the adjacent edge of the lengaged cam bar.

lo Shortly after the switch button |35 is pressed inwardly to break the circuit to the sewing machine motor, the leading side edge of .the chain engaging finger or latch 83 engages an abutment |4| or |42 which is suitably mounted on the front face of the bar |33 so as to project forwardly therefrom. The bar |38 together with the said abutment |4| or |42 and the respectively associated cam |36 or |31 will thereby be moved endwise for a short distance until the mechanism hereinbefore described has acted to effect reversal of the chain driving motor 14. v When the chain and sewing machine start their reverse travel to apply the next row of stitching, the sewing operation will start as soon as the switch button rides oi the cam which depressed it. Since that camwas moved endwise in the direction of travel of the sewing machine at the time the button was depressed, it will be evident that the switch button will leave the cam at an advanced point with reference to the point at which the cam was rst engaged. By this arrangement the starting points of the switch lines are located neared to the end or side edges of the blanket material than theilnishing points oi' the adjacent stitch lines.

The momentum of the operating parts of the sewing machine will, of course, tend to maintain the same in operation for a few stitches after the power tothe operating motor |26 is cut ofi. To limit such momentum operation and to eilect stopping of the sewing machine mechanism with its needle I6 in an up and out of the way position, a suitable brake is provided. In this instance, the brake consists of an arm |42a pivoted at its upper end to a supporting arm |42b which is rigidwith the sewing machine carriage.

The arm |42a is provided with a pad |42c of friction material for engaging a brake projection |5a on the sewing machine ily wheel lib. An adjustably positioned spring y| 42d serves to resiliently urge the brake pad |42cv-into the path of travel of the iiy wheel projection |5a, such movement being limited by suitable -restricting means |42e. The braking effect is not so strong as to interfere with the normal operation of the sewing machine when the motor |26 is energized.

The thread for the sewing machine is drawn from a supply spool |43 suitably supported on the sewing machine bracket 59 (Fig. 2), the thread being conducted upwardly through an eye in a guide |44 and thence downwardly and forwardly through more or less conventional thread guides and tension controlling devices forming a part of the sewing machine and to the needle |6. The thread is not normally broken between rows of stitching but is carried directly from one row to the next and is broken off only when an entire blanket unit hasbeen stitched.

During the operation of laying a cable between the blanket plies and below a line of stitching being applied thereto, the rod |52 is positioned on the leading side of the sewing machine head so that thecable will be deposited just in advance of the zone of operation of the needle |6. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the cable guiding elements are in position for laying a cable when the sewing machine begins to travel from the right-hand end of the machine to the lefthand end thereof.

Mechanism is provided for automatically rotating the shaft |55 thereby to swing the cable guiding parts through an arc of 180 to position said parts on the other side of the machine preparatory to travel of the sewing machine from left to right in Fig. l. For this purpose, the shaft |55 is provided with a bevel gear |51 which meshes with another bevel gear 58, the latter being secured to the adjacent end of a shaft |59 which is rotatably supported in said bracket |56 and in a cooperating bracket |60 at the other end of the sewing machine head. Beyond the supporting bearing |66, the shaft |59 has secured to it an arm or lever |6| which is equipped with a rearwardly extending boss or button |62. By rocking the lever 6|, the shaft |59 will be rotated and such rotation will be transmitted through the bevel gears |51 and |58 to the shaft |55 to thereby rotate the cable guiding elements as above explained.

The arm I 6| is rocked as above mentioned automatically as an incident to the terminal portion or each traverse of the sewing machine head across the apparatus. This is accomplished by providing a normally fixed supporting bar |63 and cam or abutment dogs |64 and |65 pivotally mounted on said supporting bar |63. The supporting bar 63 may be fixedly supported by suitably upstanding brackets |66 at the opposite ends of the machine. The dogs |64 and |65 are pivoted as indicated at |61 to mounting blocks |68 fastened to the supporting bar |63 so as to be adjustable longitudinally of the latter. The

. dogs |64 and |65 may be manually swung upwardly about their pivots |61 from their normal operative positions shown in Fig. 1 in which they are supported by stop pins |69 which project -from the respective dogs into overlying relation to the mounting blocks |68.

It will be seen that when the sewing machine head is travelling from left to right (in Fig. 1), the arrangement is such that the boss |62 of the arm 6| will engage the free end |10 of the dog |65 so as to be thereby rocked as an incident to the travel of the sewing machine head. The inter-engagement of the boss or roller |62 with the dog |65 (or |64) occurs in such synchronism with the operation of the reversing mechanism as to eiect the completion of the rotation of the wire guiding elements at about the time the spring |1|la stretched between a f ixed ear |101; and a pin |10c which extends upwardly from the arm |53 to one side of the pivot shaft |55 (see Figs. 1 and 2).

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the sewing machine proper includes a presser foot |1| which rides on the horizontally disposed portions I3 and |4 of the blanket plies to hold them in predetermined position over the edges of the jaw members |I and l2 to condition the blanket material for the stitching operationeil'ected by the needle I6.

Each time that a row of stitching is completed, the blanket plies are, of course, advanced and such movement of the blanket plies makes it desirable, if not necessary, to lift the presser foot |1| so as to free the blanket material thereunder for the desired feeding movement. Such lifting of the presser foot is accomplished by providing a roller |12 on the bottom of the sewing machine supporting bracket 59 (see Figs. 3 and 5), said roller being arranged to cooperate with sewing machine head begins its return travel.

the inclined cam edge portion |13 of the cam bar 94 at the right-hand end of the machine and with cam edge |14 of the cam bar 93 at the left-hand end of the machine (Fig. '1).

The cam bars 93 and 94 are so arranged that when the sewing machine reaches the ends of its path of travel, the roller |12 will engage the adjacent cam bar to thereby effect rocking of the sewing machine head and its supporting bracket about the pivot 6|. Such rocking movement will, of course, eect substantially vertical movement of the outer end of the sewing machine head and the presser foot to thereby release the blanket material for feeding movement as already explained.

The said presser foot lifting movement is, of course, effected at the end of the stitching travel of the sewing machine head, and downward or return movement of the presser foot occurs as an incident to the movement of the roller |12 off' the cam bar 93 or 94 immediately after the sewing machine begins its reversed travel. By adjusting the screw 64, the normal pressure of the presser foot |1| on the blanket material may be adiueted.

The operation of stitching an electric blanket such as illustrated in Fig. 11 is started by rst positioning the blanket plies in the jaws 9 and i6 as shown in Figs. 4 and 9 and then, without feeding any wire, producing the first row |15 of stitching 1a. The line of stitching is started at the right-hand end of the machine as illustrated in Figs. 1 and '7 so that said first row |15 of stitching is terminated shortly before the sewing machine head reaches the left-hand end of the apparatus. The blanket material is then fed downwardly between the jaws 9 and I0, one unit of movement incident to rotation of the feed rolls 34 and 35. A sufficient length of wire or cable 3 to provide the lead portion 3a (Fig. 11) is then pulled through the wire guides and is passed downwardly between the jaws 9 and I0, the jaws being provided with recesses |16 and |11 (Figs. 1 and '1) to form an enlarged opening for this purpose. The lead portion of the wire may merely rest on the surface of the

underlying roll

34 or 35 on either side of or between the blanket material, and will ultimately pass downwardly between the feed rolls with the blanket material. The wire becomes more or less frictionally anchored between the blanket material plies so that when the sewing machine head begins its return movement, i. e. from left to right, wire will be drawn from the supply spool and paid out from the issuing eye |5| immediately ahead of the .Zone of operation of the needle I6. Hence,

on the second and succeeding rows oi stitching. wire will be laid between the blanket material plies immediately under the row of stitching produced during the travel o1' the sewing machine head. In some instances, it may be preferable to manually hold the lead end of the wire until a suilicient length thereof has been laid between the blanket plies and coniined therein by overlying stitching to adequately anchor the wire to prevent the travelling sewing machine from pulling out said lead 3a.

When the last row |18 of stitching Ib is completed, the chain driving motor 1I is temporarily shut oil' either automatically or manually (manually in this instance). and a required length ofJ cable to form the lead 3b is then manually drawn through the guiding elements and the lead 3b severed from the supplyof cable, and the stitched blanket removed from the apparatus. The united blanket plies are then subjected to trimming at the sides (parallel with the lines of stitching), and the trimmed edges suitably stitched together, or otherwise finished. The transverse ends of the blanket are also finished by taping or otherwise as indicated at |18. Suitable provision is, of course, made for extending the leads 3a and 3b out the blanket through the agency of the flexible conductor cord I.

In Fig. 1 the dotted lines |88, |80 represent the approximate location of the opposite ends of a blanket being processed in the apparatus. When a completed blanket is being removed from the apparatus and new blanket material introduced it is convenient to move the' sewing machine head beyond its normal stopping point so as to com- 3 pletely clear the blanket receiving lengths of the jaws 8 and I0. The rail or track 85 and other necessary parts are accordingly extended at the right-hand end of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1 to permit such movement of the sewing machine head beyond its normal limit of blanket sewing travel. Also to permit such extra movement oi' the sewing machine head, the bar-like member 98 is manually adjustable upwardly so that its lower end will clear the abutment 86 which it normally engages. Such upward movement of the member 98 is transmitted by an arm or rod I8l to the latch bar 83 so as to rock the same upwardly about its pivot 84 to thereby disengage the same from the driving chain 13. With D the member 98 and latch 83 so adjusted, the sewing machine carriage and parts supported thereby may be moved to the extreme right-hand position in which they are illustrated inFig. 1. The rod |8| is connected to the latch 83 by means of a bell-like element |82 which is anchored to the latch 83 in overlying relation to the said rod. The member 81 may also be manually adjusted upwardly toA cause its lower end to clear the abutment 95 for adjustment purposes. There is, however, no normal requirement for movement of the sewing machine head beyond a limit determined by the abutment 95.

When new blanket material has been properly introduced into the jaws and the latter closed so as to retain the blanket material in position, the sewing machine carriage and sewing machine head are manually returned to starting position at the right-hand end of the apparatus, the member 88 and latch 83 being -then restored to their operative positions. For convenience an electric switch |83 may be mounted at the lefthand end of the machine (Fig. 1) and suitably connected to the motor 14 to facilitate starting and stopping of the apparatus from the left-hand -v 14 V end of the machine, should that be required. The switch |83 -is a counterpart of the switch at the right-hand end of the apparatus. "Changes in the construction of the machine as described may be made without departing from the principles of the machine as described. `For example, a sewing machine has been referred to for eecting interattachment of the blanket plies but it will -be evident that otherl means such as stapling or tying mechanisms may be substituted and such substitutions are not excluded from the scope of the following claims where reference to any specic device is intended to be understood as referring also to any equivalent device.

We claim:

l. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of means for supporting portions of l a pair of blanket plies in substantially co-planar, juxtaposed relationship, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, means for advancing said blanket plies step by step so as to successively position spaced, parallel portions of the respective plies on said supporting means, a blind stitch sewing machine, means supporting said sewing machine for movement lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions and in such relation thereto as to be operative to stitch through only apart of the thickness of said co-planar blanket portions, means for simultaneously actuating said s'ewing machine and propelling the same lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions to thereby unite the same, and means automatically actuating said blanket ply feed means and reversing the direction of travel of said sewing machine upon the completion of each row of stitching uniting the respective pairs of said juxtaposed portions.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in substantially co-planar, juxtaposed relationship, said portions extending from side toside of said plies, means for advancing said blanket plies step by step so as to suc"- cessively position spaced, parallel portions of the respective plies on said supporting means, a blind stitch sewing machine having a presser foot cooperating with said blanket ply supporting means to hold said juxtaposed portions in predetermined position on said means, means supporting said sewing machine for movement lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions and in such relation thereto asto be operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said coplanar blanket portions, means for simultaneously actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions to thereby unite the same, means automatically actuating said blanket ply feed means and reversing the direction of travel of said sewing machine upon the completion ofv each row of stitching uniting the respective pairs of said juxtaposed portions, and means for automatically elevating and restoring said presser foot from and to operative relation to said blanket ply supporting means immediately before and after the actuation of said blanket ply feed means.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in juxtaposed, substantially parallel relationship, a sewing machine, means for supporting said sewing machine lfor -movement in the direction of said juxtaposed blanket portions, means for actuatingv said sew` ing machine to stitch the blanket plies together along said juxtaposed portions, and means associated with said sewing machine for laying an electric conductor between the blanket plies and beyond said juxtaposed blanket portions in advvance of the stitching applied to said co-planar portions.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in substantially co-planar, juxtaposed relationship, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, a blind stitch sewing machine, means supporting said sewing machine for movement lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions and in such relation thereto as to be operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said co-planar blanket portions, means for simultaneously actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions to thereby unite the same, and means associated with said sewing machine for laying an electric conductor between the blanket plies and beyond said co-planar blanket portions in advance of the stitching applied to said co-planar portions.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination oi' means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in substantially co-planar, juxtaposed relationship, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, means for advancing said blanket plies step by step so as to successively position spaced, parallel 'portions of the respective plies on said supporting means, a blind stitch sewing machine, means supporting said sewing machine for movement lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions and in such relation thereto as to be operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said co-planar blanket portions, means for simultaneously actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions to thereby unite the same, means automatically actuating said blanket ply feed means and reversing the direction of travel of said sewing machine upon the completion of each row of stitching uniting the respective pairs of said juxtaposed portions, and means associated with said sewing machine for laying an electric conductor between the blanket plies and beyond said co-planar blanket portions in advance of the stitching applied to said co-planar portions.

6. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in substantially co-p1anar, juxtaposed relationship, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, means for advancing said blanket plies step by step so as to successively position spaced, parallel portions of the respective plies on said supporting means, a blind stitch sewing machine, means supporting said sewing machine for movement lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions and in such relation thereto as to be operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said co-planar blanket portions, means for simultaneously actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same lengthwise of said co-planar blanket portions to thereby unite the same, means automatically actuating said blanket ply feed means and reversing the direction of travel of said sewing machine upon the completion of each row oi' stitching uniting the respective pairs of said juxtaposed portions, and means associated with said sewing machine for laying an electric conductor between the blanket plies and beyond said co-planar blanket portionsA in advance ot the stitching applied to said co-planar portions, said conductor laying means embodying a conductor guide mounted on said sewing machine so as to be adjustable from side to side thereof, and means for automatically adjusting saidguide upon the completion of each line of stitching to position said guide in advance of the next leading side of the sewing machine.

7. In apparatus of the class described, `means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism ot a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply portions, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon. a. slidably mounted bar paralleiing said track, inter-engageable means carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, and means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal of the direction of travel of said sewing machine.

8. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a. pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism oi a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing` machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply portions, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon, means for shutting ofi the power to said sewing machine when it reaches a predetermined point in its path of travel, means for braking the operation of said sewing machine so as to cause the mechanism thereof to come to rest with the sewing machine needle clear'of the blanket material, a slidably mounted bar paralleling said track, inter-engageable means carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for eiecting lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, and means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal of the direction of travel of said sewing machine.

9. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply portions, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon, a slidably mounted bar 17 l paralleling said track, inter-engageable me carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, and means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal of the direction of travel of said sewing machine, said track being extended at one end beyond the length required for the normal blanket sewing travel of the sewing machine, and said inter-engageable means being adapted to be made inoperative so as to permit the sewing machine to be moved beyond the end of its normal blanket sewing travel and into position on said extended track portion, thereby to clear the blanket material supporting means for facilitating the positioning of blanket material thereon.

10. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply' portions, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon, an endless belt for propelling said sewing machine carriage forth and back along said track, reversible means for driving said belt, latch means interconnecting said sewing machine carriage and said belt for transmitting movement from said belt to said carriage, a slidably mounted bar paralleling said track, inter-engageable means carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal of said belt driving means, said track being extended at one end beyond the length required for the normal blan- 'ket sewing travel of said sewing machine, said inter-engageable means and said latch means being readily disengageable so as to permit the carriage and said sewing'machine to be moved into position on said extended track portion and beyond the normal zone of operation of said sewing machine to thereby clear the blanket supporting means to facilitate positioning of blanket material thereon.

1l. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply portions, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for 4movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon, a slidably ymounted bar paralleling said track, inter-engageable means carriedlby said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting4 lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated bythe movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, said blanket ply feed means comprising a pair of feed rolls geared together for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions, a gear rack carried by a portion of said bar. a gear meshing with said rack so as to be turned as an incident to the movement of the rack, a bevel gear connected to said first-mentioned gear for turning as a unit therewith, a pair of bevel gears respectively meshing with opposite side portions 0f said first-mentioned bevel gear so as to be thereby turned in opposite directions as an incident to the turning of said first-mentioned bevel gear,

a pair of one-way clutches connected to one of said blanket material feed rolls, a pair of lever arms respectively connected to said pair of bevel gears, links `respectively connecting said arms and said clutches, said arms being so positioned that when one of the arms is rocked in feed roll driving direction, the'other arm is rocked in idling direction whereby said arms are operative to successively drive said feed roll, andmeans also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal ofthe direction of travel of said sewing machine.

12, In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, means associated with said sewing machine for laying an electrical conductor between the blanket plies in approximate parallelism with a row of stitching produced by said sewing machine, a track for supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed ply portion, a sewing machine carriage mounted on said track for movement along the same and having said sewing machine mounted thereon, a slidably mounted bar paralleling said track, inter-engageable means carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting lengthwise movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said` bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, and means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar foreffecting reversal of the direction of travel of said sewing machine.

13. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as to present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, juxtaposed portions of the plies extending` substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions,

g a track for supporting said sewing machine for 4gageable means carried by said sewing machine carriage and said bar for effecting lengthwise i9 movement of said bar when said sewing machine reaches a predetermined position in its path of travel, blanket ply feed means actuated by the movement of said bar for advancing said blanket plies to present other portions thereof to the zone of operation of said sewing machine, means also actuated as an incident to the movement of said bar for effecting reversal of the direction of travel of said sewing machine, and means for laying an electrical conductor between the blanket plies beyond said juxtaposed portions, said conductor` laying means comprising a rod normally disposed on the leading side of said sewing machine and pivotally mounted thereon so as to he adapted to be turned about its pivot axis from one side of the sewing machine to the other side thereof upon reversal of the direction ofytravel thereof, a pair of normally stationary cams, means carried by the sewing machine and connected to said pivotally mounted rod and engageable with said stationary cams adjacent the ends of the path of travel of said sewing machine for effecting turning of said rod as aforesaid, and a conductor guide carried by said rod for delivering the conductor between said blanket plies in advance of the leading side of the sewing machine.

14. In a blanket sewing machine of the class described, a pair of substantially parallel, juxtaposed jaws for supporting portions of a pair of plies of blanket material in position to facilitate the stitching of said blanket plies together along said portions thereof, a pair of feed rolls disposed below said jaws and substantially paralleling the same for feeding said blanket plies step by step between said jaws, and means supporting one of said jaws and feed rolls for unitary movement toward and from the other jaw and feed roll to thereby facilitate opening of said jaws and feed rolls for initial blanket ply positioning purposes.

15. In a blanket sewing machine of the class described, a pair of substantially parallel juxtaposed jaws for supporting portions of a pair of plies of blanket material in position to facilitate the'stitching of said blanket plies together along said portions thereof, a pair of feed rolls disposed below said jaws and substantially paralleling the same for feeding said blanket plies step by step between said jaws, means supporting one of said jaws and feed rolls for unitary movement toward and from the other jaw and feed roll to thereby facilitate opening of said jaws and feed rolls for initial blanket ply positioning purposes, and self-locking means for effecting opening of said jaws and rolls and for releasably locking the same in cooperative relationship.

16. In apparatus of the class described, means for supporting a pair of blanket forming plies so as Ato present to the stitching mechanism of a sewing machine, -juxtaposed portions of the plies extending substantially from side to side thereof, a power operated sewing machine for stitching together said juxtaposed ply portions, means supporting said sewing machine for movement in the direction in which said juxtaposed ply portions extend, whereby the sewing machine may be operated so as to stitch said plies together along said juxtaposed portions, means for propelling said sewing machine from a position adjacent one end of said juxtaposed ply portions to a position adjacent the other end thereof,

means for stopping the stitching operation short of the end of the normal travel of the sewing machine, advancing the blanket plies a predetermined distance over said supporting means,

reversing the direction of travel of said sewing machine, and effecting starting of the stitching operation of the sewing machine on its reversed travel at a point nearer to the adjacent edge of the blanket plies than the point of termination of the last-formed row of stitching.

17. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket material plies in slightly spaced, face-to-face relationship with the edges ofsaid portions in predetermined juxtaposition, said supported portions extending from side to side of the plies, thereby to facilitate the introduction of an electrical conductor between said plies and inter-attachment of the latter along `said edges, and means for successively advancing the blanket plies to present successive portions of said plies to said supporting means.

18. In apparatus' of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in slightly spaced, face-to-face relationship with the edges of said portions in predetermined juxtaposition, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, a sewing machine operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said plies at said edges to thereby unite said plies, means supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed edges, and means for actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same along said edges.

19. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for supporting portions of a pair of blanket plies in slightly spaced, face-to-face relationship with the edges of said portions in predetermined juxtaposition, said portions extending from side to side of said plies, a sewing machine operative to stitch through only a part of the thickness of said plies at said edges to thereby unite said plies, means supporting said sewing machine for movement along said juxtaposed edges, means for actuating said sewing machine and propelling the same along said edges, and means for successively advancing the blanket Vplies predetermined amounts so as to position successive portions of said plies on said supporting means, and so as to present successive portion edges vfor interattachment by said sewing machine.

CHARLES E. JOHNSON. EDWARD E. WOLLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent: f

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,090 Arbes Dec. 7, 1897 1,248,236 Yates Nov. 27, 1917 1,320,457 De Voe Nov. 4, 1919 1,506,261 Sievers Aug. 26, 1924 1,588,132 Mueller June 8, 1926 1,653,309 Postlewait Dec. 20, 1927 1,825,597 Maier et al Sept. 29, 1931 2,059,845 Bowersox Nov. 3, 1936 2,136,781 Brussell Nov. 15, 1938 2,336,404 Kelly Dec. 7, 1943