Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs without compressing the webs. A quilting machine includes a needle bar to which needles are attached, needle thread passing through each needle, a looper shaft to which loopers are attached, a looper corresponding to each needle and from which looper thread is provided to form stitches, and a retainer bar to which spreaders are attached to facilitate stitching. A drive pulley powered by a first servo motor rotates cranks to move the needles through a cycle and rotates a belt which rotates an indexer pulley. Rotation of the indexer pulley oscillates the looper shaft and reciprocates the retainer bar. Another drive pulley powered by a second servo motor operates to move an input web through the machine between chain stiches.

Apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for quilting webs without compressing the webs. A quilting machine includes a needle bar to which needles are attached, needle thread passing through each needle, a looper shaft to which loopers are attached, a looper corresponding to each needle and from which looper thread is provided to form stitches, and a retainer bar to which spreaders are attached to facilitate stitching. A drive pulley powered by a first servo motor rotates cranks to move the needles through a cycle and rotates a belt which rotates an indexer pulley. Rotation of the indexer pulley oscillates the looper shaft and reciprocates the retainer bar. Another drive pulley powered by a second servo motor operates to move an input web through the machine between chain stiches.

A sewing machine includes an arm portion, a thread spool mounting portion, a bobbin winder, a first guide portion, a second guide portion, and a partition wall member. The arm portion is provided with a drive shaft extending in a first direction. The thread spool mounting portion includes a thread spool pin to be inserted through a through hole of a thread spool. The bobbin winder is provided further to one end side of the arm portion than the thread spool mounting portion. The first guide portion is provided further to another end side of the arm portion than the thread spool mounting portion. The second guide portion is provided further to another end side in the first direction of the arm portion than the first guide portion. The partition wall member is disposed between the thread spool pin and the first guide portion in a second direction.

A sewing machine includes an arm portion, a thread spool mounting portion, a bobbin winder, a first guide portion, a second guide portion, and a partition wall member. The arm portion is provided with a drive shaft extending in a first direction. The thread spool mounting portion includes a thread spool pin to be inserted through a through hole of a thread spool. The bobbin winder is provided further to one end side of the arm portion than the thread spool mounting portion. The first guide portion is provided further to another end side of the arm portion than the thread spool mounting portion. The second guide portion is provided further to another end side in the first direction of the arm portion than the first guide portion. The partition wall member is disposed between the thread spool pin and the first guide portion in a second direction.

A sewing machine able to gather one or more materials through a variable speed transfer disc or transfer cup. The gathering operation can assist in joining materials of different lengths without causing a warp or other unintended variation in the sewn article. The gathering operation may be used in connection with sewing of an article of footwear upper with an insole portion to form a foot-receiving cavity. During a sewing operation, a tension on the thread may be adjusted and confirmed with a display output. Similarly, an indication of pressure applied to decrease a rotational speed of the transfer disc or the transfer cup may be presented on a display output to achieve repeatability across operators and articles.

A sewing machine able to gather one or more materials through a variable speed transfer disc or transfer cup. The gathering operation can assist in joining materials of different lengths without causing a warp or other unintended variation in the sewn article. The gathering operation may be used in connection with sewing of an article of footwear upper with an insole portion to form a foot-receiving cavity. During a sewing operation, a tension on the thread may be adjusted and confirmed with a display output. Similarly, an indication of pressure applied to decrease a rotational speed of the transfer disc or the transfer cup may be presented on a display output to achieve repeatability across operators and articles.

A sewing apparatus for applying a stitch of thread to a piece of fabric is provided. The apparatus housing includes a platform for supporting a piece of fabric, and contains a grasping member that is moved to grasp and release a thread segment fed through the housing by a needle holder. The needle holder is positioned to hold a needle that has a needle aperture for pass-through, therethrough of the thread segment, and is movable between a withdrawn position, and an advanced position in which the needle holder drives the needle through the piece of fabric to bring the thread segment into position for grasping by the grasping member. The sewing apparatus also including a needle holder driver for driving the movement of the needle holder and a thread puller for pulling the thread segment to an exterior of the housing for a user to cut.

A sewing apparatus for applying a stitch of thread to a piece of fabric is provided. The apparatus housing includes a platform for supporting a piece of fabric, and contains a grasping member that is moved to grasp and release a thread segment fed through the housing by a needle holder. The needle holder is positioned to hold a needle that has a needle aperture for pass-through, therethrough of the thread segment, and is movable between a withdrawn position, and an advanced position in which the needle holder drives the needle through the piece of fabric to bring the thread segment into position for grasping by the grasping member. The sewing apparatus also including a needle holder driver for driving the movement of the needle holder and a thread puller for pulling the thread segment to an exterior of the housing for a user to cut.

A thread positioner provided on a needle plate of a double chain stitch sewing machine for forming a seam by a plurality of needle threads and a looper thread, wherein the thread positioner includes a needle thread holding plate provided below the needle plate 30, the needle thread holding plate extending horizontally from a front to a rear, a rear end portion of the needle thread holding plate includes: a guide portion for guiding the plurality of needle threads; and a thread positioning portion for regulating a movement of the plurality of needle threads in a right-and-left direction, and the thread positioning portion includes: a protrusion linearly protruded rearward from the guide portion; flat portions formed on left and right side surfaces of the protrusion; and an inclined portion formed on a tip of the protrusion, the inclined portion being inclined from a right to a rear left.

A thread positioner provided on a needle plate of a double chain stitch sewing machine for forming a seam by a plurality of needle threads and a looper thread, wherein the thread positioner includes a needle thread holding plate provided below the needle plate 30, the needle thread holding plate extending horizontally from a front to a rear, a rear end portion of the needle thread holding plate includes: a guide portion for guiding the plurality of needle threads; and a thread positioning portion for regulating a movement of the plurality of needle threads in a right-and-left direction, and the thread positioning portion includes: a protrusion linearly protruded rearward from the guide portion; flat portions formed on left and right side surfaces of the protrusion; and an inclined portion formed on a tip of the protrusion, the inclined portion being inclined from a right to a rear left.