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 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hold a needle that has a needle aperture for pass-through, therethrough of the thread segment, and is movable between a withdrawn position, and an advanced position in which the needle holder drives the needle through the piece of fabric to bring the thread segment into position for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 sensing system for detecting motion of a bobbin used in a chain stitch type sewing machine using a needle on one side of a textile workpiece and a rotary bobbin positioned on an opposing side of the textile workpiece includes the bobbin being held in a bobbin case having a side panel forming an aperture. The rotary bobbin has a side surface with arcuate regions around a perimeter of the side surface. In addition, the sensing system includes the first and second optical sensors aligned to detect the presence of the first or second bobbin surface. The sensing system further includes a controller adapted to receive signals from the first and second optical sensors related to the presence of the first or second bobbin surface in the first or second regions and interpret the signals to provide the detecting motion of the bobbin.

The length of a sewing machine stitch is adjustable by varying the effective length of a first bar of a multi-bar linkage operably secured to a feed dog of the sewing machine. The effective length of the first bar is defined between an anchor point and a pivot point, with the pivot point being secured to a slider configured for movement along the length of the first bar. The slider comprises a pinion gear configured to engage a gear rack of the first bar, such that rotation of the pinion gear causes movement of the slider and the pivot point relative to the anchor point. Moreover, to accommodate the adjustable stitch length, the sewing machine additionally comprises an adjustable looper thread eyelet configured to adjust the length of the looper thread path to accommodate increased tension or slack in the looper thread due to the changed stitch length.

The length of a sewing machine stitch is adjustable by varying the effective length of a first bar of a multi-bar linkage operably secured to a feed dog of the sewing machine. The effective length of the first bar is defined between an anchor point and a pivot point, with the pivot point being secured to a slider configured for movement along the length of the first bar. The slider comprises a pinion gear configured to engage a gear rack of the first bar, such that rotation of the pinion gear causes movement of the slider and the pivot point relative to the anchor point. Moreover, to accommodate the adjustable stitch length, the sewing machine additionally comprises an adjustable looper thread eyelet configured to adjust the length of the looper thread path to accommodate increased tension or slack in the looper thread due to the changed stitch length.

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.

The length of a sewing machine stitch is adjustable by varying the effective length of a first bar of a multi-bar linkage operably secured to a feed dog of the sewing machine. The effective length of the first bar is defined between an anchor point and a pivot point, with the pivot point being secured to a slider configured for movement along the length of the first bar. The slider comprises a pinion gear configured to engage a gear rack of the first bar, such that rotation of the pinion gear causes movement of the slider and the pivot point relative to the anchor point. Moreover, to accommodate the adjustable stitch length, the sewing machine additionally comprises an adjustable looper thread eyelet configured to adjust the length of the looper thread path to accommodate increased tension or slack in the looper thread due to the changed stitch length.