A sewing machine needle is attached firmly and easily, and is fixed and exchanged. A needle clamp 5 for clamping a sewing machine needle 3 has an accommodating recessed part 7 which accommodates a needle shank 15 of the sewing machine needle, a clamp lever which has a clamp arm 21 which engages to the needle shank, is freely opened and closed and is fixed to a clamp lever shaft 17 which is fitted loosely to an elongate hole which is bored at the needle clamp for the accommodating recessed part and a needle fixing spring 23 which repels elastically the clamp lever to an outer direction of a straight line which links a central point N of the needle shank and a central point of the clamp lever shaft, and the clamp arm has a force acting locking part 22 which slides on the needle shank of the sewing machine needle against elasticity of the needle fixing spring when rocking the clamp lever to a clamping direction a and passes a branch point position tp that the elasticity of the needle fixing spring of the straight line which links the central point of the needle shank of the sewing machine needle and the central point of the clamp lever shaft becomes maximum and holds a stable clamping state by the elasticity of the needle fixing spring.

A strength member sewing machine is provided which comprises upper and lower feeder spools, a collection spool and idlers positioned on a support structure. A cord supply, a fabric shaper, a speed control and a pressure foot lift are positioned on the structure. Fabric from the spools is kept in tension with the idlers while moving toward the fabric shaper. The fabric from the upper spool is crimped while the fabric from the lower spool remains flat underneath the shaper. Between the fabric layers, pull cords are pulled through from the cord supply thru the fabric shaper. The fabric with crimps and with the pull cords inside the crimps is sewn to the fabric from the lower spool to create casings with a pull cord in the internal space of each casing. The joined fabrics with the pull cords are collected by the collection spool as a finished product.

A strength member sewing machine is provided which comprises upper and lower feeder spools, a collection spool and idlers positioned on a support structure. A cord supply, a fabric shaper, a speed control and a pressure foot lift are positioned on the structure. Fabric from the spools is kept in tension with the idlers while moving toward the fabric shaper. The fabric from the upper spool is crimped while the fabric from the lower spool remains flat underneath the shaper. Between the fabric layers, pull cords are pulled through from the cord supply thru the fabric shaper. The fabric with crimps and with the pull cords inside the crimps is sewn to the fabric from the lower spool to create casings with a pull cord in the internal space of each casing. The joined fabrics with the pull cords are collected by the collection spool as a finished product.

A sewing machine needle is attached firmly and easily, and is fixed and exchanged. A needle clamp 5 for clamping a sewing machine needle 3 has an accommodating recessed part 7 which accommodates a needle shank 15 of the sewing machine needle, a clamp lever which has a clamp arm 21 which engages to the needle shank, is freely opened and closed and is fixed to a clamp lever shaft 17 which is fitted loosely to an elongate hole which is bored at the needle clamp for the accommodating recessed part and a needle fixing spring 23 which repels elastically the clamp lever to an outer direction of a straight line which links a central point N of the needle shank and a central point of the clamp lever shaft, and the clamp arm has a force acting locking part 22 which slides on the needle shank of the sewing machine needle against elasticity of the needle fixing spring when rocking the clamp lever to a clamping direction a and passes a branch point position tp that the elasticity of the needle fixing spring of the straight line which links the central point of the needle shank of the sewing machine needle and the central point of the clamp lever shaft becomes maximum and holds a stable clamping state by the elasticity of the needle fixing spring.

The present invention discloses a multi-needle bar module for sewing machines. Such a multi-needle bar module may be additionally mounted on the existing sewing machines, so that the existing sewing machines may be easily retrofitted into multi-needle bar sewing machines. The multi-needle bar module is not limited to a two-needle bar structure, and may be assembled with three, four or more needle bars according to actual requirements, solving the problem that both the single-needle bar sewing machines and the two-needle-bar sewing machines require manual change of threads in the process of sewing a pattern due to insufficient color varieties of the upper threads. The multi-needle-bar module guides each needle bar via the first horizontal guideway and the second horizontal guideway, and feeds a specific needle bar into the neck of the needle bar driving block via the driving mechanism. Such a multi-needle bar module has the advantages of simple structure and automatic control.

The present invention discloses a multi-needle bar module for sewing machines. Such a multi-needle bar module may be additionally mounted on the existing sewing machines, so that the existing sewing machines may be easily retrofitted into multi-needle bar sewing machines. The multi-needle bar module is not limited to a two-needle bar structure, and may be assembled with three, four or more needle bars according to actual requirements, solving the problem that both the single-needle bar sewing machines and the two-needle-bar sewing machines require manual change of threads in the process of sewing a pattern due to insufficient color varieties of the upper threads. The multi-needle-bar module guides each needle bar via the first horizontal guideway and the second horizontal guideway, and feeds a specific needle bar into the neck of the needle bar driving block via the driving mechanism. Such a multi-needle bar module has the advantages of simple structure and automatic control.

A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

A needle bar holder for a sewing machine head, including: a revolver configured to hold a plurality of separate needle bars; a motor operably coupled to the revolver for rotating the revolver; and a means for ensuring alignment and stability of the revolver when one of the plurality of separate needle bars are selected for a sewing process.