Title of Invention

"A METHOD OF ATTACHING A WAISTBAND TO A GARMENT"

Abstract A method of attaching a waistband to a garment which comprises the steps of: providing a strip of waistband fabric having outer sections more extensible than a centre section, presenting the fabric to a sewing machine through a folder for attachment to a garment, angling the folder relative to a sewing zone to force the outer sections of the waistband strip to proceed faster than the centre section resulting in a curve being formed during attachment to the garment, and altering the angle at which the folder presents the waistband to the sewing zone during attachment of the fabric to the garment to incorporate shapes that are not of constant curvature.
Full Text The present invention relates to a method of attaching a waistband to a garment.
The present invention relates to a methods of applying strips of fabric to form waistbands to the top of garments such as skirts and trousers, and it particularly relates to a methods and apparatus enabling the weistband to take up a curved or other non-linean shape during attachment to the garment
Conventional waisthands may be attached to a garment manually by an operator, or automatically where the operator is not required to handle the waistband during aplication In the latter case, the waistband is gernally a continuous length of fabric optionally fused with an interlining, which is fed through a folder to the sewing zone. It is desirable for more than one waistband to be presented in a continuous manner and in conventional operations there can be, for example, thirty waistbands fed from one red
While it is technically possible to convey shaped parts (which have been sewn into a partial curve) through a specially shaped folder, in general only small degrees of contour can be handle in a practial manner Furthermore, the design and confiuration of shaped
Waistbands in often irregular in that the shapes are not necessarily secttions of circles but may include sections which are straight or of a different curvatrun : Moreover it is impractical to have pre-shaped and sewn parts fed continuously of a reel
The present invention seeks to provide a method and apparatus improved in the above respects
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of attaching a waistband to a garment which comprises providing a strip of waistband fabric having outer portions more extensible than the centre section, and presenting the fabric to a sewing machine through a folder for attachment to a garment, characterised in that the folder is angled to the sewing zone whereby to force the outer sections of the waistband strip to proceed faster than the central section resulting in a curve being formed during attachment to the garment
The invention further comprises a sewing machine provided with a folder angled to the sewing zone whereby to carry out the method of the invention.
The strip which will form the waistband has outer sections more extensible than the centre. These may be produced, and preferably are produced, in accordance with the methods and apparatus disclosed in one or moTe of our patent publications EP 0705356, WO01/11132 and EP 1071349, although strips having this characteristic however produced may be used in accordance with the invention. Since the strip does not have a shape until it is treated in accordance with the invention, it may be provided on a reel for continuous operation.
Moreover, the angle at which the folder presents the waistband TO the sewing zone can be altered whereby to give shapes that are not of constant curvamre. The folder may be mechanically linked using, for example, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder arrangement, to a knee-switch or foot-switch, to enable different degrees of curvature to be achieved at the operator's control.
The greater the angle that the folder makes with the sewing tie zone, the greater the curvature of the shape taken up. Conversely, the lesser the angle, the lesser The curvature. The greater the curvature desired, the more mechanically extensible the outer sections of the folded strip need to be to avoid distortion at the exit of the folder and entry to the sewing zone.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a side view corresponding to Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a rear view corresponding to Figure 2.
Referring to the drawings, a sewing machine head (10) carries one or more needles (12) and a presser foot (14) as known per se. The area where the needles (12) stitch fabric is the sewing zone (16).
An angled folder (18) is fixed to an adjustable base plate (20) attached to the sewing machine. The exit (22) of the folder (18) delivers a waistband into the .sewing zone (16) as will be discussed more fully hereinafter.
Downstream ofthe sewing zone (16) are mounted apair of rollers (24), whjch optionally may be independently driven, which stabilise the work piece as it leaves the sewing zone (16)
A strip of fabric (26) from a reel (not shown) is fed into the folder (18) whereby the fabric is folded as known per se to form a waistband for a garment to which it is to be attached in the sewing zone (16),
The angle of the folder (18) to the sewing zone (16) is adjustable by means of an adjusting screw (28). Alternatively, the base plate may be connected, for example pneumatically, to a knee-switch to allow the operator to adjust the angle ofthe folder, and thus the degree of curvature imparted to the waistband, during sewing.
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Operation is as follows. A continuous strip of fabric (26) is taken from a reel and folded into the folder (18) which delivers the folded fabric into the stitching zone (16), where it is stitcbed by means of needles (12) to a garment such as apair of trousers OT a skirt forming a waistband therefor. The angle which the folder makes with the sewing ?.one (16) determines the amount of curve or shape given to the waistband. The fabric (26) is preferably produced in accordance with one of our above mentioned patent publications so that the outer portions are more extensible than the centre so that when folded by the folder (11) the outer portions can proceed faster than the- central section, resulting in a curve being taken up. The shape is then stabilised by sewing to the. garment in the sewing zone (16). -
Since the strip (26) is not in itself non-linear, it can be applied continuously from a reel. Once each garment has had the waistband attached, the strip (26) is cut and the next garment processed.
The method and apparatus of the invention enable curved or other non-linear waistbands to be attached to garments in a continuous manner which has not hitheno been possible owing to the impracticality of reeling up curved or shaped waistband -trips.







We claim:
1. A method of attaching a waistband to a garment which comprises the steps of: providing a strip of waistband fabric having outer sections more extensible than a centre section, presenting the fabric to a sewing machine through a folder for attachment to a garment, angling the folder relative to a sewing zone to force the outer sections of the waistband strip to proceed faster than the centre section resulting in a curve being formed during attachment to the garment, and altering the angle at which the folder presents the waistband to the sewing zone during attachment of the fabric to the garment to incorporate shapes that are not of constant curvature.
2. A method as claimed in claim I wherein the strip which will form the waistband has outer sections more extensible than the centre section so that, when folded, one side is more extensible than the other.
3. A method as claimed in claim I further including the step of mechanically linking the folder to an adjustment device to enable different degrees of curvature to be achieved at an operator's control.
4. A method as claimed in claim I further including the step of stabilizing a work piece as the work piece leaves the swing zone by passing the work piece under a pair of rollers that are mounted downstream of the sewing zone.

Documents:

1028-DELNP-2004-Abstract-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-abstract.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Claims-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-claims.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Correspondence-Others-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Description (Complete)-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-description (complete).pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Drawings-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-drawings.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Form-1-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-form-1.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Form-13-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-form-18.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Form-2-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-form-2.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Form-3-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-form-3.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-form-5.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-GPA-(18-06-2009).pdf

1028-delnp-2004-gpa.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-pct-210.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-pct-304.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-pct-409.pdf

1028-delnp-2004-pct-416.pdf

1028-DELNP-2004-Petition-137-(18-06-2009).pdf

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Patent Number 245857
Indian Patent Application Number 1028/DELNP/2004
PG Journal Number 06/2011
Publication Date 11-Feb-2011
Grant Date 03-Feb-2011
Date of Filing 19-Apr-2004
Name of Patentee PRO-FIT INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
Applicant Address UNIT 40, ALBION MILLS, ALBION ROAD, GREENGATES, BRADFORD BD10 9TF, ENGLAND
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 PAUL A. J. MORRIS PRO-FIT INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, UNIT 40, ALBION MILLS, ALBION ROAD, GREENGATES, BRADFORD BD 9TF, ENGLAND
PCT International Classification Number A41F 9/02
PCT International Application Number PCT/GB2002/04722
PCT International Filing date 2002-10-18
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 0125288.1 2001-10-20 U.K.