Title of Invention

A MULTIPLE HEAD EMBROIDERY MACHINE

Abstract The invention relates to a multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine frame (1), having an upper supporting beam (3), extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the machine frame (1), for a plurality of embroidery heads (9) carrying vertically moving needles (12), and a lower supporting beam (4), extending in parallel to the upper supporting beam (3), for a supporting plate (26), and a number of gripper units (18). The machine also comprises a drive system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads (9) and the gripper units (18) and a feed system (32) for an embroidery frame support (27) that can be displaced in the longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A). Both supporting beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining frames (2) that extend in the transverse direction (A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from each other. The retaining frames, in the plane of the embroidery frame support (27), have an inside distance (C) that corresponds to the maximum transverse movement of embroidery frame support.
Full Text WO 2006/097182 A1
EMBROIDERY MACHINE
The invention relates to an embroidery machine pertaining
to the genre of multi-head embroidery machines according to
the preamble of claim 1.
The embroidery machines used industrially substantially
comprise two types of machines, i.e. shuttle embroidery
machines with horizontally moving needles for processing
large-area, elongated pieces of material web and continuous
material webs, and multi-head embroidery machines with
vertically moving needles, these machines also being
designated as gripper embroidery machines. They are used
for processing cut material and for simultaneously
embroidering a plurality of small single pieces of
material.
The fundamental structure of a multi-head embroidery
machine can be deduced from DE 196 40 335 A1 . A machine
frame has an elongated, horizontally running supporting
beam for the arrangement of a plurality of embroidery heads
and a lower supporting beam running parallel thereto at a
distance for the arrangement of the associated gripper
unit. The two supporting beams are fastened to two vertical
support pillars located at the end. A supporting plate used
to receive an embroidery frame is fastened to the lower
supporting beam. The embroidery frame can be moved freely
in two axes by a drive mechanism parallel to the plane of
the supporting plate. This is used primarily for clamping
the rectangular cut material to be embroidered or for
receiving clamping devices for a plurality of single
material pieces.
The construction of a machine frame from two supporting
beams held only at their two ends certainly allows a
relatively simple design, but a machine frame constructed
in such a manner tends in principle to exhibit resonance-

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induced vibrations which are excited by vibrating or
intermittently driven components and in this case in
particular by the upward and downward moving needle bars of
the embroidery heads. Such resonance-induced vibrations are
all the stronger, the longer the portal support and the
higher the speed at which the embroidery machine is
operated. For this reason, limits are imposed on any
increase in the number of embroidery heads and the related
lengthening of the machine frame and also the increase in
the machine speed.
Numerous attempts have been made to reduce the tendency of
embroidery machines to vibrate. For example, in the
aforesaid DE 196 40 335 A1, measures were proposed to
increase the bending resistance of the two supporting
beams. Since the remaining parts of the machine frame are
not influenced by this, the entire structure should not be
made complex as a result. Another example is disclosed in
Patent Abstracts of Japan 2000342876. An additional central
fastening of the upper supporting beams is provided in a
conventionally configured machine frame of a multi-head
embroidery machine whereby vibrations should be reduced.
In addition to increasing the performance of multi-head
embroidery machines, it would also be desirable if their
area of application could be extended such that longer cut
material pieces or even continuous material webs could be
embroidered. Appropriate attempts have also been made in
this respect. For example, it has already been proposed to
configure multi-head embroidery machines as disclosed in EP
1 185 729 B1 so that one or more material webs are guided
through the embroidery machine in their longitudinal
direction transversely to the row of embroidery heads,
where the materials webs are drawn off from a retaining and
unwinding device for the raw material located in front of
the embroidery machine and after embroidery, are wound onto
a retaining and winding device for the finished goods

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located after the embroidery machine. However, this type of
material feed is only suitable for embroidery work where
the pattern motif is repeated over the width of the
material web as in quilting work. However, it would be
inappropriate for embroidering pattern motifs which run
along the edges of the material web such as borders and
which are repeated in the longitudinal direction of the
material web because in this case only some of the
embroidery heads could be used.
It is thus the object of the invention to provide a multi-
head embroidery machine in which firstly the machine
performance can be enhanced and secondly the possible
application with regard to different embroidery work can be
increased. The object is achieved by the characterising
features of claim 1.
Since the retaining frames which serve as supporting and
bearing elements for the supporting beams and are embodied
in the form of bridges do not lie in the vertical plane of
the two supporting beams like the conventional supporting
pillars but run transversely thereto, they need not be
arranged at the ends of the supporting beams like said
support pillars but can be connected to the supporting
beams at any point. Since it is also possible to arrange
the retaining frames at a distance from the ends of the
supporting beams, a low-vibration machine frame can thus be
provided with only two retaining frames connected to the
supporting beams at suitable points, the length of the
supporting beams being given and unchanged. In the same
way, the machine frame can be additionally stiffened by
adding further retaining frames so that either the tendency
of the machine frame to vibrate can be reduced still,
further or the possibility of increasing the speed of the
machine is provided. Another possibility for increasing the
machine performance consists in lengthening the supporting
beams by using additional retaining frames in order to

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provide the embroidery machine with further embroidery
heads and consequently be able to process a larger
embroidery field.
As a result of the transverse alignment of the bridge-
shaped retaining frames and their large inside width
measured in the transverse direction, the machine frame has
a free passage space running in the longitudinal direction.
For the first time in multi-head embroidery machines, this
makes it possible for continuous material webs to be moved
through the machine and processed completely unhindered in
the longitudinal direction. In comparison, if continuous
material webs were to be processed in conventional multi-
head embroidery machines, in which the upper and the lower
supporting beams are fastened to two support pillars
arranged at the ends, the support pillars would stand in
the way of the feed and removal of the material webs to and
from the embroidery frame and the expansion on both sides
of the embroidery frame. This would then have the result;
that the sections of the material web adjacent to the
embroidery frame would be displaced horizontally through
the support pillars with respect to the section of the
material web clamped in the embroidery frame whereby
folding and warpage would form in the transition region
between these sections in the material web. This would
result in numerous disturbances and complications in the
work sequence whose intensity would increase
disproportionately with increasing width of the material
web.
Since the mutually spaced retaining frames do not impede
the transverse access to the embroidery frame support and
the embroidery frame optionally inserted therein, the usual-
embroidery work on cut material and single pieces of
material can be carried out as before without impairment.
In this way, single pieces of cut material., smaller single
pieces of material or continuous material webs can bo

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embroidered on the multi-head embroidery machine according
to the invention using all the embroidery heads, where the
embroidery pattern can extend over the entire width of the
embroidered material or in particular in the case of
material webs, can run only along the edges of the material
web in the manner of borders.
DE 42 39 746 C2 and DE 42 41 200 A1 certainly disclose
solutions for reducing the overall height of the machine
frame and for simplifying the base in the machine genre of
the shuttle embroidery machines, whereby the machine frame
has a U-shaped open cross-section and is constructed of
modular units which can be arranged in rows in the
longitudinal direction. Since the supporting beams for the
needle bars and thread feeders on the one hand and the
supporting beams for the shuttles on the other hand lie
opposite one another with a horizontal spacing and
therefore simple longitudinal structures running in the
vertical plane, comprising side stands and longitudinal
supports, can be formed for supporting these supporting
beams, and a continuous channel running in the vertical
plane is formed between them for receiving the material for
embroidery which also extends in the vertical plane, these
proposed solutions cannot provide any suggestion for
creating a machine frame for multi-head embroidery machines
in which the supporting beam for the embroidery heads and
the supporting beam for the gripper units and the
horizontal supporting plate for the embroidery frame
support are arranged above one another with vertical.
spacing.
As a result of the further development of the retaining
frame according to claim 2, a holder which is closed in
itself in an annular shape and is therefore particularly
dimensionally stable is provided for the supporting beams.

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In conventional multi-head embroidery machines, the drive
system for the embroidery heads and the gripper units
comprises a common drive device where the necessary
synchronisation of the embroidery head drive shaft with the
gripper drive shaft is provided by means of a toothed belt
which runs in a vertical plane. However, such a toothed
belt would cross the plane of extension of a material web
to be fed to the embroidery frame or being worked upon and
thus hinder its free expansion. Claim 3 is therefore
proposed to solve this problem, whereby the conventional
mechanical synchronisation is replaced by control
technology or electronic synchronization known per se.
The invention is explained in detail with reference to an
exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings. In the figures:
Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-head embroidery
machine during the processing of a continuous
material web;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged section from Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a clamping device for material webs;
Fig. A is a schematic diagram of a multi-head embroidery
machine during the processing of single pieces of
cut material;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged section from Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a retaining device for embroidery frames;
Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a part of the multi-
head embroidery machine where the supporting
plate and the material for embroidery have been
omitted for the sake of clarity;
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a part of the multi-
head embroidery machine viewed from the back,
where the supporting plate and the material for
embroidery have also been omitted here for the
sake of clarity.

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In the multi-head embroidery machine shown in Figures 1 and
4, the machine frame 1 substantially consists of three
retaining frames 2 which are arranged in the transverse
direction A, are embodied in the form of bridges and are
spaced apart from one another, as well as an upper
supporting beam 3 and a lower supporting beam 4 which runs
parallel thereto at a distance, both running in the
longitudinal direction B.
The retaining frames 2 consists of two vertical supports 5,
an upper transverse support 6 and a lower transverse
support 7 . Each of the upper transverse supports 6 has a
downwardly directed intermediate piece 8. The upper
supporting beam 3 is fastened to the lower end of the
intermediate piece 8 so that this is at a distance from the
underside of the upper transverse support 6. The lower
supporting beam 4 on the other hand rests directly on the
upper side of the lower transverse support 7 and is also
firmly connected to said support. The inner sides of the
vertical supports 5 facing one another have a mutual
spacing which at the same time corresponds to the inside
width C of the retaining frame 2.
Fastened to the front side of the upper supporting beam 3
is a fairly large number of embroidery heads 9 which
comprise in a known manner thread feeders 10, needle bars
11 each having a needle 12 and material pressing devices
13. A drive device 14 is provided for driving these machine
parts, comprising a motor 15 disposed on the upper
supporting beam 3 according to Fig. 7, a central embroidery
head drive shaft 16 running through all the embroidery
heads 9 and a belt drive 17 connecting the motor 15 and the
shaft 16 one to the other.
A number of gripper units 18 corresponding to the number of
embroidery heads 9 is fastened on the lower supporting beam
4. The gripper units 18 each contain a gripper 19 (Fig. 7)

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which cooperates with the needle 12 of the active needle
bar 11 of the allocated embroidery head 9 to form sewing or
embroidery stitches. A drive device 20 is used to drive the
grippers 19, which according to Fig. 7 consists of a motor
21 located on the lower supporting beam 4, a central
gripper drive shaft 22 running through all the gripper
units 18 and a belt drive 23 connecting the motor 21 and
the shaft 22 one to the other.
The motor 15 associated with the embroidery heads 9 is
speed-controlled in a manner known per se under the control
of the machine controller which is not shown. The motor 21
used to drive the grippers 19 on the other hand is
position-controlled in a likewise known manner, where the
rotary rotation of the gripper drive shaft 22 is tracked to
the rotary position of the embroidery head drive shaft 16.
The information on the respective angular position of the
two shafts 16, 22 required for this is communicated to the
position controller by means of two rotary position sensors
24, 25 arranged at the ends of the two shafts 16, 22.
A supporting plate 26 is fastened on the lower supporting
beam 4 and receives an embroidery frame support 27 capable
of being moved in the longitudinal direction B and the
transverse direction A. The embroidery frame support 27 is
composed of two longitudinal spars 28 and two transverse
spars 29. The longitudinal and transverse spars 28, 29 each
consist of a central plate 30 and two inwardly directed
guide strips 31 formed on their longitudinal sides.
The feed system 32 for the embroidery frame support 27
contains a plurality of U-shaped guide rails 33 which are
fastened to the lower supporting beam 4 and run in the
transverse direction A, and which are received in recesses
of the supporting plate 26. For each of the two
longitudinal spars 28, a carriage 34 is received in the
guide rails 33 and is supported via a set: of guide rollers

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35 on the walls of the respective guide rail 33. Fastened
to each carriage 34 is a further set of guide rollers 36
which protrudes above the upper side of the supporting
plate 26 and according to Fig. 8 is received in one of the
longitudinal spars 28 ar.d at the same time runs in its
guide strips 31. Each carriage 34 is firmly connected to a
toothed belt 37 which is guided via two rollers 38 located
at the ends of the guide rail 33. The rear rollers 38 to be
seen at the front in Fig. 8 are secured on a common shaft
39 which for its part is connected via a belt drive 40 to a
drive motor 41.
At one end of the machine frame 1, two U-shaped guide rails
43 running in the longitudinal direction B are fastened on
a transverse support 42 located on the lower supporting
beam 4. These guide rails 43 each receive a carriage 44
which is supported on a set of guide rollers 45 on the
walls of the respective guide rail 43. A further set of
guide rollers 48 is affixed to each of the two carriages
44, this being received in the associated transverse spar
29 of the embroidery frame support 27 and at the same time
running in its guide strips 31. The two carriages 44 are
firmly connected to a tocthed belt 47 which is guided via
two rollers 48 located at the ends of the guide rails 43.
The outer rollers 48 are affixed to a common shaft 49 which
for its part is connected via a belt drive 50 to a drive
motor 51.
The embroidery frame support 27 can be moved in the
transverse direction A by means of the drive motor 41, the
maximum scope for movement of the embroidery frame support
27 and the inside width of the retaining frame 2 being
matched to one another so that longitudinal spars 28 of the
embroidery frame support 2" do not hit against the supports
5. The drive motor 51 is used for moving the embroidery
frame support 27 in the longitudinal direction B, where the
maximum scope for movement of the embroidery frame support

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27 corresponds to the centre-to-centre distance of two
adjacent embroidery heads 9.
A profile rail 52 extending over the entire length of these
spars is affixed to the inner side of each of the
longitudinal and transverse spars 28, 29. The profile rails
52 consists of a base plate 53, a rear vertical web 54, two
strips 55, 56 bent in opposite directions in a hook shape
and a substantially horizontally protruding clamping strip
57. The web 54 and the adjacent strip 55 form a channel 58
which is open at the top and the two strips 55, 56 form a
guide channel 59 which is also open at the top but tapers
in the manner of a slit.
If cut pieces of material 60 are to be embroidered in the
manner conventionally used in multi-head embroidery
machines, according to Figures 4 to 6, a plurality of
embroidery frames 61 are inserted in the embroidery frame
support 27, said frames consisting of an outer frame 62 and
an inner frame 63 in a known manner. Retaining arms 64 are
attached to the outer frame 62. Clamping screws 65 are
located at the free end of the retaining arms 64, each
bearing a shaped piece 66 which can be inserted in the
guide channels 59 of the profile rails 52. By tightening
the clamping screws 65, the embroidery frames 61 are
clamped firmly in the embroidery frame support 27.
The insertion of the embroidery frames 61 and the
subsequent clamping of the cut pieces of material 60 into
the embroidery frames 61 and later removal therefrom i.s
carried out in the usual manner from the front longitudinal
side of the machine. Since the retaining frames 2 have a
relatively large mutual spacing as shown in Figures 1 and
4, these present no hindrance for the operator when
carrying out the aforesaid activities.

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For the embroidery of material webs 67 as shown in Fig. 1,
a retaining and unwinding device 68 for the raw material
shown schematically is located on one side of the multi-
head embroidery machine and a retaining and winding device
69 for the finished material likewise only shown
schematically is located on the opposite side of the multi-
head embroidery machine. The section of the material web 67
to be embroidered is drawn off by the operator from the
retaining and unwinding device 68 and is pulled under the
material pressing devices 13 of the embroidery heads 9
through onto the embroidery frame support 27 and the
profile rails 52 located around this. The section of the
material web 67 to be embroidered is now clamped firmly on
the profile rails 52 with the aid of a plurality of spring
clasps 70 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These spring clasps 70
consist of a flat, horizontal central part 71, a
substantially vertically downwardly bent rear arm 72, an
inwardly bent front arm 73 and a handle 74 affixed to the
central part 71.
The section of the material web 67 to be embroidered is
clamped around on the profile rails 52 of the longitudinal
and transverse spars 28, 29, whereby the relevant section
of the material web 67 is initially clamped between the
inwardly bent arm 73 of one spring clasp 70 and the
substantially horizontally protruding clamping strip 57 of
the associated profile rail 52 and then between the
downwardly projecting arm 72 and the rear strip 55. In this
case, the embroidery frame support 27 with the profile
rails 52 thus fulfils the function of an embroidery frame
which directly receives the material web 67 .
Since the material frame 1 has a free passage space running
in the longitudinal direction 3 as a result, of the inside
width C of the retaining frame, the operator can place the
material web 67 on the embroidery frame support; 27
completely unhindered and firmly clamp the section of the

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material web 67 to be embroidered on the profile rails 52
of the embroidery frame support 27 free from offset. In
this way, continuous material webs 67 can be embroidered
without any restriction on the multi-head embroidery
machine according to the invention using all the embroidery
heads 9, in which case the embroidery pattern can extend as
desired over the entire width of the material web 67 or can
merely run along the edges of the material web in the
manner of borders.

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WO 2006/097182 A1
CLAIMS
1. A multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine
frame (1), comprising an upper supporting beam (3)
extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the
machine frame (1) for a plurality of embroidery heads
(9) carrying vertically movable needles (12) and a
lower supporting beam (4) extending in parallel to the
upper supporting beam (3) for a supporting plate (26)
and a number of gripper units (18), comprising a drive
system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads (9) and the
gripper units (18) and comprising a feed system (32)
for an embroidery frame support (27) which rests on
the supporting plate (26) and can be moved in the
longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A),
characterised in that the upper and lower supporting
beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining
frames (2) which extend in the transverse direction
(A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form
of bridges and are spaced apart from one another,
which have an inside width (C) corresponding to the
maximum transverse movement of the embroidery frame
support (27) at least in the plane of the embroidery
frame support (27).
2. The multi-head embroidery machine according to claim
1, characterised in that the retaining frames (2)
consist of an upper transverse support (6) for the
upper supporting beam (3) and a lower transverse
support (7) for the lower supporting beam (4) and two
vertical supports (5) joining the upper and lower
transverse supports (6, 7) to one another, wherein the
upper transverse support (6) is connected to the upper
supporting beam (3) via an intermediate piece (8) .
3. The multi-head embroidery machine according to claim 1
or 2, characterised in that the drive system comprises

-l4-
a dedicated drive device (14) for the embroidery head
(9) and a dedicated drive device (20) for the gripper
units (18), wherein one of the two drive devices (14)
is speed-regulated and the other drive device (20) is
synchronized with the first drive device (14) by means of a position control.

The invention relates to a multi-head embroidery machine comprising a machine frame (1), having an upper supporting beam (3), extending in the longitudinal direction (B) of the machine frame (1), for a plurality of embroidery heads (9) carrying vertically moving needles (12), and a lower supporting beam (4), extending in parallel to the upper supporting beam (3), for a supporting plate (26), and a number of gripper units (18). The machine also comprises a drive system (14, 20) for the embroidery heads
(9) and the gripper units (18) and a feed system (32) for an embroidery frame support (27) that can be displaced in the longitudinal and transverse direction (B, A). Both supporting beams (3, 4) are fastened to a plurality of retaining frames (2) that extend in the
transverse direction (A) of the machine frame (1), are embodied in the form of bridges and are spaced apart from each other. The retaining frames, in the plane of the embroidery frame support (27), have an inside distance (C) that corresponds to the maximum transverse movement of embroidery frame support.

Documents:

03908-kolnp-2007-abstract.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-claims.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-correspondence others 1.1.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-correspondence others.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-description complete.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-drawings.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-form 1.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-form 2.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-form 3.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-form 5.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-international exm report.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-international publication.pdf

03908-kolnp-2007-international search report.pdf

3771-KOLNP-2009-(31-07-2013)-OTHERS.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ABSTRACT.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ANNEXURE TO FORM 3.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-CLAIMS.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-CORRESPONDENCE.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-DESCRIPTION (COMPLETE).pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-DRAWINGS.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-ENGLISH TRANSLATION.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-FORM-1.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-FORM-2.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-OTHERS.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-PETITION UNER RULE 137.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-(31-07-2013)-PETITION UNER SECTION 8(1).pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 1.2.pdf

3908-kolnp-2007-form 18.pdf

3908-KOLNP-2007-PA.pdf

abstract-03908-kolnp-2007.jpg


Patent Number 259899
Indian Patent Application Number 3908/KOLNP/2007
PG Journal Number 14/2014
Publication Date 04-Apr-2014
Grant Date 28-Mar-2014
Date of Filing 12-Oct-2007
Name of Patentee MULLER, THOMAS
Applicant Address WOLFSGASSE 4, 67744 MEDARD
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 SCHMIDT, GOTTFRIED MAISCHEDER STR. 23 56276 STEBACH
2 MULLER, THOMAS WOLFSGASSE 4, 67744 MEDARD
PCT International Classification Number D05B 75/00
PCT International Application Number PCT/EP2006/001596
PCT International Filing date 2006-02-22
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 102005012461 2005-03-16 Germany