WO2003071020A1 - Device and method to apply quills (tinsel) on fabrics in a sewing machine, and multi-needle sewing machine comprising said device - Google Patents

Abstract

Device and method to apply quills (23), tinsel or similar, on fabrics in a multi-needle sewing machine (10) suitable to make stitches (19) on continuously fed textile material (11). The multi-needle sewing machine (10) has upper sewing members (12) consisting of at least a needle-bearing bar (13) movable with alternating motion and supporting a plurality of needles (14), and lower sewing members (15), each needle (14) cooperating with a respective sewing thread (16). A feed assembly (71) is selectively driven to supply at least one quill (23) at a time to a positioning assembly (80). The positioning assembly (80) is selectively driven to automatically displace the quill (23) from a first feed position to a second sewing position arranged substantially in correspondence with at least a relative needle (14) of the sewing machine (10).

Description

"DEVICE AND METHOD TO APPLY QUILLS (TINSEL) ON FABRICS IN A SEWING MACHINE, AND MULTI-NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE COMPRISING SAID DEVICE"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a device to apply quills (tinsel) on simple or padded fabrics. The invention also concerns the method to apply quills on fabrics, and the machine adopting said device and method.

The present invention is applied in the textile field and refers to the automatic application, when stitches are made to form a desired design or ornamental pattern, of quills made of plastic or similar materials onto simple, multilayer or padded fabrics, fed continuously from rolls.

The invention is preferentially, though not exclusively, applied on multi-needle quilting machines, both of the type which make knotted point and chain point stitches.

The present invention is characterized in that it has at least one support element on which are mounted, at regular intervals, a plurality of devices to feed the quills, each of which devices being substantially arranged opposite a relative needle of the sewing machine.

These devices to feed the quills are able to present, under each needle, at the points of the ornamental pattern wherein they are required to be applied, a quill which is attached to the fabric with suitable sewing stitches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the field of embroidering machines of the Shiffli type, the state of the art includes the use of devices to automatically apply quills (tinsel) on single pieces or on fabrics. Such devices work on individual garments or on pieces of fabric of a limited length, drummed on suitable frames with a discontinuous working pattern and limited productivity. The ornamental patterns made by such devices are isolated, very distant from each other and discontinuous; the maximum speed at which they are made is in the order of 150/200 stitches a minute. Moreover, conventional devices of this type, applied on Shiffli machines, are very cumbersome in size, with considerable difficulties in positioning and accessing the corresponding needle which remains totally covered by the device. Conventional devices as are used at present, an example of which is shown in US-A-5.481.993 , are therefore not suitable to be used on machines which continuously work fabrics fed from rolls, with sewing speeds which can reach 600-700 stitches a minute. The Applicant has devised and embodied the present invention to overcome this shortcoming of the state of the art, and to obtain further advantages as will be explained hereafter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized in the respective main claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the main embodiment.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a device, and the relative method, to apply plastic quills on fabrics, suitable to be applied on a sewing machine, particularly on a multi-needle sewing machine, with the purpose of working simple or multi-layer fabrics fed continuously from rolls with speeds in the range of 600-700 stitches a minute.

A further purpose is to achieve a sewing machine with the device mentioned above, suitable to work fabrics continuously, obtaining any ornamental pattern consisting of stitches and applique works of quills, by means of an electronic control. The following description will describe only quills, but every time this will refer also to any other similar or comparable ornamental • element .

A sewing machine on which the device according to the invention is applied comprises at least a needle-bearing bar, on which a plurality of needles are mounted aligned and at suitable intervals.

The needle-bearing bar is equipped with alternating ascending-descending movements to take every needle to cooperate with a mating lower sewing element, consisting of a shuttle, a rotary crochet or a mobile hook, also equipped with alternating movement mating with the movement of the needle-bearing bar. The cooperation between the needles, each of which is fed with its own thread called the needle thread, and the lower sewing elements, each one also fed with its own thread, determines the sewing of stitches on the fabrics, fed continuously from rolls and interposed between said sewing members .

A sewing machine according to the invention also comprises at least a fixed cross-piece which supports the command members of the needle-bearing bars . According to the invention, on the cross-piece there is a bar which supports, in correspondence with specific, selected needles, a mating plurality of devices able to make an application of quills on the fabric according to a desired ornamental pattern, managed by the command computer of the sewing machine .

Each of said devices consists at least of an assembly to feed the quills and a positioning assembly able to displace the quills from a first feed position to a second sewing position arranged in axial correspondence and under a relative needle.

In a first embodiment of the invention the quills are obtained from the coil of a feed tube, which is unwound by means of suitable drawing means and on which suitable cutting means, cooperating with mating guide means, are able to selectively act in order to cut the quill to be applied from the feed tube. The quill thus obtained is then located, by said positioning assembly, in the sewing position.

According to another embodiment, the quills are already cut and are fed from suitable containers, associated with relative guide means, to be located in correspondence with said positioning assembly. This embodiment also allows to feed quills of at least two different colors in order to make ornamental patterns with quills of alternatingly different color.

The positioning assembly comprises at least a linear actuator with a relative movable element the end of which, in a preferential embodiment, is shaped so as to at least partly accommodate the quill to be applied. The movable element is driven linearly, from a first retracted position wherein it receives the quill fed by the relative feed means, to a second extended position wherein it locates the quill in the sewing position in correspondence with a relative needle.

In a preferential embodiment, the end of the movable element has, or cooperates with, pneumatic retaining means able to maintain the quill to be applied, by means of suction, pressed against said end while it is displaced towards the sewing position.

In the embodiment where the quill is fed from a coil, the drawing means consist, in a preferential embodiment, of at least a drawing wheel cooperating with a mating contrasting wheel.

The drawing means are able to make the feed tube advance along guide means which convey the tube through the cutters of the cutting means; when a quill is required to be applied, the latter are activated to cut the quill to be applied from the feed tube.

The cut quill finds itself gripped on the movable element of the positioning assembly, which is then activated in turn to locate the quill in the sewing position.

By means of impulses transmitted by the command computer of the sewing machine, at the moment when the application of a quill is required when an ornamental pattern is being made, the speed of the needles is reduced, the feed and cutting assembly is driven to arrange a quill in the feed position, and then the positioning assembly is driven to take the quill from the feed position to the sewing position. After this, the needle begins its normal sewing again, following the ornamental pattern, and the positioning assembly returns to its initial position to await a new cycle of application of another quill.

With the device according to the invention it is therefore possible to apply quills, on a simple or padded textile material fed continuously, according to the ornamental pattern made by the machine, at a much higher speed and with much thicker and continuous designs than those which can be obtained on any other conventional machine, with obvious advantages in terms of productivity and variety of application. The sewing machine which adopts the device according to the invention can be used as a normal sewing machine, for example a multi-needle quilting machine, excluding the function of said device; or as an embroidery machine to apply quills on simple or padded fabrics fed continuously; or again as a machine which simultaneously makes both quilting and the application of quills or similar, thus obtaining mixed ornamental patterns with innovative and previously unseen characteristics. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of some preferential forms of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example, with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. lis a schematic view of an electronically commanded multi-needle quilting machine of the type able to comprise a device to apply quills according to the invention; - fig. 2 is a schematic lateral prospective view of a first embodiment of the device to apply quills according to the invention;

- figs. 3a and 3b show, respectively from the side and the front, a second form of embodiment of the device to apply quills according to the invention;

- fig. 4 is a partial and plane view of fig. 3a;

- figs. 5a-5c show from above three steps in the functioning of the device in figs. 3a-3b;

- figs. 6a and 6b show some examples of ornamental patterns which can be obtained with the sewing machine according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERENTIAL EMBODIMENTS OF THE

INVENTION

Fig. 1 shows an electronically commanded multi-needle quilting machine 10 the general type of which is in itself substantially conventional. The quilting machine 10 comprises, as essential parts, an inlet assembly 10a, a sewing assembly 10b and an outlet assembly 10c.

The inlet assembly 10a is used to feed the textile material 11 which is to be worked. The inlet assembly 10a is managed and controlled by a command software and is therefore able to move the textile material 11 fed in any direction whatsoever, backwards-forwards or left-right, in order to make any design, even the most complex.

The sewing assembly 10b comprises upper sewing members 12 and lower sewing members 15 of a conventional type. The upper sewing members 12 consist, in this case, of two needle-bearing bars 13, respectively 13a and 13b (fig. 2), parallel to each other, on which respective needles 14 are mounted, aligned with each other, each one cooperating with a respective thread 16, called the needle thread, fed from respective reels 116 arranged in the upper part of the machine 10 or in front of it.

The needle-bearing bars 13 have seatings 17 to position the needles associated with means 18 to clamp the needles 14 in position.

In this case, for the application of quills, only the front needle-bearing bar 13a is used, whereas the rear needle-bearing bar 13b is used for normal quilting.

The needle-bearing bars 13a and 13b are equipped with alternating ascending-descending movement, to take the relative needles 14 to cooperate with the respective lower sewing members 15, consisting in conventional fashion of shuttles, rotary crochets or alternately mobile hooks.

The cooperation between the upper 14 and lower 15 sewing members determines the simultaneous formation on the textile material 11 of a plurality of stitches 19 which, according to the movement imparted to the textile material 11, make desired ornamental patterns to obtain a quilted or embroidered article which is collected by the outlet assembly 10c.

According to known constructive practices, the multi- needle sewing machine 10 is equipped with a cross-piece 20 which supports the command members of the needle-bearing bars 13. In this case, a transverse bar 22 is attached to said cross-piece 20 by means of supporting elements 21; a plurality of devices 70 for the automatic application of quills 23 on the textile material 11 are mounted on the transverse bar 22 at regular intervals corresponding to the selected needles 14. Each of the devices 70 comprises an assembly 71 to feed the quills 23 and an assembly 80 to position the quills 23 from a feed position to a sewing position in correspondence and under a relative needle 14.

Fig. 2 shows a first form of embodiment of the device 70 to apply the quills 23 according to the invention. For a better understanding of the invention, fig. 2 shows only one needle 14, it being obvious that according to the type of sewing to be done all the seatings 17 can house a relative needle 14 cooperating with a relative device 70. In this first embodiment, the feed assembly 71 comprises a substantially vertical supporting plate 24 at the upper part of which an arm 25 is attached, bearing a transverse pin 26 on which a coil 27 rotates. A tube 28 is wound on said coil 27, for example made of plastic, from which the individual quills 23 to be applied on the textile material 11 are obtained.

An assembly 30 to advance and cut the quills 23, mounted in a supporting box 29, is attached to the lower part of said vertical plate 24. The supporting box 29 comprises:

- a vertical front wall 29a, parallel to the needle-bearing bar 13a and very near thereto,

- two horizontal walls, an upper wall 29b, wider and less deep, and a lower wall 29c, narrower and deeper; the walls 29b and 29c are perpendicular to the front wall 29a and parallel to the plane on which the textile material 11 moves, from which the lower wall 29c is separated by a few millimeters, and - two lateral walls 29d and 29e, whose upper parts are vertical and whose lower parts are inclined towards the inside and have surfaces shaped like a rectangular trapezium in order to connect the upper horizontal wall 29b, wider and less deep, with the lower horizontal wall 29c, narrower and deeper.

The side of the box 29 opposite the needle-bearing bar 13a is open at the front.

At the center of the upper horizontal wall 29b of the supporting box 29 an upper guide element is inserted, consisting in this case of a metal pipe 31 the inner diameter of which is slightly more than the outer diameter of the tube 28 in use; the metal pipe 31 passes vertically through said upper wall 29b. Inside the supporting box 29 a cutting assembly is housed, of the cutter type, consisting of two tempered steel platelets 32 and 33 arranged on a plane one above the other at the center of the vertical wall of the box 29 and arranged substantially vertical. The upper ends of the platelets 32, 33 are attached to the vertical wall by means of screws, while the lower ends, which are divergent, are bent at an angle of 90° one towards the other and sharpened so as to form two blades 34 and 35, which are detached from each other by a distance at least slightly greater than the diameter of the plastic tube 28 in use.

In the central part of the outer platelet 33, that is, the one farther from the needle-bearing bar 13a, there is a vertical rectangular aperture 36.

The distance of the blades 34 and 35 from the inner surface of the lower horizontal wall 29c of the box 29 is substantially equal to the length of the quill 23 to be applied.

At the lower ends of the platelets 32 and 33, near the blades 34 and 35, two corresponding holes are made through which a horizontal tie bar 37 passes, whose inner end is attached to the inner platelet 32.

At the outer end of the tie bar 37 an S-shaped lever 38 is hinged; the hump of the lever 38 which is nearer the tie bar 37 presses on the outer part of the outer platelet 33. In this way, when the lever 38 is released, the two blades 34 and 35 are detached but, by pressing the end farther from the tie bar 37 of the lever 38, the outer platelet 33 is thrust by the hump of the lever 38 against the inner platelet 32 which leans against the vertical wall 29a of the supporting box 29, until the two blades 34 and 35 come into contact, acting as a shears in order to cut the quill 23 from the tube 28. To the lateral walls 29d and 29e of the box 29, on the side opposite the needle-bearing bar 13a where the box 29 is open, a cross-piece 39 is attached with suitable screws.

On the outer side, in this case the right, of the cross- piece 39, a rotary actuator 40 is mounted, for example pneumatic, the shaft 40a of which passes in a suitable hole through the cross-piece 39.

On the shaft 40a a first wheel 41 is attached, on the circumference of which a semi-circular groove 42 is made, with a radius substantially equal to that of the tube 28 being used.

On the side opposite the connection hub with the shaft 40a, the first wheel 41 also has a pin 43 solid with the wheel 41 itself, which pivots in a bearing 44 inserted in a corresponding hole made in the vertical wall 29a of the box 29.

On the upper inner side of the vertical wall 29a there is a pin 45 screwed into a suitable threaded hole, on which the upper end of an oscillating arm 46 is pivoted, at the center of which another pin 47 is made, with an axis substantially perpendicular to the vertical wall 29a of the box 29.

The lower end of the oscillating arm 46 rests on a spiral compression spring 48 attached to the left lateral wall 29e of the box 29.

A second wheel 49, with the same diameter as the first wheel 41 mounted on the shaft 40a of the actuator 40, is pivoted idle to the pin 47; the second wheel 49 also has a semicircular groove 50 on its circumference, with a radius substantially equal to that of the tube 28 in use.

The position of the oscillating arm 46 is such that, when thrust by the spiral spring 48, it is thrust towards the inside of the box 29 and said second wheel 49, pivoted idle on the pin 47, is thrust against the first wheel 41 mounted on the shaft 40a of the actuator 40; consequently, the two semi-circular grooves 42 and 50, on the circumferences of the wheels 41 and 49, coincide at the point of contact, forming a circular aperture with a diameter slightly less than that of the plastic tube 28 in use. The position of the upper guide element 31, passing vertically through the upper wall 29b of the supporting box 29, is such that its axis coincides with the center of the circular aperture formed by the two semi-circular grooves 42 and 50 and its V-shaped lower end 31a wedges itself between the wheels 41 and 49.

There is also a lower tubular guide element 51 present inside the supporting box 29, and consists of a metal pipe whose inner diameter is slightly more than the diameter of the tube 28 in use. The metal pipe is S-shaped and is attached inside the box 29 so that its upper, V-shaped end is wedged between the two wheels 41 and 49 and its axis passes through the center of the circular aperture formed by the two semi-circular grooves 42 and 50 on the circumferences of said wheels 41 and 49.

The lower guide element 51 descends vertically and, thanks to its S-shape, passes through the rectangular aperture 36 made in the outer platelet 33 of the cutter, entering between the two platelets 32 and 33.

The rod of the tie bar 37 of the cutter is shaped so as to allow the lower guide element 51 to pass inside it, so that the lower end of said element 51 finds itself above but very near to the blades 34 and 35 of the cutter. Outside the central part of the supporting box 29, on the side opposite the needle-bearing bar 13a where said box is open, there is a cross-piece 72 attached with suitable screws to the lateral walls of the box 29; at the center of the cross-piece 72, on its outer side, a linear actuator 52 is mounted, for example of the pneumatic type, the position of which is such that its rod 52a, passing through a suitable hole through said cross-piece 72, finds itself in axis with the free end of the S-shaped lever 38 of the cutter. When the rod 52a of the linear actuator 52 is retracted, the S-shaped lever 38 is completely released and the two blades 34 and 35 of the cutter are open; on the contrary, when the rod 52a is extended, it presses the free end of the S-shaped lever 38 compressing the two platelets 32 and 33 and consequently clamping the two blades 34 and 35 of the cutter one against the other.

On the inner surface of the lower horizontal wall 29c of the supporting box 29, the positioning assembly 80 is attached and comprises a flat linear actuator 53, for example of the pneumatic type, with a movable rod 53a whose end is shaped like a saddle 54, open towards the front, with a width slightly less than the diameter of the plastic tube 28 in use. The position of the linear actuator 53 is such that the direction of travel of its rod 53a is parallel to the lower wall 29c of the supporting box 29 and perpendicular to the needle-bearing bar 13a. Moreover, when the rod 53a of the linear actuator 53 is retracted, the saddle 54 at its end finds itself aligned with the axis of said lower guide element 51, defining a first position to feed the quills 23, whereas, when the rod 53a of the linear actuator 53 is extended, the saddle 54 passes through a suitable aperture in the vertical front wall 29a of the box 29 and finds itself in axis with the corresponding needle 14, defining the sewing position of the quill 23.

According to the invention, the plastic tube 28 unwinds from the coil 27, drawn by the wheels 41 and 49, slides vertically inside the upper guide element 31, is gripped by the semi-circular grooves 42 and 50 of the wheels 41 and 49 between which it is slightly forced, enters the lower guide element 51, emerges from its lower end, passes between the two blades 34 and 35 of the cutter, is inserted with a slight forcing into the saddle 54 present on the end of the rod 53a of the linear actuator 53 and stops against the inner surface of the lower horizontal wall 29c of the supporting box 29.

By means of impulses sent by the command computer of the sewing machine 10, at the moment when a quill 23 is required to be applied while an ornamental pattern is being made, the speed of the needles 14 is reduced, a suitable electro valve (not shown in the drawings) sends air to the rotary actuator 40 which makes the wheel 41 rotate, and consequently the plastic tube 28 is made to advance due to friction inside the lower guide element 51.

This causes the tube 28 to advance by a pre-set value corresponding to the length of a quill 23 and, consequently, the end of the tube 28 emerging from the outlet of the lower guide element 51 goes to insert itself in the saddle 54 of the retracted rod of the linear actuator 53 and stops against the inner surface of the lower horizontal wall of the supporting box 29.

At this point a second electro valve (not shown in the drawings) sends air to the linear actuators 52 and 53. The first actuator 52, extending its rod 52a, presses the S- shaped lever 38 of the cutter, whose blades 34 and 35 close, cutting a quill 23 from the tube 28 protruding from the lower guide element 51; at the same time, the second actuator 53, extending its rod 53a, takes the newly cut quill 23 housed in the saddle 54 into axis with the corresponding needle 14. The needle 14, descending at reduced speed from its highest position, enters the hole of the quill 23 and attaches it to the textile material 11 with one stitch, after which the needle 14 starts its normal sewing again, following the ornamental pattern. Air is again sent to the two linear actuators 52 and 53, whose respective rods retract, re-opening the blades 34 and 35 of the cutter and returning the saddle 54 in axis with the lower guide element 51.

In a variant of the invention (fig. 3a) , the positioning assembly 80 comprises a linear actuator 53 which has a rod

53a at the end of which a nozzle 59 is associated, with a front end 63 shaped like a saddle with a vertical axis.

The nozzle 59 is associated, by means of a pipe 60, to a suction assembly 55 which is able to create a depression in correspondence with the end 63 of the nozzle 59 in order to retain on each occasion the quill 23 to be applied on the fabric 11.

Figs. 3a, 3b, 4 and 5a-5c show another embodiment of the invention, wherein components equal to those already described in the previous figures have the same reference numbers .

In this embodiment, the quills 23 are arranged already cut inside relative feed containers, in this case two hoppers 61a, 61b associated with respective tubular conveyor elements 62a, 62b.

In one embodiment of the invention, the hoppers 61a, 61b have quills 23 of respective different colors, thus allowing to make stitches 19 with ornamental patterns with quills 23 of alternating colors on the textile material 11. It is clear that there could also be three or more hoppers 61a, 61b. They are also equipped with suitable systems, for example vibratory or other type, which help the quills 23 to enter the respective conveyor elements 62a, 62b in a stacked fashion.

The conveyor elements 62a, 62b have their lower ends open, also partly at the front, in order to allow the last quill 23 to be picked up, as will be explained hereafter. In order to be able to pick up a relative quill 23 both from one hopper 61a and from the other 61b, the linear actuator 53 is mounted below a plate 64 which in turn is attached to the shaft 58a of a first rotary actuator 58.

The first rotary actuator 58 is mounted below a plate 57, also attached to the shaft 56a of a second rotary actuator 56, mounted solid with the supporting box 29.

The axes of the shafts 56a and 58a of the two rotary actuators 56 and 58 are aligned vertically and perpendicular to the plane on which the textile material 11 moves. The upper plate 57 has a stop tooth 65 which is inserted in a suitable aperture 66 made on the front wall 29a of the supporting box 29 and equipped with lateral, adjustable end- of-travel screws, respectively 66a and 66b. The lower plate 64 is also provided, in its rear part, with a vertical stake 64a which moves, following the rotation of the plate 64, between two protrusions 74a and 74b made in the rear part of the lower horizontal wall 29c of the supporting box 29. In the protrusion 74a, on the left in the drawing, there is a rear, adjustable end-of-travel screw 73.

The use of end-of-travel screws 66a, 66b and 73 is necessary so as to be able to icrometrically adjust the angular positions of the linear actuator 53 so that the front end 63 of the nozzle 59 finds itself, when the rod 53a retracted, perfectly aligned with one or the other of the conveyor elements 62a or 62b to pick up the relative quill 23 and, with the rod 53a extended, aligned with the needle 14 during the sewing operation. This would not be possible using only the normal internal end-of-travel elements of the rotary actuators 56, 58 which normally define a fixed angle of rotation of about 90° .

The presence of the two rotary actuators 56 and 58 associated with each other allows to displace the linear actuator 53 left and right to pick up a quill 23 in a desired manner from the hopper 61a or 61b, and position it in the center to then displace it axially under the relative needle 14. To be more exact, as can be seen in figs. 5a, 5b and 5c, the combination of the rotated positions of the actuators 56 and 58 allows to achieve the three operating conditions necessary for the device to function.

In the first position shown in fig. 5a, the second rotary actuator, or upper actuator 56, is rotated towards the right, with the tooth 65 abutting against the right end-of- travel screw 66a, and the first actuator, or lower actuator 58, is rotated towards the left abutting against its internal end-of-travel element; in this case the linear actuator 53 is arranged substantially centrally and aligned with the needle 14 and can axially displace a relative quill 23 to locate it under the relative needle 14 to allow it to be sewn onto the fabric 11. If, on the contrary (fig. 5b), the upper actuator 56 is still displaced towards the right, with the tooth 65 abutting, but the lower rotary actuator 58 is also displaced towards the right, until the stake 64a abuts against the rear end-of-travel screw 73, then the linear actuator 53 is displaced towards the right and can pick up a relative quill 23 from the hopper located on the right with respect to the median axis, that is, the hopper 61a (fig. 4) .

In this case, after positioning the linear actuator 53 with the relative nozzle 59 arranged in proximity with the bottom of the conveyor element 62a, the suction assembly 55 is activated, so that the quill 23 is extracted and kept gripped in correspondence with the saddle-shaped end 63 of the nozzle 59. Then the lower rotary actuator 58 is driven, until it is positioned in abutment against its left inner end-of-travel element, to return the linear actuator 53 to a central position; then, the linear actuator 53 is driven linearly to take the quill 23, still held gripped by means of suction, under the needle 14 and allow it to be sewn.

In order to pick up a quill 23 from the left hopper 62b, on the contrary, the upper rotary actuator 56 is rotated towards the left (fig. 5c), with the tooth 65 abutting against the end-of-travel screw 66b, and the lower rotary actuator 58 too is rotated towards the left until it abuts against its left inner end-of-travel element. When the quill 23 has been picked up as described above, the actuator 56 is driven to return to the axially centered position as shown in fig. 5a, with the tooth 65 abutting against the end-of- travel screw 66a, and to proceed to position and sew the quill 23 onto the fabric 11.

According to the programming made by the command computer, it is therefore possible to pick up the quills 23 in a desired manner from one hopper or the other 61a, 61b, thus making it possible to apply quills of a different color alternately and consecutively.

It is clear that the embodiment that provides the nozzle 59 with the end 63 conformed as a saddle and associated with a suction assembly 55 can also be adopted in the embodiment as shown in fig. 2 which provides to feed the quills 23 from a coil 27 and to cut them for every cycle of application. To give an example, figs. 6a and 6b show two examples of applications on fabrics 11 of quills 23 so as to achieve stitches 19 with ornamental patterns similar to embroidery. Some elements of the device such as the wheels 41 and 49, conveyor guides 31 and 51, saddle 54, nozzle 59 etc., can be replaced on each occasion to adapt the device to the different diameters of the plastic tube 28 in use.

According to the invention, moreover, since every device is driven by independent electro valves, the application of the quills 23 can be programmed independently needle by needle, thus considerably extending the possibilities of making very particular ornamental patterns, which would be impossible on conventional machines. Modifications and variants can be made to the present invention, all of which shall come within the field and scope thereof as defined by the claims.

For example, the rotary pneumatic actuators 40, 56, 58 and the linear pneumatic actuators 52 and 53 can be replaced by any other rotary or linear actuator or motor which performs the same function, such as electric motors, rotary or linear electromagnetic actuators, rotary or linear hydraulic actuators, pneumatic cylinders, etc. Moreover, the cutter as shown in the embodiment in fig. 2 can be replaced by any other cutting member such as scissors, nailcutters, blades, punches, ultrasound or laser cutting, etc.

Claims

1 - Method to apply quills (23), tinsel or similar, on fabrics in a multi-needle sewing machine (10) suitable to make stitches (19) on continuously fed textile material (11), said multi-needle sewing machine (10) having upper sewing members (12) consisting of at least a needle-bearing bar (13) movable with alternating motion and supporting a plurality of needles (14), and lower sewing members (15), each needle (14) cooperating with a respective sewing thread (16), characterized in that it provides that a feed assembly

(71) is selectively driven to supply at least one quill (23) at a time to a positioning assembly (80), and in that said positioning assembly (80) is selectively driven to automatically displace said quill (23) from a first feed position to a second sewing position arranged substantially in correspondence with at least a relative needle (14) of the sewing machine (10) .

2 - Method as in claim 1, characterized in that said quills (23) are fed substantially continuously from a coil (27) of tube (28) associated with controlled unwinding means, and in that for each cycle of application of a quill (23) onto said textile material (11) there is a cutting step to cut one of said quills (23) from the coil (27) of tube (28).

3 - Method as in claim 2, characterized in that it provides that drawing means (41, 49) are selectively driven to unwind said coil (27) with a controlled step-wise movement with a substantially constant value corresponding to the length of one of said quills (23).

4 - Method as in claim 1, characterized in that said quills (23) are arranged already cut and are fed from at least a container (61a, 61b) cooperating with said positioning assembly (80) .

5 - Method as in claim 4, characterized in that it provides to use at least two containers (61a, 61b), each one including quills (23) of a different color.

6 - Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it provides that pneumatic retaining means (55) are able to be driven at least temporarily to retain said quill (23) in cooperation with said positioning assembly (80) .

7 - Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that, at the moment a quill (23) is required to be applied while a desired ornamental pattern is being made, a command computer determines the reduction in speed of the needles (14), said feed assembly (71) is driven to arrange a quill (23) in the feed position, and then said positioning assembly (80) is driven to take said quill (23) from the feed position to the sewing position substantially in correspondence with and under a relative needle (14), after which said needles (14) start their normal stitching again following the ornamental pattern, and said positioning assembly (80) returns to its initial position to await a new cycle of application of another quill (23). 8 - Device to apply quills (23), tinsel or similar, on fabrics in a multi-needle sewing machine (10) suitable to make stitches (19) on continuously fed textile material

(11), said multi-needle sewing machine (10) having upper sewing members (12) consisting of at least a needle-bearing bar (13) movable with alternating motion and supporting a plurality of needles (14), and lower sewing members (15), each needle (14) cooperating with a respective sewing thread

(16), characterized in that it comprises at least a device

(70) to apply one or more quills (23) on said textile material (11), said device (70) being arranged in cooperation with at least one of said needles (14) and comprising a feed assembly (71) able to arrange at least one quill (23) at a time in a feed position and a positioning assembly (80) able to automatically displace said quill (23) from said feed position to a sewing position arranged substantially in correspondence with at least a relative needle (14) of the sewing machine (10) . 9 - Device as in claim 8, characterized in that said feed device (71) comprises at least a drawing wheel (41) able to unwind in controlled fashion a coil (27) of tube (28) from which said quills (23) are obtained.

10 - Device as in claim 9, characterized in that said wheel (41) is associated with a rotary actuator (40) which can be temporarily activated.

11 - Device as in claim 9, characterized in that said drawing wheel (41) is associated with a contrasting wheel (49) held elastically thrust towards said drawing wheel (41) .

12 - Device as in claim 11, characterized in that said wheels (41, 49) include respective semi-circular grooves

(42, 50) to house and draw said tube (28) .

13 - Device as in claim 9, characterized in that said drawing wheel (41) cooperates with upper (31) and lower (51) guide means .

14 - Device as in claims 8 and 9, characterized in that it comprises cutting means arranged between said feed assembly (71) and said positioning assembly (80) and able to cut one of said quills (23) at a time from said coil (27) of tube (28) .

15 - Device as in claim 14, characterized in that said cutting means comprise a pair of blades (34, 35) associated with an actuator (52) which can be selectively activated. 16 - Device as in claim 8, characterized in that said positioning assembly (80) comprises at least a linear actuator (53) with a rod (53a) whose end (54) is shaped in order to perform the function of temporarily retaining said quill (23) .

17 - Device as in claim 16, characterized in that said rod (53a) has a first retracted position wherein it is able to receive one of said quills (23) supplied by said feed assembly (71) and an extended position wherein it is able to position said quill (23) in the sewing position in correspondence with a relative needle (14) .

18 - Device as in claim 16, characterized in that said rod (53a) is associated with pneumatic retaining means (59, 55) to retain said quill (23) .

19 - Device as in claim 10, characterized in that said rotary actuator (40) consists of a pneumatic or hydraulic rotary actuator.

20 - Device as in claim 10, characterized in that said rotary actuator (40) consists of a step-wise electric motor.

21 - Device as in claim 10, characterized in that said rotary actuator (40) consists of a rotary electromagnetic actuator.

22 - Device as in claim 12, characterized in that said semi- circular grooves (42) and (50) have a radius slightly less than the radius of said tube (28), and in that said contrasting wheel (49) is associated with elastic means (48) to be thrust against said drawing wheel (41) and to form, at the point of contact of the circumferences of said wheels (41, 49), a circular aperture with a diameter slightly less than that of said tube (28) so that said tube (28) enters with slight forcing between said grooves (42, 50) .

23 - Device as in claims 9, 11 and 13, characterized in that said upper guide means comprise a tubular element (31) with an inner diameter slightly more than that of said tube (28) and including, in its lower end, a V-shape accommodated between said wheels (41, 49) .

24 - Device as in claims 13 and 15, characterized in that said lower guide means comprise a tubular element (51) with an inner diameter slightly more than that of said tube (28) and able to convey said tube (28) between said blades (34, 35) of said cutting means. 25 - Device as in claim 15, characterized in that said actuator (52) is able to act on shaped lever means (38) to selectively activate said cutting means to cut one of said quills (23) from said tube (28).

26 - Device as in claim 14, characterized in that said cutting means comprise scissor means.

27 - Device as in claim 14, characterized in that said cutting means comprise nailcutter type means .

28 - Device as in claim 14, characterized in that said cutting means comprise ultrasound or laser cutting means. 29 - Device as in claims 15 and 16, characterized in that said actuators (52, 53) are pneumatic actuators.

30 - Device as in claims 15 and 16, characterized in that said actuators (52, 53) are electromagnetic or hydraulic actuators . 31 - Device as in claims 15 and 16, characterized in that said actuators (52, 53) consist of linear electric motors.

32 - Device as in claim 8, characterized in that said feed assembly (71) comprises at least a container (61a, 61b) containing a plurality of said pre-cut quills (23) and associated with a respective conveyor element (62a, 62b) able to convey said quills (23) one at a time in correspondence with said positioning assembly (80) in said first feed position.

33 - Device as in claim 32, characterized in that it comprises two of said containers (61a, 61b) each containing respective quills (23) at least of different color.

34 - Device as in claim 32, characterized in that said container (61a, 61b) comprises vibration means or similar which facilitate the descent of one quill (23) at a time into the relative conveyor element (62a, 62b) . 35 - Device as in any claim from 32 to 34 inclusive, characterized in that in an intermediate position between said feed assembly (71) and said positioning assembly (80) it comprises an orientation assembly including at least a rotary actuator (56, 58) able to selectively arrange said positioning assembly (80) in correspondence with one or the other of said containers (61a, 61b) so that a relative quill (23) can be taken therefrom.

36 - Device as in claim 35, characterized in that said orientation assembly comprises a pair of rotary actuators, a lower (58) and an upper (56), the combination of the positionings of said actuators (56, 58) being able to define the positions of said positioning assembly (80) in correspondence with one or the other of said containers (61a, 61b) and in correspondence with a position aligned with the relative needle (14).

37 - Multi-needle sewing machine to make stitches (19) on continuously fed textile material (11), said machine comprising an inlet assembly (10a) to feed the textile material (11) to be sewn, a sewing assembly (10b) and an outlet assembly (10c) to collect the textile material (11) sewn, the sewing assembly (10b) comprising upper sewing members (12) consisting of at least a needle-bearing bar

(13a) movable with alternating motion and lower sewing members (15), said needle-bearing bar (13a) supporting needles (14), each fed with its own thread (16), characterized in that it also comprises a plurality of devices (70) to apply quills (23), tinsel or similar on the continuously fed textile material (11) , said devices (70) being mounted at intervals on a transverse bar (22) attached to a cross-piece (20) of said sewing machine (10), said devices (70) being arranged in correspondence with at least some of said needles (14), each of said devices (70) including a feed assembly (71) to feed one of said quills

(23) and a positioning assembly (80) able to receive said quill (23) in a feed position and locate it in a sewing position substantially in correspondence with a relative needle (14) .

38 - Machine as in claim 37, characterized in that said feed assembly (71) comprises a coil (27) from which a tube (28) is able to unwind, from which said quills (23) are obtained, said coil (27) being mounted rotatably on a pin (26) solid with an arm (25) anchored cantilevered on said transverse bar (22) .

39 - Machine as in claims 37 or 38, characterized in that on said transverse bar (22) a substantially vertical support

(24) is mounted, on the upper part of which an arm (25) is attached, and on the lower part of which are attached said positioning assembly (80), a drawing assembly (41, 49) able to unwind said coil (27) in controlled fashion, and a cutting assembly (34, 35) able to cut said quills (23) one at a time from said tube (28) .

40 - Machine as in claim 37, characterized in that said feed assembly (71) comprises at least a container (61a, 61b) containing a plurality of said pre-cut quills (23) and associated with a respective conveyor element (62a, 62b) to feed one quill (23) at a time in the feed position to said positioning assembly (80) .

41 - Machine as in claim 37, characterized in that it comprises a command computer able to selectively command said feed assembly (71) to arrange a quill (23) in a position cooperating with said positioning assembly (80), to slow down the speed of the needles (14) and to drive a linear actuator (53) of said positioning assembly (80) to displace said quill (23) to the sewing position cooperating with a relative needle (14) in order to be sewn onto the textile material (11) every time the ornamental pattern being worked requires a quill (23) to be applied. 42 - Machine as in any claim from 37 to 41 inclusive, characterized in that said devices (70) to apply quills can be de-activated to perform simple stitches on simple or padded textile material (11) . 43 - Machine as in any claim from 37 to 42 inclusive, characterized in that it comprises needles (14) arranged on the relative needle-bearing bar (13a) only in the positions corresponding to the position of a respective device (70) to perform the application of the quills (23) onto the textile material (11) . 44 - Machine as in any claim from 37 to 42 inclusive, characterized in that it comprises needles (14) arranged on the relative needle-bearing bar (13) both in the position where a relative device (70) is provided to apply the quills (23), and also in positions where said device (70) is not provided, in order to allow stitches (19) to be made combined or not with the application of quills (23). 45 - Machine as in claim 37, characterized in that it comprises an assembly (10a) to feed the textile material (11) with an electronic control, suitable to let said textile material (11) make the desired movements, backwards- forwards or left-right, so as to obtain, according to the application of quills (23) stitched by the needles (14), the desired ornamental patterns of the stitches (19).