FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to sewing apparatus in particular but not exclusively to an improved quilting machine with a pivoting roller frame which allows for maintaining the distance or planar orientation between the fabric being quilted and a sewing machine as the diameter of fabric rolled on opposed rollers is increased and decreased accordingly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior art sewing and quilting machines are well known. They invariably involve the use of electric sewing machines mounted or supported on a frame to enable the stitching of large areas of fabric, typically quilting material. The principle disadvantage or limitation of the prior art is that the length of the stitch line is usually restricted by the travel of the arm of the particular sewing machine. Although there have been some arrangements that allow for the scrolling or rolling of the quilt material as the stitching reaches the maximum length of the sewing machine arm, there has been no facility to provide easy positioning of the material so that a continuous stitch line can be sewn in both a forward and a reverse direction with respect to the sewing machine.

In addition, prior art quilting machines do not easily transfer fabric between feed and take up rollers while accurately setting fabric tension. Prior art arrangements which include ratchet and friction systems are cumbersome and often result in a broken stitch line or a doubling back of the stitching when a continuous line of stitching is required. Ratchet systems have limited accuracy with fabric tensioning and with friction systems, fabric transfer is difficult. Both these factors detract from the evenness and uniformity of the stitching. This is particularly

important in the art of quilting where it detracts from the overall quality of the finished quilt work as the stitch work is a crucial factor.

In my earlier Australian Patent 2003100480 I disclose an improved quilting machine which enables infinitely variable fabric tensioning and unbroken and even lines of continuous stitching. It also allows easy transfer of fabric in both a forward and a reverse direction with respect to the position of the sewing machine notwithstanding the limited travel of the arm of the sewing machine.

However there are two remaining problems with the above. First, as the fabric being quilted advances past the sewing machine, the finished roll grows in diameter and the distance between the machine and the fabric changes resulting in variations in evenness and uniformity. Also the operator must guide the machine to sew the required pattern by free hand or by following markings on the fabric.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to ameliorate the disadvantages of the prior art by providing improvements in quilting machines or to at least provide a useful alternative.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention resides in a quilting machine comprising:

a roller frame to support at least one pair of elongated rollers,

the rollers being spaced apart and freely rotating and adapted to support quilting fabric disposed between them and wound on the rollers

thθ rotation of the rollers allowing the fabric to move towards and away from the arm of a sewing machine,

a sliding track adapted to support the sewing machine, wherein the sewing machine is moveable in the plane of the roller axes,

pivoting means to enable the roller frame to pivot about an axis parallel to the roller axes so that the fabric can be raised or lowered and is kept at the same distance from the sewing machine as the diameter of the rolled fabric increases and decreases on the rollers.

Preferably there is quick release braking means adapted to simultaneously brake the rotation of the roller members, whereby the fabric is rolled toward or away from the sewing machine to enable continuous stitching of indefinite length to be sewn in the fabric without doubling back or braking the stitch line.

Preferably there is adjustment means to vary the position of the pivoting means.

Preferably the adjustment means comprises a lever with a transverse pin, in captive engagement with an arcuate slot in a side of the roller frame.

Preferably the adjustment means has securing means to hold the pivoting means in a fixed position.

Preferably the securing means is a tooth and rack arrangement whereby a tooth on the lever engages a rack forming part of the roller frame.

Preferably a pantograph is incorporated into the quilting machine by attaching a guide arm to the sewing machine which tracks a template held by a holder mounted on the roller frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention be better understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention and

Figure 2 is a detailed view looking from the right of Fig 1

DETAILED DESCIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a preferred quilting machine according to the invention. Rollers 1 , 2, and 3 are aluminium tubes which are supported longitudinally in box sectioned aluminium frame assemblies 4 and 5, 5a. A sewing machine (not shown) is mounted on platform 6 which runs on tracks 7 and 8 and is positioned at right angles to rollers 1 ,2 and 3 so that the sewing machine moves in the plane of the fabric wound on the rollers.

The fabric (not shown) is advanced towards or away from the sewing machine by winding handles 10, 11 and 12. Platform 6 supporting the sewing machine is moved by handles 13, parallel to the roller 1 , 2, and 3 axes for stitching in that direction and stitching of indefinite length perpendicular to that direction is achieved by rotating rollers 1, 2, and 3.

Fig. 2 shows the detail of a preferred adjustment means including a lever

14 and a tooth and rack securing system 14a which is used to rotate frame 5

which pivots about frame 4 in order to lower roller 12 as the diameter of the quilted fabric wound on it increases. The lever 14 has a transverse pin 14b which engages an arcuate slot 14c in the side 14d of the roller frame. As the lever is pulled or pushed, the pin raises or lowers the side thereby raising or lowering the rollers. Accordingly, the distance between the sewing machine and the fabric can be kept constant and the quality of the quilting uniformly maintained.

Fig 1 also shows a pantograph incorporated into the quilting machine. Guide arm 15 is attached to platform 6 and has tracking pivot 16 located perpendicularly at its end. Tracking pivot 16 engages template 17 held on holder 18 which is mounted on roller frame 5. Accordingly the operator can execute a sewing pattern on the fabric guided by template 17.

VARIATIONS

It will be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.