The effects of feed retardation on lockstitch sewing

The stitch-formation process of a lockstitch sewing machine is investigated with the aid of transducers that facilitate real-time monitoring of the se wing cycle. It ir found that retardation of the fabric-feed timing by up to 25 degrees results in a lowering of the tension at which the stitch is for med. This could have implications for the modification of ream slippage and the reduction of tension-induced puckering.