Quilting machine

1. A quilting machine comprising:

a looper from which thread is provided to form stitches in a web;

an adjuster having a plurality of selectable positions including a first position, a second position, and an intermediate position between the first position and the second position, the adjuster configured to, when moved from the first position to the second position:

capture the thread at a point between the looper and a last formed stitch in the web, and

pull a predetermined amount of thread from the looper; and

a controller configured to place the adjuster in the intermediate position for a period of time during which the adjuster is at rest.

2. The quilting machine of claim 1 wherein the first position is an extended position, and the second position is a retracted position.

3. The quilting machine of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to move the adjuster from the second position to the first position in response to the thread being cut.

4. The quilting machine of claim 3 wherein the controller is further configured to move the adjuster from the first position to the intermediate position prior to starting a quilting pattern.

5. The quilting machine of claim 4 wherein the controller is further configured to move the adjuster from the intermediate position to the second position subsequent to starting the quilting pattern.

6. The quilting machine of claim 1 wherein cutting the thread produces a tail that extends from the looper, and the adjuster is configured to release the tail when the adjuster is moved from the second position to the first position.

7. The quilting machine of claim 1 further comprising:

an actuator coupled to the adjuster and including a neutral state; and

a biasing mechanism configured to urge the adjuster to the intermediate position when the actuator is in the neutral state.

8. The quilting machine of claim 7 wherein the biasing mechanism is configured to urge the adjuster to the intermediate position from the first position.

9. The quilting machine of claim 7 wherein the biasing mechanism comprises:

an elastic member; and

a stop that defines the intermediate position.

10. The quilting machine of claim 9 wherein the stop defines the intermediate position by limiting movement of the elastic member.

11. The quilting machine of claim 1 further comprising an actuator coupled to the adjuster, wherein the controller is configured to place the adjuster in the intermediate position for the period of time by putting the actuator into a neutral state.

12. A method of quilting a web, the method comprising:

providing a thread from a looper to form stitches in the web;

moving an adjuster from a first position to a second position, the movement of the adjuster from the first position to the second position capturing the thread at a point between the looper and a last formed stitch in the web and pulling a predetermined amount of thread from the looper;

moving the adjuster from the second position to the first position to release a tail of the thread that extends from the looper; and

subsequent to moving the adjuster from the second position to the first position, moving the adjuster from the first position to an intermediate position between the first position and the second position and leaving the adjuster in the intermediate position for a period of time during which the adjuster is at rest.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the first position is an extended position, and the second position is a retracted position.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the adjuster is moved from the second position to the first position in response to the thread being cut.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the adjuster is moved from the first position to the intermediate position prior to starting a quilting pattern.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the adjuster is moved from the intermediate position to the second position subsequent to starting the quilting pattern.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein moving the adjuster to the intermediate position comprises:

putting an actuator coupled to the adjuster into a neutral state; and

urging the adjuster to the intermediate position using a biasing mechanism.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the biasing mechanism urges the adjuster to the intermediate position from the first position.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein urging the adjuster to the intermediate position using the biasing mechanism comprises:

applying a force to the adjuster using an elastic member; and

defining the intermediate position using a stop.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the stop defines the intermediate position by limiting movement of the adjuster.

21. A computer program product for controlling a quilting machine, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium; and

program code stored on the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that, when executed by one or more processors of the quilting machine, causes the quilting machine to:

provide a thread from a looper to form stitches in a web;

move an adjuster from a first position to a second position, the movement of the adjuster from the first position to the second position capturing the thread at a point between the looper and a last formed stitch in the web and pulling a predetermined amount of thread from the looper;

move the adjuster from the second position to the first position to release a tail of the thread; and

subsequent to moving the adjuster from the second position to the first position, move the adjuster from the first position to an intermediate position between the first position and the second position and leaving the adjuster in the intermediate position for a period of time during which the adjuster is at rest.