Interlock Vs. Overlock: What’s The Correct Word To Use?

Using the correct word is paramount for a writer; it is the key to passing the right information to your readers. The words “interlock” and “overlock” are two different words with different meanings. This article will examine their definitions and how to use them in sentences.

Overlock and interlock are nouns. However, the word “overlock” is a stitch used to sew over one or more pieces of fabric for edging, seaming, or hemming. In contrast, the word “interlock” refers to a safety mechanism that inhibits activation in hazardous situations.

The key to correct writing and passing the right information to readers is understanding the words you want to use. As a writer, you should know the definition and usage of the word you want to use in writing. This article will help explain the words “interlock” and “overlock.”

What Does The Word “Interlock” Mean?

The word “interlock” can be defined as a safety feature that stops a dangerous situation from activating it. It means to join, flow into, communicate with, or embrace; this word means to be part of a single system. It also means to interlace tightly or to lock into.

This word means to join or be joined so that neither component can function alone. It means to join together so that the movement or operation of the individual components is affected. This word can be defined as a mechanical contraption that stops a component from working while another component works in a certain way.

A feature called an interlock makes the operation of two devices or operations dependent on one another. It may be made up of any electronic, electrical, or hydraulic components or systems and can be used to stop undesirable situations in a little machine.

An interlock, which prevents one item from changing its structure due to the condition of another item, is typically employed to prevent a device from hurting its operator or damaging itself.

Elevators have a door interlock that keeps the running elevator from opening the doors and stops the static elevator from moving while the doors are open. An interlock should never be mistaken for a short safety switch, even if both are idiot-proof solutions.

For instance, a common domestic microwave oven does not have an interlock on the control that turns off the transmitter when the door is opened. Interlocks can be complex devices like infrared beam curtains, photodetectors, computers with interlocking software, digital or analog circuits, or short levers and switches.

What Does The Word “Overlock” Mean?

The word “overlock” refers to a hemming, edging, or seaming stitch that goes over the margin of one or more pieces of fabric. It also means strengthening and stopping a textile edge from fraying by oversewing it. The fabric edges are often cut as they are run through an overlock sewing machine.

Overlock machines can easily and quickly produce finished seams thanks to the incorporation of automated cutters. Lockstitch embroidery utilizes a bobbin, whereas overlock embroidery employs loopers fed by several thread cones. Loopers are used to make thread loops that extend from the needle string to the fabric’s edges, keeping those edges inside the seam.

Most overlock sewing machines are employed in industry to seam, hem, and edge a range of materials and products at high speeds ranging from 1000 to over 9000 rpm. Since they can be employed for construction, reinforcement, or adornment, overlock stitches are incredibly adaptable.

Other names for overlocking include “overedging,” “merrowing,” and “serging.” Even though overlocking with cutters is legally considered “serging,” the four terms are frequently used interchangeably.

The industrial serger that one Japanese business was currently producing was modified in 1964 as a smaller, lighter device targeted for home use by several engineers and managers. After presenting their idea to their job and rejecting it, they decided to leave and start the Juki Corporation.

The company’s creator, Nick Tacony, introduced the overlock stitch manufacturing equipment to the American market. This makes it possible for folks who enjoy sewing to create apparel with professional-quality finishing seams. The stitch eccentricity and width are other factors that affect the various overlock stitch types.

The stitch eccentric, which is movable and can vary greatly within a single machine, specifies how much stitching per inch. Different stitch eccentrics provide edges that look more or less dense and substantial. The stitch width describes how far out from the fabric’s margin the stitch is. Lightweight textiles frequently need a larger stitch.

How To Properly Use The Words “Interlock” And “Overlock” In A Sentence

We use the word “interlock” when referring to the process of tightly fitting or clasping together; it also refers to entwining something tightly. This word describes a safety feature that stops a dangerous situation from activating it.

The word “interlock” is used to describe the attachment of two things by overlaying or fitting together extensions and recesses and letting them interact with one another. It describes a tool or technique that connects or synchronizes the operation of various components.

You can use the word “overlock” when describing a specific type of stitch used to sew over the margin of one or two pieces of material for seaming, hemming, or edging. It is used to refer to the act of firing a bolt past its initial or default lockup.

It is also used to describe a machine cast overcast. The word “overlock” refers to spinning a lock’s key after it has been locked in a way that pushes the bolt farther than it would normally while locked.

Examples Of The Words “Interlock” And “Overlock” Used In Sentences

For you to have a detailed understanding of the words “interlock” and “overlock,” we will provide some examples of these words in a sentence. Below are some examples of the word “interlock” in a sentence.

• In particular, in alligators, the top teeth overlap vertically with the ones in the bottom jaw. However, in most crocodiles, the overlapping will be less pronounced, and the teeth will mainly interlock, a characteristic that becomes more pronounced as the snout becomes thinner.
• These representative species frequently interact and interlock; as one grows rarer, the other increases in frequency until one eventually replaces the other.
• There are several sites where the Mississippi and the Lawrence interlock, and the great Disposer of Historic Events planned for those two rivers to belong to similar people.
• Ralph Hutter’s voice loses its recognizable human tenderness and sorrow as rhythms interlock and blossom in the mini-symphony that serves as the opening to side two.
• When producing felt, the scales are opened during the felting process so they may interlock and function as barbs; in the event of needle felting, only friction is used to do this.

Below are examples of the word “overlock” in a sentence.

• With sales worldwide, thousands of patents, and the first commercial overlock sewing machine, the company gained prominence under his leadership in the automated machine sector.
• The most popular machines use two to four threads; typically, one piece of equipment can be set up to produce many types of overlock stitches.
• Stretchy fabric is a great candidate for this kind of sewing, and overlock machines typically offer differential feed.
• Since they can be employed for construction, reinforcement, or adornment, overlock stitches are incredibly adaptable.
• Like the overlock stitch, the cover stitch conceals raw seam edges with a grid of intersecting needle and looper threads.

Final Thoughts

“Overlock” and “interlock” are different verbs in that “overlock” means to stitch in this way while “interlock” means to fit together tightly. It is necessary that when using both words, you use them sparingly in order to avoid passing the wrong message to your readers. With the explanation above, using the words “interlock” and “overlock” should be a piece of cake.