US2571976A - Strip cutter and marker - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1951 c. E. WARD 2,571,976

STRIP CUTTER AND MARKER Filed 001'.. 19, 1946 4 Sheets-Shel??l l 5 n v y I f 1 7n J3 y i 52! 73 J6' .5f l

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Oct.r 16, 1951 c. E. WARD 2,571,976

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7a2-220g Ward wmma@ Patentedl Oct. 16, 1951` STRIP CUTTER AND MARKER Clarence E. Ward, Mishawaka, Ind., assignor to Mishawaka Rubber and Woolen Manufacturing Company, Mishawaka, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application October 19, 1946, Serial No. 704,334 I 4 Claims. l

This invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a continuous length of strip material into sections and for individually marking these sections at a fixed distance from one end and at a distance from the other end determined by the weight.

The invention is particularly applicable to cutting and marking tubular knitted fabrics used in the manufacture of woolen footwear according to the process disclosed in copendingapplication of Sherman and Hanson, Serial No. 655,144 nled March 18, 1946, now Patent No. 2,467,237, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The knitted stock from which the footwear, or gaiters as they are commonly called, are manufactured is usually of irregular weight per unit length. As a result, finished gaiters made from stock out to equal lengths vary in weight. To insure a uniform quantity of material for each gaiter produced it is necessary therefore to measure the knitted stock according to weight rather than according to length. Y

In closing the end of the tubular stock to form the toe of the gaiter, it is customary to employ a machine that stitches the tube together and at the same time trims off the stock immediately outside the seam. To guide the operator in sewing and trimming to the proper contour, it is necessary to provide a suitable marking on the face of the strip stock which can be easily followed.

Thus, the principal objects of my invention are to provide a machine which will continuously and automatically cut strip stock into successive sections the length of each of which is determined individually and selectively according to the weight thereof; to insure a high degree of accuracy of the sections as to the weight thereof irrespective of the length; to permit convenient regulation of the weight of the sections; to provide a contour marking across the face of each section and accurately located relatively to one end of the section; to apply the marking while the stock is in the position for cutting and simultaneously therewith; and in general to permit fabric strips or the like to be rapidly and accurately cut into lengths individually determined according to the weight thereof, these and other objects being accomplished as pointed out more fully hereinafter and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of the entire apparatus with a portion cut away, showing the strip stock as it advances under the marker and cutter to the weighing platform;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the marking device and feed rolls; Y

Fig. 3 is a section of Fig. 2 along the line 3 4;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus looking from the left of Fig. 1 and showing the 2 control mechanism for the feed rolls and for the marking device;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of thecontrol mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the weighing scale; and

Fig. 7 is a front view of the cutter.

In the disclosed apparatus a roll of strip stock, suitably mounted on the frame of the machine, is advanced by means of feed rolls under a marking device, through a cutter, and onto the inclined weighing platform of a scale. When a pred-etermined weight of stock has been fed onto the weighing platform, the advance of the stock is arrested, the marking device applies the contour marking to the face of the stock and the cutter shears ofi' the section of stock on the inclined platform. All of these operations take place in rapid succession practically simultaneouslyi As soon as the section on the inclined platform is cut off it is immediately discharged therefrom whereupon the cycle of operations of advancing, marking and cutting is repeated.

As shown on the drawings, the machine frame, which is indicated generally by the reference numeral I0, has a pair of parallel spaced uprights near the lower ends of which are mounted open top bearings I I in which is rotatably and removably supported a spindle I2 which carries the supply roll I3 of the strip stock I4 to be cut and marked according to the practice of the invention. Strip stock I4 is advanced through the machine by means of feed roll I5 mounted at the top of the frame I0 on shaft 28 which is journaled in bearings I1. The roll revolves in the direction indicated by the arrow. A ratchet device I9 prevents the roll I5 from revolving backwards. Tension roll I6, in running contact with feed roll I5 is carried by a shaft 20 which is Journaled in a frame fil which in turn is supported in open top beariigs 2I at the upper ends of the aforesaid spaced uprights of the frame I0. The roll I6 may be raised by exerting a downward force on lever 23, which pivots at point 24 on frame I0 and is connected through the link 22 with the frame IB at 25. Feed roll I5 is driven" by means of chain 21 meshing with sprocket 25, rigidly fixed to shaft 28. (See Fig. 2.) Chain 21 is operated from the power source (motor 30) through a speed regulator 29 and a countershaft composed of aligned shafts 33 and 34 which are operated connectible through a clutch 35 (Fig. 4)

Shaft 33 is supported in bearings 31 and 45, which are bolted to the frame member 19, and has a sprocket 32 on the outer end, connected by the chain 36 with the drive sprocket 84 of the speed regulator 29. The shaft 34 has one end thereof supported in the clutch 35 and near the outer end is journaled in the bearing 12 bolted to member 19 of frame I0. Shaft 34 has on its outer end a sprocket 3l around which the chain 21 is trained.

When clutch 35 is disengaged, chain 38 continues to drive shaft 33 but the shaft 34 merely idles until the clutch is shifted to couple shaft 34 to shaft 33 into a unit.

The lever 38 pivots at its center on pin 38 which is fixed rigidly to frame I8, to operate clutch 35. The lever 38 is moved back and forth by means of the piston 42 in air cylinder 4I and is fastened to a connecting rod at 40. Air brought to one end of the cylinder 4I through conduit 44 swings the lever arm 38 to -the position shown in Fig. 4 engaging clutch 35. When air is introduced into the other end of cylinder 4I through conduit 43 the arm 38 is swung to the vertical position (shown in broken lines in Fig. 4) to disengage the clutch 35. The control means for operating the clutch and consequently the feed roll will be described in more detail hereinafter. Mounted on a part 51 of frame I0 at the delivery side of the feed roll I is an inclined slideway 55 leading to the inclined platform 18 of a weighing scale by which the section of stock I4 to be cut oi is measured.

A bridging 54 is secured to and extends over the slideway 55 to guide the stock I4 from the feed roll I5 to the cutter (indicated generally at 88) and to the weighing platform 18, and this bridging 54, which is of sheet metal and shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 3, has a marker duct 58 secured thereon and of substantially the configuration of the marking to be applied to the stock I4.

This marking, in the present case is of a shape corresponding to the toe end of the foot and the duct 58 is accordingly substantially horse shoe shape and provided with a series of perforations 5| through the bottom thereof registering with corresponding perforations 52 through the top of the bridging 54, through which said perforations a powder is blown onto the underlying stock to mark the path of stitching to be subsequently applied to close the toe ends of the cut o sections of the tubular strip I4.

'Ihis horse shoe shaped marking extends from one lateral edge of the strip I4 to the opposite lateral edge and at the ends of the series of horse shoe marking perforations the horse shoe shaped duct 58 may be provided with a cross duct 58 with several marking perforations at the ends thereof, as indicated in Fig. 2, to define more conspicuously the places where the stitching is to start and terminated at the edges of the strip.

Beyond the cross duct 58 the ends of the duct 58 are turned upwardly for convenient application thereto of hose connections 53 through which powder is supplied to the marking ducts 58 and 58.

For supplying the powder to the ducts 58'and 58 compressed air is supplied from a suitable source (not shown) through a pipe 80, a valve 48 and a pipe 48 to a powder box 58 which has an outlet at the top leading through a pipe 59 with branched terminals from the respective ends of which the hose connections 53 lead to the eleated ends of the marker duct 58.

The powder box has a filling opening normally closed by a cap 92, and the air inlet pipe 49 terminates close to the bottom of the powder box 58 so that air injected therethrough into the box 58 agitates the powder contents sumciently to impregnate the air with the powder at its lower end to slide bar 84. The compressed which is thus carried by the exhausting air through the outlet pipe 59 and hose connections 4 53 to the marker ducts 58 and 58 from which it is discharged from the perforations 5I onto the strip I4, and into the interstices thereof, underA the bridging 54. The top plate of the bridging 54 should closely overlie the strip material I4 to which the powder marking'is to be applied, as

the powder discharged through the perforations 5I and 52 will otherwise fan out and result in an indistinct marking.

For operating the powdered air blast of the marker in proper timed relation with the other operations, the lever 38, which controls the clutch through which the feed roll l5 is operated, has a lateral extension 48 with cam 48L on the underside arranged to control and operate the valve opening lever 41 of the air valve 48 when said lever 38 is adjusted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the arrangement being such that the cam 48SL engages the lever 41 and opens theA air valve 48 upon disengagement of the clutch 35 so that the feeding of the stock is discontinued and the stock I4 at the marking location is stationary when the valve 48 is opened to operate the marker. The valve 48 is spring operated so that it closes by spring pressure when the cam 48 is withdrawn from engagement with the valve arm 41 and thus the air valve 48 closes in this initial shifting of the clutch lever 38 and before the feeding of the stock by the feed rolls I5, I8 is resumed. Thus it is insured that there is no movement of the stock while the marking is being applied thereto.

Friction between the stock I4 and the machine surfaces in contact therewith is reduced to a minimum by providing smooth, polished sliding surfaces in these areas. Accordingly, the inside surfaces ofguide 54, the top side of base plate 55 and the scale platform 18 are chromium plated. l

The cutter 88, illustrated in Fig. '7 is bolted at its base 82 to member 51 of frame I8. The knife blade is fastened to sliding bar 84 by means of set screws 88. The bar moves up and down on posts 83 to have shearing cooperation with stationary blade 88 to effect a shearing action. Blade 85 is inclined throughout its length as shown in Fig. 7 so that its contact with cooperat ing stationary blade 88 is progressive. The stock I4 slides over stationary blade 88 between guide blocks 81 which position the stock directly under down inv response to compressed air introduced through conduits 18 and 1I. The motion of the piston in cylinder 8l is imparted to knife blade 85 through connecting rod 13 which is pivoted air is directed to the appropriate end of the cylinder in suitable timed relationship with other operations of the machine in a manner to be described.

A scale 15 is mounted on member 19 of frame I8, and has an inclined platform 18 one end of which extends up to cutter 88 but free of all contact therewith, the angle of incline of the scale platform bed corresponding to that ci the base plate 55 of the marker from which the stock I4 is fed to the scale platform 18. The details of the scale are shown in Fig. 6. In balance with platform 18 is a second platform 11 on which is placed a weight equivalent to the section of stock I4 to be cut from supply roll I3. When the scale is balanced, a beam of light from incandescent lamp 88 which is normally focused on photoelecvthe opposite ends of cylinders Il and 8i.

5 tric cell 8|, is interrupted by indicator hand 82 which completely blocks light passage through aperture 18. The photo-electric cell 8i is, tn conjunction with a series of relays, part cf a circuit which energizes a solenoid 88. When the light beam from source 88 is broken, the coil of the solenoid is energized to operate air control valve 88 so Ias to supply air to the rear side of the piston 42 of the clutch operating cylinder and operate the clutch lever 38 to disengage the clutch 85. Said operation of the valve 86 also supplies compressed air to the top side of the piston oi' cylinder 6| so as to operate the cutter 60. Thus upon the interruption of the light to the photoelectric cen sl, the feeding of the stock I4 is i interrupted, the cutter 60 operated to cut ofi' the length of stock in the weighing scale and at the same time the marking device is operated to supply the marking to thev end of the stock from which the weighedsection is cut off. "I'he quantity of stock on platform 18 is exactly the amount required to counterbalance the weights 88 on platform 11. When the stock on the platform 16 has been severed from the continuous length it quickly slides on' the highly polished platform throwing the scale out of'balance. Indicator hand 82 swings back to open aperture 18 and allows the light beam toonce again fall upon the photo-electric cell 8|. The air control valve 86 through the solenoid arrangement then reverses the operations causingV the marker to stop application of powder, the cutter to open and the feel roll to advance stock. Exactconstruction detalls of the photo-elecric cell-solenoid-air valve combination are well known and are not set forth here. The valve 88 has -four conduits connected thereto. 'Ihe air supply enters through conduit 93 and is directed to the heads of cylinders 6| and 8i via conduit 8i. When the valve 81 is returned to the normal position compressed air is supplied therethrough from the supply conduit 88 4to the Opposite ends of the cylinders Il and 8|. Conduit 88 exhausts air to the atmosphere. When the ducts of element 8l are in the position shown. compressed air through main conduit 8| and branches 48 and 1i forces the pistons of air cylinders li and 81 downwardly. Thus cutter bar 8l is operated to shear ofi' while arm 88 of the clutch 88 is thrown into vertical position to disengage the feed roll il from the power source to stop the advance of the strip stock. At the same time the movement of n arm 88 into vertical position causes triangular block I8* on cross arm I8 to'open valve 48 and allow air to force powder from container 88 through marking device 6". Thus we have three operations taking place as air is directed through conduit 8l (a) 'Ihe advancement of theA stock is arrested:

(b) The cutter shears of! the section of stock*` on the platform of the scale, and

(c) The marking is applied to the face of the stock directly beneath marker Il', I8.

The airfrom the opposite ends of the cylinders is exhausted through conduits M and 18, into the valve through conduit 88 and out into the atmosphere through conduit 88.

0n the opposite cycle the element l1 of the valve 88 is turned V4 turn countcrclockwise so that one duct now connects the compressed air supply conduit 88, to conduit 89 and thus into The second duct of element 81 joins conduit 8i with conduit 88 to exhaust the air from the cylinder as it is forced out through conduits I8 and 1| when the pistons move up. Now the cutter bar 6 is disengaged, the air to the marker is shut oli as lever 88 moves away allowing a spring to close valve Il, and the clutch is engaged coupling shafts 88 and 84 to start feed roll I 5.

It is desirable to stop the advancement of the y stock before the operation of .the cutter and the clutch and by retracting the cutter blade 65 sumciently above the stock i4 so that the clutch 35 is fully disengaged before the cutter blade 65 reaches the stock to be cut. By properly adjusting the position of triangular block 48- on -arm 88 the marking operation occurs while the stock il is stationary.

While I have shown and described uw invention in a preferred form, I am aware that modiilcations can be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v.

1. In an apparatus of the class described for cutting strip material into individually measured and marked lengths, the combination of a strip weigher, a strip marker, -a strip feeder which feeds the strip to the marker and from the marker to the weigher and a strip cutter between the welgher and strip feeder at a predetermined distance from the marker and operatively controlled by the weigher, and means for operating the marker in predetermined timed relation to the operation of the cutter.

2. In an apparatusv ofthe class described for said method comprises individually weighing and cutting from saidstrip successive portions thereof to form the blanks, and applying near one end of each portion a marking at a distance from the other end determinedl by said individual weighing of that portion. 4

4. A method of making elongated individually marked blanks from a strip of blank stock, which said method comprises individually weighing and cutting from said strip successive portions thereof to form the blanks, and, before cutting thereof from the strip, .applying near one end of each portion a marking at a distance from the other end determined by said individual weighing of that portion.

CLARENCE E. WARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesA are of record. in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number g Name Date 918,813 Armstrong Apr. 20, 1909 958,661 Meisel May 17. 1910 IiiOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 663,079 France Mar. 29, 1929

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