US695103A - Fabric-cutting machine. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 695,)3. Patented Ma r. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY. FABRIC cunme MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.)

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No. 695,")3. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

I (Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 695,l03. h Patented Mar. ll, I902.

J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

I (.Qpplicatipn filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet s.

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J. A. HEANY.

FABRIC CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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J. A. HEANY.

FABBIG CUTTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) I (No Model.) 6 She'ets-Sheet 6.

gmfim aw/M Minn Frames Earhart rrrca JOHN ALLEN HEANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ADAMS TOP CUTTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FABRIC' CUTTING MACHINE.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 695,103, dated March 1 1, 1902.

Application filed August 22, 1900. Serial No. 27,743. (No model.)

To all whom may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ALLEN HEANY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia,State of Pen nsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Cutting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates generally to fabric-cutting machines adapted to sever, for instance, a flat tubular webbing or ribbed fabric into predetermined lengths for a number of purposes not necessary to mention. It has for its object, among other things, to provide a simple and inexpensive machine adapted to the purpose, to provide a machine having a capacity for a wide range of sizes and kind-of fabric, capable of easy adjustment, automatic in its movements, and efficient and exact in its operations.

To these ends the improvements consist in the novel features and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation with a portion of the carrieroperating screw-shaft broken away. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the cutter end of the machine. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation of a portion of the cutter end of the machine. Fig. 4: is a vertical longitudinal section of the cutter end of the machine. "Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the fabric-feeder. Fig. 6 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.-

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the fabric clamping and feedingjaw of the feeder. Fig. 9 is an end elevation of one of the clamping and adjacent parts. Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectional plan of the carrier-operating screw-shaft, clutch-shaft, and connected parts. Fig. 11 is a plan view of one end of the machine, showing the fabric-feeder-stopping devices. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the fabric-feeder nut and adjacent parts. Fig. 13 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in sections, of the cutter-elevating device. Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 15 is an end elevation.

Generally considered, the present machine is an improvement on United States Letters No. 572,094, dated December 1, 1896, and No. 616,280, dated December 20, 1898.

The improved machine consists of a suit able fabric-support, a reciprocated carrier or feeder adapted to feed predetermined lengths of the fabric over or along said support, a knife or severing device, to which the fabric is fed by the feeder to be severed into lengths, and a clamp or clamping device arranged on opposite sides of the knife to properly hold the fabric while being severed.

The machine also includes adjusting de vices by which the stroke of the fabric car rier or feeder may be regulated and determined suited to the lengths into which the fabric is to be severed. It also includes means by which after a piece of fabric has been cut up into short lengths and a new piece is to be entered into the machine or fed to the carrier the carrier will automatically move to a predetermined point or to its extreme rearward position and stop the machine ready to receive the new piece of fabric, whereupon on again starting the machine the carrier will act as before to move predetermined distances to feed proper lengths of the fabric to the knife.

In operation the movement and action of the parts are so timed that, assuming the carrier has moved to its forward position, having fed a suitable length of fabric to the clamps and knife, the outer clamp is caused to move to clamp the fabric, preventing its accidental withdrawal or rearward movement on the reverse or rearward movement of the carrier, which immediately thereafter occurs. Upon the initial rearward movement of the carrier the inner clamp is caused to clamp the fabric, which then is firmly held on opposite sides of the path of movement of the knife, which is thereupon caused to operate to sever a length from the piece of fabric. The outer clamp upon the return of the knife is caused to release its hold on this severed length, which may then drop or be fed from the machine, and the inner clamp, just as the movement of this carrier is being reversed. to move forward with the fabric, is also caused to release its hold on its severed end, whereupon Patent to Charles F. and Henry F. Adams, I in the forward movement of the carrier a forther portion of the fabric is fed and presented to the action of the clamps and knife and the operations are repeated. The carrier is supported in suitable guideways and reciprocated toward and from the clamps and knife by a suitable right-line movement, operated from a continuouslyrotated counter-shaft supported on bearings in the machinaframe. The extent of reciprocation of the carrier and its points of stoppage are goverhed by suitable stops controlling a carrier reversing mechanism, consisting in the present instance of a clutch interposed between oppositely-rotated pulleys receiving motion from pulleys on the driving counter-shaft. The stops are connected to operate a clutch-shaft, and one or both of them may be adjusted in position with respect to the clutch-shaft to determine the extent of reciprocation of the carrier and its points of stoppage. With the clutch-shaft and carrier is arranged a carrierstopping device arranged for hand operation and also for automatic operation by the action of the carrier when no fabric is present or when a further supply of fabric is needed.

The particular means for reciprocating the carrier, as shown, consists of a screw-shaft rotated in opposite directions by the action of the pulleys and clutch described and with which shaft a nut on the carrier engages.

The nut has a projection which is arranged at or near the end of the carrier-stroke in each direction to strike the stops of the clutchshaft, and thus shift the clutch. The stop governing the rearward position or limit of movement of the carrier has a movable portion normally in active position, and the carrier nut has a pawl normally out of action, I

but which when no fabric is present in the carrier moves into action to move the movable portion of the said stop out of action, so that in the rearmost movement'of the carrier it is not stopped and ceases to be reversed. Subsequentlyjust as the carrier reaches its rearward position it causes amovement of the stopping device by which the clutch is moved to its mid or idle position between the oppositely rotated pulleys and its further movement ineither direction is stopped.

In the example of the improved mechanism chosen for illustration the operative parts of the machine are supported by a suitable framework a, carrying a table I), and providing bearings for a counter-shaft 0, having a double-grooved wheel d and a driven pulley 6, receiving motion from any suitable source of power. The upper part of the framework has suitable longitudinally-arranged guides f, in which is supported a longitudinally-reciprocated fabric carrier or feeder g, formed bya skeleton frame providing a forward lower plate or jaw h, with which coacts a movable clamp or jaw 2', that is hung loosely on a crossrod j, connected by links it with another crossinto and guided by vertical slots at in the carrier-frame, allowing the movable jaw to have a straight vertical movement to and from the fabric and the lower jaw or plate 7L and also having a free rocking motion independent thereof, so that its forward end may tilt downwardly to better engage the fabric, as in Fig. 8. The movable jaw is engaged between its two cross-rods by the bifurcated ends of a lever n, pivoted at o in the carrierframe. A fabric pressure-roll p is carried by arms q in rear of the fabric-jaws and pivoted on a cross-rod r in the carrier-frame. Between the lever n and the pressure-roll arms is interposed a flat spring if, so that when the lever is moved to raise the movable jaw the pressure-roll will also be raised,the said spring taking up any lost motion between the lever and the arms. The cross-rod 7' has a coiled spring 8, tending to hold-the rollp and movable jaw in active position on the fabric, which occupies a position on the table I) beneath the roll and between the two jaws i and h.

To lessen the friction to the feeding movement over the table I), there is provided a movable carrier-band 10, stretched around rolls 11 12, one end of the band being secured to rear of the carrier-frame at 13 and the other end to the lower jaw 71..

The carrier g is connected to an arm u through a screw-bolt e, that engages a slot to in the carrier-frame for short longitudinal adjustment of the carrier with respect to the arm. The arm u, at its lower end beneath the table, is formed with a nut 00, which engages a longitudinally-arranged screw-shaft y, supported in bearings in the framework 0., and by the opposite rotations of which screwshaft the carrier is reciprocated toward and from the knife and clamps to be described. One end of the screw-shaft supports a pair of loose pulleys 5, having belts, one of which is crossed, extending to the double-grooved driving-pulley (Z. Between the two loose pulleys works the disks of a clutch 1, keyed to the screw-shaft and arranged to engage either of the pulleys to cause said shafts to be rotated in either direction or to be disengaged from both pulleys to allow the shaft to remain at rest. The clutch is operated through the usual forked arm 2, connected to a clutchshaft 3, that has forward and back stops 4 5, Fig. 10, which are arranged to be struck and moved by a lug 6 on the nut of the carrierarm at. These stops are adj ustably secured to the clutch-shaft, so that the extent and limits of the reciprocating movements of the carrier may be adjusted and determined, I

While any portion of the'fabric is under the control of the carrier and its roll 19 the carrier will be constantly reciprocated, its movement being limited by the position of the stops 4 5. As soon, however, as a piece of fabric has been used up or severed into lengths means are provided by which the carrier instead of being stopped on its rearward movement and reversed by contact with the stop 5 it will be automatically caused to move to its rearmost position and then stop. This is effected by'a movable pawl 8 on the nut of the carrier-arm u, coacting with a movable nose 7 on the end of the stop 5 and operable to escape said nose by the non-presence of a fabric in the carrier, which causes the inclined end of the pawl to be depressed in rear of the abutment 6 to meet the under side of the stop-nose 7 to raise it out of carrier stoppingandreversingposition. Thescrew-shaft y not being reversed, the carrier continues its rearward movement until finally stopped; The pawl 8 is attached bya yielding connection 9 to a pivoted arm 14, mounted at one side of the carrier-frame and having a stopscrew 15 bearing upon one of the arms q of the roll 19, the end of the arm having an enlargement to strike and rock a stopping-lever 16, that is horizontally mounted on a vertical rod 17, supported in the top of machine-frame. This stopping-lever is connected beneath the table b with a segment 18, having an eccentric slot on its under side arranged to engage a projection 19 on a rocking disk 20, that is connected by rod 21 to the clutch-shaft 3, Fig. 10, and with which segment is connected a spring 22. The fabric being fed forward to the knife occupies a position under the roll 19, so that the arm 14 and the pawl 8 are held in their raised positions, allowing the abutment 6 to strike the stop-nose 7 and cause the stoppage and the reversal of the carrier; but when no fabric is present in the carrier the roll will lower, allowing the arm 14 and pawl 8 to drop, bringing the inclined end of the pawl in position tolift the nose 7 of the stop 5 and causing the abutment to escape the stop, whereupon the carrier moves to its rearmost position and stops ready for another piece of fabric to be entered into position.

At the forward end of the machine is mounted a suitable fabric-severing knife 23 and inner and outer clamps 24 25. Theknife 23 is mounted in acarrier reciprocated in a vertical frame 26 by suitable connections with a crank-disk 27 on the counter-shaft 0 through a pitman 2S and a vertically-reciprocating spring-pressed rod 29, guided in suitable bearings on the machine-frame and a bearing 30 on the knife-carrier. Normally the rod 29 reciprocates independent of the knife, but is arranged to be automatically coupled thereto at the proper moment to cause the severing movement. Thus the knife-carrier bearing 30 has a short loose pin 31, arranged to be moved at the proper time into a slot 32 in the rod 29, and opposite the loose pin 31 is another pin 33, movable in a fixed portion of the framework, that is arranged to be moved to move the other pin by the pressure of a springpressed lever 34. out of action by a detent or pawl 35, arranged to be rocked to release the lever when struck by an arm 36, projecting forwardly from the This lever is normally held carrier-arm a, as the carrier reaches its forward position in feeding the fabric below the clamps and knife. Immediately below the pin 33 is mounted a ball 37, arranged to protrude in the downward path of the knife-carrier to insure the loose pin 31 coupling the knife to the reciprocating rod, and which ball is held outwardly by the pressure of the lever 34 upon a pin 38, bearing against the ball when said lever is released.

The inner and outer clamps 24 25 are of similar construction, one coacting with the end of the table I) to clamp the fabric in'the rear of the knife and the other with a fixed curved-faced bar 39 forward of the knife. Each clamp is carried by a pair of vertical spring-pressed rods 40, guided in suitable bearings of the machine, the springs tending to forcibly lower the clamps when the latter are released to clamp the fabric. Both clamps are released by the action of a pair of in clines 41 42, formed on a finger 43, carried by the carrier and operable to release the clamps at the moment the carrier reaches itsforward position. The bearing for one guide-rod of each clamp is slotted to permit the clamp to rock very slightly horizontally against the pull of a spring 53, the other bearings forming a pivot for the other guide-rod of each clamp to permit this movement. The outer clampis engaged, moved upward, and held upward until released by a projection 44 on one side of the knife-carrier, while the inner clamp is held in its up position until released by a projection 45 on the end of one of the carrier-guides. The rearward clamp 24 is raised to itsup position by a connection with the screw shaft y. (See Figs. 13, 14, and 15.) The shaft carries at its end a ratchet 46, engaged by a pair of pawls 47, carried by a hub 48, loose on the shaft, but through the ratchet and pawls coupled with the shaft in one direction of rotation thereof. This hub carries a suitablyshaped cam 49 and a yielding projection 50, mounted just beyond the high part of the cam, engaging a friction-roll 51 on one of the guide-rods of the inner clamp to lift the clamp to its up position, where it will be supported by the projection 45. To limit the position of the hub, a projection thereon is met by a gravitating pin 52.

A further description of the timely operation of the various parts of the machine is needless in view of what has been described.

his to be understood that while I have shown and described a specific embodiment of the improvements in an organized and practically operative machine the details of such embodiment may be variously modified without efiecting the scope hereof.

What I claim is s 1. The combination with a' reciprocab'le fabric-feeder, of a fabric-severing device, inner and outer clamps arranged on opposite sides of said device, means for causing the clamps to operate in succession to clamp the fabric and other means for releasing the clamps, as described.

2. The combination with a reciprocable fabric-feeder, of a fabric-severing device, inner and outer clamps arranged on opposite sides of said device, a fabric-feeder, means carried by the feeder to cause the clamps to operate in succession, and other means for releasing the clamps, as described.

3. The combination of a fabric-severin g device, a spring-impelled fabric-clam p, a vertically-movable support for the clamp to move and hold the clamp out of action, and means for moving the clamp from the support to permit its clamping operation, as described.

4:. The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelled fabric-clamp, a support for the clamp movable with the severing device to move and hold the clamp out of action, and means for moving the clamp from the support to permit its clamping operation, as described.

5. The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelled fabric-clamp, a support for the clamp, movable with the severing device to move and hold the clamp out of action, means for moving the clamp from said support to allow it to operate, and a cam for moving the clamp to be again engaged by the support, as described.

6.- The combination of a fabric-severing device, a spring-impelled fabric-clamp, a supcarrier therefor mounted in vertical guides,

as described.

9. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder having a vertically-moving jaw, vertical guides for the latter, a pressure-roll, a lever for moving the jaw and roll and a spring interposed between the lever and roll, as described.

10. The combination ofa severing device, a fabric-feeder, means including a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder and means for automatically determining the limit of movement of the feeder in either direction, as described.

11. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, means including a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder and means for varying the limit of rearward movement of the feeder without effecting the limit of its forward movement as described.

12. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, means including a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocating the feeder, means for determining the limit of the rearward movement of the feeder, and means for suspending the operation of the said limiting means, as described.

13. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, means including a screw-shaft and not for reciprocating the feeder, and automatic means including pawl and stop devices operable upon the absence of fabric to be fed for stopping the reciprocation of the feeder, as described.

14. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder having a nut, a screw-shaft engaging said nut, a pair of oppositely-rotating loose pulleys onsaid shaft, a clutch for clutching either pulley to the shaft, and a clutchshaft having stops engaged by a suitable abutment on the carrier, as described.

15. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, means including a screw-shaft and nut for reciprocatingthe feeder, a pair of pulleys and a clutch for reversing the reciprocating movements of the feeder, means operable by the feeder for operating the clutch and automatic means for stopping the movement of the feeder at its rearward position, as described.

16. The combination of a severing device, a reciprocative fabric-feeder and an underlying carrying-belt reciprocative concurrently with said feeder, as described.

17. The combination of a severing device, a fabric-feeder, an underlying carrying-belt stretched around rolls and the opposite ends of the belt attached to the feeder, as described.

18. The combination of a vertically-movable knife, a fabric-feeder, a constantly-reciprocated rod and means operable by the feeder for intermittently connecting the rod to the knife, as described.

19. The combination of a vertically-reciprocated knife,a fabric-feeder,a rotating shaft, a reciprocated rod connected to said shaft, and means including a spring-actuated member for connecting said rod with the knife, a device to maintain said member retracted and the rod and knife thereby disconnected, and means operable by the feeder for tripping said device to release the said member, as described.

20. In a fabric-cutting machine, the combination with driving mechanism, stopping mechanism therefor, a severing device, and means for operating said device, of a fabricfeeder, means for reciprocating said feeder, and automatic means on said feeder operable to actuate said stopping mechanism upon the absence of fabric to be fed, substantially as described.

21. In a fabric-cutting machine, the combination with driving mechanism, stopping mechanism'therefor, a severing device, and

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 10 two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN ALLEN HEANY.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. GRAHAM, HARRY FATTORMAYER.

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