US2588177A - Spacing mechanism for slide fastener machines - Google Patents

Description

March 4, 1952 E. E. TEUBNER SPACING MECHANISM FOR SLIDE FASTENER MACHINES Filed Sept. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

March 4, 1952 E, TEUBNER 2,588,177

SPACING MECHANISM FOR SLIDE FASTENER MACHINES Filed Sept. 5, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 4, 1952 E. E. TEUBNER SPACING MECHANISM FOR SLIDE FASTENER MACHINES Filed Sept. 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 SPACING MECHANISM FOR SLIDE FASTENER MACHINES.

Edmund E. Teubner, Upper Darby, Pa... assignor to Jacquard Knitting Machine 00., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New York Application September 5, 1947, Serial No. 772,317

7 Claims. (01. 74112) My invention relates generally to machines for attaching slide fastener elements to strips of tape, and more particularly to the mechanism for feeding the strips of tape.

It provides improved means for spacing groups of the elements from each other, and for measuring the lengths of groups and the lengths of the intergroup spacings. I

Speaking generally, my invention operates on the over-running principle. That is to say, a driving mechanism operates through an overrunning mechanism to advance the tape at such a speed, as it were, as to space the fasteners properly for the reception of and locking with fasteners of another tape, i. e. within groups, while another driving mechanism advances the tape at a greater speed each time sufficient fasteners have been assembled to constitute a group of a desired length, and thereby separates, or assists in separating, the fasteners into spaced groups. The over-running driving mechanism permits the second driving mechanism to advance the tape without interference from the first. According to my invention however a spring is provided between the second driving device and the tape as it were, which yields briefly each time the second driving mechanism comes into action. Accordingly each higherspeed advancement of the tape to bring about spacing between groups, is begun more or less gradually, or without abruptshock as it'were,

and as a result the machine as whole can be operated at a higher speed than otherwise,'.i. e. can be made to apply more fasteners to .a tape per minute than is possible otherwise. Further, I prefer to use a belt to measure the length of each group of fasteners; for example, a chain with a member or members in the form of a specially formed link or links or otherwise to bring the second driving mechanism. into action. Such a measurer canibe. changed readilyto change the lengths of the groups. Still further, I prefer to transmitithe driving elfortof the. second driving mechanism to the tape through a belt, and in such a case arrange for, the application of the power of the second driving mechanism to the vbelt at a quite. definite, point or points in the travel of the belt, and the release of the belt from this driving mechanism at a quite definite point or points in the belt travel. This tends to accurate measuring of the group lengths and the lengths of the spaces between groups. By making one or both these points adjustable along-the belt path, thelengths of the s aces between. rq ps. c n; be chang r d from time to time as desired. The belt for measuring the lengths of the groups may be used as the power-transmitting belt.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the foregoing and show the preferred form of my the spring arrangement between the tape spacer roller and its driving mechanism; Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line 66 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 6 but showing the space roller about to advance the tape; Fig. 8 is a detail of the tape drum and clamp.

I, driven through pulley 2, carries a cam 3 to Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a main shaft j advance a slidable frame 4 which slides on the bed plate Ia of the machine and carries plate 5; this plate 5 is the carrier for the shear or cutting blade (not shown) which slices the fastener Y elements one by one from the end of the raw stock; this raw stock is a bar V-shaped in cross section like the fastener elements before the elements are clasped on to the tape. The shaft I also carries a cam 6 acting on aroller 1 to return the frame, and also a slotted disc '8 for a crank pin to drive the mechanism (not shown) which effects intermittent feeding of the raw stock or fastener element material upwardly from below.

A side shaft 9, driven by and in synchronism with the main shaft I through gears, carries a cam II) for actuating an upper die (not shown), which is countersunk to form the required stud on the upper face of each fastener element, and

on slide frame 4, which serves to carry one of .also carries a cam H to slide inwardly a tool carrier I2, also on the bed plate Ia and mounted the tools (not shown) that grasp the fastener elements in succession and carry them to and .close them on the tape. A second side shaft l4, also driven by and in synchronism with the main shaft I through gears, carries acam l5 for actuating a lower punch (not shown), which 3 forms the required depression in the lower face of each fastener element and cooperates with the upper die to form the stud on each element; the shaft I4 also carries a cam [6 to slide inwardly a tool carrier l1, sliding on the bed plate and also mounted on slide frame 4, which carries the cooperating tool (not shown) for trans porting each fastener element to and closing it on the tape. Springs may be used to withdraw the tool carriers l2 and I1 outwardly and keep their rolls in engagement with their cams I and H5 at all times. The right hand shaft |4 also carries and drives synchronously with it both a tape feeding cam l9 and a spacer roller 20; the feeding cam l9, through a pawl, rotates ratchet wheel 2| to rotate shaft 22 (supported on bracket 23) and thereby the tape drum 24 which is mounted on the other end of the shaft 22, to advance the tape step by step between the applications of successive fasteners of a group; the roller 20, through a chain, rotates shaft 22 to advance the tape extra long steps on occasions to divide the assembly of fasteners into spaced groups.

Briefly, in operation, a bar of the stock or raw material from which the fastener elements are formed, is fed upwardly intermittently through anopening 25 in a lower plate 26, which is set in the bed plate la; the opening 25 has the-same shape as the cross section of the bar stock. The cooperating shear or cutter which is mounted on the carrier plate 5- and the cutting edge of which conforms to the shape of one side of the wire, cuts off a fastener element blank as it is thrust forwardly by cam 3, and pushes this blank horizontally on the bed plate of the machine to an aperture 21 in plate 26 through which the lower punch rises to'form the depression needed in one face of the element blank, and in doing so cooperates with the upper die to form the stud or boss on the upper face of the blank. The shear 5 is then withdrawn, the slide l2 and H with their tools are moved inward to gripthe formed element, the die and punch are withdrawn (the die raised and the punch lowered), and, as the slide frame 4 moves forward again to cut another element from the end of the bar stock (which is pushed upward another step at the proper time) and push this newly-cut element to the punch opening 21, the tool carriers l2 and I1 carry the previously-cut element to a position astride the tape which has been fed upwardly-a step through an aperture below 28 in Fig. 1. While the tape is at rest momentarily, the slides l2 and H are 1 thrust farther inward to squeeze the spaced legs of the-fastener element on to (around one edge of) the tape. After this the two tools withdraw outwardly, the tape advances another step and the slide frame 4, with its attachments, again returns to the back. Speaking generally, the mechanisms so far mentioned and those described below are mounted on thebed plate la of the machine and on the brackets on the bed plate.

The machine as sofar described is a known one and various of its parts mentioned above have been omitted from the drawing for clarity. Primarily it is only representative of the type of machine to which the present invention is applicable. Accordingly the illustration contained in the drawings and the description above will suffice for the present purpose.

The mechanism which advances the tape between the afiix-ing of each two adjacent fastener elements of each group may also be of a known form, as shown in Fig. 2 to Fig.8 inclusive and including in it an over-running mechanism. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the tape feeding cam l9 acts on a follower roller 29 of a slide 30 to which a pawl 3| is hinged by pin 32. The feed slide 30 is carried in a fixed guide 33. A spring 34 on the slide maintains the pawl in engagement with the ratchet wheel 2|. The cam- -the slide and pawl downwardly as the cam l9 permits this action. Asbefore indicated, the ratchet wheel turns the shaft 22, and the latter turns the tape drum 24. The eccentricity of the cam I9 is such that on each upward thrust it causes the. tape to advance the distance desired between each two adjacent fasteners (center to center) of a group. In Fig. Z'the parts are shown with the slide and-pawl 3| at about their uppermost positions, i. e. at or near the end of a tapeadvancing operation. As shown in Fig. 2, also, the tape may be. advanced throughout about three-eighths of a revolution of the cam, and the return part of the cam may be about threeeighths of its circumference also. As before indicated, each such intermittent rotation of the tape drum is timed to occur between the withdrawal of the tools on jaws l2 and H from one fastening element and the closing of the next element on the tape. The circumference of the tape drum 24- may be roughened so that it will pull. the tape along without fail, and may have the tape held to it by a clamp 42 and drum and clamp may have apertures 42a to permit passage of the fastening elements as shown in Figs. 3 and 8.

Referring now to the mechanism for spacing the tape between groups of elements with which my invention is particularly concerned? The spacer roller 2|], which has a flange at each side of it and a shoulder 43 in the circumference of each of its flanges, is moimted on, but is free to rotate on, the shaft I4. To rotate it, a block 44 is afilxed to shaft I4, and a cooperating (arcuate) block 45 is aflixed to the roller 20 in the same plane as block 44. As shown, the block 44 may be afiixed to the adjacent. face of cam l9, and block 45 to the face of '20. The length of block 44 is less than the distance between the two ends of 45 (Fig. 5),, so thata space 46 is provided, as it were. This permits some movement of the block 44 between the two ends of block 45. A spring 41 connected to the two blocks serves to draw the two blocks 44 and 45 together normally, in the direction of rotation 48 of the shaft |4 (Fig.5). Normally therefore the cam l9 and its block 44 drags block. 45., acting through the spring, 41, and thereby causes the roller 20 to rotate aszthe. shaft l4. rotates, the parts remaining. in the relativev positions shown in Fig. 5..

At one side. of. roller. Zitasprocket idler wheel 49 is mounted in. an arcuate. slot 5| in a plate 58 which isfixed to the bed-plate |a of. the machine. The center of the arc of 5| is the axis of shaft |4, and'49 can. be. fixed .at. any place in the slot 5|, e. g. by grip. nuts on its shaft. This: permits the. sprocket 49 to. be adjusted from one position to another around the roller 20. At about the opposite .side. of .roller 20, and also supported by a bracket extending from bed plate la, is guide block 52 whose lower end is located near the circumference'of roller 20. The guide block 52 is grooved to receivea chain 53 between its two flanges 52a, Fig. 4. The purpose of this guide 52 is to deliver a: pin or pins 54 on chain 53 to roller 20'. at a rather definite-spot along the path of the chain and to deliver the pin or pins fully into the paths of the roller-shoulders.

The two'end's'of thepin' 54 (or of each of the pins, if there are more than one) project from the two sides of the'chain. The chain is endless and passes over a sprocket 55 attached to the tape feed 22 (e. g. attached to the ratchet wheel 2|), thence over the'face of the guide block 52, then partly around the roller 20 and over the sprocket 49, and down around an idler sprocket 56, and from thence to the sprocket 55. In passing around the roller 20 the chain lies between its two flanges, Figs. 2 and 4, but the projecting end of the pin 54, as they pass the roller 20, lie on the edges of the two flanges of the roller, Figs. 4 and 7. An idler sprocket 56 is rotatable in a yoke 51 which may be drawn down by a weight, or by a spring 58 connected to, say, the floor. The purpose of sprocket 56 is simply to keep the chain fairly tight and thereby smoothly running.

Normally, i. e. while fastener elements are being assembled into a group on the tape, the chain 53 is moved in its above described course by the rotation of sprocket 55 by the ratchet wheel 2| as this wheel is driven intermittently by pawl 3|. Normally therefore the chain does not interfere with the operations. Ultimately however the pin 54 on chain 53 will reach the guide 52, the pin ends which extend beyond chain 53 will ride on the guide flanges 52a, Fig. 6, and at the ends of these flanges the pin will pass on to the flanges of the roller 20. A moment later the shoulders 43, Figs. 2 and 4, of the roller 20 will engage the pin ends 54, Fig. '7, and carry the chain around 20 at about the speed of the machine shaft |4, Fig. 7; the starting of the chain at this higher speed will be softened however by the momentary yielding of the roller spring 41. The shoulder 43 will carry pin 54, and therewith the chain 53, around to the point where the chain 53 rides off 20 on to the sprocket idler 49. From that point on the progress of chain 53 continues at its normal intermittent rate until the pin 54 again comes to the roller 20.

It will be observed however that during the time that shoulders 43 carry pin 54 and chain 53, the speed of the chain is much higher than normal. During this time accordingly the chain advances the tape a step of much greater length than the steps produced by the pawl 3|, Fig. 2, and such successive actions divide the fastener elements on the tape into spaced groups. The spacing is measured by the distance between the guide 52 and the idler sprocket 49, Fig. 2, since, in effect, the sprocket 49 removes the chain from the spacer roller 20 and the pin from the roller shoulders 43. Therefore by changing the location of the sprocket 49 in its slot 5|, the lengths of the spaces between groups can be changed. It will be observed of course also, that instead of a single pin 54 a chain 53 may carry two or more such pins. Each will produce a group spacing as described of course. In general, the length of the chain if it has only one pin 54, or the distance between successive pins 54 if the chain carries two or more such pins, measures the length of each group of fasteners. By changing these factors therefore, the lengths of the fastener groups can be changed from time to time as needed.

Speaking generally, the spring 41 at roller 20, permits the chain to start its high speed movements rather slowly, and therefore with less shock than were the spring omitted, and this permits the whole machine to operate at higher speeds than otherwise; i. e. apply more fastener elements to the tape per minute than is possible otherwise. If desired, a fixed brake 60 on the tape shaft 22, e. g. such as hasbeen used before,

can be used in the present instance to help prevent overthrow of the tape feeding mechanism.

I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, and it will be understood that while this is the preferred form of my invention it is shown for purpose of illustration also, and that the invention is not limited to the specific disclosure or to its details, but may be embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In general, the invention includes the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making slide fasteners having a tape-feeder and an over-running mechanism to drive said feeder normally, an endless belt normally driven by said over-running mechanism and intermittently-operable power mechanism to drive said belt and thereby drive said feeder at a higher rate of speed than said overrunning mechanism.

2. In a machine for aflixing slide fastener elements to tape having a rotatable drum to feed said tape and an over-running mechanism to rotate said drum, an endless belt normally driven by said over-running mechanism, and intermittently-operable power mechanism to engage said belt and drive the belt to rotate said tape-feeding drum at a higher rate of speed than said over-running mechanism to divide the assembly of fasteners on the tape into spaced groups.

3. In a machine for aflixing slide fastener elements to tape having a tape-feeder and an overrunning mechanism to drive said feeder, a belt to also drive said feeder and a roller to drive said belt to drive said tape-feeder at a higher speed than said over-running mechanism, the belt being provided with at least one member to engage said roller to couple the roller to the belt intermittently.

4. In a machine for affixing slide fasteners to tape having a tape-feeder and an over-running mechanism to drive said feeder, a belt to also drive said tape-feeder, a roller to drive said belt to drive said feeder at a higher speed than said over-running mechanism, the belt being provided with at least one member to engage said roller to couple the roller to the belt intermittently, and a guide over which said belt runs as it approaches said roller to deliver said member of the belt to said roller at substantially one definite place with respect to the roller.

5. The subject matter of claim 3, characterized by the fact that a pulley over which the belt passes on leaving the roller is provided, said pulley being adjustable in position to change the place on the roller at which the belt leaves the roller.

6. In a machine for afiixing fastener elements to tape, a tape-feeding drum, a ratchet attached to said drum, a pawl to actuate said ratchet to rotate the tape-feeding drum intermittently, an endless chain associated with said ratchet for advancement by the ratchet, a driven roller, said chain passing over said roller and said roller having a shoulder, there being at least one member on said chain to be engaged by said shoulder to couple the chain to the roller for advancement by the roller intermittently, a guide for the chain to deliver said member into the path of said shoulder at substantially one definite point in said path, and an idler pulley over which the chain passes on leaving said roller, said pulley being adjustable in position to take the it hs'iix; frogn the :foll'gr' at difierenb'points 1:0 'REFERENCES OITED vary h Y durmg h i'I'hefoIloWing referencesare*of'recordin the the roller -advances thecham andthe roller file-of this patent; r'otafing said tape-feeding drum, intermittently, through said-chain at a higherspeed than said 5 "UNITED STATES PATENTS pawl. Number Name Date IQ-The subject'matter of claim '6, characterized 7013872 Giacomi June 10, 1902 by "the"fact"that"a spring is provided, through 2,141,200 Sundba'ck Dec. 2'7; 1938 Which-said'roller is=driven. 25231386 "Firing Feb. 11, 1941 10 2253567 DiPrima Aug. '19, 1941 2.2753769 *Kiessling Mar. 10, 1942

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