Abstract:
An automatic collar stay insertion device is provided herein. The device is for automatically inserting the collar stay. The device is mounted in a flat knitting machine utilizing motors and gears to rotate, locate and supply the collar stay. The conventional human involvement of inserting the collar stay is replaced by the automatic collar stay insertion device of the invention to decrease the costs and increase the product efficiency.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (a) Technical Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to means for inserting collar stay into a shirt collar, and more particularly to an automatic collar stay insertion device for a flat knitting machine. 
   (b) Description of the Prior Art 
   As technology advances, the manufacturing processes of the textile industry are pretty much automated so as to reduce production cost and to increase the production capacity. 
   During the making of a shirt, despite that most of the work is carried out without human labor, the placement of the collar stays inside the spread collar of the shirt at the positions shown in  FIG. 1 , at the present time, still requires human involvement, which significantly limits the production efficiency of the shirts. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic collar stay insertion device, which comprises a static member, a positioning member, and a collar stay supply member. The static member is mounted on a flat knitting machine. The other two parts are driven by motors. The positioning member utilizes the gears to rotate and move the moving plate. The sensor detects the detecting plate on the moving plate to control the position of the moving plate. The groove on the moving plate is then aligned with the place where the collar stay is to be inserted. The collar stay supply member utilizes a bevel gear to transport the power to the post with threaded so that the moving base on the post with threaded is moved therewith. The pushing post then pushes the collar stay in the collar stay case toward the place where the collar stay is to be inserted. The flat knitting machine with the automatic collar stay insertion device of the invention is automatically inserting a collar stay into a shirt collar through editing computer program. 
   The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
   Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawing in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a conventional device; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a device of the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is perspective view of a device of the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a device of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic view of a device of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic view of a device of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic view of a device of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view of a device of an embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
   An automatic collar stay insertion device of the present invention mainly comprises a static member, a positioning member, and a collar stay supply member. 
   For an embodiment of the automatic collar stay insertion device as shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4 , the static member comprises a block  10  slidably mounted around a horizontal rail  11  of a flat knitting machine so that the block  10  can be slid along the horizontal rail  11  to an appropriate position. The block  10  is then fixed at the position by fastening two bolts through two threaded holes on the top and bottom surfaces of the block  10 , respectively, against the horizontal rail  11 . An L-shape plate  12  for the positioning member and the collar stay supply member is fixed on the block  10 . 
   The positioning member and the collar stay supply member are fixed on the L-shape plate  12 . Two motors  20  and  30  are mounted on the L-shape plate  12 . The positioning member utilizes a gear  21  to connect to a shaft of the motor  20 . The gear  21  drives an assisting gear  23  disposed on the assisting shaft  22 . The assisting gear  23  engages the rack at an end of the moving plate  40  so that the moving plate  40  connects to the motor  30  is rotatable therewith. Due to the moving plate  40  is disposed between the motor shafts by bearing  41 , the motor  30  rotates without affecting the moving plate  40 . The moving plate  40  is rotatable to move or to position via a detecting plate  42  screwed thereon and a sensor  50  fixed on the L-shape plate  12  for controlling the motor. 
   The collar stay supply member utilizes a bevel driving gear  31  to connect to a shaft of the motor  30 . The bevel driving gear  31  is disposed between the motor  30  and the moving plate  40  and cooperates with a bevel driven gear  32  disposed at an end of a post with threaded  33 . The post with threaded  33  and the sleeve  34  are fixed on the moving plate  40  by screw. A moving base  35  is slidably disposed on the post with threaded  33 . A side edge of the moving base  35  plugs into a square opening of a guiding groove  43  with a pushing post  36  therein. When motor drives the gears and the post with threaded  33 , the moving base  35  moves therewith. The pushing post  36  is then moved with the moving base  35 . The collar stay case  37  is disposed in the groove  44  of the moving plate  40  by screws  51  and connectors  52 . The slot on the collar stay case  37  engages to the guiding groove  43  so that the collar stay  60  in the collar stay case  37  is pushed out of the guiding groove  43  while the pushing post  36  moves in the guiding groove  43 . The sensor  53  on the moving plate  40  detects the position of the moving base  35  on the post with threaded  33  to control the movement of the pushing post  36 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5  to  FIG. 8 , the automatic collar stay insertion device of the invention is installed in a flat knitting machine and is programmed by digital computer program. When knitted, the flat knitting machine is temporary stopped at the position inserting the collar stay. The motor  20  is then driven and the gears are cooperated with each other. The sensor  50  detects the position of the detecting plate  42  of the moving plate  40 . The moving plate  40  is then rotated so that the guiding groove  43  on the moving plate  40  aligns with the place where the collar stay is inserted. 
   The motor  30  drives the bevel gears to transport the power to the post with threaded  33 , thereby moves the moving plate  35  on the post with threaded  33  and the pushing post  36  so that the collar stay in the collar stay case  37  is pushed toward the place where the collar stay is inserted from the groove. The sensor  53  on the moving plate  40  detects the position of the moving base  35 . The motor  30  is then operated counter to move the moving base  35  and the pushing post  36  in opposite direction. The other sensor on the moving plate  40  is actuated. When the sensor detects the position on the moving base  35 , the motor  30  is stop and the moving base  35  and the pushing post  36  move back to the original position. The motor  20  is then operated counter to move the moving plate  40  back to the original position by the gears and the detecting plate  42 . As mentioned, the automatic knitting process of the flat knitting machine is completed. 
   In sum, the collar stay insertion device of the invention is utilized in a flat knitting machine with automatic processing. The motors and the gears are used to rotate, position, and supply the collar stay. A plurality of collar stay insertion devices may install in one flat knitting machine to increase efficiency. 
   It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
   While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.