Patent GB-1164365-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the Loading of Strips into Cartridges Therefor.
Inventor: MAGUIRE RICHARD JOSEPH
IPC: B26B21/26
Filed: 1967-10-13
Abstract: 1,164,365. Loading razor blade cartridges. GILLETTE CO. 13 Oct., 1967 [14 Oct., 1966; 11 Sept., 1967], No. 46733/67. Heading B4B. [Also in Division B3] A method of loading a ribbon blade 20, Fig. 1, into the back plate 14 of a cartridge 10, the plate 14 defining a supply position, a take-up position and an operative (i.e. shaving) station through which the blade is to pass comprises positioning the blade above the plate 14 with a portion thereof extending above the supply and take-up positions and the operative station, moving the blade so that portions thereof are positioned at the supply and take-up positions and at the operation station, and thereafter winding the blade into the supply position until a supply of the blade is created at the supply position and one end of the blade is disposed at the take-up position. One end of the blade is in the form of a coil 22 received within a receptacle 18 of the plate 14 and the other end of the blade is secured to a take-up arbor 24 rotatable within an opening 54 in the plate 14. The plate 14 includes a blade-supporting guide 16. The cartridge 10 also comprises a housing 12 within which an indicator dial 28 is mounted. Tho housing 12 is provided with a pair of shoulders (44), Fig. 2 (not shown), for guiding the blade and with a pair of lugs (57) for snapping over marginal portions of the plate 14. Apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a head 100 for receiving a back plate 14 in a groove 228, Fig. 4, thereon, a pair of rotatable shafts 142, 156 extending from the head at positions corresponding to the supply and take-up positions, the shafts having bladeengaging portions 143, 158 at their ends, and a pair of blade guides 192, Fig. 5, extending from the head at positions corresponding to the ends of the guide 16, Fig. 1, the guides 192 having slidably mounted blade-engaging portions 188 at their ends. The head 100 includes a body portion 102, Fig. 5, an assembly platform 110 having connected thereto rods 112, 114 slidably mounted in the portion 102 for moving the platform 110 between an initial retracted position and an intermediate position. The head 100 also includes intermediate and lower platforms 116, 122 respectively. Pivotally-mounted spring-influenced rods 134 are provided for locking the body 102 and platforms 116, 122. The platform 110 has a notched wall 166 provided with apertures 170 within which are located clamps 172 urged outwardly by springs 175 which are over-ridden by the cam surface 181 of a control rod 180 when in the raised position. The rod 180 and guides 192 are operatively interconnected by actuating means 198, 200. The blade spans extending between the supply and take-up positions and the operative station are conformed by means of a pair of arcuate projections 212, 213 operatively connected to rotatable and axially-slidable shafts 204, 205 and movable in slots 214. Means 219, 220 are provided for locking the projections 212, 213 at the inner ends of the slots 214. A plurality of assembly heads 100 are combined in apparatus for automatically assembling the cartridges 10. Operating stations 1 to 8, Fig. 3, are positioned above a rotatable turret 300 and an assembly head is provided at each station. At station 1, vacuum operated apparatus 304 is provided for loading a back plate 14 from a feeder bowl 306 on to an assembly head. The plate 14 may be date stamped at 308. At station 2, blade loading mechanism 310 having a pair of gripping jaws 311 is provided for removing blade strips 20 from trays 312 moving along conveyer 313 and for depositing the lead end thereof in slotted portion 143 of winding spindle 142. The trailing jaw 311, under the influence of spring mechanism 314, acts to maintain tension on the strip blade as it is wound on spindle 142. Also provided at this station are mechanism 315 for rotating head 100 in turret 300; mechanism 316 for raising platform 110 to its intermediate position; mechanism 317 for mounting an arbor 24 transferred from a feeder bowl 318 on shaft 156; striker mechanism 319 for engaging an arm (226), Fig. 8 (not shown), of shaft 205 to move projection 213 to the inner end of its slot 214, and drive mechanism 320 for rotating spindle 142. At station 3, dial loading mechanism 332 is provided to deposit a dial 28 on arbor 24. Station 4 is not used in this assembly sequence. At station 5 is located mechanism 334 for depressing lever 200, Fig. 5, to actuate clamps 172 and for engaging cam 219 of shaft 204 to move projection 212 to the inner end of its slot 214. A drive mechanism 320<SP>1</SP> is provided to drive spindle 142. Also at this station is a cartridge housing loading mechanism 335 for depositing a housing 12 from feeder bowl 336 on the back plate 14 disposed on the assembly head; and a clamping mechanism 337 for clamping the blade between supply cavity 18 and platform 16 during a blade unwinding operation prior to placing on back plate. Station 6 is provided with a drive mechanism 348 (similar to mechanism 320<SP>1</SP>) for rotating epindle 142. Station 7 includes mechanism 349 for rotating the arbor shaft 156. At station 8, mechanism 367 is provided for disengaging locking rods 134 and for raising platform 110 to its raised position and for then lowering the platform to its load position. An unloading mechanism 364 is provided for removing cartridge 10 from assembly head 100 and for moving it to tray loader 366 where a tray 60, Fig. 1, is placed over the cartridge. The timing, sequence and operation of the mechanisms is controlled by a series of cams indicated in Fig. 17 (not shown).