Patent GB-213419-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic machine for forming tufts for brushes
IPC: A46D3/06
Filed: 1923-03-14
Abstract: 213,419. Dehn, F. B., (Northboro Brush Co.). March 14, 1923. Combined turning and drilling machines; drilling brush stocks.-A machine for making complete tufts for insertion in the stock of a brush comprises means for boring out the end of a wire, means for shaping the wire to form an external rib, means for inserting a tuft of bristles and means for shaping the wire, after the tuft is inserted, so as to bring it to a uniform external diameter and to form a ridge therein to secure the bristles. In the construction shown comprising a machine for making toothbrushes, most of the mechanism is operated by cams on a main shaft 109, Fig. 3, which is driven by a motor 105 through the medium of a shaft 106, worm 107 and worm wheel 108. Forming bristle-holders. The wires from which the bristle-holders are made are supported on reels rotatably mounted and each wire is initially fed part way through a pair of heads on a turret 137, Fig. 4, mounted on a shaft 114. The turret is provided with a wheel 136 engaging a worm 135 on a shaft 118 which carries a clutch member 120 and a loose hub 119 rotatable with a loose gear wheel 117 meshing with a gear wheel 116 fixed on the shaft 106. The clutch member 120 is provided with a spring-pressed pawl tending to engage with a notch in the hub 119 to produce rotation of the turret, but this rotation is made intermittent by means of a cam 121 on the main shaft which actuates a lever 122 whereby the pawl may be freed from engagement with the hub. Rotation of the turret brings, in turn, each pair of turret heads into successive positions to enable the wire therein to be operated on by various devices. The first operation is to feed the wire through the turret heads. A cam 140, Fig. 8, on the shaft 109 actuates a lever 141 to reciprocate a feed lever rod 150 provided with a radially-projecting end 153, Fig. 12. This end can be moved, by the reciprocation of the rod and the intermittent rotation of the turret, into a position to engage the flanges of a collar 152 which is mounted on a hollow shaft 154. The rod 150 is actuated to draw back the collar 152 and the shaft 154 together with friction clutch jaws 155, during which movement the wire A is held by jaws 156 which are operated by levers 157 under the control of a collar 158 reciprocated by means of a lever 159 and a cam 160. On the forward movement of the collar 152 the jaws 155 grip the wire, now released from the jaws 156, and feed it forward until it abuts against a stop 162. The turret is then given a partial rotation to bring the wire A into position to be operated on by mechanism which shapes the end of the wire and drills it axially. In addition to the intermittent movement the turret heads are given an independent rotary movement by means of a belt 173, Fig. 9, adapted to engage at a time all but one of the pulleys 174 associated with the pairs of turret heads 138. The mechanism for shaping the wire A comprises a slide 182, Fig. 13, reciprocated by means of a cam 180 and provided with a cutting tool 186 which forms the wire as shown in Fig. 16. At 'the same time the wire is subjected to an initial drilling operation. A drill cam 190, Fig. 18, operates a lever 191 to reciprocate a slide 192 carrying two drill spindles rotated by means of a belt 198. The wire is initially drilled by the drill on the spindle 195 which is rotated in the opposite direction to that in which the wire is rotated. The drill is withdrawn and the turret is then indexed round until the wire is opposite the second and longer drill which completes the drilling operation. The turret is again indexed to position the wire for the reception of a bunch of bristles, in which position the wire is not rotated, the corresponding pulley 174<1> being freed from the belt 173 as shown in Fig. 9. After insertion of the bristles the wire is indented at two diametrically opposite points by nicking mechanism shown in Fig. 39 comprising two jaws 213 carrying each a nicking pin adapted to be driven into the wire through the medium of links 207, 208, a lever 201 with roller, an arm 202 and a cam 200. Lastlv the wire is brought into position to be severed by a cutter 239, Fig. 13, which is secured to the end of a lever 238 adapted to be operated in conjunction with the shaping tool 186. The severed blank is seized by a transferring device by means of which it is inserted in a hole in the brush stock. Tuft-transferring mechanism. A transfer cam 300, Figs. 53 and 58, by means of a lever 301 .connected to a rod 302 is adapted to oscillate a frame 303 about a shaft 304. The frame is provided with a shaft 298 having a fixed head 299 carrying a jaw plate 305. A movable jaw plate 308 is mounted on an oscillating stud carried by the head 299. These jaws close on the tuft of bristles just when its metallic cup is ready to be cut from the wire in the turret heads. The frame then swings downwardly carrying the tuft to a position opposite the brush blank C, during which movement the jaws are caused to swing to a position substantially in a vertical plane. At the end of this movement the jaws are moved forward to insert the tuft in the brush blank C by means of a plunger 332 pressed against the shaft 298 by a cam 330. This cam is mounted on a shaft 329 which is oscillated by means of a cam 325, a lever 326, and an arm 328.