Patent GB-1142681-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to an apparatus adapted for use in feeding tubular material
Inventor: BARKER JOSEPH
IPC: B65H23/022
Filed: 1966-02-26
Abstract: 1,142,681. Layering and finishing fabrics. SAMCO-STRONG Ltd. 18 May, 1966 [19 Feb., 1965; 26 Feb., 1966]; Nos. 7165/65 and 8587/66. Heading D1S. Tubular fabric is laid on a table 26 by feeding a plurality of plies of fabric from supplies C thereof through a stretching mechanism 5 in which the plies are stretched to a constant width and also are disposed in widthwise alignment onto the table 26 to form a lay thereon. In one embodiment, Figs. 1, 4 and 5, six platforms 30 on a frame 2 each support a outtle C of tubular fabric which passes over an associated roll 20, through the stretching mechanism 5 where each fabric passes through an associated stretching device 4 and is drawn by a feed mechanism 6 onto the table 26 on which an upwardly facing knife K is carried. The speed at which the fabric plies are fed is correlated with the speed of advance of the table 26 which carries the lay of six plies into a press P which, when operated, cuts the fabric plies. Each device 4, Fig. 5, comprises a stretcher plate 8, two supports 10 and two guides 12. The plate 8 comprises portions 38, 40 joined by a width-adjustment member 42 and from which depend side plates 48, 50. Each support 10 comprises a highly-polished tubular member 62 rotatably mounted on a rod 56 secured to the frame 2. The guides 12, each comprising a rotatable roll 70 having two outer flanges 72 to guide the plates 48, 50, are mounted on plates 84, 84a which carry the guides 12 of the other devices 4. The rolls 70 are arranged so that the plates 8 converge in the direction of the mechanism 6 and the lower edges 49 of the plates 8 are spaced a small distance above the mechanism 6. The distance between the plates 84, 84a is adjustable by rotation of a knob (100), Fig. 3 (not shown), to move the plate (84) towards or away from the plate (84a) between a stop collar (106) and a circlip (108). The mechanism 6 comprises two feed rolls 14, 16, Fig. 4, on shafts 126, 146 driven from a motor (not shown) through a chain and sprocket drive, Fig. 2 (not shown). The rolls 14, 16 each comprise an inner tubular roll 130, 158, respectively, covered by a rubber shell 132, 160. The shaft 146 is mounted in slide blocks 148, 150 slidable in guides 152, 154 on the frame 2. Springs 162, 164 acting between the blocks 148, 150 and the frame 2 urge the roll 16 towards the roll 14. A handle 184 is operable to rotate a shaft 178 to cause cams 174, 176 thereon to separate the rolls 14, 16 against the action of the springs 162, 164 to enable the fabric plies to be passed therebetween. The handle 184 is retained in either of its two positions by a spring-loaded poppet 190 locating in a detent 192. In another embodiment, Fig. 8, the table 226 comprises a plurality of rollers 228 supporting a knife K. A support frame 202 is divided into six bays A, B, C, D, E, F each accommodating two trays 238. In use, fabric from a cuttle carried in the right-hand tray 238 of each bay passes over associated rollers 240, 244 to the stretching mechanism 205 and passes through the feed mechanism 206 to be laid on the table 226. The leading end of a fabric cuttle in the left-hand tray 238 is secured to the trailing end of the cuttle in the right-hand tray 238 so that when the righthand tray is exhausted the operation continues. The empty right-hand tray is removed and the left-hand tray is moved up to take its place and replaced by a full tray. The mechanism 205 comprises six devices 204, Fig. 7, each including a plate 208 the side edges of which are engaged by two flanged support rolls 212a and two flanged guide rolls 212b. The rolls 212a, 212b are rotatably mounted on stub shafts 280 secured to plates 284, 284a relatively movable similarly to the plates 84, 84a of Fig. 5. Rolls 210 are rotatably mounted in recesses 208a in the plate 208 and are received between the flanges of the rolls 212a. In a further embodiment, Fig. 9 (not shown), trays (238) are carried one above the other in each bay (A<SP>1</SP>,... (F<SP>1</SP>) and a carriage (352) is provided in each bay to move heightwise to move a tray from a lower position to an elevated position.