Patent GB-309667-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of inlaid floor cloths
IPC: D06N7/00
Filed: 1928-02-10
Abstract: 309,667. Batten, E., Batten, J. D., and Medallion Inlaid Linoleum Co. (Batten's New Patents), Ltd. Feb. 10,1928. Inlaid linoleum.-In a method of making inlaid floor cloth by continuously rotating cutting cylinders, each operating on a travelling sheet of plastic material, the selection of the portions to be rejected from the sheet is effected by a series of pattern rolls associated with each cutting cylinder and rotating therewith, each pattern roll having determinate periods of pattern selecting action and inaction. The method is used to produce patterns which consist of a central portion framed in a surrounding border, and the complete pattern may be of greater or less length than the circumference of the cutting cylinders. The apparatus is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1. A sheet of plastic material A delivered from a calender passes round a roller B to the knives of the cutting cylinder D with which the roller B is in contact. The sheet A is forced into the spaces between the knives which determine the outline of the portions of the sheet A to be incorporated into the pattern. As each part of the periphery of the cylinder D arrives above the pattern roll E1 the ejectors at that part of the cylinder are caused to move outward by studs on the surface of the pattern roll at the points necessary to eject the portions of the material not required for the pattern. These parts are removed by the clearing roll F1, which is provided with pins that pick up the ejected material. The selective action of the roll E1 continues until that section of its surface containing no studs arrives on the common radial line through the centres of the cylinder and the roll, when the roll is moved inwardly and its pattern selecting action ceases. The fully charged part of the cylinder following that acted upon by the roll E1 is acted upon by the roll E2 until that roll is in turn moved inwardly on the arrival at the point of contact of that part of its surface without studs. The roll E3 acts in a similar manner. The material thus selected by the combined action of the three pattern rolls is ejected by the plain inlaying roll G which operates on all the ejectors, causing the material to be deposited on the backing which is carried forward by the band H. A plain roll I causes all the ejectors to project so as to be cleaned by a rotary brush J. The backing passes under a number of cutting cylinders equal in number to the number of sheets of different coloured material to be used, and when wholly covered, the material is consolidated by heat and pressure. Fig. 5 shows a rug design, of which the shaded parts are those laid on by one cutting cylinder. The lines E1, E2, E3 represent the actions of the respective pattern rolls, the triple lines representing that part of the circumference of the roll having ejecting studs, the single lines corresponding to the plain part. The arrows indicate the movements of the rolls to the operative or inoperative positions. The circumferences of the rolls E1, E2, E3 are represented by L, M, N respectively, L and N being equal to one quarter of the rug length K. The latter is equal to one and a half times the circumference of the cylinder D, so that the control gear for moving the pattern rolls is so arranged that one cycle thereof is completed in one and a half revolutions of the cutting cylinder. In this case the cutting cylinder is of the " universal " pattern, that is, its surface is divided into a number of small unit areas, squares, triangles &c., from which all patterns may be built up. The cycle of operations commencing from the zero line O in the centre of the rug, is as follows. At the line 0, the rolls E1 and E3 are in active position. and the roll E2 inactive. The pattern is determined jointly by the rolls E1 and E3 until at the point indicated by the leftwardly pointing arrow on the line E1 the corresponding roll is withdrawn, the roll E3 continuing the pattern to the point where the border begins, when the roll E3, having completed the necessary number of revolutions, as determined by the control gear, is withdrawn. At the same time the roll E2 is moved into the active position to determine the pattern of the area Q1, followed by that of the area Q2 of the succeeding rug. The roll E2 is then withdrawn, and the roll E1 moved into active position to determine the pattern alone until E3 is moved forward, when these two rolls co-operate to the end of the cycle. Owing to the rolls E1, E2, E3 being spaced around the circumference of the cylinder D, the gearing connecting them with the cylinder is so adjusted that any point on the latter coincides with the correct point on the rolls E1, E2, E3 as it comes opposite the respective point of contact, that is, the movements of the rolls described above as simultaneous are delayed in the case of the rolls E2 and E3 until that part of the pattern referred to is opposite the point of contact of the appropriate roll. Fig. 6 shows a pattern in which the rug length K is equal to the effective circumference of the cutting cylinder D. In this case a complete cycle of the control gear operating the rolls El, E2, E3 is completed in one revolution of the cylinder D. Further, the same knives and ejectors always determine the same part of the pattern, and the cutting cylinders may be either of the non-universal type or of the universal type. 'The rolls E1, E2, E3 are conveniently mounted on eccentric shafts, so that by rotating these shafts intermittently through 180‹ the rolls may be brought into and out of active position. In the machine described, the cylinder D is provided at one end with an internally toothed wheel 1, Figs. 8 and 10, which drives the rolls E1, E2, E3 through pinions 4, on sleeves 3, Fig. 9, and also drives the rolls G and I. Each sleeve 3 rotates on a part 2 of a shaft of a pattern roll. The sleeves 3 are provided with projecting studs for operating the ejectors. The part 2 of the shaft is eccentric in relation to the parts 5, 6, so that when the shaft is rotated by the control gear it may occupy a position in which the studs come into contact with the ejectors on the cutting cylinder, and a position in which the studs do not make contact. The teeth on the ring 1 and pinions 4 are sufficiently long to be in engagement in both positions. The control gear comprises a compressed air cylinder 171, Fig. 9, the piston rod 16 of which terminates in a rack 161, Fig. 8, which meshes with a boss 15, Fig. 9, rotating on a sleeve 9 secured to an extension 6 of the shaft 2. Spring pressed plungers 13A and 14A on the sleeve 9 connect the latter with the boss 15, transmitting motion from the latter to the sleeve 9 and shaft 2. A sprocket wheel 23, Figs. 8 and 9, is driven by chain from a rotary part of the machine at a speed variable by means of change wheels, and carries studs or projections 21, 22, Fig. 8, which engage a rocking lever 24 which controls the inlet and exhaust of air to the cylinder 171. A locking bar 12, Fig. 9, engages in slots in the sleeve 9 to prevent rotation thereof when the pattern roll is in adjusted position, and is withdrawn by movement of the valve 25. A. tripping piece 34, Fig. 8, can be clamped in position on the boss 15 to release the lever 24 from the stud 21 or 22 and thus permit a spring 35 to return the lever 24 to the position in which the valve is closed. In the position shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the pattern roll is in inoperative position, and is retained by the, engagement of the locking bar 12 with the notch 11 of the sleeve 9. One or other of the plungers 13A, 14A housed in the sleeve 9 engages with a notch in the boss 15 to cause the sleeve and the shaft 2 to rotate with the boss when the latter is rotated by means of the rack 161 when air is admitted to the cylinder 171. During inward movement of the rack neither of the plungers is in engagement with the notch in the boss 15, and movement of the boss is not communicated to the sleeve 9. This return inward movement of the rack is effected by means of a clock-spring 17 anchored to the boss 15 and to a fixed bracket 18. The pattern roll is brought into operative position when the stud 21 on the sprocket wheel 23, which is driven from the cylinder D by gearing of such ratio that it makes one revolution in the length of the rug, comes into contact with the arm 24. Movement of the latter opens the valve 25 to admit air to the cylinder 171 and at the same time withdraws the locking bar 12 from the slot in the sleeve 9. The tripping piece 34, which may be clamped in any angular position on the boss 15, rotates therewith, and at the appropriate moment lifts the arm 24 out of contact with the stud 21. The valve is then closed by the spring 35. On arrival of the slot 10 in the sleeve 9 opposite the bar 12, the latter is forced into the slot by the spring 36, and the pattern roll is locked. This movement of the bar 12 uncovers the exhaust port of the cylinder 171, and also forces the plunger 13A out of the notch in the boss 15, which is then rotated by the spring 17 through 180‹, when the plunger 14A engages the notch. The mechanism for varying the cycle of operations according to the length of the rug is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11. Each pattern roll E1, E2, E3 is provided with control gear as above described, and each of the sprocket wheels 23 is arranged to make one revolution while a point on the periphery of the cylinder D moves through the length of the rug, being driven by a chain 42 from gearing 38, 39, 40.