Patent GB-661586-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to machines for fitting buckles, slides and the like to straps
IPC: A41H37/08
Filed: 1949-03-29
Abstract: 661,586. Buckles. FUTTERS (LONDON), Ltd., and FUTTER, H. W. Nov. 23, 1949 [March 29, 1949], No. 8547/49. Class 43. A machine for fitting buckles to straps includes one or more horizontal magazines in which the buckles placed face to face are urged forwards so that the foremost one or ones lie in the paths of one or more vertically reciprocable ejector members ready to be raised on upward strokes of the latter and then held in the paths of one or more horizontally reciprocable strap threaders. The machine illustrated is used to thread a short strap 88, Fig. 14, for attachment to e.g. lingerie, through a single-eyed buckle 12, and a longer adjustable strap 90 through both the buckle 12 and a double-eyed buckle 11. Double-eyed buckles in an upper magazine 9 and single-eyed buckles in a lower magazine 10 are urged forwards by spring-pressed plungers 13, 14 respectively, so that the sides of the foremost double-eyed buckle engage flanges 60, 61, Fig. 8, projecting from and extending the length of opposed upstanding plates 62, while the foremost single-eyed buckle similarly engages flanges of plates 65 to the right, Fig. 1, of the plates 62. Thin resilient metal plates 67 are fixed to the rear of the upper parts of the plates 62, their opposed edges 68, Fig. 7, and the rear faces of the Ranges 60, 61 forming grooves 69, 70 of a width slightly less than the thickness of a buckle. Resilient plates 71 are similarly arranged on the plates 65. On depressing a pedal a roller 87 at the free end of a lever 85 raises a cross head 81 and hence a plunger 76 associated with the buckles 12, the cross head later contacting the base of, and consequently raising, a second plunger 73 associated with the buckles 11 so that the upper surfaces of rearwardly directed flanges 75, 79, of the plungers 73, 76 respectively push the foremost buckles up to the same level in the grooves at the rear of the plates 62 or 65, the plates 67, 71 yielding to allow this and subsequently holding the buckles in a position in which the two eyes of a buckle 11 lie in the paths of threaders 39, 41, and the single eye of a buckle 12 lies in the path of the threader 41. After being threaded these buckles are ejected by the next buckles that are pushed up. A straight shortstroke, hooked threader 39 and a curved longstroke hooked threader 41 are moved forwards separately by depressing pedals, threading being effected by selective advancement and withdrawal of one or both threaders. First the small strap 88 is looped on to the hook of the threader 41 previously advanced through the eye of a buckle 12 and subsequently withdrawn pulling one end of the strap with it, the ends of the strap then being held to one side by an inverted L-shaped pin adjustably mounted on the table top; then the looped ends of the main strap 90 are pulled through both buckles by the previously advanced threaders 39, 41 and are subsequently laid over appropriate eyes to be pushed therethrough by the threaders. The working parts of the machine carried by a block 25 are movably mounted on a carrier comprising a base plate 2 connected by pillars 3, 5 to the underside of a table top and carrying a central block 7 provided with a vertical bore 8, in which a spigot 26 depending from the block 25 is slidably but non-rotatably received. In the operative position the block 25 rests on the block 7. The working unit may be automatically raised to a position in which the parts are accessible, e.g. for cleaning by withdrawing a screw 33 from a recess 34 in the spigot 26, so that a spring 28 housed in a bore 27 in the spigot can act on the block 25. When not in use the workunit may occupy a second lowered position completely below the table top. It may be completely removed, for loading or for replacement by a different unit, by lifting it manually, the removal involving no previous disconnection of parts. In a modification, Fig. 15, a treble-eyed buckle having a gap 91 in one outer bar to permit removal of the strap ends, Fig. 17, for adjustment, is fitted to a strap by three threaders 92, 93, 94, the strap being cut at a certain stage in the threading into two parts. The threaders 92, 93 are similar to the threaders 39, 41, but have the same length of stroke; the threader 94 is coupled to the threader 93, but moves parallel to the threader 92. The working unit contains only one magazine and associated parts, but is arranged to be interchangeable with that of the first embodiment. In an alternative arrangement for treble-eyed buckles the threader 94 is dispensed with, its work being done by hand, and one pair of plates 62, 67 is made shorter than the other to give access to the gapped side of the buckle. An alternative means for resiliently holding a buckle in the threading position comprises a flat member, Fig. 20 (not shown), slidably connected to one of the plates 62 and spring-urged against one edge of the buckle.