Patent GB-767943-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the insertion and attachment of strands to articles
Inventor: LYGO WALTER FREDERICK
IPC: D06H1/04
Filed: 1953-04-08
Abstract: 767,943. Inserting single strands, knot-tying. CHARNWOOD ENGINEERING CO., Ltd. July 8, 1954 [April 8, 1953], No. 9493/53. Class 112. [Also in Group XXIV] A machine for inserting a flexible strand in an article and then fastening together the ends of the strand comprises a work rest, means for inserting a strand through an article on the work rest, means. for holding the free end of the strand during insertion and for cutting off a predetermined length of strand, and picker means normally disposed away from the work rest, the picker means being movable so as to grip the strand on opposite sides of the article and to present the ends of the strand to end fastening means. A strand of yarn drawn from alternative spools 36 passes through the eye of a needle 16, carried by a reciprocable needle bar 17, and the free end is initially held in a combined yarn clamp and cutter 20. The needle descends to carry a loop of yarn through an article, such as a stocking, held in a work rest 15. A picker 47, carried at the end of an arm 45 which is pivoted at 41, then moves upwardly to grip the loop under the article and returns to draw the free end of the yarn, which has just been released by the clamp, through the article. The needle then rises and a second picker 46, carried at the end of an arm 44 which is pivoted at 40, then moves upwardly to grip the yarn above the article, and in returning draws the yarn through the yarn clamp which thereupon closes to sever the yarn and to grip the end of the latter extending from the needle. The article then contains a strand of yarn with its ends held alongside one another in the pickers 46, 47, and a knotter then operates to tie the ends of the strand together. The knotter comprises a pivoted bracket in which is journalled a rotatable shaft 59 carrying at its end knotter members 61, 62, and a notched knot-receiving member 82, which is pivoted on the knotter bracket, and is spring- biased towards the gap between the ends of members 61, 62. The knotter bracket is swung to engage the members 61, 62 with the inserted strand S, the shaft 59 is then rotated to enwrap the latter upon the members 61, 62 in the manner shown in Fig. 11. and a bar 83 then descends to withdraw the ends of the strand from the pickers. The article is the withdrawn from the work rest, whereby the enwrapped portion of the strand slides over the curved end of member 62 and becomes engaged in the notch in member 82, a portion also remaining engaged in the V-shaped end of member 61, as shown in Fig. 13. Continued withdrawal of the article causes movement of member 82 against its spring to draw the strand ends through the enwrapped portion to complete the knot, which finally slips off member 82, the latter then being returned by its spring. The machine comprises a base 10 to which a cover housing 12 is pivoted at 11. The base contains a cam-shaft 55, Fig. 4, carrying cams for controlling the several operating means in timed relationship. The needle bar is connected to the cam-shaft via a linkage 21, 24, 26, the coupling 23 between links 21 and 24 being disconnectible to enable the cover to pivot. The yarn clamp and cutter is carried by a rod 19 and comprises a couple of spaced discs notched at 91 to allow passage of the yarn. The lower disc is recessed to accommodate a clamping and cutting blade 92 pivoted at 93 to the disc and biased to the clamping and cutting position by a spring 94. The blade is provided with a finger plate 95 and is connected by a linkage 96, 98 to the cam-shaft. The machine is started by the depression of a treadle connected by a link 29 to a starting lever 30, or alternatively by pressing a button 28 having a stem 31 bearing upon a lever 32 coupled by a link 33 to an arm 34 connected to the lever 30. The driving mechanism is adapted to effect a single revolution of the cam-shaft 55 following each actuation of the treadle or button. A driving pulley 14 is loosely mounted on the cam-shaft and carries a ratchet wheel 105. A pawl lever 106 is pivoted to a disc carried by the camshaft and has a nose biased by a spring 123 towards the ratchet wheel and a tail 107 normally engaged by one end of a lever 108 for holding said nose out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. Lever 108 is pivoted at 109 to a lever 110 and also has a pin-and-slot connection 111 with the latter. A link 112, depending from lever 110, has a pin-and-slot connection 115 with a bunter lever 117 pivoted at 118 and biased by a spring 119 normally into engagement with the end of lever 108. A notch 120 in link 112 is urged into. engagement with a pin 121 on lever 30 by a spring 122. Initial downward movement of lever 30 thereby rocks bunter lever 117 out of engagement with lever 108 and further movement serves to move lever 108 to disengage tail 107 and thereby allow the nose of lever 106 to engage the ratchet wheel 105 for coupling the cam-shaft with the driving pulley. Further movement of lever 30 brings an inclined cam face 113 on link 112 into engagement with a fixed cam member 114, thereby disengaging notch 120 from pin 121, when bunter lever 117 and spring 119 restore levers 108, 110 to their original position; whereby tail 107 engages lever 108 to disconnect the cam-shaft after the latter has completed one revolution. A spring 124 returns lever 30 to its original position when the treadle or button is released. In a modification, Fig. 16, labels are fed in succession through an opening 142 in a sliding work-holder 127, the needle passing through a slot 129 in the turned-up end 128 of the latter, and the movement of the workholder into operative position serving to engage a pin 139 for moving a plunger 140 for actuating the starting lever 30.