Patent GB-1514509-A (GB)
Title: Machine for locating continuous web material in a taut or stretched condition on a plurality of frames
IPC: D06C3/02
Filed: 1975-09-09
Abstract: 1514509 Finishing fabrics AUSATUFT SpA 9 Sept 1975 [17 Sept 1974] 36975/75 Heading D1S [Also in Division B4] A machine for locating a continuous web 2 of textile fabric in a stretched condition on a plurality of frames 41A comprises means for conveying the web along a path intersecting the path of empty or stripped frames, the conveyor means including endless pincarrying belts or chains 14 running in guides 13 on opposite sides of the machine, the pins holding the longitudinal edges of the web, in use, and means for advancing empty or stripped frames 41A to engage successive portions of the web at the intersection 27 of the paths of the web and the frames. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, at a section I, the web 2 is unwound from a roll 1 and passes over rolls 3, ...., 10 to be delivered at a desired tension, by a roller 11 so that the longitudinal edges thereof are engaged by steel pins on the chains 14 which convey the web to the intersection 27. At a section II, the empty frames, fed from a direction B onto a table 15, are diverted along a path C by sliding on rollers 16 to be positioned below the web 2. Fingers on endless chains 17 feed the frames onto roller guides 20, 21 in a section III. Initially, the path defined by the guides 20, 21 slopes downwardly and then rises along a section 23, chains 24 feeding the web 2 to the intersection 27. At the intersection 27, in a section IV, pins on the upper edges of each frame engage in the web 2 which is removed from the chains 14. At a section V, the web is cut transversely to the direction of feed through the space between two adjacent frames by a rotary blade or a heated guillotine blade. At a section VI, the frames are lowered and laid on an outlet conveyor chain 113 comprising a section VII and which carries the frames to fabric finishing operations.  At the section II, a roller platform 28, Fig. 4, having spaced parallel rollers 30 is movable between two positions by hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders (34), Fig. 3 (not shown). The table 15 comprises a frame 42, Figs. 6 and 7, pivotable about an axle 43 by an hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 45 between an horizontal and an inclined nearly vertical position. When an empty frame is fed onto the table 15, with the frame 42 in the inclined upper position, rollers 55' aid the sliding of the frame until it collides with rollers 48, rollers 54 preventing the frame from falling. When the frame 41A stops, it operates a switch 48' which operates the cylinder 45 to lower the frame 42 into alignment with the platform 28 in its raised position. A cross-piece 50 carrying the rollers 54 is lowered to allow the frame 41A to be propelled by driven rollers 55 onto the platform 28. When the frame 41A contacts a limit switch, the platform 28 is lowered so that the frame comes to rest on the chains 17 to be engaged by fingers 38 thereon to propel the frame along a path D. At the section III, the edges of the frame are guided by freely rotatable rollers 20, 21, Fig. 12, on flanges 57, 58 of angleirons arranged on each side of the machine. The angle-irons are each mounted on a framework 64, Fig. 13, mounted on brackets 65 carrying rollers 68, 69 running on a fixed guide 70. The brackets 65 are secured by dowels 70A to pre-set the position of the rollers 20, 21 according to frame width. At the start of the length 23, the frames 41A are engaged by pushers 74, Fig. 8, on chains 24, which are driven at the same speed as the chains 14, although the chains 17 are driven at a higher speed to propel the empty frames from the Section II. In the Section IV, at the inter-section 27 the pins on the frame 41A penetrate the web 2 and strip it from the chains 14. At the Section V, a bridge member 86. Figs. 17 and 18, is slidable along fixed guides 85 and carries guides 87 on which a carriage 140 is slidable. Movement of the member 86 is effected by an hydraulic cylinder 88 and movement of the carriage 140 by a chain 89. A rotary blade 91 mounted on the carriage 140 is driven by a motor 90. The member 86 carries two box-like members 152 on each side of conveyor chains 24 and which are adjustable towards and away from each other according to the width of the frames 41A. Each member 152 carries a sensor 92, having a roller 92A and pivotable about a pin 92B, and a plate 155 resiliently pressed against the frame sides. When the sensor 92 encounters a space between two successive frames, it penetrates into this space and closes a microswitch 160 which rotates the blade 91 and moves the carriage 140 transversely to cut the web between the two frames. If the frames 41A are moving continuously, simultaneously with the movement of the carriage 140, the member 86 is advanced along the guides 85 and, after cutting has been effected, trips a microswitch which causes temporary disengagement of the sensor 92, reverses the direction of rotation of the blade 91, and reverses the movement of the member 86. When the member 86 has completed its return travel, the sensor 92 penetrates into the space between the next two frames to cause the member 86 to advance again along the guides 85 and the carriage 140 to be returned to its original position to effect a cut between the frames. In a modification (not shown), the frames are moved step-wise and cutting is effected during a dwell period so that the bridge member is not advanced. In another modification (not shown), the bridge member carries a reciprocable frame having its axis transverse to the longitudinal direction of the machine and which carries a guillotine blade movable downwardly to cut the web. At the Section VI, Fig. 19, the upwardly moving frames are received from the chains 24 onto a delivery roller table 100. When a frame actuates a microswitch on the table 100, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 121 is operated to lower the table 100, through an articulated linkage 105, 106, 107, 110, to a position in which part of the frame bears on the conveyor 113 so that the frame is removed thereby. The fabric web may be a terry fabric having a looped pile on one face held in place by a binding yarn interlacing with the under yarn of each loop.