Patent GB-734152-A (GB)
Title: Buckle threading apparatus
IPC: A41H37/08
Filed: 1953-07-17
Abstract: 734,152. Buckle threading apparatus. ALFANDRE, H. July 17, 1953, No. 19904/53. Class 43. In apparatus for making adjustable straps, e.g. adjustable shoulder straps for ladies underwear, each of which includes a buckle with a plurality of eyelets, a length of tape is withdrawn from a supply thereof and threaded through an end eyelet to form a loop and severed, the end portion of the remainder of the tape length is then threaded through other eyelets to form an adjustable loop in conjunction with the buckle and the adjustable loop is severed. Adhesive is applied to a portion of the first length of tape to which the end portion is secured before the loop thus formed is severed and all operations are performed in timed relationship to each other. The apparatus shown is for use with buckles having three eyelets E1, E2, E3, Figs. 20, 27, 30, and comprises a number of cams on shafts 24 and 42, Figs. 1 and 3, driven by a motor M and so arranged as to effect operation of mechanisms in timed relationship to effect the withdrawal of a length of tape from a supply thereof, to thread the tape through eyelet El, Fig. 30, and to cut the portion so threaded from the remainder of the tape to form a fixed loop L1, the ends of which are secured together for ready attachment, for example, to a garment and to form from the remainder of the tape an adjustable loop L2 by passing the tape once through the eyelet El, once through the intermediate eyelet E2 and twice through the eyelet E3, the ends of the loop being free of each other so that one end can be secured to the garment and the other adjusted to vary the size of the loop L2; and to sever the length of tape from the supply. The buckles are accommodated in a magazine 12 on a T-bar 214, Fig. 1, by inserting the bar through the eyelets E3, the outer side of each of which has a gap to accommodate the leg of the T-section of the bar. The lowermost buckle rests on shoulders formed in the sides of a slide-way and is fed to spaced buckleholders 224, Fig. 2, by a pusher mechanism comprising an ejector plate 208, Fig. 3, reciprocated in the slideway by a crank-arm 194, driven from the shaft 42, which has secured thereon cam 242 for controlling the mechanism for threading the tape into eyelet E1, cams 244, 246 to control the mechanism for cutting the tape forming loop 41 from the remainder, cam 244 operating a shear blade 364, Fig. 1, to position a shear 366 carried thereon, cam 246 operating the shear to effect the cutting operation to detach the fixed loop Ll and simultaneously operating a shear blade 420, Fig. 2, to sever the tape at the exit of the tape supplying device 48; a cam 248 to control the mechanism of the second threader 448, Fig. 2, for threading the tape through the eyelet E2 after loop L1 has been severed. During the forward movement of the ejector plate 208, a reciprocable tape gripper arm 138, Fig. 1, moves forwardly the gripper arms 146, 148, Fig. 2, thereof opening through the action of a jaw opening device 154, Fig. 3, which co-operates with laterally extending arms on the jaws, to grasp the leading end of the tape threaded through co-operating plates 58, 70, Fig. 1, of the device 48. The arm 138 is pivotally mounted on a slide 130, Fig. 1, reciprocated under control of a cam 44 on the shaft 24 through a crank 120, Fig. 3, and shaft 122 located within spacer sleeve 124, crank 126 and link 128. On return of gripper arm 138 to its initial position carrying therewith the tape over roller 184, Fig. 3, on pivoted arm 176, sleeve 288, Figs. 1 and 2, begins to descend under control of cam 242. This sleeve is mounted on a bracket 284, Fig. 2, carried by a slide 266, Fig. 3, and the bracket 284 also carries the first depending threader 286, Fig. 2, for forming the loop L1. A downwardly extending member 292, Fig. 1, carried by the sleeve 288 turns downwardly a depresser 296 pivotally mounted on the slideway 268 of the slide 266 whereby the tape gripper 138 is turned downwardly to engage the lower jaw 148 with the spring-biased stop 330, Figs. 2, 3, to open the jaw and release the leading edge of the tape. The shoe 326, Figs. 1 and 17, carried at the end of a shaft housed within the sleeve 288 now wedges the tape against buckle holder 224. Arm 176 under control of cam 46 on shaft 24 now begins to turn upwardly for roller 184, Fig. 3, at the end thereof to engage the under surface of the tape to withdraw a predetermined length through the device 48, the tape being tensioned by passing under roller 328 and by the pivoted blade 80, Fig. 3, in the device 48. As the sleeve 288 continues to move down, the first threader 286 is passed through eyelet El forming loop L1, Fig. 17, the ends of which are pressed together as portion 338 of presser 296 engages the tape to force the ends together against the threader 286 and are adhesively secured together by adhesive previously applied. There is also formed a loop L3 and the shear blade 364 and its shear 366 now begin to move forwardly until shear 366 is inserted in loop L3, Fig. 17. Sleeve 288 now begins to retract under the expansion of a compressed spring within the sleeve. A lateral extension 520, Fig. 1, 2; on the slide 266 engages a lateral pin 522 on the depresser 296 to provide an initial kick for rotating the depresser back to a position where a spring 524, Figs. 2, 3, will carry the depresser back to its original position, whereupon, a cam 144 on shaft 24 kicks the gripper 138 upwardly to co-operate with spring 140, Fig. 1, to return the gripper to its initial starting position. As the slide 266 returns to its raised position together with the sleeve 288, threader 286 is withdrawn from loop L3, Fig. 17, which tends to open out and permit entry of head 452, Figs. 1, 2 and 20, of the second threader 448 under control of cam 248. The shear 366 now turns downwardly towards its shear blade 364 to cut the tape at loop L3. The second threader head 452 moves into position left of the cut tape, Fig. 20, so that the tape falls against the head and the threader moves upwardly to thread the tape portion through the eyelet E2, Fig. 27. Shear 366 returns to its initial position as threader 448 moves through eyelet E2. Simultaneously with the cutting of loop L3 the tape is also cut at the point where it passes from the plates 70, 58, Fig. 1, of device 48. A shear 420, Fig. 1, co-operating with a stationary shear blade 424, turns downwardly under control of cam 246. A depresser bar 426, Fig. 2, carried by the blade 424, engages the forward notched end of the plate 58 to press it downwardly to apply to the tape a dab of adhesive from the device 96 fed from the adhesive reservoir 88 simultaneously with the cutting of the tape. After the threader 448 withdraws from the eyelet E2 the tape portion 486, Fig. 27, drapes over the eyelet E3. The arm 176 begins to move downwardly towards its initial position engaging a member 516, Fig. 3, which through pinions 502, 504 inserts the third threader member 500, Figs. 3 and 30, to push the tape through the eyelet E3 and complete the threading operation. Initiation of the succeeding cycle of operation moves the ejector plate 208 forward to eject the next buckle to be threaded from the bottom of the magazine 12 and position it between the buckle holders 224, thereby ejecting the completed threaded buckle from the apparatus.