Patent GB-957664-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for recording flaws in a length of textile fabric
IPC: G07C3/14
Filed: 1963-02-25
Abstract: 957,664. Recording-apparatus. H. E. PECK. Feb.25, 1963, No. 7530/63. Heading G1J. [Also in Division D1] Apparatus for recording on a form faults in a length of textile fabric as it travels past an inspection station comprises a bed 24 to support a form 14, means for moving the form 14 over the bed 24 in one direction, a carriage 60, plurality of marking members a, ... , k movably mounted on the carriage 60 and designating different types of faults in the fabric, means for moving the carriage 60 relative to the bed 24 at a speed proportional to the rate of travel of the fabric, a plurality of actuating members a 1 , ..., k 1  to effect selective movement of the marking members a, ... ,k , respectively, and means 12 for selectively operating the members a1, ..., k 1  during movement of the carriage 60, wherein the carriage 60 moves at right angles to the direction of movement of the form 14, each member a 1 , ..., k 1  has an operating portion aligned with the member a, ... , k associated therewith and the members a 1 , ... ,k 1  are disposed so as to be effective for the full travel of the carriage 60. The paper forms 14, Fig. 4, are supplied from a roll 20, Figs. 1 and 3, and scored at 16, 18 at uniformly spaced intervals along the length of the roll. Each form is divided into columns each of which represents a single yard of fabric. The leading end of the roll 20 passes beneath a guide 23, over the bed 24, and over a drum 26 having projections 34 to engage perforations 36 in the side edges of the form 14 to positively feed the form 14 upon rotation of the drum 26. A chain or cable 54 is secured to a grooved, spring-loaded reel 42 mounted on a horizontal axis 43 and to a side plate 62 of the carriage 60. A second chain or cable 55 is secured to the opposite side plate 62 and to a second grooved wheel 50 mounted on a vertical axis 52. Grooved projections 64, Fig. 3, on the carriage 60 slide on rods 65 welded to guides 67. The members a, ... , k comprise plates which are each urged in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, about a shaft 72 by a spring 74 so that normally type characters A, ... , K on the bottom of the plates a, ... , k, respectively, are spaced above the form 14. Each character A, ... , J represents a particular kind of fault and the character K represents the end of a length of fabric. The members a 1 , ..., k 1  comprise U- shaped bail bars 88 mounted to pivot independently on a shaft 90 so that the bight portion of each bar is positioned directly above one of the plates a, ... , k. Each bar a 1 , ..., k 1  is normally urged away from its associated plate by a spring-pressed plunger 98, Fig. 3. Push buttons A 1 , ..., K 1  on a portable keyboard 12 are connected through a wire in a cable 13 to one of a number of solenoids 103 each having a reciprocable armature 105 positioned so that each can actuate a bar a 1 , ..., k 1  to engage a plate a, . . ., k to cause a character A, ..., K to strike the form 14. An inked ribbon may be provided beneath the characters A, . . ., K to print on the form 14 or these characters may punch the form 14. In use, when the leading end of the fabric to be inspected reaches a predetermined position the operator closes a switch (not shown) to actuate a magnetic clutch 79 so that a motor 76 drives the reel 42 to move the carriage 60 across the form 14 from left to right at a speed directly proportional to the fabric speed. When the operator sees a fault in the fabric he depresses the correct button to indicate the type of fault to record the fault in the appropriate column of the form 14 according to the distance of the fault from the fabric leading end. A plurality of the buttons A 1 , ..., K 1  may be operated simultaneously. When the carriage 60 reaches the right hand limit of travel denoting that, in this case, sixty yards of fabric have been inspected, it contacts a micro-switch 120 to de-energize the clutch 79 and permit the spring- loaded reel 50 to quickly return the carriage 60 to its starting position at which point it opens a micro-switch 121 to re-energize the clutch 79 and simultaneously a one revolution clutch 115 is engaged to rotate the drum 26 to move a new form 14 on to the bed 24. When the trailing end of the fabric passes the inspection point the operator presses the button K 1  so that the clutch 79 is de-energized and the carriage 60 returns to its starting position and contacts the switch 121 to engage the clutch 115 and index a new form 14 into recording position. In a modification (not shown) successive lengths of fabric are sewn together and a feeler is provided to detect the seam between adjacent lengths of the fabric. The feeler de-energizes the clutch 79 and indexes a new form 14 into recording position. In a further modification (not shown) the solenoids 103 are actuated automatically. The faults are detected by light beams and photo-electric cells which may be mashed to respond to a passage of different kinds of faults therebetween or by spring- pressed feelers of different shapes.