Patent GB-1315984-A (GB)
Title: Method and machine for making decorative bows
IPC: D04D7/10
Filed: 1970-12-07
Abstract: 1315984 Decorative bow AMERICAN GREETINGS CORP 7 Dec 1970 [14 May 1970] 58088/70 Heading B6G A decorative bow including a backing strip and a ribbon formed into a series of spaced loops secured to the strip is produced by moving the strip along a first path, moving the ribbon along a second path converging with the first path at a selected position, intermittently joining the ribbon on to the strip at selected spaced areas at the aforementioned position, and causing the ribbon to move along the second path at a higher speed than the strip is moving along the first path whereby the ribbon is looped between the spaced areas. As shown in Fig. 1, apparatus for forming a decorative bow includes strip feeding mechanism 10, ribbon feeding mechanism 12, looping station 14 and cut-off device 16. The strip feeding mechanism 10 includes pinch rolls 20, 22 and pinch 24, 26 which coact with guides 30, 32 to define a first path along which the backing strip progresses. The rolls are rotated by ratchet wheel 34 which is indexed intermittently by ratchet 36. The backing strip comprising a pressure-sensitive adhesive lower layer 42 over which there is provided a removable protective strip 44 is provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 50 having an upper removable strip 52 and after the composite strip is formed the protective strip 52 is removed around roll 24 and the resulting backing strip B is then moved along the path defined by guide 32 to looping station 14. Ribbon 70 is also fed to the looping station via guide rolls 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 and 82, pressure roll 86 allowing roll 82 to drive the ribbon at an average speed greater than the average speed of strip B, and through a chute 90 which causes the ribbon 70 to converge with the strip B at the looping station. The looping station 14 includes a blade 102 having a lowermost edge 104, the blade being reciprocally mounted for movement in path perpendicular to the paths of the ribbon and strip. Cylinder 106 reciprocates the blade in timed relationship with the indexing of the ratchet 36. Strip B is guided under lower edge 104. Below the blade 102 a resilient pad 130 formed preferably from silicon rubber is provided thereby allowing the edge 104 to force ribbon 70 against the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 50 to form loops 140 at spaced areas 142 which may be spaced in a longitudinal direction a variety of distances adjusted by varying the timing of the blade 102 and the indexed distance of the feed rolls between the downstroke of blade 102. As shown in Figs. 7a-7e backing strip B is stopped and ribbon 70 continues to move forward. Blade 102 is forced downwardly to connect ribbon 70 on to the upper adhesive surface of strip B at position 142, forming a loop 140. During this operation ribbon 70 continues to move forward. Thereafter blade 102 is raised and backing strip B advanced a distance a and again stopped, the ribbon 70 continuing to move forward to form loop 140. While strip B is stopped blade 102 again moves downwardly to secure the ribbon 70 on to strip B. The process is continued until the desired number of loops are formed. Cut-off device 16 includes pivoted arm 150 having a blade 152 which coacts with a cutting edge (Fig. 3, not shown).