Patent GB-1046982-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and process for separating fabric pieces from a stack
IPC: B65H3/22
Filed: 1965-03-12
Abstract: 1,046,982. Feeding sheets. L. & L. MANUFACTURING Inc. March 12, 1965 [March 12, 1964; Nov. 18, 1964], No. 10604/65. Heading B6B. Sheet separating devices; grippers.-Folded or unfolded fabric pieces are separated from a stack thereof by a gripping means which is first moved relatively to the stack into engagement with the top piece, then is operated to grip the top piece, and finally is moved relatively to the stack to separate the top piece from the stack. In one embodiment, Figs. 1 to 9 (Figs. 3, 4 only, shown) folded pieces of fabric 42 are separated one by one from a pile 43 by a gripper head 20 mounted near the end of a frame 12 pivoted at 13 and moved by link mechanism 22. . 25 so as to carry a separated piece over a fixed plate 62 and on to a conveyer 60. An air blast from a nozzle 94 assists the separation. By means of chains 15 and sprockets 14, 16, the head 20 is maintained with its lower face always horizontal. As the gripper devices in the head 20 lift a piece, the original fold is straightened out, Fig. 7 (not shown), but another fold is formed by the grippers. After the piece 42 is released on to the conveyer 60, an air blast 95 smooths the piece and also blows the folded-over part 96 out flat. The gripper device, Fig. 4, of which one or more are fitted in the head 20, comprises two jaws 40 with toothed lower edges, one jaw being fixed to the head 20 and the other being moved by an electromagnet 50 against the action of a spring 52 to grip the piece between the jaws. The fixed jaw may be adjustable, Fig. 10 (not shown). Various constructions of gripping devices are described. As illustrated in Fig. 11 (not shown), the movable jaw 38<SP>b</SP> is pivoted and, as illustrated in Fig. 20 (not shown), it has a vertical component of movement. In other gripper arrangements, a solenoid-rotated roller 38c, Fig. 12 (not shown), may co-operate with a fixed jaw 39c, or with another roller, Fig. 22 (not shown). Further rotary brushes, Figs. 23, 24 (not shown), may be used instead of rollers. Sandpaper or other roughened surfaces may be provided on the gripper devices. In a further embodiment, Figs. 28 to 31 (not shown), the gripper head 20m is fixed and the pile table 63m raised to cause the top fabric piece to be engaged by the gripper. The table is then lowered and moved laterally from beneath the head, so that when a piece is released by the head it drops on to a conveyer 60m. A single gripper head 20n, Figs. 32, 33 (not shown), may extend over two piles so that two pieces are separated at each cycle of operations. Further, two arrangements as shown in Fig. 1, may operate alternately on a single pile, each gripper head, 20r, 20s, Figs. 34, 35 (not shown), feeding a piece to its own conveyer 60r, 60s, respectively. Raising and lowering pile table.-The pile table 63, Fig. 3, has a layer 63<SP>1</SP> of foam rubber upon which the pile 43 rests, and the table 63 is raised by a pneumatic piston-and-cylinder 64, 66 controlled by a feeler 78 engaging the top of the pile. When the pile is nearing exhaustion, another feeler 80 operates to stop the driving motor and to cause the actuation of valves allowing the table 63 to drop for replenishment of the pile.