Patent GB-949882-A (GB)
Title: Machine for the insertion of suspension loops into articles
IPC: A22C11/12
Filed: 1961-12-04
Abstract: 949, 882. Sewing machines; knot-tying devices. H.WIEGAND, Dec.4, 1961 [Dec.6, 1960] No.43380/61. Headings D1C and D1G. Apparatus for inserting a loop of thread or string through an article and tying the ends of the loop together comprises a needle, a worksupporting table movable towards and away from the needle, and a thread-taker movable synchronously with said table and adapted to feed the thread from the needle to tying apparatus after the needle has withdrawn from the work. In a modification the work-supporting table is fixed, the remainder of the apparatus is mounted in a frame pivoted to the table, and the thread-taker is movable synchronously with the frame. A frame S supports a motor 19 coupled by reduction gearing 19a, belts 19b and a clutch 21 controlled by a manually-operable lever 22 to a driving shaft 29. A work-supporting table 13 is carried by arms 13b, 13b<SP>1</SP> journalled on a shaft 13c. An arm 13b<SP>11</SP>, rigid with arms 13b, 13b<SP>1</SP>, carries a gear sector 32 meshing with a gear 32a on a sleeve 32b journalled on a shaft 31. A cam 6 on shaft 29 is adapted to act on arm 13b<SP>11</SP> for oscillating both the table 13 and the sleeve 13b. An arm 7a, rigid with sleeve 32b carries the thread-taker 7 comprising jaws 8, 9 which are pivoted to arm 7a and are geared together for synchronous movement. Jaw 8 is rigid with an arm 38 carrying a roller 37 disposed in an annular channel member 36 which is concentric with shaft 31 and which is carried by an arm 34 pivoted at 35 to the frame. Arm 34 is oscillated by a cam 28 on shaft 29 for opening and closing the jaws 8, 9. The curved, hollow needle 2 is carried by an arm 2b rigid with a sleeve 2a resiliently coupled to shaft 31. A gear 5d, resiliently coupled to shaft 31, meshes with a gear sector 5c on an arm 5 pivoted at 5a to the frame and oscillated by cam 6 for driving the needle. The curved needle, which is formed with an eye adjacent the point and in the inner wall, is resilient and tapers informly to its conical base which is received in a corresponding socket 4 on arm 2b. Alternatively, the needle may be solid and formed with a threadguiding groove. The thread 27 passes from a cup in a holder 25 to the base of the needle through a guide eye 106 on the sleeve 2a, through an eye 48 on arm 2b, and between a grooved roller 46 and clamp spring 47, both carried by arm 2b. The knotting apparatus is carried on a frame 80 fired at one end to frame S and provided at its other end with a bearing for shaft 29. A knotting bill 81 is carried at one end of a shaft which is journalled in frame 80 and carries at its other end a gear 82 rotated through one revolution by gear teeth on a track 91 provided on a disc 16 rigid with shaft 29, for each revolution of the latter. The movable jaw 90 of bill 80 is controlled by a fired, spring-biased cam 88. A gear 84, cooperating with a second track 91 on disc 16 and. rotating half a revolution for one revolution of the latter, is fixed to a shaft which is journalled in frame 80 and carries at its upper end a member 83. The latter is formed with two thread-receiving grooves 109 and with two knifeedges 93. Surmounting member 83 is a plate 85 biased thereagainst by means of an arm 86 and spring 87. The thread-taker lays the threads side-by-side under the bill 81 and in one of the grooves 109, the threads being guided into the latter by a finger depending from plate 85. Rotation of shaft 29 results in the threads being gripped between members 83 and 85 while the bill 81 rotates to tie the knot, the threads being finally severed by a knife edge 93. The threads are also clamped during knot tying between the upper end 12 of an arm 26b and sleeve 2a by means of a spring 26c acting on arm 26b. A roller 15 on arm 26b co-operates with a cam 26a on disc 16 for relieving the clamping pressure. Towards the termination of a loop-inserting operation needle 2 is raised, table 13 has swung backwardly away from the needle and the threadtaker has moved forwardly to grip the thread end adjacent the needle point, Fig. 10. As the table swings forwardly to its initial position, the thread-taker swings rearwardly to lay the thread under the bill 81 and in one of the grooves 109. The apparatus is then ready for inserting a loop in the next article, as shown, a piece of meat 1. The needle on descending carries the thread through the article and lays the thread, alongside the thread previously laid by the thread-taker, under the knotting bill 81 and in the groove 109, Fig. 9. It is stated that two or more needles may be arranged to be operated simultaneously for inserting loops in respective workpieces.