Patent GB-937416-A (GB)
Title: A machine for manufacturing reinforced fabric
IPC: D03D41/00
Filed: 1961-03-14
Abstract: 937,416. Sewing machines. FLEX-OLATORS Inc. March 14, 1961, No. 9359/61. Class 112. [Also in Groups VIII, XIV and XVI] A web of fabric is reinforced by inserting therein spaced transverse rows of running stitches formed from wire, and lengths of the web are then cut-off to produce individual reinforced mats. Apparatus for producing the reinforced mats comprises a web-feeding unit X, a web-reinforcing unit Y and a web-severing unit Z. In unit X a web 4 of fabric, such as burlap, is drawn from a roll 5, supported on rollers 6, by a pair of rolls 14 and 17. Roll 17 is a presser roll, and roll 14 is driven by a motor 24 via a variable speed hydraulic gear 27. The web on its way to unit Y passes as a loop over the free end of a pivoted arm 322 which is so connected by a linkage 32, 33 to gear 27, that elongation of the loop caused by excessive feed from roll 5 reduces the speed of roll 14, and shortening of the loop caused by insufficient feed from roll 5 increases the speed of roll 14. In unit Y web 4 passes over a table top 45 formed at its rear edge with horizontal fingers 47, and under a plate 46 formed with fingers 48 which project downwardly between the fingers 47, a gap 49 being left between the lower surface of fingers 47 and the upper surface of fingers 48. Web 4 is thereby corrugated between the fingers 47, 48, and a wire strand 36 passed transversely through the gap 49 thereby forms running stitches in the web. Strand 36 is supported during its passage in a channel provided by respective notches 511 and 63. Notches 511 are formed in teeth 51 which move downwardly between fingers 47 to engage the upper surface of fingers 48. Notches 63 are formed in teeth 62 which move upwardly between fingers 48 to engage the lower surface of fingers 47. Fingers 51 are carried by a plate 50 reciprocated vertically from an upper cam-shaft 59, and fingers 62 are carried by a plate 61 reciprocated vertically from a lower cam-shaft 10. Shafts 59 and 70 are interconnected by a vertical shaft 72 which is driven via a gear-box 77 and belts 80 from a motor 79. The strands 36 are derived from wire 37 which is rolled in a container 38 rotated about a vertical axis by means of a chain 39 driven by a motor 41. Wire 37, after passing through guides 43, is fed positively by means of a pair of rolls 44 and 44A through a guide 85 to the gap 49. Roll 44A is journalled in a frame 108 biased by a spring 109 to engage roll 44A with the driven roll 44. A cam disc 102, carried at the upper end of shaft 72, is adapted to depress a roller 104 on one arm of a lever 105, the other end of which, coupled to frame 108, thereby raising roller 44A after insertion of a strand 36. A blade 83 then moves upwardly to co-operate with guide 85 for severing the strand 36 from the wire 31, blade 83 being carried by a bar 84 reciprocated vertically from cam-shaft 59. A reinforcing wire 99, disposed at each edge of web 4, passes through the hub of a gear 96 meshing with a rack bar 89 arranged to be reciprocated vertically from cam-shaft 59. Gear 96 is thereby rotated, and a lug 98 thereon bends the end of strand 36 around wire 99. Cam disc 102 carries a crank arm 111 connected to a lever 112 pivoted on a shaft 113 and carrying a pawl 115 co-operating with a ratchet wheel 114 on shaft 113 to rotate the latter intermittently. A cam disc 116 on shaft 113 co-operates with a roller 117 on one arm of a lever 118 to shift the end 120 of the other under the arm of lever 105 coupled to frame 108, whereby feeding of reinforcing wire 37 is interrupted to produce un-reinforced web at each end of a mat length. The reinforced web is drawn away by the engagement of the strands 36 with pins 133 projecting from endless chains 128 mounted on upper loose sprockets 130, 131 and a lower sprocket fast on an intermittentlydriven shaft 129. The web is held in contact with the chains by pivoted blades 134. A ratchet wheel 135 on shaft 129 co-operates with a pawl 137 carried by a lever 136 pivoted on shaft 129. Lever 136 is connected by a link 138 adjustably to one arm 139 of a lever, the other arm 140 of which is biased by a spring 143 to engage a roller 141 with a cam 142 on the camshaft 59. Arm 139 is arranged to engage an abutment 222 mounted adjustably on one arm of a lever 223 for varying the spacing between the strands 36. The other arm of lever 223 is connected to a solenoid 226 which, when energized by the closing of a switch 229 by means of a cam 227 on shaft 113, disengages abutment 222 from arm 139 to effect the maximum spacing between the strands 36. In order to remove the reinforcing wires 99 at the unreinforced portions of the web, a pair of adjustable brackets 144, mounted at respective sides of the web, journals a shaft 145 carrying a gear 146 meshing with a rack bar 147 connected to a solenoid 149. Energization of the latter, on closure of a switch 126 by means of a lever 125 actuated by a cam disc 123 driven by a chain 121 from shaft 113, causes rotation of shaft 145, whereby two knife blades 152 carried thereby co-operate with blades 154 on the brackets 144 to sever wire 99 thereat. Web is forwarded from the reinforcing unit Y to the severing unit Z by means of a roller 155 driven via a chain 157 from a motor 156. Between roller 155 and a table 164 of unit Z the web forms a loop 158 over the curved end 159 of an arm 160 pivoted at 161 and connected by a crank 162 to a cable 163 adapted to control a variable-speed hydraulic gear 180 which is driven via a shaft 181 and belt 182 from a motor 183 and which drives a control shaft 177 via a gearing 178. Increased feed from roller 155 thereby lengthens loop 158 to cause faster rotation of shaft 177, while reduced feed from roller 155 shortens loop 158 to cause slowing of shaft 177. The web is held on table 164 by pawls 165 and presser feet 365, and is moved over table 164 by clawed members 166 fixed to a cross-bar 167 slidable in guide bars 169 pivoted at one end, at 171, to the table and connected at their other ends by links by links 212 to cranks 213 on a shaft 214. A pivoted arm 170, is oscillated via connections 172, 173 from a shaft 177, is connected to bar 167 for reciprocation thereof. A cam 219 on shaft 177 co-operates with one arm 218 of a bell-crank lever, the other arm 216 of which co-operates with a crank 215 on shaft 214 to oscillate the latter, whereby the guide bars 169 are raised about their pivot 171 during the retraction stroke of the cross-bar 167. Motor 183 also drives a crank-wheel 187 via a belt 184, gearing 185 and a clutch operable by means of a solenoid 186. Crank wheel 187 is connected by a rod 188 to one arm of a three-armed lever 189, a second arm of which is biased by a spring 190, and the third arm of which is connected by a rod 192 to one arm of a threearmed lever 193. A second arm of the latter is connected by a rod 195 to suspension linkage 196 for a shear blade 197, and the third arm is connected by a rod 201 and crank 200 to suspension linkage 199 for the other end of blade 197. Energization of solenoid 186, upon closure of a switch 265 by a cam 266 on control shaft 177, thereby causes reciprocation of blade 197 to sever a mat-length from the reinforced web by co-operation with a fixed blade 198. The finished mats fall upon a table 220. A limit safety switch 202, closed by the cross-bar 167 when in its advanced position, is connected in series with switch 265. The gearing 178 driving control shaft 177 is adapted to be disconnected under faulty operating conditions. For this purpose the end pinion 204 is engaged by a throw-out fork 204 rigid with a shaft 205 biased to the throw-out position of a spring 207 but held in operational position by a latch 208 connected to a solenoid 209, energization of which releases latch 208. Solenoid 209 is connected in series with a switch 270 operated by a cam 271 on shaft 177, and also with a switch 272 operated by a cam 273 associated with lever 193. The arrangement is such that switch 270 is normally closed except when switch 265 is closed to actuate the shear blade 197, while switch 272 is closed only in the fullyraised position of blade 197. If by maladjustment solenoid 186 is energized while switch 270 is closed, closure of switch 272 when blade 197 next rises will energize solenoid 209 to throwout pinion 203. The latter can be re-engaged by pulling on rod 210 connected to shaft 205 by a chain 211.