Patent GB-305689-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to pleating machines
IPC: D06J1/06
Filed: 1927-11-14
Abstract: 305,689. Hartman, I., and Creffield, T. R. Nov. 14, 1927. Pleating.-To replace the usual eccentric and slotted pivoted lever for controlling the spacing of the pleats, a rotatable crank of variable throw is employed. The crank may be intermittently rotated by clutch mechanism automatically controlled by pins on a wheel integral with the usual design wheel. As shown, a pair of hollow heated pleating-rolls 1, 2, Figs. 3, 4, and 5. co-operate with knives 20, 21 and formation plates 20', 21<1>. The upper roll 2 can be raised or lowered by one or other of a pair of hand-wheels 7, the wheels being differently adjusted when the thickness of a hem has to be allowed for. A felt band 9 passes round the upper roll, partly round the lower, as shown, and round a roller mounted on a link 13 pivotally connected to a link 14 on a shaft 15. The link 14 is also connected bv a link 19 with a bracket 4 pivotally mounted on the axis 5 of the handwheels. To the sbaft 15 is attached a handlever 16 supporting a slidable weight 17. By moving the band-lever to one position, the linkage assumes the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4, with the upper roll in operative position, and by moving it to a position in which the linkage assumes the dotted position, the upper roll is raised out of action. A constantlyrotating shaft 33 is provided with cams 32, 62 operating, respectively, levers 30, 60 pivoted at 30'. The lever 30 is articulated to a link connected to a lever 26 pivoted at 27 to the lower knife carrier and bearing with its end 28 against the upper carrier. The lever 60 is at its free end provided with a beak 59 capable of engaging a cup-shaped piece 58 on a lever 39, which, at one end 40, is connected to a link 40<1> attached to the sliding- blocks 24 of the knife carriers. The apparatus is shown in Fig. 4 in a position to form " down " pleats with the lever 60 moving idly, the cupshaped part not being in the path of the beak. By moving a hand-lever 63 downwardly, pins 69 engage the lever 39 and push it into engaging position so that the knife carriers are rocked to form an " up " pleat. A design wheel 46, Fig. 8, carries a series of spring-pressed pins 45, having a knurled end and a shank, provided with a lateral pin 47 and a cut-away part 50, which latter is capable of forming a continuation of a shoulder 51 on the design wheel. The lateral pin 47 engages a recess 49 to maintain the pin 45 in the position shown in Fig. 8, and when the pin 45 is rotated to present its uncut portion upwardly, a lever 41 is rocked to move a roller 41<1> out of the path of the lever 39, which is pulled by a spring 39<1> into the path of the lever 60 to form an " up " pleat. Box pleats may be formed by moving each alternate pin into the operative position and arranging the hand-lever in the position shown in Fig. 4. The articulation of the lever 26 to the knife carriers is such that the movement of the lever to open the lower carrier takes place about the pivot 27, and to open the upper carrier about the nose of the lever, the great leverage obtained allowing of a powerful spring 25 being used. The travel of the sliding block 24 of the knife carriers is controlled by screwed rods 57, Fig. 3, which determine the extent of the driving engagement of levers 54 with the blocks 24. The arm 54 passes into a recess in the slide blocks and engages the screwed rod in one direction and the wall of the recess in the other. By adjusting the screwed rod, the lost motion between the arm 54 and the end of the screwed rod is made variable. The arm 54 is operated from the constantly-rotating shaft 33 by a cam 56 and is pivotally connected to a link having a slot for a pin on a plate. The plate is provided with spring-pressed pawls engaging a ratchet wheel fast with the lower roll 1. The continuously-oscillated arm 54 causes one end of the aforementioned slot to engage its pin, whereby the plate is moved with its pawls to rotate the rolls and draw in and press the material pleated by the knives. To alter the pitch of the pleats, a lost motion due to the slot is altered. Specification 806,064 is referred to.