improvements in Machines for Applying Tips to Blades, such as employed for Dress Stiffeners, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 16th Oct., 1897
improvements in Machines for Applying Tips to Blades, such as
employed for Dress Stiffeners, and the like.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE, of 55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Fellow of
the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (which has been communicated to me from abroad by The Warner
Brothers Company, a corporation under the laws of the State of Connecticut,
U.S.A., having its principal office at No. 359 Broadway, in the City of New York,
State of New York, U.S.A.) and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a machine for automatically applying and compressing
tips upon the ends of blades such as employed for Dress Stiffeners and the like,
and it consists in the general features of construction and arrangement of parts,
substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.
In the drawings,
Figs. 1, 2 and 3, are side, top and horizontal views of a machine embodying the
invention.
Fig. 4, is an enlarged section on the line y y Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of the same, the upper rollers being omitted.
Fig. 6, is a transverse section on the line z-z, Fig. 5.
Figs. 7 and 8, are sectional views of the hoppers.
Figs. 9 and 10, show face and perspective views of one of the tips, enlarged.
Figs. 11 and 12, show side and edge views of the blade with a tip applied
to one end.
Fig. 13, is a side elevation of a portion of the machine showing a different
arrangement of blade transferring mechanism.
Fig. 14, is a horizontal sectional view on the line, Fig. 13, and
Fig. 15, is a longitudinal sectional view on the line y-y, Fig. 14.
The object of this invention is to apply tips, such as shown in Figs. 9 and 10,
to the ends of steel blades X, and to compress the same upon the blades, which
are generally encased in paper or other fabric, so that the compressed tips are
brought to a level with the surfaces of the covered blades. Before describing the
improved machine in detail, its general operation will be set forth.
There is a channel x, Figs 4, 5 and 6, into which each blade X, (Figs. 11
and 12) passes longitudinally and above one part of this channel is a chute C
with a central rib 2, down which pass the tips y, into the channel, the parts
being so arranged that the tips will lie in a pile in the chute C, the lowest tip
being in the channel so that as the blade X, passes along the channel (being fed
by wheels e, e, or otherwise) its end will enter the lowest tip and carry the latter
along the channel to a clamping device, as for instance two presser wheels c, c,
the lower wheel having a grooved periphery to receive a flange upon the upper,
and by these wheels the tip is compressed both laterally and vertically on to the
blade. When the blade is covered with fabric, which need not always be the case,
the tip will be pressed into the fabric, so that the surfaces of the blade and tip
Price 8d]

page_text: will be flush. The tipped blade is then fed forward by two wheels f, f, or other-
wise, into a narrow transverse chamber j, until its end strikes an adjustable
gage D. A spring ³, tends to thrusf each blade sidewise in the direction of
the arrow, Fig. 3, so that the following blade will not strike the preceding one but
will be laid alongside of it until the following blade strikes the blade, when
both blades will be pushed laterally out of the way of the succeeding blade and so
on until the chamber j, is full.
As each blade enters the chamber j, it strikes the arm 3, of a bell crank lever K,
pivoted at w, and rocks the same against the action of the spring, (Fig. 2)
which bears against the other arm 4, of the said lever. The arm 4, is connected
by an adjustable connecting rod k¹, with a slide ³, so arranged that as it moves
in the direction of its arrow Fig. 3, under the action of the lever K, it will push
the opposite blade X, towards a pair of feed wheels f¹, similar to the feed wheel f,
but moving in an opposite direction and by which the blade will be carried
through a channel ¹, and beneath another chute C, and beneath another pair of
compression wheels c, so that a tip will be applied to and compressed upon the
opposite end of the blade.
Where a tip is to be applied only to one end of the blade, the duplicate features
of the apparatus may of course be dispensed with.
The details of the apparatus, shown in Figs. 1 to 8, will now be described, but
it will be obvious that these details may be varied to a great extent while securing
the different operations before described.
The frame A, of the apparatus supports a table or base B, having a rib 6,
(Fig. 6) stationary at its upper face and opposite an adjustable bar 7, having an
overhanging flange 8, and forming with the rib 6, the channel a. The bar 7, is
made adjustable inasmuch as the blades X, vary slightly in width, and to permit
the bar to yield under the pressure of any of the wider ribs, it is provided with a
guide arm 9, fitting a groove in the table B, and against which bears a spring 10,
tending to hold it down, a spring 12, bearing against the end of the bar tending to
thrust inward.
In the flange 8, is an opening arranged directly below the chute C.
The bar 7, as shown extends only over that part of the channel between the
wheels c and e, the other portions of the channel having permanent covers or
being uncovered if desired.
The chamber j, is formed between the face of the chamber B, and a flat cover
plate, which is bolted to the tops of side flanges 13, 13, of the table leaving
sufficient intermediate space for the blades. The gauge D, is adjustable so as to
be set in different positions for blades of different lengths, for the same reason
the connecting rod k¹, is adjustable in length as shown.
The shafts of the different sets of rollers turn in suitable bearings in the frame
and preferably these bearings are in blocks sliding in grooves in the frame and
held in position by springs as shown, so as to permit the rollers to yield to a slight
extent. As shown the pair of pressure rollers c', is carried by the driving shaft 14,
having the belt pulley 15, and the shaft 17, of the pressure rollers c, is driven
from the shaft 14, through the medium of gears 16, and suitable gears transmit
motion from the two shafts 14, 17, to the shaft of the other pairs of rollers.
Any suitable means may be employed for feeding the tips to the chutes, but
an apparatus which has proved to be effective will now be described.
The upper end of each chute extends into a hopper E, Figs. 1, 2, 7 and 8, in
which the mass of tips is placed and in this hopper turns a large feed wheel F,
secured to a shaft 18, and having a series of tangential edges v, beyond which
extend fingers 19, so that as the feed wheel revolves the fingers will pick up
such of the tips as are in position to be engaged thereby. As any one of the edges
is brought to the top position, and the next forward finger approaches the end
of the rib 2 of the chute, there will be formed an inclined continuation of the
said edge down which the tip or tips on the edge r, will slide onto the rib as
shown in Fig. 7. In order to allow sufficient time for this operation, the wheel F,

page_text: is turned intermittently and is arrested as each edge r, is in line with the rib.
To prevent an undue accumulation of the tips in the chute and to always main-
tain the end of the same open so that none of the ribs will be crushed between the
fingers 19, and the edge of the chute, a detaching device G, is provided which
detaches from the chute all of the tips which may be placed in the latter beyond a
certain point, for instance the point p, Fig. 7. A revolving wheel, reciprocating
finger or other detaching device may be employed, but a vibrating brush 20, is
preferred, secured to an arm on the rock shaft 21, which rocks inward as soon as
any finger 19, passes below the end of the chute and wipes off, into the hopper,
any of the tips that rest on the rib 2, beyond the point p.
Any suitable means may be employed for imparting intermittent motion to the
feed wheel F. As shown in Fig. 1, a ratchet wheel 22, on the shaft 18, with the
same number of teeth as the feed wheel, is engaged by a pawl 23, on a rock-arm 24,
vibrating on the shaft 18, and to which motion is imparted by a connecting
rod 25, reciprocated upon a transverse disk 26, on any one of the shafts of tho
machine. The brush shaft 21, is rocked in one direction by a spring 27, and in
the other by a rocking lever 28, one arm of which is struck by the teeth of the
ratchet wheel 22, the other being connected by a link 29, with an arm of the rock-
shaft 21.
Where there are two hoppers, as shown, one is arranged to operate in connection
with each chute.
The chutes C, C¹³, are illustrated as twisted for the purpose of turning the tips
to present them properly to the ends of the blades, but if desired the chutes might
extend from the opposite ends of the hoppers without being twisted.
It will be evident that there may be two or more parallel channels, with
corresponding chutes or holders for the tips, two or more blades being fed
simultaneously parallel to each other and thus multiplying the product.
In Figs. 13, 14, 15, there is shown a modified form of transferring mechanism
for the blades, and this is shown on an enlarged scale, the tip feeding mechanism
and other parts being omitted for the sake of clearness and the similar parts of
the machine being provided with letters corresponding to the parts in the other
machine first described.
In this apparatus the blade transferring mechanism is arranged to transfer the
blades independently from one side of the machine to the other, and the feel
wheels f, f, shown in Figs. 1 to 5, are replaced by the feed wheels Y, Y, Y³.
The upper wheels of the pairs Y, Y, are mounted in blocks 30, sliding in grooves
in the frame, each with a projection 33 Fig. 13, bearing on a rock lever G, ant
springs are likewise arranged in said grooves, which springs tend to elevate the
upper blocks in the grooves and carry the upper feed wheels away alternately from
the lower wheels, this separation of the wheels being sufficient to permit a blade
to be carried first between the wheels Y, and then between the wheels Y. The
lever G, is pivotally mounted upon a standard g, and extends transversely across
the frame. It will be understood that the alternate elevation and depression :f
the upper feed wheels Y, Y2, is extremely slight and the projections of the blocks
and their intermediate tilting lever are in such close relation that when a blade is
fed by the wheels c, between the wheels Y, the upper one of said wheels and its
block will he elevated in the groove and by reason of the engagement of the
projection 33, making contact with that of the lever, the end of the lever will
likewise be slightly elevated causing a corresponding depression of its opposite
end, which, acting upon the projection 33, of the wheels Ya will also lower the
upper of the feed wheels Y. Previous to the lowering of this wheel, however,
a blade has been transferred across the table by the belt and moved upon the
lower feed wheel beneath the upper wheel and consequently when the upper
wheel is lowered upon the blade, it will feed the blade to the feed wheels Y and
towards the chute C, during which movement of the blade its opposite end is
tipped and it is discharged from the machine.
The transferring belt F, extends transversely across the table B, and passes

page_text: around the rolls 36, 37, located upon opposite sides of the frame, the lower limb
of the belt being in sufficiently close proximity to the upper flat face of the table
to engage a blade which has been fed beneath it and released by the feed wheels Y.
The belt then transfers this blade across the table and moves it between the
wheels Y, which have been separated sufficiently to permit its lateral insertion,
and the blade is held in this position by the stop y, until the upper one of the feed
wheels is depressed when it is fed towards the second chute C¹, as above described.
The transferring belt F, may be driven in any suitable manner but as shown the
shaft of the roll 37, is provided with a bevel gear 38, which meshes with a
corresponding gear on the shaft of the feed wheel Y.
It will be obvious that other suitable transfer devices may be substituted for
the belt F, for transferring the blades successively from the line of one channel
to the line of the other channel.
The channel, through which the blade passes after receiving the tip gradually
contracts laterally, so as to impart a side pressure to the tip and hold it on firmly
as it goes to the rolls.
From the above it will be seen that the general principles of the invention
can be embodied in somewhat different mechanisms having the same general
mode of operation and accomplishing the same general results, and the invention
is not limited to the precise form or constructions described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1st. A tipping machine comprising means for feeding the blades successively,
means for feeding the tips successively into position opposite the advancing ends
of the blades and pressure rollers for compressing the tips upon the blades, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2nd. A tipping machine comprising means for feeding blades successively,
means for feeding the tips successively into position opposite the advancing ends
of the blades, pressure rollers for compressing the tips upon the ends of the blades
and contracted channel a, leading to the compression rollers, with special reference
to Figs. 13, 14 and 15.
3rd. A tipping machine comprising means for feeding the blades successively,
first in one direction, and then in the other, means for supplying tips successively
in position opposite the advancing ends of the blades and means for compressing
the tips upon the opposite end of the blades, substantially as described.
4th. In a tipping machine, two mechanisms for applying tips to the ends of
blades, and mechanism for transferring the blades from one tipping mechanism
to the other so that the tips will be applied to the opposite ends of the blades,
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5th. In a tipping machine, a table provided with a channel, a chute arranged
to communicate with said channel to supply tips thereto, a hopper for said tips,
devices for feeding the tips from the hopper to the chute and pressing rollers
arranged beyond the chute to compress the tips upon the ends of the blades
passing through the channel.
Dated the 7th dor of Santamber 1807