CA1056776A

CA1056776A - Clip storage

Info

Publication number: CA1056776A
Application number: CA278,184A
Authority: CA
Inventors: John D. Baker
Original assignee: British and Foreign Tobacco Co Ltd
Current assignee: British and Foreign Tobacco Co Ltd
Priority date: 1976-05-13
Filing date: 1977-05-11
Publication date: 1979-06-19
Also published as: GB1522547A; DE2721685A1

Abstract

CLIP STORAGE

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
The invention provides a way of storing spring clips that enables the clips to be conveniently supplied to a machine for applying them to an article, e.g. spring clips (preferably of plastics material) intended to grip and hold folded articles or garments such as shirts, blouses or the like. This is achieved by means of a supply tape comprising a plurality of pleats running transversely of the length of the tape and a plurality of generally U-shaped spring clips, each of which has its opposed arms engaged on opposite sides of one of the pleats. Also disclosed is an apparatus for applying the clips to the tape, comprising mechanism for feeding the tape between a pair of meshing toothed wheels (one having teeth of substantially square section and the other of triangular section spaced apart from one another) adapted to pleat the tape. At an application station the clips are engaged on the pleats, each with its opposed arms engaged on opposite sides of the pleat.

Description

This invention relates to tl~e storage of spring clips, An object of tlle invention is to provide a way of storing spring clips which enables the clips to be conveniently supplied to a machine for applying the clips to an article. The invention is particularly applicable to spring clips, preferably of plastics material, which are intended to grip and hold folded articles or garments such as shirts, blouses or like garments. It is well known that such garments are usually supplied by a maker in a folded condition with the various lolds pinned or clipped together.
According to the invention there is provided a supply tape l`or clips, the said tape comprising a plurality of pleats running transversely of the length of the tape and a plurality of generally U-shaped spring clips, each of which has its opposed arms engaged on opposite sides of one of the pleats.
There is also disclosed an apparatus for applying clips to a storage tape comprising means for feedillg the tape between a pair of meshillg toothcd wlleels adaptcd to pleat the tape, means for feeding generally U-shaped spring clips to a clip apl)lication station, an(llllcarls located at the application station for engaging the clips on the pleats, each clip being received on a resl)ective pleat with its oppose-l arms engage(l on .

opposite sides of the pleat.
The invention is particularly applicable to clips constructed generally as described in -the specification of British Patent No. 1,351,783 but it will be appreciated that the invention is not confined to the storage of SUC}I
clips .
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an apparatus for making a tape according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a similar view of part of a modified for~ of apparatus.
Figure 1 shows an apparatus for producing a store of spring clips which comprises a pair of toothed forming rolls 1 and 2 wllich are rotatable about parallel axes.
The teeth of these forming rollers mesh with each other.
The roller 1 has teeth 3 which are generally square in axial section, and the teeth 4 of the roller 2 are triangular, being separated from one another by flat portions 5.
A tape 6 of suitable foldable material, for example paper, is supplied from a sul)ply reel 7 to the formill6 rollers 1,2 and passes between thc rollers in a tortllous path defined by the meshing teeth. Tlle passa~e of the tape between the teeth of the forming rollers causes the tape to be doubled on itself at rc6ularly spaced intervals along its length, there~y to lorlll 1~56771~
pleats or folds 8 extending transversely of the length of the tape. Clips 9 are fed from a supply thereof, for example a vibrating hopper, to a feed channel 10.
The clips are forwarded from the channel 10 between an upper driven belt 11 and a lower driven belt 12 as far as a stop 13. Clips are built up behind the stop until the build up is detected by a sensor 1~, for example a photo-electric sensor. An upper pusher carriage 15 which carries a pusher plate 16 is then caused to lQ move forwardly to propel the clips into an arrangement of inclined chutes 17. The clips travel down the assembly, one in each chute, until they come to rest in a lower pivoted section 18 thereof. The section 18 is pivoted downwardly into a horizontal position and a lower pusher carriage 19 having a plurality of spaced fingers 20 is then activated to push the clips from the section 18 through a guide 21 on to pleats 8 of the tape 6. One clip is received on each pleat.
The tape carrying the clips passes between a pair of rollers 22 whose surfaces are preferably of a soft material such as soft rubber, which ensure that the clips are firmly seated on the pleats. The tape with the clips thereon is then wound up on a reel 23. When sufficient clips have been wound on a clip-free unpleated section is wound on to complete the reel. The tape is - then severed by a knife 24. The reel 23 is driven and its surface by a belt 25. Tape is taken up intermittently on the reel, the pusher carriage 19 Op? rating when the tape is stationary.
A modified embodiment is shown in Figure 2. In this the tape 6 is pleated between two rollers 1~2 iden-tical to those shown in Figure 1. The pleated tape then passes from the rollers 1,2 to a feed drum 30. This feed drum rotates about an axis parallel to, and adjacent, the rollers 1,2.
The feed drum 30 has a plurality of clip feeding channels 31 regularly spaced around its periphery. These feed channels extend lengthwise of the drum over about half the peripheral surface of the drum. The other half of the drum is substantially smoo~h. The folded or pleated tape is fed from the forming rollers on to the smooth surface of the feed drum.
Spring clips 9 of which only two are shown are loaded into the feed channels 31 at a loading station (not shown) past which the drum travels prior to reaching the rollers 1,2. These clips are loaded into the feed channels with their open end or mouth facing the smooth surface of the drum. The rate of feed of tape and the spsed of rotation of the drum are such that each pleat o-~ the tape drives on the drum immediately opposite - 10$67'^~6 the open end or mouth of a spring clip. A pushing device (not shown) is provided to enter each feed channel and engage the closed ends of the clips and push the open ends over the doubled folds or pleats at a pushing station 32, movement being continued until the pleat or doubled fold is wholly embraced by the spring clip.
The tape with the clips thereon is removed from the feed drum and wound on to a suitable reel or coiling drum, as in Figure 1.
Instead of winding the tape with clips attached on a suitable reel it may be folded into a suitable carton or container or collated in an~v other way suitable for subsequently leeding the tapes into a clipping apparatus.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
A supply tape for clips, the said tape comprising a plurality of pleats running transversely of the length of the tape and a plurality of generally U-shaped spring clips, each of which has its opposed arms engaged on opposite sides of one of the pleats.