FR2599350A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PERFORMING A WORK ON A ROLLED TISSUE ON A DEBIT ROLLER - Google Patents

Abstract

THIS APPARATUS FOR WORKING ON A FABRIC W WEL UP ON A ROLLER S AND INCLUDING A TABLE 14 DEFINING A SUPPORT SURFACE 16 ON WHICH THE FABRIC IS FLAWED BY A DISPLAY DEVICE 36 INCLUDES MEANS 40 FOR MOVING THE DISPLAY DEVICE IN THE OPPOSED LONGITUDINAL DIRECTIONS, A MECHANISM FOR UNWINDING THE FABRIC FROM THE ROLLER, AN INSTRUMENT 24 ALLOWING TO WORK THE FABRIC OPPOSED AND MOVED BY MEANS 20 AND A VIBRATOR 58 DRIVEN BY A COMMAND 60 TO MAKE VIBRATION BY A CONTINUOUS FREQUENCY EXTENDING BETWEEN ROLLER S AND SURFACE 16. APPLICATION ESPECIALLY IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY.

Description

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and

  methods for performing work on a sheet-like material, and more particularly relates to improvements in apparatus and methods for performing repetitive, dimensionally related work on a fabric wound on a sheet-like material;

  debtor roll and unrolled from the latter.

  The fabrics to which the present invention applies and which include wool, cotton and synthetic materials include fibers which have a developed surface texture characterized by furrowed or similar surface protrusions which tend to adhere or to cling to protrusions on adjacent fibers or threads in the fabric or web. Such features are generally desirable in a fabric and prevent the yarns, which constitute the fabric, from moving relative to each other within the web structure.

  of fabric, which maintains a cohesive structure.

  In the field of manufacturing articles made with such a fabric, it is customary to wrap the fabric in the form of rolls or pieces or sections of fabric to facilitate the handling and appropriate storage. However, the method of winding the fabric to form a roll or cut inevitably subjects the fabric to draw forces which result in the application of tensile, compressive, flexural, shear, and tensor stresses. inside the bodies of the threads that make up the fabric. In addition, adjacent surface projections on each wire or fiber tend to snag or interlock with each other and with the surface projections on neighboring fibers or wires and to prevent stress release within the wire. tis35 wound, when the latter is unrolled from the roll or the cut. More specifically, adjacent entangled surface projections on the curved underside of each fiber of the wound fabric, which are compressed relative to each other when the fabric is wound, resist tensile separation when the fabric is unrolled from the debonding roll, while the neighboring tangled surface protruding portions on the curved outer face of the fibers, which are pulled when the fabric 10 is wound, are pushed towards each other and also oppose separation when the fabric is straightened and unrolled tangentially from the debtor roll. The internal residual stresses within the fibers and the additional stresses produced by the surface protruding parts hung against each other oppose the slackening or contraction of the spread fabric. Creep is a function of time and that is why, when the stresses responsible for this phenomenon are removed, for example during the unfolding or spreading of the fabric, the fabric relaxes and is subject to slow withdrawal by resuming

  standardized dimensions or in the unconstrained state.

  One accepted procedure for removing stresses in a coiled fabric is to unroll the fabric, spread it on a support surface and allow it to rest at a time interval sufficient for it to relax or resume by withdrawal effect. its correct dimensions. Only then can cutting, printing or other operations which are dimensionally related be carried out on the fabric. However this waiting period can cause an expensive downtime of the machine. In addition, the provision of special table-top facilities for receiving the tissue during the waiting period, while allowed to relax, increases

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  the cost of the fabric processing operation, in the form of requirements for additional equipment and increased floor space. The present invention relates to the problems mentioned above.

  An apparatus for performing work on a fabric wound on a supply roll comprises means defining a support surface on which the fabric is spread, a fabric display device for supporting the feed roll and being supported so as to support the feed roll. moving in opposite longitudinal directions of the support surface, means for moving the fabric display device in opposite longitudinal directions of the support surface, means for unrolling the fabric from the supply roll onto the support surface when the display device is moving in the longitudinal direction of the support surface, a vibratory member disposed transversely between the supply roll and the support surface so as to contact an associated part of the fabric when it is unrolled from the debtor roll on the support surface, means for vibrating said body in con tact with the fabric when the latter is unrolled from the debonding roll on the support surface, an instrument for performing a work, which depends on the diumensions, on the fabric spread on the support surface,

  and means for moving the instrument in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the support surface and in relation to the fabric spread on the support surface, allowing work on the fabric. The fabric wound on a debit roll is unrolled from the roll and is spread on the support surface.

  A portion of the fabric between the supply roll and the support surface is vibrated while the fabric is unwound from the support roll and is spread on the support surface so that the fabric relaxes and takes up its normal dimensions. . A work that is a function of dimensions is implemented immediately on the spread-cloth.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

  - Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic partial axial sectional view of a wire which constitutes a part of a fabric wound on a debiting roll; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the present invention used for carrying out the method according to the invention; and - Figure 3 is a partial elevational view

  a somewhat schematic side view of the apparatus shown in FIG.

  On the drawings and in the description that will

  In accordance with the present invention, the present invention is illustrated and described with reference to an apparatus for performing a dimensionally dependent operation on a fabric wound on a debtor water pipe. The fabric, which may be, for example, cotton, wool or synthetic material, comprises a web or continuous web of filaments or woven threads, characterized by developed surfaces which include irregularly shaped projections which may have a structure curly. These superficial protrusions tend to snap or interlock with one another or become entangled in other ways with similar neighboring projections on the same or adjacent wires, and in FIG. quite schematically a part of a fabric, generally marked by the reference 10. When such a wire is bent, as shown, during a winding or winding operation, compressive and tensile stresses develop within the yarn body, on opposite sides with respect to its

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  central axis, and this in a manner well known in the art. Additional stresses develop or may develop within each yarn in the weave as a result of the tension applied to the fabric during the winding operation. In addition, stresses develop around the outer surface of each wire due to the meshing or entanglement of the surface protruding portions of the wire itself or with the surface protruding portions on other wires which constitute the wire. 'armor. These stresses have the effect that a temporary elongation of the continuous web of fabric usually occurs when the web is rolled up to form a roll or rolled cut. The apparatus and method according to the present invention are intended to achieve essentially immediate relaxation or relaxation of these constraints in order to

  to bring the fabric back to its normal dimensions so that dimensionally dependent operations, such as die cutting or marking operations, can be performed as soon as the fabric is unwound from the supply roll and this There is no serious risk of subsequent creep resulting from dimensional changes in the fabric, which can lead to serious errors in the size and / or shape of the finished articles.

  Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that a typical apparatus embodying the present invention and used in carrying out the process according to the invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 12. The Apparatus 12 shown is particularly suitable for carrying out an operation, which is lieades dimensions, on a fabric marked by the letter F and stored on a roll S debtor. More specifically, the apparatus 12 is able to spread a strip of fabric 35 and cutting one or more piecesdesignedin this

  web, which may be constituted by a single web of fabric or by a plurality of webs or folds of fabric stacked vertically. In the drawings and the description which follows, the apparatus 12 is shown and described with reference to a web of fabric which consists of a

  only cloth web to be cut which will be hereinafter referred to as spread fabric. However, it will be understood that the term "spread fabric" as used herein also refers to a web of fabric which has a plurality of individual webs or layers of fabric stacked vertically on top of one another, and which It is envisaged to use modified forms of the apparatus and method described below in more detail for

  produce and process webs formed from multiple webs of a fabric spread in the relaxed state or having its normal dimensions.

  The apparatus shown 12 is particularly adapted for cutting one or a plurality of separate parts or pieces thereof in a spread fabric and comprises a table 14 which defines a support surface 16, on which a cloth tablecloth is spread. A main carriage, generally indicated by the reference numeral 18, extends above the table 14 and is supported so as to move in opposite longitudinal directions with respect to the table. A cutter head, generally designated 20, is supported by the main carriage so as to move in concert with the latter and with respect to the latter to make the web page of the fabric web. to positioning signals provided by a digitally controlled or computerized control device generally designated 22. The cutting tool comprises a rotary blade or a circular cutting blade 24, which co-operates with the surface of support 16 so as to perform a cutting, being able to move on the web of this fabric so as to cut along a line as marked at 26 and which can be either a straight line or a curved line according to the desired profile, when cutting a given element or piece of equipment in the

cloth tablecloth.

  Two tracks 28 mounted on the table frame, on opposite sides of the support surface, support the main carriage. The table also has two elongate racks 30 which are mounted in

  fixed positions on opposite sides of the support surface, in the vicinity of and parallel to the tracks.

  The carriage 18 is supported so as to move in opposite longitudinal directions of the support surface 16 by means of a plurality of rollers (not shown) arranged to roll on the upper and side surfaces of the tracks. A reversible drive motor 32 mounted on the carriage drives an associated pinion meshing with one of the racks 30 to move the carriage in the longitudinal direction of the table or in a direction indicated by the arrow X, in response to received control signals

  from the controller 22, which is electrically connected to the carriage.

  The cutting head 20 is supported by the carriage so as to move transversely with respect to the support surface 16 under the action of a guide bar (not shown) which extends transversely with respect to the carriage. above the support surface, and a lead screw (not shown) supported by the carriage being aligned parallel to the guide bar and driven by another reversible motor 34. The drive motor 34 drives the cutting head 20 in a transverse direction, as indicated by arrow Y, in response to signals received from the controller 22. Preferably the circular cutting blade 24 is arranged to rotate about a vertical axis, a direction marked by the arrow theta) in Figure 1 5 and is rotated about the latter axis by a drive motor 35 associated with the cutting head 20, in response to signals received by this As a result, the circular cutting blade 24 can be programmed to cut a web of fabric spread on the table 14 along a predetermined path, in order to realize the cutting edge. cutting of this web in the form of a drawn piece such as the drawn piece P shown in Figure 2. The cutting head 20 is also preferably arranged to move vertically relative to the main carriage 18, so that the circular cutting blade 24 can be lifted from its normal cutting position into a raised position, in which

  it is located above the tablecloth.

  The apparatus 12 further comprises a fabric display device, generally identified by the reference numeral 36 and adapted to receive and support the debonding roll S. The device shown 36 for displaying the fabric comprises a carriage 37 supported so as to contact the tracks 28 and roll on them by means of rollers 38 (two of which are shown) which contact the upper and lower surfaces of the tracks. The fabric display device is driven by a reversible motor 40 which carries a pinion 42 meshing with one of the racks 30 and which receives control signals from the programmable controller 22 so as to move the carriage of the display device in opposite longitudinal directions with respect to the table 14. An unwinding mechanism generally identified by reference numeral 44 in FIG.

  on the carriage 37 of the display device supports the tissue section or the supply roll S so that it rotates about an axis which extends transversely with respect to the support surface. Another driving motor 46, which is part of the unwinding mechanism, receives control signals from the control device 22 and drives the supply roll S so that it unrolls the fabric at a corresponding linear speed. generally at the linear velocity at which the fabric is deposited or spread on the support surface.

  At least one feed roll is supported by the weave of the weaving device so as to rotate approximately about an axis parallel to the axis of the feed roll S, but preferably, and as shown, the apparatus 12 comprises a plurality of feed rollers 48. The feed rollers are driven in a clocked relationship with the feed roll S and relative to each other by means of a feed mechanism. 50 and act in such a way as to maintain a free hanging loop of fabric F unwound, in a substantially relaxed state inside a release zone located between the feed rollers and

identified by R in Figure 3.

  The longitudinal yarns of the fabric F inside the zone R can be subjected to a slight traction because of the weight of the fabric which forms the suspended free loop, but the value of this constraint is negligible compared to the value of the constraint. to which the yarns are subjected when the fabric is wound up to form the sender roll S. A detection device, such as the illustrated photodetector, generally identified by the reference numeral 52 and which may be constituted for example by a photoelectric cell, a photoelectric tube or the like, identified by the reference numeral 54, and a light source 55, is preferably connected via an amplifier 56 to the control device 22, which sends control signals to the so that a loose loop of loose fabric F is at all times ee-in the area

  R present between the feed rollers 48.

  In addition, according to the invention, there is provided means for vibrating the unrolled fabric F between the supply roll S and the support surface 16 so as to move an associated part of the cloth before that. the latter is spread on the support surface. The applied vibration suppresses the residual stresses present in the tissue and causes a rapid return of the tissue to its relaxed or normalized state. In the embodiment shown, the vibratory motion is applied to the tissue by means of a vibratory organ. or an elongated bar 58, which is carried by the device 36 for fabric stretching. The bar extends transversely relative to the carriage 37 of the fabric display device and substantially transversely across the entire width of the carriage, at its discharge end, so that the unrolled fabric of the feed roll S is applied to the upper surface of the bar 58 and moves on this

  bar, when the carriage of the display device moves relative to the support surface 16 so as to spread the fabric F on this surface. Thus, the bar is able to contact an associated part of the continuous web of fabric and to vibrate it across its entire width.

  Various drive means may be provided for applying vibration to the bar 58. The bar may for example be driven by a plurality of high frequency electromagnetic transducers arranged to operate in concert as indicated by

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  Staelin in US Patent No. 2,949,707 entitled "Method and apparatus for grinding and polishing a glass sheet", published August 23, 1960 and incorporated herein by reference. Further known in the art are motors for transmitting mechanical vibrations at ultrasonic frequencies, and examples of such motors, which can be adapted to vibrate an organ in a frequency range including ultrasonic frequencies. are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,086,288 issued to Balamuth et al., U.S. Patent No. 3,666,975.

  assigned to Balamuth and U.S. Patent No. 3,934,526 to Damast et al., which are hereby incorporated by reference.

  Preferably, and as shown, there is provided a device 62 for controlling the vibrator device, which serves to control the drive device 60 of the vibrator device. The control device is preferably arranged to continuously change the output vibration frequency of the vibrator device driving device 60 so that

  vibrations are imparted to the bar 58 in a frequency range including the ultrasonic frequencies.

  Preferably, the device 62 for controlling the vibrator device is furthermore arranged so as to continuously modify the amplitude of the vibrations applied to the vibrator.

  bar 58, when the fabric F passes on this bar.

  It should be understood that the device 62 for controlling the vibrator device may comprise a part

  of the control device 22 so that the drive device 30 of the vibrator device is arranged to operate in a manner synchronized with the operating cycle of the apparatus 12, that is, the control device of the Vibrator device operates when the fabric display device operates in its display mode. However, for the clarity of the

  lustration, the device 62 cancels the vibrator device is shown in Figure 3 in the form of a

separate control unit.

  Preferably, there is provided means for holding the fabric in a fixed position on the support surface 16 after it has been spread out and, for this purpose, the table 14 may be constituted by a suitable vacuum retaining plate. . Since the details of the constitution of such a table are not essential for the understanding of the present invention, it will not be described.

  in more detail the structure of the table. However, a description of a restraint & vacuum table that can be used with a cutting apparatus of the type previously described is given in US Pat. No. 4,444,078 to Pearl for the apparatus for cutting a material.

  in the form of a sheet, published April 24, 1984, to the applicant of the present application For a more complete description of the constitution of such a table, reference may be made to the patent granted to Pearl described above and which is hereby incorporated by reference. .

  Before the start of the display process, the main carriage 18 moves to the right end of the display table 14, as shown in FIG. 3, in response to a control signal received from the control device 22. by the motor 32. The fabric display device 36 can be driven simultaneously to the right end of the table 14 in response to a control signal from the controller 22 and received by the driver 40 of the device

display of the fabric.

  When the carriage 37 of the display device

  advances or moves to the left (FIG. 3), in response to the actuation of the fabric display device control device 40, the unwinder device 46 and the roller drive device 50. ad-

  this acts to unroll the tissue, while maintaining it in a relaxed state within the zone R. The unrolled tissue moves on the upper surface of the vibrating bar 58, which preferably vibrates with frequencies and vibration amplitudes vary continuously. The control device 22 adjusts the speed of the display unit carriage advance and the unwinding speed of the fabric so that the linear unwinding speed is essentially equal to the linear speed with which the fabric is deposited on the machine.

support surface 16.

  Vibrations applied to the tissue, the frequency and / or amplitude of which may vary permanently and which preferably include frequencies in the ultrasonic frequency range so as to activate the threads in the tissue so that the Residual stresses inside the body of the wires are dissipated. The short wavelength vibrations applied to the fabric tend to activate the superficial crimped surface portions in reciprocal meshing present on the yarns constituting the fabric. The activity thus provoked by these superficial projecting parts causes a sufficient relative displacement between the different projecting parts so as to effect the relaxation of the entanglement existing between projecting parts.

  associated. Thus the fabric is loosened or narrowed as it leaves the fabric display and is spread on the support surface 16.

  The control device may be programmed to compensate for this removal so that the tissue is unwound on the table at a proper speed and furthermore an additional application of stress to the fabric by the display operation is avoided. When the advancing display device reaches the limit of its forward path, the tissue may be cut so that the fabric spread on the support surface is separated from the tissue on the S-roll. Suitable and conventional cutting or shearing mechanism (not shown) may be mounted for this purpose on the fabric display device 36, if desired. If it is desired to have a strip formed of multiple layers, it is possible to repeat the display mode described above so as to form a strip which comprises a plurality of

tablecloths stacked with fabric.

  Preferably the cutting process begins immediately after completion of the display process. However, if desired, the cutting and display processes can be performed simultaneously. More specifically, once the fabric spreading device 36 has advanced a certain distance during the display process, the main carriage 18 may be actuated by appropriate control signals provided by the controller 22 , so that the cutting process can begin. If a multi-zone vacuum restraint table, such as that described in the aforementioned US Patent and assigned to Pearl, is used, a holding force implementing a vacuum can be applied to the surface 16 of the table. only in the area in which the circular cutting blade 24 is acting, and this is why the display operation can take place essentially independently of

the cutting operation.

  According to the invention, a cutting operation or other operation, which is related to dimensions, is or can be performed in the tissue immediately after the latter has been spread on the support surface. The term "immediately" as used in this application is intended to imply essentially continuous operation, i.e., operation in which the fabric, after being spread, is then ready for submission. has an operation or job, which is a function of dimensions. In practice, a certain amount of time may elapse between the display operation and the implementation of the size-dependent work on the spread fabric. However, it is contemplated that an operation or work, which is a function of size, is performed on the spread fabric after a time interval of no more than one hour after the fabric has been spread on the support surface. Specifically, the term "immediately" is meant to encompass all cases where the fabric, after being spread, is ready to be worked without any risk of substantial dimensional change, even though the flow may occur. a duration of up to one hour between the display operation and the implementation of subsequent work, related to dimensions,

in the fabric.

Claims (14)

  Apparatus for performing work on a fabric (F) wound on a delivery roll (S) and having a table (14) defining a support surface (16), on which the fabric can be spread, a device (36) ) exhibiting the fabric for supporting a tissue-receiving roll and supported so as to move in opposite longitudinal directions of said support surface so as to spread the fabric from the supply roll onto that support surface; means (40) for moving said fabric display device (36) in opposite longitudinal directions of said support surface, a mechanism (44) for unrolling the fabric from the supply roll onto said support surface (16); ), when said device (36) moves in the longitudinal direction of said support surface, an instrument (24) for performing work on the fabric spread on said support surface, means (20) ) for displacing said instrument in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of said support surface (16) and in a relative working position with respect to the fabric spread over said support surface, which enables it to perform work on the fabric spread on this surface, further characterized in that it comprises a vibrator device (58) and a device (60) for operating the vibrator device so as to obtain a vibration at continuously variable frequencies, a part of the fabric (F) extending the full width of the apparatus and being located between said supply roll (S) and said support surface (16).   Apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the device (60) for driving the vibrator device (58) actuates the latter in a frequency range including the ultrasonic frequencies.   An apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that said vibrator device (58) is mounted on said fabric display device (36) so as to move with   this device (36) and with respect to said support surface (16).   An apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 1, further characterized in that said drive device (60) for driving said vibrator device (58) operates the vibrator device (58) to modify   the amplitude of the vibration of said vibrator device.   An apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that said device (60) for driving the vibrator device (58)   actuates the latter so as to continuously modify the amplitude of the vibration of this vibrator device.   Apparatus for working on a fabric according to claim 1, further characterized in that it comprises a mechanism (46) for controlling said unwinding mechanism (44) so as to maintain the unrolled fabric, relaxed state in a release zone (R) between the supply roll (S) of said surface support (16).   Apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 6, characterized in that said vibrator device (58) is disposed between said area   release member (R) and said support surface (16).   Apparatus for performing work on a fabric according to claim 1, further characterized in that   said vibrator device (58) comprises a vibratory member disposed between the supply roll (S) and said support surface (16) and for contacting the part of the fabric obtained when the fabric is unwound from the debonding roll on the support surface.   18 ' 9. A method for working on a fabric (F) wound on a delivery roll (S), of the type including the operating phases of unrolling the fabric (F) of the supply roll (S) and spreading the fabric on a support surface (16) when unrolled from the delivery roll, further characterized in that it comprises vibrating an associated portion of the unrolled fabric located between the supply roll and the support surface at a continuously varying frequency while the fabric is unrolled from the debtor roll and is spread on the surface   in order to loosen the tissue and bring it into its normal state, and immediately perform work on the spread fabric on the support surface.   The method for performing work on a fabric of claim 9, further characterized by including the further process step of controlling the unwinding of the fabric (F) from the supply roll (S) to maintain the fabric in the released state in a release zone (R) located between the supply roll and the support surface.   11. A method for performing work on a fabric   Sketch according to claim 10, characterized in that the operative phase of vibrating the tissue is to vibrate a part of the unrolled tissue located   between the release zone and the support surface.   12. A method for performing a work on a fabric according to claim 9, characterized in that the vibrating operation phase consists in vibrating the associated part of the unrolled tissue with   amplitudes of vibrations constantly changing.   13. A method for performing a work on a fabric according to claim 9, characterized in that the vibrational operating phaseconsists in vibrating a part of the unrolled tissue, a continuously varying frequency and with a varying vibration amplitude continuously.   14. A method for performing a work on a fabric according to claim 9, characterized in that the pha5 operating vibrations consists of putting into vibration,   ultrasonically, said part of the fabric.