GB1346849A - Machine for manufacturing artificial shrubs - Google Patents

Abstract

1346849 Artificial shrubbery MASTERPIECE Inc 15 Dec 1971 58339/71 Heading A4X [Also in Divisions B3 and B8] An apparatus for making an artificial shrub includes an endless conveyer 22 for feeding shrub limbs 134, 134<SP>1</SP>, 134<SP>11</SP>, at spaced positions to the nip between a pair of pulleys 14, 16, a device 10 for feeding wires 96, 98 through the pulleys 14, 16, a device 52 for twisting the wires 96, 98 to lock the limbs between the wires at spaced positions and a cutter 12 for cutting the twisted wires. In operation, a carriage 10 connected by coupling members 74 to a pair of spaced chains 70, is moved towards the pulleys 14, 16 by driving the chains 70 by a fluid motor (78) Fig. 2 (not shown) to enable the ends of the wires 96, 98 extending through the pulleys 14, 16 to be gripped by a chuck 52. Chuck jaws 54 pivoted to a shaft 46 are closed upon the wires 96, 98 by moving away a frusto-conical member 50 over the shaft 46 by pivoting a yoke (58) by means of a fluid motor (62). Upon movement of the carriage 10 away from the pulleys 14, 16 a pair of spaced endless chains 114 are driven by the motor (78) via a one way clutch. As the chains 114 move microswitches 170, 172, 174, are actuated by abutments (176, 176<SP>1</SP>, 176<SP>11</SP>) removably connected to one of the chains 114 causing one or more tree limbs 134, 134<SP>1</SP>, 134<SP>11</SP>, to be discharged from hoppers 136, 138, 140 into slots A, B, C of the conveyor 22 defined by wire members 130 attached to the chain links. Alternatively, the slots A, B, C, may be filled when the conveyor 22 is stationary during the return movement of the carriage 10 towards the pulleys 14, 16. During the movement of the carriage 10, the shaft 46 of the chuck 52 is rotated by a fluid motor 48 and the limbs 134, 134<SP>1</SP>, 134<SP>11</SP>, are guided by a guide plate (188) from the slots A, B, C between the wires 96, 98 and into the nip of the pulleys 14, 16 causing the wires to be intertwisted and the limbs to be locked to the wires at spaced positions. The wires may be twisted further when the carriage 10 has reached its furthermost position from the pulleys 14, 16 by further rotation of the chuck 52. Plastics webs 194 are intertwisted with the wires 96, 98 so as to simulate a tree trunk and electrically insulate the limbs. The tree is cut to the desired length by a cutter 12. The movement of the carriage 10, rotation and clamping of the chuck 52 and actuation of the cutter 12 are controlled by movable microswitches 80, 82 actuated by abutments 81, 84 on the carriage 10. The discharge of the limbs into the slots A, B, C may alternatively be tape controlled and the feed conveyor 22 may have independent drive means.