GB1402108A - Methods and apparatus for procuing lengths of material - Google Patents

Abstract

1402108 Finishing edges of fabric J M LANCASTER and D H AYLWIN 2 Oct 1972 45297/72 Heading D1S [Also in Division B5] Lengths of fabric are produced from a continuous supply of fabric by continually cutting predetermined lengths of the fabric away from a continuous length fed from the supply, moving the cut lengths along a path, treating one of the cut ends of each length as it moves along a first path, inverting the cut lengths, moving the lengths along a second path parallel to the first path in a direction opposite to that of lengths moved along the first path and treating the other ends of the lengths as they move along the second path. Fabric 10, Fig. 2A, passes from a roll 11 about a pair of tensioning rods 31 and through a decurling station 12 which comprises a cylindrical tube 32 having diametrically opposed slots 33 positioned to deflect the fabric 10 out of its path. A handle 38 is provided for adjustment of the tube 32. The fabric 10 passes over guide rods 40, 41 to a first side edge treating station 13 comprising vibrating scissor blades 44 to trim the edge 22 which is then oversewn by a multiple needle overedge sewing machine 45. The blades 44 and the machine 45 are drivable by an air drive clutch-brake motor 51 and are adjustable towards and away from the fabric 10 and are rotatable about a vertical axis to adjust the angular position with respective to the fabric 10. After leaving the station 13, the fabric 10 passes around guide rods 58, 59, through a second side edge treating station 14 identical to the station 14, between driven feed rollers 60, 61, and down a slide 65 into an accumulating station 15 comprising a weighing pan 66 supported from a rotatable rod 67. When a large amount of fabric 10 has accumulated in the pan 66, the pan is in a low position detected by switches (not shown) and, when the accumulation of fabric has depleted from the pan 66, the pan is lifted upwardly by a counterweight 68 and the new position detected by switches. The arrangement is such that, when more than a predetermined amount of fabric has accumulated in the pan 66, the operation of the rollers 60, 61 and the machines at the stations 13, 14 is terminated until the accumulation has depleted and, when less than a predetermined amount of fabric remains in the pan, the operation of the apparatus downstream of the pan 66 is terminated. The fabric 10 is fed by rollers 70, 71 into a cutting station 16, Fig. 2B, comprising a cutter 74 actuated by a ram 75 to cut the fabric into individual lengths. A photoelectric cell 76 is positioned at a transfer station 17 to detect the leading edge of the fabric and, accordingly, terminate the rotation of the rollers 70, 71 and actuate the cutter 74. The upper runs of narrow conveyor tapes 79 feed the leading end of the fabric 10 across a transfer table 80. The pulleys 81 carrying the tapes 79 are driven by the same motor as the rollers 70, 71 but at a faster velocity. When the cutter 74 has been raised, a ram 96 moves pads 95 into engagement with the cut fabric length and a ram 85 moves a trolley 85 along tracks 84 of an H-beam 82 to feed the cut length in a U-shape conveyor system 101 comprising narrow conveyor tapes 105, 106, work tables 102, 103 and a rotatable drum 104. A photoelectric cell 100 prevents actuation of the trolley 85 until the trailing edge of the preceeding cut length has cleared it. End edge treating stations 19, 20 are provided and are identical to the stations 13, 14 but with the additional provision of thread chain trimmers 112, 122 each comprising a blade 115 actuated by a ram 114. Photoelectric cells 113, 123 detect the space between adjacent cut lengths and actuate the trimmers 112, 122, respectively. The finished lengths are discharged by a conveyor 128. In a modification, Fig. 3, for detecting a printed pattern on the fabric, a measuring wheel 130 measures the length of fabric fed to the station 17 and a photoelectric cell 131 is adjusted to detect a portion of the printed pattern 132 to stop the rollers 70, 71 and actuate the blade 74.