GB2183447A

GB2183447A - Insertion tool

Info

Publication number: GB2183447A
Application number: GB08530371A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ge Vasant Janardan Shend
Original assignee: RHODEN PARTNERS Ltd
Current assignee: RHODEN PARTNERS Ltd
Priority date: 1985-12-10
Filing date: 1985-12-10
Publication date: 1987-06-10
Also published as: GB2183447B; AU6632786A; GB8530371D0; US4938397A; EP0227354A2; EP0227354A3

Description

1 GB 2 183 447 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Insertion members 9 The present invention relates to a n insertion mem ber and a method of use therof, and more particularly to its use in the inserion of a f lo p into a tu bu la r opening.

Disposable paper hats a re widely worn by staff in the food retail trade. One such hat comprises a first paper member in the form of a strip which is arranged to be shaped general ly into a ci rcle to f it a rou nd the head. A second paper mem ber in the form of a sheet of thin ner material is co n nected to the i n ner circu mfer ence of the f i rst pa per mem ber to cover th e top of the head. The strip formed by the f irst pa per mem ber is acutal ly of doubl e thickness and corn prises a f lattened tube.

Du ri ng assembly of the hat, one necessary step is to insert one end of the f lattened tu be into the other. At present, although the other manufacturing steps are performed automatically, this step is performed manually by human operators.

It is f irst necessa ry to open one of the ends of the flattened tube; this is generally done by blowing on it.

The other (sti 11 f lat) end of the tu be is th en i nserted into the opened end; this is a difficult operation since the two ends are of the sa me size. Also moving th e flat end 90 inside the open end meets with a certain frictional resistance. According ly th is step is time-consu ming and involves expensive la bou r costs.

The present invention seeks to overcome or reduce the above disadvantages.

Of course, itwould be possible forthetube ends to be assembled by permanently attaching them to each other (e.g. by glueing orstapling) butthe ends are required to be slidable in use so thatthe size of the hat (i.e. the circumference of the first paper member) can 100 be adjusted to fitthewearer's head.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of inserting a first member into an open end of a tubular member comprising providing thefirst memberwith first engagement means, introducing a tool comprising a head portion having a width less than or equal to thewidth of the tubular memberand second engagement means, inter-engaging the first and second engagement meansto form a one-way drive connection, inserting 110 the head portion into the open end and moving it along and within the tubular member entraining the first member therewith, and withdrawing the tool and disengaging thefirst and second engagement means.

Thefirst engagement means may be constituted by 115 one or more holes in thefirst member, preferablytwo slots. The second engagement means may be constituted by one or more projections on the head portion of thetool, preferablytwo hook members spaced apart bythe same distance asthe slots.

The tubular member is preferably substantially flattened, in which case the tool is substantially planar and the first member is a flap preferably of substantially the same width as the flattened tubular member. In a preferred arrangement, the flap constitutes the other end of the flattened tubular member. Preferablythe corners atthe end of the flap are slightly tapered.

The tubular member is preferably arranged to form the circumferential member of a disposable paper hat.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the combination of a hat and an associated tool, the hat comprising a circumferential strip comprising a substantially flattened tubular memberhaving an open end and an end forming aflap,theflap having first engagement means, and thetool being substantially planar and having a head portion having a width lessthan or equal tothewidth of theflattened tubular member and second engagement meanswhich form a one- way drive connection with thefirst engagement means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tool for inserting a flap into the open end of a substantially flattened tubular member, thetool being substantially planar and comprising a head portion having the shape of an arrow-head and having one or more projecting one-way engagement means.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a hat having a circumferential strip in the form of a substantially flattened tubular member, one end of the tubular member being provided with one or morethrough holes.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, byway of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an insertion tool for use in a method in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a side view of the tool of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a flap member aboutto be inserted into a substantially flattened tubular opening in accordance with a method in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figs 1 and 2 show an insertion tool 10. Thetool comprises a shank portion 11 and a shaped head portion 12. The nose 16 of the head portion 12 is shaped like an arrow-head. Shank portion 12 has two laterally-spaced hook members 14. The tool is of a stiffer material than the paper, preferably of metal, and hook members 14 are conventiently stamped out of the material of the head portion.

Fig. 3 shows part of a paper hat of the disposable type used in the catering and other food-handling trades, or in otherfields where hygiene is important. Such hats are well-known. Fig. 3 showsthe ends of the circumferential strip 20 intended to go around the head of the wearer. Strip 20 is formed from a single thickness strip having a width approximately equal to 2 wwhich isfolded longitudinally along lines located at approximately one quarter and three quarters of the width of the strip. Thus strip 20 is of double thickness and in theform of a flattened tube; the endsforming the gap atthe back of the strip (notshown) may overlap and may be secured together, e.g. by glueing, if required. Strip 20 is of width w.

Once end 21 of the strip 20 is maintained flatto form The drawing(s) originally filed was (were) informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

2 a flap member and is provided with two col] inear slots 23, of which the centres are separated by the same distance as the centres of hook members 14. The corners 25 of end 21 are slightly tapered.

The other end 22 of the strip 20 is arranged to be opened out slightly to form a tubular opening and to permit insertion of end 21.

In use hook members 14 are inserted in slots 23. Tool 10 is arranged generally parallel with the ends 21, 22 and head portion 12 is pushed into the open end 22. Atthe same time hook members 14 push the edges of slots 23. When slots 23 have been moved the required distance within end 22, the tool is then withdrawn. Hook members 14 disengage automatica 1 ly from slots 23 and the end 21 remains where it is.

The adva ntage of the above-described a rrangement is that it permits both easy insertion of end 21 into end 22 and easy movement of end 21 once with in end 22. The arrow-head shape of nose 16 perm its qu ick and guided entryof end 21 into end 22, andthetapering of i'p corners 25assistsin this.The positive drive of hook members 14againstthe edges of slots 23 readily overcomes the frictional resistance between the portions of the paper strip.

Thetool 10 may beoperated manually; the rate at which operations can be performed by an operator is substantially increased. Alternatively and more advantageously, the process can be automated, eg by attaching tool 10 by means of holes 13 to a reciprocat- ing arm and providing an automatic handling device forthe paper hats.

Various modifications may be made to the abovedescribed arrangement.

Forexample alternative one-way drive connections maybe provided between thetool 10 and the end 21 of 100 the hat. Thetool may have slots and the end 21 of the strip, if of sufficiently stiff material, may be provided with suitable engaging projections.

The material of strip 20 may be otherthan paper, eg card or plastics material.

Flap 21 may be of single thickness.

The arrangement may be used elsewhere than in connection with hats. It may be employed wherever it is required to insert a flap member into an opening off

Claims

similarsize. CLAIMS:

1. A method of inserting a first member into an open end of a tubular member comprising providing the first member with first engagement means, introducing a tool comprising ahead portion having a 115 width less than or equal to the width of the tubular member and second engagement means, inter-engaging the first and second engagement means to form a one-way drive connection, inserting the head portion into the open end and moving it along and within the tubular member entraining the first membertherewith, and withdrawing thetool and disengaging thefirst and second engagement means.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the first engagement means comprises one or more slots and the second engagement means comprises an equal number of projections.

3. A method according to Claim 1, wherein the tubular member is substantial ly flattened, the tool is substantially planar and the first member is consti- GB 2 183 447 A 2 tuted bya flap.

4. A method according to Claim 3, wherein the flap is of substantially the same width as the flattened tubularmember.

5. A method according to Claim 3 or4, wherein the corners of the flap are tapered.

6. A method according to anyone of Claims3to 5, wherein the flap constitutes the other end of the flattened tubular member.

7. A method according to Claim 6, wherein the flattened tubular memberconstitutes a circumferential member of a hat.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the head portion of the tool is of arrow-head shape.

9. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the tool is operated manually.

10. AMethod accordingto anyof claims 1 to 8, wherein the tool is operated by a machine.

11. A method of inserting a first member into an open end of a tubular member substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying draw ings.

12. The combination of a hat and an associated tool, the hat comprising a circumferential strip comprising a substantiallyflattened tubular member having an open end and an endforming a flap, the flap having first engagement means, and thetool being substantially planar and having a head portion having a width less than or equal to thewidth of theflattened tubular member and second engagement means which form a one-way drive connection with thefirst engagement means.

13. The combination of Claim 12, wherein the first engagement means comprises one or more slots and the second engagement means comprises an equal number of projections.

14. The combination of a hat and an associated tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. Atool for inserting a flap into the open end of a substantiallyflattened tubular member, the tool being substantially planar and comprising, ahead portion having the shape of an arrow-head and having one or more projections one-way engagement means.

16. A tool substantially as herein described with reference to Figs land 2 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A hat having a circumferential strip in the form of a substantially flattened tubular member, one end of the tubular member being provided with one or morethrough holes.

18. A hat according to Claim 17, wherein said end istapered.

19. A hat substantially as herein described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Printed in the United Kingdom for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Tweeddale Press Group, 8991685, 6187 18996. Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

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