GB2203665A

GB2203665A - Producing a dart flight

Info

Publication number: GB2203665A
Application number: GB08809727A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas David Pope; Sidney John Pope
Original assignee: RETRIEVER SPORTS Ltd
Current assignee: RETRIEVER SPORTS Ltd
Priority date: 1987-04-24
Filing date: 1988-04-25
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2008-04-25
Also published as: GB8709720D0; GB8807895D0; GB2203665B; GB8809727D0

Abstract

For producing a dart flight, a folded strip of material (6) is passed through means (10, 12) for embossing the folded strip of material in a desired pattern, and the folded and embossed strip is then advanced through a press (20) which cuts a dart flight from out of the embossed folded strip. The embossing means and the cutting press are arranged to operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles such that the cutting press cuts the dart flight out of the embossed strip at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and identically positioned on each dart flight. <IMAGE>

Description

A PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A DART FLIGHT This invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing a dart flight.

The game of darts is well known and very popular.

There is always a need for different types of dart flight.

The dart flights may be differently shaped and provided with different patterns. Some of the dart flights are embossed with different patterns.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus for embossing dart flights, which process and apparatus enable intricate patterns to be produced easily and cheaply.

Accordingly, this invention provides a process for producing a dart flight, which process comprises providing a folded strip of material, passing the folded strip of material through an embossing means for embossing the folded strip of material in a desired pattern, and advancing the folded and embossed strip of material through a cutting press which cuts a dart flight from out of the embossed folded strip of material, and the process being such that the embossing means and the cutting press are arranged to operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles such that the cutting press cuts the dart flights out of the embossed strip of material at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip of material for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and identically positioned on each dart flight.

Usually, there will be one embossing means and one cutting press. If desired, however, there may be more than one embossing press.

Also usually, the embossing means will emboss the embossed pattern for one dart flight on each embossing press cycle, and similarly the cutting press will cut one dart flight on each cutting press cycle. If desired however the embossing means could be such as to emboss two or more dart flights at oAce, in which case the cutting press would usually cut the same number of embossed dart flights at each cutting press cycle.

Preferably, the folded strip of material is pulled through the embossing means and the cutting press.

The embossing means and the cutting press are preferably pneumatically operated. If desired however the embossing means and/or the cutting press may be electrically or hydraulically operated.

The folded strip of material may be longitudinally folded from flattened tubular material.

The present invention also provides a dart flight when produced by the process of the invention.

The present invention still further provides apparatus for producing a dart flight, which apparatus comprises first embossing means for embossing a folded strip of material, a cutting press for cutting a dart flight from out of the folded strip of material, advancing means for advancing the folded strip of material through the embossing press and the cutting press, and synchronising means for ensuring that the embossing means and the cutting press operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles such that the cutting press cuts the dart flights out of the embossed strip of material at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip of material for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and identically positioned on each dart flight.

The apparatus of the invention will usually be such that there is one embossing means and one cutting press. The apparatus may include more than one cutting press if desired.

The apparatus of the invention will also usually be such that the embossing means embosses the embossed pattern for one dart flight on each embossing cycle, the cutting press then being such as to cut one dart flight on each cutting press cycle. As indicated above, the cutting press may emboss two or more embossed patterns for two or more dart flights on each embossing cycle, and then the cutting press will usually cut the same number of dart flights on each cutting press cycle.

The advancing means is preferably pulling advancing means for pulling the folded strip of material through the embossing means and the cutting press.

The pulling advancing means may comprise a pulling clamp arrangement and a holding clamp arrangement, the pulling clamp arrangement being movable forwards when it is in a nonclamping position and backwards when it is in a clamping position thereby to pull the folded strip of material through the apparatus, and the holding clamp arrangement being such as to clamp the folded strip of Dainal when the pulling clamp arrangement is moving forwards and to release the folded strip of material when the pulling clamp arrangement is moving backwards to pull the folded strw of materit through the apparatus.

The synchronising means may be valve means.

The apparatus may be one in which the embossing means is a pneumatic embossing press, in which the cutting press is a pneumatic cutting press, and in which the valve means is a pneumatic valve means.

The apparatus may include a laminator for laminating the folded strip of material.

The apparatus may also include fonder means for forming the folded strip of material.

The embossing press may comprise a pair of press plates which are embossed with complementary fitting protuberances and recesses to form the embossed pattern on both sides of the folded strip of material.

Generally, the folded strip of material can be provided with any desired embossed pattern. Thus, for example, the embossed pattern may be pimples, corrugations, signs, names, phrases, pictures, portraits and scenes. The signs may be monetary signs such for example as a pound sign. The names of people may be the names of famous dart players. Various catch phrases and funny sayings may also be provided in an embossed pattern. Holograms may also be provided. The use of flat press plates to effect the embossing gives very considerable flexibility for changing the desired embossed pattern. It is only necessary to provide the pattern on the flat press plates and then to re-assemble the flat press plates back into the apparatus of the invention.By ensuring that the cutting press is similarly constructed with a pair of flat cutting plates, the required synchronised working of the embossing press and the cutting press can be ensured. With modern technology, it is easy to engrave the required pattern into the embossing press plates, even if very intricate patterns are desired.

The apparatus of the invention may include speed varying means for varying the speed of operation of the embossing press and the cutting press.

The apparatus of the invention may also include printing means for printing a pattern on to the strip of material prior to the strip ofmaterialbeing embossed. Where two or more embossing dies are employed, each separate embossing die may provide a different pattern on the strip material so that the resultant embossed pattern will be a combination of embossed patterns.

The strip cfma#ri#L will usually be a plastics strip of material. The plastics strip ofmaerial can be any known plastics stripofmaterial.Paper and other materials can be employed if desired. The plastics strip of maXnal may be thermo plastics film. The plastics material may be embossed to give defraction effects, standard embossing and hologram effects.

Two dimensional and three dimensional effects may be achieved.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a simplified side view of apparatus for producing a dart flight; and Figure 2 is a somewhat schematic view showing the hydraulic circuit employed for ensuring that the embossing press and the cutting press of the apparatus operate in synchronism.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown apparatus 2 for producing a dart flight. The apparatus 2 comprises an embossing means in the form of an embossing press 4 for embossing a folded strip 6 of material. The folded strip 6 of material is first laminated in a laminator 8. The embossing press 4 comprises a flat upper embossing plate 10 and a flat lower embossing plate 12. The size of the plate is arranged to be appropriate to the size of the dart flight to be produced. The upper and lower embossing plates 10, 12 can be provided with any desired embossed pattern and the embossing on both plates 10, 12 will be complementary so that the plates 10, 12 fit together.

The upper embossing plate 10 is caused to move by a piston 14 operated from a main press part 16. The lower embossing plate 12 is mounted on a base 18 which is static. The embossing press 4 is a pneumatically operated embossing press 4 as will be described in more detail herein below with reference to Figure 2.

When the folded strip 6 of material has been embossed, it is pulled through the apparatus 2 to a cutting press 20.

The cutting press 20 may be pneumatically operated or it may be mechanically operated. The cutting press 20 is for cutting a dart flight from out of the folded strip 6 of material.

The cutting press 20 has a cutter plate or die 22 which cuts into an appropriately recessed part on a base plate or die 24. The die 22 is arranged to move whilst the die 24 is static on a base 26.

The apparatus 2 includes advancing means 28 for advancing the folded strip 6 of material through the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20. The advancing means 28 comprises a pulling clamp arrangement 30 and a holding clamp arrangement 32. The pulling clamp arrangement 30 is movable forward when it is in a non-clamping position on the folded strip 6 of material. The pulling clamp arrangement 30 is movable backwards when it is in a clamping position on the folded strip 6 of material so that it is able to pull the folded strip 6 of material through the apparatus 2. The holding clamp arrangement 32 is such as to clamp the folded strip 6 of material when the pulling clamp arrangement 30 is moving forwards and is not clamped to the folded strip 6 of material. This ensures that a constant tension is maintained on the folded strip 6 of material.Obviously, any slack developing in the folded strip 6 of material between the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20 would be effective to cause the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20 to operate out of synchronism, which is not permissible. The holding clamp arrangement 32 is such as to release the folded strip 6 of material when the pulling clamp arrangement 30 has arrived at its forward position, has clamped on to the folded strip 6 of material and is ready to pull the folded strip 6 of material back to the rearward position of the pulling clamp arrangement 30.

The pulling clamp arrangement 30 moves on a slide bar 34 and the pulling clamp arrangement 30 abuts against an end stop 36 at the end of its rearward travel. The advancing means 28 may be regarded as a feed mechanism for feeding the folded strip 6 of material through the apparatus 2.

In Figure 2, the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20 are shown somewhat schematically. The necessary air supply is provided by an air compressor unit 38. The air is fed along line 40 and'the air can then branch along lines 42 and 44. Air passing along the line 42 is fed directly to the embossing press 4. Air passing along the line 44 can divide along lines 46, 48. Air passing along line 48 goes to the advancing means 28 as shown. Air passing along line 46 can pass up line 50 and through a valve 52, along line 54 and back to the advancing means 28 as shown. The air passing along line 54 enters the advancing means via a valve 56.

As the cutting press 20 moves up and down, a roller 58 on an arm 60 runs up the side of the cutting press 20 as somewhat schematically illustrated in Figure 2. The roller 58 and the arm 60 act as a trigger mechanism for triggering appropriate operation of the cutting press 20.

Air passing along line 46 can also pass along line 62 to a second trigger mechanism formed by a valve 64 having a roller 66 on the end of an arm 68. The roller 66 can run along the opposite side of the cutting press 20 as illustrated schematically in Figure 2. Air passing through the valve 64 is able to pass along line 70 to the embossing press 4 as shown. The valves 52, 64 thus act to ensure that the cutting press 20 operates in synchronism with the embossing press 4 so that the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20 operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles with the cutting press 20 cutting the dart flight out of the embossed strips of material at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip 6 of material for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and indentically positioned on each dart flight.The valve 56 ensures that the pulling clamp arrangement 30 and the holding clamp arrangement 32 also operate in synchronism with each other and also in synchronism with the embossing press 4 and the cutting press 20. The valve 64 ensures that the embossing press 4 is open when the advancing means 28 pulls the embossed strip 6 of material through the apparatus 2.

It will thus be seen that the apparatus 2 operates as a totally synchronised and integrated unit able to stamp out embossed dart flights from the folded strip 6 of material with very little space and therefore wastage between consecutively following cut dart flights in the folded strip 6 of material.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, if desired, two of the embossing presses 4 could be employed for providing two different types of embossing on the folded strip 6 of material prior to the dart flights being cut out by the cutting press 20. Also, if desired, the apparatus could be provided with a printing unit for printing appropriate patterns and/or designs-on the folded strip 6 of material prior to the folded strip 6 of material being passed through the embossing press 4.If desired the embossed material could be printed before being passed through the cutting press 20 but it is usually easier to print the folded strip 6 of material before passing it through the embossing press 4 if it is desired to print the folded strip 6 of material. Also, if desired, the apparatus 2 could be operated electrically or hydraulically instead of pneumatically.

If desired, the apparatus of the invention may include second embossing means for embossing the material from which the dart flight is to be produced, the second embossing means being provided before laminator means.

The first and the second embossing means may be the same or different. The first and the second embossing means may emboss the same patterns or different patterns. Usually the first and the second embossing means will operate on different areas or overlapping areas of the dart flight.

The apparatus of the invention may include former means for forming the folded strip of material to the desired shape.

This desired shape will usually be a cruciform shape.

Usually, the former means will be positioned before the laminator means.

The apparatus of the invention may also include the laminator means.

The method of the invention may also include method steps appropriate to effecting embossing with first and second embossing means, and/or forming using the former means, and/or laminating using the laminator means.

The first and the second embossing means may be presses or rotating devices such as rotating wheels or rotating rollers. The wheels and rollers may be knurled as desired. The first and/or the second embossing means may thus be rotating knurling wheels. Any desired and appropriate type of embossing may be effected by the first and the second embossing means so that, for example, the embossing may be in the form of corrugations to give a feather effect, or in the form of dimples of any desired cross sectional shape.

The apparatus of the invention may also include printer means for printing desired data such for example as drawings and/or words on the material from which the flight is to be made. Usually, the material will be printed prior to being embossed. As indicated above, the embossing can be effected before the forming stage effected by the former means.

The laminator means is usually a heating device which laminates folded parts of the sheet material together by heat. Prior to the laminating, the sheet material is usually formed to the required shape which is usually a cruciform shape. It may be convenient to form at least some of the required embossing prior to the forming to the cruciform shape, If desired, embossing such for example as the above mentioned corrugations or any desired raised or crimped patterns including mixtures of different types of embossing may be effected by passing the material through a matched pair of patterned nip rolls. The rolls may be heated for effecting the embossing under heat or the rolls may be cold for effecting the embossing under cold conditions. Where the rolls are heated, they may be heated to a temperature of from l50-2200C (302-4280F). Where flat presses are employed, these may also be heated or not heated. Where the flat presses are heated, they can be heated to the above mentioned temperatures. Where presses are employed, they may be of any size. The embossing may also be such as to give a hologram effect as mentioned above.

Claims

1. A process for producing a dart flight, which process comprises providing a folded strip of material, passing the folded strip of material through an embossing means for embossing the folded strip of material in a desired pattern, and advancing the folded and embossed strip of material through a cutting press which cuts a dart flight from out of the embossed folded strip of material, and the process being such that the embossing means and the cutting press are arranged to operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles such that the cutting press cuts the dart flight out of the embossed strip of material at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip of material for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and identically positioned on each dart flight.

2. A process according to claim 1 in which there is one embossing means and one cutting press.

3. A process according to claim 2 in which the embossing means embosses the embossed pattern for one dart flight on each embossing press cycle, and in which the cutting press cuts one dart flight on each cutting press cycle.

4. A process according to any one of the preceding claims in which the folded strip of material is pulled through the embossing means and the cutting press.

5. A process according to any one of the preceding claims in which the folded strip of material is longitudinally folded from flattened tubular material.

6. A process for producing a dart flight, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A dart flight when produced by the process claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

8. Apparatus for producing a dart flight, which apparatus comprises first embossing means for embossing a folded strip of material, a cutting press for cutting a dart flight from out of the folded strip of material, advancing means for advancing the folded strip of material through the embossing means and the cutting press, and synchronising means for ensuring that the embossing means and the cutting press operate in synchronism in repeated embossing and cutting cycles such that the cutting press cuts the dart flights out of the embossed strip of material at exactly the correct locations along the embossed strip of material for ensuring that the embossed pattern is correctly and identically positioned on each dart flight.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which there is one embossing means and one cutting press.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the embossing means embosses the embossed pattern for one dart flight on each embossing cycle, and in which the cutting press cuts one dart flight on each cutting press cycle.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8- 10 in which the advancing means is pulling advancing means for pulling the folded strip of material through the embossing means and the cutting press.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the pulling advancing means comprises a pulling clamp arrangement and a holding clamp arrangement, the pulling clamp arrangement being movable forwards when it is in a non-clamping position and backwards when it is in a clamping position thereby to pull the folded strip of material through the apparatus, and the holding clamp arrangement being such as to clamp the folded strip of material when the pulling clamp arrangement is moving forwards and to release the folded strip of material when the pulling clamp arrangement is moving backwards to pull the folded strip of material through the apparatus.

13. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 12 in which the synchronising means is valve means.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 in which the embossing means is a pneumatic embossing press, in which the cutting press is a pneumatic cutting press, and in which the valve means is a pneumatic valve means.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 14 and including a laminator for laminating the folded strip of material.

16. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 15 and including former means for forming the folded strip of material.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 16 in which the embossing means comprises a pair of press plates which are embossed with complementary fitting protuberances and recesses to form the embossed pattern on both sides of the folded strip of material.

18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 17 and including speed varying means for varying the speed of operation of the embossing means and the cutting press.

19. Apparatus according to any one of claim 8 - 18 and including printing means for printing a pattern on to the strip of material prior to the strip of material being embossed.

20. Apparatus according to any claim apFendant to claim 15 and including second embossing means for embossing the material from which the dart flight is to be produced, the second embossing means being provided before the laminator.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 in which the first and the second embossing'means are the same.

22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 15 and 16 in which the former means is positioned before the laminator,

23. Apparatus for producing a dart flight, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.