JPS583463B2 - Flexibility processing method and equipment for long chains - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for continuously and highly efficiently softening long chains that have been made rigid by compression deformation.

There are many types of decorative chains used for necklaces, bracelets, pendants, etc., but most of them are manufactured in long lengths using specialized automatic chain-making machines, and the types of these chain-making machines vary. Either the molded chain is used as is, or it is further processed in various ways to create decorative chains with a variety of designs.

These decorative chains can be processed using methods such as shaving off certain sides of the chain, flattening a part of the chain with a roll or the like, adding patterns, and compression deformation.

In general, it is desirable for decorative chains to be connected so that each chain link can be freely bent as a unit, and although there may be a limit to its directionality and degree of freedom depending on the structure of the chain, it can at least be used, for example, as a netskure. It must be flexible enough to bend or move smoothly without causing any problems.

However, compressed and deformed decorative chains generally have a drawback in that the chain pins are fixed in a rod shape and cannot function as a chain.

As a countermeasure, it is possible to restore a certain degree of freedom or flexibility by annealing the chain and repeatedly tightening it, but if the chain links are deeply wedged back and forth into each other due to compression deformation, the chain will not be free. It is not possible to recover the stiffness or flexibility, and if processing such as forcible squeezing is performed, there is a risk that the mutually engaged joints will become strained and break.

As a result of considering these problems, the present inventors have investigated a method for making long chains flexible by continuously and highly efficiently loosening what has been bitten back and forth by the deformed chain iron during compression deformation. As a result, when the long chain is tensioned and passed between the front and rear fixed guides, the movable guide placed between the two fixed guides moves reciprocatingly or eccentrically in a plane perpendicular to the running direction of the long chain. When exercised, the connecting parts of each chain link, which have become stiff due to mutual biting due to compression processing, are smoothed by gradual friction and wear, and the intended purpose of softening is achieved without impairing the effect of compression deformation of each chain link. The present invention has been based on the discovery that the following can be achieved.

What enhances the above-mentioned softening effect is that the long chain is run under tension to give a constant tension, and its rotation is reciprocated in at least two directions (vertical and lateral) while being held by both fixed guides. In other words, eccentric motion is repeatedly applied.

Further, in carrying out the present invention, in order to enhance the flexibility effect without reducing the effect of compressive deformation, it is desirable to carry out the above-mentioned softening process in multiple stages and to gradually increase the degree of the process.

Methods for increasing the degree of processing described above include gradually increasing the pitch between the fixed guide and the movable guide, gradually increasing the amplitude or eccentricity of the movable guide, and gradually decreasing the taper angle at the entrance and exit of the long chain of each guide.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned reciprocating motion or eccentric motion in the two directions, vertical and horizontal, can be performed simultaneously in one step by making the movable guide perform eccentric planetary motion, so it is easy to use the device. Although this is simplified, the vertical and horizontal movements may be performed in two steps.

As mentioned above, the planetary motion that moves the movable guide in two directions (vertical and lateral) in one step is achieved by attaching the movable guide to an eccentric ring, rotatably supporting this eccentric ring in a pulley, and attaching the movable guide to the eccentric ring. This is advantageously carried out by slidably inserting the swinging rod.

Examples of the present invention are shown below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the compressed and deformed long chain 8 is fed out from the feeding reel 1, passes between the tensioners 2, and then guides the front fixed guide 3, the middle movable guide 4, and the rear fixed guide 5. After passing through the hole, it passes between feed rolls 6 and is wound up on a take-up reel 7.

In the above, the tensioner 2 is used to apply a certain tension to the long chain 8 in conjunction with driving the feed roll 6.

The movable guide 4 also includes a pulley 10 driven by a motor 9.
The long chain 8 is incorporated in the chain 8 so that vertical movement, horizontal movement, or planetary movement can be repeated at high speed in a plane perpendicular to the running direction of the long chain 8.

Now, the relationship between the guides 3, 4, and 5 will be explained with reference to FIG. 2. While the long chain 8 passes through the guide hole of each guide commonly and continuously in the direction of the arrow A, the movable guide 4 is moved in the direction of the arrow B-B.
When the long chain is reciprocated in the 'direction, bending and bending are repeatedly applied to the connecting portions of each chain link in the direction of movement, and the connecting portions, which had been held rigidly, are made flexible.

Then or simultaneously, by applying reciprocating motion to the movable guide 4 in the direction orthogonal to the A direction and the B-e direction, the connecting portion of each chain link of the long chain can be made flexible in both the vertical and horizontal directions. be done.

At that time, the amplitude of the movable guide 4 in the B-B' direction and the relationship between the fixed guides 3 and 5 depend on the shape, size, connection state, and degree of stiffness received by the compression deformation process of the chain link constituting the long chain. The pitches P, , P2 between the guide holes and the taper angles a1 to a4 of the inlet and outlet of the guide holes may be adjusted as appropriate.

The cross sections of the guide holes g1 to g3 are formed to be slightly larger than that of the long chain in order to allow the long chain to pass freely. The flexibility effect is effectively achieved by enclosing the rotation of the long chain itself by having a cross-sectional shape substantially similar to that of , and by also causing the movable guide 4 to reciprocate or eccentrically move in a non-rotational manner.

Next, a concrete example of the device will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The fixed guides 3 and 5 are respectively attached to fixed rings 11.12, and these rings 11.12 are fixed to a fixed case 13.14.

On the other hand, the movable guide 4 is attached to an eccentric ring 15, and the eccentric ring 15 is eccentrically and rotatably supported within the pulley 10 via a bearing 16.

At this time, the guide holes of the fixed guides 3 and 5 are aligned in a straight line, and the guide holes of the movable guide 4 are aligned in advance from each guide hole of the fixed guides 3 and 5 according to the eccentricity of the rotation center of the bearing 16 with respect to the rotation center of the pulley 10. It is necessary to maintain eccentricity at a predetermined eccentricity value.

Further, the pulley 10 is rotatably supported by a fixed case 13 by a ball bearing 16', and is freely rotated by a belt 17.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a swinging rod whose base is supported by an elastic coupling 19, and its tip is slidably inserted into an insertion hole 20 provided in the eccentric ring 15.

Therefore, when the pulley 10 is rotated at high speed, the movable guide 4
Since the rotation of the eccentric ring 15 is prevented by the swing rod 18, the eccentric ring 15 performs a planetary motion in which it revolves around the pulley 10 without rotating on its own axis. Since the movable guide 4 is eccentrically supported inside, the movable guide 4 also makes an eccentric movement in a non-rotational manner with respect to the fixed guides 3 and 5, and is perpendicular to the long chain passing through the guides 3, 4 and 5. This results in flexible processing in directions including the vertical and horizontal directions within the plane.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a flexible processing method and apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a relational diagram between the front and rear fixed guides and the intermediate movable guide in the same as above, and Fig. 3 is used in the present invention. A specific example of a flexible device is shown below. 3, 5...Fixed guide, 4...Movable guide, 8...Long chain, 10...Pulley, 15...Eccentricity Ring, 18... Swing stick.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. While the long chain is made to continuously pass and run under tension through the front and rear fixed guides and the movable guide arranged between these fixed guides, the long chain is allowed to run through the movable guide. A method for softening a long chain, characterized by repeatedly applying a bending operation to each chain linkage part of the long chain by reciprocating or eccentric movement in a plane orthogonal to the direction. 2. A long chain according to claim 1, wherein the long chain is repeatedly bent in at least two directions, vertically and horizontally, at the connecting part of each chain link in a state where its rotation is restrained. Flexible processing method for long chains. 3. Claim 1 that adjusts any of the pitch between the front and rear fixed guides and the movable guide, the amplitude of the reciprocating motion or eccentric motion of the movable guide, the degree of eccentricity, and the taper angle of the entrance and exit of the long chain, etc. of each guide. Or the method for softening long chains according to item 2. 4. Front and rear fixed guides, movable guides arranged between these fixed guides, and a long chain for allowing the long chain to pass continuously through these front fixed guides, movable guides, and rear fixed guides. 1. A flexible device for a long chain, comprising a tension feeding device, wherein the movable guide is configured to make reciprocating motion or eccentric movement in a plane perpendicular to the feeding direction of the long chain. 5. The long chain flexible device according to claim 4, wherein the movable guide is eccentrically and swingably supported relative to the front and rear fixed guides. 6. The movable guide is attached to an eccentric ring, and this eccentric ring is rotatably supported in a pulley, and a swinging rod is slidably fitted into this eccentric ring, or 6. The long chain flexible device according to item 5.