US1137511A

US1137511A - Machine for treating adhesive-coated fabric.

Info

Publication number: US1137511A
Application number: US47879209A
Authority: US
Inventors: James Meade
Original assignee: Plymouth Rubber Co
Current assignee: Plymouth Rubber Co
Priority date: 1909-02-19
Filing date: 1909-02-19
Publication date: 1915-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1932-04-27

Description

1. MEADE. MACHINE FOR'TREATING ADHESIVE COATED FABRIC.

APPLICATION'FILED FEB. I9 |909.

Patented A111127, 1915;

M @H7/figa?.

JAMES MEADE, 0F STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TG PLYMOUTH RUBBER COMPANY, STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPOMTON @E MASSACHUSETTS.

" MACHINE FOR TRETING ADHESIVE-@QATED FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.. 2%', fttf.

l Application filed February 19, 1909. Serial No. 478,792.

T0 all whom it may concern i Be it known that l, JAMES Marion, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stoughton, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Treating AdhesiveCoated Fabric, of Which the following description, in connection with Athe accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

rlhis invention relates to a machine for treating an adhesive coated fabric and is particularly-designed for treating 'that class .of adhesive 'coated fabrics in which the coating has its tacky or sticky qualities due to the presence of gutta perchel or other vegetable gums or equivalent materials used 1n the rubber coating trade for'producin-gan Tati adhesive coating. In this class of adhesive coated fabrics the coating is normally dry and non-adhesiveor at least suliciently so that it may be 1rolled up Without sticking together. The tacky or sticky condition of the coating is produced by heating the coat ing which causes it to develop the tackyl or sticky condition. K The foundation fabric upon which the coating is applied varies in weight and weave according to the purpose for which the coated fabric is to be used.

This adhesive coated fabric has found a large use, more particularly in recent years, in `the manufacture of innersoles for shoes Where a comparatively thin and cheap leather base is reinforced by a vlayer of fabric cemented thereto. Types of such innersoles are known as the Sleeper, and one form of which is described in the patent to Sleeper, No.y 563,083, granted June 30, 1896, and the Gem described in patent to Cole No. 575,460, granted January 19,

V1897. Heretofore when adhesive coated fabric has been used in the manufacture of these innersoles it has been common to Wet or moisten the fabric itself and to heat the coating; the moistening of the fabric being primaril -for the'purpose of rendering-the fabric "'p iable or iiexible so that it would more'readily conform to any irregularity of the surface to which it was applied, such for example as the proj ecting, rib of an inner-k sole, and the heating of the coating being primarily forthe urpose of rendering it Y tacky or sticky. his moistening ofthe fabric has been secured usually 'by passing the entire coated fabric through a bath of hot :Water or live steam, While the heating of the coating has generally been performed by the subsequent application of dry heat.

One of the objects of this invention is to eliminate this application of Water or steam to the coated fabric for the purpose of moistening the fabric portion, because such moistening is often injurious not only 'to the fabric itself but also to the article to which it is applied. in the manufacture of innersoles the moistening often produces mildew spots `upon the innersole, which is objectionable; again, it is often diilicult properly to dry the innersoles so that as a result the fabric is rotted or injured by the moisture; again, when the innersoles ,are properly dried so much time and space is required as to be very objectionable; again, the vapplication of moisture to the fabric servesto remove the major or a substantial portion of ythe sizing usually contained in such fabrics and which gives body to the fabric. By eliminating the application of moisture to the fabric f therefore do away with all danger .from mildew spots, all danger 'of the rottin of the fabric, enable the process of manu acture to be carried on rapidly, the innersoles to be used immediately after their completion, and further, li am enabled to use a less heavy and consequently less expensive fabric and still secure the necessaryv degreel of stidness or body. Furthermore the leather portion of the innersole, due to previous processes of manufacture, is frequently quite Wet or moist When the adhesive fabric is applied thereto. in such cases the adhesive fabric will stick much4 more securely to the leather if the fabric be comparatively dry. Again when the fabric is thoroughly moistened it becomes limp and when it is applied to the face of the innersole it flops down on to the feather i edge and sticks thereto before it is fitted over the rib causing much trouble.` The fabricwhen treated by this invention rests across the top of the ribs and does not contact with the feather until itis tted into place,nor does it stick so firmly to the rib as to pull it down out of position while bein fitted in place. The elimination ofthe app 'cation of Water or' steam is also of great advantage to the operator. `Steam 'when used escapes often in large volumes from tbe machine and constitutes a continual nuisance-While the Water rie often leaks or is thrown from vthe fabric on to the floor and around themachine.

One feature of theinvention resides ina means lfor creasing the coated fabric longi-l tudinally. This vis particularly of use in connection with the manufacture of inner'- soles. In manufacturing such innersoles as the Gem above referred to the coated vfabric is brought by hand into general conformation with the surface, lip, and feathery of the innersole, and is then by suitable mechanical devices pressed closely into con'- formation, and in carrying out this operation the mechanical means acts beginning at one side of the innersole and finishing at the opposite side.A This results-in producing a strain u on the fabric between the two ribs, and ogen causes the fabric to pull away from one or the other rib. I provide means for forming one or more longitudinal creases in the coatedl fabric so that when it is brought rou hly into conformation with the innersole there will' remain', owing to the creases, a slight slackness in the fabric which will be takenup when the mechanical devices v'cause the coated fabric to conform closely to the ribs or lips of the innersole, and thus prevent strain on. the fabric and secure a close fit. This featuretof the in\ vention ishowever not limited to use in a machine where the fabric is not mostened because the creasing mechanism effects the same novel and valuable function only 'to a less extent when the fab ic is moist. f

in 'f means for mechanically softeningv the fabric which acts to breakup the sizing in the fabric and to stretchlthe fabric and loosen up the weave thus rendering the fabric more pliable or flexible. In the particular form of the inventionillustrated herein this means includes the creasing mechanism already referred to and an additional crushing roll studded with spikes. Good work can in many cases be done, however, without theuse of any means for mechanically softening the fabric and the inventlon 1s not restricted to the use of such a means.

Hitherto it has been customaryv to make up the coated fabric into long narrow strips approximately thewidth of the widest innersole to be reinforced,` and hence therev has been lconsiderable waste in the reinforcing of innersoles of less than the maximum width. f

One feature of my invention is for. the purpose of eliminating a substantial rtion of this .waste by providing 8. mac ine in which, a plurality of strips of diierent form shown .a machine adapted for .using two strips of different widths, so that the narrower innersoles maybe made from a widths may be used; for example, in the.

ther means for throwing the strip not used out of proximity to the heat applying means so that' the coating would not verse cross-section taken on the line w-w,

in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the mechanism at the leading-in end of the apparatus. Fig. v5 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a viewv in cross-section taken on the line y-Jy in Fig. 5.

he form of apparatus illustrated as the preferred embodiment of the invention is arranged to treat twosimilar strips of coated fabric of different widths.

' A represents the base of the apparatus, preferably formed of wood,and adapted to rest upon a table or to be supported in any suitable way at about the level of an ordinary table or` bench. On the base A is einmounted-the heaty applying means and the t means for' creasing and mechanically soften` Another feature of th inventionrresides ing fthefabric. The heatfyapplying means castiron steamechest B,.which occupies and extends over the .larger part of the base. The coated. fabrictravels over the upper flat 'surfacer of this steam-chest, and. the strips of' fabric are separated by a rib C which may be formed or cast integral with the steam-chest. Steam underf pressure sufiicient to produce the desired temperature is admitted to, and exhaustedv from, the said steammhest by means of suitable pipes, as l) and E. v

The steam-chest D is inclosed by a wooden casing, the side walls of which are indicated at F andG, the end walls of which above the steam-chestare o en or slotted to allow the passage of the fa ric therethrough, and the to of which is formed by two covers or doors and lF, respectively, and fitting against a coverstrip .-K on top of the rib C. 4,There yis thus inclosed at each side of the ribl C a spacev yfor each strip of the fabric, and this spacebeing comparatively shallow serves to confine' the heat and increase the rapidity of the softening o eration upon the coating.

and J, hinged to the side wallsA Gr` injury or deterioration when one strip is not being used, I, provide a means for lifting the strip of fabric off from the steam-chest. These means are the same for each strip compartment or chamber and hence but one need be described. At suitable intervals the top of the steam-chest is grooved, as indicated at L, and the rib is cut away to form a guideway. A post M is mounted in `each guideway and has projecting at its base an arm N, resting in the groove L with its top vsurface liush with the top surface of the steam-chest. The posts M are connected to-s gether above the casing by a bar 0, near the center of which a handle P is provided. A pin' Q in one or more of the posts limits the upward movement of the post, and a turn button R is provided which, when the bar O is elevated by means ofthe handle P may be turned beneath the bar O to hold it and the connected posts and arms L in raised position. When, therefore, it is desired to elevate the strip of coated fabric from proximity to the heat applying means the handle P is grasped and raised and the arms L lift the fabric off from the steam-chest. The turn button R is then turned beneath the bar O to maintain the fabric thus elevated. This renders unnecessary the opening of the cover H, and thus retains the heat in the chamber, but if it is found necessary the door H could be opened more or less further tocool the chamber.

The mechanism for creasing and mechanically softening the fabric is placed at the leading-in end ofthe apparatus, or at the right-hand end, as shown in the drawings, and in the form illustrated comprises a pair of creasing rolls and a single crushing roll, These rolls are duplicated for each strip, and hence it is necessary to describe but one set.

S indicates.7 side frames bolted, as indin cated .at T, to the base A. In these side frames the rolls are journaled. The lower creasing roll U is shown as Xed in position and provided with annular creasing grooves V. The upper creasing roll W is provided with cooperating annularcreasing ribs Z, and is mounted in bearing blocks A2, which slide vertically in ways formed in the side frames S. Screws B2 and springs C2 serve to hold the upper creasing roll W adjustably and yieldingly in contact with the lower creasing roll U. Preferably the creasing ribs Z are of different diameters and, as shown, the middle one is of larger diameter than those at each side, and the creasing grooves are correspondingly formed, thus .the central, longitudinal crease is more marked than those at the sides. The roll D2 is mounted in split bearings in the side frames S, and set-screws E2 are provided by means of which the split bearing may be tightened up to produce more or less friction on the roll D2. This crushing roll is provided with a roughened periphery formed by a plurality of spikes proJecting radially from the periphery thereof.

The actionof the crushingl and grooving rolls will be apparent The fabric is led over the crushing roll D2 and between the creasing rolls U and W, and then into the heating chamber above the steam-chest. The fabric is pulled through the machine by hand. As the fabric is pulled over the crushing roll the friction on the crushing roll causes the spikes F2 to enter the fabric and break up the sizing contained therein and also to stretch the fabric so as to further break up the sizing and separate the threads of the fabric so as to soften it mechanically and render it sufficiently pliable or flexible. This condition is further brought about by the action of the creasing rolls, which preferably have a plurality, such as three, of qooperating annular ribs and grooves which act to form longitudinal creases in the fabric and consequently to break up the sizing and mechanically soften the fabric. I have found the construction illustrated sufficiently softens the fabric for the purpose of making innersoles, but it is obvious that the mechanical devices could be elaborated to increase the mechanical. softening of the fabric if necessary.

The longitudinal creases formed by the creasing rolls give a comparatively permanent set to the fabric so that the fabric retains its creases until the mechanical devices used in conforming the fabric to the ribbed surface of the innersole remove them. The fabric is laid upon the rib face of the innersole and pressed into conformation therewith in a general and preliminary way, this being usually done by hand. The fabric is then pounded or pressed by machine into close conformation with the rib beginning at one edge of the innersole. As the operation proceeds and the other edge is reached the cloth is not pulled away from the first edge nor does it bend the rib because the crease or creases are simply flattened out. Thus a close iit of the fabric to every portion of the rib face of, the innersole is secured without detrimental strain.

The reel of fabric, one only of which is illustrated at A, is so arranged and the man chine is so constructed that the fabric will maintain a central position laterally of the machine as it is drawn therein. This is secured by extending the base forward as iny its supports. F or this purpose coil springs A13 of the same strength are placed on the reel spindle between each end of the reel and the supports A, v

The operation of the apparatus will' be apparent. When the fabric is pulled through the apparatus the fabric portion is mechanically softened by. the spiked crushing roll and the creasing rolls, longitudinal creases are formed therein, and then in passing over i it heats Ithe coating from the back toward the surface, thus softening the coating outwardly toward the' surface and 'giving it its maximum tacky or sticky quality immediately nent to the fabric, and maintaining the surface in a tempered condition or condition in which it can be more readily handled. Consequently,lwhen the fabric with its coating thus conditioned is pressed into contact with the objects to which it is to be applied it will adhere readily and permanently thereto. v

In using the-apparatus illustrated a strip of fabric of a given width suitable for wide innersoles, say 4g inches in width, will be used in one chamber, and another strip, say 3% inches in width, for innersoles yof less width will be provided for the other chamber, and the operator will drawone or the other strip fromthe Amachine according to lthe width of the innersole which he is making. In case of any considerable run of one or the other strip so that one strip is required to remain idle the operator will lift the handle P and swing the turn button beneath the bar O,y thus elevatingpthat strip from the surface of the steam chamber.

Having described my invention, what I claim as newY and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is: y

1. In a machine for treating coated fabric, means for-'mechanically softening the fabric,

and means for applying heat to the uncoated side of the fabric.

2. In a machine for treating adhesive yname to this specification,

coated fabric, means for` mechanically softening the fabric including a creasing mechanism, and means for applying heatto the uncoated side of the fabric.

4. In a machine for treating adhesive` coated fabric, means for mechanically softening the fabric, and means for softening and rendering tacky the lcoating without the application of moisture.

5. In a 'machine for treating adhesive i coated fabric," means for mechanically sof-l tening the fabric, a steam-'chest inclosed to form a chamber throughl which the fabric may be passed with the uncoated side inconta'ct with the steam-chest, whereby the fabric will be rendered pliable without the application of moisture and the coating will be rendered tacky by the heat. 4

6. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means for mechanically softening the fabric comprising a 'crushing roll provided with a roughened face anda pair 'of rolls provided respectively with annular ribs and coperating annular grooves acting to form longitudinal creases in the fabric.

7. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means for.forming a. longitudinal crease in the fabric, and means for applying heat to the uncoated' side Aof the fabric to soften and render tacky the coating. i

8. In a machine for treating adhesive coated fabric, means for forming a longitudinal crease in the fabric, and means, for softeningand rendering tacky the coating.

' In testimony whereof, I have signed my' in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

*J AMES MEADE.

Witnesses:

W. H. Srnnisrnn,y RALPH S. BLAKE.