US1449021A - Knife for fabric-measuring machines - Google Patents

Description

i l' f y @Mmm D. TURNER KNIFE FOR FABRIC MEASURING MACHINES Filed July i4, 1919 Mm. 2F, i923.

DOUGLAS TURNER, OF ST. LOUIS, "MISSOUBT, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO TEE MEASUREGBAPE COELPNY, F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CGBPOBJATION OF DELAWARE.

, @UFE FOR FBRIC-MEASURING MACHINES.

pplcaton led July 14,

To all w homz't may concern.'

Be it known that l, Decenas TURNER, a citizen of United States, residing at St. Louis. in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Knives for Fabric-Measuring Ma-B chines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in knives or cutting blades, more particularly those adapted for use in machines `for measuring and cutting textile fabric, such as cloth, ribbon, and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved cutting means which may be readily operated, which eliminates any tendw ency` ofthe knife blade to stick, and which insures a clean cut. 1

The accompanyingr drawings illustrate one embodiment of my invention, the knife constituting part of a cloth measuring machine. The invention is not limited to this embodiment, however.

Figure l is a side elevation of saidmachine, a portion of the casing being removed to disclose the interior construction, and

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 9?-2 of Figure l.

ln cloth measuring machines the operator places one end of the cloth between a pair of friction rollers which are rotated as the cloth is pulled between said rollers. Suitable length indicating and price indicating charts are preferably connected mechanically to one of said rollers, whereby the rotation thereof gives the operator a visible indication of the length of material passing between said rollers, and also the price thereof at various standard prices per yard. At the conclusion of the measurement, the operator presses a notching button thereby making a small cut or slit in the edge of the cloth, the friction rollers being simultaneously separated, thereby permitting the operator t0 remove the cloth from between said rollers and continue the cut with a pair of shears, completely severing the goods at the exact point representing the required measurement of length.

ln the machine as made heretofore, the fabric has been cut or sheared by a pair of blades, one of which, the lower one, for example.,` is fixed, and the other of which 1919. erial No. 310,777.

is caused to descend, cutting the fabric by the well-known shearing operation Under certain circumstances, however, there hasr` been a tendency for the knife blades to rub and become worn at the point where the upper and lower shear blades slide over each other, and further difliculty has sometimes been encountered by the sticking of the shear blades. The knife blade of the present invention obviates these difficulties, a construction being provided wherein, with the cloth in a horizontal plane, the knife blade is substantially vertical and nieves across they fabric, the cut being made by a single blade as distinguished from a shearing operation requiring two blades. In the device illustratedthis result is accomplished by providing a blade, the cutting edge of which is disposed along a substantially spiral line, preferably a logarithmic spiral, rotation of the blade causing the curved portion (of the cutting edge to moveradially outward from the axis of rotation.

rlfhe mechanism, thus briefly described, is supported primarily by the vertical plate l, the latter ibeing mounted on the base plate of the machine 2. The price and length indicating charts and other parts of the mechanism are located in an inner receptacle having a wall 3 arranged at` right angles to the plate 1. knife operating lever 4 is mounted on the pivoted stud v5, being preferably riveted thereto. This lever is mounted to swing in a vertical plane. The stud has a bearing in a. casting 6 attached to the wall 3 preferably by rivets 7. Said stud is secured in place by'a retaining washer 8 and nut 9. Y

The lower end of the lever 4 is provided with an arc shaped extension or segment l0 having teeth cut thereon which mesh with a spur gear ll, the latter being mounted on a stud l2 which in turn is supported by the vertical plate l. The operator oscillates said lever by depressing a notching button 13 at the upper end thereof, thereby rotating the gear which is in mesh with the arc shaped extension at the lower end of said lever. Said lever is held in normal position against a suitable stop le by a spring 15 secured thereto at one end and at the other end to the vertical plate l.

I provide a rotary knife which is rotated from the lever 4: With an increased angular movement With respect to the angular movement of the lever.

The knife 16 is mounted to turn with the gear 11, the cutting edge of said knife being essentially portion of a logarithmic spiral. Said knife rotates on a horizontal axis. with said gear, the blade being located between tivo plates, one of Which, 17, is attached to the casting i8 by screws or other fastening means 19, and the other of Which, 17a, is a part of the casing.

The knife is located adjacent to the starting button 20, thel latter serving when pressed to bring the measuring rolls and 22 into yielding engagement With the cloth 23 Which the operator holds in a horizontal span. between said rolls, said cloth being passed through an opening 2a in the casing 25 of said machine. Said rolls 21 and 22 are indicated in Figure 2 in idle position, separated sufficiently to permit the ready insei-, tion of the cloth. The mechanism for lowering the upper roll against the lower roll l is not shown herein as .it forms no part of the present invention. At the completion of the measuring operation, the operator depresses the notching button 13, thereby rotating the knife through nearly a complete revolution in a clockwise direction, the limit of its rotation being indicated in dotted lines in Figure l. 1t will be seen that the curve of the cutting edge is such that in any position of rotation, tangent drawn to the point Where said curve intersects the upper surface of the. guide plates 17 will be substantially vertical, the same inclining slightly in the direction of rotation and the angle of inclination remaining` constant. The goods therefore will be slit by the knife instead of being sheared, the knife operating easily and a clean cut resulting. The operation which rotates the knife serves also 1go separate the rollers, the mechanism therefor not being shown herein as forms no part ofthe present invention.

1t Will be evident that for a given. angular movement of the lever 4 about its pivot, the knife 16 will be given a greatly increased angular movement,hence a slight movement of the lever will produce a complete revolution of the knife.

The invention is not to be limited to the structural features described herein except Where limitations appear in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a measuring machine, the combination of a measuring roller over which the material to be measured may be dravvn, a lhand-actuated. lever mounted to swing in substantially vertical plane, a fixed plate, a rotary knife to izo-operate therewith, mounted to rotate on a substantially hori- :rental axis adjacent to one end of the roller, said knife consisting of a. blade in a substantially vertical plane and having a cutting edge extei'idingy along al substantially spiral line adjacent to the path of movement of the edge of the material so that When the knife"is rotated on its axis, the cutting edge of the knife ivill' move progressively along said plate 'and across the edge of the fabric, and means for rotating the knife from the lever with an increased angular movement With respect to the angular movement of the lever.

2. In a measuring machine, the combination of a casing having an opening therethrough, a measuring roller mounted in the casing adjacent the roller, and over which the material to be measured may be drawn, a hand-actuated lever pivotally mounted Within the casing to swing in la substantially vertical plane downwardly toward said opening, a rotary knife mounted to rotate in a substantially vertical plane and having a cutting edge located near said opening and disposed along j a substantially spiral line, and means for rotating the knife from the lever with an increased angular movement With respect to the angular movement of the lever.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivoted lever having a segment, a pinion meshing with said segment, a knife blade mounted so as to turn with said pinion, said knife blade having a cutting edge in the form of a logarithmic spiral, and a guide plate adjacent said knife blade.

4f. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pivoted lever, a starting button at one end thereof with respect to the pivot point of the lever, a segment at the other end thereof, a pinion rotated by said segment, a knife blade rotated by said pinj ion, a guide plate having an edge arranged radially With reference to the axis of rotation of said blade, said blade having a cutting edge and mounted so that the edge moves along said radial edge at substantially a right angle thereto.

5. a device ofthe class described, the combination of a base plate, a support thereon, a pair of measuring rollers, a lever pivoted to said support, a segment mount- `ed tovvard one end of said lever, a button adjacent the other end of said lever, a pillion also carried by said support and meshing with said segment, a knife mounted in a plane substantially parallel to said ,rollers and turning with said pinion, a pair of guide plates between rotate, said knife having a cutting edge of variable radius, and a spring for holding said knife blade in normal position.

6. In a. device of the class described, the combination of a pivoted lever having an extension constituting a segment, a pinion which said knife may meshing with said extension, a knife blade mounted so as to turn with said pinion, said blade having a cutting edge in the form substantially of a logarithmic spiral, and 5 a pair of guide plates between which said knife blade turns, said knife edge moving outwardly along the edges of saidplates and being inclined slightly in the direction of travel to hold the goods against said guide plate edges. y 10 In testimony whereof, l have subscribed my name.

DOUGLAS TURNER.

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