US1652093A - Means for cutting fabrics into lengths or portions - Google Patents

Description

- W. COOMBES MEANS FOR CUTTING FABRICS INTO LENGTHS OR PORTIONS h- Original Filed March 5. 1927 s'sn'e ts-sheet 1 Dec. 6, 1927.

w. coomBzs MEANS FOR CJTTINGFABRICS INTO LENGTHS 0R PORTIONS (Dr iginal Filed Man-$115, 1927' s Sheets-Sheet 2 WIIIImIIIIII'YIWIII/I/IIIIA all uh I Dec. 6, 1927.- 1,652,093

. W. COOMBES MEANS FOR CUTTING FABRICS IN TO LENGTHS OR PORTIONS Original Filed March 5, 1927 3 Sheets$heet 3 TES Patented Dec. 6, 1927 UNITED/STA WILLIAM oooMBns, or WOLLATONPVENGLANDL MEANS ron CUTTING FABRICS INTO LENe'rHs" onronrronsg origina aiicatidn filed March 5', i927,- Serial No. 1733017j'and in Great Britain November 10, 1925.

i Divided and this application filed November 3, 1927. serial No. 230,843.

This'invention comprises improvements in or relating to means for cutting fabrics into lengths or portions. This is a division of application Serial Number 173,017, filed March 5, 1927. V "The invention has particular, thoughnot exclusive, reference to fabriowhich is produced in a continuous piece and subsequently out intothe requisite lengths to form towels, cleaning clothsand other like articles. In the manufacture of fabric forproducing such articles it is customary at predetermined intervals "to discontinue for a certain specified time the lay or feed of the yarn which extendstransversely across the longitudinally extending threads and binds to- 'gether such threads, thus producing lengths of fabric connected at intervals by comparatively j narrow. tra isv'eise bands composed solely? of longitudinally extending threads. This, in fabric'composed of warp and weft, produces Weftless bands between predetermined lengths of complete or solid? fabric, and for convenience these bandswill hereinafter be referred to "as weftless divisions; i v

Affeature of the present invention consists in the, pro'vision'of a machine for cut ting fabrics into lengths or portions com-' prising a rotary fabric feed ng. frame, a'

rotary fabric cutting device, and means associated with the rotary feeding member for "engaging successively with weftless portions of the-fabric and anchoring said fabric so 'a'sfto be severed at said weftless portions;

Another feature resides in the provision of an intermittently rotatable fabric feeding frame hpvi'ng elements thereon which 7 serve thedu'al purpose of intermittentlywithdrawing a predetermined length of fabric from the'supply and anchoring the fabric in position for being acted upon by the cutter. j V 1 7 Further features reside in the provision of means for alternately movingthe cutter into] and' out of cutting. positioii,ancl means for'en'ablingthe length or quantityof fabric withdrawn andseverecl at each operation to be variably adjustedas required;

Other features reside inthe construction and arrangement of machine and method of operation as hereinafter more fully described and set forth in the appendedclaims.

-' For the purpose of more'fully describing the nature of thisinventi0n, reference will "ings, wherein r I Figure 1 isa side QlGVfttlOIlEllVlBW of a the opposite side thereof."

dially from its outer face.

now be made to 'theqaccompanying draw machine in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 is an elevation'al view of part'of the machine shownin Figure 1 looking at y Figure 8 is a planview showing the cutte'rs used on the machine. I

Figure & isasection through the rotating frame showing means ametcr thereof;

Figure 5 is a side! elevational view showing a further modified construction.

rigure 6 IS a plan view of Figure 5.

for adjusting i the difrom a plurality of pieces each withdrawn from a separate supply roller or beam, but

it is to be understood that the machine is equally effective in severing portions from I a single fabric piece.- I i 4 The fabric rollers 1 (four of which are to rotate within brackets or bearings 2 ad- V, In the one method of carrying out the 'in '80 illustrated) are mounted one above the other j'ustably or otherwise'carried at. the rear l part of the machine frame 8,1 the'brackets at either or both ends of thetrollers preferably being hinged or formed with a hinged or displa'ceable portion for facilitating 1 the withdrawal of anemptyroller 'or'beam and the insertion ofla fresh roller.

Mounted. to; "rotate intermittently on a of and preferably at al lower level'than the equally spaced radially extending end j arms horizontal axis at a suitable distance infr'on't 4L between'which at'ror near their ex'tremities are transversely or hor zontally extend-'- ingbars 5,,somewhatin the nature of a yarn winding mill, each of said horizontal bars having a series ofU-shaped wire elements '6 or their equivalentprojecting ra- The-fabric lengths 8 with weftless divisions' 9 are withdrawnfromtlie rollers land A second bar 7 suitably guided forwardly to extend over 7 g the above named rotatable framef4 ,1said fabric being adapted to depend in frontof I theforemost bars 5 ,I7' of said. frame. Pref- 7 7 erably the fabric 8 isguided to the rotating frame and the separate lengths of said fabric maintained out of contact with each other prior to reaching the frame 1 by suitably disposed and adjustably i'uounted rollers or the like 10. l

The arrangement is such that as the frame at rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1 the wire elements 6 carried by each bar 5 as it travels over the upper-most position in its circular path comes into engagement with a weftless division 9 in all of the superposed fabric lengths 8 passing over said arm, said elements 6 being caused to project up through the several weftless divisions and, by continued rotation of the frame, exert a forward pull upon the several fabric lengths, the rotation being continued until the bar 5 having the wire elements 6 which project through the fabric is located in the most forward position with the side arms 4 carrying same horizontal, when intermittent to permit of the cutting operations. It is to be understood that at each rotative movement of the frame 1 certain of the anchoring elements 6 function to engage with and project through weftless divisions in each of the fabric lengths 8 thus drawing off at each motion the required length to be severed from each fabric piece.

'lheintermittent rotation of frame +1 may be effected from disc crank or eccentric 11 carried by shaft 12 driven fronil any convenient source of power, said crank carrying a pivoted pawl 13 projecting upwardly therofron'rand held in engagement. by a suitable spring 14 with a ratchet wheel 15 keyed on t 1e central spindle 1(3 of f 'ume l the number of teeth on the ratchet coinciding with, and being angularly spaced to the same extent as the arms 4:. By this arrangement one half of each revolution of the crank 11 effects a rotative movement of the frame =1 to the extentof one sixth of a complete revolution while during the other half of the revolution of the crank the frame is held stationary and the pawl 13 is moved down to engage with another tooth on the ratchet 15 prior to the next movement of the frame.

A suitable stop 17 limitstheilateral movement of the pawl 13 under the influence ofits spring.

During the stationary period of the frame the cutting operation is in effect, and in one method of accomplishing this a plurality of rotary cutting discs 18 are rotatably mounted upon separate laterally aligned ares, said discs being arranged to overlap each other to a suitable extent. These cutters are mounted upon a suitable plate or frame 19 which is slidahly adjustable within or upon another plate or frame 20 in a direction at right angles to the axis of the rotary frame at. the adjustment being effected by any suitable means such as a screw memher 21. n l

The plate or frame member 20 is also slidable to and fro within suitable guides 22 carried by or forming part of the machine frame 2}, this reciprocative sliding movement of the frame 20 being required in order to move the cutters 18 alternatively into and out of engagement with the fabric 8, the cutters being brought into engagement with the fab- .ric when the frame 4t stationary and moved away from said fabric after the cutting operation and before the frame a commences to rotate to bring further fabric into position for cutting.

This reciprocative movement of the frame 20 with cutters 18 may be effected from the shaft 12 through the intermediary of a second disc crank carried by this shaft, a horizontally extending rod or link 2%, an upwardly extending centrally pivoted lever 25 pivotally connected at itslower end to rod 21 and at its upper end by pin and slotpcon' nection to the sliding frame 20. The operation is so timed that while the pawl 13 is rotating the frame 1 the frame 20 is away from the fabric and. while said pawl 13 is being brought down and the frame f is maintained stationary, the frame 20 is moved towards the fabric so as to enable the cutters to sever same. 3 3 i Simultaneous rotating of the cutting discs may be effected in any desired manner such,

for example, as by mounting smallmotor 26 on the frame 19 moving. with the cutters and transmitting motion from the motor to the cutters by driving band 27 which passes over a pulley 28 on the axis of one of the cutters; a second endless band 29 being passed over pulleys 30 on the axes of the several cutters. l a i To retain the frame at from displacement while cutting is being ell'ected asmall spring n-es-edpin 81 (I igures 2 and 5) .may be provided adapted to engage withone of a series of peripheral notches 32 in wheel 33 thearm'being sufiicient to move the cutter throughthe fabric" and clear of same' ateach stroke, 'this movement being; timed so that while/the frame 4 is being rotated the arm35 isstationary, and whilethe frame-4 is sta- V e p I ternally screw threaded'holes ineach transtionaryith'e,cuttingstroke is effected.)

In one method ofaccomplishing this the, arm-as has pivotally-connect-ed thereto at a.

suitable position in its lengtlftheone end of a rod 3 the other'end of seiidrodfbeing connected to a disc crank; or eccentric 38 keyed upon ai-vertical rotatable shaft 39 suitahlycarried by the machinefrzimeor parts thereon. On this shaft 39 is-keyed a' gear wheel which is adaptedto'mesh intermit' tently'with a gearwheel 41 having teeth on one half of its circumference only. This hal f c'og 41'iskeyed upon a furthervertical rotating shaft 42 having fixed thereon-a pulley .43 over which passes a driving band 44 which bandalso passes over a second pulley 45 on the before mentioned shaft 12. The' arrangement is such that as the shaft 42 with half cog 41 rotates, the latter transmits during one half of its revolution rotary motion to the gear wheel and the disc crank rotating therewith, during which movement the cutter arm 35 is, through the medium of the connecting rod .37, angularly displaced to traverse the cutter across the machine. During the second half of the revolution of the half cog 41 which coincides with the rotative movement of the frame'4-no motion is transmitted to the cutter arm by reason of'there being no intermeshing engagement between the half wheel 40. r

The necessary rotary movement of the 'cutter 34- is, in this arrangementyalso ad;

} .-versely extending arms 5 'together' with the vantageously effected from a small motor 46 suitably carried'at the rear or pivoted end of the arm 35 so as to bemoved with said arm, a. driving belt 47 extending from a pulley of the motor to a pulley 48 fixed'to the cutter axis. j

In order to vary the effective diameter of the cutting frame 4 so as to adapt the machine for use in cutting varied lengths of fabric, i; e. fabric in whichthedistance between the weftless divisions vary, the transadjacent arms 7 are so mounted as to be adjjusted radially of the arms 4 means being preferably provided whereby the whole'of the arms 5 and are adjustable simultanecog41 and thegear 'ously' to an equal d'egree. 'Thismay: be: ef

'fected as -ishownin Figurei4- by. mounting upon the central: spindle 16' a rotatable sleeve '49 having fixed at each end thereof a bevel 50, eachbevel intermeshingwith a se-' 'I'ies' ofother bevelled sleeves 5l fixedwat the.

. equal number 1 of smaller" bevels- 511 would be furnished at each end ofv said-frame; Two of the screwed spindles '52: pass. through inversely extending-arm: 5. and'the arrangement is such that by transmitting; rotation to any one of the screwed spindles 52 by means ofa handle58 rotative movementis transmitted to the. sleeve" 49' and bevels car ri ed 'tl1ei'eby',.wl1ic11 in: turn transmits rota;-

tionito the whole of therbevels 51 andw'spinidles- 52,- and by reason of "the screwing en;- gagementibetween said ispindles' 525 andbars 5 the. latter. simultaneously moveweither in:- wardlyxor. outwardly in accordance with. the

{ direction; of turning. of. the handle... It will be'appreciated that'the spindles 52 on the one end of the frame are provided with right hand-screw threads while the spindles at the other end of the frame have left hand threads. I Y

Any suitable means may be providedfor applying tension to the fabric lengths 8 withdrawn from rollers 1. For example the spindles or the rollers may be frictioned by springs 1? or friction may be applied to the surfaces of the fabric rollers.

The severed portions of fabric may be received upon a'continuously. travelling belt. I

54 (Figure 1), a guide bar 55 being,-if

desired, provided for ensuring that the severed fabric in falling is properly laid upon the belt 54.

I claim 1.v A machine for cutting a fabricwith weftless divisions into lengths comprising an intermittently rotatable fabric feeding frame, a rotary cutter, means carried by;

said frame for successively engaging with weftless portions of the fabric and feeding same to the cutter, said fabric engaging means also anchoringthe fabric so as, to be severed at the weftless divisions, and means for moving the cutter into cutting position iwhile the feeding frame is stationary .and

out of. such position while the frame is rotating. 2. A machine. for cutting into lengths fabric formed with weftless divisions, comprising a rotary fabric feeding frame, means for intermittently rotating said frame, eleiplurality of positions around its circum- 'ments projecting radially from said frame ferential ath of movement, said elements successive y projecting through weftless divisions in the fabric and serving the dual purpose of withdrawing fabric from its supply and anchoring same in position for cutting, a, rotary cutter, means for moving said cutter into engagement with the fabric while the feeding frame and fabric are stationary and means for withdrawing said cutter while the fabric is being fed.

3. A machine for cutting into lengths fabric formed with weftless divisions, comprising supports for a plurality of rolls of such fabric, a rotary fabric feeding frame, means for guiding the fabrics from said rolls to said frame, means for transmitting intermittent rotation to said frame, said fabrics passing on to said frame in superposed relations, elements carried by said frame for successively engaging with superposed weftless divisions in the fabric, saidelements effecting simultaneous withdrawal of the fabric from their supply rolls and anchoring same in position for cutting, a rotary cutting device, means for moving said cut ting device into engagement with the superposed fabricswhile the rotary frame is stat tionary and means for displacing said cutter from its cuttingposition while said frame intermittent rofabric and functioning both to draw said a a fabric from the supply and anchor same during cutting, rotary cutting means, means for transmitting rotary motion to said cutter, means for moving said cutter alternately towards and away from the fabric, said last named means working in conjunction with the means for transmitting inter mittent rotation to thefeeding frame so as to move the cutter away from the fabric during feeding and into engagement with said fabric while the feed is stationary, spring-influenced means for preventing movement of the fabric feed during cutting,

and means for adjusting the effective size of the rotary feeding frame so as to enable the size of the fabric portions withdrawn and severed to be adjusted. t i

WILLIAM COOMBES.

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