US1675747A - Machine for severing wire fabric - Google Patents

Description

July-3, 1928. W. E. BOWLER MACHINE FOR SEVERING' WIRE FABRIC 5 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed June 1'7, 1925 hm um INVENTOR 7 m. $$w4 YWfi tMVW-I 1: I- Ii. I

July 3, i928. 1,675,747

w. E. BOWLER MACHINE FOR SEVERING WIRE FABRIC Original Filed June 17, 1925 5' Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 2 INIENTOR m7 M c 5 Sheet-Sheet 3 Q W. E. BOWLER MACHINE FOR SEVERING WIRE FABRIC Original Fiied June 17, 19 5 7 July 3,1928

July 3, 1928.

W. E. BOWLER MACHINE FOR SEVERING WIRE FABRIC Original Filed June 17, 1925 s sheets sneet 4 INVENTOR m a. M

Jill 3, 1928.

W. E. BOWLER MACHINE FOR SEVERING WIRE FABRIC Original Filed June 1'7, 1925 5 sheets-sheet 5 vmmrk INVENTOR- Patented July 3, 71928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. BOWLER, OFNIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNO R TO THE SPIRELLA COMPANY, OF HEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR. SEVERING WIRE FABRIC.

Original application filed Tune 17.1925,

This invention relates to apparatus for making Wire fabric, and for automatically severing the fabric after it is formed.

The present application is a division ofa copending application bearing Serial No. 37,731, filed June 17, 1925.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a machine for making wire fabric such as corset stays, embodying mechanism for automatically severing the formed fabric in predetermined lengths.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide severing mechanism of novel and improved construction which shall be coordinated with the forming mechanism in a manner to be actuated by the latter in accordance with the speed at which the fabric is formed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the above designated character in which the operating cycle of the severing mechanism may be varied in accordance with the operating speed of the forming mechanism.

The mechanism comprising the combined machine, and which performs the operations of forming and severing the wire fabric, embodies the elements for straightening, unbending and untwisting the fabric which are claimed in the above mentioned copending application.

The present invention comprises the combination of the forming and severing mechanisms and particularly the novel features of construction of the latter.

Generally stated the sub ect matter of the present invention comprises a wire fabric forming mechanism and a severing mechanism, means for feeding the fabric to the severing mechanism. and control mechanism associated with the forming mechanism for coordinating the severing and the forming operations to produce fabricated stays of;

predetermined length.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the principles of this invention; Fig. plan view thereof; Fig. 3 a vertical transverse section on theline 11IIII, Fig. 1, illustrating the cutting-off mechanism in end elevation; Fig. 4 a side elevation of said cutting mechanism and its controlling means. viewed from the rear of the machine; Fig. 5 an ele- SerialNo. 37,731. Divided and this application filed latch 26, 1927. Serial No. 178,618.

anism for the controlling means for the cuti ting-off mechanism; Fig. (i a plan view of the same; Fig. 7 a vertical transverse sec tion on the line VII-VIL Fig. 5; Fig. 8 a horizontal sectional view on the line VIII-"VIII, Fig. 5; Fig. 9 a vertical longitudinal section on the line IX-IX,Fig. 6; and Fig. 10 a detail View of the brake mechan sm associated with the cutting-off mechanism.

()n the drawings the reference A indicates the mechanism for bending the wire to form oppositely disposed overlapping loops the details of which have no bearing on the present invention. Inasmuch as machines of this type are well known, the machine has not been illustrated in detail, but only its general outline and so much of its parts have been illustrated as are necessary to show the connection of the other parts of the mechanism thereto. The machine A is driven from the belt pulleys, from which all of the parts of said machine are operated, and from which power pulleys also all of the mechanism which are associated with this wire bending machine are driven. The iiistant drawings illustrate the feeding-out rollers of said machine, and the vertical drive shaft for said feeding-out rollers. This last named shaft is provided at its lower end with a beveled pinion 1 with which meshes a beveled pinion 2 on a longitudinal shaft 3 which extends tothe outer end of the machine and from which all of the other associated mechanism are driven. The course of the fabricated stay formed by machine A is shown at L, Figs. 1 and 2.

After leaving the bending or forming machine the wire fabric passes to a pulling and tension mechanism illustrated generally at B, Figs. and 2. The next mechanism to which the wire lssubjected, in the order illustrated in the drawings, is the flatwise straightening or uncoiling mechanism, illustrated generally at O, Fi 1 and 2. The fabric then passes to a device indicated at D for removing twists therefrom. The fabric next passes to a device indicated at E for removing any edgewise bends therein. The fabric is fed through the edgewise straightening deviceE, and then delivered to the cutting-off device, next to be described. The fabric is fed from the forming mechanism A to B, C, D and E by a plurality of feed rolls 5 which are driven by worms 6 on the longitudinal shaft 7.

The cutting-off device is indicated as a whole by the reference letter F and is shown in enlarged view in Figs. 3 and 4. It comprises a base or anvil. 10 to which is secured a channeled guide member 11 providing a longitudinal passage 12 for the fabric. This guide member is provided in its top with a transverse slot, as is also the anvil 10, to receive a knife 13 clamped in the outer end of a strong rocking lever 1% fulcrui'ued on the longitudinal axis at 15 and having its other arm pivotally connected to a pitman 16 having a strap portion surrounding an eccentric 18 on a short longitudinal shaft 19 mounted directly in the rear of the longitudinal drive shaft 7, and geared to the latter to be intermittently rotated. This connection comprises a gear 21 on the shaft 7 which meshes with a gear 22 loose on the shaft 19 and provided with one member of a jaw clutch 23. The other member of this jaw clutch is splined to the shaft 19 and is normally urged into looking engagement with the member on gear 22 by a compression spring 24 interposed between said member and a disc on the end of shaft 19. This slidable clutch member is provided with a groove 26, which is engaged by the forked arm 27 of an angle lever fulcrumed at 28 and having its other arm 29 controlled by means hereinafter described.

The mechanism is so designed that when the shaft 19 is actuated to operate the cutter, it makes one complete revolution and then stops. To assist it in stopping in the proper position two devices are employed. One comprises the yielding brake plate 30 secured to a portion of the stationary frame and which is adapted to be frictionally engaged by an eccentrically faced disc 31 on the end of shaft 19. The plate 30 is adjustable toward and from the disc 31 by means of an adjusting screw 32 tapped through an arm on the frame. The arrangement is such that when the shaft 19 has completed a full revolution the high part of the eccentric disc 81 will frictionally engage the plate 30. thus producing a friction which will tend to bring the shaft 19 to rest.

The other device comprises a pitmau rod 35 engaging a crank pin 36 on the disc 25 on shaft 19, and which pitman rod is ar ranged to reciprocate therewith through an opening in a stationary guide member 37. Interposed between this guide member 37 and a fixed collar 38 on the rod 35 is a compression spring 39. the whole being so ma ranged that when the spring 39 is expanded to the fullest extent the pitman rod will be elevated, thus tending to bring the shaft 19 to a standstill at a time when the crank pin 36 is in its most elevated position, which is just the time when the high part of the eccentric disc 31 is in frictional engagement with the brake plate 30. These special means for bringing thegshaft-lt) to astate of rest in a given position are necessary because of the very rapid movement of said shaft, givinga full up and down movement to knife 18 in a very short interval of time.

The mechanism for bringing about the intermittent action of the cutter is shown in general view in Fig. 2, and in detail in Figs. 5 to 9. It comprises reciprocating means for guiding and controlling the movement of the lever 29 which actuates the clutch 23, and also adjustable reversing mechanism for actuating said reciprocating mechanisn'i. The main element of the reciprocating mechanism comprises a screw 40 extending longitudinally of the machine and mounted in bearings 11 on the back side thereof. This screw is driven from the shaft 3 through bev eled pinious 42, and transverse horizontal shaft 43, the latter of which is connected through a pair of spiral gears to a short longitudinal shaft 4-6 which is connected to the screw 40 through certain reversing mechanism new to be described, and which is shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 9.

Shaft 46 is provided with one gear 17 which meshes directly with a gi'ar 48 loose on the end of screw 40; and another gear 49 which connects through an intermediate idler 50 with a gear 51, also loose on the end of screw 40. Splined to the'screw 40 between the gears 48 and 51 is a double jaw clutch member 52 arranged to engage, when forcedto its opposite position, cooperating jaws on the gears 48 and 51, respectively, but only one at a time. Clutch member 52 is provided with an annular groove engaged by a fork 53 on lever 54 which is fulcrumed at 55 on a stationary frame member 56. The lower end of lever 54 is bifurcated as shown in Fig. 7, and each of its arms is provided with a segmental run-way 57 for a roller 58. The two rollers 58 are connected by a neck 59 on which is swiveled the upper end of a rod 60.

The lower end of this rod reciprocates through an oscillating collar 61 pivotally mounted in the lower end of an arm 62 which projects down from the frame member 56. Between the bearing 61 and a shoulder 63 near the upper end of rod is a compression spring 64 which acts to force said rod 60 upwardly. Consequently when the rollcrs 58 are at one end of the segmental run-ways 57, such for instance as at the left hand end as shown in Fig. 5, the lever 53 is held in the position Where the clutch member 52 is engaged with the gear 48. If, however, said rollers be forcibly moved toward the right, viewing Fig. 5, it will cause spring 64 to becompressed, so that as soon as the rollers pass the, lowest point inthe curved segmental run-ways 57, that is to say, passbeyond the dead center, the espanslon of spring 64 will quickly force sa d rollers to the extreme right hand end of: said runways 57, thus causing a quick snapping rotation of the lever 54 to disengage the clutch member 52 from gear 48 bringing it into engagement with gear 51, thus reversing the rotation of the screw 40.

The means for moving the rollers 58 and thus oscillating the lever 54 as described, consists of the following mechanism: 66 IS a block provided with a threaded hole engag ing screw l0, and hence willbe moved either to the right or the left, depending upon the direction of rotation of said screw. This block is guided on a stationary longitudinal bar 67, and is provided with an opening which loosely surrounds a rod 68 mounted for endwise movement in guides on the frame. Stop sleeves 70 are threaded into therblock 66 on opposite sides thereof for a purpose hereinafter stated. Secured to the rod 68 at one side of the block 66 is a stop member 71, which at one end has an opening loosely surrounding and guided on the rod 67. On the opposite side of block 66 isa similar stop 72, which is readily adjustable longitudinally of the rod 68 by means of the winged clamping screw 7 3. The rod 68 1s further provided with projecting arms 74 and 75, respectively, one of which carries a push rod 76 and the .other'a push rod 77. The ends of these push rods lie on opposite sides of the upper end of the toggle rod 60.

lVhen the screw 40is rotating in one direction, say in a direction to move the block 66 toward the right in Fig. 5, the right hand sleeve 70 will eventually contact stop 71 on rod 68, thus moving saidrod toward the right and causing push rod 76 to push the upper end of the toggle rod 60 toward the right, until, as already stated,- the rollers 58 pass the deadcenter in the curved run-ways in the lower end of lever 54 andcause said lever to snap quickly into the reverse position, thereby disengaging clutch 52 from gear 48 and bringing it into engagement with gear 51 and thus reversing the direction of rotation of screw 40. This causes the block 66 to move in the'opposite direction, that is, toward the left, Fig. 5, and. this movementwill continue until the left hand sleeve 70 contacts the stop 72 which will cause the rod 68 to be moved to the left, and thus cause the push arm 77 to come into en gagement with the upper end of toggle rod 68, moving said upper end, now toward the left, until again the rollers 58 pass the dead center of the curvedrun-ways 57, which will again cause the lever 54 to quickly reverse its position and thus reverse the, clutch 52 and again reverse the rotation of screw 40.

By having the sleeves 7O threaded into,

the block 66 their positions can be nicely adjusted in order to bring about the move ment of the rod 68 and thus the actuation of the clutch 52 at precisely the right moment. rod 68 but the other stop 72 is adjustable on the rod so that thereby the time of reversal of the screw 40 can be regulated in order that the cutter be actuated to sever the fabric into pieces of different lengths. That is to say, the closer the; stop 72 is to the stop 71 the shorter will be the lengths of fabric which are produced, whereas the farther the, stop 72 is from stop 71 the longer will be the lengths of fabric produced.

The clutch for clutching the knife actuating shaft 19 and for unclutching it from the drive shaft 3 is controlled from the reciprocating mechanism by the following means: shown in Fig. 4 the horizontal arm 29 of the clutch actuating fork is provided with a downwardly pro ecting nib 80 and a horizontal finger 81. The nib 80 is engaged by a wedge-shaped member 82 mounted to reciprocate horizontally so that when projected underneath the nib 80 it will raise arm 20 of the clutch fork and open the clutch 23, and when withdrawn from underneath said nib it leaves the clutch lever arm 29 under the control of the means hereinafter described for engaging the horizontally projected finger 81. The wedge member 82 is projected underneath the nib 80 to open the clutch by means of a compression spring 83, surrounding the longitudinal rod 8% which carries the wedge 82, and interposed between said wedge 82 and-a stationary. member 85. surrounding said rod 84. The wedge member 82 is withdrawn from underneath the nib 80, and at the sametime spring 83 is compressed, by the following means, (Fig. 9) Block 66 is provided with The stop 71, as stated, is fixed to the a vertical bore in which is mounted a slidable dog 86 which is normally pressed downwardly by a spring 87 to engage a lug 88 on rod 84. Hence when the block 66 is moved in a direction away from the outer end of the machine, the dog 86 by its engagement with the lug 88, forcibly moves the rod 84 in the direction to withdraw wedge 82 from underneath the nib 80 on the clutch lever and at the same time compresses spring 83. This engagement. of dog86 with projection 88 occurs only when the block 66 approaches the limit of its movement in thatdirection, and results, as stated, in withdrawing the wedge 82 from underneath the clutch lever nib 80 and leaves the clutch lever under the control of the means which engages the profurther movement of the block 66 in the direction in which it has been moving efi'ects the unlocking of the dog 86 from the lug 88, thus permitting the compression spring 83 to quickly project the wedge 82 underneath the nib and thus again open the clutch. This unlocking of dog 86 is due to the fact that when the block tit) moves slightly further in the direction in which it has been moving, it brings into engagement with a stationary roller 90 the outer inclined end of a lever 91 which is fulcrumed at 92 in the block 66 and is provided with a projection 93 engaging a shoulder 94 on the dog 86. The incline on the end of lever 92 is such that when the free end of said lever is forced down by its engagement with roller 40 (as it will be by further movement of block (56) the dog 86 is lifted out of engagement with the projection 88, and this allows the compression spring 83 to move the wedge 82 underneath the nib 80 and forcibly open the clutch 23.

Thus the wedge 82 constitutes positive means for opening the clutch 23, but to permit the clutch to close, the action of the wedge 82 is supplemented by an additional control means which must be actuated before the clutch can close. This additional controlling means comprises a horizontally movable member 95 which engages underneath the tinger 81 ot' lever 29 and which member is guided for horizontal movement by slot 96 and pin 97 connecting the same to the wedge member 82, and which is carried by longitudinal rod 98 which extends toward the forward end of the machine, parallel to the rod 84, and extends loosely through an opening in the fixed bearing 41. It is normally biased in a direction to hold its end underneath thcfinger 81 by means of compression spring 100 between the bearing 41 and collar 101 fixed to the rod 98 (Fig. 6). Adjustably secured to said rod is a stop collar 102 arranged to be engaged by block (56 so as to push the rod 98 in a direction to compress the spring 100, and thus withdraw the trigger 95 from underneath the iinger 81.

The several parts are so positioned that in the movement of the block 66 toward the right, viewing Fig. 6, the dog 86 engages projection 88 and forces rod 84 in the direction of movement of the block 66, thus withdrawing the wedge member 82 from underneath the nib 80, and at the same time compreming spring 83. This would enable the clutch spring 24 to close the clutch 23 were it not for the trigger 95 which is still in engagement with finger 81. The movement of block 66 continues and said block shortly comes in contact with the collar 102 on the rod ,98, thus moving said rod in the same direction and withdrawing the trigger 95 from underneath finger 81. This then releases the clutch actuating lever and permits the spring 24 to close clutch 23. Immediately shaft 19 is put into rotation and the cutter is actuated. Almost by the time, or a little before, that shaft 19 has completed one rotation, the end of lever 91 (Fig. 9) will have been crowded under roller 90 to such extent that dog 86 will be disengaged from stop 88. This releases rod 84 and the compression spring 83 shoots the wedge member 8:! outwardly underneath nib 80, thus raising lever arm 29 and opening the clutch, whereupon the shaft 19 will come to rest and will be brought to a state of rest at just one complete revolution from its original idle position by the means herebefore described. The trigger 95 moves outwardly underneath finger 81 somewhat later, that is to say, when the screw 40 has been reversed by the mechanism heretofore described and the block 66 is moving in the opposite direction, which permits the spring 100 to gradually expand and move rod 98 outwardly.

All the foregoing mechanisms are so organized and correlated that the several operations are automatically etl'ected and in the desired sequence, and with no hand manipuiation or operation, other than the presence of an, attendant to see that the parts are properly working and that the proper adjustments are made to effect the various operations efiiciently. That is to say, the operator must see that the proper adjustments are given to the tension device B, the flatwise straightener C, the edgewise straightener E, and to the rotatable member of the untwisting device D. He will have to see that the adjustable stop 72 is so set as to produce reversal of the screw 40 at such intervals as to produce cut-01f pieces of fabric of the desired lengths. While it is preferred to have the several devices C, D and E arranged in the sequence in which shown, this is not absolutely necessary, as they might be arranged in some other order. The tension device B, however, must come first and the cutting-off device F must come last. As a result of the complete organized machine much tedious hand labor in the manufacture of wire corset stays is dispensed with, and an organized mechanism has been produced which delivers pieces of the desired length which are both straight and flat, and which need no further hand manipulation, and indeed no further handling at all except the application thereto of the usual tips at the ends and the usual electro-plating thereof to render the same rustproof.

I claim:

1. Wire fabricating mechanism com rising mechanism for-forming a wire fa ric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, a clutch for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism, an automatically reversible mechanism, and means controlled by said reversible said clutch. J v

2; Vv ire fabricating mechanism comprising mechanism for forming a wire fabric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severingmechanismcomprising a clutch, a driven screw, mechanism for periodically reversing the rotation of said screw, and means controlled from said screw for actuating said clutch.

3. \Vire fabricatin mechanism comprising mechanism for forming a wire fabric. severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising aclutch, automatic reversing mechanism, and recip rocating means actuated by said reversing mechanism and arranged to intermittently throw saidclutchin andout of operation.

4. Wire fabricating mechanism comprisin'g mechanism forforming a wire fa ric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising a clutch, automatically reversible mechanism, reciprocating means actuated by said reversible mechanism, said reciprocating means in' eluding a member arranged to put said clutch into operative condition, and a control member for permitting actuation of said clutch.

5. lVire fabricating mechanism compris ing mechanism for forming a wire fabric, severing mechanism to which said fabric. is fed, means for intermittently actuatingsaid severing mechanism, said means comprising a clutch, means biased to normally 0 ose said clutch, automatic reciprocating mechanism arranged when moved in one direction to open said clutch and when moved in the other direction to permit said clutch to close,

and a secondary control device for controlling the closing of said clutch.

6. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising mechanism for forming a wire fabric, sercring mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising a clutch, means for controlling said clutch comprising automatic reversing mechanism, reciprocating means actuated by said reversing mechanism and controlling the closing of' mechanism for actuating screw to move said rod endwise, a spring put under con'ipression when said rod is moved endwise, a lock for retaining said rod against cndwise movement, a'trip mechanism operated by the movement of said sci-cw for releasing said lock to permit the spring to open the clutch, and a second rod moved cndwise by the action of said screw and serving to release the clutch closing means.

8. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising mechanism for forming a wire fabric, sever rag mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism, said means comprising a clutch, a spring for automatically closing said clutch, mechanism for opening and holding open said clutch comprising a driven screw, mechanism actuated from the screw for au'tom'atieall reversing its rotation, an endwise movable member actuated from said screw and arranged to permit the clutch to close, a spring biased when said member is moved in one direction and arranged when released to move said member in the other direction and open said clutch, and a secondary control member actuated by said reversing screw and arranged to release the cluteh closing means.

9. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising mechanism for forming a wire fabric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising a clutch, a spring arranged to normally close said clutch, mechanism for opening said clutch comprising automatic reversing mechanism, a rod moved in one direction by said automatic reversing mechanism to thereby release the elutch closing means, a spring put under compression when said rod is moved, and means for releasing said rod from said reciprocating mechanism, whereby said spring will move said rod to open the clutch.

10. Wire fabricating mechanism com rising mechanism for forming a wire fa ric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising a clutch, an automatic reversing mechanism, a pair of endwise movable rods actuated from said reversing mechanism, each of said rods carrying means for holding the clutch in open position, springs arranged to bias both of said rods in a direction to hold the clutch open, means actuated by the reversing mechanism to move one of said rods to withdraw its clutch locking means and simultaneously compressing the spring, means also actuated by the reversing mechanism and actuated slightly later than the first-named means for withdrawing the second-named rod to permit the clutch to close and automatic means for releasing the first-named rod to permit its sprlng to open the clutch.

11. Wire fabricating mechanism comprising means for forming a wire fabric, severing mechanism to which said fabric is fed, means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism comprising a clutch, automatic reversing mechanism, a spring biased member normally holding the clutch in open position, means operated from the reversing mechanism for withdrawing said spring biased member from control of the clutch reversible mechanism for actuating said clutch, said reversible mechanism being adjustable to regulate said clutch actuating means to render the severing mechanism operative at intervals determined by the speed of feeding the fabric, whereby to sever the latter in predetermined lengths.

13. Machine for making wire fabric, comprising in combination, a mechanism for forming wire fabric, a severing mechanism, means for feeding the fabric to said severing mechanism, and means for intermittently actuating said severing mechanism, comprising a clutch, means tending normally to close said clutch, automatic reciprocating mechanism arranged when moved in one direction to open said clutch, and when moved in the other direction to permit said clutch to close, and means for regulating the movement of said reciprocating mechanism to vary the periodicity of the operating cycle.

of said severing mechanism relative to the speed at which the fabric is fed to the latter. In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

-WILLIAM E. BOWLER.

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