US2033614A - Inspecting means - Google Patents

Description

M. N. DAVIS El AL 2,33,6M

INSPECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1932 '7 Sheets-Sheet l ,gmww

y M. N. DAVIS ET AL 2,3?5,6M

' INSPECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1932 '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 L A H B V A D N M INSPECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 fizz/222265.- Z ff Fez 7-425 JGrez'rzer March w, 1936, M N, AV ETA; ww m INSPEGTING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I fzzzrezzflf /Z@2"Z /Y flaws CharZesJ Grez'izer Gammafafar r m a K @ef/ecior 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 /l\ in. 4 Il- INSPECTING MEANS Filed Dec. 2, 1932 L A m m V A D N M jg/T6022: Ck

Patented Mar. 10, 1936 UNHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSPECTING MEANS Application December 2, 1932, Serial No. 645,398

17 Claims.

This invention relates to an arrangement applied to an article producing machine, for inspecting the same and causing defective articles to be. thrown out before reaching the point of delivery of commercially perfect articles. In this application, the inspecting means contemplated is illustrated as applied to a machine for manufacturing and packing sanitary napkins and the arrangement disclosed has particular reference to the inspection of the gauze which is used to form wrappers around absorbent pads.

In the mills where gauze is produced, it is customary to indicate defective portions of gauze by sewing a black string across the width of the gauze. Also, where splices in the gauze are made, it is customary to indicate such splices, and in fact, to make such splices, by means of adhesive tape which is black on the back side.

In the production of sanitary napkins, it is .:.a important that defective pieces of gauze or gauze splices, marked as above mentioned, be removed.

so that such defective portions will not be embodied in a sanitary napkin. However, in the production of such napkins by machine, it is 25 objectionable to interrupt the operation of the machine for the purpose of removing such defective gauze portions.

According to the present invention, the napkin forming mechanism is permitted to operate continually, even to using defective gauze portions, but such napkins as embody a defective gauze portion are automatically thrown out before the napkin is delivered to the packing maclm'ne or to the receiver.

The main objects of the invention are to provide means for inspection, on a sanitary napkin making machine, of the strip of gauze which enters into the production of napkins by the machine; to provide an arrangement whereby the gauze may be inspected before it is folded around a pad, while the. actual rejection or removal of any defective portion is delayed and caused to occur at some suitable time after the napkin is completed; and in general, it is the object of J the invention to provide improved means for inspecting material to be used in the production of an article and to effect rejection of any article embodying a portion of the material having a defect detected by the inspecting means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings ('7 sheets) in which we have described and illustrated a preferred embodiment cf inspectingand rejecting mechanism applied to a machine for making sanitary napkins.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation.

Fig. 1a is a side elevation of a portion of the sanitary napkin making mechanism which is connected to the right hand end of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of certain timing mechanism, a cover plate being removed to more clearly illustrate the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-'-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of certain throw-out mechanism also illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a plan section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic representations of certain photo-electric cell or electric eye means for inspecting the gauze.

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electric circuits embodied in the mechanism.

Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 are diagrammatic representations of various steps in the method of inspection employed in the described mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the pad making mechanism herein illustrated includes a machine of the type illustrated in the patent to William Bauer No. 1,794,358. machine embodies a table 211 over which a strip of gauze 2| is drawn or propelled, the strip being drawn from a source of supply such as a roll 22. A strip of wadding material is fed transversely of the length of the table 20 and pad sections of the proper width are cut from the strip by means of a reciprocating cutter 23. It will be understood that the pads of absorbent material cut off by the cutter 23 are of a length equal to the width of the strip from which cut and of a width according to the amount of feed movement imparted to the strip of absorbent material between each cutting reciprocation of the cutter 23. The width of the pad is perferably about one-third the Width of the gauze strip and the pad is pereferably deposited centrally of the width of the gauze strip and successive pads are deposited in longitudinally spaced relation. The gauze strip is folded around the pads by means of folders such as indicated at 24. A string of connected sanitary pads thus issues from the pad making machine and the gauze between the adjacent ends of the spaced pads is severed at the proper intervals from the pad ends by means of a rotary cutter 25. Independent pads are thus The Bauer pad making deposited on a conveyor 26 which carries them into a mechanism designated 21 which folds the gauze end flaps over the wrapped pad portion.

The sanitary napkins are, in fact, complete when they issue from the folding machine 2"! and they are delivered to a conveyor 28 which carries them to the desired receiving means. In this instance, the conveyor 28 carries the pads to a packing machine 29 which serves to pack one dozen pads in a box. The details of operation of the various napkin forming and packing units are not involved in the present invention, and hence more detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

For inspecting the gauze strip 2 l, photo-electric cell mechanism 36 is positioned over an edge portion of the strip of gauze 2| at a point in advance of the folders 24. The arrangement is such that when a black string or tape passes under a beam of light in the inspecting mechanism 30, a timing mechanism 3| will be set and pad ejecting mechanism 32 will be actuated when the pad embodying the marked portion of gauze passes the ejector or throw-out device 32.

The photo-electric cell is not of itself a new device and for the purpose of this application, it may be described as including a photo-electric cell 33 which generates or permits to pass an electrical impulse, or causes a sudden change from a steady current, when the intensity of light impressed thereon is reduced by the passage of a black string or tape marking a defect or splice in the gauze strip. The inspection device 39 also includes a light source such as an electric lamp 34, a reflector 35 and suitable lenses 35 which concentrate the light on a predetermined area. A suitable reflector 31 is also provided for reflecting light to the photo-electric cell. As represented in Fig. 10, the photo-electric cell and the light source are arranged over a marginal portion of the strip of gauze. A black string indicating a defect in the gauze is indicated at 38, and a black tape indicating a splice in the gauze is indicated at 39. It will be seen that the string and tape elements 38 and 39 respectively will pass through the zone of inspection covered by the inspection unit, and hence will cause an electrical impulse to be passed by the photo-electric cell.

The timing mechanism 3| includes a rotor 46 which is secured to a shaft 4|. The shaft 4| is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 42 and 43 provided in the casing 44 and cover .5 respectively of the timer. The shaft 4! has secured to it a gear 46. Another shaft 41 is rotatably mounted in the casing and cover of the timer, and this shaft is provided with a pinion gear 48 meshing with the gear 46. The shaft 41' is also provided with a sprocket wheel 49. A chain 58 extending around the sprocket wheel 49 and around a suitable sprocket on the shaft of the rotary pad cutter serves to effect rotation of the shaft 41. It wil be understood that the cutter shaft 5| is rotated in synchronized relation to the passage of sanitary napkins produced by the mechanism described and that by properly selected sprocket and gear ratios, the shafts 47 and 4| may be caused to rotate in predetermined synchronized relation to the production and travel of the sanitary napkins. In the present mechanism, the sprocket ratios and gear ratios are such that the shaft 41 rotates once for each two pads produced by the machine and the shaft 4| rotates once for each l2 pads produced.

The arrangement herein described is such that there are six pads between the point of inspection and the throw-out mechanism 32. The timer includes a series of devices which are respectively adapted to represent a pad in the course of travel between the inspecting unit and the throw-out mechanism, and said devices are adapted to be set by current passed by the photo-electric cell and to subsequently actuate the throw-out mechanism. In the rotor there is mounted a series of twelve shoes or cam devices 52. Since the rotor makes one turn for each twelve pads 1 made, it will be evident that each shoe or cam device 52 will make one-half a revolution during the time the pad represented by it is traveling from the inspecting unit 39 to the throw-out mechanism 32.

The shoes 52 are mounted in the rotor so as to be radially adjustable inwardly and outwardly. As best shown in Fig. 4, each shoe includes a shank portion 53 which is slidable between the slide plates 54 and 55 of the rotor and in a recess of a trigger or latch 6| which is pivoted on a shaft such as 52. The latch 6| has a hook portion 63 adapted to hook over the projecting end of the pin 59. A coil spring 64 is suitably connected at its ends to the latch BI and the pin 62 and normally urges the latch to move into locking relation to the pin 59. A stop pin 65 serves to limit such movement of the latch 6| under the influence of the spring 64 and serves to prevent side thrust on the pin 59 and shoe 52.

In the upper portion of the casing 3|, there is provided an electrically actuated device for disengaging the triggers or latches 6| when a defective portion of gauze is detected by the electric eye 30. This device includes a plunger 65 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 66 and is provided at its lower end with a head 61. At its upper end, the plunger 65 is provided with an end member 68 which may be adjusted lengthwise of the plunger to adjust its length. The plunger is normally maintained in a retracted position by means of a coil spring 69 which is disposed around the plunger between its upper end head 68 and the bracket portion 65 in which the plunger is slidably mounted. An armature l0 pivotally mounted as indicated at H on a portion of the bracket 86 has a laminated soft iron portion 12 which is adapted to be attracted by an electro-magnet 13. At its outer or free end, the armature 10 has a leg 14 which engages the upper end of the plunger head 68 so that when the magnet 13 is energized and draws the armature downwardly, the plunger 65 is lowered.

When the plunger is lowered, its lower head 61 will be disposed in the path of travel of the latches 6| and will serve to disengage one of the latches 6| from a pin 59 to thereby permit one of the plungers 52 to be moved outwardly by its spring 58.

For temporarily retaining the plunger 65 in lowered position, a latch or trigger I5 is provided. The latch 15 is pivoted as indicated at 16 on the bracket 66, and at its lower end it has a pin 18 which is adapted to fit over the shoulder 19 formed by the plunger head 61 when the plunger head is lowered. A spring normally serves to urge the latch I5 into locking position. Each of the shoes 52 is provided with a pin 8| which is adapted to engage a portion of the latch to release the plunger after the plunger has accomplished its purpose of disengaging the corresponding latch BI.

In the lower portion of the timer casing 3|, there is provided an electric circuit-making device which includes a bell crank member 82 pivoted as indicated at 83 in the timer casing. One arm 84 of the bell crank is provided with a roller 85 adapted to be engaged by one of the shoes 52 when extended outwardly by the means above explained. The other arm 86 of the bell crank is provided at its free end with a suitable metallic or electric conducting element 81 which is mounted on the said arm 86 through the agency of a block of insulating material 89. The contact member 8'! is electrically connected by means of a flexible connector 89' to a conductor pin 89 and is adapted to make contact with another conductor pin 99. The pins 89 and 99 are carried by an insulating material support 9|. Electric conductors 92 and 93 are secured to the pins 89 and 99 respectively, and these conductors are further connected to electric actuating and control means associated with the pad throw-out or rejecting mechanism 32. A spring 94 normally serves to maintain the bell crank member 82 in inoperative position and against a stop pin 95 carried by the casing.

A roller 96 is suitably mounted in the casing 3| in such position that after an extended shoe 52 has actuated the bell crank 82, such shoe will engage the roller 96 and be thereby forced back toits normal position wherein the latch 6| is caused by its spring 64 to again lock such shoe in retarded, normal position.

For purposes which will presently appear, the following devices are also mounted in the timer casing 3|. A relay 9'! is suitably secured to the casing and includes an electro magnet 98 which actuates an armature 99. The armature 99 is pivoted at one end as indicated at I99 on a portion of the relay frame and at its free end, the armature is provided with a conductor element I9I which is carried by a block of insulating ma: terial I92 suitably secured to the armature 99. Contact members I93 and I94 are suitably supported by means of a block of insulating material I95 and these contact members are so arranged that the member I93 is in electrical contact with the contact member I9I when the armature is in its outward position and so that the contact member I94 electrically engages the armature contact I9I when the armature is swung to its inwardly adjusted position as an incident to the energizing of the relay magnet 98. When the contact I93 is electrically connected to the contact I9I, the member I94 engages only the insulating material member I92. When the contact member I94 is in electrical engagement with the contact I9I, the member I93 contacts only with the opposite side of the insulating member I92. A spring pressed plunger I96 serves to normally hold the armature 99 in its outwardly adjusted position and to restore it to such position after the electro magnet 98 is deenergized. The arrangement is preferably such that when the relay is actuated, the element I 9| will make contact with the member I93 before it is disengaged from the member I94 and vice versa so that the element I9I is always in contact with one or the other of the contact members I93 andI94. A momentarily open circuit and impairment of the effectiveness of the inspecting unit is thus avoided.

A circuit breaker indicated at I9! is also mounted in the casing. This circuit breaker includes a metallic rotor I98 which is suitably mounted on the shaft 41 which rotates once for each two pads made. The rotor I98 is provided with diametrically oppositely disposed insulating material inserts I99-I99. There is a pair of contact fingers H9 and Ill (see Figs. 2 and 11) which brush against the rotor or commutator I98. It will be understood that so long as the brushes or contacts H9 and III engage the metallic surface of the commutator I98, an electric current will flow from one of the brushes, through the commutator and through the other brush. However, when the contact members I I9 and I I I rest on one of the insulating material inserts I99, any electric circuit including the brushes H9 and III is interrupted.

The threw-out mechanism The throw-out mechanism is embodied in a conveyor structure which carries the sanitary napkins from the conveyor 28 to the packing machine 29. Such conveyor is indicated at II2 intermediate pulleys II 3 and II 4 which guide the conveyor II2. There is provided a member II5 which is hinged at one end as indicated at H9. The hinge H9 connects the member II5 to a side guide element II! which is disposed at one side of the conveyor I I2, such guide element being rigidly supported by suitable means, for example, by means of brackets II8 which are secured to a portion of the framework of the mechanism. The member I I5 is adapted to be swung from its normal position as shown in full lines in Fig. 8 to a pad rejecting or throw-out position as indicated in dotted lines in said Fig. 8. Obviously, when the member I I5 is in the throw-out position indicated in dotted lines, a pad carried upwardly on the conveyor I I2 will be deflected from the conveyor to a discharge chute I I9 which carries the defective pad to a suitable receptacle.

The mechanism for actuating the member I I5 includes a solenoid I29 which is connected in series with the contact members 89 and 99 in the timer casing. The free end of the plunger IZI of the solenoid has a link I22 pivotally connected thereto and the other end of the link I22 is connected to the free end of the arm I23 of a bell crank I24. The bell crank I 24 is pivoted as indicated at I on a suitable bracket element and the other arm I29 of the bell crank is provided with a pin and slot connected as indicated at I2! with the end of a rod I28. The rod I28 is slidably mounted in a suitable bearing element provided as a part of the framework or bracket and the said rod is pivotally connected as indicated at I39 to the swinging member II5. A spring I3I on the rod I28 normally serves to hold the member II5 in its inoperative position and to return it to such position from its deflecting position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. A suitable cushioned bumper or stop I32 serves to limit return movement of the member The member II5 is preferably provided with a top plate I33, and a cover or guard plate I34 is preferably positioned over the swinging member II5.

Electrical connections between the electric eye and thetimer mechanism This photo-cell or electric eye 33 is connected to a suitable audio frequency amplifier tube I35 by means of a conventional resistance condenser coupling such as is used in audio frequency amplifiers. Impulses transmitted by the photo-cell are thus amplified and such amplified signals are transmitted by means of an audio frequency transformer such as indicated at I36, or by means of a suitable resistance condenser coupling, to the grid of an electronic relay indicated at I3I. Such a relay is typified by General Electric Companys so-called Thyratron tube (type FG-27L and one of its characteristics is that it either passes no current at all or, if the voltage on the controlling grid exceeds a predetermined value, even momentarily, it allows a very large current to pass until such time as the voltage applied to the plate of the tube is momentarily interrupted. Once the current has started to pass, the grid loses control and current will continue passing until such current is momentarily interrupted.

As indicated in the wiring diagram, Fig. 11, the Thyratron tube is connected in series with the magnet I3 which controls the plunger 65, and the circuit also includes the magnet 98 of the relay 91. The relay normally is so arranged that the Thyratron circuit by-passes the commutator I01 but cuts the commutator into the circuit when the magnet 08 is energized. It will thus be seen that when a current is caused to flow in the Thyratron circuit, the commutator will be cut into the circuit by the relay and that the insulating material inserts I09 in the commutator will periodically interrupt the Thyratron circuit to thereby stop the flow of current until a new impulse is impressed on the grid of the Thyratron.

Operation The operation of the mechanical elements described has already been indicated and the following description is particularly directed to the operation of the electrical circuits.

In Fig. 12, a length of gauze X is indicated as having a defect indicated at A at the point intermediate the ends of the length of gauze and more than three inches from either end of the gauze length. It will be understood that by gauze length is meant the length of the strip of gauze which will be cut off with a pad wrapped therein. Another gauze length immediately following the length X is indicated at Y. The electric eye or photo-cell inspector 33 is illustrated with the gauze length X in such relation thereto that the defect A marked by a black string is at that moment causing the transmission of an electrical impulse by the photo-cell. Such an impulse acting through the audio amplifier I35 and transformer I36 causes the flow of current in the Thyratron circuit. When the Thyratron circuit is thus completed, the plunger 65 is lowered and immediately latched in lowered position by the latch I5. The relay 9! is also actuated and the commutator I0I is cut into the Thyratron circuit.

The commutator IN is so positioned with respect to the position of each gauze length on the conveyor of the folding machine that when the rear end of such gauze length comes to a position three inches in the rear of the electric eye, one of the insulator inserts I09 of the commutator I01 breaks the Thyratron circuit by interrupting the flow of current between the brushes I I0 and I I I. The magnet I3 which controls the plunger 65 is also deenergized but the plunger remains down since it is locked in such position by the latch I5.

The position and operations just referred to are illustrated in Fig. 13.

The plunger 65 being lowered, it is in position to disengage the latch 6| which is about to pass through the zone occupied by the plunger in lowered position. The rotor 40 of the timer is so set that the actual engagement between a latch 6I and the plunger 65 takes place when the end of the gauze length has reached a point three inches beyond the electric eye substantially as indicated in Fig. 14. When the gauze length X reaches such position, the plunger 65 disengages the latch 6I thereby permitting a shoe 52 to move outwardly. The extended shoe 52 then represents the defective gauze length. The latch I5 which looks the plunger 65 in lowered position is moved to inoperative position by the pin SI of the shoe just extended, such operation taking place very promptly after the latch 6| is disengaged; hence, the plunger 65 returns to normal position under the influence of its spring 69. By the time the plunger 52 which is extended as above described. reaches a position to act on the bell crank 82, the gauze length represented by such shoe is entering the zone of operation of the deflecting mem ber of ejector H5. The shoe 52 actuates the bell crank 82 to complete the circuit of the solenoid I20 and thereby causes the member II5 to swing to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 8 where it serves to eject the defective napkin.

In the event that a defect should be located adjacent the rear end of the gauze strip X, for example, as indicated at B, and within three inches of the end of the gauze strip, the same operation as described in connection with Fig.

12 will take place. The position of Fig. 13 having already been passed, the operations referred to in connection with Fig. 13 do not affect the mechanism, but when the gauze length X reaches the position indicated in Fig. 14, the operations referred to in connection with said Fig. 14 take place.

If, as represented in Fig. 16, there is a defect within the three inches at the rear end of the gauze length X and also a defect as indicated at C within three inches of the front end of the following gauze length Y, the defect B at the rear end of the gauze length X will be detected in the manner explained above in connection with Fig. 15. Thyratron circuit since the defect B was detected, the plunger 65 is held down by the magnet I3 until the shoe 52 has passed to such a point that the latch 6| may reengage and hold the plunger 65 down until the gauze length Y reaches the position of the gauze length X illustrated in Fig. 14. The operations referred to in connection with Fig. 14 then take place with respect to the gauze length Y. It will, of course, be understood that the commutator will break the Thyratron circuit when the gauze length Y reaches the position of the gauze length X illustrated in Fig. 13 to again enable the photo-electric cell to function.

From the foregoing explanation, it will also be evident that even though a defect marker appears only within the three inch zone at the rear end of a gauze length, the next succeeding gauze length will nevertheless be automatically rejected. In other words, both gauze lengths X and Y will be rejected even though only defect B is indicated by a marker. This arrangement is desirable because in many instances a gauze defeet extends lengthwise of the gauze strip considerably beyond the location of the marker. Hence, the inspection mechanism effectively Since the commutator has not broken the causes the rejection of all imperfect gauze lengths. Of course, it may be observed that in a few instances, a perfect gauze length may be rejected, but this is not seriously objectionable since it involves but small cost and may be considered as a matter of insurance against the sale of imperfect articles.

It will be seen that by the arrangement described, the photo-electric inspector is effective for its described purpose regardless of the location of the defect in the length of the gauze and regardless of the number of times or rapidity with which defects occur in successive gauze lengths. The occurrence of defects B and C in adjacent ends of gauze lengths as referred to in connection with Fig. 16, may result from the fact that a black indicating string does not extend accurately at right angles to the gauze length, and hence may be located in the adjacent ends of two gauze lengths. The described arrangement is, of course, effective to reject both pads in which the defect indicating strings occur.

The purpose of the timer may be briefly stated to be that of storing energy created or passed by the photo cell while the faulty pad is traveling the length of the machine and, at the proper time, to cause the throw-out unit to operate to reject the faulty pad. The timing of the operations to occur when the rear end of each gauze length is three inches to the rear of and three inches in front of the photo electric cell, is a more or less arbitrary selection and may be varied as experience shows the need of a longer or shorter distance.

The above described mechanism and electric circuits may be varied and adapted to suit other conditions without departing from the spirit of the described invention, the scope of which should be determined by referring to the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible, consistent with the state of the art.

We claim as our invention:-

1. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, means for inspecting the sheet material before severance thereof, and means controlled by said inspecting means for rejecting any bandage having in its wrapper a defective portion detected by said inspecting means.

2. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, means for inspecting the sheet material before severance thereof, means for rejecting any bandage having in its wrapper a defective portion detected by said inspecting means, and means controlled by said inspecting means for effecting operation of said rejecting means after severance of the sheet material folded around the pads.

3. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of thesheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, a photo-electric cell disposed adjacent the path of travel of said sheet material strip and in advance of the folding means, said cell serving to permit the passage of an electric current when a defect in said strip passes through the zone of activity of said cell, means for rejecting the bandage having in its wrapper a defect which is detected by said cell, and timing means set by the current passed by said cell and operative to actuate said rejecting means after severance of the sheet material folded around the pads,

4. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as in incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing. the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, a photo-electric cell disposed adjacent the path of travel of said sheet material strip, and in advance of the folding means, said cell serving to permit the passage of an electric current when a defect in said strip passes through the zone of activity of said cell, electrically operated means for rejecting a bandage having in its wrapper a defect which is detected by said cell, and timing means set by the current passed by said cell and operative to close an electric circuit to actuate said rejecting means after severance of the sheet material folded around the pads.

5. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relative- 1y independent bandages, means for inspecting the sheet material before severance thereof, means for rejecting any bandage having in its wrapper a defective portion detected by said inspecting means, and a timer having a plurality of elements, respectively corresponding to bandage portions in the machine between the inspecting means and the rejecting means, said timer elements being independently adjustable as an incident to the passage of electric currents by said inspecting means and each element being operative to effect operation of said rejecting means when the corresponding bandage is in the zone of operation of said rejecting means.

6. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, means for inspecting the sheet material before severance thereof, means for rejecting any bandage having in its wrapper a defective portion detected by said inspecting means, and means controlled by said inspecting means for eifecting operation of said rejecting means after severance of the sheet material folded around the pads, said means including an arrangement whereby when a defect is detected within a predetermined distance from the rearward end portion of a wrapper length of said sheet material, the next succeeding bandage will also be rejected.

'7. In mechanism according to claim 1, an electric circuit including an initial circuit embodying a photo-electric cell for causing an electric current to flow under predetermined conditions only, an electronic relay circuit controlled by the impulse passed by said cell, and means for periodically interrupting said electronic relay circuit.

8. In mechanism according to claim 1, an electric circuit including an initial circuit embodying a photo-electric cell for causing an electric current to flow under predetermined conditions only, an amplifying circuit for amplifying the impulse passed by said initial circuit, an electronic relay circuit controlled by the impulse passed by said cell and amplified by said amplifier circuit, and means for periodically interrupting said electronic relay circuit.

9. In mechanism according to claim 1, an electric circuit including an initial circuit embodying a photo-electric cell for causing an electric current to flow under predetermined conditions only, an electronic relay circuit controlled by the impulse passed by said cell, means for periodically interrupting said electronic relay circuit, and relay means normally by-passing said interrupting means and actuated by said impulse to switch the same into the circuit.

10. In a machine for wrapping sheet material around absorbent pads to form absorbent bandages, photo-electric means for causing the passage of an electric current when a defect in a portion of the bandage passes through the zone of activeness of said cell, means for rejecting the bandage which contains such defect, timing means controlled by said electric current and operative to effect operation of said rejecting means at a time subsequent to the passage of said electric current, said timing means comprising a rotor, a series of members independently adjustably mounted on said rotor and respectively coresponding to absorbent bandages in the course of production in the machine between said photo-electric means and said rejecting means, means actuated by said current for effecting adjustment of said members, a circuit breaker actuated by said members for controlling said rejecting means, an electrically operated relay and a mechanically actuated interrupter in the circuit of said current actuated means, said relay being operative to normally by-pass said interrupter and to switch the latter into the circuit upon passage of said current.

11. In a machine for wrapping sheet material around absorbent pads to form absorbent bandages, photo-electric means for causing the passage of an electric impulse when a defect in a portion of the bandage passes through the zone of activeness of said cell, means for rejecting the bandage which contains such defect, timing means including an electric circuit controlled by the impulse passed by said photo electric means, said timing means being'operative to actuate said rejecting means at a time subsequent to the passage of said impulse and comprising a rotor, a series of members independently adjustably mounted on said rotor and respectively corresponding to absorbent bandages in the course of production in the machine between said photo-electric means and said rejecting means, means controlled by said electric circuit for effecting adjustment of said members, means engaged by said members when in adjusted position for actuating said rejecting means, an interrupter in said electric circuit including a commutator having means for interrupting said circuit, and means for rotating said commutator at a predetermined speed to interrupt said circuit at regular periods.

12. In a machine for wrapping sheet material around absorbent pads to form absorbent bandages, photo-electric means for causing the passage of an electric impulse when a defect in a portion of the bandage passes through the zone of activeness of said cell, means for rejecting the bandage which contains such defect, timing means including an electric circuit controlled by the impulse passed by said photo electric means, said timing means being operative to actuate said rejecting means at a time subsequent to the passage of said impulse and comprising a rotor, a series of members independently adjustably mounted on said rotor and respectively corresponding to absorbent bandages in the course of production in the machine between said photoelectric means and said rejecting means, means controlled by said electric circuit for effecting adjustment of said members, means engaged by said members when in adjusted position for actuating said rejecting means, an interrupter in said circuit including a commutator having means for interrupting said circuit, means for rotating said commutator at a predetermined speed to interrupt said circuit at regular periods, and an electric relay controlled by said circuit, normally by-passing said interrupter but switching the same into said circuit upon passage of an electric impulse by said photo-electric means.

13. A timer for the purpose described, comprising a rotor, a plurality of members arranged in relatively spaced relation around said rotor, means normally urging said members to move to a predetermined, operative position, latches for holding said members in inoperative position, electrically actuated means for disengaging said latches, and means adapted to be engaged by one of said members for actuating another mechanism.

14. A timer for the purpose described, comprising a rotor, a plurality of radially adjustable members arranged in relatively spaced relation around said rotor, means normally urging said members to move outwardly to a predetermined, operative position, latches for holding said members in inoperative position, electrically actuated means for disengaging said latches, mechanical means for locking said electrically actuated means in operative position, and means adapted to be engaged by one of said members for actuating another mechanism.

15. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad and a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pad as an incident to the travel of the strip, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, a device disposed adjacent the path of travel of said sheet material strip in advance of the folding means, said device being sensitive to and actuated by a defect in said sheet material strip, means for rejecting a bandage having a defective wrapper, and timing means controlled by said device for actuating said rejecting means to reject a bandage having a Wrapper embodying a defect which actuated said device.

16. In a machine for wrapping sheet material around absorbent pads to form absorbent bandages, inspecting means for causing the passage of an electric current when a defect in a portion of the bandage passes through the zone of operation of said inspecting means, means for ejecting the bandage which contains such defect, timing means controlled by said electric current for causing operation of said rejecting means at a time subsequent to the passage of said electric current, said timing means comprising a rotor, a series of members independently adjustably mounted on said rotor and respectively corresponding to absorbent bandages in the course of production in the machine between said inspecting means and said rejecting means, means actuated by said current for eiTecting adjustment of said members, a circuit breaker actuated by said members for controlling said rejecting means, an electrically operated relay, and a mechanically actuated interrupter in the circuit of said current actuated means, said relay being operative to normally bypass said interrupter and to switch the latter into the circuit upon passage of said current.

17. In a machine for making absorbent bandages comprising an absorbent pad a wrapper of sheet material, means for propelling a strip of the sheet material, means for depositing pads in longitudinally spaced relation on said strip, means for folding the strip longitudinally around the pads, means for severing the folded wrapper intermediate successive pads to thereby form relatively independent bandages, means for inspecting the sheet material. and means controlled by said inspecting means for rejecting any bandage having in its wrapper a defective portion detected by said inspecting means, said inspecting and rejecting means comprising an initial electric circuit including means for causing an electric current to flow in said circuit under predetermined conditions only, a relay circuit controlled by said initial circuit, means for periodically interrupting said relay circuit, and relay means normally bypassing said interrupting means and actuated by said relay circuit to switch said interrupter into the circuit.

MYRL N. DAVIS. CHARLES J. GREINER.

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