US2305997A

US2305997A - Fabric slitting and rolling machine

Info

Publication number: US2305997A
Application number: US434261A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wendell H Shields
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-03-11
Filing date: 1942-03-11
Publication date: 1942-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1959-12-22

Description

Dec. 22, 1942. w. H, SHIELDS FABRIC SLITTING AND ROLLING MACHINE 5 Sheefs-Sheet .l

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w. H. SHIELDS FABRIC SLITTING AND ROLLING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1942 5 Sh'eets Sheet 4 rm 5 q k o e .vam 5 {IS W KH .O l 0 W Dec. 22, 1942. w. H.$H|ELD FABRIC SLITTING AND ROLLING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 11, 1942 \hve, I '12 Wanda H. Shidds Afiomebg Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 2,305,997 FABRIC SLITTING AND ROLLING MACHINE Wendell H. Shields, Grand Rapids, Mich. Application March 11, 1942, Serial No. 434,261

18 Claims. (01. 164-61) I This invention relates to cloth processing machines and more particularly to a machine for slitting tubular cloth and rolling it in a flat single thickness condition.

In the manufacture of cloth the fabric is sometimes knit or woven most expeditiously in the form of a tube. The tubular form is also more easily handled in some of the processing operations. It is frequently desirable to merchandise this cloth in aflat single thickness condition.

The primary purpose of this invention is to slit a tube of cloth and to spread this cloth to a flat single thickness and to roll it into suitable rolls for merchandising or handling.

Another object-of the invention is to provide 1 means by which the relative speeds that the cloth is fed into th machine and taken out of the machine may be regulated so as to thereby control the tension on the cloth as it passes through the machine. machine may be adjusted to handle various widths of cloth.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the cutting disk may be moved to an out of the way position while th loth is threaded through the machine. A still further provision is made for the steaming of the cloth before it is rolled into the roll in a single thickness condition.

Several other objects and purposes, with the novel construction and arrangement of parts for obtaining the same, will be apparent as an understanding of the invention is had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine'made in conformity with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the cloth slitting and feeding portions of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section along line 44 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the slitting disk and adjacent parts.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 is a vertical sectional view taken along I line 1-1 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the machine, and

Provisions are also made whereby the the slitting disk and 2 between which extend the horizontal stretcher 3 and the'horizontal rods 4. Attached to these standards I and 2 are

thebearing guides

5 and 6 which in turn support the members 7 and 8. These members'l and 8 are provided with sockets for receiving and supporting the vertical front frame posts 9 and I0. Vertical posts II are provided at the rear corners of the machine and the horizontal bars I2 extend between the posts II and the standards I and 2. Other bars I3 are located at the upper corners of the machine and extend between the vertical posts 9 and I 0 and the vertical posts II. Bars I4 are provided at the upper forward and rear corners of the framework and extend between the posts 9 and I0 and also between the two posts I I. A pair of parallel horizontal tubes, I5 are attached to' the vertical posts 9 and II] by suitable brackets I5a and IE1).

by means of suitable brackets in substantially the same plane as the tubes i5 and extend between the two posts I I at the rear of the machine.

Two bearings I! are mounted on the bars I4 upon which the roll of flattened tubular cloth I8 is rotatably mounted. Another pair of bearings I9 are also mounted on the bars IA which rotatably support the guide roller 20 over which the cloth moves as it is drawn through the machine.

After the cloth passes the guide roller 2E3 it moves into a mechanism which holds it while itis being slit along one edge. This structure is supported. on two supporting members 2| and 22. The member 2| is mounted on the parallel tubes I5 and the member 22 is mounted on the parallel tubes I6. These members 2I and 22 are rigidly fastened to their respective parallel tubes. Hollow rods 23 ,are rigidly supported between the supporting members 2| and 22.upon which a carriage is slidably mounted. This carriage comprises bearing members 24 and 25 which are held spaced from each other by means of the stretcher rods 26 and are slidably mounted on the rods 23 for adjustment for various widths of cloth. The carriage is held in its various adjustable positions by a downwardly extending ear 25a into which a. screw-threaded shaft 21 is threaded. The shaft 2! extends to the rear of the machine where it is journaled in thesupporting member 22 being held from endwise movement by collars 29, and has a hand wheel 28 attached.

Two closely associated rollers 39 and 3| extend between the bearing members 24 and 25 of the carriage. Gears 32 and 33 are attached to the ends of the rollers 38 and 3| so that these rollers will rotate together. The roller 38 is provided with a shaft 39a which is journaled in the bearing members 24 and 25 and the roller 3| is mounted on a grooved shaft 34 and is provided with a spline which fits into the groove of the shaft. The shaft 34 extends through the bearing members 24 and 25 and also extends through and is journaled in the supporting members 2| and 22 near its respective ends, being provided at its forward end with a pulley 3! and at its rear end with a collar 36 which prevents endwise movement of the shaft. The shaft 39a projects beyond the bearing member 25 and is provided with a pulley 39 and a belt 49 passes aroundthis pulley and also around the guide roller 29 causing it to rotate simultaneously with the roller 30.

A bracket 4| is mounted on the bearing member 24 and a grooved pulley 42 is rotatably mounted at the upper end thereof. A wire guard 43 is also mounted on this bracket 4| where it is attached by the screw 44. This wire guard consists primarily of a return bent portion forming vertical spaced legs 45. These legs are for the purpose of holding the cloth in the path of the rotating knife as it cuts the folded edge of'the cloth. A supporting bracket 46 is attached to and extends upwardly from the upper side of the bearing member 25 and has an opening through which a rod 41 is slidably mounted. The inner end of the rod 41 is bifurcated to receive the grooved pulley 48. bracket 46 holds the rod 41 to its adjusted position.

A spreader 50 is provided to be inserted into the tube of fabric and to be located immediately above the rollers 3| and 38. This spreader comprises a lower horizontal bar and an archshaped stiff wire member 52 extending upwardly from the bar and having one of its ends directly attached to it. The other end of the arch member 52 terminates in a pair of spaced

legs

53 and 55 joined by the cross member 54, the leg 55 being attached to the bar 5|. These spaced

legs

53 and 55 straddle the edge of the cutting disk 56 which extends between them so that it may operate upon the cloth as it passes over the spreader.

The cutting disk 56 is fixed to the shaft of a motor 51 which is mounted on the bearing member 24 by means of the hinged members 58. The motor and disk are hingedly mounted so that the cutting disk may be moved out of the way while the spreader and cloth are being put into the machine.

A pair of brackets 59 are attached to and extend rearwardly from the bearing guides 5 and 6 and an inverted V-shaped or triangular fiattener member 60 is pivotally attached at its base thereto by means of the members 6| which are pivotally mounted on the brackets 59 and are attached to the flattener 60. The apex or upper end of the spreader 60 is supported by a rod 62 which is pivotally attached to the fiattener at 63. The

forward end of the rod 62 is screw-threaded and passes through the bracket 64 and the internally threaded hand wheel screws on to the outer end of the rod 62 and bears against the bracket 64 to adjust the apex of the fiattener relative'to the rollers 38 and 3|. A basket 66 havingarms 61 A thumb screw 49 in the is hung on the rod 62 to receive the strip of fabric separated from the tube during the slitting operation.

A roller 68 on a shaft 69 journaled in the brackets 59 having a sprocket I9 at its outer end is provided to support the cloth in its flattened condition as it passes under the lower straight edge of the fiattener 68. An idler roller II on a shaft I2 which is freely rotatably mounted in the brackets 59 holds the cloth against the lower edge of the fiattener 68 and transmits it to the adjacent rollers.

A steam pipe 13 having openings in its top side extends across the machine between the bearing guides 5 and 6 at the rear of a roller I5 and is for the purpose of injecting steam into the cloth at this point.

After leaving the roller II the flattened cloth extends over and under rollers I5, I6 and 11 which are in the same horizontal plane. These rollers are each covered with a fabric 18 which is padded as at I9 and are respectively mounted on

shafts

80, 8| and 82. Attached to each of said shafts are the intermeshing gears 83, 84 and 85 which cause simultaneous rotation of the rollers. The

shafts

80, 8| and 82 are journaled at each end in bearing blocks 86, 8'! and 88, respectively. The two rollers I6 and TI are held with a small space between them by the screw-threaded stud 89 between the bearing blocks 81 and 88 and screwed into one of them. The rollers I5 and 16 are yieldably held separated by a spring 90 between the bearing blocks 86 and 8'! and the space between them is adjusted by screws 9| passing through the end of each of the bearing guides 5 and 6 and abutting against the bearing blocks 88.

Inclined supporting arms 92 are attached to each of the bearing guides 5 and 6 and extend forwardly and upwardly from the machine. A rod 93 rolls on the arms 92 and the cloth is rolled in flat condition on the rod. The contact of the outer surface of the roll of cloth against the roller 11 causes the roll of cloth to rotate and as the roll becomes larger the rod 93 advances outwardly on the arms 92.

A motor 94 mounted on a pivoted platform 95 attached to the standard I drives the machine. This motor has a pulley 96 which drives a stub shaft 9'! through the belt 98 and the clutching mechanism 99. The clutching mechanism is operated by the lever I00. The stub shaft 91 carries a pinion I02 meshing with a gear I83 which is attached to the shaft 80 on which the roller I5 is mounted. The roller 68 is driven from the shaft 80 by a sprocket I85 and a chain I96 passing around sprocket I05 and a sprocket I8 on shaft 69.

The rollers 38 and 3| are driven at speeds variable to the speed of the rollers 75, I6 and I1 by a sprocket I91 on the driven shaft 80 and another sprocket I88 on the shaft I I 0 which is driven from sprocket I 9'! by chain I89. The sprocket I08 is attached to the end of shaft III), which is rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket |I0a attached to the frame post III. The inner end of the shaft H8 has a splined and telescoping connection with the hub III of a bevel gear 2 driven from the shaft II!) and in turn drives a bevel gear II3 mounted on a short shaft 4 mounted in a sliding bracket II8. This shaft II4 also has attached a pulley II5 which drives the grooved shaft 34 through the belt I I6 and the split V-pulley 31.

The bracket H8 is slidably mounted on the tubes I5 and is moved by the adjusting rod II! commod ate different widths of cloth by manipulation of the hand wheel'28. This adjustment screwed into the bracket at one end and having 'its other end rotatably secured at I IE to the frame of the machine. A hand wheel I20 on the rod H1 serves-to rotate the rod and to slide the bracket on the tubes l5.

The pulley 37 which drives the grooved shaft 35 is split in a plane at right angles to its axis and the two halves are pressed together by a spring 370.. This type of pulley for providing a variable speed drive is well known in the art. The V-belt H6 rides in the V-groove of the pulley which is formed between the two separable parts. The parts are moved together by the spring 310. as

' closely as the tension on the belt I It will permit In the operation of the machine a roll of flattened tubular cloth is located in the roller supports The cloth is passed over the roller 2i] and downwardly over the spreader 50. The cloth and spreader will be located properly by the

grooved disks

42 and 48 which engage the edges of the flattened tube. The cloth passes between the rollers 36 and 3! which grip it and feedit downwardly, the cloth being held flatly in its double thickness condition until it passes through these rollers. As the cloth passes the cutting disk 56 the vertical fingers Q5 of the wire guard will hold the cloth in the path of the cutter so that a small strip of cloth will be cut from one edge. The point of the V-shaped flattener is located immediately below the rollers 38 and SI and is also located inside and at the fold of the cloth. As the cloth passes downwardly it passes under the flattener and is spread to a flat single thickness and then moves beyond the lower straight edge of the flattener in this condition. Before the cloth moves on to the roll 15 steam is injected into it from the pipe 13 to aid in removing wrinkles as it passes over the subsequent rollers.

From the lower edge of the flattener 60 the cloth passes over the idler roll II and over and under the rollers l5, l6 and IT which are driven and which drive the cloth at this finishing end of the machine and flatten it removing wrinkles and creases. From the roller 11 the cloth is wrapped around the rod 83 and is formed in a roll on the rod being rotated by contact with the cloth roll with the surface of the roller 71.

The cloth is driven at two locations on the machine, at its entrance end by the rollers 39 and 3| and at the finishing end by the rollers l5, l6 and H. The latter rollers are driven at a fixed rate of speed but the speed of the rollers 30 and 3| may be varied as described and thereby the tension on the cloth between the two sets of driving rollers can be varied and can be caused to pass through the machine in a loose condition or it can be stretched if desired and this variation may be adjusted while the machine is operating by manipulation of the hand wheel I20 which moves the bracket I [8.

The position of the flattener 50 is substantially fixed transversely of the machine but the carriage carrying the rollers 30 and 3| and the cutter 56 may be moved relative to the flattener to acgoverns the position of the cutter relative to the edge of the flattened tube and controls the width of the strip of cloth which is cutfrom the in the slitting operation. The other adjustments which have been tube pro-

vided produce the obvious results for which they are intended.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described comprising, means for continuously feeding tubular fabric through the machine, means for slitting one side of said tube, a flattening device comprising a V- shaped frame having its apex located inside the tube adjacent the side opposite to that which has been slit and lying in a plane angular to-the path of the fabric at the point where it is slit, and

'means for varying the location of the slitting means in a direction transverse to the fabric and relative to the apex of the flattening device.

2. The elements in combination defined in claim 1 in which the fabric enters the machine in flattened tubular condition and said slitting means operates adjacent one edge of the flattened tube. 3. The elements in combination defined in claim '1 combined with means located within the tube for spreading it into flattened condition adjacent said slitting means.

' '4. A machine of the class described comprising, means for slitting one side of a tubular fabric, means adjacent the slitting means for continuously driving the fabric, means following said driving means to spread the fabric into flat single thickness conditiommeans following said spreading means for continuously driving the fabric, means for driving both of said driving means and means for varyingthe relative speeds of said driving means. I

5. The elements in combination defined by claim 4 in which said spreading means comprises an inverted V-shaped'frame having its apex within the tube adjacent the side opposite to that which has been-slit and lying in a plane inclined to the path of the fabric at the point where it has been slit.

6. A machine of the class described comprising, a pair of driving rolls between which flattened tubular fabric passes, means located ahead of said driving rolls for slitting said fabric adjacent one flattened edge of the tube, a flattening device comprising an inverted V-shaped frame having its apex located adjacent said rolls and within the tube adjacent the side opposite to that which has been slit, a second set of feeding rolls located at a position following said flattening device between which the flattened single thickness fabric passes and means for driving said respective sets of driving rolls.

7. The elements in combination defined b'y claim 6 in which the means for driving said respectivea slitting device mounted on said carriage adapted to slit said flattened tube near one of its edges, means mounted on said carriage for guiding the movement of said flattened tube in a direction parallel to the axes of said rollers, an inverted V-shaped flattening device having its apex adjacent said rollers within said tube opposite the edge which has been slit, and means for adjusting said carriage and the means mounted thereon relative to the apex of said flattening device in a direction parallel to the axes of said rollers.

10. The elements in combination defined in claim 9 combined with additional driving rollers at a location following said flattening device between which the flattened single thickness fabric passes and means for driving both of said sets of driving rollers at variable relative speeds.

11. A machine of the class described comprising, a pair of driving rollers between which flattened tubular fabric passes, means located ahead of said driving rollers for slitting said fabric adjacent one edge of the flattened tube, a flattening device located at a position following said driving rollers comprising an inverted V-shaped frame having its apex locatedadjacent said rollers and within the tube opposite the edge which has been slit and lying in a plane inclined to the axes of said rollers and means for varying the inclination of the plane of the flatteningdevice.

12. The elements in combination defined in claim 11 combined with the second set of driving rollers located in a position following said flattening device and between which the flattened single thickness fabric passes and means for driving thesame.

13. The elements in combination defined in claim 11 combined with the second set of driving rollers located in a position following said'flattening device and between which the flattened single thickness fabric passes and means for driving both sets of driving rollers at varying relative speeds.

14. A machine of the class described comprising, means for passing flattened tubular fabric continuously through the machine, means for cutting a narrow strip of fabric from one edge of the fiattened tube as it passes through the machine, and means for spreading the fabric to a flat single thickness.

15. A machine of the class described comprising, means for passing tubular fabric continuously through the machine, means for slitting a side of said tubular fabric, a V-shaped frame having its apex located within the :tube and means for passing the fabric past the base of the frame for flattening the fabric.

16. The elements in combination defined in claim 15 in which said slitting means operates adjacent an edge of the flattened tube and the apex of the V-shaped frame is located adjacent the opposite edge of the tube.

17. The elements in combination defined in claim 15 in which said slitting means operates adjacent an edge of the flattened tube and the apex of the V-shaped frame is located adjacent the opposite edge of the tube and said frame lies in a plane inclined to the path of the fabric at the point where it is slit.

18. The elements in combination defined by claim 4 in which said spreading means comprises an inverted V-shaped frame having its apex within the tube adjacent the side opposite to that which has been slit and lying in a plane inclined to the path of the fabric at the point where it has been slit and means to vary the inclination of the plane of the V-shaped frame.

WENDELL H. SHIELDS.