US244606A - Machine for holding sheet-rubber for the action of pin-setting mechanisms - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR HOLDING SHEET RUBBER FOR THE AGTION OF PIN SETTING MECHANISM.

Patented July 19, 1881.

7/"L froeJSeJ,

VWKM

N. PETERS, Phola-Lilhugnphor wnhin mn. at;

(No Model.) 38heets-Sheet 2. J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR HOLDING SHEET RUBBER FOR THE ACTION OF PIN SETTING MEGHANI Patented July 19,1881.

Wif-w/assets.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. A. HORTON. MACHINE FOR HOLDING SHEET RUBBER-FOR THE ACTION OF PIN SETTING MECHANISM. N0. 24L606. Patented July 19,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

JAMES A. HORTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR HOLDING SHEET-RUBBER FOR THE ACTION OF PIN-SETTING MECHANISMS.

SPECIFICATION'fOrming part of' Letters Patent No. 244,606, dated July 19, 1881.

Application filed March 30, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HORTON, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines for Holding Sheet-Rubber or other Material for the Action of Pin-Settin g Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism forholding a strip of sheet-rubber or other material while a row or series of metallic pins is being simultaneously inserted into it to form the brush material of metallic hairbrushes, and for feeding said strip after each row is inserted to place it in position to receive the next row.

The invention has for its object, first, to enable the strip of rubber or other material employed to be automatically grasped at its opposite edges and stretched at the point where the pins are inserted, so that it will be held in a sufficiently firm condition to enable the series of pins to perforate it when forced against it without displacing the said strip to any material extent.

The invention also has for its object to enable the strip to be automatically fed, so that the pins will be inserted in groups, each group having the desired number of pins to form a single brush and separated from the adjacent groups, so that the strip can be readily cut to detach the sections of material containing the groups of pins.

To these ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an elevation of one end of the mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the opposite end. Fig. 4 represents a section on the line 00 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a section on the line g y, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a section on line y 3 Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 represent views of detached details ofthe grasping mechof the strip of material, showing the grouping.

of the pins therein.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I provide two chains, a a, and support the same on two pairs of drums or pulleys, I) b and o c, said pulleys being supported respectively on parallel shafts d c journaled in bearings in a supporting-frame, f. The shafts d c are adjustable, so that they may be separated or drawn closer together, as may be desired, for the purpose of regulating the tension of the chains to a. Each of the chains a a is composed of a series of links, g. (Seen in detail in Figs. 13 and 14:.) Each link is composed of a rectangular frame having projecting ears 9 g, which are pivoted to similar ears on the adjacent link, a lever, h, pivoted to lugs it on the outer sideof the link, and provided with a jaw, j, and a jaw, j, formed on one of the side bars of the link. The lever h is adapted to swingiuwardly through the openings of the link, to separate the jaw j from the jawj, as seen in Figs. 5 and 7, the drumsb b and c a being provided with peripheral grooves k to permit such movement of the levers- The jaws j j are arranged on the inner edge of each chain, and said jaws are adapted to grasp the opposite edges of a strip of sheet-rubber or other suitable material interposed between the chains, the object of the chains a a being to present in succession all parts of a strip of suitable material, 8, of indefinite length, to suitable devices for inserting a transverse row of pins simultaneously into said strip. Iprovide means whereby the strip is guided between the chains or a, means whereby the jaws are opened to permit the edges of the stripto be inserted between them, and means for closingthe jaws along short portions of the chains upon the edges of the strip, and for slightly increasing the space"between the portions of the chains along which the strip is grasped, and thereby laterally stretching the grasped portion of the strip. I also provide means for moving the chains intermittently, giving the same several steps or movements of equal length in succession to enable a series or group of rows of pins to be inserted at uniform distances apart, and then a longer step or movement to separate such group from the succeeding group.

All of. the aforesaid means I will now specifically describe in the order above 'given, first stating that the pin-insertin g mechanism (not shown in the drawings) is located over ahorizontal shelf or table, 1, placed opposite the portions of the chains which extend between the drums b b and c c, and may be of any suitable kind adapted to insert a transverse row of pins at a single operation into the strip of material employed between said portions of the chains, the means for closing the jaws upon the strip and for stretching the latter being located behind said portions of the chains, so that the strip is held and stretched at the pointwhere the pins are inserted.

The means for guiding the strip 8 between the chains consist of a pair of curved sheetmetal plates, m m, mainly located under and concentric with the lower supporting-drums, b b, one end of plate diverging from said drums, and being provided with cars a n, which serve as lateral stops for the edges of the strip 8. The guides on are supported by standards or strips m m affixed to a cross-bar on the frame f. The means for opening the jaws consist of two wheels, 0, having teeth or sprbckets adapted to bear against the levers h of each chain and force said levers into the grooves 70 of the drums b 1), thereby openingthe jaws, as shown in Fig. 5, said wheels 0 0 being arranged to open the jaws when they coincide with notches m m formed in the outer edges of the guides m, so that after the jaws pass said notches the edges of the guides are interposed between the jaws and are caused to prevent the movable jaws from closing upon the rubber until they pass beyond the guides, the guides being of the same width as thestrip s and interposed between the strip and the jaws j. The guides terminate at or near the horizontal plane of the axis of the drums b b, as shown in Fig. 11, and above the guides the levers h are free to move outwardly to close their jaws upon the strip. This outward motion of the levers is effected by means of two vertical grooved guides, 19 p, (seen in Figs. 9, 10, and 12,) which extend from points immediately above the guide m to about the horizontal plane of the axis of the drums c c, the said drums and guides being adjustable on the 1 shaft, to adapt the machine to receive strips of material of any width. The lower ends of the guides 10 p are curved or inclined outwardly in opposite directions, as seen at p p, and the grooves 12 p extend from these curved portions to the upper ends of the guides, and their The levers h are moved outwardly by the contact of the pins q with the curved ends of the guides 0, and their jaws j are thus pressed against the edges of the strip 8, which are now interposed between and grasped by the jaws jj. At the same time the pins q enter the grooves p and bear against the diverging inner sides of said grooves. The distance between the chains is gradually increased by the said diverging sides as the chains move upwardly, so that the grasped rubber is stretched laterally and held in a stretched condition so long as the pins q are in the grooves 19 As before stated, the pins are inserted in transverse rows into the stretched and grasped portion of the strip 8. Each row is inserted simultaneously by pressing the points of the pins against the strip, the stretched condition of which enables it to stand firmly while the pins are perforating it. The strip has a support behind it, as well as being held at its edges. When the levers it pass above the guides 19 they pass into the grooves k in the drums c c, said groove acting as continuations of the grooves p in holding the levers h, and are released during their downward movement when they leave the back sides of the drums c 0, thereby releasing the edges of thestrip s from the jaws jj, the strip, with its pins, being suitably conducted away from the machine.

The means for feeding the strip 8 intermit tently, as above described, are as follows: On the end of the shaft 0, and rigidly attached thereto, is a wheel or collar, 1", (seen in Figs. 18 and 19,) having a series of inclined faces, r, resembling ratchet-teeth. t represents a disk journaled loosely on the shaft, and having a flange, t. projecting over the inclined faces of the collar 1', wedge-shaped spaces being formed between the faces r and the inner surface of the flange t, as shown in Fig. 18. In these wedge-shaped spaces are placed loose balls or rolls a, which, when the disk t is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrowin Fig. 18, are crowded into the narrow ends of said spaces, and cause the collar 1' to rotate with the disk; but when the disk t is rotated in the opposite direction said balls fall back into the wide ends of the spaces, and do not cause the collar r to rotate. therefore, that by giving the disk t a series of short rotations in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 18 the shaft 0 and drums 00 will be correspondingly rotated, said drums being provided with teeth or sprockets '0, (shown most clearly in Fig. 5%) which enter the openings in the links g, as shown in Figs.. 4 and 6, and cause the chains (1. a to move with the drums c 0. The series of rotations are imparted to the disk It by means of a verticallyreciprocating rod, to, which'is raised intermittently by the action of a cam, w, rotated by any suitable power, preferably by a treadle controlled by the operator, the cam alternately raising the rod and allowing it to descend. The rod to is provided at its upper end with an offset or lug, A, which projects under a lug, B, on the periphery of the disk t, so that when said rod is raised it partially rotates said disk. The downward motion of the rod is arrested It will be seen,

by a disk, 0, which is journaled to the frame a f, and is locatedunder an adjustable screw, D,

in an arm, E, on the rod to. The disk G is provided with a ratchet, F, which is engaged by a pawl, G, pivoted to the arm E, said pawl partially rotating the ratchet F and disk at every upward movement of the rod w. The disk 0 has an opening, H, adapted to receive the screw D when the disk is rotated, so that said opening coincides with the end of said screw, the screw entering the opening H when such coincidence takes place, and being arrested by the periphery of a cam, 1, within the disk, as shown in Fig. 16, so that the screw D and rod to have a longer descent than when the screw is arrested by the periphery of the disk, and consequently have a longer upward movement when next raised, thereby giving the disk t and drums c c a longer rotation than at other times. The chains, a. a are therefore given a succession of movements of uniform length and then a single longer movement. A row of pins is inserted in the strip after each movement thereof, so that a series or group of rows will be inserted at uniform distances apart, and then a wider space will occur, separating the group from the succeeding group, as shown in Fig. 20, which represents a portion of the strip with the pins inserted. Each group of pins, with the portion of the strip in which they are inserted, constitutes the material for a single brush, and can be easily severed from the strip. The cam I is adj ustable by means ofcurved slots and screws passing through the same, as shown in Fig. 15, so that the descent of the scrcwD through the opening H can be varied to regulate the space between the groups of pins.

It. will be observed that a strip of material of any desired length can be passed through the machine, that a portion of the material is grasped, stretched, and moved intermittently at a given point in the machine, and released after passing such point; and that all portions of the strip are successively grasped and stretched until the end is reached.

As previously mentioned, I have shown no mechanism for inserting the pins into the stretched portion of the rubber. The pins may be arranged in a row, by hand or otherwise, on a block, 1, on the table I, with their points toward the strip, and forced forward simultaneously into the strip by a bar bearing upon the heads of all the pins, the bar being held and pressed forward by the operator to cause the pins to perforate the stretched strip. The stretched condition of the material when the pins are inserted enables the pins to perforate without displacing it, so that when the material is released it will not be left in a wavy or uneven condition, as it would if it were simply held at its edges and not stretched when the pins are inserted.

I do not limit myself to the precise mechanical construction of the elements herein shown and described. It is obvious that each chain embodies a pair of elongated flexible graspingsurfaces composed respectively of the outer faces of the jaws j and the inner faces of the jaws j, said surfaces being equivalent to two continuous belts pressed together to clamp the edge of a strip interposed between them. Hence I regard any mechanism embodying grasping-surfaces having these characteristics and adapted to grasp and stretch the edges of the strip at a given point in the machine, and release the strip after said point is passed, as coming within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my inventiion, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a machine for grasping, stretching, and intermittently moving successive parts of a strip of flexible material, the combination of two pairs of flexible grasping-surfaces mounted as belts upon supporting-drums andadapted to move intermittently in unison, means for causing said surfaces ata given pointin the machine to grasp the opposite edges of the strip,

and means for stretching the grasped portion of the fabric, the grasping surfaces being adapted to release the edges of the strip after passing the said given point, substantially a described.

2. In amachine for grasping, stretching, and intermittently moving successive parts of a strip of material, the combination of the following elements, to wit: first, two chains composed of pivoted links, each having a movable and a fixed jaw; secondly, drums supporting said chains and adapted to be intermittently rotated and to permit the movable jaws to be opened and closed; thirdly, a guide to introducethe strip of material between the chains; fourthly, means for opening the movable jaws of the chains before the insertion of the strip; and, fifthly, means for closing the jaws upon the edges of the strip at a given point in the machine, and for stretching the strip along the grasped portion, said jaws being adapted to release the strip after passing said given point, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the strip holding and stretching mechanism, automatic feed mechanism adapted to give the strip a succession of movements of equal length and then a single movement of greater length, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of March, A.

JAMES A. HORTON. Witnesses:

H. G. WADLIN, G. F. BROWN.

too

Images