US2464602A

US2464602A - Taping machine

Info

Publication number: US2464602A
Application number: US604374A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl A Olsen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-07-11
Filing date: 1945-07-11
Publication date: 1949-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1966-03-15

Description

March} 15, 1949. c. A. OLSEN 2,464,602

f TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1945 -5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mew? March 15, 1949. v c. A. OLSEN 2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 c. A. OLSEN 2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE March 15, 1949.

5 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1945 C. A. OLSEN TAPING MACHINE March 15, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 11 1945 jnaen March 15, 1949. Y c, QLSEN 2,464,602

TAPING MACHINE Filed July 11 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE TAPING MACHINE Carl A.0lsen, Acton, Mass.

Application Julyll, 1945, Serial No. 604,374

In the application of thermo-adhesive tapes to irregularly shaped articles such as shoe uppers, it is necessary to maintain the tape under the proper degree of tension so as to avoid a distortion and also accurately to control'the heat applied to the gummed or adhesivesuria'ce ofthe tape so that the tape will be sufi'iciently adhesive firmly to adhere 'to the sheet material; but not sufficiently fluid to cause offsetting of the adhesive and fouling of the feeding and applying instrumentalities of the machine. The control 'of the heating of the adhesive surface of such tapes has been extremelytroublesome because of such variable factors as'the speed of the operator, the

particular type of adhesive, the'character of the adhesive tape and the material to which the ad hesive surface is applied,and various other-fad.

tors the effects of which cannot be accurately predicted so as to permit a predetermined setting of the taping machine.

A further difficulty encountered in applying thermo-adhesive tape to'shoe upper sections and like irregular sheet materials is attributable to the yieldable or elastic character of the sheet maimproved thermo-adhesive tape which is nor mally resistant to deformation but which, when heated to a degree'suitable-for application 'to a shoeupper or like sheet materiaL': is capable 'of' yielding so as to conform lac-irregular contours.

More specific objects are to provide a; taping machine which permits the operator quickly and easily to control the degree of heat applied to a thermo-adhesive tape for any desired operating speed of the machine, and to provide aima'chine in I which such adjustments may be conveniently made without interrupting the operation or otherwise impairing production.

Further objects will be apparentfrom. a consideration of the followingv description and the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l'is aside elevation of a tapingmachin 3 Claims. (Cl. 12-595) '2 constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the tape-applying, feeding and heating instrumentalities and associated parts;

Fig. 3 is a top planview of the parts shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, but showing the-operation of the cutting instrumentalities; V

Fig. 7 is a detail'of the tape cutting mechanism and associated parts;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged isometric view of the member and associated parts constituting the worlr rest and tape-heating'and guiding means;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8; r Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a roll of thermoadhesive tape suitable for use by the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 6; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective illustrating the structure ofthe tape shown in Fig. 8.

The particular embodiment herein shown comprises a frame I which may be of the general form of a conventional sewing machine, the frame housing the operating mechanism for the presser foot 2 and feeding plate 3, both of which are of suitable size and shape to engage a tape T of the width being employed. An enlarged presser foot 4 is carried by the rod 5 which is connected with the operating mechanism, the construction and arrangement of-these parts being substantially identicalto those shown in United States Patent No. 2,017,727, granted to me October 15,

1935, to which reference may be had for a more complete description.

In accordance with what is now considered the preferred arrangement, the horn- 8 is provided with a tape guiding andheating mechanism H] which comprises a casting ll (Fig. 4) rigidly secured to the horn 8* adjacent to its outer end. The casting I l is formed with a longitudinally extending chamber l2 through which extends the drivin shaft 14 for the feeding plate 3, a longiconnected with a hand operated rheostat 2| and switch 22, both conveniently located at the base of the frame I, as shown in Fig. 1.

The lower face of casting i may be formed integral with or otherwise joined to a member so as to provide a good thermal connection per mitting conduction of heat from the heating element 2G to all parts of the member 25. As shown in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 8, the member 25 is formed with an integral extension 25 (Figs. 2 and 4), the upper end of which is integrally joined to a plate-like member, the outer end portion of which provides a work rest 23 and its inner portion 26 extending rearwardly over the top of casting II, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The work rest 26 is formed with an opening 27 to accommodate thepresser feet 2 and 4 and feeding plate 3, and the lower :part of the member 25 is slotted or otherwise shaped to provide curved, spaced flanges 30 and 3| which define guiding and heating surfaces between whichthe thermo-adhesive tape T is drawn and simultaneously heat-condi-- tioned. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 8, the front of the work rest 25 is formed with a curved down wardly inclined surface to cooperate with the upwardly inclined curved surfaces of the flanges 33 and 3|, it being noted that the ends of these surfaces terminate in spaced relation to the outer end of the rock shaft |6 so as to accommodate the tape severing mechanism lpresently to be described.

The tape severing and guiding mechanisms comprise a sleeve 34 (Fig. '7) fast to the outer end of the shaft l5 and a'pair of arms 35 and 36-secured to the sleeve 34. The arm 35 is formed with a U-shaped end 38 which provides spaced supports for a pintle 40, and the end portion of the arm 36 and the intermediate portion of the arm .35 are formed with aligned openings to receive a pintle M which rotatably supports a guide r011 42 over which the tape T is drawn. The pintle 4|! pivotally supports a pawl or dog 44, the end of which normally lightly bears against the face of the tape T extending about the roller 42, as illustrated in Fig. 5. A guiding nose 45 is provided adjacent to its lower end with a pair of spaced depending lugs 43 which are mounted on the pintle so as to permit the guiding nose to undergo a slight pivotal movement when the arm 35 is swung from one position to another. The free end of the guiding nose 45 is formed with a tape passage 43 (Fig. 6) and its opposite end is formed with a threaded opening which receives a thumb screw arranged to cooperate with a set screw 5| carried by the pawl 43 so that the position of the nose l5 and the engagement of the pawl 44 with the tape T may be varied when the

arms

35, 36 are swung downwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A rocker arm is freely supported by the shaft l6, and pivotally secured to the upper end of this arm is a cutter support 53 which-carriesa cutter element 51 positioned so as to project through the opening 2'! in the work rest at a point closely adjacent to the front end of the feed plate ,3, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower end of the arm 55 is formed with a laterally projecting lug 58 and engageable with'the lower edge of the arm 35, and a spring 59, securedto the free end of the arm 55, is effective not only to hold the lug 56 in engagement with arm 35. but also to efiect return of the arm 55 to normal position (Fig. 5) after having been swung to tape severing position by the arm 35.

As previously indicated.-the shaft It extends through the frame of the machine and is suitably connected with an operating link (Fig. l) which, in turn, is connected with any conventional type of pedal or like actuating member positioned for convenient operation, as shown for example in Patent No, 1,801,972, granted to me April 21, 1931. When the operating link .58 is pulled downwardly, the shaft IE and arm 35 are rocked in a clockwise direction (Figs. 5 and 6) and due to the engagement between the lug 58 and arm 35, the cutter 5'! is swung upwardly to sever the tape T which is firmly held by the presser foot 4. It will be noted that in swinging the arm 35 downwardly the end of the thumb screw 50 is brought into engagement with set screw 5| and hence the pawl 44 is more firmly pressed into engagement with the tape T and is thus operative to lock the tape. Thus, the tape T is firmly held by the presser foot and the pawl 44 during the cutting operation, and after the tape has been severed, the pressure on the operating rod 60 is released, whereupon the shaft I6, arm 35, guide nose 45 and associated parts are swung in a counterclockwise direction (Figs.

5 and 6) back to normal position by a suitable spring (not shown) and the arm 55 and associated parts are independently returned to normal position by spring 59. Due to the engagement of the pawl 44 with the tape T, the return movement of the arm 35 and associated parts from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 5 effects a slight feeding of the tape T so that the guide nose 45, when returned to normal position,

presents a free end portion of tape of suflicientfrom a study. of Figs. 5 and 6 that by varying the relative position of screws 5|) and 5|. the feeding action of pawl 44 may be varied so as to effect feeding of a relatively greater or lesser amount of tape during the return movement of arm 35.

Operating in conjunction with the member 25 and associated parts is an auxiliary tape guide comprising a vertically extending member 65.

positioned between the tape supply roll (not shown) and the member 25. The member 65 is formed with a series of openings 66, each communicating with a slot 61 through which the tape T is positioned in the associated opening.

The lower end of the guide member 65 may rest upon the bench supporting the machine, as in- I dicated in Fig. 1, and its upper end may be integral with or joined to a horizontally extending supporting member 68 secured to the member 25, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the entire tape heating and guiding mechanism (parts H3, 25 and 65) constitute a unit which may be conveniently attached to and removed from the machine.

The member 65 is so positioned with respect to the'member 25 that any one. of the openings 66 (here shown by way of example as being three in number) may cooperate with either the heating flange 30. or 3| so that the tape T may be guided in varying degrees of contact therewith.

It will be observed that the size and shape of the flanges 30 and- 3| andtheir, respective distances from the heating element '20 are such that they are operative to provide differential heating effects on a length of tape drawn over their surfaces. In other words, the size and shape of the flanges 30 and 3| and their respective positions relative to the heating element 28 are such that a length of tape T drawn over the surface of the flange 33 will be heated appreciably more than if drawn over the surface of the flange 3|, assuming the same rate of travel and taking into account the more rapid rate of heatdissipation and such other factors as would necessarily affect the heat transfer to one of the flanges as compared to the other. If, therefore, the tape be positioned in the top opening 66 of the guide 65 and drawn beneath and in contact with the flange 3%, as illustrated by the solid line in Fig. 2, the tape will then be heated the maximum amount for a given setting of the rheostat 2| and a given speed of operation; and if a lesser degree of heat be desired, the tape may be positioned either beneath the flange 31, or in one of the lower guide openings 66, or both, as illustrated by the dot and dash lines of Fig. 2. In this manner the operator may quickly and conveniently vary the heating of the tape for any desired operating speed of the machine, and it will be observed that such control may be in conjunction with that afforded by the rheostat 2| and both types of control may be exercised without the necessity of interrupting operation since the operator may readily change the position of the tape not only from one guide opening to another, but also from one heating flange to the other, as well as manipulate the rheostat during the operation of the machine.

In order to assist the operator in applying the heated tape to a shoe upper section or like sheet material, any conventional work holding means, positioned to cooperate with the work rest, may be provided. As here shown by way of example, an adjustable work guide or holder (Figs. 1 to 3) is secured to the horn 8 so as properly to position and hold a shoe upper section, it being understood that any other suitable type of work guide or holder may be provided, depending upon the particular type of work to which the tape is being applied.

In order to prevent injury to the operator and possible injury to the Work, the casting II is provided with a layer of heat insulating material 'H and a shield 12, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. As here shown, the shield 72 may constitute, in effect, a continuation of the work rest over which the work is drawn as the tape is being applied.

Although a thermo-adhesive tape such as is described in United States Patent N0. 1,668,399 may be employed, for the most satisfactory results I prefer to use a specially prepared tape produced from a woven tube having a weight of the order of four to twenty yards per pound and a thread count of the order of 60 x 60. In accordance with the preferred practice of this aspect of the invention, such a tube is first cut spirally so as to produce a bias-cut strip having a weight of the order of six yards per pound. The strip thus prepared is then sized to effect an appreciable stiffening and locking of the crossyarns, the drying operation being conducted on a tenter so as to secure a prestretched fabric strip sufficiently stiif to resist deformation when subjected to forces of a low order of magnitude. A suitable thermo-adhesive coating, such as gutta-percha base composition, is then applied to the dried prestretched fabric, using a heated spreader bar or the like so that the adhesive coating is firmly anchored to the sized fabric. After cooling, the coated fabric is then slit to the desired widths and wound on cores into rolls Hill (Figv 10) of the desired length.

The product thus produced comprises a biascut prestretched woven fabric liil (Fig. 11) having a weight of the order of 2.7 ounces per square yard, the constituent yarns or threads being coated with a size I92 which provides a partial but substantial stiffening effect, and a thermoadhesive coating Hi4 firmly united to the sized base. The coating I94 cooperates with the size M2 to produce a reinforcement which is normally effective to maintain the tape relatively nonyieldable and resistant to deformation when subjected to forces of a low order of magnitude, but when heated to the softening point of the adhesive or otherwise subjected to a moderate degree of heat such as produced by the heating flanges 30 and 3i, the tape becomes readily conformable to irregular contours.

When the length of such tape is drawn from the supply roll, it is capable of resisting distortion, but after being drawn across the heating surface of the flanges 3B or 3| and the work rest, the adhesive coating Hi l is softened sufiiciently to become tacky. At this point the sizing W2 is eifective to prevent distortion or elongation due to feeding the tape and hence the tape does not undergo dimensional changes prior to the application to the work. However, the fonces incident to application of the preheated tape to the work are suflicient to distort the tape so that it may readily conform to curved contours such as are encountered in shoe upper sections, and when the adhesive cools it assumes its original condition and hence is effective to maintain the shape imposed on the tape and thus provides a smooth effective reinforcement free from blisters and other irregularities.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applying thermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heating mechanism comprising a member shaped and arranged to define a plurality of spaced arcuate surfaces over which the thermo-adhesive tape is drawn and a Work rest surrounding the operative parts of said feeding and pressing means, means for heating said surfaces and work rest, and an upright member disposed in advance of said mechanism and having vertically spaced channels in alignment with said arcuate surfaces, said upright member being selectively operative to guide said tape in varying degrees of contact with said surfaces.

2. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applying thermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heating mechanism comprising means defining a work rest surrounding the operative parts of said feeding and pressing means, and a plurality of spaced vertically aligned guiding surfaces adjoining and in heat transfer relation to said work rest and over which the thermo-adhesive tape is drawn in traveling to the work rest, an electrical heating element in fixed heat transfer relation to said work rest and spaced surfaces, said heating element being effective to produce differential heating effects on said surfaces.

3. In a tape machine having feeding and pressing means for applying thermo-adhesive tape to sheet material, tape guiding and heating mechanism comprising a work rest over which the tape passes, the lower part of said work rest having a plurality of laterally projecting flanges defining spaced surfaces over which the tape is drawn in traveling to the work rest, heating means disposed in heat transfer relation to said work rest and flanges and operative to produce differential heating effects on said surfaces, and means for guiding said tape over any one of said surfaces and in varying degrees of contact with the selected surface.

CARL A. OLSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: