US2510187A

US2510187A - Tape feeder for packaging machines

Info

Publication number: US2510187A
Application number: US3584A
Authority: US
Inventors: John D Merrifield; Edgar E Merrifield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-01-09
Filing date: 1948-01-09
Publication date: 1950-06-06
Anticipated expiration: 1967-06-06

Description

June 6, 1950 J. D. MERRIFIELD EI'AL 8 TAPE FEEDER FOR PACKAGING MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l fill" Mn 'Hll INVENTORS JoH/v D. MERE/FIELD BY Eve/a2 E. MERE/FIELD A TTORNE Y June 6, 1950 J. 0. MERRIFIELD ETAL TAPE FEEDER FOR PACKAGING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 9, 1948 34 INVENTORS JOHN MERE/FIELD y Evan/2 EMERR/F/ELD ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE TAPE FEEDER FOR PACKAGING MACHINES John D.-Merrifiel d, Rocky Ford, (3010., and Edgar E. Merrifield, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 3,584

1 Claim. 1.

invention relates to a device for feeding strips of tapev into a sewingniachine so that they may be stitched upon opposite sides of the neck of a bag for sealing the latter. Many devices have been devised for feeding tape to bag stitching machines for this purpose. All of them have been more or less unsatisfactory due to the fact that the tapes used for this purpose are usually formed from paper, are very fragile and constantly subject to breakage, due to starting and stopping of the machine.

Tape breakage usually results from the fact that the reels of tape rotate relatively rapidly, and when the machine stops their momentum causes them to continue to rotate for a short period, producing a slackness in the tape. When the machine is again started, this slack is suddenly taken up and the resulting jerk in overcoming the inertia of the stationary reel results in breaking the tape.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a tape feeding device for bag stitching machines which will eliminate the constant breakage-of the tapes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in which the tape reel will be mechanically rotated so that there will be no strain upon the tape, and to provide automatic braking means for quickly stopping the tape reel should the machine come to rest so as to avoid slackness in the-tape.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the improved tape feeding device, illustrating it in combination with a bag stitching machine; and

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.

In the drawing, a typical bag is illustrated at It], to the opposite sides of the neck of which two tapes II and I2 are to be stitched by means of a conventional sewing machine I3. This invention relates to means for feeding the two tapes II and I2 to the opposite sides of the neck of the bag III so that they may be stitched thereto.

The tape II is unreeled from a tape reel I I, and the tape I2 is unreeled from a similar tape reel IS. The reels l4 and i5 are freely rotatable upon a stationary reel shaft I6 which is supported from, and projects oppositely outward from, a vertical standard IT. The standard I! is secured to and extends upwardly from a base plate 32 supported upon angle brackets 33 from an upright frame 35.

A plate I8 is mounted on top of the standard I1. Two tilting brackets l9 are mounted on opposite sides of a pivot post 26 projecting upwardly from the plate I8. The brackets I9 extend rearwardly to receive pull-down springs 2| andextend forwardly to receive resilient pulley rods 22, each of which supports a tape pulley 23.

The tape II is led from the reel l4 over one of the pulleys 23, thence downwardly into a flattened tape guide tube 24 supported on the sewing machine I3. The guide tube 24 guides the tape II downwardly, thence inwardly into the path of the needle of the sewing machine l3 along one side of the neck of the bag Ill. I

The tape I2 is led from the reel I5 over the other pulley 23, thence downwardly about a guide pulley 25, thence horizontally into a second tape guide tube 26, which is curved to guide the tape I2 into the path of the needle of the sewing machine I3.onto the opposite side of the bag Ill.

It can be readily seen that the advancing actionof the sewing machine will advance the bag H and the two tapes II and I2 through the machine causing the tapes to rotate the reels I4 and I5. The tapes are unreeled from their respective reels by positively rotating the reels I4 and I5. This is accomplished from any suitable driving motor (not shown) through the medium of an endless drive belt 21. The drive belt rotates a drive pulley 23 mounted on a countershaft 29 which is rotatably mounted in bearings 35 mounted upon bearing posts 3i extending upward from the plate 32.

Two pulleys are secured to the inner face of each of the reels It and I5, there being an inner brake pulley 35 and an outer driven pulley 35. The

pulleys

35 and 36 are secured together in pairs and each pair is secured to its respective reel so as to rotate therewith about the axis of the shaft I6.

The countershaft 29 carries two pulleys 3?, each of which is connected with one of the pulleys 36 by means of an endless belt 3%. An idler pulley 3% is held against the tension side of each belt 38. The idler pulleys are mounted on arms 40 which are pivotally mounted upon a hinge shaft 4| extending oppositely outward from the standard l1. Each arm 40 is constantly urged upwardly by means of a tension spring 62. Thus, it can be seen that rotation of the pulley 28 in a counter-clockwise direction in Fig. 2 will cause the reels l4 and 15 to unreel their tapes.

A flexible brake member 43 extends downwardly from the plate l8 ahead of each brake pulley 35, thence returns around each pulley and upwardly to one of the tilting brackets 19. the action of the springs 21 in pulling the brackets l9 upwardly also acts to tighten the brake members 43 about their respective brake pulleys 35 to exert a braking action on the drums i l and I5.

The sewing machine 13 is mounted on a vertical plate 44 supported on the frame 34. The sewing machine is driven in any conventional manner (not shown). The thread, indicated at 45, for stitching the two tapes to the bags is carried on a thread spool 45.

When the sewing machine 53 is operating, the reels I 4 and [5 are being rotated forwardly at their tops, by means of the belts 38, to unreel the tape and the pulleys 23 are drawn downwardly by the tension in the tapes. Should either tape unreel faster than it can be used by the sewing machine [3, or should the sewing machine be stopped for any reason, a slackness will be created in the tape or tapes. This allows the tape pulleys 23 to move upwardly under the influence of the springs 22 and causes the bracket arms I9 to apply tension to the brake means 33. This retards rotation of the reels, causing the tension side of the belts 38 to force the idler pulleys 39 outwardly. This slackens the belts and allows them to slide over the pulleys 38, with the reels [4 and I5 either moving at a slower speed or remaining stationary until the slackness in the tapes has been taken up.

Tapes are often broken in the usual apparatus by the sudden starting of the machine. In this device a sudden start will first flex the pulley rods 22, then flex the springs 2| so as to absorb the starting shock in the tape. By this arrangement both tapes II and [2 are maintained under a constant mild tension, regardless of irregular operating conditions and regardless of the quantity of tape on the reels i4 and I5.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be Thus,

varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent 1s:

A device for feeding tape to a sewing machine of the type used for stitching the neck of a bag for sealing the latter, comprising: two tubular tape-guiding members terminating at said sewing machine; two tape reels mounted above said machine; a hingedly mounted pulley rod extending forwardly from each tape reel; a pulley supported by each rod; a tape extending from each tape reel over one of said pulleys, thence downwardly to one of said tape-guiding tubes; a spring urging each pulley rod upwardly to support said tape between its reel and the machine; a brake drum on each reel; a flexible brake band extending from a fixed support about each brake drum, thence upwardly to one of said pulley arms so that when said pulley arm is pulled downwardly by its tape, said brake band will be released; a counter-shaft mounted parallel to said reels; drive pulleys on said reels and on said countershaft; a drive belt extending from each reel to one of the pulleys on said counter-shaft; an idler pulley bearing against the tension side of each belt; a hinged idler arm supporting each idler pulley; a spring acting against each idler arm to hold said idler pulley against the tension side of each belt; and means for driving said countershaft.

JOHN D. MERRIFIELD. EDGAR E. MERRIFIELD.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS