US2588725A - Apparatus for producing rolls of upholsterer's felt of uniform length and weight - Google Patents

Description

March 11, 1952 B l-OGAN 2,588,725

APPARATUS FOR PRODUC IN OLLS 0F UPI-IOLSTERERS FELT OF UNIFORM LENGTH AND WEIGHT Filed July 26, 1947 LHPPEE 15 14 JNVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ROLLS OF UPHOLSTERERS FELT OF UNI- FORM LENGTH AND WEIGHT Billie I. Hogan, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor t Edgar Anspacher, Los Angeles, Galif.

Application July 26, 1947, Serial No. 763,872

3 Claims. (01. 19-163) The present invention generally relates to apparatus and method for making rolls of upholsterers felt of predetermined length and uniform Weight per roll.

In the manufacture of upholsterers felt and similar materials, a Garnett or other suitable machine cards cotton and deposits linters on a "camelback lapper, which is generally a walking conveyor belt adapted to feed the cotton linters transversely on a floor apron or conveyor belt moving perpendicularly to the plane'of movement of the camelback lapper. The cotton linters deposited on the apron conveyor are deposited rectilinearly with respect to the motion thereof, thus causing the linters to be deposited on the apron in overlapping folds. The apron then feeds the sheet of folded cotton linters to pressure rollers which form the material into a batt of upholsterers felt, the batt then passing through severing rollers and to a batt folder adapted to fold the batt into a folded pile of upholsterers felt or to a spindle upon which the felt may be rolled. The severing rollers are adapted to be actuated by the apparatus of the present invention after a predetermined length of the batt of upholsterers felt has passed said severing rollers for severing same into predetermined lengths.

Various types of severing means adapted for use with moving conveyor belts or the like and adapted to sever material moved by said conveyor belts into predetermined lengths have been disclosed in the prior art. However, such constructions have generally been relatively complex and are not correlated with the balance of the apparatus so that a batt of upholsterers felt of predetermined weight and length may be produced thereby. In other words, such prior art devices merely produce predetermined lengths of material, irrespective of the weight thereof.

The apparatus of the present invention has the ad antage of being able to produce a length or roll of upholsterers felt of a desired predetermined length and a desired predetermined weight. This is accomplished by varying the speed of movement of the floor apron or moving conveyor belt through variable gearing or the like, while feeding the cotton linters thereto from the Garnett machine and camelback lapper at a constant rate, thus varying the thickness of the material deposited thereon and subsequently compressed by the pressure rollers into a batt of upholsterer felt.

It should be noted that irrespective of the rate of feed of the moving conveyor belt or floor apron, in other words, irrespective of the weight of the upholsterers felt to be produced, the severing actuating means will actuate the severing rollers after each predetermined length of material. This is not true of prior art constructions.

Generally speaking, the apparatus of the present invention comprise driven means for aavancing a sheet of linters which has been deposited thereon at an adjustable rate per unit area of the driven means, severing means positioned adjacent the sheet of linters and adapted to sever same upon actuation thereof, and timing means correlated to the movement of the driven means advancing the sheet of linters and adapted to cause the actuation of said severing means after a predetermined length of the sheet moved by said driven means has passed said severing means for severing said material into said predetermined lengths and of a predetermined weight determined by said rate of deposit. Generally speaking, the method of the present invention comprises the steps of depositing a film of linters on an apron moving toward a discharge point, adjusting the effective rate. of deposit of the linters per unit area of the apron to form a deposit of felted linters of a desired weight per unit length by varying and controlling the rate of travel of the apron and severing oh the felted linters into uniform, predetermined lengths correlated to the length of the apron.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and novel apparatus and v method for producing rolls of upholsterers felt of uniform, predetermined length and weight per roll.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and novel apparatus of exceedingly simple, cheap construction adapted to produce predetermined, uniform lengths of upholsterers felt, irrespective of the weight of the felt produced.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and novel severing control correlated to the speed at which the material is fed toward the discharge point for severing the material into predetermined lengths.

Other and allied objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a careful examination of the illustrations, specification, and appended claims. To facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic top plan view of an illustrative form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, diagrammatic view of the severing-actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, a Garnett or cotton carding machine I, of a type well known in the art, is adapted to receive cotton (such as the usual bales of uncarded cotton), and to card and deposit same in the form of cotton linters on the moving conveyor belt 2 of a camelback back lapper 3 comprises an endless, continuous conveyor belt 2 which is pivotally mounted at 4 adjacent the Garnett or cotton carding machine I. The central portion of the camelback lapper is mounted for vertical reciprocation and relative pivotal movement at 5, broken away, vertically extending arms 6 being adapted. to vertically move the central point of the camelback lapper at 5. Means for vertically reciprocating the arms 6 (which are best shown in Fig. 2) are provided but are not shown,.since they are well known in the art. The vertical, reciprocatory movement of the arms and the central portion of the camelback lapper takes place regularly during the operation of the machine;

The outer end of the camelback lapper is mounted at- 1 by means of rollers for rectilinear movement back and forth on tracks 8 mounted transversely across a frame 9 containing a floor apronor moving conveyor belt 10 which moves transversely to the direction of movement of the camelba'ck lapper" on the tracks 8. In other words; the moving conveyor belt II! moves towardthe'left, as viewed in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, while the camelback lapper moves up and down; in a reciprocatory movement, as viewed in Fi I.

motor or the like, best shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to drive a reduction gearing 35 through a chain or other suitable driving means 36 and is also adapted to drive the inner, continuously driven portion of the one-revolution clutch by means of a belt 31 and shaft 38. The reduction gearing 35, which may be a variable ratio gearing. drives, through a chain 45, the end of the shaft I2 upon whichthe main conveyor belt is mounted. A chain 39 connected to sprockets on the shaft I2 drives the pressure rollers 16. A chain 40 mounted on a sprocket on the end of the shaft of one of the pressure rollers it also drives the lower stationary severing roller I8.

The operation. of the device may be described as follows. Cotton is fed tothe Garnett or carding machine I, which. deposits linters on the upper portion of the conveyor belt of the camelback lapper 3, which is moving in a downward direction, as viewed in Fig. l, or, in other words, toward. the moving conveyor belt l8. Atv the same time, the central portion of the camelback lapper, indicated at 5, is being regu- Themoving conveyor belt l8 positioned in the frame 9 is of the endless type and is mounted upon rolls H on shafts l2. Also mounted on the shafts l2 are sprockets 13 having mounted thereon and engaged therewith a common sprocket chain I4; The chain l4 carries a clutchactuating lug l5. a

Vertically spaced pressure rollers l6 are mounted on an upwardly extending portion ll of the frame adjacent the discharge end of belt ID. A stationary severing roller 48 is mounted in the bottom portion of an upwardly extending, vertically slotted portion is connected to the frame. A vertically movable freely rotatable, severing roller 20 is mountedfor vertical reciprolarly,,,vertically reciprocated by means of arms 6, shown broken away in Fig. 2, and mechanism, not shown. This causes the outer free end of the conveyor belt 2 on the camelback lapper, which is being regularly, transversely moved back and forth on the tracks 8, to deposit the sheet, film, or web of cotton linters at a constant rate on the conveyor belt Ill, which is moving toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1. This causes the web of cotton linters to be deposited in overlapping relation, as indicated at 4|.

livers cotton linters on the moving conveyor belt cation in the upper portion of the slot in the extension l9 connected to the frame and is carried by a shaft 2| connected to a pivotal arm 22 which is mountedon a shaft 23 pivotally mounted between opposite sides of the frame. The outer free end of the lower arm 22, as viewed in Fig. 1, is pivotally connected to connectin 'rod' 24, best shown in Fig. 2, whichis eccentrically connected to a standard, one-revolution clutch. indicated generally at 25, arranged to be engaged for one revolution when adog 26- is pivoted in Ill at a uniform rate, the thickness or weight of the web or film of cotton linters on the moving conveyor belt or floor apron [0- may be varied to any desired weight. The web of material then passes through and between the pressure rollers 16, which compact them into a felted batt of upholsterers felt, which is then fed over the lower, stationary, rotating severing roller l8. At

the same time that the batt of felted material a counterclockwise direction'about pivot point 21, as viewed in Fig. 2, by moving linkage 28 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 2. This. is caused whenever the clutch-actuating lug 15 on' the sprocket chain l4, driven by the sprocket l3 hits the end 29 on the linkage 28, thus engaging" the: one-revolution clutch 2-5 and -moving through rod 24 and lever arm 22 the upper severing roller 20"downwardlyinto engagement with the lower stationary severing roller i8. I

The linkage 28 extends through a perforate supporting element 30 and a second similarsupporting element 3| spaced therefrom, both of which are'mounted on the frame. One end of a coil compression spring" 32 is adapted to abut the stationary supporting element 30 and the otherend thereof is adapted to abut a fixed collar 33 on the linkage 28, thus l ordinarily spring biasing the linkage 28 and the dog 2 6 into a clutch-disengaging position when not in-engagement' under the influence of lug l5.

Suitable driving means 34, such as an electric the apparatus, the chain l4 on the sprockets I3 is being correlatedly moved and the clutch-actuating lug l5 thereon ultimately engages the trip handle 29 on the linkage 28, moving same toward the left against the action of coil compression. spring 32, thus releasing the dog 26 from contact of the one-revolution clutch 25 which becomes engageably operable for one revolution. This causes the connecting rod 24 to pivot the arm 22 about the pivot point 23, moving the severing roller 20 downwardly through the batt of material into momentary contact with the virtually stationary but rotatable roller 18, thereby severing the batt of material as by a squeezing and tearing action. It should be noted that upholsterers felt even when compressed, is very loose and fluffy. Because of this loose condition of the compressed upholsterers felt, it may be readily severed or torn without diificulty.

It should be noted that this severing operation will take place after each predetermined length of material has passed said severing rollers, since it is synchronized with the rate at which the material is fed to the severing rollers. The weight of the batt of material may be varied at will, as hereinbefore stated, by varying the rate of deposit of linters per unit area on the moving floor apron or conveyor belt It or by varying the speed of movement of either the camelback lapper 3 or the floor apron l0. However, it should be noted that in either of the cases just enumerated, the material will still be severed into predetermined lengths, irrespective of the rate of movement of the floor apron II) or the camelback lapper 3.

Numerous modifications and variations of this idea may be utilized which are within the spirit and scope of this invention and are intended to be included and comprehended herein. For example, the structure of the Garnett or carding machine, camelback lapper, floor apron, pressure rollers, severing means, and various other limitations of structure may be altered within wide limits. The apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the making of upholsterers felt, but may be applied to the severing of predetermined lengths and predetermined weights or thicknesses of any material which is deposited upon a second means for moving the material toward a discharge point. This invention is not limited to a sprocket-driven chain and clutch-actuating lug, but any means driven at a speed correlated to the rate of deposit of the material per unit area of the conveyor belt or means for moving the sheet of material, and adapted to cause the severing of the material may be used. The one-revolution clutch is of a type well known in the art. However, any other similar clutch means may be utilizede also any other clutch spring biasing means may be used. If desired, the clutch means may be dispensed with entirely and power means energized at the time of actuation of the severing rolls, if desired.

It should be noted that the examples illustrated and described herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the appended claims only.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making an upholsterers felt, the combination of: an endless forming conveyor for-receiving a deposit of a web of linters to be loosely compressed into a continuous sheet of felt; a conveyor supporting shaft at each end of said conveyor; driving means operably connected to one of said shafts for moving said conveyor: means for severing said continuous sheet of felt into selected lengths while advancing, said means including a driven rotatable transversely disposed roller held against vertical movement and disposed on one side of the advancing sheet of felt; a freely rotatable roller disposed on the opposite side of said sheet of felt; an actuating means for said severing means, said actuating means including a pivoted lever provided with a slot intermediate its ends for connection to said vertically movable roller, a single revolution clutch means operably connected to said lever for providing positive movement of said vertically movable roller toward and through said sheet of felt and into contact with said driven roller, an endless timing chain coextensive with said forming conveyor for corresponding movement therewith and carried by said shafts, an actuatingv lug carried by said chain, and a spring-biased clutch actuating member operably connected toisaid clutch means and extending into proximity with one end of said chain for periodic contact with said lug for actuating said severing means.

2. In a machine for making upholsterers felt, the combination of: an endless forming conveyor for receiving deposit of a web of linters to be loosely compressed into a continuous sheet of felt; a supporting shaft at each end of said conveyor; driving means operably connected to one of said shafts for moving said conveyor; means for severing said continuous sheet of felt into selected lengths while advancing, said means including a driven rotatable transversely disposed roller held against vertical movement and disposed at one side of the advancing sheet of felt; a vertically movable roller disposed at the opposite side of said sheet of felt for movement into and through said sheet and into positive contact with said driven roller, actuating means for said severing means, said actuating means including a pivoted lever connected intermediate its ends to said vertically movable roller, a single revolution clutch means operably connected to said lever; an endless timing chain coextensive with said conveyor for corresponding movement with said belt and carried by said shafts, an actuating lug carried by said chain, and a clutch actuating member operably connected to said clutch means and extending into proximity with said chain for periodic contact with said actuating lug.

3. In a machine for making upholsterers felt, the combination of an endless forming conveyor for receiving deposit of a web of linters to be loosely compressed into a continuous sheet of felt; a supporting shaft at each end of said conveyor; driving means operably connected to one of said shafts for moving said conveyor; means for severing said continuous sheet of felt into selected lengths while advancing, said means including a driven rotatable transversely disposed roller held against vertical movement and disposed at one side of the advancing sheet of felt; a vertically movable roller disposed at the opposite side of said sheet of felt for movement into and through said sheet and into positive contact with said driven roller, an actuating means for said severing means, said actuating means comprising a lever pivoted at one end and provided with a slot intermediate its ends for connection to said vertically movable roller. 21. single revolution clutch means connected to the other end of said lever and operable to move said vertically movable roller into contact with said driven roller; a timing chain coextensive with said forming conveyor for movement with said conveyor at the same rate of speed, sprockets cooperable with said chain and carried by said shafts, an actuating lug carried by said chain, and a clutch actuating member operably connected to said clutch means and extending into proximity with said chain for contact with said lug.

BILLIE I. HOGAN.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,710,978 Herbener Apr. 30, 1929 2,161,831 Manning June 13, 1939 2,291,651 Robinson Aug; 4, 1942

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