US2626536A

US2626536A - Apparatus for measuring yardage of decated material

Info

Publication number: US2626536A
Application number: US134382A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stanley D Greenberg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-12-22
Filing date: 1949-12-22
Publication date: 1953-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1970-01-27

Description

Jan. 27, 1953 s. D. GREENBERG 2,626,536

4 APPARATUS 'OR MEASURING YARDAGE OF DECATED MATERIAL Filed Dec. 22,'1949 :s sheets-sheet 1 Mgg a STH NLEY D. GREENBERG BY Jan. 27, 1953 s. D. vGRE'6366121.26. 2,626,536

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING YARDAGE OF DECATED MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22, 1949 g5 LvVENToR.

STANLEY D. GREENBERG Jan. 27,'1953 s. D. GREENBERG 2,626,535

APPARATUS FOR MEASURING YRDAGE OF DECATED MATERIAL Filed Deo. 22, 1949 s sheets-sheet s Fla@ INVENToR. STFmkEY DGREENBERG Patented Jan. 27, 1953 APPARATUS FOR MEASURING YAR-DAGE F DECATED MATERHAL Stanley D. Greenberg, Philadelphia, ia. Application December 22, 1949;, Serial No. 134,382

Claims.

This invention relates generally to machines for decating or otherwise iinishing cloth and more particularly to an electronic light responsive system which is automatically operative to accurately measure the length of the cloth as it is delivered from the machine upon which the cloth has been decated or otherwise treated.

As is well known in the art, decating of cloth is effected by wrapping the same, together with a felt blanket, about the surface of a perforated steaming drum, following which the treated cloth is unwrapped Vvfrom the drum and wound upon a suitable take-up roll. Inasmuch as the cloth when subjected to decating cr other processing through the use of steam shrinks to a greater or lesser. degree depending upon the nature of the cloth fabric, it is customary to re-measure its length upon completion of the steaming treatment, such measuring being conventionally carried out by means of a roller which rides upon l the cloth as it is rewound from the steaming drum and suitably actuates, either mechanically or electrically, a suitable counter for denoting the yardage of the treated cloth.

The use of a counter-actuating roller which bears directly upon the treated cloth has proved to be objectionable for a number of reasons, one of its principal objections being that the pressure of the roller upon the goods often results in impressing the cloth With a clearly discernable line which necessarily results in rejection of the treated cloth as being defective. Another serious objection to the use of a counter-actuating roller which bears directly on the cloth is that it is diicult, if not impossible, to interrupt rotation o f the roller at the exact instant when the end of the cloth passes the roller, this being particularly true in the case of cloth undergoing decating wherein the underlying felt blanket may continue to actuate the roller even after the decated cloth has been delivered free of the blanket, with consequent inaccurate indication on the counter of the true yardage of the treated cloth. To insure interruption in operation of the counter-actuating roller at the approximate instant when it is traversed by the end of the decated cloth requires constant vigilance on the part of the operator of the decating` machine, but even despite such vigilance accurate length measurements of the decated cloth are most dinicult to obtain.

vIt is among the principal ,Objects O f the present invention to provide an electronic lightresponsive System which is Operative eutomatif cally te. measure acuatellv the' length @if Ythe cloth delivered from a decating or other 910thprocessing drum, which dispenses with the conventionally employed cloth-engaging roller for actuating the length indicating mechanism and so eliminates all possibility of damage to the surface of the processed cloth, and'which requires a minimum of attention on the part of the operator in charge of the cloth-processing apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists substantially in the combination, construction', location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be presently described in detail, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed cut in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of a preferred arrangement embodying the principles of the present invention:

lFigure l is a general perspective view of a conventional decating machine with which is operatively associated the electronic light-responsive length measuring system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the decating machine as lequipped with the light-responsive unit of the lengt-h measuring system;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the decating machine;

Figure 4 is a side view, partially in section, of the commutator Wheel employed in the system for actuation of the yardage indicator, astaken on the line @-4 of Figure 5,

Figure 5 is an end view of the commutator wheel:

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of the lightresponsive unit and its supporting bracket" Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the light-responsive unit consisting of a photo-electric cell and an associated light source mounted within a common housing;

Figure 8 is an elevational View cf the unit shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a view showing a mounting arrangement for the commutator wheel; and

Figure 10 is an electrical circuit diagram of the system of the present invention.

Referring now more particularly to the draw:- ings, it will be observed that the present invention is shown applied to a decating machine of more or less conventional type having a main drum l0 the cylindrical surface of which is perforated and which is designed to be internally supplied with a ,heating fluid, Sutt et Steam Whitt Passes Quit.- wardly of the perforated drum surface to and Y through the( fabric v'which :is Wtepped about the drum.A As isV customary nin these decating machines, the fabric to be decated or otherwise treated is supplied to the revoluble drum I from a suitable supply roll I I thereof, the fabric being wrapped about the surface of the steaming drum together with a blanket B of felt or other suitable material so that the fabric A lays between the convolutions of the blanket B as the latter is Wound upon the drum. The blanket B travels to and about the steaming drum I8 from a supply roll I2 in the course of which travel it traverses suitable guide rolls I3, I4, I4, and I5, the latter of which is suitably mounted upon a supporting bed I5a for such shifting movement thereon in a horizontal plane as to be constantly in substantial tangential relation to the drum IIl.

Suitably mounted upon the frame of the machine, preferably in immediate association with the intermediate guide roll I4 for the blanket B, is a commutator assembly I6 of the construction illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, this commutator assembly including a wheel I l, the rim I 8 of which is adapted to rest upon the surface of the blanket B for such frictional engagement therewith as to cause it (the wheel I'I) to rotate so long as the blanket B continues in its linear travel. The commutator assembly I8 is preferably mounted beneath the steaming drum ID at a point located intermediate its opposite ends, the assembly being suitably suspended from a transversely extending rod I4b interconnecting the opposite side frames of the machine so as to insure frictional engagement of the commutator wheel rim I8 with the blanket B as the latter passes over the guide roll I4.

The commutator assembly I6 includes a radially projecting contact or brush I9 of carbon or the like the inner end of which engages sequentially a series of commutator segments 20 which are commonly connected by a central shaft 2I to a collector ring 22. Bearing upon the surface of this collector ring 22 is a contact member 23 which is connected to a conductor 24, the contact I9 being similarly connected to a separate conductor 25, these conductors being respectively connected in circuit (see Figure with a suitable electrical counter 26, preferably of the type manufactured by the Veeder-Root Company, of Hartford, Connecticut, and which is designed, in conjunction with the commutator assembly I6 aforesaid, to indicate the length of the fabric A to the closest one-tenth of a yard. In order to measure the yardage in increments of one-tenth of a yard the rim I8 of the co-mmutator I1 is 0.5 yard in circumference while the commutator segments are arranged in a group of five as shown, the peripheral ends of these commutator segments being conventionally insulated i from each other by insulating segments 21. It will thus be apparent that as the brush contact I9 engages each of the commutator segments 20 in succession, the electrical counter 28 will be actuated to indicate a length measurement of 0.1 yard.

It will be apparent, of course, that unless suitable provision is made to prevent overrunning of the blanket B beyond the instant when the treated fabric A is completely delivered free of the steaming drum I 0, the yardage indication on the counter 26 will not be a true measurement of the length of the fabric delivered from the steaming drum. The present invention obviates any such possibility of error by the provision of a light-responsive electronic system which instantly commences length measurement of the fabric A as its leading end is delivered from the steaming drum to traverse a given point and which instantly interrupts such length measurement when the trailing end of the fabric traverses said given point. It will, of course, be understood that the length measurement of the fabric A is taken only as it is delivered from the steaming drum II) upon completion of the decating or other steaming treatment, in which case the blanket B is rewound upon its supply roll I2 simultaneously as the fabric A is Wound upon a take-up roll 28 which is preferably supported upon a pair of laterally spaced brackets 29-29. In accordance with conventional practice, these brackets 29-29 are designed to support the take-up roll 28 for shifting movement upwardly and outwardly from the roll I5 so as to continuously compensate for the increasing diameter of the roll of fabric wound upon the take-up roll, it being understood further that rotation of the take-up roll 28 is effected by virtue of the frictional engagement between the surface of the fabric wound upon the roll 28 and the surface of the blanket 28 traversing the roll I5. In Figure 3 the full line arrows indicate direction of travel of the fabric A and its enveloping blanket B when the fabric is being wound upon the steaming drum, while the dotted line arrows indicate their direction of travel when the fabric Y is being unwound from the drum.

It will be noted that in the decating machine shown in the drawings rotation of the steaming drum I0 in the direction of the full line arrow is eifected by means of an electr-ic motor 38, while rotation thereof in the reverse direction, as when the ktreated cloth A is to be delivered from the drum, is effected 'by a second electric motor 3I. A third motor 32, shown in Figure 2 but not in Figure 3, is normally provided for conventional operation of the necessary pumps and associated mechanisms for introducing steam under pressure into the interior of the streaming drum and for withdrawing the steam therefrom upon completion of the cloth-steaming operation. The aforesaid light-responsive electronic system of the present invention includes therein the motor 3| and is operative to interrupt its operation at the instant when the trailing edge ofthe treated cloth A is deliver-ed free ofthe steaming drum and traverses a predeterminedly fixed point, all as will presently appear.

The light responsive element of the system consists of a photoelectric cell 33 suitably mounted in one end of a housing 34 fully enclosed on all but one side thereof, this housing serving also as a reflector shell for a light source in the form of an ordinary electric lamp 35 conventionally supported in a socket 36 mounted at the end of the housing opposite that which supports the photoelectric cell. A light-intercepting septum 3l divides the housing into separate compartments for the cell and lamp, the light rays projected from the lamp compartment being reflected from the surface of the cloth A to the photo-cell for energization of the latter. The housing 34 is fitted at one end thereof with a revolubly mounted roller 38 having a relatively broad cylindrical surface which is preferably surfaced with rubber, felt or other resilient material which will not mar the surface of the treated cloth, this roller being designed to so bear upon the cloth surface as to maintain the open side or mouth of the housing in predeterminedly xed, closely spaced relation to the surface of the cloth as it is delivered from the steaming drum. Extending from the opposite end of the housing is a supporting arm 38,.

the outer extremity of which is pivoted, as at E0, to a suitable fixed part lil of the machine frame, it being thus apparent that the housing 3G with its enclosed photo-cell and lamp may be readily swung into and out of operative position with respect to the cloth to be measured in length. In its normal operative position, the supporting arm 39 extends horizontally inwardly from its pivot point to locate the housing Ztl-l at a point located approximately midway between the opposite edges of the cloth delivered from the steaming drum l@ and above the guide roll I in the immediate vicinity of the region of tangential contact of said guide roll with the cylindrical surface of the steaming drum.

Referring now to the electrical circuit diagram o f Figure 10, it will be observed that the photoelectric cell 33 is` included in circuit with the motor 3i, the commutator assembly i6 and the counter or yardage indicator 25, the circuit including therein various relay-actuated switches for controlling the operation of the motor 3| synchronously with operation of the counter 2t to accurately measure the length of the cloth delivered from the steaming drum, all as will be presently described. Before describing the circuit in detail, it is pointed out that any one of three conditions may prevail during operation of the decating machine. Thus, there may be a condition (I) wherein the machine is oper-ating without any overlying cloth A upon the blanket B, in which case the motor 3i operates to drive the drum lil in the direction indicated in Figure 3 by dotted line arrows to simply rewind the blanket B upon its supply roll l2.

In another condition (l1), the cloth A which has been steam-treated upon the drum it and is being delivered therefrom to the take-up roll 28 may be of a color darker than the blanket B in consequence of which the intensity of light reflected from the cloth to the photoelectric cell is less than that reflected from the blanket B.

In still another condition (lll) of operation, the cloth A delivered to its take-up roll 28 may be oi a lighter color than the blanket B with the result that the light which it reflects to the photoelectric cell is of greater intensity than that reflected from the blanket B.

Referring again to Figure l0, it will be noted that the photoelectric cell 33 is included in the input end of a conventional amplifier circuit designated generally by the reference numeral d5, the photoelectric cell being supplied with current from a direct current supply llt of preferably 250 volts D. C. and the amplifying circuit from the photo-cell including a pair of electron discharge tubes il and lis of suitable type, the plates of these tubes being respectively connected to a pair of electromagnetic relays R59 and B5B. The relay Reg is provided with a movable contact T49 operative to bridge the terminals 5l and 52, while the relay R@ is similarly provided with a movable contact T56 operative to bridge a second pair of

terminals

53 and 55. The

contacts

52 and 53 are connected together by a conductor 55', while contacts 5I and 54 are respectively connected to conductors 56 and 57.

Conductor 56 is connected, as at 58, to the lead from the commutator assembly it, while con.-

ductor 5l is connected t0 one terminal of an electromagnetic relay Rvthe opposite terminal of which is connected by the conductor til to one side of a 110 volt A. C. supply and by the conductor 6I to the

contact terminals

62, 63 and Gil of a series of contact switches 15M, T593 and 6 T59C, all of which are mechanically connected together for common actuation by the relay R59. rlhe opposite terminals of these last-mentioned contact switches, namely, the

terminals

65, 66 and 6l are respectively connected to conductors 68, 69 and lil.

The opposite side of the 110 volt A. C. supply is connected, as at 1 l, to an electromagnetic relay R12, this relay being of the reset type with time delay means and being operative to actuate an opposed pair of contact switches T`l2A and THB. Also connected to the last-mentioned side of the 110 volt A. C. supply by way of the conductor 'E3 is an electromagnetic relay R14 which is operative to actuate a contact switch Till. The terminal l5 of the contact switch TlZA is connected to the conductor @8 leading to the contact switch TMA while the opposite terminal 76 of the contact switch T'EZA is connected by the conductor El to the terminal l@ of the electromagnetic relay Rl'.

The electromagnetic relay Rit is connected by way of a conductor "i8, as at 79, to the conductor 69 leading to the contact switch TESSB as well as to one terminal Sii of a push button switch PSSi, the opposite terminal E2 of this latter switch being connected through the conductor 83 to the terminal 8s of the contact switch TZB. The remaining terminal Sie of the switch THB is connected by the conductor 86 to the line @i and to the terminal 63 of the contact switch T5918.

Mechanically connected to the push button switch PSM for conjoint operation therewith is a second push button switch PS8? having one of its terminals 8&5 connected commonly, as at t5, to the conductor 'i' leading to the contact switch TiQC and to a conductor di! connected to one terminal Q! of an electromagnetic relay R92 for actuating a contact switch TZ. This latter switch is of the double pole, double throw type and is accordingly provided with two pairs of terminals, one pair being designated 93 and gli and the other pair G5 and e5, the

terminals

93 and 95 being commonly connected, as at 97, to the conductor el. 'The remaining terminals Sii and 95 are respectively connected to a terminal 83 of the push button switch PS3? and to the counter or yardage indicator 2B.

The motor 3l is connected, as shown, from a 220 volt A. C. supply through a conventional motor starting and stopping circuit 9? to the terminals QS-St of the contact switch Till actuated by the relay Rill, the terminal it@ of the latter being connected, as at lil l, to the conductor 'ES and to a conductor its connected commonly to the comlnutator lead 25 and to a conductor Iilli leading to the terminal iii of the relay Rs2.

In the circuit diagram as shown in Figure 10, the relay RIZ@ is operative at currents above a prescribed minimum value, while the relay R is energizable only at still higher current values, these relays being thus conjointly or selectively energized in accordance with the current initially generated by the photoelectric cell in response to light reilected thereon from the blanket B or cloth A.

Assuming treatmen only the bi,A the open end of the g the light ren et E to the light-responsive order sunicient to energize "he relay its t insuiiicient to energize the relay in ,uch the switches TGS and T5@ are normally respectively opened and closed photwcell and i when their actuating relays R49 and R50 are not energized, it will be apparent that under condition (I) above described, i. e., wherein the cell 33 is energized by light reflected solely from the blanket B, the cell 33 will effect such energization of relay R49 as to cause its associated switch T49 to close, at the same time that switch T50 also remains closed due to continued deenergization of the relay R50. Under such operating condition and with both of the switches T49 and T50 closed, the main relay R59 will be energized by the 110 volt A. C. supply through the closed circuit which includes the conductor 60, the relay R59, the conductor 51, the closed switches T50 and T49, the conductor 56, the conductor 03 and the conductor 13. Energization of the relay R59 closes the switches T59A and T59C, which in turn respectively close the circuits for energization of the motor control relay R14 and the counter control relay R92. Thus, when the switch T59A is closed, relay R14 is energized to open the normally closed switch T14 through the circuit including the conductor 6|, switch T59A, normally closed switch T12A, conductor 11, relay R14 and conductor 13, while when the switch T59C is closed, relay R92 is energized to open the normally closed switch T92 through the circuit including the conductor 6|, switch T590, conductors and 90, relay R92, conductor I 94, conductor |93 and conductor 13. Accordingly, it will be apparent that when the blanket B is free of any overlying cloth A to be treated, the current supply to both the motor 3| and to the counter 2S will be simultaneously interrupted, in consequence of which the decating machine and the yardage indicator will both be at rest.

Assuming now that the machine is set up to operate under condition (II) above described, in which the treated cloth is being delivered from the steaming drum and assuming further that such cloth is of darker color than its underlying blanket B, relay R49 and the relay R50 both remain deenergized to maintain the switch T49 open and the switch T50 closed, as shown in Figure 10. For this state of conditions, the relay R59 and accordingly the relays R92 and R14 remain deenergzed as shown, with the result that the switch 92 remains closed to activate the counter 26 simultaneously as the switch T14 remains closed to operate the motor 3l. Thus, the instant that the leading edge of the cloth A traverses the photo-cell 33 the yardage indicator or counter 26 starts its length measurement of the cloth, such measurement being interrupted instantly upon passage of the trailing edge of the cloth across the photo-cell, at which latter instant the cell is influenced solely by the light reiiected from the uncovered blanket B to energize the relay R49 and so close the contact switch T49 for energization of the relay R59 as hereinbefore described.

Assuming under condition (III) aforesaid that the steam-treated cloth A is of lighter color than the blanket B, then the relays R49 and R59 are both energized to respectively close the switch T49 and open the switch T50, in which case the relay R59 and its associated relays R92 and R14 remain deenergized exactly as in the case of the darker colored cloth to maintain closed the counter-controlling switch 92 and the motor-controllingswitch T14. These latter switches then both remain closed until the instant when the trailing edge of the cloth A traverses the photo-cell 33 and exposes the underlying blanket B, at which instant both the motor 3| and the counter 26 are interrupted in their operation.

Under both conditions II and III, where the trailing end of the cloth A passes the cell 33 and so interrupts the circuit to the counter 26 as just described through energization of the relay R92, the energization of this latter relay simultaneously causes the switch T92 to bridge the contacts 93-94, thereby maintaining energized the relay R92 through the circuit which includes the conductors 60, 6|, the bridged terminals 93-94, the momentary normally closed switch PS81, the conductor 90, the relay R92, and the conductors |04, |03 and 13. The switch T92 is thus held locked in position to maintain open the circuit of the counter 26.

At the same time that the switches T59A and T590 are closed upon energization of the relay R59 to respectively open the motor and coun-ter circuits as just above described, the switch T59B is also closed to establish a circuit for delayed energization of the relay R12, this circuit including the conductors 60 and 6|, the bridged

terminals

63 and 66, the conductors 69 and 18, the relay R12 and the conductor 13. This energized relay R12 is of the time delay type and in the present instance is designed to actuate its associated switches T12A and T12B after a period of one second. Upon such energization of the relay R12 the normally closed switch T12A is now opened while the normally open switch T12B is closed, whereupon the relay R14 is deenergized to close the switch T14 and so complete the motor circuit 91 for subsequent operation by its conventional starting and stopping switches. Simultaneously as the switch T12A is opened to deenergize the relay R14, its opposed switch T12B is closed to establish a closed circuit through the normally closed momentary switch PS8 this circuit being through the conductors 69, 6I and 86, the bridged terminals and 84, the conductor 83, the switch PSSI, the conductor 18, the relay R12 and the conductor 13. So long as the switch PSBI is not depressed to momentarily open it, the relay R12 remains energized to maintain the switch T12A locked in its open position, in which case the vswitch T14 remains closed and permits conventional operation of the motors for driving the steaming drum and its associated blanket and cloth rolls. It will be apparent, of course, that while the switch T12A is thus held open by its energized control relay R12, the switch T92 for controlling the circuit of ythe counter 26 will also be held open by its own associated energized control relay R92. In such case, the motor 3| may be conventionally operated for such operations as may be required upon the steaming drum without at the time placing in operation the counter 26.

Now, when it is desired to commence length measurement of the cloth A which has been treated upon the steaming drum of the apparatus, it is only necessary to momentarily depress the switches PS8| and P381, whereupon the relays R12 and R92 are both immediately deenergized to respectively close the switches T12A and T92 as shown in Figure 10. The system then becomes operable as hereinbefore described to automatically measure the yardage of the cloth A as it is delivered from the steaming drum.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention is susceptible of various changes and modications which may be made from time to -time without departing from the general principles or real spirit thereof, and it is accordingly 9 intended to claim the. invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In an electronic system for measuring the length-of cloth or other sheet material as itis delivered from a source of supply: a light source operatively disposed in relation to the material for vestablishingva system of light rays reflected from said material; a light responsive device arranged to intercept said light rays and establish an electric current in correspondence with the intensity of said reflected light, an electrically operative counter mechanism operative to indicate successive increments of length of the material as the latter traverses said light source; and current responsive means operative to initiate and interrupt length-measuring action of said counter mechanism accordingly as said material reflects and ceases to reflect light rays to said light responsive device, said last-mentioned current responsive means including a pair of electromagnetically operated switches which are respectively operable at different currents established by said light responsive device accordingly as the color of the material varies the intensity of the light rays reflected to said light-responsive means.

2. In an electronic system for measuring the length of cloth or other sheet material as it is delivered from a revoluble steaming drum or the like: a light source operatively disposed in relation to the material for establishing a system of light rays reflected from said material; a light responsive device arranged to intercept said light rays and establish an electric current in correspondence with the intensity of said reected light; an electrically operated counter mechanism actuatable to indicate successive increments of length of the material as the latter traverses said light source, electric motor means for effecting rotation of said steaming drum for delivery of the material therefrom; a current responisve means operative to initiate and interrupt operation of both said counter mechanism and said motor means accordingly as said material reflects and ceases to reflect light rays to said light responsive device, said current responsive means including electromagnetically operated switching gear for electrically locking in open condition the relectrical circuit to said counter mechanism while electrically locking in closed condition the electrical circuit to said motor for normal operation thereof free of material to be measured in length.

3. In an electronic system for measuring the length of cloth or other sheet material as it is delivered from a revoluble steaming drum in overlying relation to a supporting blanket also deliveed from said drum: a light source operatively disposed in relatively fixed relation above the surface of the blanket-supported material for establishing a system of light rays reflected from said material; a light responsive device arranged to intercept said light rays and establish an electric current in correspondence with the intensity with said reflected light; an electrically operated counter mechanism operative to indicate successive increments of length of the material as the latter traverses said light source; electrically operated motor means operative to effect rotation of said drum for delivery therefrom of said material superimposed upon its supporting blanket; a pair of electromagnetically operated switches included in a relay circuit having an independent 10 a source of current supply for energizaton of the relays therein, one of said relays being. operative Yupon a switch .for controlling the operation of said counter `mechanism and anotherof said relays being operative upona separate switchfor controlling the operation of said motor means, saidelectromagnetically operated switches being respectively operable at different currents established by said light responsive device accordingly as the intensity of the light reflected from said material varies, .said switches being conjointly operable to open thecircuit of said counter mechanism when the surface of said blanket delivered from the steaming drum is free of material to be measured in lengthand thus directly reflects light to said light responsive device.

4. In an electronic system for measuring the length of cloth or other sheet material as it is delivered from a revoluble steaming drum in overlying relation to a supporting blanket also delivered from said drum: a light source operatively disposed in relatively fixed relation above the surface of the blanket-supported material for establishing a system of light rays reflected from said material; a light responsive device arranged to intercept said light rays and establish an electric current in correspondence with the intensity with said reflected light; an electrically operated counter mechanism operative to indicate successive increments of length of the material as the latter traverses said light source; electrically operated motor means operative to effect rotation of said drum for delivery therefrom of said material superimposed upon its supporting blanket; a pair of electromagnetically operated switches included in a relay circuit having an independent source of current supply for energization of the relays therein, one of said relays being operative upon a switch for controlling the operation of said counter mechanism and another of said relays being operative upon a separate switch for controlling the operation of said motor means, said electromagnetically operated switches being respectively operable at different currents established by said light responsive device accordingly as the intensity or the light reflected from said material varies, said switches being conjointly operable to open the circuit of said counter mechanism when the surface of said blanket delivered from the steaming drum is free of material to be measured in length and thus directly reflects light to said light responsive device and said electromagnetically operated switches being further selectively operative to initiate and interrupt operation of said counter mechanism to measure the length of material of either darker or lighter shade than that of said blanket accordingly as said material reflects and ceases to reflect light rays to said light responsive device.

5. In an electronic system for measuring the length of cloth or other sheet material as it is delivered from a source of supply: a light source operatively disposed in relation to one surface of the material for establishing a system of light rays reected from said material; a light responsive device arranged to intercept said reflected light rays and establish an electric current in correspondence with the intensity of said reflected light; an electrically operated counter mechanism operative to indicate successive increments of length of the material as the latter traverses said light source; a circuit-making and breaking device continuously operable with 11 movement of said material for sequentially actuating said counter mechanism; and current responsive means operative to initiate and interrupt length-measuring action of said counter mechanism accordingly as said material reflects and ceases to reect light rays to said light responsive device, said circuit making and breaking device being in the form of a commutator having an operating Wheel revoluble in synchronism with movement of said material and a plurality of circumferentially spaced segmental contacts operative to sequentially engage a relatively xed contact upon movement of the material through a predeterminedly fixed increment of length.

STANLEY D. GREENBERG.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS