US275782A

US275782A - mallett

Info

Publication number: US275782A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1883-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1900-04-10

Description

(NoModeL) a SSheets-Sheet 1. F. W. MALLETT.

NEEDLE MACHINE.

No. 275.782. Patented Apr. 10,1883.

h 025m M4710 fir (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. W. MALLETT.

. NEEDLE MAUHINB.

No. 275,782. Patented Apr. 10,1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

\ F. W. MALLETT.

NEEDLE MACHINE. No. 275,782. Patented Apr.10,1883.

NY PETERS. vnowumo mn wankm. n. c.

FRANCIS W. MALLETT, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES HOWARD & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

NEEDLE=M-ACH|NE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,782, dated April 10, 1883.

Application filed August 18, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. MALLETT, of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Improvement in Needle-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a top or plan view; Fig. 2, a longitudinal section on line :20 a: of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, an 'end view; Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the holder detached Figs. 7, 8, and 9, detached views.

This invention relates to an improvement in machines for pointing needles, also applicable to grinding down that is to say, to making thatclass of needles forsewing-machines which have a uniform diameter of shank, but thebody of the needle reduced therefrom, and is an improvement on the machines heretofore invented by me and for which Letters Patent have been granted, the object being to simplify the mechanism for revolving the needles as Well as to afford greater conveniences for introducing the needles to the grinding apparatus; and the invention consists in-the construction hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

' A represents the bed of the machine, on which, in suitable bearings, B, is the drivingshaft B, and to which power is communicated through a pulley, B or otherwise to cause the shaft to revolve. At right angles to the driving-shaft are two shafts, G 0, arranged in bearings O, and to which a slow rotation is imparted from the driving-shaft by means of a worm, O, on the driving-shaft and a corresponding gear, 0 on the shafts 0, so that the two shafts revolve in the same direction. At their outer ends the said shafts each carry a grooved pulley, 0 around which is a belt, 0 of a material to present a hard surface, such as will cling to the shanks of the needles to causethem to revolve as they pass beneath it,

- as hereinafter described. To give to the belt the proper tension, tighteners O are arranged in the usual manner for arranging such adjustment for belts, and as seen in Fig. 2.

D is the work-table, supported above the bed (No model.)

parallel with the belt, its working-surface below the belt substantially the diameter of the shank of the needle-blank. Parallel with the bed D and in rear of the belt is a leading-screw, E, to which revolution is imparted from the driving-shaft through pulleys E or otherwise.

F is the needle-holder. (Shown detached in perspective, Fig. 4, transverse section, Fig. 5, and inlongitudinalsection,Fig.6.) Thisholder F is constructed with transverserecesses a across its under side, corresponding to the size of the blanks, and so that'each recess is capable of being set over a blank. On the upper side the holder is recessed longitudinally, opening down into the transverse recesses. It is constructed to set upon the bed D against a shoulder, b, at the rear, and on its rear edge is a toothed rack, d, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which engages with the leadingscrew E, as seen in Fig. 1, the leadingscrew extending beyond the belt so as to leave a space for engagement of the holder with the screw outside the belt. When this engagement with the screw is made the holder passes beneath the belt under a guide,f, which clamps over its front edge, as seen in Fig. 3, so as to secure the holder in its proper position while it is moved along by the revolving screw E. The belt runs through the longitudinal recess in the holders, and its under surface is exposed through the transverse recesses below. The under surface of the holderthat is, the partitions between the transverse recesses, or a portion of themride on the surface of the table, so that throughout its movement the holder is maintained in the same relative position to the table. One of these holders is placed upon the table, as seen in Fig. 1, and several needles are arranged on the table, their shanks introduced into the recesses in the under side of the holder, as seen in Fig. 1. Thus arranged, the holder is engaged with the screw E, and is moved along beneath the belt, the belt hearing upon the upper side of the needle-shanks lying in the recess a, and, traveling in the path in which the needles move, but faster than the holders, causes'the needles all to rotate by frictional contact of the belt with the needles. One such holder having passed on beneath the belt, another with a supply of needles is introduced, and so on, one after another, the

holder,with its needles, passing out at the opposite end of the machine. During thispassage of the revolving needles the work of grinding is performed. As here represented, this work is forpointin g, H representing the grinding-whee], arranged on a shaft in snitablebearings, and which is caused to revolve rapidly by the application of power thereto through pulleys II orotherwise. This grinding-wheel presents its surface through the table D, asindicated in Fig. 3, and so that the ends of the needle-blanks pass on in contact with this grinding-surface, and, revolving, the points are reduced and brought to the requisite shape, so that they pass off at the other end of the machine properly pointed. The holders, as they pass off with the finished needles, are returned to the other end for a new series of blanks, those which have been operated upon being taken from the machine for further operations.

The grinding -wheel may be of various grades from one end to the other, so as to grind and polish the points; or there may be several wheels of successive grades to do the work, or the wheel may simply cut down the points, they then being taken to another machine to finish the points. If the work to be done bethe reducing of the body of the needles, the-grinding-wheel is arranged so as to take over the entire surface of the part to be reduced, either by moving the corresponding wheel or wheels out and in, or by the grinding-wheels having axes diagonal to the blanks, so that the surface of contact will extend from the shank to the point, the arrangement of the grinding wheel being no part of my presentinvention, except that a grinding device of some character should be employed.

On the table at the point end of the blanks a guide, h,.may be arranged, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, to insure the blanks being kept in line; but this guide is not essential, as the shank of the needle abuts against a shoulder at the rear, which will be sufiicient under ordinary circumstances for this purpose. By this construction of holder the needles are held entirely independent each of the other, and perfectly parallel with each other.

As an auxiliary guide or support for'theneedles during their movement over the grindingwheel, and so as to prevent transverse swinging of the blanks, I attach to the front side of the holder a notched flange, l, as seen in Figs. 4. and 5, the notches in the flange corresponding to the notchesain the holder. Ihis flange extends out over the blanks, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, and so as to support the blank at some distance forward from the shank.

To conveniently arrange the blanks so as to be introduced into the holder, I constructa series of parallel transverse grooves, m, in the plate L, Fig. 1, these grooves corresponding in position to the notchesain the holder. This device is shown enlarged in Figs. 7 and 8, and for further description I refer to those figures. m represents the grooves, which, as before stated, correspond inposition to the notches a in the holder. Across these grooves at two grooves are out, each to receive asliding bar, N. The upper surfaceof this sliding bar inits normal condition stands below the bottom of the grooves m, as seen in Fig. 8; butitis constructed with inclined bearings n, so that a longitudinal movement imparted to the bars N causes them to rise flush with the surface of the plate L, as seen in broken lines, Fig. 8. The blanks are arranged in these grooves m, which they easily find when placed upon the plate. Then the holderFis setovertheplate L with the notches corresponding to the grooves. Then the sliding bars moved to bring them up flush with the top of the plate L, which takes the blanks from the grooves in the plate L up intothe notchesintheholder. Thentheholder is moved forward, as before described, and as soon as it has passed from the plate L the bars N are returned, more blanks placed in the grooves, another holder filled, and so on.

To adapt the feed to various diameters of blanks, other bars, 1", are arranged in the groovessay side by side with the bars N, as seen in Fig. 7-and having notches in their surfaces corresponding to the grooves in the plate andof the same width. Then ifit be desired to contract the grooves to adapt the feed to blanks of smaller diameter, the bars 1* are moved longitudinally, so as to partially cutoff the groove in the plate, as seen in Fig. 7, reducing the space at the bars to the diameter of the blank. The bars 1* should fit so closely in their grooves as not to he accidentally moved 3 or they may be secured by set'screws or otherwise when properly adjusted.

The plate L,with its bars, may be detachable from the machine, and introduced into a recess formed at the end of the work-plate, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3, for that purpose; or the grooves m m may be made in the surface of the work-plate, as also the grooves for the notched bars to work across the grooves m.

To create a yielding pressure upon the belt where it operates upon the blanks, I arrange a spring between the pulleys O and on the lower run of the belt. This spring consists of a plate, 1?, upon the under surface of which a helical spring, R, is secured, as seen in Fig. 9, which shows the plate inverted. This helical spring is wound, in the usual manner of winding helical springs, from elastic wire. Then the convolutions turned to present an angle to the plate, as seen in Figs. 2 and 9. The convolutions bearing upon the belt press thereon with a yielding pressure at all points, so thatshould not the belt itself under its natural strain be sufficient to impart rotation to the blank the spring will aid it in so doing. This plate is secured to the machine at the rear by an extension, S, therefrom, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 3.

While I prefer the leading-screw as a means for moving the holder, a series of pinions may be employed working together, so that one said leading-screw, and arranged to ride on the surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in the recesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they are revolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a table upon which the needle-blanks are arranged, a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and in a path at right angles to the needle-blanks, the holder F, constructed with transverse recesses upon its under side to set over the respective blanks on the table and ride upon the surface of the table, the belt working through said holder into said recesses to make frictional contact with the shanks of the needles, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart movement to said holder to carry the blanks on the surface of the table and beneath the belt, substantially as described.

3. The combination of.a table upon which the needle-blanks are arranged, a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and in a path at right angles to the needle-blanks, the holder F, constructed with transverse recesses upon its under side to set over the respective blanks on the table and ride upon the surface of the table, the belt working through said holder into said recesses to make frictional contact with the shanks of the needles, and mechanism, substantially such as described, to impart movement to said holder to carry the blanks on the surface of the table and beneath the belt, with an auxiliary notched guide, I, attached to the said holder F, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks are arranged,'a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and between which and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, a leading-screw parallel with the said belt, with the holder F, constructed with transverse recesses upon the uni der side, and with a rack or teeth to engage the said leading-screw, and arranged to ride on the surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in the recesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they are revolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, with transverse grooves m and bars N N, arranged in grooves crossing said grooves m, arranged for longitudinal v movement and upon inclined bearings, whereby the longitudinal movement imparted to the said bars N will cause them to rise flush with the top of the said grooves m or return below them, substantially as and for the purpose de-' scribed.

5. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks are arranged, a belt travelin g parallel with the surface of said table, and between which and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, a leading-screw parallel with the said belt,with the holderF,const-ructed with transverse recesses upon the under side, and with a rack or teeth to engage the said leading-screw, and arranged .to ride on the surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in the recesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they are revolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, with transverse grooves m and bars N N, arranged in grooves crossing said grooves m, arranged for longitudinal movement and upon inclined bearings, whereby the longitudinal movementimparted to the said bars N will cause them to rise flush with the top of the said grooves m or return below them, and the notched bars r0, across the said grooves at, substantially as and for the par pose described.

6. The combination of the table on which the needle-blanks are arranged, a belt traveling parallel with the surface of said table, and between which and the table the shanks of the needle-blanks pass, a leading-screw parallel with the said belt, with the holder F, constructed with transverse recesses upon the under side, and with a rack or teeth to engage the said leading-screw, and arranged to ride on the surface of the said table to carry the needles arranged in the recesses on the under side of the holder beneath the belt, and a grinding mechanism arranged to operate upon the blanks as they are revolved in their passage over said grinding mechanism, with an elastic device consisting of the helical spring having its convolutions turned at an angle to the belt, arranged to bear upon said belt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

FRANCIS W. MALLETT.

Witnesses:

G. E. BOWEN, F. R. FRnNcH.