US2932029A

US2932029A - Machine for the assembly of eye members in textile materials

Info

Publication number: US2932029A
Application number: US704083A
Authority: US
Inventors: Nicolo William V De
Original assignee: Industrial Development Corp
Current assignee: Industrial Development Corp
Priority date: 1957-12-20
Filing date: 1957-12-20
Publication date: 1960-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1977-04-12

Description

MACHINE Fo'a'ms ASSEMBLY OF EYE MEMBERS IN TEXTILE MATERIALS Filed Dec. 20?. 1957 April 12, 1960 w v DE mcb o 2,932,029

p 20 I 40 Y Z: 66 35 A 46 I l4 7 I i 76 74 74 mvsy'ron.

F 5 Wi|hamV. DeNlcolo A'H'orneqs 1 United States Patent MACHINE FOR THE ASSEMBLY OF EYE MEMBERS IN TEXTILE MATERIALS William V. De Nicolo, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Industrial Development Corporation, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application December 20, 1957, Serial No. 704,083 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 1-4) and it relates more particularly to an automatic eyesetting machine. This invention embodies improvements on the eye-setting machine described and claimed in the copending application of Lundberg et al., Serial No.

587,784, filed May 28, 1956, and entitled Eye-Setting Machine. and it is an object of this invention to improve upon the eye-setting machine described and claimed therein.

Another object is to produce an eye-setting machine of the type described which embodies means for main taining proper registration of the eye unit during transfer from the feed into position for engagement with a backing plate to secure the textile material therebetween, whereby errors in assembly can be avoided to provide a better yield of properly assembled eye fastener units in the textile material.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the machine illustrating the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the portion of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view cross-wise through the unit shown in Figure 1 while in normal position; and

Figure 4 is a sectional elevational view embodyingthe elements of Figure 3 but shown in an operated position of adjustment.

Detailed description of the elaborate machine for the automatic assembly of eye members and stay plates need not be repeated here since the improvement embodying the features of this invention is limited to the holder on the end of the ram which operates to receive the eye members from the feed chute and to carry the eye members forwardly into registry with the pre-positioned backing plate for projection of the prongs of the eye members through the openings of the backing plate to effect an assembled relationship therebetween. Fora full description of the remainder of the machine, reference may be made to the aforementioned copending application.

Briefly described, the eye-setting member embodying the features of this invention makes use of an elongate ram 10 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end for pendulum movement between a normal backward position, shown in solid lines in Figure l, and an operated 'or forward position, shown in broken lines in Figure 1. When in normal backward position, the ram head 12 is incrosswise alignment with the end of the chute through which eye members are continuously fed from a supply source. When in operative or forward position, thehead -12 is in vertical alignment with the anvil on which an 2,932,029 Patented Apr. 12, 1960 ICC anchor plate is pre-positioned by a separate feed system which operates in timed relationship with the ram and eye feed for effecting an assembled relation.

The ram is provided at its lower end with a head 12 which is adapted to receive the eye member 14 fed thereto from the chute to carry the eye member from the feed position to the forward position in vertical alignment with the anvil and the anchoring plate whch is positioned thereon.

The ram 10 is also mounted for vertical movement between a raised position, shown in solid lines in Figure 1, and'a lowered position, shown in broken lines in Figure l, to receive the eye member from the feed chute when in normal or raised position and to project the prongs of the eye member through the openings of the anchor plate when in lowered or operated position. to enable an assembled relation to be effected therebetween.

The up and down movement of the ram is effected in response to the movement of a lever arm from which it pivotally depends. The lever arm is actuated by means of a cam secured about a drive shaft of the machine upon which a number of other cam members are mounted for effecting other operations, including the eye member feed cycle, the anchor plate feed cycle, and the prongbending feed cycle, all of which operate in timed sequence in response to the position and contours of the cams on the drive shaft. The aforementioned elements and their operation are more fully described and illustrated in the aforementioned copending application.

The inventive concepts of this invention are embodied in the specific improvement of elements of the ram head whereby the eye members are retained in proper alignment for the accurate insertion of the prongs through the openings of the anchor plate in effecting an assembled relation. Description will hereinafter be made in greater detail of the construction of the ram head embodying the described improvement.

As illustrated in the drawing, the ram head 12 is formed with an elongate hanger rod 20 having a central portion 22 threaded for engagement with the threaded end portion of a bore 24 extending upwardly through the end portion of the ram and having a circular cross section corresponding to the cross section of the end portion 28 of the hanger rod-which is adapted to be received in feeding relation therein. The hanger rod can be adjusted endwise relative to the ram by turning movement. A flat face is provided in the hanger rod portion extending into the bore for engagement by a'setscrew 30 to hold the rod against turning movement to prevent inadvertent adjustment from the set position.

The lower end portion of the hanger rod is formed with a slide block 32, preferably of polygonal shape, and dimensioned to have a cross section as large, and preferably larger, than the cross section of the hanger rod.

Depending from the central portion of the 'block is a ram rod 34 preferably in the form of a rectangularly shaped member dimensioned to have a length in cross section corresponding to the length of the bodyportion of the eye member and a width in cross section which is slightly less than the width of the body portion of the eye member.

Enclosing atleast the top and the lateral sides of the block 32 is a housing member 36 having an opening 38 in the top wall 40 dimensioned to enable the hanger rod 20 to extend slidably therethrough, whereby the rod and the block 32 integral with the bottom end thereof are capable of endwise movement relative to the housing. The

side walls

42 and 44 of the housing are dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the thickness of the lower edges of the. side walls 42and44 and. embracing the sides of the ram rod 34 are a pair of

clamping plates

46 and 48 having a length and width corresponding to theleng'th and .width of the ramrod, but preferably of slightly greater length than the ram rod so that the end of the rod will be positioned a short distance inwardly from the end of the clamping plates when in its lowered or operated position of adjustment.

The clamping plates are each formed with an opening 50 in the central portion thereof in crosswise alignment with a slot 52 in the ram rod to enable a pin 54 to be inserted through the aligned openings, thereby to enable the ram'rod to be displaced endwise between the clamping plates between normal or raised position (Figure 3) and lowered position (Figure 4). The pin 54 is formed with threaded

ends

56 and 58 for receiving

nut members

60 and 62 respectively. Compression springs 64 are mounted about the pin with one end bearing against the outer face of the clamping plates while the opposite end bears against the

locking nut members

60 and 62 constantly to urge the clamping members in the direction towards each other resiliently to embrace the ram rod therebetween. The described resilient support for the clamping plates will enable the plates to be rocked for 'a limited distance about their inner upper edge or about the bottom edge of the

side walls

42 and 44 of the housing.

The housing is constantly urged downwardly to bring its top wall 40 into resilient engagement with the slide block 32 by means of a coil spring 66 positioned about the lower end portion of the hanger rod 20 with one end of the spring bearing against the upper surface of the top wall 40 while the other end bears against a nut member 68 which is threadably mounted on the threaded midportion of the hanger rod. The slot 52 in the intermediate portion of the-ram rod 34 is dimensioned to have a length which-is greater than the amount of endwise displacement of the hanger rod, and the block and ram rod join thereto in movement together relative to the clamping plates.

The end face opposite the eye member feed chute is provided with a stop plate 70 secured at its upper end portion to the slide block 32 by means of a capscrew 72,. The lower edge of the stop plate 70 terminates at a level corresponding to the lower edge of the ram rod, when in normal position.

In the construction of the aforementioned copending application, the portions of the clamping plates normally extending downwardly beyond the ends of the ram rod "provide a spaced relationship therebetween corresponding to' the width of the ram rod and the body portion of the eye member. Thus the eye member is capable of being received and retained therein with the eye member tilted in one direction or the other. Under such conditions, misalignments can exist between the prongs and the openings of the anchor plate so that error is possible in the insertion of the prongs through the textile material. These conditions will invariably lead to an improper execution of the operations of the eye assembly machine, with the result that an unsatisfactory assembly will be achieved. This will either necessitate repair or the removal of the assembled eye and anchor plate with the requirement that the textile material be reprocessed through the machine. This will result in waste of time and materials and in possible damage to the garment being processed.

An important concept of this invention resides in the modification of the construction of the portions of the clamping plates extending downwardly beyond the end of the ram rod, whereby the depending end portions are formed with with ofisets 74 which slope inwardly and downwardly in the direction towards each other to provide upper cam surfaces 76 which terminate at the lower edge of the clamping plates in spaced-apart relationship from each other adapted to eorrespond'to'the width of the prong members extending therebetween when the ram to operated position.

tion of the eye member adjacent the lower edge of the ram rod and firmly gripped between the clamping plates. It is preferred to space the ends of the clamping plates by a distance slightly greater than the width of the through-extending end portions of the prongs.

The limited spaced relationship between the inner ends of the clamping plates, when in normal position, operates to center the prongs between the clamping plates so that the eye member will be incapable of being tilted when clamped between the plates. Instead, the eye member will be held within the ram head in a desired centered relationship with the prongs extending downwardly from the body portion in parallel relation with the ram rod. The described clamping plates will also operate to center the prongs even while the eye member is being displaced from the ram head in response to movement of the ram rod from normal to its operated position.

The inclined edges 76 of the clamping plates also provide .cammed surfaces which become effective upon engagement by the lateral edges of the body portion of the eye member, upon displacement therebetween, to rock the clamping plates outwardly about their pivots in a manner to enable ready release of the clamping plates upon operative engagement with the anchor plate but while main taining constant control by resilient engagement thereof. Thus a controlled and guided relationship is constantly maintained to accurately position the eye member in the ram head for displacement from the ram head to insert the prongs through the textile material and the aligned openings of the anchor plates.

Because of the greater width of the body portion of the eye members by comparison with the width of the ram rod, the clamping plates will resiliently engage the eye members for support thereof in the ram head so that the ram head can operate to receive the eye members and to carry the eye members from feed position to assembly position with the anchor plate.

In normal position, the

anchor plates

46 and 48 are dimensioned to extend beyond the lower end of the ram rod 34 for a distance slightly less than the length of the prongs extending perpendicularly downwardly from the body portion .14 of the eye member so that the prongs will project downwardly between the inset ends 74 of the anchor plates when the eye member is displaced from the feed chute into the space between the anchor plates with the body portion adjacent the underside of the ram rod. Thus the eye member with its lateral edges extending beyond the ram rod will be gripped by the anchor plates to hold the eye member with the prongs extending downwardly through the space between the ends of the anchor plates to carry the eye member in its properly centered position for assembly.

' The ram rod and the attached elements, including the .block 32 and the hanger rod 20, is adapted to be capable of displacement endwise relative the clamping plates through the lost motion in the slot 52 for a distance correspoding to the spaced relation between the end of the ram rod and the end of the clamping plates to enable displacement of the eye member from between the clamping plates when the ends of the clamping plates are stopped to in response'to engagement with the anvil and the textile material thereon during movement of the Upon engagement, the anchor plates are stopped but the lost motion permitted by the slotted support from the ram rod permits the ram and the ram rod to continue downward subsequent to stoppage of the clamping plates to ram the eye member downwardly in the direction to project the prongs through the underlying textile material and the openings of the anchor plate. In operation, the ram head remains in operated position for a time suflicient to enable actuation of the prong bending means to bend the portions of the prongs extending through the openings in the anchor plate to effect the assembled relation.

elements are in normal osition, an with t e y r- .7 t w l be de s od at changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In an eye settingmachine for hook and eye fasteners, a holder for carrying eye members having an elongate rectangularly shaped body portion and prongs extending downwardly substantially perpendicularly from the body portion comprising a ramrod dimensioned to have a width slightly less than the width of the body portion of the eye member, a pair of clamping plates carried by the ram rod with the ram rod sandwiched therebetween, means constantly urging the clamping plates in the direction towards each other resiliently to engage the ram rod therebetween, lost motion means mounting the clamping plates on the ram rod with the end of the ram rod spaced upwardly from the ends of the clamping plates by an amount less than the length of the prongs when in normal position and with the end of the ram rod adjacent the ends of the clamping plates when in operated position, said clamping plates having end portions beyond the end of the ram rod, when in normal position, which extend in the direction towards each other throughout the width thereof for a distance to provide a spaced relationship therebetween less than the width of the body portion of the eye members but slightly greater than the width of the portion of the sprongs extending therebetween when the body portion of the eye member is positioned adjacent the end of the ram rod and between the clamping plates when in normal position, said lost motion means comprising an elongate slot extending in the lengthwise direction in the ram rod and openings in the clamping plates in crosswise alignment with the slot, and a shaft extending continuously therethrough, said slot being dimensioned to have a length greater than the lost motion between the clamping plates and the ram rod and in which the means constantly urging the clamping plates in the direction towards each other resiliently to engage theram rod therebetween comprises stops on the end portions of the shaft extending beyond the clamping plates and spring members between said stops and the adjacent outer walls of the clamping plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 132,221 Tomlinson Oct. 15, 1872 599,078 Kempshall Feb. 15, 1898 1,126,324 Weinstein Jan. 26, 1915 1,479,793 Eek Ian. 8, 1924 2,416,312 Harkeem Feb. 25, 1947 2,737,657 Miller Mar. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,935 Great Britain Jan. 22, 1914 285,204 Great Britain Feb. 16, 1928 569,427 France Apr. 11, 1924