US2955975A - Method and apparatus for pulp molding lampshades - Google Patents

Description

Mag L Oct. 11, 1960 E. w. RICHARDSON 2,955,975

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PULP MOLDING LAMPSHADES Filed Dec. 24, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 11, 1960 E. w. RICHARDSON 5 METHO AND APPARATUS FOR PULP MOLDING LAMPSHADES 7 Filed Dec. 24, 1958 s Sheets-Sheet 2 )5 INVENTOR. [or/e #s/ey ixcwfisae BY n Oct. 11, 1960 E. w. RICHARDSON 2,955,975

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PULP MOLDING LAMPSHADES Filed Dec. 24, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTQR.

ATTOR/YfX United States Patent METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PULP MOLDING LAMPSHADES Earle Wesley Richardson, 3109 44th St. NW. Washington, D.C.

Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,726

7 Claims. (Cl. 162-199) The present invention relates generally to lampshades and more particularly to a novel seamless shade and to an apparatus and method of making the same.

Heretofore, lampshades usually are made from sheet material requiring numerous steps of shaping the sheet material into the skirt portion, cutting the skirt to fit the usual metal frames of the shade at each end, sealing the side seam of the skirt, applying the finishing tape and coloring the same to provide various desired colors. These prior methods of making lampshades, in addition to being limited to frusto-conical shape, are laborious and time consuming, which makes the shades expensive to make, due to the limited mass output of shades possible with such prior methods. I 1

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for mass production of lamp-shades, whereby a plurality of shades may be made in one operation in less than the time heretofore required to make one shade from sheet material as generally outlined above.

Another object is to provide a novel seamless lamp shade, whereby the end frame structures thereof are molded or formed with the shade skirt material as th skirt per se is formed. 1

A further object is to provide a novel method of making pluralities of lampshades, whereby the usual shade assembling steps are done in one operation to provide a substantially finished lampshade.

A further object is to provide a novel trifugual casting of lampshades to provide various novel seamless bell-shaped formations.

Still a further object is to provide a novel apparatus, whereby bell-shaped seamless lampshades may be mass produced rapidly and inexpensively with a minimum of labor.

Yet another object is to provide apparatus adapted to form a colored and perfumed or otherwise chemically treated lampshade from fine aqueous suspensions of comminuted paper by a simple centrifugal molding of the said comminuted paper into a completely formed and dehydrated colored and perfumed lampshade.

Still a further object is to provide a novel flexible mold for collecting comminuted matter and molding the same into shapes corresponding thereto.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novelty of construction, combination and arrangement of the elements of the lampshades, the apparatus producing the same and the several steps of the method, all respective features of which are hereinafter described in detail and distinctly claimed in the appended claim.

' The description should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of the present invention illustrating the production of a plurality of lampshades; I

t Figure 2 is a side elevation view of one of the novel mold units as it appears removed from the supporting tank; 7

method 7 of cen- Figure 3 is a top plan view of the mold unit of Figure Figure 4 is a vertical section view of the mold unit taken along a dotted line of Figure 2; and s Figure 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken of a supporting tank and a mold unit mounted therein for th molding operation. Referring to Figure l of the drawings, there is disclosed. a diagrammatic illustration of the lampshade apparatus. and a method of forming a plurality of lampshades in one. operating cycle of the apparatus. i

It is to be observed that a plurality of moldingunits A, B, and C are connected in series and driven fiom a single power source S under control of a singleoperator. Referring now more in detail to Figure 1, it is to be seen that the power source S includes an electric motor M with a power take-off or belt drive T from the motor to the speed reduction drive mechanism R. This speed reduction drive may be of any suitble type and is manually controlled by a lever 8, whereby the speed of the means.

driven thereby may be manually controlled by the operator. 7

As shown in Figure 1, the speed reduction unit R is ope'ratively connected by a belt and pulley 9 to a shaft 10 through bevel gears 9a and 9b, which drive shaft is the driver for the several series connected mold driving shafts 11, 12, and 13. Each of the mold driving shafts and the drive shaft 10 therefor are jounrnalled for rotation in vertic lly spaced bearings 14 and 15 fixed to suitable. vertically spaced parallel frame bars '16 and 17. Keyed to each mold driving shaft 11, 12 and 13 are pairsof vertically spaced sheaves 18, 19, 18a, 19a, and 18b and 19b. The drive shaft 10 is provided with one sheave 20 keyed thereto. The sheave 20 of the drive shaft 10 is positioned in horizontal spaced alignment with the upper sheave 18 on shaft 11 and has a drive belt 21 reeved thereabout. The belts and sheaves may be of the V-type. The lower sheave 19 on the shaft 11 is operatively connected to the lower sheave 1911 on the shaft 12 by a belt 22, while the sheave 18a is operatively connected to the upper sheave 18!; on 'the shaft 13 by a belt 23. The lower sheave 1% with its belt 24-may continue such series connection to any number of molding units desired. a

Each of the drive shafts 11, 12 and 13 depend below the lower support bar 17 and are each provided with a sleeve 25, 25a and 25b which respective sleeves are slidably mounted on the said shafts and secured in, adjusted, position on said respective shafts by' set screws 26, where-a by the sleeves are rotatable with the shafts and axially adjustable on the shafts. The free ends of each respective sleeve are provided with :a coupling means, such as a transverse pin 26a.

The tanks 27 of each respective unit A, B and C connected by outlet pipes 27a 27b and 270 andvalves;

V1, V2 and V3 into a drain manifold or to a plurality of collector tanks D, E and F mounted below said mold housing tanks 27. The valves V1, V2 and V3 in the T61, spective outlet pipes 27a, 27b and 270 are gang. controlled by a link L and a lever L to .openor closed positions. The lever L may be positioned adjacent a linear. gageG Y to determine the extent of valve actuation, to control the rate of. discharge from tanks 27.

The valves are opened to the extent desired when the molding tanks are filled with water andthe lampshade molding composition is poured into the interior of the. mold, momentarily after the molds are started, to rotate] and thereby provide the centrifugal lampshade molding operation. As the tanks 27 are filled with Water, the:

same is drained off into the collector tanks D, E and F into opening 28, into pipe manifold P and to the riiileti side of a pump P to the return line RL,and thence to the top of each respective tank 27 by said return line..

The pump P' may be driven by a second electric motor M powered from a suitable source of electric current.

Since each of the units A, B and C are identical, a descriptionof unit A. only is suflicient to.explain the same. The several molding units are rotatably mounted in the tanks 27, which as showninFigure are formed with an opening 28 in the bottom .thereof offset with respect to a concentrically positioned bearing 29, which is adapted to receive a bearing pin 30 supported concentrically by a foraminous insert 32, see Figure 4, frictionally engaged within an annular wall 33 of a base member adapted to support a mold frame. The base member further includes a top wall 34 which is provided with a central opening 35, see Figure 4, and the margin of top wall 34 overhangs the side wall 33 with a resulting circularledge 36, which is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced positioning lugs 37 for an end of a lampshade mold frame 38. If desired, the said legs may be adjustable to accommodate various sizes of mold frames.

The top wall 34 is in effect a supporting surface for the lower element 38a of the mold frame and this surface is also formed with a plurality of upstanding spacer element 39, radially inward from the lugs 37. These elements are to support the lower frame ring 40 of a lampshade to be molded thereon, as hereinafter explained.

The mold frame 38 is formed according to the size and shape of a lampshade to be made. For example, the same comprises the said annular lower frame element 38a, which is adapted to rest upon the supporting wall 34 within the upstanding outwardly flared lugs 37, and fixed to and extending upwardly from element 38a are a plurality of outwardly bowed stay rods 41, the respective upper ends of which are secured to a relatively larger annular frame element 42. The upper annular element 42 has the rim of a sleeve of flexible molding fabric 43 secured thereto.

The molding fabric sleeve is of tubular form and is stretched around the inner side of the lower frame element 38a, and thence is pulled upwardly along the outside of the stay rods 41 and secured in taut condition by means of securing springs 44, see Figure 4, whose upper ends are fixed to the stay rods adjacently below the upper annular element 42 and whose lower ends are releasably secured to the free edge of the said mold fabric. This free edge is finished with a binding tape 45, which is provided with a plurality of eye fasteners 46 adapted to receive the hooked ends 47 of the said respective springs 44. a

The top of the mold frame 38 is formed with an annular baffle plate 50 having a tapered bore 51 and an annular right angular surface, which serves as an anvil or land 52. This land 52 is formed with an annular flange or rim 53, which in its turn serves as a stop for the outer circumference of an upper lampshade frame ring 54 and said rim 53 fits within the upper frame element 42 of the mold frame, see Figure 4. The annular baflie plate 50 is mounted on the shaft 67 of the molding.

unit 38 by means of a concentric hub ring 58 having radially extending spokes 59, which extend into connection with the inner tapered wall 51 of the annular baflle. To retain the lampshade frame ring 54 on the land 52 and against the interior side of the rim 53, there are provided a plurality of vertical studs or legs 56 formed from a spider frame structure 57.

Resting on the hub ring 58 there is a coil spring 60 and superimposed in spaced vertical position above the opposite end of the spring is the floating spider frame 57 comprising a ring or hub 61 with radial spokes 62 extending and turning at right angles to form the aforesaid legs 56 of the spider frame 57. The upper end of the coil of the spring 60 is engaged with the floating hub or ring 61 of frame 57 and is positioned between the hub rings 58 and 61 so as to be compressible or expandby an annular cam 64 supported by a third hub ring 65 with radial spokes 66 on the shaft 67. The shaft 67 extends through the hub ring 58, spring 60, floating hub ring 61, and hub ring 65 of the cam annulus 64.

The hub rings are vertically spaced apart on the shaft 67 and rings 58 and 65 are held fixed to their respective spaced relation on the shaft, by set screws 68 and 70, while the hub ring 61 floats therebetween on spring 60. The shaft 67 has its upper free end 67a notched to receive the transverse drive pin 26a see Figure 1, and, as shown in Figure 4, has its lower end 69 bifurcated and welded to an'impeller blade 71. This flat impeller 71 may be bell-shaped along each vertical or elongated edge thereof to conform to the interior bell-shaped configuration of the mold fabric 43.

The legs 56 of the spider frame 57 extend through guide tubes 72 vertically supported and fixed on the land 52 over apertures formed therein, and, as shown in Figure 4, will be projected through the apertures formed in the land 52, to wedge and hold the lampshade frame ring 54 against the stop rim 53, during the molding operation. This projection of the legs 56 through the land apertures is caused by the turning of the cam annulus 64 so the cam surfaces 73 thereof engage the spokes 62 of the floating spider frame 57, thereby forcing the frame downward axially of the shaft 67 against the action of the spring 60 on which the hub ring 61 rests.

In assembling the lampshade mold 38, the same is positioned in a tank 27 by first mounting the shaft 30 in the bearing 29, over a bafile plate 75, see Figure 5. This baflle plate 75 is held raised from the bottom sur face of the tank 27 and above the outlet 28, and prevents a too rapid discharge of water from the tank during the centrifugal molding of the lampshades as hereinafter to be described. Then the lower lampshade frame ring 40 is placed upon the lugs 39 of the base 34 and the mold frame 38 is placed on the base in embracing relation to the ring 40 and the lugs 39, see Figures 2 and 4. Next the impeller 71 with the upper mold frame structure is inserted in the confines of the upper mold frame ring 42 with the upper frame ring 54 of the lampshade to be molded thereto clamped on the land 52 between the legs 56 and the stop flange or rim 53. Then, as shown in Figure 5, centering frame 77 with a center hub 78 is placed over the shaft 67 and engaged over the rim of the tanks 27 by friction elements 79 on the end of each frame member.

Next, the notched end 67a is connected to the pin 26a by lowering the sleeve 25 into drive position and subsequently tightening the wing headed set screw 26, see Figure 1.

The drive source may now be started to provide a lampshade molding cycle.

Operation and method of making the lampshades The method of practicing the present invention consists, after the apparatus has been assembled as above described, of preparing a composition of comminuted paper, coloring and water, which may be perfumed or not as desired. The composition is prepared by finely grinding a predetermined sized sheet of paper.

Then the tanks 27 are pumped full of water so as to completely immerse the fabric mold 43 and the power driven means is started at a relatively slow driving speed under control of speed reduction device R. Next, the composition is poured into the interior of the fabric mold and the centrifugal force of the rotary mold outwardly directs the water to the walls of the respective tanks 27, while the solid content of the composition is collected and adheres to the interior surface of the fabric mold. After a few seconds of rotation, the lever L is actuated to open the outlets 28 and the water escapes from under the bafiie plate 75 into the collector tanks D, E and F.

Also, during rotation as the valves V1, V2' and V3 are opened, the water in the lampshade making composi tion is centrifugally directed through the porous fabric walls of the mold material 43 and passes out the outlet 28 with the tank water.

After the water has been discharged from the respective tanks 27, the drive is speeded up to increase the centrifugal force of the mold rotation and thereby provides a drying action to the formerly comminuted material which has now formed in a thin layer or sheet around the interior bell-shaped surface of the mold.

Duringthe complete molding operation, the composition in the mold is mildly agitated by the stirrer or impeller 71. This provides for an even distribution of the solids in the molding composition and prevents any uneven or cloudy spots in the finished lampshade after it has dried and the mold fabric is peeled therefrom.

The mold unit after the drying step is removed from the tank and the spring hooks 47 are disconnected from the eye fasteners 46. The fabric is then folded down from the outside of the frame 38 and the fabric and mold frame are demounted from the impeller mountings and the cam annulus, whereby the fabric is peeled away from the finished lampshade and the shade rings 54 and 40 are molded as part of the finished shade material.

The final step is to apply any desired ornamental binding around the peripheral rims of the lampshade at each end and the same is complete. Prior to this the shade is shellac dipped.

The lampshade making cycle may be continuously repeated by keeping the power devices in operation and recycling the water into the tanks 27, with the manual addition of another charge of molding composition by the operator.

Having set forth the present invention in accordance with certain specific embodiments thereof, and methods of practicing the same, what is claimed and desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A method of making seamless lamp shades from an aqueous solution of comminuted cellulose material comprising the steps of stretching a limp tubular fabric into a taut condition on a frame, immersing the taut tubular fabric into a volume of water, pouring a predetermined volume of said aqueous solution of comminuted cellulose material into the said stretched tubular fabric mold, imparting rotation to the same, agitating the material in the mold during the rotation of the mold, thereby effecting even distribution of the material over the surface of the mold fabric slowly draining the water during said rotation and while collecting the cellulose material by centrifugal action on the interior surface of the stretched taut fabric drying the material in its molded form by increasing the speed of rotation of the mold, and then manually peeling said fabric from the mold.

2. Means for centrifugally molding lampshades and the like, comprising a lampshade mold frame, a porous flexible mold member with a bore mounted in said frame, said mold frame including securing means to secure said mold member therein, a base adapted to support said mold frame and a first annular reinforcement member to be molded in the top rim of a lampshade during centrifugal molding thereof, a bearing pin projecting centrally from the bottom of said base to rotatably mount the same, a top assembly removably mounted in the top of the said mold frame, said assembly including a driven stu-b shaft, an impeller secured at one end to said driven stub shaft extending into the confines of the bore of the mold member and formed on the opposite end with a drive coupling, said driven stub shaft intermediate its ends having mounted thereon a plurality of hub rings, the lowermost of said rings being connected by radial spokes to an an nular baffle plate having a radially disposed annular land having a plurality of spaced apertures, said lowermost ring being fixed to said driven shaft, a coil spring around said driven shaft and resting on said lowermost ring, the next adjacent hub ring defining the center part of a spider frame, said spider frame being floatable on the upper portion of said spring, said spider frame having" vertical legs extensible through the said apertures in'said annular in the bottom rim of a lampshade during centrifugal molding thereof in cooperation with the extended ends of said spider frame legs, and cam means adapted to force said floating spider frame downward, to thereby cause said legs to extend through said land apertures to clamp the said second mentioned annular reinforcement in cooperation with said annular stop.

3. The means for centrifugally molding lampshades and the like, as described in claim 2 wherein the said porous flexible mold member is a fabric tube and said lampshade mold frame includes-an annular ring'at each end vertically spaced apart by outwardly bowed stay rods, and said mold member at each respective end being en gaged around said annular frame rings.

4. Means for centrifugally molding lampshades and the like, comprising a lampshade mold frame, a porousflexible mold member with a bore mounted in said mold frame, said frame including securing means to secure said mold member therein, a base adapted to support said mold frame and a first annular reinforcement member to be molded in the top rim of a lampshade during centrifugal molding thereof, a top assembly removably mounted in the top of the said mold frame, said assembly including a driven stub shaft, an impeller secured at one end to said driven stub shaft extending into the confines of the bore of the mold member and formed on the opposite end with a drive coupling, said driven stub shaft intermediate its ends having mounted thereon a plurality of hub rings, the lowermost of said rings being connected by radial spokes to an annular bafiie plate having a radially disposed annular land having a plurality of spaced apertures, said lowermost ring being fixed to said driven shaft, a coil spring around said driven shaft and resting on said lowermost ring, the next adjacent hub ring defining the center part of a spider frame, said spider frame being floatable on the upper portion of said spring, said spider frame having vertical legs extensible through the said apertures in said annular land, said land being formed around its peripheral under side with an annular stop, said land serving to clamp and hold a second annular reinforcement member to be molded in the bottom rim of a lampshade during centrifugal molding thereof in cooperation with the extended ends of said spider frame legs, and cam means comprising a plurality of angular surfaces formed from the lower rim of an annular ring, said ring being connected by a plurality of radial spokes to a concentrically positioned hub ring, said hub ring being secured on said shaft above said hub ring of the said floating spider frame, whereby said angular surfaces are progressively engageable with the said spider frame upon rotation of said annular ring of the cam means to provide the downward movement of said spider frame on said driven stub shaft.

5. A rotary mold device comprising a frame having top and bottom rings and a plurality of interconnecting rods between the rings, a flexible tubular fabric having a top edge and a bottom edge adapted to be stretched into a desired mold shape on the said frame, said tubular fabric having the top edge thereof secured to the top ring and stretched downwardly therefrom within the confines of said rods and thence looped upwardly around the said bottom ring toward the said top ring around the exterior of the said frame rods, said top edge having eye fasteners thereon, and spring fastener means detachably secured to the said frame adjacent said top ring adapted to couple to said eye fasteners, to thereby hold said mold fabric taut on the frame.

6-. A rotatable porous flexible mold and a supporting frame therefor, in combination with an enclosing tank, said frame being so shaped and so proportioned as to 7 form the flexible mold when stretched taut thereon into a desired shape, support means for the said supporting frame forming a bearing for one end of the same, and a bearing socket at the bottom of the tank receiving said bearing, a power driving shaft including a telescopic section, said section in the free end thereof having a trans-' verse coupling pin serving as a driving connection arranged to detachably engage the opposite end of the mold frame support, thereby supporting the mold forrotation, said section being vertically movable to a plane aboveand clear of the said supporting mold frame, to effect disengagement of said pin from the mold frame, to thereby permit free endwise removal of the frame from said support means.

7. Apparatus for centrifugal molding of lampshades comprising a mold frame, a flexible tubular mold secured on the frame in tubular form, a support member having a top wall with mold guide fingers and lampshade ring supports, said support member having an opening in the top wall and a depending annular side wall, and a foraminous bottom wall, an upper frame supported on said mold frame, said upper frame comprising a shaft and an impeller connected to an end thereof, said shaft end opposite to the impeller end extending vertically above the mold frame and said upper frame and said impeller end extending into the center of said tubular mold on the mold frame, and a plurality of superimposed spider frames vertically spaced apart on said shaft above said impeller, said lower spider frame having an annular baffle plate having a peripheral rim adapted to fit in the upper portion of the mold frame to thereby support the said upper frame shaft with the impeller, and a power coupling connection on the end of the shaft opposite to said impeller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,344 Perrine Apr. 18, 1876 648,907 Alvord May 8, 1900 768,306 Rivers Aug. 23, 1904 1,956,776 Simpson May 1, 1934 2,881,680 Spengler et al. Apr. 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,426 Great Britain 1885 Great Britain Feb. 5, 1934

Claims (1)

1. A METHOD OF MAKING SEAMLESS LAMP SHADES FROM AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF COMMINUTED CELLULOSE MATERIAL COMPRISING THE STEPS OF STRETCHING A LIMP TUBULAR FABRIC INTO A TAUT CONDITION ON A FRAME, IMMERSING THE TAUT TUBULAR FABRIC INTO A VOLUME OF WATER, POURING A PREDETERMINED VOLUME OF SAID AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF COMMINUTED CELLULOSE MATERIAL INTO THE SAID STRETCHED TUBULAR FABRIC MOLD, IMPARTING ROTATION TO THE SAME, AGITATING THE MATERIAL IN THE MOLD DURING THE ROTATION OF THE MOLD, THEREBY EFFECTING EVE DISTRIBUTION OF THE MATERIAL OVER THE SURFACE OF THE MOLD FABRIC SLOWLY DRAINING THE WATER DURING SAID ROTATION AND WHILE COLLECTING CELLULOSE MATERIAL BY CENTRIFUGAL ACTION ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE STRETHED TAUT FABRIC

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