US2979802A

US2979802A - Hosiery trimmer

Info

Publication number: US2979802A
Application number: US622660A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W L Funchion; Clarence M Ginn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-11-16
Filing date: 1956-11-16
Publication date: 1961-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-18

Description

April 1951 J. w. FUNCHION ET AL 2,979,802

HOSIERY TRIMMER Filed Nov. 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 u s2 l J In: W

z I I I I I I I I I I I I 33110 -113 34 44 IQ r- 1 l I 44 L9 IJ/ Fig.1.

INVENTORS JOHN w. L. FUNcHmN y CLARENCE M. emu

PM 722cm A TTORNEYS HOSIERY TRIMMER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1956 m M WW I L E C wN E M J C Y B p PPM?! ATTORNEYS States Patent HOSIERY TRIMMER John W. L. Funchion, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and Clarence M. Ginn, Portland, Maine Filed Nov. 16, 1956, Ser. No. 622,660

9 Claims. (Cl. 26-7) This invention relates to an improved machine and method for cutting thread ends from stockings and the like.

It has heretofore been proposed to advance a plurality of stocking forms along a path, to rotate successive forms in a cutting zone along the path and to clip the thread ends on the rotating and advancing forms in that zone as in US. Patent 2,705,827 to Gamache of April 12, 1955.

It is an object of this invention to cut the thread ends on a rotating stocking form while the axis of the form is fixed and with a full length cutter also rotating on a fixed axis whereby every thread is cut at a uniform pre determined distance from the stocking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for cutting thread ends on stockings wherein the machine halts intermittently to enable a stocking to be carefully placed on one stocking form, to enable accurate cutting to take place on another form and to enable automatic discharge of a stocking from still another form.

A further object of the invention is to speed production and reduce cost in the cutting of thread ends from stockings by freeing the operator from the task of removing cut stockings and permitting the operator to work full speed at placing stockings on the forms of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to eliminate not only the manual step of loosening and removing the stockings from the thread cutting machine but to also eliminate the step of turning the stockings inside .out after such cutting, all of these steps being accomplished automatically in the machine of this invention. A still further object of the invention is to provide novel mechanical and pneumatic means cooperatively arranged to discharge and reverse cut stockings and deliver the same to a collection receptacle without danger of damage to the stockings.

Other objects and advantages of the machine and method of this invention will be apparent from the claims, the description of the drawings and from the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of Fig. 1 with portions omitted.

Fig. 3 is an end view from the right of Fig. 1.

Fig' 4 is an enlarged plan view in section on line 44 of Fig. 3 of the cutting means of the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view in section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the friction belt of the discharge means.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the shutter mechanism of the pneumatic discharge means, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view in section on line 7--7 its lower end driven by an arm 36 connected by a rod 37 to an arm 38 rotated by reducer 26. Reducer pulley 41 is driven by belt 42 and pulley 43 of motor 24. The chain 34 is thus advanced intermittently each time it is actuated by clutch 35.

A plurality of hollow spindle carriers such as 44 are spaced around chain 34 each having an upper bearing roller 45 guided in an inverted channel 46 and a lower bearing roller 47 guided in a channel 48 of base 21. Each spindle carrier is thus rigidly supported at least along the

straight stretches

49 and 50 of chain 34 while it is advanced uni-directionally by a connection 51 to one of the links 52 of the chain.

A plurality of identical stocking forms such as 55 are provided, each having an upper hollow, tubular tapered portion 56 for receiving a stocking thereover and a lower hollow tubular spindle 57 rotatably mounted within a spindle carrier such as 44. Each stocking form 55 includes an air opening 58 at its end, adjacent the toe end of a stocking thereon, an air conduit, or pipe, 59 extending axially therethrough and an air opening 60 at the other end thereof. In the particular embodiment of the machine used for illustration herein opening 58 is at the top, opening 69 is at the bottom and both openings are in a horizontal plane since the forms 55 are in upstanding position.

Each spindle 57 is rotatably mounted to revolve around its longitudinal axis in

bearings

61 and 62 in a spindle carrier 44 and includes an annular friction ring 63 around its lower portion, proximate the end thereof.

At least one cutting station 65 and at least one discharge station 66 are provided along the path of the endless chain 34 preferably each on an opposite

straight stretch

49 and 56 thereof. The ratcheting clutch 35 causes the forms 55 to advance between stations and halt momentarily with a form at each said station. The filling station 67 extends between the discharge station 66 and the cutting station 65 and the forms 55 halted in that station may have stockings placed thereover by an operator while the conveyor 34 is halted. Thus the stockings may be carefully handled and accurately placed on the forms without danger of runs, folds or other disadvantageous conditions.

A suitable tension device 68 is provided forthe movable bearing 69 for maintaining and adjusting the tension of the chain 34 on

sprockets

30 and 32.

Cutting means The cutting means of the invention is operative on each form such as 55 halted at the cutting station 65. A belt 71 connects a pulley 72 on motor 28 to a pulley 73 mounted below a swing arm 74 on a shaft 75. Shaft 75 also carries a friction wheel 76 for rotation with pulley 73 above the swing arm 74 at the level of the friction rings 63 on the spindles 57 of each stocking form 55. Swing arm 74 is pivoted at 78 to the base 21 and is normally urged outwardly by a compression spring 79 attached to base 21. As each successive form 55 arrives at station 65 its friction ring 63 engages the yieldably mounted, rapidly revolving, friction wheel 76 and the entire form with the stocking thereon is caused to revolve within its spindle carrier 44. Upon departure from station 65 the ring 63 and wheel 76 separate and the swing arm springs outwardly into the path of the next succeeding form 55. 1

A cutter housing 81 is fixed to a platform 82 on base: 21 at cutting station 65 and extendsupwardly thew above coextensive in height with the height of the forms 55. Hbu'sing 81 is preferably of rectangular cross section with an elongated, narrow cutting slot 33 in the wall 8.4, thereof adjacenta form 55 at station 65. One side 8 v of wall 84 forms acutting edge 86 with a'reel type cutter 87 having a plurality of helical blades such as 88'therearound and rotatable on a shaft 89. The side 85 includes lateral slots 91 positioned by set screws 92 for. adjusting the cut. The other side 93 of wall 84 is of sheet metal. Housing 81 is air tight except for slot-'83 and a pneumatic conduit 94 coextensive with the rear thereof. Conduit 94 leads upwardly above the level of the traveling stocking forms 55 and then outwardly to a source'of. continuous suction such as a pump, tank or the. like at 95 of any well known type. Housing 81 is inclined outwardly from platform 82- so that the slot 8 3 is parallel to and ata predetermined uniform distance from, the adjacent tapered face 96 of a form 55 rotating, while halted at station 65. A motor 97 and belt and pulleys 98 is provided on housing 81 for rotating the shaft 89 and cutter reel 87 at high speed.

As each tapered form 55 is spun around its longitudinal axis at station 65, with a stocking 101 or similar article with its inside face 102 to the outside, the laterally projecting thread ends such as 103 of the pattern are repeatedly carried past the cutting means of the invention. Upon contacting first the side 93 and then the slot 83, they are drawn into the slot by suction and severed at a uniform distance from the face 102 by the cutter reel 87 along the edge 86. The severed thread ends are withdrawn from housing 81 through suction conduit 94 and a uniform'length of thread is left on each stocking 101.

' l Discharge means Each stocking 101 leaves station 65 with its thread ends uniformly severed andin inside out condition with the toe 104 of the stocking across the air opening 58 of the form 55 and the remainder of the stocking smooth against the tapered face 96 of the form. In former cutting devices the operator had to manually remove each cut stocking from the form by rolling or sliding it upwardly while in motion and then had to manually turn the stocking inside out to bring the interior face to the outside.

In this invention each stocking is pneumatically removed from the form, preferably by suction and preferably with the assistance of mechanical loosening means. An air conduit 106 is located at discharge station 66 with its mouth 107 in a plane parallel to, and spaced from, the plane of the air opening 60 of a form 55 halted at station 66. Conduit 1%6 preferably leads. to avsource of continuous suction such as the suction pump 95 and includes a collection receptacle 108 for receiving stockings. An oscillatable gate 110 is pivoted at 111 to base 21 and is of segmental shape with an aperture 112 therethrough which registers with opening 60 and mouth 107. An upstanding elongated stud 113 is mounted on gate 110. and the gate is urged rearwardly by a tension spring 114. The gate 110 is normally retracted with aperture'112 in registration with the mouth 107 and the opening 60 of the form 55 at the station so that suction is created up through the air pipe 59 and at the opening 58. Since the toe 104 of the stocking is across opening 58, with slight manual assistance the toe 104 is pulled downwardly into pipe 59 and the remainder of the stockingispulled upwardly on the tapered face 96 of the form. The stocking is, thus not only removed from therform but drawn inside out down through pipe 59 into conduit 106 and finally into receptacle 108. When the form 55 at station 66 is again moved on endless conveyor 34 by clutch 35 it continues to engage stud 113 thereby swinging gate 110 forwardly to cause the gate to block the mouth 1 07. Just before the next succes-- sive. .halt,- stud 113 slides out of engagement with the form. 55, and.the gate.110, swings rearwardly to again 4 open mouth 107 for the next successive stocking form arriving at station 66.

Because certain types of stockings have a tendency to cling to the tapered face 96 of a form 55, mechanical means 118 is preferably provided at station 66. Means 118, includes an upstanding post 119 having a lower pulley 120, an upper pulley 121'and an endless member such as a belt 122 trained around the pulleys. The outer stretch 123 of belt'122 is preferably co-extensive with the height of the forms 55 and is parallel to the adjacent portion of the tapered face 96 thereof at station 66. The belt 122 is preferably of sponge rubber and adapted to f-rictionally engage a stocking. 101 to urge the same upwardly while the suctionat opening 58 urges the toe portion downwardly into the form 55. A motor 125 is provided for rotating the pulley 120, together with belts and pulleys such as 127, and idler pulleys such as 128 are also provided.

We claim: 7

1. A thread cutting machine for stockings and the like comprising a horizontal endless conveyor extending along a path through a filling station, a cutting station and a discharge station; a plurality of upstanding, hollow, tubular, tapered stocking forms spaced around said conveyor, each form having a top air opening and abottom air opening and each form being mounted to rotate around its vertical axis; intermittent drive means advancing said conveyor uni-directionally. between stations and halting said conveyor temporarily with one of said forms at each of said stations; friction means for, rotating each succes sive hollow tapered form around its vertical axis at said cutting station; cutting means fixed at said cutting station for cutting the laterally projecting threads on a stocking being rotated on a form halted at said station and discharge means fixed at said discharge station including pneumatic mechanism adapted to connect with the bottom air opening of each form halted at said station to pneumaticallydischarge-a stocking from said form.

2. A combination as specified in claim, 1 wherein said fixed cutting means comprises an inclined, hollow, housing having a cutting slot extending longitudinally at a spaced distance from a stocking on a form at said cutting station; suction means adapted to draw free thread ends from said stocking into said slot, a movable knife within said housing adapted to cut off said ends atrsaid slot and means for moving said knife.

3. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic mechanism comprises a suction conduit having a mouth fixed beneath said discharge station to register with the bottom air opening ofeach successive form halted at said station and means for creating suction therein for pulling a stocking on said form down through said form into said conduit thereby reversing the stocking while removing the same from the form.

4. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said pneumatic mechanism comprises a suction conduit below the path of said forms at said discharge station and an oseillatable gate slidable to cover the mouth of said conduit and means to slide said gate to uncover said mouth when said bottom air opening of a form is directly thereover at said station.

5. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said friction means includes a hollow tubular lower spindle on each said form having a friction ring therearound and a rotativelydriven friction wheel yieldably and resiliently mounted at said cutting station to engage said ring.

6. A combination as specified in claim 1 wherein each said bottom air opening is in a horizontal plane and said pneumatic mechanism includes a gate having an aperture therethrough adapted to register with said bottom air opening; means for oscillating said gate in a horizontal plane to move said aperture into and out of, registration withsaid bottom air opening, an airrconduit having a conduit mouth in a horizontal plane spaced from the plane of; said,,botton t air opening a distance ,equaLto theithicka ness of said gate and means for creating air motion in said conduit.

7. A thread cutting machine for stockings and the like, said machine comprising a plurality of forms mounted to move along a path through said machine, each form having an axial suction tube therethrough with a suction inlet, proximate the toe end of a stocking, and a suction outlet at the opposite end of the form; intermittent drive means for advancing said forms along said path with each form successively halted at a cutting station and then at a discharge station; means fixed at said cutting station for severing the loose threads of a stocking on a form halted at said station and discharge means fixed at said discharge station for frictionally loosening and pneumatically removing a stocking halted at said station.

8. A combination as specified in claim 7 wherein said discharge .means includes an endless belt having a friction face therearound, said belt having a stretch adapted to engage a stocking on a form at said discharge station and urge the same upwardly on said form toward said suction inlet and suction means adapted to pull said stocking into said suction inlet and discharge the same through said suction outlet thereby reversing the faces of said stocking.

9. Apparatus for discharging and reversing a stocking on a hollow stocking form having an opening at each opposite end, said apparatus comprising an endlessly moving belt, having a friction face therearound adapted to engage the exposed face of the stocking and frictionally urge the same toward one open end of said form and suction means connected to the other end of said form and adapted to pull the toe of the stocking down through the interior of the form to reverse the stocking while extracting the same from the form.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 221,932 Moses Nov. 25, 1879 952,274 Palmer Mar. 15, 1910 1,742,967 Patterson Jan. 7, 1930 1,801,085 Humphrey Apr, 14, 1931 1,969,770 Taylor Aug. 14, 1934 2,078,656 Erickson Apr. 27, 1937 2,206,243 Turano July 2, 1940 2,233,451 Huffman et al. Mar. 4, 1941 2,518,201 Tattle Aug. 8, 1950 2,705,827 Gamache Apr. 12, 1955 2,763,323 Lingen Sept. 18, 1956 2,768,689 Ewing Oct. 30,1956 2,818,205 De Spain Dec. 31, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 363,034 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1931