US3094368A - Flaw recorder - Google Patents

Description

H. E. PECK FLAW RECORDER June 18, 1963 Filed Sept. 15. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. E.. PECK FLAW RECORDER June 18, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15. 1960 H. E. PECK FLAW RECORDER June 18, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. l5. 1960 HENRY E. P ECK u" Illluhllll'w) United States Patent O 3,094,368 FLAW RECORDER Henry E. Peck, Fairport, N.Y., assignor to Tricot Equipment Company, Incorporated, Fairport, NX., a corporation of New Y'ork Filed Sept. 15, 1960, Ser. No. 56,295 7 Claims. (Cl. 346-33) The present invention relates to a recording apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for recording aws and defects in a piece of fabric after it has been dyed and while, for instance, it is being conveyed by a tenter frame through, for instance, a fabric drier, and before it is rolled into a bolt.

After dyeing, fabric is usually attached to a tenter frame to carry it through a drier. The fabric may come in different lengths; but a single length of fabric may be ninety or more yards long, and may be as much as ten feet wide. In drying it may travel as fast as sixty yards per minute. After it leaves the dryer, the fabric is automatically detached from the tenter frame and rolled up into a bolt. Throughout the length of the fabric, however, there may be various types of flaws, such as holes, tears, chaff marks, knots, damaged ends, and the like. To grade the fabric properly, therefore, it is customary to try to detect and record the various types of faults and their location along the length of fabric before the fabric is rolled into a bolt.

Heretofore, an inspector stationed alongside the tenter frame has written down the various types of faults in the moving fabric as he has noticed them, noting down also as well as he could approximate or guess the particular locations of these faults along the length of fabric. This method of detection and notation is burdensome and tiresome, and lat its best it is inaccurate. If the inspector looks away momentarily to make a note of a defect, he may fail to notice another possible fault `in the running fabric. Moreover, the noted locations of the flaws, which he does notice and write down, are `at best a rough approximation.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which will permit an inspector accurately to make a record of the flaws in a length of fabric while it is traveling at relatively high rate of speed, of the particular types of these flaws, and of their location.

In `another embodiment of the invention one object of the invention is to provide apparatus which will automatically record the positions of the flaws along the length of the running fabric as it travels past one or more aw detectors.

A further object yof lthis invention is to provide apparatus Vof the character described which will automatically record the locations of the flaws regardless of the rate of travel or variation in the rate of travel of the moving length of fabric.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which is so constructed that the flaws, their types, and locations, `are recorded in compact form as, for instance, on a small sheet of paper, which is convenient to handle and may be attached readily to the bolt of fabric.

A still further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the character described which will permit of recording the passage past an inspection point of the end of a piece of fabric, and which will therefore bring into operative position a record sheet for recording the aws on the next following piece of fabric.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means which is automatically actuated to record passage past the inspection point of the end of the fabric and which is thereupon automatically operative to bring la new record sheet into position for recording the flaws in the next following piece of fabric.

ICC,

Other objects of this invention will become apparent hereinafter from the description and the appended claims, particularly when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevation, partly in section and partly diagrammatic, of apparatus constructed according to lone embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary part plan View, part section, of this `apparatus and showing diagrammatically its connection to a tenter frame conveyor;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken `on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan View on a greatly enlarged scale of a typical permanent record, which may be made with the apparatus, showing printed thereon a typical indication of defects in a length of fabric;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuitry for effecting certain operations of the illustrated apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary electrical diagram showing how the `apparatus may be wired to record automatically when the end of a piece of fabric, which is being inspected, is reached; and

FIG. 7 is -a fragmentary electrical diagram showing how the apparatus may be wired to record automatically the flaws in the fabric being inspected.

The recording apparatus illustrated in the drawings comprises a small compact recorder and a portable keyboard. The keyboard may be held by the person inspecting the fabric; and the recorder may be connected to the keyboard by a flexible cable. On the keyboard are a plurality of pushbuttons which are to be operated to record, respectively, different types of iiaws which may occur in a length of fabric, such as tears, chaff marks, knots, etc. For recording the different flaws that may be found in the fabric specially designed paper forms are provided. A roll of these forms is mounted on the recorder; and separate forms `are detachably connected together by perforations.

Each form has space for identifying the particular length of cloth that is being inspected, such as by color, type and the like, and is marked off laterally into columns of equal width. Each column represents a yard of the fabric, the column on the left hand side of the form representing the rst yard in the length of fabric, the next column representing the second yard, and so on, the column at the right hand side of the form representing say the sixtieth yard of the fabric, for example.

The recorder includes a laterally-movable carriage, which carries a plurality of separate characters, such as letters of the alphabet, operable by the separate keys of the keyboard, respectively. These characters which designate, respectively, different types of flaws in the fabric are arranged in a column; and the sheet of forms is fed into the recorder beneath the carriage so that its columns eX- tend parallel to the column of keyboard-operated characters. The carriage is connected to the tenter frame conveyor so that the carriage moves laterally across the form at a speed which is in direct proportion to the speed of the travel of the material being inspected, thereby to align the column of characters on the carriage successively with successive laterally-spaced columns of the form.

At the start of inspection of a length of fabric, the column of characters on the recorder is in registry with the left hand column of the form. When the operator sees a fault in the moving fabric he presses that pushbutton of the keyboard which corresponds to the particular type of flaw detected, thereby recording on the form the type of iiaw in that column of the form which corresponds to the yard of fabric lin which the iiaw oc- 3 curs. A pushbutton is provided also on the keyboard to record the end of a length of fabric, and when this pushbutton is pressed :the carriage is caused to move to starting position and `a new form` is indexed into position beneath the carriage. The apparatus also has means for automatically returning the carriage to starting position and indexing a new form beneath the carriage after the carriage has reached the left hand limit of its travel. This latter feature is important when an extra long length of fabric is being inspected, and more than one form is required for recording the flows of such a length of fabric.

The `appartus may also be Wired to indicate automatically when the end of a length of fabric has been reached. Furthermore, instead of requiring an inspector to push a button manually to designate a flaw in the fabric, the apparatus can be wired so that it will record this aw automatically.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, the recorder is `generally denoted at 10. It is mounted on a base 11; and the portable keyboard 12 is electrically connected to it by an elongate flexible cable 13. The forms used in the recorder are paper forms, such as 14 (FIG. 4), supplied in a roll 20` that is scored at uniformly spaced intervals along its length to permit individual forms 14 to be separated from one another so that they can be attached to the particular bolts of fabric whose flaws they record, respectively. In FIG. 4, the score lines 16 and 18 denote opposite ends of the form 14 shown in detail in this ligure.

Each form 14 has a plurality of parallel, laterallyspaced lines printed thereon to define columns that are numbered successively. Each represents a single yard of fabric. In the illustrated embodiment every fifth column only is numbered, being designated at their tops, 5, 10, A15, etc.

The roll 2t) (FIG. l) of forms 14 is rotatably mounted at the top of the recorder 10 between spaced frame members 22. The lead end of the roll is threaded from the roll beneath a guide member 23, over a bed 24 (FIG. 3), over a drum 26, and a ledge 27 to the discharge end of the recorder. The guide plate 23 and bed plate 24 are mounted to extend between opposite sides of the recorder; and the drum 26 is journaled by means of antifriction bearings 29 on a shaft 35 which is secured at opposite ends in spaced frame members 23 and 30y (FIG. 1) which project upwardly from the base 11 of the recorder. The drum 26 is provided adjacent opposite ends with a plurality of peripherally-arranged, angularly-spaced pins 34 which project radially to engage in the spaced perforations 36 (FIG. 4) provided adjacent opposite marginal edges of the forms 14, thereby to feed the forms forward positively upon rotation of roller 26.

A grooved, spring-loaded reel 42 (FIG. l) is rotatably mounted by means of a shaft 43 on `a bracket 44 that is rigidly attached 4beneath guide plates 67 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which extend outwardly from opposite sides of the recorder. A similar grooved reel 50` is rotatably journaled by means of shaft 52 in a plate 48 which is also secured beneath the guide plates 67 but at the opposite ends thereor. The reel t) is mounted to rotate on a vertical axis while the reel 42 is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis. Secured at one end to the reel 42 as indicated at 53 is a ladder chain or non-stretchable cable 54, the opposite end of which is attached at 70 to one side plate 62 of a carriage denoted as a Whole at 60. Secured to the opposite side plate 62 of the carriage 60 at 68 is one end of a second non-stretchable ladder chain or cable 55, the opposite end of which is secured to the reel 50.

The carriage 60 is mounted to travel above bed 24 (FIG. 3) in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 3; and it has front and rear end plates 63 which are formed with grooved projections 64 that engage and slide on' rods 65 that are welded or otherwise secured to the guide plates 67. Pivotally mounted on ya shaft 72 which is mounted between the front :and rear end plates 63 of the carriage 60 are a plurality of spaced plates designated consecutively and in alphabetical order at a through k (FIG. 3). rIhese plates a through k are constantly urged, independently of one another, in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. il, about the axis of shaft 72 by a plurality of springs 74, one of which is connected between the upper edge of each one of the plates and the right hand side member 62 of the carriage. Each plate a through k is constantly urged by its spring 74 to have a portion 75 protruding `above the body port-ion of the carriage 60 as shown in FIG. 1. Each plate a through k has mounted on it .and extending downwardly from its bottom a distinctive type character. The plate a carries type character A, plate b bears type character B and so on in -alphabetical order up to and including plate k which carries the type character K. The springs 74 normally hold the plates a through k, as shown in FIG. 1, in such position that their respective type characters are spaced slightly above the form 14 lying on the bed plate 24.

Each distinct type character represents a particular kind of flaw. For example, character A may represent a chaff mark, B may represent a tear, C may represent a hole, etc. The character K, however, represents the end of a length of fabric.

The reel 42 is driven in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. l, in time with the tenter frame of the drier, to move the carriage 60 from left to right in FIG. 1 to shift the column of type characters A through K into registry successively with the different columns of the form 14 that is at the time on bed plate 24. The reel 42 is driven by a receiver selsyn motor 76 (FIG. 2) whose armature shaft 32 is connected through a suitable gear reduction unit 78 anda magnetic clutch 79 with the shaft 43 on which the reel 42 is mounted. The motor 76 is driven by and connected in a well-known manner to a -transmitter selsyn motor 84 so that rotation of the motor 84 causes a proportionate rotation or displacement of the motor 76. The rate of rotation of motor 84 may be controlled by a gear 801 which is operatively connected to the conveyor or tenter frame, illustrated diagrarnrnatically in FIG. 2 at 85, on which the fabric is carried :through the drier. This insures that the motor 84 and the motor 76 will rotate :at a rate of speed proportional to the rate of travel of the tenter frame conveyor. The gear Si) may be driven by the conveyor motor or in any other suitable manner. In one embodiment of the invention the gear reduction unit 7S is so designed that the reel 42 is rotated to move the carriage 60 from left to right, as Viewed in FIG. l, laterally across `a form 14 on the bed 24 a distance of 81/2 inches for 6() yards tnavel of the fabric. This ratio has been found practical even when the fabric is moving past a given point at the rate of 1 yard per second, although in actual practice the speed of the moving fabric may be somewhat slower.

lPivotally mounted above the carriage 60` are a plurality of U-shaped bail bars 488 designated in alphabetical order at al through k1. These fbail bars a1 through k1 are mounted to pivot independently or one another on a shaft which is attached at opposite ends to frame members 94 and 96 (FIGS. l and 2). The bail bars al through k1, are nested together and lare so positioned that the bight portion yof each bail bar is slightly spaced directly above and in registry with that one of the plates a through k which it is intended to operate. The bight portion of bail b-ar a1 is Iabove plate a, =bar b1 is above plate b and `so on thro-ugh bail Ibar k1 which is above plate k. The pivotal axis of the bail bars is at right angles to the pivotal axis tof the plates a to k; and the spacing of the bight portions `of the Ibra-il bars from one another is the same as the spacing of the plates a to k from one another. The bight portion of each bail bar `is long enough so that regardless of the lateral position of the carriage 60 in its travel, .the bail bar `can strike, when rocked, lthe port-ion 75 of the plate a through k associated therewith.

Each Ibail bar is constantly urged yieldingly away from its associated plate a' through k by a spring-pressed plunger 98 (FIG. 3). These plungers .are mounted in the top plate 100 of the recorder and engage the tail portions of the bail bars. Mounted on the plate |100 and rigidly attached thereto [are two angle iron bars 102 to which are attached solenoids 103 for rocking the bail bars about their pivot shaft 90 against the resistance of the springpressed .plungers 98, thereby to strike the plates a to k, respectively, associated with the several bail bars, respectively. There is one solenoid for each bail bar. Three of the solenoids are denoted at g2, i2 and i2 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Some of the solenoids are mounted on one bar 102; and others are mounted on the other bar. This is just a matter of convenience in mounting. Each of the solenoids has a reciprocable armature or shaft 105. Two of these are designated f3 (FIG. 3) and g3 (FIG. ll). Each extends downwardly through `an opening 104 provided theretor in plate 100. The solenoids are so positioned that their armatures operatively engage the associated bail bars. When la solenoid is deenergized, its armature is in its retracted position to rest lightly against the associated bail bar, ,and when a solenoid is energized its armature pushes the associated bail bar downwardly so .that the bight portion thereof engages the associated plate a through k to cause the type character A through K carried by the plate .to strike the form `114 on the bed 24, thereby denoting the flaw.

An inked ribbon (not shown) may be positioned below the type characters A through K to print on the iorrn 14, or these charcaters may have cutting surfaces to punch the form in a distinctive manner.

The portable keyboard 12, which is used when the recording mechanism is to be manually operated, has a handle portion y11-2 for holding it. Mounted on this keyboard is a plurality of manually operable push buttons designated at A1 through K1, respectively. Each of these is electrically connected through a wire in cable 13 to one of the solenoids 103 so that when it is pushed it closes a circuit momentarily for energizing the associated solenoid. The pushing of button K1 in addition to energizing its `associated solenoid also actua-tes a conventional one revolution clutch v1115 (FIGS. l and 5), operatively connected between the armature shaft of a motor 117 and a gear -119. Gear v119 is secured to drum 26. When the clutch 115 is engaged then, the drum 26 is rotated through .a predetermined angle to cause the drum 26 to advance to the delivery ledge 27 of the recorder the form 114 corresponding to the length of `fabric, which has just been inspected, and to index -a new form 14 into recording position on the bed 24.

A micro-switch 120` (FIGS. l and 5) is positioned or mounted on the frame member 28 to be engaged by the carriage `60 when the carriage reaches the right hand limit of its travel to open the magnetic clutch 79 (FIGS. 2 and 5), land a microswitch 121 is mounted on the frame member 30 to be engaged by the carriage 60 when itis at the left hand limit of its :travel as viewed in FIG. 1, to energize the magnetic clutch 79 again. The pulley 50 is springdoaded by means of coil-spring 1:25 to return the carriage Y60 to the left hand limit of its travel quickly, when the circuit to the magnetic clutch 79 is broken.

The micrswitches 120 and :1:21, the magnetic clutch 7 9, the one revolution clutch 115, and the button K1 are connected electrically in a circuit, such Kas is diagrammatically illustrated in HG. 5 which will be described in detail in connection with the operation of the apparatus.

In setting up the apparatus yfor use, la roll 20 of forms 14 is mounted on the recorder and unrolled far enough for a form l14 to be in recording position on the bed 24 and for the pins or projections `34 on the drum 26 to engage in the holes 36 of the paper. The carriage 60 is then at the left hand limit of its travel las viewed in FIG. 1.

vThe device is now ready for operation.

When the inspector sees the .forward edge of the length of fabric to be inspected reach Ia predetermined inspection point, he closes switch 200 (F-IG. 5) which may be located at any suitable position, such as on the keyboard `12. The closing of switch 200 energizes the magnetic clutch 79 by ea circuit which extends from the plus terminal of a battery or other suitable source of current denoted at 210, and includes switch 200, contact 212 of a relay 215, the magnetic clutch 79, and closed contacts 213 of the normallyclosed pushbutton K1, to the minus .terminal of the bat- Itery 210. This causes the motor 76 to Idrive the reel 42 to move the carriage 60 laterally Iacross the form 14 from left to right, at a speed which is directly proportional to the speed of travel of the fabric. If the device is being manually operated, and the operator sees a flaw in the fabric, say a chai mark, for example, he presses the button which is provided to indicate that type of ilaw, say the pushbutton B1. This causes the associated type character, B in the instance suggested, to strike the form 14 to print or otherwise record thereon this ilaw. If this flaw were three yards from the leading or fro-nt edge of the fabric, for example, the carriage 60 would have moved by that time far enough for Ithe character B to be above the third column of the form; and the letter B would print in this column, as shown in FIG. 4.

A plurality oi but-tons A1 through K1 on the keyboard 12 may be operated simultaneously, causing the type characters corresponding .to the buttons pushed to record simultaneously `and in the same column, denotitng more than one type of flaw at that particular yard of the fabric.

Assuming that the length of -`fabric being inspected is longer than `sixty yards for example, thus making it necessary to use two tor-ms 14 to record the inspection of that length of fabric, when the carriage 60 reaches the right hand limit of it travel, as viewed in FIG. l, which denotes that sixty yards of fabric have passed that inspection point, the carriage 60 will hit micro-switch 120. This operates micro-switch 120 to energize relay 215 by a circuit which extends from the side of the battery 210 :and includes `closed switch 200, micro-switch 120, and the winding of the relay 215 to the terminal of the battery 210. The energizing of relay 215 `opens its contact 212 deenergizing the magnetic clutch 79. The deenergizing of the clutch 79 permits the spring-loaded reel 50 to quickly move the carriage 60` to the left hand limit of its travel as viewed in FIG. l.

The energizing of relay 215, also closes its `front contact 216. This holds the relay 215 energized through a circuit which extends from -iand includes -switch 200, normally-closed contact 2117 of micro-switch 121, front contact 216, and the winding of the relay 215 to This prevents the clutch 79 from engaging after the carriage 60 moves out of contact with the micro-switch l120 and before the carriage reaches the left hand limit of its travel.

When the carriage 60 reaches the left hand limit of its travel and is in line with column 1 on the for-m 14, i-t opens micro-switch v1121 opening contact 217 and closing contact 218. This breaks the holding circuit -for relay 215, causing the clutch 79 to be reenergized, and it simultaneously energizes the one revolution clutch to cause drum 26 to move the now completed record out of the machine and to move a new :form onto the bed 24. 'Ihis entire operation occurs quick-ly and without attention on the part of the inspector.

When the end of a length of fabric passes the inspection point, the inspector presses button K1. This opens the closed contacts 213, causing the clutch 79 to become disengaged by opening its previously described energizing circuit. This permits the spring-loaded reel 50 to move the carriage `60l back to starting position or to the left hand limit of its travel, as viewed in FIG. 1. The pushing of button K1 also closes contacts 223 to close `a circuit to the solenoid 103k which operates the bail k1 just prior to the movement of carriage `60 to the left in FIG. l, causing a distinctive mark to be made on the form denoting the end of the piece of fabric. This mark although described herein as being the type character K, may be a star, for example, or any other distinguishing mark. When the carriage 60' reaches its starting position it strikes switch 121 to once again close the circuit to the one revolution clutch 115 through contact 218, thereby moving the completed form I14 out of the recorder and indexing a new :form 14 into recording position. The inspector then merely detaches the completed from 14 from the roll 20 and may pin `or otherwise attach it to the bolt of fabric inspected. This form has permanently imprinted thereon an accurate record of all the various flaws ywhich exist in the particular length of fabric, their location along its length, and a record of lthe number of yards in a particular bolt as well.

In addition to being manually operated, as described, to record the end yof a length of fabric and to index the completed yform 14 to the delivery ledge 27 and to bring a new form 14 into recording position, the apparatus can be wired so that the end of the piece of -fabric will be recorded automatically and the simultaneous indexing of the completed form out of, and of a new form into, recording position will be effected automatically. One way in which this may be done is shown in FIG. 6.

It is the practice to sew successive lengths of yfabric together. This produces a seam at the juncture of adjacent ends of successive pieces of fabric which is at least double the thickness of the fabric. In FIG. 6, T denotes the fabric being inspected, and S denotes the bunch or seam between two adjoining lengths of fabric. 250 denotes a -feeler positioned to ride on the fabric T and temporarily to close switch contacts at 251 and to open switch contacts at 252, simultaneously, when it rides up on the thicker bunch of material at the seam S. Closing of the contact at 251 closes a circuit to solenoid 103k, to mark on the Iform 14, which is at the recording station, the end of the piece of fabric. Opening `of the switch contact at 252 deenergizes clutch 79 so that carriage 60 is returned to its starting position where it strikes switch 121 and enerizes clutch 115, thereby to index a form away Ifrom recording position and to bring another form into recording position. The apparatus may be otherwise wired as illustrated in FIG. 5.

Instead of manually operating the pushbuttons A1 to I1, to` actuate the solenoids 103 for actuating the markers A to J, the machine can also be wired to detect flaws automatically and to actuate these solenoids correspondingly automatically. Detection `of the flaws may be effected by light beams and photoelectric cells, or by feelers. FIG. 7 shows the way in which the apparatus may be Wired to detect flaws when using light beams and photoelectric cells.

T again denotes the fabric; L1 the positive side of the battery; and W denotes :a hole or other flaw therein. When the flaw W passes in front of the light source 260, the light beam from this source falls on the photoelectric eye 261 closing a circuit to a relay coil 262 through the battery 265. Energization of relay coil `262 closes the contact 266 of the relay, which is wired in parallel with, say, the button A1 (FIG. l), thereby closing the circuit to the solenoid 103A that operates bail al and marker A. The rest of the circuit may be the same as disclosed in FIG. 5.

Other` flaws than holes can be deteched automatically by providing other light beams and photoelectric cells which may be masked to respond to passage of these other kind of flaws therebetween, or instead of using light beams and photoelectric cells, spring-pressed feelers may be employed. These feelers may be of different shapes and may be connected so that when they engage the diiferent iiaws, which they are adapted, respectively, to detect, they may close a contact similar to that at 251 in FIG. 6, to close a circuit to the associated solenoid 163. On course, for complete detection, the light beams and photoelectric cells should be positioned to 8 cover or to travel over the full width of the fabric, as should the feelers also.

` Before start of a recording operation or after its finish, the operator writes on the spaces provided therefor as illustrated in FIG. 4 data identifying the length of fabric inspected or to be inspected.

Thus, I have provided an apparatus which, without interfering with the rate of processing of the fabric, permits an operator accurately to make a record of fabric flaws of various types, and which automatically designates the position of these flaws in the length of fabric.

While the invention has been described in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, itr will =be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in gene-ral, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as maybe applied to the essential features herein'before set forth, `and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

l. Apparatus for making a record of aws in an elongate piece of material while the material is traveling past an inspection point, comprising a keyboard, a plurality of manually-operable separately-movable buttons mounted on said keyboard, each of Isaid fbuttons representing, respectively, a separate type of aw and adapted to be `actuated when the corresponding flaw in the material passes the inspection point, a frame, a lbed mounted in said frame for supporting a record form, a carriage slidably mounted on said frame in operative relation to said bed, 'a plurality of aligned marking members movably mounted in said carriage and spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of said carriage, spring means constantly urging said marking members away from said bed, means connected to said carriage to move said carriage in one direction substantially parallel to the surface of said bed at a rate of speed proportional to the rate of speed of travel of the piece of material, a plurality of bail bars movably mounted on said fra-me above said carriage, each of said bail bars having an elongated portion spaced above a respective marking member `and extending a distance yat least equal to thel maximum travel of said carriage, spring means constantly urging said lbail bars in one direction away from said marking members, a plurality of electromagnetic means mounted in engagement with said' bail fbars and each operative when energized to engage a respective :bail bar to cause they elongate portion thereof' to engage a marking member to cause said marking member to mark the form` positioned on said bed, and electrical circuit means connecting each, of said manually-operable buttons to one of said electromagnetic rneans` `for energizing a respective electromagnetic means when a corresponding button is actuated, thereby causing a record to be made on said form in a position corresponding to the location of the 4flaw along the longitudinal length of the material.

2. Apparatus for making a record on a form, which has laterally-spaced, parallel record columns and a width corresponding to a certain length of material, lof flaws in the material while the material is being moved lengthwise` past an inspection station, saidapparatus comprising a bed -for supporting the form, a carriage mounted for movement over said bed, means operatively connected to said carriage to move lsaid carriage across said form transverse to the record columns thereon and at a frate of speed in `direct ratio to the speed of lengthwise movement of the material, a plurality of aligned marking members movably mounted in a column on said carriage yand spaced from one another in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of saidV carriage and parallel to the record columns on said form, each of said marking members representing a diierent type of flaw, a keyboard, a plurality of manually-'operable keys movably mounted on said keyboard, means operatively connecting each key to a respective marking member to cause a respective marking member to mark on the form when the corresponding key is actuated, whereby a distinctive mark may be made upon the form, in `a location corresponding to the location lengthwise Yof a distinctive fault in said length of material, while Athe material is moving past the inspection station.

3. Apparatus for making a record on -a form of flaws in a length of material as it travels past an inspection station, comprising a support for holding a form, a second support, la plurality of marking members pivotally mounted on said second support in axially spaced relation on a first common pivotal axis, different marking members designating, respectively, different aws in the material, means for moving one of said supports relative to the other in a direction at right angles to said iirst common pivotal axis, a plurality of actuating members pivotal on a second common axis at right angles to said iirst common axis and extending yin the direction of movement of said movable support, there being one of said actuating members for each of said marking members, each of said actuating members having an operating portion aligned with the marking member that is associated therewith, the operating portions of the separate actuating members being spaced different radial distances from said second common axis and extending for the full width of travel of the associated marking member with said movable support, said actuating members being selectively actuatable during movement of said mov-able support, and means for moving said movable support at a rate of speed proportional to the travel of saidl material.

4. Apparatus for making a record of flaws in an elongate Web, which is made up of a plurality of pieces of material joined together, while the web is traveling past an inspection station, said apparatus comprising a suppor-t for a form on which the flaws are to be recorded, means for intermittently and successively `feeding forms onto said support, marking means mounted yadjacent said support, means for detecting when the end of each piece of material passes said inspection station, and means operatively connecting said detection means to said marking means `and said feeding means to actuate said marking means and said feeding means, when said detecting means lis operated, successively to mark the lform on said support, and to feed a new form onto said support.

5. Apparatus for making a record of flaws in yan elongate web, which is made up of a plurality of pieces of material joined together, while the web is traveling past an inspection station, said apparatus comprising ya support for holding a record form, a second support, a plurality of marking members movably mounted on said second ysupport in operative relation to the lform, dierent marking members designating, respectively, different aws in the material, means for moving one of said supports relative to the other at a rate proportional to the rate of travel of the web, means for stopping movement lof the movable support when it has traveled to a predetermined position, means for returning said movable support to its starting position upon said stoppage, and means for detecting when each piece of material passes said inspection station, 'and means connecting said detecting means to said stopping means to stop movement yof said movable support and to ca-use its return to said starting position When said `detecting means is operated.

6. Apparatus for making a record on a -form of aws in a Web, which is made up of a plurality of pieces of material joined together, as the web is traveling past an inspection station, comprising means for holding a supply of forms, ya support -for holding one kof said forms, a second support, a plurality of marking members nrovably mounted on said second support in operative relation to said ione form, different marking members designating, respectively, different -aws in the material, means ttor moving one of said supports relative to the other in one direction at a rate proportional to the rate of travel of the web, means -for stopping movement of said movable support when it has traveled a predetermined distance, means for returning said `movable support to its starting position upon said stoppage, means for detecting when each piece of material passes said inspection station, means connecting said detecting means to said stopping means to stop movement of said movable support and to cause its return to said starting position when said detecting means is operated, `and means operative upon stoppage of said movable support for moving a form oit its support rand moving another form yfrom said supply holding means into position on said form support.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, having means for automatically restarting movement of said movable support in said one direction upon return of said movable o support to its starting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,712,736 Nichols May 14, 1929' 2,188,754 Keeler J an. 30, 1940 2,373,633 Seldin Apr. 10, 1945 2,770,966 Halliday etal Nov. 20', 1956 2,930,228 Lawrence et al Mar. 29, 1960

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING A RECORD OF FLAWS IN AN ELONGATE PIECE OF MATERIAL WHILE THE MATERIAL IS TRAVELING PAST AN INSPECTION POINT, COMPRISING A KEYBOARD, A PLURALITY OF MANUALLY-OPERABLE SEPARATELY-MOVABLE BUTTONS MOUNTED ON SAID KEYBOARD, EACH OF SAID BUTTONS REPRESENTING, RESPECTIVELY, A SEPARATE TYPE OF FLAW AND ADAPTED TO BE ACUTATED WHEN THE CORRESPONDING FLAW IN THE MATERIAL PASSES THE INSPECTION POINT, A FRAME, A BED MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR SUPPORTING A RECORD FORM, A CARRIAGE SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME IN OPERATIVE RELATION TO SAID BED, A PLURALITY OF ALIGNED MARKING MEMBERS MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CARRIAGE AND SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE, SPRING MEANS CONSTANTLY URGING SAID MARKING MEMBERS AWAY FROM SAID BED, MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIAGE TO MOVE SAID CARRIAGE IN ONE DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF SAID BED AT A RATE OF SPEED PROPORTIONAL TO THE RATE OF SPEED OF TRAVEL OF THE PIECE OF MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OF BAIL BARS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ABOVE SAID CARRIAGE, EACH OF SAID BAIL BARS HAVING AN ELONGATED PORTION SPACED ABOVE A RESPECTIVE MARKING MEMBER AND EXTENDING A DISTANCE AT LEAST EQUAL TO TTHE MAXIMUM TRAVEL OF SAID CARRIAGE, SPRING MEANS CONSTANTLY URGING SAID BAIL BARS IN ONE DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID MARKING MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS MOUNTED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BAIL BAR AND EACH OPERATIVE WHEN ENERGIZED TO ENGAGE A RESPECTIVE BAIL BAR TO CAUSE THE ELONGATE PORTION THEREOF TO ENGAGE A MARKING MEMBER TO CAUSE SAID MARKING MEMBER TO MARK THE FORM POSITIONED ON SAID BED, AND ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT MEANS CONNECTING EACH OF SAID MANUALLY-OPERABLE BUTTONS TO ONE OF SAID ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS FOR ENERGIZING A RESPECTIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS WHEN A CORRESPONDING BUTTON IS ACTUATED, THEREBY CAUSING A RECORD TO BE MADE ON SAID FORM IN A POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE LOCATION OF THE FLAW ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL LENGTH OF THE MATERIAL.

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