US3225976A - Bow making machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. Z8, 1965 A E. GOLDFARB BOW MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1964 Dec. 28, 1965 A. E. GOLDFARB BOW MAKING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1964 INVENTOR.

Dec. 28, 1965 A. E. GOLDFARB 3,225,976

BOW MAKING MACHINE United States Patent O 3,225,976 BOW MAKING MACHINE Adolph E. Goldfarb, 7427 Varna St., North Hollywood, Calif. Filed Jan. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 339,808 9 Claims. (Cl. 223-46) In general, the present invention relates to a machine for making decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbon. `More particularly, the present invention relates to a simple, inexpensive bow making machine adapted to be intermittently and manually operated.

The preparation of bows made out of ribbon or any continuous length of strip material involves considerable manual skill and dexterity and is quite time consuming if done simply on a Imanual basis. For this reason, a number of machines have been developed for making of decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbon whereby such bow making is substantially completely automatic. Probably, the most successful automatic bow making machine is the machine described in United States Patent No. 2,933,223, issued to Robert S. Kravig and Arnold E. Johnson on April 19, 1960. The Kravig patent discusses at length the problems associated with the making of decorative bows and the various prior art bow .making machines and then discusses its bow making machine which can produce individualistic-appearing attractive ornamental bow structure of various shapes and configuration. As disclosed in the Kravig Ipatent, bows can be fashioned from a continuous length of r-ibbon wherein the loops of ribbon are formed and disposed along numerous radii about the bow center and the loops of the bow, particularly in their curved or bight portions, are smoothly arcuate with the same surface of the ribbon exposed outwardly in each loop. Thus, the Kravig patent represents a substantial advance in the bow making art and is capable of rapidly fabricating large quantities of bows. However, while the Kravig patent teaches excellent solution to the problem of making decorative bows commercially, i.e. in large quantities and rapidly, it does not represent a satisfactory solution to the home production of bows by an individual wrapping gifts or Christmas presents. Thus, the Kravig patent teaches an expensive machine which is relatively complicated in structure and adapted to operate substantially continuously and automatically. On the other hand, a bow making machine for the use in the home must be simple and inexpensive so that the average housewife can operate such machine merely on the basis of an instruction booklet and can afford to purchase one for such a specic use. Furthermore, a home bow making machine must be simple in structure so that no servicing is required and when a part does break, it can be simply repaired. Also, a home bow making machine should preferably be adapted to be operated intermittently rather than substantially automatically so that the operator maintains full control of the operation at all times.

Consequently, an object of the present invention is an inexpensive machine for making decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbon and which is simply constructed and operated.

Another object of the present invention is a home bow making machine adapted to be intermittently and manually operated by the average housewife.

Still another object of the present invention is a home =bow making machine which requires substantially no servicing and is easily repaired.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description and drawings which illustrate a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

"ice

In general, the present invention involves a bow making machine comprising a rotatable loop retaining means adapted to hold in fixed position thereon ribbon applied thereto and be rotated independently by the first hand of the bow machine operator. The loop retaining means is rotated successively through a predetermined angle by a loop-operating means which includes an operating lever adapted to rotate loop retaining means by repeated rotation between the same angular positions. The bow making machine also includes a ribbon feed means adapted to successively apply portions of ribbons spaced along a continuous length thereof to said loop retaining means successively to form radiating loops of ribbon and to be operated independently by the second hand of the bow machine operator.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to the appended drawings of a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention. Such drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention which is properly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the bow making machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 2 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken along the lines 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a plurality broken away side View of the rear portion of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a partially broken away perspective view of the front portion of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the loop retaining means portion of the present invention showing the initial step in the operation of the bow making machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 6 showing the loop forming step in the operation of the present invention;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the loop measuring step in the operation of the bow making machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a schematic view showing the style adjustment portion of the present invention;

FIGURE l0 is a schematic view showing the size adjustment portion of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1-10, the present invention involves a bow making .machine 2l) having a loop retaining means 40 and a loop-operating means 70 for rotating the loop retaining means and the ribbon feed means 100. The bow making machine 2t) includes a platform or stand 21 having a mound 22 at the front end. In the central portion of the top mound 22 is an aperture 23 which forms a rim 24 out of the surrounding portion of the mound top. The rear end of the .platform 21 includes a clevis 25 with an axle 26 mounted thereon. Extending between the forward portion of the clevis 25 is a shoulder 27. In the central portion of the stand 21 is formed a container 28 having a cover 29 pivotally mounted thereover so that the auxiliary equipment for using the bow making machine 20 may be conveniently stored therewith. The 4platform 21 is supported by a plurality of legs 30 attached directly to the underside of the platform 21. In addition, a base plate 31 is attached to the underside of the platform 21 and has extending downwardly therefrom an additional leg 32. The base plate 31 has a forwardly projecting flange 33 and an upwardly projecting finger 34 which extends into the mound 22 formed in the platform 21. rl`he functions of the flange 33 and finger 34 of the base plate 31 are set forth below. The base plate 31 is connected to the rear portion of the platform 21 by means of a brace 35 which increases the strength and rigidity of the platform 21.

Rotatably mounted on the platform 21 of the bow making machine is a loop retaining means 40 adapted to hold in fixed position thereon ribbon applied thereto and to be rotated independently by the lirst hand of the bow machine operator. The loop retaining means comprises a spindle 41 rotatably mounted on the nger 34 of the base plate 31 and extending upwardly from the platform 21 through the aperture 23 of the mound 22. The base 41 of the spindle 41 rides on the upper surface of the base plate 31 and forms a spindle gear 42 surmounted by a shoulder 43. Coaxially and slidably mounted onfthe upper end of the spindle 41 is a sleeve 44 which is biased upwardly by a spring 45. The spring 45 is positioned between the lower end of the sleeve 44 and the spindle 41 and the lower end of the spring 45 is seated against the base 41' of the spindle 41 while its upper end is seated against an internal circumferential ridge 46 in the sleeve 44. The sleeve 44 is biased to a forward position by the spring 45 and extends partially beyond the end of the spindle 41 so as to define a cavity 47. Such forward position is determined by an external shoulder 48 on the sleeve 44 seating against the rim 24 of the mound 22 of the platform 21. Thus, the sleeve 44 is adapted to be retracted through a rearward position whereby the cavity 47 is at least substantially reduced in depth, such as illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7. In addition, the sleeve 44 has a series of serrations 44a about its circumference, particularly about its upper rim 44b which serrations are adapted to prevent the ribbon 101 from slipping as the sleeve 44 is rotated.

The loop retaining means 40 also includes a pin retaining means 50 which is adapted to removably hold a pin 51 extending from the upper end of the spindle 41 with the pointed end of pin 51 extending upwardly. The pin 51 is conveniently formed, as illustrated in the Kravig patent, by a shaft 52 with a broad flat base 53 having an upwardly tapered edge 54. The top of the pin has a conical point 55 which extends downwardly to form a shoulv der 56 on the shaft 52.

The pin 51 is held by the pin retaining means 50 which includes an annular shelf 57 on the upward end of the spindle 41 with at least one pair of overhanging lips 58. The pin retaining means 50 also includes locking lever 59 pivotally mounted on the spindle 41. The first end 60 of the locking lever 59 has an inwardly extending prong 61 and the second end 62 of the locking lever 59 extends externally of the sleeve 44 through a slot 49 therein. The locking lever 59 is mounted on an axle 63 attached to the spindle 41 and is biased to have the prong 61 overhang the shelf 57 by means of a leaf spring 64 pressing against a tang 65 on the locking lever 59.

The loop retaining means 40 is rotated by the loopoperating means successively through a predetermined angle. The loop-operating means 70 includes an operating lever 71 which is adapted to rotate loop retaining means 40 by repeated rotation between the same angular positions. The operating lever 71 is pivoted at its rst end 72 on a post 73 mounted on the base plate 33 and extending downwardly. The second end 74 of the lever 71 extends externally of the platform 21 through a slot 35 therein and has a finger tab 75 mounted thereon to facilitate rotation. The rotation of the operating lever 71 is transmitted through the loop retaining means 40 by gear means 76. The gear means 76 comprises an operating gear 77 rotatably mounted on the post 73 and engaged with the spindle gear 42. The operating lever 71 is engaged with the operating gear 77 of the gear means 76 .through a clutch means 80 which is adapted to produce such engagement during rotation of the operating lever in a first direction and disengaging it during rotation in an opposite direction. The clutch means 80 comprise a pawl 81 pivotally mounted on the operating lever 71 and biased by a coil spring 8 2 into engagement with the operating gear 77. The position of the pawl 81 with reference to the operating gear 77 is such that when the operating lever 71 is rotated in a clockwise direction when viewed from the top of the bow making machine 20 the pawl 81 engages the operating lever 71 with the operating gear 77 so that the operating gear 77 moves through the same angle as the operating lever 71. However, when the operating lever 71 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, the pawl 81 rides over the gear teeth and does not move the operating gear 77.

One angular position the operating lever 71 is determined simply by the end of the slot 35 in the platform 21. The other angular position of the operating lever 71 is selectively set by an adjustable stop means 85. The adjustable stop means 85 includes a stop lever 86 pivoted at its first end 87 on the post '73 and extending at its second end 88 through the slot 35 in the platform 21. The second end 8S has a nger tab 89 to facilitate movement of the stop lever 86 and a lug 90 on its underside extending downwardly. The lug 90 is adapted to be received in a series of spaced holes 91 in the platform 21. As set forth below, the adjustable stop means serves as the bow style means of the present invention since the position of the stop lever 86 with its lug 90 received in a particular hole 91 determines the particular style of bow produced by the operation of the bow making machine 20.

The loop operating means 40 also includes a brake means 95 for preventing reverse rotation of the loop retaining means 40 at all times. The brake means 95 includes a pawl 96 biased into engagement with the operating gear 77 by means of a coil spring 97 and rotatably mounted on the base plate 33. The brake pawl 96 is adapted to remain in engagement at all times with the operating gear 77 and to permit only clockwise rotation for the operating gear 77 when viewed from the top of the bow making machine 20.

Mounted on the bow making machine 20 is a ribbon feed means 100 adapted to successively apply portions of a ribbon 101 spaced along the continuous length thereof to the loop retaining means 40 successively to form radiating loops of ribbon and to be operated independently by the second hand of the bow machine operator. The ribbon feed means 100 comprises a feed lever 102 having a rear end 103 pivoted about the axle 26 of the clevis 25 and `thus spaced from the loop retaining means 40. The front end 104 of the feed lever 102 is adapted to be aligned with the loop retaining means 40 and is biased from the loop retaining means 40 by means of a coil spring 105 mounted on the axle 26 with one arm 106 biased against the shoulder 27 of the platform 21 and the other arm 107 attached to a bar 108 on the lever 102.

The feed lever 102 has an angle set meansr 110 for selectively limiting the angular displacement of the feed lever 102 from the loop retaining means40. The-angle set means 110 comprises a cam wheel 111 mounted on the clevis 25 adjacent to the fulcrum axle V26 of the feed lever 102. Mounted on the feed lever 102 is a cam follower boss 112 which is adapted to contact the cam wheel 111 when the feed lever 102 is rotated away from the loop retaining means 40. The cam wheel 111 has a position set rim 113 extending therefrom having a series of notches 114 thereon. The notches 114 are adapted to receive a hair spring 115 mounted on `the clevis 25 and biased into contact with the rim 113. The cam wheel 111 is rotated by means of a shaft 116 extending outwardly through the clevis 25 and having an index knob 117 mounted on the end thereof. The rotation of the index knob 117 with respect its pointer 118 indicates the position of the cam wheel 111 relative to the cam follower boss 112. In addition, the engagement of a hair spring 115 in a particular notch 114 on the rim 113 sets the cam wheel 111 position after it has been selected.

Mounted on the front end 104 of the feed lever 102 is a shuttle 120 which is adapted to contact loop retaining means 40 when the feed lever 102 is rotated towards the loop retaining means 40. More specifically, the tubular shuttle 120 receives therein the pin 51 mounted on the end of the spindle 41 and is received in the cavity 47 of the sleeve 44. Also mounted on the feed lever 102 is a ribbon guide means 121 for directing the ribbon 101 into position between the shuttle 120 and the loop retaining means 40. The ribbon guide means 121 includes a guide bar 122 mounted on the front end 104 of the feed lever 102 extending downwardly adjacent to the shuttle 120. The guide bar 122 has a series of slits 123 which successively increase in width and which are oriented with their outlet adjacent to the shuttle 120. The ribbon guide means 121 also includes a slot 124 centrally located in the feed lever 102 which receives the ribbon 101 from a roll 125 and directs it to the guide bar 122. The roll 125 of ribbon 101 is in turn rotatably mounted on the rear end 103 of the feed lever 102 by means of an axle 126 reoeived in a pocket 127 of the feed lever 102. Alternatively, the roll 125 may be located in a second pocket 127' in a feed lever 102 or a second roll of ribbon of a different or same color may be located in the pocket 127.

Also, the ribbon feed means 100 includes a stop tab means 130 mounted on a feed lever 102 for preventing the ribbon 101 from slipping when the feed lever 102 moves toward the loop retaining means and permitting such slippage when the feed lever 102 moves away from the loop retaining means 40. The stop tab means 130 includes a loopspring 131 mounted on a bar 132 on the feed lever 102 adjacent to the exit of the slot 124 of the ribbon guide means 121. The loop spring 131 has a forward arm 133 which holds the ribbon 101 against the feed lever 102 and a rear arm 134 which braces the forward arm 133 in such posit-ion.

The results achieved by the operation of the bow making machine of the present invention are substantially identical to the results achieved by the machine taught by the Kravig patent. However, the operation is substantially simpler. Initially, a pin 51 is placed with its base 53 resting on the shelf 57 of the spindle 41. Such placement is achieved by slipping the tapered edge 54 of the pin 51 underneath the overhanging lips S8 of the shelf 57 and simultaneously rotating the prong 61 away from the shelf 57 by means of the second end 62 of the locking lever 59 (FIGURE 6). The locking lever 59 is then released so that the bias produced by the spring 64 causes the prong 61 to overhang the shelf 57 and lock the pin 51 into place, A roll 125 of ribbon 101 may then be positioned in the pocket 127 with the ribbon 101 threaded through the slot 124 under the forward arm 133 of the spring 131 and through the appropriate slit 123 in the guide bar 122. Such arrangement causes the free end 101 of the ribbon 101 to extend between the shuttle 120 and `the point 55 of the pin 51 (FIGURES 1 and 2).

At this point, decision must then be made as to the style and size of bow desired. With respect to the bow style, the style selecting means involves placing the adjustable stop means 85 in the desired hole 91 adjoining the parti-cular style 21' imprinted on the platform 21. Thus, as illustrated in FIGURE 9, the choice is among a bow having two, three or five conoidal loops, a bow having a multiplicity of symmetrical conoidal loops or a puff bow. Next, the size of the bow -is selected at least initially by the positioning of the bow size means which comprise simply the angle set means of the present invention. Thus, as illustrated in FIGURE 10, the index knob 117 is set at No. 2, for example, to produce bows having a 2 diameter by limiting the upward travel of the feed lever 102 through the contact of the cam follower boss 112 with the cam wheel 111.

After the bow style and size have been selected and the ribbon 101 and pin 51 have been positioned as set forth above, the actual bow making operation may proceed. Initially, the feed lever 102 is depressed by the first hand of the bow machine operator. Such m-ovement causes the shuttle 120 to be inserted in the cavity 6 47 formed by the sleeve 44 with the pin 51 received within the shuttle 120 (FIGURE 7). Since the ribbon 101 extends between the shuttle 120 and the pin 51, it is impaled on the pin 51 by the shuttle 120. Thus, the ribbon 101 slips past the shoulder 56 of the pin 51 and is retained thereby on the pin shaft 52.

The fed lever 102 is then permitted to return to its initial position, i.e., the cam follower boss 112 thereon contacts the cam wheel 111. Such movement of the feed lever 102 causes the roll 125 to rotate and the ribbon 101 to move forward through a distance set by the bow size means. The forward movement of the ribbon 101 is due to its end 101 being securely xed on the pin 51 and maintained in such position by the sleeve 44 (FIGURE 8). The sleeve 44 is depressed by the feed lever 102 when the ribbon 101 is impaled on the pin 51 (FIGURE 7), but when the feed lever 102 lis released, the sleeve 44 returns to its initial position (FIGURE 8) and thus holds the ribbon 101 snugly on the pin 51.

Next, the operating lever 71 is rotated until it strikes the stop lever 86 by the second hand of the bow machine operator. Such rotation of the operating lever 71 moves the loop retaining means 40 through a corresponding angle set by the style selector means, i.e. the adjustable stop means 85. Preferably, during the rotation of the operating lever 71, the feed lever 102 is depressed slightly to release the tension on the ribbon 101. The operating lever 71 lis then returned to its initial position (FIG- URES 1 and 5). However, since during such return stroke, the clutch means is disengaged and the brake means maintains the position of the operating gear 77, the loop retaining means remains stationary with the -twist formed in the ribbon 101 extending from the feed lever 102. The feed lever 102 is lthen again depressed so that the successive portion of the ribbon 4i-s impaled on the -pin 51 (FIGURE 7) and above-described sequence of steps is repeated. lFor each rsucceeding loop, the entire `operation is `repeated until the desired number of loops of the `same `size is produced. Then the bow size means may lbe reset to a larger or smaller size and the operation `again repeated. When the desired size of bow is achieved, the ribbon 101 is cut and the 'bow can ybe removed simply lby depressing the end 62 of the lock-ing lever 59.

Many other specific embodiments of the present invention will be obvious to one skilled in the art in view of this disclosure. For example, by proper design, the frictional engagement of the ribbon with the feed lever would permit the elimination of the stop tab means. Similarly, the brake means of the loop-operating means could be eliminated by including suflicient frictional resistance to rotation in the mounting of the gear wheels. In addition, the cam wheel may be on either side of the fulcrum of the feed lever so long as its position is sufliciently close thereto so that the rotation of the cam wheel produces a correspondingly large change in the position of the feed lever away from the loop retaining means. Also, by appropriately changing the gear ratio between the operating gear and the spindle gear, the corresponding change in the rotation of the loop retaining means with reference to the operating lever can be achieved. In addition, if desired, the operating lever may be spring biased to automatically return to its initial operating position and the feed lever may be changed so that it can be foot-operated. In addition, the feed lever may be mechanically connected to the operating lever or directly to the loop retaining means so that depressing the feed lever rotates the loop retaining means.

There are many features of the present invention which clearly show the significant advance it represents over. the prior art. Consequently, only a few of the more outstanding features will be pointed out to illustrate the unexpected and unusual results attained by the present invention. One feature of the present invention is a simply constructed and simply operated bow making machine which can achieve the same end results as those achieved by more complicated and expensive machines. Another feature of the present invention is a bow makingmachine adapted to be used in the home by the average housewife utilizing only a simple booklet of instructions. Still another feature of the present invention is a bow making machine wherein the loop retaining means is rotated by a simple operating lever being rotated repeatedly between the same angular position. Still another feature of the present invention is a bow making machine wherein the bow styleV means involves a simple placement yof the stop lever in a position set for the style of bow desired. Still another feature of the present invention is a bow making machine wherein the bow size is adjusted simply by the rotation of a cam wheel.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and examples are only illustrative of the present invention and it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto. All substitutions, alterations and modifications of the present invention which come within the scope of the following claims or to which the present invention is readily susceptible, without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure are considered part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A manually operated machine for making decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbon comprising:

(a) rotatable loopretaining means adapted to hold in a xed position thereon ribbon applied thereto and to be rotated independently by the first hand of the bow machine operator, `said loop retaining means including a rotatably mounted spindle, a sleeve coaxially and slidably mounted on the end of said spindle, said sleeve being biased to a forward position extending partially beyond the spindle end so as to dene a cavity and being adapted to be retracted to a rearward position whereby said cavity is at least substantially reduced in depth, and pin retaining means for removably holding a pin extending from said spindle end with the pointed end of said pin adjacent said ribbon feed means, said pin retaining means including an annular shelf in said spindle end with at least one overhanging lip and a locking lever pivotally mounted on vsaid spindle, said locking lever having an inwardly extending prong on its rst end, having a second end extending externally of said sleeve and being biased to have said prong overhang said shelf;

(b) loop operating means for rotating said loop retaining means successively through a predetermined angle, said loop operating means including an operating lever adapted to rotate said loop retaining means by repeated rotation between the same angular positions; and

(c) ribbon feed means adapted to successively apply portions of ribbon spaced along the continuous length thereof to said loop retaining means successively to form radiating loops of ribbon and to be operated independently by the second hand of the bow machine operator, said ribbon feed means being adjacent to said sleeve.

2. A bow making machine as stated in claim 1, where- `in said loop operating means includes gear means for `transmitting the rotation of said operating lever to said loop retaining means; clutch means for engaging said operating lever with said gear means during rotation of said operating lever in a first direction and disengaging it during rotation in the opposite direction; and adjustable stop means for setting one angular position of said operating lever.

3. A bow making machine as stated in claim 2, wherein said loop operating means includes brake means for preventing reverse rotation of said loop retaining means at all times.

4. A bow making machine as stated in claim 1, wherein said ribbon feed means comprises a feed lever having a rear end pivotally connected to said machine and spaced from said loop retaining means and a front end adapted to be aligned with said loop retaining means, said feed lever having said front end biased away from said loop retaining means.

5. A bow making machine as stated in claim 4, wherein said feed lever includes angle set means for selectively limiting the angular displacement of said feed lever from said loop retaining means.

6. A bow making machine as stated in claim 5, wherein said angle set means comprises a cam wheel mounted adjacent said feed lever pivotal connection and a cam follower mounted on said feed lever and adapted to contact said cam wheel when said feed lever is rotated away from Said loop retaining means 7. A bow making machine as stated in claim 4, wherein said feed lever has a shuttle mounted on said front end and adapted to contact said loop retaining means by rotation of said feed lever towards said loop retaining means; and a ribbon guide means mounted on said feed lever for directing said ribbon into interposition between said shuttle and loop retaining means.

8. A bow making machine as stated in claim 7, wherein said feed lever includes a stop tab means for preventing the ribbon from slipping with respect to the feed lever when the feed lever moves toward said loop retaining means and permitting such slippage when the feed lever moves away from said loop retaining means. v

9. A manually operated machine for making decorative bows from a continuous length of ribbon comprising:

(a) a platform having an apertured mound at one end and a clevis at another end;

(b) a loop retaining means rotatably mounted on said apertured mound for rotation by a rst hand of a user of said machine, said loop retaining means including a pin retaining means;

(C) a pin engageable in said pin retaining means;

(d) a ribbon feed lever having one end pivotally mounted in said clevis and another end extending over said loop retaining means in alignment therewith, said other end of said feed lever engaging said loop retaining means when said feed lever is pivoted -in said clevis by the other hand of said user, said feed lever being adapted to feed predetermined lengths of said ribbon to said loop retaining means:

(e) a cam wheel mounted on said clevis adjacent said one end of said feed lever;

(f) a cam follower mounted on said one end of said feed lever adjacent said cam wheel for engagement therewith when said lever is rotated away from said loop retaining means, whereby the angular displacement of said feed lever is selectively limited with respect to said loop retaining means to establish said predetermined lengths of ribbon; and

(g) ribbon guide means mounted on said feed lever for directing said ribbon into position between said other end of said feed lever and said loop retaining means, whereby said ribbon will engage said pin and be retained in position on said loop retaining means by said pin when said other end of said feed lever is swung into engagement with said loop retaining means and then swung out of engagement therewith.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,223 4/1960 Kravig et al 223-46 2,982,452 5/1961 Anderson 223-46 3,129,861 4/1964 Napier 223-46 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. A MANUALLY OPERATD MACHINE FOR MAKING DECORATIVE BOWS FROM A CONTINOUS LENGTH OF RIBBON COMPRISING: (A) ROTATABLE LOOP RETAINING MEANS ADAPTED TO HOLD IN A FIXED POSITION THEREON RIBBON APPLIED THERETO AND TO BE ROTATED INDEPENDENTLY BY THE FIRST HAND OF THE BOW MACHINE OPERATOR, SAID LOOP RETAINING MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED SPINDLE, A SLEEVE COAXIALLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE END OF SAID SPINDLE, SAID SLEEVE BEING BIASED TO A FORWARD POSITION EXTENDING PARTIALLY BEYOND THE SPINDLE END SO AS TO DEFINE A CAVITY AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE RETRACTED TO A REARWARD POSITION WHEREBY SAID CAVITY IS AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED IN DEPTH, AND PIN RETAINING MEANS FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING A PIN EXTENDING FROM SAID SPINDLE END WITH THE POINTED END OF SAID PIN ADJACENT SAID RIBBON FEED MEANS, SAID PIN RETAINING MEANS INCLUDING AN ANNULAR SHELF IN SAID SPINDLE END WITH AT LEAST ONE OVERHANGING LIP AND A LOCKING LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SPINDLE, SAID LOCKING LEVER HAVING AN

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