US3251265A - Apparatus and methods for producing openings and/or slits on strip material and the like - Google Patents

Description

3,251,265 ND/OR May 17, 1966 D. s. cvAcHo ETAL APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING OPENINGS A SLITS ON STRIP MATERIAL AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1962 THEIR ATTORNEYS y 1966 D s. CVACHO ETAL 3,251,265

APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING OPENINGS AND/0R SLITS ON STRIP MATERIAL AND THE LIKE Filed July 18, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 THEIR ATTORNEQS May 17, 1966 D. s. cvAci-lo ETAL APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PRODUCING OPENINGS A SLITS ON STRIP MATERIAL AND THE LIKE Filed July 18, 1962 ND/OR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG-9A INVENTORS DANIEL s. CVACHO GEORGE o.

BYJAMES A B0 YAN JR. WLING WILLIAM C. WHITAKER AZW, Jw/JZQ THEIR ATTORNEYS 3,251,265 ND/OR May 17, 1966 D. s. CVACHO ETAL METHODS FOR PRODUCING OPENINGS A ON STRIP MATERIAL AND THE LIKE APPARATUS AND SLITS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 18, 1962 INVENTO'RS CVACHO BRYAN,JR. BOWLING C. WHITAKER M awr THEIR ATTORNEYS May 17, 1966 5, cv c L 3,251,265

APPARATUS METHODS FOR PR CING o INGS AND/OR SL ON STRIP MATERIAL AND TH IKE Filed July 18, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A I80 0 s V '80 INVENT R w DANI s. CVACHO EOR D. BRYAN JR. B AMES BOWLING H6 '6 WILLlA c. WHITAKER THEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent This invention relates to apparatus and methods for producing openings and/ or slits in strip material and the like.

One feature of this invention includes apparatus and methods for producing pairs of opposite openings along a strip or the like, with means to produce slits between pairs of openings. The production of the openings permits the production of the slits without harming the strip such as by tearing and the like.

Another feature of this invention includes a pair of mutually cooperating strip altering tool constructions to alter a strip construction and the like, with means to cause such tool constructions to rotate about respective axes, and with means to maintain such tool constructions in a constantly fixed oriented direction to cooperate with each other during rotation to alter such strip construction.

Another feature of this invention includes the use of a main sun construction rotatable about a main sun axis, an offset sun construction rotatable about an offset sun axis, a main planet construction carried by the main sun construction, an offset planet construction carried by the offset sun construction, a strip altering tool construction carried by such main planet construction, and an orienting construction making said tool construction and said otiset planet construction to cause such tool construction to rotate about such main sun axis in a constantly fixed oriented direction.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a pair of sun constructions and a pair of offset sun constructions of the character described in the immediately preceding paragraph, which pairs cooperate with each other to alter a strip of material and the like.

Another feature of this invention includes constructions in which such pairs may carry opening producing means and/or slit producing means sequentially to produce openings and slits in a strip of material and the like.

Another feature of this invention includes a generally cylindrical member with strip altering tool constructions along which a strip tangentially travels, with means to compensate for the tangential travel of said strip.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide apparatus having one or more features herein disclosed.

Another object of this invention is to provide methods having one or more features herein disclosed.

Other objects are apparent from this description, from the appended claimed subject matter, and from the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a system for forming cans and the like, according to this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a strip of strip material which is being punched and slitted by a portion of the system of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a strip punching and slitting construction which may be used in the system of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic end view of a portion of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical cross section of a portion of another embodiment of a strip punching ap- 3,251,265 Patented May 17, 1966 paratus which also has many of the features of the strip slitting apparatus.

FIGURE 6 is a view transverse to FIGURE 5, and taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5'.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic showing of an indexing drive for use with the embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 or of the embodiment of FIGURES 5 and 6.

FIGURE 8 is a diagram showing the zones of tangential compensation of the cylindrical members used with this invention.

FIGURE 9 is a view taken along the line 99 of FIG- URE 5, and showing a punch and die construction.

FIGURE 9A is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but showing the cutting or slitting knife construction.

FIGURE 10 is a diagram showing the relative axial positions of the sun constructions and the planet constructions used with this invention.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic cross section taken along the line 1l-11 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic cross section taken along the line 12-12 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 13 is a cross section taken along the line 1313 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged diagrammatic transverse cross section along line 1414 of FIGURE 5 to show the means to adjust relative rotational positions between the gears and the sun construction.

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic view along the line 1515 of FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic view along the line 16-46 of FIGURE 14.

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged diagrammatic showing of the punch and die members.

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged diagrammatic showing of the knife members.

Certain words indicating direction, relative position, etc., are used in this application for the sake of clearness and brevity. However, it is to be understood that these words are used only in connection with the drawings of this application, and that the actual devices when in use may have different directions and relativepositions, and still come within the purview of the invention. Examples of such words are vertical, horizontal, upper, lower, etc.

Referring to FIGURE 1, strip material is prepared in a strip preparing apparatus 20 where strips of can forming material, such as aluminous strips, may be unwound from strip coils. Such strips may also be carefully joined together. If such strip material has recurring patterns to be displayed on each of the cans which are to be made, such joining means may effectively join the various strips in a manner to preserve the longitudinal continuity and relationship of the patterns as they recur on the completely joined strip. This strip material emerges from the apparatus 20 as indicated at 22 and may be fed to a gravitational adjusting feed 24 which may be a roll swingingly held by the link construction 26. The roll 24 may rise and fall while being supported by such line construction 2 6. The roll 24- may rise and fall to adjust for any slight 'diiference in the rate of strip travel at 22 as compared to the rate of travel at 28.

The strip, as it passes 28, may be sidewise adjusted by the roll constructions 30 to place the strip 23 in correct lateral position with respect to the punching and slitting apparatus elsewhere described. The roll constructions 30 may have axe-s slightly less or more than with respect to the longitudinal travel of the strip to move it against a side guiding member.

The strip 28 passes through the feed roller construction 31, which may include a pair of rolls 3 2, 34, which produce a dragging action controlled by the control means 36. The strip then passes, as indicated at 38, past a plurality of strip altering tool constructions, such as the pair of tool constructions and 42. Thereafter, the strip, as indicated at 44, passes through the discharge construction which may include a pair of rolls 46 and 48 which may produce a slight pulling action controlled by the control means 50.

While passing through'the means 40 and 42, a strip as shown at 38 in FIGURE 2 may have pairs of punched out openings 52 and 54 produced by the means 40. Thereafter, the strips may have slits 5'6 transversely cut by the means 42 which slits extend between pairs of punched out openings 52 and 54.

The controllers 36 and/or may be controlled by an electric eye 58 which is sensitive to some marking or other on strip material. The electric eye 58 corrects the register of the punching and slitting operations with respect to the patterns 60 that may be present on the strip. The patterns 60 may recur at proper intervals and may be of correct length to be correctly integrated with the can tubes 62 which are produced by this apparatus. For example the electric eye may be sensitive to some mark on the patterns 60 and to one of the punched openings 5 2.

After the strip has been punched and slitted, the strip may continue at 64 and may be delivered to the apparatus 66 where the strip is folded together, so that the strip edges 68 and 70 are brought together and seam welded to form a continuous tube. The punched openings 52 and 54 are sufliciently spaced from the edges 68 and 70 so the continuity of the strip is maintained as it travels through the apparatus 66 and while it is beingformed into a continuous tube.

The apparatus 66 produces the continuous tube 72 which has the partial slits 56, and the tube is maintained in continuous condition by the small unslitted portions 74, between the openings 54 and 56, as indicated at the left end of FIGURE 1.

Thereafter, the continuous tube 72 is severed by the severing means 76, to produce relatively short can producing tubes 62 which may be delivered by conveying means 78 to any desired place, such as the can producing apparatus 80. The end portions of the can may be added, as well as the contents of the can if desired at the apparatus 80. The apparatus 80 may be a canning factory relatively distant from theapparatus 66. Also the apparatus 80 may be an apparatus in which end applying means are provided to apply only one of the ends to the small can or tube 6 2, and from which such partially completed cans are forwarded to the canning apparatus or factory as desired.

The apparatus at 20 and 66 and '76 and 80 may be any suitable type of apparatus for performing the steps and functions herein described.

The strip altering tool constructions 40 and 42 are now further described.

The strip altering tool constructions 40 and 42 may include two pairs of generally cylindrical members 82, 84, and 86, 88, FIGURES 1 and 3, between which the strip 38 is sequentially passed. The strip 38 tangentially travels between the cylindrical members 82, 84 and 86, 88 at a substantially uniform speed.

The cylindrical members 82, 84 and 86, 88 are substantially identical in the major supporting parts.

Each of these members 82, 84, 86 and 88 carries a tool construction to rotate about the respective main sun axes 81, '83, 85 and 87, FIGURE 3. However, the tool constructions of members 82 and 84 may be pairs of opening forming dies and punches 92 which produce the openings' 52 and 54 of the strip 38. The tool constructions of members 86 and 88 may be the cutting or slitting knives 94 and 96 which produce the slits 56 in the strip 38.

The formation of the openings 52, 54 in the strip 38 prevents the knives 94 and 96 from banning or tearing the strip while forming the slits 56.

Means are provided to maintain the tool constructions, such as dies 90, punches 92 and knives 94 and 96, in constantly fixed oriented direction while they are cooperating with each other. For example, in FIGURE 3, the dies 90 are in constantly fixed upward orientation throughout the rotation of the cylindrical member 82. The punches 92 are in constantly fixed downward orientation throughout the rotation of the cylindrical member 84. The knives 94 are in constantly fixed upward orientation throughout the rotation of the cylindrical member 86. The knives 96 are in constantly fixed downward orientation throughout the rotation of the cylindrical member 88.

Because of this constantly fixed oriented direction of the tool construction dies 90, punches 92 and knives 94 and 96, these tool constructions cooperate and engage with each other to punch and slit the strip 38.

The tool constructions 9th, 92 and 94, 96 must be kept in vertical alignment with each other and must correctly produce the future end forming openings 52, 54 and slits 56 during approximately a 24 are A of rotation, as indicated in FIGURE 8. The cylindrical members 82 and 84 (and 86 and 88) must have their dies 90 and punches 92 (or knives 94 and 96) vertically aligned with each other and with the proper portion of the strip 38 from the position B to the position C, FIGURE 8.

Since the strip 38 preferably is moved leftwardly at a uniform speed, it has a tangential travel with respect to the cylindrical orbits 82A and 84A. This requires the dies at 90A and the punches at 92A (and the same is true of the knives 94 and 96) to travel at a relatively high angular speed at 90A, 92A, which gradually diminishes in angular speed to the central positions 9813, 923 where the angular speed of rotation exactly equals the linear speed of the strip 38. From the positions 9013, 9213 to the positions 90C, 920 the angular speed of rotation must gradually increase to maintain the required vertical alignment with the punched openings 52, 54 (and the same is true of the knives 94 and 96 with regard to the slits 56) until the positions 90C and 92C are reached.

In this manner the speed of travel of the tool constructions 90, 92, 94 and 96 is periodically altered, as these tool constructions alter the strip by punching and slitting, while compensating for the tangential travel of the strip construction, as shown and described in connection with FIGURE 8.

-There are as many angles A of travel produced in the cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88 as there are tool constructions on such cylindrical members.

The electric eye 58 may alter and control the speed of rotation of the cylindrical members while they travel between the angles A: to compensate for any slight longitudinal displacement of the strip with respect to the patterns 60.

This periodically altered speed of angular travel of the cylindrical members 82, 84 and 86, 88 may be accomplished by any suitable means. For example, an indexing" means 108 may be provided, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 7, to produce this type of motion.

An input shaft 192 and worm or worm wheel 104 may be rotated at uniform speed. The worm wheel 104 may be so shaped that it has speed altering portions 106 and 108 which produce an altering speed on the rollers 118 of the gear wheel 112 eventually to produce the desired altering speed at the angles A of FIGURE 8.

The worm 104 also has a uniform speed portion 114 which rotates the gear 112 at a uniform angular speed eventually to cause a uniform angular speed of rotation of the cylindrical orbits 82A and 84A, FIGURE 8, (as well as of corresponding orbits of cylindrical members 86 and 88) while the cylindrical members 82 and 84 carry another pair of strip altering dies and punches 98 and 92 into engagement with each other and with the strip 38 at another angle A.

The electric eye 58 may slightly vary the speed of rotation of the shaft 182 while the worm part 114 engages the rollers 110 to correct the register of the holes 52, 54 and slits 56 with thepatterns 6t The gear 112 may drive a shaft 116 at these perlodically varying speeds and uniform speeds. The shaft 116 in turn may drive, directly or indirectly, one of the cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 or 88 and such driven member may, in turn, be geared to and drive the other members.

For example, the shaft 116 may drive an intermediate gear 118. The gear 118 may drive another gear 128 which drives the cylindrical member 82. The gear 120 may drive the remainder of the gear train 122, 124, 126 and 128. Gear 122 drives cylindrical member 84. Gear 124 is an intermediate idler gear which drives gear 126. Gear 126 drives cylindrical member 88. Gear 128 drives cylindrical member 88.

It may be inconvenient to provide a worm wheel 104 and gear wheel 112 which has the same number of stations to correspond to the number of tools 90, 92, 94 and 96 on the cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88. To compensate forthis, the gear 118 may be a ratio varying gear to cause a greater or lesser'number of speed varying stations in the members 82, 84, 86 and 88 than are provided in the gear 112.

For example, the cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88 shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 have five tool stations. If the indexing gear 112 should have a different number of indexing gears, such as eight (or four, etc.) then the gear 118 may vary the ratio of rotation between gear 112 and the members 82-86. The gear 118 may provide an 85 or a 4-5 gear ratio, as the case may be.

The cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88 of FIG- URES 3 and 4 have five tool stations. FIGURES 5, 6 and 9-14 show only four tool stations for convenience in illustration. However, the same reference numerals are used to indicate substantially identical members and parts thereof in all of these figures, since the numberof tool stations and indexing stations may be varied as desired.

The constantly fixed oriented directions of the tool constructions 90, 92, 94 and 96 may be maintained by sun and planet constructions now to be described.

The plurality or pairs of strip altering tool constructions 48 and42 may each comprise a pair of main sun constructions 82, 84 and 86, 88, FIGURE 3.

Each of these pairs of main sun constructions 82, 84-

and 86, 88 may have substantially identical supporting means. Therefore, a specific description will now be given concerning the pair of main sun constructions 82, 84, but it is to be understood that such specific description is equally applicable to the pair of main sun constructions 86, 88. The only substantial difference is that the constructions 82, 84 carry punch and die strip altering tools 92, 90, and the constructions 86, 88 carry slitting knife strip altering tools 94, '96. However, such difference does not materially affect the main supporting structures now to be described.

Each of the pairs of main sun constructions 82, 84' are respectively rotatable about a pair of main sun axes 81, '83, as indicated by the respective radii 81A, 83A, FIG- URE 5.

A pair of offset sun constructions 130, 132 are respectively rotatable about a pair of offset sun axes 134, 136, as indicated by the respective radii 134A, 136A.

A pair of main planet constructions 138, 148 may be respectivelycarried by said main sun constructions 82 and 84.

Such main planet constructions may respectively include a plurality of main planet bearings 138A, 138B, and 1401A and 140B.

The main planet bearings 138A and 138B have main planet axes 139. The bearings 138A, 138B rotate on radii 139A.

A pair of offset planet constructions 142, 144 may be carried by said offset sun constructions 130, 132. Such offset planet constructions may respectively include a plurality of offset planet bearings 142A and 144A.

The offset'planet bearings 142A and 142B rotate about offset planet bearing axes 143, which axes 143 rotate on radii 143A.

A pair of strip alterning tool constructions 146, 148 may be respectively orbitally carried by said main planet constructions 138 and 140 in mutually engaging relationship, while being orbitally carried. Such constructions 1 46, 148 may each respectively include a plurality of tool supporting bars 150 and 152. The .bars 150 may each support a pair of separated dies 98. The bars :152 may each support a pair of separated punches 92. The punches 92 and dies mutually engage each other to punch openings 52,54 in strip 38 while being orbitally carried.

Orienting constructions may be provided respectively connecting the tool constructions 146 and 148 (and including the bars 150 and .152 and the dies 90 and punches 92) with the said respective planet constructions 142, 144 to cause said tool constructions 146 and 148 to rotate about said respective main sun axes 81 and 83 in a constantly fixed oriented direction to cooperate with each other during rotation .to alter the strip 38.

For example, the bars 150, which support the dies 90, may be carried by cylindrical main planet bearing stu-b shafts 154 and 154B within the main planet bearing members 138A and 138B. The offset planet bearing stub shafts 156 .are held within the offset planet bearings 142A and are rigidly and eccentrically connected to the stub shafts 154A.

This relationship of the stub shafts 154A and 156 maintains the bars 158 and the dies 98in a constantly fixed upward oriented direction. This upward orientation is constantly maintained throughout the rotation, because. the stub shafts 154A rotate about the main sun axis 81 and thestub shafts 156 rotate about the offset sun axis 134, as is evident from FIGURE 6.

In a somewhat similar manner the bars 152, which support the punches 92, may be carried by cylindrical main planet bearing stub shafts 158A and 158B within the main planet bearing members A and 148B. The offset bearing stub shafts :168 are held within the offset plane-t bearings 144A and are rigidly and eccentrically connected to the stub shafts 158A.

This relationship of the stub shafts 158A and 160 maintains the bars 152 and the punches 92 in a constantly fixed downward oriented direction. This downward orientation is constantly maintained throughout the rotation because the stub shafts 158A rotate about the main sun axis 83 and the stub shafts 16 rotate ab-out the offset sun axis 136, as is evident from FIGURE 6.

The foregoing detailed description of the strip altering tool construction 40, with the constant orientation of the punches 92 and dies 90 applies substantially in identical manner to the strip altering tool construction 42 except that the bars and 152 of the construction 42 carry respectively constantly upwardly directed slitting knives 94 and constantly downwardly directed slitting knives 96 which rotate to produce mutually engag- -ing slitting relationship in engagement with the strip 38 while being orbitally carried. The knives 94 and 96 produce the slits 56 between the openings 52 and 54 because of the synchronization between the constructions 40 and 42 and the strip 38 elsewhere described.

The pair of main sun constructions 82, 84 (as well as the pair 86 and 88) are respectively rotatable about a pair of stationary support shafts 162 and i164.

The stationary support shaft 162 has a main sun bearing construction 166A and 166B surrounding the main sun axis 81. The stationary shaft 162 also has an offset bearing construction 168 surrounding the offset sun axis 134 which is parallel to main sun axis 81.

The stationary shaft 162 is press "fitted in the rectangular suppont blocks 162A and 162B.

The stationary shaft 164 is press fitted in the rectangular support blocks 164A and 1164B.

The blocks 162A, 162B, 164A, 164B are spaced by the accurate spacing blocks 165A and 165B.

The main sun bearing construction 166A and 166 B may include the stationary bearing stub portions 169A and 169B of shaft 162 which are coaxial with main sun axis 81. The constructions 166A, 166 B also include the roller or ball bearings 170A and 170B which are also coaxial with sun axis 81.

The offset bearing construction 168 may include the stationary offset stub shaft portion 172 of shaft 162 which stub shaft is coaxial with the offset sun axis 134. The offset construction 168 also includes the roller or ball bearings 174 which are also coaxial with offset sun axis 134.

A main sun sleeve construction 176, 17 8 and 180 is rotatable on said main sun bearing construction 166A, 166B, including stubs 169A and 16913, and bearings 170A and 17013. I

An offset sun wheel construction 182 is rotatable on said offset sun bearing construction.

The main planet construction 138, 138A, 1383 is carried by the portion 178 of the main sun sleeve 176, 17 8, 180. The strip severing tool construction, including the dies 90, is carried on the main planet bearing construction 138. The offset planet bearing construction 142 is carried by the offset sun wheel construction 182.

The orienting construction includes .a lever construction produced by the stub shafts 154A and 156 with the fulcrum produced by stub shaft 154A and a handle produced by stub shaft 156 which is held by the offset planet bearing construction 142A. This causes the dies 90 to be in a constantly fixed upward oriented direction.

Likewise the stationary shaft 164 has a main sun bearing construction 184A and 18413 surrounding the main sun axis 83. The stationary shaft 162 also has an offset bearing construction 186 surrounding the offset sun axis 136, which is parallel to axis 83.

The main sun bearing construction 184A, 184B may include the stationary bearing stub portions 188A and 188B of shaft 164 which are coaxial with the main sun axis 83. The construction 134A and 184B also include the roller or ball bearings 190A, 1903 which are co axial with sun axis 83.

The offset bearing construction 186 may include the stationary offset stub shaft portion 192 of shaft 164 which stub shaft is coaxial with the offset sun axis 136. The offset construction 186 also includes the roller or ball bearings 194 which are coaxial with offset sun axis 136.

A- main sun sleeve construction 196, 198, 200 is rotatable on the main sun bearing construction 184A, 184B including stubs 188A and 188B and bearings 190A and 190B.

An offset sun wheel construction 202 is rotatable on the offset sun bearing construction 194.

The punches 92 are carried by the bars 152 which are carried by the main planet bearing construction 140. The bars 150 have openings below the dies 90, as shown in FIGURES 17 and to allow the punchings to drop down.

The offset planet bearing construction 144 is carried by the offset sun wheel construction 202. I

The orientating construction is lever like and includes the stub shafts 158A and 160 which causes the punches 92 to be in a constantly fixed downward oriented direction.

The stub shafts 158A are coaxial with the main planet axes 145 and the stub shafts 160 are coaxial with the offset planet axis 161. Stub shafts 158A rotate about radii 83A and stub shafts 160 rotate about radii 136A to provide a constantly fixed downward direction of the punches 92.

The same detailed description is applicable to the strip altering tool construction 42 except that slitting knives are provided instead of the punches and dies of construction just described.

Means are provided positively to align the bars 150 and 152 as they approach each other. Pin constructions 204 are provided on bars 152 and socket constructions 206 are provided on bars 150. The pins 204 are tapered at the ends 208. The pins 204 and sockets 206 begin to telescope at the early part B, FIGURE 8, of the angle A and remain telescoped substantially to the final part C of such angle. This insures proper alignment of the punches 92 and dies (or the knives 94, 96) when they are acting on the strip 38.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic showing specific to the upper cylindrical members 84 and 88. However, in inverted position it is also applicable to the lower cylindrical members 82 and 36. The main sun axis is shown at 83 and the offset axis is shown at 136. The main planet axes are shown at 145 and the offset planet axes are shown at 161. This illustrates how each corresponding main sun axis 145 is constantly oriented above its corresponding offset planet axis 161 to maintain its punches 92 or knife 96 constantly oriented downwardly.

If FIGURE 10 were inverted it would illustrate how each main planet axis 139 would be constantly oriented below its corresponding offset planet axis 143 to maintain the punches 90 or knife 94 constantly oriented upwardly.

Means are provided to adjust the relative rotational positions between each of the sun constructions or generally cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88 and each of their corresponding driving gears 120, 122, 128 and 126 (FIGURES 3, 5, 14, 15 and 16).

A plurality of securing screw bolts 208, with hollow hex heads 210, and lock washers 212, FIGURES 14- and 16, lock and secure the sleeve portion 180 to the gear wheel 120. The bolts 208 are screw threaded at 214 to the gear wheel 120. The heads 210 and washers 212 are located in larger slots 216 and bear against the shoulder 218 of the smaller slot 220 in the sleeve portion 180.

When the bolts 208 are tightened, the sleeve portion 180 is locked to the gear wheel 120.

However, when the bolts 208 are loose, the adjusting means 222, FIGURES 14 and 15, may be operated to vary the rotational relationship between the gear and the portion 180 of the sleeve 176, 178 and 180. After the adjustment is made, then the bolts 208 may be tightened to lock the correctly adjusted gear 120 and sleeve portion 180.

The same type of adjustment is provided for each of the gears 120, 122, 126 and 128, FIGURE 3, to provide the correct rotational adjustment in each of the cylindrical members 32, 84, S6 and 88 to insure correct register of the punch and dies of members 82, 84 and of the knives 94 and 96 of the members 86 and 88.

The adjusting means 222, FIGURES 14 and 15, may include a bolt construction 224 which has one end 226 secured to the'gear wheel 120 by means of the nut and lock washer 228 and hex head 230. The end 232 of bolt construction 224 passes through the slot 234 in the sleeve portion of the sleeve 176, 178 and 180. The end 232 has opposite arched sides 238 to receive the ends of the adjusting screws 240 which are screw threaded in brackets 242 and are locked by lock nuts 244.

The sleeve portion 130 may therefore be rotationally adjusted with respect to the gear wheel 120 by loosening the bolts 208 and adjusting the screws 240, FIG- URES 14, 15. This causes a rotational adjustment along the slots 220 and 234. When the proper adjustment has been made to produce the proper synchronization and alignment between the punches 92 and dies 90, or between the knives 94 and 96, as the case may be, then 9 the nuts 224 and bolts 268 may be tightened to preserve the adjustment.

Each of the cylindrical members 82, 84, 86 and 88, FIGURE 3, may be provided with the adjustment of FIGURES 14-16 which has been specifically described only in connection with the cylindrical member 82. However, this specific description in connection with member 82 is intended to he illustrative of similar adjustnients for members 84, 86 and 88.

It is thus to be seen that a new and useful apparatus and method have been provided to produce spaced op ings and bridging slits in strip material and the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed, as required by the statutes, other forms may he used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

ll. In combination: a stationary support shaft having a main sun hearing construction surrounding a main sun axis, said shaft having an offset sun hearing construction surrounding an offset sun axis parallel with said main sun axis; a main sun sleeve construction rotatable on said main sun bearing construction; an olfset sun wheel construction rotatable on said ofiset sun bearing construction; a main planet bearing construction carried by said main sun sleeve; a strip altering tool construction carried on said main planet bearing construction; an offset planet bearing construction car ried by said offset sun wheel construction; an orienting lever construction with a fulcrum secured to said strip severing construction and having a handle rotatably held by said offset planet bearing construction to cause said tool construction to rotate in a constantly fixed oriented direction about said main sun axis.

2. In combination: a pair of mutually cooperating strip punching members to punch pairs of opposite openings along and adjacent opposite edges of a strip each pair of opposite openings being located substantially at right angles to said edges of said strip; and a pair of mutually cooperating straight stripslitting members to slit straight slits in said strip between said pairs of openings, said openings being at the ends of said slits, and at right angles to said edges of said strip.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which means are provided to move said strip past said punching members and slitting members at substantially uniform speed.

4. A combination according to claim 3 in which means are provided to move said punching members and slitting members in circular orbits while maintaining said punching members and slitting members in constantly fixed oriented directions; and in which means are provided to maintain said punching and slitting members in synchronism with said strip while said strip is being punched and slitted by said punching and slitting memhers,

5. A combination according to claim 4 in which there are a plurality of said pairs of cooperating strip punching members in each respective circular orbit and in which there are a plurality of said pairs of cooperating straight strip slitting members in each respective circular orbit, and in which said orbits are changed in rotation speed during each punching and slitting operation and during each complete rotation of said orbits to maintain said punching and slitting members in synchronism with said unifonm speed of said strip.

6. A method comprising punching pairs of opposite openings along and adjacent opposite edges of a strp, each pair of opposite openings being located substantially at right angles to said edges of said strip; and

10 slitting straight slits in said strip to and between said pair of opposite openings and at right angles to said edges of said strip and in which said strip is moved longitudinally and said openings and slits are punched and slitted in said strip While it is being moved longitudinally.

7. A method according to claim 6 in which said strip is moved at a uniform speed and in which said openings are punched by punches and dies which rotate about respective axes in a constantly fixed oriented direction and move in synchronization with said strip while punching said openings.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which said slits are slitted by slitting members which rotate about respective axes in a constantly fixed oriented direction and move in synchronization with said strip while slitting said slits.

9. A method according to claim 8 in which there are a plurality of said punches and dies and in which a plurality of slitting members are rotated about respective axes and in which the speed of rotation of said plurality of punches and dies and of said plurality of slit ting members is changed during each punching and slitting operation and during each complete rotation to maintain said synchronization with said uniform speed of said strip.

11?. In combination: opening punching means for punching pairs of opposite openings along and adjacent opposite edges of a strip, each pair of opposite openings being. located substantially at right angles to said edges of said strip; and straight slit producing means for slitting straightslits in said strip to and between said pairs of openings and at right angles to said edges of said strip, and in which moving means are provided to move said strip longitudinally at uniform speed while said openings and slits are punched and slitted in said strip.

H. A combination according to claim ltl in which said opening punching means includes punches and dies which rotate about respective axes in a constantly fixed oriented direction and move in synchronization with said strip while producing said openings.

12. A combination according to claim 11 in which said slit slitting means rotate about respective axes in a constantly fixed direction and move in synchronization with said strip while producing said slits.

13. A combination according to claim 12 in which there are a plurality of punches and dies and a plurality of slitting means rotated about respective axes and in which the speed rotation of said plurality of punches and dies and of said slitting means is changed during each punching and slitting operation and during each complete rotation to maintain said synchronization with said uniform speed of said strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,286,377 12/1918 Malm 83-300 1,303,371 5/1919 Novick 83-911 X 1,532,538 4/1925 Langston 83-302 2,162,925 6/1939 Weiss 83519 2,245,442 6/1941 Morgan 83324 X 2,600,834 6/1952 Blair 83-40 3,066,542 12/1962 Einhiple 83-328 X WILLIAM W. DYER, JR, Primary Examiner. LEON PEAR, Examiner.

L. B. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION: A STATIONARY SUPPORT SHAFT HAVING A MAIN SUN BEARING CONSTRUCTION SURROUNDING A MAIN SUN AXIS, SAID SHAFT HAVING AN OFFSET SUN BEARING CONSTRUCTION SURROUNDING AN OFFSET SUN AXIS PARALLEL WITH SAID MAIN SUN AXIS; A MAIN SUN SLEEVE CONSTRUCTION ROTATABLE ON SAID MAIN SUN BEARING CONSTRUCTION; AN OFFSET SUN WHEEL CONSTRUCTION ROTATABLE ON SAID OFFSET SUN BEARING CONSTRUCTION; A MAIN PLANET BEARING CONSTRUCTION CARRIED BY SAID MAIN SUN SLEEVE; A STRIP ALTERING TOOL CONSTRUCTION CARRIED ON SAID MAIN PLANET BEARING CONSTRUCTION; AN OFFSET PLANET BEARING CONSTRUCTION CARRIED BY SAID OFFSET SUN WHEEL CONSTRUCTION; AN ORIENTING LEVER CONTRUCTION WITH A FULCRUM SECURED TO SAID STRIP SEVERING CONSTRUCTION AND HAVING A HANDLE ROTATABLY HELD BY SAID OFFSET PLANET BEARING CONSTRUCTION TO CAUSE SAID TOOL CONSTRUCTION TO ROTATE IN A CONSTANTLY FIXED ORIENTED DIRECTION ABOUT SAID MAIN SUN AXIS.

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