US3266624A

US3266624A - Brush fiber package

Info

Publication number: US3266624A
Application number: US295720A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shaw Gilbert; Jr Charles H Anderson
Original assignee: Polymers Inc
Current assignee: Polymers Inc
Priority date: 1963-07-17
Filing date: 1963-07-17
Publication date: 1966-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-16
Also published as: GB1079995A

Description

Aug. 16, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB GE Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY W W/ 7 Dan/aw P4 ATTORNEYS 966 ca. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

, BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE I Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GILBERT SHAW YCHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed ly 7. 1 63 9 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS 6, 1966 G. SHAW ETAL 3,266,624

BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 19s: 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.'I|

INVENTOR GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

wr 2M, ,MM 0

AT TO R NEYS 1966 e. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG."I4

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY i I M0 Dd m;

ATTORNEYS 1966 G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Filed July 17, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR. BY 1 7 ATTORNEYS INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

ATTORNEYS 4 7 2 6 m 6 e 6 w 2 -r 3 a e h S 9 ll lllllllll l.||| 4 4 H I HM MH W W M 4 5 G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE FIG Aug. 16, 1966 Flled July 17, 1963 FIG. 20

1966 ca. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed July 17, 1963 FIG. 24

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSON,JR.

BY MHZ/0v ATTORNEYS G. SHAW ETAL BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Aug. 16, 1966 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 17, 1963 I FIG. 25

INVENTOR. GILBERT SHAW CHARLES H. ANDERSOMJR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,266,624 BRUSH FIBER PACKAGE Gilbert Shaw, Middlebury, and Charles H. Anderson, 512, Shoreham, Vt. (both Polymers, Inc, Middlebury,

Filed July 17, 1963, Ser. No. 295,720

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-46) This invention relates to an improved package containing parallel fibers and its manufacture, and particularly to a package containing cut parallel brush fibers which offers many advantages over conventional brush fiber packages in loading cut parallel brush fibers into the brush fiber feed magazines of brush manufacturing machines and in permitting more economical production of synthetic brush fibers. The packages of this invention contain filaments which in general have a diameter in the range of 0.002 to 0.060 inch, preferably 0.005 to 0.030 inch. Consideration of existing techniques for enclosing brush fibers and for transferring brush fibers from present standard brush fiber enclosures to the brush fibe' feed magazine of brush making machinery will make the need for improvement apparent.

With the exception of certain coarse, stick-like, nontangling fibers whose minimum cross-sectional dimension may be in the order of 0.060 inch, and which are baled or supplied in conventional cartons, brush fibers are and have been traditionally supplied to the brush industry in parallel disposition within cylindrical bundles whose diameter is usually in the order of 2 inches. Such bundles have been retained in cylindrical form by means of string, wire, elastic bands, paper bands, spiral paper wrappings, or shrunk cellulose or plastic tubing, as described in Shaw Patent No. 2,581,561. A bundle diameter of 2 inches has been arrived at because that is the maximum diameter a man can grip in one hand and hold onto While opening it with the other hand.

The length of the cylindrical bundles are on occasion limited by the length in which specific fibers occur in nature, but in the case of synthetic brush fibers, the bundles are usually produced in a length which is a multiple of the ultimate brush fiber length desired.

The desired brush fiber lengths are sliced from the multiple length bundles with a guillotine cutter or other means in a direction normal to the center lines of the enclosed parallel family of fibers.

In the presently used techniques, in filling conventional feed magazines which are rectangular in nature, it is necessary to open a multiplicity of cylindrical enclosures and stuff the contained fibers manually into the rectangular feed magazines with considerable attendant spillage while so doing.

In certain brush manufacturing machines, the brush fibers are required to be parallel and disposed horizontally in feed magazines whose cross-section as viewed from above is rectangular. In others, the parallel brush fibers are required to be disposed vertically in feed magazines whose cross-section as viewed from above is also rectangular. In arriving at the art taught by this invention, the possible use of small carton-like boxes as a means of bulkloading both of these types of magazines was investigated, but cost considerations involved in filling the small boxes with short, small diameter fibers subject to severe tangling prevented such a method of operation from becoming a commercial actuality. A lower cost method of accomplishing the same goal was therefore devised.

Objects and advantages of the invention Will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the steps, methods, combinations and improvements pointed out in the appended claims.

ICC

The invention consists in the novel steps, methods, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel package containing cut parallel fibers which has a shape that permits filling brush manufacturing machinery magazines in a fraction of the time required to do so by transferring fiber from the cylindrical enclosures standard in the industry.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel package containing cut parallel fibers in an enclosure that results in lower fiber loss from spillage in the course of transferring the fibers from said enclosure to brush machine fiber feed machines than is experienced in transferring the fibers from conventional cylindrical bundles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel package containing cut parallel fibers which has a lower cost enclosure in comparison to those used with present brush fiber enclosing methods.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel package containing cut parallel fibers that permits lower synthetic fiber production costs. The labor required to make a brush fiber package of given weight of the type used in accordance with this invention, and described hereinafter in detail, is very much less than that required to enclose the numerous small diameter cylindrical enclosures that would be required to give an equivalent enclosed weight. Consequently, synthetic fiber machine operators are able to process more filament.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel methods for obtaining two smaller packages having graduated lengths of fibers in parallel dispositions from a larger package of fibers in parallel dispositions and of substantially the same lengths.

It has been found that certain objects of this invention may be realized by forming a package of brush fibers in which the fibers are in parallel disposition and whose cross-section normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers is maintained in quadrangular form by an enclosing medium whose length in the direction of the center lines of the contained fibers is the same as the enclosed fibers. The most common quadrangular shape is rectangular. For convenience sake, the term rectangular will be used hereinafter. It should be understood, however, the term rectangular, as used in the claims, includes any quadrangular shape.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a creased sheet employed in forming the fiber enclosure of four sides and a rigid metal retainer capable of receiving the creased sheet.

'FIG. 2 shows the creased sheet nested in the rigid metal retainer.

FIG. 3 shows in end section how a family of horizontal parallel fibers may be positioned and lowered into the cavity formed by the creased sheet in the rigid container.

FIG. 4 shows the cavity formed by the sheet filled with horizontal parallel fibers and indicates how the protruding fiaps may be folded over and fastened to form a fiber enclosure that has a rectangular cross-section normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

'FIG. 5 shows the completed package after removal from the rigid container and guillotine trimming of the ends and also indicates how the package may be further sliced to give smaller packages containing fibers of a specific cut length.

FIG. 6 shows one such smaller package containing tfibers of a cut specific length.

FIG. 7 shows how the enclosed fibers of the out package of FIG. 6 may be dropped from the package enclosure in parallel, vertical disposition into a rectangular fiber feed magazine which calls for fibers so disposed.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show the simple sequence of steps required to disposed enclosed fibers in horizontal, parallel juxtaposition, in a rectangular metal holder with closed bottom. FIG. 8 further shows how the package of FIG. 6 may be inserted in a holder and FIG. 9 shows the package in the holder such that the top surface of the package projects above the top of the holder.

FIG. 10 shows exposed fibers in parallel horizontal disposition in a container open at the top, with the flap covers cut away from the package.

FIG. 11 shows how the brush fibers contained in the enclosure of this invention may be dropped in parallel horizontal disposition by turning the open container of FIG. 10 through 180.

FIG. 12 shows a still different embodiment of a package of this invention having a brush fiber enclosure whose projected area in the direction of the center lines of the enclosed fibers is rectangular and wherein the common ends of the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers have been sliced at different angles with respect to the center lines of the enclosure fibers.

FIG. 13 shows how the package of FIG. may be sliced on a plane which forms an inclined angle with the center lines of the fibers to provide two smaller packages, each having graduated lengths of fiber.

FIG. 14 is a perspective of the package of FIG. 6 being inserted into a paper slip cover for closing the open ends of the package enclosure.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a base support having a curved surface for supporting the lower ends of parallel fibers protruding from a package which is sliced in the manner indicated in FIG. 19.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a base support having an angled surface for supporting the lower ends of parallel fibers protruding from a package which is sliced in the manner indicated in FIG. 17.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the package of FIG. 5 wherein the fibers are tamped against the angled surface of the support of FIG. 16, whereby the lower ends of the fibers conform to the angle a and the upper ends also conform to this angle as at b, and wherein the package is sliced in a direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGS. 18 and 19 are minor side views of the package of FIG. 5 showing the fibers protruding from the package by tamping (FIG. 18) which is continued until they rest against the curved surface of the support base of FIG. 15, as shown in FIG. 19, the lower ends of the fibers conforming to the curvature of the curved surface and the upper ends conforming to the same curvature.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the two smaller packages having graduated lengths of fibers that are formed by cutting the larger package in a direction indicated by the arrow FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a saddle having a semicircular cross-section used for supporting a cylindrical package of fibers when it is cut by an appropriate cutting knife, the portion of the package out by said knife being of substantially circular cross-section.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package of fibers seated on the saddle of FIG. 21 in a tilted position for cutting of an angled end position of circular cross-section by downward movement of a gullotine cutter in the direction indicated by the arrow.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package of fibers whose ends have been cut at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the fibers.

FIG. 24 is a side view of the cylindrical package of FIG. 23 which is cut vertically in the middle, as indicated by the dotted lines, to give two small packages, each of the packages having fibers of graduated lengths but no uniform apportionment of fibers of varying lengths, between and including the maximum and minimum lengths.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a saddle in the form of a U-shaped channel used for supporting a cylindrical package of fibers when it is cut vby an appropriate cutting knife, the portion of the package cut by said knife being of substantially rectangular cross-section.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a cylindrical package seated on the saddle of FIG. 25 in a tilted position for cutting of an angled end portion of rectangular cross section by downward movement of a guillotine cutter in the direction indicated by the arrow.

FIG. 27 is a side view of a cylindrical package whose ends have been cut in the manner indicated in FIG. 26, which ends are of rectangular cross-section and cut at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the fibers. By cutting the package vertically in the manner indicated by the dotted lines there results two smaller packages of graduated lengths, each of the smaller packages having fibers of graduated lengths and uniform apportionment of the varying lengths whereby the proportion of fibers of a given length between the maximum and minimum lengths is essentially the same as the proportion of fibers of any other length between and including the maximum and minimum lengths.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings so that a more detailed description of the invention may be given.

FIG. 1 shows a sheet of an enclosing material 1 which may be corrugated cardboard, paper, plastic sheet, or the like, which is creased at 2, 3, 4 and 5, as shown, to form a U-shaped enclosure comprising a bottom 6,

side walls

7 and 8 extending vertically from said bottom 6 and flaps 9 and 10 at the free end of

side walls

7 and 8, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1 the inner walls of

side walls

7 and 8 and bottom 6 form a cavity 11 adapted to receive filaments. As shown in FIG. 1, the interior of formed metal container 12 conforms to the shape of the creased sheet 1, so that when sheet 1 is moved in the direction of 13, it fits into container 12 to give a composite structure as shown in FIG. 2. Bundles of brush fibers 14 in parallel disposition may be lowered in the direction 15 into the cavity 11 formed by creased sheet 1, as shown in FIG. 3, until the cavity is filled, as shown in FIG. 4. Flaps 9 and 10 are folded over on each other, as indicated in FIG. 4, and fastened by gluing, taping or other means to give a wrap-around enclosure which, after guillotine cutting as described hereinafter, has rectangular ends normal to the center lines of the contained fibers, as shown in FIG. 5.

A particularly desirable size for the package of this invention is one having a rectangular cross-section in the order of 2" x 8". In the illustrated embodiment the cross-section of the packaged fiber is a perfect rectangle, since underlying flap 10 is flush with crease 2, as shown in FIG. 5. It should be understood, however, that slight deviations from a rectangular shape may occur when the underlying flap 10 does not extend the full distance from crease 3 to crease 2, so that the cross-section of the packaged fiber is not perfectly rectangular. Also, as an alternative to the use of two flaps, one may use only a single flap extending from one side wall and resting on the top surface of the other side wall.

As a further embodiment, flaps 9 and 10 of the enclosure may be eliminated, and a piece of tape, e.g., a normally tacky and pressure-sensitive tape, used instead to provide a top cover for the enclosing medium. Such tape is of the same length as the

side walls

7 and 8. The width of the tape extends beyond the space between the side walls so that there is provided, near each free end of the side walls, a downwardly extending vertical flap, secured to the outer side of said side wall.

In the aforementioned embodiment of FIG. 5, the family of fibers are suspended horizontally. By suspending the family of fibers vertically it is possible to form a similar enclosure while the fibers are maintained in a vertical position.

After the flaps have been folded to form a package having rectangular ends, in the manner described hereinabove, the rectangular ends may be sliced by a guillotine cutter or by other means to square the ends 16 and 17. For convenience sake, the package of FIG. 5 with the ends squared is given the reference numeral 18. The open squared ends of the enclosure of the package 18 may be closed by means of formed cardboard caps or tape or by other means to permit shipment. Where the enclosed medium is made of sufficiently stiff material, e.g., corrugated cardboard, it has been found that the cut fiber packages may be shipped in conventional cartons, etc. Without the necessity of closing the ends of the enclosures. For synthetic fibers the package 18 as produced would normally have a length which would be a multiple of a specified brush fiber length, in which case a multiplicity of slices would be made through the package 18 in the direction shown at 19-20 to give shorter rectangular packages 18a, as shown in FIG. 6. In practice the package of FIG. 5 would be turned 90 and sliced vertically in the direction 19-20.

As shown in FIG. 14, if desired the smaller package 18a of FIG. 6 may be slipped into a paper cover 21, open at both ends, to close the open ends of the package enclosure.

It is apparent that brush machine feed magazines which are designed to receive parallel brush fibers in vertical disposition can have their magazines filled by discharging the fiber 14a in the enclosure of the package 18a in the direction shown in FIG. 7.

For brush manufacturing machinery designed to receive parallel fibers in horizontal disposition the package 18a may be subjected to the sequence shown in FIGS. 8-11. The package 18a may be placed in a metallic holder 22, as shown in FIG. 8, such that the top surface 23 of the package 18a projects above the top of the holder 22, as shown in FIG. 9. In this position, the top surface 23 may be readily removed by cutting edges suitably placed in a jig thereby exposing parallel fibers in horizontal disposition, as shown in FIG. 10. The open filled package of FIG. 10 may be turned through 180 to permit discharge of parallel, horizontal fibers from the enclosure, as shown in FIG. 11.

A number of types of brush manufacturing machines have their output limited by the speed with which operators can open the small diameter cylindrical bundles in which brush fibers are normally supplied and transfer the contained fibers into the fiber feed magazines of the machines.

A novel package formed in accordance with this invention, having a rectangular cross-section in the order of 2" X 8", contains five or more times brush fiber than the heretofore used cylindrical package having a 2" diameter and of the same length as the rectangular package of the invention. Then too, the aforementioned rectangular package requires no more effort to open it and transfer its contents to the feed magazine than is required to do likewise for one aforementioned cylindrical package. The novel package of this invention eliminates the fiber feeding bottleneck mentioned hereinbefore with respect to the presently used cylindrical packages, thus opening the way to faster production .and possible multiple brush-making machine operation by one man.

It is very diflicult for a man to get a firm grip on a 2" diameter fiber bundle while opening it with the other hand. Fibers therefore are constantly slipping out of the cut bundle and falling to the floor as waste during the transfer operation to the brush-making machine feed magazines. It does not pay to pick up and sort these dropped fibers. Where short cuts in the order of 1" to 1.5" are involved, the waste is very appreciable and has on occasion been reported as high as 8%. There is no possibility of such loss by slippage using the new proposed package. See, for example, the simple sequence of steps illustrated in FIGS. 8 to 11 whereby fibers are transferred from the package enclosure to a feed magazine without any danger of fiber slippage.

' Where synthetic fibers are involved, it is not economically desirable nor commercially acceptable to ship bundles tied with string, wire, or elastic bands. Shrunk cellulose tubing costs in the order of 2.7 per lb. of enclosed material. Spiral paper wrapping costs less material-wise but labor costs for winding are greater, so that the cost of spiral winding small diameter cylindrical bundles with paper approaches the overall cost of cellulose tubing. Brush fibers can be enclosed for approximately 0.7 cent per lb. using the techniques of this invention, so that an economy in the order of $20,000 per million pounds of fiber shipped is possible using the new enclosure.

The limiting factor in synthetic fiber production per man hour is the rate at which a man can physically remove and package produced fiber. If an operator is filling enclosures which hold five or more times the material that he is accustomed to handling for each cylindrical enclosure, it is obvious that the synthetic fiber producing machine could be vastly stepped up from an output standpoint.

In the aforementioned package of FIG. 5, the enclosed fibers have substantially the same lengths when the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers are sliced at each end at the same angle. In the particular package 18 illustrated, the ends are cut at an angle which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers. If so desired, the ends may be cut at an angle which is not normal to the enclosed fibers. In such instance, where the angle cut is the same at both ends, the enclosed fibers have substantially the same length.

In certain instances it may be desirable to have graduated lengths of brush fibers in an enclosure whose crosssection normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers is rectangular. This may be accomplished by slicing the enclosing medium at one end at an angle different from the cut made at the other end. Such an embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 12 wherein there is shown a package 24 whose ends 25 and 26 are sliced at angles which are different and not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers. If the package 24 is cut at 27-28 on a plane which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers, there results two

smaller packages

24 and 24" having graduated lengths of brush fibers, each of the packages having one end which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and the other end sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

A difierent method of obtaining two smaller packages having graduated lengths of fibers from a larger package is shown in FIG. 13. As shown, the package 18 of FIG. 5 may be cut at 29-30 on a plane that is at an inclined angle with respect to the center lines of enclosed fibers to provide two smaller packages 18 and '18", having graduated lengths of brush fibers, each of the packages having one end which is norm-a1 to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and the other end at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

In the package of this invention having graduated lengths of brush fibers in an enclosure whose cross-section normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers is rectangular, the proportion of fibers of a given length between the maximum and minimum lengths is essentially the same as the proportion of fibers of any other length within the maximum and minimum lengths. In short, there is effected a uniform apportionment of fibers having varying lengths between, and including, the maximum and minimum lengths. Such uniform apportionment of fibers of different lengths does not exist in a package containing graduated lengths of brush fibers in .an enclosure whose cross-section normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers. is circular; said package having been produced by slicing the enclosing medium at one end at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and slicing the enclosing medium at the other end at an angle which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

In such a package, the proportion of fibers progressively increases as the lengths of the fibers increase from the minimum length to the medium length after which the proportion of fibers progressively decreases as the length of the fibers increase from the medium length to the maximum length.

In this invention, the length of the enclosure is initially the same as the length of the immediately adjacent cut fibers. Of course, in certain instances, one might use as the enclosure material a substance that on aging may shrink or expand so that the length of the enclosures will decrease or increase to some extent. Such a package is contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

As described hereinabove and illustrated in FIG. 13, the package 18 of FIG. may be cut to provide two smaller packages having graduated lengths of brush fibers. In FIGS. -20 there are illustrated different techniques for obtaining two smaller packages having differing lengths of fibers employing the package 18 of FIG. 5.

More particularly, as shown in FIG. 17, the fibers of package 18 are tamped in the direction indicated by the arrows against the angled surface 31 of support 32 of FIG. 16, whereby the lower ends 33 of the fibers conform to the angle a. The upper ends 34 of the fibers also conform to this angle as at b. By slicing the package midway between the

ends

35 and 36 of the tamped fibers in the direction shown at 37 and 38, there is obtained two

smaller packages

39 and 40 containing fibers of differing lengths. The fibers of package 39 protrude from the package, while the fibers of package 40 are totally enclosed.

FIGS. 18-20 illustrate a tamping and cutting procedure identical to that described above with respect to FIGS. 15-17, except in place of support 32 having an angled surface 31, there is employed a support 42 of FIG. 15 having a curved surface 41. More particularly, the fibers are tamped in the direction indicated by the arrow (FIG. 18) against the curved surface 41 of support 42, as shown in FIG. 19, the lower ends 43 conforming to the curvature of the curved surface 41. The upper ends 44 also conform to the same curvature. By slicing the package midway between the

ends

45 and 46 of the tamped fibers in the direction shown at 47-48 in FIG. 19, there is obtained two

smaller packages

49 and 50 having fibers of differing lengths. As shown in FIG. 20, the fibers of package 49 protrude from the package, while the fibers of package 50 are totally enclosed.

The principles described above, and illustrated in FIGS. 15-20, with respect to the'rectangular package 18 of FIG. 5 may be applied to a package of any configuration having fibers in parallel disposition such, for example, as conventional cylindrical packages referred to hereinbefore.

In the aforedescribed techniques for obtaining smaller packages having difiering fiber lengths from a larger package -by slicing the larger package in the manner described hereinabove, the package is of the type produced in accordance with the present invention, i.e., it has a substantially rectangular cross-section as exemplified by the rectangular package of FIG. 5.

It should be realized, however, as illustrated in FIGS. 21 to 27, that conventional cylindrical packages containing fibers in parallel disposition, and which have been referred to hereinbefore, may be sliced to obtain smaller packages containing fibers of graduated lengths.

The embodiment of FIGS. 21-24 illustrates a technique for obtaining two smaller packages of fibers from a larger cylindrical package wherein each of the smaller packages have fibers of graduated lengths, but wherein there is not present a uniform apportionment of fibers of varying lengths between, and including, the maximum and minimum lengths. As will be readily apparent from the detailed description which appears hereinlater, in producing the aforesaid packages there is employed a saddle of semi-circular cross-section for supporting the larger package as it is being cut by an appropriate cutting knife. The cut portions are substantially circular in cross-section.

The embodiment of FIGS. 25-27 illustrates a technique for obtaining two smaller packages of fibers from a larger cylindrical package wherein each of the smaller packages have fibers of graduated length, and wherein the proportion of fibers of a given length between the maximum and minimum length is essentially the same as the proportion of fibers of any other length between, and including, the maximum and minimum lengths. As will be described in detail hereinlater, in producing the aforedescribed package, there is employed a saddle in the form of a U-shaped channel for supporting the larger package as it is being cut by an appropriate cutting knife. The cut portions are substantially rectangular in cross-section.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 21-24 which illustrate one technique for obtaining

smaller packages

51 and 51 having graduated lengths of fibers from a larger conventional cylindrical package 51 of fibers. The saddle 55, which is of semi-circular cross-section and is used to support the package 51, when being cut as shown in FIG. 21, is provided with a shear edge 56, which is at an angle which is not normal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. The cylindrical package 51 is sliced in the manner shown in FIG. 22 to obtain a package, as shown in FIG. 23, whose ends 52 and 53 are of substantially circular cross-section and are sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers. As shown in FIG. 24, if the package 51 is cut vertically at 54, there results two

smaller packages

51 and 51" showing graduated lengths of fibers, each of the packages having one end which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and another end which is sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

As shown in FIG. 22, in cutting the packages 51 to obtain cut end 52, the package is received in the saddle 55 which is tilted so that upon downward movement of guillotine knife 57, as indicated by the arrow 58, the shear edge 56 of the saddle 55 is parallel to the vertical line of movement of the cutting knife 57. The package 51 is then moved forwardly with respect to the saddle and a second end 53 is cut in the same manner as described above with respect to cut end 52. Next, the package 51 is cut at 54, midway between ends 52 and 53. In cutting the package at 54, it may be supported in a saddle (not shown) which is identical to that shown in FIG. 21, except that the shear edge is vertical, i.e., at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. Also, when the package is cut at 54 and supported by the saddle, the saddle is in a non-tilted horizontal position so that the shear edge is parallel to the vertical downward movement of the cutting knife.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 25-27 which illustrate a technique for obtaining smaller packages 61' and 61" having graduated lengths of fibers of uniform proportionment from a larger conventional cylindrical package 61 of fibers. The saddle 65, which is of U- shaped cross-section and used to support package 61, as shown in FIG. 25, is provided with a shear edge 66 which is at an angle which is not normal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. The cylindrical package 61 is sliced, in the manner shown in FIG. 26, to obtain a package, as shown in FIG. 27, whose ends 62 and 63 are of substantially rectangular cross-section and are sliced at an angle which is not normal to center lines of the enclosed fibers. As shown in FIG. 27, if the package 61 is cut vertically at 64, there results two

smaller packages

61 and 61" having graduated lengths of fibers, each of the packages having one end which is normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers and the other end sliced at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of the enclosed fibers.

As shown in FIG. 26, in cutting the package 61 to obtain cut end 62, the package is received in the saddle 65 which is tilted so that upon downward movement of guillotine knife 67, as indicated by arrow 68, the

shear edge 66 of the saddle 65 is parallel to the vertical line of movement of the cutting knife 67. The cut end 62 is of substantially rectangular cross-section as the portion of the package received by the saddle conforms to the shape of the U-shaped saddle when received therein and then subjected to the force of the cutting knife.

After the'cut 62 is made, the package is then moved forwardly with respect to the saddle and a second end 63 of rectangular cross-section is cut in the same manner as described above with respect to the cut end 62. Next, the package 61 is cut at 64 midway between ends 62 and 63. In cutting the package at 64, it may be supported in a saddle (not shown) which is identical to that shown in FIGURE 25, except that the shear edge is vertical, i.e., at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the saddle. Also, when the package is cut at 64 and is supported by the saddle, the saddle is in a non-tilted horizontal position, so that the shear edge is parallel to the vertical downward movement of the cutting knife, the cut being of substantially rectangular cross-section.

In the technique described above, and illustrated in FIGS. 21-24, or in FIGS. 25-27, the

package

51 or 61 is subjected to a number of cuts whereby the ends 52 and 53, or 62 and 63, are cut at an angle which is not normal to the center lines of enclosed fibers, while the cut at 54, or 64, is at right angles to the center lines of the fibers. If so desired, a reversal of the above described procedure may be used, similar to that shown in FIG. 13, with respect to a rectangular package. More particularly, the end of the larger package may be cut at right angles with respect to the center lines of the fibers, and subsequently providing an intermediate out which is at an inclined angle with respect to the center lines of the enclosed fibers, to provide two smaller packages having graduated lengths of fibers. Of course, in cutting the ends of the package at right angles to the center lines of the fibers, the supporting saddle is in a non-tilted position and of the type described hereinbefore with respect to cut 54 of FIG. 24, or cut 64 of FIG. 27. In providing the intermediate inclined angle cut, the supporting saddle used is in a tilted position and of the type 22, or FIG. 25 and FIG. 26.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific steps, methods, combinations and improvements described, but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principle of the invention and Without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A package of enclosed brush fibers, the said fibers being in parallel disposition and of differing lengths and being enclosed by an enclosing medium, the length of said enclosing medium varying in the direction of the longitudinal axes of the contained fibers wherein the length in the direction of the enclosed fiber longitudinal axes at any location is the same as the length of the enclosed fibers immediately adjacent to the point of measurement, one common end of the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers having a common plane intersecting the longitudinal axes of the said enclosing medium and said enclosed fibers at an angle different from the angle of the comm-on plane formed at the other common end of the enclosing medium and enclosed fibers.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the package is of a rectangular cross-section and wherein each of said common planes is of a rectangular configuration.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,127,542 2/ 1915 Stiggins 20646 1,677,920 7/1928 Gubbard 300-21 1,886,842 11/1932 Shaw 5323 2,132,958 10/1938 Martin 206-46 2,205,036 6/1940 Hamel 8317 2,302,354 11/1942 Smith 8317 2,3 84,494 9/1945 Schutter 5323 2,581,561 1/1952 Shaw 206-64 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A PACKAGE OF ENCLOSED BRUSH FIBERS, THE SAID FIBERS BEING IN PARALLEL DISPOSITION AND OF DIFFERING LENGTHS AND BEING ENCLOSED BY AN ENCLOSING MEDIUM, THE LENGTH OF SAID ENCLOSING MEDIUM VARYING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE CONTAINED FIBERS WHEREIN THE LENGTH IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ENCLOSED FIBER LONGITUDINAL AXES AT ANY LOCATION IS THE SAME AS THE LENGTH OF THE ENCLOSED FIBERS IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE POINT OF MEASUREMENT, ONE COMMON END OF THE ENCLOSING MEDIUM AND ENCLOSED FIBERS HAVING A COMMON PLANE INTERSECTING THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE SAID ENCLOSING MEDIUM AND SAID ENCLOSED FIBERS AT AN ANGLE DIFFERENT FROM THE ANGLE OF THE COMMON PLANE FORMED AT THE OTHER COMMON END OF THE ENCLOSING MEDIUM AND ENCLOSED FIBERS.