US3299843A

US3299843A - Splicing method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3299843A
Application number: US391173A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alexander V Alexeff
Original assignee: Industrial Ovens Inc
Current assignee: Industrial Ovens Inc
Priority date: 1964-08-21
Filing date: 1964-08-21
Publication date: 1967-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1967 A. v. ALEXEFF SPLICING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1964 INVENTOR.

- ALEXANDER V. ALEXEF'F ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,299,843 SPLICING METHOD AND APPARATUS Alexander V. Alexetf, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Ovens, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Aug. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 391,173 8 Claims. (Cl. 112-262) The present invention relates to uniting together by sewing means adjacent ends of elongated members and, more particularly, to a splicing method and apparatus for stitching together overlapped ends of fabric strips or the like intended to move in-line along a general direction of travel.

It is often necessary in various industrial operations to join parts of various materials being passed, normally seriatim, through a certain processing operation. As an example, on a tire manufacturing production line, it is necessary periodically to stitch or splice the leading end of a new roll of tire cord fabric to the tail end of a roll of fabric being processed and about to be exhausted.

A means stationed laterally of such direction.

In the past, the practice has been to pass a sewing head ice 1y heavy sewing head past overlapped fabric ends which do not undergo any lateral movement. More particularly, in one form of the invention, a sufiicient length of each of the ends of a leading fabric strip and a succeeding fabric strip are gathered and overlapped to immobilize such lengths while avoiding substantial interruption of the movement of at least the leading strip along the-general direction of a production line. The overlapped ends are temporarily removed from the direction of travel along the production line and passed through sewing or stitching Preferably, the overlapped ends are passed through or by the sewing means in a course back toward the general direction of travel (without moving the sewing head relatively to such direction) simultaneously to splice the overlapped ends and return them to movement along the general direction of travel, all in one operation.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus illustrated includes a splice-preparation table generally indicated at T. The table includes a flat open surface 10 which supports fabrics F and F in their general direction of travel along a production line which is indicated by an arrow 11 of FIGURE 1. Table T also includes a lateral extension of jig 12 designed to accomplish the stitching or splicing of the adjacent ends of fabric F and F at a point, as illustrated, removed or displaced from the general direction production, especially should it be required to stop the 7 production line to effect a splice.

It has now been found that quite substantial savings can be realized, not only in simplicity of operation and equipment used, but in the resulting economics, by actually displacing the fabric ends, or the like, from their general direction of travel and then translating the fabric ends with respect to stationary sewing means rather than vice versa.

It is, accordingly, a principal object of the present invention to provide improved method and apparatus for uniting by sewing means portions of various members.

Another object is to provide an improved method and apparatus for stitching together by mechanical sewing means two elongated members moving in-line along a path of travel.

A further object is to splice relatively quickly the ends of fabric strips or the like moving seriatim along a general direction of travel by displacing such ends from the direction of travel, and then stitching and returning the ends to such travel direction in one operation.

Additional object and advantages are apparent from the following figures and description wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partly diagrammatic, plan view of one form of the present invention, showing the general direction of travel of fabric strips and their overlapped ends displaced laterally thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a left hand end view of FIGURE 1 with the fabric strips removed;

FIGURE 3 is a right hand end view of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section of FIGURE 2 on the line 44; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one of the tapes of the illustrated apparatus.

Basically, in accordance with the present invention, fabric strips or the like are translated past a stationary sewing head, rather than attempting to translate a relativeof the arrow 11.

Means are provided to continuously move a portion of one of the fabrics F and F along their general direction of travel. This moving means is illustrated as including a drive roll R. p v

The extension 12 includes'spaced horizontal frames 13 that are suitably supported by posts 14.

Rollers

15, 16, and 17 are journaled for rotation on the extension 12; the first two rollers being pivotally carried by the frames 13, and the last roller being underslung and pivotally carried by vertically depending side strips 18. A pair of spacedapart parallel tapes 19 are trained around the

rollers

15, 16 and 17 which, as indicated in FIGURE 4, preferably have circumferential slots 20 to receive the tapes and hold them in align-ment. Each tape has gripping or hook means temporarily to grip the fabrics F and F Conveniently, the hook means may take the form of nails 21 (FIGURE 5) which protrude from and are spaced along the tapes '19.

A fixed stand 22 located to one side of the extension 12, supports a conventional sewing head 23 in overlying relation to the tapes 19. As indicated, the sewing head can be of standard construction such as those sewing means illustrated in United States Patents No. 1,983,258 or No. 2,045,188. The use of multiple needles 24 is recommended. In the course of their travel, the tapes 19 straddle the needles 24 (FIGURE 4) as well as a pair of pull rollers 25 which are pivotally supported by the stand 22 and vertically pinch the fabrics lying atop the tapes. Standard means such as an electric motor (not shown) drive the rollers 25 and thereby translate the gripped fabrics. Preferably, for reasons hereinafter mentioned, the movement of the fabrics and tapes is such that the upper flights of the tapes move toward the fiat open surface 10.

As a modification, the tapes 19 are preferably metallic. This enables the use of magnetic weights, such as magnetic bars 26, which are placed atop the overlapped fabric ends to hold them tightly against the underlying metallic tapes during a stitching operation.

To illustrate one specific embodiment, in processing approximately 1.25 inches in width and 0.08 inch in thickness. The two tapes were spaced apart approximately inches. The sewing head had ten needles spaced to extend five to six inches transversely of the tapes.

In operation, a section of canvas (not shown) may be placed over the extension 12, with one end of the canvas extending through the sewing machine pulling rolls 25. The rest of the canvas is spread over both tapes 19 and hooked upon the nails 21. The canvas is not essential but preferably used to reduce friction in translating the fabric ends. If time is not critical, the production line can be stopped while this and the subsequent steps are carried out, although an important advantage of the present invention is that the splicing operation can be accomplished so quickly that movement of at least the leading fabric strip F need not be interrupted.

One end portion of the new fabric roll F is next placed on top of the canvas and spread and hooked upon the nails 21, so that an edge 26 extends over both tapes 19. The tail end of the fabric being processed F is then also spread and hooked upon the nails 19, so that its trailing edge 27 also extends over both tapes. takes but a few seconds to complete. As shown by FIG- URE 3, a sufficient length of each fabric end is gathered to allow some draping of the fabric over the sides of the extension 12. This is particularly desirable if the movement of the fabric F is not to be interrupted as described.

This operation terrupting said continuous movement, placing the overlapped ends laterally of said direction of travel and beyond a sewing head, passing the overlapped ends through the sewing head on a course back toward the general direction of travel without moving the sewing head relatively to said direction of travel simultaneously to splice the overlapped ends and return the spliced fabric ends to movement along said general direction of travel.

3. Apparatus for uniting together members moving seriatim along .a normal path of travel comprising means defining a normal path of travel for said members, means for continuously moving a portion of one of said members along said normal path, stationary sewing means positioned at one side of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said members, conveying means cooperating with said sewing means and adapted to move in a path angularly related to said normal path of travel, said angularly related path extending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, and means on said conveyor means to receive overlapped end portions of two of said members, whereby the overlapped members are united while being translated along said angularly related path from a location beyond said sewing head.

4. Stitching apparatus for securing together two elongated members moving in-line along a normal path of travel comprising means defining a normal path of travel for said members, means for continuously moving a por- If it is desired to insure that the fabric ends and canvas remain hooked regardless of possible mishandling, magnetic bars 26 are placed atop each tape and adjacent to the nails 21 should they protrude through the superposed canvas and fabrics. fied layers of material to be stitched tightly against the steel tapes while the sewing operation is being performed.

When all preparations as outlined are completed, the sewing cycle is started by energizing the drive rolls 25, as by means of a foot switch at the base of the stand 22, It requires only a few seconds to run the superposed fabric strips through the sewing machine head 23 and back over the fiat surface 10. One overall operation required but 30 seconds. The tapes 19 pass around roll 15 and be- The magnetic bars hold the identition of one of said members along said normal path, serving means positioned at one side of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said members, belt means cooperating with the sewing means and adapted to be driven in a path angularly realted to said normal path of travel, said angularly related path extending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, and gripping means on said belt means to receive overlapped end portions of said two members, whereby the overlapped q members are stitched together while being translated along neath the extension 12, as indicated in the direction of ar- While the foregoing describes a presently preferred embodiment, it is understood that the invention may be practiced in still other forms within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method of splicing adjacent ends of strips moving seriatim in a normal feed path; the steps of overlapping two associated end portions of two consecutively fed strips while continuously feeding one of the strips along a normal feed path, placing the overlapped portions laterally of said feed path and beyond .a splicing means, returning the overlapped portions to the feed path by passing them through the splicing means while operating said splicing means.

2. In a method of splicing by a sewing head adjacent ends of fabric strips or the like wherein at least the leadsaid angularly related path from a location beyond said sewing head.

5. Splicing. apparatus for securing together adjacent ends of fabric strips or the like moving seriatim in a normal path of travel comprising means defining a normal path of travel for said strips, means for continuously moving a portion of one of said strips along said normal path, a sewing head permanently installed at one side of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said strips, spaced-apart continuous tape means extending in a path angularly related to said normal path of travel, said angularly related path of travel extending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, gripping means along the tape means to receive adjacent ends of the fabric strips and hold them in overlapped relation, and means to translate the tapes in said angularly related path.

6. The splicing apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means to translate the tape means moves the latter back toward the normal path of travel simultaneously to splice the overlapped ends and re-establish the spliced fabric strips in the normal path of travel.

7. Splicing apparatus for securing together relatively quickly the adjacent ends of fabric strips or the like moving seriatim in a normal path of travel, comprising a splice-preparation table defining said normal path of travel, means for continuously moving a portion of one of said strips along said normal path, a sewing head having stitching means fixed with respect to the table and laterally of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said strips, spaced-apart susbtantially parallel tapes mounted to pass through the sewing head and on opposite sides of the stitching means in a path angularly related to said normal path of travel, said angularly related path of travel extending from said normal path of travel beyond said sewing head, nail means protruding from and spaced along each tape adapted to re- 5 ceive adjacent ends of the fabric strips and hold them in overlapped relation, and means to translate the tapes in said angularly related path.

8. Splicing apparatus for securing together adjacent ends of fabric strips or the like moving seriatim in a normal path of travel comprising means defining a normal path of travel for said strips, a sewing head permanently installed .at one side of said normal path of travel in spaced relationship with respect to said strips, spaced apart continuous metallic tape means extending in a path angularly related to said normal path of travel, said angularly related path of travel extending from said normal path of travel past said sewing head, gripping means along the tape means to receive adjacent ends of the fabric strips and hold them in overlapped relation, means to translate the tapes in said angularly related path, and magnetic weights adapted to overlie the overlapped fabric ends and assist in holding said ends to the tape means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,049,304 12/1912 Isherwood 112203 1,460,891 7/1923 De Voe 112203 X 1,720,658 7/1929 Gail 1122 2,141,104 12/1938 Buccicone 22693 2,150,527 3/1939 Talmadge 112-203 2,444,335 6/1948 Coppock 1122 2,546,831 3/1951 Newell 112---252X 2,598,451 5/1952 Simpson 226-93 2,836,135 5/1958 Briggs 1122X 3,097,381 7/1963 Kline et a1. 12142 3,167,041 1/1965 Briggs 1122 15 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

I. R. BOLER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A METHOD OF SPLICING ADJACENT ENDS OF STRIPS MOVING SERIATIM IN A NORMAL FEED PATH; THE STEPS OF OVERLAPPING TWO ASSOCIATED END PORTIONS OF TWO CONSECUTIVELY FED STRIPS WHILE CONTINOUSLY FEEDING ONE OF THE STRIPS ALONG A NORMAL FEED PATH, PLACING THE OVERLAPPED PORTIONS LATERALLY OF SAID FEED PATH AND BEYOND A SPLICING MEANS, RETURNING THE OVERLAPPED PORTIONS TO THE FEED PATH BY PASSING THEM THROUGH THE SPLICING MEANS WHILE OPERATING SAID SPLICING MEANS.