US3550152A

US3550152A - Razor blade marking apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3550152A
Application number: US677599A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank Samuel Martin
Original assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Current assignee: Gillette Co LLC
Priority date: 1967-10-24
Filing date: 1967-10-24
Publication date: 1970-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1987-12-22
Also published as: BR6803260D0; ES359303A1; DE1804211B2; DE1804211A1; SE342167B; GB1214553A; CH476554A; FR1587144A; NL6814655A; DE1804211C3

Description

Dec. 22, 1970 F. s. MARTIN RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS 2 9 m ml 1 I Q U M W HL lh n h F IL Q h N 9 t A 9 t w 8 mm DD 0m 3 mm a EU U. a g

| L E1L uzn Filed Oct. 24, 1967 ,Dec. .1 I I F. s. MARTIN 3,550,152-

RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1967 v I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 5 v FIG 6 76 Dec. 2711970 A F. s. MARTIN 3,550,152

RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 24, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I HO I, 8* I I United States Patent O 3,550,152 RAZOR BLADE MARKING APPARATUS Frank Samuel Martin, Weuham, Mass., assignor to The Gillette Company, Gillette Park, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 677,599 Int. Cl.G11b 21/12;G01d9/l0, /12

US. Cl. 346-74 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Magnetic marking apparatus for recording data on segments of stainless steel strip razor blade 0.1895 inch in width in which the apparatus includes: twenty-three cylindrical permanent magnets one each 0.120 inch in diameter, mounted in housings in a line beside a path of movement of the razor blade strip thereby; biasing means biasing the magnets toward the blade strip path; carriers in which said housings are mounted; a selector on each carrier connected to the housing adapted for selecting the magnet to contact the strip by advancing the magnet to an activated condition; a support bar on which the carriers are mounted; a cam connected to the support bar for moving the activated magnets between marking positions contacting the strip material and non-marking positions remote therefrom; and a vacuum block on the other side of the strip path from the magnets exposing a vacuum chamber to the strip path via an elongated groove 0.031 inch in width for preventing transverse movement of the blade strip.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION This invention relates to razor blade processing and more particularly to apparatus for recording data on segments of steel strip razor blade material and to strip razor blade segments so marked.

In any significant manufacturing operation today, quality control is of prime importance, and nowhere is this more true than in the manufacture of strip razor blades. To this end it is highly desirable that the razor blades carry indicia of production history in order that subsequently discovered defects may be correlated therewith and in order that appropriate action may be taken to prevent such defects in the future. On the other hand it is desirable to use a coded non-visible marking to keep the information confidential. Likewise it is desirable to utilize marking apparatus which is adaptable to incorporation in existing processing machinery. It has been found that magnetic marking suits all of these purposes.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a magnetic marking apparatus capable of producing coded markings in steel strip razor blade material to indicate processing data. It is likewise an object to produce such a marked strip. Other objects of this invention are to provide such apparatus which is of simple and compact design adapted for incorporation in existing machinery; and to provide such apparatus which is simple to operate and which adds minimally to unit production cost. And still another object of this invention is to provide in such apparatus means for preventing deflection of strip material during and after marking.

In general the invention features, in addition to a strip razor blade segment magnetically marked, apparatus for marking having a plurality of magnet members positioned beside the blade strip path through the apparatus. Connected to each of several of the magnet members is a selector for switching certain of such magnet members to marking condition for marking in a predetermined variable pattern. Also connected to the magnet members is an actuator for causing the selected, activated magnet Patented Dec. 22, 1970 members to place a plurality of magnetic marks on the razor blade strip in the predetermined pattern. In a particular embodiment of the invention the magnet members are permanent magnets mounted in individual housings and normally biased toward the blade strip path by springs. Individual selector levers move the magnets to marking condition. A reference magnet is also included which is fixed in marking condition. All the magnets are mounted in series on a support bar which is moved toward the blade strip path by a cam actuator so that the magnets contact the razor blade strip and place a series of magnetic marks on it. The blade strip is moved in incremental steps and: the cam actuator moves the support bar when the blade strip is at rest. A vacuum block is provided on the other side of the strip path from the magnet exposing a vacuum chamber to a strip passing thereby. The block thus prevents strip deflection during and after marking.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a particular embodiment thereof together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of razor blade strip processing apparatus incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of a razor blade strip to be marked;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of marking apparatus according to the invention as incorporated into the blade strip processing apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partially diagrammatic, elevation taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view along the line 6-6 of FIG 4;

FIG. 7 is an elevation taken along the line 77 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT As will be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings, the razor blade strip processing apparatus 10 includes a plurality of components linearly arranged (the bends in the strip path 14 shown in FIG. 1 being used only to diagrammatically indicate continuity thereof) between a supply station 20 and a segmenting station 48. Pullout rollers 24 positioned in the strip path 14 after supply station 20 draw razor blade strip 12 along the strip path 14 from the coil 13 at supply station 20. Pullout rollers 24 draw strip material from coil 13 at the average speed of the strip through the remainder of apparatus 10. The razor blade 12 is a stainless steel strip (the principal metallurgical constituents of which, in addition to iron, are 0.40% carbon and 13.5% chromium) 0.0015 inch thick and 0.1895 inch wide. As shown in FIG. 2 the razor strip material 12 has a razor edge 15 which is fed in an upright position through apparatus 10 to avoid damage thereto.

A tension control and brake assembly 22 is provided between pullout rollers 24 and supply station 20 for exerting a tensional force on the strip material at the coil 13 thereof, at station 20, in the direction of rotation thereof and for braking the coil in response to a tension decrease below a predetermined level.

After pullout rollers 24 the strip path 14 forms a slack loop containing a greater amount of strip material therein than a segment length thereof, which loop is maintained by a flow of air from jet 26. Photoelectric cell detectors 28 are provided at the position of the loop to sense any increase in the loop beyond the position therebetween to signal pullout rollers 24 to slow down or stop. Microswitch 30 detects and signals any loss of the loop. From rollers 24 movement of strip material through apparatus 10 is incremental, the slack loop, however, permitting the strip material to be drawn from coil 13 at a relatively constant speed.

From the loop the strip path 14 proceeds between guide rollers 32 and thence to a vacuum tension control block 34 which exerts a retarding force on the strip material as it passes therefrom. The vacuum tension control block 34 simply comprises a block adjacent the side of the strip path having perforations at that side through which a vacuum is applied to the side of the strip material as it moves along path 14. The frictional engagement of the strip 12 and the block 34 thereby engendered creates a tension in the strip 12 from that point forward in the apparatus.

From the vacuum tension control block 34, the strip path 14 passes through a series of inspection stations 36 which are adapted to detect any defects in the strip 12 and to store the information in a mechanical memory cell (not shown) to signal actuation of a reject mechanism at a later stage when the strip 12 reaches the reject mechanism.

From the inspection stations the strip path 14 extends through tab placement apparatus 38 which is positioned four strip segment lengths from the segmenting station 48, for operation in the stopped position of the incremental movement of a strip 12 therethrough. At the tab placement apparatus 38

tabs

16 and 17, FIG. 2, comprising generally U-shaped members with a

perforation

18, 19 on one side thereof are fed from feed bowls 40 and placed on strip 12 side by side. The tabs are fastened at placement apparatus 38 to the strip 12 by punches which move through

apertures

18, 19 and deform the strip material and portion of

tabs

16, 17 therebehind. Also at apparatus 38 is another vacuum tension control block 42, similar to block 34, to assist in tensioning the strip 12 and to prevent wavering of the strip 12 as

tabs

16, 17 are placed thereon.

From the tab placement apparatus the strip path 14 moves through fine adjustment and tab detector apparatus 44, three segment lengths from station 48, which adjusts the position of the strip 12 prior to the placement of the next set of

tabs

16, 17 by placement apparatus 38 to assure accuracy of placement thereof, and which detects the presence or absence of tabs and in the absence of one or more tabs signals an apparatus stop cricuit.

From the fine adjustment and tab detector mechanism 44 the strip 12 moves to bi-directional control apparatus 46, two segment lengths from station 48, which prevents any slack from moving backwardly through the strip 12 thereby to maintain tension therebehind and which also functions to exert a retarding tensioning influence on the strip 12 as it passes therefrom to the segmenting station 48.

Positioned along the strip path 14 after the control apparatus 46 is the magnetic marking apparatus 50 for placing a code indicative of its production history on the blade strip.

Finally, the apparatus 10 is provided with a segmenting station 48 at which means are provided for incrementally pulling the strip through the apparatus, for segmenting the strip at the position between

tabs

16, 17, for depositing the strip in trays 49 on a conveyor therebelow, and for rejecting defective strip segments.

Turning now to the magnetic marking apparatus 50, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, twenty-three magnet carriers 52 are positioned along the strip path 14 between the stopped position of the

tabs

16, 17 of one strip segment during the incremental movement thereof through the apparatus. Each carrier 52 has a bore 54 extending therethrough which is enlarged in the rear portion thereof, as shown in FIGS. and 6. A generally cylindrical magnet housing 56 is positioned in each bore 54 extending through the front portion thereof aligned with the side of strip 12. A collar 58 on each housing 56, in the enlarged portion of bore 54 is engaged by a compression spring 60 also in bore 54 and retained therein by a back plate 62 removably fastened to carrier 52 and extending across 'bore 54. The compression spring 60 biases housing 56 forwardly toward strip 12 and collar 58, in addition to cooperating with spring 60 therefor, limits the extent to which the housing 56 can move.

Positioned in an axial bore within each housing, facing

strip path

14, 56 is a sintered permeant magnet 64, 0,120 inch in diameter ,(GE Type 22C53A), which is soldered at 66 to housing 56. The magnets 64 are aligned with strip 13 for contact therewith on actuation of the apparatus 50 and each magnet has its North pole facing strip 12.

The carriers 52 are mounted on a support bar 68 and are locked against rotational movement thereon by keys 70 engaging the bar 68 and carriers 52. Set screws 72 are provided in threaded bores in the carriers to engage a flat surface 74 on the bar 68 to locate the carriers axially along the bar 68.

All of the carriers are movable with support bar 68 between marking positions in which magnets 64 contact strip 12 and non-marking positions remote therefrom. The carriers 52 are arranged on bar 68 in a predetermined code pattern, such as is illustrated in FIG. 3, of 5 sets I-V, each having four bits 1-4. Additionally a reference grouping, spaced from the other carriers, is provided including one fixed reference carrier, Ref, and a pair of selective reference carriers, A-B.

To permit distinctive marking, however, a selector is connected to each of the carriers 52, except the reference carrier, Ref, for activiating selectively only certain of magnets. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the selector comprises a lever 76 pivotally connected by pin 78 to the rear portion of the magnet housing 56. Lever 76 is provided with a cam shaped bearing surface 80, bearing against cover plate 62 whereby, in the down position of lever 76, illustrated in FIG. 6 the magnet 64 is in an activated condition for contact with strip 12 on movement of carrier 52 to a marking position, and whereby, in the up position of lever 76, illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 6, the magnet is in an inactive condition withdrawn from strip 13 even in the marking position of carrier 52. Since the reference carrier 52, Ref. in FIG. 3, is always activated, no selector is provided therefor, as shown in FIG. 5.

For moving the carriers 52 between the marking and non-marking positions an actuator is connected thereto via bar 68. The actuator comprises a cam mechanism timed to move the carriers 52 to a marking position when the strip 12, which is moved intermittently, is at rest. As shown in FIG. 7, the actuator includes a cam wheel 82 and also includes a cam follower 84 mounted on an arm 86 pivoted to frame 85. The cam follower 84 is positioned beneath cam wheel 82 and is biased upwardly thereagainst by a tension spring 88 interconnected between arm 86 and a portion of frame thereabove. A connecting rod 90 extends from arm 86 to one end of a lever 92 which in turn is keyed at its other end to rocker shaft 94. Also keyed to rocker shaft 94 is a rocker arm 96 which supports the support bar 68 on which carriers 52 are mounted. Thus motion of cam follower 84 is transmitted through arm 86, rod 90, lever 92, shaft 94, and rocker arm 96 to actuate the marking apparatus 50.

Abutting the strip path on the other side of strip 12 from magnets 64 is a vacuum block 100. As best shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the vacuum block 100 includes a plane surface 101 abutting the strip path, a narrow groove 102 (0.031 inch wide and 0.015 inch deep) in surface 101 extending continuously along the strip path beyond the first and last of magnets 64. Groove 102 is narrower than a strip as well as the magnet diameters and is positioned between the edges of the strip path 14 and the magnets 64. In the base of groove 102 are four.

spaced bores 104 (each 0.031 inch in diameter) communicating with A inch diameter rear chamber 106 ex 5 tending in block 100 between the bores 104. A bore 108 extends from chamber 106 to the back of block 100 and is adapted for connection to a vacuum source (not shown) via a vacuum tube 110, shown in FIG. 3. The vacuum block 100 prevents movement of strip 12 from its path by providing a backstop when the magnets 64 contact the strip 12 and by preventing movement of strip 12 with the magnets 64 as they are moved away from the strip path.

In operation, levers 76 are first actuated to activate or deactivate the magnets 64 according to the particular code pattern desired. The processing apparatus is then operated to incrementally pull strip 12 along the strip path 14, at the marking apparatus 50. Cam 82, timed in accordance with the incremental movement of strip 12, maintains carriers 52 in a non-marking position, shown in broken lines in FIG. 7, while the strip 12 is in motion. When the strip 12 stops, however, the cam 82 is rotated to its actuating position causing movement of cam follower 84 and the related elements of the actuator, as previously explained, to move support bar 68 and the carriers 52 thereon to a marking position in which the actuated magnets 64 contact strip 12 and place a series of magnetic marks thereon. Before the strip 12 moves again, the carriers 52 are moved to a non-marking position by the actuator. During the entire operation, a vacuum is created in groove 102 of vacuum block 100 to prevent any transverse movement of strip 12 between block 100 and magnets 64.

Of course, the marking apparatus 50 may be positioned at other places in the strip processing apparatus 10 consistent with operations being performed in such places. Likewise, if necessary because of limitations of space, the marking apparatus may be split into segments marking a portion of a single strip segment at different places along the strip path. It is only essential that the magnets be accurately spaced relative to the segments and to each other and that the composite marking of a segment occur between

tabs

16, 17 of a single strip segment. Also, while manually actuated selectors have been shown for activating the magnets, an automatic device for setting the magnets may be used.

A strip segment thus marked may be readily identified at a later date if the occasion for so doing should arise simply by detecting the magnetic markings.

Other embodiments of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art which are within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for magnetically marking strip razor blade moved along a blade path, comprising:

a plurality of magnet members, a carrier for receiving each magnet member in an assembly, a movable support bar for positioning said magnet-carrier assemblies adjacent said blade path;

a selector connected to each of at least several of said magnet-carrier assemblies for switching certain of said several magnet members between a non-marking condition and a marking condition; and

an actuator connected to said support bar for moving said support bar to cause said certain magnet in said marking condition to place a plurality of magnetic marks on the razor blade in said blade path according to a predetermined variable pattern.

2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 in which said strip razor blade is moved incrementally therethrough, said strip razor blade is to be subsequently segmented in predetermined lengths and means coordinating the operation of said actuator with the incremental movement of said blade so that magnetic marks are placed between the ends of a blade segment at a rest position thereof between intervals of such incremental movement.

3. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 in which said magnet members further include a reference magnet member connected to said actuator for actuation to place a magnetic mark on said razor blade strip in each marking operation.

4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnet members are permanent magnets and each said selector moves a corresponding magnet between said marking condition and said non-marking condition.

5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 further including a vacuum block, on the other side of said blade path from said magnets, said vacuum block having a plane surface abutting said blade path and a groove in said surface, comprising a vacuum chamber exposed to said path via said groove, said groove extending along said blade path between the positions of the edges of said strip razor blade thereat and beyond first and last of said magnets, said groove having a width narrower than the width of said strip razor blade.

6. Apparatus for magnetically marking strip razor blade moved along a blade path, comprising a plurality of permanent magnet members, each magnet being positioned in a carrier, and said carriers being mounted on a movable support bar positioned beside said blade path; a selector connected to each of at least several of said permanent magnet members for moving its connected magnet member between a non-marking condition and a marking condition; and an actuator connected to said support bar for moving said magnets between a first position spaced from said blade path and a second position adjacent said blade path to cause said certain magnets in said marking condition to place a plurality of magnetic marks on the razor blade in said blade path according to a predetermined variable pattern.

7. The apparatus claimed in claim 6 in which said magnets are mounted in housings supported in said carriers, and further including springs connected to said housings for biasing said magnets toward said blade path and wherein said second position is a position abutting said blade path for contact of said magnets with said razor blade strip.

8. The apparatus claimed in claim 7 in which each said selector is a lever connected to one said housing for selectively moving the magnet in said housing between said marking and non-marking conditions.

9. The apparatus claimed in claim 8 in which said strip razor blade is moved incrementally therethrough, said strip razor blade is to be subsequently segmented in predetermined lengths and in which said magnets are actuated by said actuator for placing magnetic marks between the ends of a blade segment at a rest position thereof between intervals of such incremental movement.

10. The apparatus claimed in claim 9 further including a vacuum block, on the other side of said blade path from said magnets, said vacuum block having a plane surface abutting said blade path and a groove in said surface, comprising a vacuum chamber exposed to said path via said groove, said groove extending along said blade path between the positions of the edges of said magnets and said strip razor blade thereat and beyond the first and last of said magnets, said groove having a width narrower than the width of said strip razor blade and the diameter of said magnets.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the width of said groove is less than one half the width of said blade strip and the width of each said permanent magnet is less than three fourths the width of said blade strip.

12. The apparatus claimed in claim 11 wherein said magnets are mounted in a straight line on said support bar and further including a reference magnet mounted on said support bar and fixed in marking condition.

13. The apparatus claimed in claim 12 in which said actuator includes a cam connected to said support bar, said cam adapted to cause movement of said magnets to said second position during the at rest portion of the incremental movement of said razor blade strip.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Peck 34633 Hickerson 234111 Brand 34674X 5 Wahrer et a1. 34674 Neilsen 83549X Lee et al. 83-100X BERNARD KONICK, Primary Examiner G. M. HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.