US3680604A

US3680604A - Apparatus for making a slide-fastener coupling coil

Info

Publication number: US3680604A
Application number: US71923A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfons Frohlich; Franz Hochlehnert; Werner Rademacher
Original assignee: Opti Holding AG
Current assignee: Opti Holding AG
Priority date: 1969-09-16
Filing date: 1970-09-14
Publication date: 1972-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-01
Also published as: YU33616B; ZA706239B; GB1315021A; FR2061386A5; YU221270A; CS151045B2; RO85146A; RO85146B; CA926596A; DE1946702B1; JPS4840035B1

Abstract

An apparatus for making a slide-fastener coupling coil comprises a mandrel mounted on a support having a pair of portions with noncoincident, advantageously parallel, axes. Mechanism is provided rotatable about each of the mechanisms for winding a synthetic-resin monofilament around the mandrel. A supply of filler cord can be provided between the mechanisms, and this cord can be fed to the mandrel through a longitudinal passage in the support. The downstream mechanism can be arranged to hold the tension in the monofilament at the same level.

Description

O United States Patent 1151 3,680,604 Frohlich et a1. Aug. 1, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR MAKING A SLIDE- 3,l21,256 2/1964 Fleisher ..18/19 FASTENER COUPLING COIL 3,137,037 6/1964 Wilcken ..18/19 [72] Inventors: Alfons Frohfich; Franz h n; 3,353,217 11/1967 Bashover ..18/19 Werner Rademacher, all of Essen, Gel-many Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson [73] Assignee: Opti-Holding AG, Glarus, Switzer- Attorney-Karl Ross 57 ABSTRACT 7 [22) Flled Sept 14 19 0 An apparatus for makmg a sllde-fastener couphng 0011 PP 71,923 comprises a mandrel mounted on a support having a pair of portions with noncoincident, advantageously [30} Foreign Application Priority Data parallel, axes. Mechanism is provided rotatable about each of the mechanisms for winding a synthetic-resin Sept. 16, 1969 Germany ..P 19 46 702.8 monofilamem around the mandreL A p y of finer ..140 92.1 18 19 C, 57 138 cord can be provided between the mechanisms and .....B2lf 2/04 this cord can be fed to the mandrel through a longitu- [58] Field 61 Search ..140/92.1; 57/138; 18/19 c; dmal Passage in the pp The downstream 29/410 mechanism can be arranged to hold the tension in the monofilament at the same level. [56] Refe'ences c'ted 11 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,917 1/1963 Fisher ..18/19 PATENTEDAua 1

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sum 1 or s Q I Lg Q, A. Frb'h/ich N E Hochlehnerf W. Rademacher INVEN'IURS'.

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3 or 5 A. FR'OHLICH F. HOCHLEHNERT W. RADEMACHER INVENTORS.

BY ss a RD ATTORNEY PATENTEDMI: i m

SHEET 5 BF 5 T R E HN H m H "0c O FH A F 6 G F W. RADEMACHER INVENTORS BY {Karl (Ross ATTORNEY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for making a slide-fastener coupling element, particularly a coil from a synthetic-resin monofilament.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to make such a coil the monofilament must be wound around a mandrel. To this end it must be fed to the mandrel with as little twist as possible and removed therefrom with as little deformation as possible. In addition, since the turns of the coil must be somewhat elongated, the mandrel must have a cross section resembling a flattened circle. Thus, it is also mandatory that this mandrel not rotate about its own axis.

To prevent this rotation two principal methods have been used: The mandrel is simply fixed to a support at its upstream end, and the supply of monofilament is orbited around it. In this case the winding speed must be held low since the centripetal force developed by a large spool of, for example, nylon filament, is considerable. In the other known method the filament is fed axially toward the elongated mandrel, which must then be prevented from rotating by some indirect means. The mandrel can be provided with an off-center weight to prevent its rotation, or it can be gripped magnetically. In both of these cases oscillations can build up in the mandrel, making for poor tolerances in the finished coil. Another method of restraining the mandrel provides a planetary gear arrangement whereby the mandrel is fixed to a sun gear whose planet gear are driven in such a manner that the sun gear does not rotate. This system has the disadvantage that it is extremely expensive in the realization, and that it is impossible to vary the tension of the monofilament about the mandrel by speeding up or slowing down the winding speed, since this will cause the mandrel to rotate.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for making a slidefastener coupling coil.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above objects are attained according to the present invention with an apparatus wherein the monofilament is fed axially toward the mandrel which isitself mounted on a support having a pair of portions with noncoincident axes. The monofilament is fed toward and wound on the mandrel by a pair of mechanism each rotatable about one of the axes of the support. The feature that the support comprises these two nonaligned portions makes it impossible for it to rotate, even through it is solely supported by bearings in two separate mechanisms rotating in the same sense at the same rate. According to another feature of the present invention, the two axes are parallel but offset from each other, so that the support is in efi'ect a crank. In this case the term mandrel is meant only to refer to the element around which the coil is wound, since the mandrel rod itself could be unitary with the support, could constitute one of the portions thereof, or could simply be mounted thereon.

Drive means is provided for synchronously rotating the two mechanisms at the same rate. According to yet another feature the downstream mechanism, i.e., that mechanism nearer the mandrel, is provided with means for maintaining constant the length of the path for the monofilament from the upstream mechanism to the mandrel. Since the two axes are offset, as the mechanisms rotate this path will change in length to bring about a possible disadvantageous stressing of the filament. To this end the means includes a body mounted in the downstream mechanism and having a central axis rotatable about the downstream axis. This member is provided with an eccentric guide passage for the filament, and it is arranged so that the eccentric passage does not rotate about the bodys central axis, the eccentricity being dimensioned such that the variation in path length on rotation is fully compensated for. In another arrangement the mandrel is mounted offset from the downstream portion to an extent sufficient to compensate for the path variations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: I

FIG. 1 is a side view of the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the installation shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a detail of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail of FIG. 1 in section;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the detail of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION As shown in FIGS. 1 4, the installation for making a coupling element has a supply I of a synthetic-resin monofilament 2, here Nylon, on tow spools 4 which can be rotatable about their axes 4a, but which need not be. Three more spools and filaments can be provided, if desired. Unwinding devices 40 are provided and guide rollers 41 for leading the filaments 2 up to a feed arrangement 3 which comprises four rollers 20. Each filament is wound several times around two of the rollers 20 so that it is pulled 011 its spool 4 at a rate determined by the transmission 42 connected to a motor 21 serving as drive. This transmission 42 is of the variable-speed type and is connected through belts 43 to the rollers 20 so that it can be adjusted to determine the winding tension as will seen below. The whole apparatus is mounted on a common frame 13.

Downstream, that is, in the transport direction T, is a muffle 44 in which the thermoplastic filaments 2 are somewhat softened whence they each pass between a pair of toothed driven wheels or rollers 17 and 18 which positively engage the filaments 2 and form coupling heads 9 thereon. Subsequently the stamped filaments 2 are fed through a first feeding-winding mechanism 7 and then a second feeding-winding mechanism 8 where they are wound around a mandrel 6 at a rate determined by the feed speed determined by the transmission 42 and rotation rate of the two

mechanisms

7 and 8 which are connected via timing belts 30 to the motor 21.

A coil 11 is thus formed which is engaged by a toothed wheel 10 downstream of the mandrel 6 and passed onto a heated drum 12 provided with serrated grooves in which the individual coil turns are received and thermally fixed. Thence the finished coils 11 are dropped into a container 45.

FIGS. 3 show the mechanisms 7 and8 in greater detail. The mechanism 7 is rotatable about an axis B which is the longitudinal axis of a portion 5a of a mandrel support 5.11m other portion 5b of the mandrel support 5 has a longitudinal axis A offset from and parallel to the axis B and serving as the rotation axis for the downstream mechanism 8. The two

portions

5a and 5b are joined together by a central crank portion 14.

Due to the offset axes A and B of the two portions, the rotation of the two

mechanisms

7 and 8 cannot cause the support 5 to rotate, both of theseaxes being fixed.

The mandrel 6 has a rounded elongated cross section, as shown in FIG. 5, with its long sides vertical. It is mounted on the portion 5b and is coaxial therewith. The spacing of the coupling heads 9 is such that they always find themselves on the short rounded up and down sides of the mandrel 6 as the filaments 2 are wound therearound.

The mechanism 7 comprises an element 46 journaled in abracket 47 secured to the machine frame 13. The mechanism 8 is basically a blocklike cylindrical element 35 journaled in a support 34 also mounted on the frame 13. Both

elements

35 and 46 are connected to the motor'2l by timing belts 30 so that they rotate in the same sense at exactly the same rates.

Upstream of the mechanism 7 is an arrangement 27 for holding av spool28 carrying a supply of filler cord 25. This cord 25 is fed ofi' through a unwinding mechanes 29 whence it passes through a passage 26 formed through the entire length of the support 5, so that the ,cord 25 exits at the mandrel 6 where the filament 2 is wound around it. The spool 28 is gripped between two

rubber cones

31 and 32. The cone 32 is mounted on the upstream end of the support 5, as is the unwinding arm 29. The cone 31 is mounted on a shaft 54 journaled in an element 49 in turn journaled in a bracket 52 on the machine frame 13. A spring 55 urges the cone 31 toward the cone 32 to grip the spool 28. The element 49 is connected to the motor 21 via a timing belt 30 so that it also turns at the same rate and in the same sense as the

mechanisms

7 and 8. The tension of the filter cord 25 is determined by friction of the spool 28 on the cone 32.

Elements

49 and 46 are formed with

respective flanges

56 and 48 provided with 'in-line holes 50 through which the filament 2 is guided.

In addition the filament 2 passes the bracket 52 by passing through a'bore 51 in the element'49 and passes the bracket 47 by passing through a bore 53 in the element 46. In this manner, the length of the path for the filament 2 from spool 4 to a point 15 where the filament 2 enters the bore 53 is always essentially the same, even when the motor 21 is rotating the

mechanisms

7 and 8 and the element 49.

With particular reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 it can be seen that the cylindrical element 35, which is rotatable about the axis A, rotatably mounts a rod '22 having a central axis C parallel to and offset from the tires A and B. This rod 22 further has a throughgoing axial bore '23 which has an axis D ofi'set from" the axis 'C. Both the portion 5b and the rod 22 are provided with identical gears 24 interconnected by a small pinion 240 so that," as the element 35 rotates about the axis 'A, the axis C of the rod 22 describes a circular orbit C' concentric with the axis A and the oficenter axis D describes a circular orbit D' to the left in FIG. 5 of the orbit C. Ofzcourse, due to the immobility of the gear 24 on the portion 5b and the fact that'the gear 24 on the rod 22 has the same diameter and number of teeth, the rod does not rotate about its own axis. In this manner, with the apparatus dimensioned such that four times the radial distance between the axes C and D equals the radial distance between the axes A and B, the length of the path for the filament 2 between the point 15 and a point 16 where t the filament 2 engages the mandrel 6 remains essentially constant as the

mechanisms

7 and 8 rotate. In

other words, as the rod 22 rotates'into the position where it is farthest from the axis B, the bore 23 is directly between the axis C and the axis B, while when the rod 22 is closest to the axis B, the bore 23 is on the other side of the axis C from the axis B. This effect is doubled by the fact that the length of paths 37. and38' between the upstream and downstream ends, respecspecial effects, i.e., flattening, on the mandrel with the filament. It is also possible to provide a transmission with, for example, epicyclic gearing, so that the filament feed speed is varied tocompensate for the path length variations.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment wherein the filament 2 simply passes through an axial bore 23' inthe element 35. But here a cranklike mandrel 6 is provided which has a portion 60 having an axis E parallel to and ofiset from the axis A by a distance equal to the distance between axes A and B, but loffset therefrom. In this arrangement, as path 37 lengthens, path 38' shortens, and vice versa. Thus, the overall path length remains constant.

We claim: 1. An apparatus for making a slide-fastener coupling coil comprising:

a mandrel; a support for said mandrel having a air of portions with noncoincident axes; and means for feeding a filament toward said mandrel and winding said filament around said mandrel, said means including respective mechanisms carrying said filament and rotatable about said axes. 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprismg:

drive means for synchronously rotating said mechanisms about said axes in the same sense and at the same rate; and

supply means nonrotatable about either of said axes for feeding a filament to said mechanisms.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said axes are parallel to and offset from each other.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein said mandrel is coaxial with one of said axes.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said supply means includes means upstream of said mechanisms positively engaging said filament.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said mechanisms include a downstream mechanism and an upstream mechanism, said downstream mechanism having a downstream-mechanism axis and comprising:

an element rotatable about the downstreammechanism axis, said mandrel being coaxial therewith;

a body mounted in said element for rotation about a central axis parallel to said downstreammechanism axis, said body being formed with a guide passage offset from said central axis; and

means inhibiting rotation of said body about said central axis whereby on rotation of said element said guide passage defines an orbit eccentric to said downstream-mechanism axis.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said means inhibiting rotation includes a pair of like gears,

one of said gears being mounted on the downstream portion of said support and the other of said gears being mounted on said body.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said guide passage, said central axis, and said downstreammechanism axis are all parallel and mutually offset, said guide passage being offset from said central axis by a distance equal to one-fourth of the distance said central axis is offset from said downstream-mechanism axis.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said mandrel has an axis parallel to and offset from said axes of said portions.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 2, further comprising a supply of filler cord, guide means for carrying said cord from said supply to said mandrel including a passage formed through said support and a supply holder on said support.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said supply means includes means upstream of said mechanisms positively engaging said filament for feeding same at a predetermined rate toward said mandrel, said mechanisms rotating at a rate determined by said drive means, said apparatus further comprising means operatively connected to said drive means for varying one of said rates relative to the other of said rates.

Claims

1. An apparatus for making a slide-fastener coupling coil comprising: a mandrel; a support for said mandrel having a air of portions with noncoincident axes; and means for feeding a filament toward said mandrel and winding said filament around said mandrel, said means including respective mechanisms carrying said filament and rotatable about said axes.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further comprising: drive means for synchronously rotating said mechanisms about said axes in the same sense and at the same rate; and supply means nonrotatable about either of said axes for feeding a filament to said mechanisms.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said mechanisms include a downstream mechanism and an upstream mechanism, said downstream mechanism having a downstream-mechanism axis and comprising: an element rotatable about the downstream-mechanism axis, said mandrel being coaxial therewith; a body mounted in said element for rotation about a central axis parallel to said downstream-mechanism axis, said body being formed with a guide passage offset from said central axis; and means inhibiting rotation of said body about said central axis whereby on rotation of said element said guide passage defines an orbit eccentric to said downstream-mechanism axis.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said means inhibiting rotation includes a pair of like gears, one of said gears being mounted on the downstream portion of said support and the other of said gears being mounted on said body.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said guide passage, said central axis, and said downstream-mechanism axis are all parallel and mutually offset, said guide passage being offset from said central axis by a distance equal to one-fourth of the distance said central axis is offset from said downstream-mechanism axis.