US3747826A

US3747826A - Traveling stitching head

Info

Publication number: US3747826A
Application number: US00189927A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Little
Original assignee: Precision Industries Inc
Current assignee: Molins Machine Co Inc
Priority date: 1971-10-18
Filing date: 1971-10-18
Publication date: 1973-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-24

Abstract

A machine is disclosed for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough with the machine including a work surface for supporting the work piece as it passes through the machine, advancing means for advancing the work piece in a first direction of travel through the machine, work application means for performing the operation on the work piece, and moving means spaced from the work surface for selectively moving the work application means in a second direction transverse to the first direction of travel; with the moving means comprising: a guide rail supported above the work surface; first and second guide strips secured to the guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, the application means being carried by the traveling support member, with the traveling support member including first and second bearing pads secured on the inner surface of the side walls thereof which are guidingly engaged by the first and second guide strips respectively, and driving means for causing the support member to travel along the guide rail. The bearing pads include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide strip thereby preventing the support member from lifting, which is especially important during operation of the work application means. Further, a third guide strip is secured to the top surface of the guide rail, and bearing means are secured to the support member for cooperation with the third guide strip. The bearing means includes a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of the top wall of the support member and an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in the bearing blocks, with the bearing rolling along the third guide strip as the support member travels along the guide rail. The bearing includes a pair of larger diametered flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of the third guide strip whereby lateral movement of the support member is prevented. Preferably, all of the guide strips, and the bearing blocks are removably secured to their respective members to permit replacement.

Description

United States Patent [191 I Little [451 July 24, 1973 TRAVELING STITCHING HEAD [75] Inventor: Stanley Little, Cockeysville, Md.

[73] Assignee: l recision Industries, Inc.,Baltimore,

[22] Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 189,927

[52] US. Cl. 227/99 [51] Int. Cl...' B27f 7/16 [58] Field of Search 227/7, 99, 100, 149

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,523,633 8/1970 -Wilson...i 227/7 38,924 6/1863 Wicke 227/149 2,240,516 5/1941 Paxton.... 227/149 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Att0mey-Lawrence l. Lerner et al.

[57] ABSTRACT tion transverse to the first direction of travel; with the moving means comprising: a guide rail supported above the work surface; first and second guide strips secured to the guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, the application means being carried by the traveling support member, with the traveling support member including first and second bearing pads secured on the inner surface of the side walls thereof which are guidingly engaged by the first and second guide strips respectively, and driving means for causing the support member to travel along the guide rail. The bearing pads include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide strip thereby preventing the support member from lifting, which is especially important during operation of the work application means. Further, a third guide strip is secured to the top surface of the guide rail, and bearing means are secured to'the support member for cooperation with the third guide strip. The bearing means iricludes a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of the top wall of the support member and an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in the bearing blocks, with the bearing rolling along the third guide strip as the support member travels along the guide rail. The bearing includes a pair of larger diametered flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of the third guide strip whereby lateral movement of the support member is prevented. Preferably, all of the guide strips, and the bearing blocks are removably secured to their respective members to permit replacement.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TRAVELING STITCIIING HEAD FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to stitching machines and more particularly to improvements in stitching machines which include traveling stitching heads.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In US. Pat. application Ser. No. 172,834 filed Aug. l8, l97l, in the name of Lauri C. Barland, entitled Improvements in Stitching Machines and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, there is disclosed stitching machinery in which the stitching head thereof is selectively movable in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the folded box blank through the machine. As shown in the aforementioned application, the .stitching head is carried by a traveling support member which saddles a guide rail positioned above the work surface of the machine. The support member carries a plurality of rollers which rotatably engage the guide rail as the support member travels along the guide rail in response to rotation of a lead screw.

Although the principles of operation of the aforementioned stitching machine are generally satisfactory, a number of problems have evolved therewith which the instantinvention effectively eliminates.

Specifically, it has been found that there is a tendency of the traveling support member of the aforedescribed stitching machine to lift from the guide rail it saddles, especially during operation of the stitching head (when downwardly moving stitch forming and driving means will create reverse thrust). Similarly, because of the looseness associated with the rollers carried by the support member, there is a natural tendency of the traveling support member to shift laterally with respect to its intended straight path of travel along the guide rail. Obviously, these unintended deviations in the movement of the stitching head support member can cause serious deviations from the desired tolerances of the machinery and the stitches ultimately produced thereby.

Another problem associated with the aforedescribed machinery relates to the fact that the rollers carried by the stitching head support member directly engage the guide rail supported above the work surface of the machine. As a consequence thereof, and in order to maintain desired tolerances, the entire guide rail must be as perfectly a machined structure as possible. Of course, machining the rather large guide rail is an'extremely time consuming, complex and expensive operation.

Moreover, it has been found that the hardened rollers carried by the stitching head support member tend to dig" into the machined guide rail, especially if the stitching head is operated for long periods of time at any one position along the guide rail. Obviously, replacement of the guide rail is an expensive proposition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The instant invention eliminates all of the aforedescribed problems in a most simple and expeditious manner. Specifically, the guide rail of the instant invention is provided with a plurality of metallic guide strips, two disposed on the opposite sides of the guide rail, and one disposed along the top surface thereof. Secured on the inner surfaces of the side walls of the stitching head support member which saddles the guide rail are a pair of elongated bearing pads which are guidingly engaged by the first and second guide strips as the support member travels along the guide rail. The bearing pads include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide rail thereby preventing the support member from lifting. Secured to the inner surface of the top wall of the traveling support member is a hearing arrangement which rollingly engages the third guide strip secured on the top surface of the guide rail. The bearing arrangement includes a pair of bearing blocks which rotatably carries an elongated cylindrical bearing having a pair of larger diametered flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of the third guide rail. In this manner, unintentional lateral motion of the stitching head support member is prevented.

The net result of the aforedescribed arrangement is that the stitching head support member is totally trapped on the guide rail and prevented from lifting therefrom or laterally moving with respect thereto.

As a particularly advantageous feature of the instant invention, the aforementioned guide stirps are all removably secured to the guide rail. Accordingly, should a bearing surface become damaged, the particular guide strip affected can be removed, thrown away, and replaced while the relatively expensive guide rails remains unaffected. In this vain, it should be pointed out that since, in the instant invention, all bearing surfaces are established by the aforementioned guide strips, the basic guide rail can remain unmachined thereby materially reducing the cost thereof.

As a further feature of the invention, the bearing blocks which are secured to the stitching head support member and which rotatably carry the flanged bearing that travels along the third guide strip, as well as the bearing pads, are all removably secured to the respective inner surfaces of the stitching head support member. In this manner, a defective bearing surface can be replaced without having to replace the entire support structure upon which the stitching head is secured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF 'THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stitching machine constructed in accordance with the instant invention.

FIG. 2 is a view partly in section taken along the lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlargement of an alternative embodiment of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning to the drawings, there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a stitching machine designated 10. Broadly speaking, the machine 10 includes a work surface or table 12 upon which a box blank (not shown) is supported as it passed through the machine 10. To advance the box blank there is provided a pair of

pull rollers

14 and 16 carried by a pull roll shaft 18 journaled for rotation in upstanding portions of the machine frame 20 and driven by appropriate driving mechanism not shown.

Positioned above the work surface 12 in a manner to be further described is a stitching head 22, which in a maner well known the art, applies consecutive wire stitches to the overlapping portions of the box blank as the box blank is advanced through the machine in response to rotation of the

pull rollers

14 and 16. Since the stitching head per se forms no part of the instant invention, a detailed description is not provided herein, it being understood that any conventional stitching head may be employed in the practice of the instant invention. Alternatively, the stitching head 22 may be of the type described and claimed in U.S. Pat. appln. Ser. No. 37,190 filed May 14, 1970 in the name of Lauri C. Barland, entitled Stitching Head Apparatus and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,187. Also, it should be noted, that although the invention is specifically described in the environment of a wire stitching machine for applying wire stitches to a corrogated box blank, the principals hereof are applicable to any machine in which a work piece is advanced past a work station where some work application means performs an operation thereon.

Positioned above the work surface 12, and carried by the frame 20, is a guide rail 34 which carries a support member or trolley 36 which rides or travels along the guide rail 34 in response to rotation of a threaded lead screw 38 which is selectively rotated by an electric motor 40. The support member 36 carries the stitching head 22, and thus the stitching head 22 can be selectively positioned along the work surface 12 in a direction transverse to the direction of feed of the box blank through the machine 10.

As thus far described, the stitching machine is similar to the stitching machine described in the first mentioned Barland application, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. As noted previously, in the stitching machine of the first mentioned Barland application, the support member or trolley 36 carries a plurality of rollers which engage the guide rail 34. It is in the manner of supporting the trolley 36 with respect to the guide rail 34, that the instant invention presents significant advantages over the machinery described in the first mentioned application, and such improvements will now be described in greater detail.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the support member 36 is in the form of a generally inverted U-shaped member which surrounds the guide rail 34 and includes a pair of

side walls

37, 39 and a top wall 41. Removably secured to the inner surface 42 of the wall 37 is an elongated generally L-shaped bearing pad 44. Similarly, secured to the inner surface 46 of the wall 39 is an elongated generally L-shaped bearing pad 48. The bearing

pads

44 and 48 are preferably of bronze; extend in length for the entire length of the support member 36; and are removably secured to their respective

inner surfaces

42, 46 by screw threaded fasteners, not shown. As best seen in FIG. 2, each of the bearing pads includes a

lip portion

50 and 52 respectively which engages the

undersurface

54 and 56 of respective elongated metallic guide strips 58, 60 secured on

opposite sides

62 and 64 of the guide rail 34. A third guide strip 66 is secured on the upper surface 68 of the guide rail 34. The guide rails 58, 60 and 66 are removably se cured to the guide rail 34 by screw threaded fasteners generally indicated at 70.

Removably secured to the undersurface 72 of the top wall 41 of the support member 36 are a pair of bearing blocks 74, 76 which house ball bearing structures generally indicated at 78 and 80. Rotatably supported by the

ball bearings

78 and 80 is an elongated cylindrical bearing 82 a central portion 84 ofwhich rolls in engagement with the third guide strip 66 as the support member 36 travels along the guide rail 34 in response to the rotation of the lead screw 38. The elongated bearing 82 includes a pair of

larger diametered flanges

86 and 88 which are spaced apart by a distance corre- 5 sponding to the width of the guide strip 66.

From the above, a number of advantages of the instant invention should now become apparent. Specifically, the engagement of the

lip portions

50 and 52 with the undersurface of the guide rails 58 and 60 prevent the support member 36 from being lifted with respect to the guide rail 34. This is especially important because of the upward thrust generated when the stitching head 22 is stitching box blanks therebeneath. Also, the spaced apart flanges 86 and 88 on the bearing 82 cause the support member 36 to exactly follow the track established by the third guide strip 66. Accordingly, any tendency of the support member 36 to shift laterally is completely avoided. All in all, the arrangement described effectively traps the guide member 36 and requires that it exactly follow the guide rail 34. However, and as an advantage of the instant invention, since support member 36 does not actually engage the guide rail 34, the guide rail need not be expensively machined for close tolerances.

As noted before, elements such as the guide strips 58, 60 and 66, the bearing blocks 74 and 76, and the

bearing pads

44 and 48 are all removably secured to their respective members. Accordingly, should a bearing surface, become damaged, only the damaged element (be it a strip, pad, or bearing block) need be replaced while all the relatively expensive parts of the mechanism such as the guide rail 34 and the support member 36 can be retained.

In FIG. 3 there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of the instant invention wherein the lip portion 52 of the bearing pad 48' and the undersurface 56' of the guide strip 60' are of complementary angled configuration as opposed to the rectangular configuration illustrated in FIG. 2.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is preferred therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A machine for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough, said machine comprising:

a work surface for supporting said work piece as it passes through said machine;

advancing means for advancing said work piece in a first direction of travel through said machine;

work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and

moving means spaced from said work surface for selectively moving said work application means in a second direction transverse to said first direction of travel;

said moving means comprising:

a guide rail supported above said work surface;

first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof;

a traveling support member, said work application means carried by said support member, said support member including first and second bearing pads secured thereto which are guidingly engaged by said first and second guide strips respectively; and

driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said support member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said first, second, and third guide strips are removably secured to said guide rail.

2. The machine of claim 1 wherein said support member includes first and second side walls on the inner surfaces of which are secured said first and second bearing pads respectively, and a top wall on the inner surface of which is supported said bearing means.

3. The machine of claim 2 wherein said bearing pads each include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide strip; thereby preventing said support member from lifting during operation of said work application means.

4. A machine for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough, said machine comprising: a work surface for supporting said work piece as it passes through said machine; advancing means for advancing said work piece in a first direction of travel through said machine; work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and 'moving means spaced from said work surface for selectively moving said work application means in a seconddirection transverse to said first direction of travel; said moving means comprising:

a guide rail supported above said work surface; first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, said work application means carried by-said support member, said support member including first and second bearing pads secured thereto which are guidingly engaged by said first and second guide strips respectively; and driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said support member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said support member includes first and second side walls on the inner surfaces of which are secured said first and second bearing pads respectively, and a top wall on the inner surface of which is supported said bearing means; and wherein said bearing pads each include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide strip; thereby preventing said support member from lifting during operation of said work application means; and wherein said bearing means includes:

a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of said top wall;

an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in said bearing blocks, said bearing rolling along said third guide strip as said support member travels along said guide rail.

5. The machine of claim 4 wherein said bearing includes a pair of enlarged diameter flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of said third guide strip; whereby lateral movement of said support member is prevented.

6. A machine for performing an operation on a work piecepassing therethrough, said machine comprising:

advancing means for advancing said work piece in a t'ust direction of travel through said machine;

work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and

said moving means comprising: 7

a guide rail supported above said work surface; first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof;

driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said support member includes first and second side walls on the inner surfaces of which are secured said first and second bearing pads respectively, and amp wall on the inner surface of which is supported said bearing means; and wherein said bearing means includes:

a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of said top wall;

an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in said bearing blocks, said bearing rolling along said third guide strip as said support member travels along said guide rail; and wherein said bearing includes a pair of enlarged diametered flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of said third guide strip whereby lateral movement of said supportmember is prevented.

7. The machine of claim 5 wherein said bearing blocks are removably secured to said support member and said guide strips are removably secured to said guide rail.

Claims

1. A machine for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough, said machine comprising: a work surface for supporting said work piece as it passes through said machine; advancing means for advancing said work piece in a first direction of travel through said machine; work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and moving means spaced from said work surface for selectively moving said work application means in a second direction transverse to said first direction of travel; said moving means comprising: a guide rail supported above said work surface; first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, said work application means carried by said support member, said support member including first and second bearing pads secured thereto which are guidingly engaged by said firSt and second guide strips respectively; and driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said support member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said first, second, and third guide strips are removably secured to said guide rail.

4. A machine for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough, said machine comprising: a work surface for supporting said work piece as it passes through said machine; advancing means for advancing said work piece in a first direction of travel through said machine; work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and moving means spaced from said work surface for selectively moving said work application means in a second direction transverse to said first direction of travel; said moving means comprising: a guide rail supported above said work surface; first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, said work application means carried by said support member, said support member including first and second bearing pads secured thereto which are guidingly engaged by said first and second guide strips respectively; and driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said support member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said support member includes first and second side walls on the inner surfaces of which are secured said first and second bearing pads respectively, and a top wall on the inner surface of which is supported said bearing means; and wherein said bearing pads each include a lip portion which engages an undersurface of a respective guide strip; thereby preventing said support member from lifting during operation of said work application means; and wherein said bearing means includes: a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of said top wall; an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in said bearing blocks, said bearing rolling along said third guide strip as said support member travels along said guide rail.

6. A machine for performing an operation on a work piece passing therethrough, said machine comprising: a work surface for supporting said work piece as it passes through said machine; advancing means for advancing said work piece in a first direction of travel through said machine; work application means for performing said operation on said work piece; and moving means spaced from said work surface for selectively moving said work application means in a second direction transverse to said first direction of travel; said moving means comprising: a guide rail supported above said work surface; first and second guide strips secured to said guide rail on opposite sides thereof; a traveling support member, said work application means carried by said support member, sAid support member including first and second bearing pads secured thereto which are guidingly engaged by said first and second guide strips respectively; and driving means for causing said support member to travel along said guide rail; and further including a third guide strip secured to said guide rail along a top surface thereof; said support member including bearing means secured to said member for cooperation with said third guide strip; and wherein said support member includes first and second side walls on the inner surfaces of which are secured said first and second bearing pads respectively, and a top wall on the inner surface of which is supported said bearing means; and wherein said bearing means includes: a pair of bearing blocks secured to the undersurface of said top wall; an elongated bearing rotatably supported at its ends in said bearing blocks, said bearing rolling along said third guide strip as said support member travels along said guide rail; and wherein said bearing includes a pair of enlarged diametered flanges spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width of said third guide strip whereby lateral movement of said support member is prevented.