US3838519A

US3838519A - Fabric measuring device

Info

Publication number: US3838519A
Application number: US00390018A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Chick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-08-20
Filing date: 1973-08-20
Publication date: 1974-10-01
Anticipated expiration: 1991-10-01

Abstract

A fabric measuring device adapted for use on a fabric supporting table; said device having a frame on which a first fabric engaging roller is rotatably mounted; said first fabric engaging roller coupled to a counting device for driving said counting device; a second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted on a roller mounting means said rollers having rotary axis substantially parallel to each other; holding means tending to hold said roller mounting means in first and second positions wherein said rollers are drivably engaged at opposite sides of fabric or held in space to park position and drivably disengaged from said fabric; the roller mounting means having a first bearing axis portion pivotally mounted on said frame and a second bearing axis portion laterally offset from the first bearing axis portion; said second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted about said second bearing axis portion.

Description

United States Patent 1 91 Chick 1 Oct. 1, 1974 FABRIC MEASURING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Jon M. Chick, 412 W. Broadway,

Tempe, Ariz. 85282 [22] Filed: Aug. 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 390,018

[52] US. Cl. 33/134 R, 226/90, 226/187 [51] Int. Cl. ..G01b 3/12, GOlb 5/04 [58] Field of Search 33/129, 132,133, 134 R, 33/141 R, 141 B; 226/90, 187

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 619,726 2/1899 Darby 33/129 1,204,511 11/1916 Smith et a1 33/129 1,534,336 4/1925 Vanderveld 33/129 1,759,992 5/1930 McCarthy 33/129 Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant ExaminerCharles E. Phillips [57] ABSTRACT A fabric measuring device adapted for use on a fabric supporting table; said device having a frame on which a first fabric engaging roller is rotatably mounted; said first fabric engaging roller coupled to a counting device for driving said counting device; a second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted on a roller mounting means said rollers having rotary axis substantially parallel to each other; holding means tending to hold said roller mounting means in first and second positions wherein said rollers are drivably engaged at opposite sides of fabric or held in space to park position and drivably disengaged from said fabric; the roller mounting means having a first bearing axis portion pivotally mounted on said frame and a second bearing axis portion laterally offset from the first bearing axis portion; said second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted about said second bearing axis portion.

11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEUOCT 112124 sum 1 or 3 HHHUI' FABRIC MEASURING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various fabric measuring devices have been used on fabric supporting tables especially in emporiums where fabric is sold by the yard and dispensed from large rolls of fabrics. The tables usually have a means-for holding a roll of fabric such that the fabric may be pulled from the roll as it rotates and the fabric is pulled across a table between fabric engaging rollers which are loaded toward each other such that one fabric engagingroller forces the material to frictionallyengage the other fabric engaging roller and said other fabric engaging roller operates a counter which regards the amount of fabric material which is pulled across the table between the rollers. And accordingly this means of. measuring greatly facilitates and speeds up the removal of the fabric from the roll andin measurement thereof which is especially important in emporiums where the sale of. fabrics and similar materials is specialized in.

Prior art fabric measuring devices have been very expensive and quite complicated. Some of them have utilized parallelagram linkages for holdingthe respective fabric engaging rollers axially parallel and allowing one of the roller to move relative to the other one so that the fabric may be placed between the rollers and so that the rollers may be loaded toward each other in order to attain frictional engagement of the fabric on the rollers to operate a counting device in accordance with the movement of the fabric between the rollers.

The expensive and complicated fabric measuring devices of the prior art have been initially costly and subsequently relatively complicated to operate and maintain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a fabric measuring device of very simple mechanical arrangement which is very reliable and economical to produce and maintain.

The fabric measuring device of the present invention is provided with a frame adapted to be supported on a fabric holding table and the frame carries a roller mounting means having laterally offset axes one of which is pivotably mounted on the frame of the other which rotatably supports a fabric engaging roller which cooperates with another fabric engaging roller held. by the frame with its periphery near the upper surface of the fabric supporting table and the mentioned roller rotatably operates a counting device. The simple roller mounting means of the invention carries a fabric engaging roller and this mounting means is disposed to move in a direction to move said fabric engaging roller toward a counter driving fabric engaging roller by way of separesilient means, cam operated means or gravity operated means, and the roller mounting means in the invention may be moved manually from an engaging position to a disengaged position by simply moving the roller mounting means upwardly away from the counter driving fabric engaging roller, and when the roller mounting means is moved upwardly it is passed to a position in which it is held automatically in elevated position until it is again needed whereupon it may be moved downwardly into engagement with fabric overlying the fabric engaging roller which drives the counter of the invention. The invention comprising the simple fabric engaging roller mounting means having offset 'axes for mounting the mounting means and the fabric enging roller provides a mechanism which may be economically reproduced and maintained and a mechanism which is very reliable and simple to operate, and one which is capable of affording great convenience to the operator since the movable fabric engaging roller moves upward out of the way of fabric being placed over the periphery of the counter driving fabric engaging roller.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple, economical and reliable fabric measuring device for use on fabric supporting tables, especially in emporiums where fabric is sold by the yard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel fabric measuring device having a novel roller rriounting means provided with offset axes, one of which provides for pivotal mounting of the roller mounting means on the frame of the invention and the other of which provides for a rotary axis for a fabric engaging roller which is movable toward and away from another fabric engaging roller operating a rotatablecounter which measures the yardage of the fabric which is pulled between the two rollers when in engaged position.

Another object of the invention is to provide very simple holding means for holding one fabric engaging roller of the invention in engagement with the counter operating fabric engaging roller.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple holding means for holding the movable fabric engaging roller of the invention in an engaged position or a disengaged position either by way of a simple over center spring or a simple spring loaded cam mechanism or a simple gravity operated weight means which may provide for adjustable tension of the fabric engaging roller which is movably engagable with the counter driving fabric engaging roller.

Another object of the invention is to provide various means for adjusting the holding force of the movable fabric engaging roller relative to the counter driving fabric engaging roller of the invention.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 'FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fabric measuring device of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section view taken from the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view of the mechanism of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a section view taken from the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken from the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is another view similar to FIGS. 2 and 5 but showing a further modification of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 8-8 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a top or plan view of the roller mounting means of the invention showing a modification thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the fabric measuring appartus of the invention is provided with a frame plate having an upper surface 22 and a lower surface 24 and having beveled edges 26 which are beveled from the upper surface 22 to the upper surface 24 so as to provide for smooth passage of fabric from the upper surface of a table top 28 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings over the frame plate 20.

The frame plate 20 at its beveled edges 26 is provided with stepped portions 30 adapted to overly the upper surface 28 of a table top as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, and the stepped portions 30 are adapted to be fitted into an opening 32 of a table top 34 as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The frame plate 20 at its lower surface 24 is provided with projecting bosses 36 to which clamp plates 38 are secured by means of screws 40 which are screw threaded in the bosses 36. The clamp plates 38 being adapted to engage the lower surface 42 of the table top 34 for holding the frame plate 20 securely against the upper surface 24 of the table top 34 and for holding the stepped portions 30 of the frame plate 20 in juxtaposition in the opening 32 of the table top 34.

The frame plate 20 at its lower surface 24 is provided with projecting bearing portions 44 and 46 in which a counter drive shaft 48 is journaled. Mounted on the shaft 48 is a first fabric engaging roller 50 adding its peripheral portion 52 projecting through a slided portion 54in the frame plate 22 and such that the periphery 52 projects above the upper surface 22 of the frame plate 20 all shown best in- FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The drive shaft 48 is provided with a coupling 56 which connects a second portion 58 of the drive shaft 48 with a counting device 60 which is a conventional counting device having a digital display 62 adapted to indicate measurements in yards. This display portion 62 of the counter 60 is viewable from the upper side of the frame plate 20.

The frame plate 20 is provided with a pair of up wardly extending

bearing mount portions

64 and 66 as shown best in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings. Pivotably mounted in these bearing

portions

64 and 66 is a roller mounting means 68 having a bearing axis portion 70 pivotably mounted in the

bearing portion

64 and 66 of the frame plate 20. This roller mounting means 68 is also provided with a bearing axis portion 71 on which a second fabric engaging roller 72 is rotatably mounted.

The bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68 is generally parallel with the axis of the shaft 48 and the bearing axis portion 71 of the roller mounting means 68 is so disposed that it holds the periphery of the fabric engaging roller 72 against the periphery 52 of the fabric engaging roller 50 when in the position shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The roller mounting means 68 is provided with an offset portion 77 between the bearing axis portion 70 and the bearing axis portion 71 and this offset portion 74 is relatively closer to the bearing axis portion 70 than it is to the bearing axis portion 71 so that when the roller mounting means 68 and the fabric engaging roller 72 are in the broken line'position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the roller mounting means 68 as well as the roller 72 are well above the upper surface 22 of the frame plate 20 so as to provide operating clearance for the placement of fabric over the periphery 52 of the roller 50 so that it may be engaged by the periphery of the roller 72 as will be hereafter described in detail.

Mounted on the bearing axis portion of the roller mounting means is a clevis 74 having a clevis pin 76 pivotally mounting one end 78 of a spring guide shaft 80 which is surrounded by a compression spring 82 such that one end 84 thereof is abutted to the clevis 74 and the opposite end 86 of the spring 80 isabijtted to an upstanding rod guide 88 which is integral with the upper surface 22 of the frame plate 20. This rod guide 88 has an opening therethrough, this opening being designated 90 and the spring guide rod-is slidably extendable and retractable therethrough and secured to the guide rod 80 is a nut 92 which is maintainedin slight spaced relation with the guide'88 so as to permit the compression spring to exert force of the clevis 74 and to force the roller mounting means into theposition as shown in FIG. 2 by solid lines such that the periphery 73 of the roller 72 is compressabl'y engagable with fabric engaged over the periphery 52 of the roller 50' as shown best in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

In this position the fabric 75 may be pulled across the table top 28 generally in the direction 'of arrow A in FIG. 2 of the drawings which frictionally causes the roller 50 to be rotated by rotating the shaft 48 together with'the shaft 58 and operating the counter 60 to pro vide adigital indication on the display 62 as to the number of yards that has been pulled between the fabric

engaging rollers

50 and 72. It will be understood that compression of the spring 82 provides sufficient hold down force for the fabric engaging roller 72 so that it firmly holds the fabric 75 in frictional engagement with the periphery 52 of the roller 50. This roller 50 at its peripheral surface 52 may be serrated or may have a high coefficient of friction material on the surface thereof, and the roller 72 may be provided with a resilient tire 94 as shown best in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The roiler mounting means 68 is provided with a pair of snap rings 96 and'98 as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, and these snap rings are disposed adjacent the

bearing portions

64 and 66 of the frame 20 for limiting end play of the bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68.

As shown in FIG. 3 the clevis 74 is provided with a set screw 100, screw threaded therein and engagable with the bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68 to secure theclevis 74 thereon. Also shown in FIG. 3 the clevis 74 is bifurcated and provided with a pair of

arms

102 and 104 between which the clevis pin 76 of the spring guard shaft is pivotably mounted. It being noted that the clevis 74 is provided with openings and opposite ends of the clevis pin are pivoted in the openings; the

arms

102 and 104 being deflectable and compressable over the end 76 during assembly. I

In operation the spring 82 acts over center of the bearing axis portion 70 tending to hold the fabric engaging roller 72 downward in engagement with the periphery of the fabric engaging roller 50 and when the fabric engaging roller 72 together with the roller mounting means 68 moves upwardly to the broken line positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, the spring 82 acts over center relative to the bearing axis portion 70 to hold the roller 72 and roller mounting means 68 in the broken line positionspaced above the upper surface of the frame plate and the upper surface 28 of the table 34. It being noted that the clevis 74 as shown best in FIG. 2 of the drawings pivots to over center positions at opposite sides of the bearing axis portion for alternately holding the fabric engaging roller 72 either engaged or disengaged relative to the fabric engaging roller 50.

In the modification as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 of the drawings, the roller mounting means 68 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings and secured to the bearing axis portion 70 is a cam 106 having a pair of

fiat portions

108 and 110 engaged by a plunger 112 having a compression spring 114 tending to force the plunger 112 against the

cam surface

110 or 108, depending upon the disposition of the roller mounting means 68.

The spring 114 is adjustably compressed by a screw threaded plug 116 screw threaded in a ball 118 of the frame plate 20 between bearing

portions

120 and 122 similar to the herein before described bearing

portions

64 and 66 shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. A set screw 124 holds the cam 106 securely fixed on the bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68.

When the roller mounting means 68. is forced upward to a broken line position 126 the flat portion 108 of the cam 106 is engaged by the plunger 112and thus'the roller mounting means is held upward in the broken line position 126. Conversely, when the fiat portion 110 of the cam 106 is engaged with the plunger 112, a corner portion 128 of the cam is engaged by the plunger 112 and thus tends to act over center above the shaft 78 transmitting the force of the spring 1 14 to hold the fabric engaging roller 72 downward against the fabric engaging roller 50. The spring 114 and plunger 112 are movably mounted in the ball 118 and the screw threaded plug 116 is provided with a serratedperipheral portion 130 manually engagable to screw threadably adjust the plug 116 in the screw threaded ball 118 and to thereby adjust the compression of the spring 1 14 to adjust the tension of the fabric engaging roller 72 relative to the fabric engaging roller 50. In the modification as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the roller mounting means 68 is similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, and secured to its bearing axis portion 70 is a stop member 132 adapted to engage a stop portion 134 on a bearing portion 136 which is similar to the bearing portion 66 hereinbefore described. This stop portion 134 limits the movement of the roller mounting means to a broken line position shown best in FIG. 7 of the drawings and secured to the fabric engaging roller 72 is a disc weight 140 which gravitationally acts to hold the fabric engaging roller 72 downward against the fabric engaging roller 50 or to hold the fabric engaging roller as well as the roller mounting means 68 in the broken line position 138. It being noted that the weight acts over center of the bearing axis portion 70.

In the modification as shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings, the bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68 is mounted in a bearing 142 similar to the

bearings

66 and 64 herein before described and a weight 144 is adjustably mounted on the offset portion 77 of the roller mounting means, this weight 144 being fixed thereon in various positions by means of a set screw 146 and thus the weight 144 acts in a similar manner to the weight 140 tending to hold the fabric engaging roller 72 downward against the fabric engaging roller 50 in a manner similar to that herein before described.

Secured to the bearing axis portion 70 of the roller mounting means 68 as shown in FIG. 9 is a stop member 132 not shown, but similar to that shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 of the drawings.

The spring 82 as shown in FIG. 2 as well as the plunger 112 and spring 114 and cam 108 shown in FIG. 5 and the weight means 140 and 144 shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 respectively, constitute holding means acting over center relative to the bearing axis portion 70 and are all equivalent devices for alternately holding the fabric engaging roller 72 either engaged with the fabric engaging roller 50 or in an upward broken line position such as the position shown in FIG. 2 by broken lines or the positions shown by 126 and 138 in broken lines in FIGS. 5 and 7 of the drawings.

The same position also applies to the structure shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings since it employs the stop means 132 and 134 shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

Accordingly, the invention is generic to these modifications when a roller mounting means such as the roller mounting means 68 is employed, and pivoted at its bearing axis means 70 on the frame and having its bearing axis means 71 parallel thereto and laterally offset therefrom so as to carry the fabric engaging roller 72 into and out of engagement with the periphery of the roller 50 and so as to hold it axially parallel therewith for frictionally engaging fabric between the rollers so that roller 50 will be properly and accurately rotatably driven to operate the counter 60 and indicate at its display 62 the exactyardage of material which is passed between the

fabric engaging rollers

50 and 72.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be resoted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a fabric measuring apparatus; a frame adapted to be secured to a table top; a counting device carried by said frame; a first fabric engaging roller having an axis of rotation and rotatably mounted in connection with said frame; said first fabric engaging roller coupled to said counting device for rotatably driving said counting device; a roller mounting means pivotally mounted on said frame and having a first bearing axis portion; said roller mounting means having a second bearing axis portion laterally offset and parallel with said first bearing axis portion; a second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted on said second bearing axis portion; said first bearing axis portion being disposed to pivot said roller mounting means and said second bearing axis portion thereof toward said first fabric engaging roller whereby said second fabric engaging roller may be brought into a first position in which it is in contact with said first fabric engaging roller and in which position said second bearing axis portion of said roller mounting means is generally parallel with said axis of rotation of said first fabric engaging roller; and holding means coupled to said roller mounting means and acting over center relative to said first bearing axis portion alternately tending to hold said secondfabric engaging roller in said first position in engagement with said first fabric engaging roller and alternately tending to hold said second fabric engaging roller in a second position spaced from said first fabric engaging roller; the respective position depending on manual pivotal movement of said roller mounting means from one of said positions to the other about the axis of said first bearing axis portion.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said frame is provided with a normally horizontal plate portion adapted to rest upon the upper surface of a fabric supporting table and adapted to overly an opening in said table; said plate portion having an upper surface.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein: said first fabric engaging roller having a drive shaft coupled thereto; said drive shaft rotatably mounted on said frame below said plate; said first fabric engaging roller having a peripheral portion extending above said upper surface of said plate portion, said plate portion is provided with a slot through which said peripheral portion of said first fabric engaging roller extends.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein: said drive shaft is coupled to said counting device for driving the same.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, wherein: said counting device is provided with a digital display means visible from above said upper surface of said plate portion.

6. The invention as defined in claim 2, wherein: said plate portion is provided with an end portion adapted to be mounted near an edge of a fabric supporting table; said frame having bearing means disposed near said end portion thereof; said first bearing axis portion of said roller mounting pivoted in said bearing means; said roller mounting means having an offset portion disposed between said first and second bearing axis portions.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein: said offset portion being disposed so as to provide manual operating clearance for placing fabric in a position to be engaged between said first and second fabric engaging rollers.

8. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said holding means having a resilient member acting over center about said first bearing axis portion.

9. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said holding means is provided with a spring loaded cam and plunger means operably coupled to said roller mountingmeans.

10. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said holding means comprising a gravity responsive means on said roller mounting means for holding it in said first position; and stop means on said frame for holding said roller mounting means in said second position.

1 l. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said roller mounting means having an arm portion between said first and second bearing axis means; said holding means comprising a weight means adjustably mounted on said arm portion to adjust the position of said weight means for varying the loading of said second fabric engaging roller toward said first fabric engaging roller.

Claims

1. In a fabric measuring apparatus; a frame adapted to be secured to a table top; a counting device carried by said frame; a first fabric engaging roller having an axis of rotation and rotatably mounted in connection with said frame; said first fabric engaging roller coupled to said counting device for rotatably driving said counting device; a roller mounting means pivotally mounted on said frame and having a first bearing axis portion; said roller mounting means having a second bearing axis portion laterally offset and parallel with said first bearing axis portion; a second fabric engaging roller rotatably mounted on said second bearing axis portion; said first bearing axis portion being disposed to pivot said roller mounting means and said second bearing axis portion thereof toward said first fabric engaging roller whereby said second fabric engaging roller may be brought into a first position in which it is in contact with said first fabric engaging roller and in which position said second bearing axis portion of said roller mounting means is generally parallel with said axis of rotation of said first fabric engaging roller; and holding means coupled to said roller mounting means and acting over center relative to said first bearing axis portion alternately tending to hold said second fabric engaging roller in said first position in engagement with said first fabric engaging roller and alternately tending to hold said second fabric engaging roller in a second position spaced from said first fabric engaging roller; the respective position depending on manual pivotal movement of said roller mounting means from one of said positions to the other about the axis of said first bearing axis portion.

9. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said holding means is provided with a spring loaded cam and plunger means operably coupled to said roller mounting means.

11. The invention as defined in claim 1, wherein: said roller mounting means having an arm portion between said fiRst and second bearing axis means; said holding means comprising a weight means adjustably mounted on said arm portion to adjust the position of said weight means for varying the loading of said second fabric engaging roller toward said first fabric engaging roller.