US723914A - Tuft-making machine. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. W. M. PBTTIT. TUFT MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILBD NOV. 4, 1901.

NO MODEL.

INvENToR WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILSON M. PETTIT, OF LOCKPORI, NEWV YORK.

TUFT-MAKING MACHINE.

EPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,914, dated March 31, 1903.

Application filed Novemberfi 1901. Serial No. 80,971. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,W1Ls 0N M; PETT1T,-a citimen of the United States, residing at Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improve- 1 ments in Tuft-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to a machine for making tufts which are used in mattresses, upholstering, and quilting. These tufts consist of bunches of short yarn, which are tied around i the middle.

The object of this invention is the produetion of a machine whereby tufts of this charactor may be produced economically and expeditiously and in which the operations of feeding the yarn in the form of a wick and the cutting thereof into short lengths are offected automatically and uniformly.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tuft-making machine.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4. is a detached side view of the guide-nipple for the 3 wick of yarn or wool from which the tufts are Fig. 5 is an end view of the same;

made.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the wick-guide and & retaining-plate. 'Fig. 7 is a sectional front view of the cutters and adjacent parts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the horizontal table of the machine, which may be supported upon a frame of any suitable construction.

The wick A, from which the tufts are made,

consists of numerous strands or plies of wool,

guide-nipple a is supported by a suitable.

standard rising from the table. For'convenience in tying the wick at intervals 'the'tyi-ng cord or thread is wound on a bobbin arranged in a shuttle, which permits the thread to be readily passed around the wick andtied around the same in a loop withoutrequiring the tying-thread to be cut. In practice the loop is applied to the-wick immediately in rear of the end of the guidenipple, and in forming the loop the operator is liable to place the loop around the rear end of the nipple. In order to cause the nipple to throw off or shed the loop if the latter is accidentally placed around the nipple, the rear end of the same is tapered, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the loop to slide off from the tapering end onto the wick upon drawing the tying-thread and contracting the loop. After the loop has been applied to the wick the operator draws the loop by an outwhich movement the wick must be held against turning in order to prevent the same from becoming twisted. 7 This is effected by thin retaining barbs, spurs, or projections q,

two of which are preferably arranged in the bore of the nipple on diametrically opposite 1 sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. These projectionsembed themselves in the strands of the wick and resistany tendency to turn the same, thereby preventing distorting of the wick and also enabling the loop to be tightened efiectively. Each of the retaining-spurs has its front side made oblique or inclined from the bore of the nipple toward the inner or free end of the spur, thereby preventing the wick from becoming caught thereon as it passes through the nipple.

In advance of theguide-nipple and its sup- 1 porting-standard is anabutment or retainingplate I), which projects upwardly from the ta-' ble on the front side of the longitudinal path of the wick A, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6.

'This plate and the adjacent nipple a support' the wick on opposite sides of the tying-loop and sustain the wick while the operator pulls outwardly on the tying-loop for tightening the same on the wick. The upper part of the abutment is separated from the guide-nipple just a sufficient distance to permit the loop to be conveniently applied to the wick; but

'the lower part of the abutment b andthe supporting-standard of the nipple'are separated a considerable distance to form a passage B for the shuttle of the tying-th read while passing the same around the wick, p

The feed-roller'sc c are'mounted on the front ends of shafts -n n, which are journaled For enabling the feedin'suitable bearings. wheels to obtain the necessary grip upon the wick and insure proper feeding of the same ward and upward circular motion, during these wheels are made either of leather or are faced with leather. When the weight of the yarn or the thickness of the wick is varied, the space between the gripping-faces of the fced'wheels is adjusted accordingly. This is accomplished by vertically adjusting the front hearing-block P of the upper roller-shaft in any suitable manner. Both feed-rollers are caused to turn in unison by intermeshing gear-wheels G G, applied to the rear ends of the roller-shafts, as shown in Fig. 2.

The feed-rollers c c are rotated intermittently, so as to produce a corresponding forward movement of the wick, which movement may be imparted to the feed-rollers by various means. The mechanism for that purpose shown in the drawings consists of a ratchet-wheel H, secured to the rear end of the lower roller-shaft n, a rocking pawl-arm L, turning loosely on the lower shaft n and having a pawl K, which is yieldingly held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring m, acrank E, connected by a rod or bar J with the pawl-arm L, and adriving-shaft F, which carries the crank E. Motion may be transmitted to the driving-shaft in any well-known mannerfor instance, by a driving gear-pinion N, meshing with a gear-wheel M on the driving-shaft, as shown in Fig. 3. During the forward stroke of the pawl-arm L the rollers c are turned and feed the wick forward one length, and during the backward stroke of said arm the feed-rollers remain at rest. For varying the length of the tufts the extent of the intermittent feeding movement of the rollers may be adjusted. A simple means for effecting this adjustment consists in slotting the crank E and adjusting the belt which connects the rod J and crank E lengthwise in the slot of the latter. During the backward movement of the pawl-arm L the ratchet-wheel is held against retrograde movement by detent-pawls p, pivoted on the adjacent part of the table and engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. While the feed-rollers are moving the wick forward one length or space the blades of the cutter are separated to permit the wick to pass freely between the same. During the subsequent resting interval of the feed rollers and the wick the operator ties a knot or loop around the next following portion of the wick at the guide-nipple and at the same time the blades of the cutterclose upon the advancing end of the wick and sever a finished tuft from the same.

The lower cutter-blade e is made vertically adjustable for taking up wear and also for adjusting the same relatively to the feed-rollers. This adjustment of the lower cutterblade is effected by pivoting the same at its rear end to a suitable support or cutter-frame E by a bolt e and resting its front end on a vertically-adj ustable supporting-bar E The latter is arranged lengthwise underneath the lower cutter and is pivoted at its rear end on the cutter-frame by a bolt 6 while its front end rests on a vertical adjusting-screw f, ar ranged on the cutter-frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7. Upon turning the screwfin one direction or the other the supporting-bar E and the lower cutter-blade 6 may beraised or lowered for bringing the latter into the required position. The upper cutter-blade d is pivoted at its rear end at d on the lower cutter e and is connected at its front end by a rod h with a crank or crank-disk D, secured to the front end of the shaft F, whereby the upper cutter-blade is oscillated vertically toward and from the lower cutterblade. The relative movement of the feedrollers and the cutter is so timed that the wick comes to rest in the proper position for cutting the same midway between the tie of the foremost tuft and the tie of the next following tuft. The finished tuft cut from the wick is guided in any suitable way from the cutter into a basket or .upon the floor. After each tuft-cutting operation the feedrollers advance the Wick another length and then stop preparatory to cutting the next tuft. It will thus be seen that the actuating mechanism operates the cutter mechanism and feed mechanism alternatelyyso that the cutter is at rest while the tuft material is being fed to the cutter and the feed mechanism is at rest while the cutter is in operation.

In order to prevent the out front end of the wick from becoming caught on the lower out ter-blade, this part of the wick is lifted above the edge of the lower blade by a guard plate or finger g. This plate is arranged with its free end between the delivery side of the feed-rollers and the lower cutter-blade and is secured at its rear end to any suitable support.

In practice this machine is provided with means for connecting the same with and disconnecting the same from the source of power, and means are also provided for governing the speed of the machine; but this mechanism is not shown, as it forms no essential part of this invention.

The tuft-making machine herein described is very simple and durable in construction, reliable in operation, and is capable of producing a comparatively large quantity of uniform tufts.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a tuft-making machine,- the combination of a pair of cutter-blades one of which is movable toward and from the other, a drivingshaft provided with a crank which is connected with said movable cutter-blade, a pair of feed-rollers for delivering the tuft material to the cutter-blades, a pair of shafts supportin g said rollers, intermeshing gear-wheels mounted on said roller-shafts, a ratchet-wheel mounted on one of the roller-shafts, an oscillating arm provided with a pawl engaging with said ratchet-wheel, and a crank mounted on the driving-shaft and connected with said oscillating arm, substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombinationofacutter-frame,asupporting-bar pivoted at one end on the cutterframe, a vertical adj usting-screw upon which the opposite end of said bar rests, a lower cutter-blade pivoted at one end on said frame and resting at its opposite end on said supportingbar and an upper cutter-blade pivoted on the lower blade, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter consisting of upper and lower cutter-blades, a pair of feed-rollers whereby the tuft material is delivered to the cutter, and a guard arranged between the feed-rollers and the lower cutter-blade and constructed to lift the advancing end of the tuft material above the lower cutter-blade, substantially as set forth.

4. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feed mechanism for deliv ering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a guide for directing the wick to said feed mechanism, and means arranged at the delivery or rear end of said guide for preventing the wick from twisting in the guide upon tying a loop around the same, substantially as set forth.

5. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feed mechanism for delivering the tuft material to the cutter, a tubular guide through which the tuft material passesto the feed mechanism, and a spur which is arranged in the bore ofthe guide and which enters the tuft material, substantially as set forth.

6. In a tuft making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feed mechanism for delivering the tuft material to the cutter, a tubular guide through which the tuft material passes to the feed mechanism, and a spur arranged in the bore of the guide and having an oblique'front side which prevents the tuft material from catching thereon, substantially as set forth.

7. In atuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feed mechanism for deliv ering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a guide for directing the wick to the feed mechanism, and an abutment or retaining-plate which is arranged at the rear end of said guide on the front side of the path of the wick and which sustains the latter against lateral displacement upontying a loop around the same between the guide and the abutment, substantiallyas set forth. .1

8. In a tuft-making machine, the combina tion of a cutter, a feed mechanism for delivering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a tubular guide for directing the wick to the feed mech= anism and having an external taper at its rear end,and an abutment or retaining-plate which I is arranged at the rear end of said guide on the front side of the path of the wick and which sustains the latter against lateral displacement upon tying a loop around the same between the guide and the abutment, substan= tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILSON M. PETTIT.

Images