Button shank wrapping machine

Details Button shank wrapping machine Button shank wrapping machine

1999-03-04

2001-07-10

Ball, Michael W. (Department: 1733)

Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture

Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor

With bending, folding, winding, or wrapping means

C156S494000, C002S265000, C223S001000, C112S108000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06257295

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a button shank wrapping machine and to a method for wrapping the shank of a button. Wrapping a shank is also known as whipping the shank.
In order to secure a coat button it is conventional to pass thread through the holes of the button from the coat material several times. The accumulated thread between the button and coat forms the button shank which is then finished off by winding the free end of the button thread around the shank so as to whip it. The free end is then secured in the coat material. This has normally been done by hand. However, button sewing machines are known and so are shank whipping machines but there are problems with securing the ends of the thread.
Thus a button shank whipping machine according to the invention comprises a support adapted to receive and support a button shank at a support station, winding means to wind thread around the shank, tensioning means to apply tension to the thread as it is wound, means to supply thread to the winding means, means to form a bond on the shank adjacent to the support station, the winding means having a thread outlet offset from the shank support station, and wherein the outlet is rotatable for winding about a winding axis aligned with the button support.
The offsetting of the thread outlet allows shank bonding either by heat fusing or by applying a bonding agent to the shank.
The winding means may be fed with thread from a supply either partly along the winding axis in one embodiment or from a supply offset from the winding axis in a second embodiment.
In one embodiment the button is supported against an axial movement in a separate support from the shank support. This enables tension to be applied between the button and the material to which it is sewn which improves winding formation.
In a surprise version of the above embodiment tension is applied manually by pulling gently on this object to which the button is sewn. In a further version tension is applied by means of a tensioning means suitably a piston and cylinder arrangement, acting preferably through a link to the separate support for the button, the link being substantially aligned at least in part with the winding axis.
In order to ensure heat fusing a heatable fusing iron is arranged to be moveable into momentary engagement with the shank after whipping.
In order to ensure that one end of this thread is held during the winding operation, it would be possible to manually twist the free end of the sewing thread used to sew the button on to the object to be buttoned on to the free end of the whipping thread. These would subsequently be fused or bonded together after whipping. However, in order to provide automatic control and consistency in production it is preferred to provide a first catching element arranged to hold the free end of the whipping thread whilst applying tension on the whipping thread and winding the thread around the shank. After whipping is completed, a second catching element is arranged to catch the whipping thread between the whipped shank and tensioning means, a control unit provided for this embodiment then moves the fusing iron on to the shank and then both catching elements are moved away from the button to snap both ends of the whipping thread, releasing the button and object to be buttoned for removal from the machine or for relocation at another position.
In a method of whipping a button shank of a button sewn to an object according to the invention the button and object are supported at a support station, thread is supplied to the shank and is wound around the shank under tension to whip the shank, the thread is then broken off to release the button and object.
Preferably the thread is caught and held by a first catching element before winding the thread and is caught and held again by a second catching element after completion of the winding step and after bonding of fusing the wound thread. Both catching elements are then moved away from the shank to break the thread at the start and finish of the winding. The first catching element is controlled to release the portion of thread in its grasp whilst the second catching element retains the supplied thread ready for the next whipping operation.
The dual catching arrangements ensure that the machine when fully supplied with thread is always ready again for the next button whipping.


REFERENCES:
patent: 95/33880 (1995-12-01), None
patent: 97/04674 (1997-02-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Button shank wrapping machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Button shank wrapping machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Button shank wrapping machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2479392