Cutting – Processes – With subsequent handling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-07
2001-05-15
Ashley, Boyer (Department: 3724)
Cutting
Processes
With subsequent handling
C083S023000, C083S206000, C083S277000, C083S076800, C083S080000, C083S153000, C083S155000, C083S453000, C083S937000, C271S265010, C271S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230596
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
My present invention relates to an apparatus for the transport of a flat piece of material, for example, a piece cut from a web of textile material, of paper, of paperboard, of cardboard, of plastic or synthetic resin, a metal strip or of a foil and wherein the piece is originally supplied along a first transport path by a first transporter and is then transferred to a second transporter. The invention also relates to a method transporting such pieces. To the extent that the invention has method aspects, the method may also be considered a method of operating the apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the transport of such pieces of sheet or web material, especially pieces cut from a continuous web of material and, in particular textile pieces cut from a web of a textile, it is known to provide a first discontinuously operable transport device by means of which a textile web is withdrawn from a supply, e.g. a roll, and that the free end of this web, pieces are cut off. The pieces can be then transferred to a second continuously operable transporter whose transport plane runs parallel to the transport plane of the first transporter.
The free end of the web can be engaged to pull the web out before it is cut off in the first plane and the web can be displaced in the second plane transversely to its displacement in the first plane, i.e. orthogonal to the first direction of displacement. The means for engaging the free end of the web may be tongs and the tongs can tension the web for cutting. The first transporter can also include a slider shiftable in the first direction. Between the transport slider and the transport tongs of the first transporter, the separating device can be provided for cutting the piece off the web.
The transfer means can engage the cut off piece and displace the latter between the plane of the first transporter and the plane of the second transporter.
In the prior art apparatus which operates in the manner described, especially for textile material, as soon as one textile piece is displaced away from the area in which it is severed from the textile web another piece can be separated from the web and similarly transported away.
One of the drawbacks of such an arrangement is that during the time interval in which a piece of material is being transported away from the location at which it is separated from the web, a further piece of material cannot be cut from the web and hence the cutting can only occur after the previously cut piece has been completely carried off from this region.
With such an arrangement, especially with a continuously driven second transporter, the successive textile pieces cannot be delivered so that they are practically touching one another, i.e. with a quasi gap-free succession as may be required for seaming and sewing stations. Rather there always remains between the individual textile pieces along the second path, a comparatively large gap which limits the utilization of the apparatus in terms of the number of delivered pieces per unit time and can have a negative effect on equipment downstream of the transporters, i.e. apparatus for processing the pieces.
Apparatus is also known which is capable of transporting pieces first in one direction and then in a direction orthogonal thereto and in which the two planes in which the pieces are moved by the respective transporters are located one above the other. In these systems, the textile pieces may be engaged on needle bars which deliver the textile pieces to needle chains. The material is repeatedly engaged or pierced by the needle which can be detrimental to the fabric and operations in the vicinity of such needle bars and needle chains may be dangerous. In many cases neither needle bars nor needle chains can be used.
With such apparatus as well, it is not possible to ensure the continuous delivery of pieces of material in a quasi-gap-free or spacing-free manner.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the transport of pieces of web material in which injury to the material can be minimized or avoided and which permits the delivery of a succession of pieces touching one another or practically touching one another, i.e. in at least a quasi-gap-free manner so that the utilization of the apparatus can be maximized and the operations of subsequent machinery for processing such pieces can be made more efficient.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of transporting pieces whereby drawbacks of earlier methods are avoided.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a highly reliable apparatus which can be of relatively simple construction, and which can efficiently deliver a succession of flat workpieces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention, in an apparatus in which the second transporter is a continuously operating belt, band or chain conveyor with at least one endless conveyor element and preferably two such conveyor elements spaced apart from one another transversely to their directions of displacement. Each of the conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a strip-like support surface parallel to the conveyor direction, i.e. the direction of movement of a stretch of the conveyor element adapted to displace a piece of material between itself and the support surface and which may be an edge of a fabric piece. Each conveyor element can be provided with a buffer loop which expands or contracts depending upon the movement of an upstream return loop, the latter being movable counter to the transport direction toward the clamping means in which the piece of material is engaged for transfer to the second plane. This end of each conveyor element is thus displaceable from an initial position counter to the transport direction and parallel thereto into a receiving position in which it engages the piece of material and draws it in the transport direction on the support surface.
The second transporter thus comprises a continuously operating strip-like conveyor, which need not be formed as a circulating conveyor element but also can be provided in the form of a nonclosed reversibly driven band segment.
With such conveyor elements or two such transversely-spaced conveyor elements, the piece of material can be pressed against the respective strip-like supporting surfaces and transported away.
The spacing between the conveyor elements can be adjusted to accommodate different widths of the piece material, i.e. to displace pieces of different widths.
Since the conveyor elements have respective buffer loops, the upstream ends of the conveyor elements may be moved back and forth counter to and in the displacement direction (parallel to the displacement plane defined by the supporting surfaces). In this case, each oncoming piece is engaged substantially earlier than is the case with a stationary continuously driven conveyor. After the pick-up of a piece of the web material, the upstream end of the conveyor, by its entrainment with the piece of material itself, can be displaced back into its initial position to make place for the delivery of a further piece of material and a repetition of the process. For the displacement of the material which entrains the upstream end of the conveyor element for the upstream ends of the conveyor elements in the second direction, further conveyor elements can be provided alongside the first-mentioned conveyor elements.
Alternatively, the second transporter can be a continuously-driven belt, band or chain-like conveyor with at least one conveyor element, but preferably two such conveyor elements which are transversely spaced from one another, whereby each of these conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a strip-like support surface. Each of these conveyor elements can be bodily displaced counter to the transport direction from an initial position into a receiving position.
Since the complete conveyor element with its drive roller and deflection r
Ashley Boyer
Dubno Herbert
Schmale-Holding GmbH & Co.
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