US1825250A - Bias cutter - Google Patents

Description

J. REHAK BIDAS CUTTER Sept. 29, 1931.

Filed March 14. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2'7L/E77ZZ7E James EE/za/r l g 00 Sept; 29, 1931. l REHAK 1,825,250

BIAS CUTTER Filed March 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eli-E,

I JUL/5777b James [FE/55.4:

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES REHAK, OF AKRON, OHIO, .ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BIAS CUTTER Application filed March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,760.

This invention relates to bias cutters and;

more especially to rotary bias cutters such as commonly are used in the rubber industry for progressively severing continuous sheets 5 of uncured rubberized fabric obliquely into relatively narrow strips. The invention, in part, is an improvement upon the rotary cutter of John R. Gammeter, Patent No. 1,57 7 620 issued March 23, 1926. V

Bias cutters of the character mentioned heretofore have been constructed with a single means for removing the severed strips form the machine, said means comprising a liner upon which thesevered strips lay and i with which they were interwound for storage or transport until such time as the roll was unwound and the strips therein successively removed and spliced end to end to form a long strip, or otherwise utilized. The delivery speed of the machine and adhesion of the severed edges of adjacent strips precluded the immediate removal of the strips from the liner as they emerged from the cutter.

The chief objects of this invention are to deliver strips of material from a rotary bias cutter in laterally spaced relation, to deliver strips of material from a rotary bias cutter at sufliciently separated intervals to permit, immediate removal thereof from the i delivering means; to obtain the advantages incident to the cutting of a plurality of strips of different widths at each revolution of the cutter; to apply an identifying mark to the strips of various widths; to segregate the strips of various widths automatically as they are delivered from the cutter; and to provide a single apparatus forv accomplishing the foregoing objects.

Of the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying my invention in its preferred form, a part thereof being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a section on a larger scale, on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, 10 is a rotary, cylindrical drum upon which are helically wound a plurality of flexible, yieldingly sup-.

ported, strips of metal or knives 11, 11, herein shown as six in number, the knives being circumferentially spaced'upon the drum at such irregular intervals as to define thereon six intervening spaces of three different widths. The drum 10 preferably is hollow, and is provided at itsrespective ends with spokes 12, 12, and hubs or trunnions such as the hub 13, Fig. 2, the latter being journaled in suitable journal brackets 14 mounted upon a basecasting 14 a Mounted in a suitable framework 15 associated with the aforesaid structure is'a hardsurfaced roll 16, preferably of metal, against which roll the knives 11 are adapted to cut the fabric 17 which constitutes the work, the latter passing partly around said roll to the cutting position, and being pressed against said roll bythe knives 11 which sever the fabric along oblique lines into relatively narrow strips'18, 19, and 20, of three different widths, The knives preferably are soarrangedon the drum that they out two strips of differ: ent widths between successive strips of the same width. The fabric 17 is drawn from a supply roll 21, of fabric and liner, rotatablym'ounted upon the framework 15, and a linerrewinding roll 22 resting upon the supply roll 21 rewinds the liner as it is given ofi by the rotation of said supply roll. 7

Suitably journaled guide rolls 28, 24, 25, and 26 support an endless belt 27, said guide rolls being so positioned with relation to the drum 10 that one reach of the belt is guided partly around the drum, as shown, and serves to hold the severedstrips 18, 19, 20, firmly against the surface thereof. The belt '27 passes out of contact with the drum substantially at the lowest point of the latter, and is utilized for conveying the strips 18 fromthe drum as presentlywill be explained. The guide roll 26 is adjustable for imparting ten sion to the belt 27. The'belt travels at the same surface speed asthe drum, and may be frictionally driven by the latter as shown, or it may be provided with any other suitable driving means.

, If the difference in width of the strips 18,

19, and is small, it will be desirable to apply an identifying mark to each strip and for this purpose a wheel 28 is journaled in a bracket 15' rising from the framework 15,

the periphery of the wheel being provided with suitable yielding stamps or types 29, 29, preferably of rubber, which engage the fabric sheet 17, upon the roll 16, in succession as said roll and the wheel 28 are rotated. An inking roller 30 is journaled on the framework 15 and makes contact with the stamps 29 for inking the same. The arrangement of the stamps 29 upon the wheel 28 corresponds to the spaces between the several knives 11 upon the drum 10, the wheel being substantially the same diameter as said drum.

The best functioning of the apparatus requires that the drum 10, roll 16, and wheel 28 shall rotate at the same surface speed and for this reason it is preferable that they be interconnected and positively driven. For the purpose of so driving the parts mentioned. a sprocket 31 on the shaft 32 of the wheel 28 is connected by a sprocket chain 33 with a. sprocket (not shown) of suitable size mounted upon the shaft 34 of the roll 16, and another sprocket (not shown) on the said shaft 34 is connected by a sprocket chain 35 with a sprocket 36 mounted upon the far trunnion or hub 13 of the drum 10. Another sprocket, 37 mounted upon the same trunnion 13 is connected by a sprocket chain 38 with a source of motive power (not shown).

The respective strips 18, 19, and 20 are removed from the drum 10 selectively at different angular positions of the latter, and pass onto respective conveyors where successive strips are positioned in spaced relation to facilitate the removal and disposition of the strips. The conveyors are designated 39, 40. and 41, and are adapted to receive the strips 18, 19. and 20 respectively. Said conveyors comprise endless belts which are mounted upon the usual. end-pulleys of which only the end pulleys 42, 43, and 44 respectively, which are positioned adiacent the cutting apparatus, are shown. The pulley 42 is iournaled in the base-casting 14 below the roller 25, and the conveyor 39 is adapted to receive the strips 18 as the latter are de livered from the belt 27. Pulleys 43 and 44 are journaled in suitable arms, such as the arm 14, Fig. 1, formed on the ournal brackets 14. and are so positioned that the conveyor belts 40, 41. are close to the surface of the drum 10 as they pass around said pulleys. The conveyors 39, 40. and 41 are driven in any approved or preferred manner substantially at the same surface speed as the drum 10.

For holding the strips 19 and 20 to the drum 10 after the belt 2? has passed out of engagement therewith. and for assuring positively that the said strips and the strips 18 will feed onto the respective belts 40, 41, and the belt 27, suitable suction and pressure means is provided for engaging the leading end of each of said strips, and means is provided for actuating said suction and pressure means at determinate time-intervals.

Pressure and suction are brought to the apparatus in pipes 45. 46 respectively which pipes connect with respective chambers 47, 48 in a manifold 49, and extending from the said chambers of the latter are pipes 50, 51, of which the pipe 50 from the chamber 47 is positioned inside the pipe 51, and is sufficiently smaller than the pipe 51 to permit fluid to flow in the space between the pipes. 11. manifold 52 is rotatably mounted upon the end of the pressure pipe 50. beyond the end of the pipe 51, and branch pipes 53, 53. extend radially therefrom and are threaded into apertures 54, 54, in the peripheral wall of the drum 10 adjacent the end thereof. The apertures 54 are six in number and are disposed between the respective knives 11, at the leading ends of the latter when the drum is 1'0- tated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. Each of the pipes 53 is provided with a valve 55 which has an operating lever 56 extending therefrom between the spokes 12 of the drum to engage a suitable cam mounted upon the bracket 14. The cam-engaging end of each lever 56 is provided with a cam-roller 57, and its opposite end is proided with a tension spring 58 which normally holds the lever against an abutment 59, with the valve in closed position.

In like manner a manifold 60 is mounted upon the suction pipe 51 and is provided with radial branch- pipes 61, 61, which extend therefrom and have their outer ends threaded into respective apertures 62, 62 in the peripheral wall of the drum, adjacent the respective apertures 54 therein. Each of the pipes 61 is provided with a valve 63 which has an operating lever 64 extending therefrom, between the spokes 12 of the drum, to engage a cam mounted upon the bracket 14. The cam-engaging end of each lever 64 is provided with a cam roller 65 and the opposite end of each lever is provided with a tension spring 66 which normally holds the lever against an abutment 67, with the valve in open position. The cam- rollers 57, 65 are positioned closely adjacent each other so that the suction and pressure to the respective zones of the drum are controlled substantially concurrently. Each group of levers 56, 64 comprises three different lengths with two levers of each length, and the respective valves for the different-length levers are positioned at different points radially of the drum, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit the levers to engage respective cams.

The cams for actuating the respective levers 56. 64 are mounted upon the bearing portion of the bracket 14 at the near side of the apparatus as viewed in Fig. 1.. They comprise three groups of two cams each which are so positioned as to engage respective levers 56, 64 at determinate points in the levers orbits,

which points correspond generally to the'positions where the conveyor belts 27, 40, and 41, pass out of engagement with the drum 10. Each group of cams comprises a relatively short cam adapted to engage a lever 56, and by operating a valve 55, to release pressure fluid through anaperture 54 of the drumwall for a brief interval. A longer cam, companion to said short cam, is adapted to engage a lever 64 at the same time said shorter cam engages a lever 56, and by operating a valve 63, to shut off the suction in one of the apertures 62 in the drum wall, which suction normally is present 'in said apertures. The relatively long cam remains in engagement with the lever64 until such time as the rotation of the drum carries the shut-off aperture 62 to the top of its orbit, Whereat it is overlaid by the fabric 17 as the latter passes onto the drum from the roller 16.

Referring especially to Fig. 3, 68, 69, and are the relatively short cams which engage the levers 56 of the pressure valves 55, and 71, 72, and 73 are the relatively long cams which engage the levers 64 of the suction valves 63. Each of the short cams 68, 69, or

7 O is so positioned with relation to its respective companion cam 71, 72, or 73, that the levers 56, 64 of each set are actuated substantially concurrently. As previously stated, the respective cam groups are so positioned as to engage the levers of different lengths at different points inthe orbits of said levers, and the long cams 71, 72, and 7 3, all terminate at a common point. The respective cams of each group have the same radial Width, but each group of cams, namely, 68 and 71, 69 and 72, and 7 O and 73 have different radial widths to accommodate the respective pairs of levers which are positioned at different distances from the axis of the drum,

In the operation of the apparatus, the respective movable members are driven in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, and the leading end of the stock 17 is carried around the hard roll 16 and started between it and the drum 10 where it is continuously fed and cut into bias strips 18, 19, and 20 of various widths by rotation of said roll and drum. As the leading ends of successive helical knives 11 engage the fabric and are forced through it to sever the fabric, the leading ends of the stripsthus formed are subjected to suction applied thereto through the apertures 62 in the drum wall, as the result of the successive valve-levers 64 passing out of'engagement with the respective cams 71, 72, and 73, whereby the valves 63 are opened to normal position. The suction holds the leading ends of the severed strips against the drum, assisted by the endless belt 27 which bears against the drum and passes partly around the same.

As the leading ends of the strips 18, 19, and 20, reach their proper taking off positions, the suction which holds their leading ends is broken by the cams 71, 72, and 73, which engage the valve-levers 64 and close the valves 63. The strips are then dislodged from the drum by jets of air through the apertures 54 caused by the cams 68, 69,-and 7O engaging the levers 56 of the pressure valves 55, momentarily, to open the same. As the leading ends of the strips 18, 19, 20 are dislodged from the drum they fall onto the respective belts 27, 40 or 41, and the weight of the strips is sutficient to peel them from the drum throughout the rest of their areas.

The material deposited on the belt 27 passes therefrom onto the belt 39. Operators are positioned beside the belts 39, 40, and 41 to remove the strips 18, 19, and 20 therefrom and dispose of the same, the spacedapart position of the strips on the respective belts providing suflicient time intervals be tween strips to make this possible.

The machine is automatic in operation and effects the several advantages set forth in the foregoing statement of objects The invention may be variously modified within the scope of the appended claims.

T claim:

1. The'combination, with'a' bias cutter of the type comprising a rotary member adapted to carry the out work upon its periphery, of means carried thereby for selectively removing work rom said member at a plurality of angularly spaced apart positions and means for selectively receiving and delivering the work so removed.

2. The combination, with a bias cutter of the type comprising a rotary member constituting one element of a cutting couple adapted to carry the out work upon its periphery, of a plurality of conveyors having work-receiving ends adjacent to said rotary member for removing work therefrom at respective parts of its orbit, and means for dislodging the work from the said member selectively at the work-receiving ends of said convevors.

3. The combination, with a rotary bias cutter adapted to sever strips of material of various widths and comprising a rotary member adapted to carry the out work upon its periphery. of suction means for holding the leading ends of the strips to the surface of the said member, fluid-impelling means carried by said rotary member for dislodging the strips therefrom, and means for concurrently releasing the suction means and actuating the fiuid-impelling means with respect to the strips of respective widths at different determinate parts of the members orbit.

4. In a rotary bias cutter the combination of a rotary knife-holding drum, a plurality of knives mounted helically thereon, a suction pipe and a fluid pressure pipe communicating with the surface of the drum in each of the spaces between adjacent knives,

respcetive valves for said suction pipes and pressure pipes, and means for alternately operating said valves in timed relation to the rotation 01" the drum to alternately hold the work thereon and discharge it therefrom.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the 'alve-operating means comprises stationary cams.

6. In a rotary bias cutter the combination of a rotary knife-holding drum, a plurality of knives mounted helically thereon and spaced at various distances from each other, means cooperating therewith for cutting sheet material, a suction pipe and a fluid pressure pipe extending radially from re spective axial manifolds and communicating with the surface of the drum between each pair '01"? knives thereon. valves in the respective suction pipes and fluid pressure pipes having different radial positions according to the difi erent widths of the inter-knife spaces with which their pipes communicate, and means for so operating said valves to alternately hold and discharge successive pieces of work therefrom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of February, 1930.

JAMES REHAK.

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