US1729171A - Evergreen-wreath-making machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1929. J. E. LAVLEY 1,729,171

' EVERGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE 7 Filed Jan. 20, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 (b72125 [az/Zgy, deed. 2mm BL cwlqg admim'rimfi Sept. 24, 1929. J. E. LAVLEY 1,729,171

EVERGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 24, 1929. J.. E. LAVLEY -EVE1RGREEN WREATH MAKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q4 JbhnEfZaz/Ze 34 4mm J aiecai.

alike: mnra Patented Sept. 24, 1929 warren STATES- PATENT OFFICE JOHN E. LAVLEY, DECEASED, LATE OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, BY RUTH B. LAVLEY, ADMINISTRATRIX, OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO EVERGREEN-WREA'IH-MAKING MACHINE Application filed January 20, 1927.

ing improved means for progressively applying the evergreen-binding wire to the core of the Wreath; one which partakes of a progressive movement longitudinally of the wreath core when the machine is in operation.

Another object is to furnish, in a machine as characterized, an improved holding means for the wreath core and which is capable of adjustment to suit cores of different lengths.

The invention also aims to generally simplify the structure of machines of this type, and increase the efficiency thereof.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by means of a novel cominafter described and claimed, and in order that the same may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate what I now regard as a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters designate the same parts in all views,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine, partly broken;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of the clutch and associated elements, certain of which are shown in section;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional View through the winding wire spool carrier;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective of the wreath core; 7 V

Figure 6 is a perspective of a partially finished wreath;

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevational view of the clutch;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view, partly in side elevation of one of the core holding elementsand its driving gear;

bination and arrangement of parts to be here-' bed 1.

Serial N'o. 162,868.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8 of the companion core holding element;

Figure 10 is a cross section through the core holding element ofFigure 9 in place in its carrier socket; and

c Figure 11 is a detail sectional View of certain elements of the winding wire carrier.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the machine comprises a bed or table 1, supported by legs 2, the bed having upstanding bearings 3 rotatably supporting the main drive shaft 4. Power is transmitted to drive shaft 4 by means of a clutch comprising a cup-like drum 5, keyed to the shaft, and a loose clutch element which is driven by a sprocket 6. The clutch is of the friction type and its details will be explained later.

Turning to Figures 1 and 2 it is observed that the bed 1 has a pair of transverse open ings 7 through which the operating chains 8 of sprockets 6 pass. The preferred embodiment discloses duplicate clutches 5, 6 on shaft 4, but it will be evident that effective results can be secured with but one clutch.

The sprocket chains 8 carry a weight 9 at one end, while the other end is attached to a treadle 10 which is pivoted as at 11 to the'floor' asshown in Figures 1 and 3. When the treadle 10 is depressed, the sprocket clutch element 6 is rotated in a direction to frictionally drive its companion clutch element 5 and shaft 4. The purpose of weight 9 is to elevate the treadle 10 after each downward Working stroke thereof.

Adjacent each end of the drive shaft 4 is keyed a; spur gear 12 which meshes with a relatively smaller ratio spur gear 13, these latter being carried rigidly upon stub shafts journalled in upstanding bearings 16 upon One stub shaft is designated as at 14 and the other at 15.

As best shown in the detail view Figure 8, the stub shaft 14 has an elongated keyway 14 so that the shaft can be slid in its bearings 16 and relatively of the key 14 of its gear 13. A coil spring 14" (Figs. 1 and 2) having one end abutting the adjacent bearing 16 and the other end engaging a shoulder 14 normally tends to draw the hooked end 14 of the stub shaft 14 in the direction of its bearings 16. The'object of this construction is to maintain the core wire C in a taut condition, it being understood that one end. of the core wire C is engaged with the hooked end 1 1 of stub shaft 14-.

Referring to Figure 9, the other stub shaft 15 is shown with a socketcd end 15 adapted to receive the reduced shank portion 15 of abar 15, the end of which is booked as indicated at 15 to engage the other end of the core wire C of the wreath or rope. A set screw 15 operates through'one wall of socket 15* to selectively engage in depressions 15 in a groove in the shank portion 15". Thus the bar 15 is capable of adjustment in its socket 15 so that a core wire C of varying length may be engaged with hooks 14 and 15 and held taut by the action of the spring 1 1" acting through the stub shaft 14.

Fromthe foregoing it will be clear that the wreath wire core C will be rotated with stub shafts 14 and 15.

Referring again to the clutch 5, ('3, as depicted in Figures 3 and 7, the sleeve of the sprocket element 6 carries a fixed web 6 positioned within the drum 5. Arms 6 pivoted to web 6 as at 6 are backed by lined metal strips 6 Thus, when sprocket element 6 is rotated in a counter clockwise direction (Figs. 3 and 7) the ends of arms 6 frictionally engage the inner periphery of drum to rotate the same and shaft 4. When the sprocket element 6 moves in a clockwise direction. under the influence of weight 9 after each working stroke of the treadle 10, the arms 6 swing to an idling or inoperative position to permit free rotation of the shaft 4.

Coming now to the means for securing the evergreen to the core G, and referring particularly toFigures 1 and 4', the supply spool 17 for the wrapping wire 18 is journalled upon the intermediate part of a sleeve 19 which mounts the spool housing or carrier 19 upon a guide bar A. The housing sleeve 19 is slidingly mounted upon the guide bar A'and keyed against rotation as at 19 (Fig. 4). Upstanding standards B at either end of bed 1 serve to support guide bar A. From the spool 17, the wrapping wire 18 passes through a hole in partition 19, thence between the outwardly flared flanges oftwo closely contacting and nonrotating friction washers 20, and finally through a hole in a second partition. It is understood that the end of the wrapping wire 18 is designed to be attached to the left hand end of the core wire C adjacent the hood 1 1.

The washers 20, referred to above, are mounted upon a small transverse rod 21 carried by the spool-housing walls and are held in intimate contact by the action of a coil spring 22. One end of coil spring 22 engages an abutment 23 on rod 21, while the other end engages the face of the adjacent washer20 toforce the two washers together and against a second rod-carried abutment 24. The function of the two yieldingly contacting, flaringly flanged washers 20 is to frictionally act upon the wrapping wire 18 "when the machine is'in use to prevent too rapid paying out of the wire from spool 17. It has been previously stated that the end of the wrappin wire is adapted to be attached to the core C, and since the core C is rotated by hooks 14 and the wrapping wire 8 will be wound off the spool 17 and onto the core to hold the evergreenin intimate contact therewith. See Figure 6, showing partially completed wreath, wherein. the ends of the core C have been connected.

lVith further reference to the friction washers it is noted that they are prevented from rotating by transverse housingcarried pin 25 engaging edge recesses 20 in the washer flanges.

In carrying out the invention, a means is provided for moving the spool housing 19 longitudinally of the core 0 on its guide bar A w rile the machine isin motion so that the wrapping wire 18 will be progressively wound upon the core 0, in the direction of one end. thereof, as the evergreens are applied to the core. This means will now be described.

A flexible connection 26 is attached to the spool housing 19 as at 27 and is trained over a pulley 28 carried by standard B at the right hand end of the machine (Fig ure 1). From pulley 28 connection 26 passes under a pulley 29 journalled in bearings 29" adjacent the bed of the machine, and from pulley 29 the connection is attached to a spool 30. The spool 30 is keyed to a short shaft31 supported by upstanding bed carried bearings 32. The spool 30 has a clutch end 33 provided with lugs 33* adapted toengage hub notches 37 of a spur gear 37 which is loose on shaft 31. j Gear 37 is constantly driven. very slowly by the small spur gear 38 on the end of the stub shaft 15. V r

, Assuming that the machine is in operation and that it is desired to progressively move the spool housing'19 toward the right (Fig.

1), all that is necessary to do is to move the spool 30 on shaft31 to engage its clutch end with the hub notches 37 of gear 37. This may be done by means of lever 35, pivoted at 36 to hearing 32 and having a projection 341 engaging a circumferential groove 38." in the clutch end 33 of the spool 80.

l/Vhen the wrapping of evergreen upon one core has been completed, and a new core has been applied to hooks 14 and 15 the clutch end 33 of spool 30 can be disengaged from gear 37 so as to permit the spool housing 19 to llll) be manually slid to its starting position on the guide bar A. The shaft 31 will be free to rotate and the connection 26 will unwind from the spool 30.

From the foregoing description, taken with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of the machine will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The core wire G is preferably formed with doubled strands defining eyes C at each end (Figure 5). The free ends of the wire C are twisted as at C to hold the strands together at a point adjacent the eyes C The respective ends C are designed to engage in the eyes of their companion ends to define a circular structure as per Figure 6 and as suggested in Figure 5. The ends C will be concealed by the evergreen when engaged with the eyes C Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair of longitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, treadle operated driving means therefor, one of said stub shafts having an extensible wreath core engaging element, the other stub shaft being longitudinally adjustable and having means for engagement with a wreath core, yielding means for normally urging said last named stub shaft away from the first named stub shaft to hold the wreath core taut, a longitudinally disposed guide carried by said frame and above the plane of said stub shaft, a housing slidingly mounted on said guide, a spool journalled in said housing and having a flexible element wound thereon and designed for attachment to said core, a flexible connection having one end permanently attached to said housing, a rotatably journalled shaft adjacent and parallel with one of said stub shafts at one end of the frame, a winding drum rigid with said last named shaft and to which said connection is attached, a gear loosely mounted on said shaft drum and having a driving connection with the adjacent stub shaft, and

clutch means for effecting a driving connection between said gear and said drum shaft whereby to wind said connection thereon and draw said housing longitudinally on its guide in the operation of the machine, and guide means for said flexible connection and arranged to maintain the same adjacent said housing guide between the ends thereof whereby not to obstruct the view of the work from either side of the machine.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair of longitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, driving means therefor, said stub shafts having means for engagement with a wreath core, a longitudinally disposed guide carried by said frame and well above the plane of said stub shafts so as not to obstruct the view of the work, a

ble element wound thereon anddesigned for attachment to said core, a flexible connection attached to said housing, a rotatably journalled shaft adjacent and parallel with one of said stub shafts at one end of the frame, and to which said connection is attached, a gear loosely mounted on said shaft and having a driving connection wit-h one of said stub shafts, clutch means for effecting a driving connection between said gear and said last named shaft whereby to wind said connection thereon and draw said housing longitudinally on its guide in the operation of the machine, and guide means for said flexible connection and arranged to maintain the same adjacent said housing guide between the ends thereof whereby not to obstruct the view of the work from either side of the machine.

3. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a pair of longitudinally spaced stub shafts journalled thereon, driving means therefor, said stub shaft-s having means for engagement with a wreath core, a longitudinally disposed guide carried by said frame and well above the plane of said stub shafts so as not to obstruct the view of the work, a housing slidingly mounted thereon, a spool journalled in said housing and having a flexibleelement wound thereon and designed for attachment to said core, a flexible connection having one end attached to said housing, a rotatable element arranged adjacent and with its axis parallel with one of said stub shafts and to which the other end of said flexible element is attached, and a driving connection between said rotatable element and said adj acent stub shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RUTH B. LAVLEY, Adm im'stratrix, Estate 0/ John E. La'vley,

Deceased.

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