Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lOSZ958
This invention is concerned with improvemente in or relating
to folding machines, more especially edge folding machines for progressively
folding over a marginal portion of a workpiece, e.g. a shoe upper.
The phrase "an ede folding machine of the type herein defined"
where used herein is to be understood as referring to "an edKe folding
machine for progressively folding over a marginal portion of a workpiece,
comprising folding instrumentalities arranted at an operating locality
of the machine, workpiece feeding means for feeding a workpiece step-
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by-step through the operating locality, control means whereby the feed
t 10 length of each feed movement of the workpiece feeding means can be
;~ varied during the operation of said workpiece feeding means, a reciproca-
tory elitting mechanism, operable in timed relation with the operation
of the workpiece feeding meane, for slitting the marginal portion of
a workpiece as it is fed to the operating locality of the machine by the
workpiece feeding means, and actuating means for causing the elitting ~ .
mechaniem to operate" . ~ -~
In ueing euch a machine, conventionally when operating oa an `
"outeide" (i.e. convex) curve along the periphery of a workpiece, ~.
the feed length referred to above is ehortened, thus to facilitate pleating
of the material of the folded-over portion. It will of course be appreciated
` that, where euch a curve arises, there ia excese material in the folded~
over portion in comparison with the surface of the workpiece to which
the folded-over portion is to be secured. Conversely when operating
on an "ineide" (i.e. concave) curve, where the amount of materlal ~ ;-
in the folded-over portion ie less thian the miaterial of the surface to
which it ie to be secured, the slittiin~t mechanism ie caueed to provide
a series of elits in the portion to be folded over, prior to euch folding,
thus to facilitate its eubsequent securing without distortion. Slitting
ie ueually effected with the feed length solected at a maximum in order
to avoid the provieion of a larger number of closely spaced slite (the
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lOSZ958
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slitting arrangement making one alit for each feed movement of the workpiece
feeding means) .
In order to accommodate the different feed length requirements,
the control means of edge folding machinee of the type herein defined
conventionally comprises adjustable means whereby a maximum setting
and a minimum setting can be made for the feed length.
Furthermore, it has ueually been the case that the adjustable
setting means is biased towards the maximum feed setting, although
- it has been proposed to bias the adjustable means towards the minimum
feed setting. Thus, for example, in one machine of the type herein defined,
operator-controlled meane in the form of a treadle has been provided
~t to facilitate altering the setting of the feed length under the control of
the operator according to the edge contour of the workpiece being operated
upon, and aleo to cause the slitting arrangement to operate as required
by said contour, the treadle being 80 arranged that the maximum feed
length is selected whenever the slitting arrangement is caused thue
to operate.
Again, by way of further example, in another machine of the type
herein defined, the feed length is automaticalb controlled according
to the edge contour of the workpiece being operated upon, said contour
being sensed e. g . by photo-electric sensing means . In this machine
the minimum feed length setting ie eelected only when an outeide curve
ie sensed, the maximum setting being otherwise ueed (including any ~ -~
operation involving the operation of the elitting arrangement) .
It will thue be appreciated that if the maximum feed eetting i9 -
to be ueed during the elitting arrangement, euch maximum setting hae
to be determined according to what feed setting can be tolerated by the
curvature of the "inside" curves. A substantial part of the periphery
of a workpiece may, however, be relatively straight and thus capable
of being folded over using a higher feed length setting than the maximum
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in fact set because of the "in~ide" curves, 80 that in a working day operating
time may be lost.
It is one of the various objects of the present invention to overcome
this disadvantage in existing machines of the type herein defined. To
this end, the invention provides, as one of its several features, an edge
folding machine of the type above defined wherein the control means
comprsies first adjusting or setting means whereby a maximum setting
and a minimum setting can be made for the feed length of each feed movement
of the workpiece feeding means, and second setting means whereby
10 a further setting can be made for said feed length, the machine aleo
comprising further actuating means which operatee when the first-mentioned
actuating meane (referred to on page 2, line 15) is operated, and thus
r ~ when the slitting~arrangement is caused to operate, operation of said
:.
1~ further actuating means being effective to ensure that the setting of -
the feed length, while the slitting arrangement ie operating, ie not
~, less than said further setting therefor made by means of the second setting
means. ~ ,~
It will thue be appreciated that by providing a further setting
independently of the maximum setting of the feed length, an optimum
20 maximum feed length can be achieved for etraight line operating. Further-
more, by providing an adjuetment facility by which the further setting ..
can be made for slitting purpoeee, an optimum "slitting" feed length
can aleo be achieved.
The further setting which is thus made provides merely a "minimum
elitting" feed length eetting. If the feed length setting in use during
an operation is greater than such "minimum slitting" setting, then operation
of the further wtuating mean~ will be of no effect.
A machine in accordance with the invention may be arranged eo
that the feed length setting is biased towarde a maximum, but preferably
30 a bias is provided, e.g. by spring means, towards a minimum setting
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105;2958 ~5 ~
a~ herein disclosed. In this way to achieve a "minimum slitting" feed
length setting when the slitting arrangement is caused to operate, where
the setting would otherwise be less than said "minimum slitting" setting, ~ -
the further actuating means is arranged to act against the influence of
such biasing means.
The further actuating means, which preferably comprises a solenoid,
is conveniently arranged to act, directly or indirectly, on a lever forming
part of the control mean~, the arrangement being such that the further
actuating means is not secured to said lever but rather relies on abutting
10 engagement 80 that, when the slitting arrangement is inoperative, the
position of the lever, and thus the feed length setting, can be determined
without the further actuating means being effected. ~-
Furthermore, the "minimum slitting" ~etting can be varied,as
appropriate to the workpiece to be operated upon, by varying the positional
relationship between the further actuating means and the surface which
is abuttingly engaged. This variation may be achieved in accordance
with the invention by moving the further actuating means relative to
such surface, but preferably the surface is provided by a linkage arrangement
comprising a link capable of lengthwise, e.g. telescoping, adjustment, ~ ~-
20 the link being pivotally connected to the lever of the control means.
~ Where such a link is provided, adjustment is conveniently facilitated
'! by the link comprising two portions, one threadedly received within
the other, 80 that relative rotation is effective to shorten or lengthen
the overall length of the link.
The first setting means of the machine preferably compriees a
further lever fixedly connected to the first-mentioned lever, the two
levers being mounted for pivotal movement on a shaft of the control
means, rotation of which shaft is effective to vary the feed length setting
of the workpiece feeding means. For providing maximum and minimum
30 settings, the first setting means conveniently comprises adjustable stop
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1052958
means for the further lever, either in the form of conventional
adjustable stop screws, or a series of apertures into which
selectively stop pins may be inserted so as to extend into the
path of movement of the further lever, or a combination of a
series of apertures into which one pin may be so inserted,
e.g. for the maximum setting, with an adjustable stop screw,
e.g, for the minimum setting.
In using such a machine, the operator conveniently
makes the maximum and minimum feed length settings, according
to the edge contour of he workpiece to be operated upon,
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using the first setting means, and also makes the further
setting, using the second setting means, according to the
amount of slitting deemed appropriate for the "inside" curves
of such workpiece, -
It will be ap~reciated that the invention as set
out above is applicable to both operator-controlled machines
and also automatically controlled machines.
According to a broad aspect of the present invention ~ -
there is provided an edge folding machine which comprises
~ 20 means for intermittently feeding the margin of a workpiece
-Y~ to and through the operating zone of edge folding inQtrument-
alities. A control mechanism is provided for sett1ng a
maximum and a minimum feed length by which the means can
- incrementally move the margin, Means is also provided for
slitting the margin as it is fed, and a second mechanism is
provided for making a further setting of the feed length.
An actuating means is operative during operation of the control
mechanism and the slitting means, to determine the snipping
feed length independently of the settings for maximum and
minimum feed lengths.
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The above and other of the various objects and
several features of the invention will become clearer from
the following detailed description, to be read with reference
to the accompanying drawings, of a machine embodying the
inventior (hereinafter called "the illustrative machine").
It will of course be appreciated that this illustrative
machine has been selected for description by way of exempli-
fication of the invention and not by way of limitation thereof.
Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a cementing
and folding machine, with frame portions broken away to show
internal mechanism, and
Fig, 2 is a view looking in the direction of the
arrow II in Fig. 1 and showing portions of the work feed and
snipper feed control means, -
In the accompanying drawings is shown a fragmentary ; ~-;
.
view of the illustrative machine, showing parts, including
first and second adjustable setting means, of the control --
means thereof together with further actuating means associated ~-
with said second setting means.
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l~SZ958
The illustrative machine, which is generally similar, except as
hereinafter described, to the edge folding machine described in U.S.
Letters Patent No. 2, 720,~ff7 in the name of R. E. Nangler, is a machine
of the type herein-above defined and compriees folding instrumentalities
(not shown), including a so-called gage block, gage finger, folding
finger and creaser foot (corresponding to the elements 24, 28, 30 and
- 32 respectively of the machine described in said Patent) . The folding
instrumentalities are supported in a machine frame in the form of a casting,
a portion 10 of which i8 shown in the drawing. As is conventional, the
10 creaser foot of the illustrative machine has a passage through which
hs~t melt adhesive can be supplied, thus to feed adhesive into the area
`~ of fold of the marginal portion of a workpiece prior to ite being folded
over in the operation of the machine.
The illustrative machine also comprises workpiece feeding means
(not shown) constituted by a hammer and anvil (corresponding to the
hammer and anvil 3~, 38 of the machine described in the aforementioned
Patent, which also act together to grip and press a fold after it has been
formed in a workpiece margin) . It will be appreciated that the hammer
and anvil are effective to feed a workpiece step-by-step through the
operating locality of the illustrative machine.
In addition, the illustrative machine comprises a reciprocatory
slitting arrangement constituted by a slitting knife and actuating means
therefor (not shown, but corresponding respectively to the snipping
knife 40 of the machine described in the aforementioned Patent and the
actuating means therefor), said arrangement being operable in timed
relationship with the workpiece feeding means of the illustrative machine
; and being effective, when caused to operate by operation of the actuating
means, to slit the marginal portion of a workpiece as it is fed therepast
to the operating locality, the arrangement being such that the knife operates
once for each feed movement of the workpiece feeding mean8.
lOS'~958
The illustrative machine further comprises control means whereby
the feed length of each feed movement of the workpiece feeding means
can be varied, said control means comprising a so-called feed control
shaft 12 (Figs. 1,2) (corresponding to the shaft 174 of the machine described
- in the aforementioned Patent) which is supported for rotation in the
frame portion 10. Secured to the shaft 12 is a lever 14 extending towards
the front of the machine and thus mounted for pivotal movement with
said shaft between a first position, determined by an adjustable stop ~ -
screw 16 supported on the machine frame, and a second position, selectively
; determined by a stop pin 18 (Figs . 1, 2) inserted in a selected one of
., 10
a series of apertures 20 formed in a surface 22 of the frame portion 10,
the pin 18 being arranged to extend into the path of the lever 14.
The lever 14, stop screw 16 and pin 18 together with it~ associated
apertures constitutes first adjustable setting means of the control means
of the illustrative machine, the first and second, adjusted, positions
of the lever serving to determine respectively minimum and maximum
settings for the feed length of each feed movement of the workpiece feeding
means .
The lever 14 is biased towards the minimum setting by means
of a spring 24 acting between a first lever 26, also secured on the shaft 12,
and an eye 28 adjustably mounted in a wall of a housing 30 carried at
the rear of the frame portion 10. In operation, the lever 14 is moved
out of its first position, under the control of the operator, by actuation
of a treadle (not shown) operatively connected to the lever by a Bowden ` ~ -
cable 32. The treadle also serves to enable the operator to vary the
speed at which the foldhg instrumentalities, workpiece feeding means
and slitting arrangement are operated, the arrangement being such that
the further the treadle is depressed, the higher the speed of operation
as well as the larger the feed length setting.
B Acting on the lev 2B i~ ~econd set~ing means of the illustrative
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lOSZ958
:`
machine, by which means a further setting of the feed length is made
by the operator, said means compri~ing a linkage arrangement including
a link generally designated 34 capable of lengthwise telescoping adjustment.
The link 34 i9 pivotally connected at one end to the lever 28 and at its
other end to a second lever 36, which is mounted for pivotal movement
on a shaft 38, referred to hereinafter. The link 34 comprises a first
.,
rod portion 40 pivotally connected to the lever 2B, the end of said portion
remote from the lever being accommodated with a second sleeve portion
- 42. The sleeve portion i8 capable of sliding movement on the rod portion
:: .
; to a limit determined by two collars 44,46, and a spring 48 serving
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to urge the sleeve in a direction away from the lever 26. An end portion,
remote from the lever 26, of the sleeve portion is threadedly received
in a threaded bore of a third rod portion 50 of the link 34, which i8 pivotally
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connected with the lever 36. The sleeve portion 42 can be rotated relative
to the rod portion 50 thus to obtain relative lengthwise movement therebetween -- -
and thus to vary the overall length of the composite link. To assist
in effecting such rotation, a knurled head 52 is provided on the sleeve portion .
The illustrative machine also comprises further actuating means
associated with the second setting means and comprising a rotary solenoid
54 mounted on a bracket 56 within the housing 30, the solenoid having
an output shaft constituted by the shaft 38. Thus, upon energization -
of the solenoid, the shaft 38 is caused to rotate through a fixed distance,
being part of one revolution. Fixedly mounted on the shaft 38 is a carrier
arm 58 supporting an abutment pin HO by means of which the lever 36
can be abuttingly engaged, a recess ff2 for accommodating the pin being
provided in said lever.
The further actuating means of the illustrative machine ie operated
when the first-mentioned actuating me fns is operated, and thus when
the slitting arrangement is caused to operate. Operation of the further
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~052958
actuating means is effective to ensure that the setting of the feed length,
- while the slitting arrangement is operating, is not le~s than the further
setting therefor, which is made by means of the adjustable link of the
second setting means. Thus, if, at the time of operating the first-mentioned
actuating means, the feed length sefflng, as determined under the control
. .,
of the operator, i~ less than said further setting, as determined by the
second setting means, operation of the further actuating means will
be effective to cause the pin 60 abuttingly to engage the lever 3~ and
~ thus to cause, through the link 34 and lever 26, rotation of the feed control
shaft 12, with consequent variation of the feed length setting to said
further setting. Where, on the other hand, at the time of operating the
actuating means, the feed length sefflng is greater than said further
setting, operation of the further actuating means will be ineffective
to alter the settint, since the "stroke" of the pin 60 will be insufficient
to bring the pin into abutting engagement with the lever 36. , ~ -
It will thus be appreciated that, in using the illustrative machine,
desired maximum (and minimum) feed length sefflngs can be made,
as are considered the optima for the workpiece to be operated upon,
independently of the feed length setting desired when the slitting arrangement
ao is in operation, and further the "minimum slitting" feed length sefflng
can be made as is considered an optimum for the workpiece to be operated
upon. - .
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