METHOD AND MEANS FOR FEEDING A CONTINUOUS CORE TO A COILING STATION IN THE MANUFACTURING OF COILED COUPLING ELEMENTS FOR SLIDE FASTENERS TOGETHER WITH THE CORE RECEIVED IN PLACE THEREIN

TRADUCTION NON-DISPONIBLE

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Improvements in apparatus of the type including a man-
drel around which a continuous filament is coiled and which has
a guide channel formed longitudinally therein for slidably re-
ceiving a continuous core to be positioned within the coil, and
a mandrel holder holding the mandrel adjacent one end thereof and
reciprocating with the latter in the longitudinal direction there-
of in step with the formation of each convolution of the coil. A
unit length of the core required for each coil convolution is
forcibly pulled away from a core payoff bobbin by a pair of pull-
out rolls actuated intermittently by a ratchet mechanism. The
mandrel holder has formed therein passageways through which the
core travels from the pullout roll pair to the entrance end of
the guide channel in the mandrel. The passageways are adapted
to provide several obtuse-angled bends for holding the core in
frictional contact with the mandrel holder, so that the succes-
sive unit core lengths are delivered without tension to the guide
channel in the mandrel with the reciprocation of the mandrel
holder.
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Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. In the manufacture of a continuous length of
helicoidal-coil type coupling element together with a continuous
core received in place therein, a method of feeding the core to
a coiling station in which the coil is formed from a continuous
filament while receiving the core in place within its convolu-
tions, which method comprises forcibly pulling away from core
payoff means a unit length of the core required for each convo-
lution of the coil, delivering the unit length of the core to
the coiling station without applying tension to the core, and
repeating the foregoing steps with the formation of each convo-
lution of the coil.
2. In apparatus for the manufacture of a continuous
length of helicoidal-coil type coupling element together with a
continuous core received in place therein, the apparatus being
of the type including a coiler mechanism for coiling a continu-
ous filament while introducing the core into place within the
convolutions of the coil, and a reciprocating member disposed
adjacent to the coiler mechanism and adapted to make a single
reciprocation toward and away from same during the formation of
each convolution of the coil, wherein the improvement comprises
means for paying of the core, means actuated intermittently for
forcibly pulling away from the payoff means successive unit
lengths of the core required for successive convolutions of the
coil, and there being a passageway in the reciprocating member
through which the core passes from the pulling means to the
coiler mechanism, the passageway being adapted to hold the core
at least partly in frictional contact with the reciprocating
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member, whereby the successive unit lengths of the core are de-
livered without tension to the coiler mechanism in step with the
formation of the successive convolutions of the coil.
3. In apparatus for the manufacture of a continuous
length of helicoidal-coil type coupling element together with a
continuous core received in place therein, the apparatus being
of the type including a mandrel around which a continuous fila-
ment is coiled, the mandrel having a guide channel formed longi-
tudinally therein for slidably receiving the core to be posi-
tioned within the convolutions of the coil, and a mandrel holder
holding the mandrel adjacent one end thereof and reciprocating
with the latter in the longitudinal direction thereof in step
with the formation of each convolution of the coil around the
mandrel, wherein the improvement comprises means for paying off
the core, and means actuated intermittently for forcibly pulling
away from the payoff means successive unit lengths of the core
required for successive convolutions of the coil, the mandrel
holder having formed therein a passageway through which the core
travels from the pulling means to the entrance end of the guide
channel in the mandrel at said one end thereof, the passageway
being adapted to hold the core at least partly in frictional
contact with the mandrel holder, whereby the successive unit
lengths of the core are delivered without tension to the guide
channel in the mandrel in step with the formation of the succes-
sive convolutions of the coil.
4. The apparatus according to claims 2 or 3, wherein
the pulling means comprises a pair of rolls urged toward each
other.
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5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the
pair of rolls are actuated intermittently by a ratchet mechanism.
6. The apparatus according to claims 2 or 3, wherein
the passageway is bent to establish the frictional contact of the
core with the reciprocating member.
7. The apparatus according to claims 2 or 3, wherein
the passageway has a plurality of obtuse-angled bends to estab-
lish the frictional contact of the core with the reciprocating
member.
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Description

il i
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METHOD AN~ MEANS FOR FEEDING A CONTINUOUS CORE TO A COILING
~¦ STATION IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COILE~ COUPLING ELEM~NTS
¦I FOR S~IDE FASTENERS TOGETHER WITH THE CORE
I RECEIVE~ IN PLACE THEREIN
: . .
. 5 ¦BACKGROUND OF T~IE INVENTIO_
' ' ~ ~ ~
1. Field of the Invention
¦ This invention relates to the manufacture of a conti-
¦ nuous length of coupling element of the known helicoidal-coil
I t~pe to~ether .~Yith a continuous length Oe core received in place
; 10 ¦¦ therein, -for use in slide fasteners. More specifically, the in-
ventivn is direted:to a method o~, and means for, feeding the
core to a co1l1ng~stat:ion In which a continuous filament of de-
sired material ` lS coiled while receiving the core in place ~Yithin
its successi~e ~urns or convolutions.
~ 2. Descr1ptlon oP the Prlor Art
Apparatus for the manufacture of a continuous length of
hel~icoida1-coll type~coup1ing element to~ether with a ~con-tiDuous
:¦1 core received 1n place therein is described and claimed in Japan-
ese Patent Publication No. 45-4~939, published on December 22,
120 ~ 970:. Further,~of~this apparatus, means for feeding at a cont-
¦~ ro11ed~rat~the contlnuous~core to be~receive~ within~th~e conti-
¦ nuous:coup1ing~e1ement~ s separately described and claimed iD
Japanese Patent PublicatioD No. ~6~ 32, published on January 12, ¦
l9?i.~
25:~ ;Accord1Dg to~the second mentioned Japanese patent, the
contiDuous~cora~tra~ve1l1ng:from pa~oPf bobbin to coiler mechanism
is made to pass over a guide roll rotatabl~ mounted on a recipro- ~
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l cating lever. This lever is oscillated in s-tep wi-th the recipro-
¦ cation of a mandrel holder toward and away from the coiler mecha-
¦ nism so tha-t successi~e unit lengths of the core may be taken
away from the payoff bobbin by the oscillatory motion of the
guide roll.
~ It has been later found that according to thls prior
art core feed mechanism, the successive core lengths taken away -
from the payoff bobbin tend to fluctuate. Another serious dis-
ad~an-tage is that the successive core lengths are ~ed into the
coller mechanism ln a more or less tensed or extended state~ This
is o~jectionable for the following reason. ~
In stitching helicoidal~coil type coupling elements on-
to carrier tapes, the stitches are usually passed through the
~cores within~ the~coupling elements. Recei~ing ~he stitches, the
cores tend~to~mean~der and;to~bulge or swell at intervals. Thls
results ln;~some re;duction~ in the lengths of the cores.~ ~t will
therefore be eeen that the core must be fed into the coiler me-
chanism at a rate anticipating the abo~e lengthwise reduction on
titching.~ ~
ZO ~ ~ ~ The~;noted~prior art core feed mechanism is further dis-
adva~ta~eous~in~that lt~does not permlt reacly adjustment of~ ~he
unit length~o~ the core~to be fed into the coiler mechanism or to
be taken away from the~payofElbobbin. This disad~antage is a di-
::: ~ : ~
~ect result`of the~f~ct that the reciprocation of the mandrel
2s¦~ ~holder~is~ut~llized~both;for~puLl}ng successive core lengths awayfrom the payofÇ bobbin~and~for feeding them into the coller~me-
chanlsm~ ~Ea;ch~uni-~core length;to be taken away~from the payoff
~, :: . , ~ : ~ : :
~b~bbin must~be~readJusted when, for example~a change is made
~from one core to ano-ther of di~ferent~material or make.If such
30 ~ readjustment~is~n~t effected, the rate at which the new core is
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jl actually Eed into the coiler mechanism may inordinately increase
Il or decrease because of the different degree of frictional resist-
~¦ ance to whi¢h the core is subjected on its way from payo-f bobbin
¦¦ to coiler mechanism.
5 I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
~ '
¦l It is an object of this inven-tion to provide an im-
proved method of, and mechanlsm for, feedlng a continuous core .
¦ to a coiling station without application of tension, in the ma-
~¦ nuEacture of a~ continuous length oE helicoidal-coil type coupling
¦ element together with the core received in place therein~
Another object of the invention is to provide a method
and mechanl6m of~the~character described which permit ready and
1 accurate adjus~ment Oe the rabe at which the core is ac-tuall.y fed
into the coi.ling station~
~` 15 1~ Brlefly~ the method of this invention comprises forcib-
ly pulling away Erom core payoe~ means a unlt length of a core
requlred~for each convolution of a coll being manu~actured,~dé-
vering the~uni-t~length of the core to a coiling station:without
appl~ing tensi.on to the core, and repeating the ~oregoing steps
: ;20 ~with the:formation~of eaoh convolution of -the co~
: :~: ~ : m e~lmproved~oore feed mechanism of this invention is :
ntended for~use~ln~apparatus of the type having a reciprocating
member disposed adJacent to a coller mechanism and adapted to :
make~a single reclprocation toward and away Prom same during ~he
: 25 ~ 1l formation~ of each~ coil convolution by~the coil:er mechanism. The
il eore feed mechanism includes~means actuated intermi.ttently for
i' forcibly pulllng~away -from core payoff means successive unit
1l lengths o the~oore required for success:Lve convolutions of the
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3~9
coil. The reciproca-ting member has formed therein a passageway
or passageways through which -the core tra~els from the fvrcibly
I pulling means to the coiler mechanism. The passageway or pas-
¦ sageways are so formed as to hold the core a-t leas-t partly in
¦ frictional contact with the reciprocating member, so that the
¦¦ successive uni~ core lengths can be delivered without tension to
the coiler mechanism by the reciprocation o-f the reciprocating
member.
~¦ Pre~erably, th~ reciprocating member is a mandrel
10 1~1 holder holding a mandrel which is included in -the coiler mecha-
i nism and around which a filament is coiled. The mandrel hasformed therein a guide channel into whi~h the successiYe unit
core 1engths are fed by the reciprocation of the mandrel holder
together with th~e man~drel. ~
15~ A1so~prefera~ly, the¦forcibly pulling means comprises
a pair of~pullout rolls urged toward each other and intermittent-
ly ac-tuated~as by a ratchet mechanism in s-tep with the operation
O e the coiler mechanism~ Each unit core length to be fed into
the guide channel in the mandrel can be adjustably varied through
2D~ a~djustment;~oflthe angle through which the pullout roll pair is
rotated each time by the ratchet mechanism.
The above and other objects, features and ad~antages of
this inv~ntion and the~manner of~a-ttaining them will becsme more
~clearly apparent,~ and the 1nventlon 1tself wlll best be under-
~stood, from the~fo110wing descr1p-tion taken together with the ac-
¦ companying d w1ngs sh~w1ng a preferred embodiment oE t~e in~en- ¦
DRIEF DEycRlplIoN OF 111E DRAWINGS
11~
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I, . I
FIG~ 1 is a schema-tic representati.on, partly in eleva~ ¦
¦ -tion and par-tly in section~ explanatory of -the way a con-tinuous
length of core is fed from payoff bobbin -to coiler mechanism in
I1 accordance with the concepts of this invention;
5 ¦I FIG. 2 is a partial side eleva-tional view, partl~ in
section, showing in greater detail some essential parts of the
Il core feed mechanlsm in accordance with the i.nven-tion, as well as .
¦i some pert~nent parts of the apparatus in which the mechanism is
¦l incorporated;
i FIG. 3 is a par-tial sleva-t}onal view of a continuous
: I length o~ helico1dal-coil type coupling element having the core
received in place therein, which has been manufactured by the
apparatus of FIGS~ 1 and 2~
FIGo 4: is an enlarged cross sectional vie~ of a mandrel
~used in the¦apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2; and
PIG. 5 is an elevational view o a pair of pulloùt
¦ rolls and associated means used in the core feed mechanism of
¦ FIGS. 1 and 2.
:~ I . _ .
: ~ DET.~ILED DESCRIPTION
Generally designated 10 in ~IGS. 1 and 2 o~ the above
drawings lS a co1llng s-tation or coiler mechanism included in the
apparatus~or~the~manu:Eacture o a continuous length of helicoid-
a~-coil type coup11ng element 11, FIG. 3, together wlth a conti-
: ~¦ nuous core such:as cord 12 received in place therein, for use in
: 25 ~ : sl1de fasteners. As better seen in FIG~ 1~ the coiler mechanism
10 comprises an upstanding mandrel 13 around which a continuous
filament 14 of a thermoplastic synthe-tic resin or the like is
coiled in a generally hel:icoidal sense, and a pair of rotary
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screws 15 disposed on opposite sides o-f the mandrel ~or feeding
the coiled filament 14' upwardly along same while modifying its
shape.
llAs shown cross-sectionally and on an enlarged scale in
~I FIG. 4, the mandrel 13 has formed therein a guide channel 16 ex-
tending throughout its length. The guide channel 16 is intended
¦I to slidably receive the core cord 12 to be embraced b~ the turns
I or convolu~ions Oe the coil 14~. ~ ` .
,' A mandrel holder 17 di.sposed under the coiler mechanism
l 10 has embedded therein the~downward extension 18 of the mandrel
13 for securel~ holcling same. The mandrel holder 17 is Eixedly
I mounted on the top of a~slide 19. This slide is slidably f.itted
i in a stat1onary, upstanding guide slee~e 2V o~ the frame 21 oE ~ .
the apparatus~or up and down motion relative to same.
15 !~: Seen `at 22 in ~IG. 2 is a turntable coa~ially surround-
I'
ing the guide sleeve 20 for revolution around same. A spool 23
mounted eccentrically on the turntable 22 h~s the continuous
filament 14 wouned thereon. With the revolution of the turntable~
~l 22, therefore, the filament 14 unwound from the spool 23 is
i~ooi1ed around:the mandrel i3 and the core cord 12 slidably recei-
: ~ ved in its guide channel 16. The mandrel holder 17 together with
I the mandre1 13 thereon is to be mo~ed up and down by -the slide 19
in the guide sleeve 20, completing a single reciprocation w1th
the formation~of each convolu-tion o~ the~co11 14t. :
25 llThe~oonstruction and operation of the apparatus as so
far desor1~ed~:is conventional~ snd therein lies no feature of
this invention. Reference is directed to the aforementioned Jap-¦
anese Patent::Publica-tion~No. 45-40939 for fur-ther details on the
construct1on~and operation Oe this apparatus. A simi1ar appara-
!
. 3 i'' tus is also described and claimec1 in U.S. Paten-t 3,262,157 is-
il
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~ sued to Yoshinori Fujisaki on Jul~ 26, 1966, al-though the appa-
" ratus has no provlsion Eor introducing a core into a coil simul-
taneously with its manufacture~
j This invention is specifically directed -to an improved
5 l~ method of, and means for, feeding the core cord 12 to the coiler
i mechanism 10 or, more specifieally, to the entrance end of the
,, .
l guide channel 16 in -the ~andrel 13 of the coiler ~echanism, in
!:
l~ step with the formation of the successive convolution~ oE the
coll 147. As il1us-trated schematically in FIG 1, the improved
10 I core feed mechanism of the invention comprises a bobbin 24 for
, pay~ng of-f the oore cord 12, a palr of pullou-t rolls 25 and 26
actuated intermittently for forcibly pulling successive unit
I lengths of the core cord from the payoff bobbin 24, and passage-
ways 27 aDd 28~formed 1n the mandrel ho1der 17 for del1vering
~i 15 i~ therethrough the successive unit lengths of the core cord to the
i :
coiler mechanism 10.
!
As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 5, the pull-
out rolls 25 and 26 are coaxia:Ll~ provided with spur gears 29
and 30~ respsct1ve1~. These spur gears 29 and 30 are in mesh
20 ,i~ with each other and~rotatable jointly with the respective~ pullout¦
rolls 25 and 26. The pullout roll 25 together wi-th the gear 29
is rotatab]y mourted on a lever 31 intermed1ate its ends~ One
end~of the~lever 31~is pivotalI~ moun-ted at 32 on the frame 21~
and a hel1ca1~eYtension~spr1ng 33 extends between the other end
f the lever~and~a Spr1ng retainer 34 on the frame. The pullout~
roll 25 is thus~sprlng bias~d towardlthe o-ther roll 26 for ex-
erting pressure on;ths core cord 12 passing therebetween.
The~oth~er pullout roll~26 together wLth the gear 30 is
ixedly mounted on a rotatable, stepped shaft 35 at one end
thereof. Mo~mted on the other end of the shaf-t 35 is a ratchet
:
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I mechanism 36 for interm:i-ttently rotating -the pullou-t roll 26 and
¦¦ gear 30 through a preassigned angle. The ratchet mechanism 36
¦1 comprises a ratchet wheel 37 fixedly mounted on the shaft 35, and
¦! an actuating pawl 38 mounted on a reciprocating lever 39 and en-
¦ gageable with the peripheral teeth o:n the ratchet wheel for pro-
pelling same in a clockwise direction as viewed in FlGS. l and 5.
The reciprvcating lever 39 is supported at 40 for pivotal motion
I about the axis of the sha-ft 35.
11 The reciprocating lever 3~ of the abo~e ratchet mecha-
1l nism 36 is assumed to be driven intermittently, in timed rela-
¦l tionship to the progress of the coiling operation by the coiler
¦~ mechanism 10, completing a single reciprocation with the forma- .
: ¦ tion of each convoIution of the coil 14' around the mandrel 13.
~ ~ I The intermittent Gl~ckwise rotation of the pullout roll 26 is
1 15 li transmitted to -the other pullou-t roll 25 via the intermeshing
gears 29 and 30, so that the successive unit lengths oP the core
11 cord 12 are pulled away from the payoff bobbin 24 by such in-
¦1 termittent joint rotation oP the pul.lout rolls 25 and 26 in the
¦ opposite directions. It is further understood tha-t the pullout
~ ~ 20 lli rol1s 2S and 26 are thus rotated at a speed sligh-tly higher t~an
I ~ the speed at~which each coil convolution is formed around the
~ mandrel. l3. Seen at 41 is a brake for arresting the rotation of
:~ ; i the shaft 35 as required.
PreferabIy, a guide tube may be provided as a-t 42 in
: 25 ~ ¦ FIG. 2 for directing the:core cord 12, forcibly pulled away from
the payoff:bobbln 24 by the pullou-t rolls 25 and 26 as above, up-
1 wardlx therethrough to a vertical passageway 43 formed centrally
11¦ through the sllde 19~ This passageway 43 is in open communica~
ion with the passageway 27 in the mandrel holder l7.
I 30 I The mandrel holder passageway 27 is angled ou-tward]y
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,
and upwardly from t,,he center of the mandrel holder 17 and has an !
outlet opening 44 at the circu~lference thereof. The other mand-
Il rel holder passa,geway 28 has its inlet opening 45 located right
'l¦ above the outlet opening 44 of the passageway 27 and is angled
5 1Il upwardly and inwardly therefrom. The outlet opening 46 of thepassageway ~8 is located at the lower, entrance end o-f the guide
channel 16 in the mandrel 13 and is aligned wi-th the guicle
channel.
It will be noted that the complete pa-th o the core
¦I cord 12 through the mandrel holder 17 is 'bent at obtuse angles
¦, in several locations. These obtuse-angled bends are intended to
establish frictional contac-t ketween core cord 12 and mandrel
holder 1~7 as the former pa~ses throug'h the latter.
¦ In the use of the apparatus the core cord 12 unwound
jl from the payof bobbin ~4 is first threaded ~etween the pair of
l pullout rolls ~5 and 26, upwardly through the passageway 43 in
; 1~ the slide 19~ into and out of the passa~eway 27 in the mandreL
holder 17, and then into and out o the other mandrel holder pas-
Il sageway 28. On emerg:ing from the outlet opening 46 oÇ the mand-
20 1I rel holderlpassageway 28" the core cord 12 is immedia-tely intro-
duced into the entrance end of the guide channel 16 in the mand-
rel 13.
As the apparatus is set in operation, the pair of pull-
~ out rolls 25 and 26 are ro-tated at regular inter~als by the rat--
'~ ~ 25 ¦ chet mechani~m 36, at a speed slightly higher than the speed at
which each con~olution of the ,co,il 1~ is completed around the
mandrel 13,~ The pullout rolls 25 and 26 on each actuation thus ¦~
operate to for,,lbly pull away from the payo,-ff bobbin 24 a de-
sired unit length o-f the core cord 12 required f'or each convolu-
tion of the coil 141.
."
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The unlt length of the core cord 12 thus forced away
from the payoff bobbin 24 is :in-troduced into the passageways 27
~,~ and 2~ in the mandrel holder 17 each time the latter is lowered.
.,, Since th:is mandrel holder reciprocates up and down with the man-
1 drel 13 thereon, the unit len~th of the core cord 12 is received¦¦ i.n the guide channel 16 in the mandrel upon descent of the mand-
. rel holder therewith. This unit core cord length is fed without
~, tension :into the coiLer mechanism 10 as the mandrel holder 17 lSraised subsequently, be¢ause the succeeding core cord portion
~,. passing through the meandering pa-th in the mandrel holder is held~
in fric-tional contac-t there~ith.
Thus, by the repetition of the -foregoing procedure, the
successive uni-t lengths of -the core cord 12 can be -fed without
tensivn into the coiler mechanism lOg at a rate exac-tly corres-
l,' ponding to the rate of formation of -the successive convolutions
~' of the coil 14'. I-t wi:Ll be evident that the feeding rate of the
core cord 12 is easy to control through adjustment of the angle
I throllgh ~hich the pair of pullout rolls 25 and 26 are rotated`on
1, each actuation by the ratchet mechanism 36.
, It is clear from the foregoing that the present inven-
tion is well calculated to fulfill the objects set forth her~in.
~¦ Since numerous modifications or changes of the lnvention will
¦ read.ily occur to those skilled i.n the art on the basis of this
¦ disclosure, it is in-tended that all matter descr:ibed herein and
~S 1¦ sho~n in the accGmpanying drawings shall be ;n-terpreted as il-
lustrative and not ir. a limitative sense.
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