US1109237A - Strip-feeding mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

' H; C. LEONARD.

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAYB, 191s.

Patented Sept-1, 1914.

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Harfieri afiewz zaz-az C I v.

THE NORRIS PEb'ERS 5b.. PHG'IDJJTHQ. WASHINGTON. D.

H. G. LEONARD.

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 6, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 19-14..

6 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

Mzzasses:

H. G. LEONARD.

STRIP FEEDING mnonmsm.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1913. 1,109,237, Patented Sephl, 1914.

6 SHEETSSHEET 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. FHOTOJJTH-O" WASHINGTON. D, C

H. G. LEONARD.

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM.

.APPLIOATION FILED KAY s, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

In verifier I gm-5 eri @Leonard D] Q Q N Q e R b R v m WMQVG? M THE 314E815 PETERS CO:PHOTO LITHO..WASH|NGTDN. D, C.

H. U. LEONARD. STRIIJ FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

' THE xnkms PETERS co.. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, a. c'.

H. G. LEONARD.

STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED an 6, 191a.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

mzwesssr wmGM 'uivrrsn STATES PA E T orriou.

HERBERT e. LEONARD, or Aousiiiv ir,. viiissneirusii'r'rs, AssIGivoit T0 A'rnAs TACK COMPANY, or FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STBIiP-FEEDIHG MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT O. LEONARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Aeushnet, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strip- Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic mech- Of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of strip-feeding mechanism in cooperative relation to a, tack making machine of well-known construction and operation.

resents a side elevation, on a larger scale, of the delivery end of the strip-feeding mechanism and the adjacent parts of the tackmaking machine. In this figure/and in other figures the position of the strip-feeding mechanism is represented as being horizontal, solely for the purpose of expediting the drawings. Fig. 3 represents a top plan view of the delivery end of the strip-feeding mechanism, omitting the barrel through which the strip is fed. Fig. 4: represents a top plan view, ona larger scale, of a clutchoperating device included in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents an elevaton, on a largerseale, of a barrel-stopping deviceincluded in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the other end of the strip-feeding mechanism. This figure, if placed at the right of Fig. 2, may be read as acontinuat'ion of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 represents a top plan view of the mechanism shown by Fig. 6, and bears the same relation to Fig. 3 as that borne by Fig.

. 6 to Fig. 2. Fig. 8 represents a top plan view of a portion of the mechanism by which the strips are transferred laterally from a magazine into the feed barrel The same mechanism is included in Fig. 7, but the mechanism is shown in different positions by the two figures. Fig. 9 represents a side elevation of the feed barrel, portions Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1913. Serial 110,765,788.

The strip-feeding mechanism is 111- chned as shown by this figure. Fig. 2 rep of which are broken away. Fig. 10 repre sents a cross section in the plane indicated by line 101O of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 represents 'ia aaeasept; 1, 1914.,

an elevation of strip-engaging meanswhich moves through the barrel to feed the strip. Fig. 12 represents an elevation ofthe same strip-engaging means froml'a'viewpoint at right angles to that of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 rep- 'resents'a cross section in the plane indicated by line 13-13 of Fig. 11. Fig. 14 represents a longitudinal vertical sectionthrough that portion of the feed barrel which is shown at the right of Fig. 9. -Fig. 15 rep resents an elevation of a magazine for blank strips, and means for transferring thestrips to the feed barrel. Fig. 16 represents a vertical section, on a larger scale, 111 the plane indicated by line 1616-of Fig. 15. Fig- 17 represents a vertical section, on a larger scale, inthe plane indicated by line 17l7 of Fig. 15, some of the parts being shown in a different position.

indicated by line 19-19 of Fig. 1. Fig. 20

represents an elevationof a clutch-operat- Fig-18 represents a horizontal section of the gearing by which.

ing device included in Fig. 19. Fig. 21 represents an elevation of abarrel-starting de vice included in Fig. 19. Fig. 22 represents a vertical sectionin the plane indicated. by line 22%22 of Fig. 7 i

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

, 7 9a Although the drawings show the present. invention as applied to a tack machine, it is;

to be understood that it is not limited to this one use and that the claims hereinafter set forth are intended to cover the various features of the,inventionregardless of the specificmachine to which the strip-feeding mechanism is applied.

Before describingthe details of my present invention I will briefly outline the Open zine into the barrel. The feeding movement of the strip throughthe barrel is caused by strip-engaging means which moves longitudinally through the barrel. WVhen each strip has been used as far as possible, leaving, a short remnant, the feeding device by which the strip is engaged moves in the reverse direction, carrying the remnant away from the machine which operates upon the strip. The feeding device is caused to discharge the remnant after having carried the remnant a sufficient distance from the delivery end of the barrel toward the opposite end thereof. While the feeding device is retracted beyond the point where a new blank strip is inserted into the barrel, the striptransferring mechanism is operated to transfer a new blank strip from the magazine into the barrel. The feeding device is then advanced toward the new blank strip and operatively engages the same, and then feeds the new strip toward the means which operates upon the strip. This cycle of operations is repeated indefinitely so long as the magazine contains blank strips. tional supply of blank strips may be placed in the magazine from time to time as occasion requires, without interrupting the op eration of the mechanism.

The operating mechanism includes weighted means for feeding the strip to the means which operates upon the strip, and also'includes power-driven means for moving the feeding device in the reverse direction and power-driven means for moving the feeding device from its fully retracted position to strip-engaging position. The power-operated mechanism includes clutch mechanism and controlling mechanism therefor, the controlling mechanism being actuated by the feeding device as follows While the weighted feeding means is operatingto feed the strip to the means which operates upon the strip, the clutch mechanism is entirely disconnected and is in what is hereinafter called a neutral position. When the strip has been fed to the limit of its feeding movement by the aforesaid weighted means, the clutch controlling mechanism is thrown automatically into the reverse position by a power-driven actuator. The power-driven mechanism then moves the strip-engaging device in the opposite direction to retract the same, and when the device is fully retracted the clutch mechanism is shifted automatically from reverse position to forward driving position to carry the strip-engaging device to strip-engaging position. lVhen the strip-engaging device reaches strip-engaging position, the clutch mechanism is placed automatically again in neutral position, and the strip-engaging device is then moved as before by the weighted means to feed the fresh blank strip through the barrel. The operation just described is An addisubstantially the same as that in my aforesaid copending application, but the mechanism for performing the several functions embodies various improvements which are hereinafter described in detail and are shown upon the accompanying drawings and herestrip first in one position and then in.

another position with reference to the machine 25. The barrel 1s mounted in bearings 27 and 28 in such manner that it may be readily detached. The bearing 27 has two studs, such as that indicated at 29 in Fig. 2, which occupy holes 30, 80 (see Fig. 3) in a stationary support 31. One or more springs, such as that indicated at 32 in Fig. 2, hold the bearing seated upon its support. These springs may be readily detached to permit detachment of the hearing from its support. The bearing 28, which is shown by Figs. 1, 6 and 7, receives a circular collar 33 which is affixed to the barrel. This collar turns in the bearing and prevents longitudinal movement of the barrel but permits lifting the barrel away from the bearing. When the collar is lifted out of the bearing 28 and when the bearing 27 is lifted from the support 31, the barrel may be removed.

The main frame of the feeding mechanism is indicated at 34. The end which is toward the machine 25 rests upon and is supported by a bracket 35 ailixed to the machine, and the opposite end of the frame is supported by a standard 36. As shown by Fig. 1, the frame 3-1 is inclined, its lower end being toward the machine 25. The inclined arrangement of the frame is not shown in the other figures, but it is to be understood that the only reason for not showing the inclined arrangement in the other figures is to facilitate the making of-the drawings.

The barrel is oscillated in its bearings through suitable connections which receive their motion from the machine 25. For this purpose a rockshaft 37 (see Fig. 1) is mounted in suitable bearings on the machine An operating arm 38 affixed to the rockshaft is oscillated by any suitable means (not shown), the posltion of the arm as nally. This rod is provided with a suitable connecting device, indicated as a whole at 41, whereby the rod is disconnectibly connected to a stud 42 carried by a bell-crank the rod and the bell-crank lever. This lever is afiixed to a rockshaft 44 which is mounted in suitable bearings in the frame 34. One arm of the bell-crank is connected by a suitable connection 45 with a flexible strap 46 which is anchored to the barrel 26. At the opposite side of the frame 34 an arm 47 (Figs. 6 and 7) is aflixed to the rockshaft. This arm is connected by another connecting device 45' with a second flexible strap 48 which is anchored to the barrel. The straps 46 and 48 extend part way around the barrel inopposite directions, and the arrangement of the several parts is such that the barrel is oscillated positively in both directions when the bell-crank 43 is oscillated. A spring 49 acting upon the bell-crank 43 is provided to move the barrel always to; the same position when the connection 41 is lifted, for the purpose of holding the barrel in strip-receiving position. This position, as shown by Figs. 16 and 17, is determined by a stop 50 which cooperates with the arm 47. i

The barrel has a longitudinal'slot 51 in its side for enabling a blank striptomove laterally into the barrel. formed in the barrel for the reception of pushers,hereinafter. described, which trans fer a blank strip from the magazine into the barrel. The barrel. also has recesses 53 for the reception of suitable devices, hereinafter described, which cotiperate with two of the pushers to hold the blankstrip in operative position upon the pushers. The bar'- rel has still other recesses, indicated at 54, for the reception of suitable devices, hereinafter described, which move into the barrel with the blank strip to prevent the end of the strip from sagging and forholding the end of the strip in line with the strip engaging devices by which the strip is fed to the machine 25.

The strip is 'fedthrough the barrel to the machine 25 by mechanism which includes the device shown by Figs. 11, 12' and 13. This device includes grippers 55 which engage the rearend of the strip. One of the grippers has a shoulder 56 which abuts againsttho rear end of the strip. The grippers are pivotally connected with each other by a pin 57, and they haVeextensions 58 which are normally spread apa'rt'by springs 59 to close thegrippers on the blank strip. Links 60 are pivotally connected to the ex tensions 58 respectively and are connected to a rod 61 by a pivot pin 62. The rod 61 is provided with shoes 63 which have sliding Recesscs' 52 are 111g flanges 71 formed upon the interior of engagement with the interior surface ofthe barrels The rear end of the rod 61 has a fin 64 which projects through the slot 51 to engage a U-shaped yoke 65 affixed to a sliding carriage 66; The U-shape of this yoke 65 is shown by Fig. 19, but in this figure the" extremities of the U-portion are broken away. The rod61 receives its movement through'the barrel from the carriage 66 and the latter is reciprocated as hereinafter ex plained. The fin 64 is formedwith a notch 67 which is occupied by the yoke. The engagement of the fin64 with the edges which define the longitudinal slot 51 in the barrel causes the rod 61 to oscillate with the barrel,

and the fin is thereby. oscillated relativelyto the yoke 65,.but the shape of the yoke preserves the desired cooperative engagement. In order to prevent relativerotative movement ofthe rod 61 and barrel while the fin 64 is opposite any one of the recesses of the barrel, the rod is provided with pins 68.

Cam members 69 are secured upon the in- }terior of the barrelfor the purpose of opening the grippers 55 when the latter are retracted. These cam surfaces are engaged by the links 60, with the resultthat the extensions 58 are moved. toward each other,

thus opening the grippers. The sliding shoes 63 arecut'away (see Fig. 13) toprovide recesses 70 to enable the shoes' to pass the cams 69 without engaging the same.

The sliding carriage 66 slides upon guidthe fra1ne34', as shown by Figs. 16'and 19.

.The'carriage is overlapped by strips 72 which keep it seated upon the flanges. A sprocket chain 7 3 is secured to the carriage and runs upon sprocket wheels 74 and 7 5,

mounted near the opposite endof the feeding mechanism. A cord or chain 77 provided with a weight 78 is connected at 79 same in this instance being a part of the :frame 34. The cord or chain 7 7 passes over an idle roll 8l,"and the tendency of the weight 78 is to draw the lower stretch of the chain 73 away from the machine 25 and thereby-move the sliding carriage toward the machine 25. The function'of this mechanism is to impart feeding movement to the strip which is in the barrel to carry the strip forward toward the machine 25. i The sprocket wheel 74 is associated with suitable tion tor-strip-engaging positiomas hereinafter explained.

The magazine which contains the blank lie tothe chain 73. The other end of th cord or chain 77 is secured at 80 ton. fixture,-the

iii

strips is shown by Figs. 1, 7, 15, 16and17. It comprises uprights 82 of which there are two pairs, one pair of said uprights being mounted upon one end of a magazine frame 83 and the other pair being mounted at the opposite end of said frame. This frame, as shown by Fig; 16, is secured to the frame 34. The uprights 82 engage the ends of blank strips such as that indicated at m,the blank strips being piled one upon another between the uprights, as shown by Figs. 15 and 16. The pile of blank strips is shown somewhat conventionally in Fig. 15, the ends of the pile being indicated by'vertical dotted lines 00, and the top of the pile being indicated by a horizontal broken line m The bottom strip in the magazine rests upon stationary blocks 84 whose upper surfaces are in a plane which intersects or nearly intersects the axis of the feed barrel 26. The bottom strip in the magazine is moved laterally into the feed barrel through the longitudinal slot 51 of the latter. For this pur pose the magazine is provided with slides 85 each of which has a push finger 86. These slides are movable transversely with relation to the axis of the feed barrel. Each push finger has a shoulder 87 and an extension 88. When the slides are fully retracted from the feed barrel, the extensions 88 underlie and engage the bottom strip :20, in the magazine. lVhen the slides are moved toward the feed barrel the shoulders 87 engage the side ed e' of the bottom strip and push the. strip from under the remaining strips, the push fingers advancing into the feed barrel through the recesses 52. During this movement the bottom strip is supported by the extensions 88. No more than one strip at a time can be removed from the magazine, because the magazine is provided with abutments 89 which engage the second strip on the side toward the feed barrel. The strip ispositioned centrally in the barrel by adjustable stop-screws 90 carried by the barrel.

The slides 85 are operated by bell-crank levers 91 which are pivotally connected to the frame 83 by fulcrum studs 92, as shown by Figs. 7 and 16. Each slide 85 has on its under side. a swiveled block 93. These blocks are engaged by the bell-crank levers. The levers are connected with each other by a tie-rod 94 by which they are caused to move in unison. A rod 95 extends from one of the bell-crank levers to a three-armed operating lever 96. (See Figs. 7 and 8). The fulcrum of the lever 96 is indicated at 97. One of the arms of the lever 96 carries a roll 98, and another of the arms carries aroll 99. These rolls are arranged to be engaged and moved by a plate 100 which is mounted upon the sliding carriage 66. A top plan view of this plate is shown by Figs. 3 and 8.

The plate has an inclined cam surface 101 for engaging the roll 98 to transfer a blank ,necting one arm of the lever 96 with the rod .95 holds the transferring mechanlsm in re- -tracted position and prevents the pushers from being advanced by vibration or other undesirable cause.'

I'have provided means for holding the blank strip in the desired position upon the push fingers during the transferring operation. The means for this purpose comprise swinging fingers 104. (See Figs. 15 and 16). In Fig. 15 the pushers and fingers 104 are retracted, while in Fig. 17 they ex tend into. the feed barrel. The fingers 104 are affixed to rockshafts 105. These rockshafts have bearings in blocks 106 which are mounted, preferably adjustably, upon a bar 1.07. Levers 108 are affixed to the upper ends of the rockshafts, The free ends of the levers are connected by a rod 109. Helical springsllO surround the rockshafts and are compressed between the bearing blocks 106 and the fingers 104. The springs keep the levers 108 seated upon the bearing blocks 106 as in Fig. 16, but when the transferring mechanism is in operation the springs act to keep the fingers 104 upon the blank strip.

The fingers are beveled as shown at as, in Fig. 16 to enable a blank strip to pass under them. WVhen the pushers are retracted from the feed barrel the free ends of the fingers 104 occupy the position shown by Figs .7 and 15. The rockshafts 105- are oscillated when the pushers move forward to transfer a blank strip to the feed barrel, the free ends of the fingers 104 being thereby advanced with the blank strip so as to overlap the same and to keep the blank stripin the desired position upon the push fingers. The fingers 104 enter the feed barrel through the recesses 53. (See Fig. 9). The feed barrel as shown by Fig. 9 is turned 180 degrees from strip-receiving position; but if the sheet. bearing this figure be inverted, the feed barrel will look as it does when it is in strip-receiving position and when viewed from the magazine. The fingers 104 are actuated by the transferring mechanism through the medium of a lever 111 and connecting rod 112. The fulcrum of the lever is indicated at 113. One arm of the lever has a pin-and-slot connection 114 with the rod 95. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) The free ends of the fingers 104 are thus caused to advance in unison with the push fingers which transfer the blank strip. In Fig. 8 the axis of the feed barrel is indicated by broken line 26*.

In order to support the rear end of the blank strip in line with the grippers 55, I

have provided a swinging finger 115 and I have provided afinger 116 .WhichFcOoperates with the finger 115 for the purpose of keeping the strip seated upon the latter. These fingers enter the feed barrel through the recesses 54 shown in Fig. 9. This finger 116 is, to all intentsaand purposes, like'the fingers 101 which cooperate with the push fingers 86 but the fingers 115 and 116 are rod 119 with the lever 111, as shown by.

Figs. 7, 8 and 22. Referring to Fig.122, the lever 111 has a pin 120 which" occupies a slot 121 in the rod 119. A spring 122 is stretched between the pin 120 and'a pin 123 carried by the rod 119. The pin-and slot connection permits longitudinal movement of the rod relatively to the pin 120, and the spring 122 normally holds the rod in the position shown best by Figs 7 and 8 Such relative longitudinal movement of the rod occurs when the finger 115 is deflected by the grippers as hereinafter explained- The finger 116 is mounted in'the same manner as the fingers 104., and no further explanation is required except as follows. The upper end of the rockshaft which carries the fingers 116 is provided wit-ha lever 124. A spring 125 normally holds thefree.

end of this lever against a pm 126 carried bythe rod 112. One end of the'spring is connected to the rod, and the other'end is connected to the lever. This yielding connection causes the fingers 116 to swing in unison with the finger 115 into the feed barrel when a blank strip is being transferred I into the barrel, and permits the finger 116 to be deflected by the grippers. The fingers 115 and 116 are shown in strip-supporting position by dotted lines in Fig. 16, and are shown in the sameposition by Fig. 8. I -Assu1ning that the-transferring mechanism has been operated to transfer a blank strip into the feed barrel, the grippersadvanceto grip the strip,,being held open for that purpose until released by the cams 69. The grippers, after engaging the strip, ad vance and engage the fingers 115 and 116 and force these fingers out of the feed barrel. The direction ofmovement of the grip pers at this time is fromright to' left with as shown by Fig. 9, is inline with the slot 51 and on the same side of the barrel. The

latter screw is betweenthe .forward end ofv the slot and the delivery end of the'barrel.

One side edge of the blank stripslides upon I the inner end ofthis screw, and the strip 18 broughtjlnto such sliding engagement before' theitransferring mechanism is retracted from the barrel. Theblank strip is then guided at the front endby the foremost screw 90, and at the rear end by" the grippers, and at intermediate points by the screws 90 which are diametricallyopposite the slot '51. 'So' long as the push fingers re main in the barrel'asshown by Fig. 17, the

shoulders 87 1 act as guides'for guiding the longitudinal movement of the strip. Before the [transferring mechanism is retracted from 'the barrel, the forward end of the strip enters between converging guiding surfaces 127 formed on filling pieces 128 which .are aifixed in the delivery end of the" barrel. (See Figs. '9 and 10).These filling pieces aregrooved, as indicated at 129, for the sideedges of 13l16' StI'lD,.aI1d1/l16 grooves are of such depth as to accommodatea blank strip 'of'a width almost equalto the inside than maximum width is used, the adjustable screws 90 are used to'keep the same central with relation to thebarrel. A sufficient diameter. of the barrelJ When a strip of less space is left between thefilling pieces 128 to enable the grippers to pass out through the deliveryend of the barrel.- Referring I to Fig. 13, it'will be observed that the space between the sliding shoes 63 is sufficient to enable the shoes to pass the adjusting screws springfingers 130 which are secured to the 3 barrel. These spring fingers 130 guide the forward end of the strip so that it will enter a suitable passageway 131' which extends afiixed to the barrel and engages a surface 133 of. the machine 25 when thebarrel is,

oscillated, to prevent injury to th bl k strip. v

the sliding carriage 66 is shown'by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 18." This nechanisrn' receives its power from the machine 25 througha belt 135. The belt passes over'any suitable .-continu'ously driven pulley (not shown) ofthe.

The 1 machine 25 and over a pulley 136.

11s The power driven mechanism for driving latter is afiixed to a shaft'137. A sprocket wheel; 138 affixed tothis'shaft drives a chain l39ywhichruns overva sprocket wheel 140 loosely mounted'uponthe shaftl76. Fig. 18'). -Theshaft 137 is'als o provided with a' gear 14-1 which engagesa gear 142.

The latterfis compounded with a sprocket wheel 143 by a shaft 14% The sprocket y 110 through a nosepiece 132. This nosepieceis wheel 143 drives a chain 145 which runs over a sprocket wheel 146 loosely mounted upon the shaft 7 6. The sprocket- wheels 140 and 146 are thus rotated continuously in opposite directions. The shaft 76 is movable longitudinally for the purpose of connecting and disconnecting suitable clutch mechanismcontained in thesprocket wheels thereon. As the construction of this clutch mechanism is unimportant, and the same is fully shown in my copending application, it is unnecessary to illustrateand describe the same in detail in the present instance. It will be sufficient to state that when the shaft 76 is moved longitudinally as far as it will go toward the right, with reference to Fig. 18, the sprocket wheels 74 and 146 are operatively connected so that the sprocket 74 will be driven to move the sliding carriage 66 forwardly or toward the machine 25; and when the shaft 76 is moved longitudinally .as far as it will go toward the left, the sprocket wheel 74 is disconnected from the sprocket wheel 146 and operatively connected to the sprocket wheel 140 to retract thesliding carriage 66 from the. machine 25. The first of these driving connections may be, called the forward drive,

ing carriage 66 for shifting the shaft 7 6 to its several positions as occasion requires. For thispurpose'the shaft is provided with a grooved collar 147. This collar is engaged by a shipper 14S. The'shipper is mounted upon a fulcrum 149 and is pivotally connected to an operating rod or controller 150.

' The shipper is in the form of a bell-crank in plan view, as shown by Figs. 3 and 4. The pivot 151 which connects the shipper and the controller serves also as the fulcrum for an" oscillatory member 152. "This member is adapted to transmit motion to the shipper 1 from a continuously vibrating actuator 153; The latteris a lever whose fulcrum is indicated at 154 in- Fig. 2. The lower end of the actuator is arranged to be engaged by a collar 155 on'the rod. 40. The actuatoris held against the collar by a spring 156. The member 152 is normally held out of the path of the actuator 153 by a spring 157 as shown by Figs. 3 and 4, a stop 158' being provided to be engaged by the member 152 when the latter is retracted. The member 152 has an arm 159 at the free end-of which a is anupstanding finger 160.: This finger The stripfeeding mechanism is provided with automatic devices actuated by the slidstands in" the path of the plate 100 which is carried by the sliding carriage 66. lVhen the plate 100 reaches the limit of feeding movement it moves the member 152 into the path of the actuator 153, as shown by dotted lines int-Fig. 4. The actuator thereupon abuts against the member 152 and moves the shipper 148 to shift the clutch mechanism from neutral position to reverse position. The sprocket wheel 74 is thereupon driven to retract the sliding carriage from the machine 25. lVhile the sliding carriage is moving away from the machine 25, a stud 161 carried by the plate 100 engages a latch 162 which is mounted upon a lever 163. The function of this lever is to lift the connection 41 out of engagement with the stud 42 to stop the oscillatory movement of the feed barrel. The fulcrum of the lever 163 is indicated at 164. One end of a rod 165 is pivotally connected to the lever 163,

and the other end is pivotally connected to a bell-crank lever 166. The fulcrum of lever 166 is indicated at 167. A. lifting bar 168 is pivotally connected to the bell-crank and is provided with a grooved roll 169 which extends under the rod 40, as shown by Fig. 19. The lifting device is initially held in its lower position by a spring 170 connected to the lever 166, the inoperative position of these parts being determined by a stop-pin 171 which is arranged to be engaged by the lever 163. When the rod 40 is lifted to inoperative position it is held in that position by a detent 172. to rockshaft 173 and is disposed toengage the pin 174 which connects the bell-crank 166 and the lifting device 168. (See Fig. 19). hen the lifting device moves upwardly, the pin 174 strikes the detent 172,

deflecting the latter against the tension of the spring 175. The detent is thereafter hooked under the pin 174 by the action of the spring 175 and supports the rod 4O in inoperative position until the detent is retracted as hereinafter explained.

Referring again to the latch 162 (Figs. 2 and '5), this latch ismounted on the lever 163 by a pivot 176. The latch and lever have abutting portions, indicated by dotted lines in-Fig. 5, whereby they are, to all intents and purposes, rigid with relation to each other when the stud 161 acts as aforesaid, The abutting portions of these members are held against each other by a spring 177 which permits the latch to swing toward the left and downwardly when the stud 161 moves toward the machine 25. The stud 161 can therefore'move the lever 16 only in one direction.

The controller 150 carries an abutment 17 8 (Figsx6 and 7 which is adapted to be engaged by the stud 161when the sliding carriage is fully retracted.

The detent is aiiixed v This coiiperation of-the-stud with the abutmentshifts the con: i;

l the forward movement of the sliding car-- (See Figs. 3,8 and'119).

'troller froni reverse to forward position. The controller is thereafter shifted to neutral position by a lever 179. The fulcrum of this lever is indicated at 180 in Fig. 7. The lever has an arm 181 at the free end of which is a roll 182. The roll is disposed in the plane of the plate 100, and is moved into the path of the plate when the controller is shifted from reverse to forward position. The forward movement of the plate then deflects the roll sul'liciently tov shift the controller from forward to neutral 1308111011. This last shift occurs after the grippers have taken hold ofthe' fresh blank strip but before the forward end of the strip has reached the devices of the machine 25 which act upon the strip. As soon as the clutch mechanism is thrown to neutral position, the weight 78 becomes effective for feeding the strip toward the machine 25.

Referring again to the lifting device 168 which disconnects the oscillating means for the feed barrel,it will be recalled that the last statement concerning the detent 172 is that it supports the rod 40 in inoperative position until the detent is retracted. When a fresh blank strip has been transferred from the magazine into thefeed barrel, and

when the transferring mechanism has been retracted from the feed barrel, the detent 172 is-retracted to permit the rod 10 to drop for the 11163086 of o erativel connectin P :3

the mechanism by which the feed barrel is oscillated. The detent is retracted during riage by a stud 183 carried by the plate 100.

The stud 188 engages a latch 18% which is pivotally mounted upon a lever 185 by a pivot pin 186. A spring 187 normally holds the upper end of the latch 18d in the path of the stud188, as shown by Fig. 19.' This device is substan tially the same asthe device shown by Fig. 5, but'it is arranged to be operated only when the sliding carriage is moving toward the machine 25, the latch '18-1'being adapted to be deflected by tl1e-stud188 when the latter is moving away from the machine 25.

The lever 185 is alfixed to the rockshaft 178 which carries-the'detent 172; A. stop-pin 188 is disposed to be engaged by the lever 185 when the detentis' in operative position, the lover being held against the stop by the spring 175. The direction of forward movement'of the sliding carriage 66 is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 21. When the stud 183 engages the latch 184, the detent 172 is retracted-from under the pin 174, thus releasing the lifting device 168 and permitting the rod 410 to drop to operative position. This.

also returns the lever 168 to its initial position against its stop-pin 171. I

Referring tol iga 7, a spring follower 189 is provided for holding the controller150 in any one of'its three positions. Thefc'ontroller is shown in its neutral -position by this figure. The follower 189 engages one edge of the controller,said edge being provided with suitable notches corresponding to the reverse, neutral and forward i positions of the controller.

I have provided a safety device for preventingthe operation of the strip-transferring mechanism while the feed barrel is oscillating, as might otherwise occur if the clutch mechanism should be put in reverse po-s1t1onfr'om any cause wh le the sliding carriage 66 is between the lever 163'and the three-armed lever 96. The rod 10 should in every instance be lifted to stop the oscillatory movement of the barrel before the three-armed lever is moved to transfer a blank strip. My device for this purpose prevents the plate 100, from engaging the roll 98 while the feed barrel is oscillating. The device comprises a lever 190 whose location is shown by Fig. 6Qand whoseconstruction is shown better by Figs. 19 and 20.

This lever has apivoted latch 191 connected thereto by a" pivot pin 192. The latch and the lever have abutting surfaces whichare normally held, 1n Contact, with each other by a'spring 193. The device is so disposed extends to the pin 1741 which cooperates with the detent 172. The link 197 and the adjacent arm of the bell-crank 166 cotiperate the same as toggle members, with. the resultithat the lever 196 is tilted upon its fulcrum 19d when the lifting device 168 lifts the rod 10.

When the lever 190 is in the position shown by Fig. 6, the latch 191 stands in the path of the pin 161, but when the lifting device is lifted so as to place-the pin 174 upon the detent 172, the lever 1190 tilts so as to carry the. latch 191 out of the path of the stud 161'. The safety device is thus moved to inoperative position whenever the pin 174: is

caught by thedetent 172. Supposing, how- 1 ever, the clutch mechanism is reversed while Y the stud 161 is between the latches 162 and 191., In this event the sliding carriage will be retracted from the machine 25 without disconnecting the rod 40 from the lever 48,

and the feedbarrel will continue to oscillate I while the sliding carriage is approaching the three-armed lever 96. The plate 100 will not actuate the lever 96 underthese'coiidi? tions, because the clutch mechanism will be the controller 150 to forward driving position; and although the feed barrel may continue to oscillate, the lever 96 will not be operated to transfer a magazine.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. Strip-handling mechanism comprising means for feeding a blank strip, a magazine for blank strips, sliding members arranged to carry a blank strip from said magazine to said feeding means, and swinging members arranged to cooperate with said sliding members to clamp the blank strip, the axes of said swinging members being transverse to the plane of carrying movement of the strip.

carrying movement of the strip.

3. Strip-handling mechanism comprising means for feeding blank strip, a magazinei for blank strips, sliding means arranged to,

carry ablank strip in a straight path from said magazlne to said feeding means, and a member arranged to swing about an axis toward and from said feeding means to hold the blank strip on said carrying means, said axis being transverse to the plane of carrying movement of the strip.

4. Strip handling mechanism comprising a feed barrel, means movable through said barrel for feeding a strip by engagement with an end of the strip, said barrel having an opening in its side to receive a strip, meansfor carrying a strip into said barrel through said opening, and means for positioning one end of the strip for engagement by said feeding means, said positioning means being movable by said feeding means from strip-engaging position.

5. Strip handling mechanismcomprising a feed barrel having an opening in its side for receiving a strip, means movable through said barrel for feeding a strip, means for transferring a strip into said barrel through said opening, and means movable-into. said blank strip from the barrel bysaid transferring means for holding an end of the strip in position to be 0peratively engaged by said feeding means, said strip-holding means being movable by said feeding means while said transferring means is in operative engagement with said strip.

6. Strip handling mechanism comprising bodily movable means for engaging the rear end of a blank strip to feed the strip endwise, means for transferring a blank strip laterally into operative position for feeding by said feeding means, cooperative stripengaging members for holding the rear end of the strip in position for engagement by said feeding means, and yielding means for moving said strip-engaging members to operative position, said strip-engaging members being displaceable from operative position'by said feeding means.

7. The combination with instrumentalities for operating upon a blank strip, of means movable toward and from said instrumen-- talities for feeding a blank strip, a continuously rotating driver, reversing means adapted to be connected with said driver to transmit movement from said driver to said feeding means, a power-driven actuator, and means including a member'movable by said feeding means into the path of said actuator for transmitting movement from said actua-. tor to operatively connect said reversing means with said driver.

8. The combination with instrumentalities for operating upon a blank strip, of means movable toward and from said instrumentalities for feeding a blank strip, a continuously rotating driver, disconnectible means adapted to be driven by said driver for moving said feeding means, an actuator driven independently of said feeding means, connecting means adaptedto be operated by said actuator for operatively connecting said disoonnectible means with said driver, and means movable by said feeding means into the path of said actuator for transmitting movement from said actuator to operate said connecting means.

9'. Strip handling mechanism comprising a feed slide'having provisions for engaging a blank strip, means for guiding the strip, discoimectible means for oscillating said guiding means, means operable by said slide for disconnecting said oscillating means, means operable by said slide for transferring a blank strip into said guiding means, and means for preventing action of said slide upon said transferring means whilesaid 0scillating means is operatively connected with said guiding means.

10. The combination with instrumentalities for operating upon a blank strip; of: a strip-engaging member having a passageway for guiding. a blank strip to said instrumentalities, cooperative leaf springs'for engaging opposite sides of the blank strip to guide to said springs, means for turning said guiding means to adjust the blank strip with re-;

lation to said inst'rnmentalities, said first mentioned member and said springs being carried by said guidingmeans so as to be turned thereby, and meansfor feeding the blank strip to said instrumentalities.

v11. Strip handling mechanism comprising means for engaging a blank strip to feed the same, a magazine for blank strips, and

means for transferring a blank strip from said magazine to said feeding means, said transferring means including strip-holding means for holding one end of the strip in position for said feeding means to operatively engage the strip, said strip-holding means Copies of this patent may be obtained for being arranged to be displaced from the strip by said feeding means. I

"12. Strip-handling mechanism comprising means for engaging a blank strip to feed the same, a magazine for blank strips, and

'means for transferring a blank strip from saidmagazine to said feeding means, said transferring means including strip-clamping means for holding one end of the strip in position for said feeding means to' operatively engage the strip, said strip-clamping means being arranged to be displaced from the strip by said feeding means. a

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

.t HERBERT G. LEONARD. Witnesses: i

S. D. BUFFINTON,

Gr. W. TBULL.

five cents each, by addressing the t Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D, G.

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