US1969562A - Tack strip feeding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

E; KIL ME R TACK STRIP FEEDING MECHJANIS/M Filed July 5, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ln ventor 54/ 752 5 /4Mf/ Mai-a 1934- E. E. KILMER TACK STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed July 5, 1932 v 3 Sheets$heet 2 3nnentor mttomeg Aug. 7, 1934. E. KILMER TACK S'TRIP FEEDING MEdHANIsM Filed Jul s, 1932 a SheetsSheet s Zhmentor films/e .E (2)152.

Z Y attorney Patented Aug. 7, 1934 UNITED STATES TACK STRIP FEEDING MECHANISM Elmer E. Kilmer, Chicago, assignor to Republic Steel Corporation, Youngstown. Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Application July 5, 1932, Serial No- 620,789 9 Claims. 10-175) This invention relates to the art of making articles such as tacks and the like from strip metal stock. It is particularly concerned with methods for making such articles and with new 5 and improved means for doing so. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with new and improved methods and apparatus for making tacks. v

In the manufacture of articles, such as tacks l0 and the like, as practiced heretofore, strips of metal stock approximately three feet long are fed lengthwise through a tube into and through a nose-piece which has a rotating oscillatory movement, so that the opposite sides of the strip may be alternately presented to a knife. The forward end of the strip is thus fed into a knife zone where the knife cuts off the forward erid at other than a right angle to the edges of the strip by alternately presenting opposite sides of the strip to the lmife. The strip is thus cut alternately into portions which are in general triangular There are two main disadvantages in this method. comparatively short strips, approximately three feet in length, are used and the wastage amounts to approximately five percent of each strip. An attendant is required for a battery of machines to replenish the strip stock in each machine and time is frequently lost because the stock is not promptly replenished;

Attempts have been made heretofore to employ strip stock in lengths which may amount to 100 feet or more, but such attempts have, so far as I am aware, not been commercially satisfactory. The short strips are easily turned bodily to present opposite sides to the knife, but this cannot be done with long strips which can be conveniently handled best in reel or coil form. The advantages of using strip stock in long length and in reel 0 form are manifest. The time of an attendant required in such case would be much less than with the prior method using short lengths of stock. The machines would continue to operate for a long time after having once been supplied with a reel of stock and the wastage would be reduced to insignificant proportions. For example, if a reel of stock 100 to 200 feet in length can be used, all but a few feet of it could be formed into tacks or the like without any wastage whatever, and then this short length could be used in machines of the prior art and the wastage limited to about an inch. In this way a strip 100 or 200 feet long could be used with a minimum of wastage.

5 According to the present invention, I have been able to solve-this longstanding problem and am I enabled thereby to use strip stock of such great lengths that it might be considered as being continuous' In this specification I have used the term continuous" in reference to strip stock as meaning and including stock greatly in excess of 3 feet and even 100 or 200 feet or more in length.

Briefly stated, the present invention contemplates the use of strip stock in such continuous lengths preferably in reel or coil form, the twisting of the forward portion of the stock about its longitudinal axis and uniformly feeding of the forward end of the stock to a predetermined point. It is desirable that the coil of stock should be mounted independently of the machine and so that the coil may be unwound as required. It is also desirable that only the forward portion of the stock should be twisted about its longitudinal axis ,for presentation of opposite sides thereof to the knife, for this permits the coil to be mounted independently of the machine and obviates the necessity for rotatively oscillating the heavy coil. It is also desirable that the forward end of the stock should be fed uniformly to a predetermined point in the knife zone, for otherwise the amount of metal cut from the strip may vary and result in tacks and other like articles which are incomplete or otherwise imperfect. Scrap loss.'due to imperfect articles, is not'only expensive and wasteful, but lowers the quality of the product unless the imperfect articles are separated from the perfect articles, and such separation is diflicult, if not actually impossible.

Various advantageous features of the device herein provided will be apparent from the i'olo lowing detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters ofreference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tack making ma- 5 chine including my strip feeding mechanism.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the tack machine and strip feeding mechanism therefor:

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the feeding mechanism;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 8;

Figure dis a sectional view taken along the line 105 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure '7 is a sectional elevational view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 8 and illustrating the auxiliary frictional feed mechanism:

Figure 8 is a top plan view partly broken away no of the oscillating barrel and related mechanism.

For convenience in description I have elected to consider the device illustrated herein from the view point of an observer looking toward-the ap- '5' paratus in the direction of the approach to it by ward end of the apparatus. Further in order to simplify the description of the apparatus of the drawings I have elected to segregate various parts of the mechanism and will refer to these parts by reference characters A, B, C, D and E. A designates the reel stand upon which is mounted the coil of strip stock; B the feeding mechanism which includes the straightening rolls, holding rolls and feed rolls; C the auxiliary friction feed mechanism; D the oscillating barrel and driving mechanism therefor; and E the tack forming machine which is of the usual design and does not constitute a part of this invention other than in combination with the strip stock feeding mechanism consituting parts B, C and D.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly Figures 1 and 2, part A of the feeding mechanism comprises a stand or any suitable supporting means for the coil 5a of strip stock S. As illustrated this supporting means comprises the stand. 1 upon which is rotatably mounted reel 2 which is adapted to retain the coil of strip stock.

The parts B and C which comprise the mechanism which is adapted to feed the strip stock into the oscillating mechanism D are suitably mounted on a base 3, one end of which is secured to the supporting bracket 51a of part D, the opposing end thereof is supported from the floor through the stand or supporting member 4. with reference to Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, the part B comprises a carriage 5 mounted for longitudinal reciprocatory movement insuitable guides 6 formed in the side walls of a base plate 7, the latter being secured by bolts 8 to the top surface of the base 3. Adjacent the rearward portion of the carriage 5 and adapted to be carried thereby are a plurality of vertically disposed straightening rolls .9 which receive the strip from the reel in a vertical position after passing between the horizontal guide rolls 10. Mounted on the forward end of the carriage 5 is the strip feeding box 10a comprising a rectangular base plate 11, forming its floor, and having side walls 11a. The box 10a carries a pair of oppositely facing wedge plates 12 extending lengthwise of its floor adjacent its side walls 11a, and held thereagainst through the medium of a plurality of bolts 13 passing through the side walls 11a of the box and engaging the plates 12. Each of the plates 12 is provided with an inwardly projecting vertical wedge face 14 disposed longitudinally of the box with its thicker end towards the inner end of of the box in the direction of its discharge end. Slidably disposed onthe upper surface of the wedge plates 12 is a plate 15 which comprises the top of the feed box (Figure 6). This plate is maintained in position through keeper plates 16 which are secured to the side walls of the box through bolts 1'7. Secured to and ei-rtending downwardly from the plate 15 and intermediate the opposed wedge surfaces 14 are two. pairs of .retaining pins 18. The pins 18 are adapted to have disposed therebetween suitable rollers 19 which engage and impart movement to the strip top plate 15 relative to the plate 12 and the subsequent adjustability of the space between the opposed rollers 19 is eifected through the medium of the depending wings 20 through which rods 21 integrally formed with the plates 12 and extending forwardly therefrom, freely pass. Coil springs 22 are mounted on the rods and expand between collars 23 and the wings 20 to move the cover plate inwardly. By adjusting the collars 23 along the rods 21 the tension and pressure of the springs on the wings may be increased or diminished and the gripping of the rollers 19 on the stock disposed therebetween is correspondingly increased or diminished.

The base 3 carries intermediate the straightening rolls 9 and the fed box 10a a strip holding box 24a comprising a short vertical base plate 24 provided with upwardly extending side walls 25. The strip holding box 24a is bolted to the base plate 3 as at 26 and carries a pair of opposite wedge plates 27 which extend lengthwise along its floor adjacent the side walls thereof, and are provided with inwardly facing wedge faces 28. Each wedge plate is provided with outwardly extending rods 29. A cover plate 30 is slidably carried on the upper surface of the wedge plates 27 being re tained in position by keeper strips 31 bolted as at 32 to the side walls of the box 2411 and formed at its rearward end with depending wings 33 through which the rods 29 freely pass. Coil springs 34 are mounted on the rods 29 to expand between the wings 33 and the wedge plates 27 to tend to draw the cover plates rearwardly. The cover 30 is provided with depending pins or studs 35 arranged in a rectangular groove between the wedge faces 28, and a pair of opposed vertical rollers 36 is located in the box between each pair of pins and on opposite sides of the path of .the strip stock passing therethrough. r

The rolls 36 carried by the box 24a disposed between the wedge faces 28 precludes the rearward movement of the tack strip when the carriage 5, carrying the straightening rolls and feed. rolls is moved rearwardly. The straightening rolls to. straighten a portion of the stock sumcient to make one tack, and the feed rolls to obtain a new bite on the strip sdthat when the carriage 5 is permitted to move forward the end of the strip stock will be abutted against the knife of the tack machine.

Mounted on the base 3 and pivotally secured thereto by bolt 38 is a transverse arm 39. Extending rearwardly of the arm 39 and parallel to the base 3 is a lever 40 having" a bifurcated portion 41 formed on the outer end thereof. The portion 41 has journalled therein a roller 42 which co-acts with a cam element 43 disposed on the forward end of the carriage 5. Lateral movement of the roller 42 across the crown of the cam ele-- ment 43 causes reciprocating movement of the carriage 5 thus automatically straightening the strip, on the rearward movement of the carriage,

and feeding the end of the stock against the guide disposed beyond the knife of the tack machine in the forward movement of the carriage. The forward movement of the carriage 5 is effected by means of the suspended weight 45 connected to the end of a cable 45'.

The part 0 (Figures 3 and 4) which constitutes the auxiliary friction feeding mechanism for the strip stock comprises a base plate 46 which is bolted to and extends transverselyof the base 3. This plate 46 constitutes a table upon which is rotatably' mounted a pair of vertically disposed feed rolls 4'7 between which the strip stock is adapted to pass. The clearance between these rolls and the strip stock passing therebetween is such that when the strip is in normal vertical position these rolls do not act on the strip. A driving connection is maintained between the two rollers 47 through ring gears 47a disposed adjacent the base thereof, the teeth of which are in intermeshing relation. Pawls 48 carried by plates 49 pivotally mounted on the base 46 are adapted to engage the gearing 47a disposed adjacent the base of the rollers 4'7. Suitable linkage 50 operativelyconnects the plates 49 with the opposite ends of the laterally extending arm 39. The linkage is so adjusted that the rolls are adapted to rotate only at such times as the end of the strip stock is in twisted position and substantially parallel with the anvil of the tack machine. The end of the strip is in this position just prior to the start of the downward stroke of the knife. The rollers 47, therefore, are effective to feed the stock forward only when the latter is disposed in a twisted position.

The part D (Figures 1, 2 and 8) of the feeding mechanism comprises an outwardly extending plate or bracket 51, the forward end of whichis secured to the frame of the tack machine. The opposite end of the bracket has mounted thereon a post 51a upon which, intermediate the ends thereof, is pivotally carried the forward end of the base 3 supporting the parts B and C. Pivotally mounted as at 52 on the top of the bracket 51 is an angulated lever arm 53. Adjacent the extremity of the longitudinal portion of the lever arm 53 is mounted a yoke member 54, the ends of which support a rack' 55. Mounted on the outer end of the lateral arm 56 of the lever 53 is a post 57 which adiustably receives one end of a rod 58, the opposite end of which is secured eccentrically to the gear 59 of the tack machine. Intermediate the length of the arm 56 is a link 59a which connects the arm 56 with the end of the lever arm 39. The upper end of the post 510. is provided with a yoke 60a which supports the rear end of the oscillating barrel 60, the opposing end of which is supported on the anvil of the tack cutting machine through a nose piece 62 thereof which rests upon the anvil. Intermediate the ends of the barrel 60 and disposed on the exterior thereof is a pinion gear 63. This gear engages the rack 55 and eifects an oscillating movement to the barrel upon lateral movement of the lever arm 53 upon which the yoke and rack are mounted. Carried by the barrel near the forward end thereof is a housing 64 within which is mounted a pair of rollers 65. The rollers engage opposite sides of the strip stock passing therebetween, and aid the nose piece in presenting the end of the strip stock to the cutting knife in a substantially horizontal position. i

As the knife of the tack machine moves upward the gear 59 moves the rod 58 which through its connection with the arm 56 moves the same about pivot 52. movement of the arm 56 causes a lateral movement of the lever arm 53a which through the rack carried thereby effects a rotation of the oscillating barrel 60 through 180 degrees, thus presenting the opposite faces of the tack strip to the knife blade. Simultaneously with the rotation of the barrel 60 the lever 39, linked to the arm 56 through link 59o, arm 40 and roller 43 carried thereby are adapted to move the carriage rearwardly to straighten and grip and feed forward sufficient stock to make a single tack. Movement of the lever 39 in addition is adapted to effect the rotatidn of the rollers 4'7 'and are effective .to drive the strip'forward at of the weights 45 on the carriage on the strip,

will overcome the friction between the rollers 65 and the strip stock disposed in the barrel and will drive the stock against the guide forward of the knife, and maintain the same in such position until the blank has been severed.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character in order to sufliciently set forth the illustrated embodiment, I do not wish to be limited to the exact terminology, but what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is contained in the following claims.

What I claim:

1. Apparatus for feeding strip stock to a tack machine having a. cutter, comprising means for straightening a continuous length of strip stock, reciprocatory means adapted to grip the stock and move therewith for feeding the same forward, means for twisting the forward portion of the strip, and auxiliary feeding means disposed intermediate said gripping means and said twisting means for assisting the feeding means dining the twisting of the strip stock.

2. Apparatus for feeding strip stock to a tack machine or the like comprising a reciprocable carriage, strip straightening and feeding means carried by said carriage, means disposed intermediate said straightening means and said feeding means for precluding the rearward movement of the strip stock, means for effecting the forward movement of said carriage, means for twisting the end of the strip stock and auxiliary stock feeding means disposed intermediate the twisted means and carriage effective when the stock is in a twisted position to feed the stock forward.

3. The method of feeding flat continuous stock to a shear for severing segments from the end thereof and wherein one face of the stock is first presented to the shear and then the other which consists in supporting the stock against rotation in a vertical plane in one zone, gripping the stock and urging it forward in said zone twisting the stock'about its longitudinal axis in another zone and frictionally driving the stock intermediate said zones during the twisting thereof.

4. The method of feeding flat continuous stock to a shear for severing segments from the end thereof and wherein one face of the stock is first presented to the shear and then the other which consists in moving the stock toward the shear, supporting the stock in one zone against rotation and in a vertical plane, gripping the stock and urging it forward in said zone twisting the stock in another zone about a longitudinal axis and through 180 degrees of turn and frictionally the stock intermediate said zones during the twisting thereof.

Ill

5. The method of propelling strip stock from a vertical plane, which consists in turning the end of the stock at an angle to the vertical to cause the stock to engage the driving rolls and be propelled thereby.

6. Apparatus for feeding strip stock to a shear of a tack machine comprising reciprocatory tack machine having a shear, the combination of a reciprocable carriage, straightening rolls and gripping means mounted on said carriage, means for urging said carriage forward to feed the strip stock into cutting position, means operable by the tack machine for moving the carriage rearwardly to straighten successive lengths of strip stock, means for twisting the forward portion of said stock about its longitudinal axis to present opposite faces thereof to the cutter of a tack machine and stock feeding means disposed intermediate the twisting means and gripping means efl'ective when the stock is in a twisted position to feed the stock forward.

8. In combination with a tack making machine gripping means effective when the stock is in a twisted position to feed the stock forward.

9. In combination with a tack making machine having a cutter, means adapted to propel a continuous length of strip stock to the cutter including means for twisting the forward portion of said stock about its longitudinal axis to present opposite faces thereof to the cutter of the tack machine, a reciprocatory carriage, straightening rolls carried by the carriage, gripping means mounted on said carriage and adapted to engage the stock and move therewith to feed the stock forward, and auxiliary stock feeding means disposed intermediate the twisting means and gripping means effective when the stock is in a twisted position to feed the stock forward.

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