US3578181A

US3578181A - Parts stacker

Info

Publication number: US3578181A
Application number: US809628A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis H Hughes; Douglas J Crawford
Original assignee: Cluett Peabody and Co Inc
Current assignee: Cluett Peabody and Co Inc
Priority date: 1969-03-24
Filing date: 1969-03-24
Publication date: 1971-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-11
Also published as: AU1337770A

Abstract

A parts stacker particularly useful for handling limp fabrics, especially garments parts such as shirt sleeves, and including relatively narrow supports having low friction surfaces. The supports are retractable and cooperate with belts which engage the surfaces and feed the parts onto them.

Description

United States Patent lnventors Francis H. Hughes;

Douglas J. Crawford, Troy, N.Y. 809,628

Mar. 24, 1969 May 11, 1971 Cluett Peabody & Co., Inc. Troy, N.Y.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee PARTS STACKER 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 214/6 Int. Cl 865g 57/06 Field ofSearch 214/6 (K),

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1961 Jochem 3,083,013 3/1963 Morrison et a1. 2l4/6(H)X 3,126,657 3/1964 Hajos 2 l4/6(K)X 3,190,640 6/1965 Stostrom 2 14/6(K)UX 3,225,942 12/1965 Fossenier 2l4/6(K) 3,430,784 3/1969 Hall 214/6(K) 3,447,695 6/1969 Krepp et a1. 2l4/6(K) Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Robert J. Spar Attomeys-Leo Fornero and Robert J. Dockery ABSTRACT: A parts stacker particularly useful for handling limp fabrics, especially garments parts such as shirt sleeves, and incl uding relatively narrow supports having low friction surfaces. The supports are retractable and cooperate with belts which engage the surfaces and feed the parts onto them.

Patented May 11, 1971 3,578,181

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ila s M I:

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INVENTORS FRANCIS H. HUGHES DOUGLAS J. CRAWFORD @O 9 gj fwwh A ORNEYS Patentci May 11, 1971 5 Sheets-Sheet;

N QE & .2 N 0- H J 3 INVENTORS FRANCIS H. HUGHES DOUGLAS J. CRAWFORD r"- BY Zia/w ,4

ATTg mvs Patentd a 11, 1971 f 3,578,181

a sheets-sheet 5 INVENTORS FRANCIS H. HUGHES DOUGLAS J. CRAWFORD ATT NEYS PARTS STACKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of the present invention is the transferring and stacking of pieces, particularly fabric pieces. Many stacking of pieces, particularly fabric pieces. Many stackers of various types are found in the prior art. In many of these prior art devices, the parts are required to slide in relation to large support surfaces prior to stacking. This may tend to create uneven SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Many of the problems presented in the prior art are solved by the instant invention. The stacker of this invention is selfindexing by virtue of the fact that the work to be stacked is fed by positive engagement with a moving surface, preferably that of an endless belt, directly to the point where it is .to be stacked. Since the movement of the belt can be accurately controlled and since belt movement controls movement of the work such indexing and aligning means as air guides and retainer walls which locate properly the work prior to stacking need not be used. In this invention the work is under control of the belt up to the moment it drops onto the stack.

A further feature of this invention is that the stacker can be run at high speeds due to the short support plate removal distance required. In this invention, the work is gripped near and along each of two opposed edges between a belt and a rather narrow support plate so that a minimal support surface is adjacent the work. By reason of this minimal support the friction and static electricity eflects produced by the retracting support plates is not great. Whatever effects there are will be generally offset by the two supports retracting away from each other. The effects of support withdrawal are further lesser'ied when they retract at an angle to the surface of the work. That is, where theydraw away from the piece rather than slide in relation to it in the same plane.

The object of this invention is to solve many of the problems of presently available devices as outlined above; and to accomplish this, the invention comprises the features hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims, the description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are set out to show some of the many ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus constructed according to the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a detail of a height indexing arrangement.

The figures are to be understood to be more or less of a diagrammatic character for the purposes of illustration. Like characters identify the various elements in the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. I, shows a stacking platform 10, first and second retractable support plates ll a and 11b and two belts I3 and I4 engaging the respective surfaces 124 and I2!) of the support plates. .Ai'r actuated

arms

15 and 16 are operatively connected to the plates and serve to move the plates toward and away from the work piece 20. The belts engage the respective surfaces 120 and 12b so as to grip the work 20 and hold it securely. The belts are driven by a motor I7 operatively attached to the belts through means 18.

The retractable plates are relatively rigid and their surfaces have a low friction characteristic. The desired surface characteristics may be typically achieved with use of such material as Teflon fluorocarbon resin or nodularized metal. The belts, on the other hand, are made of a material which has a relatively high friction coefficient so that the work may be gripped securely between the surface of the respective belt and sup port plate. The belts may typically be made of any of a variety of available belting materials such as cloth or rubber. The difference in surface characteristics of the belts and the support plates must be such as to allow the work to move over the plates under the influence of the moving belts. In some cases, it may be desirable to use one wide belt rather than the two belts shown in the figure.

The two arms I5 and 16 are preferably attached to the supports so that the supports are drawn away at an acute angle, for example, an angle of approximately 15 with respect to the plane of the work has been found advantageous. The plates may be so constructed as to retract generally in the plane of the work. Best results should be obtained when the angle of retraction is less than about 45 with respect to the work. It is desirable-to have the two opposing plates retract simultaneously so that the piece does not distort as it falls to the stacking platform.

FIG. 1 shows the platform 10 at an angle. This is to compensate for difference in thickness produced by a hem on the individual pieces.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus showing how the work 20 'may typically be transferred from, for example, the work area beyond a sewing station. The work would typically be transferred from

belts

30a and 30b to the stacker and fed between the respective belts and support surfaces of the stacker. After disengaging from the

belts

30a and 30b, the work is completely under control of the belts l3 and 14. The respective belts may typically be supported by an arm 50 which is carried on uprights 51a and 51b. Spring loaded tensioners 52 serve to hold the belts against the support surfaces.

Referring again to FIG. I, the stacking platform 10 is mounted on a shaft 40 which travels vertically in a bearing 41 which is so constructed as to retain the shaft against rotational motion. Indexing means 19 are provided for lowering the platform according to the number of pieces placed upon it. The means may typically comprise a constant tension spring which acts against the weight of the stacked pieces. Alternatively the indexing means may include, as shown in FIG. 3, a double act ing cylinder 21 which is fixedly attached to and forms an extension of shaft 40 and a relieving regulator 22 installed in the air line 23 at one end of the cylinder and preset to maintain about I00 p.s.i. on one side of the cylinder 21. At the other end of the cylinder in air line 23 are two electrically operated, normally closed two-

way valve

24 and 25. When it is desired to raise the stacking platform 10, pressure above p.s.i. is passed through

valves

24 and 25 after a variable pulse voltage opens the valves. When it is desired to lower the platform 10, a variable pulse voltage closes valve 25 and permits exhaust to atmosphere of the pressure in the cylinder. The variable pulse voltage to

valves

24 and 25 may be increased in length of time to allow full raising of the platform 10 or may be increased in small increments to permit intermittent raising of the platform 10. The same would be true of the time length of the pulse to valve 25 to allow for either rapid lowering or incremental lowering of the platform 10.

Preferably the support plates 12a and 12b support only the edge areas of the work piece, although their width may vary depending on the size of the piece. The apparatus works best when less than about half of the area of the work piece is contacting the plates.

The support plates may typically be about from about onehalf to about 2 inches wide and should be at least long enough so that the work can be completely captured between the belts and the supports. lntead of the plates, the supports could comprise belts driven either by engagement with the feed belts l3 and 14 or by an external drive means The feed belts may advantageously be made approximately the same width as the respective support surfaces.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific apparatus, it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a wide variety of changes may be gaging one of said horizontal plates in such a way so as to grip a garment part inserted between the plates and the transfer means so as to confine the part generally along the edges thereof and to advance the part along the support means; retracting means attached to said horizontal plates and so constructed and arranged as to retract said plates simultaneously away from the part in divergent but separate straight line paths forming an acute angle with the horizontal plane sufficiently to allow the part'to fall between them; and a platform located below the support plates, said platform being vertically movable.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the angle is less than approximately 45.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transferring and stacking garment parts comprising in combination: support means including two rigid horizontal plates spaced apart from and generally parallel to each other and lying in a generally horizontal plane; transfer means including a pair of driven belts, each belt engaging one of said horizontal plates in such a way so as to grip a garment part inserted between the plates and the transfer means so as to confine the part generally along the edges thereof and to advance the part along the support means; retracting means attached to said horizontal plates and so constructed and arranged as to retract said plates simultaneously away from the part in divergent but separate straight line paths forming an acute angle with the horizontal plane sufficiently to allow the part to fall between them; and a platform located below the support plates, said platform being vertically movable.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the angle is less than approximately 45*.