Methods and apparatus for automatically registering and combining fabric workpieces

Abstract

Abstract A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REGISTERING FABRIC WORKPIECES FOR USE IN A PRODUCTION LINE TO BRING AN EDGE OR EDGES OF THE WORKPIECES INTO ACCURATELY KNOW LOCATIONS AND THEN FOR COMBINING THE REGISTERED WORKPIECES TOGETHER IN READINESS FOR JOINING THEM. FORCE IMPULSES ARE APPLIED TO THE WORKPIECE BY PULSATING AIR JETS FLOWING BENEATH THE WORKPIECE, THE PULSES OF AIR BEING GENERATED BY VALVING OR FLUTTERING VIBRATING REED ELEMENTS OR BOTH FOR AGITATING THE WORKPIECE TO REDUCE FRICTION EFFECTS AS THE WORKPIECE IS IMPELLED BY THE IMPULSES EDGEWISE TOWARD STOP SURFACES TO REGISTER IT. IN CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS PULSATING AIR JET UNITS ARE MOUNTED ON A MOVABLE OR INVERTIBLE HEAD WHICH ACCOMPLISHES THE DUAL FUNCTIONS OF REGISTERING A WORKPIECE AND THEN OF MOVING OR INVERTING THE WORKPIECE TO COMBINE IT WITH ANOTHER WORKPIECE. THE HEAD HOLDS THE REGISTERED WORKPIECE IN POSITION THEREON BY SUCTION DURING MOTION. IN MODIFIED EMBODIMENTS A REVOLVING SUCTION MEMBER IS MOUNTED UPON THE MOVABLE HEAD TO PROVIDE THE DUAL FUNTIONS OF REGISTERING AND COMBINING.

Inventors

• 👤 Herman Rovin
• 👤 Fred J Schiffmacher

Bibliographic Details