Mechanism for transfering flexible work pieces

Claim 2

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack including stack support means and sheet removal means, the latter including a dislodging element, means for positioning said dislodging element and a cooperative stack engageable foot in operative relation at the exterior of the stack, means permitting said dislodging element to move freely outwardly from the stack in the direction normal to its external surface in response to contact pressure of a portion of an exterior fabric sheet with said element, means for moving said dislodging element laterally of said fabric sheet to dislodge siad portion of said sheet, a control means operable upon a predetermined free outward movement of said dislodging element from the stack to initiate said lateral movement of said dislodging element into nipping relation to said foot, and means cooperating with said dislodging element for removing said sheet from said stack.

Claim 3

In a machine for transferring single plies of flexible sheet material from the exterior of a stack and including a work support for the stack, a carrier mounted above the support for movement laterally thereof, and means for causing relative movement of approach between the work support and the carrier, at least one pick-up device supported by the carrier, said device comprising a presser foot yieldable heightwise of the stack and having a portion adapted to bulge or pucker a locality of an exterior ply of the stack upon engagement therewith, a high friction member cooperative with said presser foot portion, and mechanism responsive to the heightwise yielding movement of the presser foot for causing the high friction member to move laterally of the stack and pinch said locality against said presser foot portion.

Claim 4

In a machine for transferring single plies of flexible sheet material from the exterior of a stack and including a work support for the stack, a carrier mounted above the support for movement laterally thereof, and means for causing relative movement of approach between the work support and the carrier, at least one pick-up device supported by the carrier, said device comprising a presser foot yieldable heightwise of the stack and having a portion adapted to bulge or pucker a locality of an exterior ply of the stack upon engagement therewith, a high friction member cooperative with said presser foot portion, and mechanism responsive to the heightwise yielding movement of the presser foot for causing the high friction member to move laterally of the stack and pinch said locality against said presser foot portion.

Claim 5

A machine as in claim 2 wherein the presser foot has a work engaging surface for puckering a top ply locality, a pointed tooth secured to the presser foot is formed with a shelf spaced slightly above said presser foot work engaging surface, and said friction member is formed with pointed elements and pivotally supported for urging the puckered locality to be moved over the pointed tooth and pinch against said shelf.

Claim 6

A pick-up device for seizing single plies of flaccid workpieces in a stack comprising a presser foot having a work engaging slotted portion for puckering an exposed locality of a top ply, means for yieldably mounting the presser foot, a jaw disposed within the slotted portion and formed with a surface spaced above the Work engaging perimeter of said slotted portion from the top ply of the stack, a pincer means movably carried by the presser foot for movement into and out of cooperative ply seizing relation with said jaw surface, and mechanism for causing the pincer means to coact with the jaw surface upon a portion of the locality puckered by said presser foot.

Claim 7

A pick-up device for seizing single plies of flaccid workpieces in a stack comprising a presser foot having a work engaging slotted portion for puckering an exposed locality of a top ply, means for yieldably mounting the presser foot, a jaw disposed within the slotted portion and formed with a surface spaced above the Work engaging perimeter of said slotted portion from the top ply of the stack, a pincer means movably carried by the presser foot for movement into and out of cooperative ply seizing relation with said jaw surface, and mechanism for causing the pincer means to coact with the jaw surface upon a portion of the locality puckered by said presser foot.

Claim 8

A device as in claim 4 wherein said jaw is formed with an apex, and said pawl is provided with spaced rows of teeth disposed for relative movement one on each side of the apex to urge a top ply thereagainst in pinching relation.

Claim 9

A device as in claim 4 wherein the pincer means is a pivotal pawl, said mechanism for causing the pincer means and the jaw surface to coact includes a cam relatively movable heightwise of the stack and engageable with one of the pawl and the presser foot, and mechanism for adjustably controlling friction between the foot and its mounting means to insure puckering of the top ply prior to pinching engagement by the pawl.

Claim 10

In a machine for transferring single plies of fabric and the like from the top of a stack and including a laterally movable carrier above the stack, the combination of at least one pick-up device, and means mounting the device on said carrier, said device comprising a foot yieldably engageable with the top ply to pucker a locality thereof, a V-shaped shelf portion secured adjacent to the bottom of said foot, a toothed member yieldable heightwise of the stack and carried by the foot for movement transversely thereof to pinch a portion of the puckered locality on said shelf portion, and mechanism responsive to movement of the foot relative to the carrier for forcing the member toward the shelf portion to fold and squeeze the puckered locality thereon.

Claim 11

In a machine for transferring single plies of fabric and the like from the top of a stack and including a laterally movable carrier above the stack, the combination of at least one pick-up device, and means mounting the device on said carrier, said device comprising a foot yieldably engageable with the top ply to pucker a locality thereof, a V-shaped shelf portion secured adjacent to the bottom of said foot, a toothed member yieldable heightwise of the stack and carried by the foot for movement transversely thereof to pinch a portion of the puckered locality on said shelf portion, and mechanism responsive to movement of the foot relative to the carrier for forcing the member toward the shelf portion to fold and squeeze the puckered locality thereon.

Claim 12

A pick-up device comprising a presser foot having a work engaging surface and a stem eccentrically upstanding therefrom, a pointed jaw secured in a recess in said surface and having a shelf portion adjacent thereto, a wedge-shaped pawl pivotally supported on said stem and having convexly disposed teeth arranged in at least one row, and cam mechanism for engaging a surface of said wedge-shaped pawl to move its teeth onto said shelf portion to pinch a localized portion of the work on said shelf portion.

Claim 13

A pick-up device comprising a presser foot having a work engaging surface and a stem eccentrically upstanding therefrom, a pointed jaw secured in a recess in said surface and having a shelf portion adjacent thereto, a wedge-shaped pawl pivotally supported on said stem and having convexly disposed teeth arranged in at least one row, and cam mechanism for engaging a surface of said wedge-shaped pawl to move its teeth onto said shelf portion to pinch a localized portion of the work on said shelf portion.

Claim 14

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack comprising stack support means and sheet removal means, the latter including a work dislodging element in the form of an upstanding pawl supported on a movable piston-cylinder device and having a camming surface, a second work engageable element supported by the device for cooperating with said pawl, a cam operator surface formed on said device and arranged during relative movement of the device and the stack to cause lateral closing movement of the dislodging element to nip a portion of the top fabric against said second element, means for moving the piston-cylinder device to remove the nipped fabric sheet from the stack, and mechanism for controlling pressure fluid to said device to separate said elements and release the transferred sheet.

Claim 15

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack comprising stack support means and sheet removal means, the latter including a work dislodging element in the form of an upstanding pawl supported on a movable piston-cylinder device and having a camming surface, a second work engageable element supported by the device for cooperating with said pawl, a cam operator surface formed on said device and arranged during relative movement of the device and the stack to cause lateral closing movement of the dislodging element to nip a portion of the top fabric against said second element, means for moving the piston-cylinder device to remove the nipped fabric sheet from the stack, and mechanism for controlling pressure fluid to said device to separate said elements and release the transferred sheet.

Claim 16

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack, comprising an elevator for moving the stack upwardly, and sheet removal means above the elevator including a dislodging element in the form of an upstanding pawl, said pawl being supported on a carrier and having a camming surface, a stack indenting foot supported by the carrier adjacent to said pawl, and a cam operator surface associated with said foot, said foot being adapted to be engaged by the upwardly moving stack on the elevator to cause the cam operator surface to act on said camming surface and thereby laterally move said pawl into work nipping relation to said foot.

Claim 17

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack, comprising an elevator for moving the stack upwardly, and sheet removal means above the elevator including a dislodging element in the form of an upstanding pawl, said pawl being supported on a carrier and having a camming surface, a stack indenting foot supported by the carrier adjacent to said pawl, and a cam operator surface associated with said foot, said foot being adapted to be engaged by the upwardly moving stack on the elevator to cause the cam operator surface to act on said camming surface and thereby laterally move said pawl into work nipping relation to said foot.

Claim 18

A machine for feeding fabric pieces singly from a stack, comprising means for supporting the stack, and piece removal means operable above said stack supporting means, said piece removal means including a carrier, an upstanding work dislodging pawl pivotally and yieldably supported on the carRier and having a camming surface, a foot portion of the carrier being disposed for engagement with a top fabric piece adjacent to a work engageable portion of the pawl, means mounting the carrier for relatively movement heightwise of the stack and into engagement with said camming surface to cause the pawl to nip the portion of said top piece cooperatively with said foot portion, and mechanism for supporting the carrier and substantially movable heightwise of the stack to raise the pawl and foot together with the nipped work piece.

Claim 19

A machine for feeding fabric pieces singly from a stack, comprising means for supporting the stack, and piece removal means operable above said stack supporting means, said piece removal means including a carrier, an upstanding work dislodging pawl pivotally and yieldably supported on the carRier and having a camming surface, a foot portion of the carrier being disposed for engagement with a top fabric piece adjacent to a work engageable portion of the pawl, means mounting the carrier for relatively movement heightwise of the stack and into engagement with said camming surface to cause the pawl to nip the portion of said top piece cooperatively with said foot portion, and mechanism for supporting the carrier and substantially movable heightwise of the stack to raise the pawl and foot together with the nipped work piece.

Claim 20

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack including stack supporting means and sheet removal means, the latter comprising a dislodging element, means for positioning the dislodging element in operative relation in the exterior of the stack, means permitting said dislodging element to move freely from the stack in a direction normal to its exterior in response to contact pressure of an external portion of an exterior sheet, means for moving said dislodging element to dislodge said portion of the sheet, a nipping member cooperative with said element for removing the sheet from the stack, a spring urged slide movable parallel to an external face of the stack, and a releasable catch means for said slide adapted to carry the dislodging element and said nipping member and releasable in response to free normal movement of the dislodging element to permit the latter to cooperate with the nipping member in removing the nipped sheet.

Claim 21

A machine for feeding fabric sheets singly from a stack including stack supporting means and sheet removal means, the latter comprising a dislodging element, means for positioning the dislodging element in operative relation in the exterior of the stack, means permitting said dislodging element to move freely from the stack in a direction normal to its exterior in response to contact pressure of an external portion of an exterior sheet, means for moving said dislodging element to dislodge said portion of the sheet, a nipping member cooperative with said element for removing the sheet from the stack, a spring urged slide movable parallel to an external face of the stack, and a releasable catch means for said slide adapted to carry the dislodging element and said nipping member and releasable in response to free normal movement of the dislodging element to permit the latter to cooperate with the nipping member in removing the nipped sheet.

Claim 22

The machine of claim 12 wherein the dislodging element comprises at least one pointed member, and said catch means is adapted to release said slide upon work contact pressure less than required for penetration of said pointed member to the underlying fabric sheet, whereby the dislodging element and nipping member are raised from the stack with snap action.

Claim 23

In a machine for transferring single plies of flexible sheet material from the exterior of a stack and including a work support for the stack, a carrier mounted above the support, and means for causing relative movement of approach between the work support and the carrier, at least one pick-up device supported by the carrier, said device comprising a presser foot yieldable heightwise of the stack and having a portion adapted to bulge or pucker a locality of an exterior ply of the stack upon engagement therewith, a high friction member cooperative with said presser foot portion, and mechanism responsive to the heightwise yielding movement of the presser foot for causing the high friction member to move laterally of the stack and pinch said locality against said presser foot portion.

Claim 24

In a machine for transferring single plies of flexible sheet material from the exterior of a stack and including a work support for the stack, a carrier mounted above the support, and means for causing relative movement of approach between the work support and the carrier, at least one pick-up device supported by the carrier, said device comprising a presser foot yieldable heightwise of the stack and having a portion adapted to bulge or pucker a locality of an exterior ply of the stack upon engagement therewith, a high friction member cooperative with said presser foot portion, and mechanism responsive to the heightwise yielding movement of the presser foot for causing the high friction member to move laterally of the stack and pinch said locality against said presser foot portion.

Claim 25

A machine as set forth in claim 14 wherein said high friction member has a camming surface, and said mechanism responsive to said heightwise movement of the presser foot comprising a cam operator surface arranged, during yielding movement of said presser foot to cause lateral movement of said presser foot member.