Apparatus for splicing rubber coated cord fabric sections

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said splicing mechanism includes a first movable bracket mounted on a frame structure at a position above the center of said belt guide plate to be movable along the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section, a first drive source mounted on said frame structure for reciprocally moving said first movable bracket, a pair of second movable brackets mounted on said frame structure at a position above the sides of said belt guide plate and in spaced relation with said first movable bracket to be movable along the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section, a pair of second drive sources mounted on said frame structure for reciprocally moving said second movable brackets, respectively, a pair of supporting rods having opposite inner ends pivotally connected by a pivotal rod and jointly extending throughout the width of said belt guide plate, each of said supporting rods being held in sliding engagement with a slider pivotally connected to each of said second movable brackets, a pair of vacuum boxes each having both ends slidably engaged with both ends of each of said supporting rods to be movable toward and away from said belt guide plate, each of said vacuum boxes having a lower plate formed with a number of air nozzles to suck exterior air, two pairs of actuators, each pair of said actuators being securely mounted on both ends of each of said supporting rods and having leading ends fixedly connected to said vacuum box, and a detection arrangement which includes a first light projector mounted on the rear end of said first movable bracket to project a light toward the center of said belt guide plate, a pair of second light projectors mounted on the respective rear ends of said second movable brackets to project respective lights toward the sides of said belt guide plate, a first light receiver provided under said belt guide plate to receive the light projected from said first light projector through elongate slits formed between said belt guide grooves in said belt guide plate, and a pair of second light receivers provided under said belt guide plate to receive the lights projected from said second light projectors through elongate slits formed between said belt guide grooves in said belt guide plate, whereby said light projectors and receivers of said detection arrangement detect central and side spaces between the trailing edge of a previously advanced cord fabric section and the leading edge of a subsequently advanced cord fabric section so that said first and second brackets are caused to move in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section for pulling back and overlapping said previously advanced cord fabric section onto said subsequently advanced cord fabric section at ratios corresponding to said central and side spaces while said trailing edge of said previously advanced cord fabric section is being held by said vacuum boxes toward said belt guide plate, forcing the overlapped portions of said cord fabric sections to be spliced together by said vacuum boxes.

Claim 4

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said splicing mechanism includes a first bracket support mounted on a frame structure at a position above the center of said belt guide plate, a first movable bracket mounted on said first bracket support to be movable along the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section, a first drive source mounted on said first bracket support for reciprocally moving said first movable bracket, a pair of second bracket supports mounted on a frame structure at positions above the sides of said belt guide plate to be movable substantially at right angles relative to the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section for space adjustment between said first and second bracket supports, a pair of second drive sources each mounted on said second bracket supports for reciprocally moving said second movable bracket, a pair of supporting rods having opposite inner ends pivotally connecting by a pivotal rod mounted on said first bracket and jointly extending throughout the width of said belt guide plate, each of said supporting rods being held in sliding engagement with a slider pivotally connected to each of said second movable brackets, a pair of vacuum boxes each having both ends slidably engaged with both ends of each of said supporting rods to be movable toward and away from said belt guide plate, each of said vacuum boxes having a lower plate formed with a number of air nozzles to suck exterior air, two pairs of actuators each pair securely mounted on both ends of each of said supporting rods and having leading ends fixedly connected to said vacuum box, and a detection arrangement which includes a first light projector mounted on the rear end of said first movable bracket to project a light toward the center of said guide plate, a pair of second light projectors mounted on the respective ends of said second movable brackets to project respective lights toward the sides of said belt guide plate, a first light receiver provided under said belt guide plate to receive the light projected from said first light projector through slits formed between said belt guide grooves in said belt guide plate, and a pair of second light receivers provided under said belt guide plate to be opposingly movable for reception of the light projected from said second light projectors through elongate slits formed between said belt guide grooves in said belt guide plate, whereby said light projectors and receivers of said detection arrangement detect central and side spaces between the trailing edge of a previously advanced cord fabric section and the leading edge of a subsequently advanced cord fabric section so that said first and second brackets are caused to move in a direction opposite to the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section for pulling back and overlapping said previously advanced cord fabric section onto said subsequently advanced cord fabric section at ratios corresponding to said central and side spaces while said trailing edge of said previously advanced cord fabric section is being held by said vacuum boxes, and thereafter to cause the actuators to move said vacuum boxes toward said belt guide plate, forcing the overlapped portions of said cord fabric sections to be spliced together by said vacuum boxes, and whereby said second light projectors and receivers are adjustably moved toward and away from each other and angularly arranged correspondingly to the size and the oblique angle of the cord fabric section and the oblique angle of the vacuum boxes are adjustable in alignment with the oblique angle of the cord fabric section.

Claim 5

An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said second bracket supports are each in threaded engagement with a screw shaft rotatably mounted on said frame structure and having a driving connection with drive means for rotation thereof.

Claim 6

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said positioning mechanism includes a stationary air chamber located below and in the vicinity of said bias-cutter conveyor and having an upper plate formed with a number of air nozzles, a movable compressed air chamber slidably movable substantially at right angles with respect to the conveyance direction of said cord fabric section on one side of said stationary air chamber opposite to said conveyor of said bias-cutter conveyor and having a slanted upper plate formed with a number of air nozzles, and a stop member movable toward and away from the movable compressed air chamber, whereby said movable compressed air chamber and said stop member are moved toward each other for adjustment in space therebetween to position said severed cord fabric section conveyed from said bias-cutter conveyor over said movable compressed air chamber while compressed air is being ejected from said air nozzles of said stationary and movable compressed air chamber to float said cord fabric section.

Claim 7

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, which further includes a slanted chute provided between said bias-cutter conveyor and said movable compressed air chamber and having an upper plate formed with a number of air nozzles, whereby compressed air is ejected from said air nozzles to float said cord fabric section while said cord fabric section is being transferred from said bias-cutter conveyor onto said stationary compressed air chamber over said slanted chute.

Claim 8

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said movable compressed air chamber and said stop member are in threaded engagement with oppositely threaded portions, respectively, of at least a screw shaft rotatably mounted on a frame structure, said screw shaft being securely connected to a handle.