Ultrasonic method and apparatus for manufacturing brassiere tapes

Apparatus for ultrasonically producing articles from an elongated continuous strip of material formed of flexible layers having a forward edge, and a rear edge terminating a pair of overlapping tabs, with a plurality of spatially separated elements extending above said strip between said edges, said apparatus comprising

• A. ultrasonic welding means comprising a horn with a forward end for engaging one side of said strip, and means for vibrating said horn at an ultrasonic rate,
• B. anvil means having a surface for opposing and cooperating with said forward end for engaging the opposite side of said strip, said horn and said anvil means adapted to simultaneously sever and weld said strip transversely between said edges when brought into operative relationship with each other,
• C. interposing means for positioning between said tabs an insulator element capable for transmitting therethrough ultrasonic vibratory energy prior to said anvil means and said horn being brought into operative relationship with each other, such that said insulation element permits individual layers of material in each of said tabs to be simultaneously welded together as said tabs and said element are severed,
• D. reciprocating means for effecting relative movement between said anvil means and said horn between an open position in which said anvil means and said horn are spaced apart for receiving said strip therebetween to an operative position in which said surface of said anvil means and said forward end of said horn are moved together for engaging said strip on opposite sides thereof, said horn in said operative position is ultrasonically vibrated to effect a severing and welding of the layers of said strip across the width thereof between said edges so as to form the trailing end of one article and the leading end of another article,
• E. feeding means for intermittently advancing the leading end of said strip a predetermined distance by means of one of said elements, said feeding means movable from a retracted position to an extended position in timed relationship to said reciprocating means.

Apparatus for ultrasonically producing brassiere tapes from an elongated continuous strip of material formed of flexible layers having a forward edge, and a rear edge terminating in a pair of overlapping tabs, with a plurality of spatially separated elements extending above said strip between said edges, said apparatus comprising:

• A. ultrasonic welding means comprising a horn with a forward end for engaging one side of said strip, and means for vibrating said horn at an ultrasonic rate,
• B. anvil means having a surface for opposing and cooperating with said forward end for engaging the opposite side of said strip, said horn and said anvil means adapted to simultaneously sever and weld said strip transversely between said edges when brought into operative relationship with each other,
• C. interposing means for positioning between said tabs an insulator element capable of transmitting therethrough ultrasonic vibratory energy prior to said anvil means and said horn being brought into operative relationship with each other, such that said insulation element permits individual layers of material in each of said tabs to be simultaneously welded together as said tabs and said element are severed,
• D. reciprocating means for effecting relative movement between said anvil means and said horn between an open position in which said anvil means and said horn are spaced apart for receiving said strip therebetween to an operative position in which said surface of said anvil means and said forward end of said horn are moved together for engaging said strip on opposite sides thereof as said horn in said operative position is ultrasonically vibrated to effect a severing and welding of the layers of said strip across the width thereof between said edges so as to form the trailing end of one tape and the leading end of another tape,
• E. feeding means for intermittently advancing the leading end of said strip a predetermined distance by means of one of said elements, said feeding means movable from a retracted position to an extended position in timed relationship to said reciprocating means,
• F. retracting means for moving said feeding means from said extended position to said retracted position for contacting another of said spatially separated elements and subsequently advancing said strip in timed relationship to said reciprocating means, and
• G. said feeding means including:
• 1. engaging means pivotally movable into contact with one of said elements on said strip when advancing same, and over said elements when moved from said extended position to said retracted position, and
• 2. biasing means urging said engaging means into contact with said element when advancing said strip.