Apparatus for sewing rings, buckles and the like elements onto tape

Apparatus for securing an element such as a ring, buckle, or the like on to a tape by sewing, comprising:

• a sewing machine euipped with a sewing foot and bed capable of moving a tape clamped therebetween through a predetermined path to sew a non-linear seam across the tape,
• a source of supply of said elements,
• a holding and transfer device for receiving one of said elements from said source and holding said element clamped,
• a source of supply of said tape,
• means for feeding said tape to a position adjacent said element and for feeding a free end of said tape through said element while the element is held by the holding and transfer device:
• wherein said holding and transfer device includes a main body part and a holding part said holding part having clamping means for said elements, said body part being movable to suitably position said holding part firstly in a receiving position to receive said element from the supply source and secondly in a sewing position in which said element is disposed adjacent said foot and bed of the sewing machine and so positioned that after threading of said tape through said element parts of said tape adjacent said element may be clamped between said foot and said bed for sewing, and said holding part and said body part having inter-engaging sliding surfaces for movement of said holding part relative to the body part in a plane parallel to those parts of the tape clamped by said foot and bed when the body part is in said sewing position, said body part including releasable locking means for locking said holding part firmly in said body part during tranfer of an element from said supply source to said holding part and during movement of said device to the sewing position, said locking means being releasable when the device is in the sewing position, so that the holding part is free to move with the tape being sewn which is moved through said predetermined path by the sewing foot and bed.

A method for securing a ring element to a tape including the steps of:

• supplying a horizontally disposed ring element to a delivery point and inserting said element in a ring holding and transfer device, and holding said element in said device by minor portion of its periphery,
• advancing tape in a first direction to position a free end of the tape in overlapping relationship with the element,
• placing a support under a portion of said element not engaged by the holding and transfer device,
• punching a free end portion of the tape through the element,
• withdrawing said support,
• moving the element horizontally in said first direction through the operative part of a joining machine in such manner that the free end portion of the tape engages a bed of the machine and is folded alongside a main portion of the tape to position both thicknesses of tape in the operative part of the joining machine, and
• operating said joining machine to join the free end portion of tape to the main portion of the tape.

Apparatus for threading first and second tapes through a ring element and for securing said second tape to said element, comprising:

• means for holding an end of said first tape extended in first horizontal direction,
• a ring holding and transfer device arranged to receive a said ring element when horizontally disposed,
• tape advancing means for advancing the second tape in a horizontal direction close to said first horizontal direction to position a free end of the tape in overlapping relation with said ring element held by said device,
• means for punching a free end portion of the tape through the ring while held by said clamping means,
• means for moving said device horizontally to move said ring element in a path close to said first horizontal direction, through the operative part of a joining machine in such manner that the free end portion of the tape engages a bed of the machine and is folded alongside a main portion of the tape to place both portions of tape in the operative part of the machine to allow said portions to be joined together to secure the element to said second tape,
• rotating a ring holding portion of said device to orientate said ring element in a vertical plane, and
• means for advancing said device further with the vertically orientated ring moving in said first horizontal direction for feeding said ring onto the said end of said first tape.