Work transport apparatus for use with a button attachment machine
OwnerMorris Dean Huntinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This apparatus includes a carriage by which a garment workpiece is moved relative to a stationary fastener applicator unit. The workpiece is held extended between pneumatically actuated clamping units mounted to the carriage which apply a tensioning force to the workpiece while fasteners are being applied sequentially thereto during dwell periods between intermittent advancements of the carriage. A latching and indexing assembly is provided which includes a locating pin that precisely secures the carriage in each of a series of predetermined locations during the dwell periods, to assure accurate placement of the fasteners on the workpiece. A sensing device detects any malfunctioning of the applicator machine and should such malfunction occur, stops the apparatus.
Claims17
A work transport apparatus for use with a fastener applicator unit for attaching fastener elements to a garment workpiece, said transport apparatus comprising:
- a. support means,
- b. carriage means mounted to the support means for linear movement relative to the applicator unit,
- c. drive means for advancing said carriage means intermittently between fastener applicator stations,
- d. workpiece holding means mounted for movement with the carriage means including:
- 1. a first workpiece holder having means for gripping a portion of the workpiece,
- 2. a second workpiece holder disposed in spaced relation from the first workpiece holder and having means for gripping another portion of the workpiece, and
- 3. means for moving one of said holders linearly relative to the other of said holders to apply tension to the workpiece,
- e. latching and indexing means between said support means and carriage means including:
- 1. movable latch means on one of said means,
- 2. latch engagement means on the other of said means including a plurality of linearly spaced recesses receiving said latch means successively at predetermined intervals,
- 3. positive locating means cooperating with said latch means to accurately locate the carriage means at the fastener stations, and
- f. actuating means associated with said latching and indexing means for actuating said positive locating means and for actuating said drive means.
A work transport apparatus for use with a fastener applicator unit for attaching fastener elements to a garment workpiece, said transport apparatus comprising:
- a. support means,
- b. carriage means mounted to the support means for linear movement relative to the applicator unit,
- c. drive means for advancing said carriage means intermittently between fastener application stations,
- d. workpiece holding means mounted for movement with the carriage means,
- e. latching and indexing means between said support means and carriage means including:
- 1. movable latch means on one of said means,
- 2. latch engagement means on the other of said means including a plurality of linearly spaced recesses receiving said latch means successively at predetermined intervals,
- 3. positive locating means cooperating with said latch means to accurately locate the carriage means at the fastener stations, and
- f. actuating means associated with said latching and indexing means and cooperating with said applicator unit for actuating said positive locating means and for actuating said drive means.
A work transport apparatus for use with a fastener applicator unit for attaching fastener elements to a garment workpiece, said transport apparatus comprising:
- a. support means,
- b. carriage means mounted to the support means for linear movement relative to the applicator unit,
- c. workpiece holding means mounted for movement with the carriage means including:
- 1. a first workpiece holder having means for gripping a portion of the workpiece,
- 2. a second workpiece holder disposed in spaced relation from the first workpiece holder and having means for gripping another portion of the workpiece;
- 3. means for moving one of said holders linearly relative to the other of said holders to apply tension to the workpiece,
- d. each of said holders includes pneumatically actuated jaw members, and
- e. one of said holders includes pneumatically actuated relatively movable portions providing the means for moving said holders relative to each other.
A work transport apparatus for use with a fastener applicator unit for attaching fastener elements to a garment workpiece, said transport apparatus comprising:
- a. support means,
- b. carriage means mounted to the support means for linear movement relative to the applicator unit,
- c. workpiece holding means mounted for movement with the carriage means including:
- 1. a first workpiece holder having means for gripping a portion of the workpiece,
- 2. a second workpiece holder disposed in spaced relation from the first workpiece holder and having means for gripping another portion of the workpiece;
- 3. means for moving one of said holders linearly relative to the other of said holders to apply tension to the workpiece,
- d. said one holder includes upper and lower portions and link means interconnecting said portions to define a quadrilateral linkage means, and
- e. actuator means moves said upper and lower portions relative to each other, said linkage means and said actuator means providing the means for moving said holders relative to each other.
A work transport apparatus for use with a fastener applicator unit for attaching fastener elements to a garment workpiece, said transport apparatus comprising:
- a. support means,
- b. carriage means mounted to the support means for linear movement relative to the applicator unit,
- c. drive means for advancing said carriage means intermittently between fastener application stations,
- d. workpiece holding means mounted for movement with the carriage means,
- e. latching means between said support means and carriage means including:
- 1. movable latch means on one of said means,
- 2. latch engagement means on the other of said means cooperatively receiving said latch means at successively predetermined intervals of movement of said carriage means,
- f. indexing means between said support means and said carriage means including:
- 1. a locating element on one of said means,
- 2. locating element receiving means on the other of said support and carriage means cooperating with said locating element to accurately locate the carriage at the fastener applicator stations, and
- g. actuating means associated with said latch means for actuating said drive means in timed relation to disengagement of said latch engagement means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.