Device For Applying Substance To A Sheet Of Material

Abstract

A hollow needle member is used to apply a substance to a sheet of material for marking same or for applying a fluid material along a cut edge of the sheet material. The hollow needle member is mounted for reciprocation along its axis thereof. A controller receives coded input information and converts the input information into two-dimensional directional command pulses and a needle action command pulse. The needle member is moved in response to the two-dimensional directional command pulses over a sheet of material to which the substance is to be applied so that the needle member is disposed in a preselected location over the sheet of material. The needle member is reciprocated in response to the needle action command pulse so that the needle member is contiguous to the sheet of material. Marking material or fluid material which prevents edge fray or bonds edges of several sheets of material is ejected through the hollow needle member to the sheet material. Various specific embodiments of the device include specific needle member moving means and response mechanisms. One specific embodiment is directed to a combination of a hollow needle member mounted for reciprocation along with a cutting mechanism both of which are automatically controlled through the use of a controller.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the general field of treating sheets of material such as cloth with substances such as dyes for marking and adhesive materials which prevent fraying. More specifically, the device of this invention is used to apply substances such as dyes or adhesive materials to a plurality of layers of cloth. It is well known that certain places on a layup of cloth which includes a plurality of sheets of cloth in vertically stacked relationship must be marked on all layers for various purposes. For example, the position of buttons, button holes, inserts and the like, must be marked for subsequent operations. It is most convenient to mark all of the layers in a single operation before the layers are separated. This type of marking is also required where the precut patterns are subsequently sewn together into garments or the like. Such marking was carried out in the prior art either by hand or by machine through the use of masking, spraying and other techniques. Such other techniques included the use of long hollow needles which pierced the layup of cloth while the marking material was ejected therethrough and into the cloth, thereby marking the spot where the cloth had been pierced. These prior art devices including the use of hollow needle members were either moved over the layup manually or were a part of a stationary machine requiring the movement of the layup below the needle member which was subsequently lowered into the layup after it had been positioned.

Another prior art machine incorporates the use of a strategically placed sensor element capable of detecting a tracing on a template. The outlines of the tracing correspond to the outline of the pattern to be marked on a layer or a number of stacked layers of textile web material. The template is indexed past a series of sensors and the textile web is simultaneously indexed past a set of punches which are strategically located similarly to the disposition of the sensor elements. As a sensor element detects a portion of the tracing on the template passing by it, the sensor actuates a correspondingly located nozzle through which marking fluid is ejected. The marking nozzles are adapted to apply the marking to the pattern at locations thereof determined by the set of tracings on the template. The marking is applied by means of a liquid or powder marking medium. Valves are used to control the flow of marking medium to the nozzles in the prior art device. The marking nozzles in this prior art machine do not reciprocate and are not adaptable to the various procedural techniques associated with the device in the instant invention.

The device as presented herein may be used for applying an adhesive material along the edges of a fabric to prevent the fraying thereof. This is a well known problem present in the art of cutting garments from garment material from a layup of cloth. In addition, there are occasions when it is desired to bond various layers of material together along a raw edge such as found resulting from the use of modern high speed garment cutting mechanisms.

PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of this invention is to provide an automatically controlled hollow needle member that may be used to apply substances such as dye or adhesive to a sheet or sheets of material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism which may be used for marking a plurality of cloth layers in vertically stacked relationship in response to coded input information which is converted to dispose the needle member in a preselected location over the sheets of material.

A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for ejecting a marking material into a sheet of material which has been punctured or pierced by a hollow needle member.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an automatically controlled hollow needle member through which an adhesive material is ejected along a cut path formed in a stack of cloth sheets to prevent the fabric from fraying therealong.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device having a hollow needle member mounted for reciprocation wherein the motion and operation of the needle member is controlled with great accuracy and which eliminates the need for any pattern or layout of the path or location to which the substance is to be applied to the sheet material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a supply head adapted for attachment to an X-Y plotter or similar two-dimensional positioning device for applying a substance such as dye or adhesive to the sheet material which is placed on the plotter table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a hollow needle member is mounted for reciprocation along its axis thereof. A controller receives coded input information and converts said input information into two-dimensional directional command pulses and a needle action command pulse. The needle member is moved in response to the two-dimensional directional command pulses over a sheet of material so that the needle member is disposed in a preselected location. This preselected location may be either a location where the operator desires to place a mark on the sheet of material or to apply adhesive material along an edge of the sheet material. Such an edge may be formed immediately before the adhesive applying step by way of a cutting mechanism which is adapted to cut the sheet of material of a layup consisting of a plurality of sheets of material along a specific cutting path. The needle member is reciprocated in response to the needle action command pulse from the controller so that the needle member is contiguous to the sheet of material. That is, the needle member may either pierce or puncture the sheet of material or may be moved along a raw edge of the sheet of material to prevent fraying by the application of adhesive. Once the needle member is contiguous to the sheet of material, marking material or adhesive material is ejected through the hollow needle onto the sheet of material.

In a specific embodiment of this invention, the marking material is ejected through the hollow needle while the needle is being pulled upwardly out of the sheet material or cloth layup. A further aspect of the method of using such a reciprocating needle member is that the needle would be inserted into the fabric preferably before ejecting the treating substance. The treating substance ejecting means would include a control operated device such as a solenoid or air valve which would provide a flow of material through the hollow needle in an automatically controlled manner.

Various types of hollow needle members may be adapted to the mechanism of this invention. Such a needle member may be open at one end, have holes or grooves located along its length or simply be constructed of a porous material to allow a flowable substance to be ejected therethrough.

A specific embodiment of this invention incorporates the use of a hollow needle member with the carriage of an X-Y plotter. A reservoir is provided in conjunction with a needle head for providing a source of a marking material such as dye used for marking cloth or embroidery work or florescent dye used for indicating sewing marks. The reservoir may also be used to provide an adhesive material such as glue to be exuded through the hollow needle to bind the cut bundles together or prevent fraying along a freshly cut edge of a fabric.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a device made in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of the control system for the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the operation of a mechanism made in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a needle member made in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a needle member modification made in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of another needle member modification of this invention, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an assembly made in accordance with this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

More specifically, a substance applying apparatus, generally designated 10, includes a table 11 which provides support for a sheet fabric layup 12 comprising a plurality of fabric sheets arranged in vertically stacked relation. A needle head carriage 13 and a main carriage 18 are adapted to move across the surface of the table 11 in the co-ordinate directions indicated by arrows X and Y. A needle head 15 including a hollow needle member 16 can be driven to and from any predetermined point relative to the sheet material supporting surface 24. The hollow needle member 16 extends downwardly from the main body of the needle head 15 and is reciprocated vertically by a needle drive mechanism 30. The specific embodiment as to how the needle member 16 is reciprocated in co-operation with the fluid applying mechanism will be explained hereinbelow.

The main carriage 18 is movably mounted on the racks 14 thereby providing movement for the needle head 15 along the longitudinal direction of the table 11 or in the X co-ordinate direction. The needle head carriage 13 is movably mounted on a guide bar or tube 19 and a lead screw 20 of the main carriage 18 which extends transversely of the table 11. Movement of the carriage 13 along the guide bar 19, as driven with the lead screw 20, is in the Y co-ordinate direction.

The main carriage 18 includes a drive shaft (not shown) which extends transversely of the table 11 and has pinions at its opposite end for engaging travel support racks 14. Movement of the main carriage 18 is effected in response to operation of a drive motor (not shown) which is connected to the main carriage drive shaft. The needle head carriage 13 moves transversely of the table 11 in response to the operation of another drive motor (not shown) which is operably connected to the lead screw 20.

The table 11, which may be constructed from various materials and take a variety of forms, includes upwardly extending side members 21 and end members 22 forming a frame which is supported at a convenient working height by a plurality of legs 23. The shallow container formed by the side wall members 21 and end members 22 receive a bed of material that is penetrable by the needle member 16. The supporting surface 24 may be composed of material such as rubber, upwardly extending bristles, or various types of penetrable plastic material. The sheet material which is being worked on may be held to the surface 24 in different ways including the use of a vacuum holddown apparatus. The actual construction of table 11, carriage 18 and the means for supporting the carriage 18 relative to the table 11 may vary widely. A suitable construction of these parts is, however, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,293,651 which may be referred to for further details of a construction usable in conjunction with the device of this application.

A computer or similar controller, generally designated 26, is used for controlling the operation of the apparatus 10. Functions which are controlled through the use of the computer 26 include the movement of the needle head 15 in the X and Y co-ordinate directions, the reciprocation of the needle 16 and the control of the ejection of substance through the hollow needle 16. The computer 26 may take any one of various different forms well known in the art and operates to generate suitable command signals or pulses transmitted to the needle head 15 and the driving motors used in conjunction with the carriages 13 and 18. An input device 27 is a magnetic tape transport mechanism used in conjunction with the computer 26. The transport mechanism 27 handles a magnetic tape having recorded thereon coded information which is utilized by the computer 26 to generate the command signals. This type of tape transport mechanism is shown for purposes of illustration only and any other type of input means well known in the prior art could be used to effect the operation of the apparatus 10.

A basic control mechanism used to control the apparatus 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The needle motor 30 operates in conjunction with the needle head 15 and is operable to reciprocate the needle member 16 between a lowermost position and an uppermost position. The mechanism used to reciprocate the needle member 16 between the uppermost and lowermost positions is shown in detail in FIG. 4 and will be described hereinbelow. A fluid control mechanism 31 includes a valve control 37 which operates in conjunction with a valve 34 to eject fluid material from the reservoir 17 through the flexible conduit 36 and outwardly from the open tip of the needle member 16. The computer 26 produces pulses constituting command signals that are transmitted to the valve 34 via the control line 35. Encoder 32 is associated with the needle drive mechanism 30 through the line 44 and supplies the computer 26 with a signal indicating the vertical position of the needle member 16. This encoder may take different forms. In this specific embodiment, the encoder 32 consists merely of a switch mechanism which is operated when the needle member 16 is in a preselected position. The computer 26 includes a register (not shown) containing a number representative of the particular needle position.

The operation of the apparatus 10 is controlled so that ejection of the substance from the reservoir 17 may be accomplished at any desired time. In this specific embodiment, the substance is a fluid medium which is ejected from the reservoir 17 via the valve 34 only during the time that the needle member 16 has reached its lowest position and is moving upwardly toward the uppermost position during the reciprocation process. Each time the needle member 16 is within this positional range, the encoder 32 transmits the signal to the computer 26 which in turn checks the number in the needle position register. The techniques associated with the computer for controlling of the operation are well known and may be adapted to any desired functioning of the apparatus as disclosed herein.

The X motion and the Y motion of the needle member 16 being carried by the carriage 13 and main carriage 18 are effected by the X motor 28 and Y motor 29. The X motor 28 drives the main carriage 18 in the X direction and the Y motor 29 drives the needle head carriage 13 in the Y direction. The motors 28 and 29 may take various different forms. However, stepping motors having command signals supplied thereto consisting of trains of pulses are used in this specific embodiment. In moving the needle head 13 along a line not parallel to either the X or the Y axis, pulses are supplied to both of the motors 28 and 29 simultaneously with a ratio of the pulse repetition rates of the two trains of pulses being related to the slope of the line. An encoder 60 is associated with the X axis motor 28 which supplies the computer 26 with information as to the actual position of the carriage 13 along the X axis through the line 61. Similarly, an encoder 62 is connected with the Y axis motor 29 and supplies the computer 26 with information through the line 63 as to the actual position of the needle head 15 along the Y axis.

In this specific embodiment, input information which is recorded on magnetic tape or other record medium used by the input device 27 consists of coded information defining the coordinates of a number of end points between which the needle head 15 is to be moved in sequence. The line followed by the needle head 15 therefore usually consists of a large number of line increments which extend between two such points. At the start of any one line increment, the computer 26 receives information from the input device 27 as to the co-ordinates of the next end point. These desired end point co-ordinates are then compared with the co-ordinates of the present position of the needle head 15 as provided by the encoders 60 and 62. The results of the comparisons are used by the computer 26 to generate two trains of pulses transmitted respectively to the X motor 28 and Y motor 29. The number of pulses supplied to the X motor are sufficient to move the main carriage 18 along the table 11 a distance equal to the X component of the desired movement. Likewise, the number of pulses supplied to the Y motor 29 are sufficient to move the needle head 15 along the main carriage 18 a distance equal to the Y component of the desired movement. Other mechanisms may be used to control the system as a conventional option to the use of encoders 60 and 62, and are deemed within the contemplation of the invention. In addition, other means may be used to move the carriages 18 and 13 other than the stepping motors. For example, conventional drive means such as a servo motor system may be used in place of the stepping motors.

The pulses transmitted to the needle control mechanism 30 may be generated from information pre-recorded on the recording medium of the input device 27 along with the information used to move the needle member 16 over the sheet or sheets of material being worked on. Such pulses may also be computed through the action of the computer 26 to generate the necessary pulses for the needle control mechanism 30. In this specific embodiment, the information for controlling the needle condition is pre-recorded on the recording medium used by the input device 27 and translated by the computer 26 to produce proper energizing or deenergizing signals transmitted to the fluid control mechanism 31 and needle motor 30.

A specific mechanism for reciprocating the needle member 16 and means for ejecting fluid material is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The operation of this embodiment is shown diagrammatically and is not intended to limit the basic combination of elements disclosed herein. The needle drive mechanism 30 is used to reciprocate the hollow needle member 16 in the directions indicated by the arrow Z. A fluid reservoir 17 is attached to the needle head 15 and holds treating fluid which is to be ejected through the tip of the hollow needle member 16. The treating fluid used in conjunction with the apparatus may be any type of marking ink, florescent dyes or adhesive material such as glue. When the valve 34 disposed below the reservoir 17 is opened, treating fluid is forced out of the reservoir 17 and through the flexible conduit 36 which is connected to the hollow needle member 16. The force for this ejection of treating fluid is provided by the weight 39 disposed on top of the piston member 38. The valve 34 is maintained in either an open or closed condition automatically through the use of the fluid control mechanism 31. The fluid control mechanism 31 includes valve control means 37 which is connected to the valve 34 through the control line 35. When the hollow needle member 16 is in the appropriate position, the fluid control mechanism 31 is prepared to receive pulses from the computer 26 to command the valve 34 to either the open or closed condition. In this specific embodiment, when the hollow needle member 16 is being withdrawn from the sheet or sheets of material, the valve 34 is open and the treating fluid is ejected to the material disposed on the supporting surface 24. The conduit 36 is flexible so that it may be moved in a reciprocating motion along with the hollow needle member 16.

The means for reciprocating the hollow needle member 16 is shown diagrammatically as a hydraulic system. The needle member 16 is mounted upon a movable support 40 that is fixedly connected to a piston 41. The piston 41 moves in the reciprocating motion within the chamber housing 42. A supply motor 43 pumps fluid through the conduit 44 and will be supplied either into chamber portion A through conduit 47 or chamber portion B through conduit 48. While fluid is passed into chamber B, the piston 41 moves upwardly. Conversely, fluid entering chamber A through conduit 47 causes the piston 41 to move downwardly. While fluid is entering one of the chambers A or B, it is exhausting fluid from the other chamber and being directed back to reservoir 50 via conduit 49. The fluid is then returned from the reservoir 50 to the supply motor 43 via the connecting line 51 and recirculated through the system. The valve 45 is used to direct the fluid into the appropriate chamber within the housing 42 while allowing the exhausting of fluid from the other chamber. The appropriate flow of the hydraulic fluid is controlled through the valve control mechanism 46 which is responsive to the pulses sent from the computer 26 and relayed by the needle drive mechanism 30. The valve control 46 is included in the needle drive mechanism 30 and constitutes a portion thereof. Although a very simple hydraulic system has been suggested for the reciprocating means to move the needle member 16, it is within the contemplation of this invention that other mechanical or electrical mechanisms may be used to perform the same function.

The ejection of fluid marking material is shown in FIG. 5. As the hollow needle member 16 is withdrawn upwardly through the layup 12, marking material 54 is deposited on the sheet material. The guide 52 is used to spread the material either directly beneath the reciprocating needle 16 and functions in the same manner as with other needle reciprocating mechanisms. The supporting surface 24 may be provided by the bed of penetrable material 53. It is contemplated that any type of well known penetrable material may be used in the construction of the bed 53.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show modifications of the hollow needle member. The construction of hollow needle member 16a includes holes 55 which may be used to exude treating material into the sheet or sheets of material. The hollow needle member 16b includes a plurality of small openings 56 which render the wall of the needle porous so that treating material may be ejected therefrom. Obviously there are many type of materials which may be ejected from the hollow needle. A certain configuration of holes or side openings may be used in conjunction with the application of adhesive material such as glue or cement to bind bundles of material which have been cut.

The specific embodiment as shown in FIG. 9 discloses the use of a needle head 15 as described hereinabove in combination with a cutter head 70. The cutter head 70 includes a blade member 71 and is attached to cutter head carriage 72. The carriage 72 moves across the guide bar 73 and movement is effected through the turning of the lead screw 74. The main carriage 65 is used in conjunction with a lead screw (not shown) and a guide bar 66. The needle head 15 moves in the same manner as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 as described hereinabove. The operation of the cutter head 70 and the needle head 15 is controlled by way of a computer (not shown) through the power line 75. The manner of operation for the cutter head 70 over the supporting surface 24 for cutting a layup of material 12 has been described heretofore in the prior art. Reference is made to copending application Ser. No. 821,723 filed May 5, 1969 and to U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,492 issued Feb. 17, 1970, for more detail regarding the operation of the cutter head 70.

After the cuts have been made in the layup 12, the application of binding material may be effected through the use of the needle head 15 including the needle member 16 and fluid reservoir 17. The programmed operation of the needle head 15 would follow directly in the same path which the blade 71 has formed. The adhesive material would be ejected at any desired spot and completely controlled automatically through the use of an input device and computer as described hereinabove. It is contemplated that the main carriage 65 may operate as a completely separate unit incorporating a completely separate power line source.

While the device for applying substance to a sheet of material has been shown and described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of the invention, without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device for applying a flowable substance to all layers of a layup of sheet material, said device comprising means providing a supporting surface for supporting a layup of sheet material, said supporting surface comprising a bed of material penetrable by said needle member whereby the free end of said needle member as it is moved into said layup may be moved beyond said supporting surface to assure the application of said substance to all of said layers of said layup, a hollow needle member mounted for reciprocation along an axis generally perpendicular to said supporting surface for movement into and out of said layup and having at least one opening adjacent the free end thereof through which a flowable substance may be ejected into said layup, a controller for receiving coded input information and for converting said input information into two-dimensional directional command signals, needle member action command signals, and flow command signals, mechanism for moving said needle member in a plane parallel to the plane of said supporting surface in response to said two-dimensional directional command signals to sequentially bring said needle member to various desired locations relative to said layup, mechanism for reciprocating said needle member into and out of said layup in response to said action command signals, and mechanism for controlling the flow of said substance through said needle member in response to said flow command signals.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said mechanism for controlling the flow of said substance including an encoder connected with said needle member for encoding the position of said needle member along its path of reciprocation, said controller being responsive at least in part to the output of said encoder in producing said flow command signals.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said hollow needle member having a pointed and closed free end and having said one opening spaced some distance from said pointed free end, and said hollow needle member being closed from said free end to said one opening, said penetrability of said bed of material enabling said needle member to be moved into said layup to the point where said one opening is at least adjacent said supporting surface to assure application of said flowable substance to all of said layers of said layup.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 further characterized by a cutting device for cutting said layup of sheet material, and mechanism controlled by said controller for causing said cutter to cut said layup of sheet material supported on said supporting surface along desired lines of cut.

5. A device for applying a flowable substance to all layers of a layup of sheet material, said device comprising means providing a supporting surface for supporting a layup of sheet material, a hollow needle member mounted for reciprocation along an axis generally perpendicular to said supporting surface for movement into and out of said layup and having at least one opening adjacent the free end thereof through which a flowable substance may be ejected into said layup, and a means for automatically controlling the operation of said needle member to cause it to be moved in a plane parallel to the plane of said supporting surface to various desired positions relative to said layup, to be reciprocated into and out of said layup and to eject a flowable substance therefrom during a desired portion of each reciprocation cycle, said supporting surface for supporting said layup comprising a bed of material penetrable by said needle member whereby the free end of said needle member as it is moved into said layup may be moved beyond said supporting surface to assure the application of said substance to all layers of said layup.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, further characterized by said hollow needle member having a pointed and closed free end and having said one opening spaced some distance from said pointed free end, said hollow needle member being closed from said free end to said one opening, said penetrability of said bed of material enabling said needle member to be moved into said layup to the point where said one opening is at least adjacent said supporting surface to assure application of said substance to all of said layers of said layup.