U.S. patent number 3,742,899 [Application Number 05/183,180] was granted by the patent office on 1973-07-03 for powder marker.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Triple A Trouser Manufacturing Co., Inc.. Invention is credited to Joel M. Alperin, James P. Murphy.
United States Patent |
3,742,899 |
Alperin , et al. |
July 3, 1973 |
POWDER MARKER
Abstract
A marking device is disclosed for producing a powder mark upon a
fabric piece when it is positioned against the device, having
sensing orifice which normally projects a flow of low pressure air,
the positioned fabric piece obstructing the low pressure flow and
thereby causing a back air pressure which is sensed and amplified,
the amplified air signal activating a cylinder which produces a
pulse of compressed air which is communicated to the interior of a
powder box. The power box houses a supply of marking powder and
contains, on the front face thereof, the sensing orifice and an
immediately adjacent marking port, such that when the fabric piece
is positioned at the marking port it also obstructs the sensing
orifice, causing an exact amount of powder to be expelled out of
the port and to be impinged upon the fabric at the point desired to
be marked.
Inventors: |
Alperin; Joel M. (Scranton,
PA), Murphy; James P. (Pittston, PA) |
Assignee: |
Triple A Trouser Manufacturing Co.,
Inc. (Scranton, PA)
|
Family
ID: |
22671769 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/183,180 |
Filed: |
September 23, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
118/685; 118/308;
33/9A |
Current CPC
Class: |
A41H
23/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A41H
23/00 (20060101); B05c 001/16 () |
Field of
Search: |
;118/2,8,9,308,7,301
;33/9A |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Kee Chi; James
Claims
We claim:
1. Apparatus for automatically marking an object at a desired point
when the object is positioned in specific registry with the
apparatus, comprising:
a. marking means for expelling marking substance onto said
object;
b. sensing means, for sensing when an object is in position to be
marked, and normally emitting a sensing signal;
c. fluid supply means for providing a fluid under pressure;
d. energizing means, connected to said sensing means and said fluid
supply means, and having a fluid output connected to said marking
means; and,
e. said sensing means adapted to activate said energizing means
when said object is positioned in registry therewith such as to
obstruct said emission, the output of said energizing means causing
said marking means to expel marking substance onto said object.
2. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said energizing
means contains an amplifier for producing a relatively high
pressure output in response to a relatively low pressure signal
from said sensing means, a cylinder and piston for producing a
pulse of fluid pressure in response to an output from said
amplifier, adjusting means for controlling the magnitude of said
pulse of fluid pressure. and a double check valve for communicating
said pulse to said powder box, and for providing air intake to said
cylinder after said pulse, which air intake is free of any marking
substance from said marking means.
3. The apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein said fluid is
air, and said marking substance is powder.
4. The apparatus as described in claim 3, wherein said marking
means is a box with a hollow interior housing said powder, having a
marker port from which powder is expelled, and having equal length
channels communicating from the output of said double check valve
to oppositely located ports at the interior of said box, whereby to
supply air pressure to the interior of said box in equal amounts
from substantially opposite directions.
5. The apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein said sensing
means comprises a back pressure orifice mounted on the front of
said box and adjacent to said marker port, said back pressure
orifice communicating with a tee through which low pressure air is
passed to said orifice, said tee being adapted to pass low pressure
air to said amplifier when said object is positioned so as to
obstruct the flow of low pressure air out of said orifice.
6. The apparatus as described in claim 5, wherein said fluid supply
means comprises an air regulator for providing a controlled low
pressure air supply which is communicated to the input of said
tee.
7. Apparatus for powder marking a fabric element at a desired point
when such element is positioned in specific registry with the
apparatus, comprising:
a. air supply means, for providing a source of relatively high
pressure air and a source of regulated relatively low pressure
air;
b. back pressure sensing means, having a sensing orifice in
communication with said regulated source, for providing a low
pressure signal when said orifice is obstructed by the positioning
of said fabric element so as to generally block the flow of air
therefrom;
c. fluid amplifier means connected to said high pressure source,
adapted to provide a high pressure output of air when said low
pressure signal is connected to it;
d. air pulse means, having a cylinder with piston contained
therein, for providing a pulse of air under pressure in response to
said high pressure output from said fluid amplifier;
e. powder marker means, for issuing a pulse of marking powder in
response to receiving said pulse of air; and
f. a valve, for unilaterally passing said pulse from said cylinder
to said marker means.
8. Apparatus for automatically marking an object at a desired point
when the object is positioned in specific registry with the
apparatus, comprising:
a. marking means for marking said object with a marking substance,
having a housing containing said substance and having a marker port
therein through which the substance is expelled;
b. sensing means, providing a flow of low pressure air through an
orifice adjacent to said marker port, for sensing when an object is
in position to be marked;
c. actuating means, connected to said sensing means, and having an
output connected to said marking means; and
d. said sensing means communicating a signal to said actuating
means when said object is in position such that the air flow
through said orifice is substantially obstructed, the actuating
means producing an output which causes said marking means to expel
marking substance, producing a mark on the object at said desired
point in registry with the marker port.
9. The apparatus as described in claim 8, comprising adjusting
means for adjusting the output of said actuating means, to cause
said marking means to expel an exact amount of marking
substance.
10. The apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein said actuating
means comprises an air-driven piston, and said adjusting means
comprises an adjustable piston stop element, the adjustable
position of which controls the stroke of said piston.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to powder marking apparatus and, in
particular, to back pressure-actuated apparatus for producing a
powder mark in response to the sensed presence of the object to be
marked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many textile operations, particularly in the manufacture and
altering of clothing, it is necessary to mark the clothing at a
particular spot or spots, so as to indicate the place where a
subsequent sewing, stitching or like operation is to be performed.
Thus, in the manufacture of trousers, a given operator may have the
job of stitching seat seams into waistbands. The normal procedure
which is followed is to pick up the waistband, measure its midway
point and, while holding such midway point with one hand, reach
with the other hand to obtain a crayon or other marking device with
which to mark the point. This operation is then repeated
continuously on successive waistbands, the thusly marked waistbands
being passed on to be seamed in the next operation. As is well
known, this relatively crude procedure permits of substantial error
in marking, due to the limitations imposed by the operator's
relative inability to accurately locate the desired point with his
finger, the relatively wide marker or crayon which is used, and the
relative inability of a human operator to draw a precise marking
point or line with such crayon.
In view of the above, there is a clearly felt need in the clothes
manufacturing industry, as well as elsewhere, for an automatic
device permitting an operator, or worker, to lay out a piece of
work material to a measured length, and to have such piece
automatically marked at the measured point at the very time that
the piece is so laid out. As used on fabric pieces suitable for
clothing, it is of course required that the mark be made with a
substance which is clearly seen and yet readily removable or
washable from the fabric material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the prime object of this invention to provide an automatic
marker which will enable a worker to have a mark imprinted upon a
fabric piece simultaneously with the step of measuring the location
on such piece which is to be marked, thereby eliminating the error
introduced when the worker is required in a first step to locate
the point to be marked, and in a second subsequent step to manually
place a mark on such point.
Accordingly, this invention provides apparatus for automatically
marking an object at a desired point when the object is positioned
in registry with the apparatus, having a powder box for expelling
an exact amount of marking powder through a marker port onto the
piece, a low pressure air sensor for sensing when such piece is in
position to be marked, an air supply for providing air under
pressure, a cylinder and piston activated by the sensor and
producing an air pulse output which is communicated to the powder
box, the output of the cylinder being communicated unidirectionally
into the powder box, causing marking powder to be expelled out of
the box and impinged onto the piece. The sensor includes a sensing
orifice which normally passes a small volume of air under low
pressure, which orifice is immediately adjacent to the marking port
so that it is obstructed when the piece is held in registry with
the port, thereby causing a back pressure which, when amplified,
activates the piston to produce the air pulse which causes the
expulsion of powder from the powder box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the component parts of the
powder marker of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective front diagrammatic view showing the
environment of the powder marker of this invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded fragmentary view showing the configuration of
the back pressure orifice and the powder hole as used in this
invention.
FIG. 4 is a detailed view, partly in cross section, of the double
check valve used in this invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective rear view of the powder box of this
invention, with a dashed line indication of air flow channels
within the box.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The preferred embodiment of the apparatus of this invention is
described hereinbelow as adapted to mark clothes, textile or fabric
pieces, or other porous materials with a marking powder. This
description is adopted for purposes of clarity, but it is noted
that the apparatus is not limited in its application to such
marking of such materials. It is further noted that the apparatus
is illustrated as being fixed in position, with the object to be
marked being positioned in registry with the apparatus. However,
due to the small size of the apparatus, it can be constructed to be
portable, such that the object to be marked may be fixed in
position, with the marking apparatus being moved, or positioned,
into registry with the object. Accordingly, as used herein, the
phrase "the object is positioned in registry with the apparatus"
may mean that either the object or apparatus is fixed in position,
and the other is positioned relative thereto.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a powder box 11 is shown which is
adapted to contain a powder suitable for marking clothes or other
porous materials, the powder having the property of being easily
erased or washed from the fabric to which it is applied. Powder box
11 is desirably arranged physically as part of a solid rectangular
housing 12, which may be built into the front upper edge of a work
table or other similar structure being used by a worker. Powder box
11 contains on the front surface, facing the worker, a sensing
orifice 13 to which is continuously provided a low pressure air,
and a marker hole, or port 14 arranged generally in the form of an
arrow head, through which powder under pressure may be emitted. Box
11 contains, on its top side, an opening 20, normally plugged,
through which powder may be introduced.
In operation, when a worker has need to make a temporary mark upon
fabric piece or the like, as to indicate where a stitching
operation is to be performed, the worker aligns the fabric piece so
that powder hole 14 registers with the point where the marking is
desired. In so doing, orifice 13 is covered, causing a back
pressure which is sensed by the mechanism described hereinbelow,
whereupon a burst of powder is caused to be emitted through marker
hole 14, thus providing the desired mark at the desired point.
In normal operation, the worker will desire to accurately measure
the point for placement of the mark, and for such purposes a scale
17 is provided on housing 12 and in fixed spatial relationship to
marker 14. A slider 15 attached to housing 12 and having a pointer
16 enables the worker to measure off any desired distance. For
example, in measuring the location for stitching a seat seam in a
waistband for a pair of trousers, the worker adjusts sliding
element 15 to the desired waist length, attaches the hook found at
one end of the waistband around the lip 18 of slider 15, and firmly
extends the waistband to the marker opening 14. In this example,
since the seam is to be stitched at the halfway point around the
waistband, the distance designated as L in FIG. 2 is half the
length of the desired waist. It is thus seen that it is a simple
operation for the worker to measure off the desired distance and
place the waistband in front of marker opening 14. Due to the
adjacent position of sensing orifice 13, the back pressure is
simultaneously detected and the powder mark is automatically made.
The worker can repeat the process very quickly for each waistband
which is to be marked. A provision is made for adjusting the
intensity of the mark, as indicated generally at 19, the details of
which are described hereinbelow.
The block diagram of FIG. 1 shows the interrelationship of the
component parts of this invention. Compressed air, from a standard
air supply, is delivered to an air regulator 25, which produces a
very low output pressure, in the order of 5 to 20 inches of water.
The air regulator is a standard commercially available item, the
mechanism of which does not form any part of the claims of this
invention. The output from air regulator 25 is fed into a back
pressure sensing tee 26, which has outputs 27 and 28 (See also FIG.
5). Output 27 is on a direct line with the input to the tee, such
that normally the air provided to tee 26 passes directly through
the tee and out of outlet 27. Outlet 27 is coupled directly to
sensing orifice 13, such that the low pressure air flow is normally
directed out of orifice 13. Upon obstruction of orifice 13, as by
holding fabric in front of it, the air coming into tee 26 is
confined to passage out of opening 28 which is coupled through
suitable tubing to fluidic amplifier 30. Amplifier 30 is also a
commerically available shelf item, having the property of passing a
relatively high pressure air flow upon sensing a relatively low air
pressure. When the back pressure is sensed at the input 31 of
amplifier 30, the relatively high pressure air supply which is
connected to input 32 is permitted to pass through to output
33.
The high pressure air output of amplifier 30 is transmitted through
suitable tubing or piping to cylinder 35, containing piston 36 in
chamber 37. Upon receiving an input of high pressure air, piston 36
is driven forward, driving air out of cylinder 37, which driven air
is coupled to double check valve 40. As described in more detail
hereinbelow, valve 40 is designed to pass air being injected from
cylinder 35 through to powder box 11, wherein the injected air
causes ejection of powder through marker port 14. Valve 40 also
provides for intake of air into cylinder chamber 37 when piston 36
retracks, while preventing any flow of powder from box 11 into
cylinder 35. Thus, whenever the low pressure flow of air from
orifice 13 is obstructed, the back pressure caused thereby produces
a stroke of piston 36, in turn producing a burst of air under
pressure into powder box 11 so as to force a controlled amount of
powder out of marker port 14 and cause the desired mark. As soon as
the fabric obstructing orifice 13 is released, piston 36 is
reprimed and the system is in a ready state to produce the next
mark whenever called for.
Referring now to FIG. 4, showing the double check valve 40 as used
in this invention, the central chamber 42, which is fed directly
from the cylinder, has ports 45 and 46, normally blocked by spheres
47 and 48 respectively. Sphere 47 is normally held in blocking
position by spring 49, the tension of which can be overcome when
the air pressure from cylinder 35 provides a force greater than
that of spring 49. Under these circumstances, with outlet 46 being
blocked, the input air passes through port 45 and into the pipe or
channel 50 which couples the valve to the powder box. Upon release
of the air pressure from amplifier 30 into the cylinder, and return
of piston 36, the air pressure from cylinder 35 decreases,
permitting spring 49 to expand and push sphere 47 into its normally
closed position. When piston 36 has retracted sufficiently to
generate a relative suction in the cylinder, sphere 48, which is
normally maintained in blocking position by gravity, is drawn
upward, thus opening port 46 and permitting air flow in the reverse
direction through valve 40 and out of coupling 41 back to cylinder
space 37. Thus, when the piston returns to its normal position,
there is no opening communicating between the cylinder and the
powder box, so that no powder is able to penetrate the cylinder
where, of course, it would have a detrimental effect.
The powder box, as viewed from the rear in FIG. 5, has a right wall
61, a left wall 62, and a rear wall 63, each of a sufficient
thickness to house channels for passage of air. The tee 26 may
conveniently be housed within right wall 61, as illustrated,
communicating with sensing orifice 13 located in the front wall of
the box. The output from check valve 40 is coupled into channel 55
which is contained within right side wall 61 and back wall 63 of
powder box 11. Channel 55 terminates at roughly the midsection of
back wall 63 at point 56, where it feeds oppositely directed
channels 57 and 58 respectively. Channel 57 leads to the right
through the back wall, forward through the right wall 61 to
substantially the midsection of such wall, and then downwardly and
toward the center of the box, terminating at opening 60. Channel 58
follows a complementary path of equal length, leading to the left
along the back wall, forward to substantially the midsection of the
left wall 62, and then downwardly and toward the center of the box
11, terminating at opening 59. Channels 57 and 58, being of equal
length, provide substantially equal resistance to air flow, such
that the air pressures at openings 59 and 60 are substantially
equal. Box 11 is preferably constructed of metal, having walls of a
sufficient thickness to contain the illustrated channels, which may
be formed by drilling or any suitable technique.
The air flow emanating from openings 59 and 60, as indicated
generally by the arrows, acts to produce a generally bilateral
mound of powder within box 11, as indicated by dashed lines. This
distribution creates an environment within the box wherein the
interior is effectively saturated with powder, such that when a
burst of air is delivered to the box, the increased air pressure
immediately forces a limited amount of powder out of marker port
14. The equal channel box arrangement illustrated permits extremely
efficient use of the powder.
The intensity of the mark may be adjusted by controlling the length
of stroke of piston 36, through the mechanism illustrated
schematically in FIG. 1. An adjustment knob 70, positioned at the
extreme right end of the housing (FIG. 2), is integrally connected
to a threaded bolt 71, which bolt is moved horizontally through end
plate 72 of the housing as the knob is rotated. A piston rod stop
is connected to bolt 71, and positioned to block the return
movement of piston rod 74, thereby fixing the return of piston 36.
By adjustment of knob 70, the operator can move the rod stop to the
left or right, thereby adjusting the stroke of the piston. In this
manner, the intensity of the pressure pulse communicated to the
powder box, and the resulting output of powder, may be regulated
very exactly. The pointer of indicator 19 may be driven by bolt 71
through suitable linkage not shown.
It is appreciated that refinements may be made to the invention as
disclosed, without altering the nature of the invention. Thus, the
exact configuration of channels 55, 57 and 58 within powder box 11
may be varied, so long as channels 57 and 58 are maintained
substantially equal in length. It is appreciated that if these two
channels are not substantially equal in length, the distribution of
powder within the box would be different, in which event the
interior environment of the box would not be as satisfactory for
efficient marking and maximum powder utilization. A similar result
would be produced if there were just one air pressure opening into
the interior of the box.
While the invention has been described as primarily applicable in
powder marking of fabric elements and/or other textiles, it is
appreciated that the application of the invention may be extended
to many other fields. For example, powder box 11 may be replaced
with a fluid container, for holding ink or dye, and cylinder 35 may
be replaced with a fluid pulse generator, generating a pulse of
fluid pressure in response to an output from amplifier 30. With
this arrangement, a suitable liquid marking may be applied to any
desired object. Similarly, a transducer which converts air pressure
into an electrical signal may be utilized in place of the fluid
amplifier-cylinder arrangement, so as to provide the capability of
electricially activating a marker device, e.g., a solenoid-actuated
pen or dye marker.
As noted hereinabove, the marker of this invention may be designed
to be a portable unit, suitably connected to an air supply through
flexible hoses. In this embodiment, an operator may, for example,
position a work piece on a bench or table, and place the marker
port at exactly the desired point of marking.
* * * * *