Abstract: The instant invention is an improvement on a method of making wire coils comprising the steps of rolling a length of wire having a leading end and a trailing end and displacing the wire in a longitudinal travel direction and coiling the wire into succeeding overlapping loops and depositing same onto an upstream conveyor. The loops are transferred from the upstream conveyor to a downstream conveyor and are deposited from the downstream conveyor onto a centering device to form a coil thereon. The downstream conveyor is driven to move the loops at a generally constant slow transport speed but the upstream conveyor is driven to move the loops at a substantially faster transport speed when loops of a portion of the wire having one of the ends are being deposited on the upstream conveyor. Otherwise the upstream conveyor is driven at the same slow speed as the downstream conveyor so that the loops of the end portion will be spaced more in the travel direction than the other loops of the wire.

Abstract: A system for handling a flexible thin wall tubular extrudate of an elastomeric material of the type used as a body ply element for the manufacture of tires, and for cutting-off a predetermined length sleeve of the extrudate and delivering the sleeve to a discharge station. A pair of grippers is movably mounted on carriage assemblies which move the grippers horizontally and transversely with respect to the axis of the extrudate. The leading gripper provides tension to the extrudate and pulls it along a production axis. The trailing gripper engages the extrudate and moves in unison with the extrudate and the leading gripper along the production axis. The grippers completely circumferentially envelop the length of sleeve to be cut from the extrudate and retain the shape of the extrudate by applying a vacuum thereto. A cutting mechanism having a fixed motor driven blade and a pair of similar pivotally mounted blades moves vertically down into contact with the extrudate between the pair of grippers.

Abstract: Braided plastic sleeving useful in electronic applications is readily cut by means of a hot wire which is advanced through the sleeving when in flattened form at a controlled rate. It is important that the sleeving be under tension at the location where the cut is to be made. The size of the heated wire and the rate of advance of the heated wire through the flattened braided sleeving relative to the size of the braided sleeving is important to obtaining cutting and sealing of the ends of the braided sleeving without welding the ends shut. Means and method for achieving this is described herein.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members mounted on a movable carriage. The carriage provides reciprocating motion to the shearing members between two shearing work stations. While shearing action takes place at a first work station a scrap tire is fed into the adjacent work station, whereafter the bead wires of the scrap tire are first elongated and then compressed into overlying adjacent positions. Advancement of the shearing members into the tire produces a first tire shear that is at least closely tangential to the bead wires. When the pinch point of the shearing members is proximate the bead wires forward movement of the carriage is ceased. However, the tire is caused to rotate about its axis by the shearing members to produce a second shear that is substantially concentric with the bead wires, the first and second shears being a single continuous motion.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for cutting optical fibres, whereby said optical fibres provided with at least one protective covering, are caused to be cut by the transveral movement of two blades rigidly connected to one another and forming an angle of less than 45.degree. between them.

Abstract: A positioning device is disposed along a conveyor path of long towel cloth pulled out by a pull-out device. The positioning device stops the movement of the towel cloth while locking the boundary between a flat fabric section and a subsequent piled fabric section of the towel cloth. A cutting device is disposed downstream relative to the positioning device in the direction of movement of the towel cloth, and a size measuring device is disposed on the opposite upstream side. The positioning device and the cutting device are relatively movable to be spaced from and approached by each other. When the towel cloth is pulled out by the pull-out device, the length of the flat fabric section of the towel cloth is measured by the size measuring device. Based on the measured value, the spacing between the positioning device and the cutting device is adjusted to be equal to a half of the measured value.

Abstract: A cutting device for slitting a textile material, particularly a textile reinforced elastomeric ply lying on a curved surface (11). The device comprises a guide means (14) and a carriage (13) mounted thereon at a fixed height from the curved surface (11). A serrated rotary knife (12) is mounted on the carriage together with a plough means (15) which lifts the ply (12) off the curved surface (11) permitting the knife to cut the textile material without contacting the surface, and also for raising one of the cut edges off the curved surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for simultaneously severing and heat sealing of overlapping portions of thermoplastic sheets between a fixedly mounted anvil and a reciprocable heated blade has an uncooled hold down device with two metallic plate-like members which flank the blade and are confined in layers of silicone so that they are thermally insulated from the blade and need not come in direct contact with the thermoplastic material. Those portions of the silicone layers which contact the exposed side of the adjacent sheet opposite the anvil at the respective sides of the blade tend to stretch the sheets in a direction at right angles to the cutting plane to thus ensure immediate separation of the welded seams which are formed by the blade during severing of the sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing the bead wires from a scrap tire having a pair of overlapping and counterrotating shearing members and a movable carriage. The carriage includes a plurality of rolls positioned to fit within the inside diameter of a tire. One of these rolls is a tensioning roll that is movable so as to stretch the tire and elongate the bead wires. This elongation crowds the bead wires against a crowding bar. The crowding bar and a pair of compression rollers are mounted to a rod which is moved downwardly when the carriage is advanced toward the shearing members, said compression rollers being positioned to apply compression force to the side wall of the tire as the rollers descend. The compression force aligns the bead wires with a bead guide roll so that the crowding bar may be pivoted away from the subsequent shearing action, the bead wires then being crowded against the bead guide roll.

Abstract: A method of accurately punching holes into a moving web of a thermoplastic film material, and more particularly, punching holes into the web through the intermediary of a rotary serrated tube punch. The invention relates to accurately punching holes into an advancing web of thermoplastic film material utilizing a novel rotary serrated tube punch. The film web is continuously advanced over at least a portion of the circumferential surface of a rotatable anvil roll, and tensioned against the anvil roll surface through the use of suitable tensioning devices, such as tension rollers arranged upstream and downstream of the anvil roll. At least one opening is formed in the circumferential surface of the anvil roll which is smaller than the size of the hole which is desired to be punched into the film web through the use of the inventive rotary tube punching arrangement. An annular groove extends about the hole in the surface of the anvil roll, forming a land between the hole and the groove.

Abstract: A device for aligning and cutting lengths of terrycloth along the woof thread comprises two aligning ledges capable of movement relative to one another that can be lowered into the pileless rows of the length of material. The aligning ledges are connected each with one of two diagonally opposite joints of a parallelogram frame. On the two intervening joints is mounted a cutting device that operates transverse to the direction of feed of the length of material with a cutting plane that is always located exactly in the middle between the two aligning ledges.

Abstract: A method of accurately punching holes into a moving web of a thermoplastic film material, and more particularly, punching holes into the web through the intermediary of a rotary serrated tube punch. The invention relates to accurately punching holes into an advancing web of thermoplastic film material utilizing a novel rotary serrated tube punch. The film web is continuously advanced over at least a portion of the circumferential surface of a rotatable anvil roll, and tensioned against the anvil roll surface through the use of suitable tensioning devices, such as tension rollers arranged upstream and downstream of the anvil roll. At least one opening is formed in the circumferential surface of the anvil roll which is slightly larger than the size of the hole which is desired to be punched into the film web through the use of the inventive rotary tube punching arrangement.

Abstract: The cylinder may be an aircraft landing gear axle. The items may be pick- to sense axle deformation. A ring (30) for supporting the pick-ups is made of highly resilient material. It is initially of such a size that its cylinder-engaging surface overlaps the cylindrical surface it is to engage. The ring is then deformed by urging at least two points (34 to 37) around its circumference to increase the degree of overlap. While maintaining the deforming force on the ring, its cylinder-engaging surface (31) is machined so that there is no longer any overlap, and still maintaining the force, the ring is engaged with the cylinder. The force is then removed. The said points move resiliently away from the cylinder, but intermediate points are consequently resiliently urged into contact with the cylinder. The contact is smooth and progressive, thus avoiding the kind of stress concentrations that could reduce cylinder life by fatigue, etc.

Abstract: A slide-fastener assembly comprising a pair of longitudinally extending and parallel tapes having adjacent edges carrying respective coupling coils that form coupling heads and that are interleaved with one another is gapped by advancing the assembly in steps through a punching location, engaging the coils upstream and downstream of the location by respective upstream and downstream grippers and holding the assembly stationary in the station between steps, and punching the heads off the coils between the grippers while the assembly is held stationary in the station. The grippers are displaced apart to longitudinally tension the coils after engaging the grippers with the coils and before punching the heads off the coils. Thus the upstream gripper is displaced upstream and the downstream gripper downstream, slightly stretching and tensioning the tape assembly.

Abstract: A process for cutting washers, gaskets, seals and the like from elongate stock having elastomeric properties in which the stock is stretched longitudinally and cut transversely while stretched to form an end product with precision parallelity as between the cut surfaces and with uniform thickness and repetitively accurate.

Abstract: In a method of cutting a continuous slide fastener chain into individual slide fastener lengths, the fastener chain is tensioned between its leading end and a succeeding element-free portion as they are gripped by downstream and at upstream grippers, respectively, at a specified point and a cutting station spaced upstream therefrom along a horizontal straight path by a varying distance corresponding to the length of a prospective individual slide fastener. Then the tension of the individual slide fastener length of the chain is relaxed by slightly moving the downstream gripper from the specified point toward the upstream gripper which is kept stationary at the cutting station, whereupon the fastener chain is cut transversely across the succeeding one element-free portion.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for automatically producing a fabric with aligned nap zone and napless zone includes a conveyor along which the fabric is transported in such a manner that its nap zone is located at one side of a press pad and the napless zone is located under and at the other side of the press pad. A clamping device can be lowered on the napless zone to pull the latter transversely to the conveying direction of the fabric so that the edge of the nap zone is forced towards the press pad and to be aligned parallel thereto. Through cutting the napless zone in conveying direction after the nap zone is urged to lie against the press pad parallel to the edge of the nap zone an exact alignment of the napless zone to the nap zone is achieved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing open-sided V-belts by cutting from a vulcanized, sleeve-shaped roll. The sleeve-shaped roll is disposed over two drivable rollers. A tensioning arrangement which includes one of the rollers has a weight. This weight acts solely on such roller tending to pull this roller away from the other roller. This tensions the roll. When the tensioning force attains a predetermined limit, it is partially counteracted by a force acting in the opposite direction. The counter-acting force is supplied by suitable means. Cutter means are provided for cutting the roll while it is tensioned and the counteracting force is increased by suitable means in dependence upon the number of belts cut from the roll.

Abstract: A device for manufacture of pieces of cloth cut from a web e.g. a mesh tissue web or the like in the direction of the threads, and having the cut edges trimmed e.g. hemmed, and of the type where the web prior to the cutting is straigthened in pile-free positions by means of a straightening device. The object of the present invention is to provide a device with which a straightening, cutting and then a trimming of the cut edges are effected on a simple way, without the piece of cloth thereby having any possibility of becoming deformed. Another object of the invention is to provide a compact device which does not demand larger place than the known straightening devices. Furthermore according to the invention it shall also be possible to treat web which are equipped with longitudinal side seams with the device.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing open-sided V-belts by cutting from a vulcanized, sleeve-shaped roll while the roll is being tensioned by being passed over two drivable rollers. By unilaterally pivoting one of the rollers and by providing a stop member which abuts the roll, the roll is tensioned by the desired amount and runs smoothly around the rollers so that an accurate cutting operation can be achieved by cutters.

Abstract: A supply source of continuous elastic web and a support for the fixing of elastic elements are provided. On the support, which is normally constituted by a rotary drum, there are located at least one clamping element fixed to the support itself and a further clamping element which is movable relative to the fixed element between first and second positions. The distance between the fixed element and the movable element in the second position is less than the distance between the two elements in the first position and is substantially equal to the length of the tensioned elastic elements which it is desired to form. The free end of the continuous elastic web is clamped in the movable clamping element when this element is in its first position.

Abstract: According to the disclosed process, an endless fibrous material to be cut is wound in spiral form onto a rotatable cutter roll having radially outwardly oriented knives. A cutting force acts from the outside of the cutter roll radially inwardly, by way of a pressure roller contacting the wound material, for cutting, for example, synthetic fibers. In the process, at least two cutting forces are effective against the axis of the cutter roll, these forces being directed against each other. In the apparatus for conducting the process, two pressure rollers are articulated to each other by way of a double rocket arm. Consequently, the optimum cutting level, which will be different in individual cases, is automatically set. The effective cutting force for each roller is of equal strength.

Abstract: An apparatus for and a method of dispensing cut sheet material, particularly foam sheet material, which comprises a first fixed pair of sheet-retainer bars, and a second, movable pair of sheet-retainer bars and a cutting knife, the second pair of retainer bars and the cutting knife adapted to move with a reciprocating piston, and a control means, so that the sheet material is moved sequentially between the first and second retainer bars while being dispensed from a supply roll, the sheet retained under tension between the first and second retainer bars and the sheet, while under tension, severed by the cutting knife which passes into an air space between the first pair of sheet-retainer bars, thereby providing for rapid, effective and efficient means for the dispensing and cutting of sheet material to defined lengths.

Abstract: Sheet material 14, such as a continuous supply of terry cloth towel 16, is moved along its length through a path and toward a cutting station 15 where it is cut into lengths 139. The sheet material is formed with bands 166 extending across its length, such as bands of reduced thickness, and the sheet material is cut in these bands. The bands are detected by rollers 144, 145 at opposite edges of the sheet material as the bands approach the cutting station 15, and each edge portion of the sheet material is fed by feed rollers 51, 52 independently of the other edge portion into the cutting station so as to cause one side of the sheet material which may lag the other side to be properly located at the cutting station prior to cutting the sheet material.

Abstract: An "easy open" feature for a sealed flexible pouch and method and apparatus for accurately positioning said feature in the sealed border region of said flexible pouch. The feature comprises a stress concentrating aperture exhibiting a strong tendency to initiate a directional tear while maintaining integrity of the sealed pouch until an opening force is applied. In a preferred embodiment the pouches are cut from a moving web by a rotary shear cutter while a web punching means operatively connected with each cutter blade is engaged in the moving web. Because the web undergoes no movement relative to the cutting means or the punching means until both operations have been completed, the aperture is precisely positioned with respect to the severed edge of the pouch. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sealed edge of the pouch is subjected to a high level of tension and is unsupported in the area of contact with the punching means during the aperturing operation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for correcting stack lean in a zig-zag folded web wherein a transverse force is cyclically applied to a traveling web so as to vary the motion of the web slightly as it passes through a transverse perforator.

Abstract: A cutting tool arrangement for performing the process of opening up the slit cut in the workpiece by circular saws before the saw is retracted to facilitate removal of the saw. The workpiece being severed is moved perpendicular to the cutting plane as is the saw blade to accomplish the desired result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically severing individual towels from a length of material comprising a plurality of terry towels. The method includes the steps of measuring slightly less than the supposed length of a towel, then activating a sensor that detects the edge of a cutting space by the change in thickness of the material. The sensor causes feeding of the material to stop with a cut-line at a cutting blade. The first edge of the material is held while a second sensor located the same edge at the opposite side of the material, and the cutting blade is moved with the sensor. The material is stretched to straighten the cut-line, and the cutting blade is caused to cut the material. The apparatus includes feed rolls to move the material, and an encoder measures the length. A roller at one edge of the material detects the change in thickness at one edge, and similar rollers detect the change in thickness at the opposite edge.

Abstract: A film splicer has a base, a lid hinged thereto and carrying a blade, and a film support plate, which plate has two portions carrying pegs for engaging in the sprocket-holes end portions of two lengths of film to be spliced and holding them in desired positions. The said two portions of the plate are separated by a slot and the lid carries a plunger, which as the lid is closed, engages the slot to spread the portions before the cutting knife trims the ends of the lengths of film. After the cutting the two portions move back towards each other, thus compensating for the usual gap which is left between the two film length ends due to the passage of the blade.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a pair of endless conveyors arranged on an aligned line with a space therebetween, one of which runs intermittently and the other continuously; a lifter arranged between the conveyors to freely move up- and downwards; a gripper arranged above the lifter to freely close and open its claws; and a cutter arranged immediately below the gripper and attached freely swingable and integral to a cutter plate being freely movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction at which a cylindrical package is conveyed; wherein the front end of the package is brought and stopped above the lifter by means of the intermittently running conveyor; the front end of the package is a little lifted and pressed by the lifter against the claws of the gripper; the gripper closes its claws to grip the packaging material of the package at the upper side thereof and then to hang the package when the lifter returns to its original position; the tip of the cutter is horizontally thrust into the packaging material be

Abstract: The method and devices are particularly adapted to dispense portions of a chain having relatively diametrically enlarged segments therein, such as master links, which are disposed at substantially regularly spaced intervals along the length of the chain, although the intervals may not and in fact need not be uniformly spaced. According to the method, the chain is supported so that it is movable relatively lengthwise thereof through the opening in a collar which is capable of being opened and closed about the chain, and the opening of which has a diameter of less than that of the relatively enlarged segments of the chain in the closed condition of the collar. When the collar is open, the chain is advanced lengthwise in the direction of the collar to the extent that a portion of the chain including one relatively enlarged segment therein, is fed through the opening in the collar and assumes a position on the opposite side thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus or system for the aligning and severing of fabric webs which have a thickness differing in the longitudinal direction, for example a terry cloth fabric with napless lanes extending crosswise to the longitudinal direction and lanes which have a nap arranged in an alternate pattern comprises aligning means which cooperate with the boundary areas between adjacent lanes of the fabric web and which extend crosswise to the web pull off direction. A cutting device is arranged crosswise to the web pull off direction at a location after the aligning means and braking means in the form of individually adjustable brake elements which extend across the width of the fabric are arranged between the aligning means and the reel supply of the fabric material.

Abstract: A moving web of material having a high tendency to elongation under stress, such as woven and non-woven plastic fiber or filament webs, is cut by the combined action of a cutting knife which executes its cutting stroke generally in line with and upstream of the web and a grab knife which holds the web at a station spaced closely downstream from the path of the cutting knife and thereby isolates the small length of web between the two knives while the cutting knife completes its stroke.

Abstract: Reinforced polymeric tubular articles, e.g., wire braid reinforced hose, are severed into desired lengths by clamping the tubular article in a split fixture, the split portion defining a cutting plane, and preferably advancing the tubular article toward a stationary cutting blade while continuously maintaining tension on the surface of the tubular article being cut by progressively bending the tubular article as it is passed through the cutting blade until fully severed. The apparatus rapidly cuts the reinforced tubular articles very smoothly without binding.

Abstract: A moving web of material having a high tendency to elongation under stress, such as woven and non-woven plastic fiber or filament webs, is cut by the combined action of a cutting knife which executes its cutting stroke generally in line with and upstream of the web and a grab knife which holds the web at a station spaced closely downstream from the path of the cutting knife and thereby isolates the small length of web between the two knives while the cutting knife completes its stroke.

Abstract: An endless elastic band is severed either from a flat partially slit strip or a tube of resilient material while the interior of the resultant band is being engaged by tensioning fingers which can be manipulated to deliver the band in at least partially expanded condition.

Abstract: A wire feeding unit and an associated wire length measuring unit advance supply wire through a cutting zone and at the same time the advanced supply wire is guided by a wire transfer system across transversely spaced endless conveyor chains of a wire propelling conveyor. The feeding unit is automatically stopped when it has advanced a measured length of the supply wire and the transfer system tensions the advanced supply wire while it is held against lengthwise displacement by the stopped feeding unit. The wire transfer system then engages the stopped and tensioned wire length with gripping jaws on the conveyor chains, the gripping jaws are closed, and the supply wire is severed in the cutting zone. Tensioning of the advanced supply wire prevents it from sagging between the transversely spaced conveyor gripping jaws and thereby avoids undesirable length variations of the cut off portion of the supply wire.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for correcting stack lean in a zig-zag folded web wherein a transverse force is cyclically applied to a traveling web so as to vary the motion of the web slightly as it passes through a transverse perforator.