Claims
- 1. An apparatus for continuously forming a continuous fabric, suitable for later processing into mop heads, comprising:
- (a) means for continuously feeding a strand of textile material from a supply thereof;
- (b) means for repeatedly folding said strand back and forth so as to provide a predetermined length of said strand between sequential foldings and at each folding for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand;
- (c) means for supporting said consecutive discrete lengths of said strand at their consecutive looped ends and for moving said folded and supported strand lengths in a direction substantially parallel to a line joining the midpoints of said consecutive strand lengths;
- (d) means for gripping and releasing said consecutive strand lengths along said midline thereof;
- (e) means for twisting said consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof a prescribed number of turns in a single twist sense while said strand lengths are gripped by said means therefor, for providing on each side of said midline a consecutive plurality of twisted cabled cords;
- (f) means for moving said plurality of twisted cabled cords into side-by-side abutting adjacency on each side of said midline;
- (g) means for gripping and releasing said side-by-side twisted cords in sequence at a location on each side of said midline inward of and adjacent to said looped ends, and for moving said consecutive cords in said aforesaid direction of movement of said strand lengths;
- (h) means for removing said supporting means from said looped ends of said now twisted cords;
- (i) means for adhesively applying supportive tape adjacent to said location on each side of said midline to a surface of said consecutive cords arranged in side-by-side abutting adjacency to one another; and
- (j) means for energizing, physically supporting, interconnecting, and controlling all elements of said apparatus, including energizing all moveable means for movement as hereinbefore defined and interconnecting and controlling said energizing and rates of movement of said means hereinbefore defined to effect the defined functions and cooperations thereof.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for repeatedly folding said strand and for providing a looped end between consecutive discrete lengths of said strand is in the form of a rotatable flyer arm rotatable from one end and having a bearing at said rotatable end for receiving said strand and another bearing at another end for discharging said strand.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for supporting said strand lengths at said consecutive looped ends thereof and for moving said supported strands is in the form of a support structure which is moveable along a prescribed pathway at least a portion of which is arcuate, which structure at discrete intervals thereof along said pathway bears hook-like elements for receiving, and engaging said looped ends while moving along said arcuate portion of said pathway for subsequent support of said strand lengths and their movement along said pathway.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said gripping and releasing means for moving consecutive strand lengths is mounted astride said pathway in such a manner as to engage said strand lengths along their midline, and is in the form of a porcupine roller.
- 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for twisting further includes rotating means for rotating each said spindle, its supported hook element, and looped end of said discrete lengths of said strand, said rotating means including a rotating element for abutment with said spindle as said discrete lengths of said strand are moved into and then out of the grasp of said gripping and releasing means, whereby said strand lengths are twisted into cords.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said means for twisting said consecutive strand lengths from each looped end inwardly toward the midline thereof includes a mounting for each hook-like element on said support structure whereby said hook element is mounted upon a rotatable spindle in a bearing.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for gripping and releasing said side-by-side twisted cords includes, on each side of said midline, a porcupine roller whose spines or pointed projection engage said twisted cords and then disengage said twisted cords as the same are moved thereby, and in so doing also urge the plurality of said cords along the pathway in the same direction of movement in which the cords are received by said means for gripping and releasing.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for adhesively applying said supportive tape on each side of said midline of said cords just inward of said looped ends thereof includes said same porcupine roller which is part of said gripping and releasing means for said abutting side-by-side twisted cords, whereby adhesive tape is intruded between said spines and said cords and whereby said spines of said roller pierce said tape in interpenetrating said cords, and said roller bears forcefully against said tape and said cords' peripheral surface adhesively to apply said tape to said cords.
Parent Case Info
This application is a division of application No. 833,828, filed on Feb. 26, 1986, and now issused as U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,616 on Jan. 5, 1988.
Another related application is No. 125,393 filed on Nov. 25, 1987, also a division of the same parent application No. 833,828, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,616.
Yet other related applications are Nos. 836,177; 836,176; 836,445; and 836,178, all filed on Feb. 26, 1986.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4626035 |
Gradinger et al. |
Dec 1986 |
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
833828 |
Feb 1986 |
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