Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6321668
-
Patent Number
6,321,668
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, October 24, 200023 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, November 27, 200122 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 112 113
- 112 110
- 112 106
- 112 108
- 112 47515
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International Classifications
-
Abstract
A button transmission device for a button-sewing machine generally includes a conveying device including two elongated sliding plates, a seat arranged between the two sliding plates, and a conveyor belt mounted on the seat, a positioner disposed above the seat, a puller arranged on one of the sliding plates and located against the positioner, a thickness adjuster arranged above the conveying device, and a positioning device provided with a stopper drivingly connected with a pneumatic cylinder, and a strip member mounted on an intermediate portion of the conveyor belt and having two sides higher than the conveyor belt to reduce friction between a button and the conveyor belt, whereby the transmission device can effectively sieve out defective buttons and transmit buttons with different specifications.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to an improvement in the structure of a button transmission device for a button-sewing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been found that the button-sewing machine generally utilizes a button transmission device to sieve out defective buttons. As shown in
FIG. 16
, the conventional button transmission device is simply a square tubular member
30
arranged between the oscillator
10
and the button-sewing machine
20
for preventing the passage of larger buttons (the smaller button is sieved out by the oscillator
10
). However, the square tubular member
30
is designed for the passage of a certain kind of button, and so the square tubular member
30
must be replaced with another one for a different kind of button thereby causing much inconvenience in use. Hence, it has been proposed to use an adjusting device
40
(see
FIG. 17
) to sieve out defective buttons, but it is still necessary to replace the square tubular member
30
with another one for a different kind of button when a different kind of button is to be sewed, thus still making it unfit for practical use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement in the structure of a button transmission for a button-sewing machine which can obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is related to an improvement in the structure of a button transmission device for a button-sewing machine.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a button transmission device for a button-sewing machine generally includes a conveying device including two elongated sliding plates, a seat arranged between the two sliding plates, and a conveyor belt mounted on the seat, a positioner disposed above the seat, a puller arranged on one of the sliding plates and located against the positioner, a thickness adjuster arranged above the conveying device, and a positioning device provided with a stopper drivingly connected with a pneumatic cylinder, and a strip member mounted on an intermediate portion of the conveyor belt and having two sides higher than the conveyor belt to reduce friction between button and the conveyor belt.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved button transmission device for a button-sewing machine which can effectively sieve out defective buttons.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved button transmission device for a button-sewing machine which can be used for transmitting buttons with different specifications.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved button transmission device for a button-sewing machine which is fit for practical use.
The foregoing objects and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
illustrates the relationship between a button-sewing machine and a button transmission device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an enlarged fragmentary view of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is an exploded view of the present invention;
FIG. 4
illustrates how buttons are transmitted by the conveying device;
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of the conveying device;
FIGS. 6A
,
6
B,
7
A and
7
B illustrate the working principle of adjusting the width of the passage for the button;
FIG. 8
is a schematic view of the thickness adjuster;
FIGS. 9 and 10
illustrate how to adjust the width of the passage for the button;
FIGS. 11 and 12
illustrate how to adjust the thickness of the passage for the button;
FIG. 13
illustrates the structure of the positioning device;
FIGS. 14A
,
14
B,
15
A and
15
B illustrate the working principle of the positioning device;
FIG. 16
illustrates a prior art button transmission device; and
FIG. 17
illustrates another prior art button transmission device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Specific language will be used to describe same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
With reference to the drawings and in particular to
FIGS. 3 and 4
thereof, the button transmission device for a button-sewing machine according to the present invention generally comprises an oscillator
1
, a conveying device
2
and a positioning device
3
which are all mounted on a button-sewing machine
100
. The button in the oscillator
1
is transmitted to an oscillating arm
4
through the conveying device
2
. By means of a round rod
33
of the positioning device
3
, the oscillating arm
4
rotates the button to a jig
5
for sewing to a garment.
Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
4
,
6
A,
6
B,
7
A and
7
B, the conveying device
2
generally includes two elongated sliding plates
21
and
22
, a seat
231
arranged between the two sliding plates
21
and
22
, and a conveyor belt
23
mounted on the seat
231
. A positioner
211
is disposed above the seat
231
. A puller
221
is arranged on the sliding plate
22
and located against the positioner
211
. The sliding plates
21
and
22
are provided at the bottom with two toothed racks
212
and
222
between which is engaged a gear
24
. The sliding plates
21
and
22
are formed with holes
215
and
225
adapted to receive two rods
224
of the seat
231
so that when the puller
221
is moved to change the distance from the positioner
211
, the distance between the two sliding plates
21
and
22
will be changed thereby adjusting the width of the conveyor belts
23
.
As shown in
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
8
, a thickness adjuster is arranged above the conveying device
2
. The thickness adjuster generally includes a case
25
in which is fitted a slide
251
. The slide
251
is slidably mounted on two vertical guide rods
250
. A screw rod
2511
extends vertically downwardly through the case
25
to engage with the intermediate portion of the slide
251
and extends vertically upwardly a circular disc
26
to pivotally connect with an L-shaped adjusting rod
27
. The L-shaped adjusting rod
27
has a vertical portion
271
provided at the lower end with a roller
2711
. A cylindrical portion
261
is integrally formed at the central portion of the circular disc
26
and has a center hole for the passage of the screw rod
2511
. The circular disc
26
is formed with an inclined track so that when the circular disc
26
is rotated, the roller
2711
will move along the inclined track thereby moving the slide
251
to go upwardly or downwardly along the guide rods
250
.
The slide
251
is formed with a first recess,
2512
at an end, a second recess
2514
at another end, and a third recess
2513
between the first and second recesses
2512
and
2514
. The recess
2513
is engaged with a shorter leg of an inverted U-shaped member
28
(the inverted U-shaped member
28
has a shorter leg and a longer leg) by a screw
281
(see FIG.
8
), while the other two recesses
2512
and
2514
are fixedly engaged with two lugs
291
of a limit member
29
, so that the distance between the shorter leg of the inverted U-shaped member
28
and the conveyor belt
23
can be adjusted for the passage of a button with a particular thickness.
Referring to
FIGS. 5
,
8
,
11
and
12
, before the positioning operation of the passage for a button with a particular thickness, the bottom of the limit member
29
is in contact with a platform
9
and there is a clearance between the limit member
29
and the conveyor belt
23
. The clearance can be adjusted as follows: rotating the circular disc
261
so that the roller
2711
will move upwardly along the inclined track of the circular disc
26
thereby lifting the slide
251
through the screw rod
2511
and therefore raising the limit member
29
and the inverted U-shaped member
28
; loosening the screw
281
; moving down the inverted U-shaped member
28
to make the lower end of the longer leg of the inverted U-shaped member contact the platform
9
; locking the screw
281
(there is a small clearance between the limit member
29
and the conveyor belts
23
at that time); turning the circular disc
261
to lift the inverted U-shaped member
28
; placing a button on the platform
9
; and rotating the circular disc
261
to lower the longer leg of the inverted U-shaped member
28
on the button. The clearance A′ between the limit member
29
and the conveyor belts
23
is slightly larger than the thickness A of the button thereby ensuring the smooth transmission of the button (see FIGS.
11
and
12
).
Turning now to
FIGS. 9 and 10
, the distance between the puller
221
and the positioner
211
is smaller than the width of the sliding plate
22
and a button
6
can be fitted between the puller
221
and the positioner
211
. When desired to transmit buttons with different width and thickness, it is only necessary to turn the circular disc
2
to raise the inverted U-shaped member
28
, move the puller
221
to fit a button
6
under the longer leg of the inverted U-shaped member
28
, and then rotate the circular disc
2
to lower the longer leg of the inverted U-shaped member
28
on the button
6
. Hence, the present invention can be used for transmitting buttons with different thickness and diameter.
Looking now at
FIGS. 3
,
4
,
13
,
14
A,
14
B,
15
A and
15
B, a strip member
230
is mounted on the intermediate portion of the conveyor belt
23
and has two sides higher than the conveyor belt
23
, so that when the conveyor belt
23
is driven by a motor
8
, the friction between the button
6
and the conveyor belt
23
can be reduced. Furthermore, when the button
6
is stopped but the conveyor belt
23
is still running, the conveyor belt
23
will not rub the button
6
thus preventing the conveyor belt
23
from being damaged. Referring to
FIGS. 14A
,
14
B,
15
A and
15
B, the end of the conveyor belt
23
is provided with a stopper
31
which is drivingly connected with a pneumatic cylinder
32
. On the sliding plate
21
there is a protuberance
213
having an inclined surface bearing a roller
71
against the push member
7
. A fixed seat
73
is slidably mounted on the rods
72
. When the sliding plate
21
is moved, the rods
72
and the stopper
31
will be moved therewith. A spring
74
is used for steadying the push member
7
, the rods
72
and the pneumatic cylinder
32
. Hence, the sliding plate
21
, the sliding plate
22
and the stopper
31
will move an equal distance in three directions to adjust the space for receiving a button
6
thereby constituting the positioning device
3
. By means of the round rod
33
, the button
6
will accurately fall down on the oscillating arm
4
thus transmitting the button
6
to a jig
5
for fastening to a garment. When the distance between the sliding plates
21
and
22
is decreased, the spring
74
will withdraw the stopper
31
to reduce the space for receiving the button.
It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.
Claims
- 1. A button transmission device for a button-sewing machine comprising:a conveying device including two elongated sliding plates, a seat arranged between said two sliding plates, and a conveyor belt mounted on said seat, a positioner disposed above said seat, a puller arranged on one of said sliding plates and located against said positioner, said sliding plates being provided at a bottom with two toothed racks between which is engaged a gear; a thickness adjuster arranged above said conveying device, said thickness adjuster including a case in which is fitted a slide, said slide being slidably mounted on two vertical guide rods, a screw rod extending vertically downwardly through said case to engage with an intermediate portion of said slide and extending vertically downwardly, a circular disc to pivotally connect with an L-shaped adjusting rod, said L-shaped adjusting rod having a vertical portion provided at a lower end with a roller, a cylindrical portion integrally formed at a central portion of said circular disc and having a center hole for passage of said screw rod, said circular disc being formed with an inclined track on which is arranged said roller; a positioning device provided with a stopper drivingly connected with a pneumatic cylinder, one said sliding plates having a protuberance having an inclined surface bearing a roller against a push member, a fixed seat slidably mounted on a pair of rods so that when one of said sliding plates is moved, said pair of rods and said stopper will be moved too thereby adjusting space for receiving a button; and a strip member mounted on an intermediate portion of said conveyor belt and having two sides higher than said conveyor belt to reduce friction between a button and said conveyor belt.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4690077 |
Nirenberg |
Sep 1987 |
|
5062373 |
Kichizo et al. |
Nov 1991 |
|