System for making a loop

Abstract

A strip is fastened to an edge of a textile piece by first advancing strip of the ribbon in a direction parallel to the strip of ribbon from a supply. Then a leading end of the strip is gripped a first nip point while advancing additional ribbon from the ribbon supply. The strip is then gripped at a second nip point upstream of the first nip point at a trailing end of the strip. The ribbon is then severed upstream in the strip-travel direction of the second nip point to separate the strip from the ribbon into a sufficient length between the first nip point and the second nip points. The leading or trailing end is then pivoted about at least one pivot axis relative to the other end and positioned near or on the other end, which is then fastened to the edge of the textile piece.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of sequentially: advancing a strip of the ribbon in a strip-travel direction extending parallel to the strip of ribbon from a ribbon supply; gripping a leading end of the strip in the strip-travel direction at a first nip point while advancing additional ribbon from the ribbon supply; gripping the strip at a second nip point spaced from the first nip point at a trailing end of the strip spaced upstream from the first nip point; severing the ribbon upstream in the strip-travel direction of the second nip point to separate the strip from the ribbon into a single strip of sufficient length between the first nip point and the second nip points; pivoting the leading end or the trailing end about at least one pivot axis relative to the other end, or positioning the leading end or the trailing end relative to the other end, or positioning both ends relative to each other in the plane of the strip or parallel to this plane so that a simple loop or a U-shaped loop or a V-shaped loop is formed in which the leading and trailing ends are oriented one above the other or overlap at least partially or are next to each other; aligning the positioned leading and trailing ends are transverse to an edge of a textile piece and positioning the leading and trailing ends thereon, or aligning the leading and trailing ends from an aligning position that deviates from a transverse to the edge of the textile piece into a position in which they are positioned transverse to the edge of the textile piece; and fixing the loop at the ends to the textile piece.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the strip-travel direction extends nonparallel and substantially transverse to the edge of the textile piece.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the strip-travel direction extends parallel and/or transverse to a plane of the strip.

4. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of: moving the first nip point to entrain the leading end leading end parallel to the strip-travel direction of the ribbon.

5. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising the step of: moving the leading end to and positioned the leading end in a position outside, below or above a strip-travel path; and advancing further in the strip-travel direction via the first nip point until a desired length has been reached.

6. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of severing the strip is carried out pivoting and/or positioning the leading or trailing end.

7. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the step of severing is carried out after the pivoting and/or the positioning of the leading or trailing end.

8. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the strip is advanced by the feeder through a shaping slide that is moved from a starting position while entraining the ribbon until reaching a desired end position at which the ribbon forms a simple loop during forward advancement, the first gripper gripping the leading end before the shaping slide reaches the desired end position and the shaping slide being moved rearward back to its starting position after reaching the end position and the leading end being held gripped by the first gripper for the entire displacement operation, gripping of the trailing end of the strip being continued during rearward displacement of the shaping slide into the starting position or after the shaping slide reaches the starting position.

9. The method defined in claim, wherein the ribbon is advanced intermittently.

10. A method comprising the steps of sequentially: advancing a strip of ribbon in a strip-travel direction extending parallel to the strip from a ribbon supply; gripping a leading end of the strip at a first nip point while advancing additional ribbon from the ribbon supply; gripping the strip at a second nip point upstream in the strip-travel direction from the first nip point at a spacing of sufficient length between the first nip point and the second nip point to form a loop; severing the ribbon upstream in the strip-travel direction of the second nip point to separate from the loop with the leading end and a trailing end gripped at the first and second nip points; pivoting the leading end of the strip section about at least one pivot axis relative to the other end; positioning the pivoted end relative to the other end; aligning the leading end positioned in this way transverse to the edge of the textile piece and positioning it thereon; and fixing the loop at the leading end to the textile piece.

11. An apparatus comprising: a conveyor for advancing a strip of ribbon in a strip-travel direction extending parallel to the strip from a ribbon supply; a first gripper for gripping a leading end of the strip in the strip-travel direction at a first nip point; a second gripper for gripping a trailing end of the strip at a second nip point spaced upstream in the direction from the first nip point to form between the nip points a loop of the strip of ribbon; a cutter for severing the strip from the ribbon upstream of the trailing end of the strip and of the second nip point; a pivoting device that can pivot the first gripper or the second gripper about at least one pivot axis relative to the other gripper, or an adjuster that can move the first nip point or the second nip point relative to the other nip point in a plane of the strip or parallel to this plane so that the strip of ribbon forms a simple loop or a U-shaped loop or a V-shaped loop whose ends are one above the other or overlap at least partially or are next to each other and are positionable on and fixable to the edge of the textile; a positioning device for positioning the leading and trailing ends at the edge of the textile piece; and a conveyor that transports the textile piece with the positioned ends of the strip to a fastening device that attaches the leading and trailing ends of the strip to the textile piece.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein the strip-travel direction does not extend parallel to but is preferably aligned substantially transverse to the edge of the textile piece.

13. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the pivot axis is aligned substantially perpendicular and/or parallel to a plane of the strip of ribbon.

14. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the conveyor is a belt drive with a transport base, and the ribbon is advanced between a belt of the belt drive and the transport base.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the transport base is a shaping slide and the belt drive or the shaping slide can be moved forward from a starting position in the strip-travel direction of the strip into a working position in which the ribbon is shaped into a simple loop and can be moved back into the starting position.

16. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising the steps of: moving the belt drive into a conveying position in which the ribbon is pressed against the transport base by the belt of the belt drive and advanced over the transport base, and moving the belt drive from the conveying position to a rest position in which the belt drive frees the ribbon.

17. The method defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of: moving the first gripper to entrain the leading end in the strip-travel direction or parallel to the strip-travel direction of the ribbon.

18. The method defined in claim 10, wherein at least one of the grippers has or is a conveyor with which the leading end and/or the trailing end can be moved away from the other end.

19. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the first and/or the second gripper is a belt drive with a support element opposite the belt drive, the strip being oriented with its first and/or second nip point between the belt of the belt drive or the feed roller and the support element.

20. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the first and/or the second gripper is adjustable and grips the strip being gripped at the first and/or second nip point between components.

21. The method defined in claim 10, wherein the leading and trailing ends project past the nip points and are fixable to the textile piece with their projecting portions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side view of a apparatus according to the invention in the starting position;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus with an open gripper;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus with a closed gripper and advanced shaping slide;

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus with retracted shaping slide and closed second clamp;

(6) FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus after severing of the strip of ribbon from the ribbon;

(7) FIG. 6 is a top view of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of the apparatus with pivoted second clamp;

(9) FIG. 8 is a front view of the apparatus;

(10) FIG. 9 is a top view of the apparatus;

(11) FIG. 10 is a side view of the apparatus with pivoted and moved second clamp;

(12) FIG. 11 is a front view of the apparatus; and

(13) FIG. 12 is a top view of the apparatus.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(14) FIGS. 1 to 12 show the inventive method steps of first forming a loop 1, 1 made of flexible ribbon 2 and then fixing the loop 1, 1 to the edge of a textile piece whose outline only is shown schematically at T in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 9, and 12, and a possible embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the method.

(15) For forming the loop 1, 1 from flexible ribbon 2 and for fixing the loop 1, 1 to the textile piece T, particularly to its edge, the apparatus has

(16) a conveyor 3 that moves a strip 4 of the ribbon 2 in a strip-travel direction 5 extending parallel to the strip 4 of ribbon but not parallel to and preferably transverse to the edge of the textile piece T from a ribbon supply or pulls it off a ribbon supply spool in a length sufficient to form a loop,

(17) a first gripper 6 gripping a leading end 7 of the strip 4 in the strip-travel direction 5 at a first nip point 8 of the strip 4,

(18) a second gripper 9 gripping the strip 4 at a second nip point 10 spaced from the first nip point 8 for forming a loop forming between the nip points 8, 10 the strip 4 of ribbon,

(19) a cutter 11 for severing from the ribbon 2 a single strip 4 having after severing a trailing end 12 and with the second nip point 10 being at the trailing end 12,

(20) preferably a pivoting device that can pivot the first gripper 6 relative to the second gripper 9 about at least one pivot axis 21 aligned substantially parallel to a plane of the strip 4 of ribbon, and

(21) preferably an adjuster that can position the second nip point 10 relative to the first nip point 8 in the plane of the strip 4 or parallel thereto so that the strip 4 of ribbon forms a U-shaped loop 1 whose ends 7, 12 are next to each other and are positioned on and fixable to the edge of the textile,

(22) preferably a positioning device that positions the ends 7, 12 at the edge of the textile piece T and a conveyor that transports the textile piece T with the positioned ends 7, 12 of the strip to a fastening device that fastens the ends 7, 12 of the strip to the textile piece T in a correct position.

(23) The ribbon 2 formed into a loop 1, 1 can be a flat ribbon, a cord, or any other ribbon.

(24) FIG. 1 shows the starting situation in which the ribbon 2 is advanced from the ribbon supply located to the right or fed off a ribbon supply spool. The ribbon 2 is preferably advanced intermittently. In this way, it is always possible for a loop 1, 1 to be completed before additional ribbon 2 is advanced.

(25) The ribbon 2 is advanced in a strip-travel direction 5 extending parallel to the strip 4 of ribbon and not parallel but preferably transverse to the edge of the textile piece T in the form of a strip 4 from the ribbon supply or fed off the ribbon supply spool in a length sufficient to form a loop. By virtue of this orientation, for example transverse to the edge of the textile piece T, the advantage arises that all label formats can be fixed without subsequent rotation or pivoting of the loop 1, 1 to the edge of the textile piece T.

(26) FIG. 1 shows the first gripper 6 embodied here as a gripper that is initially closed and intended to later grip and hold the ribbon 2 at the first nip point 8.

(27) The conveyor 3 is a belt drive 13 with for example a transport base 14 constituted as a shaping slide and the ribbon 2 being advanced between the belt of the belt drive 13 and the transport base 14. The direction of rotation of the belt drive is indicated in FIG. 2 with an arrow.

(28) The shaping slide 14 can be moved from the starting position shown in FIG. 1 while entraining the ribbon 2 in the travel direction 5 of the strip 4 (toward the left) into a working position shown in FIG. 3 and in which the shaping slide 14 is in the desired upstream end position in which the ribbon 2 is formed into a simple loop 1 and the slide 14 can be moved back again into the starting position (see FIG. 4 and FIG. 5). Also, the belt drive 13 is movable at least over a portion of the feed path together with the shaping slide 14 in the strip-travel direction 5 in order to bring the ribbon 2 to the first gripper 6.

(29) In order to enable the shaping slide 14 to entrain the ribbon 2 in the strip-travel direction 5, the belt drive 13 can be moved from a conveying position in which the ribbon 2 is pressed by the belt of the belt drive 13 against the transport base 14 and is advanced over the transport base 14, into a rest position in which the belt drive 13 releases the ribbon 2. The conveying position is illustrated for example in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. FIG. 3 shows the rest position of the belt drive 13 in which the belt drive 13 does not touch the ribbon 2. In this position, the ribbon 2 can be easily moved downstream together with the shaping slide 14 in the strip-travel direction 5.

(30) FIG. 2 shows the apparatus with an open gripper. The gripper is opened before the ribbon 2 or its leading end 7 reaches the gripper 6 so that the ribbon 2 can be passed through the opening formed by the open legs 15, 16 of the gripper 6. While entraining the ribbon 2, the shaping slide 14 pushes the leading end 7 of the strip 4 in the strip-travel direction 5 toward the open gripper 6 until the end 7 has been advanced through the open gripper 6 in the desired length. Then the gripper closes so that the leading end 7 of the strip 4 is gripped at the first nip point 8 by the gripping legs 15, 16 of the gripper 6 (for example, see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).

(31) As FIGS. 3 and 4 show, the leading end 7 is pivoted into a position outside the strip-travel path of the ribbon and below the strip-travel path, the ribbon 2 being advanced further in the strip-travel direction 5 via the positioning point 8 until the desired length of the loop 1 has been reached. The positioning of the first nip point 8 outside the strip-travel path provides the advantage that the shaping slide 14 can be pushed along with the ribbon 2 past the first nip point 8.

(32) As FIG. 3 shows, the shaping slide 14 is moved above the first nip point 8 from the starting position into a working position (the desired end position) and, upon advancing from the starting position to the working position, pushes the ribbon 2 in the strip-travel direction 5 past the first nip point 8 or the first gripper 6 until the strip 4 forms a simple loop 1 of the desired length. The length depends on the stroke length of the shaping slide 14. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the shaping slide 14 is moved back until it has reached its starting position (FIG. 5). The shaping slide 14 ensures for example that the loop 1 is always formed correctly. The feed path can be set to a desired path length, and the length dimension of the loop 1 is also set.

(33) The strip 4 is then gripped at a second nip point 10 by the second gripper 9, as shown for example in FIG. 4, the second nip point 10 being spaced vertically from the first nip point 8 and arrests the trailing end 12 of the strip 4. The ends 7, 12 and the nip points 8, 10 are one above the other. The ribbon 2 is severed by the cutter 11 in the strip-travel direction 2 upstream of the second nip point 10 and severed from the supplied ribbon 2 and into a single strip of sufficient length to form the loop 1 (see FIG. 5).

(34) Severing of the ribbon 2 preferably occurs after the gripping at the second nip point 10 and optionally before the ends 7, 12 are pivoted or moved, in which case there is the advantage that both ends 7, 12 are freely movable for the purpose of pivoting or positioning. However, the severing can also occur only after pivoting or positioning. The cutter 11 is shown schematically in the figures as a pair of scissors.

(35) As shown in FIG. 4, the strip 4 that has already been formed into a simple loop 1 extends between the first nip point 8 and the second nip point 10.

(36) The simple loop 1 can either be fixed to the edge of the textile piece T or processed into another loop shape, such as for example a V-shaped or a U-shaped loop 1.

(37) If further processing of the simple loop 1 into a V-shaped loop is to be performed, one of the clamps 6 or 9 is moved relative to the other gripper 6 or 9 in the plane of the strip 4. For this purpose, for example, the gripper 6 or 9 is embodied as a belt drive with a support element opposite the belt drive, the strip 4 being arranged with its nip point 8 or 10 between the belt of the belt drive and the support element. The gripper 6 or 9 can gripper at the second nip point 8 or 10 and act as a positioning device for positioning the nip point 8 or 10. In this way, a V-shaped loop with ends 7, 12 next to each other is formed from the simple loop with ends 7, 12 one over the other. The loop can then be fixed to the textile piece T. This operation is not shown in the figures.

(38) As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, if a U-shaped loop 1 is to be formed from the simple loop 1, the leading end 7 is pivoted relative to the trailing end 12 and the second gripper 9 by a pivoting device (not shown) with the first gripper 6 rotating about a pivot axis 21 extending substantially parallel to the plane of the strip 4 of ribbon in order to form the U-shaped loop 1. Subsequently or at the same time, the second gripper 9 is moved relative to the first gripper 6 in the plane of the strip 4 so that the U-shaped loop 1 is tensioned between the nip points 8, 10. The movement is shown particularly in FIG. 11, with the end before the movement being indicated by a dashed line and shown at 19. The movement takes place as indicated by the arrow 20, 20.

(39) For this purpose, the gripper 9 is a belt drive with a support element 18 situated for example opposite the belt drive, the strip 4 being positioned with its second nip point 10 between the belt of the belt drive 17 and the support element 18.

(40) The gripper 9 can thus grip the second nip point 10 and act as an adjuster for moving the nip points 8, 10 away from each other. The combination of the two functions in one element is especially space-saving. The belt drive 17 acts as a conveyor with which the second nip point 10 can be moved away from the first nip point 8 parallel to the edge of the textile piece T. As soon as the strip 4 has been deformed into a U-shaped loop 1, movement of the nip points 8, 10 relative to each other can take place, and the loop 1 can be tensioned between the clamps 6, 9 as shown in FIG. 12.

(41) The ends 7, 12 are positioned side by side, and ends 7 and 12 of the loop 1 can then be fixed to the textile piece T in any manner.

(42) The adjacent ends 7, 12 project past the nip points 8, 10 and can be easily fixed to the textile piece T.

(43) A positioning device that locates the ends 7, 12 at the edge of the textile piece T and a conveyor that transports the textile piece T with the positioned ends 7, 12 of the strip to a fastening device, and the fastening device that fastens the ends 7, 12 of the strip to the textile piece T in the correct position are not shown in the drawing.

(44) The method and apparatus are especially simple and inexpensive to implement and can be consolidated in a compact apparatus and carried out. This eliminates costly modifications or conversion measures that have to be carried out with conventional methods and apparatuses when a changeover is made during production from one label format to another label format. With the present method and apparatus, it is sufficient to perform appropriate programming of the existing adjustable computer control for the functional and motion sequences in order for the desired method steps that are required for the desired label format to be made.