Abstract:
Non-woven fibre fabrics are described, suitable for use in self-supporting dust filter units having at least one passage (10) defined by wall portions (12) made from air permeable fibre fabric through which wall portions (12) air can pass and be drawn off along the passage (10) but which prevent the passage therethrough of dust and/or other debris carried by the air. The non-woven fabrics are blends of high temperature resistant fibres. A preferred blend consists of 50 % by weight polyimide fibres and 50 % by weight aramid fibres, but may include glass fibres, polytetrafluoroethylene fibres, or others and may optionally include an amount of heat activated fibres having a relatively high melting point for example, polyphenylene sulphide fibres.
Abstract:
A workpiece clamping and feeding device e.g. for an automatic sewing machine utilises two belt arrangements (40) arranged side-by-side with an elongated gap (44) extending in a first direction therebetween. The sewing needle path (18) is aligned with the gap (44). The belt arrangements are mounted in a carriage (20) which moves in the first direction while the belts (42) are driven to feed a workpiece clamped therebetween in a second direction extending perpendicularly to the first direction. In this way a workpiece held by the belts can be moved relative to the sewing needle. The workpiece-engaging surface of at least one of the belts (42) of each arrangement (40) is provided with projections (76; 78) on which the workpiece can be held fast. These projections may comprise grit particles (76) or studs, spikes, pins or the like (78). In each case, the particles are sufficiently spaced to enable them to at least indent the surface of the workpiece (and, in the case of e.g. pins, to impale the workpiece) and thus to enhance the holding fast of the workpiece against the surface of the belt.
Abstract:
A shoe bottom roughing machine comprises a shoe support (10) and tool supporting means (12) including a tool support member (50) between which and the shoe support relative movement is effected lengthwise, widthwise and heightwise of the bottom of a shoe supported by the shoe support. The tool support member (50) supports a single roughing tool (698) in the form of a rotary radial wire brush and the brush is mounted for swivelling movement about a verrtical axis. The various motors (34, 66, 84, 148) for effecting these movements are n.c. motors and a computer control, using programmed instructions, is used for determining the path of the tool along the shoe bottom. For supporting the tool support member (50) for its various movements, a double parallel linkage arrangement (44, 46, 50; 42, 46, 50, 58) is provided which is effective to maintain the tool in its heightwise orientation in relation to the shoe bottom while providing lightness and rigidity for the tool mounting. For effecting rotation of the brush, a single drive belt (122) is provided, driven by a motor (110) which itself is movable to maintain the tension in the belt during widthwise and heightwise movement of the tool support member (50) relative to the shoe support (10).
Abstract:
An operating tool, e.g. a rotary radial roughing brush (698), is supported by a tool mounting (692) itself pivotally supported by a tool carrier (682) rotatable about a vertical axis, drive means (680) being provided for effecting such rotation. Height control means (716-724, 740, 742) is also provided, which utilises such rotational movement to vary the heightwise position of the tool mounting (692), and thus of the tool (698) supported thereby, in relation to the tool carrier (682). To this end the drive means includes a rotary spindle and the height control means includes a threaded shaft (716) on which a nut member (740) is carried. The threaded shaft and nut rotate together with the spindle, but the nut can be clamped against rotation; in this way rotation of the shaft (716) together with the spindle is effective to cause heightwise movement of the shaft also to take place.
Abstract:
A shoe sole attaching press has a pad box (10) and forepart and heel end jack arrangements (50, 52), between which relative movement of approach takes place in order to clamp and apply pressure to a shoe assembly comprising a shoe (S) on its last (L) with a sole unit (U) on the shoe bottom whereby, with adhesive therebetween, the sole unit can be bonded to the shoe bottom. The forepart jack arrangement (50) supports a deformable pad (60), having a hardness in the range 20 DEG to 55 DEG Shore A, so that when pressure is applied the pad will deform and thus spread the applied pressure over a relatively large area of the shoe forepart. Various configurations and/or constructions of deformable pad (60) are proposed. Each pad is preferably bombe-shaped. In one embodiment, the pad (60f) is secured to a base plate (68) having an upstanding rim (70) by which sideways deformation of the pad can be contained. In another embodiment, the pad (60g, 60h) is supported by a domed or conical support (80, 80') and has a centrally disposed chamber (90, 106).
Abstract:
A carrier strap for a container, e.g. a box of washing powder, is made of a recyclable material so that the container and carrier strap can be recycled. The material of the carrier strap is made by a wet-laid process from cellulose fibres together with a suitable binder, preferably a water-soluble natural binder. The cellulose fibres may include up to 30 % recycled fibres.
Abstract:
A shoe treatment apparatus, e.g. a heat setting apparatus or an adhesive drying apparatus, jets of air are directed through nozzles (26) onto the shoe surface to be treated and the spent air is then drawn away from the vicinity of the shoe supporting means (16). To this end a first chamber (32) is connected with the nozzles (26) and accomodates an impeller of a scroll-less fan (30), e.g. a backward curved fan, which impels air directly into the first chamber, which thus constitutes a plenum chamber. The inlet of the fan (30) opens into a second chamber (36) which is directly connected with the vicinity of the shoe supporting means (16), or in which the shoe supporting means is accomodated. Thus the air is recycled within the apparatus. Air heating means (50) and steam generating means (42, 44, 46) may also be accomodated in the first chamber (32).
Abstract:
A reinforcing/stiffening material, e.g. for use in the manufacture of shoe upper components, comprises a fabric layer impregnated with an impregnant. The impregnant comprises a stiffening component and a water-soluble component in quantities such that when the material is immersed in water it is rendered flaccid and hardens to a stiffening consistency when dried. Suitable stiffening components are polyvinyl acetate or one or more copolymers thereof, polyvinyl pyrolidone, one or more acrylates, one or more methacryltes, and styrene-butadiene rubber. Suitable water-soluble components are polyvinyl alcohol, one or more soluble acrylates, one or more soluble methacrylates, starch and dextrin. According to the proportion of water-soluble component used, an adhesive coating may be applied to one or both sides of the material. The impregnant may also comprise a hardening component which undergoes a chemical reaction when immersed in weak acid solution whereby it is rendered flaccid when in a wetted state and dries to a hardened condition. The impregnant may further comprise a filler by which the water absorption rate of the material in enhanced, and an additive or additives for limiting the amount of water taken up by the material.
Abstract:
An edge detector arrangement is described suitable for automatic sewing apparatus in which a light pattern is incident upon an edge (14) between layers (11, 12) of material. A camera (17) being arranged to view the edge (14) in order to view a discontinuity (33; 42) in at least one line of the light pattern. This discontinuity being indicative of edge position in each segment of the edge (14) viewed by the camera (17). Such that the sequential segments of the edge (14) and so the real edge location data being consolidated as a real edge data signal set which may be used in appropriate microprocessor means in order to adapt a stitch path stored in an automatic sewing apparatus in comparison with an expected or ideal edge path location set. Edge detection may be conducted whilst the automatic sewing apparatus is in operation or as a pre-scanning stage prior to sewing. The image from the camera is grabbed by a frame grabber element (22) and may be processed to enhance discontinuity position definition.
Abstract:
There is described absorbent material for use in absorbent products e.g. incontinence pads, and methods of making the material by needling. The material comprises at least three layers of non-woven fibre materials of which outermost layers (14, 16) at opposite sides of the material comprise hydrophobic fibres and at least one inner layer (18) between the outermost layers is an absorbent layer of hydrophilic fibres. The hydrophobic fibres are conveniently polyester and the hydrophilic fibres preferably trilobal viscose rayon which are significantly finer than the hydrophobic fibres. The absorbent material may be sandwiched between an impermeable backing layer and a permeable suitably knitted fabric, cover layer to provide an incontinence pad.