Title of Invention	APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A FLAT ARTICLE AND A METHOD THEREOF
Abstract	An apparatus for transporting a flat article has a first transporter at which the pieces are separated from a web, a clamp which transfers the pieces to the plane of a second transporter and a second transporter operating in this plane in a direction orthogonal to the displacement direction of the first transporter. The second transporter has at least one conveyor at least part of which is movable toward and away from the clamp and toward which the clamp can be moved so that the pieces are transferred to the conveyor and can be displaced by the latter with no spacing between them or with only a limited spacing between them. (Figure -1)

Title of Invention

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A FLAT ARTICLE AND A METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting a flat article has a first transporter at which the pieces are separated from a web, a clamp which transfers the pieces to the plane of a second transporter and a second transporter operating in this plane in a direction orthogonal to the displacement direction of the first transporter. The second transporter has at least one conveyor at least part of which is movable toward and away from the clamp and toward which the clamp can be moved so that the pieces are transferred to the conveyor and can be displaced by the latter with no spacing between them or with only a limited spacing between them. (Figure -1)

Full Text	FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting of a flat article, for example, a section of a web of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film and wherein the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transferred means to a second transport means. The invention also relates to a method transporting such articles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the transport of such pieces of sheet or web material, especially pieces cut from a continuous web of material and, in particular textile pieces cut from a web of a textile, it is known to provide a first discontinuously operable transport device by means of which a textile web is withdrawn from a supply, e.g. a roll, and that the free end of this web, pieces are cut off. The pieces can be then transferred to a second continuously operable transporter whose transport plane runs parallel to the transport plane of the first transporter. The free end of the web can be engaged to pull the web out before it is cut off in the first plane and the web can be displaced in the second plane transversely to its displacement in i the first plane, i.e. orthogonal to the first direction of displacement. The means for engaging the free end of the web may be tongs and the tongs can tension the web for cutting. The first transporter can also include a slider shiftable in the first direction. Between the transport slider and the transport tongs of the first transporter, the separating device can be provided for cutting the piece off the web. The transfer means can engage the cut off piece and displace the latter between the plane of the first transporter and the plane of the second transporter. In the prior art apparatus which operates in the manner described, especially for textile material, as soon as one textile piece is displaced away from the area in which it is severed from the textile web another piece can be separated from the web and similarly transported away. One of the drawbacks of such an arrangement is that during the time interval in which a piece of material is being transported away from the location at which it is separated from the web, a further piece of material cannot be cut from the web and hence the cutting can only occur after the previously cut piece has been completely carried off from this region. With such an arrangement, especially with a continuously driven second transporter, the successive textile pieces cannot be delivered so that they are practically touching one another, i.e. with a quasi gap-free succession as may be required for seaming and sewing stations. Rather there always remains between the individual textile pieces along the second path, a comparatively large gap which limits the utilization of the apparatus in terms of the number of delivered pieces per unit time and can have a negative effect on equipment downstream of the transporters, i.e. apparatus for processing the pieces. Apparatus is also known which is capable of i i transporting pieces first in one direction and then in a direction orthogonal thereto and in which the two planes in which the pieces are moved by the respective transporters are located one above the other. In these systems, the textile pieces may be engaged on needle bars which deliver the textile pieces to needle chains. The material is repeatedly engaged or pierced by the needle which can be detrimental to the fabric and operations in the vicinity of such needle bars and needle chains may be dangerous. In many cases neither needle bars nor n6edle chains can be used. With such apparatus as well, it'is not possible to ensure the continuous delivery of pieces of material in a quasi-gap-free or spacing-free manner. OBJECTS OP THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the transport of pieces of web material in which injury to the material can be minimized or avoided and which permits the delivery of a succession of pieces touching one another or practically touching one another, i.e. in at least a quasi-gap-free manner so that the utilization of the apparatus can be maximized and the operations of subsequent machinery for processing such pieces can be made more efficient. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of transporting pieces whereby drawbacks of earlier methods are avoided. It is also an object of this invention to provide a highly reliable apparatus which can be of relatively simple construction, and which can efficiently deliver a succession of flat workpieces. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION i These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention, in an apparatus in which the second transporter is a continuously operating belt, band or chain conveyor with at least one endless conveyor element and preferably two such conveyor elements spaced apart from one another transversely to their directions of displacement. Each of the conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a strip-like support surface parallel to the conveyor direction, i.e. the direction of movement of a stretch of the conveyor element adapted to displace a piece of material between itself and the support surface and which may be an edge of a fabric piece. Each conveyor element can be provided with a buffer loop which expands or contracts depending upon the movement of an upstream return loop, the latter being movable counter to the transport direction toward the clamping means in which the piece of material is engaged for transfer to the second plane. This end of each conveyor element is thus displaceable from an initial position counter to the transport direction and parallel thereto ^into a receiving position in which it engages the piece of material and draws it in the transport direction on the support surface. The second transporter thus comprises a continuously operating strip-like conveyor, which need not be formed as a circulating conveyor element but also can be provided in the form of a nonclosed reversibly driven band segment. With such conveyor elements or two such transversely- i spaced conveyor elements, the piece of material can be pressed against the respective strip-like supporting surfaces and transported away. The spacing between the conveyor elements can be adjusted to accommodate different widths of the piece material, i.e. to displace pieces of different widths. Since the conveyor elements have respective buffer loops, the upstream ends of the conveyor elements may be moved back and forth counter to and in the displacement direction (parallel to the displacement plane defined by the supporting I i surfaces). In this case, each oncoming piece is engaged substantially earlier than is the case with a stationary continuously driven conveyor. After the pick-up of a piece of the web material, the upstream end of the conveyor, by its entrainment with the piece of material itself, can be displaced back into its initial position to make place for the delivery of a further piece of material and a repetition of the process. For the displacement of the material which entrains the upstream end of the conveyor element for the upstream ends of the conveyor elements in the second direction, further conveyor elements can be provided alongside the first-mentioned conveyor elements. Alternatively, the second transporter can be a continuously-driven belt, band or chain-like conveyor with at least one conveyor element, but preferably two such conveyor elements which are transversely spaced from one another, whereby each of these conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a strip-like support surface. Each of these conveyor elements can be bodily displaced counter to the transport direction from an initial position into a receiving position. Since the complete conveyor element with its drive roller and deflection roller is shifted counter to the direction of advance of the pieces of material while the conveyor element continues to be driven, for reception of the successive pieces, the successive pieces can practically touch one another as they are advanced along the second transport path. The conveyor element or conveyor elements can be returned to the initial position during the further travel of the pieces. This arrangement has certain advantages over the first alternative. Accordingly the present invention relates to an Apparatus for transporting a flat article, e.g. a section of a web of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film, it being possible for the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transport means to a second transport means, characterized in that the second transport means essentially comprises a first handling unit of the band, belt or chain type with at least one conveying element, or two conveying elements spaced apart transversely to the conveying direction, each conveying element being assigned a support surface extending parallel to the conveying direction, on which the respective conveying element is supported during its return motion, with parts of the article in between, either each conveying element of the first handling unit is in each case deflected around a first deflection wheel at its deflection end directed counter to the transport direction, the upper strand of the conveying element, which runs towards this first deflection wheel, is deflected twice round a second and a third deflection wheel, forming a loop, it being possible for the first deflection wheel and the second deflection wheel, which is the closest to the first as regards the forward-running upper strand, to be moved jointly counter to the transport direction out of the base position into a transfer position and back into the base position, the lower strand running off in the transport direction being supported on the support surface, with the, result that each conveying element is deflected and guided in such a way, forming a buffer loop, that the deflection region of the conveying element, the said deflection region being directed counter to the transport direction, can be moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to the transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position, taking along the conveying element, as the conveying element runs round in the transport direction, or that the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element with the deflection wheel and drive wheel can be moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to the transport direction ot tfte conveying element out 01 a oase position into a transfer position and then back into the base position as the conveying element runs round in the transport direction, more specifically by means of a linear drive held firmly on the frame. The conveyor element can have a buffer loop and a return loop at an upstream side of the stretch, the means for displacing shifting the return loop parallel to but opposite to the second direction from an initial position to a position for receiving the transferred flat piece on the second transporter. Alternatively, the entire continuously driven conveyor element is displaceable parallel to but opposite to the second direction from an initial position toward the location and back along the second path for receiving a transferred flat piece on the second transporter. Preferably, parallel to the first-mentioned conveyor element of the second transporter, are respective further conveyor elements forming a second continuously operating conveyor and disposed close to the conveyor elements which are shiftable between the initial position of the piece-receiving position. These additional conveyor elements can be driven at the same speed and in the same direction as the first-mentioned conveyor elements and entrain the piece to draw the return loop portion of the first conveyor elements back into the initial positions after they have received a piece of the web material. With this construction the first conveyor element or conveyor elements can receive a piece of the web material from the clamping means at the upstream end of the second transporter and the second conveyor elements close to the first conveying I elements and preferably outwardly flanking same, can take over displacement of the piece to allow the piece to draw the return loop back into its initial position. As a result there is no significant relative movement between the first conveyor elements and the piece and the first conveyor elements are returned to the initial positions without slip between the first conveyor elements and the piece. Furthermore, it allows the return loop at least of each first conveyor element to be returned to the receiving position to pick up the next piece before the previous piece has fully cleared the return position. As a consequence, the successive pieces can be engaged by the first conveyor elements of the second transporter significantly earlier than can be the case in earlier systems and the pieces can be closer together as they are displaced by the conveyor elements of the second transporter. Preferably both continuously operating1 conveyor elements are endless elements driven in a single direction and continuously. The conveyor elements can be cog belts which mesh with cog wheels serving as deflection or idler rollers and as drive rollers. The closely neighboring elements of the first and second conveyors can be provided with a common drive so that the drive serves to synchronize the two conveyor elements of each pair with one another and with the pair of other conveyor elements and to ensure that the stretches of all of the conveyor elements described with the support are uniformly driven in the same direction. When the conveyor element has a so-called buffer loop, the conveyor element can be looped aroiind two rollers, one of which can be fixedly located while the other can be moved back and forth parallel to the second plane. The or each conveyor element can thus be provided with a first roller around which the return loop extends and is looped around a second roller and a third roller to form the buffer loop in the form of a double-backed portion of the conveyor element, the first roller and one of the second and third rollers being movable jointly for shifting of the return loop parallel to but opposite to the second direction from the initial position to the position for receiving the transferred flat piece on the second transporter. According to another feature of the invention, the means for displacing at least an upstream part of the conveyor element includes an effector connected to a controller or controlled by a controller for detecting a pattern of the flat piece and a setpoint position of the flat piece under the stretch of the conveyor moving in the second direction. According to still another feature of the invention the means for displacing at least an upstream part of the conveyor element includes an effector connected to a controller or controlled by a controller for detecting the position of one of the flat pieces beneath the stretch of the conveyor element of the second transporter. The position detection device can be a photo cell arrangement, a so-called light curtain, or some other contactless device or proximity sensor* The detection element can, for example, detect the passage of the trailing edge of the piece of the web or the leading edge of the next oncoming piece or in the case in which the first conveyor has its upstream end shiftable toward and away from the clamping means, the trailing edge of the piece engaged by the first conveyor to exactly position the edge vertically below the axis of rotation of the roller for the return loop. The next piece can thus be advanced to this edge so that, to the extent desired, gap-free or approximately gap-free transport of successive pieces is possible. The invention also comprises an apparatus for forming and conveying flat pieces of a textile web which comprises: a first transporter including a tongs engageable with a leading edge of a textile web and a transport slider for displacing the textile along a first path in a first direction in one plane; separating means along the first path for severing flat pieces from the web whereby a succession of the flat pieces from the web are displaced along the first path in the first direction; i a second transporter defining a second path parallel to the first path for receiving the flat pieces and displacing the received flat pieces in a second direction in a second plane parallel to the one plane and spaced therefrom, and perpendicular to the first direction; and clamping means engageable with the flat pieces at a Location along the first path for transferring the flat pieces to the second path for engagement by the second transporter, the clamping means including pairs of clamps engaging respective flat pieces inwardly of but close to opposite edges of the flat piece, the clamps being engageable with each flat piece in the plane of the first path, being shiftable with the engaged flat piece into the plane of the second path, and being shiftable toward and away from the second transporter, the second transporter being shiftable toward and away from the clamping means. The two transporters can be located one above the other, therefore, and in the upper plane the pieces can be cut off, for example, by a circular blade or a cutting beam. Prior to the cutting, the workpiece which is to be cut off from the web can be engaged by the clamping device. The clamping device can then transport the cut off piece of fabric into the second transport plane and in this plane can be advanced to the seconcl transporter. The cut off piece can be held close to its opposite edges and so that the edge portions of the cut off piece project slightly beyond the clamps. The clamps displace the cut off pieces and simultaneously, the second transporter can approach the clamping means from the opposite direction to pick up the pieces from the clamp. 1 I The projecting edge portions can then be engaged by the conveyors of the second transporter to carry off the cut off pieces. The upstream end of the conveyors and the clamp can then oe moved away from one another into the respective starting positions for the transfer of a cut off piece to the second bransporter. In this position the second transporter is spaced from the clamping means. This opposite movement of the second bransporter and the clamping device for the transfer pieces snsures that the leading edge of a subsequent piece will approach bhe trailing edge of a previous piece so that the succession of pieces is advanced in a quasi-gap-free or with minimum gap separation. With the invention, the possibility of damage to the workpieces by needles or the like is avoided. Because of the proximity of successive pieces to one another the subsequent stations, for example sewing stations and/or seaming stations, can operate continuously with a high output. Preferably, the second transporter comprises conveyor belts which are offset from alignment with the clamping members so that an overlap between the clamping members and the conveyor elements is possible at transfer of the pieces between the clamps and the conveyor elements. The clamping bars and the transport conveyors should be closely adjacent one another so that the edges of the piece can be engaged by the transport conveyors while they are held in the clamps in a gap-free or approximately gap-free manner from piece to piece. The strip-like support which is juxtaposed with each conveyor element can be a planar support plane or table or a further conveyor. In this case the support can be formed by an endless continuously driven conveyor having a stretch juxtaposed with the aforementioned stretches of the conveyor element and displaced at the same speed and in the same direction as the latter. Accordingly the present invention also relates to a method for transporting a flat article, stock web being held at the free end of the web by means of a first, discontinuously operating transport means and transferred as an isolated article to a second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel and horizontal to the transport plane of the first transport means and below this plane, and carried away by the said second transport means, the transport direction of the first transport means being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the web entering the first, upper transport plane and being held in a desired position, and isolated article being cut off from the web, being held at the margins by a clamping apparatus before being cut off or simultaneously, and transferred to the second, lower transport plane, then being displaced in the transport direction towards the second transport means, and either the second transport means being deflected, forming a loop, and being moved with its deflection end, which is directed counter to the transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position counter to the transport direction and back to the base position, or the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element with the deflection wheel and drive wheel being moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to this transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position and then back into the base position by means of a linear drive held firmly on the frame as the conveying elements of the second transport means run round in the transport direction, with the result that the isolated article is transported away with its transverse marginal edge, which faces the second transport means, adjoining an article transported by the second transport means, the second transport means running forwards into the initial position in the transport direction (6) after the transfer of the article (1'), the article (V) being transported simultaneously, and the clamping apparatus (2) releasing the article (T) and running back into the initial position counter to the transport direction (6) and being moved back into the first, upper transport plane. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 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: FIG. 1 is a side view partially in section of important elements of the apparatus of the invention; FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 taken at a right angle about a vertical axis to the view of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating a detail of the apparatus, namely, conveyor elements thereof; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the detail of FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention. SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION FIG, 1 of the drawing shows some of the basic elements of an apparatus for formation of pieces of a web material, especially pieces of a textile web, for transporting them initially by a first transporter and then for subsequently delivering them with a second transporter. The apparatus basically comprises a first discontinu-ously operating transporter by means of which a textile web is drawn from a storage thereof (not shown), for example a roll, over a roller 7a and along a guide 7b, upwardly onto a table or plate 7c. The leading edge can be engaged as will be described i in greater detail hereinafter, to hold the web 1 taut in a first horizontal plane Plr whereupon the piece l' is cut off from the web and the web is displaced into a second horizontal plane P2, r parallel to the first plane, and advanced in a direction orthogonal to the direction of advance in the first plane. The individual pieces of fabric are represented at 1*. The first transporter, as a whole, is represented at 5 and the first transport direction by the arrow 5a. To displace the web in this direction, a transport slider 7 is provided which has a shoe 7d which engages the fabric and, while the fabric is supported by the plate 7c, slides the fabric toward the transport tongs 4 whose fingers 4a can engage the leading edge of the web. The transport direction of the second transporter has i i been represented by the arrow 6 in FIG. 2, this direction being perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1. As has already been noted, the transport;planes Px and P2 for the two transporters, are parallel to one another and spaced one above the other. The transport direction 5a of the first transporter 5 extends parallel to the length of the web 1 while the transport direction 6 of the second transporter is transverse to the length of the web. The first transporter is thus comprised of the transport slider 7 and the transport tongs 4, the transport tongs 4 being movable toward the transport slider 7 and away therefrom as represented by the arrow 8. Between the transport slider 7 and the transport tongs 4, in the region of the transport slider 5, there is provided a separating device 9 which can be a shear or cutting blade system which can cut off a textile piece 1' from the web. The separating means 9 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a shear and the shear can be manually operated or can be a motor-driven slicing blade or a pneumatic or motor-driven cutting beam or the like. The textile pieces l1, after they have been separated from the web are displaced into the plane P2 of the second transporter. The transfer means can include a clamping device 2 which can include two pair of clamping beams. One of the beams of each pair is provided above the textile web 1 and the other beam is provided below the textile web 1, the textile pieces being engaged between the clamping beams of the two pair to fix the pieces in the clamp formed thereby. The clamping beams can be displaceable from the broken line position shown in FIG, 1 to the solid line positions shown. i The clamping beams engage the textile pieces at short distances from their lateral edges so these lateral edges which are oriented transversely to the transport direction 5 and represent the leading edge and the trailing edge of each piece in the first plane Px. project laterally beyond the clamping beams. The clamping device 2 can be shifted into the plane P2 of the second transporter. In addition, the clamping device 2 with the clamping beams in this plane can be shifted toward the second transporter in this plane while the second transporter can at least in part be shifted to the clamp so that these elements approach one another and allow the transfer of the cut-off pieces to the second transporter. The second transporter is comprised of transport belts 3, usually endless circulating belts. These belts have lower stretches which are juxtaposed with support surfaces 10. Since the clamping beams 2 are laterally offset from the proximal to the transport belts 3 as is apparent especially from FIG. 1, the beams 2 and conveyors 3 can overlap one another when they move together without interference or contact. Because of this arrangement, the transport belts 3 can engage the projecting lateral edges of the piece 1 to allow subsequent pieces l» to practically be contiguous with preceding pieces as they are advanced by the second transporter As soon as the second transporter has engaged each textile piece with its belts 3 and has begun to transport it away, the clamping unit 2 is shifted back into position to obtain another fabric piece while the conveyor 3 is displaced into its initial position so that a further textile piece can be engaged and delivered to the second transporter. The movements of the units 2 and 3 and, of course, the individual parts thereof has been indicated by the double-headed arrows 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2. The support surface 10 which is juxtaposed with the conveyor belts 3 and along which the piece 1 The tongs 4 and the clamping unit 2 can be pneumatically actuated. The transport belts 3 can be synchronously driven, for example, by electric motors or the like. FIG. 5 shows the adjustment possibility of the entire conveyor 3 of the second transporter. The lower pass or stretch of the conveyor element 3 is parallel to the support 10 and runs around deflecting rollers 3a and drive rollers 3b. The lower stretch of the conveyor element 3 is parallel to the support surface. To receive a textile piece l1, the complete conveyor unit 3 is shifted to the left (FIG. 2), for example, by means of a linear actuator 28 which can for example be held on a housing 27. After or during the reception of a textile piece 1, the unit, which is contiguously driven as represented by the arrow 3c can be moved again to the right into its initial position (FIG. 5), the conveyor element 3 being continuously driven at a constant speed to advance the piece 1. With this apparatus, it is possible to provide a method in which the individual workpieces or fabric pieces are advanced in a gap-free or with a limited gap to a further processing of the workpieces. The result is a close relationship between the successive pieces which maximize the delivery rate of the apparatus and allows subsequent operation stations to work more efficiently. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the conveyors 3 are shown in greater detail, these conveyors being a key to at least one aspect of the invention. The pieces l1 are displaced parallel to the support surfaces 10 after they are transferred from the first transporter to the second transporter and each of the conveyors 3, which are transversely spaced as can be seen in FIG; 4, can comprise a continuously driven conveyor belt 12. The conveyors 3 have lower horizontal stretches each of which runs parallel to the displacement direction 6 along the respective strip-like support 10 against which the lower stretch 12a holds the respective edge of the fabric piece and draws the latter along the surfaces 10. The support surfaces 10 can be upper stretches of continuously driven belts synchronized with the belts 12 and disposed below the belts 12. They can also be simple plates or tables. Each of the conveyors 3 is formed with a buffer loop and has a return loop 14 extending around a roller 16. The roller 16 and hence the return loop Is movable back and forth in the direction of arrow 26. The region between the initial position of the return loop and the position closest to the clamp 2 can be considered a reception region for the second transporter. Parallel to each conveyor 3 and flanking conveyors 3 outwardly thereof, are further conveyors 15 looped around rollers i 17 and guided by rollers 20 and 21. The conveyors 15 are driven by rollers 2 3 from motors 24. The conveyor belts 15 grip the pieces,of fabric upwardly of the conveyors 3 and since their lower passes are synchronously driven with the lower passes 12a of the belts 12, the conveyors 15 draw the return loop region 15 and the rollers 16 into the direction of arrow 6 back into the initial position. Thus both sets of conveyors 3 and 15 are, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, endless belt conveyors which are driven in the same direction. They may be formed by cog belts and the conveyors 3 can have rollers 16, 17, 18 and 19 in addition to the drive rollers 23. Guide rollers 22 and 22a can also be provided for the conveyors 3 (see FIG. 3). Since all of the conveyors, namely, the conveyors 3 and the conveyors 15 which are closely adjacent the conveyors 3 on the right and left sides thereof, respectively, are all driven by the same motors 24, they are all synchronized with one another. The buffer loop arrangement shown at 13 for the conveyors 3 can be formed by rollers 25 which are movable in the direction of the double-headed arrow 26 and form doubled back portions of the belt 12 at the fixed rollers 18. When an effector connected to the roller 16, for example, as represented at 16a, shifts the return loop 14 to the left, the roller 25 is similarly drawn to the left as the buffer loop shortens. The effector 16a can be controlled by a detector 16b which can be a light curtain or photo cell arrangement which can detect the position of the piece l1 in the region of the deflecting roller 16 or in the region of the roller 17 and can provide an input for the effector 16a. The detector 16b can respond to a leading or trailing edge of the workpieces. During the displacement of the loop region 14 in a direction opposite to the transport direction 6, the roller+16 rotates more rapidly although the belt 12 of the conveyor 3 continues to operate at its original constant speed. Upon return of the loop 14 to its initial position, the roller 16 can rotate more slowly, again while the belt speed remains constant. The belt speed must be about 15 to 20 meters per minute. WE CLAIM: 1. An Apparatus for transporting a flat article (1'), e.g. a section of a web (1) of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film, it being possible for the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transport means (4,7) to a second transport means (12), characterized in that the second transport means essentially comprises a first handling unit (12) of the band, belt or chain type with at least one conveying element (3), or two conveying elements (3) spaced apart transversely to the conveying direction, each conveying element (3) being assigned a support surface (10) extending parallel to the conveying direction (6), on which the respective conveying element (3) is supported during its return motion, with parts of the article (1') in between, either each conveying element (3) of the first handling unit (12) is in each case deflected around a first deflection wheel (16) at its deflection end (14) directed counter to the transport direction (6), the upper strand of the conveying element (3), which runs towards this first deflection wheel (16), is deflected twice round a second and a third deflection wheel (25, 18), forming a loop (13), it being possible for the first deflection wheel (16) and the second deflection wheel (25), which is the closest to the first as regards the forward-running upper strand, to be moved jointly counter to the transport direction out of the base position into a transfer position and back into the base position, the lower strand running off in the transport direction being supported on the support surface (10), with the result that each conveying element (3) is deflected and guided in such a way, forming a buffer loop (13), that the deflection region (14) of the conveying element (3), the said deflection region being directed counter to the transport direction (6), can be moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to the transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position, taking along the conveying element (3), as the conveying element (3) runs round in the transport direction (6), or that the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element (3) with the deflection wheel and drive wheel can be moved parallel to the transport direction (6) and counter to the transport direction (6) of the conveying element (3) out of a base position into a transfer position and then back into the base position as the conveying element (3) runs round in the transport direction (6), more specifically by means of a linear drive (28) held firmly on the frame. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein conveying element (15) of a second handling unit is arranged parallel and adjacent to each of the conveying elements (3) of the first handling unit (12), which conveying elements (15) of the second handling unit are operated in the same transport direction and at the same speed as the conveying element (3) of the first handling unit (12), and the deflection region (14) of the conveying elements (3) of the first handling unit (12) can be moved back out of the transfer position into the base position in the transport direction by virtue of the fact that the article (1') is transported in the conveying direction (6) by the conveying elements (15) of the second handling unit, and the deflection region (14) of the first handling unit (12) is supported on the article (V) and is taken along back into the base position at transport speed by the article (1'). 3. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein both handling units are designed in such a way that they run round in an endless loop. 4. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein both handling units have toothed belts as conveying elements (3, 15), which are in engagement with gearwheels as deflection wheels and drive wheels. 5. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adjacent conveying elements (3, 15) of the first and second handling units are each driven by a common drive (24), the drives of the two pairs of conveying elements being operated synchronously and in the same direction. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the actuating drive for moving the conveying element or the deflection region (14) directed counter to the conveying direction is coupled to a device or controlled by a device by means of which the feeding of an article (1') and the desired position of the article (T) under the outgoing lower strand of the conveying element (3) of the first handling unit (12) can be detected. 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the actuating drive for moving the conveying element (3) or the deflection region (14) directed counter to the conveying direction is coupled to a device or controlled by a device by means of which the position of an article (1') under the out-going lower strand of the conveying element (15) of the second handling unit can be detected. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the apparatus comprises the first, discontinuously operating transport means, by means of which a textile web (1) can be drawn off from a cloth store and the web's free end to be isolated is held, and the second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel to the transport plane and below the transport plane of the first transport means and has means for holding the isolated article (1'), the transport direction (5) of the first transport means being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction (6) of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the first transport device comprising a transport slider (7) for the web and transport tongs (4), it being possible to move the tongs (4) towards and away from the transport slider (7), a separating apparatus (9), by means of which the web (1) can be severed to produce an isolated article (1'), being arranged between the transport slider (7) and the transport tongs (4), it being possible, after or simultaneously with a separating cut and release from the first transport means, for the isolated article (1') to be transferred by a transfer means from the plane of the first transport means into the plane of the second and transport means and fed to it, and the transfer means comprises a clamping device (2), by means of which the margins of the isolated article (1'), which are parallel to the transport direction (6) of the second transport means, can be clamped at a distance from its marginal edges in the plane of the first transport means and transferred into the plane of the second transport means by means of the clamping device (2), and the clamping device (2) can be moved towards and away from the second transport means, in the plane of the later, and the second transport means can be moved towards and away from the clamping device (2), allowing the free marginal edges of the article to be brought into engagement with the second transport means. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second transport means comprises conveying elements (3) in the form of transport belts, which are arranged on the outside in the transport direction, adjacent to the plane of alignment of the clamping device (2) described by the clamping device (2) during its movement, and which press the margin of the article against support regions (10) forming part of each of the two transport apparatuses. 10. Apparatus as claimed in claims 8 or 9, wherein the clamping device (2) comprises pairs of clamping bars. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claims 8 to 10, wherein the clamping device (2) and the transport apparatus can be moved closer together in such a way that the article (T) held by the clamping device (2) can be transferred by its margins to the transport apparatus, the transferred article (1') adjoining a previously transferred article (1') transported by the transport apparatus. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the support region (10) is formed by a flat support plate or a support table. 13. Apparatus as claimed in any one claims 1 to 11, wherein the support region (10) is formed by a further continuous-handling unit in each case. 14. Method for transporting a flat article (1'), stock web (1) being held at the free end of the web by means of a first, discontinuously operating transport means (4, 7) and transferred as an isolated article (V) to a second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel and horizontal to the transport plane of the first transport means (4, 7) and below this plane, and carried away by the said second transport means, the transport direction (5) of the first transport means (4, 7) being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction (6) of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the web (1) entering the first, upper transport plane and being held in a desired position, and isolated article (V) being cut off from the web (1), being held at the margins by a clamping apparatus (2) before being cut off or simultaneously, and transferred to the second, lower transport plane, then being displaced in the transport direction (6) towards the second transport means, and either the second transport means being deflected, forming a loop (13), and being moved with its deflection end (14), which is directed counter to the transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position counter to the transport direction (6) and back to the base position, or the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element (3) with the deflection wheel and drive wheel being moved parallel to the transport direction (6) and counter to this transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position and then back into the base position by means of a linear drive (28) held firmly on the frame as the conveying elements of the second transport means run round in the transport direction (6), with the result that the isolated article (1') is transported away with its transverse marginal edge, which faces the second transport means, adjoining an article (V) transported by the second transport means, the second transport means running forwards into the initial position in the transport direction (6) after the transfer of the article (1'), the article (1') being transported simultaneously, and the clamping apparatus (2) releasing the article (V) and running back into the initial position counter to the transport direction (6) and being moved back into the first, upper transport plane. 15. An Apparatus for transporting a flat article substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings. 16. A Method for transporting a flat article substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for transporting of a flat article, for example, a section of a web of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film and wherein the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transferred means to a second transport means. The invention also relates to a method transporting such articles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the transport of such pieces of sheet or web material, especially pieces cut from a continuous web of material and, in particular textile pieces cut from a web of a textile, it is known to provide a first discontinuously operable transport device by means of which a textile web is withdrawn from a supply, e.g. a roll, and that the free end of this web, pieces are cut off. The pieces can be then transferred to a second continuously operable transporter whose transport plane runs parallel to the transport plane of the first transporter.

The free end of the web can be engaged to pull the web out before it is cut off in the first plane and the web can be
displaced in the second plane transversely to its displacement in
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the first plane, i.e. orthogonal to the first direction of displacement. The means for engaging the free end of the web may be tongs and the tongs can tension the web for cutting. The first transporter can also include a slider shiftable in the first direction. Between the transport slider and the transport tongs of the first transporter, the separating device can be provided for cutting the piece off the web.
The transfer means can engage the cut off piece and displace the latter between the plane of the first transporter and the plane of the second transporter.
In the prior art apparatus which operates in the manner described, especially for textile material, as soon as one textile piece is displaced away from the area in which it is severed from the textile web another piece can be separated from the web and similarly transported away.
One of the drawbacks of such an arrangement is that during the time interval in which a piece of material is being transported away from the location at which it is separated from the web, a further piece of material cannot be cut from the web and hence the cutting can only occur after the previously cut piece has been completely carried off from this region.
With such an arrangement, especially with a continuously driven second transporter, the successive textile

pieces cannot be delivered so that they are practically touching one another, i.e. with a quasi gap-free succession as may be required for seaming and sewing stations. Rather there always remains between the individual textile pieces along the second path, a comparatively large gap which limits the utilization of the apparatus in terms of the number of delivered pieces per unit time and can have a negative effect on equipment downstream of the transporters, i.e. apparatus for processing the pieces.
Apparatus is also known which is capable of
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transporting pieces first in one direction and then in a direction orthogonal thereto and in which the two planes in which the pieces are moved by the respective transporters are located one above the other. In these systems, the textile pieces may be engaged on needle bars which deliver the textile pieces to needle chains. The material is repeatedly engaged or pierced by the needle which can be detrimental to the fabric and operations in the vicinity of such needle bars and needle chains may be dangerous. In many cases neither needle bars nor n6edle chains can be used.
With such apparatus as well, it'is not possible to ensure the continuous delivery of pieces of material in a quasi-gap-free or spacing-free manner.
OBJECTS OP THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the transport of

pieces of web material in which injury to the material can be minimized or avoided and which permits the delivery of a succession of pieces touching one another or practically touching one another, i.e. in at least a quasi-gap-free manner so that the utilization of the apparatus can be maximized and the operations of subsequent machinery for processing such pieces can be made more efficient.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of transporting pieces whereby drawbacks of earlier methods are avoided.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a highly reliable apparatus which can be of relatively simple construction, and which can efficiently deliver a succession of flat workpieces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
i These objects and others which will become apparent
hereinafter are attained, in accordance with the invention, in an
apparatus in which the second transporter is a continuously
operating belt, band or chain conveyor with at least one endless
conveyor element and preferably two such conveyor elements spaced
apart from one another transversely to their directions of
displacement. Each of the conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a
strip-like support surface parallel to the conveyor direction,
i.e. the direction of movement of a stretch of the conveyor
element adapted to displace a piece of material between itself

and the support surface and which may be an edge of a fabric piece. Each conveyor element can be provided with a buffer loop which expands or contracts depending upon the movement of an upstream return loop, the latter being movable counter to the transport direction toward the clamping means in which the piece of material is engaged for transfer to the second plane. This end of each conveyor element is thus displaceable from an initial position counter to the transport direction and parallel thereto ^into a receiving position in which it engages the piece of material and draws it in the transport direction on the support surface.
The second transporter thus comprises a continuously operating strip-like conveyor, which need not be formed as a circulating conveyor element but also can be provided in the form of a nonclosed reversibly driven band segment.
With such conveyor elements or two such transversely-
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spaced conveyor elements, the piece of material can be pressed against the respective strip-like supporting surfaces and transported away.
The spacing between the conveyor elements can be adjusted to accommodate different widths of the piece material, i.e. to displace pieces of different widths.
Since the conveyor elements have respective buffer loops, the upstream ends of the conveyor elements may be moved back and forth counter to and in the displacement direction (parallel to the displacement plane defined by the supporting

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surfaces). In this case, each oncoming piece is engaged substantially earlier than is the case with a stationary continuously driven conveyor. After the pick-up of a piece of the web material, the upstream end of the conveyor, by its entrainment with the piece of material itself, can be displaced back into its initial position to make place for the delivery of a further piece of material and a repetition of the process. For the displacement of the material which entrains the upstream end of the conveyor element for the upstream ends of the conveyor elements in the second direction, further conveyor elements can be provided alongside the first-mentioned conveyor elements.
Alternatively, the second transporter can be a continuously-driven belt, band or chain-like conveyor with at least one conveyor element, but preferably two such conveyor elements which are transversely spaced from one another, whereby each of these conveyor elements is juxtaposed with a strip-like support surface. Each of these conveyor elements can be bodily displaced counter to the transport direction from an initial position into a receiving position.
Since the complete conveyor element with its drive roller and deflection roller is shifted counter to the direction of advance of the pieces of material while the conveyor element continues to be driven, for reception of the successive pieces, the successive pieces can practically touch one another as they are advanced along the second transport path. The conveyor element or conveyor elements can be returned to the initial

position during the further travel of the pieces. This arrangement has certain advantages over the first alternative.
Accordingly the present invention relates to an Apparatus for transporting a flat article, e.g. a section of a web of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film, it being possible for the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transport means to a second transport means, characterized in that the second transport means essentially comprises a first handling unit of the band, belt or chain type with at least one conveying element, or two conveying elements spaced apart transversely to the conveying direction, each conveying element being assigned a support surface extending parallel to the conveying direction, on which the respective conveying element is supported during its return motion, with parts of the article in between, either each conveying element of the first handling unit is in each case deflected around a first deflection wheel at its deflection end directed counter to the transport direction, the upper strand of the conveying element, which runs towards this first deflection wheel, is deflected twice round a second and a third deflection wheel, forming a loop, it being possible for the first deflection wheel and the second deflection wheel, which is the closest to the first as regards the forward-running upper strand, to be moved jointly counter to the transport direction out of the base position into a transfer position and back into the base position, the lower strand running off in the transport direction being supported on the support surface, with the, result that each conveying element is deflected and guided in such a way, forming a buffer loop, that the deflection region of the conveying element, the said deflection region being directed counter to the transport direction, can be moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to the transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position, taking along the conveying element, as the conveying element runs round in the transport direction, or that the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element with the deflection wheel and drive wheel can be moved parallel to the transport

direction and counter to the transport direction ot tfte conveying element out 01 a oase position into a transfer position and then back into the base position as the conveying element runs round in the transport direction, more specifically by means of a linear drive held firmly on the frame.
The conveyor element can have a buffer loop and a return loop at an upstream side of the stretch, the means for displacing shifting the return loop parallel to but opposite to the second direction from an initial position to a position for receiving the transferred flat piece on the second transporter.
Alternatively, the entire continuously driven conveyor element is displaceable parallel to but opposite to the second direction from an initial position toward the location and back along the second path for receiving a transferred flat piece on the second transporter.
Preferably, parallel to the first-mentioned conveyor element of the second transporter, are respective further conveyor elements forming a second continuously operating conveyor and disposed close to the conveyor elements which are shiftable between the initial position of the piece-receiving position. These additional conveyor elements can be driven at the same speed and in the same direction as the first-mentioned conveyor elements and entrain the piece to draw the return loop portion of the first conveyor elements back into the initial positions after they have received a piece of the web material.
With this construction the first conveyor element or conveyor elements can receive a piece of the web material from the clamping means at the upstream end of the second transporter
and the second conveyor elements close to the first conveying
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elements and preferably outwardly flanking same, can take over displacement of the piece to allow the piece to draw the return loop back into its initial position. As a result there is no significant relative movement between the first conveyor elements and the piece and the first conveyor elements are returned to the initial positions without slip between the first conveyor elements and the piece. Furthermore, it allows the return loop at least of each first conveyor element to be returned to the receiving position to pick up the next piece before the previous piece has fully cleared the return position. As a consequence, the successive pieces can be engaged by the first conveyor elements of the second transporter significantly earlier than can be the case in earlier systems and the pieces can be closer together as they are displaced by the conveyor elements of the second transporter.
Preferably both continuously operating1 conveyor elements are endless elements driven in a single direction and continuously.
The conveyor elements can be cog belts which mesh with cog wheels serving as deflection or idler rollers and as drive rollers.
The closely neighboring elements of the first and second conveyors can be provided with a common drive so that the drive serves to synchronize the two conveyor elements of each pair with one another and with the pair of other conveyor elements and to ensure that the stretches of all of the conveyor

elements described with the support are uniformly driven in the same direction.
When the conveyor element has a so-called buffer loop, the conveyor element can be looped aroiind two rollers, one of which can be fixedly located while the other can be moved back and forth parallel to the second plane.
The or each conveyor element can thus be provided with a first roller around which the return loop extends and is looped around a second roller and a third roller to form the buffer loop in the form of a double-backed portion of the conveyor element, the first roller and one of the second and third rollers being movable jointly for shifting of the return loop parallel to but opposite to the second direction from the initial position to the position for receiving the transferred flat piece on the second transporter.
According to another feature of the invention, the means for displacing at least an upstream part of the conveyor element includes an effector connected to a controller or controlled by a controller for detecting a pattern of the flat piece and a setpoint position of the flat piece under the stretch of the conveyor moving in the second direction.
According to still another feature of the invention the means for displacing at least an upstream part of the conveyor element includes an effector connected to a controller or controlled by a controller for detecting the position of one of

the flat pieces beneath the stretch of the conveyor element of the second transporter.
The position detection device can be a photo cell arrangement, a so-called light curtain, or some other contactless device or proximity sensor* The detection element can, for example, detect the passage of the trailing edge of the piece of the web or the leading edge of the next oncoming piece or in the case in which the first conveyor has its upstream end shiftable toward and away from the clamping means, the trailing edge of the piece engaged by the first conveyor to exactly position the edge vertically below the axis of rotation of the roller for the return loop. The next piece can thus be advanced to this edge so that, to the extent desired, gap-free or approximately gap-free transport of successive pieces is possible.
The invention also comprises an apparatus for forming and conveying flat pieces of a textile web which comprises:
a first transporter including a tongs engageable with a leading edge of a textile web and a transport slider for displacing the textile along a first path in a first direction in one plane;
separating means along the first path for severing flat pieces from the web whereby a succession of the flat pieces from the web are displaced along the first path in the first
direction;
i a second transporter defining a second path parallel to
the first path for receiving the flat pieces and displacing the

received flat pieces in a second direction in a second plane parallel to the one plane and spaced therefrom, and perpendicular to the first direction; and
clamping means engageable with the flat pieces at a Location along the first path for transferring the flat pieces to the second path for engagement by the second transporter, the clamping means including pairs of clamps engaging respective flat pieces inwardly of but close to opposite edges of the flat piece, the clamps being engageable with each flat piece in the plane of the first path, being shiftable with the engaged flat piece into the plane of the second path, and being shiftable toward and away from the second transporter, the second transporter being shiftable toward and away from the clamping means.
The two transporters can be located one above the other, therefore, and in the upper plane the pieces can be cut off, for example, by a circular blade or a cutting beam.
Prior to the cutting, the workpiece which is to be cut off from the web can be engaged by the clamping device. The clamping device can then transport the cut off piece of fabric into the second transport plane and in this plane can be advanced to the seconcl transporter. The cut off piece can be held close to its opposite edges and so that the edge portions of the cut off piece project slightly beyond the clamps. The clamps displace the cut off pieces and simultaneously, the second transporter can approach the clamping means from the opposite direction to pick up the pieces from the clamp.

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The projecting edge portions can then be engaged by the conveyors of the second transporter to carry off the cut off pieces. The upstream end of the conveyors and the clamp can then oe moved away from one another into the respective starting positions for the transfer of a cut off piece to the second bransporter. In this position the second transporter is spaced from the clamping means. This opposite movement of the second bransporter and the clamping device for the transfer pieces snsures that the leading edge of a subsequent piece will approach bhe trailing edge of a previous piece so that the succession of pieces is advanced in a quasi-gap-free or with minimum gap separation. With the invention, the possibility of damage to the workpieces by needles or the like is avoided.
Because of the proximity of successive pieces to one another the subsequent stations, for example sewing stations and/or seaming stations, can operate continuously with a high output.
Preferably, the second transporter comprises conveyor belts which are offset from alignment with the clamping members so that an overlap between the clamping members and the conveyor elements is possible at transfer of the pieces between the clamps and the conveyor elements.
The clamping bars and the transport conveyors should be closely adjacent one another so that the edges of the piece can be engaged by the transport conveyors while they are held in the

clamps in a gap-free or approximately gap-free manner from piece to piece.
The strip-like support which is juxtaposed with each conveyor element can be a planar support plane or table or a further conveyor. In this case the support can be formed by an endless continuously driven conveyor having a stretch juxtaposed with the aforementioned stretches of the conveyor element and displaced at the same speed and in the same direction as the latter.
Accordingly the present invention also relates to a method for transporting a flat article, stock web being held at the free end of the web by means of a first, discontinuously operating transport means and transferred as an isolated article to a second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel and horizontal to the transport plane of the first transport means and below this plane, and carried away by the said second transport means, the transport direction of the first transport means being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the web entering the first, upper transport plane and being held in a desired position, and isolated article being cut off from the web, being held at the margins by a clamping apparatus before being cut off or simultaneously, and transferred to the second, lower transport plane, then being displaced in the transport direction towards the second transport means, and either the second transport means being deflected, forming a loop, and being moved with its deflection end, which is directed counter to the transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position counter to the transport direction and back to the base position, or the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element with the deflection wheel and drive wheel being moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to this transport direction out of a base position into a transfer position and then back into the base position by means of a linear drive held firmly on the frame as the conveying elements of the second transport means run round in the transport direction, with the result that the isolated article is

transported away with its transverse marginal edge, which faces the second transport means, adjoining an article transported by the second transport means, the second transport means running forwards into the initial position in the transport direction (6) after the transfer of the article (1'), the article (V) being transported simultaneously, and the clamping apparatus (2) releasing the article (T) and running back into the initial position counter to the transport direction (6) and being moved back into the first, upper transport plane.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
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:
FIG. 1 is a side view partially in section of important elements of the apparatus of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 taken at a right angle about a vertical axis to the view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating a detail of the apparatus, namely, conveyor elements thereof;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the detail of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION
FIG, 1 of the drawing shows some of the basic elements of an apparatus for formation of pieces of a web material, especially pieces of a textile web, for transporting them initially by a first transporter and then for subsequently delivering them with a second transporter.
The apparatus basically comprises a first discontinu-ously operating transporter by means of which a textile web is drawn from a storage thereof (not shown), for example a roll, over a roller 7a and along a guide 7b, upwardly onto a table or
plate 7c. The leading edge can be engaged as will be described
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in greater detail hereinafter, to hold the web 1 taut in a first horizontal plane Plr whereupon the piece l' is cut off from the web and the web is displaced into a second horizontal plane P2,
r
parallel to the first plane, and advanced in a direction orthogonal to the direction of advance in the first plane. The individual pieces of fabric are represented at 1*.
The first transporter, as a whole, is represented at 5 and the first transport direction by the arrow 5a. To displace the web in this direction, a transport slider 7 is provided which has a shoe 7d which engages the fabric and, while the fabric is supported by the plate 7c, slides the fabric toward the transport tongs 4 whose fingers 4a can engage the leading edge of the web.
The transport direction of the second transporter has
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been represented by the arrow 6 in FIG. 2, this direction being perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1.

As has already been noted, the transport;planes Px and P2 for the two transporters, are parallel to one another and spaced one above the other. The transport direction 5a of the first transporter 5 extends parallel to the length of the web 1 while the transport direction 6 of the second transporter is transverse to the length of the web.
The first transporter is thus comprised of the transport slider 7 and the transport tongs 4, the transport tongs 4 being movable toward the transport slider 7 and away therefrom as represented by the arrow 8.
Between the transport slider 7 and the transport tongs 4, in the region of the transport slider 5, there is provided a separating device 9 which can be a shear or cutting blade system which can cut off a textile piece 1' from the web. The separating means 9 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a shear and the shear can be manually operated or can be a motor-driven slicing blade or a pneumatic or motor-driven cutting beam or the like. The textile pieces l1, after they have been separated from the web are displaced into the plane P2 of the second transporter.
The transfer means can include a clamping device 2 which can include two pair of clamping beams. One of the beams of each pair is provided above the textile web 1 and the other beam is provided below the textile web 1, the textile pieces being engaged between the clamping beams of the two pair to fix the pieces in the clamp formed thereby.

The clamping beams can be displaceable from the broken
line position shown in FIG, 1 to the solid line positions shown.
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The clamping beams engage the textile pieces at short distances from their lateral edges so these lateral edges which are oriented transversely to the transport direction 5 and represent the leading edge and the trailing edge of each piece in the first plane Px. project laterally beyond the clamping beams.
The clamping device 2 can be shifted into the plane P2 of the second transporter. In addition, the clamping device 2 with the clamping beams in this plane can be shifted toward the second transporter in this plane while the second transporter can at least in part be shifted to the clamp so that these elements approach one another and allow the transfer of the cut-off pieces to the second transporter.
The second transporter is comprised of transport belts 3, usually endless circulating belts. These belts have lower stretches which are juxtaposed with support surfaces 10. Since the clamping beams 2 are laterally offset from the proximal to the transport belts 3 as is apparent especially from FIG. 1, the beams 2 and conveyors 3 can overlap one another when they move together without interference or contact. Because of this arrangement, the transport belts 3 can engage the projecting lateral edges of the piece 1 to allow subsequent pieces l» to practically be contiguous with preceding pieces as they are advanced by the second transporter

As soon as the second transporter has engaged each textile piece with its belts 3 and has begun to transport it away, the clamping unit 2 is shifted back into position to obtain another fabric piece while the conveyor 3 is displaced into its initial position so that a further textile piece can be engaged and delivered to the second transporter. The movements of the units 2 and 3 and, of course, the individual parts thereof has been indicated by the double-headed arrows 11 in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The support surface 10 which is juxtaposed with the conveyor belts 3 and along which the piece 1 The tongs 4 and the clamping unit 2 can be pneumatically actuated. The transport belts 3 can be synchronously driven, for example, by electric motors or the like.
FIG. 5 shows the adjustment possibility of the entire conveyor 3 of the second transporter. The lower pass or stretch of the conveyor element 3 is parallel to the support 10 and runs around deflecting rollers 3a and drive rollers 3b. The lower stretch of the conveyor element 3 is parallel to the support surface.
To receive a textile piece l1, the complete conveyor unit 3 is shifted to the left (FIG. 2), for example, by means of

a linear actuator 28 which can for example be held on a housing 27. After or during the reception of a textile piece 1, the unit, which is contiguously driven as represented by the arrow 3c can be moved again to the right into its initial position (FIG. 5), the conveyor element 3 being continuously driven at a constant speed to advance the piece 1.
With this apparatus, it is possible to provide a method in which the individual workpieces or fabric pieces are advanced in a gap-free or with a limited gap to a further processing of the workpieces. The result is a close relationship between the successive pieces which maximize the delivery rate of the apparatus and allows subsequent operation stations to work more efficiently.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, the conveyors 3 are shown in greater detail, these conveyors being a key to at least one aspect of the invention. The pieces l1 are displaced parallel to the support surfaces 10 after they are transferred from the first transporter to the second transporter and each of the conveyors 3, which are transversely spaced as can be seen in FIG; 4, can comprise a continuously driven conveyor belt 12. The conveyors 3 have lower horizontal stretches each of which runs parallel to the displacement direction 6 along the respective strip-like support 10 against which the lower stretch 12a holds the respective edge of the fabric piece and draws the latter along the surfaces 10. The support surfaces 10 can be upper stretches of continuously

driven belts synchronized with the belts 12 and disposed below the belts 12. They can also be simple plates or tables.
Each of the conveyors 3 is formed with a buffer loop and has a return loop 14 extending around a roller 16. The roller 16 and hence the return loop Is movable back and forth in the direction of arrow 26. The region between the initial position of the return loop and the position closest to the clamp 2 can be considered a reception region for the second transporter.
Parallel to each conveyor 3 and flanking conveyors 3
outwardly thereof, are further conveyors 15 looped around rollers
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17 and guided by rollers 20 and 21. The conveyors 15 are driven by rollers 2 3 from motors 24.
The conveyor belts 15 grip the pieces,of fabric upwardly of the conveyors 3 and since their lower passes are synchronously driven with the lower passes 12a of the belts 12, the conveyors 15 draw the return loop region 15 and the rollers 16 into the direction of arrow 6 back into the initial position.
Thus both sets of conveyors 3 and 15 are, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, endless belt conveyors which are driven in the same direction. They may be formed by cog belts and the conveyors 3 can have rollers 16, 17, 18 and 19 in addition to the drive rollers 23. Guide rollers 22 and 22a can also be provided for the conveyors 3 (see FIG. 3).
Since all of the conveyors, namely, the conveyors 3 and the conveyors 15 which are closely adjacent the conveyors 3 on

the right and left sides thereof, respectively, are all driven by the same motors 24, they are all synchronized with one another.
The buffer loop arrangement shown at 13 for the conveyors 3 can be formed by rollers 25 which are movable in the direction of the double-headed arrow 26 and form doubled back portions of the belt 12 at the fixed rollers 18.
When an effector connected to the roller 16, for example, as represented at 16a, shifts the return loop 14 to the left, the roller 25 is similarly drawn to the left as the buffer loop shortens. The effector 16a can be controlled by a detector 16b which can be a light curtain or photo cell arrangement which can detect the position of the piece l1 in the region of the deflecting roller 16 or in the region of the roller 17 and can provide an input for the effector 16a. The detector 16b can respond to a leading or trailing edge of the workpieces.
During the displacement of the loop region 14 in a direction opposite to the transport direction 6, the roller+16 rotates more rapidly although the belt 12 of the conveyor 3 continues to operate at its original constant speed. Upon return of the loop 14 to its initial position, the roller 16 can rotate more slowly, again while the belt speed remains constant. The belt speed must be about 15 to 20 meters per minute.

WE CLAIM:
1. An Apparatus for transporting a flat article (1'), e.g. a section of a web (1) of textile material, paper, paperboard, plastic, sheet metal or a film, it being possible for the article to be transferred in a horizontal orientation from a first, discontinuously operating transport means (4,7) to a second transport means (12), characterized in that the second transport means essentially comprises a first handling unit (12) of the band, belt or chain type with at least one conveying element (3), or two conveying elements (3) spaced apart transversely to the conveying direction, each conveying element (3) being assigned a support surface (10) extending parallel to the conveying direction (6), on which the respective conveying element (3) is supported during its return motion, with parts of the article (1') in between, either each conveying element (3) of the first handling unit (12) is in each case deflected around a first deflection wheel (16) at its deflection end (14) directed counter to the transport direction (6), the upper strand of the conveying element (3), which runs towards this first deflection wheel (16), is deflected twice round a second and a third deflection wheel (25, 18), forming a loop (13), it being possible for the first deflection wheel (16) and the second deflection wheel (25), which is the closest to the first as regards the forward-running upper strand, to be moved jointly counter to the transport direction out of the base position into a transfer position and back into the base position, the lower strand running off in the transport direction being supported on the support surface (10), with the result that each conveying element (3) is deflected and guided in such a way, forming a buffer loop (13), that the deflection region (14) of the conveying element (3), the said deflection region being directed counter to the transport direction (6), can be moved parallel to the transport direction and counter to the transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position, taking along the conveying element (3), as the conveying element (3) runs round in the transport direction (6), or that the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element (3) with the deflection wheel and drive wheel can be moved parallel to the transport direction (6) and counter to the transport direction (6) of the conveying element (3) out of a base position into

a transfer position and then back into the base position as the conveying element (3) runs round in the transport direction (6), more specifically by means of a linear drive (28) held firmly on the frame.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein conveying element (15) of a second handling
unit is arranged parallel and adjacent to each of the conveying elements (3) of the first handling
unit (12), which conveying elements (15) of the second handling unit are operated in the same
transport direction and at the same speed as the conveying element (3) of the first handling unit
(12), and the deflection region (14) of the conveying elements (3) of the first handling unit (12)
can be moved back out of the transfer position into the base position in the transport direction by
virtue of the fact that the article (1') is transported in the conveying direction (6) by the
conveying elements (15) of the second handling unit, and the deflection region (14) of the first
handling unit (12) is supported on the article (V) and is taken along back into the base position at
transport speed by the article (1').
3. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein both handling units are designed in such a way that they run round in an endless loop.
4. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein both handling units have toothed belts as conveying elements (3, 15), which are in engagement with gearwheels as deflection wheels and drive wheels.
5. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the adjacent conveying elements (3, 15) of the first and second handling units are each driven by a common drive (24), the drives of the two pairs of conveying elements being operated synchronously and in the same direction.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the actuating drive for moving the conveying element or the deflection region (14) directed counter to the conveying direction is coupled to a device or controlled by a device by means of which the feeding of an article (1') and the desired position of the article (T) under the outgoing lower strand of the conveying element (3) of the first handling unit (12) can be detected.
7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the actuating drive for moving the conveying element (3) or the deflection region (14) directed counter to the conveying direction is coupled to a device or controlled by a device by means of which the position of an article (1') under the out-going lower strand of the conveying element (15) of the second handling unit can be detected.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the apparatus comprises the first, discontinuously operating transport means, by means of which a textile web (1) can be drawn off from a cloth store and the web's free end to be isolated is held, and the second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel to the transport plane and below the transport plane of the first transport means and has means for holding the isolated article (1'), the transport direction (5) of the first transport means being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction (6) of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the first transport device comprising a transport slider (7) for the web and transport tongs (4), it being possible to move the tongs (4) towards and away from the transport slider (7), a separating apparatus (9), by means of which the web (1) can be severed to produce an isolated article (1'), being arranged between the transport slider (7) and the transport tongs (4), it being possible, after or simultaneously with a separating cut and release from the first transport means, for the isolated article (1') to be transferred by a transfer means from the plane of the first transport means into the plane of the second and

transport means and fed to it, and the transfer means comprises a clamping device (2), by means of which the margins of the isolated article (1'), which are parallel to the transport direction (6) of the second transport means, can be clamped at a distance from its marginal edges in the plane of the first transport means and transferred into the plane of the second transport means by means of the clamping device (2), and the clamping device (2) can be moved towards and away from the second transport means, in the plane of the later, and the second transport means can be moved towards and away from the clamping device (2), allowing the free marginal edges of the article to be brought into engagement with the second transport means.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second transport means comprises conveying elements (3) in the form of transport belts, which are arranged on the outside in the transport direction, adjacent to the plane of alignment of the clamping device (2) described by the clamping device (2) during its movement, and which press the margin of the article against support regions (10) forming part of each of the two transport apparatuses.
10. Apparatus as claimed in claims 8 or 9, wherein the clamping device (2) comprises pairs of clamping bars.
11. Apparatus as claimed in claims 8 to 10, wherein the clamping device (2) and the transport apparatus can be moved closer together in such a way that the article (T) held by the clamping device (2) can be transferred by its margins to the transport apparatus, the transferred article (1') adjoining a previously transferred article (1') transported by the transport apparatus.
12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the support region (10) is formed by a flat support plate or a support table.
13. Apparatus as claimed in any one claims 1 to 11, wherein the support region (10) is formed by a further continuous-handling unit in each case.

14. Method for transporting a flat article (1'), stock web (1) being held at the free end of the web by means of a first, discontinuously operating transport means (4, 7) and transferred as an isolated article (V) to a second, continuously running transport means, the transport plane of which is parallel and horizontal to the transport plane of the first transport means (4, 7) and below this plane, and carried away by the said second transport means, the transport direction (5) of the first transport means (4, 7) being parallel to the longitudinal direction of the web, and the transport direction (6) of the second transport means being transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web, the web (1) entering the first, upper transport plane and being held in a desired position, and isolated article (V) being cut off from the web (1), being held at the margins by a clamping apparatus (2) before being cut off or simultaneously, and transferred to the second, lower transport plane, then being displaced in the transport direction (6) towards the second transport means, and either the second transport means being deflected, forming a loop (13), and being moved with its deflection end (14), which is directed counter to the transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position counter to the transport direction (6) and back to the base position, or the complete second transport means comprising each conveying element (3) with the deflection wheel and drive wheel being moved parallel to the transport direction (6) and counter to this transport direction (6) out of a base position into a transfer position and then back into the base position by means of a linear drive (28) held firmly on the frame as the conveying elements of the second transport means run round in the transport direction (6), with the result that the isolated article (1') is transported away with its transverse marginal edge, which faces the second transport means, adjoining an article (V) transported by the second transport means, the second transport means running forwards into the initial position in the transport direction (6) after the transfer of the article (1'), the article (1') being transported simultaneously, and the clamping apparatus (2) releasing the article (V) and running back into the initial position counter to the transport direction (6) and being moved back into the first, upper transport plane.

15. An Apparatus for transporting a flat article substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings.
16. A Method for transporting a flat article substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated with reference to the accompany drawings.

Documents:

618-MAS-1999 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS 05-12-2011.pdf

618-MAS-1999 FORM-1 03-06-1999.pdf

618-mas-1999 power of attorney.pdf

618-mas-1999-abstract.pdf

618-mas-1999-claims.pdf

618-mas-1999-correspondence others.pdf

618-mas-1999-correspondence po.pdf

618-mas-1999-description complete.pdf

618-mas-1999-drawings.pdf

618-mas-1999-form 1.pdf

618-mas-1999-form 26.pdf

618-mas-1999-form 3.pdf

618-mas-1999-form 6.pdf

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Patent Number

250267

Indian Patent Application Number

618/MAS/1999

PG Journal Number

51/2011

Publication Date

23-Dec-2011

Grant Date

21-Dec-2011

Date of Filing

03-Jun-1999

Name of Patentee

SCHMALE- HOLDING GmbH & CO.

Applicant Address

LINDHORSTSTRASSE 12 D-48607 OCHTRUP

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	PETER REINDERS	KREUZWEG 82 D-48607 OCHTRUP

PCT International Classification Number

D05B33/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	198 31 992.4-26	1998-07-16	Germany