Abstract:
Sheath-core bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a low-cost, high strength, thermoplastic material, preferably polypropylene or polybutylene terephthalate, completely covered with a sheath formed of polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof are produced, preferably melt blown to an average diameter of 12 microns or less, and formed into a self-sustaining, three-dimensional, porous element having various applications, principally as an ink reservoir element for a marking or writing instrument, although the porous element may also find utility as a tobacco smoke filter. Other forms of the product have utility in diverse applications where its excellent capillary, absorption and filtering properties are advantageous. The resultant products retain or improve upon the desirable features and processing capabilities of conventional elements, but are substantially less expensive, requiring less high cost polyester for equivalent or better properties.
Abstract:
A method of and apparatus for the production of wicking tips for pens and markers in which the blanks, pointed at their ends, are first notched on opposite sides and are then cut through between the notches to form two tips from each blank. The invention simplifies the sharpening and dressing required of the tools which are used.
Abstract:
A machine is shown which assembles a barrel, spring, piece of lead, lead plunger, barrel tip and eraser into an automatic pencil. The steps of assembly include: Pressing the lead plunger onto the lead. Placing the plunger and lead into the spring and tapping the plunger to turn its extending tabs into the coils of the spring. Placing the plunger, lead and spring into the barrel. Extending the spring from the barrel and pressing the barrel tip onto the spring and then pressing the tip into the barrel. Pressing the eraser into the barrel.
Abstract:
An ink reservoir element for use in a marking instrument is disclosed, which combines good ink holding capacity and good ink release properties with a wide variety of inks. The ink reservoir element is formed from a coherent sheet of flexible thermoplastic fibrous material, such as a spunbonded polyester fabric or a foam-attenuated extruded polyester fabric, which has been uniformly embossed with a series of parallel grooves. The embossed sheet is compacted and bonded into a dimensionally stable rod-shaped body whose longitudinal axis extends parallel to the embossed grooves. A method and apparatus is disclosed for continuous production of the ink reservoir elements from a continuous web of the fibrous sheet material.
Abstract:
A vibrating device for uniformly filling granular ornaments includes a base, a vibration platform, a motor, a first vibrating assembly for generating vibration in an up-down direction, and a second vibrating assembly for generating vibration in a left-right direction. The vibration platform is articulated at the base and provided with multiple through-holes for holding workpieces, such as pen caps. The motor is fixedly mounted at the base. The first vibrating assembly and the second vibrating assembly both are provided between the motor and the vibration platform. The motor drives the first vibrating assembly to make the vibration platform vibrate in the up-down direction, and at the same time drives the second vibrating assembly to make the vibration platform vibrate in the left-right direction. Thus, granular ornaments can fill the cavities of pen caps located within the through holes in the vibration platform.
Abstract:
An ink pen, particularly a roller type marker, includes a pen body provided with a fibrous body ink reservoir for holding ink, and a pen tip is provided on the pen body for drawing ink from the ink reservoir. The fibrous body ink reservoir is composed of a gathered bundle of unbonded continuous false twist stretch yarn fibers having twist and curl which are oriented generally parallel to one another and which entangle one another and are sufficiently randomly oriented with one another so as to form a strong tangled fibrous mass having high capillarity for good ink-holding properties while preventing leakage. The ink reservoir can be used with a film overwrap or extruded coating layer.
Abstract:
Coating of the surface of a pencil barrel with a coat film having a sufficient thickness and smoothness can be well achieved by using a hot-melt polyester as a coating material. The formation of the desired coat film on the pencil barrel can be attained even by only a single coating operation. The coat film of hot-melt polyester formed on the surface of the pencil barrel has an excellent affinity for and an improved adhesion to not only a pencil barrel but also to a lacquer if any lacquer is additionally coated on the polyester-coated pencil barrel. Any organic solvent need not be used, and the coating operation can be completed in an extremely short time. Therefore, the method of the present invention is very advantageous from the viewpoints of prevention of environmental pollution and enhancement of productivity.
Abstract:
The disclosure introduces a new concept in machining; that of the non-captive tool. A non-captive tool is herein defined as one which may undergo bodily movement, transversely of its own axis, relative to both the tool bearing structure which supports the tool in working position and a tool support structure which supports the tool in a non-working position adjacent the bearing structure. The non-captive tool is unrestrained against the aforesaid bodily movement except during that time the tool is actually working and, while working, the restraint imposed is due to engagement with the tool driving means. Accordingly, removal of the tool driving means from engagement with the tool frees the same for bodily movement which movement may, advantageously, be integrated with the movement of the tool driving means out of engagement with the tool. The disclosure is directed to methods and apparatus for automatically interchanging a plurality of non-captive rotary tools between working and non-working positions; for effecting tool interchange concomitantly with respective engagement and disengagement of working and non-working tools with a constantly driven input; for effecting infinitely variable infeed of the working tools; for automatically positioning a workpiece in accordance with pre-programmed operating cycles controlling a tool changer; for performing machining operations with a tool having a compound rotary input; and for transmitting a programmed cycle of operation from a master machining console to a plurality of slave machining centers. The working and non-working tools in accordance with a first aspect of the invention relating to a tool changer are noncaptively supported, in a horizontal position, on Vee bearings and a tool support rack, respectively. The tools are mounted on spindles which are adapted to be supported adjacent their outer ends on the support rack and at an intermediate portion thereof on the bearings. The bearings are of the Vee type and provide non-captive support for the tool spindles supported thereon to permit both rotary and reciprocating movement of the tools. Relative vertical movement between the rack and bearings results in an interchange of tools therebetween by virtue of the tools being lifted from either the bearings or the rack, depending on the direction of vertical movement. At least one flexible driving member is constantly recirculated adjacent the bearings and is mounted for vertical movement with the tool support rack for movement into and out of driving engagement with the working tools simultaneously with the aforementioned tool interchanging operation. A linearly reciprocable cam follower is mounted adjacent each tool bearing in coaxial alignment with that end of the tool spindle remote from the working end; whereby reciprocating and/or advancing movement of the followers will be transmitted through one end thereof to the working tools. An elongated cone cam is positioned to engage the other ends of the followers and reciprocate the same upon rotation of the cone. The cone is, additionally, mounted for axial translation to provide for controlled advance of the followers and tools engaged thereby. Simultaneous rotation and translation of the cone results in a constantly advancing reciprocating path of tool movement. A work station is positioned adjacent each of the Vee bearings and includes a work clamping and indexing mechanism whose sequence of operation is integrated with, and controlled by, the operating cycles undergone by the tool chaNging mechanism. A tool having a pair of telescoped spindles, each of which is adapted to receive a separate rotary input, is provided for use in certain special machining operations. A second cone cam is mounted outside the confines of the tool changing mechanism for reciprocating one or a plurality of followers comprising the input to a closed hydraulic slave system whose output is adapted to actuate additional tools.
Abstract:
A POROUS POINT PEN ASSEMBLY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RADIALLY AND AUTOMATICALLY ASSEMBLING A PEN, THE APPARATUS INCLUDES A ROTATABLE INDEX DRUM FOR SUPPORTING PEN BARRELS, A SECOND DRUM FOR SUPPORTING POROUS WICKS OR RESERVOIRS IN THE SPLIT BUSHING SO AS TO ACCOMODATE WICKS OF VARYING DIAMETER, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING INK TO EACH WICK SO AS TO PROVIDE COMPLETE SATURATION THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR INSERTING THE WICK INTO THE DRUM, SUPPLYING A TIP TO THE PEN BARREL, STAKING THE TIP TO THE PEN BARREL, AND PEROFRMING THESE ASSEMBLY OPERATIONS IN TIMED SEQUENCE SO AS TO PTODUCE A PARTIALLY ASSEMBLY POROUS POINT PEN.