US2218541A - Method of and apparatus for forming crown cap center spots - Google Patents

Description

I G 22. 1940' A. L. KRONQUEST METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CROWN CAP CENTER SPOTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11, 1938 A/frea L. KronqU-sf I ll .llvlllll Oct.22, 1940; A. KRONQUEST METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CROWN CAP CENTER SPOTS Filed oci. 11. 1958 4 Sheets-Shet 2 Q W A/f red L. Kronquest Oct. 22, 1940. A.. KRONQUEST METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMINGCROWN CAP CENTER SPOTS Filed Oct. ll, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W 5 W 30 n 0 r K 10 e r f A Oct. 22, 1 49- A. L. KRQNQUEST METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CROWN CAP CENTER SPOTS 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Oct. 11, 1938 QWLJW 21 m K L 0 uesi \Mu/ MJ/ Patented Oct. 22, 1946 v 2,218,541 I METHOD F AND APPARATUS non FORMING oRowNoAP o N'r nsroTs; Alfred L. Kronques t, Syracuse, N. 32., assi'gnor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, I v @N; 2., a corporation of New York Application Qctober '11, issaserial No. 234,496 r zfi o 'ims. 01. 164-89 i The invention relates generally to the art of assembling closure caps of thewell known spotted crown type and primarily seeks toprovide a novel method of and apparatus for formingthepenter 6 spots carried by the sealingpads contained in 'suchcaps. i t. i v Bottlesand other forms of containers for beer or similar beverages usually are sealed bycrown caps equipped with pads of corkpr other suit-, 10 able yieldable sealing material faced with liner disksof: aluminum or other foil or treatedpaper so as to'prevent direct contact between the beverage and the pad and also to prevent leakage of gases. Such disks preferably are of the center pspot type which are smaller indiameter than the ,padsso as to protect the beverage irompad con tact and yet permit sealing. contact tbetweenfthe container pouring neck and an annulus of the more efleotive sealing material of the pad.-

Various methods and apparatus havebeen developed for forming and affixing center spots and some, which have prgven 'veryefiective, havefen ployed rolled strip suppliesoi spot material coated with pheat fusible adhesive, heat beingapp'lied in render the adhesive soft or tacky andfpressure later being applied to set the applied spots;

In such methods and apparatus diniculties have been encountered in the handling of the adhesive bearing spot material, the ieedingl of thematerialand in the formation oi'the spots. To the remedying of these deficiencies my present inventiveefiorts'have been addressed; Among the objects of the invention is'to providea notelmethod of conditioning, feeding, and

forming spot material and spots .formed'therep from whichincludes, the chilling of the adhesive coated material, the feeding of the material and theformation of spots by reciprocable punches continuouslymoving in a circular path to which tangential relation.

40 the center line of the strip of spotma'terial bears Another object of the invention is tofprovid e a novel means for feeding a strip of spot material in amanner'for presenting aslack length of strip to the spot punching mechanism, which said meansmay include devices for chilling the strip to overcome any tendency of an adhesive coating on the strip to become prematurely tacky.

Anotherobjectof theinvention is to provide" 1 a novel spot punching turret which is continuous-- 1y rotated and carries a circle of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches, and means for moving the punches into and out of engagement with astrip offspot material havingitseenter line disposed tangentially of the circle of punch centers drawings.

for the purpose of punchingspots therefrom and for feeding said strip. v

, This application for Letters Patent is a continuation in, part'of my co-pending parent application SerialNo. 164,823, filed September 20,"!5

1937, and includes among its objects that of providinga novel means for feeding the tangentially disposed-spot material strip, including a feed roller continuously drivenat. a surface speed equal to the'lspee'dofv the translatory movementof the 1 punches and means effective to causesaid roller to feed thestrip .at 'intervals only.

o Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement of scrap feeding roller effective to feed away; the scrap strip ,by drag actionalone.

t Another object of the invention is to provide a pair ofspaced rollers'continuously driven at a surface speed corresponding with the speed of stranslatory movement of the punches and eiiectiveto dispose thestrip .with its center line tangentially of the circle of punch centers, one

'said roller being a strip feed roller and the other a scrapfeedlroller, and means engaging the strip between the strip feed roller and the punches and effective, to. yieldably resist feeding of the strip whereby upon completion of each'step feed of the strip occasioned by travelingpunchandstrip engagement said means will stop forward movement of the strip and cause the strip feed roller to first feedsa measure of slack and then rotate ineffectively in said slack. v. p v

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means forsupporting the formed spots.

With these and other objctshin view which willmore fully appear, thenature of theinven tion will be more fully understood by following the description, the appendedclaims, and'the several views illustrated in they accompanying In the drawings: 7 Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying *1 the invention;

Figure 2 is 'a vertical longitudinal section taken 2 through the turret axes;

Figure 3 is a' detail'vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic'vertical section similar to FigureB and illustrating a modified form of the invention. 1

Figure 5 is'a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the parts shown in Figure 4. i 4

Figure 6 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line '6 6 on Figure is i carrying and applying plunger 24 which is rethe table and including a ring portion H.

rear [2.

The apparatus disclosed in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings and which constitutes one form of apparatus which I have devised in the practical development of the invention, comprises a divisible part of the complete apparatus disclosed in my parent application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 164,823, filed September 20, 1937, as illustrative of an example of mechanism adaptable tothe practicing-of my improved method of spotting crown caps, and embodying a table 5, a punch turret A on which the center spots are formed and applied, to the crown caps, a transfer turret B, and a spot setting turret C to which the assembled and center spotted crown caps are delivered by the transfer turret and on which presser plungers engage the center spots and serve to permanently secure them to the cap pads to which they are applied.

The turrets A, B and C rotate about vertical axesabove the table 5, as shown in Fig. 2, and

the turret A is supported upon a shaft 6 rotatable in' a bearing 1 'formedin the table and in a vertically alined bearing; 8 form'ed'in a casting 9 'stationarily supported as at IU above The turret A proper comprises a rotor l2secured upon the shaft 6 and providedadjacent its peripheral operates with a die opening in a die ring or plate l5 removably secured to the rotor l2 as shown in Fig, 2. Each .p'unch element also passes through anindividualguard and stripper finger '16 which overlies the ring IS in adjacent but spaced relation and which includes a vertical leg 'adjustably secured as at l! in the grooveway 18 provided therefor infthe peripheral face of the At its upper end, each'punchsleeve is externally threaded as atv l9 and' isvertically adjustable in'an individual clamp head 20 carrying an 'actuatorroller 2i movable 'in' a cam groove 22 forr'ned in the peripheral face of the casting ring ll It will be obvious that by inserting a suitable "tool in one'of the receivin sockets 23 provided in a punch sleeve, thesleeve can'be rotated to adjust the relation of its cuttingfiend and the cooperating die plate aperture. v

Each of the punch sleeves l4 carries a spot ciprocable in and through. the sleeve bore independently of movement of said sleeve. These plungers have flared lower ends 25 andthe sleeves are recessed at their lower'ends to receive said flared ends. At its upper end, each plunger 24 is shouldered, and secured an actuator nut head 26, to an individual valve block 21 having an arouate face 28 machined to snugly' engage the peripheral faceof the ring I I and partake of movements of rotationand reciprocation thereon. An air duct 29 is formed in and through each plunger 24 and its associated block 21, and

these ducts areadapted to communicate, during certain intervals with a suction duct 30 formed in and extending a distance about the ring I I as shown in Figure 1. The suction duct is constantly evacuated through a pipe line 3| leading to any suitable exhausting mechanism (not shown). At other intervals the ducts 29 cooperate with a pressure duct 32 similarly formed in the ring II and connected by a, pipe line 33 with any suitable source of air under pressure (not shown).

A counterbore 34 is formed in the upper end of each sleeve l4, and a spring 35 is coiled about the respective plunger 24 and engages at its respective ends with the valve block 21 and the counterbore end so as to tend to force the plunger and sleeve of the unit in opposite directions, the sleeve downwardly and the plunger upwardly. The cam groove 22 resists the downward movement of the sleeves l4, and movement upward of the plungers 24, under urge of the springs 35, is resisted by a cam ring 36 secured as at 31 upon the casting ring II and having a cam surface 38 engaged by the actuator nut heads 26 of the plungers for the purpose of controlling the positions of said plungers.

- The crown caps 4| to which the formed spots are applied are fed into the machine as at 42,

have the spots applied thereto, and are transcharged, all as described in detail in the parent case disclosure hereinbefore referred to. Since the pneumatic controls, heat application,- the spot applying, cap transferring, and the spot pressing features form no part of the invention herein claimed, and are described in detail in the parent case, further detailed description of these features is thought to be unnecessary here- The spot setting turret C rotates wih a vertical ly disposed shaft 50 rotatable in a bearing 5| formed in the table 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

A strip .66 of heat fusible adhesive coated foil is fed from a supply roll (not shown) by an opposed pair of positively driven feed rollers 61,

one of which is cooled by a suitable chilling medium so as to prevent the foil strip becoming tacky prior to the punch-forming function thereupon.

One means for so cooling the adhesive strip comprises a cooling liquid bath 68 in which the lower feed roller dips as shown in Fig. 3. Between the ,feed rollers 61 and the punching or spot forming station the fed strip 66 is engaged by a drag roll equipment 69 which retards the strip and provides 'a slack portion therein. These roller equipments present a strip portion 10 with its center line tangentially of the circle of punch unit centers and between the die plate I5 and overlying stripper fingers I6 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. with if desired and the strip portion 10 fed at the same speed at which the punch units travel through the feed sector hereinafter referred to.

The chilling medium or cooling liquid bath 68 herein referred to may be water or any other liquid which will effect the desired cooling of the heat fusible adhesive on the strip 66 without dissolving or softening said adhesive. Substantially all heat fusible adhesives are non-soluble in water, and because of its availability and cheapness,

continuously, and in forming the spots the punch sleeves are serially reciprocated through the tangentially disposed foil strip at the place indicated, By thus reciprocating the punch units during rotation of the turret, each unit remains in the The rollers 69 can be dispensed the strip without imparting to the strip objection- 'able tearing strains.

strip; during an interval of travel I and I thus imparts afeed movement to the' slack portion of the strip; The cam groove I 22 includes a portion so positioned and shaped as to impart the desired reciprocation to each passing punch unit, and

this movement of, reciprocation is so timed with respect to the movement of rotation of the turret that each feedmovement imparted: to the strip portion 'IIl exceeds onlyslightly the diameter of the formed spots as shown in1Fig; 1. The sector of turret circumference in which thestrip feed occurs is indicated at 13 in Fig. 1, and itlwill be noted that the sector is centered ona line drawn radially from the center of the turret and bearing normal or right angular relation to the tangentially disposed strip portion 10. In this manner it is possible to utilize the punch units to feed The flared head 25 of each plunger 24 engages the 'end of the associated punchsleeve I4 and the plungers are moved with the sleeves during each. spot-punch reciprocation thereof.

wThe cam surface 38 of the cam ring 36is so shaped that it causes the plungers 24 to start movingdown outof the associatedpunch sleeves at"; just after theplungershavecleared the foilstrip, portion I0. r

Any suitable means maybeemployed for im parting continuous rotation to the turrets A, B

and 0. As an example, I have shown a' drive shaft BI equipped with a worm 82 for imparting rotation to a worm wheel 83 carried by the shaft 50 of the turret-C. Rotationof the shaft 50 may be transmitted'to the turrets B and A by intermeshing spur gears 84, 85 and 85 mounted respectively on the shafts 59; and 6..

A worm 81 may be mounted on the shaft BI to impart rotation, through the worm wheel 88, shaft 89, worm 90 and worm wheel 9 I, to the strip feeding rollers 61. the rollers 61 merely draw off the foil strip from the supply roll and present it, as before stated,

I in a given relation to the punch units, thus relieving the punch units of the effort of so drawing off the strip. The real feeding of the strip, however,

is occasioned by the combined reciprocatory and translatory movement of the punch units.

InFigures 4, and 6of the drawings, I have illustrated a modified form of spot material strip positioning and feeding equipment. In these figures I have diagrammatically indicated the circle of punches as at 95, the punch units being designated 96; The punch actuators are diagrammatically illustrated at 91 and the control cam 98. Each punch unit includes a punchsleeve 99 and a suction plunger I00 reciprocablewithin the sleeve, and the punch units are reciprocable in equidistantly spaced vertical bores in a turret IGI rotatable about its axis so as to impart continuous translatory movement to the punch units 96 about the punch circle or orbital path indicated at 95 in Figure 5. j l I The punches cooperate with die blocks I02 re movably secured as at I93 in the supporting ring I04 carried by the turretand composed of upper and lower sectionsspaced as at I05 to accommodate the tangentially disposed spot material strip.

A formed spot supporting sector I06 is adjustably supported as at I01 on the machine framing I08. The framing also supports table portions I99 over which the spot material strip is fed in the manner illustrated inFigure 4.

Just in advance of the sector in which the turret punches effectively engage the spot material strip I said roller. See Figure 4. A scrap drag roller I I8 cooperates It is to be understood that for the purposeof feeding the same andpunching spots therefrom, is mounted a spring pressed strip stop finger I III. The finger H0 is pivotally supported upon the' framing as at III and is spring pressed to yieldably hold the strip against the underlying'tablepo-rtion I09. Thedegree of compression'of the finger spring may be adjusted by the means illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings and: generally designated I I2.

. The aluminum foil or other spot material strip H4 and about a strip feed roller H5. It will be observed by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings that the rollers I I4 and I I5 are'so related that the spot material strip is carried in a loop about the feed roller H5: and in position for frictionally engaging at least 200 of the circumference of said feed roller.

A stripper'blade I I6 is adjustably supported as at I I1 upon the framing and extends into engagement with the" feed roller II5 for the purpose of overcoming any tendency of the strip to adhere to withthe feed roller: I I5 in positioning the'strip tangentially of the punch circle 95. Rotation is imparted to the feed roller I i 5 by any suitable gearing connection generally designated H9, and the rotation of the roller I I5 is imparted to the roller I I8 by suitable transmission connections I20.

I I8are driven at the same surface speed and that of its circumference and by this means imparts sufiicient drag to the free end of the strip to support it in the position illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of: the drawings. The drag roller II8 does not actually impart any. feeding movement to the strip I2I.

. In this form of the invention, and in the form previously. described, the actual feeding of the strip I2I is accomplished by the punch units 96 which are moved continuously about the punch circle 95 and move into engagement with, through and then out of engagement with the strip I2I while movingbodily through the sector indicated' at 13 in Figure l of the drawings. By reason=of the engagement of the units with the strip I 2| through the sector I3, feeding movement is imparted by said units to said strip. The stop finger II I), under spring tension, rests on the strip I2I and allows no slack to occur between the stop finger and the effective punch unit. Each time the eifective punch unit disengages the strip upon completion of its travel through the sector I3, the finger. I III will stop forward movement of the strip and the roller II8 will drag freely beneath the free end of the strip.

. Each time forward movement of the strip is thus stopped by the finger III], the continuously rotatingfeed roller H5 is caused to first form a measureof slack in that portion of the strip looped; about the roller l I5 between the roller I. Iii

iscfed from a supply reel I I3 over an idler roller It is to be understood that the rollers H5 and I in the slack loop I23 thus formed.

' As the punch unit next effective moves into engagement with the strip l2! it will impart a step movement thereto while passing through the sector I3, and during the initial portion of this step feed movement of the strip the slack loop I23 will tighten about the roller I I5 and again render this roller effective for another feeding interval until the strip is again stopped by the finger I I0 when the slack forming operation above described will be repeated. i

In the spot forming and controlling means disclosed in the parent case, and in Figures 1 to 3 herein, the spots were pneumatically held and carried by the suction plungers immediately upon formation of the spots. This control of the spots is subject to change, and in some cases it might be desirable to have the spots attached to the suction or carrier plungers I00 only after the punch units 96 have moved away from thespot material strip l2l. In such cases the formed spots will fall upon and be supported on and dragged along the spaced ribs of the sectorlOG until they are engaged by and become pneumatically attached to said plungers.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the manner of practicing my improved spot forming method, and the manner of constructing and operating my improved spot forming apparatus will be well understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. In a method of forming crown cap pad facing liner disks from a strip of material bearing a heat fusible adhesive not soluble in water, the steps of first subjecting the strip to the chilling effect of contact with cool water, and then punching disks from the strip while it remains so chilled.

2. In apparatus for forming crown cap liner I disks, the combination of a forming punch, means including a pair of rollers for feeding a strip of liner disk material toward the punch to be engaged thereby, said strip being coated with a heat fusible adhesive not soluble in water, one said roller being immersed in cooling water and serving to wet the strip with the water to render it non-tacky.

3. In apparatus for forming crown cap center spots, the combination of a spot forming punch,

means for feeding a strip of spot material toward the punch, means positioned between the feeding means and the punch for imparting a drag on the strip to provide a slack portion between the feeding means and the punch, means for reciprocating the punch to cut spots from the strip, and means for moving the punch bodily and continuously in an orbital path including the general direction of the length of the strip whereby to impart feed movement to the strip slack portion during the interval of engagement between punch and strip.

4. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, means for feeding a strip of spot material, means for imparting a drag on the fed strip to provide a slack portion, a punch, and means for reciprocating the punch through the strip and for moving the punch bodily and continuously in an orbital path including the general direction of the length of the strip whereby to form spots and impart feed movement to said slackened strip portion.

5. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed withtheir collective axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means fordisposing a strip 'of spot material beneath the punches and with its center line tangentially of said circle, and means for continuously rotating the circle of punches about an axis disposed perpendicularly to the plane occupied by said strip and for serially reciprocating the punches to cause successive punches to form spots and impart step-by-step feed movement to the strip during each punching operation.

6. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their collective axes of reciprocation arrangedin a circle, means for feeding a strip of spot material toward the punches withv its center line tangentially of said circle, means for forming a slack portion in said strip between the feeding means and the punches, and means for continuously rotating the circle of punches about an axis disposed perpendicularly to the plane occupied by said strip and for serially' reciprocating the punches to cause successive punches to form spots and impart feedmovement to the slack portion of the strip during each punching operation.

'7. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a

plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their collective axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means for feeding astrip of liner disk material toward the" punches with its center line tangentially of said circle, said strip being coated with a heat fusible adhesive not soluble in water, means for forming a slack portion in said strip between the feeding means and the punches, means for continuously rotating the circle of punches about an axis disposed perpendicularly to the plane occupied by said strip and for serially reciprocating the punches to cause successive punches to form spots and impart feed movement to the slack portion of' the strip during each punching operation, said strip feeding means including a pair of feed rollers, and means for bathing one of the rollers in cooling water to be applied thereby to said strip.

8. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their collective axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means for disposing a strip of spot material beneath the punches and with its center line tangentially of said circle, means for continuously rotating the circle of punches about an axis disposed perpendicularly to the plane occupied by said strip, and means for serially reciprocating the punches in timed relation to cause successive punches to form spots and impart feed movement to the strip during each punching operation and in steps each exceeding only slightly the diameter of the formed spots.

9. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their collective axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means for disposing a strip of spot material beneath the Miami d interval of puhchand'strip contact on a line drawn radially from the center of said circle and bearing right"angular relation *to the =length of said-"strip. 5 l'.--Inapparatus of the character described, a continuously driven feed roller, a strip of spot materialdooped about a portion of said roller to frictionally engage the roller and be fed therebyppunch means, and means for imparting 1i) translatory and reciprocatory movement to said punch meansto cause it to punch spots from said strip and to impart successivestep feed movements tosaid strip, said feed roller being disposedin advanceof said punch means whereby 1.) thestrip loop willbe slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again broughtinto feed engagementwith the feed rollor following initiation of each step movement of go' the strip.

11. In apparatus of the character described, punch means continuously movedin an orbital path and reciprocated for punching purposes while being moved, astrip feed roller, and means 25 *including an idler roller for supporting a strip of spotmaterial in position for being engaged by said punch means for having spots punched therefrom and step feed movements imparted thereto; and with aloop thereof about at least 6 2 0090: the circumference of the feed roller, said feed roller. being disposed in advance of said punchmeans whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective uponcompletionof each step movement of the 35"strip and saidwloop againbrought intofeed en- Easement with the feed rollerfollowing initiation of .each'stepmovement ofthe strip.

12. Iniapparatus of the. character described, punch; means :continuously moved in an orbital pathand, reciprocated for punching purposes feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material in positionrfor being engaged by said punch means for having spots punched therefrom and stepfeed v; movementsimpartedthereto by said punch means and with a loop thereof about the feed roller, said feed roller being disposed in advance of said punch means whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the-feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of 50 the strip and said loop again brought-into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip.

13. In apparatus of the character described, r punch means continuously moved in an orbital path and reciprocated for punching purposes while being moved, means including a strip feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material in position for being engaged by said punch means for having spots punched therefrom and step 60 feed movements imparted thereto by said punch means and with a loop thereof about the feed roller, said feed roller being disposed in advance of said punch means whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, and a scrap feed roller over which the punched portion 70 of the strip is freely suspended whereby said punched portion is yieldably dragged from said punch means. I

14. In apparatus of the character described, punch means continuously moved in an orbital 7 path and reciprocated for punching purposes while beingmoved, and means including a strip while'being moved, means including a stripv feed roller for supporting a strip of 'spotmaterial in position for being engaged by said punchmeans for having spots punched therefrom and step feed movements imparted thereto by said punch 5 means and with a loop thereof about the feed roller, said feed roller being disposed in advance of saidpunch means whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step move- 10 ment of the strip andfsaid loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, and a scrap feed roller over which the 7 punched portion of the strip is freely suspended whereby said punched portion is yieldably dragged from said punch means, said rollers being driven at a like surface speed'corresponding to the speed of orbital path movement of said punch means.

15.In apparatus of the character described, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means including a strip feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material tangentially of said circle and beneath said punches whereby the punches will successively move through along with and out of the strip to punch spots from and impart step feed movements to said strip and with a loop of said strip about said 39 of the strip.

16. In crown cap center spotting apparatus, a

plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable 40 punches disposed with their collective axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means for disposing a strip of spot material beneath the punches and tangentially of said circle, means for continuously rotating the circle of punches and for serially reciprocating the punches to cause successive punches to form spots and impart ste'p-by-step feed movement to the strip during each punching operation, and an arcuate supporting sector disposed beneath the punches and aligned with said circle for receiving and supporting spots formed by said punches.

1'7. In apparatus of the character described, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means including a strip feed roller and a scrap feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material tangentially of said circle and beneath said punches whereby the punches will successively move through along with and out of the strip to punch spots from and impart step feed movements to said strip and with a loop of said strip about said feed roller, said feed V roller being disposed at the strip approach side of said punches whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, and said scrap feed roller being disposed beyond said punches and having the punched portion of the strip freely suspended thereover whereby said punched portion is yieldably dragged from said punch means.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means including a strip feed roller and a scrap feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material tangentially of said circle and beneath said punches whereby the punches will successively move through along with and out of the strip to punch spots from and impart step feed movements to said strip and with a loop of said strip about said feed roller, said feed roller being disposed at the strip approach side of said punches whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, and said scrap feed roller being disposed beyond said punches and having the punched portion of the strip freely suspended thereover whereby said punched portion is yieldably dragged from said punch means, said rollers being driven at a like surface speed corresponding to the speed of movement of the punches about said circle.

19. In apparatus of the character described, a continuously driven feed roller, a strip of spot material looped about a portion of said roller to frictionally engage the roller and be fed thereby,

punch means, means for imparting translatory and reciprocatory movement to said punch means to cause it to punch spots from said strip and to impart successive step feed movements to said strip, said feed roller being disposed in advance of said punch means whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, and means disposed between said feed roller and said punch means for yieldably gripping said strip to arrest movement thereof upon completion of each step movement of said strip.

20. In apparatus of the character described, a

continuously driven feed roller,.a-str1p of spot materiallooped about a. portion of said roller to frictionally engage the roller and be fed thereby, punch means, means for imparting translatory and reciprocatory movement to said punch means to cause it to punch spots from said strip and to impart successive step feed movements to said strip, said feed rollerbeing disposed in advance of said punch means Wherebythe strip loop will,

be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineifective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of each step movement of the strip, means disposed between said feed roller and said punch means for yieldably gripping said strip to arrest movement thereof upon completion of each step movement of said strip, and means disposed beyond the punch means to constantly engage the punched portion of the strip in wiping contact to draw it away from said punch means.

21. In apparatus of the character described, a plurality of equidistantly spaced reciprocable punches disposed with their axes of reciprocation arranged in a circle, means including a strip feed roller for supporting a strip of spot material tangentially of said circle and beneath said punches whereby the punches will successively move through along with and out of the strip to punch spots from and impart step feed movements to said strip and with a loop of said stripv about said feed roller, said feed roller being disposed at the strip approach side of said punches whereby the strip loop will be slackened and the feed roller rendered ineffective upon completion of each step movement of the strip and said loop again brought into feed engagement with the feed roller following initiation of eachstep movement of the strip, and means including a spring urged stop finger disposed between said feed roller and said punch means for yieldably gripping said strip to arrest movement thereof upon completion of each step movement of said strip.

ALFRED L. KRONQUEST.

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