Apparatus for joining sheets of paper or the like

Abstract

 Apparatus for joining sheets of paper comprises a table (22) for supporting two sheets of paper laid one on top of the other, a reciprocable cutter (20) having two cutting elements (30, 32) arranged to enter respective apertures (40, 42) in the table (22) on each cutting stroke so as to cut pairs of aligned flaps (114,118) in the sheets, feeding means (74, 80) for feeding the sheets over the table (22) so that the flaps (114) of one pair engage the edge of the corresponding aperture (40) in the table and are folded back to a position in which they overlie the flaps (118) of the other pair, and a reciprocable member (60) arranged to tuck the folded flaps (114) into the apertures in the sheets left by the other flaps (118), to lock the sheets together. The sheets are fed over the table (22) between successive cutting operations so that the sheets are joined together along a straight or curved line.
The apparatus may be made to resemble a toy sewing machine, the cutter (20) being surrounded by a housing 90 with only a small gap between the housing and the table (22) to allow the insertion of sheets of paper. The toy is easier and safer for a young child to operate than a conventional toy sewing machine.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to apparatus for joining sheets of paper or the like.

[0002] More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a toy which can be used to join together two sheets of paper along a straight or curved line and which can be made to resemble a sewing machine.

[0003] Conventional toy sewing machines are not suitable for very young children, because the operations required to set up the machine, for example in feeding the thread from a reel to the needle and in threading the needle, are relatively difficult for-a young child, and there is a risk of the child catching its finger with the needle.

[0004] The present invention consists in apparatus for joining sheets of paper and the like, comprising a table for supporting two or more sheets of paper laid flatwise against one another, a cutter reciprocable relative to the table and adapted in each cutting operation to cut aligned apertures in the sheets and to cut flaps in the sheets adjacent the apertures, means operable after each cutting operation to fold the flaps out of the plane of the sheets and to tuck the ends of the flaps through the aligned apertures thereby to fasten the sheets together, and means for feeding the sheets stepwise over the table between successive cutting operations.

[0005] The apparatus can be made to resemble in appearance a conventional sewing machine, with the cutter replacing the needle. The toy can then be operated to join two sheets of paper or the like in a similar manner to sewing together pieces of fabric with a sewing machine. Since no setting up is required, the toy is easier for a young child to operate. The cutter can be surrounded with a housing, leaving only a gap large enough to insert the sheets of paper but too small to allow the child's fingers to enter, so that there is no danger of injury to the child from the cutter.

[0006] The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for joining sheets of paper or the like, in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus with parts cut away,

Figure 3 is a plan view of sheets of paper or the like, showing cuts made by the cutter in operation of the apparatus,

Figures 4 to 6 illustrate diagrammatically the cutting, tucking and feeding mechanisms of the apparatus at different points in the cycle.of operations,

Figure 7 is a side elevation on a larger scale of the cutter of the apparatus,

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the cutter,

Figure 9 is a section on line IX-IX of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a plan view on a larger scale of the cutter plate of the apparatus, and

Figure 11 shows diagrammatically, on a larger scale a cross-section through sheets of paper joined together by the apparatus.

[0007] Referring to the drawings, toy apparatus for joining two sheets of paper or the like is designed to resemble in appearance a conventional sewing machine. The apparatus has a hollow base 10 and a hollow head 12 supported by a column 14 at one end of the base. The head extends over the base 10 to define an opening to receive the sheets of paper. The upper face 16 of the base 10 forms a flat table on which the sheets of paper can be supported. The apparatus has a vertically reciprocating cutter 20 which co-operates with a plate 22, set into the face 16 of base 10, to cut two flaps and apertures in the sheets of paper, as described below, a tucking mechanism 24 for folding and tucking the flaps through one of the apertures, a feed mechanism 74 for feeding the sheets of paper over the table, and a drive mechanism operated by a handle 119 for driving the cutter, tucking and feeding mechanisms.

[0008] The cutter 20 comprises a bar of steel or other suitable material, of rectangular cross-section and slidable vertically in guides formed in the head 12. At its lower end the cutter is divided by a vertical slot 28 into two cutting elements 30 and 32. The cutting elements project, in the lowermost position of the cutter, into respective rectangular apertures 40 and 42 in the plate 22. Cutting element 30 is shaped to provide inclined cutting edges 31 which co-operate with the edges of aperture 40 to cut through sheets of paper along three sides 110 of a rectangle, leaving one shorter side ll2 uncut, so as to form a flap 114 in each sheet (Figure 3). The other cutting element 32 is similarly shaped to provide inclined cutting edges 33 which co-operate with the edges of aperture 42 to cut the sheets of paper along three sides 115 of a rectangle, leaving the shorter side 116 uncut to form flaps 118. The uncut sides 112 and 116 of the two rectangles are parallel to and separated by a short distance from one another as shown in Figure 3. The flaps are of the same width, but flaps 114 are longer than flaps 118. The cutting element 30 is also shaped to push the flaps 114 downwards through the aperture 40 so that the free ends of the flaps 114 are below the plate 22. This ensures that, as the sheets of paper are moved stepwise as described below, the flaps 114 are caught by the edge of the aperture 40 in plate 22 and are folded back by movement of the sheets.

[0009] Reciprocation of the cutter 20 is effected by means of rod 50 one end of which projects into an eye 21 in the cutter. The rod 50 is fulcrumed at an intermediate point on a shaft 52 fixed in the head 12 and its other end is connected to an eccentric 54 fixed to a shaft 56 rotatable by the handle 28. The rod 50 slides horizontally on shaft 56, so that rotation of the eccentric 54 produces only vertical reciprocation of the cutter.

[0010] The tucking mechanism 24 comprises a pin 60 which reciprocates vertically between an upper position in which it projects through a hole 62 in the plate 22 and a lower position in which it is withdrawn into the hole. The pin 60 slides in a boss 64 formed in the underside of plate 22 which maintains the vertical orientation of the pin. The pin 60 is carried by a rectangular frame 66 mounted so as to be vertically reciprocable. A rod 68, mounted eccentrically with respect to a drive shaft 70, engages the frame 66, so as to effect vertical reciprocation of the frame as the drive shaft rotates.

[0011] The rod 68 extends between, and is carried by, two rotatable members 74 fixed to the drive shaft 70. The member 74 has a radially outer face 76 whose surface is part of a cylinder of revolution coaxial with the drive shaft 70. The radius of this part cylindrical face is such that, when the frame is at the uppermost position of its travel, it projects slightly above the surface of the plate 22. To allow for this movement of the two members 74, two slots 78 are formed in the plate 22, one on each side of the path of travel of the cutter 20. The members 74 act to feed the paper sheets stepwise over the plate 22, and the arcuate length of each face 76 is therefore made equal to the desired increment of movement of the paper sheets during each cutting cycle. The faces 76 may be provided with a gripping surface, e.g. of rubber. Positioned above each slot 78 is a roller 80, freely rotatable about a horizontal axis. The radius of each roller is such that sheets of paper are gripped between the roller and the face 76 of the corresponding feed member 74 to feed the sheets at the appropriate part of the cycle.

[0012] The drive shaft 70 is driven from shaft 56 by means of a vertical shaft 82 extending through the column 14. The vertical shaft 82 is coupled to shafts 56 and 70 by pairs of bevel gears 84,85 and 86,87. This provides a positive drive ensuring that the movements of the pin 60 and feed members 74 are correctly synchronised with movements of the cutter 20.

[0013] The lower part of the cutter 20 and the rollers 80 are surrounded by a skirt 90 which extends downwards from the head 12. The lower edge 91 of the skirt 90 is spaced a short distance from the table 22, to leave a gap sufficient to receive the sheets of paper or the like. The skirt 90 acts as a guard to prevent a child's fingers from reaching the sharp edges of the cutter.

[0014] The toy may be provided with a decorative element 96 shaped to resemble a cotton reel and mounted rotatably on top of the head 12, the element being rotated by engagement of a bevel gear 97 with the bevel gear 84 on drive shaft 56. An arm 97 may also be provided, to resemble the thread tensioning device of a sewing machine, the arm 97 being fixed to the cutter 20 and projecting outwards through a vertical slot in the head 12.

[0015] In operation, two sheets of paper or the like, laid flatwise together, are introduced into the gap between the table 22 and the skirt 90, and the handle 119 is turned manually. On the downstroke of the cutter 20, as shown in Figure 4, flaps l14 and 118 are cut in the two sheets and the flaps l14 are pushed below the level of the plate 22. As the cutter moves upwards, the feed members 74 are rotated to a position in which the faces 76 engage the sheets to move them in the direction of the arrow in Figure 5. During this movement, the flaps 114 are caught by the edge of the aperture in the plate 22 and continued movement of the sheets causes the. flaps 114 to be folded back, about the line 112 (Figure 3), so that the flaps 114 lie flat against the flaps 118. The upward movement of the pin 60 is arranged so that the pin emerges from the hole 62 as the feed members 74 move out of engagement with the sheets. At this point, the flaps 118 are above the hole 62, so that upward movement of the pin 60 pushes the flaps 114 upwards, through the aligned apertures in the sheets left by the flaps 118 as the latter flaps are also pushed upwards. The flaps 114 are thus tucked through the aligned apertures, locking the two sheets together at that point. The pin 60 is then moved downwards, and at the same time the cutter 20 begins its next downwards cutting stroke. The cycle is repeated, so that the sheets are joined together at successive locations as the sheets are fed through the apparatus. By suitably guiding the sheets as they are fed through, they can be joined along a straight or slightly curved line.

[0016] The length of the flaps l14 is such that the flaps 114 project over the uncut edge 115 of the aperture left by the flaps 118, as shown in Figure 11, so that the sheets of paper are effectively locked together by the flaps 114. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the apertures 40 and 42 in the plate 182 have a width of 4.10 mm, the aperture 40 having a length of 7.15 mm and the aperture 42 a length of 2.75 mm, the apertures being separated by a distance of 2.35 mm. It will be appreciated however that other dimensions could be used.

[0017] It will be appreciated that modifications could be made in the described embodiment. For example, a battery- powered electric motor could be provided to drive the mechanism.

Claims

1. Apparatus for joining sheets of paper and the like, comprising a table for supporting two or more sheets of paper laid flatwise against one another, a cutter reciprocable relative to the table and adapted in each cutting operation to cut aligned apertures in the sheets and to cut flaps in the sheets adjacent the apertures, means operable after each cutting operation to fold the flaps out of the plane of the sheets and to tuck the ends of the flaps through the aligned apertures thereby to fasten the sheets together, and means for feeding the sheets stepwise over the table between successive cutting operations.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the cutter has two cutting elements arranged to enter respective apertures in the table on each cutting stroke, one cutting element cutting the aligned apertures in the sheets of paper or the like and the other cutting element cutting the flaps in the sheets.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the cutter is arranged, on each cutting stroke, to push the flaps into the corresponding aperture in the table to fold the flaps about a line adjacent the aligned apertures in the sheets, and the feeding means is arranged to move the sheets after withdrawal of the cutter to cause the flaps to be folded backwards by engagement with an edge of the aperture in the table to a position in which the flaps overlie the aligned apertures in the sheet.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the folding means includes a pin reciprocable between a position in which it is below the table and a position in which it projects from the table, and the feeding means is arranged to move the sheets to a position in which the pin engages the flaps and pushes them through the aligned holes in the sheets as it moves to its projected position.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the feeding means comprises feed members arranged to project slightly from the table to frictionally engage the sheets in the region of the aligned apertures and means for moving the feed members to effect movement of the sheets.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the table is horizontal, and the cutter is positioned above the table and is adapted to reciprocate vertically.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, and having a base on which the table is mounted and a head positioned above the base with the cutter extending downwards from the head, the apparatus being designed to resemble a toy sewing machine.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the head includes a skirt surrounding the cutter and having a lower edge spaced from the table by a gap sufficient to allow the insertion of sheets of paper or the like but insufficient to allow the insertion of the user's fingers.

Drawing