More particularly, the present. invention relates to a hole punching machine which is useful in the sewing sector for making copies of the garment plans and further in advertising for copying the drawings.

Background of the invention In the sewing sector, it has been known that thousand-pieces-orders generally require several cutting tables as only a certain thickness of the material can be cut on each table. On each cutting table, there are always plans/drawings placed on the first fabric layer following which the cutting of all the layers is perfomed.

Generally, there has been known several methods of producing fabric plans and/or drawings. The punching of holes in the paper can be executed by means of a sewing machine. In this case, it can be punched along the periphery of the original paper drawing by using the sewing without yarn. The needle forms uniform holes on the paper. Then, the punched paper will be placed on top of the fabric layers and afterwards covered by fine chalk powder so as the powder falls through the holes onto the top layer of fabric; the drawing will then be removed and the cutting of the fabric layers will be performed along the formed chalk-powder line accordingly. This procedure will be repeated for each cutting table.

Although this method has been commonly used, there has been known several disadvantages such as, for example, the fact that there is always a problem in punching by means of needle since it is hard to manage with large drawings which are likely to become wrinkled up. Additionally, the tailor can not always be in a comfortable working position since he/she has to continuously change posture to turn the drawing around. Further, this punching method requires a lagre working area. Furthermore, the use of chalk poweder is not acceptble in terms of industrial hygiene as it may cause health problems to the tailor, even due to the fact that the chalk powder may be transferred into the lower layers of fabric. Lastly, when cutting along a straight line, it is,, unnecessary to make equal holes at such short distance from each other to keep the plans from being wrinkled and reduce the copying rate.

The manual punching has also been widely used. In this case, the original paper drawing is tightly pinned together with the other paper layers.

The punching is performed along the periphery of the drawing by hand, using a punch in one hand and a punch-hammer the other hand. However, there have been known some drawbacks in using his methud. For example, the position of the punch-operator on top or the paper layers makes it difficult to manipulate. In addition, it has been found that a reduced rate of punching and inaccuracy in the manipulation occur as a consequence of the inconvenient operating position. Furthermore, it is really out of question to control the strength of manual punching, for example, inadequate unching cannot form holes in the lower paper layers; in contrast, too strong punching is likely to damage the working surface. Finally, there may also be inaccuracy and undesired deviation of the paper layers due to the change in the position of the operator.

Additionally, there has also been known the punching method using carbon papers which is similar to making carbon copies of bills. However, it is not cconomical to use carbon paper as large as the fabric size and it is also insufficinetly hygienic accordingly. Moreover, the manipulation by hand generates the undesired deviation of the paper layers which'can lead to significant inaccuracy. There is also reduced punching efficiency since it is impossible to make a great number of copies, which consequently results in substandard lower copies.

Currently, punching by means of a photocopying machine has been computerized, but using 2-mctre-width-drawings and therefore, impractical for industrial applications.

Summary of the invention and objects In order to obviate the above drawbacks of known punching methods, the object of the present invention is to provide a hole punching machine useful for making pilot holes one by one in the fabric and paper.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a hole punching machine which is useful in the sewing sector for making copies of the garment plans and further in advertising for copying drawings by means of punching needles which will be controlably driven along the periphery of the drawing. Thus, it is advantageous to form uniform holes through a lot of paper layers with a controlable punching speed and the distance between holes as desired..

For this purpose, the present invention pertains to a punching machine consisting of : - a machine-base; - a machine-casing attached to the machine-base and equipped with a handle; - a motor with a motor shaft on which a control lever has been appropriately fitted; - an elongate needle-bearing staff supported at two ends by suitable means such as support collars formed with circular central openings so that the staff can move upwards and downwards ; - a first elastic means mounted upon the needle-bearing staff whose upper end is correspondingly affixed to the upper support collar and whose lower end is captured by a suitable restricted means ; - a second clastic means mounted upon the needle-bearing staff whose tower end nd is restricted by the remaining support collar (the corresponding lower one) and whose upper end is interposed by corresponding restricted means ; - a claming cottar correspondingly mounted approximately upon the middle of the elongate staff operated by the control lever of the reducing gear to raise the staff; - a needle mounted at the lower end of the needle-bearing staff.

From the foregoing, it will be readily evident that the needle-bearing staff is raised upwards by means of the transmission generated by the motor through the reducing gear compressing against the first elastic means.

Thereafter, when the above tranmission force is discharged, the upper elastic means acts against the lock nut to urge it quickly downwards serving to eject the needle on the needle-bearing staff into perforating through all the paper layers simutaneously until the needle strikes the hard working surface. When the needle-bearing staff strikes the upper working surface, the lower elastic means is immediately compressed. Instantly, the compressed clastic means serves to eject the needle-bearing staff upwards.

Thus, the main feature of the invention is utilizing the motor transmission force to compress the upper elastic means, instantly, discharging such a force so that the elastic means pressure can serve by itself to eject the needle to punch holes. Furthermore, the action of the lower clastic means against the hard working surface serves to quickly dislodge the needle upwards from the holes, through the flexibility of the elastic means.

The instantly restoring action of the upper elastic means in addition to its inertia serves to punch ! several paper layers of a certain thickness; furthermore, in the case of a lesser thickness, i. e. , for example, fewer paper layers, the punching is still done adequately well due to the response of the hard table surface and the flexibility of the elastic means without any forced actions. Thus, this action makes it easier for the workman to achieve maximum efficiency when operating in position which is not paralleled to the working surface.

More particularly, the invention relates to the method using kinetic force to create the potential to support the flexible oscillation of the elastic means during the punching process, independently of the motor force. The designed clastic means serve to quickly punch and the punching time for each hole remains unchanged accordingly. In fact, it has been found that when the punching machine is working the time requried for puncing any h oles should correspondingly be smaller than the rotation time of the motor on the position where the rotation does not impact the staff itself.

Accordingly, due to the. unchanged and short punching time for each hole, the workman can optionally change the punching speed while forming uniform holes. The punching speed therefore, can be reduced without any limitation. Additionally, the punching speed can be as high as the needle still remains free of the holes, i. e., the speed can be increased as long as the workman can lift and handle the machine into and out of the various holes.

In general, the machine of the present invention has been widely used in sewing plants.

There has been known the punching method u sing continuously forced actions to move the needle upwards and downwards, wherein it is possible for the needle to be undesirably caught in the holes and subsequently dislodged with difficulty from the table surface if the position of the needle is too low. On the contrary, if the position of the needle is too high, it cannot punch through all the paper layers required. The high accuracy of the punching requires a more complicated and inflexible structure of machine, which accordingly cannot then be manipulated by hand.

The punching speed of the machine of the invention can be adjusted as much as required.

By touching the switch-potentiometer of the current transformer of the motor, leading to a change in motor speed, it is, therefore, possible to change the moving speed of the needle upwards and downwards in addition to changing in the speed of moving the machine along the periphery of the drawing. Thus, the punching process is expedited and the drawing remains unwrinkled.

Furthermore, the punching force is kept unchanged during the whole process so that the quality of lower copies is also stable, i. e., the holes in each layer are adequately uniform. It is advantageous to the manual punching method or method of punching by means of carbon paper.

By using th machine of the invention, the workman is always in a convenient working position, as he can get around the table as much as he wants.

Further, when moving around, the machine-base does not touch the paper layers, os that the lower layers do not deviate fom position and consequently, the quality of the copies remains as good as that of the original drawing.

When appropriate, one or more people can simultaneously use one or more punching machines on the same drawing to expedite the copying process.

It is also possible to use the machine of the invention to punch letters or marks on samples to avoid mistakes during production as there may be a lot similar letters or marks.

Brief description of the drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the punching machine according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the lower part in centerline section of the punching machine according to the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred modes As exhibited.-in Fig. 1 and. Fig. 2, the. machine according tdthe invention consists of motor 1, reducing gear 2, elongate needle-bearing staff 5, two staff support collars 6 and 6', two springs 7 and 10, two spring support collars 8 and 8', clamping collar 9 with lock nut 9', needle 11, machine-base 12, machine-casing 13, handle 14, current transformer 15, switch- potentiometer 16, electric wires 18.

Motor 1 transmits the rotation action to reducing gear 2 to which is affixed shaft 3 with control lever 4 appropriately mounted on. Elongate needle-bearing staff 5 is supported at two ends by staff support collar 6 and 6'. Spring 7 is mounted at the upper end of staff 5 and interposed by upper staff support collar 6 and spring support collar 8. Clamping collar 9 is fitted approximately in the middle'of staff 5 and has lock nut 9'which can be pushed by control lever 4 of reducing gear 2 in order to raise staff 5 upwards, this clamping unit can be controlably moved upwards and downwards along staff 5. Spring 10 at the lower end of staff 5 is interposed between lower staff support collar 6'and spring support collar 8'. Needle 11 is correspondingly mounted at the lower end of staff 5. Machine-base 12 supports machine- casing 13. Handle 14 is affixed to machine-casing 13 to simplify the handling of the machine for the worker during the punching process. Current transformer 15 is connected to switch-potentiometer 16 equipped with control lever 17 to control transformer 15 for adjusting the electric current into motor 1. Electric wires are used to connect transformer 15 to motor 1 and switch-potentiometer 16 and also the power point.

From the foregoing characteristics, when appropriate, needle-bearing staff 5 is raised upwards by means of control lever 4 and subsequently instantly acts against spring 7. As soon as lever 4 moves away from clamping collar 9, the restoring pressure of spring 7 serves to eject sharply downwards needle-bearing staff 5 formed with needle 11 at the lower end. This action results from the reciling nature of the spring and accordingly compresses spring 10 downwards until needle 11 strikes the workig surface. As a result, the reverse thrust applied upwards to the needle in addition to the restoring action of spring 16 serve to eject needle 11 out of the holes and raises staff 5 upwards. Thus, this punching method utilizes the restoring pressure of the spring to form holes at high speed.

By using handle 14 to touch control lever 17 and to consequently control switch-potentiometer 15, it is possible to regulate the strength of the electric current to motor 1 and accordingly, to change the speed of control lever 4 pushing staff 5 as required.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it is also possible to use the motor with rotating speed as required.

According to another embodiment of the invention any elastic means including springs can be used for the method of the invention.

In addition to staff support collars 6 and 6', it is also possible to use other slidably guide bushing, such as ball bearings, split bushing, etc.

In a further embodiment, an electromagnetic force can also be used to raise the needle-bearing staff.

Idle position When not working, the higher position of needle 11 of the punching machine in comparison to base 12 makes it easier on the workman to handle and move the machine all around the drawing. Furthermore, the spring pressure pushes the control lever back to switch the potentiometer off. Also, the electric wires hang up higher than the working surface (not shown).

Working status The workman can hold handle 14 in his right hand and simutaneously touch control lever 17 to correspondingly regulate the moving speed of the machine around the drawing as well as the punching speed into and out of tile holes. The moving speed can be adjusted a srequried by regulating the moving speed of the holding hand around the drawing.

The distance between holes can be adjusted as desired by changing the pushing distance of the control lever of the potentiometer which can lead to changng the punching speed of the needle in connection with the change in flic When connected to the power point ("on"), the motor transmits the rotation action to the reducing gear, the control lever appropriately mounted on the out-end of the reducing gear also rotates until arrested as by the lock nut of the clamping collar on the needle-bearing staff and consequently instantly raises the staff upwards to act against the upper spring. When appropriate, the control lever of the potentiometer slides away from the lock nut of the clamping unit, the restoring force of the upper spring instantly serves to eject the needle-bearing staff downwards to compress the lower spring and the needle itself to punch into the paper layers. As soon as it strikes the table surface while punching into the layers, the needle thrusts reversely upwards, at the same time the restoring action of the lower spring also serves to eject the staff quickly out of the holes in the paper layers.

By using these springs it has been formed a stable punching action at high speed and therefore it is possible to move the punching machine around the original drawing as quickly as desired without any problem of stuck needles. Additionally, the flat surface of the machine-base in connection with the weight of the"machine as a whole serves to press down on the paper layers. This makes it much easier to punch downwards and to dislodge the needle upwards out of the holes, as well as to stablize the punching strength.

The out-end of the shaft of the reducing gear performs only a part of a revolution to produce the above action. As soon as the control lever of the reducing gear slides away from the lock nut of the clamping collar, the shaft continues to perform nearly one revolution to reserve energy for raising the needle-bearing staff again.

The needle-bearing staff together with the punching needle at the lower end are located on the left to make it easier on the workman while punching, as he is constantly able to observe and accordingly control the punching work.

Thus, the machine is always placed on the surface of the working tahte. There is no need to move the machine around and therefore, the workman is able to r-start work anywhere desired.