EP0482674B1 - Method for making spring mattresses comprising a spring core provided with a borderframe on its lower and upper side - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an integration of an automatic frame bending machine in a production line and also to a method for producing spring cores for mattresses or upholstered furniture, wherein a spring core is provided which is provided with a frame on the top and bottom.

The previously known methods and devices also require a relatively large amount of manual activity, in particular in the processing area, in order to connect the spring core to the frame parts. In particular, the known devices and methods do not allow rapid, cyclical work.

The task is therefore to design the method and the device in such a way that a production line is created largely without manual work, where spring mattresses can be produced very quickly in cycles.

This object is achieved by a method or a device with the features of claims 1 and 3, respectively.

The essence of the method lies in the fact that the frames are produced and put down pointing in one direction, and that a spring core is placed in another direction. The removal then takes place in a further direction. Accordingly, a rapid processing cycle takes place in such a way that individual method steps for producing the spring mattress are arranged in the directions perpendicular to one another.

An advantageous embodiment of the method provides that two frames are provided for production at the same time for a faster cycle, a first frame being placed on the clamp table and clamped with a first spring core on the underside, and the first spring core with the first frame in the waiting position is moved in one direction, that a second spring core is clamped with a second frame on the clamp table and is moved in the waiting position in another direction, that the first spring core is turned and moved back and is clamped and transported on the clamp table with a third frame, and that the second innerspring is turned and moved back and is clamped on the clamp table with another fourth frame and transported away.

A particularly rapid cycle can be achieved here in that the partially finished spring mattresses are moved back and forth in the area of the processing station in the manner of a waiting position, with a new frame always being placed and processed. In this way, two spring mattresses can always be produced and ejected at the same time.

The device for the production of spring mattresses relates to a spring core, which is provided with a frame on the top and bottom and in particular provides that a frame bending machine is provided in one direction at the beginning of a production line and a butt welding device or a clamping device, and further a feed unit with stacked arrangement of the frame and a further feed device to a staple table in a processing station, a turning and transport device being provided above the staple table that a transport device for spring cores is provided in relation to the staple table from another direction, that at the staple table Four clamp heads are arranged, and that an additional table is provided in a further direction for removal via the turning and transport device.

The essence of the device is to first provide the processing and feeding stations for the manufacture of the frames in one direction of the production line.

For this purpose, the actual processing station is arranged in a different direction, the actual processing on the clamp table taking place approximately in the middle of the processing station at the end of the delivery for the frames. In conjunction with turning and feeding devices, the entire spring mattress can be manufactured on a single table, here on the clamp table, with long delivery routes being avoided in view of a fast cycle time.

In a further embodiment, the production line is provided in a T-shape with the bending station at one end, with the frames being fed and deposited in one direction, and the processing station being arranged in another direction perpendicular to the latter, the processing station being the clamping table with the clamping heads and contains the turning and transport device in the center, and on the side the transport device for spring cores and the transport device for removal.

Here, the frame production and storage is provided in one direction, while the processing station is arranged perpendicular to it. By moving the partially finished spring mattresses back and forth in connection with the turning of the parts and renewed storage and processing, particularly fast cycle times are achieved in this way.

The subject matter of the present invention results not only from the subject matter of the individual patent claims, but also from the combination of the individual patent claims with one another. All of the information and features disclosed in the documents - including the summary -, in particular the spatial design shown in the drawings, are claimed to be essential to the invention insofar as they are new to the prior art, individually or in combination.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing several possible embodiments. Here, further features and advantages of the invention that are essential to the invention emerge from the drawing and its description.

Figur 1:

eine Fertigungsstraße zur Herstellung von Federmatratzen, unter Verwendung der erfindungemäßen Rahmenbiegemaschine.

It shows:

Figure 1:

a production line for the production of spring mattresses, using the frame bending machine according to the invention.

In Fig. 1 it is shown how the frame bending machine according to the invention is integrated in an automatic production line.

The bending machine 14 at the beginning of the production line is controlled by certain process parameters from the operating unit 12, it being possible to generate any profiles with bends.

The microprocessor control of the frame bending machine in connection with the operating unit 12 can be used to generate, in particular, rectangular or arcuate profiles in the manner of frames, which either overlap at the joints or the joints are arranged bluntly to one another.

In addition, triangular profiles can also be bent.

With the frame bending machine, however, it is also possible to form closed round profiles, in particular with arcuate shapes or angular shapes provided on the circumference in the manner of rosettes or polygonal profiles. It is also possible to provide serpentine profiles or to form rectangular or angular notches in a straight line of a material to be bent.

1 is optionally followed by a butt welding device 18 or a clamp device.

In particular, the frame bending machine can also use two frames at the same time, i. H. are bent in an overlying arrangement, so that a faster manufacturing process is achieved in this way. For this purpose, the strip steel is provided with two wires, in contrast to single-wire strip steel or round steel.

The frame bending machine 14 comprises in particular the electronic control on a microprocessor basis, so that simple program input can be achieved by means of dialogue (12 seconds), up to 100 different frame shapes being storable and retrievable by means of a code number (approx. 3 seconds).

In the case of round wire, the special wire straightening device 2a prevents the frames from being deformed, with wear-free working being achieved here. In this way, material loss through adjustment attempts is avoided, i.e. the correct shape is achieved from the first frame.

The frame bending machine 14 according to FIG. 1 can be easily integrated or linked to a production line in such a way that automation of the spring core production can be easily achieved here.

In this respect, the frame bending machine 14 can be easily installed and, in particular, no conversion effort for other frame shapes is necessary, i. H. only the entry via a new code number is changed at the push of a button in order to be able to produce other frame shapes.

A hydraulic unit is advantageously already integrated in the frame bending machine, so that such a compact design is achieved.

Due to the special arrangement of the wire straightener 2a in connection with the other units of the frame bending machine, in particular with the arrangement of the pulling rollers in connection with the cutting apparatus in one plane, with the bending device 6 also being located in the plane, the frames remain flat even after bending, so that subsequent straightening is no longer necessary .

1, the finished frame 15 is transported away from the bending machine 14 by two feeders 16 in the direction of arrow 17 from the frame bending machine 14. On the bending machine 14 there is a centering plate 11, which points obliquely downwards, which centers the frame 15 on the deflectors 16, so that a parallel feed takes place in the direction of the arrow 17.

As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 15 is transported to a butt welding device 18, where the frame joint 19 is either welded to the butt welding machine 18 or where a clamp 20 is placed on the frame joint 19, which closes the frame joint 19 completely and thus closes the frame .

This is an alternative, either the butt welding machine 18 is present, which welds the butt 19, or a stapling machine is provided which wraps the clips 20 around the overlapping ends.

The completely connected frame 15 is fed to a feed unit 21, where a plurality of frames 15, 15a, 15b, 15c can be stacked on corresponding carriers 22. The adjacent frame is only used if you want to process two finished frame sizes without using a bending machine.

In this case, the two feed units 21 and the further feed unit standing to the left of the feed unit 21 would then move back and forth on the rails, in order then to come to a comparison with the further processing device.

In the present case, the feed unit 21 is essential, on which frames 15, 15a, 15b, 15c of different sizes are stacked.

The frame 15 pointing in the processing direction requested by the subsequent machine is removed via a feed device 22a, with carriers 23 engaging in the feed unit 21 and picking up the requested frame there.
This feed unit 22a is moved in the direction of arrow 24 on the rails 25 and the requested frame arrives in a processing station 26 arranged in the vertical direction.

The processing station initially consists of a centering and feed table 27, a clamp table 28 and a table 28a as a discharge station.

The processing station 26 also consists of a turning and transport device 29 and four clamp heads 30, 31, 32, 32a, the fourth clamp head 32a, which is arranged at the rear left corner of the clamp table 28, not being visible.

The frame 15, 15a, 15b, 15c is first placed horizontally on the clamp table 28 by the feed device 22a via the rails 25.

The finished spring cores, which are to be connected to the frame 15, come from the centering and feed table 27. Here, each underside of each spring is first connected to the frame adjoining it by means of clamps, then the entire spring core clamped at the bottom is turned over with the turning device 29 and then again all the undersides of the springs are clamped together.

The finished innerspring is then transported onto the table 28a and transported away in the direction of the arrow 33.

Instead of the table 28a, a conveyor belt can also be used, where the finished innerspring mattresses are removed.

The individual processing steps are as follows:
The spring cores without a frame are placed on the centering and feed table 27, the table 27 having stops, not shown, against which the spring core is aligned. After alignment, the spring core is gripped by the transport device 34, this transport device having clamp jaws 35 and the transport device 34 being movable in the direction of arrow 36 on the main frame 38 of the device.

The spring cores detected with the device 34 are thus brought onto the clamp table 28, where the frame 15 has already been inserted.

The clamp heads 30, 31, 32, 32 a now come into operation, each spring 40 being clamped on its underside 41 via a clamp to the corresponding frame 15 a. Each clamp head can be moved in one side, the clamp head 31 being displaceable in the arrow direction 42, the clamp head 30 in the arrow direction 43, the clamp head 32 in the arrow direction 44 and the clamp head 32a counter to the arrow direction 42.

After the undersides of the springs 40 have been connected to the frame 15 lying underneath, the turning device 29 comes into operation, turns the entire mattress over and the clamp heads now connect the upper sides 46 of the springs 40 (which now lie below) with the corresponding clamps to one another other frame 15b.

After completion of the clamp connections on the top and bottom of the mattress, the mattress is placed on the dispensing table 28a by moving the turning and transport device 29 in the direction of arrow 49 and a new spring core is placed on the transport device 34 placed on the clamp table 28, a further frame 15c having already been placed on the table by the feed station 22a.

Accordingly, a single frame z. B. 15a placed on the table 28 and a spring core is placed on the feed device 27 with the station 34 on the table 28. The springs 40 are now clamped to the frame 15a below.

When all the clamps have been made at the bottom, the transport device 29 moves in the direction of arrow 49 over the table 28a; there the turning station comes into operation, i.e. Now the only frame 15a clamped below is turned around the pivot point 50, meanwhile a further frame 15b has already been placed on the clamp table 28 via the feed station 22a.

The frame now turned is transported back with the device 29 and placed on the table 28.

The frame 15b now to be clamped is now at the bottom and is clamped via the described clamping stations 30, 31, 32, 32a, so that a frame 15a, 15b with the spring core in between is now clamped at the top and bottom.

Now the transport station 29 comes into operation again and transports the finished clamped frame with the internal spring core in the direction of arrow 49 onto the discharge table 28a or the conveyor belt located there.

During this time, a further frame 15c located below was already placed on the table 28 via the feed station 22a, and a further spring core was again placed on the frame 15c located below via the feed station 27 and the transport device 34, after which the lower frame - previously described - was again used - bracketing takes place.

In a further development of the present invention, an even faster cyclical operation of this device is provided as follows:
Two different frames are always connected one behind the other with a spring core, with only the undersides of these frames being connected to the respective spring core in two successive cycle steps.

This is done as follows:
First of all, a frame is therefore placed on the clamp table 28 and the spring core is placed on the frame 15 via the transport device 34. The springs 40 are now clamped on their undersides 41.

The frame thus finished is moved with the device 29 to the left in the direction of arrow 49 over the table 28a and remains there in the waiting position.

At the same time, a new frame 15a is placed on the table 28 by the feed station 22 and a further spring core is placed on this frame with the transport device 34, the frame 15a in turn being provided with the springs 40 on the underside 41 with clamps.

Thereafter, this second, manufactured frame is captured again by the transport device 34 and transported over the feed table 27 and remains there in the waiting position.

At the same time, the first frame, which remained in the waiting position by the transport members 29 via the table 28a, moves forward again, is turned and placed in the turned position on the table 28 again, after which a further frame 15b is placed by the feed station 22 and the clamping now takes place on the underside.

The spring core is now finished, is transported away and the frame which remains in the waiting position above the table 27 and is only connected to the springs on its underside is now turned around the pivot point 51 of the device 34 and is placed on the table 28 in the turned position , where another frame 15c is now placed and now the undersides (previous tops) are clamped.

So this is a parallel work in cycles, whereby two innersprings are always processed simultaneously.

All functions of the frame bending machine, such as tape retraction, bending and cutting, are carried out hydraulically and ensure trouble-free work. The feed length of the strip material is controlled by measuring rollers and regulated by an encoder. The frame bending radii are produced in a simple manner with different center disks, these disks being replaced manually. The turning roller can be set or changed in a simple manner from the front without dismantling the surrounding parts.

A potentiometer is provided to control the frame length, whereby the desired frame length can be set by turning the potentiometer. The length and width can also be entered via the control.

A separate drive with a brake can also be provided in the area of the reel 13 in order to prevent the inertia or the run-on of the plate.

Overall, the production line according to the invention with the arrangement of the frame bending machine ensures that spring mattresses can be produced automatically in a fast cycle, without this requiring any substantial manual intervention. By simply programming via an operating unit, various round or strip steel sizes can be processed, with a high degree of length and angle accuracy being achieved in connection with program input only via code numbers. DRAWING LEGEND 11 Centering plate 32 Staple head 14 Frame bending machine 32a Staple head 15 frame 33 Arrow direction 15a frame 34 Transport device 15b frame 35 Clamp jaws 15c frame 36 Arrow direction 16 Feed 38 Main frame 17th Arrow direction 39 Clamp jaws 18th Butt welding device 40 feather 19th Frame joint 41 bottom 20th Bracket 42 Arrow direction 21 Feed unit 43 Arrow direction 22 carrier 44 Arrow direction 22a Feeding device 46 Top 23 carrier 49 Arrow direction 24th Arrow direction 50 pivot point 25th rail 51 Pivot point 26 Processing station 52 Center rail 27 Centering feed table 53 Turning roller 28 Bracket table 54 Arrow direction 28a table 55 Groove 29 Turning and transport device 56 Steel strip 57 Tape guide 30th Staple head 31 Staple head

Claims (4)

1. Method for manufacturing spring mattresses, in which there is provided a spring core, the top side and bottom side of which is provided in each case with a prefabricated frame, characterised in that the frames (15, 15a, 15b, 15c) of round or flat steel are formed in a frame bending machine (14) adapted to the production cycle, on the transfer side of the machine the ends of the material are butt-welded together or clamped together in overlapping manner and subsequently supplied to a feed unit (21) for stacking in the hanging position, that in each case one frame (15) from the hanging stack is supplied from one direction to a clamping table (28), that from another direction a spring core is supplied, placed on the frame (15) and connected by means of clamps to the underside of the frame, that the clamped spring core is turned over and placed on another supplied frame (15) which is then also connected to the spring core, and that the finished spring core is removed in a further direction.
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that for a more rapid cycle completion two frames are provided simultaneously for production, in which on a clamping table (28) is placed a first frame (15) and by means of clamps is connected to the underside of a first spring core and this first spring core with the frame (15) is conveyed in one direction to a waiting position, that a second spring core is then connected to a second supplied frame (15a) on the clamping table (28) and conveyed in another direction to a waiting position, that the first spring core is then turned over and conveyed back on the clamping table (28), is clamped to a third supplied frame (15b) and removed, and that the second spring core is then turned over and conveyed back on the clamping table (28), is clamped to a fourth supplied frame (15c) and removed.
3. Device for manufacturing spring mattresses, in which there is provided a spring core, the top side and bottom side of which is in each case provided with a prefabricated frame, characterised in that in one direction at the start of a production line there is arranged a frame bending machine (14) which is followed on the output side by a butt-welding machine (18) or a clamping device for connecting the ends of the formed frame (15, 15a, 15b, 15c), which are further conveyed to a feed unit (21), provided subsequently and designed for an arrangement of hanging stacks, after which there is arranged another feed device (22a) to a clamping table (28) in a processing station (26), in which above this clamping table (28) there is provided a turning and transport device (29) for turning over a spring core clamped to a frame, that in relation to the clamping table (28) from another direction there is provided a transport device (34) for spring cores, that clamping heads (30, 31, 32, 32a) are arranged on the clamping table (28), and that in a further direction for removal by means of the turning and transport device (29) there is provided a table (28a).
4. Device for manufacturing spring mattresses according to claim 3, characterised in that this production line is constructed to be T-shaped, with the frame bending machine (14) provided at one end and the supply and placing of the frames (15, 15a, 15b, 15c) in one direction and the operating outlet of the processing station (26) in another direction running perpendicularly thereto, in which the processing station (26) includes the clamping table (28) with the clamping heads (30, 31, 32, 32a) and the turning and transport device (29) has arranged centrally and laterally thereto the transport device (34) for the spring core and the table (28a) for the removal.

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