FR2630755A1 - MATERIAL FOR ELASTIC CUSHIONS, ELASTIC CUSHIONS MADE THEREWITH AS WELL AS INSTALLATION FOR MANUFACTURING MATERIAL FOR ELASTIC CUSHIONS - Google Patents

Abstract

An endless material 48 for elastic cushions is obtained by compacting in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the material of a stack of two-layer bands 16 superimposed of knitted yarn. The endless elastic cushion material can be used for the manufacture of annular, tubular, sleeve-shaped or plate-shaped elastic cushions.

Description

-1- The present invention relates to an elongated material for cushions

  elastic, elastic cushions made with such materials for elastic cushions and an installation for the continuous manufacture of a

  such elongated material for elastic cushions.

  The elastic cushions are usually produced by knitting a hose in fine spring steel wire, which is then pressed so as to obtain a two-layer strip. This double layer of strip-like material is then wound up and the roller thus obtained, which has a relatively low density, is then compressed so strongly in the axial direction by a press punch in a die that it follows a permanent deformation of the spring steel wire. It is in this way obtained a finished product having a density significantly higher than that of the starting roll, the wires tightly and strongly pressed against each other and increased rigidity. The elastic cushions thus produced are characterized in that they have good permanent elasticity, high internal friction as well as a high load-bearing capacity and are used in particular for vibration dampers, within which they constitute both

  the spring element and the dissipation element.

  By compacting, the pressing of the material mentioned above should be understood below by reducing its volume, accompanied by an increase

of its rigidity.

  The manufacture of elastic cushions of known structure still requires relatively significant manual labor during the winding of the double-layer of material, the fixing of the free outer end of the strip of material and the introduction of this- this in the press. Since the dies are expensive, it is not possible to produce elastic cushions in small series, so that in individual cases it is necessary to have recourse to oversized cushions. Elastic cushions of known structure are also elastic only in the

axial direction (pressing direction).

  The present invention provides an elongated material for elastic cushions, which can be manufactured continuously and allows elastic cushions of different sizes and geometries to be produced easily and at a low cost.

  advantageous price also in small series.

  The invention provides for this purpose a material for elastic cushions

  according to claim 1.

  Advantageous improvements of the invention are given in the sub-

claims.

  By the improvements of the invention according to claims 2 and 3;

  a spring effect and a dissipation effect are also obtained in a

-2- 2630755

  second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the material as well as

  in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the material.

  The refinement of the invention according to claim 4 makes it possible to very easily obtain a characteristic curve of non-linear elasticity, which rises gradually. The refinement of the invention according to claim 5 also contributes to obtaining a characteristic curve of non-linear elasticity. Furthermore, the recesses provided in the surface facilitate the adaptation of the shape of the material for elastic cushions to surfaces.

curves.

  In addition, the geometry of such recesses given in claim 6 is particularly advantageous from the point of view of the curvature of the material for elastic cushions so as to form an annular or tubular elastic cushion. The improvement of the invention according to FIG. 8 is advantageous from the point of view of a particularly intimate attachment of the individual layers of material within the product produced. It is also already obtained good retention of the layers of material during the production of the stack of layers before the compacting operation, so that the handling of the stack of

  layers of material is made easier.

  The improvements of the invention according to claims 9 and 10 are

  advantageous from the point of view of a good connection of contiguous pieces of material for elastic cushions so as to produce elastic cushions of flat, annular or tubular shape, having peripheral surfaces

more regular.

  The improvements of the invention according to claims 11 and 12 are

  advantageous from the point of view of the manufacture of an endless tubular elastic cushion, since the bending of the material for elastic cushions along a helical line is possible without significant transformations of

  the material and without significant mechanical loads.

  There is obtained, according to claim 13, a bead of elastic material. Due to its mechanically anisotropic nature due to the residual structure of the layers, it is possible to vary the elastic properties of the material in a well-defined direction by rotation of the bead

along the longitudinal axis.

  In the case of compaction along a single axis of the material for elastic cushions from the same material for elastic cushions, an elastic cushion such as that specified in claim 14 may be manufactured so as to be elastic in the axial direction or in the radial direction, depending on whether the direction of compaction is defined in the radial direction of the cushion or in the axial direction of the cushion. When a material for elastic cushions according to claim 2 is used, it is possible to obtain a spring effect both in the axial direction and in the radial direction. From the same material for elastic cushions, it is possible to easily manufacture 5. elastic ring cushions of different diameters by cutting sections

  of different lengths of the endless material.

  The refinement of the invention according to claim 15 makes it possible to manufacture, from a single material for elastic cushions,

  elastic ring cushions with different axial dimensions.

  By the improvement of the invention according to claim 16, a long elastic tubular cushion is obtained from an endless material for

elastic cushions.

  A tubular elastic cushion according to claim 17 can be used

  directly as a shock absorber similar to a silent block.

  According to claim 18, sections of an endless material for elastic cushions make it possible to obtain large elastic cushions in the form of a plate, which cannot so far be produced

  directly by compacting in a press.

  By the improvement of the invention according to claim 19, a characteristic curve of progressive nonlinear elasticity is obtained in

  the case of such an elastic cushion in the form of a plate.

  The refinement of the invention according to claim 20 allows

  also obtaining a characteristic curve of nonlinear elasticity.

  In an installation, as specified in claim 21, it is possible to continuously manufacture an endless elongated material for

elastic cushions.

  The continuous compaction of the stacked layers of material can in principle be carried out by means of an intermittently operated press, into which a section of the endless stack of layers of material intended to be compacted is introduced each time; a variable loop of the layers of material fed continuously being then obtained before this pressing operation, so that the layers of material are quickly stretched at the start of a pressing cycle. Due to the improvement of the invention according to claim 22, the compacting is carried out entirely continuously, without requiring the formation of a loop before the compacting station. This is advantageous in particular when using relatively rigid layers of material and also makes it possible to integrate, at any point in the stack, layers of material having a different flexural stiffness. The improvement of the invention according to claim 23 is advantageous from the point of view of a safe supply of the material for elastic cushions between the rolls used for compaction. Since sliding between the rolls and the layers of material to be compacted is impossible, a particularly constant density of the material for elastic cushions thus produced is obtained. By the improvement of the invention according to claim 24, continuous compaction of the material for elastic cushions is also

possible in the third sense.

  The improvement of the invention according to claim 25 is advantageous from the point of view of the reduction of sliding friction within the station.

of repression.

  When the installation is designed in accordance with claim 26, so that the delivery station carries out a final transverse compaction at the same time, it is then possible to increase the extent of the compaction in the longitudinal direction of the cushion material elastic, since the individual strands of the layers of material are still slightly mobile

compared to others.

  The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the drawing. There is shown: Figure 1: a perspective view of a hose knitted in spring steel wire, as used as a starting material for the manufacture of elastic cushions; Figure 2: various stages of the production of an endless material for elastic cushions having a rectangular cross section; Figures 3 to 5: cross sections of different stacks of layers of material and a material for elastic cushions obtained after compaction of these stacks; Figure 6: a top view of an annular elastic cushion, two different embodiments being illustrated to the left and right of the center line; Figure 7: an axial section along the section line VII-VII of the elastic cushion illustrated 'in Figure 6, which is installed in a vibration damper; Figure 8: an axial view from above of a vibration damper similar to a silent block; Figure 9: an axial half-cut of the vibration damper according to Figure 8; Figure 10: an axial half-section of an elastic cushion in the form of a sleeve; Figure 11: an axial half-section of an endless elastic cushion of tubular shape; -5- Figure 12: a cross section of a section of a plate-shaped elastic cushion; Figure 13: a cross section of a section of a plate-shaped elastic cushion, having a characteristic curve of progressive elasticity; Figure 14: a cross section of an elastic cushion of discontinuous flat shape; Figure 15: a longitudinal section of a press for intermittent compaction of an endless material for elastic cushions; Figure 16: a side view of a compacting station with cylinders, in which one of the chassis plates is partially shown; Figure 17: a longitudinal section of a variant of a compacting station comprising compacting rollers and operating in two transverse directions; Figure 18: a top view of the compacting station illustrated in Figure 17, an upper compactor cylinder being deliberately omitted; Figure 19: a schematic view of a production line for a double layer strip of knitted spring steel wire; and Figure 20: a schematic representation of an installation for manufacturing an endless material for elastic cushions from a plurality of

  double layer strips of knitted spring steel wire.

  Figure 1 shows a hose of circular cross section, generally designated by the number 10, as it can be made of spring steel wire by means of a circular knitter. As shown in 12, the individual threads 14 are bent in the form of a loop by knitting, the loops of one row passing through the loops of the previous row. The hose 10 thus forms a flexible and relatively loose material, which can be easily folded into a planar structure by passing it between two rollers or in

  simply exerting a tensile force.

  Figure 2-shows in part a) a double-layer strip 16 obtained by pressing a hose 10. The strip 16 preferably has staples 18

  die cut from the material of the strip 16 on three sides of it

  ci and folded outwardly relative to the plane of the strip 16. Each of these staples 18 comprises a plurality of free wire ends, which can be nested in similar strips arranged next to the strip 16. Given that the ends of the wires forming the staples 18 are not straight but curved due to the knitting process, a slight compression of bands 16 juxtaposed or superimposed makes it possible to obtain a stack of bands, which can then be handled as a single piece when 'a

  only weak force is applied to it.

  In part b) of FIG. 2 there is shown a strip 16 such that it presents itself after passing between profiling rolls. The strip 16 is folded in a zigzag, which makes it possible to compress it in a controlled manner in the vertical direction with reference to FIG. 2. When the zigzag strip 16 is strongly compressed in the vertical direction, it is generally obtained a narrow strip having a thickness slightly less than eight times the wall thickness of the hose 10. This strip, like strip 16, can in practice have a very large dimension in the perpendicular direction

  in terms of design and to be, for practical purposes, an endless band.

  In order to obtain a compacted endless band 16 having a larger vertical dimension, it is possible to geometrically juxtapose several zigzag bands 16, 16a, 16b, 16c (and, if necessary, wider bands), as illustrated in broken line in part b) of FIG. 2. The compaction of this stack of strips in the vertical direction of the drawing and the additional compacting of the stack of strips in the horizontal direction of the drawing make it possible to obtain an endless material 20 for elastic cushions having a rectangular cross section, as shown in part c) of Figure 2. This material for elastic cushions has a rectangular cross section and has a substantially constant density of its cross section, due to the additional compaction in

the horizontal direction.

  In the material for elastic cushions, the individual threads are strongly bent and hooked to each other, so that the material for elastic cushions has a high rigidity and a high internal friction (residual mobility of the threads with respect to each other in the

higher pressing).

  FIG. 3 shows in part b) a material 22 for elastic cushions of circular cross section, having a substantially more homogeneous density of its cross section. A stack of strips as used for the manufacture of material 22 for elastic cushions is shown in part a) of FIG. 3. In a central region of the stack, strips 16 such as those are provided. used in the example of embodiment according to FIG. 2. In a radially intermediate region, strips 16 ′ are used whose width corresponds to approximately 80% of the width of the strips 16. A region of the stack of strips located more towards the outside consists of strips 16 folded in the middle. It is thus obtained, using only two different widths of strips, a stack of strips whose shape of its cross section already reproduces well the circular shape of the final product. A compacting of the same magnitude of the stack of bands shown in part a) of FIG. 3, both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction (consequently a radial compaction),

  then allows to obtain the endless material 22 for elastic cushions.

  The material 22 for elastic cushions actually has a substantially constant density of its cross section, but is however elastically anisotropic: in the direction parallel to the planes of the strips of the stack of strips, the elastic constant is less than in the perpendicular direction to the plans of the bands. Consequently, when the material 22 for elastic cushions is used with shoes 24, 26 with a cylindrical recess of a vibration damper, which are shown in broken lines in FIG. 3, it is possible to continuously adjust the effective rigidity material 22 for elastic cushions by simply rotating the latter along its longitudinal axis. In order to facilitate this adjustment, it is possible to provide a paint line 28 on the surface of the material 22 for elastic cushions, in the longitudinal direction thereof,

  to indicate the direction of the maximum or minimum spring effect.

  Figure 4 shows in part a) a stack of bands consisting of a central group of relatively wide bands 16 and outer groups of narrower bands 16 '. When such a stack of bands is compacted in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction of the drawing, there is then obtained a material for elastic cushions of rectangular cross section, which has a higher density and greater compressibility in the

  region of the narrow bands 16 'additionally provided. This characteristic

  a tick is illustrated in part b) of figure 4 by means of a more hatching

dense in this region.

  When a material 30 for elastic cushions according to FIG. 4 is used with a contoured shoe 32 of a vibration damper, which is

  again shown in broken lines and presents- an application surface-

  tion front 34 as well as a rear application surface 36, it is then

  obtained a characteristic curve of elasticity gradually increasing.

  Only the front application surfaces 34 are initially in contact with the soft sections of the material 30 for elastic cushions. During a greater movement of the vibration damper, the rear application surface 36 then also comes into contact with the material 30 for elastic cushions, in the region thereof having maximum rigidity. A “stepped” spring is thus obtained, as known per se within coaxial structures of coil springs having different initial axial dimensions. The transition between the two sections of the elastic characteristic curve takes place, however, in the present case, in a perfectly continuous manner. There is also no clicking of this stepped spring in the first section of the characteristic curve

of elasticity.

-8-

Z630755

  In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, a material for elastic cushions having regions of different density and elasticity is obtained by compacting, according to the desired final contour of the material for elastic cushions, a stack of strips having partial layers provided over only part of the total width of said pile. Conversely, from a stack of bands entirely made up of identical bands, it is possible to manufacture a material for elastic cushions having a locally increased density and rigidity, such as that represented in FIG. 5, by compacting various parts of it differently. the

stack of tapes.

  Part a) of FIG. 5 shows a stack of strips made up of identical strips 16. By compacting it additionally vertically, in a peripheral region, a material 38 for elastic cushions is obtained, such as that shown in part b) of FIG. 5. This material for elastic cushions has a shaped section. rim 40 having increased density and rigidity, as again illustrated in

  using a denser hatching of this region.

  By carrying out a greater compaction of the stack of bands in a central region thereof, a material 42 for elastic cushions is then obtained having a cross section such as that shown in part c) of FIG. 5. material 42 for elastic cushions has lateral sections 44 of lower density and rigidity, while a central section 46 situated behind the upper surface of the material 42

  for elastic cushions has higher density and stiffness.

  When the material 42 for elastic cushions illustrated in part c) of FIG. 5 is subjected to a load exerted in the vertical direction of the drawing by a plate resting on the entire width of the material 42 for elastic cushions, only the lateral sections 44 of the cushion are initially compressed. The material 42 for elastic cushions at this time provides a relatively weak spring effect. However, after contact of the pressure plate with the central section 46 of the cushion, the spring effect of the

  material 42 for elastic cushions then increases considerably.

  In the exemplary embodiments according to parts b) and c) of FIG. 5, the recesses recessed with respect to the upper surface of the material for elastic cushions extend in the longitudinal direction of said

  material, therefore perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

  Part d) of FIG. 5 shows another variant of material 48 for elastic cushions having groove-shaped recesses 50 provided transversely to the longitudinal axis of the material, which in practice may have a cross section in V. Such material for elastic cushions is particularly suitable for the manufacture of elastic tubular cushions, as described below with reference to FIG. 11. In addition, during the compaction of the stack of strips in the horizontal direction of the drawing, it is also possible to give the cross section of the material 48 for elastic cushions the shape of a parallelogram, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 5. An overlap of the juxtaposed sections of material 48 for elastic cushions

is therefore obtained.

  A variant of the embodiment shown in part d) of Figure 5 also consists in providing the recesses-50 exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the material. Such a material then lends itself more particularly to the manufacture of annular elastic cushions. Such an annular elastic cushion is generally designated by the number 52 in FIG. 6. It is produced from a single piece of material 48 for elastic cushions having strictly transverse V-shaped recesses 50, the end surfaces of which 54 , 56 of the piece of material are placed side by side. The ends of the piece of material for elastic cushions are firmly held against each other by means of a weld 58. The V-shaped recesses 50 provided in the material 48 for elastic cushions facilitate the bending of the latter in a closed ring. The ring can be produced by placing the bridges 60 of material 48 remaining under the recesses 50 either radially inwards (example of an embodiment along the left half of FIG. 6), or radially outwards (example of an embodiment along the right half of Figure 6). In the first case, there is obtained a plurality of elastic blocks 62 disposed in the peripheral direction and in the second case, a substantially closed ring of material for elastic cushions. By using a single material for elastic cushions, it is therefore possible to manufacture cushions

  elastic 52 having different radial and axial rigidities.

  FIG. 7 shows the use of an annular elastic cushion 52, according to FIG. 6, in a vibration damping support 64 used for the vibration-free installation of machines or measuring devices on

a floor.

  A threaded bolt 68, to which a foot of the installation machine is attached, is welded to an upper support plate 66 of the support 64. The support plate 66 has a central shoulder 70 which fits into the elastic cushion annular 52. An outer skirt 72 of the support plate 66 surrounds,

  the outer surface of the annular elastic cushion 52.

  -10- A lower backing plate 74 has holes 76 for receiving screws or another similar fixing system, by means of which the support 64 is fixed on the installation surface of. the machine. A central shoulder 78 of the lower support plate 74 is inserted from below into the annular elastic cushion 52. Since the material in which the elastic cushion 52 was produced, was compacted in both directions transverse to the 'longitudinal axis of the material, the cushion 52 is elastic both in the radial direction and in the axial direction. The support 64 can therefore dampen both axial and radial vibrations. In addition, torsional vibrations caused by

  the upper support plate 66 is also damped by the support 64.

  Figures 8 and 9 show a medium generally designated by the number

  , which can be used as a silent block.

  Between an inner tubular part 82 and an outer tubular part 84 are inserted three annular elastic cushions 86a, 86b and 86c arranged axially one behind the other, which are obtained by bending sections of material for relatively elastic cushions flexible. Such a material also makes it possible to produce a closed ring without transverse recesses, similar to the recesses 50 described above. The elastic cushions 86 are pressed between the tubular parts 82 and 84. Their contact surfaces 88a, 88b and 88c within the ring are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG. 8. The support according to the figures 8 and 9 is used to dampen radial vibrations. It is in this way possible to produce vibration dampers for tubes. When the elastic cushions 86 must additionally experience axial vibrations, it is possible to provide bent legs along the inner tube and the outer tube, in the region of the ends of the stack of elastic cushions, and thus also block in the direction axial the elastic cushions in relation to the tubular part

  internal and to the external tubular part.

  FIG. 10 shows an elastic cushion in the form of a sleeve designated overall by the number 90, which consists of three elastic annular cushions 92a, 92b and 92c arranged axially one behind the other. These annular elastic cushions are produced using a material for elastic cushions, the sides of which are provided with grooves 94. The grooves 94 of contiguous sections of material for elastic cushions thus form grooves in an arc of a circle 96, in which weld points 98 can be made behind the peripheral surface of the elastic cushion 90. The weld points 98 are uniformly distributed in the direction

circumferential.

  -11- Within the elastic cushion 90 according to FIG. 10, the contact surfaces of the ring are fixed by the weld points 98. These contact surfaces are once again arranged offset from one another in the angular sense. When desired, it is also possible to hold the contact surfaces of the ring together with a layer of glue 100, or at least to fix them temporarily until the

  solder points 98 are made.

  FIG. 11 shows an endless elastic cushion of tubular shape 102 obtained by spirally winding a material for elastic cushions according to part d) of FIG. 5. In this material for elastic cushions, the recesses 50 are provided at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the material so as to be positioned directly parallel to the axis of the tube, during the spiral winding of said material. As shown in FIG. 11, the distance between the successive recesses 50 is preferably defined taking into account the diameter of the tubular elastic cushion 102, so that the recesses 50 are directly offset from one another by one half not angular within the successive turns of the spiral. The various turns of material are fixed by a spiral weld 104, which is again produced in a groove 96 formed by grooves 94 provided along the external longitudinal edges of the endless material 48 for elastic cushions. In the embodiment according to FIG. 11, the material 48 for elastic cushions is again arranged so that the recesses 50 are turned radially inwards, in order to obtain a significant spring effect similar to that of the elastic cushion illustrated in the right-hand part in FIG. 6. As a variant of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 11, it is however also possible to orient the recesses 50 again towards the outside, so that a structure similar to that shown in the left-hand part in FIG. 6 is obtained; the different elastic blocks then being in reality offset

  angularly with respect to each other within successive turns.

  FIG. 12 shows an elastic cushion 106 in the form of a plate, which is obtained by juxtaposing rectilinear strips of material 48 for elastic cushions, again provided with grooves 94. These strips of material

  for elastic cushions are held together by means of welds 104.

  FIG. 13 shows a variant of material 108 for elastic cushions in the form of a plate, which consists of strips of material 110,. 112 having a cross section in T. These materials 110, 112 for elastic cushions are obtained by compacting more strongly lateral regions -12-

  a stack of strips having an initial rectangular cross-section

  laire, as shown in part b) of Figure 5. The vertical sections of the "T" have however a different height, so that the strips of material 112 for elastic cushions vertically protrude from the strips of material 110 for elastic cushions. When a pressure plate 13 in FIG. 13 is brought into contact with the upper part of the elastic cushion 108 in the form of a plate, the protruding sections of the strips of material 112 for elastic cushions are then compressed first, before that the pressure plate comes to apply thereafter against the strips of material 110 for elastic cushions. In this way, a characteristic curve of non-linear progressive elasticity is again obtained. FIG. 14 shows a variant of elastic cushion 114 in the form of a plate, manufactured using the material for elastic cushions already illustrated in FIG. 12, but having however a lower rigidity. For this purpose, the strips of material 48 for elastic cushions are placed side by side at a certain lateral distance on a base plate 116 and fixed in

  position by means of welding points 118 for example.

  By varying the distance d between the contiguous bands of material 48 for elastic cushions, it is then possible to define in a simple and

  continues the effective rigidity of the elastic cushion 114 in the form of a plate.

  FIG. 15 shows a press die generally designated by the number 120, intended for the manufacture of material for elastic cushions having transverse recesses. A lower half-die 122 has a base 124, which defines together with side walls 126 a U-shaped passage. A punch 128 is moved in the vertical direction by pushers 130, 132. The vertical movement of pushers 130 and 132 is controlled mechanically or hydraulically, as in presses of known structure. The lower side of the punch 128 has transverse ribs 134, the shape of which is adapted to the desired geometry of the cross section of the recesses 50 within the material 48 for elastic cushions.

  The compacting of a stack of strips in the matrix 120 takes place by introducing therein

  intermittently every time a new section of the stack of

  endless bands, of a length corresponding to the length of the punch 128.

  The use of one and the same punch also makes it possible to carry out the compaction according to two levels, by providing below the section of lower surface of the punch located on the upstream side, as illustrated in broken line at 135 in FIG. 15. In this case, the transport of the stack of bands and the endless material for elastic cushions obtained after compacting takes place on -13-

  a distance corresponding to half-the length of the punch 128.

  FIG. 16 shows a station operating continuously, intended for vertical compaction with reference to the drawing of a stack of endless belts. An upper compacting cylinder 136 and a lower compacting cylinder 138 are installed so as to be able to rotate, with the ends of their axes 140, 142 housed in slides 144, which are inserted into guide slots 146 of the chassis plates 148, 150. The said plates are

  interconnected by means of sleepers 151.

  The slides 144 are prestressed towards one another by a hydraulic cylinder 152, so that the compaction of the stack of strips takes place under constant pressure in the predefined passage by the compacting rollers 136, 138. Instead of the cylinder hydraulic 152, it is also possible to use a threaded spindle for this purpose in order to keep the compacting rollers 136, 138 at a constant distance. There is then obtained a material for elastic cushions having a constant thickness, while the first solution above makes it possible to obtain a material for cushions

  elastic with constant elasticity.

  The two compacting cylinders 136, 138 are set in synchronous rotation by a control motor 154 common to the two cylinders. In order to avoid sliding between the peripheral surfaces of the compacting rollers 136, 138 and the surfaces of the stack of strips to be compacted, the peripheral surface of the compacting rollers 136, 138 is very rough, as illustrated in 156 in FIG. 16. Au instead of such roughness, it is also possible to provide compacting rollers 136, 138 with a peripheral surface provided with a

plurality of pins.

  When compacting stacks of belts during which the risk of internal slipping is relatively low, it is also possible not to provide a drive system for the lower or upper compactor cylinder and

  design it as a free cylinder.

  In the variants of the compacting station illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, the compacting rollers 136, 138 acting in the vertical direction are provided with a middle rib 158 in the circumferential direction and with a plurality of axial ribs 160 distributed in the direction circumferential. These ribs together produce an embossed design of the upper side and the lower side of the elastic cushion material; the two embossed drawings which can be produced in an aligned manner (as shown in FIG. 17) or offset with respect to each other. In the latter case, one of the compacting rollers 136,

  138 must be offset by half an angular division.

  In the compacting station according to FIG. 16, the chassis plates 148, 150 provide lateral guidance of the stack of strips. In the compacting station according to FIGS. 17 and 18, this lateral guidance is provided by two lateral compacting rollers 162, 164, which also compact in the horizontal direction, at the same time as the vertical compacting, a stack of bands having a width greater than the width of the horizontal passage provided between the compacting rollers 162, 164. There is thus obtained, in a single operation, a material 48 for elastic cushions, which is

  elastic in both directions perpendicular to the axis of the material.

  As illustrated in FIG. 18, the two lateral compacting rollers 162, 164 rotate at a small lateral distance "x", opposite the sides of the compacting rollers 136, 138 acting in the vertical direction, -so that there is no no contact and no sliding of friction between the different

compacting cylinders.

  Figure 19 shows schematically the manufacture of two-layer strips in

knitted spring steel wire.

  A circular knitter 166 produces the knitted gut 10 having a circular cross section. The hose 10 is compressed into a two-layer strip 16 in a crushing station 168, which may include a pair of crushing cylinders for example. It is also possible to give the two-layer strip a determined shape of its cross section, for example a wavy or zigzag shape, by passing it through a profiling station 170. The strip is then wound into a roll of material 174 within a

winding station 172.

  FIG. 20 shows a schematic representation of an installation for manufacturing endless material 48 for elastic cushions from several rolls of material 174a to 174f. These material rolls are installed in unwinders 176a to 176f equipped with height-adjustable feet 178. The height of the different feet 178 is adjusted so that the strips of material 16i run parallel to each other

compared to others.

  When it is desired to superimpose the strips 16 according to a more pronounced profiling of their cross section, the different unwinders 176i may additionally comprise a pair of profiling cylinders, which then in this case give the strip unwound so

  planes the desired shape before it is placed on another strip.

  The endless pile made up of superimposed endless bands 16i, generally designated by the number 180 in FIG. 20, then enters a compaction station 182 in which the endless material 48 for elastic cushions is produced by vertical compaction and possibly horizontal of the pile 180. After the compacting station 182, the material 48 for elastic cushions is still sent to a delivery station 184, within which the material is compressed in the longitudinal direction. An endless material for elastic cushions is thus obtained, which has elasticity in three directions. 5. The discharge station 184 may comprise two pairs of cylinders 186, 188 for example; the speed of rotation of the pair of cylinders 186 corresponding to the exit speed of the compacting station 182, while that of the pair of cylinders 188 is lower, as shown in FIG. 20 by means of shorter arrows in these cylinders. The pairs of cylinders 186, 188 are arranged directly one behind the other and are preferably of small diameter, so that the section of material for elastic cushions liable to bend has only a short length between the two

pairs of cylinders.

  In the places where it is desired to carry out a large displacement of the material 48 for elastic cushions, in the longitudinal direction of the material, there is preferably a lesser compaction within the compaction station 182 and part of the final overall compaction is entrusted. desired for the pair of cylinders 188. The material for elastic cushions is thus even more flexible and more easily compactable in the longitudinal direction before

  penetrate between the pair of cylinders 188.

  After the discharge station 184, there is provided a garment station 190, which may for example comprise a cutting disc 194 controlled by a compressed air turbine 192, which cuts pieces 196 of the same length of material 48 without end for cushions elastic, which can then be subsequently transformed within other stations into annular or plate-shaped elastic cushions, as described above, or be directly sold commercially as a material of universal use, for special applications. Instead of the garment station 190, it is also possible to provide automated equipment after the delivery station 184, which transforms the endless material 48 'for elastic cushions directly into an endless tubular elastic cushion, like the one shown in the figure 11, by winding it in a spiral and welding it

16 2630755

Claims (27)

Claims   1. Elongated material for elastic cushions comprising a plurality of layers of knitted, worked, woven or applied material, arranged one on top of the other, which is itself produced by means of metallic threads or fibers having elasticity-bending, o the material layers are compacted in at least one direction, characterized in that the material layers (16) each have two free longitudinal sides parallel to the longitudinal axis of the material and in that the individual layers (16) material initials are arranged geometrically on others.   2. Material for elastic cushions according to claim 1, characterized in that the layers of material (16) are compacted in two directions   perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the material.   3. Material for elastic cushions according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the layers of material (16) are compacted   additionally in the longitudinal direction of the material.   4. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 3,   characterized in that partial volumes of the material layers (16)   compacted have different densities and / or rigidities.   5. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 4,   characterized in that recesses (50) are made in one of its surfaces at least.   6. Material for elastic cushions according to claim 5, characterized in that the recesses (50) - resemble i notches and are parallel between them.   7. Material for elastic cushions according to claim 6, characterized in that it has two series of recesses (50) which form together an embossed design.   8. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 7,   characterized in that tabs (18) are cut from the die in the individual layers of material (16), which tabs are hooked to   contiguous layers of material (16).   9. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 8,   characterized in that at least one, preferably two longitudinal edges   contiguous have a groove (94).   10. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 9,   characterized in that one of the longitudinal sides has a tongue and the other longitudinal side has a groove so as to form tongue-and-groove assemblies between the contiguous pieces of cushion material elastic. 17 2630755   11. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 10,   characterized in that its basic cross section has the shape of a parallelogram.   12. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 6 to 11,   characterized in that the axes of the recesses (50) are transverse to the axis longitudinal of the material.   13. Material for elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 10,   characterized in that its basic cross section is circular.   14. Annular elastic cushion characterized in that a piece of material (48)   for elastic cushions, according to one of Claims 1 to 13, is curved   so as to form a ring, the ends (54, 56) of the piece of material   preferably being rigidly connected to each other.   15. Elastic cushion according to claim 14, characterized in that several pieces of material curved so as to form each time a ring (92a to 92c) are arranged axially one behind the other, the contact surfaces (88) of the rings being preferably offset relative to each other in the angular direction and the successive rings (92a to   92c) being connected (98) preferably rigidly together.   16. Tubular elastic cushion characterized in that the material (48) for   elastic cushions according to one of claims 1 to 13, is bent   helically by placing side by side within the turns the lateral surfaces of the material, said contiguous lateral surfaces being connected   preferably rigidly between them (104).   17. Elastic cushion according to claim 16, characterized in that it is inserted under radial prestress between an internal tubular part   (82) and an external tubular part (84).   18. Elastic cushion in the form of a plate, characterized in that a plurality of pieces of material (48) for elastic cushions, according to one of   claims 1 to 12, are arranged in a parallel end-to-end fashion,   the contiguous pieces of material being preferably interconnected permanently (104).   19. Elastic cushion according to claim 18, characterized in that the   pieces of elastic material (110, 112) have different heights.   20. elastic cushion according to claim 19, characterized in that the pieces of material (110, 112) having different heights also have different rigidities.   21. Installation for the continuous production of a material for cushions   elastic bands, according to one of Claims 1 to 13, characterized in that it   has a material unwinding station (176), in which a plurality of layers of knitted, worked, woven or applied material are 1 8-2 6630755   unwound rolls of material (174) and arranged one above the other, and a compacting station (182) provided downstream, which defines an intermittent or continuous passage perpendicular to the direction of reduction   strongly, for the stack (180) of superimposed layers of material.   22. Installation according to claim 21, characterized in that the station   compaction comprises at least one pair of cylinders (136, '138).   23. Installation according to claim 22, characterized in that at least one of the compacting rollers (136, 138) has ribs on the surface (158, 160).   24. Installation according to one of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that   a discharge station (184) is installed downstream of the compacting station (182).   25. Installation according to claim 24, characterized in that the delivery station (184) comprises cylinders (188) acting with greater friction on the material (48) for elastic cushions, which cylinders rotate at a speed less than the speed feed- material   (48) for elastic cushions defined by the compacting station (182).   26. Installation according to claim 25, characterized in that the delivery cylinders (188) provide postcompaction of the material (48) for elastic cushions, in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the material. 27. Installation according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that it is installed at a small distance from the cylinders (188) braking the material (48) for elastic cushions, support cylinders (186) rotating at a corresponding speed at the material exit speed (48) from the compaction (182).