GB1599249A

GB1599249A - Brush making

Info

Publication number: GB1599249A
Application number: GB1826178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-07-14
Filing date: 1978-05-08
Publication date: 1981-09-30
Also published as: DE2731762C2; DE2731762A1

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO BRUSH MAKING (71) I, HEINZ ZAHORANSKY, a German citizen trading as Anton Zahoransky of 8, Schwarzwaldstrasse, 7868 Todtnau, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention concerns brush making and relates more particularly to a method of manufacturing brushes which are made in several manufacturing operations of different duration, the individual, brush blanks being fed in succession at a predetermined rate simultaneously to successive operating stations.

Such methods are already known. Multiple machines, e.g. double or triple filling machines with subsequently arranged further operating stations are frequently provided.

Considerable expenditure is thereby incurred in a disadvantageous way. Also, the resetting work necessary for changing the machine over to make different kinds of brushes is time-consuming.

A further disadvantage lies in the poor accessibility of the inner units on triple, quadruple and such like machines. Moreover, the different operation times of the individual operating stations mean that the existing machine capacity is not fully utilised.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a method of the above-mentioned type for the manufacture of brushes, in which for an at least equal production speed a comparatively small mechanical outlay is required and where, at the same time a better utilisation of machine capacity is achieved.

According to the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing brushes comprising passing brush blanks successively through a series of operating stations at each of which a manufacturing operation is performed on the blanks comprising carrying out a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more other manufacturing operations at each of a plurality of separate similar stations for equal duration simultaneously on a corresponding plurality of blanks, each blank of a said plurality being one of a different group of blanks, each group being passed successively through the series of operating stations, the operating stations whereat similar steps are performed being disposed one afterthe other in the feed direction of said blanks.

As a result, practically no idle times occur on the operating stations requiring only a short operating time, since the durations of the individual operating operations may be adapted to one another. Practically optimum utilisation of the machines used in the stations is only thereby possible.

The invention also relates to brush making apparatus for carrying out the above-mentioned method and therefore, viewed from another aspect there is provided according to the invention brush making apparatus comprising a successive series of operating stations each adapted to perform a manufacturing operation on brush blanks wherein some of the stations are a plurality of similar operating stations which are provided for carrying out simultaneously for equal duration on a corresponding plurality of blanks a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more manufacturing operations, each blank of said plurality being one of a different group, and means for passing each group successively through the series of operating stations, said similar operating stations being disposed one after the other in the feed direction of said blanks.

Preferably, the number of similar operating stations is such that the duration of their manufacturing operation is substantially equal to the duration of the shortest manufacturing operation of the other stations.

Thus, by a corresponding number of operating stations in which comparatively expensive and consequently longer-lasting work is carried out there is achieved an adaptation to the other operating stations having a shorter operating time. The arrangement provided of similar operating stations in a series behind one another has the advantage that a feed mechanism provided for transporting blank holders can be installed simply.

A preferred form of the invention includes a plurality of blank holders arranged in groups in a row, the number of holders in each group corresponding to the maximum number of similar operating stations. Preferably the spacing between said groups corresponds substantially to the spacing between said similar operating stations. A favourable arrangement of the similar operating stations and also a uniform, fixed-cycle feed of the workpieces are thereby possible, idle strokes being avoided in the region of the similar operating stations arranged behind one another.

The blank holders are preferably displaceable relative to the transporting means and preferably have a guided baseplate and a clamping support plate movably connected thereto and carrying at least one clamping device. The blank holders together with the brush blanks clamped therein can thereby be displaced e.g. in the region of a brush drilling and/or brush filling machine and, especially positioning can be carried out according to the holes provided for the bristle bunches.

Inaccuracies in the transporting or feed mechanism can also thereby be compensated.

With an arrangement in groups of the blank holders the clamping devices belonging to a group can preferably have a common baseplate and a common clamping support plate. Among other things, the outlay for the blank holders can thereby be minimised.

The feed mechanism used is preferably a revolving transporting means in the manner of an endless belt, chain, or the like, a feed mechanism and several filling devices preferably being arranged on one longitudinal run thereof and finishing devices such as e.g. a stamping device, a cutting mechanism, a sanding device, a cleaning device and an ejector being arranged on the other longitudinal run. Such a feed mechanism has high operating safety and is simple to execute in practice.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, shown very diagrammatically, Figure 1 is a side view of brush making apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 is a simplified representation of a brush making apparatus with three similar operating stations, and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but with four operating stations.

A brush making machine 1 according to the invention, shown in Figure 1, has a feed mechanism 2 with a chain 3 revolving in the manner of a endless conveyor belt. This is guided over two sprocket wheels 5 whose axes are horizontal. An arrangement with substantially vertical sprocket wheel axes is likewise possible.

The chain 3 has fastened to it several brush blank holders 4 which travel past various operating stations 6. By means of the feed mechanism 2 blanks clamped in the blank holders 4 are fed forwards in a fixed cycle.

Figure 1 shows on the upper run of the feed mechanism 2 a supply mechanism 7 with two magazines 8 and two filling machines 9. It has adjoining it in the feed direction a stamping machine 10 disposed adjacent the position where the chain 3 changes direction. On the lower run are arranged a cutting mechanism 11, a sanding device 12 and a cleaning device 13. After being finished by the above-mentioned operating stations the brushes 14 held by the blank holders 4 are released at an ejector station not shown in detail. A guide rail 15 is arranged parallel to the chain 3 to guide the revolving blank holders 4.

A corresponding number of similar operating stations is provided for processing operations with a comparatively long duration of operation in correspondence with processing operations with a shorter duration of operation.

For example, to fill a brush with 30 holes a filling time of 6 seconds is necessary; on the other hand, a processing time of only approximately 1.5 seconds is required for the other processing operations such as e.g.

sanding, cutting etc. This has meant hitherto that the operating stations with a comparatively short processing time each have a correspondingly long processing pause.

On the brush making machine 1 however, the different operating times are compensated or adapted to one another by a different number of similar operating sta tion,s. In the above-mentioned "time exam ple" an arrangement e.g. with four filling tools, as shown in Figure 3, would have to be provided for optimum utilisation.

Because of the time requirement, not proportional to the filling time (drilling time) in question, for the other processing operations, the ratios change according to the number of bristle bunches for the brushes to be processed. For brushes with comparatively few bristle bunches fewer similar operating stations 6 (Fig. 1) e.g. for filling and/or drilling are required than for brushes with comparatively many bristle bunches (e.g. Fig. 3).

Optimum utilisation of the operating ma chines is achieved when the number of similar stations is coordinated to the operating duration of the station with the shortest operating duration, the similar stations being arranged behind one another in the feed direction of the blank holders. It is advantageous in this arrangement that only one feed mechanism 2, for example a revolving chain 3, is necessary.

In the embodiments the blank holders are arranged in groups in a row, the number of blank holders belonging to a group corresponding to the maximum number of similar stations. The spacing between the groups is matched to the spacing between the similar stations 6. This arrangement permits a uniform feed rate, the individual groups of holders 4 being transported further at each feed stroke from one station to the next- hence e.g. from the stamping to the cutting mechanism. Thus, transport with comparatively few large-stroke feed steps is advantageously possible. The individual stations 6 also have a comparatively large spacing between them, so that a clear and easily accessible arrangement of the individual stations 6 if given.

In the embodiment according to Figure 1 two filling devices 9 are provided. Their spacing A from one another corresponds to the spacing d between two adjacent blank holders 4 belonging to different groups. In one feed step of the chain 3 according to the path S I brush blanks 14a belonging to different groups come to rest under the two filling tools 9a and 9b. In the next feed step the other brush blanks belonging to a group will be filled, so that the brush blanks at the front of each group in the feed direction are processed by the first filling tool 9a and the brush bodies at the rear and on the right in the filling region in Figure 1 are processed by the second filling tool 9b.

To achieve the above-mentioned advantages also on a brush making machine 1 with more than two similar operating stations (Figs. 2 and 3), their spacing A from one another, the preferably fixed-cycle displacement path S of the feed mechanism 2 and the spacing a between the workpiece holders 4 within a group are provided according to the relation S = A + a or S = A - a. An arrangement according to the relation S = A + a has proved particularly advantageous because of the more favourable space relationships.

In the revolving feed mechanism 2 shown operating stations 6 can be provided both in the straight regions and in the turning regions of the feed mechanism 2. In the direction of rotation according to the arrow pfl these are, for example, according to Fig.

1, on the top side a brush-body supply mechanism 7, followed by a brush filling station with two filling tools 9a and 9b, followed in the turning region by a stamping device 10 and on the underside of the feed mechanism 2, finishing stations. These finishing stations serve to cut and sand the ends of the bristles and to clean the brushes, cut-off pieces of bristle and the like being removed.

In the adjoining turning region an ejector can be provided, where the clamping devices for the brush bodies are opened. Figs. 2 and 3 show somewhat modified arrangementss of operating stations, these being arranged only in the straight regions of the feed mechanism 2. Fig. 3 shows a stamping device 1 0a which, because of the larger number of blank holders belonging to a group, is equipped with two or, as shown by broken lines, also with four stamps, a longitudinal movement according to the arrow PF2 not being necessary in the latter case.In the region of the brush drilling and brush filling machine or machines positioning movements of the clamped blanks, e.g. longitudinally and transversely in relation to the feed movement, are necessary during processing, even with a stationary feed mechanism 2, according to the hole arrangement provided on the brush bodies. For this, the blank holders 4 are displaceable relative to the feed mechanism 2 and they preferably have a guided baseplate 16 and a clamping support plate 18 connected movably thereto and carrying one or more clamping devices 17. The clamping support plate 18 can be displaced from hole to hole in the brush body by suitable positioning means which have, for example, a crossbar-like guides.

Since the similar operating stations arranged behind one another work in parallel at the same time, synchronisation by corresponding connections is appropriate both for the positioning means and for the drilling and/or filling tools. The outlay for the control of the above-mentioned stations can thereby be minimised.

The above-mentioned positioning means are provided only in the region of the brush drilling and/or brush filling station. At the other stations, however, the processing devices are displaceable (arrows Pf2) in the transport direction of the blank holders 4, the displacement path provided overlapping a group of blank holders 4. With these simple processing devices 10 to 13 this can be effected with low outlay. Brushes belonging to a group and held by clamping devices 17 are processed in a comparatively short time.

Fig. 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of blank holders 4. Here, clamping devices 17 belonging to a group have a common baseplate 16 and a common clamping support plate 18. This is especially advantageous for holders 4 with a small number of clamping devices 17.

To fit the holders with wooden brush pieces or the like or with brush blanks already provided with holes, the brush mak ing machine 1 has a supply mechanism 7. In the embodiment shown in Fig. I two magazines 8 are provided. Besides a number of magazines 8 which corresponds to the number of holders 4 belonging to a group, the brush making machine 1 can also have one or more magazines 8 displaceable in the transport direction. In particular, with a larger number of blank holders 4 belonging to a groups shown, for example, in Fig.

3-the last-mentioned solution is advantageous, since the actual fitting operation takes up only a little time and, consequently, sufficient time remains to displace the magazines 8.

The figures represent by way of example a preferred embodiment of a feed mechanism which has an endless chain or such like conveying device. In addition, the feed mechanism 2 can, however, also have at least one guide for the workpiece holders which runs past the processing stations approximately in a straight line and into which at least one feed element engages. Here, several feed elements can also be connected together and be displaceable by a driving cylinder, the stroke corresponding substantially to the spacing between the operating stations. After a feed operation in which the blank holders or a group of blank holders are supplied to an operating station the feed elements can then be withdrawn from their position of engagement for re-transparent, pulled back and then re-engaged.The holders can, if appropriate, rest against one another during transparent in the guide past the stations, so that a feed movement needs to be provided at one end only. A circular conveying device, also, is conceivable around which the individual operating stations are arranged.

At the transport end of the straight guide there can be provided an ejector operated preferably by a driving cylinder and a collector supplying the brushes, where appropriate, to a further transport mechanism.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of manufacturing brushes comprising passing brush blanks successively through a series of operating stations at each of which a manufacturing operation is performed on the blanks comprising carrying out a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more other manufacturing operations at each of a plurality of separate similar stations for equal duration simultaneously on a corresponding plurality of blanks, each blank of a said plurality being one of a different group of blanks, each group being passed successively through the series of operating stations, the operating stations whereat similar steps are performed being disposed one after the other in the feed direction of said blanks.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which two brush blanks are fed simultaneously to the brush making machine, two brush blanks are subsequently filled simultaneously and afterwards these filled blanks are treated singly or in a pair of successively one by one in one or more operating stations to stamp, trim, sand or clean them.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 in which the duration of said separate steps is substantially equal to the duration of the shortest manufacturing operation.

4. Brush making apparatus comprising a successive series of operating stations each adapted to perform a manufacturing operation on brush blanks wherein some of the stations are a plurality of similar operating stations which are provided for carrying out simultaneously for equal duration on a corresponding plurality of blanks a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more other manufacturing operations, each blank of said plurality being one of a different group, and means for passing each group successively through the series of operating stations, said similar operating stations being disposed one after the other in the feed direction of said blanks.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the number of said similar operating stations is such that the duration of their manufacturing operations is substantially equal to the duration of the shortest manufacturing operation of the other stations.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, including a plurality of blank holders arranged in groups in a row, the number of holders in each group corresponding to the maximum number of similar operating stations.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the spacing between said groups corresponds substantially to the spacing between said similar operating stations.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which at least two filling stations are provided whose spacing from one another corresponds to the spacing between two adjacent blank holders of adjacent groups, 9. Apparatus according to claim 6, 7 or 8 in which the relationship between the spacing A from one another of said plurality of similar operating stations, the fixed cycle displacement path S of the blank holders and the spacing a between the blank holders in a group is given by S=Aia.

10. Apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 9 including an endless belt, chain or the like for feeding said blanks through said operating stations, blank supply means and a plurality of filling stations being disposed along one longitudinal run of the belt, chain or the like, and a plurality of finishing stations and an ejector means being disposed along the other longitudinal run.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6 and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

ing machine 1 has a supply mechanism 7. In the embodiment shown in Fig. I two magazines 8 are provided. Besides a number of magazines 8 which corresponds to the number of holders 4 belonging to a group, the brush making machine 1 can also have one or more magazines 8 displaceable in the transport direction. In particular, with a larger number of blank holders 4 belonging to a groups shown, for example, in Fig.

3-the last-mentioned solution is advantageous, since the actual fitting operation takes up only a little time and, consequently, sufficient time remains to displace the magazines 8.

The figures represent by way of example a preferred embodiment of a feed mechanism which has an endless chain or such like conveying device. In addition, the feed mechanism 2 can, however, also have at least one guide for the workpiece holders which runs past the processing stations approximately in a straight line and into which at least one feed element engages. Here, several feed elements can also be connected together and be displaceable by a driving cylinder, the stroke corresponding substantially to the spacing between the operating stations. After a feed operation in which the blank holders or a group of blank holders are supplied to an operating station the feed elements can then be withdrawn from their position of engagement for re-transparent, pulled back and then re-engaged.The holders can, if appropriate, rest against one another during transparent in the guide past the stations, so that a feed movement needs to be provided at one end only. A circular conveying device, also, is conceivable around which the individual operating stations are arranged.

At the transport end of the straight guide there can be provided an ejector operated preferably by a driving cylinder and a collector supplying the brushes, where appropriate, to a further transport mechanism.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of manufacturing brushes comprising passing brush blanks successively through a series of operating stations at each of which a manufacturing operation is performed on the blanks comprising carrying out a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more other manufacturing operations at each of a plurality of separate similar stations for equal duration simultaneously on a corresponding plurality of blanks, each blank of a said plurality being one of a different group of blanks, each group being passed successively through the series of operating stations, the operating stations whereat similar steps are performed being disposed one after the other in the feed direction of said blanks.
2. A method according to claim 1 in which two brush blanks are fed simultaneously to the brush making machine, two brush blanks are subsequently filled simultaneously and afterwards these filled blanks are treated singly or in a pair of successively one by one in one or more operating stations to stamp, trim, sand or clean them.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 in which the duration of said separate steps is substantially equal to the duration of the shortest manufacturing operation.
4. Brush making apparatus comprising a successive series of operating stations each adapted to perform a manufacturing operation on brush blanks wherein some of the stations are a plurality of similar operating stations which are provided for carrying out simultaneously for equal duration on a corresponding plurality of blanks a manufacturing operation of overall long duration relative to one or more other manufacturing operations, each blank of said plurality being one of a different group, and means for passing each group successively through the series of operating stations, said similar operating stations being disposed one after the other in the feed direction of said blanks.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the number of said similar operating stations is such that the duration of their manufacturing operations is substantially equal to the duration of the shortest manufacturing operation of the other stations.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, including a plurality of blank holders arranged in groups in a row, the number of holders in each group corresponding to the maximum number of similar operating stations.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the spacing between said groups corresponds substantially to the spacing between said similar operating stations.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which at least two filling stations are provided whose spacing from one another corresponds to the spacing between two adjacent blank holders of adjacent groups,
9. Apparatus according to claim 6, 7 or 8 in which the relationship between the spacing A from one another of said plurality of similar operating stations, the fixed cycle displacement path S of the blank holders and the spacing a between the blank holders in a group is given by S=Aia.
10. Apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 9 including an endless belt, chain or the like for feeding said blanks through said operating stations, blank supply means and a plurality of filling stations being disposed along one longitudinal run of the belt, chain or the like, and a plurality of finishing stations and an ejector means being disposed along the other longitudinal run.
11. Apparatus according to claim 6 and

10 including a guide rail equidistantly spaced from the belt, chain or the like for guiding the blank holers through the operation stations.
12. Apparatus according to claims 6 and 10 or claim 11 in which the blank holders are displaceable relative to the belt, chain or the like, a said group comprising a guided base plate and a clamping support plate movably connected thereto and carrying at least one clamping device.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which clamping devices forming a group of blank holders have a common base plate and a common support plate.
14. Apparatus according to claims 6 and 10 or any of claims 11 to 13 in which at least some of the finishing stations are displaceable in the feed direction of the blank holders the displacement path being longer than each group of blank holders.
15. Apparatus according to claim 6 or any of claims 7 to 14 where dependent on claim 6 including a plurality of blank supply magazines the number of which corresponds to the number of blank holders in a group.
16. Apparatus according to claim 6 or any of claims 7 to 14 where dependent on claim 6 including at least one blank supply magazine displaceable in the feed direction of the blank holders.
17. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 9 in which said operating stations are arranged in a line, at least one guide for the blank holders being provided running past the operating stations and in which engages at least one feed member.
18. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which a plurality of feed members are connected together and are displaceable by a driving cylinder the stroke of which corresponds substantially to the spacing of said operating stations.
19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which said feed members are adapted at the end of a stroke, to be withdrawn from their engagement and returned for re-engagement and further feeding.
20. Apparatus according to claim 17, 18 or 19 in which at the downstream end of the guide is disposed an ejector means adapted to transpose the brushes to a further transport means.
21. A method of manufacturing brushes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
22. Brush making apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.