GB2055291A - Tufted constructions and methods of and apparatus for making tufted constructions - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for 12 making flared, tufted, brush constructions, a plurality of synthetic filament tufts (102) are picked, and the ends of the tufts are fused together. The fused ends are simultaneously mounted parallel on a heat softened, thermoplastic support (104). The edge(s) of the support 104 are supported in an opening in a mould (106). Before the support (104) cools, it is deformed by means of a convex die (110) to a convex configuration so that the tufts (102) diverge and, when the support cools, a flared tufted construction is formed. The support may also be deformed to a concave configuration so that the tufts converge. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tufted constructions and methods of and apparatus for making tufted constructions ;17iS invention relates to tufted constructions and methods of an apparatus for making tufted constructions.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for making tufted constructions, comprising: a stock box for supporting parallel cut-tolength synthetic filaments; means for picking a plurality of said filaments to form a plurality of tufts thereof; means for fusing together ends of the tufts; means for supporting the tufts in a mutually spaced relationship while the ends of the tufts are individually and simultaneously fused; mould means for supporting a plastics substrate sheet and heating means disposed adjacent the mould means for heat softening the sheet;; indexing means coupled to said supporting means for seating the fused ends of the tufts, while heat softened, on the heat softened plastics substrate and for holding the tufts thereon until the fused ends thereof fuse to the plastics substrate, and for subsequently withdrawing said supporting means leaving sa,d tufts mounted on said substrate; and means for imparting a convex or concave configuration to the substrate before the substrate cools and for maintaining the substrate in said configuration until the substrate cools, thereby to form a tufted construction in which each tuft is disposed at a different angle from each adjacent tuft on the substrate.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of making a tufted construction wherein each tuft is disposed at an angle different from each adjacent tuft, the method comprising: supporting a thermoplastic sheet substrate at the edge(s) thereof, and heating said sheet until it softens; supporting a plurality of synthetic filament tufts in a mutually spaced relationship, and heating a common end of each of the tufts, simultaneously, until each of said ends fuses; simultaneously fusing said ends of each of the tufts to a surface of the heat softened substrate to mount said tufts thereon in the mutually spaced relationship; and deforming the heat softened sheet into a convex or concave configuration to form said flared construction with the tufts extending outwardly therefrom.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a tufted construction comprising: a thermoplastic sheet substrate having a convex configuration; a plurality of mutually spaced synthetic filament tufts each having an end fused integrally with the substrate and each extending outwardly at an angle different from the angle of each adjacent tuft; and handle means enabling the tufted construction to be held.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a tufted construction comprising a hollow, spherical, thermoplastic substrate and a plurality of mutually spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted about the spherical surface of the substrate, each of the tufts having an end fused integrally with the substrate and each of the tufts extending from the substrate at an angle different from the angle of each adjacent tuft.

Brush making machinery embodying the invention and described in detail below can be used for continuously fabricating synthetic filament constructions. The machinery is particularly suited to forming a wide variety of filament constructions wherein the ends of the filament are fused and supported before they cool, so that the prefused ends only connect the filament unit and mount or hold the filament unit to a support substrate in parallel attitude. Before the support cools it is deformed from behind, thus causing all the filament tufts on the opposite side to change attitude from a parallel relationship to one in which each tuft is at a different angle from any adjacent tuft. The tufts may either diverge from a convex support to form a flared construction or converge from a concave support.

The brush industry and brush-making art during the past fifty years have remained, for the most part, unchanged. Major changes taking place have come about in raw materials employed, i.e. synthetic filaments replacing vegetable fibres, moulded thermoplastic handles replacing wooden handles, and the like, but little or no change has taken place in forming tufts and/or tufting multi-tufted construcrions.With the economic changes taking place during the 1 970's and even more dependence upon oil and oil derivatives in the late 70's,i.e. plastics used for synthetic filament and moulded brush blocks, and an ever increasing cost for energy and for these raw materials, a need developed for new ways to construct tufted synthetic brush products so that (1) up to at least 75% of the starting raw materials are used in construction and (2) the energy required to form these raw materials is minimised.

Picking device for fabricating tufted constructions from synthetic filaments are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. Re.

27, 455 and in U.S. Patent No. 3,799,616.

However, embodiments of the present invention, while outwardly similar to the already patented constructions, have the additional capability of allowing one to pick and trim angleflared individual tufts and tufted constructions wherein raw material conservation and utility are achieved.

For example, convention tufted brushes comprise three parts: one, the handle; two, filaments with a length more than twice the filament tuft length out of the handle; and three, a wire staple. Handle thicknesses of at least 4.76 mm (three-sixteenths inches) previously had to be employed to accommodate drilled holes in order that the stapled tuft (held by wire staples) could be supported in the handle.

One preferred form of brush construction embodying this invention, in contrast, comprises only a handle (support means or substrate) with a thickness in the region of 1 mm (0.040 inches) with filaments attached thereto, and both are constructed preferably from polypropylene. Constructions can also be fabricated from materials such as polyurethane (support) and polyamide (filament) whereby these two materials will remain fused together to produce a polyamide (nylon) filament brush. It is not necessary in this instance to employ expensive polyamide resin for both the handle and the filament, thereby reducing the cost of the article.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a wide variety of different filament constructions, in addition to ordinary household brushes, may be made utilising the machinery embodying this invention to be hereinafter described. For example, the machinery may also be used to form tufted constructions wherein the prefused tut end is mounted on a heat softened depression on a sheet or handle of the filamentary material.

Additional tufted constructions may also be formed wherein the prefused tuft end is mounted on a small diameter rod, or a woven or non-woven mesh. The rod or mesh may be of wire, cellulose or plastics material, and be embedded in the prefused tuft end before the end cools.

Finally, the tuft may also be picked by or inserted through a sheet support exposing both the working and non-working ends of the tuft. The non-working end may then be heatsealed to retain the tuft in or on the support.

Related articles and methods of construction are described and claimed in US Patents Nos 3 774 782, 3, 633 974, Re. 27 455, 3 604 043, 3 799 616, 3 798 699, 3 910 637 and 4 009 910, in UK Patent Specifications Nos. 1 181 726, 1 276 760, 1 281 760, 1 447 213, 1 544 138 and in our copending UK Patent Application No.

53998/77. The disclosure of the aforesaid related patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference.

Brush making machinery embodying this invention can be used in forming multiple fibre tufts, complete brush or tufted components simultaneously formed, and continuous modular brush or tufted constructions. The machinery will simultaneously pick fibre tufts, assemble the tufts in a predetermined pattern, imparting a flare thereto and form an integral fibre tuft support modular tufted construction.

The flared tufted construction is formed after the tufts have been assembled onto a thin plastics sheet. The fibre tufts are heat sealed integral with a support substrate. The machinery assembles cut-to-length thermoplastic fibre into fibre tufts, each of said tufts having a prefused end for mounting and a working end which does not require trimming.

The invention will now be further described, by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a fused tuft prior to flaring; Figure 1A is a side view of a flared tuft; Figure 2 is a top view of a tufted component prior to flaring; Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the tufted component of Fig. 2 taken along line A A of Fig. 2; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a flaring apparatus for the tufted component, illustrating the tufted component prior to flaring; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring apparatus illustrating the tufted component being flared; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the flared tufted angle component; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the flared tufted component taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6;; Figure 8 is a front view of a tuft forming picker; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tuft forming picker taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8; Figure 10 is a side view. in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Fig. 8 prior to indexing into a filament stock box; Figure 11 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Fig. 8 indexed into the filament stock box; Figure 12 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Fig. 8 withdrawn from the filament stock box with a picking tube support and trim ends in a closed attitude and filament ends disposed against a melter block for fusing; Figure 13 is a side view in partial section of the tuft forming picker of Fig. 12 with fused tuft ends mounted on a support; Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view of a tufted brush component shown in Fig. 1 3.

Figure 15 is a front view of the tufted brush component of Fig. 14 taken along line 15-15 of Fig. 14; Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view of a flaring apparatus for the tufted brush component of Figs. 1 3 to 15, illustrating the tufted component prior to flaring; Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the flaring apparatus of Fig. 1 6 after having flared the tufted brush component; Figure 18 is a perspective view of the flared brush component; Figure 19 is a side view in partial section of tufted angle-flared counter duster brush made in accordance with this invention; Figure 20 is a perspective view of a hollow, tufted angle-flared sphere made in accordance with this invention; Figure 21 is a front view of an alternative tufted construction; and Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22-22 of Fig. 21.

Figs. 1 and 1 A show a houseware brush article or the like wherein synthetic filament tufts 100 are attached directly to a substrate 101. As described in the above-referenced patents and patent application, and as will be subsequently disclosed, the tufts are picked in parallel attitudes, simultaneously, and simultaneously the ends are heat sealed for mounting on a thin support. After the ends cools, the picking means is withdrawn to form an article as shown in Fig. 1. It has been discovered, however, that if the support 101 is deformed as shown at 101 in Fig. 1A, an angle flaring construction will be formed. The tufts 100 mounted on the support 101 of Fig. 1 have a total width X. When the support 101 is deformed to form the support 101' in Fig.

1 A, the tufts 100 then flare to have a maximum width Y, as shown. The hot tufted support is deformed from behind and angle flaring means described below forms a complete angled tufted construction in the same time required by conventional brush machinery to pick and staple set one or two fibre tufts. This method of tufting angled filament tufts is achieved by employing the machinery generally described in the above-identified patents and patent application, with modifications that will subsequently be disclosed.

A method for forming the flared tufted construction will now be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 5.

A circular tufted construction shown in Fig.

2 comprises a series of parallel filament tufts 102 having fused ends 103 mounted on a thermoplastic sheet support 1 04. The support 104 of the construction of Fig. 2 is placed in an open mould 106 (Fig. 3). A heating means 107, which is preferably a conventional cartridge heater 108, is then indexed in the direction shown by an arrow E till it is adjacent a surface of the support 1 04. The heating means 107 then warms the support 104 to a temperature of, for example, about 121 C (250 F). The support 104, in a heat softened condition, is then disposed in the mould 106 with the periphery thereof adacent angled mould edges 109. The heating means 107 is then withdrawn.

As shown in Fig. 4, after the heating means 107 is withdrawn a probe 110 is indexed in the direction shown by an arrow F towards the warmed support 1 04. As the probe 110, normally maintained at a temperature of below 24"C (75"F) is forced against the support 104 as shown in Fig. 5, the support 104 deforms against the angled edges 1 09. The support 104 then takes up the curvature of the probe 110 and the probe 110 is held against the support until the support cools, taking the same shape as the probe which simultaneously causes the tufts 102 to be angle flared individually, each tuft being at a different angle from each adjacent tuft as shown in Fig. 5.

When the tuft support 104 is then removed from the mould 106, a complete angled flared construction results as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate one version of tuft forming picking means which is used to form the tufts and mount the tuft on a support. The picking means comprises a plurality of picking tubes 11 2 mounted on a foraminous plate 11 4. The plate 11 4 is in turn mounted on a movable plate 116, preferably by bolts 11 8.

The plates 114 and 11 6 are spaced by springs 1 20 which surround those portions of the bolts 11 8 extending between the plates 114 and 116.

A plurality of trim end elements 1 22 are mounted on the plate 11 6 and extend through the plate 114 into corresponding ones of the picking tubes 11 2. The trim end elements 1 22 then slidably extend into the tubes 11 2 and serve as piston elements to index cut to length filament contained in the tubes 11 2. As will be clear to those skilled in the art, the end of each element 1 22 will automatically trim a tuft of filament contained within the associated tube 11 2, and if the plate 11 4 is indexed towards the plate 116, the elements 1 22 will force the ends of the tufts contained in the tubes 11 2 outwardly to extend beyond the tubes.

The picking tube 11 2 may assume any desired pattern. As shown in Fig. 8, the tubes 11 2 are disposed in a five row, staggered pattern. The pattern could instead be a circular pattern, which would be used to produce the tufted construction of Figs. 2-7.

Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate use of the tuft forming picking means to form a plurality of tufts. With reference to Fig. 10, the movable plate 11 6 carrying the picking tubes 11 2 is indexed in the direction of an arrow G into the front of a stock box 1 30. The stock box contains a plurality of cut-to-length synthetic filaments (fibres) 132, and the back of the stock box mounts a plate 1 34 which is continually vibrated during the picking operation by a vibrator means (not shown). The internal surface of the front of the stock box 1 30 mounts a gasket 1 36 having a plurality of openings for receiving the picking tubes 11 2.

As the vibrating plate 1 34 reciprocates in the direction of an arrow H against the ends of the synthetic cut-to-length filaments 132, the picking tubes 11 2 enter the stock box 1 30 as shown in Fig. 11 whereby a plurality of filaments 1 32 enter each of the picking elements 11 2 to form the tufts, and an end of each said filament tuft abuts the end of the associated trim end element 1 22 to trim the ends of the tufts formed within each picking tube 11 2. As the tufts are formed within the picking tubes 112, the springs 1 20 on the mounting bolts 11 8 maintain a spaced relationship between the plates 114 and 116.

After the picking tubes 11 2 are filled, the movable plate 11 6 indexes in the direction of an arrow G', withdrawing the tubes from the stock box 1 30.

Figs. 1 2 to 14 illustrate mounting of the tufts formed on a support to form a tufted construction. With reference to Fig. 12, after the picking tubes 11 2 are filled, the movable plate 11 6 is indexed in the direction of an arrow I against closing bars 140, which causes the plate 114 to close against the plate 116, forcing the trim end elements 1 22 into the picking tubes 11 2 and forcing ends 102' of the tufts formed within the tubes to emerge from the tubes. The ends 102' of the tufts then contact a melter block surface 142 heated by cartridge heaters 144 which cause the ends 102' to fuse.

After fusing, as illustrated in Fig. 13, the picking means indexes away from the heaters 144, and subsequently in the direction of an arrow K into the mould 106. The fused ends 102' of the tufts formed in the picking tubes 11 2 then encounter a heat softened plastics substrate 104'. The heated portions of the substrate and tufts then fuse and cool, causing the tufts to be attached to the substrate 104'. The movable plate 11 6 then indexes in the direction of an arrow K' whereby the plastics substrate and tufts mounted thereon are retained in the open mould 108 by the edges 109, and the tufted construction of Figs. 14 and 1 5 is formed.The tufts 102 are then attached in a parallel relationship with each other on the plastics substrate 104' and conform to the design or pattern of the picking tubes 11 2 on the mounting plate 114.

Each tuft is individually fused at its end portion 102' to the substrate 104'.

With reference to Figs. 1 6 and 17, while the heat softened plastics substrate 104' is held in the mould 106 and the substrate is still warm from tufting, i.e., in the range of 93-121 C (200-250"F), a flare forming die 1 50 is indexed in the direction of an arrow L, causing the warm plastics substrate 104', having the parallel tufts 102 thereon, to take a new curved form as illustrated in Fig. 1 7 as the substrate 104' moulds against the surface 1 52 of the die 1 50 and against the edges 109 of the mould 106.The parallel tufts 102 of Fig. 1 6 then diverge to form a flared tufted construction as shown in Fig. 17, whereby each tuft is at a different angle from each adjacent tuft along the entire substrate 104'.

With reference to Figs. 1 8 and 19, when the substrate 104' cools it may be removed from the mould 106 and a flared tufted brush construction 1 60 is formed. The construction comprises a semi-rigid plastics substrate 104' mounting diverging tufts 102, each of which is disposed at an angle different from each adjacent tuft.

As shown in Fig. 19, the tufted flared brush construction 1 60 may then be mounted on a hollow brush body 1 62 to form, for example, a counter duster brush. As will be clear to those skilled in the art, the shape of the plastics substrate, and the handle, as well as the pattern of the flared brush tufts, may be varied within the scope of this invention to produce a wide variety of different flared, tufted constructions for mounting on brush handles.

The tufted constructions need not be mounted on brush handles and, as shown in Fig. 20, a flared, tufted sphere 1 64 may be formed by utilising the procedures described in conjunction with Figs. 2-7 to form twin hemispheres 1 66 and 1 68. These hemispheres may then be welded together to produce a spherical tufted brush.

The angle flaring frames and moulds may be constructed from any conventional material such as polypropylene, polyacital, polyamide and the like. The angle flaring dies may also be of metai, as will be clear to those skilled in the art, and they are not limited to any given size, external diameter or dimension or crosssectional configuration. Picking devices are not limited to any number of tufts and all angular configuration can be fabricated within the scope of this invention.

Figs. 21 and 22 illustrate a tufted angular flared construction wherein the tufts converge from a concave substrate. The device shown in Figs. 21 and 22 may be produced for example by utilising a conventional vacuum mould in place of the die 1 50 shown in Figs. 1 6 and 17.

It has been found that the angled, flared constructions can be produced from tufts from assembled parallel, cut-to-length synthetic filaments having any cross-sectional configuration, such as circular, X-shaped, star shaped, hollow and the like. The diameter of the filament picked ranges from 0.1 27 mm (0.005") to at least 6.35 mm (0.250"). The length of the cut-to-length filament can range from 12.7 mm (0.05") up to 762 mm (30").

The composition of the synthetic filaments picked and assembled into filament tufts is not limited, and thermoplastic filaments whether oriented or unoriented can be used to form the tufts. Polymers such as polyamide, polypropylene, polyethylene, copolymers of polypropylene and ethylene, polyfluoride, polyurethane, and the like may be employed.

Claims (21)

1. Apparatus for making tufted constructions, comprising: a stock box for supporting parallel cut-tolength synthetic filaments; means for picking a plurality of said filaments to form a plurality of tufts thereof; means for fusing together ends of the tufts; means for supporting the tufts in a mutually spaced relationship while the ends of the tufts are individually and simultaneously fused; mould means for supporting a plastics substrate sheet heating means disposed adjacent the mould means for heat softening the sheet;; indexing means coupled to said supporting means for seating the fused ends of the tufts, while heat softened, on the heat softened plastics substrate and for holding the tufts thereon until the fused ends thereof fuse to the plastics substrate, and or subsequently withdrawing said supporting rr.3ans leaving said tufts mounted on said substrate; and means for imparting a convex or concave configuration to the substrate before the substrate cools and for maintaining the substrate in said configuration until the substrate cools, thereby to form a tufted construction in which "ach tuft is disposed at a different angle from (c ch adjacent tuft on the substrate.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for imparting a configuration to the substrate comprises die means having a convex surface and indexing means for indexing the die means into the heat softened surface of the substrate opposite the surface mounting the tufts to form a convex substrate having the configuration of said die means wherein each of said tufts mounted thereon is disposed at an angle different from each adjacent tuft to form the flared tufted construction.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said means for supporting the tufts in a mutually spaced relationship is operative to support the tufts in a mutually spaced parallel relationship, whereby when the tufts are mounted on the substrate the tufts will extend from the substrate in a parallel relationship.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, for use with a substrate which is a circular sheet of plastics material, wherein the means for supporting the tufts in a mutually spaced parallel relationship includes means for supporting the tufts in a pre-determined circular pattern configuration.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, for use with a substrate which is a rectangular sheet, wherein said means for supporting the tufts in a mutually spaced parallel relationship includes means for supporting the tufts in a predetermined rectangular pattern.

6. Apparatus for making tufted constructions, the apparatus being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A tufted construction fabricated by means of apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. A method of making a tufted construction wherein each tuft is disposed at an angle different from each adjacent tuft, the method comprising: supporting a thermoplastic sheet substrate at the edge(s) thereof, and heating said sheet until it softens; supporting a plurality of synthetic filament tufts in a mutually spaced relationship, and heating a common end of each of the tufts, simultaneously, until each of said ends fuses; simultaneously fusing said ends of each of the tufts to a surface of the heat softened substrate to mount said tufts thereon in the mutually spaced relationship; and deforming the heat softened sheet into a convex or concave configuration to form said flared construction with the tufts extending outwardly therefrom.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the mutually spaced relationship is a mutually spaced parallel relationship.

10. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the step of deforming the heat softened sheet substrate comprises urging a die having a convex surface against a surface of the heat softened sheet substrate opposite a surface thereof mounting the tufts to deform the substrate into a configuration corresponding to the convex surface of the die.

11. A method according to claim 8 or claim 9, employing a mould having upstanding walls defining an opening, the periphery of the opening defining a pre-determined shape, and a die having a convex surface having the configuration of the opening in the die, wherein the substrate is supported at the edge(s) thereof by the mould at said opening while the substrate is heated until it softens, and the die is then urged against the surface of the sheet substrate to deform the substrate to conform to the configuration of the die and extend through said opening in a convex configuration.

1 2. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the die is at a temperature of less than about 24"C (75"F) when the die is urged against the heat softened surface of the substrate, and the die is held against the heat softened substrate until the substrate cools to form said tufted construction.

1 3. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, comprising mounting the tufted construction on a brush handle.

1 4. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the tufted construction made is a tufted brush construction.

1 5. A method of making a tufted con struction, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

16. A tufted construction made by a method according to any one of claims 8 to 15.

1 7. A tufted construction comprising: a thermoplastic sheet substrate having a convex configuration; a plurality of mutually spaced synthetic filament tufts each having an end fused integrally with the substrate and each extending outwardly at an angle different from the angle of each adjacent tuft; and handle means enabling the tufted construction to be held.

18. A tufted construction comprising a hollow, spherical, thermoplastic substrate and a plurality of mutually spaced synthetic filament tufts mounted about the spherical surface of the substrate, each of the tufts having an end fused integrally with the substrate, and each of the tufts extending from the substrate at an angle different from the angle of each adjacent tuft.

1 9. A tufted construction according to claim 18, wherein the spherical substrate comprises a pair of hemispherical, hollow thermoplastic members each having a plurality of mutually spaced synthetic filament tufts extending therefrom, the peripheries of the hemispherical members being joined to form the spherical substrate.

20. A tufted construction according to any one of claims 1 7 to 19, which is a tufted brush construction.

21. A tufted brush construction substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 5 to 7, Figs. 17 and 18, Fig. 19, Fig.

20, Fig. 21 or Fig. 22 of the accompanying drawings.