US1685566A - Spring-inserting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1928.

J. F. GAIL SPRING INSERT ING MECHANI SM Filed Aug. 22, 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 25, 1928.

J. F. GAIL SPRING INSERTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1925 J F GAIL SPRING INSERTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 22, 1925 3 SheetsSheet 5 Patented Sept. 25, 1 928.

4 UNITED STATES JOHN F. GAIL, F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SIMMONS COMPANY, OF NEW 1,685,566 PATENT OFFICE.

YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SPBING-INSERTING MECHANISM.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for inserting springs into open ended flexible pockets and, although possibly susceptible of different applications, is particularly adapted for the purpose of manufacturing cushions or mattresses of the type disclosed in the United States patent to Marshall, No. 685,160.

Heretofore, the springs or helicals of the 10 Marshall construction have been generally inserted into the pockets or strips of pockets by hand or by manually actuated devices such as disclosed in the United States patents to Shields, No. 1,445,416, Genge No. 1,370,533 or r Read, No. 1,218,314. In these forms of apparatus the spring has been thrust into the pocket by some form of pusher mechanism which placed the spring directly in the pocket inthe position to be occupied by said spring permanently, i. e. with its axis aligned with the axis of the pocket.

The patent to Meutsch et al., No. 1,348,654 describes a machine for compressing the springs longitudinally and then thrusting the same radially or laterally into the pockets so that the axes of-the springs extend transversely across the pocket instead of in their true final position longitudinally thereof. However, these patentees do not disclose any means or apparatus for turning the springs into their'correct longitudinal position after the open ends of the pockets have been closed or sewed. Although such spring turning may be effected manually, the construction of a satisfactory apparatus for performing this step automatically involves considerable difliculty.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide means for placing springs in such pockets substantially automatically; to perform such inserting operation in such manner that the springs are placed in the pockets in their true or final position; to provide improved means for actuating the retaining clamps by which the springs are prevented from retracting during the subsequent opera tion of closing the ends of the pockets; to

provide means whereby springs received from or deposited by a coiling mechanism are transported and inserted into the pockets; to provide an improved arrangement whereby the making or feeding of the springs-may proceed uninterruptedly while the filled strips are being removed and the unfilled strips brought into register with the machine and, in general, to provide a simple, efiicient,

economical and rugged mechanism of the character described.

. In the drawings wherein I have shown my invention as applied to a machine for making :pring strips for a cushion of the Marshall Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

4 is an enlarged View of a portion of Fig. 3, but-showing certain parts in a different position.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the retaining tongs or clamps showing a strip of springs held therein preparatory to sewing of the open ends of the pockets; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the completed strips with the springs therein and the ends of the pockets closed.

Referring to the drawings it will be observed that the main parts of the mechanism are mounted upon a substantially rectangular cast iron frame or bed 10 which, at either end, is supported by suitable legs as at 11. At one end of the main frame 10 and supported thereby, I mount the spring making or coil- .ing mechanism which may be of any desired power supply for the other mechanisms on the machine.

Near the ends of the frame there are mounted a pair of horizontal cross shafts21 and 22 which carry the conveyor mechanism.

Said conveyor mechanism comprises a pair of endless chains 23 and 24 trained around sprockets as at 25 keyed to shaft 21 and sprockets 26 keyed to the shaft 22. On the shaft 21 there is also keyed a ratchet wheel 27 which is actuated intermittently or step by step by a pawl 28 pivoted on' the rock lever 29 which is loosely mounted on shaft 21.

' 5 between hooks 33 anti- 34 respectively fixed on the main frame and on the pull rod 30.

. On the main drive shaft 19 of the spring coiling mechanism there is keyed a sprocket 35 around which is trained a chain 36, which 10 chain drives a sprocket 37 keyed to a shaft 38 mounted to rotatein bearings formed in a pair of upstanding floor brackets 39 and 40.

It will be observed that the sprocket 37 is considerably larger than the sprocket 35 so that the shaft 38 will be driven at a reduced speed. Tosaid shaft 38 there is also keyed a pinion 41 which drives a large spur gear 42 keyed to a shaft 43 also mounted to rotate in the brackets 39 and 40. To said sh aft 43 there is also keyed a star shaped radial cam 44 formed in the present case with six lobes 45 .so as to accommodate strips containing six helicals. In a boss on the side of the floor bracket 39, there'is fixed ashort stud 46 which 2 furnishes a bearing or pivot for one. end of.

the cam lever 47, said cam lever intermediate its length being equipped with a cam roll 48 cooperating with the cam 44. In the present instance, I have shown cam lever 47 as being bifurcated or in two parts between which the cam roll 48 is rotatably'mounted. The outer end of the lever 47 carries a pin 49 by which said lever is pivotally connected to the lower end of the ratchet pull rod 30 so that as the shaft 43 revolves there will be a reciprocation of said pull rod 30 for each lobe of the cam 44, that is to say, six reciprocations for each revolution of the shaft 43.

These springs or helicals as they are coiled 4e and cut ofi by the spring mechanism, are deposited on supports carried by the chains 23 and spaced in conformity with the spacing of the pockets in the strip, the stroke oft'he ratch- -et mechanism which drives said chains being adjusted accordingly. Each of said supports comprises a substantially horizontally, extending trough 50, semi-circular in cross section and of sufficient length tohold or contain a helical. Preferably, the forward edges of 50 said troughs 50 are flanged over or flared 'slightly as shown at'51 so that each spring as it is cut off by the spring making mechanism will seat itself without catching on the edge of the trough. Also, as shown best in 5 Fig; 3, the inner end of the trough is flared down slightly as indicated at 52 and the outer end is bent upwardly slightly as shown at 53. In order still further to guide the springs and insure their proper position in the supports or troughs 50, I prefer to place a stationary stop strip or guide54 infront of the outer or deliveryends of the troughs 50, said guide 54 being flared upwardly so that the helicals will not catch on the upper edge of said guide 54. Also in order to line up the sections 59.

rear edges of the said helicals, I may use an other inner guide member 55which will force back into proper position in-its trough, any spring which extends too far inwardly.

The unfilled strip having open ended pockets is placed with its mouth or open end as shown at 56 in Fig. 3 so as to register and receive a set of six springs delivered from the step by step conveyor. In order to effect such register and to enable the springs to be inserted into said pockets, I provide a series of stationary chutes spaced in accordance with the spacing of the troughs 50 on the conveyor and adapted to register therewith. Each of said chutes comprises a small bracket. 57 secured to the top 58 of the main frame 10 and serving as a support for a sheet metal cylinder 59 of sufficient internal diameter to admit the helical 60 when thrust therethrougn in a directionlongitudinally of its axis. In order to enable the open ends of the flexible pockets of the strip to be conveniently applied over the chute sections 59, the latter is preferably equipped with resilient fingers or straps 61 spaced around the peripher of the cylinder 59 and bent so that normal y the outer ends of said fingers61 will come substantially to a point as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Said straps or fingers 61 constitute in effect, outer flexible extensions ofthe cylinders or chute Since it requires some considerable time to remove a filled strip and to apply an unfilled strip to the delivery chutes, I find it advantageous to deliver the entire set or gang of springs simultaneously. This enables the springs to be fed or delivered continuously to the conveyor while the-change from a filled to an vunfilled strip is being' made. To this end I employ a delivery mechanism equipped in the present instance with a series of six pushers or plungers. Each of said pushers or plungers comprises a disc or collar 62 mounted on the ends of push rods 63, each of which slides in a long bearing 64 on a bracket 65 secured to the table-58 of the main frame. The disc or collar 62 is slightly larger than the diameter of the spring 60 but is small I enough to enter the chute 59. For a purpose hereinafter to be described, there are cut in the disc 62 a pair of verticallyaligned, diametrically opposed notches 66.

Each of the plunger rods 63 isflat-tened at its rear end as shown at 67 and apertured to fit a bail rod 68 so that actuation of the bail 68 will operate all of the plungers simultaneously. Said bail 68 adjacent its ends, constitutes a bearing for a pair of flanged rollers 69, each of which is straddled or positioned within a slot 70 in the upper end of an actuating lever 71. I'lach'of said actuating levers 71vis keyed to the end of a. rock shaft 72, journa-led in spaced bearings 73 and 74 of a bracket 75 bolted to frame 11.. Said shaft 72 is oscillated by a depending lever 6 keyed 130 thereto and having at its lower end a cam roll 77. The cam roll 77 is located in the slot or groove 78 of a barrel cam 79 keyed to the time shaft 43. Said barrel cam 79 is equipped with a single actuating lobe 80 so that the plungers 63 will be actuated once for each revolution of the time shaft 43. It will be understood that the lobe S0 is so shapedand dimensioned that the plungers 63 are enabled to make substantially a complete reciprocation during a rest interval of the conveyor, that is tosay, between a pair of adjacent step by step movements thereof.

It is desirable to have some means for maintaining the springs or helicals within the pockets, and preferably in the partially compressed condition therein until the pocket closing has been effected, that is to say, until the edges of the open ended pockets have been sewed together by a longitudinal line of stitching extending along the edge of the strip as indicated in Fig. 6. Devices for the purpose of retaining the springs in said position in the strip are indicated in some of the patents previously referred to. However, manually controlled or operated devices are usually not economical or efficient for highspeed production, nor would it be convenient to use a manually operated devicein conj unction with a continuous or automatic high speed machine of the type disclosed herein. Therefore, I prefer a retaining clamp or tongs which is capable of being actuated auto- 'matically in synchronism with the inserting mechanism.

The retaining devices are mounted upon a downwardly offset portion 81 of the frame table 58 which serves as a temporar support or guideway for a removable base pi ate 82 on which the tongs or retainers proper are mounted. Said base plate 82 at its inner end or edge is interlocked with the table 58 by undercutting the offset portion thereof so as to form an overhanging ledge 83 under which the inner edge of the basep'late 82 extends. The base plate 82 is prevented from backing off during the insertion o eration by an abutment bar 84 extending a ong the rear edge-of the plate 82 and carried by a pair of arms 85, the outer ends of which are curved downwardly as shown in Fig. 3 to rock on pins 86, on stationary. lugs 87, on side 88, of frame '11. A handle 89 on one of the hinged arms is provided to facilitate the rocking back ofthe lock b ar,, 84 into dotted line position as indicated in -mg. 3 whenever it is desired to free the base plate 82 in changing the strip.

The base plate 82 is made with a plurality of upstanding brackets-90, forming bearings for the spaced superposed vertically aligned rock shafts" 91 and 92. Said rock shafts 91 and 92 carry six sets of tongs or clamps, each set comprising an upper jaw member 93 keyed to shaft 91 and a lower jaw member 94 keyed to shaft 92. Each of said jaws is made with a short claw 95 shaped and positioned so that when the jaw shaft is suitably rocked on its axis at the time when the in serting plungers are at their outer limit of movement, the claw 95 will enter notch 66 and engage behind the rear coil of the partially compressed helical.-

I employ special mechanism for maintaini outer ends of the arms 96 and 97 have mount ed thereon pins 100 and 101 connected together by a coil tension spring 102, said pins 100 and 101 beingso positioned that the arrangement comprises in effect a cross-thecenter spring mechanism for holding the rock shafts 91 and 92 in either of two positions. A pair of stop pins 103. and 104 limit the opening movement of the tongs through being engaged by the sides of the inner ends of the rock arms 96 and 97. A handle105 on the outer end of arm 96 enables the tongs to be conveniently released from the pocket strip after the same has had its pockets sewed or closed.

The tongs are automatically actuated by the movement of the plungers 62. For effecting this, I equip said pushers or plungers with an extension stud 106 of suitable length toengage the ends of small trip arms 107 and 108 keyed respectively to the shafts 91 and 92, preferably, being made integral with the jaw members 93 and 94 as shown. It will be readily understood that dfiring the final portion of the movement of the pushers, the extension 106 when itengages trip arms 107 and 108 will cause the shafts 91 and 92 to rock on their axes and when the spring 102 crosses the center, the clamps or jaws 93 and 94 will snap down into the position shown in Fi 4.

The described details of construction and operation being illustrative of-only one phase of. my invention, it will be understood that the scope of same should be determined by reference to the appended claims, said claims being constru'ed as broadly as possible,consistent with the state of the art.

' I claim as my invention: I

1. In a machine for inserting springs into open ended flexible pockets, the combination of'a pusher for thrusting a spring into a pocket, a retainer for holding the spring in said pocket after its insertion, and means for actuating said retainer synchronized with the pusher. v

2. In a machine. for inserting springs between the folds of a two-ply flexible strip, the

combination of a chute adapted to extend between said folds, a plunger reciprocable in said chute to force a spring therethrough and between said folds, a retainer for preventing retraction of said spring, and means for actuating said retainer synchronized with the plunger.

3. In a machine for inserting springs between the folds of a two-ply flexible strip, the combination of a chute adapted to extend between said folds, a plunger reciprocable in said chute to force a springtherethrough and between said folds, a retainer for preventing retraction of said spring, and means for ac tuating said retainer operated by the movement of the plunger.

1. In a machine for inserting springs between the folds of 'a two-ply strip, the combination of a chute adapted to enter between said folds, a support movable relative to said chute to bring a spring in to register with said chute, a pusher for thrusting said spring through said chute into the space between said folds, and a retaining device for preventing retraction of said spring synchronized with the pusher.

5. In a machine for inserting springs between the folds of a folded flexible strip, the combination of a conveyor having a plurality of spring receiving members secured thereto, means for advancing said conveyor and receiving members step by step, means for delivering springs one by one to said receiving members as the latter are moved into receiving position, a plurality of spaced chutes having portions adapted to enter between the folds of said strip, said chutes being disposed to one side of the receiving members carried by said conveyor so as to register axially with a corresponding plurality of receiving members when the latter are stationary, a pusher for simultaneously thrusting a plurality of sprin s from said receiving members through said 0 iutes and into said strip, and means for actuating said pusher when a predetermined number of loaded spring receiving members register with said chutes.

JOHN F. GAIL.

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