US2128057A - Spring coil handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug- 23, 1938. F. N. scHlNDLl-:R

SPRING' COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2l, v195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1l Aug. 23, 193s. F. N. SCHINDLE'R 2,128,057

SPRING COIL HANDLING APPARATUS Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED ,STATES .2,128,057 SPRING con. HANDLINGv APPARATUS j Frank N. Schindler, Chicago, llll., assignor tof A. 4Brandwein ;& Co., Chicago, Ill arcorporation of Illinois Application January 21, 1937, Serial Nor' 121,605

12-o1aims. toiles-,131) f `This invention relates to conveying devices and particularly to novel means for conveying spring coilsl through treating venclosures such, -for -example, as ovens or the like for heating Athe coils during the process of tempering.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel conveyor construction whereby the spring coils may be carried ythrough the oven in spaced or separated relation with `respect to each other.

v`Another object of -the'present invention is'to provide novel means for conveying spring coils through a tempering oven separately and in spaced relation and in a manner to subject all the coils to substantially the same heat treatment. Another object of the invention is to provide avnovel feeding or loading arrangement for -delivering sprin'gcoils to ythe 'conveyor in a manner to be engaged thereby adjacentone'end portion of thel coils and for automatically removing the coilsone at a time from the feeding means.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means operatively related to the conveyor for Iretaining the spring coils in desired position wherebyl the coils are subjected to substantially uniform heat treatment during their passage through the oven, thereby producingla substantially uniform product.

A further object of the invention `is to lprovide novel'rheans 'for disengaging'the spring coils from the'conveyor after passing vthrough the oven and directing them away from the conveyor.

vA still further object ofthe invention is to improve devices of the character described `in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One `embodiment of the present invention is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings, ln which:

`Fig'. 1 is va longitudinal sectional elevational v'iew ofa ternperingoven illustrating the application ofmy improved conveying means 'thereto andillustrating also the `application of improved feeding and discharge means in relation *to said conveying means; y n

VvFig. 2 is a plan sectional view o'f the structure illustrated in Fig. l, and taken substantially as indicated by the line 2-'2 thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational VView illustrating a portion .of the tempering oven in 'section ,and showing the feeding and conveying means `as viewed on :the line -33 vofFig. l;

Fig. 4 is -an enlarged fragmentary :elevational -view of va portion of the yfeeding means in relation to myiimproved conveyor, showing alportion of the conveyor `infchanged `position as indicated by dotted lines, and illustrating the manner 'of removing the spring coils from the feedingor loading means; I f 'I Fig. 5 is lan enlarged sectional'elevationalview of a `portion/of they discharge meanstaken substantiallyas indicated bytheline '5-5 of Fig; 3;; Fig. 6 is an inside `elevational -vi'ew of a portion of the structure illustrated 'in 5, and'taken substantially as indi ate-djbytheiline 6-'6 thereofi-and 1 f Fig. 7 4is' an enlarged -transverselsectional Lelevational viewtake'n substantially as indicated `by the line "I-l-of Figli'. n r

The present' invention is particularly vwell adapted foruse inthe treatment of spring coils such, for example, 1 as fcoils" for "mattress construction, beds or other articlesof Afurniture, Aand vis shown in the` present instance as related to a tempering oven indicated, as aw-hol'e, Aby 2vthe numeral I I, having heat'ing'units ltherein shown, in the present instance, as gas fbufrnersflla, land provided with an-i-nlet openingandfa discharge opening I2 and y13,;respecti'velyl"I v V The lconveyor is 'shown in the y'present`-i1nstance as of a ilexible link belt ror chain '-type indic'a'ted, asa whole, byjthe numeral I4 and suitably trained over sprocketgwheelsA I5, I6, I1', I 8,"I9 andZI by which the various r'uns'of the conveyor `are -directed through the oven I`I', land adjacent Asuitable feeding and discharge means indicated, as awhole and respectively, bythe numerals `22` and 23, `the sprocket 'I5"being show-n in "thepr'esent instance, as `mounted on a d'riveshaft 24 having a sprocket 25 outside theoven and adapted to'beconnected by `'means of a chain 26 or other suitable .driving means witha suitable' source of'po'wer =a`s, for example, an electric motor, engine or the like,

not shown., v Suitablyvmounted atopposite sides of theconveyor I4 and ,extending Isubstantially `parallel ,thereto `through ',the oyen""II and 'between the feeding means 22 andthe discharge means 23 are-a pluralityofpairs of guide rails or'bars,21 and 28 having their adjacent edge portions spaced apart to ,provide an .elongatedslot or passage 29 at opposite sides of the .conveyor .I4 and extending substantially parallel thereto.

Mounted Von the conveyor I4 andextending .laterally therefrom and lalternately at opposite sidesthereof are a plurality o f spring coil pick-up and. supporting pins 3| adapted to project through the slots 29 between the respective pairs of guide bars .2.1 and 28 .at opposite sides of the conveyor, the lpins 3| being provided at 'their outer ends and 6 as formed, preferably, by extensions of certain of the pivot pins or bolts employed for connecting together a plurality of links 33 forming the conveyor I4.

For feeding the spring coils indicated by the character S to the conveyor I4 in a manner to be picked up by the pins 3 I, the feeding or loading means 22 are positioned outside the oven I adjacent the inlet opening I2 and shown, in Fig. 3,l as located at opposite sides of the conveyor in` a manner to feed the coils S thereto from both sides of the conveyor. The feeding means A22 are shown, in the present instance, as comprising feeder belts 34 trained over pulleys 35 and having inwardly sloping trough-like chutes 36 extending between the pulleys 35 andthe cone veyor I4 in a manner to direct one of the ends of the spring coils S against the outer side portions of guide bars 21 and 28 positioned at opposite sides of the conveyor, the chutes 36 being provided with open portions adjacent their inner ends to permit the passage therethrough of the pins 3| in a manner to engage the end portion of the coils adjacent the guide bars for removing Y them successively or one at a time from the chutes and carrying them through the inlet opening I2 and into the oven II. The spring coils,after leaving the chute 36, will be supported in substantially horizontal position by resting against the guide bars 21 and 28 and carried around the sprockets I1, IB and I5, and through the oven in such position and lin spaced relation with respect to each other.` From the oven II the coils Sy are conveyed through the outlet opening I3 to a pair of discharge chutes 23 positioned outside the oven II adjacent the outlet opening I3, the discharge chutes comprising oppositely disposed inclined side portions 31 forming a trough-like chute sloping away from the conveyor. The inner or adjacent ends of the discharge chutes 23 are provided with oppositely disposed inclined stop plates 38 secured to the adjacent guide bars 21 and 28 at opposite sides of the slots 29 and cooperable with the guide bars to form a notch 39 on the upper side of the plates 38 adapted to be engaged by theinner end portion of the spring coil S in its downward movement from the oven and arrest the movement of the coil while the supporting pin 3| continues itsdownward movement with the travel of the conveyor I4 until the pin 3| is completely disengaged from the coil S, at which time the projecting portion of the coil will drop by gravity into the chute 23 and be conducted therethrough away from the conveyor.

While, in the present instance, only one conveyor is shown in relation to the oven II, it will be understood that as many such conveyors may be operated within and through an oven as'may be practicable.

The operation of the present invention is substantially as follows:

A plurality of spring coils S are fed to the loading chutes 36 by the belts 34 and directed by the chutes against the guide bars 21 and 28 on the respective sides of the conveyor I4 in a manner to be picked up one at a time and in spaced relation with respect to each other by means of the supporting pins 3| on opposite sides of the conveyor and carried upwardly through the inlet opening I2 into the oven and longitudinally thereof in one diIeCtOn,

around the sprocket I6 and longitudinally of the oven in the opposite direction, and thence downwardly and out of the oven II through the outlet opening I3 to the discharge chutes 23 where the movement of the spring coils is arrested by the stop plates 38 until the supporting pin 3| has cleared the coil, after which the coil, when freed or disengaged from the supporting pin 3|, will drop into the chutes 23 and be directed thereby away from the conveyor to suitable location for further treatment or handling as may be desirable.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a novel construction and arrangement whereby spring coils such, for example, as may be used in bed springs, mattresses, cushions,r or the like, may be fed to they conveyor and picked up automatically thereby in spaced relation with respect to each other and conveyed through a tempering oven in such position and relation to each other as Will permit the substantially uniform treatment of the spring coils, and after such treatment, the coils are automatically disconnected from the conveyor and directed laterally therefrom for distribution or other handling as may be desired.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangement shown and described as the same may be variously modified. Moreover, all the features of they invention need not be used conjointly as the same may be used to advantage in variously different combinations and sub-combinations.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described and in combination, a conveyor, substantially flat guide bars adjacent the respective sides of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, and a plurality of supporting pins on said conveyor extending laterally therefrom and transversely to and beyond the plane of said guide bars.

2. In a device of the class described and in combination, a flexible conveyor, a plurality of pairs of spaced substantially flat guide bars adjacent the respective sides of a run of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, and a plurality of article pick-up and supporting pins on said conveyor extending laterally therefrom at opposite sides thereof and transversely to the plane of said bars, said pins extending between and beyond the respective pairs of guide bars.

3. In a device of the class described and in combination, a flexible conveyor, a pair of guide bars at one side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, an article feeding chute and an article discharge chute adjacent said bars and a plurality of article supporting pins on said conveyor extending laterally therefrom and into the end portions of said chutes for removing articles from said feeding chute and depositing the articles in said discharge chute, and for supporting the articles against said bars during the passage of the articles from one to the other of said chutes.

4. In a device of the class described and in combination, a flexible conveyor, a pair of spaced guide bars at one side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, an article feeding chute and an article discharge chute adjacent said bars at the opposite side thereof from said conveyor, and a plurality of spaced article pick-up and lsupporting pins `onvsaid conveyor extending laterally ltherefrom 'between Vsaid bars sides thereof from said conveyor, anda Jplurality of spaced article pick-up and supporting Ap'ins\'on said conveyor extending laterally therefrom at opposite sides thereof between the bars of the respective pairs and into the end portions of said chutes for removing articles from said feeding chutes and depositing the articles in said discharge chutes, and for supporting articles against said bars at the opposite sides of the conveyor during the passage of the articles from the feeding chutes to the discharge chutes. i y l f6. In a device of the class described and in combination, a exible conveyor, a pair of spaced guide bars arranged on each side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, a pair of oppositely disposed feeding chutes at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and having inwardly sloping portions for directing articles against the respective pairs ofbars, and a plurality of article pick-up and supporting pins on opposite sides of said conveyor and extending laterally therefrom between the bars on the respective sides of the conveyor, and adapted to pass through the adjacent ends of the feeding chutes in a manner to engage articles therein positioned against the respective guide bars for removing the articles from the feeding chutes.

'7. In a device of the class described and in combination, a exible conveyor, a pair of spaced guide bars arranged on each side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, a pair of oppositely disposed feeding chutes at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and having inwardly sloping trough-like portions for directing articles against the respective pairs of bars, and a plurality of spaced article pick-up and supporting pins extending laterally and alternately from opposite sides of said conveyor between the bars on the respective sides of the conveyor, and adapted to pass through the adjar cent ends of the feeding chutes in a manner to engage articles therein positioned against the respective guide bars for removing the articles separately from the feeding chutes.

8. In a device of the class described and in combination, a flexible conveyor, a pair of spaced guide bars arranged on each side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto in a manner to form slots at opposite sides of the conveyor also extending substantially parallel thereto, a plurality of spaced article supporting pins extending laterally and alternately from opposite sides of said conveyor through said slots for supporting articles thereon and against the outer sides of said bars, a pair of oppositely disposed discharge chutes at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and having open portions for the passage of said pins through the adjacent ends of the discharge chutes, said discharge chutes having plates adjacent said bars for retarding the movement of the articles, and outuwardly sloping V:chute members adjacent .said platesifn-r directing the articles away fromzsaid conveyor; 'l 1' '1 9". In a .devicezof -th'e :classy described and in combinationpa flexibleiconveyorV'a pair of spaced guide'lbarsbarranged `on yeach side-of said conveyor andextendingusubstantially yparallel thereto .in a mannerrto 'form' slots att'opposite 'sidesof the conveyorv also extending substantallyparallel thereto, afplurality of'spaced article `supporting pins extending 'laterallyf'and alternately from opposite .Vsides of said conveyor Ythrough said slots'lfor supporting articles thereon against the ou-terfsides 'of said`=bars, apairof opp-ositelydisposed discharge chutes -atfthe respective outer sides fof said pairs of Vbars `and 'havingopen .portions for the passage of 'said pins `,through the adjacent endsof thefdisch'argelchutes, said discharge chutes having plates at opposite sidesof said open portions adjacent said bars and cooperable therewith to form a pair of notches for receiving a portion of the articleand retarding the movement thereof, and oppositely inclined members adjacent said plates forming outwardly sloping trough-like chutes for directing the articles away from said conveyor.

10. In a device of the class describedand in combination, a ilexible conveyor, a pair of spaced substantially parallel guide bars arranged on each side of said conveyor in a manner to form L slots extending substantially parallel thereto, a

pair of oppositely disposed feeding chutes at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and vhaving inwardly slopingtrough-like portions for directing articles against the -respective pairs of bars, a plurality of spaced article supporting pins extending laterally from opposite sides of said conveyor and adapted to pass through the adjacent ends of the feeding chutes in a manner to engage articles therein positioned against the respective guide bars for removing articles from the feeding chutes, said pins being adapted also to pass through said slots for supporting articles on the conveyor and against the outer sides of said guide bars, a pair of oppositely disposed discharge chutes at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and having open portions adjacent said slots for the passage of said supporting pins through the adjacent ends of the discharge chutes, said discharge chutes having oppositely inclined stop plates at opposite sides of said slots adjacent said bars and cooperable therewith to form a pair of notches adjacent the respective pairs of bars for receiving a portion of the articles an-d retarding the mo-vement thereof, and oppositely inclined members adjacent said plates forming outwardly sloping trough-like chutes for directing the articles away from said conveyor after being removed therefrom by said stop plates. l

l1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a spring coil tempering oven having inlet and outlet openings, of a continuous flexible conveyor extending through said oven between the inlet and outlet openings thereof for conveying coils therethrough, a pair of laterally spaced substantially parallel guide bars extending through said oven on each side of said conveyor in a manner to form elongated slots extending substantially parallel thereto, a pair of oppositely disposed feeding chutes outside said oven adjacent the inlet opening thereof, said chutes being positioned at the respective outer sides of said pairs of bars and having inwardly sloping trough-like portions for directing the end portions of spring coils against the respective pairs of bars, a plurality of spaced coil supporting pins mounted on and extending laterally from opposite sides of said conveyor and adapted to pass through the adjacent ends of the feeding chutes in a manner to engage the end portion of spring coils positioned therein against the respective guide bars for removing the coils from said chutes, said pins being also adapted to extend through and to be moved along said slots for supporting the springs on opposite sides of the conveyor and against the outer sides of said guide bars, and a pair of oppositely dispose-d discharge chutes outside said oven adjacent the outlet opening thereof, said discharge chutes having means associated therewith for removing the coils from said pins and having outwardly sloping portions for directing the coils away from said conveyor.

12. In a device of the class described and in combination, a conveyor, guide bars arranged adjacent the side of said conveyor and extending substantially parallel thereto, a feeding chute at the side of said conveyor adjacent the outer side of said bars and having inwardly sloping portions for directing spring coils against said bars at an angle thereto, and a plurality of pick-up and supporting members mounted on the side of said conveyor and extending therefrom past the outer side of sai-d bars adjacent said feeding chute and adapted to pass through an adjacent portion of the chute in a manner to engage an outer convolution of a spring coil in said chute positioned against the guide bars for removing the spring from said chute.

FRANK N. SCHINDLER.

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