US2611652A - Method of and apparatus for making brushes - Google Patents

Description

s p 23, 1952 R. o. PETERSON 2,611,652

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRUSHES Filed Sept. 20, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

PUif/V 0. PETZEJON MYIMLL ATTORNEYS Sept. 23, 1952 R. o. PETERSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRUSHES Filed Sept. 20, 1948 INVENTOR. RUBEN '0.PETERSON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Se t. 23, 1952 R. o. PETERSON METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRUSHES 3; Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 20. 1948 INVENTOR. RUBEN 0.PETERSON ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 23, 1952 1:51;:

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING BRUSHES Ruben 0. Peterson, University Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to The OsbornManufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation ofOhio Application September 20, 1948, Serial No. 50,108

The present improvements, relating as indicated to brush manufacture, have more particular I regard to the manufacture of so-called brush strip. This as is well known is a form of brush element capable of being assembled into various types of brushes, either fiat, circular or cylindrical, as desired, such element consisting of a folded or doubled layer of brush material, the doubled or bent portion of which'is secured in a suitable base.

According to the present commercial practice such brush elements of the type in question are made by feeding a continuous layer of brush material, cut to length, onto a continuous fiat strip, a wire or equivalent retaining member being applied tosuch layer'opposite such strip, and the latter being thereupon folded longitudinally so as correspondingly to fold such brush material about said retaining member. One practical form of apparatus for carrying out such method of manufacture will be found illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 1,963,045 to F. J. Bickel, dated June 12, 1934, and in my prior Patent No. 2,303,386, dated December 1, 1942, there is shown and described an improved form of backing strip adapted to be utilized in the method and apparatus of said Bickel patent. It will be noted that the backing strip in the case of each of the foregoing patents is characterized by being formed with integral teeth which project inwardly when the strip is folded into channel folds. Each such folded portion of the layer is then secured to a base of general channel form or otherwise, and such layer of brush material then is severed along lines parallel with but removed from such bases so that two brush strips are provided.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for making two or more such brush strips continuously, i. e. without interruption in the supply of the brush material or the other components such as the retaining wire and base strip. 'Another ob- 21 Claims. 300-21) ject is to provide for the use in such continuous method and apparatus of channel base strip provided with projections or teeth which look or hold the retaining member in place. Still another object is to provide an apparatus which may be readily adapted to the making of brush strip of greater or less width as desired and for supplying the brush material in the form of a thicker used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view more or less diagrammatic in character of one end of a mechanism or apparatus embodying my present improvements;

' Fig. 2 is a similar plan view constituting in effect a continuation of the plan view of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of said apparatus shown in plan in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is similarly a side elevation substantially of the portion of said apparatus shown in plan in Fig 2;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of said apparatus taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is another transverse section taken on the plane indicated by the line 66, Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a detail section similar to that of Fig.

6, but taken a short distance to the left thereof as indicated by the line 1-'l, Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 88, Fig. 2; and

- Figs. 9, 1-0 and 11 are sectional views corresponding with those of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, but showing certain modifications in construction.

The brush material 12, as previously indicated, will be in the form of strands of indefinite length.

Such strands may be ofany material suitable for' use in brushes, by which term it is intended to include devices such as mops and the like. Thus they may consist of wires either single or multiple and twisted or untwisted. Likewise they may consist of fibrous cords twisted and otherwise formed andtreated, if desired, in various known lways1 to modify the action thereof in the finished rus Such stranded brush material is supplied to the brush making mechanism or apparatus from one or more spools i, two being shown in Fig. l. The brush material is first led onto a rotatable spindle including a drum portion 2 by rotation of arm 2 carrying brush material supply spools I, i, at its respective ends. Arm 2' is rotatably mounted on a'hollow shaft 3 journalled in suitable bearings 3, 3, and provided with a pulley 4' whereby it may be driven in either direction as desired.

Drum 2 is adapted to be driven by pulleyv 4 through a hollow stub shaft internally concentric with the drive for arm 2'. As explained below, such drum will normally be rotated only for purposes of compensating for inequalities resulting from any slight differential between the rate at which the stranded material is wound on' and unwound from such drum.

The aforesaid mounting for arm and drum 2 together with their respective drive means is provided with a bore 5 through which the brush material retaining wires a, two in number as illustrated, are supplied to the brush making operation. These wires are drawn from corresponding spools 5, 6 and an uninterrupted supply may be achieved by attaching the leading end of a wire on the new spool to the trailing end of the wire on a nearly exhausted spool.

Aligned with the end of brush material feed drum 2 opposite that to which the wires a. are supplied is a shaft rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 8, 8 and carrying a pulley 9 whereby it may be driven in either direction and at such rate of speed as desired. Such drive for shaft 1 will be synchronized with the drive for arm 2' so'that such shaft will rotate at the same rate of rotation as'such arm. Shaft? is provided with a central bore it through which the wires a after passing through the drum are axially conducted to and beyond the further end of said shaft. The shaft is also: provided with a second bore or longitudinally extending passage I! disposed to one side, .i. e; eccentrically of the axis of the shaft, it being through this latter bore or passage that the brush material I; is conducted lengthwise of the shaft and beyond the further end thereof.

The drive for drum 2 will preferably -be by means of an electric motor provided with any standard form of speed control device so that the rotation thereof may be regulated in the manner hereinafter indicated. However, any other well-known form of drive and speed regulator appropriate thereto may be employed.

On the end of shaft l adjacent drum 2 an arm 42 is mounted so as to be capable of swinging movement toward and from the axis of the shaft. The outer end of such arm overlies the brush material feed drum 2 and is provided with a guide 13 through which the brush vmaterial after being Wound several times around ;the drum is guided into the passage or bore ii in shaft i. As will be presently explained in describing the operation of the mechanism as a whole, the circumference of brush material feed drum 2 is designed to be approximatelyequal to the length of one turn of brush. material as wound into the layer from which the brush strips are fashioned.- Since, however, in practice the length of such turn will vary, particularly where one turn surrounds another previously applied turn, it becomes desirable, as previously indicated, to vary the rate of rotation of drum 2 and thus the rate of feed of the brush material to the mechanism. This is conveniently accomplished by mounting on shaft 1 adjacent the r the arm on its way from the drum 2 to the winding mechanism. Accordingly the construction of the switch Hi and its connection with the before-mentioned speed regulator is such that as the arm moves outwardly the drum 2 will be rotated in one direction to reduce the rate at which brush material is unwound therefrom and when said arm moves inwardly to operate the other switch it the drum will be rotated in the other direction to increase the rate at which such material is paid ofi. When the rate of withdrawal of the stranded brush material from drum '2 is exactly balanced by the rate at which such material is wound upon the, mandrel, neither of such micro-switches will be operated and drum 2 will then be stationary. Drum 2 will desirably have a slight taper or fillet in the region Where the brush material is wound thereon in order to facilitate axial shifting of the coils on such drum toward the end of the unwinding arm l2. This arrangement permits the strands b'to be unwound from the spools l, i and eventually wound about mandrel M without any twisting or snarling. When the Width of the mandrel is altered, a new drum 2 will be substituted in the mechanism selected sothat the circumference of such drum equals the length of one turn of the brush material about such mandrel.

-Tne end ofshaft :1 opposite to that on" which arm 12 is mounted is provided with a suitable guide arm i5, shown as consisting of a bent tube which constitutes in effect a continuation of the bore or passage H, whereby the stranded brush material 12 iscon-ducted to a point well beyond the end of the shaftand lying a substantial distance radially from the axis of the shaft, such last-mentioned distance being determined by the maximum Width of the layer into which the brush material is to be wound, or in other words, of the mandrel Mwhioh extends in alignment with the end of the shaft in question for such distance as will be required to accommodate the various mechanisms associated with the winding operation and the securing to the resulting folded portions of the wound brush material layer 305 the particular type of element employed to secure the bases of the resulting brush strips B, B (see .Fig. 2).

The specific detailed structure of the so-called mandrel M, such numeral designating such structure generally, will be found illustrated in Figs. {1 .to 6 inc. .Asthere shown, such mandrel comprises two main elements it and H consisting of two ccntig-uously aligned bars or flat plates disposed at right angles to each other. These parts are of sumcient strength and are so connected together at their adjoining ends that the mandrel as .a whole will be self-sustaining when supported at its respective ends. Such support at the left-hand end (see Fig. l) is afforded by an extension 18 formed to receive one end of a tubular core it that extends through shaft l and provides the bore 19 through which retaining thereof in position during the severing operation, one or more pairs of pressure rolls i are mounted above and below the mandrel adjacent the point where the severing occurs, the pairs of rolls being axially aligned and one being located ion-one side and the other on the other of theline of the out.

f The appearanceof the brush layer immediately after it has been thus severed and before it has left, the mandrel is shown in Fig. 8 where there 'is also diagrammatically illustrated a safety switch lever 52. The latter is mounted, as about a pivotal axis 53, so as normally to project through a slot 54 in themandrel and thus be engaged by any strand of'brush material that may escape the severing device.- ,Such lever is operatively connected with a suitable switch, not shown, whereby operation of the machine as a whole is stopped in the event the lever is actuated in the mannerjust referre dto. Thus the attention of the operator will be called to the failure of the slitting device, which can then be adjusted.

In Fig.2 the respective sections of the severed brush layer. are shown as being bent laterally,

i. e. away from each other, in contact with guide rolls '55, whereby the brush strips which such sections now constitute may be directed onto corresponding mandrels or drums similar to those shown in the aforementioned Bickel Patent-No.

1,963,045. Such arrangement will be particularly suitable where thebrush strip is to be made into a' cylindrical brush by, being wound helically upon a mandrel, and where, as would necessarily be thecase, the mandrelis rotated under power,

it will constitute additional traction means, supplementing the action of rolls 44, 45 and G6 in pulling the layer of brush material as it is wound about the mandrel as well as the finished strips through the machine. V

Where instead of thus winding the brush strip in the form of a helix about a mandrelit is desired tofuse such strip in straight form, the two severed portions of the wound layer of brush material may be carried in a straight line to the right instead of being directed outwardly as "Figs. 9, l0 and 11 has principally to do with the construction of that portion of the mandrel along which the brush material wound on such mandrel is carried in open looped form, 1. e. be-

iore it is flattened and severed to constitute the two finished brush strips. In such modified construction, instead of employing a vertically disposed bar or flat plate from which to support the rails that guide the wires (1, a member 68 0f the cross-sectional form clearly shown-in Figs. 9

and 10 is substituted. The rails 6i furthermore are flat instead of V-shaped although adjustably supported from the central member 8t by such means as bolts 62, as before.

:Said member 68, it will be noted, in addition to. being iormed with longitudinally extending grooves 63 to guide the two forwardly moving runs of the endless belt or cord is also provided with adjacent spaced grooves as which are adapted to receive and guide the return runs of such belt or cord. Furthermore, such grooves T63instead of being located opposite each other,

are displaed laterally so that the loop formed of the brush material wound around the mandrel assumes the form of a flattened parallelogram. At the same time the support provided for the return runs of the belt or cableby the grooves 64 serves to keep such runs from slapping against the brushimaterial as thus wound on the mandrel.

In each of the two forms of mandrel construction which have been described, the proper spacing between the two retaining wires or. is maintained by adjustment of the rails 2! or iii as the case may be. Furthermore, said rails are so formed that the wires will be held slightly farther apart at the left-hand end of the mandrel where the brush material ,is Wound around the latter than at the right-hand end, so that there will be a correspondingly slight relaxation of tension in the loops which comprise the layer of brush material. The speed at which the wires a, a are drawn by the previously described traction means provided at the righthand end of the machine will of course determine the density of the layer of brush material wound on the mandrel for any given rate of speed of rotation of the shaft 7 which winds the material upon the mandrel through guide arm 15. Accordingly, by properly correlating these two speeds a thicker or thinner layer of brush material, as desired, will be leit doubled about the wires at the stage in the operation where the bases of the brush strips are .formed. .In the particular construction of machine illustrated it is only necessary that the conveyor belt or cord 25 should convey the brush material to the stage in the operation where the teeth in the channel base are caused to engage the folded portions of the layer of brush material formed by the winding operation. However, if a di'fierent form of securing means for the base is utilized, it will be necessary to carry such belts to the point at which the brush material is firmly secured to the retaining wires, by whatever means employed.

My present improved method of manufacturing brush strip has the obvious advantage of simultaneously producing two such strips. These ordinarily will be identical although by shifting the line of the slittingoperation nearer the one base than the other the width of the one strip may be made correspondingly narrower. In any case, the present method eliminates entirely the preliminary operation of cutting the stock of brush material into short lengths and distributing them into an even layer before they are doubled and attached to the retaining wire or equivalent member. Even more important is the elimination of the waste which is involved by reason or" the necessity for trimming the material where thus cut into short lengths and then doubled before being secured to the retaining member; by the present procedure the ends or" the strands in the respective strips are perforce cut square across. As a result ofthe foregoing a very considerable reduction in labor cost is also effected, while at the same time an improved product is obtained.

Instead of continuously winding brush ma terial about drum 2 and then unwinding the same, it is obvious that such drum may instead constitute a spool on which a supply of material has previously been wound, but in such case it will of course be necessary more frequently to replenish or replace such spool. Also, instead of permanently attaching the brush material to the continuous retaining members it may be desired, in the construction of'mopelements, for example, to securethe wound brush material in itscfolded condition; and-join adjacent portions thereoftol form a continuous element by means of adhesive or stitching, continuous conveying means equivalent to wires a being utilized about whichithe material is wound and transported to the point of securing. This application is a continuation+in-par t of my co-pending application Serial No. 668,390, filed May 9, 1946, now aban cloned. Q 7

=- Other modes of applying the principle of,the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in anyof the following claims or theequivalent OfSllCh be employed.

I'therefore particularly point out and distinctly' claim as my invention: I 1

. 1 Ina method of making a brush element of the type wherein stranded brush material is loopeduponan extended retaining member, the steps which consist in supporting" limited sections of a plurality of such members of indefinite length-in substantially parallel, spaced relation, moving such sections of said members longitudinally 'in"unison,-winding the brush material around such sections of said members thus spaced and'while thus moving, movingly supporting the wound brush material intermediately of said members by supporting means traveling therewith, progressively securing such brush material to said members as wound thereon, and then severing such wound brush material along lines lying'intermediately of said members.

2. In a method of making a brush element of the type wherein stranded brush material is looped upon an extended retaining member, the steps which consist in supporting limited sections of a' plurality of such members of indefinite length in substantially parallel spaced relation, moving such sections of said-members longitudinally in unison, winding the brush material around such sections of said members thus spaced and while thus moving, such -brush material being initial- 1y wound in relatively open loops, to minimize frictional contact with the retaining member supporting means, gradually flattening such loops with the brush material doubled around said members, progressively securing such brush ma terial to'said members as wound thereon, and then severingsuch wound brush material along the lines lying 'intermediately of said members.

3. In a'method of making a brush element of the type wherein stranded brush material is looped upon an extended retaining member, the steps which consist in supporting limited sections of a plurality of such members of indefinite length in substantially parallel spaced relation, moving such sections of said members longitudinally in unison, winding the brush material around such sections of said'members thus spaced and while thus moving, such brush material being initially wound in relatively open loops, to minimize frictional contact with the, retaining member supporting means, gradually flattening,

such. loops with the brush material doubled around said members, progressively closing a lines lying intermediately-of said members.

4. In a method of making a brush element of the type wherein stranded brush 5 material is looped upon an extended retainingmember, the

steps which consist supporting limited sections,

. length in-substantially parallel spaced. relation,

moving such sections of said members longitudinally in unison, winding the brush material around such sections of said members thus spaced and While thus moving, such brush material being initially wound in relatively open loops to minimize frictional contactwith the retaining member supporting means, gradually flattening such loops with the brush material doubled around said members, progressively closing a channel-form strip upon each; such1 doubled portions of the brush material and enclosed member and then severing such Hbrush; material along lines lying intermediatelyof said members, such channel-form strip having inwardly directed projections and such closing step; interlocking the same behind. said retaining member before. such strip is completelyiclosed. .1 3 a z 5. In a machinefor continuous manufacture of a brush elementof thetype described, the combination of a-mandrel adapted to support two continuously moving elongated brush material retaining members yin substantially parallel spaced relation, means, adaptedito wind stranded brush material around said mandrel and members, and means supporting the loops of brush material intermediately 'of said members and adapted to travel in the same direction mas-- sociation therewith. 1

6. In a machinefifor continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the combination of a mandrel adapted to support two continuously moving elongated brush 'material retaining members in substantially parallel spaced realtion, means adaptedto wind stranded brush material around'said' mandrel and members; anda beltron each side of said mandrel extending intermediately ofsaid members and traveling 'in the same direction, whereby the loops of brush material as wound upon the mandrel are Wholly movably supported. I

7. In a machine for continuous manufacture of a brushelement' of *the' type described, the

combinationof a mandrel adaptedto support two continuously moving elongated brush material retaimng members 7 in substantially parallel spaced relation, meansadapted to wind stranded brush material around said mandrel andmem bers, and abelton each side of said mandrel extending intermediately of "said members and traveling .in the :same direction,'-Whereby"the loops of brush material as wound upon the man-- 7 drel are wholly movably supported, said belt bemg operatively interconnected with said' members, so as togtravelinunison threwith. 4

8.111 a machine for continuous manufacture of a-brush element of the? type described, the combination vof V a .mandrelladapted ito support two continuously movingswires in substantially parallel spaced relation, means adapted to wind stranded brushmateral around said mandrel and Wires, and a belt on each side of said mandrel extending intermediately of said wires and traveling in the same direction, Whereby'the loops of brush material as wound upon the mandrel are wholly movably sup-ported. saidlbelt on each side of said mandrel gradually'app'roaching the plane defined; by said =wires; whereby thetloop's of brush; material are, permittedto: gradually flatten as they are carried along said mandrel.

9; In a machine for continuousmanufacture of a brush; element of :the :type described, the combination of a mandrel, adapted. to support two continuously moving; wires in substantially parallel spaced relation, and means adapted to wind stranded brush material around said mandrel' and wires, said means including a rotatable shaft at one end of said mandrel aligned with the axis of winding and having an axialpassage through which the aforesaid members are led to said mandrel and a second, parallel passage through which the brush material is led, a radial arm on said shaft extending over such mandrel end, and guides on said arm adapted to lead brush material drawn through such second passage first outwardly and then inwardly to the point of winding.

l0. Ina machine for continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the combination of a' mandrel adapted to support two continuously moving wires in substantially parallel spaced relation, and means adapted to wind stranded brush material around said mandrel and wires, said means including a rotatable shaft at one end of said mandrel aligned with the axis of winding and having a longitudinal. passage, a radial arm on said shaft extending over such mandrel end, guides on said arm adapted to. lead brush material drawn through such passage. first outwardly and then inwardly to the point of winding, and an independently driven drum. aligned with said shaft, the brush material being wound about such drum before being led to such passage.

ll. Ina machine for continuous manufacture of a brush element. of the type described, the combination. of a. mandrel adapted to support two continuously moving wires in substantially parallel; spaced, relation, and means adapted to wind' stranded brush material around said mandrel and wires, said means including a rotatable shaft at one end of said mandrel aligned with the axis of winding andv having a longitudinal passage, a, radial arm on said shaft extending oven such mandrel end, guides on said arm adapted to lead. brush material drawn through such: passage first outwardly and then inwardly to thepQintof Winding, an independently driven drum alignedwithsaid shaft, the brush material being wound about such drum before being led to such second passage, and means operated by terial may be conducted, eccentric guide means onsaid member; adapted toguide such material frgnnsaid drum through saidmember, continuous conveying means travelling in a direction axial of-suchdrum, further eccentric guide means on said member'adapted to Wind brush material conductedv therethrough about said conveying means, and meanssforv securing such wound brush material to maintainit in folded condition andjoin, adjacent portions. thereof to form a con-;

tinuous element; I

13. Ina machine for continuous manufacture of a brush, element, of. the type described, the

combination of a stationary mandrel'adapted to guide thelongitudinal movement of-a wire along its exterior, means operativeto moveisuch wire alongsaid: mandrel, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted-substantially axially of one end of said mandrel, a drum from which a continuous strand of, brush material: may be unwound rotatably 12 mounted axially of the other end of said shaft from said mandrel, means on the end ofsaid shaft adjacent said drum adapted to guide a strand of brush material from said drum into I said tubular shaft, means on the end of said shaft adjacent said mandrel adapted to. wind such strand conducted thereto through said shaft about said mandrel and such brush materialwire, means for. rotating said shaft, means for rotating said drum, means for securing such brush material to such wire, and means for severing such brush material along a line spaced from such wire.

14. In a machine for continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the

combination of a stationary mandrel adapted to guide the longitudinal movement of spaced wires along its exterior, means operative to move such wires along said mandrel, a tubular shaft ro- 1 tatably mounted substantially axially of one end of saidmandrel, a drum from which a continuous strand of brush material may be unwound rotatably mounted axially of the other end of said shaft from said mandrel, means on the end of said shaft adjacent said drum adapted to guide a strand of brushmaterial. from said drum into said tubular shaft, means on the end of saidshaft adjacent said mandrel adapted to wind such strand conducted thereto through said shaft,

about said mandrel and such brush material wires, means for rotating said shaft, means for, rotating said drum, means for securing suchv brush material to. such wires, and means for severing suchbrush material along a lineintermediate of such wires.

15. In a machine for the continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the combination of means adapted to support two continuously moving wires in substantially parallel spaced relation, brush material winding means mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to such moving wires and adapted to wind such material about such spaced wires, and brush material supply means for said winding means comprising a drum adapted to have brushmaterial wound. thereor said drum being mounted, substantially axially of. said rotatable winding,-

means.

16. In amachine for. the continuous manufactureiof. a brush elementof the type described,

thecombination of meansadapted to supporttwo continuously. moving wires in substantially parallel. spaced relation, brush material winding meansmountedfor rotation about an axis parallel. to. such moving wires andadapted to wind: such material about such spacedwires, andbrush materiali supply means for saidwinding means. comprising a rotatable drum adapted to havebrush material wound thereon, said rotatabledrumbeing-mounted substantially axially of said rotatable windingmeans.

'17: In a. machine for the continuous manu-.

facture of a brush element of the-type described, thecombination of at least two-spaced parallel conveyor elements adapted'to travel in unison, at least: one of said conveyor elements being drawn from a supply source and adapted-to serve as a brush materialretainingmember in such finished brush element, and at. least oneof said conveyor elementsbeingof the endless type and includinga return course, winding means opera tive to wind brush material about said conveyor elements thus traveling in unison, and

meansadapted-to secure such material to said 13 conveyor element adapted to serve as a retaining member.

18. In a machine for the continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the combination of means adapted to support two continuously moving wires in substantially parallel spaced relation, means adapted to wind brush material about such two spaced wires as the'latter advance, thereby forming a succession of loops of brush material about such wires, conveyor means passing within such loops intermediate such wires and adapted to contact and support both sides of such loops internally thereof, said conveyor means being of the endless type having a return course out of contact with such brush material, and means adapted to drive.

said conveyor means with the brush material supporting portions thereof traveling in the same direction as such wires.

19. In a machine for the continuous manufacture of a brush element of the type described, the combination of means adapted to support two continuously moving wires in substantially parallel spaced relation, brush material winding means mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to such moving wires and adapted to wind such material about such spaced wires, a spindle mounted substantially axially of said winding means, means adapted to wind stranded brush material on said spindle from a supply thereof, means turning with said first-named winding means adapted to unwind such material from said spindle to be conducted to said first-named winding means, and means adapted to drive said spindle to compensate for any differential in the rate at which such brush material is thus wound on said wires and the rate at which such material is unwound from said spindle by said unwinding means.

20. In a machine for continuous manufacture of a brush element, means adapted to support two wires in spaced parallel relation, means adapted continuously to advance such wires in unison, a rotatable winding arm adapted to wind strands of brush material about such spaced wires, drive means adapted to rotate said arm, a drum mounted for rotation about the same axis of rotation as said arm about which such brush material may be wound prior to passing to said arm, drive means adapted to rotate said drum, and control means automatically operative to regulate the rate of rotation of said drum responsive to tension in such brush material.

21. In a machine for continuous manufacture of a brush element, means adapted to support two wires in spaced parallel relation, means adapted continuously to advance such wires in unison, a rotatable winding arm adapted to wind strands of brush material about such spaced wires, drive means adapted to rotate said arm, a drum mounted for rotation about the same axis of rotation as said arm about which such brush material may be wound prior to passing to said arm, drive means adapted to rotate said drum, a rotatable unwinding arm adapted to turn with said winding arm and unwind such brush material'from said drum for delivery to said winding arm, said unwinding arm being adapted for in and out movement generally radially of the axis of rotation, and control means actuated by such movement adapted to regulate said'drive means for said drum.

RUBEN O. PETERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 645,236 Schlegel Mar. 13, 1900 1,209,639 Carter Dec. 19, 1916 1,936,045 Bickel June 12, 1934 2,351,546 Rogers June 13, 1944 2,363,217 Woodling Nov. 21, 1944

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