Abstract:
An automatic handle end cutter to cut individual handles from a web of handle material. A shuttle clamp grips the web and advances it into a cutting area at which time the web is held by two further clamps. The shuttle clamp withdraws and a first cutter cuts the web at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle. This is followed by a second cutter which cuts the web at an angle to the handle axis giving handle ends with the corners removed. The severed and configured end handle is ejected and the cycle begun again.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention is directed to the field of mattress construction and more particularly to preparing cloth handles for attachment to a mattress border.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Cloth handles presently used in mattress construction are made up of a single layer of material and a foam layer formed into a tube shape and stitched along a central longitudinal axis and severed transverse to such axis leaving open ends. These ends present a unsightly, unfinished appearance and can also unravel. One manner of finishing the ends is to bend them under so as to be below portions of the main handle body. However, if the bent under end does not fully lie under the handle body, as where a corner extends beyond the handle body, the desired finished look is not achieved.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention overcomes the difficulties noted above with respect to the prior art by providing an automatic handle end cutter which severs individual handles from a web of handle material along two axes which provide a handle with no corners and which comes to a point therebetween. When the ends of such a handle are folded under no edge can show from below the handle body and the handle looks complete and finished when sewn on the mattress border.  
           [0006]    The automatic handle end cutter feeds a length of end material into a cutting station wherein the corners of the handle ends are removed by two cutters. The cutters cut at angles leaving the end pointed with no corners. Since an continuous web of handle material is used, the cutters cut the second end of a first handle while they cut the first end of the next sequential handle. A shuttle mechanism presents fixed lengths of the handle web to the cutting area where it is clamped adjacent the cutting area. A first cutter traverses the cutting area making a first cut through a first handle and the next sequential handle. The first cutter returns to it initial position at which time the second cutter is activated to make the second cut through the first handle and next sequential handle. As the second cutter return to its initial position an eject cylinder ejects the now fully severed first handle. The shuttle now brings the next sequential handle second end into the cutting area. It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic handle end cutter.  
           [0007]    It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic handle end cutter which cuts the corners of each end.  
           [0008]    It is an object of this invention to provide a cloth handle which can be installed to a mattress border without unsightly corners extending from below the main handle body when sewn to a mattress border.  
           [0009]    It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic handle end cutter which is simple to construct and easy to use. 
       
    
    
       [0010]    Other objects and features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention, and the best mode which is presently contemplated for carrying them out.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    In the drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference characters:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a top right perspective view of an automatic handle end cutter constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention with a handle severed along a first end.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the cutter device of FIG. 1 with a handle advance to be severed at a second end.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, top plan view, partly in section, of the cutting area of the cutter device of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partially in section, of the cutting device of FIG. 3 taken along the lines  4 - 4 .  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the cutting device of FIG. 1 showing the movement of a first cutter.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a top right perspective view of a completed handle according to the concepts of the invention showing the removed portions in phantom line. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    Turning to FIG. 6 there is shown a completed handle  10  with a body portion  12  ending in end portions  14  and  16 . Cut edges  18 ,  20  of end portion  14  form a point  22  while cut edges  24 ,  26  of end portion  16  form a point  28 . When end portions  14  and  16  are folded under body portion  12  no corners can extend beyond the width of body portion  12 .  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIGS.  1  to  5 , an automatic handle end cutter  40  constructed in accordance with the concept of the invention is shown. A table  42  supports and positions the components of the cutter  40 . The handle material is presented in a continuous web  44  from a spool of such material supported in a suitable yoke (not shown) as is well known in the art. A track  46  supports and guides a shuttle clamp  48  which advances the web  44  into the cutting area on its forward stroke and non-engagingly slips over the web  44  on its return stroke. It should be understood that shuttle clamp  48 , the cutters, the clamps and the ejector are operated by pneumatic cylinders as is well known in the art and the operations of these devices in controlled by limit switches. For example, limit switch  50  permits shuttle clamp  48  advance along track  46  until the front edge  52  of the shuttle clamp  48  strikes limit switch  50 . This places the end of the uncut web  44  in the cutting area and unlocks the clamp plate  54  so that is can ride over the web  44  on its return stroke. The return stroke is completed when the arm  56  on the shuttle clamp  48  engages the limit switch  58  which also operates to close clamp plate  54  to grip the web  44 .  
         [0020]    A first cutter  60  may be an available rotary knife, such as a or may be a non-rotary knife such as a . The cutter  60  ride on a track  64  from an initial position against limit switch  66  to a final position against limit switch  68  mounted on bracket  70  to table  42  (see FIG. 5). The limit switch  68  causes the first cutter  60  to reverse direction and return to its position against limit switch  66  (see FIG. 2) at which time cutter  60  is turned off. A support  62  positions the cutter  60  blade  61  at the correct angle and spacing above the web  44  in the cutting area. The track  64  ends in a bracket  72  which contains a slot  74  which received fastener  76 . It this manner the track  64  can be rotated about its end adjacent limit switch  68  and a desired cutting angle selected after which fastener  76  is tightened to fix the track  64  angle.  
         [0021]    A second cutter  80  which may be a rotary knife or a non-rotary knife as set forth above with respect to cutter  60  has a support  82  which travels along track  84  between a limit switch  86  at the start of its forward travel to a limit switch  88  at the end of such forward travel. When the pneumatic cylinder (not shown) is operated by a controller the second cutter  80  starts from the position in contact with limit switch  86 , as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, and moves until support  82  engages limit switch  88  at which time the travel of cutter  80  reverses until limit switch  86  is engaged at which point the cutter  80  is stopped and turned off. Track  84  is also fitted with a bracket  90  having a slot  92  and is fixed by a fastener  94 . Thus, track  84  can also be adjusted for its cutting path. Although the cutting paths for first cutter  60  and second cutter  80  extend at about 45° to the web  44  and other angles could be employed.  
         [0022]    A clamp and ejection assembly  100  is placed on table  42  aligned with the track  46 . When the web  44  is moved to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 the first handle  44 - 1  is in the assembly  100  and clamp  102  is energized to clamp handle  44 - 1  against shelf  104  of the assembly  100 . A clamp  106  is energized to clamp the second handle  44 - 2  against a support block  108  fixed to the table  42  near the crossing of tracks  64  and  84 . In this manner, the end  14  of handle  44 - 1  and the end  16  of handle  44 - 2  are clamped on both sides of the cutter tracks  64  and  84 . Cutting can then proceeds without any shifting of the handle web  44 . Once the cutting is completed the clamps  102  and  106  are released and the ejector cylinder  110  is operated. A plunger (not shown) presses on the severed web  44 - 1  and causes it to fall into a hopper (not shown).  
         [0023]    The automatic handle end cutter  40  operates in the following manner. The end of a web  44  of handles is fed over the shuttle clamp  48  and fixed in place by the clamp plate  54 . The start button (not shown) is depressed and the shuttle clamp moves along track  46  towards the cutting area. In that the exact length is not fixed at the beginning of the web  44  nor is the condition of a first end  14  known, the end section is severed in the first cuts and discarded. In all subsequent cycles of operation a known amount of web  44  is played out. Clamps  102  and  106  are disengaged and the shuttle clamp  48  places a length of web  44  in the cutting area and over the shelf  104  of the clamping and ejector assembly  100 . This continues until leading edge  52  of shuttle clamp  48  engages limit switch  50 . This stops the movement of the shuttle clamp  48  and applies the clamps  102  and  106 . Clamp  102  clamps web  44  to the shelf  104  of assembly  100  while clamp  106  clamps web  44  to support block  108  (see FIG. 4) The clamping plate  54  is released and the shuttle clamp  48  moves to limit switch  58  where it remains until the start of the next cycle. The clamp plate  54  is spaced from the remainder of the shuffle clamp  48  so that it can pass over the web  44  without engagement. The clamps  102  and  106  are now operated to fix the web  44  with respect to the cutting area. First cutter  60  is activated and travels along track  64  across the web  44  on the line  120 . This line  120  extends across corner  20  of handle  1  and  24  of handle  24  of handle  2 . The cutter  60  engages the limit switch  68  and reverses its direction until it engages limit switch  66  at which it stops and turns off. The second cutter  80  is now operated along track  84  and cuts along line  122  until it engages limit switch  88  at which time it reverses and travels until it engages limit switch  86  and turns off.  
         [0024]    The clamps  102  and  106  are opened and the ejector cylinder  110  operated to eject the first handle  44 - 1 . The cycle just described begins again.  
         [0025]    While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiment as is presently contemplated for carrying them out, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes of the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention.