A MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CUSHIONS

Abstract: A machine which enables an efficient manufacture of cushions. The cushions are filled e.g. with a fibre material. The machine comprises means for opening a fibre material bale, whereafter a blower blows the fibres thus opened as a continuous flow through a cyclone (5) into a weighing apparatus (7). After the weighing apparatus has received a charge of filler material for one cushion, a blower (9) sucks the charge out of the weighing apparatus and into a cushion bag positioned in a filling apparatus (8) between the weighing apparatus and the blower.

Description: A machine for manufacturing cushions Previously cushions have generally been filled by hand. The object is to provide a machine by means of which the manufacture of cushions, mainly the filling thereof, can be carried out essentially more effi¬ ciently and by means of which the cushion filler ma¬ terial, such as feathers, foam plastic or a non-woven fibre material, can be introduced into the cushions in a purer form than previously. The machine according to the invention com¬ prises means for opening a cushion filler raw material to a predetermined looseness, means for transferring the filler material thus opened to a weighing appar¬ atus for dosing a charge of filler material for one cushion, a cushion bag filling apparatus arranged after the weighing apparatus, and a blower arranged after the filling apparatus to produce a suction for feeding a charge of filler material from the weighing apparatus into a cushion bag in the filling apparatus. An essential feature of the invention is that the charge of filler material is fed from the weighing apparatus into the cushion bag, which is held open in the filling apparatus, by means of suction acting through the bottom of the cushion bag. Thereby varia¬ tions in the air permeability of the bag material have no essential effect on the bag filling operation, which would be the case if the charge of filler ma- terial were blown into the bag. Further, a consider¬ ably higher filler material density and a better dis¬ tribution of the filler material in the cushion bag are achieved than what would be achieved by blowing. Before the weighing apparatus is preferably ar- ranged a cyclone which separates essentially pure filler material from the mass flow to the weighing ap¬ paratus, which is preferably controlled by means of a microprocessor. In the following one preferred embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the attached schematic drawing. Cushion filler material bales are opened to a desired looseness in a manner known per se in means 2 and 3. Through a blower 4 the filler material is passed on as a free mass flow into a cyclone 5, into a feeding box 6, preferably volumetric, positioned below said cyclone, and into a weighing apparatus 7 con¬ trolled by a microprocessor. 8 designates a filling apparatus, 9 a suction blower, and 10 a sack or the like for receiving dust. The pure filler material is passe -from the- cyclone 5 into the weighing apparatus 7 controlled by the microprocessor. After having received a charge for one cushion the weighing apparatus feeds said charge into the filling apparatus 8, in which the filler ma¬ terial charge is introduced into a cushion bag. The charge is fed from the weighing apparatus 7 into the filling apparatus 8 by a suction effect produced by the suction blower 9 mounted after the filling appar- atus 8, whereby the suction acts through the bottom of a cushion bag positioned in the filling apparatus. The machine according to the invention may be almost fully automated; however, the control of the filling of the cushion bags as well as the change and closing of the bags may be carried out by a worker. The amount of the cushion filler material is con¬ trolled by means of the weighing apparatus 7 in accor¬ dance with the cushion size in each particular case. It should not be necessary to describe here the drive and control means of the different parts of the machine in more detail because one skilled in the art. will find no difficulty in the realization thereof. One or more blowers may be arranged in connec¬ tion with the cyclone 5; thus, the cyclone is a so called pneumatic mixing container (separating device) out of which the filler material (portion) at least essentially free from dust falls into the filling shaft of the weighing apparatus. The filler material is passed from the shaft into the weighing apparatus e.g. through two transferring rolls. The cyclone, the filling shaft, the weighing apparatus and the cushion filling apparatus itself may all be of a closed structure.

Claims: Claims : 1. A machine for manufacturing cushions, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises means (2, 3) for opening a cushion filler raw material to a predetermined looseness, means (4) for transferring the filler material thus opened to a weighing apparatus (7) for dosing a charge of filler material for one cushion, a cushion bag filling apparatus (8) arranged after the weighing apparatus (7) , and a blower (9) arranged after the filling appar¬ atus (8) to produce a suction for feeding a charge of filler material from the weighing apparatus (7) into a cushion bag in the filling apparatus (8) . . 2.-A machine-according to claim 1-- c h a r a c- t e r i z e d in that a cyclone (5) is arranged be¬ fore the weighing apparatus (7) in order to separate at least essentially pure filler material to the weighing apparatus. 3. A machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in that the weighing apparatus is ar¬ ranged to be controlled by a microprocessor.

Inventors: KANCHANASTHIRA SITTHIPHON, VESA JUHA, KANCHANASTHIRA, SITTHIPHON, VESA, JUHA
Applicants: NOWOROLL OY
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B68G7
IPC codes: B68G7