Stapling machine for spring carcass frames

Abstract: It is provided with a longitudinal bearing (2) mounted on a frame (1) and framed by two side, vertical and parallel guides (9) and (10), the position of the latter being adjustable in order for the spacing thereof to match the thickness of the spring carcass, which is hauled by a thruster (4) driven by a motor reducer (5) intermittently towards the working area of two stapling heads (12-12′) where a retractable ram (15) receives the spring action directly and adjusts, in accordance with the latter's diameter, the position of the balance lever acting on the proximity detector that in turn controls the movement of the motor reducer (5) in order for each spring to duly face the stapling heads (12). Beyond these stapling heads is provided a tray (21) that can swing by means of a lower pneumatic cylinder capable of overturning the spring carcass (3) once all the springs on one of its sides have been stapled, in order that the latter may continue to receive the machine action on another edge, until its whole perimeter is finished.

Description: The present invention relates to a machine that is specifically designed for the fully automated stapling of spring carcasses used habitually in making mattresses, cushions and other upholstery or like elements. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Within the scope of the manufacture of mattresses, cushions and other like elements one of the commonly used solutions is to structure their core from a spring carcass, provided with a number of springs that are duly stiffened to one another in order for the axes to be parallel and at right angles to the general mattress plane, to form a block shaped as a quadratic prism fitted with two side frames that each generally comprise a strip that is at all event rectangular, the frames being duly fixed to the block of springs, in particular fixed to all the marginal springs in such block, using wires or staples. Among the various existing possibilities, staples are convenient in that their ends cannot accidentally constitute sharp elements, and in particular butterfly staples are closed through flanges that determine tongue and groove couplings that will, if the staple should open slightly by chance, prevent the spring wire or the frame rod from being released, as is the case with rectangular staples. The best solution is therefore currently where the springs fixed to the side frames in order to make up the carcass are so fitted by staples and in particular using butterfly staples. This stapling operation is sometimes effected manually, either using pneumatic guns with prefabricated staples, where the operator moves to find the best places for the staples or with fixed unit stapling positions above which the operator places the spring carcass, moving the same as the staples are provided, which being fixed can also become means with a self-production of staples from a reel of material. There are machines that in addition to having stapling heads are able to produce their own staples, their disadvantages being on the one hand that they work horizontally, viz. with the spring carcass resting on one of its face-sides, thereby taking up a considerable amount of space, which is frequently not available, and are in any event very expensive, a further aggravation being that the machine is structurally very complex, expensive and uses a considerable amount of stapling heads acting only on one of the faces of the spring carcass, whence the said carcass must be overturned once the springs on one of its faces have been stapled. There are also machines that could be termed "vertical" inasmuch as they work with the spring carcass positioned vertically, thereby taking up a considerably smaller amount of space, but machines of this kind known to date are only able to use prefabricated staples, and are also structurally complex and not fully automated. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The stapling machine subject of the invention belongs to this second kind, viz. the so-called "vertical" machines that hence take up very little space, and is equipped with means to produce its own staples, being structurally simple and affording a fully automated operation. The above object is achieved by a stapling machine according to claim 1. More specifically the said machine is constructed with a considerably elongate frame on which a lower horizontal bearing is established to place the spring carcass, where as is usually the case, the block of springs is fixed to the side frames completing the carcass only through the four springs located at the corners thereof, a thruster working with the said longitudinal bearing activated by an adequately controlled motor, the said longitudinal bearing being framed by two side guides, one at the front and one at the rear, adequately stabilising the spring carcass sideways when the same is displaced towards the working area of a pair of stapling heads, acting counterpoised to both edges of the spring carcass. At the area where the said stapling heads are established the machine is also provided with a sort of retractable ram acting against a spring and tending at all times to take up an upper end position, being displaced to a greater or lesser extent in accordance with the diameter of the kind of spring used, which ram will be connected to a balance lever with its relevant balance weight acting on a proximity detector in charge of controlling the forward movement of the thruster in order to establish an intermittent motion for the spring carcass causing the same to stop at each new spring, to face the pair of stapling heads that shall act upon the said carcass. The said bearing for the spring carcass to slide on extends beyond the machine's stapling area into a sort of swing tray, coplanar with the said bearing and driven by a pneumatic cylinder, which tray remains horizontal and coplanar with the said support during stapling of all the springs to either of the edges of the spring carcass, and after the said edge is stapled swings upward to cause the spring carcass to contemporaneously swing 90° whereupon the said carcass shall rest on the aforesaid bearing through a new edge, for perimetric stapling to continue. In order to avoid uncontrolled and undue movement of the spring carcass during this swinging operation, the said swing tray is provided to work with an interlocking mechanism comprising a number of cogs driven by a pneumatic cylinder and duly guided by a disc, able to "nail" the spring carcass, holding the same still as regards the said tray, with which the said interlocking mechanism travels throughout the swinging movement. Given that the said interlocking mechanism is located behind one of the side guides framing the area of travel of the spring carcass, the rear guide is provided with a large open arched window with a range of almost 90° allowing the said interlocking mechanism to move thus. In accordance with another characteristic of the invention, one of the said side guides, preferably the front guide, is mounted on a mobile frame that allows the distance between side guides to be regulated in order to suit the same to the various thicknesses that the spring carcass can adopt. The stapling head itself allows on the one hand own production of staples, and hence a lowering of the costs, and on the other a perfect guiding thereof ensuring that the latter arrive in an adequate position to the area where the said staples are provided to the spring carcass. More specifically and in order to achieve this, the said head is constructed with a bearing plate under which the mechanism feeding the band, of any conventional kind, is established, which band crosses the deck at a right angle to reach a cutter-bender which works with two pneumatic cylinders, a first cylinder acting on the band to define the unit cut and moreover unit shape of the staples, and a second cylinder acting as a thruster to drive the ready formed staples through a guide towards a stapler which works with a third pneumatic cylinder, lying parallel to the first one, which stapling cylinder deals with the movement of the staples toward the carcass of springs that are clamped by the said staple just before the said cylinder causes the same to fall on a dolly on which the said staple closes automatically. It is thus possible for each staple to be duly guided from the moment it is self-conformed until stapling is completed, in a wholly automatic process. In accordance with a different embodiment of the said head, tending towards a substantial simplification thereof, the cutting cylinder and the stapling cylinder are replaced with a single cylinder fitted with a flange at the free end of its only shaft, capable of simultaneous action on two parallel rods, one to drive the cutter-bender and the other to drive the stapler. Thus and on activating the said only cylinder, while one rod shapes the staple, the other causes the staple obtained in the immediately preceding stage to be stapled. In this different embodiment the stapling head is provided with a small auxiliary cylinder, acting just before the aforesaid main cylinder, and acting in particular on a ram that is jointed to the stapler body, closing the side of the dolly to force the terminal coil of the spring and the carcass frame rod to take up a suitable position to be optimally stapled. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to provide a fuller description and contribute to the complete understanding of the characteristics of this invention, a set of drawings is attached to the specification which, while purely illustrative and not fully comprehensive, shows the following: Figure 1.- Is a side elevation view of a stapling machine for spring carcasses, made in accordance with the object of the present invention. Figure 2.- Is a plan view of the same machine. Figure 3.- Is a side elevation close-up and sectional view of the thrusting abutment. Figure 4.- Is a side elevation and sectional close-up view of the mechanism controlling the stepped forward movement of the spring carcass. Figure 5.- Is a side elevation close-up view of the swing tray and its respective drive cylinder, which assembly is shown in its two limiting positions. Figure 6.- Is a partial plan close-up view, similar to that of figure 2, but to a larger scale, showing the structure of the mobile frame. Figure 7.- Is a profile view of the machine. Figure 8.- Is a general perspective view. Figure 9.- Is a partial perspective view counterpoised to the above. Figure 10.- Is a perspective view similar to figure 8 but to a larger scale and focussing almost exclusively on the stapling area. Figure 11.- Is a diagrammatic plan view of the stapling head, which is shown as a cross-section at the height of the cutter-bender. Figure 12.- Is a side elevation view of the assembly shown in the above figure. Figure 13.- Is a longitudinal section close-up view of the head along line A-B of figure 11. Figure 14.- Is a cross-section close-up view of the guide linking the cutter-bender and the stapler, along line C-D of figure 11. Figure 15.- Is a sectional close-up view similar to figure 14, but at the height of the cutter-bender and along line E-F of figure 11. Figure 16.- Is a side elevation and longitudinal section close-up view of the stapler. Figure 17.- Is a diagrammatic plan view of a different embodiment of the stapling head. Figure 18.- Is an elevation view of the assembly shown in the above figure. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The figures show that the stapling machine subject hereof is constructed with a considerably elongate frame (1) fitted with a longitudinal bearing (2) receiving the spring carcass (3), the latter arranged vertically, as shown in figure 8, the said carcass (3) being hauled by a thruster (4) driven by a motor (5), which thruster (4) is constructed, as shown especially in the close-up view of figure 3, with a fixed core (6) and a tubular body (7) acting as the abutment or thruster as such, working with a damping spring (8) and moreover fitted with means to limit the thrust, of any conventional kind, causing the motor (5) to stop in the event of the spring carcass (3) being accidentally interlocked to prevent the said spring carcass (3) from being deformed and/or irreparably damaged. The said bearing (2) is framed by two large guides, one at the rear (9) and comprising an oversize plate, and one at the front (10) and being slightly smaller in size, the latter being associated to and positionally adjustable on the general machine frame (1), in particular working with a mobile frame (11) and as shown in particular in figure 6, to adjust the spacing between the guides (9) and (10) to the various thicknesses of the spring carcasses. In any event, the bearing (2) and specifically its inner end is provided with a pair of counterpoised stapling heads (12-12'), and right in front of them two side thrusters (13), driven by pneumatic cylinders (14), acting instantaneously on each carcass spring (3), just before the stapling operation, to force the said springs to retract momentarily and hence to take up a correct position as regards the rods constituting the side frames. This inner end area of the bearing (2) is provided, as an extension thereof, with a sort of retractable ram (15) comprising a horizontal plate having a ramp (16) for the access of the spring carcass, its springs specifically acting on the said ram to cause the same to be lowered with the assistance of suitable guides and against at least a spring (17) thereby for the said ram (15) to adjust its position to possible different diameters of the carcass (3) springs, the said ram (15) bearing the spin axis (18) of a balance lever (19) working with a balance weight (29), which balance lever tends due to such balance weight (20) to take up a vertical position and that will in any event be driven by the repeatedly mentioned carcass (3) springs in the forward movement of the said carcass, in due course, irrespective of the diameter of the said springs, in order for a proximity detector (29) to cause the thruster (4) motor reducer (5) to stop at the right time for the next spring to remain facing the stapling heads (12). Right after the said ram (15), always in the forward direction along the machine frame (1) is a tray (21) pivoting at its lead end about the axis (22) that can be arranged coplanarly with the bearing (2) during the normal forward movement of the carcass (3) and, on completion of the stapling of all the springs on one of the edges of the said spring carcass (3), swing upwards driven by a pneumatic cylinder (23), causing the spring carcass to turn 90° thereby for a new edge thereof to take up a position on the longitudinal edge (2) ready for the springs on that edge to be stapled. It should finally be noted that in order to avoid the spring carcass (3) tendency to slide during this swinging movement, and any other accidental and unwanted movement, a guide disc (24) is provided on the side of the tray (21), located at quite some distance from its spin axis (22), for an interlocking mechanism (25) driven by a pneumatic cylinder (26) and having a number of cogs or needles (27) that cross holes (28) in the said plate (24) and are "nailed" onto the spring carcass (3) to duly hold the same still with regard to the tray (21), the said interlocking mechanism (25) travelling therewith in the swinging movement thereof, the needles (27) obviously retreating on completion of the swinging stage to release the spring carcass (3) before the tray (21) returns, dragging the interlocking mechanism (25), to its primitive horizontal position coplanar with the bearing (2), at the area leading into the machine. It should in this sense be noted that the rear guide (9) is provided with an elongate and arched window (28) which allows the cogs or needles (27) to move when the tray (21) is swinging, inasmuch as the interlocking mechanism (25) is positioned behind the said guide (9), as shown in particular in figure 1. In accordance with the structure described and as aforesaid, it is possible on the one hand for the machine to work vertically, taking up very little space, and on the other that only two stapling heads (12) fully automatically staple all the carcass (3) springs that take up the marginal areas thereof, along its whole contour, automatically overturning the said carcass after stapling each of the said edges. Going back to the stapling head (12), and as shown in figures 11 to 16, the same comprises a plate (101) on which three pneumatic cylinders are mounted, a first cylinder (102) to act on a cutter-bender (103), a second cylinder (104) to act as element thrusting the staples from the cutter-bender (103) towards a stapler (105), and a third pneumatic cylinder (106) to fix the staples (107) to the terminal coil (108) of a carcass coil and the relevant rods (109) making up the frame, as a whole. More specifically, the cutter-bender (103) comprises a female body, actually at (103) and clearly visible in figure 13, and a male element (110) integral with the rod (111) in cylinder (102), the said male element (110) having its front duly notched and shaped to punch the band iron (113) fed to the head from the reel and through the relevant feed (114) in order for the staples to be shaped as a "butterfly" (107) as shown in full detail in figure 13, then bending the same to a grooved U shape, working with the relevant dolly (11) that rests on the bearing (116), duly fixed to the plate (101). The duly punched staples (107) are laterally displaced within the actual cutter-bender, in particular within the guide (117) defined thereby and clearly shown in figure 15, by the thruster (118) associated to the cylinder (104), arranged transversely to the former, in particular up to a guide (119) that is in turn shown in detail in figure 14, where the staples (107) travel longitudinally and perfectly guided, each pushing one another and with the alternating movement defined by the thrusting cylinder (104), duly synchronised with the cutter-bender cylinder (102). The staples thus reach the stapler (105), in turn shown in detail in figure 16, that is also duly fixed to the plate (101) and is in addition to having a side inlet (120) for the staples provided with a longitudinal duct (121) into which the repeatedly mentioned staples (107) reach one by one and in which there is a hammer (122) driven by the third cylinder (106) which moves each staple (107) towards the stapling area in which the spring (108) and the frame (109) have been sited. More specifically, a dolly (123) is defined in the area where the said elements are established, counterpoised to the travel of the hammer (122) and faced by the said springs (108) and frame (109), as shown in the said figure 16, thereby for the staple (107) to close on itself and determine final stapling, on completion of the hammer (105) run and after clamping the spring and the frame. It is therefore possible, as aforesaid, for the head to be self-sufficient as regards staple production and to be able to lead the same from where they are shaped to the stapling area under optimum stability conditions. In the different embodiment of figures 17 and 18, the stapling head is constructed with a bearing plate (201) provided with a cutter-bender (202) to shape the staples (203) and a stapler (204) in turn to close the same on the terminal coil (205) of the spring and on the rod (206) of the frame, working with the respective dolly, each staple (203) being able to travel across from the cutter-bender (202) to the stapler (204) with the assistance of a side cylinder (208). The cutter-bender (202) and the stapler (204), that lie rather close and parallel to each other, are driven simultaneously by a common pneumatic cylinder (209) with the free end of its rod (210) provided with a flange (211) that is suitable to simultaneously fix two parallel rods (212) and (213), the first to drive the cutter-bender (202) and the latter to drive the stapler (204), so that while the first is shaping the staple, the latter closes the staple obtained in the immediately preceding operative stage, onto the coil (205) and the rod (206). As shown in particular in figure 18, the stapling head is provided with a small auxiliary cylinder (214), jointed to a bearing (2) duly stiffened to the plate (201), which cylinder (214) is joined to the bearing (2) through a joint (216) and that is also jointed through the free end (217) of its rod to the ram (218) jointed to the body (219) holding the cutter-bender (202) and the stapler (204), which ram can pivot about the axis (220) and as shown in the dash line of figure 18, can fall on the dolly (207) to close its side and to ensure that the terminal coil (205) of the spring and the rod (206) of the frame of the spring carcass is suitably positioned, thereby also to ensure optimum stapling conditions. It is thus possible to achieve on the one hand a structural simplification of the stapling head and on the other a functional improvement thereof.

Claims: A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, provided with a pair of stapling heads capable of producing staples on their own, characterised in comprising a considerably elongate frame (1) with a narrow longitudinal bearing (2) defined therein, framed by two vertical parallel and rather close guides (9) and (10), the said bearing (2) working with a thruster (4) that is driven by a motor (5) and functions to intermittently move the spring carcass (3) towards the working area of the stapling heads (12), arranged to face one another and crossing the side guides (9) and (10). A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to claim 1, characterised in that one of the said side guides, preferably the front guide (10), is mounted to be capable of positional adjustment to the rear fixed guide (9) on the mobile frame (11) in order to adjust the said distance to the various thicknesses of the spring carcass (3). A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to anyone of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the inner or front end of the spring carcass (3) bearing (2) is provided, at the stapling heads (12), with a sort of ram (15) on which the carcass (3) springs shall act, the same being retractable against the force of at least one spring (17) and acting as a bearing for the spin axis (18) of a balance lever (19) equipped with a balance weight (20) to act as a proximity detector (29) that in turn drives the motor reducer (5) coupling the thruster (4) for the intermittent forward movement of the spring carcass (3) in order to position each spring facing the stapling heads (12). A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that just before the said ram (15), that has a ramp (16) expediting access thereto by the carcass (3) springs, are provided two side thrusters (13) working with two pneumatic cylinders (14) that cross the side guides (9) and (10) and are driven instantaneously to deform each spring momentarily and position the same adequately in relation to the side carcass (3) frames before the said elements are stapled. A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that just after the said ram (15) is provided a tray (21) mounted to swing about the frame through an axis (22) established at its leading end, which tray works with a pneumatic cylinder (23) located internally and capable of swinging the same to take up a vertical position, driving with it the spring carcass (3) when all the springs on one of its sides have been stapled, in order thereafter for the said carcass to rest on the bearing (2) through another edge, ready for stapling of the springs on such edge to begin. A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the swing tray (21) works with an interlocking mechanism (25) driven by a pneumatic cylinder (26) and provided with a number of cogs or needles (27) that cross a guide disc (24) and are locked between the carcass (3) springs, holding the carcass when the same swings to prevent it from sliding or any other unwanted accidental movement. A stapling machine for spring carcass frames, according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the stapling head comprises the functional combination of a cutter-bender (103) and a stapler (105) mounted on a common bearing (101), the cutter-bender (103) working with two pneumatic cylinders (102) and (104) of which the first acts on the cutter-bender as such to shape the staples (107) from a band iron (113) continuously fed by a feed (114), while the second cylinder (104) moves each staple (107) across by means of its thruster (118) and along a guide (119) towards the stapler (105) as such and on which the staple (107) closes on itself with the spring (108) and the frame (109) in the spring carcass in between. A stapling machine for spring carcass frames with a stapling head, according to claim 7, characterised in that the cutter-bender (110) as such associated to the first pneumatic cylinder (102) has its free end (112) shaped to determine a "butterfly" staple (107) and to bend such staple with a dolly (115) in order for the same to take up a grooved U shape, the cutter-bender body (113) having a transverse duct operatively facing the thruster (118) driven by the second cylinder (104), leading into the guide (119) linking the said cutter-bender (113) to the stapler (105), at which guide (119) the staples (107) are framed and fixed over all their contour and intermittently moved thrusting each other to reach a longitudinal chamber in the stapler (105) where the hammer (122) acts through a side opening (120) existing in such stapler. A stapling machine for spring carcass frames with a stapling head, according to, claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the cutter-bender (202) and the stapler (204) mounted in parallel within a bearing body (219) duly stiffened to the bearing plate (201) are driven by a single pneumatic cylinder (20), likewise stiffened to the bearing plate (201) and having the free end of its rod (210) provided with a flange (211) to which two rods (212) and (213) are fixed to act simultaneously on the said cutter-bender (202) and stapler (204) in order that in every operative cycle of the said only cylinder (209) a staple is cut and shaped and the staple obtained in the previous cycle stapled or closed. A stapling head, according to claim 9, characterised in that the said head has a small auxiliary pneumatic cylinder (214) jointed to the bearing plate (201) through a bearing (215), its rod acting jointedly on the body (219) holding the cutter-bender (202) and the stapler (204), the said ram (218) acting laterally on the dolly (207) of the stapling mechanism, causing the same to close laterally and determining a correct position for the terminal spring coil and for the frame rod, ensuring a correct stapling of such elements.

Inventors: ARAGON NOGUEIRA JOSE LUIS, ARAGON NOGUEIRA, JOSE LUIS, Aragon Nogueira, José Luis
Applicants: BETERE FAB LUCIA ANTONIO, FABRICAS LUCIA ANTONIO BETERE S.A. (FLABESA)
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B21F33
IPC codes: B21F33