Brush manufacturing machine and method for manufacturing brushes

Abstract: Brush manufacturing machine of the type whereby brush bodies (10) are provided on a drum (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) so as to present these to a filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50), characterized in that it consists of at least two drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) with each at least one accompanying filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50); supply means (9) which directly feed the brush bodies (10) to be filled to at least one of the above-mentioned drums (2, 29, 43); at least one manipulator (11, 41-42, 51) provided between the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) which makes it possible to carry brush bodies (10) from one drum (2, 29-30, 43) to another one (3, 30-31, 44); and transport means (12) to carry the brush bodies (10) filled with brush fibres (13) away.

Description: The present invention concerns a brush manufacturing machine, as well as a method for manufacturing brushes. It is known that brush manufacturing machines can be equipped with a rotatable drum, which is provided on its sides with brush body holders, such that the sides of the drum can be successively presented to various work stations. As a result, it is possible to place empty brush bodies in the brush body holders in a first work station, to provide brush fibres in the brush bodies in a second work station and to take away the filled brushes from the drum in a third work station. In order to accelerate the production capacity, with a minimum of additional parts, it was suggested in EP-A-433.470 (upon which the preamble of claim 1 and 13 is based) to use two filling tools placed on top of one another and to make them cooperate with two brush bodies provided on one side of the drum. Although a higher production capacity is indeed made possible in this manner, there is a disadvantage in that the filling tools and the accompanying fibre cartridges, in particular the fibre cartridge of the bottommost filling tool, are not easily accessible, or in that the drum sizes become too large which, due to the greater mass, has a negative influence on the production speed of the machine. The invention aims a brush manufacturing machine which is particularly efficient and with which the above-mentioned disadvantage can be excluded. To this end, the invention aims a brush manufacturing machine of the type whereby brush bodies are provided on a drum so as to present them to a filling tool, characterized in that it consists of at least two drums with each at least one accompanying filling tool; supply means which directly feed the brush bodies to be filled to at least one of the above-mentioned drums; at least one manipulator provided between the drums which makes it possible to carry unfilled brush bodies from one drum to another one; and transport means to carry the brush bodies filled with brush fibres away from the drums. Due to the fact that several drums are used, and due to the fact that one or more manipulators are used with which brush bodies can be moved from one drum to another drum, the efficiency of the machine is significantly improved. Preferably, only one filling tool per drum will be provided. Thus is obtained that the filling tools and consequently the filling cartridges are situated further away from one another. The invention also aims a method for manufacturing brushes of the type whereby brush bodies are provided on a drum so as to present these to a filling tool, characterized in that a number of the brush bodies are indirectly supplied to the drum upon which they are filled, whereby this indirect supply is carried out via at least one other drum. During each cycle are hereby preferably placed at least two brush bodies on the side of a drum; in that at least one of these brush bodies are filled with brush fibres on the same drum; and in that at least one of the other brush bodies is removed to a following drum by means of a manipulator, whereby it is filled with brush fibres on this drum or a following drum. In order to better explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments are given as an example only without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: figure 1 is a schematic representation of a brush manufacturing machine according to the invention; figure 2 schematically represents the brush manufacturing machine of figure 1 in perspective, whereby a number of parts of figure 1 are omitted for clarity's sake; figure 3 represents a brush which was manufactured with the brush manufacturing machine of figures 1 and 2; figures 4 and 5 schematically represent two embodiments of the invention. As represented in figures 1 and 2, the brush manufacturing machine 1 according to the invention mainly consists of two rotatable drums 2-3 whose perimeters are provided with several brush body holders, 4 to 6 respectively; a filling tool, 7 and 8 respectively, per drum 2-3; supply means 9 which directly feed the brush bodies 10 to be filled to at least one of the above-mentioned drums, in this case the drum 2; at least one manipulator 11 provided between the drums 2 and 3 which makes it possible to carry over unfilled brush bodies 10 of one drum to another one, in this case from the drum 2 to the drum 3; and transport means 12 to carry the brush bodies 10 filled with brush fibres 13 away from the drums 2-3, whereby they can first be placed in a finishing machine as usual, for further processing such as warping, rounding off of brush ends, marking, etc. As far as the configuration of these parts is concerned, the drums 2 and 3 can preferably rotate around parallel horizontal rotary shafts 14 and 15, situated on top of one another, as represented in figures 1 and 2, which is advantageous as far as drive and construction possibilities are concerned; the above-mentioned supply means 9 are preferably erected on top of the topmost drum 2; the filling tools 7-8 are preferably erected all along the same side, next to the drums 2-3, so that they can be provided with a common drive; the manipulator 11 is preferably provided underneath the drum 2 from where it has to remove brush bodies 10 and on top of the drum 3 upon which the removed brush bodies 10 must be provided, so that the distance to be spanned is minimal; and the transport means 12 are preferably provided on the side opposite the filling tools 7-8. The supply means 9, which make sure that the brush bodies 10 to be filled are automatically placed in the brush body holders 4 and 5, can have any known shape whatsoever and consequently are not described in detail here. The same goes for the transport means 12. The brush body holders 4, 5 and 6, which as is known consist of clamping devices in which the brush bodies 10 can be clamped, are represented schematically for clarity's sake. On each side of the preferably square drum 2 are provided two brush body holders 4 and 5, whereas each side of the drum 3 only carries one brush body holder 6. It should be noted hereby that the drums 2 and 3 do not necessarily need to be square and show four surfaces with brush body holders. It is clear that also drums with more than four sides, or less, can be used. The filling tools 7-8 are preferably mounted fixed on a frame 16 and can only carry out a filling movement A. These filling tools 7-8 are preferably moved simultaneously. As is generally known, the filling tools are hereby fed with bundles of fibres by means of bundle removers, 17 and 18 respectively, which each cooperate with a fibre cartridge, 19 and 20 respectively. These bundle removers 17-18 and fibre cartridges 19-20 are only represented in figure 2 for clarity's sake. The above-mentioned drums 2-3 cannot only carry out a rotary movement R, they can also be moved by means of a mechanism 21 which provides for the positioning of the brush bodies 10 for the filling tools 7 and 8. The drums 7 and 8 are hereby moved simultaneously. In the example shown, they are provided to this end on a carriage 22 which can be moved according to a direction B, parallel to the rotary shafts 14 and 15, and which is mounted in turn on a carriage 23 which can be moved vertically according to arrow C. Drive means 24, 25 and 26, which are suitably controlled by means of a control unit which is not represented, provide for the rotation of the drums 2 and 3 and the movements of the carriages 22 and 23 respectively. The above-mentioned manipulator 11, which is solely represented in figure 1 for clarity's sake, consists for example of a controlled clamp, which can at least rotate between a first position D in which it can remove a brush body 10 from the drum 2 and a second position E in which it can place the above-mentioned brush body 10 on the other drum 3. According to figure 1, the manipulator 11 is mounted rotatable on the frame 16, but according to a variant it can also be mounted on the carriage 22. The whole is designed such that certain brush body holders of the drum 2, in this case the brush body holders 4, each time cooperate with the accompanying filling tool 7, whereas the other brush body holders of this drum 2, in this case the brush body holders 5, exclusively cooperate with the above-mentioned manipulator 11 and consequently only have a pass-on function. The transport means 12 can be of any nature whatsoever. They may consist of one or several manipulators which place the manufactured brushes in a finishing device, for example for the warping and rounding off of the fibres. The working of the brush manufacturing machine 1 and the method applied hereby is as follows. In a first stage, the supply means 9 make sure that both brush body holders 4 and 5 turned towards them are provided with a brush body 10 to be filled. Then, the drums 2 and 3 are rotated one step further, which in this case implies a quarter turn to the left, so that the brush body 10 placed in the brush body holder 4 during the above-mentioned stage, ends up before the filling tool 7 and is subsequently filled with brush fibres 13. In a following stage, the unfilled brush body 10 which is situated in the brush body holder 5 is presented to the manipulator 11, which takes this brush body 10 out of the brush body holder 5 and carries it to the drum 3, where it is placed in the brush body holder 6 turned towards the manipulator 11. After the drums 2 and 3 have rotated another step further, the brush body 10 which was moved by the manipulator 11 ends up before the filling tool 8 and it is subsequently filled with brush hairs 13. The brush body 10 which was originally filled at the filling tool 7 is then carried off by the transport means 12. After the drums 2 and 3 have rotated another two steps further, the above-mentioned brush body 10 which was filled by the filling tool 8 can also be carried off by the transport means 12. It is clear that after each rotation of the drum 2, new brush bodies 10 are supplied, so that there is a continuous process. The drums 2 and 3, the brush body holders 4-5-6 provided on it and the filling tools 7 and 8 are preferably mutually erected such that each filling tool, 7 and 8 respectively, is situated centrally before the accompanying drum, 2 and 3 respectively. This implies that the brush body holders 4 and 6 are necessarily situated in the middle of the side upon which they are provided, whereas the other brush body holders which only have a pass-on function, in this case the brush body holders 5, can be situated off-centre. This arrangement makes it possible to symmetrically insert fibre bundles 27 and 28 at an angle, by means of small angular displacements X and Y, as represented in figure 3, which is among others useful for the manufacturing of certain types of tooth brushes. Depending of the size of the angular displacements X and Y, it can be useful to correct the rotated position of the drums concerned in the height and depth, for example by moving the drums, so as to obtain that the filling tools are positioned on the right places before the brush bodies 10 as the fibre bundles 27 and 28 are provided, and to moreover obtain that these fibre bundles are inserted just as deep as the other fibre bundles. The invention is not limited to the use of two drums 2 and 3. By means of example, figure 4 represents an embodiment with three drums 29-30-31, of which the first is provided on each side with three brush body holders 32-33-34, the second with two, 35 and 36 respectively, and the third with one, namely 37. Further, use is made of three filling tools 38-39-40 and two manipulators 41-42. The first manipulator 41 each time removes two brush bodies 10, whereas the second manipulator 42 each time removes one brush body 10. Moreover, the arrangement and working is analogous to those of the embodiment in figures 1 and 2. In a more general manner, one can say that if the number of drums is Z, the arrangement is preferably such that the N-th drum is provided on each side with at least Z-N+1 brush body holders; that the supply means cooperate with the first drum only and to this end provide for the supply of brush bodies to all brush body holders; and that between each N-th and N+1st drum is provided a manipulator which removes Z-N brush bodies per cycle. Figure 5 shows another variant of the invention, with two drums 43-44 upon which are provided two brush body holders, 45-46 and 47-48 respectively, on each side, with two filling tools 49-50 and one manipulator 51. It is special in that the whole is designed such that all filled brush bodies 10 finally end up on one drum, in this case the drum 44, whereby the above-mentioned transport means 12 exclusively cooperate with this drum 44. The manipulator 51 in this case moves both filled and empty brush bodies 10 from one drum to the other. As represented, use can be made to this end of a double manipulator 51 containing two clamps, which cooperate with the brush body holders 45-46 and 47-48 respectively. As the manufactured brushes hereby have to be removed from only one drum 44, the transport, and possibly the insertion in a finishing machine is simplified. Naturally, the special characteristics of the embodiment of figure 5 can also be applied to embodiments with more than two drums 43-44. In a more general way, one can hereby say that if the number of drums is Z, the arrangement is preferably such that each drum is provided on each side with at least Z brush body holders; that the supply means 9 cooperate with only one drum, preferably the first one, and to this end provide for the supply of brush bodies 10 to all brush body holders; that between each two subsequent drums is provided a manipulator which removes Z brush bodies 10 per cycle and that the transport means 12 cooperate with only one drum, preferably the last one. It should be noted that the filled brush bodies 10 of the bottommost drum 3, 31 or 44 can also be carried off underneath instead of along the side of the drum concerned. It is clear that this is particularly advantageous in the embodiment of figure 5. The present invention is by no means restricted to the embodiments described as an example and represented in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a brush manufacturing machine and method for manufacturing brushes can be realized according to several variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.

Claims: Brush manufacturing machine of the type whereby brush bodies (10) are provided on a drum (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) so as to present these to a filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50), characterized in that it consists of at least two drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) with each at least one accompanying filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50); supply means (9) which directly feed the brush bodies (10) to be filled to at least one of the above-mentioned drums (2, 29, 43); at least one manipulator (11, 41-42, 51) provided between the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) which makes it possible to carry brush bodies (10) from one drum (2, 29-30, 43) to another one (3, 30-31, 44); and transport means (12) to carry the brush bodies (10) filled with brush fibres (13) away. Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with exactly one filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50) per drum (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44). Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a number of the drums (2, 29-30, 43-44) have brush body holders (5, 33-34-36, 46-47) whose function merely consists in passing on brush bodies (10) to another drum (3, 30-31, 44) and/or to the transport means (12). Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 2 and 3, characterized in that the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44), the brush body holders (4-5-6, 32 to 37, 45-46-47-48) provided on them and the filling tools (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50) are mutually erected such that each filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50) is situated centrally before the accompanying drum (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44). Brush manufacturing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the manipulator (11, 41-42, 51) mainly consists of a controlled clamp which can rotate at least between a first position (D) in which it can remove at least one brush body (10) from a drum (2, 29-30, 43) and a second position (E) in which it can place the above-mentioned brush body (10) on another drum (3, 30-31, 44). Brush manufacturing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least on the drums (2, 29, 43) to which brush bodies (10) are supplied directly, are provided two or several brush body holders (4-5, 32-33-34, 45-46) next to one another on each side; in that certain brush body holders (4, 32, 45) thereof cooperate with the accompanying filling tool (7, 38, 49); and in that the other brush body holders (5, 33-34, 46) only have a pass-on function and cooperate with a manipulator (11, 41-42, 51) as mentioned above. Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that it contains Z successive drums (2-3, 29-30-31); in that the N-th drum (2-3, 29-30-31) is provided on each side with at least Z-N+1 brush body holders (4-5-6, 32 to 37); in that the supply means (9) exclusively cooperate with the first drum (2, 29) and to this end provide for the supply of brush bodies (10) to all brush body holders (4-5, 32-33-34); and in that between each N-th and (N+1st) drum (2-3, 29-30-31) is provided a manipulator (11, 41-42) which removes Z-N brush bodies (10) per cycle. Brush manufacturing machine according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is provided with one or more manipulators (51) which make sure that all filled brush bodies (10) finally end up on one drum (44), whereby the above-mentioned transport means (12) exclusively cooperate with this drum (44). Brush manufacturing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that it contains Z successive drums (43-44); in that each drum (43-44) is provided on each side with at least Z brush body holders (45-46, 47-48); in that the supply means (9) exclusively cooperate with the first drum (43) and to this end provide for the supply of brush bodies (10) to all brush body holders (45-46); and in that between every two successive drums (43-44) is provided a manipulator (51) which removes Z brush bodies (10) per cycle, and in that the transport means (12) exclusively cooperate with this last drum (44). Brush manufacturing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) are erected vertically on top of one another, and in that they can rotate along parallel, horizontal rotary shafts (14-15). Brush manufacturing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) can be moved simultaneously by means of a mechanism (21) which provides for the positioning of the brush bodies (10) before the filling tools (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50). Brush manufacturing machine according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the above-mentioned supply means (9) are erected above the topmost drum (2, 29, 43); in that the filling tools (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50) are all erected along the same side of the drums (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44); in that each manipulator (11, 41-42, 51) is provided underneath the drum (2, 29-30, 43) from where it has to remove brush bodies (10) and on top of the drum (3, 30-31, 44) upon which the removed brush bodies (10) must be provided; and in that the transport means (12) are provided on the side opposite the filling tools (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50). Method for manufacturing brushes of the type whereby brush bodies (10) are provided on a drum (2-3, 29-30-31, 43-44) so as to present these to a filling tool (7-8, 38-39-40, 49-50), characterized in that a number of the brush bodies (10) are indirectly fed to the drum (3, 30-31, 44) upon which they are filled, whereby this indirect feeding is carried out via at least one other drum (2, 29-30, 43). Method according to claim 13, characterized in that during each cycle, at least two brush bodies (10) are placed on the side of a drum (2, 29, 43); in that at least one of these brush bodies (10) is filled with brush fibres (13) on the same drum (2, 29, 43); and in that at least one of the other brush bodies (10) is carried over to a subsequent drum (3, 30, 44) by means of a manipulator (11, 41-42, 51), whereby it is filled with brush fibres (13) on this drum (3, 30, 44) or a subsequent drum (31).

Inventors: BOUCHERIE LEONEL P, BOUCHERIE, LEONEL P.
Applicants: BOUCHERIE NV G B, G.B. BOUCHERIE, N.V.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A46D3
IPC codes: A46D3