Patent GB-742039-A (GB)
Title: Machine for making spring mattresses
Inventor: GAIL CHARLES HUBERT
IPC: B21F33/04
Filed: 1953-11-13
Abstract: 742,039. Mattress &c. making apparatus. SPRING MACHINERY CO. Nov. 13, 1953 No. 31497/53. Class 52(4). [Also in Group XXII] In a machine for applying continuous helical connectors to the upper and lower end turns of upholstery springs arranged in contiguous rows to form a spring assembly or mattress the springs 108 are manually fed along rearwardly directed upper and lower bars 111, Fig. 12, having guide ridges 113, into seatings 116 from which, when a one-revolution clutch is operated, they are subsequently carried rearwardly by jaws 119 on cam-actuated transverse bars 117 to grooves 112 along which the connecting helices 91 are projected, the spring turns being positioned by plates 122, 124, gapped to accommodate the helices, carried respectively by the bars 117 and by coacting rearward bars 118, similarly actuated, there being provided toggle linkages 140, operated by the pistons 160, 161, Fig. 9, of pneumatic cylinders, to lock the bars 117, 118 in position. The helix forming and advancing mechanism then comes into operation and means are provided to sever the helix wire at each side of the assembly and to bend its ends into eyes, the toggle linkage is then released and the bars 117, 118 under the action of their cams 33, 34, Fig. 9, are separated in both the horizontal and vertical directions and the succeeding row of springs can then be inserted. In a modification, projections are provided on the bars 111 to tilt the bases of the incoming row of springs to facilitate the production of the desired overlap and spring pawls are provided giving a positive ejection of the coupled springs towards a rear receiving table on the machine while a limit switch and restoring device, operated by the advance of the assembly along the table, causes the omission of the connecting helices for one cycle so that separate spring squabs of predetermined length can be made in succession. Should either helix be obstructed during its advance the resultant buckling thereof is caused to operate a safety switch to stop the machine. The helix forming and feeding devices 27, 28, Fig. 1, provide feed wheels 72, Fig. 4, for the wire 73 which is rough-formed around a fixed groove mandrel 79 and accurately pitched by a die 85 adjustable to and from the mandrel end to expand or contract the pitch as desired. The severing and endtwisting units 41 . . 44, Fig. 1, each provide a cutter coacting with a shear-plate 186, Fig. 8, and a shaft 203 carried by a slide and lifted by a wedge cam 215 against a spring 206 to mesh a rack 210 and pinion 204 which rotate the shaft 203, a lug 207 and pin 208, Fig. 17, on which engage the helix end and deform it into an eye. A motor 51, Fig. 1, is coupled to the cam shafts 55, 56, 59, 60 through drives 53, 58 and the one-revolution clutch 64 is controlled by a pedal 65. At the end of its movement one of the cam shafts operates a switch energizing a solenoid controlling air supply to the cylinders which actuate the toggles. Cylinders 191 simultaneously bring the cutters into position and the final movement of the toggles closes a switch controlling an air cylinder 97 actuating a clutch 30 in the drive to the helix forming and feeding units 27, 28. The clutch is again thrown out by a limit switch control when the required lengths of helix have been applied and the reverse movement of the clutch lever operates the cutters through similar electropneumatic means and a limit switch causes their restoration to normal position, the toggles being simultaneously released and, in their movement, closing switches bringing the eye-twisting devices into operation and again restoring them to complete the cycle of operation.