Patent Publication Number: US-6220457-B1

Title: Apparatus for temporarily storing manufactured items, particularly mattresses

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for temporarily storing manufactured items, particularly mattresses. 
     In mattress-making there is the need to temporarily store the mattresses between the various manufacturing steps by stacking them in order to reduce their bulk for packaging and transport. The temporary stacking of mattresses is currently performed manually and entails considerable physical effort on the part of the assigned personnel. The need accordingly arises for an apparatus which allows to store the mattresses during the idle times of the manufacturing process and to make them quickly available at the appropriate time without requiring excessive effort or wasting time. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aim of the present invention is to meet the above needs of conventional devices, i.e., to provide a magazine for mattresses which allows to insert and remove the mattresses to be assigned to the various steps of the manufacturing process, all without requiring excessive physical effort and wasting time. 
     Within the scope of this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which has a simple structure, is relatively easy to provide in practice, safe in use, effective in operation and having a relatively low cost. 
     This aim and this object are both achieved by the present apparatus for temporarily storing manufactured items, particularly mattresses, characterized in that it comprises: a framework for supporting a plurality of horizontal and superimposed frames for supporting the mattresses to be stored, said framework being provided with means for guiding said frames vertically; means for individually actuating said frames between a lowered position, in which they are mutually close so as to form a stack, and a raised position, in which they are mutually spaced by an extent which is greater than the height of the individual mattresses; a platform for receiving a mattress which lies above the upper frame of said stack; means for individually transferring and positioning said mattresses on said receiving platform and for individually removing said mattresses from said receiving platform, said transfer and removal means being synchronized with said means for actuating said frames so that during the storage of the mattresses the upper frame of said stack is raised until the mattress is brought to a level which, with respect to the receiving platform, is greater than the height of one mattress, while during mattress removal the lowest of the raised frames is lowered below said receiving platform, so as to deposit the mattress onto said receiving platform. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further particularities will become apparent and evident from the detailed description of an embodiment of an apparatus of to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, characterized in that: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the mattress receiving frames in the raised position; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus with the mattress receiving frames in the lowered position; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the invention without the frames, illustrating the elements meant to transfer the mattresses onto the frames and remove them from said frames. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the above Figures, the apparatus is generally designated by the reference numeral  1  and comprises a framework which is formed by four vertical posts  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c ,  2   d  which are fixed, by means of their upper ends, to the corners of a rectangle formed by four horizontal stringers  3   a ,  3   b ,  3   c ,  3   d  and, by means of their lower ends, to four more horizontal stringers  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c ,  4   d , in which the stringers  4   a ,  4   b  are arranged on two mutually opposite sides which correspond to the upper stringers  3   a ,  3   b  while the stringers  4   c ,  4   d  are arranged on the two remaining sides, which correspond to the upper stringers  3   c ,  3   d  and are raised with respect to the stringers  4   a ,  4   b.    
     The framework, which rests on the floor by means of four feet  5 , is further provided with two vertical guides  6   a  and  6   b  which are fixed to the median point of the superimposed stringers  3   a ,  4   a  and  3   b ,  4   b  and are provided with a slot  7  along the face that is directed inwards. 
     A magazine is arranged inside the framework and is composed of a plurality of frames  8   a ,  8   b ,  8   c ,  8   d ,  8   e ,  8   f  for supporting the mattresses to be stored. The frames are mutually stacked when the magazine is in the loading position and are raised one at a time after they have been loaded with one mattress each. 
     Each frame  8   a - 8   f  is rectangular and comprises four perimetric rods  9   a ,  9   b ,  9   c ,  9   d , in which the mutually opposite rods  9   c ,  9   d  are mutually connected by two pairs of longitudinal members  10   a ,  10   b  and  10   c ,  10   d . The longitudinal members  10   b  and  10   c  are mutually connected by a cross-member  11   a , while two additional cross-members  11   b ,  11   c  connect the rods  9   a ,  9   b  to the longitudinal members  10   a  and  10   d  respectively. 
     Openings  12   a ,  12   b  remain between the pairs of longitudinal members  10   a ,  10   b  and  10   c ,  10   d ; as will become apparent hereinafter, the means for transferring the mattresses onto the frames and for removing them from said frames act through said openings. 
     Each frame  8   a - 8   f  is provided, on each one of the mutually opposite and parallel stringers  9   a ,  9   b , with a pair of supporting teeth  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c ,  13   d  which protrude outwards. The distance between the teeth  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c ,  13   d  of each pair gradually decreases from the uppermost frame  8   f  toward the lowermost frame  8   a  so as to allow the stacking of the frames in the loading position by means of the resting of the pairs of teeth  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c ,  13   d  on the steps  14  formed by four supporting strips  15   a ,  15   b ,  15   c ,  15   d  which join the posts  2   a ,  2   b  and  2   c ,  2   d  to the lower stringers  4   a ,  4   b.    
     Respective pins  16  protrude from the median point of the stringers  9   a ,  9   b  of the frames  8   a - 8   f  from which the teeth  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c ,  13   d  protrude; said pins slide within the slots  7  of the vertical guides  6   a ,  6   b . Each frame  8   a - 8   f  is connected to the overlying one by means of extendable elements consisting of two pairs of vertical slotted rods  17   a ,  17   b  and  17   c ,  17   d  (see FIG.  2 ); each pair is fixed, by means of its lower end, to a respective rod  9   a ,  9   b  in the portion that lies between the teeth  13   a ,  13   b  and  13   c ,  13   d  of the frames  8   a - 8   e  except for the upper one  8   f.    
     The upper ends of the rods  17   a ,  17   b  and  17   c ,  17   d  of each frame are shaped so as to act as engagement elements for respective pins (not shown in the drawings but easily imaginable) which protrude from the frame that lies directly above and are mounted so that they can slide in the slots of the rods. 
     The upper frame  8   f  has, at its corners, four plates  18  to which respective cables  19   a ,  19   b ,  19   c ,  19   d  are rigidly coupled (see FIG.  2 ). The cables  19   a - 19   d  are guided, by means of four pulleys  20   a ,  20   b ,  20   c ,  20   d  mounted at the top of the posts  2   a - 2   d  and by means of four additional pulleys  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c ,  21   d  mounted halfway along the stringers  3   c ,  3   d , toward the center of a crosspiece which is formed by two beams  22   a ,  22   b  which are fixed to the stringers  3   c ,  3   d  and by a beam  22   c  which is fixed to the stringers  3   a ,  3   b . At the center of the crosspiece there is a drum  23  for winding and unwinding the four cables  19   a - 19   d  which is actuated by means of an electric gearmotor  24  which is fixed to the crosspiece. 
     In order to transfer the mattresses onto the frames  8   a - 8   f  and remove them from said frames there are two similar modules  25  and  26  installed at the base of the framework. 
     Each module  25 ,  26  comprises a gearmotor  27  which has an output shaft  28  which actuates, by means of two transmission chains  29  and  30 , laterally adjacent mattress transfer and transport lines, each of which is composed of two pairs of mutually aligned belts; the belts that form one line are designated by the reference numeral  31 , while the belts that form the other line are designated by the reference numeral  32 . Each pair of belts  31 ,  32  is wound around pulleys keyed to shafts which are rotatably supported at the top of pillars  33 ,  34  so that the upper portions of the belts  31 ,  32  of one module  25  are aligned with those of the module  26 . The belts  31 ,  32  of the two modules  25 ,  26  are mutually co-planar at a level which lies above the plane of the frame  8   f  when said frame rests on the uppermost steps  14  of the strips  15   a - 15   d . In this manner, the belts  31 ,  32  form a platform for receiving both the mattresses that must be transferred to the magazine and the mattresses that must be removed from the magazine. 
     The mattresses are initially loaded into the magazine when the frames are all stacked below the receiving platform of the belts  31 ,  32  for resting the teeth  13   a ,  13   b ,  13   c ,  13   d  on the steps  14  of the strips  15   a - 15   d . In this position, shown in FIG. 2, the belts  31 ,  32  protrude from the upper frame  8   f  of the stack through the openings  12   a ,  12   b . By resting one edge of a mattress on the initial part of the upper portions of the belts  31  and  32 , the actuation of said belts causes the transfer and positioning of the mattress above the upper frame  8   f  of the stack. When the mattress has reached the correct position above the frame  8   f , an adapted stroke limiting switch stops the belts  31 ,  32 . At this point the frame  8   f , with the mattress arranged on top if it, is raised to free the underlying belts and allow to receive the next mattress. The frame  8   f  is lifted by actuating the gearmotor  24  and ofly the system of cables  19   a - 19   d , until the four rods  17   a ,  17   b ,  17   c ,  17   d  fixed to the underlying frame  8   e  reach the end of their stroke. 
     Since the rods  17   a - 17   d  are slightly longer than the height of the mattresses to be loaded, enough space remains below the frame  8   f  to position the next mattress carried by the belts. The storage cycle can thus resume in the manner described above. 
     In order to remove the mattresses from the magazine, the frames  8   a - 8   f  are made to descend until they stop below the plane of the belts  21 ,  22 , so as to deposit thereon the mattresses, which are removed by actuating the belts. 
     The removal or extraction of the mattresses can occur on the same side on which the mattresses were inserted or on the opposite side, as when the apparatus is included in a manufacturing line. 
     It has thus been observed that the invention achieves the intended aim and object. A substantial advantage of the apparatus is its flexibility in operation. For example, the simultaneous actuation of the belts  31 ,  32  can be used if the mattresses to be stored are large, such as mattresses for double beds. In the case of smaller mattresses, such as single-bed mattresses, it is possible to use the belts  31 ,  32  independently of each other in order to load two of said mattresses side by side in the magazine and remove them from said magazine individually and/or simultaneously. 
     The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept. 
     In one of these embodiments, instead of the system of cables  19   a - 19   d  there is a transmission which is composed of cable winding pulleys which are arranged at the corners of the frame and are mounted in pairs on two shafts which are actuated by a central gearmotor. 
     In another embodiment, the belts  31 ,  32  can be wound on rollers which are motorized by an internal motor. 
     In practice, the shapes and the dimensions may be any of to the requirements without thereby abandoning the scope of the protection of the appended claims. 
     The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. BO98A000368 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.