Improvements in Machines for Making Wire Mattresses.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Making Wire Mattresses.
We, CHARLES H. HARD, ORRIN GILMORE FRANKS and ALBERT EDWARD LOOMIS,
of Oneida, in the County of Madison, in the State of New York, United States' of
America, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING WIRE MATTRESSES," and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to the weaving of wire mattresses composed of longitudinally
intertwined spirally coiled wires.
And the invention consists in a novel organization of a machine which is capable of
weaving mattresses with great rapidity and accuracy and at a minimum expense of
manual labour and minimum loss of material, all as hereinafter fully described and
set forth in the claims.
In the annexed drawing
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of opposite sides of the main portion of the machine.
Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.
Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line x, x, Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a horizontal transverse section on line W, W, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse section of the fabric supporting rollers
taken on line y, y, Fig. 1.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged end view of the aforesaid rollers showing the means for
transmitting intermittent rotary motion to the same.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse section on line 2, 2, Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is a detached side view of the wheel which is provided with means for
converting the continuous rotary motion into an intermittent motion.
Fig. 10 is an edge view of the same.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section of the wire feed-rolls, twister,
threader and cutters.
Fig. 12 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the twister.
Fig. 13 is a transverse section on line 0, 0, Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is an enlarged detached side-view of the devices employed for imparting
oscillatory motion to the lever or arin which transunits reciprocating motion to the
frame which carries the fabric supporters, and
Fig. 15 is an end view of a modification of the fabric supporters.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts..
A represents the main supporting frame which is preferably composed of cast iron.
This frame is formed with a horizontal prolongation and with longitudinal guides in
which is seated movably a supplemental frame A' extending lengthwise of the afore-
said prolongation of the frame A and provided with a longitudinal slot A" extending
vertically through it.
Upon this supplemental frame at opposite sides fof the aforesaid slot thereof we
mount our devices for supporting the fabric or woven portion of the fabric during the
process of weaving. These fabric supporters or holders may be of any suitable form
adapted to grasp the fabric between the two last woven strands of wire and hold the
fabric suspended therefrom, said fabric passing through the slot A". Two forms of
fabric supporters are illustrated in the annexed drawing. The preferred form con-
sisting of prolonged rollers B disposed at opposite sides of the slot Al and extending
from end to end of the supplemental frame A¹ and provided with longitudinal grooves
in their exterior, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawing. A modification of said
rollers is illustrated in Fig. 15 of the drawing, each of said rollers consisting of a
series of small rollers B' B B¹ arranged in juxtaposition to each other and pivoted to

page_text: annular spiders secured to the ends of a shaft extenling lengthwise of the supple-
mental frame A¹. In either case said fabric supporting rollers B or B₁ are journaled
to suitable bearings on the frame A' and are made to tarn in unison and with their
top portions toward each other by means of intermeshing pinions a a secured to the
rollers at one end thereof.
To the opposite end of one of the said rollers is attached a ratchet wheel & with
which engages a pawl e pivoted to an arm el which is hung on the journal of said
roller as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing and receives an oscillatory motion by the
mechanism hereinafter described.
Crepresents the main driving pulley mounted on a shaft (which is extended
horizontally across the frame A and journaled in suitable boxes. To this shaft is also
firmly attached a pinion D which meshes with a gear wheel E secured to a horizontal
shaft. E mounted on the frame A. To the shaft E' is also rigidly attached a cam d
which during the rotation of the shaft is caused to encounter one end of a lever e
which is pivoted to the frame A and connected at the opposite end to the arm by a
pitman e. Said arm thus receiving an intermittent oscillatory motion which by
means of the pawl e imparts an intermittent rotary motion to the ratchet wheel band
to the rollers B B.
Between the said ratchet wheel and ends of the rollers B B is a bracket F secured
vertically to the top of the frame A, and ou said bracket slides vertically the knife f
which has opposed beneath it a stationary knife as best seen in Fig. 6 of the
drawing.
The latter knife has its cutting edge immediately below the line of the longitudinal
passage between the rollers B B and the other knife stands normally raised sufficiently
from the lower knife to allow the coiled wire to pass between them and into the
aforesaid passage between the rollers. The upper knife receives reciprocating motion
by means of a lever g pivoted to the bracket F and having a tongue sliding in a
groove in block g pivoted to the knife as shown in Figs. 6 and 11 of the drawing,
and said lever receives intermittent oscillatory motion by means of a cam d fixed to
the shaft. E and a lever el pivoted to the frame A and having one end in the path of
the cam and the opposite end connected to the lever g by a pitman e
The sliding frame A¹ receives an intermittent reciprocating inovement by means of
an arm h which extends radially from the shaft E' and has a cam projecting from
its side. An armis pivoted or suspended oscillatory from the top of the frame A
and has its free end in the path of the cam h. To said end of the arm is pivoted a
latch which has its lower end bent to one side, and at opposite sides of the upper
end of said latch are stops jj on the armi as shown in Fig. 14 of the drawing.
On the frame A is fulcrummed a lever k, one end of which is connected to the arm /
by a rod and the opposite end of said lever is connected to the sliding frame A' as
shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.
During the rotation of the shaft E the cam ¹ first comes in contact with one side
of the upper end of the latch which rests in an inclined position against one of the
stops, and, in passing down over the length of said inclined latch and pressing upon
the same, the cam h¹ crowds the arm to one side, and, in passing over the bent lower
end of the latch beneath the fulcrum thereof said latch is turned on its pivot so as to
throw the upper end thereof over against the other stop and is thus inclined in an
opposite direction, as illustrated in Fig. 14 of the drawing.
In the next revolution of the shaft E¹ the cam ' strikes the opposite side of the
latch, and, in passing down over the same, said cam draws the arm i back toward
the shaft E and into such an angle of inclination as to carry the latch nearer to a
vertical position and thus only a slight pressure of the cam is required on the lower
extremity of the latch to cause the same to be tilted in the opposite direction.
By this means the arm receives an intermittent oscillatory motion which imparts
an intermittent reciprocating motion to the frame A'.
HH represent the reels on which are wound the wires from which the mattress is
to be manufactured.
G G are.feed-rolls between which the wire passes from the reels. Said rolls being

page_text: horizontally in a frame G which rises from the top of the frame A. To the side
of the frame G₁ facing the reels H H is secured a guide which conducts the
wires from the reels to the feed-rolls. To the opposite side of the frame G¹ is
secured the wire coiler I which imparts a spiral shape to the wire. Said coiler is, in
range with the space between the rolls B B and is of the usual form, consisting of a
spirally grooved mandrel 1' secured stationary in a sleeve [ as shown in Figs. 11
and 12 of the drawing. Between the end of said coiler and the knives ffl and in
line with said coiler and space between the rollers B B is a threader L which passes
the coiled wire into the previously woven wire. Said threader consisting of a
spindle n which is provided with a spiral wire guiding groove n' in its exterior, and is
seated in a surrounding sleeve m as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.
In order to depress the threader with the knife said parts are connected together
by a screw o passing through a vertical slot in the bracket D and secured to a
vertically movable arm L' which carries the threader as shown in Fig. 11 of the
drawing. The feed rolls are provided at one end with gears J J of equal diameters
and meshing with each other and receive motion from the wheel E by an inter-
mediate pinion N which is preferably pivoted to an arm Nhung on the shaft of one
of the rolls G as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. By raising the arm N¹ the
pinion N can be released from the wheel E when desired to stop the feed rolls.
In order to cause the feed rolls to stop automatically when the wire in process of
weaving has reached the end of the mattress to be woven, we form the toothed face
of the wheel E of a width to afford a separate engaging face for each the driving
pinion D and pinion N and form that portion which engages the latter pinion with a
blank segmental portion O as best seen in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawing, and con-
centric with the wheel E preferably to the shaft E¹ we pivot an arm P which extends
to the periphery of the wheel E and is formed thereat with a toothed section 0¹
corresponding to the cogs of the wheel E and occupying a portion of the blank
space O. This end of the arm is held normally in the advance end of the blank space
by means of a suitable spring P connected to the arm and wheel. A latch K is
attached to the wheel and adapted to engage and hold the free end of the arm Pin
the advance end of the space O, and a cam K' is attached to the frame A in such
relative position as to cause said cam to throw the latch out of engagement with the
arm P when the latter engages the pinion N. The arm being liberated as aforesaid
censes to rotate with the wheel E and therefore fails to impart motion to the
pinion N.
In order to allow the said automatic stop motion to be regulated in accordance with
the length of the mattress to be woven, we employ one or more cogged sections, 5,
which are detachably secured to the end of the blank space O in the wheel E, and
thus vary the length of the free movement of the arm P.
The reels HH receive rotary motion from a gear-wheel Qattached to the shaft of
one of the feed-rolls G, which gear-wheel transmits motion to a gear-wheel Q¹ on a
horizontal shaft p underneath the reels by means of a train of gears 1, 2, 3, 4 as best
seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The shaft p is disposed diametrically across the axis
of the reels and journaled in suitable bearings on the frame A and has mounted on it
two friction wheels R R which slide on splines on the shaft. Said friction wheels
bear with their peripheries on friction faces on the undersides of wheels S S secured
to the vertical spindles of the reels H H. Parallel with the shaft pare two screws TT
journaled to the frame A and on said screws are nuts T T provided with laterally
projecting arms which engage with circumferential grooves in the hubs of the
wheels R R as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. By turning said screws the wheels R R
can be moved toward or from the axis of the wheels S S and thus the motion of the
latter is increased or diminished accordingly.
The ends of these screws are provided with cranks q'q' by which to turn them.
To allow the motion of the entire machine to be stopped when desired, we mount
the driving pulley C loosely on the shaft so as to allow it to turn freely and slide
longitudinally thereon, and to the shaft C we rigidly secure a clutch U adapted to
and retain the pulley by sliding the latter toward and from the clutch, A
engage

page_text: two-armed lever pivoted to the frame A has one arm engaged with a circum-
ferential groove in the hub of the pulley, and the other arm of said lever is
cornected with one end of a lever by a rod 11. Said lever is pivoted to the
frame A and has its opposite end connected to a hand levers by which to operate the
said levers and so as to throw the driving pulley C in and out of engagement
with the clutch U. In order to cause the machine to stop automatically in case the
wire in process of weaving accidentally runs out of its requisite course of intertwining
with the previously woven wire, we employ an electric stop motion consisting of
electrodes of the form of metallic rods supported insulated on the frame A and
extending the entire length of the space between the rollers B B over which space
they are arranged parallel therewith and in proximity thereto as best shown in Fig. 8
of the drawing. Said electrodes and the metallic frame A are in the electric circuit,
of which V denotes the battery.
The hand levers is connected to an arm pivoted to the frame A, and to said arm
is also connected a pendent rod which receives a downward draft by a spring u",
and is formed with a rack v.
With this rack engages a toothed quadrant el on
fulcrummed on a suitable support on the frame A.
latch is an armature provided with a catch ie adapted
and drawn toward the same by a spring w¹.
the end of a horizontal latch "
Facing the opposite end of said
to engage and release the latch,
,, denote electro magnets in circuit with the battery V and in position to draw
the armature with the catch wo away from the latch e¹¹.
In setting the machine in motion the hand lever is swung into such a position as
to cause the befor described levers to force the driving pulley C into engagement.
with the clutch U, and when this is effected the rod swings the latch into a
position to allow the catch w to engage and retain the same, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of
the drawing. In case the wire in process of weaving leaves its requisite intertwining
course it comes in contact with the electrode and thereby closes the electric circuit,
the magnets a being thus energised draw the armature with the catch w away from
the latch which being released allows the spring w¹ to draw down the rod ¹ and
thereby causes the levers to throw the driving pulley Cont of engagement with the
clutch and consequently the machine is stopped.
The described mechanisms of the machine are so arranged in relation to each other
that, in the process of weaving the mattress, the feed-rolls G G draw the wires from
the reel under the proper tension and are passed through the twister I which imparts
a spiral form to the wires. The wires thence pass to the threader L which guides
and pushes them into and along the space or channel between the rolls B B above the
axis thereof and at the same time imparts a rotary motion to the wires. The rolls B B
remain stationary in the meantime.
When the wires have thus been carried along between the rolls B B to a distance
equal to the length of the mattress to be woven, the feed rolls G G automatically
stop, and during this time of rest the pawl c turns the rolls BB sufficiently to carry
the aforesaid wires slightly below their previous position without losing hold thereof
and then the knife descends and severs the wires. At the same time the sliding
frame A is moved slightly longitudinally and thereby the upper helices of said wires
are carried out of range with the wire held in the threader L. By the time this is
effected the feed rolls G G are again set in motion and the coiled wires which are then
passed along between the rolls B B intertwine with the upper helices of the wires held
between the rolls as before stated.
In this manner each pair of successive wires intertwines with the last preceding
wires, and each turn of the rolls B B allows a corresponding portion of the woven
fabric to drop. The fabric thus woven is supported in a suspended position from the
rolls and passes down through the slot A" in the frame A¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In combination with the prolonged horizontal fabric supporters adapted to

page_text: receive between them the wire in process of weaving a wire coiler in range with the
space between said supporters, a vertically reciprocating cutter at the ends of
the supporters, a threader arranged to enter the coiled wire into the previously woven
wire, and a vertically movable arm carrying the threader and connected with the
reciprocating cutter to move the threader with the cutter as set forth.
2. In combination with the main supporting frame, the longitudinally grooved
rollers disposed horizontally and parallel side by side and connected by gears to rotate
in unison, a raichet-wheel on one of said roilers, an arm hung on the journal of the
latter roller, a pawl connected to said arm and engaging the aforesaid ratchet-wheel, a
rotary shaft journaled in the aforesaid supporting frame, a cam on said shaft, a lever
actuated by said cam, and a pitman connecting said lever with the arm hung on the
aforesaid roller, substantially as described and shown.
3. In combination with the main supporting frame, the longitudinally movable
frame and fabric supporters mounted on the latter frame and adapted to receive
between then the twisted wire in process of weaving as described, a rotary shaft
on the supporting frame, an oscillatory arm pivoted to the supporting frame, a cam
on said rotary shaft actuating the oscillatory arm, and a lever fulcrummed to the
supporting frame and transmitting motion from the said arm to the aforesaid
movable frame, substantially as set forth.
4. In combination with the main supporting frame, longitudinally movable frame,
and fabric supporters mounted on the latter frame and adapted to receive between
them the wire in process of weaving, a rotary shaft journaled on the main sup-
porting frame, an arm extending from said shaft, a cam projecting from the side
of the arm, an oscillatory arm pivoted to the supporting frame and having its free
end in the path of said cam, a latch pivoted to said end of the oscillatory arm
and also in the path of the cam and operated thereby, stops on the latter arm
limiting the movements of the latch and in positions to support the latch so as to
cause the cam to engage alternately opposite sides of the latch during the rotation
of the aforesaid shaft and thereby push the oscillatory arm toward and from the
shaft, and a lever fulcrummed to the supporting frame and transmitting motion
from the oscillatory arm to the aforesaid movable frame, substantially as described
and shown.
5. In combination with the main supporting frame, fabric supporters, threader
and reciprocating cutter, a rotary shaft journaled in the said supporting frame, a
cam on said shaft, a lever pivoted to said frame and having one end in the path
of the cam, a lever connected with the cutter, and a pitinan connecting the said
two levers as and for the purpose set forth.
6. In combination with the wire-feeding rolls and gear-wheels connected thereto,
the driving gear-wheel formed with a blank seginental portion in its periphery, an
arm pivoted concentric with the said driving gear-wheel and having its free end
occupying a portion of the aforesaid blank portion of the driving gear-wheel and
formed with cogs corresponding to those of the wheel, a spring holding the free
end of said arm normally in the advance end of the aforesaid blank portion of the
wheel, and an intermediate gear-wheel transmitting motion from said driving gear
to the gear-wheel of the foeding rolls, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
7. In combination with the wire-feeding rolls and gear-wheels connected thereto,
the driving gear-wheel formed with a blank portion in its periphery, a cogged
section detachably connected to one end of the aforesaid blank portion, an arm
pivoted concentric with said driving gear-wheel and having its free end occupying
a portion of the said blank portion of the wheel and formed with cogs corre-
sponding to those of said wheel, a spring holding the free end of said arm
normally in the advance end of the blank portion of the wheel, and an inter-
mediate gear-wheel transmitting motion from said driving gear to the gear-wheel
of the feeding rolls, substantially as described and shown.
8. In combination with the supporting frame, wire-feeding rolls and gear-wheels
connected to said rolls, the driving gear-wheel formed with a blank portion in its

page_text: periphery, an arm pivoted concentric with the latter wheel and having its free end
occupying a portion of the blank portion and formed with cogs corresponding to
those of the wheel, a spring holding the free end of the said arm normally in the
advance end of the blank portion, a latch on the wheel adapted to engage the
aforesaid arm, and a cam on the frame in the path of the latch to actuate
the same substantially as described and shown.
9. In combination with the wire-feed rolls and the vertical reels, wheels secured
horizontally to the axis of the reels and having frictional sides faces, a rotary
shaft extending diametrically across said wheels, vertically disposed friction-wheels
secured to said shaft and bearing on the frictional side faces of the horizontal wheels,
adjusting screws disposed parallel with the aforesaid rotary shaft, nuts on said screws,
and arms extending from said nuts and engaging the hubs of the vertically disposed
friction wheels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
10. In combination with the fabric supporters, reels, wire-feed rolls and wire-
twisters and cutters, the driving pulley mounted loosely on its shaft, a clutch adapted
to tie said pulley to its shaft, lever shifting said clutch a spring operating said levers
and thereby holding the clutch in engagement with the driving pulley, a latch operating
the levers in opposition to the spring, an armature having a catch adapted to hold the
latch in its operative position, electro magnets opposite said armature, an electric
battery energising said magnets, the supporting frame in circuit with said battery, and
electrodes extending lengthwise of and in proximity to the weaving space between
the aforesaid fabric supports and in the aforesaid circuit, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Datad this 13th day of August 1800
CHARLES H. HARD.
ORRIN GILMORE FRANKS.
ALBERT EDWARD LOOMIS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.