U.S. patent application number 09/757590 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-02 for machine for cutting cloth and applying borders and a peripheral band to cloths used to manufacture spring mattresses.
This patent application is currently assigned to RESTA S.r.l.. Invention is credited to Resta, Roberto.
Application Number | 20010010199 09/757590 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11438106 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010010199 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Resta, Roberto |
August 2, 2001 |
Machine for cutting cloth and applying borders and a peripheral
band to cloths used to manufacture spring mattresses
Abstract
A machine for cutting cloths and for applying borders thereto,
particularly for manufacturing mattresses starting from at least
one component sheet which is wound in a roll, which comprises a
framework, means for moving the cloth in an advancement direction
and along a horizontal plane of arrangement, two sewing machines
which are arranged upstream of the movement means and are adapted
to form longitudinal stitch lines along the lateral edges of the
cloth, a cloth finishing assembly which is arranged downstream of
the movement means and comprises a sewing machine which is adapted
to produce at least two parallel stitch lines which lie
transversely to the advancement direction of the cloth, and a
cutting element which is adapted to produce an intermediate
separation cut between the two stitch lines, so as to separate the
portion of cloth that lies downstream of the assembly from the one
that lies upstream thereof, the sewing machines of the pair being
each provided with a support for a roll of a strip of fabric which
is guided and stitched along the respective longitudinal edge of
the cloth, the finishing assembly comprising a carriage which is
slideable on guides which lie transversely to the cloth advancement
direction and a sewing machine of the type with at least two
needles, which is mounted on the carriage and is provided with a
support for a roll of a band of fabric which is guided so as to
adhere transversely to the cloth, the sewing machine being adapted
to join the band to the cloth along at least two transverse stitch
lines, means for actuating the carriage on the guides between two
stroke limit positions arranged laterally to the cloth, and means
for cutting the band and the cloth transversely between the two
stitch lines.
Inventors: |
Resta, Roberto; (Faenza,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MODIANO & ASSOCIATI
Via Meravigli, 16
20123 Milano
IT
|
Assignee: |
RESTA S.r.l.
|
Family ID: |
11438106 |
Appl. No.: |
09/757590 |
Filed: |
January 11, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
112/2.1 ;
112/130; 112/155 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D05B 35/06 20130101;
D05D 2305/12 20130101; D05D 2303/02 20130101; D05B 11/005
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
112/2.1 ;
112/155; 112/130 |
International
Class: |
D05B 011/00; D05B
037/04; D05B 025/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 28, 2000 |
IT |
B02000A000033 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A machine for cutting cloths and for applying borders thereto,
particularly for manufacturing mattresses starting from at least
one component sheet which is wound in a roll, including: a
framework, movement means for moving said cloth in an advancement
direction and along a horizontal plane of arrangement; two sewing
machines for forming longitudinal stitch lines along the lateral
edges of said cloth, said sewing machines being arranged upstream
of said movement means, and being each provided with a support for
a roll of strip made of fabric which is guided and stitched along a
respective longitudinal edge of said cloth; guides which lie
transversely to the advancement direction of the cloth; and a
finishing assembly arranged downstream of said movement means and
comprising: a carriage which is slideable on said guides; a
finishing sewing machine of a type having at least two needles and
supported on said carriage; a support; a roll supported at said
support for a fabric band which is guided so as to adhere
transversely to said cloth, said finishing sewing machine being
operatable to join said band to said cloth along at least two
transverse stitch lines; actuating means for actuating said
carriage on said guides between two stroke limit positions which
lie laterally to said cloth, and cutting means for cutting said
band and said quilt between said two stitch lines and for forming
two transverse strips.
2. The machine of claim 1, further comprising further cutting means
for cutting said transverse strips after application thereof to the
cloth.
3. The machine of claim 2, wherein said sewing machines for
producing longitudinal stitch lines are of two needles type,
whereby to join each one of said lateral strips to said cloth along
two parallel stitch lines.
4. The machine of claim 2, wherein said finishing sewing machine
fitted on said carriage is of a four needles type, whereby to
provide two pairs of parallel stitch lines, said cutting means
comprising a blade which is arranged so as to cut said cloth and
said band between a first one of said pairs of said transverse
stitch lines and a second one of said pairs.
5. The machine of claim 4, wherein said further cutting means for
cutting said transverse strips after their application to the cloth
comprise: a cutter, which is movably supported on said carriage;
and cutter actuation means for actuating said cutter between an
inactive position and a position for cutting said transverse
strips.
6. The machine of claim 5, comprising a frame which is rigidly
coupled to said carriage, and supports said cutter, said frame
being composed of two arms which are movable at right angles to
each other and are actuated so as to move said cutter between said
inactive position and said cutting position.
7. The machine of claim 6, wherein said cutter comprises a rotating
blade; a collection feeler located under said rotating blade, and
which is adapted to engage a slot of a sliding surface of said
finishing sewing machine mounted on said carriage in order to
penetrate under said transverse strips and lift the strip against
said blade.
8. The machine of claim 3, wherein said sewing machines adapted to
stitch the lateral edges of said cloth comprise flap cutting means
for cutting lateral flaps of the cloth that lie outside the stitch
lines.
9. The machine of claim 1, in combination with an apparatus for
forming the cloth which comprises: a framework; a pair of guides
for supporting lateral edges of said cloth which are supported by
said framework and lie along said advancement direction on a
horizontal plane of arrangement; clamp means which are arranged
along said guides and are actuated so as to lock said cloth
transversely; a carriage which is slideable on said frame in said
advancement direction; at least one sewing machine which is
slideable on said carriage in a direction which is transverse to
said advancement direction, and actuating means for actuating said
carriage and said sewing machine to perform quilting of said cloth.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a machine for cutting cloth
and for applying borders and a peripheral band to cloths used to
manufacture spring mattresses.
[0002] It is known (see in particular FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) that a
spring mattress is constituted by a rectangular prism-like metallic
body 1 which is composed of a plurality of biconical springs 2
which are connected one another and are covered by one or more
layers 2a of insulating material such as felt, foamed rubber and
the like.
[0003] The upper and lower faces of the body 1 are covered by two
rectangular cloths or quilts 3 and 4 whose edges are joined by a
band 5 which peripherally closes the mattress.
[0004] Each cloth or quilt 3 and 4 is constituted, for example, by
a panel 6 of soft material which is covered above and below by
sheets of fabric 7, 7a or the like, the panel and the sheets being
joined by a more or less ornamental quilting. A band 10 is fixed to
the inner edges of the quilts 3 and 4 by means of two parallel
stitch lines 8 and 9, so as to form a flap 11 which protrudes from
the stitch lines 9 and is thus spaced from the stitch line 8.
[0005] When the quilts 3 and 4 are applied to the opposite faces of
the body 1, the flaps 11 are first folded outwards and then under
the first turn 12 of the springs 2 and finally fixed thereto with
metal staples 13.
[0006] In this manner, the quilts 3 and 4 are fixed to the body 1,
while their borders between the stitch lines 8 and 9 remain free so
that they can be connected to the peripheral band 5 by an operation
for final application of a border for closure, as shown in FIG.
3.
[0007] Currently, the band 10 is fixed to the quilts 3 and 4
manually, at high cost, also because it requires additional
operations for positioning and trimming the cloths or quilts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The aim of the present invention is to provide a machine
which allows to apply a peripheral band while the cloths are being
cut and a border is being applied thereto.
[0009] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to
provide a machine which can be combined with an apparatus for
forming a quilt constituted by one or more sheets unwound
continuously from rolls.
[0010] This and other objects are achieved with a machine whose
characteristics are defined in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] Further features and advantages of the present invention
will become better apparent from the following description of a
preferred embodiment, illustrated only by way of non-limitative
example in the accompanying drawings, wherein the invention has
been applied to an apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,277
by the same Applicant, which is highly effective in the manufacture
of quilts for covering spring mattresses. In the drawings:
[0012] FIGS. 1-3 show the constructional structure of a prior art
mattress;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the known apparatus and of
the machine according to the invention associated therewith;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the machine and of the
apparatus of FIG. 4;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the lateral guides of the
quilt;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the region of the apparatus
where the machine for transversely stitching and cutting the quilt
before cutting is arranged;
[0017] FIG. 8 is a view of the same region of FIG. 7 after cutting
has been completed;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the means for transversely
cutting and stitching the quilt;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a unit for cutting the
transverse band.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, an apparatus according to
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,277 is disclosed comprising a framework,
generally designated by the reference numeral 14, which is composed
of four vertical columns 15, 16, 17 and 18 arranged at the corners
of a rectangle. The columns 15, 16 and 17,18 are connected, at the
top, by a pair of longitudinal beams 19, 20, while two additional
transverse beams 21 and 22 connect one another the tops of the
columns 15, 16 and 17, 18.
[0021] Two longitudinal members 23 and 24 lie between the
transverse beams 21 and 22, are parallel to each other and to the
beams 19 and 20 and constitute the track for the sliding of a
carriage 25 that supports one or more sewing machines.
[0022] The carriage 25 is composed of a double pair of horizontal
and parallel beams 26 and 27 which lie above and below the plane of
arrangement of the cloth P to be quilted and have opposite ends
which are rigidly connected to each other. The carriage 25 is
suspended from a pair of shoulders 28 and 29 which rest on the
track 23, 24 by means of rollers 30.
[0023] The carriage 25, is movable along the track 23 and 24 in the
direction X, actuated by means of an appropriate and conventional
motor drive not shown in the drawings.
[0024] The heads for moving the needle of two sewing machines 31
are mounted on the pair of upper beams 26 and the corresponding
hook assembly is mounted on the pair of lower beams 27. It is also
possible to provide a different number of sewing machines. In a
known manner, by means of an additional motor drive, the sewing
machines 31 are actuated in the direction Y, which is perpendicular
to the direction X, so that by actuating the carriage 25 and the
sewing machines 31 it is possible to trace the intended paths on
the quilt.
[0025] Two guides 32 and 33 lie between the pair of upper beams 26
and the pair of lower beams 27 of the carriage 25 and are adapted
to guide the lateral edges of the cloth P to be quilted. As shown
in FIG. 6, each guide is composed of a U-shaped beam 34 which is
longitudinal (i.e., lies in the direction X) and whose opposite
ends are fixed on supports 35, 36 located at the columns 15, 17 and
16, 18, respectively. The beams 34 define supporting surfaces on
which profiles 37 provided with a C-shaped cross-section and open
onto each other are arranged. The C-shaped cross-section of the
guide 32 lies opposite the C-shaped cross-section of the guide
33.
[0026] Each profile 37 is movable between the outer vertical wing
38 and the inner vertical wing 39 of the beam 34 by means of
pneumatic jacks 40 whose cylinders are flanged to the outer wing 38
of the beam 34 and whose stem is rigidly coupled to the profile
37.
[0027] The jacks 40 that relate to the guide 32 are actuated in
opposition to the jacks of the guide 33, so that the profiles 37 of
the guides are simultaneously moved towards and away from each
other with respect to the longitudinal central plane of the
apparatus.
[0028] The reference numeral 41 designates additional pneumatic
jacks whose cylinders are mounted vertically above the profiles 37.
A bar 42 is coupled to the stems of the jacks 41 and extends inside
the profile 37. The bar 42 constitutes the movable jaw of a clamp
which is designed to engage the longitudinal edge of the cloth to
be quilted and to clamp it against the fixed jaw, which is
constituted by the lower wing 37a of the profile 37 that rests on
the beam 34.
[0029] In the illustrated example, the cloth P to be quilted is
produced by superimposing a set of three sheets T1, T2, T3 which,
in a manner which is known and therefore not described in detail,
are taken from respective rolls B1, B2, B3 supported by a framework
43. The number of sheets and their thickness can of course be any
according to requirements.
[0030] The sheets T1, T2, T3 unrolled from the rolls B1, B2, B3 are
joined between a pair of superimposed bars 44 and 45 which lie
transversely to the direction X on the support 35 and are inserted
in the guides 32 and 33 between the bars 42 and the wings 37a of
the profiles 37.
[0031] The upper bar 44 is movable vertically with respect to the
lower bar 45 by means of pneumatic jacks (not shown), so as to
provide a transverse clamp which is adapted to transversely lock
the cloth P to be quilted upstream of the guides 32, 33.
[0032] It is evident that the longitudinal clamps 37a, 42 and the
transverse clamp 44, 45 delimit on three sides the quilting region,
which is delimited on the fourth side by a pair of traction rollers
46, 47 located at the output of the guides 32 and 33. The rollers
46, 47, by means of respective motors, are actuated so as to rotate
in opposite directions, so as to pull in the direction X the cloth
P inserted between them.
[0033] Between the outlet of the guides 32, 33 and the traction
rollers 46, 47 there are two laterally arranged stitching and
cutting devices 48 and 49, each of which comprises a sewing machine
and a cutter in order to join, with stitch lines at the lateral
edges of the quilted cloth, two respective longitudinal strips 10a
and in order to cut the borders of the cloth or quilt that lie
outside the stitch lines.
[0034] The longitudinal strips 10a are made of fabric or the like
and are taken from respective rollers 10b rotatably supported on
brackets 10c (see FIG. 5) which are fixed to the support 36 below
the devices 48 and 49. The sewing machines of the devices 48, 49
have a double needle, so as to allow to fix the longitudinal strips
10a to the cloth or quilt P with two stitch lines, as shown by 8
and 9 in FIG. 2, and provide flaps 11 which lie inside the lateral
edges of the quilt. The cutters of the devices 48 and 49 are
arranged downstream of the needles of the respective sewing
machines, and each one is constituted for example by a rotating
blade (not shown in the drawings but known in the art), which cuts
the lateral edges of the quilt outside the longitudinal stitch
lines 8 and 9, forming two strips of waste P1, P2.
[0035] The stitching and cutting devices 48 and 49 are an integral
part of the machine, which according to the invention performs the
transverse cutting of the cloth or quilt P, stitches the edges
upstream and downstream of the provided cut, and applies two
additional strips 10d (which lie transversely to the strips 10a),
with which the edges upstream and downstream of the cut are
provided.
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, the machine is generally
designated by the reference numeral 50 and comprises a finishing
unit 50a composed of a box-like carriage 51 which, by means of four
free wheels 52, slides on a pair of parallel rails 53 whose
opposite ends are fixed to side walls 54, 55 (FIG. 4) of the
framework of the machine 50. A sewing machine 56 of the type with
four needles 57 is fitted on the carriage 51 and can therefore
produce four parallel stitch lines.
[0037] The sewing machine 56 is moved in the direction Y, which
lies transversely to the direction X, by means of a movement system
which comprises a chain 58 having a portion which is fixed to the
carriage 51 and being closed in a loop on a pair of sprockets 59,
60 which are fitted in a cantilever fashion on the sides 54, 55.
The sprocket 59 is free, while the other sprocket 60 receives its
motion from a gearmotor 61 which is flanged to the side 54. The
gearmotor 61 is controlled by a pair of stroke limit switches 62
and 63 which determine the points of inversion of the
back-and-forth strokes. Two arms 64 cantilever out in front of the
carriage 51 (FIG. 9) in order to rotatably support a roll 65 of a
band 10e which, cut longitudinally in half, provides the two strips
10d which, at the output of the machine 50, will be associated with
the front and rear transverse edges of the finished quilt. The four
transverse stitch lines are formed only during the outgoing stroke
of the sewing machine 56 while the quilt is cut in the region
between one pair of sewing lines and the adjacent one.
[0038] In order to produce the separation cut, there is a rotating
circular blade 66 which is rotatably supported in the carriage
51.
[0039] The rotating blade 66 is actuated by an electric motor being
accommodated in the carriage 51 or, by means of an appropriate
transmission, by the same motor that drives the sewing machine
56.
[0040] The rotating blade 66 protrudes, with an upper sector, from
the upper face of the carriage 51 through a slot formed in the
latter.
[0041] A unit, generally designated by the reference numeral 67 in
FIGS. 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, is further fixed on the sewing machine 56;
said unit, as will become apparent hereinafter, is designed to cut
the transverse band 10e after it has been joined to the quilt
P.
[0042] As shown more clearly in FIG. 10, the unit 67 comprises a
frame which is composed of a post 68 which is rigidly coupled to
the body of the sewing machine 56 and on which a sleeve 69 is
slideable.
[0043] Another sleeve 70 is rigidly coupled to the sleeve 69, is
perpendicular thereto, and a first arm 71 is guided therein. A
second arm 72 and an L-shaped element 73 for coupling the stem 74
of a jack, whose cylinder 75 is fixed to the sleeve 70, are rigidly
coupled to the end of the arm 71.
[0044] The axis of the jack 74, 75 is parallel to the axis of the
sleeve 70, so that by activating the jack it is possible to move
the second arm 72 towards or away from the sewing machine 56.
[0045] The second arm 72 is substantially normal to the first arm
71, and a cutter 76 is supported at its lower end; said cutter is
composed of an electric motor 77 which drives a rotating blade 78
below which there is a feeler 79 which is designed to collect the
two strips 10d that slide on the sliding surface 83 of the sewing
machine 56 and to raise them against the blade 78 in order to
produce cutting and thus separate them from the remaining band 10e,
which has not yet been cut in half by the blade 66.
[0046] The stem 80 of a jack is further rigidly coupled to the
sleeve 69 and its cylinder 81 is fixed to the top of the post 68.
Accordingly, by actuating both jacks 74, 75 and 80, 81, the cutter
76 can perform perpendicular movements which allow to position it
with respect to the sewing machine 56. In particular, by moving the
cutter 76 towards the sewing machine 56 the feeler 79 can engage in
a slot 82 of the quilt sliding surface 83 which is located behind
the blade 66, so as to facilitate the insertion of the strips 10d
between the feeler and the blade 78.
[0047] The operation of the described machine 50 and apparatus 14
is as follows.
[0048] Assume that the apparatus 14 is in an operating condition
such as the one shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in which the cloth or quilt
P is locked upstream between the bar 44 and the beam 45 and
downstream between the rollers 46 and 47, while the lateral edges
of the cloth are locked in the guides 32, 33 by the bars 42. In
practice, the lateral guides 32, 33, the bar 44 and the beam 45 and
the rollers 46, 47 form a frame which keeps the cloth or quilt P
stretched both transversely and longitudinally.
[0049] Assume also that the sewing machine 56 is in the lateral
position shown in FIG. 7, with the cutter 76 in the inactive
position, spaced from the sewing machine 56.
[0050] With the cloth P in this condition, quilting is performed by
moving the carriage 25 in the direction X and the sewing machines
31 in the direction Y.
[0051] As quilting proceeds, the machine 50 produces the four
transverse stitch lines and transversely cuts the quilt downstream
of the rollers 46 and 47.
[0052] Due to the transverse stitching of the cloth or quilt P, the
band 10e is applied under said quilt and, by simultaneously
performing the cutting operation by means of the blade 66, is
divided into two transverse strips 10d upstream and downstream of
the cut. When the carriage 51 has crossed the quilt, thus moving
from the position of FIG. 7 to the position of FIG. 8, the two
stitch lines upstream of the cut close the front edge of the quilt
P which is locked peripherally between the lateral bars 42 and the
wings 37a, the bar 44 and the beam 45 and the rollers 46 and 47,
while the two stitch lines located downstream of the cut close the
rear edge of the previously quilted quilt, which is now designated
by the reference letter M in FIG. 8.
[0053] At this point, by actuating the jacks 74, 75 and 80, 81, the
cutter 76 is made to approach so that the feeler 79 enters the slot
83 below the strips 10d that the blade 66 has already formed by
cutting the band 10e in half. By causing the advancement of the
cutter 76 under the body of the sewing machine 56, the strips 10d
are cut. Then the jacks 74, 75 and 80, 81 are actuated so as to
disengage the feeler 79 from the slot 82 and move the cutter 76
into the inactive position.
[0054] Once the quilting of the stretched cloth P has been
completed, the two longitudinal bars 42 and the transverse bar 44
are raised and, by releasing the lateral edges and the upstream
edge of the quilt, allow the rollers 46, 47 to unroll from the
rolls B1, B1, B3 new portions of sheets T1, T2 and T3 and form a
new quilt P.
[0055] It should be noted that during unrolling, the two devices 48
and 49 sew the lateral edges of the quilt that leaves the guides
32, 33 and cut the strips of waste P1, P2. In order to remove the
strips of waste P1, P2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) a transfer roller 84 and
two smaller rollers 85 and 86 are provided being actuated so as to
rotate in opposite directions; the waste is guided between said
smaller rollers. The actuation of the smaller rollers 85 and 86 can
be derived from the actuation of the traction rollers 46, 47.
[0056] Once the rear edge of the quilted cloth, which was located
below the bar 44, has arrived at the stitch line of the sewing
machine 56, the rollers 46, 47 are stopped and the jacks 41 that
lower the bars 42 and the jacks that lower the bars 44 are actuated
sequentially, locking the lateral and rear edges. Then, by
actuating the jacks 40, the lateral edges of the quilt P are spaced
so as to subject the quilt to transverse traction, while
longitudinal traction is determined by continuing the rotation of
the rollers 46, 47 after the bar 44 has transversely locked the
cloth P against the beam 45.
[0057] At this point, quilting is performed and the steps of the
process are repeated in the manner described above.
[0058] It is evident that the described invention fully achieves
the intended aim and objects. In particular, it is noted that the
machine allows to automate the application of the transverse strips
10d and longitudinal strips 10a, thus providing a considerable cost
saving.
[0059] The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No.
BO2000A000033 from which this application claims priority are
incorporated herein by reference.
* * * * *