U.S. patent application number 10/989272 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for device for manufacturing brushes and method applied thereby.
Invention is credited to Boucherie, Bart Gerard.
Application Number | 20050116528 10/989272 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34437902 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050116528 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boucherie, Bart Gerard |
June 2, 2005 |
Device for manufacturing brushes and method applied thereby
Abstract
Device for manufacturing brushes, more particularly for
inserting fibers in a brush body, which device mainly consists of a
filling tool and at least one supply duct, characterized in that
between the supply duct (3) and the filling tool (7) is provided at
least one rounding means (16).
Inventors: |
Boucherie, Bart Gerard;
(Izegem, BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
34437902 |
Appl. No.: |
10/989272 |
Filed: |
November 17, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
300/5 ;
300/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A46D 3/082 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
300/005 ;
300/021 |
International
Class: |
A46D 003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 28, 2003 |
BE |
2003/0634 |
Claims
1.- In a device for manufacturing brushes, a device for inserting
fibers in a brush body, said device comprising a filling tool and
at least one fiber supply duct, wherein between the supply duct and
the filling tool at least one rounding device is provided.
2.- The device according to claim 1, comprising several supply
ducts which are each provided with a rounding means.
3.- The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one
rounding device is located opposite a bundle remover which
comprises a bundle remover housing with at least one opening in
which has been provided a rotatable body which moves within the
opening in a close-fitting manner, said rotatable body including
grooves in an outer edge for picking up fibers.
4.- The device according to claim 3, including multiple openings in
the bundle remover housing, wherein a first one of said openings is
located opposite a distal end of said at least one supply duct.
5.- The device according to claim 3, including multiple bundle
removers, and wherein between the different bundle removers and the
filling tool is provided a distributing device with at least one
cartridge provided with at least one recess.
6.- The device according to claim 5, wherein the distributing
device comprises a distributing device housing which forms a whole
with the bundle remover housing, wherein in the distributing device
housing and the bundle remover housing, opposite each of the bundle
removers, there is provided a second opening.
7.- The device according to claim 6, wherein opposite each of the
second openings in the distributing device housing and the bundle
remover housing there is provided a guide having an edge which is
oriented in slanting relationship relative to the direction of
movement of the rotatable body of the respective bundle
remover.
8.- A method for manufacturing brushes, comprising: supplying
fibers in at least one supply duct; presenting the fibers in the
supply duct to a filling tool which inserts the fibers in a brush
body; and presenting the fibers from said at least one supply duct
to a rounding device, before presenting them to the filling
tool.
9.- The method according to claim 8, including loading the fibers
of each supply duct into grooves of a rotating cylindrical body,
and by moving the body such that a respective groove is presented
to a respective supply duct the fibers are pushed into a respective
groove by a press-on device which pushes the fibers into the
groove.
10.- The method according to claim 9, wherein the fibers which are
loaded in a respective groove are presented to the rounding device
by rotating the cylindrical body.
11.- The method according to claim 9, wherein the fibers are loaded
out of each of the respective grooves into recesses which are
provided in cartridges of a distributing device.
12.- The method according to claim 11, wherein the fibers are
removed out the respective groove by means of a guide which is
provided with a slanting edge in order to move the fibers out of
the respective groove into one of the recesses in a cartridge of
the distributing device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention concerns a device for manufacturing
brushes.
[0003] More particularly, this invention concerns a device for
manufacturing brushes whereby bundles of fibers which are rounded
at their far ends are provided in a brush body.
[0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0005] From Belgian patent No. 1,013,374 in the name of FIRMA G.B.
BOUCHERIE N.V., a device for manufacturing brushes is known,
whereby fibers are supplied from different fiber loading spaces to
a filling tool which inserts the fibers in a brush body on the one
hand, and whereby the fibers in the fiber loading spaces are filled
up from fiber supply ducts.
[0006] This device makes it possible to manufacture brushes whereby
the fibers are rounded after the fibers have been provided in the
brush body.
[0007] This is disadvantageous, however, in that when the different
fibers in the brush body differ in length, or when fiber bundles
are not cut off straight, it turns out to be extremely difficult to
round the far ends of the shorter fibers in the brush body without
damaging the longer fibers, such that one is limited in forming the
fiber profile of the finished brushes.
[0008] In order to remedy this disadvantage, a device for rounding
the far ends of the fibers before they are provided in the
above-mentioned fiber supply ducts is known.
[0009] The disadvantage of the use of both separate devices is that
the fibers are first cut at the desired length, must then be
provided in the known device for rounding the fibers and must
finally be transferred from this rounding device to the
above-mentioned fiber supply ducts.
[0010] The transport of the fibers between the device for rounding
the fibers and the above-mentioned fiber supply ducts is done in a
predominantly manual manner up to now, which is laborious and
time-consuming, with as an additional disadvantage that a worker
must stay on the spot all the time to continually fill up the
device for manufacturing brushes from the above-mentioned device
for rounding the far ends of fibers, as a result of which the labor
costs form a relatively important part of the total production
costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention aims to provide a solution to the
above-mentioned and other disadvantages.
[0012] To this end, the invention concerns a device for
manufacturing brushes, more particularly for inserting fibers in a
brush body, which device mainly consists of a filling tool and at
least one supply duct, whereby between the supply duct and the
filling tool is provided at least one rounding means.
[0013] An advantage of the device according to the invention is
that the brushes can be manufactured practically entirely
automatically in one and the same device, as a result of which the
production cost can be restricted.
[0014] This invention also aims a method for manufacturing a device
as described above, whereby fibers are provided in at least one
supply duct, which are presented to a filling tool which inserts
the fibers in a brush body, and whereby the fibers are presented
from each supply duct to a rounding means before being presented to
the filling tool.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In order to better explain the characteristics of the
invention, the following preferred embodiment of a device for
manufacturing brushes and of a method applied thereby is described
as an example only without being limitative in any way, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 schematically represents a top view of a device
according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 represents a section to a larger scale according to
line II-II in FIG. 1;
[0018] FIGS. 3 and 4 represent the same part of the device as in
FIG. 2, but according to two other positions;
[0019] FIGS. 5 and 6 represent a part which is indicated in FIG. 1
by F5, F6 respectively, to a larger scale;
[0020] FIGS. 7 and 8 represent the same part as in FIG. 6, but for
successive operational steps.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] As represented in FIG. 1, the device 1 for manufacturing
brushes 2 according to the invention mainly consists of supply
ducts 3 for fibers 4, which are each provided with a bundle remover
5, which different bundle removers 5 are in this case placed around
a distributing device 6, which distributing device 6 is mounted
onto a filling tool 7 in the known manner.
[0022] The supply ducts 3, five in total in this case, are
preferably rectilinear and are provided with press-on means 8 on a
first far end.
[0023] The bundle removers 5, on the far end of each supply duct 3,
each consist of a housing 9, in the shape of a rigid body with a
cylindrical opening 10, whereby in the casing of the housing 9 are
each time provided two openings 11-12, the first opening 11 of
which is provided opposite to the second far end of the
above-mentioned supply ducts 3.
[0024] In the above-mentioned openings 10 of the different bundle
removers 5 is each time provided a rotatable cylindrical body 13
whose diameter is practically equal to the inner diameter of the
openings 10.
[0025] In these cylindrical bodies 13 are provided grooves 14 in
the outer edge, five in this case, extending axially over the
entire length of the bodies 13, whereby this length is in this case
smaller than the length of the fibers 4 to be treated.
[0026] Each of the cylindrical bodies 13 is provided with an
independent drive which is not represented in the figures.
[0027] As is represented in FIGS. 2 to 4, the bundle removers 5
comprise a plate 15 situated opposite to one side of the
cylindrical body 13 and which extends at least opposite to the
entire outer edge of the cylindrical body 13 with a width which is
equal to or larger than the depth of the grooves 14.
[0028] Each of these plates 15 are preferably provided with means,
not represented in the figures, which make it possible to axially
move the plate 15 concerned in relation to the cylindrical body 13
concerned.
[0029] To each cylindrical body 13 is presented a rounding means
16, on a side opposite to the side of the above-mentioned plate 15,
whereby each of these rounding means 16 is in this case formed of a
grinding wheel 17 which is driven by a shaft 18 and which can be
axially moved in relation to the cylindrical body 13 concerned.
[0030] As represented in FIGS. 1 and 6 to 8, the bundle removers 5
each comprise a guide 19 which is presented to the same side of the
cylindrical body 13 as the grinding wheel 17, but on a different
place, namely at the height of the second opening 12 in the
above-mentioned housing 9.
[0031] These guides 19 are provided with an edge 20 which is
oriented slantingly in relation to the radial direction of the
above-mentioned cylindrical body 13.
[0032] The distributing device 6, which is known from Belgian
patent No. 1,013,374, consists of a housing 21 with a cylindrical
opening 22 which coincides, there where the bundle removers 5 abut
the distributing device 6, with the housing 9 of said bundle
removers 5.
[0033] This housing 21 is provided with openings which coincide
with the above-mentioned opening 12 of the different housings 9 of
the above-mentioned bundle removers 5. The housing 21 is provided
with an extra opening 23 on the spot where the distributing device
6 is erected against the filling tool 7.
[0034] According to the most preferred embodiment, two cartridges
24-25 are provided in a coaxially rotatable manner in the opening
22, which is provided in the housing 21 of the distributing device
6.
[0035] These cartridges 24-25 are made in the shape of identical
segments of a circle which are each provided with a drive, which is
not represented in the figures.
[0036] In the outer edge of the cartridges 24-25 are provided each
time five recesses 26 in this case, in which are provided press-on
means 27 in the shape of pistons excited with springs.
[0037] The filling tool 7, which is also known from BE 1,013,374,
mainly consists of a base 28 which is connected to the housing 21
of the distributing device 6 at the height of the above-mentioned
opening 23.
[0038] In the above-mentioned base 28 is provided, as is known, a
bundle remover 29 which can be moved to and fro and which is
provided with a recess 30.
[0039] Further, the filling tool 7 comprises means 31 for inserting
fibers 4 in a brush body 32 which is presented to the filling tool
7.
[0040] The method for manufacturing brushes 2 which is applied when
using this device is simple and as follows.
[0041] As is known, fibers 4 which may differ as far as color,
size, type and/or the like is concerned, are provided in the
different supply ducts 3 of the device 1.
[0042] These fibers 4 are pushed to the different bundle removers 5
at the far ends of the supply ducts 3 by the press-on means 8.
[0043] In order to fill one of the grooves 14 of one of the bundle
removers 5 with fibers 4, the cylindrical body 13 of the bundle
remover 5 concerned is rotated until a groove 14 is situated
opposite to the above-mentioned first opening 11 in the
corresponding housing 9, whereby the press-on means 8 push the
fibers 4 through said opening 11 in the groove 14.
[0044] Once the groove 14 is filled, it can be presented to the
rounding means 16 concerned by rotating the cylindrical body
13.
[0045] The far ends of the fibers 4 are rounded by rotating the
grinding wheel 17, and by bringing the fibers 4 into contact with
the grinding wheel 17 by axially moving the plate 15 and/or the
grinding wheel 17 in relation to the cylindrical body 13.
[0046] In order to round the fibers 4, the far ends of the fibers 4
are preferably, at first, moved only a little bit out of the
cylindrical body 13, such that the far ends of these fibers 4
cannot be pushed far away from each other by the rotating grinding
wheel 17.
[0047] Secondly, the fibers 4 can be pushed further out of the body
13, by axially moving the plate 15 towards the cylindrical body 13,
and by moving the grinding wheel 17 away from the cylindrical body
13 practically proportionally, such that the distance between the
plate 15 and the grinding wheel 17 remains practically the same,
namely a little bit shorter than the length of the fibers 4.
[0048] When the far ends of the fibers 4 are rounded in a shape
such as represented, for example, in FIG. 5, the grinding wheel 17
and the plate 15 are moved away from each other and the cylindrical
body 13 rotates further in the direction of the guide 19 and the
second opening 12 in the housing 9 of the bundle remover 5
concerned.
[0049] The fibers 4 are removed out of the bundle remover 5 by
rotating the groove 14 concerned with rounded fibers along the
above-mentioned guide 19, whereby the fibers 4, which now protrude
partly out of the cylindrical body 13, are pushed against the
slanting wall 20 of the guide, as represented in FIGS. 6 to 8.
[0050] The fibers 4 which are removed out of the grooves 14 of the
bundle removers 5 are put in one of the recesses 26 of the
cartridges 24-25, by presenting these recesses 26 in relation to
the second opening 12 in the housing 9-21 of the bundle remover 5
concerned, from where the rounded fibers 4 are removed out of one
of the grooves 14 at that time.
[0051] In this manner, the different-recesses 26 in one of the
cartridges 24-25 are filled with rounded fibers 4, while the other
cartridge 24-25 works in conjunction with the bundle remover 29 of
the filling tool 7 in the known manner at that time.
[0052] This co-operation comprises the presentation of fibers 4 to
the recess 30 in the bundle remover 29; presenting the bundle of
fibers 4, in the above-mentioned recess 30, to the filling tool 7
which, in the known manner, inserts the bundle of fibers 4 in the
brush body 32 which is also presented in front of the filling tool
7.
[0053] It should be noted that it is always possible to make the
above-mentioned supply ducts 3 work in conjunction with a single
common bundle remover 5, while it is also always possible to
provide a single supply duct 3 and to make this supply duct 3
co-operate with several bundle removers 5.
[0054] Naturally, it is also possible, in the described embodiment,
to provide a rounding means 16 in the plate 15, for example exactly
opposite to the present rounding means 16, such that both far ends
of the fibers 4 are rounded.
[0055] Such an embodiment is especially useful when the fibers 4
are inserted as folded in two, whereby the far ends of the fibers 4
both extend outward.
[0056] The present invention is by no means limited to the
embodiment given as example and represented in the accompanying
drawings; on the contrary, such a device and method can be made
according to different variants while still remaining within the
scope of the invention.
* * * * *