Claims
- 1. A machine for transferring a group of coil springs from a first location to a second location, said machine comprising,
- a frame,
- a group of fingers mounted upon said frame, each finger being sized to be received within a barrel of one coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for inserting each finger into, and for retracting each finger from, said barrel of said coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for moving said fingers, and therefore said springs, from said first location to said second location after said fingers have been inserted into said barrels of said springs,
- a support platen mounted upon said frame, said springs being positioned on said support platen in said second location, and said springs' axes being generally normal to said support platen in said second location,
- said moving means being adapted to pivot said springs through an arc of at least about 90.degree. between said first location and said second location,
- a feed conveyor located adjacent said fingers for moving said springs to said first location, said springs' axes being generally horizontal in said first location, and said support platen being generally horizontal,
- a compression bar positioned adjacent said support platen in a location spaced from said support platen, said compression bar being adapted to cooperate with the top end loops of said coil springs when said coil springs are in said second location, and
- means operatively connected to said compression bar for moving said compression bar in a direction generally normal to said support platen, said compression bar being movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said support platen, said compression bar being retracted as said coil springs are positioned in said second location by said group of fingers, and said compression bar being extended into contact with the top end loops of said coil springs after positioning said coil springs in said second location, the height of all said springs being sized to a predetermined desired height by said compression bar when said compression bar is in said extended position.
- 2. A machine as set forth in claim 1, said machine comprising
- a sizing platen located adjacent said support platen, said sizing platen being disposed parallel to said support platen, the distance between said sizing platen and said support platen cooperating to maintain said coil springs under compression at a predetermined desired height.
- 3. A machine for transferring a group of coil springs from a first location to a second location, said machine comprising,
- a frame,
- a group of fingers mounted upon said frame, each finger being sized to be received within a barrel of one coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for inserting each finger into, and for retracting each finger from, said barrel of said coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for moving said fingers, and therefore said springs, from said first location to said second location after said fingers have been inserted into said barrels of said springs,
- a support platen mounted upon said frame, said springs being positioned on said support platen in said second location, and said springs' axes being generally normal to said support platen in said second location,
- an advancing mechanism mounted upon said frame and adapted to cooperate with a trailing group of coil springs positioned on said support platen by said group of fingers, said advancing mechanism operating to advance said trailing coil springs into proximity with a leading group of coil springs previously positioned on said support platen for positioning said trailing springs in juxtaposition with said leading springs prior to tying adjacent trailing and leading springs one to the other,
- said advancing mechanism including first and second transfer fingers mounted upon said frame and adapted to cooperate with at least one of the top end loop and the bottom end loop of said coil spring group, said first transfer finger functioning to pull said trailing springs toward said previously located leading springs and said second transfer finger functioning to push said spring group toward said previously located leading springs,
- a sizing platen mounted adjacent said support platen, said sizing platen being disposed parallel to said support platen, the distance between said sizing platen and said support platen cooperating to maintain said coil springs at a predetermined desired height,
- slot structure defined in at least one of said sizing and support platens, said transfer fingers extending through said slot structure for pulling and then pushing said trailing coil springs toward previously located leading coil springs,
- a compression bar mounted adjacent said support platen but spaced from said support platen, and
- means operatively connected to said compression bar for moving said compression bar in a direction generally normal to said support platen, said compression bar being movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said support platen, said compression bar when in said extended position being engageable with the top end loops of said coil springs so as to size the height of said coil springs to a predetermined desired height.
- 4. A machine as set forth in claim 3, said advancing mechanism comprising
- upper and lower sets of transfer fingers adapted to cooperate with said group of coil spring group, each set including first and second transfer fingers, one set of said fingers being positioned to cooperate with the top end loop of said coil spring group and the other set of said fingers being positioned to cooperate with the bottom end loop of said coil spring group, and
- slot structure in both of said sizing platen and support platen, said slot structure permitting said first finger of each finger set to contact a coil spring from inside the barrel of that coil spring and said second finger of each finger set to contact said coil spring from outside the barrel of that coil spring.
- 5. A machine for transferring a group of coil springs from a first location to a second location, each of said coil springs having a central axis, said machine comprising,
- a frame,
- a group of fingers mounted upon said frame, each finger being sized to be received within a barrel of one coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for inserting each finger axially into, and for retracting each finger axially from, said barrel of said coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for moving said fingers, and therefore said springs, from said first location to said second location after said fingers have been inserted into said barrels of said springs,
- a support platen mounted upon said frame, said springs being positioned on said support platen in said second location, and said springs' axes being generally normal to said support platen in said second location,
- a feed conveyor mounted adjacent said fingers for moving said springs to said first location,
- a compression bar mounted adjacent said support platen positioned in a location spaced from said support platen, said compression bar being adapted to contact the top end loops of said coil springs when said coil springs are in said second location, and
- means operatively connected to said compression bar for moving said compression bar in a direction generally normal to said support platen, said compression bar being movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said support platen, said compression bar being retracted as said coil springs are positioned in said second location by said group of fingers, and said compression bar being extended into contact with the top end loops of said coil springs after positioning said coil springs in said second location, the height of all said springs being sized to a predetermined desired height by said compression bar when said compression bar is in said extended position.
- 6. A machine for transferring a group of coil springs from a first location to a second location, each of said coil springs having a central axis, said machine comprising,
- a frame,
- a group of fingers mounted upon said frame, each finger being sized to be received within a barrel of one coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for inserting each finger axially into, and for retracting each finger axially from, said barrel of said coil spring,
- means operatively connected to said fingers for moving said fingers, and therefore said springs, from said first location to said second location after said fingers have been inserted into said barrels of said springs,
- a support platen mounted upon said frame, said springs being positioned on said support platen in said second location, and said springs' axes being generally normal to said support platen in said second location,
- an advancing mechanism mounted upon said frame adapted to cooperate with a trailing group of coil springs positioned on said support platen by said group of fingers, said advancing mechanism operating to advance said trailing coil springs into proximity with a leading group of coil springs previously positioned on said support platen for positioning said trailing springs in juxtaposition with said leading springs prior to tying adjacent trailing and leading springs one to the other,
- said advancing mechanism including first and second transfer fingers mounted upon said frame and adapted to cooperate with at least one of the top end loop and the bottom end loop of said coil spring group, said first transfer finger functioning to pull said trailing springs toward said previously located leading springs and said second transfer finger functioning to push said spring group toward said previously located leading springs,
- slot structure defined in said support platen, said transfer fingers extending through said slot structure for pulling and then pushing said trailing coil springs toward previously located leading coil springs,
- a compression bar mounted adjacent said support platen but spaced from said support platen, and
- means operatively connected to said compression bar for moving said compression bar in a direction generally normal to said support platen, said compression bar being movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said support platen, said compression bar when in said extended position being engageable with the top end loops of said coil springs so as to size the height of said coil springs to a predetermined desired height.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 300,995 filed Sept. 10, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,298.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
300995 |
Sep 1981 |
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