Claims
- 1. A system for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs comprising:
- a first coiling station to produce a plurality of first coil springs each of a first uncompressed height having a longitudinal axis;
- a second coiling station to produce a plurality of second coil springs each of a second uncompressed height which Is greater than the first uncompressed height of the first coil springs, each of the second coil springs having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of normally spaced coils;
- a transfer station to receive the second coil springs from the second coiling station with the longitudinal axes of the second coil springs being generally horizontal;
- a nesting mechanism for inserting one of the first coil springs in a compressed configuration between adjacent coils of one of the second coil springs in an uncompressed configuration and thereby forming a compound nested coil spring;
- a compression mechanism to compress each of the second coil springs;
- an insertion mechanism to insert each of the compressed second coil springs between plies of a pocketing material; and
- a pocket forming arrangement to form an individual pocket in the pocketing material around each of the second coil springs;
- wherein each of the compound nested coil springs is permitted to expand within the respective individual pocket and thereby form the pocketed compound nested coil spring.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the nesting mechanism is located downstream from the second coiling station and upstream from the pocket forming arrangement.
- 3. The system of claim 2 wherein the compression mechanism compresses each of the compound nested coil springs upstream from the pocket forming arrangement.
- 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
- a first coil spring pocket forming arrangement upstream from the nesting mechanism and the insertion mechanism to form an individual first pocket around each of the first coil springs.
- 5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
- a spring turning station downstream from the pocket forming arrangement to re-orient each of the second coil springs approximately 90.degree. within the respective individual pockets.
- 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the pocket forming arrangement further comprises:
- a transverse seam forming station located downstream from the insertion mechanism to join the plies of the pocketing material together and form a transverse seam between each of the second coil springs; and
- a longitudinal seam forming station located downstream from the insertion mechanism to join the plies of the pocketing material together proximate free edges of the pocketing material and form a longitudinal seam;
- wherein the transverse and longitudinal seam forming stations combine to form each of the individual pockets.
- 7. The system of claim 1 wherein the nesting mechanism is located downstream from the pocket forming arrangement.
- 8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:
- a slitting station to form an opening in each of the individual pockets enveloping the respective second coil springs and provide access for the nesting mechanism to insert each of the first coil springs between the adjacent coils and into one of the second coil springs.
- 9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
- a pivot station downstream from the second coiling station and upstream from the pocket forming arrangement to re-position each of the second coil springs to have their the longitudinal axes in a generally vertical orientation prior to insertion into the individual pocket.
- 10. A system for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs comprising:
- a first coiling station to produce a plurality of first coil springs each of a first uncompressed height having a longitudinal axis;
- a second coiling station to produce a plurality of second coil springs each of a second uncompressed height which Is greater than the first uncompressed height of the first coil springs, each of the second coil springs having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of normally spaced coils;
- a first coil spring pocket forming arrangement downstream from the first coiling station to form an individual first pocket around each of the first coil springs;
- a transfer station to receive the second coil springs from the second coiling station with the longitudinal axises of the second coil springs being generally horizontal;
- a nesting mechanism for inserting one of the pocketed first coil springs in a compressed configuration between adjacent coils of one of the second coil springs in an uncompressed configuration at the transfer station and thereby forming a compound nested coil spring;
- a compression mechanism to compress each of the compound nested coil springs;
- a pivot station downstream from the nesting mechanism to re-position each of the compound nested coil springs to have their the longitudinal axes in a generally vertical orientation;
- an insertion mechanism to insert each of the compressed compound nested coil springs between plies of a pocketing material;
- a pocket forming arrangement to form an individual pocket in the pocketing material around each of the compound nested coil springs; and
- a spring turning station downstream from the pocket forming arrangement to re-orient each of the compound nested coil springs approximately 90.degree. within the respective individual pockets;
- wherein each of the compound nested coil springs is permitted to expand within the respective individual pocket and thereby form the pocketed compound nested coil spring.
- 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the pocket forming arrangement further comprises:
- a transverse seam forming station located downstream from the insertion mechanism to join the plies of the pocketing material together and form a transverse seam between each of the compound nested coil springs; and
- a longitudinal seam forming station located downstream from the insertion mechanism to join the plies of the pocketing material together proximate free edges of the pocketing material and form a longitudinal seam;
- wherein the transverse and longitudinal seam forming stations combine to form each of the individual pockets.
- 12. A system for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs comprising:
- a first coiling station to produce a plurality of first coil springs each of a first uncompressed height having a longitudinal axis;
- a second coiling station to produce a plurality of second coil springs each of a second uncompressed height which is greater than the first uncompressed height of the first coil springs, each of the second coil springs having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of normally spaced coils;
- a transfer station to receive the second coil springs from the second coiling station with the longitudinal axises of the second coil springs being generally horizontal;
- a compression mechanism to compress each of the second coil springs;
- an insertion mechanism to insert each of the compressed second coil springs between plies of a pocketing material;
- a pivot station upstream from the insertion mechanism to re-position each of the second coil springs to have their the longitudinal axes in a generally vertical orientation prior to insertion between the plies of the pocketing material;
- a pocket forming arrangement to form an individual pocket in the pocketing material around each of the second coil springs;
- a nesting mechanism downstream from the pocket forming arrangement for inserting one of the first coil springs in a compressed configuration between adjacent coils of one of the second coil springs in an uncompressed configuration and thereby forming a compound nested coil spring;
- wherein each of the compound nested coil springs is permitted to expand within the respective individual pocket and thereby form the pocketed compound nested coil spring.
- 13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:
- a spring turning station downstream from the pocket forming arrangement to re-orient each of the second coil springs approximately 90.degree. within the respective individual pockets.
- 14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:
- a slitting station downstream from the spring turning station to form an opening in each of the individual pockets enveloping the respective second coil springs and provide access for the nesting mechanism to insert each of the first coil springs between the adjacent coils and into one of the second coil springs.
Parent Case Info
This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/139,166, filed Aug. 24, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,627 and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
139166 |
Aug 1998 |
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