AU613976B2 - Automatic frame bending machine for bending of steel rod or strip, process and device for producing spring cores for mattresses and upholstered furniture - Google Patents

Description

ANNOUN

I NTERNATION

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TNTERNATIOI FIT (51) Internationale Patentklassifikation 4 B21D 7/022, B23P 19/04 B21F 33/02 ,EMENTOF T7HE LATER PUBLICATION FRNATIONAL SEARCH REPORTS (ERTRAG t)BER DIE TENTWES ENS (PCT) (11) Internationale Veroffentlichungsnummer: WO 89/102323 A3 (43) Internationales Veroffentlichungsdatum: 23. M~trz 1989 (23.03.89) (21) Internationales Aktenzeichen: PCT/EP88/008 II (22) Internationales Anmeldedatum: 7. September 1988 (07.09.88) (31) Prioritatsaktenzeichen: (32) Prioritatsdatum: (33) PrioritAtsland: 87. 1408 9. September 1987 (09.09.87) (81) Bestimmungsstaaten: AT (europ~isches Patent), AU,' BE (europ~isches Patent), CH (europaisches Patent), DE (europaisches Patent), FR (europaisches Patent), GB (europtiisches Patent), IT (europ~isches Patent).

JP, LU (europiiisches Patent), NL (europ~isches Patent), SE (europgisches Patent), US.

Verdffentlicht Mil iranradgonalem RecherchenberichL Va baf der ftir Andenengen der Anspnachezglse Frig Ver~ffendichung wird wiederh alt falls inderungen eintreffen.

(88) Verbffentlichungsdaum des internationalen Recherchenberichts: 18. Mai 1989 (18,05.89) (71) Anmelder Yfiir alle Bestirnrnungssicaaen ausser US): SPUHL AG [CH/CH]; Lukasstrase 18, CH-9009 St.

Gallen (CH).

(72) Erfinder; mid Erfinder/Anmelder (nurflir US) ZOGER, Jakob [CH/ CH]; Wolfganghof 15 B, CH-9014 St. Gallen (CH).

(74) Anwalt: RIEBLING, Peter; Rennetie 10, Postfach 31 D-8990 Lindau (DE).

(54)Title: AUTOMATIC FRAME BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING OF STEEL ROD OR STRIP, PROC ,SS AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING SPRING CORES FOR MATTRESSES AND UPHOLSTERED FUR-

NITURE

(54) Bezeichnung: AUTOMATISCHE RAHMENBIEGEMASCHINE ZUR ABBIEGUNG VON RUND- ODER BANDSTAHL UND VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON FEDER- KERNEN FOR MATRATZEN ODER POLSTERMOBEL (57) Abstract An automatic frame bending machine is disclosed for bending off rod steel or steel bands, and a process and device for producing spring mattresses. The purpose of the invention is to design a frame bending machine with which frames of the most diverses types can be automatically produced without risk of material losses or of deforming the frames. The frame bending machine should also be easy to integrate in an assembly line. For this purpose, a spool is provided, after which the steel passes through a wire straightener composed of a rotor and rollers, measurement and traction rollers linked to the bending device, cutting means and a centering metal sheet. Hydraulic motors controlled by a microprocessor from a control panel are provided for driving and bending.

(57) Zusammenfassung Beschrieben wird eine automnatische Rahmenbiegemaschine zur Abbiegung von Rund- oder Bandstahl und emn \erfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Federmatratzen. Aufgabe ist es eine Rahmenbiegemaschine so auszugestalten.

da3 auf konstruktiv einfache Art automnatisch Ral'men der unterschiedlichsten Art hergestellt werden k~nnen ohne Gefahr von Materialverlust oder der Gefahr, dag sich die Rahmen verziehen. Augerdem soll eine einfache Integration der Rahmenbiegemaschine in eine Fertigungsstra~e erreicht %verden. Hierzu ist eine Haspel vorgesehen, von der aus emn Drahtricliteapparat, bestehend aus einem Rotor und Rollen, durchlaufen wird sowie weiterhin Meg- und Zugrollen, an denen sich die Biegeeinrichtung anschlie~t, sowie eine Schneideinrichtung uind emn Zentrierblech. wobei zumn Antrieb und Abbiegen hydraulische Motoren vorgesehen sind, die von einer Bedieneinheit auf Mikroprozessorbasis gesteuert werden.

AU-AI-24827/88 PTWELTORGANISATION FbR GEISTIGES EGNU INTERNATIONALE ANMELDUNG VEROFFENTLIGHT NACH DEM VERTRAG OIBER DIE INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMVENARBEIT AUF DEM GEBIET DES PATENTWESENS (PCT) (51) Internationale Patentklassifikation 4 (11) Internationale Veroffentlichungsnummer: WO089/ 02323 B21D 7/022, B23P 19/04 A2 (43) Internationales B21F 33/02 Veroffentlichungsdatum: 23. Mdrz 1989 (23.03.89) (21) Internationales Aktenzeichen: PCT/EPSS/0081 1 (81) Bestimmungsstaaten: AT (europdisches Patent), AU, BE (europtiischies Patent), CH (europfiisches Patent), (22) Internationales Anmeldedatum: DE (europiiisches Patent), FR (europtiisches Patent), 7. September 1988 (07.09.88) GB (europtiisches Patent), IT (europaiches Patent), JP, LU (europiiisches Patent), NL (europiisclies Patent), SE (europ~ischies Patent), US.

(31) Prioritiitsaktenzeichcn: 87.1408 (32) Prioritiitsdaturn: 9. September 1987 (09.09.87) Ver6ffentlicht 0/me internationa/en ReeherchenberiCht 1117/ 0eet zu1 (33) Prioritiitsland: OR i'erq/i/eien nacli Erhat d/es Beri/zis.

(71) Arimelder [fur- a//c Besiuiungsstaaten ausser US): SPUI-IL AG Lukasstrage IS, CI--9009 St.

Gallen (CH).

(72) Erfinder; und Erfinider/Anmeldler (nurffir US) :ZJG ER, Jakob [CH1-/ CR]; Wolfgang-hof 15 B, CH-9014 St. Gallen A.0. J. P. 29 5MAY 19389 (74) Anivalt: RIEBLING, Peter; Rennerle 10, Postfach D-8990 Lindau AUSTRALIAN 17 APR 1989 PATENT OFHICI (54) Title: AUTOMATIC FRAME BENDING MACHINE FOR BENDING OF STEEL ROD OR STRIP, PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING SPRING CORES FOR MATTRESSES AND UPHOL1STERED FUR-

NITURE

(54) Bezeichnung: AUTOtMvATISCI-E RAHMENBIEGEIVASCHINE ZUR ABBIEGUNG VON RL'ND- ODER BANDSTAHL UND VERFAK-REN UND VORRICRTUNG ZUR HERSTELLUNG VON FEDER- KERNEN FOR MATRATZEN ODER POLSTERMOBEL (57) Abstract An automatic frame bending machine is disclosed for bending off rod steel or steel bands, and a process and device for producing spring mattresses. The purpose of the invention is to design a frame bending machine with which frames of the most diverses types can be automatically produced without risk of material losses or of deforming the frames. The frame bending machine should also be easy to integrate in an assembly line. For this purpose, a spool is provided, after which the steel passes through a wire straightener composed of a rotor and rollers, measurement and traction rollers linked to the bending device, cutting means and a centering metal sheet. Hydraulic motors controlled by a microprocessor from a control panel are provided for driving and bending.

(57) Zusammenfassung Beschrieben wird eine automnatische Rahmenbiegemaschine zur Abbiegung von Rund- oder Bandstali nd emn Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von Federmatratzen. Aufgabe ist es eine Rahmenbiegemaschine so auszugestalten, dall auf konstruktiv einfache Art automnatisch Rahmen der unterschiedlichsten Art hergestellt \verden kbnnen ohne Gefahr von Materialverlust oder der Gefahr, dalI sich die Rahmen verziehen. Aullerdemn soil eine einfache Integration der Rahmenbiegemaschine in eine Fertigungsstrage erreicht werden. Rierzu ist eine Haspel vorgesehen, von der aus emn Drahtrichteapparat, bestehend aus einem Rotor und Rollen, durchlaufen wird sowie weiterhin Meg- und Zugrollen, an denen sich die Biegeeinrichtung anschliellt, sowie eine Schneideinrichtung und emn Zentrierblech, wobei zumr Antrieb und Abbiegen hydraulische Motoren vorgesehen sind, die von einer Bedieneinheit auf Mikroprozessorbasis gesteuert werde-n.

Automatic frame bending machine for bending round or strip steel and process and device for producing inner spring structures for mattresses or upholstered furniture The present invention relates to an automatic frame bending machine for bending round or strip steel and to a process and device for producing inner spring structures for mattresses or upholstered furniture.

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Prior art frame bending machines present the drawback that 10 material losses may occur due to trial adjustments. Moreover the prior art frame bending machines had to be converted for different shapes of frames with great effort and cost. In the known installations, the frames had to be straightened afterwards, especially in corner zones. Furthermore, it was difficult to integrate the known frame bending machines in assembly lines.

I It is the object of the present invention to develop a frame bending machine in such a manner that frames of many different types can be produced automatically in a constructionally simple manner without the risk of material losses or the risk of the frames being distorted. In addition, the frame bending machine should be easy to integrate in an assembly line for manufacturing inner spring structures for mattresses or upholstered furniture.

The features of the characterizing part of claim 1 are provided to achieve this object.

The essence of the invention resides in the specific combination of the individual units in series connection in conjunction with microprocessor control and the hydraulic unit, the individual units being tuned to one another and being ,1R i arranged in the plane of the round or strip steel.

7\ i 3 This results in the accurate guiding of the round or strip steel in a preferential direction, with cutting taking place with millimetric precision.

The centering plate is arranged at the end of the frame bending machine, being semi-circular in shape and advantageously curved upwards.

As a result, the otherwise usual length of the frame bending machine is reduced, because the finished bent frame sections Sare intercepted by the centering plate and are curved for- 10 wards in semi-circular form, without the finished frames thereby being deformed.

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In this manner it is possible to process the frames in a ooe much smaller space than would otherwise be required.

With integration of the automatic frame bending machine according to the invention in an assembly line, the present invention also relates to a process of producing inner @999 spring structures for mattresses or upholstered furniture, wherein an inner spring structure is provided with a frame at the top and at the bottom ends.

o Some of the prior art processes and installations still require a relatively large amount of additional manual work, especially in the processing area, in order to connect the inner springs to the frame sections. Specifically, the prior art installations and methods do not allow a fast synchronized operation.

It is therefore the object to develop the process and the installation such that an assembly line is formed which operates largely without manual intervention and where spring mattresses can be produced at a fast rate and in synchronized operation.

y The features of the characterizing part of claim 7 are provided to achieve this object.

4/t7. i j -f -4- The essence of the process resides in that the frames are produced and removed in one direction, and in that an inner spring structure is placed in position from another direction. The assembly is then removed in yet another direction.

The result is a fast processing sequence such that individual process steps for the production of the spring mattress take place in directions at right angles to one another.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the process, two frames are produced at the same time in order to expedite the operation, wherein a first frame is placed on the clamping table and is clamped to a first inner spring structure at the underside, and the first inner spring structure is moved together with the first frame into a stand-by position in one direction, a second inner spring structure is clamped oo S: 15 to a second frame on the clamping table and is moved into a stand-by position in another direction, the first inner spring structure is turned over and moved back and is clamped to a third frame on the clamping table and then removed, and the second inner spring structure is turned over and 20 moved back and clamped to a fourth frame on the clamping table and then removed.

e• A particular fast operating sequence can be obtained in this process by reciprocating the partly finished spring mattresses in a stand-by position, with a new frame always being placed in position and processed. In this manner two spring mattresses can always be produced and delivered simultaneously.

The installation for producing spring mattresses relates to an inner spring structure which is provided with a frame both at the top and at the bottom ends and provides in particular that, at the start of the assembly line, there is provided in one direction a frame bending machine and a butt-welding machine or a clamping device, and furthermore a feed unit on which the frames are stacked and another feed unit to a clamping table in a processing station, with a M9 j rt/~iF turning and conveying device being provided above the clamping table, and that there is provided, from another direction in relation to the clamping table, a conveying device for inner spring structures, that four clamping heads are arranged on the clamping table, and that there is provided, in yet another direction, an additional table for moving the assemblies above the turning and conveying device.

The essence of the installation resides in that the processing and feed stations for the production of the frames are arranged in one direction of the assembly line.

9** The actual processing station is arranged in another direction, while the actual processing takes place on the clamping table approximately in the centre of the processing o 1 station at the end of the frame feed path. With the provision of turning and feed devices, the entire spring mattress can be produced on a single table, in this case the clamping table, with long feed paths being avoided in order to allow eye fast operating sequences.

According to another embodiment, the assembly line is 20 T-shaped with the bending station at one end, with feed and Spositioning of the frames in one direction, and the processing station being arranged in another direction at right •angles to the former, while the processing station comprises the clamping table with the clamping heads and the turning and conveying device in the centre and the conveying device for inner spring structures and the conveying device for removal at the sides.

The frames are produced and placed in position in one direction, whilst the processing station is arranged at right angles thereto. In this manner, particularly fast operating sequences are obtained by reciprocating the partly finished spring mattresses combined with turning over of the sections and renewed positioning and processing.

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6 The subject matter of the present invention derives not only from the subject matter of the individual claims, but also from the combination of the individual claims with each other. All the details and features disclosed in the specification including the abstract in particular the spatial construction illustrated in the drawings, are claimed as being essential to the invention, inasmuch as they are novel over the state of the art, separately in combination.

The invention will be explained in greater detail hereinbelow with reference to the drawings which represent several possible embodiments. Further essential features and advan- S-tages of the invention are apparent from the drawings and

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.their description.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the frame bending machine according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a detail of a bending device prior to bending of a round or strip steel in a first embodiment;

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9 9 Fig. 3 shows the bending device of Fig. 2 after the bending operation; Fig. 4 shows an assembly line for the production of spring mattresses, using the frame bending machine according to the invention.

According to Fig. 1, the automatic frame bending machine 14 comprises a reel 13 arranged ahead of the machine, from which the wire 3, especially round steel, passes into a wire straightener 2a or respectively, is drawn in by tension rollers. If strip steel is used, the wire straightener can be dispensed with.

R Measuring rollers 4, which do not have their own drive 7 means, are arranged in pairs ahead of the tension rollers which are also arranged in pairs. In this manner, the incoming wire is measured accurately to the millimetre, and is cut off after the bending operation by the cutting device 9.

According to a first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the bending device 6 comprises a stationary axle 7 about which a pin 8 is swivelled by means of a hydraulically driven swivel arm in order to thus angle the wire or strip material when the pin 8 is swivelled. The axle 7 and the pin 8 may also be provided with suitable grooves.

SThe bending device 6 is adjoined by the cutting device 9, in particular with a fixed back rest 10, which also serves as a guide for the strip.

The finished bent sections are intercepted by a centering plate 11 and centered and curved upwards, in order to thus reduce the length of the machine in full operation.

The machine itself, in particular the drive and bending o units and also the wire straightener and the measuring rollers, are controlled by means of a microprocessor via a control unit 12.

*The automatic frame bending machine 14 comprises in particular a rotor 1 with rollers 2, wherein the wire 3 or the round or strip steel passes through the rollers 2. The rollers 2 may also be driven. As the rotor 1 rotates in clockwise direction, the wire or strip steel is straightened d so that in this manner the frame is flat and has the required angles after the bending operation, without the need for corrections.

It is particularly advantageous that the wire straightener 2a operates without wear, especially without friction of the wire or the strip steel, while the wire material is straightened accurately and very siumply by a rotation of the wire to be straightened by means of the rotor 1.

8 The measuring rollers 4 comprise a pair of rollers which are used to electronically measure the length of the wire which is pulled through or fed in. Measurement is effected with an electronic pulse generator whose axle is connected to the shaft of one of the rollers.

The second pair of rollers serves as tension rollers 5 and pulls or drives the wire or the strip material in order to thus determine the lengths required to produce the frame.

When the requi. ed length has been reached, the tension rollers 5 stop the material with millimetric precision, so S that the required bending operation can also take place with accuracy.

00 0 0O I:ee .The tension rollers 5 are driven by an hydraulic motor which is controlled by the control unit 12. In order to be able to 15 determine the length with millimetric precision, two speeds are used, the lower speed being obtained by throttling the oil flow. The lower speed is used to allow the last centi- 0000 metre of each length to pass through. Thus, the inertia of •the device is strongly reduced and the length is measured 20 with millimetric precision with a feed motion.

The bending device 6 is also driven by an hydraulic motor, see**: with high accuracy being achieved from start to end or standstill.

The cutting device 9 is also a hydraulically operated device with the back rest 10 of the cutting device 9 being arranged such that, after bending, the wire passes through this guide device in such a way that, on the one hand, a passing wire is not hindered and, on the other hand, it can be cut off with great precision.

The semi-circular plate or centering plate 11 delimits the extension of the finished frames, which are bent elastically without being permanently deformed. In this manner it is possible to install the frame binding machine in a very small space.

9 The frame bending machine is programmed electronically by means of the control unit 12. The arrangement is such that the wire straightener 2a, the tension rollers 5 and the measuring rollers 4 as well as the bending device 6 and the cutting device 9 are programmed and controlled by means of a computer, with all operations being carried out automatically.

The operation of the automatic frame bending machine is as follows: The wire 3 or the round or strip steel is unwound from the reel 13 and passes in a straight line through the rotating Srotor 1, while the tension rollers 5 and the measuring rollers 4 determine the length of each side of a frame.

Before the required length is reached, the advance rate is reduced, so that inertia is reduced and the wire is processed with millimetric precision.

After the wire 3 has been stopped, the wire is bent to the desired angle in the bending device 6. Thereupon the arm of the bending device swivels back into the starting position, 20 the wire is advanced further and the bending operation is S repeated until the programmed shape has been obtained.

o At the end, the cutting device 9 cuts off the wire and the process with the passing through of the wire starts anew, controlled by the control unit 12.

If instead of a wire of round cross-section a strip of steel is used, the process is repeated except in the area of the wire straightener, as straightening is not necessary for strip steel.

Fig. 2 shows a different embodiment of the bending device 6, wherein the round or strip steel is bent around a disk.

In Fig. 2, a stationary roller or a central disk 52 is provided in which there is arranged a groove 55 for accommo- Sdating the round or strip steel.

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0 The round or strip steel to be bent passes in the groove and is bent by a bending roller 53, wherein the bending roller 53 engages on top of the central disk 52 and then pivots in the direction of arrow 54 as shown in Fig. 3, or the bending roller 53 rotates about the stationary central disk 52 and thus bends the round or strip steel at the desired angle.

Fig. 3 illustrates how the bending roller 53 is moved around the circumference of the central disk 52, advantageously by means of a swivel arm, in order to thus angle the round or strip steel.

*0 9 69 to In extension of the bending device, Fig. 1 and especially 0. Figs. 2 and 3 show the cutting device 9 with the back rest 10, which is arranged exactly in extension of a strip guide @600 15 57 for the round or strip steel, so that in this manner the material always passes in the back rest 10 even after a bending operation, and can there easily be cut off by the hydraulically operated scissors above the round or strip S oS steel.

20 It is particularly advantageous that the round or strip steel, also after the bending operation, will always be engaged in the back rest 10 thanks to the strip guide 57, so that in this way the frame bending machine is ensured of sea. trouble-free operation.

Fig. 4 shows how the frame bending machine according to the invention is integrated in an automatic assembly line.

The bending machine 14 at the start of the assembly line is controlled by certain process parameters from the control unit 12, whereby any desired profile can be produced by bending.

SIn particular, rectangular or curved profiles can be pro- //13 duced through microprocessor control of the frame bending I ~Lp7- L- A 11 machine via the control unit 12, in the form of frames which either overlap at the butt ends or in which the ends are butt-joined.

Furthermore, it is possible in particular to bend triangular profiles.

However, it is also possible with this frame bending machine to bend continuous round profiles, especially comprising circumferential curved shapes or angular designs like rosettes or multi-sided profiles. It is also possible to produce coiled profiles or to form rectangular or angular notches in an otherwise straight section of material to be bent.

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o* The frame bending machine 14 of Fig. 4 may optionally be followed by a butt-welding machine 18 or a clamping device.

o* With this frame bending machine it is possible in particular to bend two frames at the same time, i.e. two frames which are placed one above the other, so that in this manner the ~production process is expedited. To this end, the strip steel is fed in in two strands as opposed to in one strand.

The frame bending machine 14 is in particular controlled electronically by means of a microprocessor, so that in this way programs can be entered in a simple manner by means of dialogue (12 seconds), while up to 100 different frame shapes can be stored and retrieved by code number (about 3 seconds).

In the case of round wire, the special wire straightener 2a prevents the frames from being deformed, with operation being free from wear. In this manner, loss of material due to trial adjustments is avoided, i.e. the correct shape is obtained from the very first frame.

Therefore, the frame bending machine 14 of Fig. 4 can be v A ns s easily Lntegrated ou incorporated in an assembly line, so fI f! 12 that the production of the inner spring structures can be readily automated.

The frame bending machine 14 can be easily installed and, in particular, there is no need for conversions for other shapes of frames, i.e. only the program setting in the form of a new code number is changed by pressing a button, in order to be able to produce different frame shapes.

Advantageously, the frame bending machine already has an incorporated hydraulic unit, so that thus a compact construction is obtained.

Due to the special arrangement of the wire straightener 2a in conjunction with the other units of the frame bending machine, in particular the provision of the tension rollers in conjunction with the cutting device in one plane, while 15 the bending device 6 is also disposed in this plane, the frames remain flat even after bending, so that subsequent straightening out can be dispensed with.

e According to Fig. 4, the finished bent frame 15 is removed from the frame bending machine 14 in the direction of arrow 17 by means of two conveyor means 16. The bending machine 14 comprises a centering plate 11 which is directed obliquely downwards and which centers the frame 15 to the conveyor means 16, so that a parallel advance takes place in the 4* direction of arrow 17.

According to the illustration in Fig. 4, the frame 15 is conveyed towards a butt-welding machine 18, where the butt end 19 of the frame is either welded by means of the buttwelding machine 18 or where a clamp 20 is mounted on the butt end 19 which completely surrounds the butt end 19 and thereby closes the frame.

This is an alternative method; either there is provided the butt-welding machine 18 which welds the butt end 19, or -13there is provided a clamping machine which places the clamps around the overlapping ends.

The finished connected frame 15 is conveyed to a feed unit 21 where a plurality of frames 15, 15a, 15b, 15c can be stacked on suitable carriers 22. The adjoining chassis is intended only for when it is desired to process two finished frame sizes without using a bending device.

In this case, the two feed units 21 and the additional feed unit standing next to the feed unit 21 would travel to and fro on the rails and then arrive in each case in opposite position to the further processing device.

In the present case, the feed unit 21 is essential, on which frames 15, 15a, 15b, 15c of different sizes are stacked.

The frame 15 required for the following machine and pointing in the processing direction is taken up by a feed device 22a with carriers 23 engaging into the feed unit 21 and there picking up the required frame. This feed unit 22a is moved on the rails 25 in the direction of arrow 24 and the required frame is placed in a processing station 26 which is arranged at right angles.

The processing station comprises primarily a centering and feed table 27, a clamping table 28 and a table 28a which is a removal station.

The processing station 26 further comprises a turning and conveying device 26 and four clamping heads 30, 31, 32, 32a, the fourth clamping head 32a not being visible, being arranged at the rear left corner of the clamping table 28.

The frame 15, 15a, 15b, 15c is first of all placed horizontally on the clamping table 28 by the feed device 22a via the rails 14 From the centering and feed table 27 come the finished inner spring structures which are to be connected to the frame First of all, each bottom end of each spring is connected to the frame adjoining it by means of clamps, and then the entire inner spring structure clamped at the bottom ends is turned over by means of the turning device 29, and then again all bottom ends of the springs are clamped.

The finished inner spring structure is then moved onto the table 28a and removed in the direction of arrow 33.

Instead of the table 28a, it is also possible to use a conveyor belt on which the finished spring mattresses can be removed.

e* In detail, the processing sequence is as follows: rr o o The inner spring structures without frames are placed onto the centering and feed table 27, the table 27 being provided with stops (not shown) against which the inner spring structure is positioned. After positioning, the inner spring structure is taken up by the conveying device 34 which comprises clamping jaws 35 and which can be displaced in the direction of arrow 36 along the main chassis 38 of the installation.

The inner spring structures taken up by the device 34 are a. *l thus moved onto the clamping table 28, where the frame has already been placed in position. Now the clamping heads 30, 31, 32, 32a come into action, with each spring 40 being clamped at its bottom end 41 to the respective frame 15a by way of a clamp. Each clamping head can be moved in a side, the clamping head 31 being movable in the direction of arrow 42, the clamping head 30 in the direction of arrow 43, the clamping head 32 in the direction of arrow 44 and the clamping head 32a in the opposite direction to arrow 42.

After the bottom ends of the springs 40 have been connected to the frame lying underneath it, the turning device 29 :7 A4.. 15 comes into action, turns the entire mattress over and now the clamping heads connect the top ends 46 of the springs (which are now disposed at the bottom end) to another frame by means of the clamps.

After the clamping connections at the top and bottom sides of the mattress have been completed, the mattress is placed on the delivery table 28a by displacement of the turning and conveying device 29 in the direction of arrow 49, and a new inner spring structure is placed on the clamping table 28 by the conveying device 34, while yet another frame 15c had been placed on the table beforehan, by the feed device 22a.

Accordingly, first of all the feed device 22a placed a single frame e.g. 15a on the table 28 and then an inner spring structure is placed on the table 28 by way of the o 15 feed table 27 with the conveying device 34. Now the springs 40 are clamped to the frame 15a disposed underneath.

When all clamping operations at the underside have been completed, the conveying device 29 is displaced above the table S28a in the direction of arrow 49; there the turning station 20 comes into action, i.e. now the single frame 15a clamped at its underside is turned around the pivot point 50, while in the meantime another frame 15b had already been placed on off*.: S5 the clamping table 28 by means of the feed device 22a.

The now turned over frame is conveyed back with the device 29 and placed on the table 28.

SThe frame 15b now to be clamped is now disposed underneath and is clamped by way of the clamping stations 30, 31, 32, 32a described above, so that now there is a clamped frame 15b at the top and at the bottom with the inner spring structure placed in between.

Now the conveying station 29 comes into action again and moves the finished clamped frame with the inserted inner _I -~il L- -16 spring structure in the direction of arrow 49 onto the delivery table 28a or the conveyor belt used instead of it.

In this interval, a further bottom frame 15c had already been placed on the table 28 by means of the feed device 22a, and by way of the feed table 27 and the conveying device 34 another inner spring structure had again been placed on the bottom frame 15c, whereupon again the clamping operation of the bottom frame as described above takes place.

According to a further development of the present invention, this installation can operate with an even faster synchronized sequence, as follows: In each case two different frames placed in series are connected to an inner spring structure, with only the bottom e sides of these frames being connected to the respective 15 inner spring structure in two successive synchronized steps.

This procedure is as follows: o ~First of all, a frame is placed on the clamping table and the inner spring structure is placed on the frame 15 by means of the conveying device 34. Now the springs 40 are S 20 clamped with their bottom ends 41.

The thus finished frame is moved to the left in the direction of arrow 49 by means of the device 29 above the table 28a and remains there in stand-by position.

AAt the same time, a new frame 15a is placed on the table 28 by the feed device 22a and another inner spring structure is placed on this frame with the conveying device 34, while again the frame 15a is clamped to the bottom ends 41 of the springs Thereupon this second, finished frame is picked up again by /o R, 0 the conveying device 34 and moved above the feed table 27 where it remains in stand-by position.

17 At the same time, the first frame which remained in the stand-by position above the table 28a by means of the conveying means 29 is moved back again, is turned over and placed on the table 28 again in the turned-over position, whereupon another frame 15b is placed on the table by the feed device 22 and the underside is clamped.

The inner spring structure is now completed, is removed and the frame waiting in the stand-by position above table 27, which was only connected to the springs at the underside, is now turned over about the pivot point 51 of the device 34 and is placed on the table 28 in the turned-over position, on which another frame 15c is now placed and now the undersides (previous upper sides) are clamped.

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This is a parallel synchronized operation with in each case 99..

15 two inner spring structures being processed at the same time.

All the functions of the frame bending machine, such as insertion of the strip, bending and cutting, are carried out 9999 ooo hydraulically and ensure trouble-free operation. The length of strip material being fed in is monitored by measuring rollers and controlled by means of a rotor. In simple manner the frame bending radii are produced with different central e disks which are exchanged manually. The bending roller can be adjusted or modified in simple manner from the front *9 without dismantling the surrounding parts.

A potentiometer is provided to control the frame length. The desired frame length can be adjusted by turning the potentiometer. The length and width can also be set by the control unit.

It is also possible to provide the reel 13 with its own drive with a brake means in order to avoid starting inertia or lagging of the plate.

41 I 18 All in all, the assembly line according to the invention with the arrangement of the frame bending machine results in that spring mattresses can be produced automatically in fast sequence, without the need for major manual interventions.

By means of simple programming via a control unit, various sizes of round and strip steel can be processed, with high precision in length and angles being obtained through simple programming by means of code numbers.

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19 Legend of Drawing .4 4 *0 *4 C C 4 4*@4 C. C C C *4*C 4

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*444 4 4 C. C 1 Rotor 2 Rollers 2a Wire straightener 3 Wire 4 Measuring rollers Tension rollers 6 Bending device 7 Stationary axle 8 Pin 9 Cutting device 10 Back rest 11 Centering plate 12 Control unit 13 Reel 14 Frame bending machine 15,15a,15b,15c Frames 16 Feed means 17 Direction of arrow 18 Butt-welding machine 19 Butt end of frame Clamp 21 Feed unit 22 Carrier 22a Feed device 23 Carrier 24 Direction of arrow Rail 26 Processing station device 30 Clamping head 31 Clamping head 32,32a Clamping head 33 Direction of arrow 34 Conveying device 35 Clamping jaws 36 Direction of arrow 38 Main chassis 39 Clamping jaws 40 Spring 41 Bottom end 42 Direction of arrow 43 Direction of arrow 44 Direction of arrow 46 Top end 49 Direction of arrow 50 Pivot point 51 Pivot point 52 Central disk 53 Bending roller 54 Direction of arrow 55 Groove 56 Strip steel 57 Strip guide 27 Centering feed table 28 Clamping table 28a Table 29 Turning and conveying Y2~ .A tl IcC L i

Claims (9)

1. Automatic frame bending machine for bending round or strip steel, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that there are provided a reel (13) from which a wire passes through a wire straightener (2a) comprising a rotor and rollers as well as measuring and tension rollers 5) which are followed by the bending device and a cutting device and a centering plate with hydraulic motors being provided for driving and bending which are controlled by a control unit (12) through a microprocessor. 10

2. Automatic frame bending machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the tension rollers pull the round or strip steel to be straightened through .the rollers of the wire straightener while the rotor arranges the angles of the frame to be bent in one plane by turning the round or strip steel.

3. Automatic frame bending machine according to claim 1, e ;c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the bending device (6) J ,consists of a pin which can swivel about a stationary axle with the round or strip steel to be bent passing 20 between the axle and the pin

4. Automatic frame bending machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the bending device (6) consists of a central disk (52) and a bending roller (53), the central disk (52) having a circumferential groove for accommodating the round or strip steel to be bent, and the bending roller (53) being guided along the outer circumfe- rence of the central disk (52) in accordance with the angle to be bent.

Automatic frame bending machine according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the cutting device (9) is disposed in the area of conveyor means in extension of the bending device against the direction of movement of -21 the bending device while the round or strip steel to be cut passes in a back rest (10) of the cutting device

6. Automatic frame bending device according to claim 1, c har ac te r iz ed i n that the centering plate (11) at the end of the frame bending device is semi-circular in shape and curved upwards.

7. Process for producing spring mattresses, wherein an inner spring structure is provided with a frame both at the top and bottom ends, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that round or strip steel is formed into Crames (15,15a,15b,15c) and is butt-welded at the butt ends or whose overlapping butt ends are clamped and that the frames (15,15a,15b,15c) are subsequently suspended in stacks, and a frame (15) is fed from one direction to a clamping table that an .:15 inner spring structure coming from another direction is 0 00 placed on the frame (15) and is clamped with the frame at its bottom ends by means of clamps, that the clamped inner spring structure is turned over and is placed on 48990 another frame (15) which is also connected to the inner 4404 spring structure by means of clamps, and that the completed inner spring structure is rem~oved in yet another direction.

8. Process according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r j. z e d *i n that, for a fast processing sequence, two frames are produced simultaneously, a first frame (15) being placed on the clamping table (28) and being clamped to the underside of a first inner spring structure, and the first inner spring structure with the first frame (15) being moved in one direction in a stand-by position, that a second inner spring structure is clamped to a second frame (15a) on the clamping table (28) and is moved in another direction in a stand-by position, that the first inner spring structure is turned over and moved back and is clamped to a third frame on the clamping table (28) and removed, and that the second inner spring structure is turned over and moved back 3',and clamped to a fourth frame (15c) on the clamping table 1' (28) and removed. iv0 I. 22

9. Installation for producing spring mattresses wherein an inner spring structure is provided with a frame both at the top and bottom ends, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that, at the start of an assembly line, there is provided in one direction a frame bending machine and a butt-welding machine (18) or a clamping device, and furthermore a feed unit (21) on which the frames (15,15a,15b,15c) are stacked, and a further feed device (22a) to a clamping table (28) in a processing station with a turning and conveying device (29) being arranged above the clamping table in that, from another direction in relation to the clamping table there is provided a conveying device (34) for iinner spring structures, that clamping heads (30,31,32,32a) are arranged on the clamping table that, in yet 15 another direction, a table (28a) is provided for removal via cSo. the turning and conveying device (29). t Installation for producing spring mattresses according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the assembly line is T-shaped, with the frame bending machine 20 (14) being arranged at one end with feed and storage of the frames (15,15a,15b,15c) in one direction and the processing station (26) being arranged in another direction at right angles to the former, while the processing station (26) comprises the clamping table (28) with the clamping heads (30,31,32,32a) and the turning and conveying device (29) in the centre and the conveying device (34) for the inner spring structure and the table (28a) for removal at the sides.