US3364726A - Carpet testing machine - Google Patents

Description

1968 J. K BONHAM 3,364,726

CARPET TESTING MACHINE Filed May 11, 1966 INVENTOR JAMES K. BONHAM fmww ' ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,726 (ZAREPET TESTIYG MACHINE James K. Eonharn, Huntington Mills, ?a., assiguor to The Magee Qarpet Company, Bioomshurg, P2,, a corporation of Fennsylvania Filed May 11, 196-5, Ser. No. 543,345 6 Claims. (Cl. 73-7) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLGSURE An apparatus for testing the wearability of a carpet seam including a stand for supporting pieces of carpet joined together in abutting relation and reciprocating means for moving a swiveled caster wheel back and forth along the seam of the carpet. The stand having means at each end for clamping the pieces of carpet with the scam in alinement with the caster wheel and means for partially turning the swiveled caster wheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

This invention relates to a carpet testing machine particularly designed for testing the wearability of carpet seams bonded with a hot melt process.

The device is designed for use with the testing machine disclosed in application Ser. No. 360,643 filed Apr. 17, 1964, now Patent No. 3,286,505, wherein a stand hava flat top for suporting the carpet is provided with rocker arms on opposite sides W ich support a friction bar extending across the top of the stand in frictional contact with the carpet. The present invention includes a bar having a swiveled caster wheel, mounted intermediate its ends, the bar being mounted in the slots in the upper ends of the rocker arms in place of the friction bar shown in the above application. The pieces of carpet having their abutting edges bonded together are placed on the top of the stand with the seam disposed beneath the caster wheel, the wheel being held in frictional contact with the seam by tensioning means applied to the bar. Clamping bars at the ends of the top firmly secure the carpet in place and each clamping bar is provided with a bumper bar adapted to contact the extended ends of the axle of the caster wheel to impart a partial turn to the caster Wheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle of the caster wheel as it moves back and forth along the seam.

It is an object of the invention to provide a swiveled caster wheel movable back and forth along the seam of the carpet being tested, means for holding the caster wheel in frictional contact with the carpet and means for imparting a partial turn to the caster wheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following specification.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the machine,

FIG. 2 is atop plan view of the same,

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, and,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes a metal stand having a smooth metal top 6 supported at each corner by a vertical leg 7. A pair of rocker arms 3 are disposed on opposite sides of the stand which are connected together to move in unison. The rocker arms are oscillated back and forth by suitable mechanism, such as disclosed in the application referred to above. The upper ends of the rocker arms extend above the top 6 and are bifurcated, as at 9, to provide open ended slots to receive the ends of a bar 11! extending transversely across the top 6. The bar is freely movable in the slots being guided in its movement by rollers 11 mounted on the inner face of the rocker arms in frictional contact with the bar. Angle brackets 12 are attached to the sides of the bar for contact with the outer face of the rocker arms to hold the bar against longitudinal movement. Springs 13 for exerting a downward pull on the bar have one end attached to the ends of the bar by a pin 14 and their other end attached to the outer face of the rocker arms by a pin 15, below and in vertical alinement with the slots. The bar is provided intermediate its ends with a laterally projecting plate 16 which supports a swivel caster wheel 17 having a stud 13 extending upwardly through the plate rotatably connecting the caster wheel to the plate. The axle 19 rotatably supporting the wheel of the caster has each end extended beyond the wheel to provide bumper pins 20. The caster wheel is normally held in rolling contact with the surface of the top 6 by the tension of the springs 13 on the bar 16.

t each end of the top 6 in parallel relation to the bar it is a clamping bar 21, of angular shape in cross section, which is attached to the top by adjusting screws 22 for raising and lowering the clamping bars. The pieces of carpet 23 to be tested are placed on the top 6 with the edges to be tested in abutting relation and in alinement with the caster wheel. The pieces of carpet are held in fixed position by the clamping bars and projecting laterally from each clamping bar are bumper lates 24 which are in alignment with opposite bumper pins 20 for engagement with the bumper pins at the end of each reciprocating cycle of the rocker arms so as to partially turn the caster wheel around. Frictional contact between the caster wheel and carpet causes the wheel to complete the turn as it travels through the return cycle. The bumper plates 24 are adjustably mounted for sideways adjustment on the clamping bars to vary the extent of the turn given to the caster wheel.

in order to test the wearability of carpet seams bonded with a hot melt process, the pieces of carpet have their abutting edges joined together by applying hot melt sealing materials to the edges. The pieces of carpet are placed on the top 6 with the seam in alignment with the caster wheel 17 and held in position by the clamping bars 21. Upon oscillating the rocker arms 5 the caster wheel is reciprocated back and forth along the seam of the carpet pieces and at the end of each reciprocating cycle the caster wheel is turned around. The pressure of the caster wheel on the carpet varies due to the tension of the springs 13 on the bar It The constant reciprocation of the caster wheel along the seam of the carpet determines the wearability of the seam and the ability of the bonding material to withstand unraveling of the carpet at the seams.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A carpet seam testing machine comprising a stand for supporting pieces of carpet joined together in abutting relation, 21 caster wheel in Contact with the seam of the carpet having an upright stud pivotally mounting the caster Wheel to turn in a circular path over the carpet and means for reciprocating said caster wheel along the seam of the carpet.

2. A machine as described in claim 1 including means on said stand to artially turn said caster upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

3. A machine as described in claim 1 wherein the axle of said caster wheel projects beyond the sides of said wheel, and a bumper bar is disposed at each end of said stand in alinement with the projecting end of the axle of said caster wheel for imparting a partial turn to said wheel upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

1. A machine as described in claim 1 including clamping bars each end of said stand for holding the pieces of carpet with the scam in alinement with said caster wheel and bumpers carried by said clamping bars adapted as 3 to partially turn said caster wheel in a horizontal direction upon completion of each reciprocating cycle.

5. A machine as described in claim 1 wherein said reciprocating means includes a bar extending transversely above the carpet seam for supporting said caster wheel and means exerting a downward pressure on said bar to hold said caster Wheel in frictional contact with the carpet seam.

6. A machine as describd in claim 5 wherein said reciprocating means includes oscillating rocker arms at the sides of said stand having slots in their upper ends to slidably support the ends of said bar and said means for exerting a downward pressure on said bar are springs 4. having one end connected to the ends of said bar and the other end connected to said rocker arms below said slots.

10 LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner.

DAVID SCHONBERG, Examiner.

I. NOLTON, Assistant Examiner.

Images