Patent US4043729A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4043729A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles
Assignee: TEXTILFORM SA
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Filing: 1976-02-09
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Granted: 1977-08-23
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Expires: 1996-02-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for hot shaping vehicle floor carpets has a plurality of presses mounted on a slow-moving turntable which carries operators and which can have a central rotary distributor for distributing pressure fluid from a stationary source to actuators on the presses.
Inventors
- 👤 Antonio Paracchi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 10:23
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C51/00; B29C51/26; B29C51/261; B29C51/262; B29C51/14; B29C51/145; B29C51/18; B29C51/20; B29C51/22; B29C51/30; B29C51/32; B60; B60N; B60N3/00; B60N3/04; B60N3/048; B29C51/08; B29C51/082; B29L; B29L2031/00; B29L2031/30; B29L2031/3005; B29L2031/732; B29L2031/7322
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
On a factory floor, apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising: a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis, the turntable having a flat top surface for carrying operators, which top surface is not more than one step up or down from the factory floor; means for rotating the turntable at a slow speed; a plurality of operator-controlled presses mounted on the turntable, each press comprising a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape, and at least one pressure fluid actuator for closing the press; supply pipes for supplying pressure fluid to the actuators of the presses; and a rotary distributor on the axis of the turntable and connected to the pressure fluid supply pipes for the press actuators, for connecting the supply pipes to a stationary supply of pressure fluid; whereby unshaped floor coverings can be supplied to the turntable from one station, be shaped by the presses while the turntable rotates, and be removed from the turntable at another station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
On a factory floor, apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising: a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis, the turntable having a flat top surface for carrying operators, which top surface is not more than one step up or down from the factory floor; means for rotating the turntable at a slow speed; a plurality of operator-controlled presses mounted on the turntable, each press comprising a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape, and at least one pressure fluid actuator for closing the press; supply pipes for supplying pressure fluid to the actuators of the presses; and a rotary distributor on the axis of the turntable and connected to the pressure fluid supply pipes for the press actuators, for connecting the supply pipes to a stationary supply of pressure fluid; whereby unshaped floor coverings can be supplied to the turntable from one station, be shaped by the presses while the turntable rotates, and be removed from the turntable at another station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the presses comprises at least one liquid-cooled or liquid-heated die, the die being connected to the rotary distributor by supply and return pipes, and the rotary distributor being for connecting the die to a stationary supply and a stationary return of the coolant or heating liquid.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turntable is mounted on a factory floor and the distributor is suspended from above the turntable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is adjacent the turntable heating means for heating tools for forming holes in the floor coverings while the floor coverings are in the respective presses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of operator-controlled presses each of which has a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape and means for closing the dies, at least one of the presses having along at least two opposite sides thereof means for engaging the respective edge portions of the floor covering and applying substantial tension thereto during press closure, the engaging means comprising smooth-faced jaws positioned adjacent only one of the dies, for gripping the edge portions of the floor covering, the apparatus further comprising means for applying a predetermined gripping force to the jaws, whereby said force can be predetermined such that the floor covering is drawn between the jaws during press closure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
134 words
Apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of operator-controlled presses each of which has a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape and means for closing the dies, at least one of the presses having along at least two opposite sides thereof means for engaging the respective edge portions of the floor covering and applying substantial tension thereto during press closure, the engaging means comprising smooth-faced jaws positioned adjacent only one of the dies, for gripping the edge portions of the floor covering, the apparatus further comprising means for applying a predetermined gripping force to the jaws, whereby said force can be predetermined such that the floor covering is drawn between the jaws during press closure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the jaws have gripping surfaces which are at right angles to the direction in which the edge portion of the floor covering is drawn during press closure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of operator-controlled presses each of which has a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape and means for closing the dies, at least one of the presses having along at least two opposite sides thereof means for engaging the respective edge portions of the floor covering and applying substantial tension thereto during press closure, the engaging means engaging the floor covering without substantial slippage on pressure closure and comprising a respective flexible member which extends along the side of the press, a plurality of closely adjacent grippers mounted on the flexible member, and tension springs connected to the flexible member and biasing the flexible member and the grippers in a direction away from the press.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
140 words
Apparatus for shaping floor coverings for the interiors of vehicles, the apparatus comprising a plurality of operator-controlled presses each of which has a female die and a male die for hot-shaping the floor coverings to impart thereto a three-dimensional shape and means for closing the dies, at least one of the presses having along at least two opposite sides thereof means for engaging the respective edge portions of the floor covering and applying substantial tension thereto during press closure, the engaging means engaging the floor covering without substantial slippage on pressure closure and comprising a respective flexible member which extends along the side of the press, a plurality of closely adjacent grippers mounted on the flexible member, and tension springs connected to the flexible member and biasing the flexible member and the grippers in a direction away from the press.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the flexible member comprises at least one link chain having flexibility in the plane in which the floor covering is drawn and substantially no flexibility in the plane at right angles thereto.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the flexible member comprises two said link chains, the chains being parallel and closely adjacent and the grippers being provided by gripper elements mounted on the chains and engaging the floor covering therebetween, the apparatus further comprising means for moving the chains apart and means for holding the chains together to engage the floor covering.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said means for moving the chains apart comprise means pivotally interconnecting the chains at spaced positions therealong, about pivot axes generally parallel to the direction in which the chains extend.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
103 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the female die or the male die of at least one of the presses comprises a subsidiary part movable at right angles to the main closure motion of the female and male dies, and actuator means for moving the subsidiary part relative to the remainder of the die, whereby the press has a two-part closure motion, the female and male dies being closed in a first part of the motion, and, in a second part of the motion, the subsidiary part of said at least one die being moved to complete the closure of the press.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-22 | 1981-02-21 | 1981-08-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-22 | 1985-02-21 | 1985-08-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-22 | 1989-02-21 | 1989-08-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |