Apparatus for mattress manufacture

Claim 2

A mattress core manufacturing apparatus for making a core unit out of an assembly of coiled wire springs having a pair of spaced end coils representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a support for holding said assembly, said support mounted on the frame for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; a plurality of needles mounted on said frame, said needles being thrust through said assembly between said top and bottom faces thereof upon reciprocation of said support relative said frame; an intermediate needle guide assembly mounted on said frame spaced from said support for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; a drive means operatively attached to said support for reciprocal movement thereof; a plurality of needle guide bushings mounted on said support and intermediate needle guide assembly; and said needle guide bushings including a bushing surface for said needles to prevent said needles from bending as the support reciprocates relative to said frame and said needles are thrust through the assembly held by said support.

Claim 3

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprising a linear bearing means including a rail means and pillow block means, said pillow block means slidably engaging said rail means, and said support mounted on said frame with said linear bearing means for reciprocal movement of said support relative to said frame.

Claim 5

An apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said drive means comprises a fluid pressure actuated cable cylinder, said cable cylinder including a cable means, and said support being attached to said cable means for reciprocal movement relative to said frame upon actuation of said cable cylinder.

Claim 6

A mattress core manufacturing apparatus for making a core unit out of an assembly of coiled wire springs having a pair of spaced end coils representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a support for holding said assembly, said support mounted on the frame for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; at least two needles mounted on said frame, said needles being thrust through said assembly between the top and bottom faces thereof upon reciprocation of said support relative to said frame; an intermediate needle guide assembly mounted on said frame spaced from said support for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; a fluid pressure actuated cable cylinder, said cable cylinder including a cable means being attached to said support for reciprocal movement of said support relative to said frame upon actuation of said cable cylinder; needle guide bushings mounted on said support and said intermediate needle guide assembly, said needle guide bushings including a support surface circumscribing said needles to prevent said needles from bending as the support reciprocates relative to said frame and said needles are thrust through said assembly held by said support; and linear bearing means including a rail means vertically mounted on said frame, and pillow blocks mounted on said support and said intermediate guide assembly for reciprocal movement of said support and intermediate guide assembly along said frame and said rail means upon actuation of said cable cylinder.

Claim 7

A mattress core manufacturing apparatus for making a core unit out of an assembly of coiled wire springs having a pair of spaced end coils representing the top and bottom faces of the assembly, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a support for holding said assembly, said support mounted on the frame for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; at least two needles mounted on said frame, said needles being thrust through said assembly between the top and bottom faces thereof upon reciprocation of said support relative to said frame; an intermediate needle guide assembly mounted on said frame spaced from said support for reciprocal movement relative to said frame; a fluid pressure actuated cable cylinder, said cable cylinder including a cable means being attached to said support for reciprocal movement of said support relative to said frame upon actuation of said cable cylinder; needle guide bushings mounted on said support and said intermediate needle guide assembly, said needle guide bushings including a support surface circumscribing said needles to prevent said needles from bending as the support reciprocates relative to said frame and said needles are thrust through said assembly held by said support; and linear bearing means including a rail means vertically mounted on said frame, and pillow blocks mounted on said support and said intermediate guide assembly for reciprocal movement of said support and intermediate guide assembly along said frame and said rail means upon actuation of said cable cylinder.

Claim 8

An apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said rail means includes a shaft support rail and shaft affixed thereto, and said shaft extending through said pillow blocks.