Other

British Telecommunications Public Limited Company

Rodgers, Paul

Trickett, David

Paul Rodgers

Howard Martin Dixon

Michael J Robertson

David Graham Moodie

David Wake

Michael J Adams

Simon Ritchie

David Trickett

Upholstery tufting apparatus comprises an insertion needle () with an aperture () to receive a tuft for insertion into an article to be upholstered. The tuft is presented to the needle aperture () along a tuft feed axis (). The apparatus has a plurality of tuft strings (), a first string () with tufts of a first length and a second string () with tufts of different second length. The apparatus has one or more tuft feed units, and an actuator operatively connected to said tuft feed unit(s). The first and second tuft strings () are associated with the tuft feed unit(s). A selected one of the tuft feed unit(s) is actuatable by the actuator to align one of the first and second strings () with the tuft feed axis () according to the length of tuft required to be inserted into an article to be upholstered. A method for tufting an upholstered article employing said apparatus is also described.

Multi-length tuft feeder

Apparatus and methods for use in the manufacture of a spring unit for incorporation into an upholstered article, for example, a mattress, cushion or the like. Coil formation apparatus includes a drive shaft to control movement of a coil pitch guide member and a link member comprising a connecting rod adjustably connected to a radius arm of the drive shaft. A coil interlinking process comprises compressing a first coil to define a clearance, extending a second coil passed the first coil via the clearance, allowing the first coil to extend across the clearance, and contracting the second coil to engage the first coil thereby interlinking the first and second coils. Spring unit manufacturing apparatus comprises a plurality of jaw pairs each comprising a first fixed jaw and a pivotal second jaw, the pivotal second jaw being pivoted by a cam and linkage assembly operated by a rotary drive shaft.

Apparatus and method for the manufacture of a spring unit

Apparatus and methods for use in the manufacture of a spring unit for incorporation into an upholstered article, for example, a mattress, cushion or the like. Coil formation apparatus includes a drive shaft used to control movement of a coil pitch guide member and a link member comprising a connecting rod connected to a radius arm of the drive shaft by means of an adjustable connection. A coil interlinking process comprises compressing a first coil to define a clearance extending a second coil passed the first coil via the clearance, allowing the first coil to extend across the clearance, and contracting the second coil such that the second coil engages the first coil thereby interlinking the first and second coils. Spring unit manufacturing apparatus comprises a plurality of jaw pairs each comprising a first fixed jaw and a pivotal second jaw, the pivotal second jaw being pivoted by a cam and linkage assembly that is operated by a rotary drive shaft.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the automatic insertion of an individual upholstery tuft () and washer () from a plurality of connected tufts () and a plurality of connected washers () into an upholstered article. The apparatus has a cutting blade () to separate an individual tuft () from the plurality of connected tufts (). The turf () is then engaged by a pair of arms () and fed into a tuft insertion needle (). The arms are connected to automatic washer feed apparatus which feeds an individual washer () from the plurality of connected washers () and aligns it with the tuft insertion needle () ready for insertion. The insertion needle () is pneumatically actuated to force the tuft () through the washer (), into the upholstered article, release the tuft () and subsequently withdraw the needle () from the article.

Automatic tufting method and apparatus therefor

A mattress support table with conveyor receives a mattress from a feed conveyor. The support table then indexes to a central position whereat a sewing machine passes around the periphery to sew the uppermost fabric panel to the border panel. The table then indexes to the exit conveyor and discharges the sewn mattress to be turned over, whereupon the mattress is returned to the support table to sew a bottom fabric panel. The table conveyor may be moved with a sewing machine so that an edge of the mattress is presented to the table periphery thereby allowing the sewing machine access to the edge.

Mattress production including moveable mattress support sewing table

High speed optical switching device including a capacitance structure

An opto-electronic device, comprising an optical waveguide and means for imposing an electrical field in a direction transverse to the waveguide, is designed such that the spatial spread of the electrical field is very small. The electrical field overlies the region of peak amplitude of the profile of optical radiation in the waveguide. Constructed principally out of semiconductor materials made from elements selected from the III and V groups of the Periodic Table, the device lends itself to monolithic integration in optical communications systems.

Growing community of inventors

Bacup, United Kingdom

Paul Rodgers