Device for feeding an apparatus for applying tufting straps to a mattress with tufting strap backing disks

Abstract

A device for feeding an apparatus for applying tufting straps to a mattress with disks for backing the tufting straps, the device comprising a support, a channel which is formed in the support for guiding at least one tape unwound from a reel in order to form the backing elements of the tufting straps of the mattress, the channel having an outlet connected to the apparatus, an advancement element for the advancement of the tape along the channel by a preset step, and a cropping element for cropping the tape at each step and forming disks whose length substantially matches the step.

1 . A device for feeding an apparatus for applying tufting straps to a mattress with disks for backing the tufting straps, comprising: a support; a channel which is formed in said support for guiding at least one tape unwound from a reel in order to form backing elements for the tufting straps of the mattress, said channel having an outlet connectable to the apparatus; advancement means for providing advancement of said at least one tape along said channel by a step with a preset extension; and cropping means for cropping said at least one tape at each step so as to form said disks with a length that substantially matches said step extension.  
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said advancement means for the advancement of the tape comprise: a slider, which is composed of a sliding block, that is slideable in said channel, and of an elastic lamina, that is fixed on said sliding block at a distance therefrom such as to form a passage which allows said tape to pass between said lamina and said sliding block; first actuation means for imparting to said slider an advancement stroke toward said cropping means and a return stroke; and second actuation means, which are fitted on said slider for acting on said elastic lamina in order to flex the lamina against said sliding block and clamp said tape against said sliding block during the advancement stroke of said slider, so as to draw said tape toward said cropping means.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , comprising: a block which is fixed to, and at a distance from said sliding block and is guided in said channel, one end of said elastic lamina being rigidly coupled to said block and cantilevering out toward said cropping means, said block forming with said sliding block said passage for said tape; a first fluid-operated actuator, which acts between said block and said support parallel to said channel; and a second fluid-operated actuator, which is mounted on said block and acts on said elastic lamina.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein said cropping means comprise: a stationary blade; a movable blade, said movable blade being mounted on said support so as to be oscillatable on a plane which is perpendicular to said channel; and blade actuation means for actuating said movable blade between a position in which the movable blade is spaced from said stationary blade, in order to allow the advancement of the tape, and a lowered position for cropping a disk from said tape; and elastic means being provided in order to retain the stationary and movable blades in functional contact.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4 , comprising a cutting unit provided downstream of said cropping means for forming notches on respetive sides of said tape at a cropping line of said disks.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein said cutting unit comprises a pair of cutters, and a pair of complementary cutters, said cutters being perpendicular to said channel and arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to a centerline plane, and cooperating with the pair of complementary cutters, which are located so as to crop lateral edges of said tape and form mutually opposite ones of said notches at said cropping line of the disks.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , comprising: respective bodies; a plate, to which said bodies are fixed, said plate being rigidly coupled to said base plate; members which form guides for said cutters that are fixed to said bodies, said pair of complementary cutters being fitted on said respective bodies.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , comprising respective fluid-operated actuators, which act between said cutters and said members for actuating said cutters.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said cutters have recesses, which form cutting profiles which cooperate with cutting profiles of said complementary cutters.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein said bodies are adjustable on said plate with respect to said centerline plane.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 6 , comprising: a piercing needle for insertion of the tufting straps; a fluid-operated actuator; a contrast unit arranged downstream of said cropping means, said constrast unit comprising a slider provided with an open slot, the slider being slideable in guides of said base plate, and being movable by way of said fluid-operated actuator between an advanced position for supporting a disk cropped by said cropping unit and for contrasting said needle and a release position, which allows the tufting strap inserted through the disk in the mattress to disengage from said slider by way of said open slot.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , comprising an auxiliary needle associated with the mattress piercing needle and arranged between said cutters so as to provide a preliminary hole in a region of said tape from which the disk is to be cropped.