Apparatus for producing bristle products

Abstract

An apparatus for producing bristle products is provided. The apparatus (1) has at least two, preferably redundant, tufting units (3, 4) which can optionally be moved from a setting-up position (7) outside a working chamber (8) of the apparatus (1) into a working position (9) within the working chamber (8) and vice versa, in particular such that, whenever one of the at least two tufting units (3, 4) is arranged in the setting-up position (7), another of the at least two tufting units (3, 4) can be or is arranged in the working position (9).

1 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for producing bristle products ( 2 ), the apparatus comprising:
 a working chamber; and   at least two tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) for tufting bristle bundles ( 5 ) into bristle product bodies ( 6 ), and the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) are alternately movable from a setting-up position ( 7 ) outside a working chamber ( 8 ) into a working position ( 9 ) within the working chamber ( 8 ) and vice versa.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a changing apparatus ( 10 ) configured to change a position of the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) from the setting-up position ( 7 ) into the working position ( 9 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the changing apparatus ( 10 ) includes a rotary unit ( 11 ) on which the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) are arranged. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein, for changing a position between the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) between the working position ( 9 ) and the setting-up position ( 7 ), the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) are rotatable about an axis of rotation ( 12 ). 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , further comprising a linear unit ( 13 ) with which the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) are linearly movable transversely with respect to an axis of rotation ( 12 ) of a of the changing apparatus ( 10 ). 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a docking apparatus ( 15 ) with which the tufting unit ( 3 ,  4 ) located in the working position ( 9 ) is at least one of fixed or aligned in the working position ( 9 ). 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the docking apparatus ( 15 ) has at least one fixing device ( 35 ) at the working position ( 9 ) and in each case at least one corresponding mating fixing device ( 36 ) at each of the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 2 , further comprising a protection device ( 16 ) which bounds the working chamber ( 8 ), the protection device ( 16 ) comprising at least one of a switching-off apparatus, a protective fence, an electronic access boundary, at least one light barrier, or at least one light curtain. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the protection device ( 16 ) is at least one of openable or deactivatable for changing a position of the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ). 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein at least part of the protection device ( 16 ) is arranged between the at least two tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) on the changing apparatus ( 10 ) and, during a movement of the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ), is movable together therewith. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ) are functionally redundant with respect to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein each said tufting unit ( 3 ,  4 ) has at least one of a tufting tool ( 18 ), a tie wire feed apparatus ( 19 ), a bundle-dividing apparatus ( 20 ), or a bristle magazine ( 21 ). 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 12 , wherein at least one tufting tool ( 18 ) comprises an exchangeable pusher tongue ( 22 ). 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a station for at least one of processing or handling at least one of bristle products ( 2 ) or bristle product bodies ( 6 ). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the station is at least one of a tufting station ( 25 ), a milling station ( 26 ), a drilling station ( 23 ), or a handling station ( 27 ). 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transport apparatus ( 28 ) with at least one transport holder ( 29 ) with which at least one of bristle products ( 2 ) or bristle product bodies ( 6 ) are movable within the working chamber ( 8 ) between stations of the apparatus ( 1 ). 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller ( 30 ) for activating at least one of the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ), a changing apparatus ( 10 ), a protection device ( 16 ), at least one of a processing or handling station, or a transport apparatus ( 28 ). 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 , wherein the controller ( 30 ) comprises a data interface ( 31 ) via which the controller ( 30 ) is at least temporarily connectable to a data memory ( 32 ) and/or is configured for reading the data memory ( 32 ). 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 , further comprising a data memory ( 32 ) in which data is stored for retrieval by the controller ( 30 ). 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus ( 1 ) according to  claim 17 , wherein the data comprises at least one of production program data, process parameters, servicing data, maintenance data, setting-up data, or data relating to the tufting units ( 3 ,  4 ).