US3246931A - Wound brush and apparatus for making same - Google Patents

Description

April 19, 1966 H; w. K. ENCHELMAlER-ETAL 3,246,931

WOUND BRUSH AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME Filed Nov. 1, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR5 R m N HARVARD WK ENCHELMH/EQ WILL/HM F. ENcHELMH/ER BY mwm HTTOENE Y Aprll 1966 H. w. K. ENCHELMAIER ETAL 3,246,931

WOUND BRUSH AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME Filed Nov. 1, 1963 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 f W 49 45 42 k4 SI 2 y INVENTORS HARVHED W/(Eumammse WILL/HM F. ENCHELMfl/EE ATT RNEY April 19, 1966 H. w. K. ENCHELMAIER ETAL 4 WOUND BRUSH AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME Filed Nov. 1, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 (z m W Q INVENTORS HARvn/w W K. ENCHELMQ/ER WILL/QM FT ENCHELMH/El? 4 TTOQNEY United States Patent 3,246,931 WOUND BRUSH AND APPARATUS FOR MAX-INS SAME Harvard W. K. Enchelmaier and William F. Enchelmaier, Great Notch, NJ. (both Industrial Brush Co., Inc., 105 Clinton Road, West Caldwell, NJ.)

Filed Nov. 1, .1963, Ser. No. 320,635 Claims. (Cl. 309-4) This invention relates to a novel brush wherein tufts of bristles are held between turns or convolutions of one or more bristle holding strands, cords or the like helically wound on the brush core, and to a novel apparatus for making such brush.

The apparatus of the present invention represents an improvement over that disclosed in Enchelmaier Patent No. 2,701,739, issued February 7, 1955. In the apparatus of such prior patent bristles are fed substantially continuously onto a rotating core or arbor of a brush by a bristle feeding or picker wheel which has a plurality of narrow slots in its periphery separated by unslotted zones having substantially the same width as the slots. The bristles are fed in such a manner that their roots are gripped between successive turns of the strands or cords, the in-feeding strands or cords themselves being employed to drive the feeding or picker wheel. It has been found that whereas the apparatus of such prior patent is wholly satisfactory for the making of brushes wherein bristles are disposed completely about the brush and substantially fill all of the spaces between successive turns of the strands or cords, such apparatus has serious disadvantages and cannot as a practical matter be employed successfully in the making of patterned brushes, wherein separate tufts of bristles are spaced from each other between successive turns of the strand or cord in a predetermined pattern. Typical ofsuch patterned brush is one having a plurality of parallel angularly spaced helical rows of bristles disposed about the brush arbor. In such type of brush, which is employed in a wide variety of applications such as in textile finishing, it is necessary that the tufts of bristles be uniformly spaced if the brush is to yield a satisfactory uniformly brushed product.

The apparatus of the prior patent drives the bristle feeding or picker wheel solely by reason of engagement of the strands or cords with a serrated friction wheel in contact therewith, the strands in turn being drawn forwardly by being wound up upon .the brush arbor. It has been found that the bristle feeding wheel of such prior apparatus will vary in speed in small but significant amounts with variations in the character of the cords, variations in the back tensions imposed upon the cords and thus the force with which they engage the serrated wheel driving the bristle feeding wheel, variations in the diameters of the cords, and variations in the manner in which the cords lie upon'each other and are wound upon the arbor. In connection with the last cause of variation in speed of the bristle feeding wheel, it has been found that when two or more cords are employed, one superimposed upon the other, the two cords travel at different speeds onto the arbor because of the difference in effective diameter of the surfaces upon which they are wound. Consequently, the bristle feeding driving wheel does not as a matter of fact rotate at the same peripheral speed as either of the cords; instead it is driven at a speed which lies somewhere between the speeds of feeding of the two cords, the serrated wheel engaging the cords necessarily slipping with respect to both of the cords.

The apparatus of the present invention removes all of the above described variables from the speed at which the bristle feeding wheel is driven. In addition, it permits the speed of driving of such bristle feeding wheel 3,246,931 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 to be made independent of the speeds of the feeding of the cord or cords onto the brush arbor, and to be independently controlled so as to permit the formation of spirally wound tufted brushes having the tufts disposed in an infinite variety of patterns. In the further modified construction of the brush making apparatus of the invention, the speed of the bristle feeding wheel is automatically controlled, as by being made a function of the longitudinal position of the bristle feeding wheel relative to the brush arbor. Such apparatus, once it has been started, is free from operator attention while producing brushes having its tufts disposed in variable helical patterns such, for example, as a herringbone pattern.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a novel helically wound brush wherein separate spaced tufts of bristles are retained upon the brush arbor by one or more helically wound .strands or cords, and in which the spaced bristle tufts are disposed upon the brush arbor in a desired predetermined pattern.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel brush making apparatus for making brushes of the above indicated character, wherein the speed of feeding of bristles onto the brush arbor and thus the spacing of bristle tufts thereon is made independent of the speed of feeding of the bristle retaining strands or cords onto the brush arbor.

Still a further object of the invention is the provision of brush making apparatus for making spirally wound brushes wherein the speed of feeding of the bristles onto the brush arbor is made readily variable within wide limits, whereby to permit an operator to vary at will the speed of feeding of bristles onto the brush arbor and/ or to correct deviations of such feeding from a predetermined desired rate thereof.

Yet another object of the invention, in one of the herein disclosed preferred embodiments thereof, resides in the provision of a brush making apparatus for producing spirally wound brushes which includes means for automatically varying the speed of feeding of bristles to the brush arbor whereby to produce brushes having bristle tufts disposed thereon in a pattern which varies in a predetermined manner.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description when the same is read in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts through the several views,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of an illustrative embodiment of spirally wound brush in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in front perspective of a first embodiment of brush making apparatus in accordance with the invention, such apparatus being shown employed in making the brush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical cross-section through a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the section being taken in the vicinity of the means for applying the bristle retaining strands or cords and the bristles to the brushcore, the section being taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section through the apparatus in the vicinity of the zone in which bristles are applied to the brush core, the section being taken along the broken section line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view in bottom plan of the cord and bristle applying wheel, the view being taken from a point of view along line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a second embodiment of spirally wound brush, specifically a herringbone brush, in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vie-w in front perspective of a second embodiment of brush making apparatus in accordance with the invention, such apparatus including means for automatically varying the speed of the bristle feeding Wheel in accordance with a predetermined program;

FIG. 8 is a view in bottom plan of the bristle feeding wheel employed in the embodiment of apparatus shown in FIG. 7.

A spiral brush 10, shown in FIG. 1, is one of many types which may be produced by the apparatus of FIGS. Zto 5, inclusive. As there shown, brush 10' has a core or arbor in the form of a tube 11, the bristles 13 being disposed upon the arbor 11 in parallel helical rows 12.

.Each row of bristles is formed of a plurality of bristles 13 projecting generally radially of the arbor 11. I The bristles are retained upon the arbor by having the roots thereof gripped between the successive turns or convolutions of two cords 15 and 16 which are wound with cord 16 on top of cord 15, the superimposed cords being wound-about the brush arbor in a helical manner. During the feeding of the cords and bristles onto the brush arbor, the cords and thus the roots of the bristles in contact therewith are impregnated with a curable resin. After the brush has been fully wound and the ends of .the cords have been secured to the arbor by collars, of

which one is shown at 17, applied to the arbor at the ends of the bristle rows, the brush is subjected to heat so as to curethe resin and secure the cords and bristles to the arbor.

In both embodiments of brush making apparatus shown, the basic structure thereof may conveniently take .the form of a lathe, generally designated by the reference character 19. Such lathe includes parallel ways 20 on its bed, and a head stock 21 carrying a chuck 22. The head stock is connected to a drive shaft 23 which is rotatably driven by a belt 24 running over a pulley keyed to shaft 23 and extending to a suitable prime mover, not shown. Slidable longitudinally of the ways 20 is a carriage, generally designated 25, such carriage being constantly urged to the left, as the apparatus is shown in FIG. 2, by means such as a weight 26 which is connected to the carriage through the medium of a cable 27. Cable 27 extends over a guide sheave 29 affixed to the bed of the lathe, and is connected to the carriage as shown in FIG. 2..

The core or arbor 11 of the brush is secured at one end by the chuck 22 and rotates therewith, the arbor 11 being rotatably carried by a bushing 30 aflixed to the left hand end of the carriage '25 (FIG. 5), such bushing serving as a slidable outboard bearing for the brush arbor.

As shown in FIG. 2, the carriage 2-5 is made up of 7 two plate portions: a rear plate portion 31 remote from the reader, and a forward plate portion 32 nearer the reader in FIG. 2. The upper surfaces of such plates 31, 32 are disposed horizontally and lie substantially flush with the upper surface of the brush core or arbor 11. Plates 3 1, 32 are joined by bridge members spanning the brush core so as not to interfere therewith, one such bridge member being shown at 34 in FIG; 2, where it is shown as being joined to the plates by studs. Plate portions 31, 32 are further connected at'the left- (FIG. 2) by means of a bridge member 35 which has a brush core engaging bore the-rethrough disposed as a continuation of the bore through the above-mentioned bushing member 30. Bridge member 34 is also secured to the plates 31, 32 by studs of which one is shown at 36 in FIG. 5. The carriage structure 25 is supported upon ways 20 of the apparatus by means of the guiding supporting members 37 afiixed to the bottom of plate 12. The bushing 30, previously described, is secured to the bridge member 34 by being positioned in a seat 39 in the left hand edge of the latter, as shown in FIG. 5. Bush- V nected to the shaft as by being keyed thereto.

4 ing 39 is terminated at its top in a plane flush with the top of the brush arbor or core 11, as indicated at 49, to accommodate the cord guiding and bristle feeding wheel structure generally designated 41 and shown more particularly in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

The apparatus of the first illustrative embodiment of the present invention includes a bristle feeding wheel 62 which is positioned on the carriage25 in such position as to feed the cord entering upon the brush core in a direction tangential to the helix which such cor-d assumes when it is wrapped upon the core. The axis of such bristle feeding wheel 62 accordingly lies generally normal to the axis of the brush core, the axis of such wheel preferably substantially intersecting the. axis of the core as shown, the wheel being positioned closely adjacent one side of the core.

The bristle feeding wheel, its manner of support, and the means by which it is driven are more clearly shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5. As there shown, there is provided a top horizontal member 42 which is secured to the carriage plate member 32 by means of a bolt 44 (FIG. 3) which has positioned thereabout a spacer sleeve 45. Member 42 is further secured to plate member 32 by means of a stud 46 having a spacer sleeve 47 telescoped thereover. Stud 46 is screwed into a lower wheel supporting member 49 which lies above and parallel to table member 32. Member 49 is further supported on the table member 32 by means of an interposed supporting spacer member 50 integral with member 49. Members 42 and 43 carry journalled there-between a right hand vertical shaft 51 which carries a sheave 52 keyed to the top thereof and lying above member 42. To the left of sheave 52 there is positioned an idler sheave 54 which is supported on member 42 by means of a stub axle 55. A left hand vertical shaft 56 is likewise journalled in supporting members 42 and 49. Shaft 56 carries on the top thereof a further sheave 57 keyed thereto. Both shafts 51 and 56 are supported at the bottom thereof by ball bearings mounted in the lower supporting member 49. Shafts 51 and 56 are drivingly connected by means of a V-belt 59 which is entrained around sheaves 5-2 and '57, the belt being tensioned by means of the idler sheave 54.

Shaft 51 carries on the bottom end thereof, below member 49, a sprocket 60 and a V-grooved sheave e1 subsequently to be more particularly described as to function. Shaft 56 carries on the bottom thereof, below member 49, the bristle feeding or picker wheel 62 con- Depending centrally from the picker wheel 6-2 is a stub shaft 64 having an idle cord guiding pulley '65 rotatably supported thereon through the medium of a ball bearing 66. The periphery of the pulley 67 is smooth, the pulley serving only to guide the cords running there-over as they approach the brush core, the bristle feeding or picker wheel 62 being driven in the following manner.

As shown in FIG. 2, afiixed to the shaft 23 which drives the chuck 2-2 is a sprocket 7t) which thus turns in synchronism with the shaft. A variable speed changing mechanism 71, which preferably is of the infinitely variable type, is driven by the sprocket 70' through the medium of a chain 72 entrained over such sprocket and an input drive sprocket 74 of the speed changer. Such speed changer has an output shaft 75, the speed of which relative'to shaft 23 may be changed in infinite degrees by suitable adjustment of a control crank 76. Mechanism 71 may be, for example, one in which a belt is entrained between two V-pulleys, the effective diameter of the two V-pulleys changed inversely with respect to each other by the turning of crank 76-.

The output shaft 75 of the speed changer 71 is connected through a'suitable coupling 77 to a shaft 79 which 79, which may be of splined construction of square in section drivingly cooperates with a first bevel gear 81 of a gear set '82 which is mounted on a suitable extension 84 of the rear portion 31 of the carriage 25. Thus the gear set moves with the carriage while maintaining driving relationship with the shaft 79. A second bevel gear 85 of the gear set 82 is keyed to a vertical shaft 86 which is journalled in the extension 84 of the carriage. Shaft 86 is drivingly connected to the above mentioned shaft 5-6, as in a one-to-one ratio, by means of a chain 87 entrained over sprockets 89 and 90 which are keyed to shafts 56 and 86, respectively. With such construction the peripheral speed of the bristle feeding wheel 62 is independent of the speed of feeding of the cords 15 and 16 onto the arbor 11 of the brush, and is dependent only upon the adjusted ratio of the speeds of rotation of the shafts 23' and 75.

The configuration of the periphery of the bristle feeding wheel 6-2 employed in forming the brush shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is more particularly shown in FIG. 5. As there shown, wheel 62 has a plurality of substantially uniformly angularly spaced notches 91 disposed thereabout, notches 9-1 being separated by smooth surfaced unslotted portions 92 of the wheel lying on the circular periphery thereof. Each group of notches 91, which hold a predetermined quantity of bristles as the bristles are fed toward the core of the brush, sub-tends an angle which is a small fraction of the angle sub-tended by each of the unslotted peripheral zones 9-2 of the wheel. As will be apparent hereinafter, when the unslotted zones 92 of the wheel 62 confront the bristle feeding channel of the machine, no bristles are fed forwardly to the brush core. Thus the angular extent of each of Zones 92 determines the degree of spacing between successive rows of bristles on the brush core.

In forming a cylindrical wound brush 10 by the apparatus of the invention, a starting collar 17 is provided on the brush core 11, at a position near the left hand end thereof, such collars being retained on the brush core as by means of a set screw. Collar 17 is provided in one zone thereof with a helical cut which receives the starting ends of the bristle retaining cord or cords employed. At the deepest portion of such helical 'cutthere are provided bores therethrough, one for each cord, the cord being passed through the collar, one such knot being shown in FIG. 4.

In the embodiment of the apparatus shown, there are employed two bristle retaining cords 1-5 and 16', one wound on top of the other. The bottom cord, which maybe of hemp or sisal, is designated 15. The upper or outer cord, which it is preferred to make of stronger, more chemically resistant, material such as twisted nylon, is designated 16. The bristles 13 have their butt, inner ends 94 adjacent the core held between adjacent convolutions of such cords 15 and 16. A finished brush por-' tion, 'that is, that with the cords wound thereon and the bristles held between adjacent helices of the cords, but with the thermosetting resin with which the cords, and bristle ends 94 are impregnated not yet cured, is shown in FIG. 4. It will be understood that after the brush has been fully wound, the ends of the strands at the right are secured as by a further collar similar to collar 17 applied to :the core or arbor 11. The brush is then placed in an oven to cure the resin impregnating the strands and the butt ends of the bristles.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cords 15 and .16 proceed from sources (:not shown) over respective guide sheaves 95, 96 downwardly through cord tensioning means 97 and 97', respectively. After leaving such cord tensioning means, each cord is then fed downwardly into its respective container .99, 99' containing a cord impregnating thermoset-ting resin which may be, for example, a phenolformaldehyde of a urea-formaldehyderesin. Each container 99,99 has therein a guide sheave around which porting structure, not shown. The cords rise from tne respective containers 99, 99', pass around guide sheaves above the. respective containers, and progress to the cord guiding pulley 65 below the picker wheel 62, with cord 16 occupying the upper position on guiding pulley 65, thus the outer position on the brush core, and with cord 15 occupying the lower position on the guide pulley 65, and thus the inner position on the brush core, as more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The last complete helix of the cords wound upon the brush core is designated 100, as shown in FIG. 4. The left hand face of bushing 30 is of such configuration that it contacts the last helix of the cord or cords, including the portion thereof just entered upon the brush core, substantially over their entire extent. Such left hand edge of bushing 30 is thus in the form of a helix, the portion thereof which contacts the last laid complete convolution of the cords being designated 101. At the top, bushing 30 is flatted off flush with the upper surface of core 11 of the brush, as above explained, to allow the lower surface of guide pulley 65 torotate close to such upper surface of the brush core. At a position beyond the picker wheel 62 as it is shown in FIG. 4 the helical face portion of the bushing 30 is spaced to the right of the end of portion 101 of its face a distance generally equal to the diameter of the cord or cords employed, plus,

the width of the butts of the bristles caught between the convolutions of the cords.

The picker wheel 62 feeds bristles 13 in groups of accurate quantity, with predetermined spacing between the successive groups, between the portion of the cord or cords and the last previously completely laid helix of cord accurately spaced similar bristle tufts 14. The apparatus accomplishes such feeding of the tufts of bristles in the following manner. Portion 32 of carriage 25 is provided with a right hand fixed bristle guide 104 which is elevated above this surface of carriage portion 32 on spacer sleeves of which one is shown at 105 in FIG. 2, being retained in such elevated portion parallel to the upper surface of part 32 by studs of which one is shown at 1% extending through the spacer sleeves into part 32. The rear left hand corner of guide 104 extends almost into contact with the periphery of picker wheel 62. Guide 104 is of the same thickness as wheel 62 and lies on the same level as such wheel.

Also affixed to plate 32 is a left hand fixed bristle guide member 107 which is positioned parallel to member 194 but spaced thereforrn so as to form a bristle feeding channel therebetween. Member 107 is of the same thickness as, and is retained at the same horizontal level above part 32 as, guide 104, by means of bracket means (not specifically shown) at the front end of member 32 and spacer sleeves 105' and studs 106, one of each of which is shown, intermediate the ends of member 107, as shown in FIG. 2. The channel 109 between guide members 104 and 107 is, as shown, directed substantially radially of the shaft 56 and picker wheel 62.

The bristles are fed in upright position inwardly of channel 109 toward the periphery of the bristle feeding wheel 62; such wheel cooperates with a closely fitting part-circular surface 108 on the forward end of guide member 107. The spacing between surfaces 108 and 92 is such that bristles are fed to the core of the brush only by being picked up by notches 91 of the wheel 62. In order constantly to urge the bristles in such direction there are provided feeding chains 110 and 111 having opposed parallel runs which lie beneath the inner confronting edges of the elongated bristle guides 104 and 107. Chains 110 and 111 are driven from the shaft '56 by means of a pulley 57 on such shaft, the pulley being connected to a countershaft 51, having a pulley 52 thereon, by a belt 59. The bristle feeding chain 110 is driven from the shaft 51 by running over a sprocket 60 on such shaft in the manner shown in FIG. 2.

The bristle feeding chain 111 is driven through the 7 medium of a V belt 117 entrained over a pulley 61 on the lower end of shaft 51, such belt extending to a pulley 118 which it drivingly engages. Pulley 118, which is journalled on an axle fixed to table member 32, has a sprocket 123 afiixed to it. The chain 111 drivingly engages and passes partially around sprocket 123, as shown in FIG. 2, so as to be driven thereby. As shown, the belt 117 is crossed to the right of pulley 118, so that the straight runs of chains 110 and 111 extending to the zone of deposition of the bristles on the brush core are both driven toward such zone by the rotation of shaft 56. The chains 110 and 111 are driven at such speed as to maintain the bristles in channel 109 pressed against the periphery of wheel 62 at all times. The bristle feeding effect of chains 110 and 111 may be supplemented, if desired, by means of a manually operated member 119, slidably parallel to channel 109, which may be retracted beyond the rear ends of guides 104 and 107 to permit the entry of bristles into the feeding channel 109.

It will be apparent from the above that in the forming of the spirally wound brush 10, shown in FIG. 1, the

speed of the shaft 79 and thus of the shaft 56 is so adjusted that successive bristle groups fed forwardly to the brush core 11, by the feeding notches 91 of the wheel 62, lie in predetermined angularly spaced helical rows along the brush. Although the bristles are held between the teeth forming the notches 91 and thus temporarily tend to form tufts as they are fed onto the brush core,

j the pressure exerted upon the butts of the bristles by the successive turns of wound cord cause the bristles in each group to be spread out uniformly between cords in the zones of their location. With a given configuration of bristle feeding wheel 62, that is, with a predetermined number of groups of notches 91 and of the smooth unnotched portions 92 of the wheel, and with the wheel driven at a predetermined speed relative to the speed of rotation of the :brush core 11, there will result brushes which are uniform from brush to brush once a given speed of the shaft 79 has been set. The change speed mechanism 71 permits the relationship between the speed of brush core 11 and of shaft 79 to be changed appreciably both in advance of the formation of a particular brush and during its winding operation. Thus, without changing the bristle feeding wheel 62, the configuration of the rows of bristles on brushes to be made by the machine may be changed appreciably as to the angle which such rows make with the axis of the brush core 11. The peripheral width of such rows of bristles is, of course, determined by the width of the groups of bristle feeding notches 91 in the periphery of wheel 62. Simple substitutions of different feeding wheels 62 having different widths of the groups of bristle feeding notches 91 will permit many different types of brushes having different widths of bristle rows to be made.

In FIG. 6 there is shown a fragment of a wound brush of the type known as herringbone, in which the helical angle of the rows of bristles changes abruptly and is reversed substantially at one transverse plane intermediate the length of the brush. Such brush, which is designated generally by the reference character 120, has the bristles 13 thereof disposed in first helical rows 121 at the left hand end of the brush. The pitch of the rows of bristles on the brush change abruptly at the transverse plane AA, so that at the right of such plane the helical angle of the bristle rows, there designated 122, is the reverse of that of the rows 121. Such brush is readily made by apparatus of the type shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, inclusive, the operator adjusting the wheel 76 of the change speed mechanism when the carriage of the brush winding apparatus has travelled to bring the bristle depositing point to the plane AA through the brush. The brush of FIG. 6, however, can be automatically produced without the requirement of attention by an operator. This can be accomplished by the modification of the first disclosed apparatus shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the parts of the apparatus 19" which are the same as those of the apparatus 19 shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, inclusive, are designated by the same reference characters. Apparatus 19 differs front that first described by the provision of means for automatically adjusting the speed control of the change speed mechanism 71 so that the speed of rotation of the elongated shaft 79 and thus of the bristle feeding wheel is made a function of the position of the bristle depositing wheel longitudinally of the brush being wound.

In the apparatus of FIG. 7 the speed controlling device of mechanism 71, shown as a crank 76 in FIG. 2, is now connected to an elongated crank arm 124 to the outer end of which is secured a depending link 125 carrying a flanged roller 126 on its lower end. The roller 126 functions as a cam follower, riding upon an elongated cam 127 which has a first left hand portion 129 with the upper edge 130 thereof lying in a straight line and a right hand portion 131 with the straight upper surface 132 lying parallel to surface 130 but at a somewhat lower level. Surfaces 130 and 132 are joined at an abrupt shoulder 134 which lies generally in a plane corresponding to the plane AA at which the bristle rows of the brush are to be reversed in helical angle. The cam 127 is secured to the carriage 25 of the apparatus, so as to move therewith, by extension members 135 on the carriage. The connection between the carriage and the cam, although not specifically so shown, may be such that the cam can be adjusted longitudinally of itself, thereby to vary the relative location ,of the plane AA longitudinally of the brush.

A typical bristle feeding wheel, generally designated 136, to produce a brush such as that shown at 120 is shown at FIG. 8. Wheel 136 employs eight groups of bristle feeding notches 137 spaced uniformly about the wheel, the angular extent of each of such groups of notches being substantially one-half that of each of the smooth unnotched peripheral portions 139 of the wheel. It will be understood that, as in the first described embodiment, the wheel 136 feeds bristles to the brush core only when the groups of notches 137 overlie such core, no bristles being fed onto the brush core when the portions 139 of the wheel confront the forward, part-circular end surface of the bristle member 107. It is to be understood that the ratio between the angle subtended by the bristle rows and that subtended by the space between the rows may be varied by the substitution of a different bristle feeding wheel, wherein the groups of notches 137 and the smooth peripheral surfaces 139 subtend angles having a different desired predetermined ratio. 1

It will be apparent from the above that with a first cam surface 130 holding the adjusting arm 124 in a first adjusted position, the ratio between the speeds of shafts 23 and 79 is such as to cause the wheel 136 to deposit the bristles upon the brush core in the helical bristle rows 121 of brush 129. When the carriage 25 of the apparatus and the cam 127 carried thereby have travelled sufficiently for the shoulder 134 of the cam to reach the cam follower 126, the ratio between the speeds of shafts 23 and 79 is changed so that the apparatus now deposits the bristles on the brush core in the rows 122, the helical angle of which is opposite from that of rows 121.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated herein, it is to be especially understood that various changes, such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and the like, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of the invention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention will now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: Y

1. In a machine for making patterned brushes, said machine having in combination a brush co-re rotating element, means for supplying a strand of uniform transverse section for the formation of a coil thereof directly on the brush core and for feeding bristles between the turns of the coil during the rotation of the core so that the roots of the bristles are gripped between such turns, the improvement in said last named means which comprises a carriage mounted for relative movement with respect to the brush core along the brush core parallel with the axis thereof, a strand applying means mounted on the carriage, a wheel mounted on the carriage adjacent said last named means, said wheel having a bristle feeding periphery formed to hold and feed separate tufts of bristles, means for supplying bristles to the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel including means forming with the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel a bristle conducting passage extending to the brush core between the last complete turn of the strand and the portion of the strand at its first engagement with the core, and a drive train extending directly from the brush core rotating element to the bristle feeding wheel to drive the wheel.

2. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a change speed mechanism interposed in the drive train, whereby the speed of the bristle feeding wheel may be varied relative to the speed of the bristle core rotating element.

3. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the change speed mechanism is of the continuously variable type, whereby the speed of the bristle feeding wheel may be varied in infinite increments relative to the speed of the brush core rotating element.

4. In a machine for making patterned brushes, said machine having in combination a brush core rotating element, means for supplying a strand in the form of a cord of uniform transverse section for the formation of a coil thereof directly on the brush core and for feeding bristles between the turns of the coil during the rotation of the core so that the roots of the bristles are gripped between such turns, the improvement in said last named means which comprises a carriage mounted for relative movement with respect to the brush core along the brush core parallel with the axis thereof, a strand applying means mounted on the carriage, a Wheel mounted on the carriage adjacent said last named means, said wheel having a bristle feeding periphery provided with a plurality of groups of angularly spaced notches each adapted to hold and feed a separate tuft of bristles, each successive group of notches being separated by a relatively peripherally extended raised non-bristle holding and non-bristle feeding peripheral zone on the wheel, means for supplying bristles to the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel including means forming with the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel a bristle conducting passage extending to the brush core between the last complete turn of the strand and the portion of the strand at its first engagement with the core, and a drive train extending directly from the brush core rotating element to the bristle feeding wheel to drive the Wheel.

5. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 4, comprising a change speed mechainsm interposed in the drive train whereby the speed of the bristle feeding Wheel may be varied relative to the speed of the brush core rotating element.

6. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the change speed mechanism is of the continuously variable type, whereby the speed of the bristle feeding wheel :may be varied in infinite increments relative to the speed of the brush core rotating element.

7. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bristle feeding and holding notches in the periphery of the wheel are substantially identical, the groups of notches are substantially equally angularly spaced about the wheel, and the angle subtended by each groups of notches on the wheel is a small fraction of the angle subtended by each notch separating raised peripheral zone of the wheel.

8. In a machine for making brushes, said machine having in combination a brush core rotating element, means for supplying a strand of uniform transverse section for the formation of a coil thereof on the brush core and for feeding bristles between the turns of the coil during the rotation of the core so that the roots of the bristles are gripped between such turns, the improvement in said last named means which comprises a carriage mounted for relative movement with respect to the brush core along the brush core parallel with the axis thereof, a strand applying means mounted on the carriage, a wheel mounted on the carriage adjacent the last named means, said wheel having a bristle feeding periphery, means for supplying bristles to the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel including means forming with the bristle feeding periphery of the wheel a bristle conducting passage extending to the brush core between the last complete turn of the strand and the portion of the strand at its first engagement with the core, a drive train extending directly from the brush core rota-ting element to the bristle feeding wheel to drive the wheel, a variable speed change mechanism interposed in the drive train, means to vary the speed changer, and means cooperating with the last named means to operate it to vary the speed changer as a function of the location of the bristle feeding wheel longitudinally of the brush core.

9. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the means cooperating with the means to vary the speed changer comprises a cam having zones corresponding to the respective longitudinal zones of the brush core, and a cam follower engaging the cam, movable with respect thereto, and operatively connected to the means to vary the speed changer.

10. A brush making machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the carriage is movable longitudinally of the core and the core is held from longitudinal movement, wherein the cam is elongated, lies parallel to the brush core and is connected to the carriage to move longitudinally thereof relative to the cam follower.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,701,739 2/1955 Enchelmaier 300-2 2,782,439 2/1957 Ballard l5- l82 2,797,966 7/ 1957 Enchelmaier et a1 300 2 3,107,382 10/1963 Tilgner l5-182 GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, JR., Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAKING PATTERNED BRUSHES, SAID MACHINE HAVING IN COMBINATION A BRUSH CORE ROTATING ELEMENT, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING A STRAND OF UNIFORM TRANSVERSE SECTION FOR THE FORMATION OF A COIL THEREOF DIRECTLY ON THE BRUSH CORE AND FOR FEEDING BRISTLES BETWEEN THE TURNS OF THE COIL DURING THE ROTATION OF THE CORE SO THAT THE ROOTS OF THE BRISTLES ARE GRIPPED BETWEEN SUCH TURNS, THE IMPROVEMENT IN SAID LAST NAMED MEANS WHICH COMPRISES A CARRIAGE MOUNTED FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE BRUSH CORE ALONG THE BRUSH CORE PARALLEL WITH THE AXIS THEREOF, A STRAND APPLYING MEANS MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE, A WHEEL MOUNTED ON THE CARRIAGE ADJACENT SAID LAST NAMED MEANS, SAID WHEEL HAVING A BRISTLE FEEDING PERIPHERY FORMED TO HOLD AND FEED SEPARATING TUFTS OF BRISTLES, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING BRISTLES TO THE BRISTLE FEEDING PERIPHERY OF THE WHEEL INDICATING MEANS FORMING WITH THE BRISTLE FEEDING PERIPHERY OF THE WHEEL A BRISTLE CONDUCTING PASSAGE EXTENDING TO THE BRUSH CORE BETWEEN THE LAST COMPLETE TURN OF THE STRAND AND THE PORTION OF THE STRAND AT ITS FIRST ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CORE, AND A DRIVE TRAIN EXTENDING DIRECTLY FROM THE BRUSH CORE ROTATING ELEMENT TO THE BRISTLE FEEDING WHEEL TO DRIVE THE WHEEL.

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