Nova Patents
US2744564A

Method and apparatus for making automobile door panels

Abstract

This record has no abstract on file.

US2744564A, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 18

Term

Term ended

Expired 8 May 1973, 53.4 years ago.

  1. Priority and filed
  2. Granted
  3. Expired
  4. Today

17 claims: 17 independent, 0 dependent

  1. 1
    I claim:1. The method of making a vehicle body door upholstery panel including a number of beads covered with upholstery material, said method including the steps of providing a panel base with raised portions forming cores for the beads and having grooves therebetween, arranging the upholstery cover material over said panel base and pushing said upholstery cover material into the grooves in successive arrangement, the material being pressed down into one groove first and then progressively pressed down into the adjacent and successive grooves, the pressing down being accomplished in one groove at a time, rather than in a simultaneous pressing down operation.
  2. 2
    The method of making an automobile body upholstery panel including a number of beads covered with upholstery material, said method including the steps of providing a beaded panel base having depressions between the beads, applying the upholstery cover material to said panel base by pushing said material into the depressions starting with two adjacent depressions and proceeding therefrom in a successive arrangement to press the material down into the adjacent and successive grooves one after the other, the pressing down being accomplished substantially in one groove at a time rather than in a simultaneous pressing down operation.
  3. 3
    The method of making an automobile body upholstery panel including a number of beads covered with upholstery material, said method including the steps of providing a flat piece of substantially rigid base material, applying glue to said fiat base piece only in places where beads are to be located, placing a piece of bead core material over the glued surface of the base piece, cutting out and removing strips of said bead core material in places where grooves are desired to produce a beaded panel base, applying upholstery cover material to the beaded panel base by pushing said material into the grooves in successive arrangement, the material being pressed down into one groove first and then progressively pressed down into the adjacent and successive grooves, the pressing down being accomplished in one groove at a time rather than in a simultaneous pressing down operation.
  4. 4
    The method defined in claim 3 and including applying glue into the grooves after the same are cut out and before the beaded base is covered with the upholstery cover material, to fix the upholstery material in the grooves.
  5. 5
    The method of making an automobile body uphol- mitting the springs 45 to pull them up into their uppermost or retracted position. It will be understood that means actuating the plates may be of the cam type as well as of other types, such as hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders operating either 5 individual plates or cam or lever means acting on the plates. It will also be understood that while the present embodiment of the machine shows means pushing the plates from one side of the bead assembly to the other, said plates 10 may be pushed from the middle of the material toward both of the edges thereof. With such an expedient, particularly useful when the number of the beads is large, the operation may be performed much faster. Machines of such a nature are shown in Figs. 12, 13 15 and 14. Referring particularly to Figs. 12 and 12α, the machine illustrated therein utilizes a plurality, in the present instance six, of substantially identical springs mounted on the ram 61. The springs are designated in pairs by 20 numerals 62, 63 and 64. Spring plungers 62α, 63α and 64α of different lengths are provided to prevent said buckling of the springs, and to have them normally compressed to different lengths, with springs 62 being least compressed and extending downwardly to a further dis- 25 tance, while the springs 63 and 64 are compressed to shorter lengths as illustrated. By virtue of such a construction, as the ram 61 is moved down, the two spring-pressed plungers 62α contact the two middle plates 65 and push them down into the grooves 30 of the panel 66 arranged on the table 67. When the plates 65, 65 are all the way down in their grooves the springpressed plungers 63α contact plates 68, 68 and also push them all the way down. Thereupon, the plates 69, 69 are similarly contacted by the spring-pressed plungers 64α and 35 also brought all the way down, bringing the plate subassembly into the condition illustrated in Fig. 12α. It is preferable to have the springs of substantially similar dimensional and rate characteristics, and to have the plungers of the different lengths, as illustrated. . . 40 The plungers may be in the form of bolts, with their boltheads operating on the plates, and their operative lengths determined by the position of two jam nuts carried by their threaded ends. Washer plate 61α may be used if desirable. By virtue of such a construction sue- 45 cessive contacting of the plates will be achieved and, in addition, when all of the plates are all the way down, a substantially uniform pressure is exerted on all of the plates as can be understood from examination of Fig. 12α, since in the positions illustrated in said figure all of the 50 springs are uniformly deflected. It will be understood that all of the springs should have sufficient rate i. e. “be stiff enough” even in the positions of springs 63, 63 in Fig. 12 to actuate the plates against all operational resistances. ·~’·5 Fig. 13 illustrates a construction in which successive application of the plates 70 thereof is attained with the aid of a toggle linkage 71 normally maintained in its fully extended position by the action of the spring 72. The spring 72 is stiff enough to cause movement of the two <10 middle plates, but is compressed as the ram 73 moves downward. As the spring 72 is compressed, the toggle linkage 71 contacts the next two plates and, finally, the extreme two plates and comes into a condition illustrated in Fig. 13α, where further pressure on the ram 73 exerts 05 substantially uniform pressure on all of the plates 70. Fig. 14 illustrates a machine in which the plates thereof, generally designated by the numeral 80, are actuated with the aid of fluid-operated means. In the construction illustrated, there is provided a plurality of fluid-actuated 70 (pneumatic, hydraulic, or steam) cylinders corresponding in number to that of the plates. The cylinders are designated in the drawing by the numerals 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86. Within said cylinders there are slidably-fitted double-acting pistons having rods 81α, 82α, 83α, 84α, 85α :2,744,^94 iStery j-panel «including -:a ?, number «of djeads ,ηηνβκίά «with iJIpMstery .-material, -.said method -including theastepstof iProviding-a-flat piece- of substantially rigid .base-material, .applying ;glue :to said -base -piece only in .plaees where «beads ,are to :be located, .placing -a. piece - of ibead >:core a -piece of -npholgrooves successively one adjacent groove after another toward the-end of ithe headed portion, with-the.upholstery material at «.said -.end -being left .free to -move bodily toward the groove wherein pressing in of the material takes place. '
  6. 6
    The-method of-making an-automobile body upholstery «panel including a number of beads covered with upholstery-material, said-method-including the steps of providing a flat -piece · of -base material, applying glue - to <—:14 —Ϊ - «1 t « - ’ placing a piece of bead core material over the glued surface of the base, cutting out and removing strips of said bead core material in places where grooves are desired, to produce a beaded panel base, covering the beaded base with a piece of upholstery cover material operatively aligning one edge of the material with one end of the panel, and pushing the upholstery material into the grooves between the beads starting with the groove at said aligned edges and progressing successively from one adjacent groove to another toward the opposite end of the panel, the pressing down being accomplished substantially in one groove at a time rather than in a simultaneous pressing down operation.
  7. 7
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and means to actuate said plates successively to have the previous plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate contacts the material over the next depression.
  8. 8
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and mechanical means adapted to actuate said plates successively to have the previous plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate pushes the material into the next depression.
  9. 9
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive the work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and means to actuate said plates successively to have the previous plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate begins to push the material into the next depresssion, means to heat said plates, and means to hold said plates in said depression for a desired period of time.
  10. 10
    A machine for applying upholstery material to .-5 ao -headed base ,«panels, «said -machine«.comprising ;a -ysiork table adapted to receive the work panel and to Joc.ate -the -same, a -plurality ,of slidable «plates having -work •edges .adapted when . actuated to tp.ush tthe iupholstepy ;material .into .depressions «between - said -.beads-;whentlhe work panel -is located to have said depression -aligned • with respect - to said - plates, and means -to -, actuate -said -plates -successively to . have the previous --plate bring - the . ......- . - = upholstery -material all the way to -the bottom , of -the and £ressi“g ®ald ““terial into the 16 .respective depression, on:the beaded base-panel-beforerthe ‘ & Λ._ , Bext plate, begins to.pushthematerial into- ther next depression, -electric .means to heat -said plates, -thermostatic means - adapted-to, control said electic, means -to-maintain said-plates at -a-required temperature, .and-means-to-hold 15 -said-plates in said depression fora,desired;period-of time
  11. 11
    ?A machine for -applying -upholstery :material ito -beaded base -panels for ·. automobile doors, «said -machine comprising a plate sub-assembly;including a, plurality .of -j .- ,.-, - = - — : plates corresponding in -their thickness and -arrangement ® nl-fl θ £ b® lo^ated« 20 to, those ofithe beabdetermimng .depressions-omthe-.work (.panel,rmeansjto support- said- sub-assembly in the-machi™», resilient means to maintain the plates in their retracted positions, a work-table adapted to receive the workpanel and to locate it with respect to said plates, and ' cam means adapted to actuate said plates successively one by one into said panel depressions to push the upholstery material thereinto, and to hold said plates in said depressions at least until all of the plates are in their retracted positions. '
  12. 12
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels for automobile doors, said machine comprising a plate sub-assembly including a plurality of individually movable plates corresponding in their thickness and arrangement to those of the bead-determining depressions on the work panel, means to support said sub-assembly in the machine, resilient means to maintain the plates in their retracted positions, a work table adapted to receive the work panel and to locate it with respect to said plates, cam means adapted to actuate said plates successively one by one into said panel depressions to push the upholstery material thereinto, and to hold said plates in said depressions at least until all of the plates are in their retracted positions, electric means to heat said plates, thermostatic means to control said electric means to maintain said plates at a predetermined temperature.
  13. 13
    The machine defined in claim 11, said plate subassembly being insertable and removable therefrom as a unit.
  14. 14
    A machine for applying substantially unstretchable upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and spings preloaded to progressively decreased lengths and adapted to actuate said plates successively, to have a plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate pushes the material into the next depression.
  15. 15
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and toggle linkage means adapted to actuate said plates successively to have one plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base 2.744,564 panel before the next plate pushes the material into the next depression.
  16. 16
    A machine for applying substantially unstretchable upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individually slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and a corresponding plurality of fluid-operated cylinders operatively connected to said plates and adapted to actuate them successively to have the previous plate bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate pushes the material into the next depression.
  17. 17
    A machine for applying upholstery material to beaded base panels, said machine comprising a work table adapted to receive a work panel and to locate the same, a plurality of individual slidable plates having work edges adapted when actuated to push the upholstery 12 material into depressions between said beads when the work panel is located to have said depression aligned with respect to said plates, and mechanical means adapted to actuate said plates successively starting at the two 5 middle plates and proceeding successively toward the edges of the panel to have one plate on each side bring the upholstery material all the way to the bottom of the respective depression on the beaded base panel before the next plate pushes the material into the next depres10 sion. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,150,030 Haberstump------------Mar. 7,1939 15 2,215.973 Osborn________________Sept. 24,1940 2,303,195 Buff__________________Nov. 24,1942 2,347,806 Bolen et al---------------May 2, 1944 2,578,709 Lyijynen_______________Dec. 18,1951 2,620,014 Lyijynen---------------Dec. 2, 1952 ZU
Independent claims17