Patents by Inventor Michael E. Andrea
Michael E. Andrea has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 6948348Abstract: A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2004Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: David Scott Wells, George M. Chembakassery, Michael E. Andrea
-
Publication number: 20040159990Abstract: A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: David Scott Wells, George M. Chembakassery, Michael E. Andrea
-
Publication number: 20040134558Abstract: A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2004Publication date: July 15, 2004Applicant: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: David Scott Wells, George M. Chembakassery, Michael E. Andrea
-
Patent number: 6758078Abstract: A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2001Date of Patent: July 6, 2004Assignee: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: David Scott Wells, George M. Chembakassery, Michael E. Andrea
-
Publication number: 20020195756Abstract: A spring coil assembly having a first row of coils arranged in a first spacing pattern and a second row of coils adjacent the first row and arranged in a second spacing pattern that is different from the first spacing pattern. The spring coil assembly can be assembled using an apparatus comprising a main conveyor adapted to convey a plurality of coils along an axis, an assembler which is operable to intertwine a plurality of coils into a spring coil assembly, and a transfer station operable to move a plurality of coils from the main conveyor into the assembler. The transfer station includes a plurality of pusher arms each of which include a gripper which is operable to grasp an individual coil, a carriage supporting the gripper arms and means for shifting the carriage axially relative to the axis so that a plurality of coils carried by the gripper arms are displaced in the direction of travel of the conveyor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2001Publication date: December 26, 2002Applicant: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: David Scott Wells, George M. Chembakassery, Michael E. Andrea
-
Patent number: 6430982Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coil spring forming head which is periodically operative to at least partially form coil springs having a plurality of coils and which includes a wire feed advancing mechanism operative to feed the wire which is formed into coil springs, a pitch control mechanism operative to control the diameter of the coils of the coil springs being formed, a diameter control mechanism operative to control the pitch of the coils of the coil springs being formed, and a control including a storage area containing instructions for operation of the wire feed advancing mechanism, the pitch control mechanism, and the diameter control mechanism, a wire feed controller connected to the wire feed advancing mechanism to control operation thereof, a pitch controller connected to the pitch control mechanism to control operation thereof, a diameter controller connected the diameter control mechanism to control operation thereof, and a programmable switching device connected to the wire feed controller, to the pitchType: GrantFiled: January 3, 2001Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Inventors: Michael E. Andrea, Stuart C. Hamill, Wayne D. Jaworski, Horst F. Wentzek
-
Publication number: 20020017334Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coil spring forming head which is periodically operative to at least partially form coil springs having a plurality of coils and which includes a wire feed advancing mechanism operative to feed the wire which is formed into coil springs, a pitch control mechanism operative to control the diameter of the coils of the coil springs being formed, a diameter control mechanism operative to control the pitch of the coils of the coil springs being formed, and a control including a storage area containing instructions for operation of the wire feed advancing mechanism, the pitch control mechanism, and the diameter control mechanism, a wire feed controller connected to the wire feed advancing mechanism to control operation thereof, a pitch controller connected to the pitch control mechanism to control operation thereof, a diameter controller connected the diameter control mechanism to control operation thereof, and a programmable switching device connected to the wire feed controller, to the pitchType: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Applicant: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: Michael E. Andrea, Stuart C. Hamill, Wayne D. Jaworski, Horst F. Wentzek
-
Patent number: 5950473Abstract: Disclosed herein is a coil spring forming machine and transfer conveyor assembly comprising a transfer conveyor operable through a succession of operational cycles and including and endless conveyor assembly and a conveyor drive servo-motor drivingly connected to the conveyor assembly and operative, upon each energization thereof, to drive the conveyor assembly through one operational cycle. A control system operative to automatically and non-selectively cause energization of the conveyor drive servo-motor.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 1998Date of Patent: September 14, 1999Assignee: Frank L. Wells CompanyInventors: Michael E. Andrea, Stuart C. Hamill, Wayne D. Jaworski, Horst F. Wentzek