Abstract: An inner spring core comprises a nestably stackable first spring unit and a second generally planar stackable grid unit. The nestably stackable first spring unit comprises a first generally planar platform and a plurality of generally conical spring elements extending in one direction from the first generally planar platform. Each of the generally conical spring elements is in a preferred embodiment a double twist coil spring which has a bottom planar portion in the plane of the first generally planar platform, and two spring arms extending upwardly from the bottom planar portion terminating in a distal end portion. The second generally planar stackable grid unit is secured to the distal end portions of the generally conical nestable spring elements by a plurality of connectors located generally in the plane of the second stackable grid unit.

Abstract: A lumbar support structure comprises a resilient grid formed of flexible vertical members and horizontal cross members. The grid is fixed in a seat, such as a car seat, and includes an upper back section and lumbar section. The lower end of the lumbar section is fixed and the upper end of the lumbar section is free and is coupled to cables connected to a cable wheel and clutch mechanism. Clutch mechanism rotates to wind the cable wheel and draw the cables to pull the free end of the lumbar section downward toward the fixed end. The lumbar section is bowed forwardly in the seat to provide lumbar support. The clutch mechanism comprises a clutch and locking pin which cooperate to rotate the cable wheel in both directions for adjusting the lumbar support. When the selected position for the lumbar support is chosen, the clutch is locked to maintain the bowed grid in a selected shape.

Abstract: A spring interior of a mattress comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending bands of springs disposed side by side and connected together with helical lacing wires in the top and bottom faces of the bands. Each band of springs comprises a single length of wire formed into a plurality of coil springs interconnected by innerconnecting segments located alternatively in the top and bottom faces of the bands. The spring interior is characterized by longitudinally extending sections of differing firmnesses throughout the length of the spring interior. The different firmnesses in the different sections of the spring interior are attributable to different configurations of the innerconnecting segments. The innerconnecting segments within the firmer sections of the mattress have a deeper V-shaped indentation than the portions of the bands of springs in the less firm sections of the mattress.

Abstract: The quilting of rectangular comforter bags, mattress cover panels or other similar panels is provided without the need to premount the panel on a rectangular frame. A leading edge clamp is preattached along the leading edge of a panel and the clamp is fed from an operator station to the upstream end of a shuttle movably mounted on the frame of a programmed single needle quilting machine. Opposed belt conveyors on opposite sides of the shuttle advance the clamp and pull the panel onto the shuttle, with the belts gripping the side edges of the panel as it is pulled. A trailing edge clamp bar frictionally engages the panel to provide trailing edge securement to the panel, with the belts and leading edge clamp providing securement around the other edges to stretch the panel on the shuttle. The shuttle reciprocates longitudinally under a sewing head that moves transversely on the frame at a quilting station, while the sewing head operates to stitch a pattern in the panel.

Abstract: A support rail for springs as might be used in a spring assembly such as a bedding or seat foundation. The support rails are metal and form part of a frame to which the springs are mounted. The support rails have a generally inverted U-shape and include a pair of spaced upright webs with a load carrying plate extending between and located below the upper ends. The plate is further defined by a base and side sections which curve outwardly and upwardly from the base before connecting to the upper ends of the webs. The curves of the side sections define inwardly facing receptacles located immediately below a necked area of reduced width. The support rails are utilized with springs that include at least one mounting portion shaped to snap mount into the receptacles upon downward insertion into the load carrying plate. Features are also provided to limit longitudinal movement of the springs relative to the support rails once mounted.

Abstract: An inner spring core comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in rows and columns having an improved border firmness adjuster around the periphery of the core. The improved border firmness adjuster comprises one of more inflatable pneumatic members positioned inwardly of the outer edges of the outermost coil springs in a space between two adjacent convolutions of each of the outermost coil springs. The pneumatic member or members is capable of variably adjusting the firmness of at least one edge of the mattress.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for securing a top panel cover of a mattress to an innerspring core include a plurality of clips attached to an upper border wire of the core. Each clip has one or more barbs that project inwardly with respect to the core. The cover is attached to the core by stretching and wrapping the edges of the cover over and around the border wire and pushing the edges against the barbs so that the barbs pierce the edges and hold the edges in a taut position at least partially wrapped around the border wire.

Abstract: An abrading apparatus for cleaning an outer surface of an elongate member, such as a wire. An endless abrasive sanding belt is rotated about a plurality of rollers and orbited about the elongate member. Drive components for both rotating the belt about the rollers as well as orbiting the belt about the elongate member are isolated in an enclosed drive casing containing lubricating fluid, such as oil. A first roller which mounts the endless sanding belt is fixed in a rotatable eccentric support. This eccentric support allows the tension of the endless belt to be adjusted by rotating the eccentric support in one of two directions. One of the rollers includes a mounting portion and a belt supporting portion, with the mounting portion being axially offset or eccentric with respect to the belt supporting portion. A belt engagement and disengagement mechanism is connected to the eccentric mounting portion of the idler roller to allow rotation of the eccentric mounting portion in two directions.

Abstract: A gondola rack stocking system that includes a rack having a base, a plurality of vertical standards spaced along the base and configured to support gondola shelves on gondola shelf brackets thereon is combined with a high density subassembly that includes a pair of horizontal rails connectable to the standards uprights, preferably in fixed lengths corresponding to the spacing of the standards. Vertical rectangular frame uprights connect at any of a plurality of positions along the rails and also at their bottoms to the foot of the rack base. Variable width shelf sets are connectable at vertically spaced positions on the uprights and at the top of the uprights. Conventional gondola rack shelving supplements the shelves to optimize the flexibility of the system configuration. Maximum packout is thereby provided.

Abstract: A quilting method and apparatus in which ticking or facing material changes are effected, preferably under the control of a programmed computer or controller, by automatically retrieving, and preferably also splicing onto a web, selected materials from a facing material supply. The controller preferably also controls a quilter in the stitching of selected patterns along a web, and coordinates the positions of the patterns and material splices between the patterns, in response to measurements and calculations of dimensional changes between infeed webs, quilted tensioned web and cut untensioned panels. Storage compartments are provided for a variety of facing materials, preferably rolls thereof. A retrieval mechanism moves webs selected by the programmed controller to a feed position adjacent the quilter.

Abstract: A hinge clamp for attaching a wire grid to an edge portion of a sheet metal light fixture comprising a base plate, a short leg plate and a long leg plate. The leg plates extend orthogonally from opposite side edges of the base plate and are disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other. Each of the base plates has an aperture therein adapted to receive a screw to secure the edge portion of the light fixture to the hinge clamp. The long leg plate of the hinge clamp has a planar inner portion and a curved outer portion. The planar inner portion comprises a near section and a middle finger extending outwardly from the near section. The outer curved portion comprises two identically configured outer fingers located on opposite sides of the middle finger. Each outer finger has an arcuate detent formed therein which is adapted to receive an edge wire of a wire grid in a snap-fit connection. An edge wire of the wire grid is entrapped on one side by the detent and on the other side by the middle finger.

Abstract: A reclining furniture mechanism which generally includes footrest linkage, backrest linkage, a seat link, stationary base structure as well as drive linkage and seat supporting and actuating linkage connected between the seat link and base structure. Footrest drive linkage is provided for smoothly and simultaneously extending and retracting the footrest linkage on opposite sides of the furniture item. The mechanism is particularly suited for use with T-cushion type frames associated with such furniture items as sofas, loveseats and modular sectionals.

Abstract: A system is provided for vending food products such as individually packaged beverages from a temperature maintained storage unit to a remote location such as a service counter or the service island of a gasoline service facility. Preferably, a pneumatic tube conveyor moves the product from storage to a dispensing unit at the remote location in response to product selection made by a customer at the remote location. Preferably, payment for the sale of the product item is coordinated with information from another vending or accounting system such as a gasoline charge system that includes a credit card reader associated with a fully automated self-service gasoline pump. The product is moved through the conveyor in a reusable carrier or in its own product packaging container that serves as a carrier.

Abstract: A spring core for a mattress consisting of a plurality of side-by-side rows of identically configured helical coil springs each made of a single piece of wire having a central portion of a first radius defining a central spring axis and terminating at opposing ends with unknotted upper and lower end turns disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to the spring axis. The springs are connected with each other at their upper and lower turns by connecting lacing wires. The upper and lower turns are each substantially U-shaped, having a longer relatively straight leg and a shorter arcuate leg located at the free end of each end turn, the legs connected to each other by a base web. The radius of the shorter arcuate leg is substantially less than the first radius of the central portion of each coil spring. All the coil springs are oriented in the same direction, except along an edge region of the spring core.

Abstract: A merchandiser for merchandising refrigerated food products comprised as a support structure having two ends, refrigerated merchandising shelves spanning between the ends of the support structure, and a refrigerator for refrigerating product located on the refrigerated merchandising shelves. Each shelf is individually supplied with refrigerated air from the refrigerator. The merchandiser is placed adjacent checkout aisle with one end of the merchandiser abutting an end of the checkout counter, and preferably the express lane checkout counter. Refrigerated food products are thereby accessible and removable from the refrigerated merchandising shelves of the merchandiser from either side of the merchandiser as customers pass down the aisles to the express lane checkout stations.

Abstract: A multisided refrigerated display cabinet preferably being hexagonal in cross section and at least one door for accessing the interior product compartment from one side. Rotatable or non-rotatable shelves are provided within the display compartment. Three alternating insulated walls each include a recessed air duct leading from a refrigeration unit within a base of the display cabinet upwardly into the product compartment and opening to the product compartment. Three lights are mounted within the walls of the cabinet at locations substantially equally space about the periphery of the product compartment. Each major outer surface of the display cabinet also includes an adjustable bumper pad for protecting that surface from the impact of shopping carts and the like.

Abstract: A spring interior forming method and apparatus provides a spring interior assembler and a coil row transfer station upstream of the assembler having at least one conveyer extending therethrough. A coil former is provided at an upstream end of the conveyor and is operated through a plurality of cycles, each to feed one spring coil onto the conveyor. In one embodiment, a single former is provided with a single conveyor extending therefrom through the transfer station. In a second embodiment, two such coiler-conveyor combinations is provided. In a third embodiment, one conveyor through the transfer station is provided with two coilers, each having a feeder preferably in the form of a conveyor, that selectively feed spring coils, which may be of different types, to a cross-over station for feed onto the transfer station conveyor. In a fourth embodiment, each coiler accumulates springs at its output while awaiting queing by the cross-over station.