Abstract: A mold for retaining a seedling during handling and transportation, whereby the mold is formed of turf, water, nutrients and a synthetic molding material. The dried form retaining mold form receives a seedling and then is packaged as needed for further handling prior to being planted and watered. The seedling then grows directly in the mold. The invention also includes the process and device for manufacturing such molds.

Abstract: An automatic frame bending machine is disclosed for bending off rod steel or steel bands, and a process and device for producing spring mattresses. The purpose of the invention is to design a frame bending machine with which frames of the most diverse types can be automatically produced without risk of material losses or of deforming the frames. The frame bending machine should also be easy to integrate in an assembly line. For this purpose, a spool is provided, after which the steel passes through a wire straightener composed of a rotor and rollers, measurement and traction rollers linked to the bending device, cutting means and a centering metal sheet. Hydraulic motors controlled by a microprocessor from a control panel are provided for driving and bending.

Abstract: An automated process and apparatus for the production of innerspring mattresses having an innerspring situated between top and bottom frame members. A microprocessor controlled apparatus forms the frame members and arranges them for transportation to a clamping table. A first frame member is fed to the clamping table. An innerspring is then fed to the clamping table where it is clamped to the first frame member around the periphery thereof, thereby forming a first combination. The first combination is then removed from the clamping table and a second frame member is fed to the clamping table. The first combination is then turned over and fed back to the clamping table where it is then clamped to the second frame member, thereby forming a completed innerspring mattress.

Abstract: A machine in which butterfly clips are prebent and then punched out of steel strip and simultaneously finally bent, such that they fasten together a spring and the frame of a spring core. Thus, both the punching out of the clip and the final bending process, i.e. the connecting process between the frame and spring parts, are carried out in a single tool. The machine therefore operates particularly cost-effectively, because, in comparison with the prior art, the separately punched butterfly clips do not have to be inserted into a separate bending machine.

Abstract: A spring core comprises a plurality of coil springs 10 each made of a single, continuous piece of wire having two open ended final windings 11 which are approximately U-shaped. The coil springs are held together by spiral shaped connecting elements 30 enclosing the straight lateral arms 12, 13 of the final windings.

Abstract: A machine for producing spiral springs whose ends are twisted around the adjacent coils includes inductive proximity switches 18, 19 for sensing the position of the wire end 3a of each spring 3 conveyed from a coil forming station A. The measurement results are fed to a preselector counter 21, and when deviations from the correct wire length exceed a certain predetermined number a regulating motor 23 adjusts a tool which determines the coil diameter of the spring.

Abstract: Rows of springs are periodically supplied to a mattress spring core assembly machine 7 by a transfer system 6. The springs are taken, in turn, from one of two conveyor belt pairs 4, 5 by the transfer system. The individual springs are produced by spring coiling machines 1, 2 with each machine feeding one conveyor belt pair. By periodically shifting the transfer system 6 its gripping arms 20 can alternately take a row of springs from one or the other conveyor belt pair, thus doubling the overall production rate.

Abstract: A centering device is provided in a spring core mounting machine having at least one pair of clamping jaws for holding together the terminal windings of adjacent helical springs while they are being connected by threading wire helices through them, with the terminal windings of the helical springs being provided at two diametrically oppositely located portions with bent-out zones in which the spring wire extends at least approximately in a straight line and in parallelism with the opposite zone. A slide is provided which is movable in axial direction and which engages the respectively newly supplied spring at its terminal winding and presses it against the movable clamping jaw.

Abstract: A pair of mating mold halves are mounted between upper and lower clamp plates 25, 22. The lower clamp plate is driven by a hydraulic unit 17 mounted to a base plate 16, which is rotatably disposed on a tiltable table plate 7. The upper clamp plate is journaled between the arms 26, 28 of a yoke pivotally mounted on the base plate and controlled by hydraulic units 29 coupled between the yoke arms and the upper clamp plate. This compact multi-pivotal arrangement affords a large separation stroke between the two clamp plates without, by reason of the lateral pivoting of the yoke and upper clamp plate, requiring any additional overhead or ceiling clearance space.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating helical springs with knots at their coil ends, for mattress spring frames, in which the springs are moved upright and entangled in sliding guides by a conveyor belt against a stop. The lower coil end of the springs touching the stop is grasped by a gripping member. The stop is moved to an inactive position and the gripping member pulls the grasped coil end from the sliding guide by an amount equivalent to spring wire thickness. Then the stop returns to its active position and the gripping member pivots the spring by 90.degree. into a lying position where the far end of the coil is grasped by a spring turning member. The gripping member releases the spring and returns to the starting position. Then the spring turning member rotates the spring until the knot touches a stop. After release, the spring is grasped by another gripping member and passed on to the spring frame assembly machine.

Abstract: A metering and conveyor arrangement for liquids to be mixed, in which several parallel-connected delivery pumps are actuated by a drive unit. Each liquid is assigned to a pair of delivery pumps. Each pair consists of two piston pumps alternately performing an intake and a discharge cycle. The pumps are moveable relative to each other, as well as perpendicular to the piston rods. A swivel element is joined to the drive unit, and rocker arms are located on both sides. Each of the rocker arms is connected with one of the piston pumps of a pair, and the ends of the piston rods are located and guided in grooves of the rocker arms. Each pair of the piston pumps is regulated by an adjustment spindle which is common to one pair of piston pumps. The adjustment spindle has two parts with opposite threads. They are connected by a lockable coupling. One spindle part is each associated with one piston pump of one pair.