Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a spring core by adhesively bonding strings of pocketed coil springs together utilizes a moving adhesive applicator for depositing adhesive onto a moving string of pocketed coil springs. Subsequently, individual strings are adhesively bonded to similar strings to form the spring core of pocketed coil springs. The moving applicator may take one of any number of various embodiments which include reciprocating movement, rotational movement, pivotal movement and/or linear translational movement for spraying a pattern of adhesive onto the moving string of pocketed coil springs.

Abstract: A bedding or seating product comprising a centrally located spring core, edge support means located around the perimeter of the spring core, filling material located above and below the spring core and an upholstered covering. The edge support may be either a string of springs, a pair of spiral edge supports or plastic edge reinforcements. The edge support means extends above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the spring core thus creating a higher peripheral edge than the central portion of the spring core. Layers of filling material are inserted over the central portion of the spring core in order to create a uniform upper and lower surface.

Abstract: A bedding or seating product comprising a centrally located spring core, edge support means located around the perimeter of the spring core, filling material located above and below the spring core and an upholstered covering. The edge support may be either a string of springs, a pair of spiral edge supports or plastic edge reinforcements. The edge support means extends above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the spring core thus creating a higher peripheral edge than the central portion of the spring core. Layers of filling material are inserted over the central portion of the spring core in order to create a uniform upper and lower surface.

Abstract: An innerspring structure for a mattress comprises a row of outer coils formed from a continuous piece of wire with the coils interconnected with interconnection segments and a row of inner coils similarly formed. The interconnection segments of the coils form coil heads for pairs of adjacent coils and each head includes a first linear portion disposed generally parallel to the row. The row of inner coils is positioned together and generally coaxially with the row of outer coils for forming reinforced coil units. A helical lacing structure winds around portions of the inner and outer coils to couple the coils together into reinforced coil units and the first linear portions of the coils are configured for being captured with at least approximately three loops of the helical lacing structure for forming a row of reinforced coil units.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing a spring core by adhesively bonding strings of pocketed coil springs together utilizes a moving adhesive applicator for depositing adhesive onto a moving string of pocketed coil springs. Subsequently, individual strings are adhesively bonded to similar strings to form the spring core of pocketed coil springs. The moving applicator may take one of any number of various embodiments which include reciprocating movement, rotational movement, pivotal movement and/or linear translational movement for spraying a pattern of adhesive onto the moving string of pocketed coil springs.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs includes inserting a compressed, preferably pocketed, smaller coil spring into a horizontally oriented larger coil spring either prior to compressing and inserting the outer coil spring into pocket material or after the larger coil spring has been pocketed thereby requiring the first spring to be inserted into and through an opening in the pocket material.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs includes inserting a compressed, preferably pocketed, smaller coil spring into a horizontally oriented larger coil spring either prior to compressing and inserting the outer coil spring into pocket material or after the larger coil spring has been pocketed thereby requiring the first spring to be inserted into and through an opening in the pocket material.

Abstract: A quilting machine is provided having a quilting station and a printing station located upstream of the quilting station, with a conveyor extending through each of the stations to convey a web of quilting material through the machine. At the printing station a top layer is printed with a multi-colored design under the control of a programmed controller, which may vary the design from section to section of the web so that individual or small quantities of panel sections of the web may be decorated with a different pattern. The conveyor preferably moves the quilting material relative to stationary heads, but the conveyor may alternatively stop at various stations and the printing or quilting heads moved relative to the stationary web on the conveyor. Precise longitudinal position information is maintained of the location of the printed pattern. The conveyor then conveys the top patterned layer web through a drying station.

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 innerspring structure for a mattress comprises a plurality of outer coils extending generally parallel with each other to collectively form top and bottom face surfaces of the innerspring structure. One or more of the outer coils has an inner coil of preferably similar shape positioned generally coaxially with the respective outer coil. In one embodiment, a helical lacing wire wraps together adjacent end turns of the inner and outer coaxially aligned coils to form reinforced coil units in an area of the innerspring structure to increase the firmness of an area of the mattress utilizing the invention. Helical lacing wire connects the coils of the structure together and connects the end turns of peripheral coils to a border wire surrounding the periphery of the structures at the top and bottom face surfaces.

Abstract: A coil spring assembly machine for lacing coil springs together to form a coil spring assembly, which machine includes clamping jaws for clamping together portions of adjacent rows of coil springs in at least one of a top and bottom plane of the coil spring assembly, which clamping jaws include dies which cooperate with the end portions of the rows of coil springs to define a helical travel path for helical lacing wires as those lacing wires are moved through the helical travel path. The machine further includes a lacing wire forming and application mechanism for alternatively and selectively supplying lacing wires having two different physical characteristics to that helical travel path.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a pocketed coil spring assembly comprising vertically spacing two sheets of fabric apart so that the sheets are generally parallel to one another. The sheets are then attached together along one end edge and rows of coil springs are inserted between the sheets. After each row of coil springs is inserted between the sheets, the sheets are attached together along transversely extending lines of attachment in alternative planes of the pocketed coil spring assembly. These steps of inserting rows of coil springs and attaching the sheets together in alternative planes occurs sequentially until an appropriate length of the assembly is obtained.

Abstract: A spring interior assembly method and apparatus produces spring interiors formed of a plurality of longitudinally connected columns of spring coils. Preferably, the spring interiors are formed as continuous wire bands each of alternating coils and bridging sections. Corresponding, coils of each column are laced together with transverse lacing wires as the columns are indexed longitudinally through a lacing station and are adjusted to correct lengths as the spring interiors are assembled. A measurement device or other form of sensor at a measurement station downstream of the lacing station in the assembly machine signals the length of a portion of the spring interior, preferably including a number of bridging sections. A processor in the assembly machine controller causes the last laced section to be longitudinally deformed to adjust its length in response to the measurement.

Abstract: A mattress inner spring core comprising a plurality of coil springs arranged in longitudinally extending columns and transversely extending rows. Each coil spring has an identically configured upper and lower end turn between which are a plurality of central convolutions defining a spring axis. Each end turn comprises first and second offset legs connected by a linear base web. A portion of a first leg of one end turn overlaps a portion of a second leg of an adjacent end turn in an overlapping region. Helical lacing wires encircle the legs of adjacent end turns to connect rows of springs. Each helical lacing wire has multiple revolutions encircling the overlapped legs of adjacent end turns with the same number of revolutions of the lacing wire encircling the overlapped portions of the legs and at least one complete revolution encircling a non-overlapped portion of the first and second legs of the end turns.

Abstract: Apparatus including a mattress support for supporting a mattress lying on a first major face or panel thereof and conveying the mattress as a sewing operation, such as an edge sewing and taping operation, is performed with respect to the first major face. A mattress flipping mechanism is provided and may include a pivoting support portion of the mattress support connected to a powered lift mechanism. Mattress elevating units are provided to create slack in the top panel of the mattress for easier grasping by the operator during a sewing operation. A mattress guide arm is provided for holding the mattress down during the sewing operation. A mattress inclining mechanism is provided for selectively moving the mattress from a generally horizontal orientation used for mattress conveying and flipping operations to an inclined orientation used during sewing to gravity feed the mattress into engagement with the sewing machine.

Abstract: A mattress spring core having a plurality of zones of differing firmnesses due to different characteristics of helical lacing connectors within the particular zones. The spring core has a plurality of identical coil springs arranged in side-by-side transversely extending rows and columns. The coil springs are connected together at the upper and lower ends of the springs with helical lacing connectors which encircle a portion of the upper and lower faces of the springs. The helical lacing connectors may be of a heavier gauge wire in one or more zones of the mattress spring core thus causing that particular zone to be of an increased firmness relative to the other zones of the mattress. Alternatively, the helical lacing connectors within a zone may comprise two or more co-axial lacing wires to impart greater strength or rigidity to one or more zones of the mattress.

Abstract: A pocketed coil spring assembly comprising a plurality of transversely extending integrally connected fabric blocks. Each block is defined between two sheets of fabric by transversely extending lines of attachment of the sheets to each other. Successive lines of attachment are located alternatively in the upper and lower planar surfaces of the assembly. The blocks may be further connected with fasteners in one of the planar surfaces of the assembly. The blocks may contain either continuous bands of coil springs or individual coil springs, but in any event, the springs within adjacent blocks are oppositely oriented to create a balanced spring assembly in which there is no tendency for the springs to tilt upon compression of the assembly.