WO2000010424A1

WO2000010424A1 - Method and apparatus for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal

Info

Publication number: WO2000010424A1
Application number: PCT/FI1999/000588
Authority: WO
Inventors: Reijo Kuivikko
Original assignee: Sajakorpi Oy
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1999-07-02
Publication date: 2000-03-02
Also published as: AU5039999A; FI107989B; FI981780A0; FI981780A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal, which brush ring is intended to be used with one or several corresponding brush rings as a brush, that rotates (w) around a longitudinal axis (s) in a brushing machine. The brush ring consists of a brush part (1) having bristles made of metal and a ring shaped frame part (2) advantageously made of plastics, that connects the radially directed (r) bristles (1a) forming the brush part (1). During manufacturing of the brush ring, a brush part preform (1a') is being produced known as such of the bristles (1a) during a preliminary manufacturing phase by binding the ends (I) of the bristles, that are to be connected to the frame part (2), with each other by means of a plastic based binding mass (m), that is in a flowing state and that solidifies to an essentially solid state. The binding mass (m) is being fed during a preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part (1) to the ends (I) of the bristles (1a) essentially in the longitudinal direction (r) of the bristles (1a), particularly in order to make the penetration of the binding mass (m) among the bristles (1a) more efficient. The invention relates also to an apparatus operating according to the method.

Description

Method and apparatus for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal, which brush ring is intended to be used with one or several corresponding brush rings as a brush, that rotates around a longitudinal axis in a brushing machine and, which brush ring consists of a brush part having bristles made of metal and a ring shaped frame part preferably made of plastics, that connects the radially directed bristles forming the brush part, whereby during manufacturing of the brush ring, a brush part preform is being produced known as such of the bristles during a preliminary manufacturing phase by binding the ends of the bristles, that are to be connected to the frame part, with each other by means of a plastic based binding mass, that is in a flowing state and that solidifies to an essentially solid state.

The type of brush rings described above are being used to form brushes in most heterogeneous sweeping lorries and brushing machines. The brush rings being used today comprise usually a ring shaped frame part or in other words, that has been bent to a circumferential shape, when viewed in a perpendicular direction in respect with the longitudinal direction of the bristles, and that is usually made of thin sheet iron, the thickness of which is e.g. about 1 mm and in which the bristles have been attached e.g. by means of suitable solidifying attachment mass. This type of brush rings are usually planar when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the bristles as shown in Fig. 1, being equipped with reference numbers, when the aim is to produce brushes of especially high quality. This type of brush rings, that are partly made of metal, tend to brake particularly because of cold, which is due to stiffening of the bristles. In such an occasion they open in certain places the frame sheet iron supporting the brush part of the brush ring, in which case bigger or smaller parts of the brush are released from the brush ring. In addition to that, such a problem is involved with the type of brush rings described above having metal frames and plastic brushes, that reuse of the same is impossible in practice, because removing of the frame sheet iron from the bristles is not economically justified in practice. That is why the type of brush rings are removed as a whole to the dumping area, that is naturally a significant waste problem. Furthermore when the type of brush rings described above are being used, very strongly built supporting structures must be used, also, such as space rings made of metal, fastening rings etc., which is why a brush being collected of this kind of brush rings becomes disproportionately expensive.

The technique represented above describes brush structures equipped e.g. with bristles made of plas- tics, in respect with which significant development has been presented furthermore e.g. in Finnish Patent Applications No. 963433 and 964515. In the former there has been shown according to Figs 2 and 3 , being equipped with reference numbers, first of all a brush ring in which the brush part and the frame part are entirely made of recycling and essentially the same manufacturing material, such as polyprophylene or like and, in which the frame part, that is essentially circumferential, when viewed in a perpendicular direction in respect with the longitudinal direction of the bristles of the brush ring and that is equipped with plane like back surfaces (2 ' ) , is arranged to project in at least two places (x) sidewards (s; si) from the ground level (o) of the same, preferably with a constant vawe form, reaching at distance (L) . In the latter there has been presented for its part a solution for manufacturing of a brush ring described above, which solution has first of all such a characteristic, that the brush part of the brush ring is manufactured of an essentially elongated brush part preform, whereby the bristles existing therein have been connected to each other by melting by the other ends of the same and, whereby furthermore during putting together of the brush ring, the plastic paste forming the frame part is being led bent in a ready finished state, such as through a U-shaped extrusion groove or correspondingly, by means of an extrusion device, such as an extruder or like, that feeds solid plastic mass on top of the melting edge of the brush part preform, that is as an advantageous embodiment being preheated in the same connection.

The technique described in the beginning corresponds also very well to manufacturing of a brush ring having bristles made of metal, in which connection however a traditional and an alternative way of manufacturing in respect with the above is such, that the bristles are being bent at the center and bound together by means of a steel wire to be closed inside the frame sheet iron. A problem involved with totally metallic brush rings is particularly laboriousness of putting together of the same and due to the above expensiveness as well. Furthermore such a problem is involved with manufacturing of brush rings having bristles made of metal and, that have been bound to the frame part by suitable binding mass, that with nowadays technology when e.g. polyethen is being used as binding mass, the frame part of the brush ring must still be reinforced with a casing part made of sheet iron, inspite of which it is still however very usual, that separate bristles may get loose from the brush part, which is a very significant disadvantage of present brush rings having bristles made of metal.

It is the aim of the method according to this inventi- on to achieve a decisive improvement in the problems presented above and thus to raise essentially the level of knowledge in the field. To achieve this aim the method according to the invention is primarily characterized in, that the binding mass is being fed during a preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part by a continuous feed to the ends of the bristles essentially in the longitudinal direction of the bristles, particularly in order to make the penetration of the binding mass among the bristles more effi- cient.

As the most important advantages of the method, profitability, simplicity and reliability of the same may be mentioned, thanks to which the quality of the final product may be kept as high as possible, because the bristles may not get loose the way, that is typical for present brush ring structures having bristles made of metal . Furthermore one advantage of the method according to the invention is the fact, that during manufacturing of the brush ring it is not any more needed to use a separate frame sheet iron in order to reinforce the frame part of the brush ring, but instead the structure may be carried out advanta- geousely e.g. according to the Finnish Patent Applica- tions mentioned in the beginning by using a frame part made of plastics and processing that is suitable in that context. That is why, the invention enables significant improvement when compared to present ways of manufacturing both with a view to manufacturing technique and economically. With the method according to the invention it is furthermore possible to manufacture by planar brush rings as well as brush rings of zig-zag type according to the Patent Application described above by exploiting just the same manufacturing techniques in principle, that has been found reliable .

The invention relates also to an apparatus functioning according to the principle of the method, that is being described in a greater detail in the preamble of the independent claim related to the same. The primary characteristics of the apparatus are represented in the characterizing part of the corresponding claim.

As the most important advantages of the apparatus according to the invention may be mentioned profitability, simplicity and reliability of its principle, structure and use, which enables manufacturing of a brush ring structure, that is significantly more profitable and tecnically better than present brush rings . Thanks to the apparatus according to the invention it is possible to produce brush rings, in which it is not necessary to use a separate frame sheet iron anymore to reinforce the frame part, but instead a manufacturing technique may be exploited, that is known from manufacturing of brush rings having bristles totally made of plastics, by binding the brush ring having bristles made of metal furthermore with a frame part made of plastics. In this connection the brush part preform may be formed first of all by cutting the bristle preforms at the center by means of a cutting device, whereby an idealistically even base edge may be obtained to the brush part preform. Afterwards it is furthermore possible to act in an extremely efficient way by feeding the binding mass by one and the same distribution device to the corresponding ends of two brush part preforms being prepared simultaneously. As an advantageous embodiment poly- prophylene is being used as the binding mass and as the manufacturing material of the frame part , which furthermore secures attachment of the base of the brush part preform in a completely reliable way to the frame part, that is to be extruded totally allover the same .

In the following description, the invention is illustrated in greater detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Figs 1 and 2 show sectional side views of brushes formed of planar brush rings and formed of brush rings of zig-zag type,

Fig. 3 shows an advantageous brush ring as a pers- pective view to be manufactured by the method and apparatus according to the invention,

Fig. 4 shows one advantageous embodiment of the method and apparatus according to the inven- tion and

Fig. 5 shows furthermore an advantageous further embodiment of the method and apparatus .

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal, which brush ring is intended to be used with one or several corresponding brush rings as a brush, that rotates w around a longitudinal axis s in a brushing machine. The brush ring consists of a brush part 1 having bristles la made of metal and a ring shaped frame part 2 advantageously made of plastics, that connects the radially directed r bristles forming the brush part and in which there has been arranged according to Figs. 1-3 advantageously furthermore also holding means 3 to prevent the brush ring from twisting, when the same has been assembled in place to the brush frame of the brushing machine with the other brush rings placed one after another in the longitudinal direction s. During manufacturing of the brush ring, a brush part preform la' is being produced known as such of the bristles la during a preliminary manu- facturing phase by binding the ends I of the bristles, that are to be connected to the frame part, with each other by means of a plastic based binding mass m, that is in a flowing state and that solidifies to an essentially solid state. The binding mass is being fed during a preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part 1 to the ends I of the bristles la essentially in the longitudinal direction r of the bristles la, particularly in order to make the penetration of the binding mass m among the bristles la more efficient.

Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the bristles la are being manufactured on the principle shown in Fig. 5 during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part 1 of bristle preforms la", that are being cut preferably at the center of the same, particularly in order to secure evenness of the end I to be connected together of the brush part preform la' , that is to be formed. This is very important particularly in that respect, that usually a crimped steel wire is being used as the bristles, reliable attachment of which may be obtained only in such case, that all the bristles end up as accurately as possible at the same point .

Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the method, the binding mass m is being fed e.g. on the principle shown in Figs. 4 and 5 in the radial direction r simultaneously to the end I of each brush part preform la', that is being formed, by means of a distribution device L passing in between the ends I of the bristles la. Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the method, essentially the same plastic based material as the binding mass m, such as polyprophylene or like, is being used as the manufacturing material of the frame part 2, that is being led during an actual manufacturing phase of the brush ring by extrusion or accordingly essentially in a flowing state on top of the base edge I of the brush part preform la ' being manufactured during the preliminary manufacturing phase.

The invention relates also to an apparatus operating according to the method described above, which has such a characteristic, that the apparatus comprises a distribution device L in order to feed the binding mass m during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part 1 to the ends of the bristles la essentially in the longitudinal direction r of the bristles la, particularly in order to make the penetration of the binding mass m among the bristles la more efficient.

Furthermore as an advantageous embodiment of the apparatus, the same comprises cutting means c operating on the principle shown in Fig. 5 for producing of the bristles la during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part 1 by cutting bristle preforms la" advantageously at the center k of the same, particularly in order to secure evenness of the end T to be connected together of the brush part preform la', that is to be formed.

Connected to the solution shown above, the apparatus comprises furthermore a distribution device L operating e.g. on the principle shown in Fig. 4, that is arranged to feed the binding mass m on the principle shown in Fig. 5 in the radial direction simultaneously to the end I of each brush part preform la', that is being formed. In this context the apparatus has been constructed furthermore particularly with a view to that, that the basic material of the binding mass m and the frame part 2 is the same plastic based mate- rial, such as polyprophylene or like, whereby the apparatus comprises furthermore a device to lead the material of the frame part 2 by extrusion or correspondingly on top of the base edge I of the brush part preform la' essentially in a flowing state. The type of device being described above has not been presented in greater detail in the enclosed drawings, because solutions, that are suitable in this context as well, may be found from the prior art known e.g. from the Finnish patent applications mentioned in the begin- ning.

It is obvious, that the invention is not limited to the embodiments presented or described above, but it can be modified within the basic idea even to a great extent. In this case it is first of all possible to form the type of brush ring described above of a frame part, that is e.g. wider than presented and into which there has been attached e.g. one single spiral- shaped brushing or, that has been carried out by means of a two or multiple ended threading. It is on the other hand possible to exploit the principle described above on the other hand by using a solution like the one shown in the drawings, in which the frame part comprises a structure, that has e.g. knees extending sidewards instead of a structure having a cross section, that extends constant. It is also possible to equip the brush rings according to the invention with auxiliary holding arrangements, functioning by means of e.g. male-female-principle and that are placed at the axially directed side surfaces of the frame parts of the same. It is naturally possible to make a brush ring according to the invention most heterogeneous materials, by exploiting most heterogeneous manufactu- ring methods, in which case use of polyprophylene as the manufacturing material of the brush rings has been represented as one example, only, that is, however, a very suitable alternative in this connection.

Claims

Claims :

1. Method for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal, which brush ring is intended to be used with one or several corresponding brush rings as a brush, that rotates (w) around a longitudinal axis (s) in a brushing machine and, which brush ring consists of a brush part (1) having bristles made of metal and a ring shaped frame part (2) preferably made of plastics, that connects the radially directed (r) bristles (la) forming the brush part (1) , whereby during manufacturing of the brush ring, a brush part preform (la¹) is being produced known as such of the bristles (la) during a preli- minary manufacturing phase by binding the ends (I) of the bristles, that are to be connected to the frame part (2) , with each other by means of a plastic based binding mass (m) , that is in a flowing state and that solidifies to an essentially solid state, characteri- zed in, that the binding mass (m) is being fed during a preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part

(1) by a continuous feed to the ends (I) of the bristles (la) of a brush part preform (la¹), that continues in the longitudinal direction (p) , essen- tially in the longitudinal direction (r) of the bristles (la) , particularly in order to make the penetration of the binding mass (m) among the bristles (la) more efficient.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in, that the bristles (la) are being manufactured during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part (1) of bristle preforms (la"), that are being cut preferably at the center (k) of the same, particularly in order to secure evenness of the end

(I) to be connected together of the brush part preform

(la¹), that is to be formed.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in, that the binding mass (m) is being fed in the radial direction (r) simultaneously to the end (I) of each brush part preform (la'), that is being formed, by means of a distribution device (L) passing in between the ends (I) of the bristles (la) .

4. Method according to any of the claims 1-3 above, characterized in, that essentially the same plastic based material as the binding mass (m) , such as polyprophylene or like, is being used as the manufacturing material of the frame part (2) , that is being led essentially in a flowing state on top of the base edge (I) of the brush part preform (la') being manufactured during the preliminary manufacturing phase .

5. Apparatus for manufacturing of a brush ring with bristles particularly made of metal, which brush ring is intended to be used with one or several corresponding brush rings as a brush, that rotates (w) around a longitudinal axis (s) in a brushing machine and, which brush ring consists of a brush part (1) having bristles made of metal and a ring shaped frame part (2) preferably made of plastics, that connects the radially directed (r) bristles (la) forming the brush part (1), whereby a brush part preform (la') is produced known as such of the bristles (la) during a preliminary manufacturing phase by binding the ends (I) of the bristles, that are to be connected to the frame part (2) , with each other by means of a plastic based binding mass (m) , that is in a flowing state and that solidifies to an essentially solid state, characterized in, that the apparatus comprises a distributi- on device (L) in order to feed the binding mass (m) during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part (1) with a continuous feed to the ends (I) of the bristles (la) of the brush part preform (la'), that continues in the longitudinal direction (p) , essentially in the longitudinal direction (r) of the bristles (la) , particularly in order to make the penetration on the binding mass (m) among the bristles (la) more efficient.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in, that the apparatus comprises cutting means (C) for producing of the bristles (la) during the preliminary manufacturing phase of the brush part (1) by cutting bristle preforms (la") preferably at the center (k) of the same, particularly in order to secure evenness of the end (I) to be connected together of the brush part preform (la¹), that is to be formed.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in, that the apparatus comprises a distribution device (L) , that is arranged to feed the binding mass (m) in the radial direction simultaneously to the end (I) of each brush part preform (la'), that is being formed.

8. Apparatus according to any of the claims 5-7 above, characterized in, that the basic material of the binding mass (m) and the frame part (2) is the same plastic based material, such as polyprophylene or like, whereby the apparatus comprises a device to lead the material of the frame part by extrusion or correspondingly on top of the base edge (I) of the brush part preform (la¹) essentially in a flowing state.