Method of making a covered article

A method of making a covered article which comprises the steps of;

• forming at least a pair of covering members of a covering material, said covering material being impervious to a foam material which is formed from a foamable composition;
• sewing said covering members together along at least one sew line to form a cover having a peripheral edge portion therearound and an interior volume, said sewing operation placing openings through said cover which permit the passage of said foam material through said cover;
• forming a locating member having both an inner peripheral edge portion therearound defining a central opening and locating openings between said inner peripheral edge portion and an outer peripheral edge portion, said locating member's inner peripheral edge portion having the same general configuration as said peripheral edge portion of said cover;
• sewing said peripheral edge portion of said cover to said inner peripheral edge portion of said locating member;
• sealing said opening along said sew lines joining saiid covering members together so that said foam material produced upon foaming of said foamable composition cannot flow through said openings;
• locating said cover and joined locating member in a foaming mold having a mold portion containing a die surface upon which a vacuum can be drawn and an openable cover portion, said locating opening of said locating member being aligned with locating pins provided on said foaming mold to align accurately said cover with said die surface of said foaming mold;
• drawing a vacuum on said die surface of said foaming mold thereby to draw a facing surface of said cover into contact with said die surface;
• placing a charge of said foamable composition into said interior volume of said cover defined between an inner surface of said cover and its peripheral edge when said cover is held in contact with said die surface by vacuum;
• closing said cover portion of said foaming mold;
• reacting said foamable composition to fill said interior volume of said cover with said foam material;
• opening said foaming mold;
• removing said cover, foam material and locating member from said foaming mold;
• removing said locating member from said cover having said foam material therein thereby to form a covered article.

A method of forming a covered seating member which comprises the steps of:

• forming the necessary seating parts of a covering material which is impervious to a foam material which is formed from a foamable composition;
• said covering material having a first surface to form the exposed portion of the finished member and a second surface to form the interior surface of the finished member;
• sewing said seating parts together along sew lines to form a seating member having a peripheral edge portion and inner and outer surfaces, said sewing operation placing openings through said seating member which permit the passage of said foam material through said seating member;
• forming a locating member having both an inner peripheral edge portion therearound defining a central opening and locating portions between said inner peripheral edge portion and an outer peripheral edge portion, said locating member's inner peripheral edge portion having the same general configuration as said peripheral edge portion of said seating member;
• sewing said peripheral edge portion of said seating member to said inner peripheral edge portion of said locating member;
• placing said seating member on a seating buck with said inner surface of said seating member exposed thereby exposing the inner surfaces of said sew lines;
• sealing said openings along said sew lines joining said seating parts together so that foam material produced upon foaming of said foamable composition cannot flow through said openings;
• reversing said seating member so that said outer surface thereof is exposed;
• locating said seating member and attached locating member in a foaming mold having both a mold portion containing a die surface upon which a vacuum can be drawn and an openable cover portion, said locating portions of said locating member being aligned with locating portions on said foaming mold to align accurately said seating member with said die surface of said foaming mold;
• drawing a vacuum on said die surface of said foaming mold thereby to draw said outer surface of said seating member into contact with said die surface;
• placing a charge of said foamable composition into an interior volume of said seating member defined between its inner surface and its peripheral edge portion when said seating member is held in contact with said die surface by vacuum;
• closing said cover portion of said foaming mold;
• reacting said foamable composition to fill said interior volume of said seat member with said foam material;
• opening said foam mold;
• removing said seat member, foam material and locating member from said foaming mold;
• removing said locating member from said seat member having said foam material therein thereby to form a covered seating member.