Bristle bed for vacuum table
AssigneeGerber Garment Technology, Inc.
InventorHeinz J. Gerber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum table has a base and a bristle bed which includes a bristle mat formed from a plurality of molded bristle blocks mounted in closely spaced relation within the table base. Each bristle block has a base portion and a multiplicity of straight or tapered bristles which project upwardly therefrom and cooperate to define a penetrable support surface. Apertures in the bases of the blocks and/or spaces between marginal edges of adjacent blocks define airflow passageways through the mat which communicate with a vacuum source for inducing airflow in downward directions generally parallel to the bristles. The bristle blocks may be supported on a grid or may be self supported.
Claims32
A unitary bristle block made from plastic material and having a base, a multiplicity of flexible bristles integrally connected to one side of said base and projecting in parallel relation therefrom, said bristles having free ends defining a substantially planar support surface, each of said bristles having a taper converging from one end toward its opposite end, a plurality of parallel connecting posts integrally connected to said base and projecting from the side thereof opposite said one side, said base having a plurality of passageways extending therethrough, each of said passageways opening through said one side between a plurality of said bristles.
A bristle bed for a vacuum holddown apparatus, said bristle bed comprising a bristle mat including a plurality of bristle blocks each having a base portion and a plurality of flexible bristles projecting from said base portion, means for supporting said bristle blocks with the base portions thereof disposed in a common plane to define a mat base and with the free ends of said bristles disposed in another common plane to define a support surface, and means for maintaining associated marginal edge portions of said base portions of adjacent bristle blocks in spaced apart relation to each other to define openings through said mat base between said bristles.
A bristle block comprising a base having a scalloped peripheral edge, a multiplicity of flexible bristles projecting in spaced apart relation from one side of said base, said bristles having free ends defining a support surface, said base having a plurality of passageways therethrough and opening through said one side between said bristles.
A bristle block comprising a base, a multiplicity of flexible bristles projecting in spaced apart relation from one side of said base, said bristles having free ends defining a support surface, said base having a plurality of passageways therethrough opening through said one side between said bristles, and a plurality of connecting posts projecting from the other side of said base opposite said one side.
A bristle bed for a vacuum apparatus for holding down fabric and the like while being worked, said bristle bed comprising a bristle mat including a plurality of bristle blocks each having a base portion and a plurality of flexible bristles projecting from said base portion, a grid supporting said bristle blocks with the base portions thereof disposed in a common plane to define a mat base and with the free ends of said bristles disposed in another common plane to define a support surface, means defining openings through said mat base between said bristles, and means for releasably retaining said bristle blocks in assembly with said grid with said openings in communication with apertures in said grid.
A bristle block comprising a base having a scalloped peripheral edge, a multiplicity of flexible bristles projecting in spaced apart relation from one side of said base, said bristles having free ends defining a support surface, and a plurality of parallel connecting posts projecting from the other side of said base.
A bristle block comprising a base, a multiplicity of flexible bristles projecting in spaced apart relation from one side of said base, said bristles having free ends defining a support surface, said base having a plurality of passageways therethrough opening through said one side between said bristles, and at least one connecting post projecting from the other side of said base opposite said one side.
In a vacuum apparatus for holding down sheet material and the like while being worked, a bristle bed comprising a bristle mat including a plurality of bristle blocks each having a base portion and a plurality of flexible bristles projecting from said base portion, a support member having apertures therethrough and supporting said bristle blocks with the base portions thereof disposed in a common plane to define a mat base and with the free ends of said bristles disposed in another common plane to define a material supporting surface, means defining openings through said mat base between said bristles, and means for releasably retaining said bristle blocks in assembly with said support member with said openings in communication with apertures in said support member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.