Cushion cover stuffing machine and method

A cushion cover stuffing machine comprising a shaft mounted for rotation about an axis,

• a chute affixed to said shaft,
• said chute forming a enclosure extending transversely of said shaft and having an inlet end and an outlet end,
• said chute being rotatable from a first position in which said inlet end is positioned above said outlet end to a second position in which said inlet end is positioned below said outlet end, said chute being positioned substantially to one side of said shaft when in said first position and to an opposite side of said shaft when in said second position,
• means movable longitudinally within said chute to force a cushion therein outwardly of said outlet end of said chute when said chute is in said second position,
• said chute being arranged so that a cover for a cushion received in said chute can be slipped over said chute from said outlet end thereof.

A cushion cover stuffing machine comprising a section presenting an elongate parallelepiped member formed of facing side members and having generally smooth aligned inner and outer faces,

• said member forming a chute like enclosure adapted to confine a cushion element therein having a greater exterior transverse periphery than the inner transverse pheriphery of said chute like enclosure,
• a leadin funnel section forming part of said member and having generally sloping inner facing sides extending inwardly of said funnel section to the facing side members of said chute like enclosure and constituting a means for directing a cushion element into said confining chute like enclosure and compressing said cushion element to a shape conformable to said chute like enclosure so that said cushion may be forced into the confining area within said chute like enclosure,
• means rotatably mounting said enclosure for rotation about an axis transverse of said enclosure and for movement from a first position in which said funnel section lies above said enclosure to a second position wherein said funnel section lies below said enclosure,
• and means insertable through said funnel section when in said second position for forcing the cushion element outwardly of said enclosure.

A method of applying a cover member to a cushion having a periphery transversely of its length greater than the internal periphery of the cover member transversely of the corresponding length of the cover member comprising

• compressing the cushion to a reduced size transversely of its length by forcing said cushion downwardly into a confining means
• retaining said cushion under compression within said confining means
• rotating said cushion,
• slipping the open end of a cover member normally of an untensioned internal periphery transversely of its length less than the free uncompressed transverse periphery of said cushion over a portion of said cushion while said cushion is in said rotating condition and within said restraining means and until the cover bears against one end of said cushion
• forcing said cushion outwardly from said restraining means in a direction to continue engagement of the cover against the one end of the cushion thereby moving said cushion progressively into direct contact along its length with said cover and causing said cover to move with said cushion, and
• permitting said cushion to expand within said cover progressively as it moves outwardly of said restraining means.

A method for applying a sleeve-like cushion cover having one end which is at least partially closed upon a cushion having an uncompressed peripheral extent greater than the internal periphery transversely of the length of said sleeve comprising

• compressing said cushion to a size laterally of its length less than the corresponding size of the cover by forcing the cushion downwardly into a confining means until one end of said cushion projects outwardly of the confining means,
• retaining said cushion in the compressed condition,
• rotating said cushion,
• applying the cover around a first portion of said cushion in said rotated condition by sliding said cover over one end of said cushion until said one end of said cover contacts said one end of said cushion,
• moving said cushion in engagement with said cover end portion to force said cushion outwardly from said confining means thereby causing movement of said cover with said cushion and over said cushion to draw said cover along said cushion
• causing said cushion to expand by the latter said movement within said cover
• and continuing said movement until said cover completely engages and surrounds said cushion as said cushion moves and expands in moving out of said confining means.