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The present invention relates to a system and method for overcasting textile products and the like, particularly mattress .

The invention has advantageous application also in the field of overcastting materials and textile products different from mattresses, such as carpets.

In the following, the description will be directed to a system and method for overcastting mattresses, but it is clear that the same should not be considered limited to this specific use.

Systems for overcasting mattresses 1 are known of the type shown in figure 1, in which layers 2 that compose mattresses are moved according to a certain direction and are passed through a first overcasting zone, in which two fixed overcasting heads 3, 4 are arranged, for overcasting two opposite edges 3', 4' of the mattress, before it being cut to size by a cutting member 5, acting along a cutting line perpendicular to said opposite edges 3', 4', and to be arranged in a temporary staging area 6.

From this temporary staging area 6, layers 2 of the mattress, cut to size and with two opposite edges overcasted, are translated in a direction perpendicular to the previous one, up to a second overcasting zone, in which there are two other fixed overcasting heads 8, 9 suitable to overcast the remaining two edges of the mattress, previously cut from the cutter 5.

After being passed through the overcasting heads 3, 4, 8, 9 as described above, mattresses with all four edges overcasted arrive at a final resting zone 7 , for being picked up.

The known systems described above have, however, the drawback of having considerable dimensions, thus determining the need of large spaces in order to allow the relative installation.

In light of the above, it is, therefore, object of the present invention providing a system and a method for overcasting textile products and the like, particularly mattresses, which allow overcoming the problems of the known solutions, above complained .

Further object of the invention is to provide a system and a method for overcasting textile products and the like, particularly mattresses, which reduce manufacturing times .

Another object of the invention is to provide a plant for overcasting textile products and the like, particularly for mattresses, which is simple to manufacture, versatile, reliable in use and economical in function of the results practically achieved with it.

It is therefore specific object of the present invention system for overcasting textile products and the like, wherein a predetermined advancing direction of semifinished products is provided, said system comprising a first overcasting station comprising at least two first mutually spaced apart overcasting members for overcasting two opposite edges of a semifinished product, said two opposite edges being substantially parallel to said advancing direction,- a second overcasting station comprising a guide with a first portion substantially rectilinear and arranged substantially perpendicular to said advancing direction, a overcasting member movable along said guide, and motor means for moving said overcasting member movable along said guide; and moving means for moving semifinished products from said first overcasting station to said second overcasting station.

Always according to the invention, said system could comprise cutting means for cutting semifinished products along a cutting line substantially perpendicular to said advancing direction.

Still according to the invention, said cutting means could be arranged between said first overcasting station and said second overcasting station.

Advantageously according to the invention, said guide could be a closed loop guide and could comprise a second portion substantially rectilinear and substantially parallel to said first portion.

Further according to the invention, said second overcasting station could comprise a further overcasting member movable along said guide.

Always according to the invention, said further movable overcasting member could be arranged opposite said movable overcasting member.

Still according to the invention, said movable overcasting member and said further movable overcasting member could be mutually movable in a synchronous way.

Advantageously according to the invention, the at least two first overcasting members could be fixed and mutually opposite.

Further according to the invention, the system could comprise a stacker member arranged downstream from said first overcasting station and second overcasting station and comprising a supporting surface, lowering/raising means for raising and lowering said supporting surface, and placing means for placing semifinished products on said supporting surface, which have passed through said first overcasting station and said second overcasting station.

Always according to the invention, said placing means could comprise at least one clamp movable along said advancing direction.

It is further object of the present invention a method for overcasting textile products and the like, said method comprising the steps of: providing at least one semifinished product; moving said at least one semifinished product along an advancing direction; providing at least two first overcasting members; overcasting two opposite edges of said at least one semifinished product by means of said at least two first overcasting members, said edges being substantially parallel to said advancing direction; providing a guide with a first portion substantially rectilinear and arranged substantially perpendicular to said advancing direction; providing a overcasting member movable along said guide; bringing said at least one semifinished product from said at least two first overcasting members to said movable overcasting member; and overcasting two opposite edges of said at least one semifinished product by means of said movable overcasting member, said edges being substantially perpendicular to said advancing direction.

Still according to the invention, said guide could be a closed loo guide and comprises a second portion substantially rectilinear and arranged substantially parallel to said first portion, in that said method also comprises the step of providing a further overcasting member movable along said guide, and in that said step of overcasting two opposite edges of said at least one semifinished product, wherein said edges are substantially perpendicular to said advancing direction, is performed by means of said movable overcasting member and said further movable overcasting member, such that, when said movable overcasting member overcasts a front edge of a semifinished product, which arrives at the guide, said further movable overcasting member overcasts a rear edge of a semifinished product, which leaves the guide.

Preferred embodiments are defined in dependent claims .

The present invention will be now described, for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a mattresses overcastting system according to the prior art;

figure 2 is a schematic plan view of a mattresses overcastting system according to the present invention; and

figure 3 is a schematic side view of the mattresses overcastting system according to figure 2.

In the various figures, similar parts will be indicated by the same reference numbers.

Referring to figures 2 and 3, with 10 it is indicated a mattress overcasting system comprising a first overcasting station 11, in which two overcasting heads 12a, 12b, fixed; and arranged mutually opposite with respect to an advancement direction A of the material layer 13, which will make the mattress, are placed.

Downstream of the first overcasting station, arranged in sequence according to the advancement direction A, an advancement member 14, a cutting member 15, such as a blade, a second overcasting station 16 and a stacker member 17 are provided.

The advancement member 14 comprises two opposing rotating rollers 14a, 14b, to allow the advancement of the material layers 13 arranged between them, in the feed direction A.

The cutting member 15 operates so as to cut the material layers 13 according to a cutting line orthogonal to the feed direction A.

The second overcasting station 16 comprises two overcasting heads 18a, 18b, arranged opposite each other and jointly movable, by suitable motor means, on a guide 19 in a closed circuit, with at least two rectilinear sections 19a, 19b parallel to each other and orthogonal the direction of feed A.

The stacker member 17 is made by a support plane 20, vertically movable by lowering/rising means 21.

The stacker member 17 also comprises a drive member 22 made by a plurality of clamps 23 movable along said advancement direction A and intended to grasp an edge of each worked mattress, to drag it over the support surface 20, making it pass through the second overcasting stage 16.

The operation of the mattresses overcasting system 10 described above is as follows.

Once system 10 is activated, the layers of material 13, with a front edge 13' facing toward the first overcasting station 11, are passed, also due to the advancement action made by the rotating rollers 14a, 14b and any further driving means not shown in the figures, through said first overcasting station 11, in which the fixed overcasting heads 12a, 12b ensure overcasting the two edges of the layers 13 parallel to the feeding direction A.

When the front edge 13' of the layers 13 passes through the straight portion 19a of the rail 19, the two heads of overcasting 18a, 18b come into operation making a half turn on the rail 19, and then exchanging their position.

In this way, the front edge 13' is traversed, and then overcasted, from the overcasting head 18a.

The layers 13 with the front edge 13' so overcasted are further advanced along said advancement direction A for a further portion, until the cutting member 15 is activated, which provides for transversely cutting said layers 13, determining the rear edge of the worked mattress on three sides, and a front edge of a rear portion of layers 13 of a next mattress of which the front and rear edges will be worked.

Said front portion of the layers 13 (i.e. the mattress already worked on the three sides) , with the front overcasted edge and cut to size, is picked by the clamps 23 and dragged on the support surface 20 of the stacker member 17.

When the rear edge of said front portion of layers 13 and the front edge of said rear portion of layers 13 pass, respectively, on the straight portion 19b and the straight portion 19a of the rail 19, again the overcasting heads 18a, 18b enter into action making a half turn, and so overcasting respectively the aforesaid edges, rear and front.

The overcasting process will proceed, then, in a continuous way according to the methods described above . At the end of each overcasting cycle, the lowering/rising means 21 will lower the support surface 20 by a level at least equal to the thickness of the overcasted mattress.

In this way, during the overcasting process , above the support surface 20, a stack of mattresses overcasted on four sides will then progressively formed, which may be taken in block once it reaches a certain quantity.

The present invention has been described for illustrative but not limitative purposes, according to its preferred embodiments, but it is to be understood that modifications and/or changes can be introduced by those skilled in the art without departing from the relevant scope as defined in the enclosed claims.