Pocketed spring units

1. A method for the production of a pocketed spring unit comprising the steps of compressing and feeding a plurality of springs into troughs or castellations in opposed conveyor belts, moving said springs from said troughs or castellations to a position between upper and lower layers of fabric or other material step-wise advancing said material and said springs in the direction of the output of the apparatus and welding together said lengths of fabric or other material at each step-wise advancement by a plurality of sequentially controlled welding anvils so as to form a plurality of discrete pockets each containing a spring, wherein said springs are fed to the positions between the opposed conveyor belts by means of an inserter mechanism, operation of said mechanism simultaneously compressing said springs, and wherein the means to feed the compressed springs between said lengths of fabric or other material are power-driven spring inserters each having a plurality of arms adapted to enter and leave the castellations or troughs in said belts, said arms being greater in overall height than the height of the springs when the springs are between the belts and making contact with said springs to move said springs between said layers of fabric or other material.

2. A method according to claim 1 , including the step of forming the springs immediately prior to the springs being compressed and fed into said troughs or castellations.

3. Apparatus for forming a pocketed spring unit comprising means for compressing and feeding springs between opposed conveyor belts, means for moving said compressed springs from between said conveyor belts in the direction of the output of the apparatus to positions between upper and lower lengths of fabric or other material, means for sequentially advancing said lengths and said springs in said direction, and welding means for sequentially welding together said lengths so as to form a plurality of discrete pockets each containing a spring, wherein said springs are fed to the positions between the opposed conveyor belts by means of an inserter mechanism, operation of said mechanism simultaneously compressing said springs, and wherein the means to feed the compressed springs between said lengths of fabric or other material are power-driven spring inserters each having a plurality of arms adapted to enter and leave castellations or troughs in said belts, said arms being greater in overall height than the height of the springs when the springs are between the belts and making contact with said springs to move said springs between said layers of fabric or other material.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the opposed conveyor belts each consist of an endless castellated or troughed belt, each belt being indexable, and one at least of said belts being positively drawn.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein said welding means is a plurality of movable welding anvils and a plurality of co-operating welding horns, said welding means being adapted to sequentially weld said layers together at each sequential movement of said layers and said springs so as to form said discrete pockets.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the welding anvils are movable by associated air cylinders and are operable, in conjunction with the welding horns, to work in a predetermined and preprogrammed manner so as to form a required pattern and entrap individual springs between the layers of fabric or other material.

7. Apparatus according to claim 3 , including a spring coiler adapted to form individual springs for delivery to said means for compressing and feeding springs.