Method of attaching mattress cover handle

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/116,216, filed Jul. 16, 1998 and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,796, which is a Division of application Ser. No. 08/820,044 filed Mar. 19, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,352, which is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 08/503,918 filed Jul. 19, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,984.

This invention relates to a mattress handle assembly and to components associated therewith, individually and collectively designed to allow efficient attachment of the handle to the mattress and allowing such efficient attachment to be achieved by machine. The invention also relates to methods and means for attaching the handle to the mattress.

A mattress typically comprises a resilient core and a cover including top and bottom layers joined about their periphery by a border. The handle is attached to the mattress border before the attachment of the top and bottom layers to the mattress border. Hence the description to follow deals with the attachment of the handle to the border.

Typically, the handle has a flexible extent, having at each end, anchors including a clip extending toward the other end while diverging from the flexible extent. The mattress border is provided with a pair of spaced apertures to receive the handle anchors. The spaced apertures are preferably defined by grommets. The grommets, in addition to attachment to the mattress border, preferably attach a back strap to the inside of the mattress border.

The grommet openings thus coincide with openings in the back strap.

By ‘grommets’ herein I include the standard metal grommet well known to those skilled in the art but also equivalents thereof. Such an equivalent can include a plastic member with a central opening, a flange which engages the outside of the border and a short tube which extends through the border opening to be formed around the edge and fastened to the back strap to be described. At the time of preparing this application the conventional metal grommet is preferred since it is not certain that the plastic can be fastened to the back strap with sufficient strength.

When the handle has been installed on the border the handle anchors are located on the inside of the border and the adjacent portions of the handles extend through the grommet openings. Clips on the anchor contact the adjacent grommet and prevent the inside to outside movement of the anchor through the adjacent grommet opening.

Under lifting pulls on the handle the clips bear on the grommet to transfer the lifting force from the handle to the mattress border.

A good example of the handle described above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,415; dated Mar. 18, 1955, to Bechik.

Presently a handle of the Bechik type is manually attached to the grommets (and hence, to the mattress border and back strap) by inserting each anchor through the grommet, from outside to inside with the clip resiliently deflected inward in passage to pass through the grommet. The clip then extends outwardly to contact the grommet and hold the handle in place.

It is an object of this invention to provide a handle having the clip attachment means as used with the prior handles, but which allows efficient attachment to the border, and is designed to facilitate attachment by machine methods.

Preferably, the grommets attach a back strap to the inside of the mattress border. The back strap has two spaced openings and at each opening is attached by the grommet to the inside of the mattress border. Thus when the handle, after installation, is used to pull or lift the mattress, the back strap assists in transferring the pulling force from the handle to the mattress border.

It is an object of this invention to provide such a back strap which is particularly shaped to allow gripping by clamping members adjacent each grommet opening, to allow bending of the mattress border and back strap to position the openings, for insertion of an anchor therethrough.

It is an object of this invention to provide a handle whose anchors will, at each end, extend through apertures in the mattress border, wherein the handle is designed so that its leading end may be drawn through the two apertures, (when positioned) so that the handle is thereby installed.

It is an object of this invention to provide that at least one, and preferably each, end of the handle is provided with a coupling member for coupling to a pulling tool so that the leading end of the handle when coupled thereto may be pulled through the grommet apertures when aligned.

It is an object of this invention to provide first coupling means on the anchor which is located at at least one free end of the handle, such first coupling means allowing detachable attachment of second coupling means on a pulling tool, so that the pulling tool may be extended through a grommet opening to pull the first coupling means and anchor through a grommet opening to install the handle.

In one variant the pulling tool is a straight rod. Clamping means grasp each back strap, adjacent the grommet and bends the border and back strap into a U shape and so that the grommet openings are aligned. At this time the back strap is on the convex side of the U. A straight puller rod, acting as the puller tool, may then be extended through the aligned openings and coupled to the first coupling means of a free end of a handle anchor. The rod then pulls the leading end through both aligned openings. The handle is now properly installed and, under lifting tension, will couple to the border since the clips will retain the handle in place.

In another variant, the clamping means grasps the back strap as before but the U shape is more of a V and the grommet axes are not parallel but on a common arc, for example, at 45°. A curved pulling rod is caused to move through the grommet holes, in the anti-pulling direction, to couple with the anchor at the leading end of the handle to draw it in an accurate path through both grommet holes, after which the handle is properly installed.

In a third variant the handle is shaped in a curve concave toward the outer surface of the border. In this variant each anchor is provided with first coupling means. The border and attached back strap, with a separate puller tool projecting through each grommet opening, are then bent into a V shape which is concave toward the handle. This bending and the positioning of the members are controlled to cause each pulling tool's second coupling means to couple with the handle's first coupling means at the adjacent end. The pulling tools may, then, each, pull the anchors through the grommet holes so that the handle is installed.

It is an object of the invention to provide anchors complete with coupling means, for attachment to the handle, which anchors may be formed from a flat blank having the spring clip at the end to be nearest the remote anchor, a middle portion for crimping about the handle, and at the end remote from the remote anchor, coupling means in a section preferably U shaped as viewed in section longitudinally of the handle.

The anchor with the U-shaped section has a middle portion and two outer portions, and the middle portion is provided with coupling means, preferably a tab diverging in the direction toward the other anchor, for coupling to a pulling member for drawing the anchor at leading end of the handle through the grommet openings.

Overall, it will be noted that the handle with leading anchor coupled to the pulling tool must have a profile to pass through the grommet openings.

In drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1

shows part of the outside of a mattress with a handle, in accord with the invention, attached to the mattress border of the mattress,

FIG. 2

is a section through the mattress border showing a handle, in accord with the invention, installed therein,

FIG. 3

is an exploded view of a portion of the mattress border with grommets for attachment of a back strap thereto,

FIG. 4

is a schematic view showing clamping members for clamping engagement with a back strap which is shaped in accord with the invention,

FIG. 5

shows the blanks for forming inventive anchor members,

FIG. 6

shows the blanks of

FIG. 5

formed on each end of a handle,

FIG. 7

shows the mattress border and back strap formed to align the grommet openings,

FIG. 8

is a schematic view showing the pulling tool positioned to pull the anchor at the handle leading end through the aligned openings, with the handle following,

FIG. 9

shows the pulling tool completing the motion of drawing the handle through the openings,

FIG. 10

shows the end of one of the clamping members,

FIG. 11

is a section of a clamping member in clamping engagement with a back strap,

FIG. 12

shows the view of an installed handle from inside the mattress border, and

FIG. 13

is an enlarged view of the coupling means.

FIGS. 14A

to

14

D are schematic views showing an example of the preferred mode of decoupling the pulling tool from a handle anchor.

FIGS. 15A and 15B

show a second variant on the method of installing a handle on the border.

FIGS.

16

-

18

,

18

A and

19

show a third variant on the method of installing the handle on the border.

FIG. 20

shows an alternate design of the coupling means.

In

FIG. 1

is shown a mattress having a top

10

, a bottom (not shown) joined about their peripheries by a mattress border

12

. At spaced locations (only one is shown) about the mattress border, are pairs of apertures defined by grommets

14

. Extending through the apertures are the respective ends of a handle

16

. The invention herein describes operations of installing the handle in the mattress border member before the top and bottom are attached to the mattress border.

As shown in

FIG. 2

the handle is a flexible member, usually a resilient core with a braided cover. Crimped onto each end of the flexible member is a metal end member which includes a clip

20

diverging from the flexible member in the direction toward the other anchor, and coupling extension

24

, all to be described hereafter.

In

FIG. 2

, it will be noted that grommet

14

in addition to defining the apertures for the passage of the handle also attaches a flexible back strap

26

to be hereinafter described. However, it may be noted that with the handle installed as shown in

FIG. 2

, a pull on the handle will move the mattress because the clips

20

extend to contact respective grommets to retain it in position and the back strap

26

transfers the handle pull to the border.

It would be possible to construct clip

20

to have a resiliently flexible form to deflect inward when passing through the grommet hole in one direction, (coupling end first) but in the other direction to extend to catch the grommet to prevent withdrawal of the clip and anchor. However, and having regard for the preferred method of construction demonstrated in

FIGS. 5 and 6

, the clip

20

is of rigid material rigidly connected to the anchor material. The material of the handle

16

, to which it is crimped is resiliently compressible radially although non extendible longitudinally. The radially compressible handle material allows the clip

20

and anchor to compress the handle material sufficiently to pass through the grommet opening, (coupling end first). However when travelling through the grommet opening in the opposite direction the resilient pressure of the handle material, the stresses on the handle and the angle of the clip

20

cause the last to catch on the grommet and prevent completion of such travel. The handle with its attached anchors and clips

20

should, in use, for best effect be oriented so that the clips contact each grommet ring on that part of the periphery nearest the other grommet ring.

FIG. 3

shows the back strap

26

having widened ends surrounding grommet apertures

34

, which widened ends, on each side of the back strap, are defined by converging edges

28

and

29

terminating at edge

32

. Back strap

26

has outer surface

36

which will rest against the inside of mattress border

12

. (“Outer” and “inner” herein refer to the outer and inner surfaces of the mattress border).

Chamferred areas

38

on the outer back strap side extend over the widened portions of ends

30

to edges

32

, the area

38

sloping outwardly in the direction toward the apertures

34

. At each end of chamferred edges

38

are opposed shoulders

40

which converge slightly from the edges

32

toward the longitudinal median of the back strap.

FIGS.

3

,

4

,

10

and

11

show the facing ends of opposed clamping bars

44

which facing ends are shaped to complement the side surfaces of the widened back strap ends. As best shown in

FIG. 10

, the lower end surface

46

of each clamping bar is stepped back so that surface

44

may ride over the inner surface of one side of the widening of back strap

26

. The surface

46

is recessed to provide tapering surfaces

48

which complement walls

28

and

29

(

FIG. 3

) and define a recess shaped to complement and receive chamferred surface

38

, edge

32

, and opposing inner surface

37

of back strap

26

and edge

32

. It will be seen that, when the clamping bars are moved to opposite sides of the back strap enlargement, they are guided into a clamping position, and the clamping bars as a pair, may be used as a unit to bend the back strap and mattress border from the position where the back strap

26

and mattress border

12

are straight (

FIG. 4

) to the position (

FIG. 7

) where mattress border and back strap have been bent so that the eyelets of grommets

14

are aligned.

It should be appreciated that alternative back strap clamping surfaces to those shown in FIGS.

1

-

13

may be provided at each end of the back strap

26

. The only requirement is that the clamping means may be designed to clamp such clamping surfaces to bend the back strap

26

as required.

Tabs

49

project from opposite sides of the back strap adjacent respectively opposite ends. These are provided so that if there is an attempt to apply the back strap wrong side up, it may be detected.

FIG. 5

demonstrates the formation of the handle and anchors.

The anchors are attached to each end of the handle by crimping anchor blanks thereabout.

It is very desireable for economy and efficiency that the anchors be designed to be stamped as a blank from a flat sheet of metal. The anchor blanks are shown in FIG.

5

. Projecting from one end of the anchor blank to be as nearest the remote end is a tapering trapezoidal clip

20

, designed, as shown in

FIG. 6

, to be bent to slope outwards in the direction toward the other end of the handle. The middle portion of the anchor blank nearer the clip has a central portion

52

with two outwardly extending wings

54

which, as shown in

FIG. 6

, are bent to crimp the end member to the resilient handle extent. The tapering portion of the blank at the end remote from the clip is bent into a U section, as shown in

FIG. 6

with central portion

56

which is provided with an aperture and a tab

66

(an example of ‘first coupling means’) adapted when bent to extend inwardly toward the remote anchor, while diverging from the handle extent.

A dimple or depression

57

is made at the line of attachment of the anchor to the handle to give more positive attachment.

As shown in

FIGS. 7

,

8

, and

9

, a sleeve

60

is designed to slidably mount a pulling tool

62

for reciprocal movement therein. The pulling tool

62

is provided with a slot

64

at its outer end. The slot extends inwardly from the surface of the pulling tool, adjacent its end, and slopes in such inward extension toward that end (an example of second coupling means). The slope and dimension of the slot is designed to receive the tab

66

therein. With the coupling means of FIGS.

1

-

19

herein the rod

62

should, by means not shown, be keyed against rotation so that the rod approach tab

66

at the correct coupling angle.

In operation, the back strap

26

is already attached to the inside of the border by grommets

14

. The clamping bar pairs are used to clamp each end of the back straps and bend the back straps and borders to the “U” position of

FIG. 7

, with the outside of the mattress border on the concave side of the U. The pulling tool

62

with its slot

64

is then extended through the then aligned grommet apertures. When so extended the hook slot

64

is coupled to the adjacent tab

66

(FIG.

13

). In so coupling it will be noted (

FIGS. 8 and 6

that the side walls

58

which taper from the member

54

to the free end of the end member, tend to guide a pulling tool

62

into line with the anchor and its longitudinally extending handle

16

. It will be noted that pulling tool and handle should on installation in the grommet openings be oriented about their longitudinal axis so that clips

20

will, when the handle is used, engage the edge of the grommet nearest the other grommet. With tab

66

in slot

64

the pulling tool

62

may be withdrawn to the position shown in FIG.

9

. The leading clip

20

tilts slightly to pass through the grommet openings due to the yielding of the handle material. Thus the clip

20

on the leading end has passed through each grommet opening, being deflected as a unit with the rest of the anchor as it passes each opening. The handle is then retained by a clip

20

at each end; each contacting the periphery of the grommet ring on the extent nearest the other grommet which prevents withdrawal of the handle at either end from the grommet and the mattress border. The tab

66

is then removed from slot

64

; and pulling tool

62

removed, by withdrawing the sleeve member

60

assisted by a cam

74

as explained more fully hereinafter, and the mattress border, back strap and handle allowed to assume straight attitude with the handle installed as shown in FIG.

12

.

Although the coupling means between the pulling tool

62

and the anchor, described previously, is preferred, any coupling means may be used within the scope of the invention which allows: (a) insertion of the pulling tool through a grommet opening or aligned grommet openings, depending on the variant used, (b) coupling to the anchor which is to be at the leading end of the handle during its installation, and (c) pulling the loading end through a grommet opening or the aligned grommet openings (depending on the variant used). It is implied in the above statements that the alternate coupling means has the profile to pass through the grommet openings, when coupled to the anchor.

It is also within the scope of the invention to use any alternate shaping of back strap clamping surfaces which can be clamped by complementary clamping means to cause the back strap, with boundary material, to be bent to align the grommet openings.

FIGS. 14A

,

14

B,

14

C,

14

D show the preferred method of decoupling a puller tool

62

from the handle anchor

54

. The drawings show a puller tool

62

in the form of a rod, formed with slot

76

replacing slot

64

, slidably mounted in a block

72

which faces the free end of the slot

76

. (Slots

64

and

76

are examples of ‘second coupling means’). Slot

76

has a side wall

77

to contact tab

66

and side wall

77

is inclined to be approximately parallel to slot

66

. Block

72

replaces sleeve

60

and provides a sloping face

74

, sloping, looking in the pulling direction toward the open end of slot

76

toward which the slot opens. The anchor

54

and side walls

58

are larger, in section, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the adjacent portion of the handle, than the bore in block

72

.

Accordingly in

FIG. 14A

, the pulling tool

62

with slot

76

and tab

66

coupled, is drawing the leading anchor

54

toward passage outside to inside through a grommet opening (that on the left in FIGS.

7

-

12

). In

FIG. 14B

the anchor has been drawn through the grommet opening and in

FIGS. 14C

the puller rod has drawn the anchor walls

58

into contact with the sloping cam face

74

. In

FIG. 14D

as the downward movement continue the puller tab

66

has achieved disconnection from slot

74

, that is decoupling between the pulling tool and the anchor.

In

FIGS. 14A

to

14

D the grommet farther from the cam surface is not shown nor are the clamping means.

The position of a chamferred face

74

A on the sleeve

60

of each of FIGS.

7

,

8

, and

9

allows the same decoupling procedure as discussed in FIGS.

14

A-

14

D.

A second variant of means for installing the handle is shown schematically in FIG.

15

. The handle is preferably handle

16

of the type shown in FIG.

1

-

13

, although it may take other forms consistent with the scope of the invention. The back strap

26

and its attachment to the border may also be as shown in FIGS.

1

-

13

or of a different form within the scope of the invention.

With the components of

FIGS. 15A

,

15

B the clamping means

47

are clamped to each end of the back strap

26

with the outer surface of the border concave upward, so that the grommet

14

openings are on a common circular arc A. A puller tool

70

is mounted on an arm

71

pivotal about the centre C of Arc A and shaped to follow the arc. The puller tool

73

will be shaped at its free end to detachably couple to the handle first coupling means by any convenient means such as notch

76

′ and tab

66

. The handles are releasably but accurately positioned for coupling of tabs

66

in notch

76

.

Accordingly, the upper border

12

and lower back strap

26

are bent and positioned concave upward and the leading end of the handle, with first coupling means (tab

66

) thereon, is positioned facing the inner side of the grommets opening farthest from the arm

71

.

The arm

71

is then operated in the anti-pulling direction to propel the coupling tool counterclockwise in

FIGS. 15A and 15B

through the two grommets, after which the coupling tool's second coupling means

76

couples to the anchor's first coupling means

66

(with the components now in the position of

FIG. 15A

) and the arm is then rotated clockwise in the pulling direction to pull the leading anchor

54

L of the handle through the two grommets

14

, achieving the position of FIG.

15

B. The pulling tool

70

is then decoupled from the anchor

54

L. The handle is installed.

Detachment means of the puller tool from the anchor, as in all embodiments, may be in any effective form. However, I prefer to use the method resembling that shown in

FIGS. 14A

to

14

D. Although not shown in

FIGS. 15A

,

15

B. With the variant of

FIGS. 15A

,

15

B the pulling tool encompasses an arc of a circle and located, although not shown, clockwise from the right-hand grommet must slide in a similarly shaped bore. Such a bore may be made in two arcuate halves with half the tool section formed in each half and the halves mounted at the sides of the pulling tool. The entrance will be cam-shaped to disengage the handle from the pulling tool. A cam surface for decoupling which generally operates as that in

FIGS. 14A

to

14

D may then be provided to decouple the pulling tool coupling means

76

from the leading anchor coupling means

66

.

In FIGS.

16

-

19

, a third inventive method of installing the inventive handle is shown. In contrast to the prior methods, the design of the handle may be that shown with previous variants but having first coupling means

66

on the anchor

54

at each end. There is a separate pulling tool

62

for each grommet opening associated with the handle and each pulling tool pulls its associated handle end, through the associated grommet opening. From outside to inside resistive to the border and backstrap.

As shown in

FIG. 16

, a handle

16

is fed, to and maintained in a horizontal position between shaping surface

85

of lower shaping member

86

. Upper shaping member

84

provides shaping surface

83

which is shaped with surface

85

to clamp handle

16

therebetween when lowered into position. Border

12

and back strap

26

are maintained in position and horizontal below shaping surface

85

. Located below each grommet

14

and concentric therewith is a retracted, upwardly projecting pulling tool

62

seated in cammed blocks

72

B shaped to decouple the tool from an anchor in the manner demonstrated in FIGS.

14

A-

14

D. The pulling tools

62

are oriented so that the grooves

76

face each other.

As shown in

FIG. 17

the upper shaping member

84

has been lowered so that in combination with lower shaping member

86

it clamps the handle

16

in the concave downward curve shown with the anchors

54

precisely positioned, by means not shown, with the clips

20

on each anchor facing the other. The main body

88

is lowered. The pulling tools have each been extended in the anti-pulling direction to extend through the respective openings of grommets

14

, the tools are precisely positioned by means not shown and oriented to face each other. The clamping means

47

are then actuated the border

12

and back strap

26

are bent into the concave upward V shown in FIG.

18

. The tools

62

and blocks

72

are mounted to respectively move with the motion of their respective adjacent clamping means

47

and the notches

76

in each rod

62

are moved to receive tabs

66

, so that the second coupling means are now coupled to the first coupling means.

As shown in

FIG. 18A

the lower shaping member

86

is moved laterally (that is perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIGS.

16

,

17

,

18

,

19

) to allow downward movement of the handle. The coupling rods

62

are then actated to draw the respective anchors through the grommet openings to the position shown in FIG.

19

. The cam surfaces then decouple each tab

66

from block

72

. Member

84

and the main body

88

are raised. The handle is now installed and the border, back strap and handle are flattened. The border, back strap and handle will now be moved longitudinally, in the plane of the paper to prepare for the next operation. A new handle is located above shaping member

86

which has been moved laterally to its position vertically aligned with member

84

.

FIG. 20

shows a coupling means having the advantage that the second coupling means

90

is a surface of revolution so that puller rod

62

, slidable in sleeve

60

as shown, or sliding in a block

72

or

72

B, (

FIGS. 14 and 19

) need not be keyed for rotation about its longitudinal axis.

Thus the second coupling means

90

is a surface of revolution, here a truncated cone, tapering toward the free end. The wider end surface of the cone may be provided with an inverted conical face

92

, as shown, to make a more positive contact with clip

66

or anchor

54

.

Anchor

54

may be generally as shown in

FIG. 6

although the tab

66

may be slightly curved and tapered to make more certain contact with the surface defining recess

92

.