Method and apparatus for manufacturing brushes, in particular toothbrushes

Abstract

In order to manufacture brushes, in particular toothbrushes, bundles ( 3 ) of bristles, enclosed at first by a covering ( 2 ) or the like, are first cut open in a bristle magazine ( 4 ), so that the covering ( 2 ) can be removed. The covering is cut through at two points that are spaced apart from one another, in particular situated opposite one another, and the resulting two parts ( 2 a and 2 b ) of the covering ( 2 ) are removed from the bristle magazine towards two opposite sides thereof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing brushes, comprising supplying bundles ( 3 ) of bristles enclosed by a covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord to a bristle magazine ( 4 ), removing the covering, packaging or tying cord, and subsequently transporting the bristles to a further processing stage, further including, 
 cutting through the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord in the bristle magazine ( 4 ) at two points at a distance from one another, and removing two resulting parts ( 2   a ,  2   b ) of the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord from the bristle magazine ( 4 ) towards both sides.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising conveying 
 the bundle of bristles ( 3 ), with its covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord, and pressing the bundle against a blade ( 17 ) situated centrally between lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine in order to cut through the covering ( 2 ) at sides situated generally opposite one another, in a direction of conveying or advance, and the two parts ( 2   a ,  2   b ) of the covering ( 2 ) inside the bristle magazine ( 4 ) are removed or withdrawn laterally from the magazine ( 4 ), downstream from a cutting point in the direction of conveying.    
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein 
 the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord of the respective bundle ( 3 ) of bristles is cut through, at points situated opposite one another, by blades or cutting devices that are movable together obliquely from both sides from lateral boundaries ( 9 ), with respective cutting edges facing one another.    
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in one of claims  1 , wherein 
 the bristles ( 7 ) of the bundles ( 3 ) of bristles and surface contours of the covering ( 2 ) are oriented approximately vertically during their advance in the magazine ( 4 ) and are pushed forward in a direction generally transverse to the bristle orientation, in essentially a horizontal direction.    
     
     
         5 . An apparatus ( 1 ) for manufacturing brushes, comprising: a device for supplying bundles ( 3 ) of bristles, initially enclosed by a covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord to a horizontally disposed bristle magazine ( 4 ), inside which the bristles ( 7 ) which are generally vertically oriented can be supplied and transported in a direction, transverse to the bristle orientation in a direction of advance, a cutting device for cutting open the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord, and having a grasping and removing device for the cut-open covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord, 
 the cutting device being located inside the bristle magazine ( 4 ) spaced upstream from a takeoff device in the direction of advance of the bristles ( 7 ), to cut twice through the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord, at two points situated generally opposite one another, and the grasping and removing device is located in an area of the cutting device, to grasp and transport away the covering ( 2 ) upon it being cut into two parts ( 2   a ,  2   b ) and includes, at both sides of two lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine ( 4 ), at least one gripping instrument ( 10 ), and the lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine have an opening ( 11 ) in an area of the respective gripping instrument ( 10 ), the respective gripping instrument ( 10 ) being mounted for movement back and forth through the opening ( 11 ) of the respective boundary ( 9 ) in order to grasp and withdraw one of the two parts ( 2   a ,  2   b ) of the cut-open covering ( 2 ).    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 a height of the lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine ( 4 ) is generally equal to a length of the bristles ( 7 ) received thereby.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 the openings ( 11 ) provided in the lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine ( 4 ) for the gripping instruments ( 10 ) are enclosed on all sides, and their vertical dimension is less than a height of the boundaries ( 9 ) and less than a length of the bristles ( 7 ).    
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 7 , wherein 
 the openings ( 11 ) in the lateral boundaries ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine ( 4 ) are located at approximately half a height of the boundaries ( 9 ).    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , 
 wherein the respective gripping instrument ( 10 ) can be pushed pneumatically or hydraulically through the opening ( 11 ), and can be pulled back again after grasping the part ( 2   a ,  2   b ) of the covering ( 2 ) or the like that is to be removed.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 the gripping instrument ( 10 ) comprises a barbed tip ( 13 ) and/or a pincer-type gripper, and/or a suction device operated with a vacuum.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising 
 a slide ( 15 ) that can be actuated pneumatically or hydraulically for movement in the direction of advance to advance the bristles ( 7 ) inside the bristle magazine ( 4 ), the slide ( 15 ) is loaded with bundles ( 3 ) enclosed by the covering ( 2 ), packaging or tying cord, and moves these bundles in the direction of the cutting device.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 the bundles ( 3 ) of bristles are supplied to the bristle magazine ( 4 ) horizontally from the side or vertically from above in an area of the slide ( 15 ), the slide being situated in a drawn-back position in order to be loaded.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 a width of the bristle magazine ( 4 ), or an inside width of the lateral boundaries ( 9 ), corresponds approximately to a diameter of the covered or packaged bundles ( 3 ) of bristles, and hollow spaces ( 16 ) that are approximately triangular in shape remain open before an area of the cutting device, between the covered or packaged bundles of bristles ( 3 ), which are generally circular in cross-section, and the boundaries ( 9 ).    
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 the cutting device has two movable blades that are oriented obliquely to one another and are situated on or in the lateral boundaries ( 9 ), and which extend into triangular hollow spaces ( 16 ) between the covered or packaged bundles ( 3 ) of bristles during the cutting process.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 5 , wherein 
 a blade ( 17 ) that is situated approximately centrally, is provided as the cutting device and is located in a stationary fashion between the lateral boundaries or limiting walls ( 9 ) of the bristle magazine, with a cutting edge ( 18 ) of the blade being directed against the direction of advance of the bundles ( 3 ) of bristles.