A wire forming apparatus 1 comprises a rotary table 22 that is rotatably supported by a table body 21, a slide tool unit 100A that is attached to the rotary table 22 and supports a slide tool T1 capable of sliding toward a wire guide, and a tool slide mechanism 60 that is supported by the table body 21 and transmits a driving force for sliding the slide tool T1 to the slide tool unit 100A. The tool slide mechanism 60 has a single motive power transmission member 61 that is rotatably supported by the table body 21, and a driving force generated by a rotation of the motive power transmission member 61 is transmitted, in common, to a plurality of slide tools T1 attached to the rotary table 22.

A wire forming apparatus 1 comprises a rotary table 22 that is rotatably supported by a table body 21, a slide tool unit 100A that is attached to the rotary table 22 and supports a slide tool T1 capable of sliding toward a wire guide, and a tool slide mechanism 60 that is supported by the table body 21 and transmits a driving force for sliding the slide tool T1 to the slide tool unit 100A. The tool slide mechanism 60 has a single motive power transmission member 61 that is rotatably supported by the table body 21, and a driving force generated by a rotation of the motive power transmission member 61 is transmitted, in common, to a plurality of slide tools T1 attached to the rotary table 22.

Provided are a forming method for an arc spring, capable of easily and surely locating bearing faces on both end faces of a semi-finished product in predetermined positions, the bearing faces having lengths within permissible ranges in a circumferential direction. For a semi-finished product prior to curving an axis, it is determined whether circumferential lengths of bearing faces on both end faces are respectively within the permissible ranges based on end face image information of the both end faces imaged in an axial direction prior to the curving, a circumferential rotational position of the semi-finished product capable of respectively locating the bearing faces within the predetermined positions is specified using the end face image information, and the semi-finished product is rotated to the specified rotational position, and the wedge part is sequentially driven into inter-wires of the semi-finished product to deform the semi-finished product.

Provided are a forming method for an arc spring, capable of easily and surely locating bearing faces on both end faces of a semi-finished product in predetermined positions, the bearing faces having lengths within permissible ranges in a circumferential direction. For a semi-finished product prior to curving an axis, it is determined whether circumferential lengths of bearing faces on both end faces are respectively within the permissible ranges based on end face image information of the both end faces imaged in an axial direction prior to the curving, a circumferential rotational position of the semi-finished product capable of respectively locating the bearing faces within the predetermined positions is specified using the end face image information, and the semi-finished product is rotated to the specified rotational position, and the wedge part is sequentially driven into inter-wires of the semi-finished product to deform the semi-finished product.

A collision-proof spring transfer takes place in the process, which comprises a continuous transfer of coil springs from the pipeline through an exit opening of the pipeline into assigned spring receptacles, and an automatic prevention of any re-entry of coil springs that have passed through the exit opening in the direction of the spring receptacle and rebound from the region of the spring receptacle back into the pipeline.

A spring forming machine includes: a forming tool slide mechanism including a slider with a forming tool; a first lifting mechanism including a slider with a pitch tool; a second lifting mechanism including a slider with a cutting tool; a fixing base to which the wire feeder and the forming tool slide mechanism are attached; a lifting base to which the cored bar, the first lifting mechanism, and the second lifting mechanism are attached; a plurality of servo motors serving as drive sources; a controller controlling the servo motors; an individual drive control unit individually driving the servo motors; and an interlocking control unit that, when the servo motor of the lifting base is individually operated, interlocks the servo motors of the lifting base and the first lifting mechanism and, when the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism is individually operated, does not interlock the servo motors thereof.

Disclosed are a control method and a device for a cutter shaped by a helical spring, which comprises two cutter position controlling devices (20) connected to two spring outer diameter cutters (10) respectively and comprises a cutter lifting device (30). The two cutter position controlling devices (20) are arranged in the same mounting plane (40). The cutter position-controlling device (20) controls an amount of displacement of the stretching and retracting of the two spring outer diameter cutters (10). The amount of displacement of the spring outer diameter cutters (10) and the amount of up and down movement of the mounting plane (40) are controlled simultaneously by a motor (50). By applying the concept of relative coordinates, the requirements of control can be simplified from two two-dimensional control movements to three single-axis linear movements by using the centre (P3) of a spring coil as the origin of the coordinates for the movement of the spring outer diameter cutter. In the case that the distances of linear movement on the three axes are identical or at a fixed ratio, the advantage of reducing the number of motors is achieved.

Disclosed are a control method and a device for a cutter shaped by a helical spring, which comprises two cutter position controlling devices (20) connected to two spring outer diameter cutters (10) respectively and comprises a cutter lifting device (30). The two cutter position controlling devices (20) are arranged in the same mounting plane (40). The cutter position-controlling device (20) controls an amount of displacement of the stretching and retracting of the two spring outer diameter cutters (10). The amount of displacement of the spring outer diameter cutters (10) and the amount of up and down movement of the mounting plane (40) are controlled simultaneously by a motor (50). By applying the concept of relative coordinates, the requirements of control can be simplified from two two-dimensional control movements to three single-axis linear movements by using the centre (P3) of a spring coil as the origin of the coordinates for the movement of the spring outer diameter cutter. In the case that the distances of linear movement on the three axes are identical or at a fixed ratio, the advantage of reducing the number of motors is achieved.

An exemplary embodiment provides a method of manufacturing a string of pocketed spring coils comprising: simultaneously making at least two spring coils; simultaneously transporting the at least two spring coils to a compressor: simultaneously compressing the at least two spring coils; simultaneously inserting the at least two compressed spring coils between top and bottom plies of a piece of fabric; welding the top and bottom plies of the fabric along an edge of the folded fabric parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fabric and opposite the folded edge of the fabric; welding the top and bottom plies of the fabric along lines transverse to the longitudinal axis of the fabric between each of the compressed spring coils to create a plurality of pockets, each pocket encompassing a compressed spring coil; and expanding each of the compressed spring coils within each of the plurality of pockets.

A coil spring manufacturing device includes a mandrel around which a wire is wound, a feed mechanism which feeds the wire toward the mandrel, guide members which guide the wire, a chuck which fixes a distal end of the wire, and a clamp mechanism. The clamp mechanism sandwiches the wire from both sides before the distal end of the wire reaches the mandrel. Further, the clamp mechanism can be rotated about a fulcrum by rotation actuator, and can also be slid in a direction along an axis of the mandrel by sliding actuator. In a state in which the wire is sandwiched by the clamp mechanism, the clamp mechanism is rotated, and if necessary, is slid. Thereby, a bent portion for a negative pitch portion of a coil spring is formed at a part of the wire.