GB1304939A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1304939 Upholstery BREVETEAM SA 21 April 1970 [25 April 1969] 19006/70 Heading A4M [Also in Divisions B4, F2] An elastic body of foam rubber or foam plastics, with applications as cushions or the like, bedcovers, clothing, sound absorbing covering for walls, heat insulating materials, and pipe wrapping, is provided with two or more series of slits, such as 1, 2, extending through the thickness of the body, each series comprising a plurality of parallel rows of slits, the slits of each series lying in parallel planes which, in the undeformed state of the body, are inclined to the planes containing the slits of the other series and each slit of one series intersecting at least one slit of the other series. In use the body is subjected to traction to open the slits. In one form, Fig. 1, the slits 1 of one series extend at right angles to opposed main faces of the body and the slits 2 of the other series lie in inclined planes. In another form Fig. 2 (not shown) sets of slits (3, 6) lie in planes parallel to respective diagonal planes (5, 8) of a rectangular body. In a further form Fig. 4, (not shown) the slits (9, 10) of the two series extend in mutually perpendicular planes and have respective longitudinal axes (r 9 , r 10 ) extending perpendicular to opposed parallel mainfaces of the body. Other forms Figs. 14-16, (not shown) with differently orientated slits are illustrated. The body may contain fibre tufts, e.g. polypropylene, blown into the body of the material when it is drawn out to an expanded position to open the slits, the fibre tufts being retained in the opened slits when the body is allowed to contract. The cutting of a single series of slits may be effected by compressing the foam body 11 between upper and lower plates 12, 13, Fig. 10, each provided with a plurality of slits 15 and then passing blades 14 through the plate slits 15 and body 11. The body 11 may be rotated before cutting a second series of slits in similar manner. Alternatively, or in addition to rotating the body 11 prior to cutting the slits, the upper plate 12 may be laterally displaced during compression to deform the body 11, as shown in Fig. 13, so that the slits cut in the deformed body 11 will be inclined when the body returns to its undeformed condition. In a further method Figs. 17-20, (not shown) a first series of slits (16) are first cut as previously described, the slit body is then stretched to open these slits and with the body in the stretched condition it is again compressed and a second series of inclined slits (20) is cut.