EP0020258A1 - Method and handling arrangement to bring a workpiece to its delivery station in a predetermined position - Google Patents

Abstract

a) Method and installation for handling to bring to a second station, in a predetermined fixed position and orientation, a part being in a first station in an approximate position, by sliding this part on a plane extending from the first to the second post. b) According to this method, the position of the part is identified at the first station 7c, a carriage 9 is brought in and positioned, opposite zones, said to be of predetermined gripping of the part, this part is gripped at the first station by said zones gripping, and the latter is moved to the second station 11. c) The invention applies in particular to the supply of pieces of fabric, a sewing station.

Description

The present invention relates to a handling method for bringing to a second station, in a fixed position and orientation, predetermined, a part, in particular, a flexible sheet piece such as a piece of fabric being a first station in a position approximate.

The invention also relates to handling installations for implementing this method.

The object of the invention is in particular to propose a method of implementation which is simple and which allows high working rates.

This object is achieved according to the invention the fact that the reference position of the workpiece at the first station with respect to a fixed reference, where appropriate is brought into memory the information re ^p era ^g e thus obtained is fed and positioning gripping means provided on a carriage, facing zones, called gripping, predetermined parts, using said location information if any stored, due to the fact that, using these gripping means , this piece is gripped at the first station by said gripping zones, and the latter is moved to the second station by moving the carriage until said gripping zones occupy at the second station their position corresponding to said predetermined position and orientation of the part, by means of which it is possible to successively ensure the movement of the part and its positioning at the second station by means of a single carriage and, if necessary, by memorizing the locating information age, you can simultaneously move a piece and the location of the position, at the first post, of a next piece.

Advantageously, the movement of the part is carried out by sliding on a surface which comprises said fixed reference mark.

Advantageously, said surface is flat.

Advantageously, after having identified the position of the part at the first station, the locating information thus obtained is stored in memory, and said gripping means are positioned opposite said predetermined gripping zones of the part by using the memorized locating information, whereby one can simultaneously carry out the displacement of a part and the location of the position, at the first station, of a next part.

Advantageously, the part is first prepositioned at the first station by orienting it parallel to said predetermined orientation, the position of this part is then determined by determining the coordinates, in said fixed reference point, of a remarkable point, called reference point. , of the workpiece and, after gripping the workpiece by said gripping zones, it is moved in translation to the second station, whereby the movement of the gripping means between the first and the second station is simplified , and determining the position of the part at the first station.

Advantageously, in the case where the part seen in projection on a plane parallel to the sliding plane, has at least one rectilinear edge, this part is prepositioned at the first station by positioning this edge along a predetermined fixed line of the first station, by means of which one facilitates the determination of the coordinates of the reference point of the part.

• - un plan de glissement s'étendant du premier au deuxième poste et sur lequel peut glisser la pièce ;
• - un chariot - dit de transfert - mobile au-dessus dudit plan de glissement entre une première position de fin de course pour laquelle ledit chariot se trouve au premier poste et une deuxième position de fin de course pour laquelle ce chariot se trouve au deuxième poste, ce chariot comportant des moyens amovibles assurant sa solidarisation avec la pièce reposant sur le plan de glissement, ladite deuxième position de fin de course étant fixe tandis que ladite première position de fin de course est réglable dans un plan parallèle au plan de glissement ;
• - des moyens de repérage pour déterminer la position, dans le plan de glissement, par rapport à un repère fixe, de la pièce au premier poste ;
• - des moyens pour mettre en mémoire les informations de repèrage fournies par lesdits moyens de repérage ;
• - des moyens - dits de correction - pour régler la première position de fin de course du chariot en fonction desdites informations de repérage de telle sorte que la position relative dudit chariot dans ladite première position de fin de course, par rapport à la position de la pièce au premier poste soit identique à la position relative dudit chariot en deuxième position de fin de course par rapport à ladite position fixe prédéterminée de la pièce au deuxième poste.

This process can be implemented in a handling installation which, according to the invention, is characterized in that it comprises:

• - a sliding plane extending from the first to the second station and on which the part can slide;
• - a carriage - called transfer - mobile above said sliding plane between a first end position for which said carriage is at the first station and a second end position for which this carriage is at the second station , this carriage comprising removable means ensuring its attachment to the part resting on the sliding plane, said second end of travel position being fixed while said first end of travel position is adjustable in a plane parallel to the sliding plane;
• - Marking means for determining the position, in the sliding plane, relative to a fixed mark, of the part at the first station;
• - Means for storing the location information provided by said location means;
• - means - called correction means - for adjusting the first end-of-travel position of the carriage as a function of said locating information so that the relative position of said carriage in said first end-of-travel position, with respect to the position of the workpiece at the first station is identical to the relative position of said carriage in the second end-of-travel position with respect to said predetermined fixed position of the workpiece at the second station.

• - au moins trois détecteurs montés sur un support commun qui est déplaçable en translation dans un plan parallèle au plan de glissement, suivant chacune deux directions non-parallèles de ce plan, en ce que ces détecteurs sont disposés suivant les sommets d'un triangle parallèle au plan de glissement et dont deux côtés sont parallèles, respectivement, à l'une et l'autre desdites directions de déplacement et en ce que des moyens moteurs sont prévus pour déplacer ledit support commun de façon indépendante suivant chacune desdites directions de déplacement, en fonction des indications fournies par lesdites détecteurs, afin que le support commun ne s' arrête que lorsqu'il se trouve en face du sommet d'un angle formé par le bord de la pièce, sommet constituant ainsi un point de repère de la pièce : et
• - des moyens pour transmettre auxdits moyens de correction l'information de la position du support commun dans son plan de déplacement.

Advantageously, the tracking means include:

• - At least three detectors mounted on a common support which can be displaced in translation in a plane parallel to the sliding plane, each in two non-parallel directions of this plane, in that these detectors are arranged along the vertices of a parallel triangle to the sliding plane and two sides of which are parallel, respectively, to one and the other of said directions of movement and in that motor means are provided for moving said common support independently in each of said directions of movement, according to the indications provided by said detectors, so that the common support does not stop until it is opposite the apex of an angle formed by the edge of the part, the apex thus constituting a point of reference for the part: and
• - Means for transmitting to said correction means the information of the position of the common support in its displacement plane.

Advantageously, one of said directions of movement is parallel to an edge of the workpiece in its fixed, predetermined position, this edge determining with an adjacent edge, the angle forming the workpiece reference point.

Advantageously, the installation further comprises means for orienting the part at the first station parallel to said predetermined orientation.

• - un bâti sur lequel est montée, le cas éché- échéant, une table plane, de préférence horizontale, s'étendant du premier poste jusqu'au second poste ;
• - des moyens de transport pour déplacer, par exemple, par glisssement sur la table ladite pièce du premier au second poste, ces moyens comprenant : le cas échéant des moyens pour reprérer la position sur la table, dite position de départ, de la pièce se trouvant au premier poste, une glissière de guidage s'étendant sensiblement parallèlement à la table du premier au second poste et montée sur le bâti à rotation autour d'un axe fixe se trouvant au second poste, un chariot d'entraînement déplaçables parallèlement à la table depuis le premier jusqu'au second poste, ce chariot pouvant être solidarisé avec la pièce sur la table et étant guidé le long de la glissière par l'intermédiaire d'un élément dudit chariot engagé dans cette glissière, la position de fin de course du chariot au second poste - dite position d'arrivée - étant une position pour laquelle ledit élément du chariot se trouve au niveau de l'axe fixe d'articulation de la glissière, et des moyens pour positionner le chariot d'entraînement par rapport à la pièce, ces moyens pouvant être des moyens dits de correction pour régler :
  • (a) la position de la glissière en rotation autour dudit axe fixe, en fonction de ladite position de départ de la pièce, de telle sorte que la distance entre ladite pièce dans cette position de départ et la trace sur la table de ladite glissière demeure sensiblement égale à la distance, dite de référence, existant entre la trace sur la table de la glissière et la pièce lorsque cette dernière se trouve au second poste dans sa position d'arrivée ; et
  • (b) la position de fin de course du chario au premier poste en fonction de la position de départ de la pièce, de telle sorte que la distance entre cette position de départ de la pièce et ledit chariot dans ladite position de fin de course soit sensiblement égale à la distance entre la position d'arrivée de la pièce et le chariot dans sa position de fin de course d'arrivée.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned method can be implemented in an installation which is characterized, in accordance with the invention, in that it comprises:

• - a frame on which is mounted, if necessary, a flat table, preferably horizontal, extending from the first station to the second station;
• - Transport means for moving, for example, by sliding on the table said part of the first to second station, these means comprising: where appropriate means for reproducing the position on the table, called the starting position, of the part located at the first station, a guide slide extending substantially parallel to the table of the first at the second station and mounted on the frame rotating about a fixed axis located at the second station, a drive carriage movable parallel to the table from the first to the second station, this carriage being able to be secured to the part on the table and being guided along the slide by means of an element of said carriage engaged in this slide, the end of travel position of the carriage at the second station - called arrival position - being a position for which said element of the carriage is located at the fixed axis of articulation of the slide, and means for positioning the drive carriage relative to the workpiece, these means possibly being so-called correction means for adjusting r:
  • (a) the position of the slide in rotation about said fixed axis, as a function of said starting position of the part, so that the distance between said part in this starting position and the trace on the table of said slide remains substantially equal to the distance, known as the distance, existing between the trace on the table of the slide and the part when the latter is at the second station in its arrival position; and
  • (b) the end position of the carriage at the first station as a function of the starting position of the part, so that the distance between this starting position of the part and said carriage in said end position is substantially equal to the distance between the end position of the part and the carriage in its end position.

Advantageously, the installation further comprises so-called orientation means for depositing on the table at the first station, a piece taken from a third station in an approximate position and for orienting it according to said predetermined orientation, in that the means locating means are for locating the position of a so-called landmark of the workpiece at the first station, and in that the driving carriage is subject to keep a fixed direction.

Advantageously, said correction means comprise means for maintaining equal to the distance, called reference, between the trace on the table of the axis of articulation of the slide and the reference point in its arrival position, the length of the line segment oriented parallel to the line joining said arrival position of the reference point to the trace on the table of the axis of articulation of the slide, this line segment joining the starting position of the reference point to the trace on the table of said slide.

Advantageously, the orientation means comprise at least two detectors each placed at a respective point, called the detection point, from the table to the first station, and each detecting the presence of the part at this point, gripping and transport means. to grasp a piece located at a third position in an approximate position, by at least two so-called gripping points of an edge of the latter and to move said edge above the table and at a height low enough that another edge, called the reference edge, of the part drags on this table so as to be able to meet each of said detection points, these gripping and transport means being controlled by said detectors so as to release, independently of one another, each of said gripping points as soon as the detector adjacent to said gripping point detects the passage at its location of said reference edge.

Advantageously, the slide is straight.

Advantageously, the correction means comprise a connecting rod articulated, on the one hand, on the slide portion located at the first station, and on the other hand, on a support carriage guided on the frame transversely to the direction of movement of the parts on the table and arranged to follow the movements in this direction of the common support of the locating means.

Advantageously, the support carriage carries a slide arranged substantially along the longitudinal axis of the table, slide on which is mounted, slidingly, the common support of the locating means.

Advantageously, the connecting rod connecting the support carriage to the guide slide of the drive carriage, is subject to remain parallel to the direction of the segment joining the trace on the table of the fixed axis of articulation of said slide at said position. arrival point of the workpiece, a hinged parallelogram being formed by means of a second connecting rod parallel to the first connecting rod and connecting the slide to an intermediate support hinged itself on the support carriage around the axis of the articulation of the first connecting rod on the support carriage, this intermediate support and the slide constituting the two other opposite sides of said articulated parallelogram.

Advantageously, the slide carrying the common support of the locating means is mounted on said intermediate support and it is oriented parallel to the guide slide of the driving carriage.

• - La figure 1 est une vue en plan d'une pièce destinée à la confection d'un slip, devant être manutentionnée conformément au procédé de l'invention ;
• - La figure la est une coupe suivant I-I de la figure 1 ;
• - La figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un poste de couture devant être alimenté en pièces à coudre, par un procédé selon l'invention ;
• - La figure 3 est une vue schématique en plan de l'ensemble d'une installation automatique de manutention selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• - La figure 4 est une vue schématique en perspective de l'installation de la figure 3 ;
• - Les figures 5a à 5c montrent les différences phases du prélèvement et du dépôt à plat des pièces à manutentionner selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• - Les figures 6a à 6d montrent les différentes phases de l'opération de détection du point de repérage B' des pièces à manutentionner ;
• - La figure 7 est un schéma électrique du circuit de commande de l'ensemble de correction de l'installation de la figure 3, selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• - La figure 8 est une vue schématique en plan de l'ensemble de correction de l'installation de la figure 3 ;
• - La figure 9 est une vue partielle de détail en plan de l'ensemble de correction de l'installation de la figure 3 ;
• - La figure 10 est une vue schématique en plan d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'ensemble de correction d'une installation selon l'invention ;
• - La figure 11 est une vue partielle schématique en plan d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'ensemble de correction ;
• - La figure 12 est un schéma du circuit électrique de commande de l'ensemble de correction de la figure 11, selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention,et
• - La figure 13 est un schéma du circuit électrique de commande du déplacement du chariot d'entraînement, selon un mode de réalisation compatible avec l'ensemble de correction de la figure 11.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows of several exemplary embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Figure 1 is a plan view of a part for making a panty, to be handled according to the method of the invention;
• - Figure la is a section along II of Figure 1;
• - Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sewing station to be supplied with sewing pieces, by a method according to the invention;
• - Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the assembly of an automatic handling installation according to one embodiment of the invention;
• - Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the installation of Figure 3;
• - Figures 5a to 5c show the phase differences of the removal and flat deposition of the parts to be handled according to one embodiment of the invention;
• - Figures 6a to 6d show the different phases of the detection operation of the locating point B 'of the parts to be handled;
• - Figure 7 is an electrical diagram of the control circuit of the correction assembly of the installation of Figure 3, according to one embodiment of the invention;
• - Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the correction assembly of the installation of Figure 3;
• - Figure 9 is a partial detailed plan view of the correction assembly of the installation of Figure 3;
• - Figure 10 is a schematic plan view of a second embodiment of the correction assembly of an installation according to the invention;
• - Figure 11 is a schematic partial plan view of a second embodiment of the correction assembly;
• FIG. 12 is a diagram of the electrical control circuit for the correction assembly of FIG. 11, according to an embodiment of the invention, and
• FIG. 13 is a diagram of the electrical circuit for controlling the movement of the drive carriage, according to an embodiment compatible with the correction assembly of FIG. 11.

The colleting of the two concave edges of a piece of fabric intended to form a panty is a confection operation which consists in depositing a flange (or strip) 1 astride the two selvedges BC and B'C 'of a piece 2 (Figures 1 and la).

The two edges BC and B'C 'of this part 2 are concave curves, that is to say that their own center of curvature is located outside of article 2.

This sewing operation is currently carried out manually on a gluing sewing machine as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2. As is known, a collet guide placed in front of the sewing machine ensures the folding and the good presentation of the strip or flange and the supply of the tape is obtained automatically by the drive members of the sewing machine.

• Dans un premier temps on prélève un à un, les articles stockés en une pile approximative, puis on les dépose à plat devant le pied-presseur 3 de la machine à coudre et, enfin, on engage le début de la lisière à border BC ou B'C' sous le pied-presseur 3.

The sewing operation is as follows:

• Firstly, one by one, the items stored in an approximate pile are removed, then they are placed flat in front of the presser foot 3 of the sewing machine and, finally, the edge of the selvedge is engaged at border BC or B'C 'under the presser foot 3.

As shown in Figure 2, this presentation of the article 2 under the presser foot 3 requires a certain precision: this introduction must be carried out so that the tangent at point B of the selvedge BC and the beginning of this selvedge are parallel to a line - or axis - of seam L of the machine at a small distance "a", for example at most equal to 1.5 mm (value established experimentally and due to the spacing of the needles and to the widths of collar generally used).

In a second step, the article 2 is guided under the needles 4 so that the selvedge BC or B'C 'always appears in the direction of the sewing axis L.

• - le prélèvement des pièces 2 une à une, à partir d'une pile de pièces _P ;
• - la présentation automatique un à un, des articles 2 sous le pied-presseur 3 ;
• - la couture et le bordage des lisières concaves BC, B'C' quel que soit leur tracé.

The sewing assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4 makes this operation fully automatic. This set performs:

• - the removal of the pieces 2 one by one, from a stack of pieces _P ;
• - the automatic presentation, one by one, of the articles 2 under the presser foot 3;
• - sewing and planking the concave selvages BC, B'C 'whatever their layout.

• - d'un ensemble de préhension 5 constitué de deux préhenseurs 5a et 5b ;
• - d'un chariot de dépôt à plat 6 ;
• - d'une table circulaire de transfert 7 tournante autour de son axe 7a ;
• - d'un ensemble de correction 8 qui détecte sur la table 7 le point B', sommet de l'angle par lequel l'article 2 sera introduit sous le pied-presseur 3 de la machine à coudre ;
• - d'un chariot de transfert 9 amenant les articles 2 au poste de couture ;
• - d'un patin d'introduction 10 des pièces 2 sous le pied-presseur 3 ; et
• - d'un poste de couture automatique 11.

To this end, this automatic assembly is composed, in the order of use, (Figures 3 and 4):

• - a gripping assembly 5 consisting of two grippers 5a and 5b;
• - a flat deposit trolley 6;
• - a circular transfer table 7 rotating around its axis 7a;
• - A correction unit 8 which detects on the table 7 the point B ', vertex of the angle by which the article 2 will be introduced under the presser foot 3 of the sewing machine;
• - a transfer carriage 9 bringing the articles 2 to the sewing station;
• - an insertion pad 10 for the parts 2 under the presser foot 3; and
• - an automatic sewing station 11.

The two grippers 5a, 5b, of the gripping assembly 5 (FIG. 3) each comprise a pair of pliers 12 which grip the upper article 2 of the stack P of articles at the edge ABCD of this article and which lift edge of low height "b" (fig. 5a).

The flat depositing carriage 6 comprises two take-up clamps 13 which take up the article 2 held in the clamps 12 of the grippers 5a, 5b and then deposit it flat on the horizontal rotary transfer table 7. (Figures 5a to 5c) .

The return clamps 13 open independently of one another, at the precise moment of the passage of the adjacent edge, respectively A'B 'and C'D' in front of a respective sensor 14a, 14b, these sensors being arranged according to a straight line 15, perpendicular to the seam line L. This independent opening of the clamps 13 makes it possible to deposit the articles 2 on the table 7 so that the selvedge A'B'C'D 'is approximately perpendicular to the line seam L (Figure 3).

The role of the rotary transfer table 7 is to present the point B ′ at the level of the correction assembly by a rotation of 180 ° of this table 7 around its axis 7a after each article 2 deposit on this table 7. When table 7 has turned 180 °, a new article 2 can be placed there by the carriage 6 so that this table 7 can receive two articles 2 simultaneously.

The function of the correction assembly 8 is to find the position of point B 'of article 2. The location of the two coordinates X and Y of this point B', relative to a fixed reference point, makes it possible to control the carriage transfer 9, as will be explained later.

The purpose of this control is to ensure that the carriage 9 picking up an article 2 placed on the turntable 7, places and stops above this article, always in the same predetermined relative position relative to point B '(article 2 being placed on table 7 with the straight line A'B'C'D' perpendicular to the seam axis L).

The correction assembly 8 is constituted by a detector carriage 16 which supports three photoelectric cells 17a to 17c arranged along the three vertices of a right triangle. According to research information transmitted by the cells, the detector carriage 16 moves in two directions X and Y, respectively by means of motors M1 and M2. The directions X and Y are, respectively, perpendicular and parallel to the sewing axis L. The purpose of these two movements of the carriage 16 is to bring the three cells 17 above and substantially vertically from point B '. A search area 18 is defined as being the surface inside which the point B 'must be, with a very high probability, after it has been laid flat on the table 7 (FIGS. 6a to 6d). The extent of this zone 18 is a function of the imprecision of the alignment of the pieces 2 in the approximate stack P, as well as of the correction of the angular positioning of article 2 on table 7 (orientation of edge A'B'C'D ').

The transfer carriage 9 takes up article 2 and takes it flat to the sewing machine 19. This carriage includes three transfer pads 20a to 20c which are applied to article 2 to allow its transport by sliding on the rotary table 7 and on tables (43, 21) which follow it, during the movement of the carriage 9 towards the sewing machine 19. The forward movement of the carriage 9 is designed so that it always brings point B ' in the same predetermined position Bo relative to the machine 19 and that the orientation of the selvedge A'B'C'D 'is also kept relative to the seam line L.

The role of the insertion pad 10 is to introduce the articles 2 under the presser foot 3 of the machine 19 so that the first centimeters of the edge BC or B'C 'of the article are in the axis seam L. Depending on the shape of the curve BC or B'C 'of an article 2, an appropriate adjustment which will not be described in more detail below, makes it possible to modify the insertion displacement of article 2 to obtain its correct presentation under the presser foot 3.

The sewing station 11 is provided with special guiding means capable of supplying the sewing machine 19 and guiding the article 2 during sewing.

• A la figure 5a les pinces 12 de l'ensemble de préhension 5 ont saisi, puis soulevé d'une faible hauteur "b", un bord (ABCD) de l'article 2 supérieur de la pile P. Le chariot de dépôt à plat 6 muni de ses pinces 13 permet de reprendre l'article 2 soulevé par les dispositifs de préhension 12, de retourner cet article sur lui-même (figure 5b) et de le déposer à plat sur la table tournante 7 (figure 5c). La figure 3 montre que les dispositifs de préhension 12 saisissent la pièce 2 au niveau de la lisière ABCD ; après retournement de l'article 2 par le chariot de mise à plat 6, l'article 2 subit encore un retournement du fait de la rotation de la table 7 de 180° autour de l'axe 7a, de sorte que la lisière qui sera en fait oeuvrée sur le poste de couture sera la lisière A'B' C'D'. Ce double retournement de l'article 2 est réalisé pour plusieurs raisons :
  • 1) La saisie de l'article 2 par les pinces 12 ne peut être effectuée qu'à une certaine distance, par exemple de 10 centimètres environ, de la lisière ABCD.
  • 2) Il est préférable de retourner la pièce 2 supérieure de la pile P sur elle-même pour éviter de déplacer la pièce 2 située immédiatement en-dessous lors du décollage de ladite pièce supérieure.
  • 3) Lors de la remise à plat, la lisière A'B' C'D' se trouve correctement dépliée et déposée à plat alors que la lisière ABCD peut encore présenter des plis après son dépôt sur la table tournante 7.

The operation of the installation which has just been described is as follows:

• In FIG. 5a, the grippers 12 of the gripping assembly 5 have grasped, then lifted from a low height "b", an edge (ABCD) of the upper article 2 of the stack P. The flat deposit trolley 6 with its clamps 13 makes it possible to take up the article 2 raised by the gripping devices 12, to turn this article over on itself (FIG. 5b) and to deposit it flat on the rotary table 7 (FIG. 5c). Figure 3 shows that the gripping devices 12 grip the part 2 at the edge ABCD; after the article 2 has been turned over by the flattening carriage 6, the article 2 is again turned over due to the rotation of the table 7 by 180 ° around the axis 7a, so that the edge which will be in fact working on the sewing station will be the edge A'B 'C'D'. This double reversal of article 2 is carried out for several reasons:
  • 1) The gripping of the article 2 by the clamps 12 can only be carried out at a certain distance, for example about 10 centimeters, from the edge ABCD.
  • 2) It is preferable to turn the upper part 2 of the stack P on itself to avoid moving part 2 located immediately below during takeoff of said upper part.
  • 3) When flattening out, the selvedge A'B 'C'D' is correctly unfolded and laid flat while the selvedge ABCD may still have folds after being deposited on the turntable 7.

FIGS. 5a to 5c describe the different phases of the flat deposition of an article 2 on the table 7.

The flat deposition carriage 6 moves along two mutually parallel guide rails 22 and 23 secured to a frame 24 of the sewing assembly (Figure 4); the carriage 6 transfers the article 2 from the stack P to the turntable 7. This movement is obtained by an electric motor and by a transmission by chain and sprockets, this motor and this transmission not being shown in the drawings . The carriage 6 includes the two return clamps 13 the structure and operation of which are described in French patent application no. 79 12.802 of May 18, 1979.

FIG. 5a shows the flattening carriage 6 advancing (arrow f ₁ ) towards the article 2 held in the grippers 12.

FIG. 5b shows the phase of detachment by turning part 2, phase during which this part 2 is separated from the other articles 2 without moving the latter thanks to the movement in the opposite direction of the carriage 6 (arrow f ₂ ) causing the formation of a fold 2a of the part 2 gripped by the clamps 13.

FIG. 5c shows the flat deposition of the part 2 on the rotary table 7. The detectors 14a, 14b are of the optical type and the table 7 is made of transparent material.

During the backward movement of the flattening carriage 6, (arrow f ₂ ), the article 2 leaves the storage stack P and unfolds by gravity before being placed flat on the rotary table 7. Each of the two detectors 14a, 14b placed under the turntable 7, triggers, on passing the respective selvedge side A'B 'and C'D' the opening of the corresponding clamp 13, allowing the article 2 to be released in a relatively precise position on table 7 and to partially angularly correct its starting position from stack P. This process makes it possible to improve the presentation of edge A'B'C'D 'and to orient it perpendicularly with respect to at the seam line L. This orientation constitutes one of the positioning steps for the correct presentation of the selvedge B'C 'to the sewing machine 19. The orientation of the selvedge A'B'C'D', compared to line L, (figure 3), facilitates the search for point B ^I (phase described below).

As soon as the two clamps 13 are opened, the carriage 6 stops and leaves towards the next article 2, the gripping of which by the assembly 5 is in progress. Simultaneously, the rotary table 7 rotates 180 ° around its axis 7a to present the edge A'B'C'D 'under the correction assembly 8.

The role of the table 7 is to act as a relay between the gripping and flattening assembly 5, 6 and the carriage 9 which transfers the article 2 to the sewing machine 19. This table 7 receives the pieces of briefs 2 from the approximate stack P. These are placed one after the other on the half 7b of the table 7 adjacent to the gripping assembly 5 while the previous article 2 is lying flat on the other half 7c of the table 7 above which the correction assembly 8 searches for the position of the apex angle B ′ by which the article 2 will be introduced under the presser foot 3. When the search for the angle B 'is finished, the article 2 concerned is taken up by the carriage 9 and taken to the sewing machine 19. When the next part 2 is removed, the rotary table 7 rotates 180 ° to present the angle B ^I in the search area 18. This rotation is obtained by means of a motor M3 which drives the table 7 in acting on its periphery by means of a roller 25, FIG. 3.

Means not shown prevent rotation of the table 7 as long as the preceding article 2 is not half-removed from said rotary table 7.

Figures 3 and 8 show, respectively, the position of the correction assembly 8 in the automatic sewing assembly and the main details of this correction assembly 8, according to an embodiment of the invention.

• - Le chariot détecteur 16 qui recherche la position de l'angle B' d'un article 2 (angle situé dans la zone 18), et dont les déplacements dans les directions X et Y sont obtenus par les moteurs Ml et M2 ;
• - Une bielle de guidage 26 qui assure le guidage du chariot de transfert 9 entre la table 7 et le poste de couture 11.

This sub-assembly 8 comprises two essential organs:

• - The detector carriage 16 which searches for the position of the angle B 'of an article 2 (angle located in the zone 18), and whose displacements in the directions X and Y are obtained by the motors Ml and M2;
• - A guide rod 26 which guides the transfer carriage 9 between the table 7 and the sewing station 11.

• Pour son déplacement dans la direction Y, le chariot 16 est relié par une vis 27 à un bloc de correction 28 ; un axe de guidage 29, parallèle à la vis 27 et fixé au bloc 28, empêche le chariot 16 de tourner autour de ladite vis 27. Le chariot 16 peut ainsi se déplacer par rapport au bloc de correction 28 dans la direction Y par l'intermédiaire du moteur M2, car la rotation de celui-ci entraîne la vis 27 qui déplace suivant Y le chariot 16 immobilisé en rotation par l'axe 29.

The detector carriage 16 supports the three photoelectric cells 17a, 17b, 17c arranged along the vertices of a right triangle whose sides adjacent to the right angle are parallel, respectively, to the directions X and Y. The information provided simultaneously by the cells 17 control the movements of the carriage 16 in the X and Y directions as follows:

• For its movement in the Y direction, the carriage 16 is connected by a screw 27 to a correction block 28; a guide pin 29, parallel to the screw 27 and fixed to the block 28, prevents the carriage 16 from rotating around said screw 27. The carriage 16 can thus move relative to the correction block 28 in the direction Y by the intermediate of the motor M2, because the rotation of the latter drives the screw 27 which moves along the Y the carriage 16 immobilized in rotation by the axis 29.

In direction X, the displacement of the corrector carriage 16 is effected by means of the correction block 28, the two members 16 and 28 being integral in displacement in this direction. The correction block 28 moves along two fixed guide axes 30, orthogonal to the axis 29, by means of the motor M1, a screw-nut system (31a, 31b) and a connecting rod 32 which ensures the link between the block of correc tion 28 and nut 31b. The connecting rod 32 and the nut 31b are articulated around the same axis 33 on the guide rod 26 whose role and description will be explained later.

Article 2 arrives in zone 18 in such a way that the edge A'B'C'D 'is approximately perpendicular to the sewing axis L. This arrangement is obtained beforehand by the independent opening of the two pliers 13 of the flat deposit trolley 6.

Furthermore, according to current models of panties, the angle at B and B 'approaches a right angle and it is between 60 ° and 12 °: this angle is therefore detectable from three detectors such as 17a to 17c arranged as shown. In the example shown, the detectors 17a to 17c are photoelectric cells of the "reflection" type which detect the absence and the presence of the fabric constituting the part 2.

To explain and facilitate the understanding of the operation of the correction assembly, the absence of fabric under each sensor 17a to 17c is defined by state O and the presence of fabric by state 1.

For reasons of simplification, the starting position of the carriage 16 relative to the detection zone 18 has been chosen so that this carriage first finds the edge A'B ', then the edge B'C'. This starting position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 6a, and in dashed lines in FIG. 8, under the reference 16a, is located at the limit of the detection zone 18.

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c and 6d show the main phases of the search for the vertex of the angle B '.

At the end of each point B 'detection operation and after the transfer carriage 9 has taken charge of article 2, the carriage 16 returns to its starting position 16a. In this position, the three cells 17 are in the state O, (FIG. 6a).

The arrival of a new article 2 in the detection zone 18 via the turntable 7 puts the three cells 17 in state 1 (FIG. 6b) and triggers a signal emitted by a limit switch 340 of rotation of the table 7, signal which authorizes the start of the detection: as can be seen in FIG. 7, this signal controls, by the engagement of a rocker 35, the rotation in the forward direction of the motors Ml and M2, rotation which simultaneously moves the carriage 16 in the directions fX and fY (Figure 6b). These rotations drive the carriage 16 until the cell 17a passes to the state O, which means that the edge A'B 'is between the verticals of the cells 17a and 17b, (FIG. 6c). This change of state of cell 17a causes the motor M2 to stop, while the motor Ml continues to move in the forward direction, the corrector carriage 16 until cell 17c goes to state O, this which causes the engine Ml to stop. The search for point B 'is therefore finished when the sensors 17a, 17b and 17c are respectively in the state 0, 1 and 0. This set of states also determines the emission of a signal authorizing the evacuation, by the carriage 9, from item 2 to the sewing machine 19, (Figure 6d).

The M2 motor is. again, driven in the forward direction while searching for the li siere A'B ', if the cell 17a again returns to state 1 during the movement of the carriage 16 in the direction X. This motor M2 will turn in the direction "return" if the two cells 17a and 17b are at the state 0.

According to the example shown in FIG. 7, the return of the carriage 16 to its position 16a is controlled by a suitable logic circuit 36 from the starting information of the carriage 9 in the direction of the sewing machine 19. This information is for example provided by the end of the lowering run of the pads 20a, 20b, 20c. The logic circuit 36 controls, on the one hand, the rotation in the "return" direction, of the motors Ml and M2 to the end of return travel limit position of these motors and, on the other hand, the return to the initial state of the scale 35.

The operation which has just been described is obtained by a suitable arrangement of the AND gates, 37 and, and OR and NON-OR, 38 with respect to the circuits 36 and 35, an arrangement possibly being that shown in FIG. 7.

The role of the guide rod 26 is to guide the transfer carriage 9 between a fixed point of arrival and a point of origin whose coordinates depend on the position of point B 'when the article 2 is under the assembly correction. The connecting rod 26 has a longitudinal groove 26a in which slides a roller 34 which guides the transfer carriage 9.

The end adjacent to the sewing station 11 of the connecting rod 26 is fixed and pivots about a fixed vertical axis 39 of the frame 24, axis disposed on the side of the sewing machine 19 (Figure 8). One of the two ends of the groove 26a coincides with the axis of rotation 39 of the connecting rod 26. This end coincides sewing station 11. The carriage 9 is subject to keep a fixed orientation, as will be explained later. This arrangement of the fixed axis 39 therefore leads to bringing the transfer carriage 9 always in the same position relative to the machine 19. Furthermore, as will be explained below, in the end of travel position of the carriage 9 above the turntable 7, the transfer pads 20 are always positioned in the same way with respect to the article 2 previously oriented, being on the table 7, so that the transfer carriage 9 will lead to the sewing station 11, the selvedge A'B'C'D 'always in the same position relative to the sewing machine 19.

The connecting rod 26 pivots about the axis 39 under the action of the motor Ml and of the screw-nut system 31a, 31b, the motor Ml being mounted on a support 40 which can pivot around a vertical axis 41 of the frame 24. This motor device which actuates the connecting rod 26 thus simultaneously displaces the correction block 28 by means of the connecting rod 32. The orientation of the connecting rod 26 is imposed by the correction block 28 whose displacements according to X follow those of the carriage 16 searching for the position of point B ', as a function of the information transmitted by the photoelectric cells 17a to 17c.

FIG. 8 shows the general configuration of the transfer carriage 9 and its arrangement relative to the correction assembly 8. FIG. 9 is a detailed view of this sub-assembly 8.

The carriage 9 is constituted by a U-shaped frame, 42, supporting three transport pads 20a, 20b, 20c which are applied to the article 2 along the edge A'B'C'D 'and the slip away on the table 7 and on the horizontal guide table 43 which follows it, up to the sewing machine 19 (FIG. 3). The pads 20 are applied to article 2 by means of jacks 44a, 44b, 44c, 44d.

The U-shaped frame, 42 is mounted by two bearings 45a and 45b to be able to move along an axis 46 fixed on a support 47 which slides along a guide axis 48 fixed and parallel to the axis seam L. The U-shaped frame 42 is immobilized in rotation about the axis 48 by the guide roller 34 not shown in FIG. 9, this roller sliding in the groove 26a of the connecting rod 26.

The movement of the carriage 9, in the direction Y, is obtained by means of an engine M4 and a transmission by belt and toothed pulleys 49, which drive the carriage 9 at the level of the support 47; during this movement, the frame 42 can move in the direction X via the roller 34 when the connecting rod 26 is inclined relative to the axis 48. The U-shaped frame, 42 which is supported by the axis 46 and guided in the groove 26a by the roller 34, consequently moves in a direction parallel to the axis of the connecting rod 26 while remaining perpendicular to the guide axis 48 of the sliding support 47.

• Lorsque le chariot détecteur 16 a repéré le point B' de l'article 2, le chariot de transfert 9 se place au-dessus de l'article 2 en fonction de la position du point B' indiquée par le chariot détecteur 16.

The positioning of the transfer carriage 9 with respect to the item 2 identified is carried out as follows:

• When the detector carriage 16 has identified point B 'of article 2, the transfer carriage 9 is placed above article 2 according to the position of point B' indicated by the detector carriage 16.

To bring the articles 2 marked and present them at the end of the travel always in the same position relative to the sewing machine 19, the transfer pads 20 must necessarily be in position born and applied to articles 2 previously oriented, always in the same way with respect to point B ', that is to say always on the same predetermined zones of these articles 2.

The stop position of the transfer carriage 9, in its return stroke, is transmitted by the detector carriage 16 to a stop sensor 50 consisting of two elements 50a and 50b, one 50a being mounted on the support 47 of the carriage transfer 9, the other 50b being integral with a small mobile carriage 51, (Figure 9).

The movable carriage 51 slides along two fixed axes 52 and moves in the Y direction under the action of the corrector carriage 16 by means of a Bowden cable 53 guided in a fixed sheath 54. Thus, when the detector carriage 16 has identified the position of point B ', it transmits the Y coordinate of point B' directly and simultaneously to the limit switch 50b. The stop in the return position of the transfer carriage 9 is therefore linked to the position of the point B 'via the sensor 50; the carriage 9 stops in a good position relative to the article 2 when the two elements 50a and 50b coincide. This stop is for example obtained by the interruption of a motor control signal M4, interruption caused by the coming into mutual contact of said elements 50a and 50b.

In summary, according to the position of point B ′ of the oriented article 2, deposited on the table 7, the transfer carriage 9 is guided by the connecting rod 26 during its return stroke and stops in good position relative to the edge A'B 'C'D' via the sensor 50. The stop in position on the sensor 50 thus corresponds to the correct positioning of the carriage 9 relative to point B '.

At the end of the detection operation, the transfer carriage 9 takes care of the identified article 2 and discharges it towards the sewing machine 19. Another article 2 is then brought under the detector carriage 16 which, once again, will search for the position of point B '. This search, which begins and takes place during the outward travel of the transfer carriage 9, causes the carriage 9 to move in the direction X (simultaneous orientation of the connecting rod 26), but these do not disturb the sliding path towards the sewing machine 19 of article 2 which can only arrive at the same place in front of the sewing machine 19 regardless of its route.

The mechanized handling assembly which has just been described makes it possible to precisely position a part 2 (slip) at the entrance to a sewing machine 19, this part being taken from a pile P where the parts 2 are approximately superimposed. These articles 2 roughly stacked are offset and are more or less well oriented.

• 1) une rotation de la pièce mise à plat, autour d'un axe qui lui est perpendiculaire, en repèrant d'abord une direction sur cette pièce (la lisière A'B' C'D' dans le cas du slip), puis en orientant cette pièce par rapport à une direction référence (axe de couture L) ;
• 2) une translation à plat de la pièce en repérant un point remarquable de cette pièce (l'angle en B' pour le slip).

The solution to this problem, according to the example shown, therefore consists in carrying out the displacement of the articles 2 by carrying out:

• 1) a rotation of the piece laid flat, around an axis which is perpendicular thereto, by first locating a direction on this piece (the edge A'B 'C'D' in the case of the briefs), then by orienting this part with respect to a reference direction (sewing axis L);
• 2) a flat translation of the part by locating a remarkable point of this part (the angle at B 'for the briefs).

FIG. 10 represents a variant of the correction assembly 8. According to this variant, the guide rod 26 is connected to a frame 55 supporting the detector carriage 16 by a deformable parallelogram system, one of the sides 56 of which remains aligned on a fixed longitudinal axis parallel to the direction X and transmits to the connecting rod 26 the X movement of the correction block 28. The side 56 of the parallelogram connection is a rigid rod which is, on the one hand, fixed to the block 28 and, on the other hand, articulated to the connecting rod 26 around an axis 56a which can itself slide along the connecting rod 26 in a longitudinal groove 26b of the latter. The parallelogram comprises a side 58 parallel to the side 56 and constituted by a rigid articulated rod, on the one hand, at the free end of an extension arm 55a of the frame 55 and, on the other hand, at the connecting rod 26 around an axis 58a which can itself slide along the groove 26b of this connecting rod 26. The frame 55 of the carriage 16 pivots about an axis 57 integral with the correction block 28 and is thus oriented relative to this block 28 under the action of the two rods parallel to each other 56 and 58 of the parallelogram when the correction carriage 28 moves in X and rotates the guide rod 26. By deforming so that the sides 56 and 58 remain parallel to direction X, the parallelogram makes it possible to orient parallel to each other, the connecting rod 26 and the displacement screw 27 of the detector carriage 16. It is also noted that the motor Ml acts directly on the block 28 by means of the screw system ecroù 310a - 310b and that the motor support M1 is fixed.

FIG. 10 shows the positions Gl and G2 of the roller 34 corresponding to two different positions of the point B ', positions referenced B1 and B2. We have shown in dashes the respective positions of the connecting rod 26 and the block 28 for the case of the angle B 'in B2. For these two points B1, B2 with the same abscissa X and different ordinates Y, the stop positions G1, G2 of the roller 34 have rigorously the same abscissa and the transfer carriage 9, not shown, is positioned rigorously in the same way with respect to the two articles 2.

This second embodiment therefore makes it possible to bring, at the end of the travel of the carriage 9, each point B 'and, consequently, each article 2 rigorously in the same place relative to the sewing machine 19.

It should be noted that the electromechanical system formed by the guide rod 26 and the stop sensor 50 constitute both means for adjusting the stop position above the table 7, the carriage 9, and means for storing the information that constitutes this stop position. In fact, if the search for the position of point B 'by the locating means 16, 17, M1, M2 is finished when the carriage 9 is still in its race going towards the sewing station, the information constituted by the position d 'stop which the carriage 9 must occupy above the table 7, are stored in memory by the correct positioning of the connecting rod 26 and that of the stop sensor 50. This electromechanical system can be replaced by a system in which the carriages 9 and 16 are mechanically independent of each other. Figures 11 to 13 show an example of the latter system: as shown in Figure 11 and the carriage 9 is movable in X and Y and it is movable in each of these directions by means of a respective motor MX and MY, however , that, from the coordinates of point B 'measured by the locating means 16, 17, the coordinates Xo, Xy of the return stop point R of the carriage 9 are developed in a calculation circuit 59; these coordinates Xo, Yo are stored in an electronic device 60.

The motors Mx and My are controlled by a control loop such as that of FIG. 12, so that the carriage 9 coming from its stopping point A at the sewing station 11, is positioned above the table 7 at point R. The position (x, y) of the carriage 9 during its return stroke is taken up by a potentiometer 61x and 61y respectively and these values x, y are each compared in a comparator 62x, 62y with the corresponding value Xo, Yo. The signal Xo-x, Yo-y supplied by the comparator, respectively 62x and 62y, controls the corresponding motor Mx and My.

Another solution, represented in FIG. 13, consists in using motors of the stepping type M'x and M'y in place of the motors Mx and My. In this case, the locating means 16-17 transmitting the coordinates of point B 'to the calculation circuit 59, and the latter sets the content of an up / down counter 63x, 63y to a value proportional to, respectively Xo, Yo. A pulse generator 64x, 64y controls the motor M'x, M'y through an AND gate of validation 65, and an AND gate of stop 66, until the number of pulses supplied by this generator at the motor M'x, M'y reaches the preselection of the counter 63x, 63y; at this time, the latter ceases to apply a signal to the second input of the AND stop door 66 which then goes into the closed position.

The forward movement of the carriage 9 towards the sewing station 11 can be controlled by a circuit similar to that of FIG. 12 and in which the coordinates Xo and Yo are replaced by the coordinates 0, 0, of the origin point 1.

This forward movement can also be controlled by the circuit of FIG. 13, in the case where stepping motors M'x and M'y are used. Pulses are applied to the "GO" input of a motor M'x, M'y, from the generator, and respectively, 64x, 64y through an AND validation gate 67 whose validation input 67a receives the signal emitted by a flip-flop that can be triggered by means of a validation signal sent for example by a logic circuit 69 when the state of the cells 17a, 17b, 17c is respectively 0, 1, O. The carriage 9 stops automatically at point A, the stepping motors being fitted with limit switch contacts - not shown corresponding to the position of the carriage 9 at this point A.

Claims (19)

1. Handling method for bringing to a second station (11), in a predetermined fixed position and orientation, a part (2), in particular a flexible sheet part such as a piece of fabric, being in a first station (7b, 7c) in an approximate position, characterized in that the position of the workpiece (2) is identified at the first station (7c), relative to a fixed reference point, gripping means (20a) are positioned and positioned to 20c) provided on a carriage (9), facing zones, called gripping zones, predetermined of the part, using said location information, using these gripping means (20a to 20c), this piece (2) at the first station by said gripping zones, and the latter (2) is moved to the second station (11) by moving the carriage (9) until said gripping zones occupy their second station position corresponding to said predetermined position and orientation of the part (2). 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of the part is effected by sliding on a surface (7, 43, 21) which comprises said fixed mark. 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that said surface (7, 43, 21) is planar. 4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, after having identified the position of the part (2) at the first station (7b, 7c), the location information thus obtained is stored in memory, and positioning said gripping means (20a to 20c) opposite said predetermined gripping zones of the workpiece (2) using the stored tracking information, whereby the movement of a workpiece and the tracking can be carried out simultaneously from the position, at the first post, of a next room. 5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the workpiece (2) is first prepositioned at the first station (7b, 7c) by orienting it parallel to said predetermined orientation, then determining the position of this part (2) by determining the coordinates, in said fixed reference point, of a remarkable point, called reference point, (B ') of the zone (2) and, after having gripped the part by said gripping zones , it is moved in translation to the second station (11), averaging what is simplified, both, the movement of the gripping means between the first and the second station, and the determination of the position of the workpiece at the first station . 6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that, in the case where the workpiece (2) for ^p rojec- tion on a plane parallel to the sliding plane, has at least one rectilinear edge (A'B'C ' D '), this part is prepositioned at the first station (7b, 7c) by positioning this edge (A'B'C'D') along a predetermined fixed line of the first station, whereby it is easier to determine the coordinates of the point of mark (B ') of the part (2). 7. Installation for implementing the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises: - A sliding plane (7,43,21) extending from the first (7b, 7c) to the second station (11) and on which the part (2) can slide; a carriage, called a transfer carriage, (9) movable above said sliding plane between a first end-of-travel position for which said carriage is at the first station and a second end-of-travel position for which this carriage is located at second station, this carriage (9) comprising removable means (20a to 20c) ensuring its attachment to the part (2) resting on the sliding plane, said second end of travel position being fixed while said first position of end of stroke is adjustable in a plane parallel to the sliding plane; - locating means (16, 17a to 17c) for determining the position, in the sliding plane, relative to a fixed mark, of the part (2) at the first station; - where appropriate, means (16.50 or 63x, 63y) for storing the location information provided by said location means; - means, called correction, (8) for adjusting the first end of travel position of the carriage (9) as a function of said location information so that the relative position of said carriage (9) in said first end position of stroke relative to the position of the workpiece (2) at the first station is identical to the relative position of said carriage (9) in the second end-of-travel position relative to said predetermined fixed position of the workpiece at the second station (11). 8. Installation according to claim 7, characterized in that the locating means comprise: - at least three detectors (17a to 17c) mounted on a common support (16) which is displaceable in translation in a plane parallel to the sliding plane (7, 43, 21) in each of two non-parallel directions (X, Y) of this plane, in that these detectors are arranged along the vertices of a triangle parallel to the sliding plane and two sides of which are parallel, respectively, to one and the other of said directions of movement and in that motor means (Ml, M2) are provided for moving said common support independently in each of said directions of movement (X, Y), according to the indications provided by said detectors (17a to 17c), so that the common support (16) does not stop until it faces the apex (B ') at an angle formed by the edge of the part (2), the apex thus constituting a point of reference for the part? and - Means for transmitting to said correction means the information of the position of the common support (16) in its displacement plane, one of said directions of displacement (X) being parallel to an edge (A'B ') of the piece (2) in its predetermined fixed position, this edge (A'B ') determining with an adjacent edge (B'C'), the angle forming a reference point (B ') of the piece (2). 9. Installation according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that it further comprises, means (6, 7, 13, 14a, 14b) for orienting the part (2) at the first station (7c) parallel at said predetermined orientation. 10. Handling installation for implementing the method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises: a frame (24), transport means for moving said part from the first to the second station, these means comprising: a guide slide (26) extending from the first (7b, 7c) to the second station (11) and mounted on the rotating frame around a fixed axis (39) located at the second station (11 ), a drive carriage (9) movable from the first to the second station, this carriage being able to be secured to the part and being guided along the slide (26) by means of an element (34) said carriage (9) engaged in this slide (26), the end position of the carriage (9) at the second station, called the end position, being a position for which said element (34) of the carriage is at the fixed axis of articulation (39) of the slide (26) and means for positioning the drive carriage relative to the workpiece. 11. Installation according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises: a flat table, preferably horizontal (7, 43, 21), extending from the first station (7b, 7c) to the second station ( 11) on which the part (2) can move; and in that the positioning means comprise so-called correction means (8) for adjusting: (a) the position of the slide (26) in rotation about said fixed axis (39), as a function of said starting position of the part (2), so that the distance between said part in this starting position and the trace on the plane of the table (7, 43, 21) of said slide (26) remains substantially equal to the distance, called reference, existing between said trace on the plane of the slide table and the part (2 ) when the latter is at the second station (11) in its arrival position, and (b) the end position of the carriage (9) at the first station (7c), as a function of the starting position of the part (2), so that the distance between this starting position of the part ( 2) and said carriage (9) in said end of travel position is substantially equal to the distance between the arrival position of the workpiece and the carriage (9) in its end of travel position. 12. Installation according to one of claims 10 and 11, characterized in that it further comprises, means, called orientation, (6,7,13,14a, 14b) for depositing at the first station (7b, 7c), a part (2) taken from a third station (5) in an approximate position and for the 'orient according to said predetermined orientation, in that the locating means are means (16, 17, M1, M2) for determining the position of a point, called a reference point, (B') of the part (2) at first station, and in that the drive carriage (9) is subject to keep a fixed direction. 13. Installation according to claim 12, characterized in that said correction means comprise means for maintaining equal to the distance, called reference, between the trace on the table (7,43,21) of the axis of articulation (39) of the slide (26) and the reference point (B ') in its arrival position (Bo), the length of the line segment oriented parallel to the right joining said arrival position (Bo) of the point mark (B ') to the trace on the table of the hinge pin (39) of the slide (26), from the reference point (B') to the trace on the table of said slide 26. 14. Installation according to any one of claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the orientation means comprise at least two detectors (14a, 14b) each placed at a respective point, said detection point, of the table (7 ) at the first station (7b, 7c), and each detecting the presence of the part (2) at this point, gripping and transport means (5,6,13) for gripping the part located at a third station in an approximate position, by at least two points said to grip an edge (ABCD) of the latter and to move said edge above the table (7,43,21) and at a height (b) sufficiently low to that another edge, said to be of reference, (A'B'C'D ') of the part (2) drags on this table so as to be able to meet each of said detection points, these gripping and transport means being controlled by said detectors (14a, 14b) so as to release, independently of one another, each of said gripping points as soon as the detector adjacent to said gripping point detects the passage at its location of said reference edge. 15. Installation according to any one of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the table part (7) located at the first station is circular and rotating about its axis (7a) and it is associated with drive means for its rotational drive. 16. Installation according to any one of claims 7 to 16, characterized in that the correction means (8) comprise a connecting rod (32 or 56) articulated, on the one hand, on the slide part (26) being at the first station (7b, 7c) and, on the other hand, on a support carriage (28 or 55) mounted on the frame (24) movable transversely to the direction of movement of the parts (2) on the table (7, 43,21) and arranged to follow the displacements in this direction (X) of the common support (16) of the locating means (16,17a to 17c). 18. Installation according to claim 17, characterized in that the support carriage (28 or 55) carries a slide (27,29) disposed substantially along the longitudinal axis of the table (7,43,21), slide on which is mounted, slidingly, the common support (16) of the locating means (16,17a to 17c). 19. Installation according to claim 18, characterized in that the connecting rod (56) connecting the support carriage (55) to the guide slide (26) of the drive carriage (9), is subject to remain parallel to the direction X of the segment joining the trace on the table of the fixed axis of articulation (39) of said slide (26) to said position of arrival (Bo) of the reference point (B ') of the part (2), an articulated parallelogram (26, 55a, 56,58) being formed by means of a second connecting rod (58) parallel to the first connecting rod (56) and connecting the slide (26) to an intermediate support (28) on which the support carriage (55) is articulated around the articulation axis (57) of the first connecting rod (56) on the support carriage (55), the support carriage (55) and the slide (26 ) constituting the two other opposite sides of said articulated parallelogram. 20. Installation according to one of claims 18 and 19, characterized in that the slide (27,29) carrying the common support (16) of the locating means is mounted on said support carriage (28 or 55) and it is oriented parallel to the guide slide (26) of the drive carriage (9).

Images