EP0493492B1 - Process and device for bringing together, aligning and joint processing of limp workpiece layers - Google Patents

Process and device for bringing together, aligning and joint processing of limp workpiece layers Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0493492B1
EP0493492B1 EP90914697A EP90914697A EP0493492B1 EP 0493492 B1 EP0493492 B1 EP 0493492B1 EP 90914697 A EP90914697 A EP 90914697A EP 90914697 A EP90914697 A EP 90914697A EP 0493492 B1 EP0493492 B1 EP 0493492B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
workpiece layers
workpiece
scanning
alignment
layers
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EP90914697A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0493492A1 (en
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Philipp Moll
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Individual
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Individual
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A41—WEARING APPAREL
    • A41H—APPLIANCES OR METHODS FOR MAKING CLOTHES, e.g. FOR DRESS-MAKING OR FOR TAILORING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A41H43/00—Other methods, machines or appliances
    • A41H43/02—Handling garment parts or blanks, e.g. feeding, piling, separating or reversing
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
    • D05B—SEWING
    • D05B33/00—Devices incorporated in sewing machines for supplying or removing the work
    • D05B33/02—Devices incorporated in sewing machines for supplying or removing the work and connected, for synchronous operation, with the work-feeding devices of the sewing machine

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and to an apparatus for performing the method.
  • Such a method and such a device are known from EP-OS 0 260 331.
  • the workpiece layers are fed to one another by means of conveying devices which comprise carriages guided on rails, on each of which clips are attached which hold the upper end of the workpiece layers.
  • conveying devices which comprise carriages guided on rails, on each of which clips are attached which hold the upper end of the workpiece layers.
  • These conveyors have web sections that are guided parallel to one another in a scanning and an alignment station.
  • the clamps are attached to the carriage of one of the conveying devices by means of a holding head which can be moved in several directions with respect to the carriage carrying it.
  • This holding head carries a magnetizable plate which comes into frictional engagement in the alignment station on a permanent magnet which is attached to the adjacent carriage of the other conveyor.
  • the movable holding head of the clamps on the first-mentioned carriage is adjusted in accordance with the scanning result so that the two workpiece positions adjacent to one another in the alignment station reach the predetermined relative position. Because of The frictional connection between the magnetizable plate on the holding head of the one carriage and the permanent magnet on the other carriage maintains this relative position when the two carriages move together from the alignment station into a subsequent processing station after the workpiece layers have been aligned.
  • This construction is relatively complex since it requires a holding head which can be adjusted in several directions on each of the carriages of the one conveyor device.
  • the adjusting device for adjusting the holding heads to achieve the prescribed relative position of the two workpiece layers must exert a considerable force in order to be able to overcome the frictional force between the magnetizable plate and the permanent magnet, which, as explained, must be so great that the one once set Relative position between permanent magnet and plate and thus the alignment position of the workpiece positions is maintained.
  • the invention is based on the object of specifying a method which, on the one hand, enables the workpiece layers to be automatically fed to the scanning and alignment station and, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that it can be carried out with a simply constructed device.
  • the object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.
  • the measure of connecting the process steps picking up and transferring to a vertical position with the feeding of the workpiece layers to the scanning and aligning station makes it possible to manually assign the workpiece layers to one another, lying next to one another on a support table and therefore not mutually influence influencing, or to take over the workpiece positions from an output station of an upstream processing machine.
  • the workpiece layers are transferred to the scanning and alignment station and are only taken over again after alignment for the purpose of further transport in the direction of the treatment or connection point, the workpiece layers are detached from the conveying means causing the supply and removal during the alignment, so that the Alignment can take place independently and unaffected by these funds. Because of these circumstances, the prerequisite is that the device for carrying out the method can be comparatively simple.
  • the device according to the invention contains several interacting basic components, namely a frame G, two conveyor devices F and F 'arranged next to one another, a scanning and alignment station R and a sewing station N.
  • the conveyor devices F, F' comprise a feed conveyor Z or Z 'for feeding two workpiece layers W1, W2 to the scanning and alignment station R and a transport device T or T' for conveying the aligned workpiece layers W1, W2 to the sewing station N.
  • the feed conveyor Z is designed as a manipulator and has an arm 1, one end of which is attached to the shaft 2 of a geared motor 3 fastened to the frame G and can thereby be pivoted about a horizontal axis A1 and the other end of which is fork-shaped and carries a gripper-like gripper 4 .
  • the gripper 4 contains a first (according to FIG. 5 lower) gripping plate 5, which is fastened on a shaft 6 mounted at the end of the arm 1, and a second (upper) gripping plate 7, which is pivotably mounted on the shaft 6.
  • a compressed air cylinder 9 is articulated to an extension 8 of the first gripping plate 5, the piston rod 10 of which is articulated to an extension 11 of the second gripping plate 7.
  • the shaft 6 is drivingly connected to a rotary magnet 12 attached to the arm 1, through which the gripping plates 5 and 7 can be pivoted together about the longitudinal axis A2 of the shaft 6, the longitudinal axis A2 running perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the arm 1 and parallel to its pivoting plane.
  • the two gripping plates 5 and 7 have a plurality of cutouts 15 and 16, respectively, which extend as far as their drain-side edge, the cutouts 15 of the first gripping plate 5 with the cutouts 16 of the second Align gripping plate 7.
  • outlet side is meant that edge of the gripping plates 5, 7 over which the workpiece layer W1 is pulled off when it is transferred to the scanning and alignment station R.
  • the workpiece position W1 which is to be gripped by the gripper 4, is placed on a substantially horizontally extending support table 17, which can be the discharge end of an upstream processing device, for example the cooling station of a fusing machine.
  • a plurality of recesses 18 extending parallel to one another and extending up to the outlet-side edge thereof are provided, which receive the ribs 14 of the first gripping plate 5 when the gripper 4 is in the receiving position (FIG. 5).
  • a corresponding beveling of the front, inlet-side edge area of the first gripping plate 5 ensures that when the gripper 4 (FIG.
  • the first gripping plate could also be fork-shaped, so that in this case not only the front, inlet-side edge region, but the entire gripping plate would be flush with the top of the support table 17.
  • the workpiece layer W1 is transferred from the horizontal top of the support table 17 with two superimposed pivoting movements to a hanging position in which the workpiece position of the scanning and alignment station R is presented.
  • the workpiece position W1 is brought from the horizontal to the vertical and at the same time by pivoting the gripper 4 about the axis A2 pivoted so that it is finally in extension of the arm 1, as shown in Fig. 3.
  • the feed conveyor Z 'of the conveyor device F' is essentially identical to the feed conveyor Z described above. Therefore, the same reference numerals have been used for the same components, the reference numerals for the feed conveyor Z 'being different from those Distinguish reference numerals for the feed conveyor Z only by an apostrophe. It should be noted that the same gear motor 3 is used for pivoting the arm 1 'as for pivoting the arm 1, for which purpose the gear motor 3 has a continuous shaft 2 and thus two outputs.
  • An intermediate plate 19 is assigned to the scanning and aligning station R, which is fastened vertically in the frame G and which is opposed by a clamp 20, 20 'on both sides at a predetermined distance in the upper region of the intermediate plate 19.
  • the alignment device 21 is explained in more detail for the clamp 20 with reference to FIG. 7.
  • the alignment device 21 is accommodated within a housing 22 of the scanning and alignment station R fastened on the frame G.
  • a carriage 30 which is essentially displaceable in the horizontal direction is accommodated.
  • the displacement of the carriage 30 relative to the carrier plate 24 is brought about by a stepper motor 32 which is fastened to a fixed extension 31 of the carrier plate 24 and is connected to the carriage 30 via a threaded spindle 33.
  • a second carriage 35 which is essentially displaceable in the vertical direction, is received.
  • the displacement of this slide 35 with respect to the first slide 30 is brought about by a stepper motor 37 which is fastened to a fixed extension 36 of the first slide 30 and is connected to the second slide 35 via a threaded spindle 38.
  • the bracket 20 which consists of a horizontally extending bracket beam 40 and a plurality of compressed air cylinders 41 arranged on it, is fastened to an attachment 39 arranged at the lower end of the second slide 35.
  • the number of compressed air cylinders 41 and their mutual spacing corresponds to the number of recesses 15 and 16 in gripping plates 5 and 7 and the mutual spacing of these recesses 15 and 16.
  • the piston rods, designated 42, of compressed air cylinders 41 form with workpiece position W1 in Interlocking clip elements.
  • the free ends of the piston rods 42 are conical.
  • the workpiece position W1 is pressed by the piston rods 42 against the intermediate plate 19 serving as an abutment and is thereby held in a form-fitting manner. So that the intermediate plate 19 is not scratched by the movements of the tips of the piston rods 42, the compressed air cylinders 41 are adjusted so that the tips of the piston rods 42 keep a small distance from the intermediate plate 19 when compressed air cylinders 41 are actuated.
  • the bracket 20 ' is also assigned an alignment device, which is designated by 21'.
  • the alignment device 21 ' is identical to the alignment device 21 described above. Therefore, the same reference numerals have been used for the same components, insofar as they are shown in the drawing, the reference numerals for the alignment device 21' being separated by an apostrophe from the reference numerals for the Differentiate alignment device 21.
  • each bracket 20, 20 ' is assigned its own alignment device 21 or 21', each of the two brackets 20, 20 'can be linearly adjusted relative to the other bracket 20' or 20 in two mutually perpendicular directions and also in the through direction these two directions defined plane are pivoted.
  • the scanning and alignment station R has an optical scanning device 43 and 43 'for each workpiece position W1, W2.
  • the scanning device 43 has three reflective light barriers 45, 46, 47 (FIGS. 3 and 4) arranged on a carrier 44, which cooperate with the intermediate plate 19 which is designed to be reflective at least in this region.
  • the scanning device 43 ' is constructed in an identical manner to the scanning device 43 and therefore likewise has three reflective light barriers 45', 46 'and 47'.
  • the scanning devices 43, 43 ' are used for point-by-point detection of the contour of the workpiece positions W1, W2 and thus for detection of their current alignment position.
  • the transport device T shown in FIG. 1 is formed by an endless conveyor belt 48 which extends in a horizontal plane below the clamp 20 and which rotates around a drive wheel 49 and a deflection wheel 50.
  • the transport device T 'located on the other side of the intermediate plate 19 is identical to the transport device T, which is why the same reference numerals, only additionally identified with an apostrophe, are used for the components of the transport device T' as for the transport device T.
  • a common motor 51 is provided, which is fastened on the frame G and is drivingly connected to the shaft 52' of the drive wheel 49 'shown in FIG. 2.
  • a gear 53 ' is fastened on the shaft 52' and is drivingly connected to a gear 53 fixed on the shaft 52 via a reversing gear 54 formed by two gearwheels. In this way, the two conveyor belts 48, 48 'are driven with opposite directions of rotation.
  • a deflection wheel 56 mounted on a carrier 55 and a deflection wheel 58 mounted on a carrier 57 are arranged opposite the two runs 48a and 48b of the conveyor belt 48.
  • the transport device T is in a first section T1 extending from the deflection wheel 50 to the deflection wheels 56, 58 and one of the Deflection wheels 56, 58 divided up to the drive wheel 49 reaching second section T2.
  • a compressed air cylinder 59 is pivotally mounted on the frame G, the piston rod 60 of which is articulated to a rod-shaped carrier 61 on which the deflection wheel 50 is rotatably mounted.
  • the first section T1 of the transport device T can be pivoted back and forth between a driving position adjacent to the intermediate plate 19 for the workpiece position W1 and a non-driving position further away from the intermediate plate 19, the strands 48a and 48b being moved one by one Longitudinal axis of the carrier 55 and 57 coinciding axis are pivoted.
  • the first section T1 'of the transport device T' can also be pivoted back and forth with the aid of the compressed air cylinder 59 '.
  • the strands 48 a, 48 a 'of the conveyor belts 48, 48' can optionally be supported on the back in the region of the two sections T1, T2, T1 'and T2' in order to ensure the required holding action on the workpiece layers to be transported.
  • a support which can be provided, for example, by rail-like supports provided with pressure rollers, is not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity.
  • the sewing station N contains a sewing machine 62 which is fastened on a carriage 63.
  • the carriage 63 is mounted on a vertically running guide rail 64 and can be moved up and down by means of a chain transmission 65.
  • a guide device 66 is arranged to be sewn together.
  • Such a guide device is described for example in DE-GM 85 16 184, so that it is unnecessary to go into more detail at this point.
  • the device works as follows:
  • the arms 1, 1' are pivoted upwards about the axis A1 and at the same time the grippers 4, 4 'are pivoted about the axes A2, so that the grippers 4, 4 'and the workpiece layers W1, W2 assume the position shown in FIG. 3. So that the grippers 4, 4 'can be moved into this position unhindered, the sections T1, T1' of the transport devices T, T 'must be in the non-driving position remote from the intermediate plate 19 and the piston rods 42 forming the clamp elements must be retracted.
  • the current position of the workpiece layers W1, W2 is determined with the aid of the scanning device 43, 43'.
  • the angle position of the front, downward-running edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2 is measured by the relex light barriers 46, 47 and 46 '47' and, in the event of deviations from the desired alignment position, the angular alignment of the workpiece layers is acted upon by the stepping motor 25 and / or 25 ' W1, W2 made.
  • the vertical and on the other hand the horizontal relative position of the two workpiece positions W1, W2 is determined and, if a difference is present, one is applied to the corresponding stepper motors 32, 37, 32 ', 37' mutual alignment of the workpiece layers W1, W2 performed.
  • the vertical and horizontal alignment is carried out by simultaneously acting in opposite directions on the corresponding stepper motors 32, 32 'and 37, 37' of the two alignment devices 21, 21 ', whereby the alignment time is reduced to a minimum.
  • the sections T1, T1 'of the transport devices T, T' are pivoted with the motor 51 still switched off into the driving position, in which they seal the workpiece layers W1, W2 in connection with the intermediate plate 19 serving as an abutment below the brackets 20, 20 '.
  • the clamps 20, 20' are opened by venting the compressed air cylinder 41 and the motor 51 is switched on, whereupon the workpiece layers W1, W2 together in the direction while maintaining their mutual alignment position moved to the sewing station N and after reaching this station can be stopped by switching off the motor 51 in the sewing position.
  • the sewing machine 62 is moved downward from the rest position shown in FIG. 1, the protruding edge regions of the workpiece layers W1, W2 being detected by the guide device 66. As soon as the sewing machine 62 reaches the upper edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2, it is switched on, whereupon it forms an edge-parallel connecting seam along the front longitudinal edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2 in cooperation with the guide device 66.
  • the guide device 66 which is moved downwards in a straight line in the vertical direction together with the sewing machine 62, can also be moved in those by corresponding transverse or pivoting movements of parts of the workpiece layers W1, W2 Ensure a seam parallel to the edge where the edge course deviates from the vertical.
  • This embodiment shown in FIG. 8 relates to a device in which the workpiece layers W3, W4 are not aligned on a narrow side as in the previously described device of the first embodiment, but are now aligned on a long side.
  • the device according to FIG. 8 is constructed essentially the same as the device according to FIGS. 1 to 7 and therefore also consists of a frame GA, two conveying devices FA, FA ', a scanning and aligning station RA and a sewing station NA.
  • the conveyor devices FA, FA 'each include a feed conveyor ZA or. ZA 'for feeding two workpiece layers W3, W4 to the scanning and aligning station RA and one transport device TA or TA' each for further conveying the aligned workpiece layers W3, W4 to the sewing station NA.
  • the feed conveyors ZA, ZA ' differ from the feed conveyors Z, Z' of the first embodiment only in the greater length of the grippers 104, 104 ', the greater length being due to the fact that the grippers 104, 104' have the workpiece layers W3, W4 grasp on one long side.
  • the scanning and alignment station RA is completely identical with respect to its alignment devices (not shown) with the scanning and alignment station R of the first exemplary embodiment. Only the clamps 120 '(the opposite clamp is not shown) are made wider in accordance with the length of the long sides of the workpiece layers W3, W4. In the same way, the scanning devices, not shown, must also be adapted to the particular alignment position of the workpiece layers W3, W4.
  • the transport devices TA, TA ' are also essentially identical to the transport devices T, T' of the first exemplary embodiment and are therefore also divided into first sections TA1, TA1 ', which can be moved back and forth between a take-away and a non-take-away position, and in second sections TA2, TA2 '.
  • the sewing station NA alone differs to a greater extent from the sewing station N, since the sewing machine 162 provided with a guide device 166 is not movable, but is arranged in a fixed position on the frame GA and, moreover, is in a different alignment position.
  • the relative movement required for the seam formation takes place between the sewing machine 162 and the workpiece layers W3, W4 in that the transport devices TA, TA 'are formed and the aligned workpiece layers W3, W4 in via the transport devices TA, TA' pull out a continuous movement from the scanning and aligning station RA and then move along the fixed sewing machine 162. In cooperation with the guide device 166, this forms an edge-parallel connecting seam along the upper longitudinal edge.
  • the device of the second exemplary embodiment can preferably be used to process workpiece layers with a straight line or Process only a little contoured edge.
  • the sewing machine it could be expedient to arrange the sewing machine to be movable transversely to the feed direction and to control its distance from the edge profile by the signals of an edge scanning device.

Abstract

The workpiece layers to be processed are suspended in a vertical plane and fed automatically to a scanning and alignment station (R). To this end, the workpiece layers are gripped in a horizontal starting position, moved into the vertical position and conveyed to the scanning and alignment station (R). After alignment, they are taken immediately and transported to the processing station (N). The device for carrying out this process has two conveying devices (F, F'), each consisting of a feed conveyor (Z; Z') in the form of a manipulator and a transport device (T; T') formed by a conveyor belt (48; 48'). The workpiece layers are held in the scanning and alignment station (R) by mechanically movable clamps (20; 20'). The transport devices (T; T') can be moved to an d fro between a driving and a non-driving position in the region of the clamps (20; 20'). This enables the feed conveyors (Z, Z') to transfer the workpiece layers to the clamps (20; 20'), which can then be moved freely in order to align the workpiece layers with each other.

Description

Die Erfindung bezieht sich auf ein Verfahren nach dem Oberbegriff des Anspruches 1 sowie auf eine Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens. Ein derartiges Verfahren und eine solche Vorrichtung sind aus der EP-OS 0 260 331 bekannt.The invention relates to a method according to the preamble of claim 1 and to an apparatus for performing the method. Such a method and such a device are known from EP-OS 0 260 331.

Bei dem bekannten Verfahren werden die Werkstücklagen mittels Fördereinrichtungen aufeinander zugeführt, die auf Schienen geführte Laufwagen umfassen, an denen jeweils Klammern angebracht sind, die das obere Ende der Werkstücklagen halten. Diese Fördereinrichtungen weisen parallel zueinander geführte Bahnabschnitte in einer Abtast- und einer Ausrichtstation auf. Zur Ermöglichung einer gegenseitigen Ausrichtung der Werkstücklagen sind die Klammern an den Laufwagen einer der Fördereinrichtungen mittels eines Haltekopfes angebracht, der in mehreren Richtungen gegenüber dem ihn tragenden Laufwagen beweglich ist. Dieser Haltekopf trägt eine magnetisierbare Platte, die in der Ausrichtstation an einem Permanentmagneten, der an dem benachbarten Laufwagen der anderen Fördereinrichtung befestigt ist, reibschlüssig in Anlage gelangt. Mittels einer Stelleinrichtung der ortsfesten Ausrichtstation wird der bewegliche Haltekopf der Klammern an den erstgenannten Laufwagen entsprechend dem Abtastergebnis so verstellt, daß die beiden in der Ausrichtstation einander benachbarten Werkstücklagen die vorbestimmte Relativposition erreichen. Aufgrund des Reibschlusses zwischen der magnetisierbaren Platte an dem Haltekopf des einen Laufwagens und dem Permanentmagneten am anderen Laufwagen wird diese Relativposition beibehalten, wenn sich die beiden Laufwagen nach dem Ausrichten der Werkstücklagen gemeinsam aus der Ausrichtstation in eine nachfolgende Verarbeitungsstation bewegen.In the known method, the workpiece layers are fed to one another by means of conveying devices which comprise carriages guided on rails, on each of which clips are attached which hold the upper end of the workpiece layers. These conveyors have web sections that are guided parallel to one another in a scanning and an alignment station. To enable mutual alignment of the workpiece layers, the clamps are attached to the carriage of one of the conveying devices by means of a holding head which can be moved in several directions with respect to the carriage carrying it. This holding head carries a magnetizable plate which comes into frictional engagement in the alignment station on a permanent magnet which is attached to the adjacent carriage of the other conveyor. By means of an actuating device of the stationary alignment station, the movable holding head of the clamps on the first-mentioned carriage is adjusted in accordance with the scanning result so that the two workpiece positions adjacent to one another in the alignment station reach the predetermined relative position. Because of The frictional connection between the magnetizable plate on the holding head of the one carriage and the permanent magnet on the other carriage maintains this relative position when the two carriages move together from the alignment station into a subsequent processing station after the workpiece layers have been aligned.

Diese Konstruktion ist relativ aufwendig, da sie an jedem der Laufwagen der einen Fördereinrichtung einen in mehreren Richtungen verstellbaren Haltekopf erfordert. Darüber hinaus muß die Stelleinrichtung zum Verstellen der Halteköpfe zur Erzielung der vorgeschriebenen Relativposition der beiden Werkstücklagen eine beachtliche Kraft aufbringen, um die Reibungskraft zwischen der magnetisierbaren Platte und dem Permanentmagneten überwinden zu können, die, wie erläutert, so groß sein muß, daß die einmal eingestellte Relativlage zwischen Permanentmagnet und Platte und damit die Ausrichtlage der Werkstücklagen aufrechterhalten bleibt.This construction is relatively complex since it requires a holding head which can be adjusted in several directions on each of the carriages of the one conveyor device. In addition, the adjusting device for adjusting the holding heads to achieve the prescribed relative position of the two workpiece layers must exert a considerable force in order to be able to overcome the frictional force between the magnetizable plate and the permanent magnet, which, as explained, must be so great that the one once set Relative position between permanent magnet and plate and thus the alignment position of the workpiece positions is maintained.

Bei dem bekannten Verfahren wird davon ausgegangen, daß die zusammenzuführenden Werkstücklagen bereits an den von den Laufwagen der Fördereinrichtungen getragenen Klammern angehängt sind, wobei offengelassen ist, wie dieses Anhängen durchgeführt wurde.In the known method it is assumed that the workpiece layers to be brought together are already attached to the clamps carried by the carriages of the conveying devices, it being left open how this attachment was carried out.

Der Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, ein Verfahren anzugeben, das zum einen das automatische Zuführen der Werkstücklagen zu der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation ermöglicht und zum anderen so ausgestaltet ist, daß es mit einer einfach aufgebauten Vorrichtung durchführbar ist. Die Aufgabe wird durch die kennzeichnenden Merkmale des Anspruches 1 gelöst.The invention is based on the object of specifying a method which, on the one hand, enables the workpiece layers to be automatically fed to the scanning and alignment station and, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that it can be carried out with a simply constructed device. The object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Durch die Maßnahme, mit der Zuführung der Werkstücklagen zur Abtast- und Ausrichtstation die Verfahrensschritte Aufnehmen und Überführen in eine vertikale Lage zu verbinden, besteht die Möglichkeit, die einander zuzuordnenden Werkstücklagen entweder auf einem Auflagetisch von Hand nebeneinanderliegend und damit sich gegenseitig nicht beeinflussend vorauszurichten, oder die Werkstücklagen von einer Ausgabestation einer vorgeschalteten Bearbeitungsmaschine zu übernehmen.The measure of connecting the process steps picking up and transferring to a vertical position with the feeding of the workpiece layers to the scanning and aligning station makes it possible to manually assign the workpiece layers to one another, lying next to one another on a support table and therefore not mutually influence influencing, or to take over the workpiece positions from an output station of an upstream processing machine.

Da ferner die Werkstücklagen an die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation übergeben und erst nach dem Ausrichten wieder zum Zweck des Weitertransportes in Richtung der Behandlungs- oder Verbindungsstelle übernommen werden, sind die Werkstücklagen während der Ausrichtung von den die Zuführung und Wegführung bewirkenden Fördermitteln gelöst, so daß die Ausrichtung unabhängig und unbeeinflußt von diesen Fördermitteln erfolgen kann. Aufgrund dieser Umstände ist die Voraussetzung dafür gegeben, daß die Vorrichtung für die Durchführung des Verfahrens vergleichsweise einfach aufgebaut sein kann.Furthermore, since the workpiece layers are transferred to the scanning and alignment station and are only taken over again after alignment for the purpose of further transport in the direction of the treatment or connection point, the workpiece layers are detached from the conveying means causing the supply and removal during the alignment, so that the Alignment can take place independently and unaffected by these funds. Because of these circumstances, the prerequisite is that the device for carrying out the method can be comparatively simple.

Die Weiterbildung des Verfahrens nach Anspruch 2 schafft eine günstige Voraussetzung für das randparallele Verbinden zweier Werkstücklagen mit stark unregelmäßigem Randverlauf, da die Werkstücklagen von ihrer Einspannstelle frei herabhängen und daher leicht Relativbewegungen zu einer geradlinig bewegten Nahtbildemaschine ausführen können.The development of the method according to claim 2 creates a favorable prerequisite for the edge-parallel connection of two workpiece layers with a strongly irregular edge profile, since the workpiece layers hang freely from their clamping point and can therefore easily perform relative movements to a rectilinearly moving seam forming machine.

Die Weiterbildung des Verfahrens nach Anspruch 3 ermöglicht eine zeitüberlappende und dadurch besonders rationelle Bearbeitung jeweils zweier Paare von einander zugeordneten Werkstücklagen.The development of the method according to claim 3 enables time-overlapping and therefore particularly efficient processing of two pairs of workpiece layers assigned to one another.

Im Anspruch 4 ist eine Vorrichtung zur Durchführung des Verfahrens nach Anspruch 1 angegeben. Die Ansprüche 5 bis 12 geben vorteilhafte Weiterbildungen der Vorrichtung an.In claim 4, an apparatus for performing the method according to claim 1 is specified. Claims 5 to 12 indicate advantageous developments of the device.

Die Erfindung wird nachfolgend unter Bezugnahme auf zwei in den Zeichnungen dargestellte Ausführungsbeispiele näher erläutert. Es zeigen:

Fig. 1
eine schaubildliche Übersichtsdarstellung einer Vorrichtung mit den Merkmalen der Erfindung;
Fig. 2
in Ansicht von oben als Teildarstellung den Bereich um die Nähmaschine;
Fig. 3
eine Teildarstellung, ähnlich Fig. 1, bei der die Übergabe einer Werkstücklage an die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation dargestellt ist;
Fig. 4
eine stirnseitige Ansicht der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation mit zwei darin gehaltenen Werkstücklagen;
Fig. 5
eine Schnittdarstellung eines Greifers mit dem eine Werkstücklage von einem Auflagetisch abgenommen wird;
Fig. 6
eine schaubildliche Teildarstellung aus dem Bereich des Auflagetischs beim Überführen einer Werkstücklage in die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation,
Fig. 7
eine teilweise geschnittene Darstellung der Ausrichtvorrichtung in der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation; und
Fig. 8
eine Darstellung ähnlich Fig. 1 eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispieles der Erfindung zur Handhabung von Werkstücklagen, die in ihrer Längserstreckung einer Nähmaschine zugeführt werden.
The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. Show it:
Fig. 1
a diagrammatic overview of a device with the features of the invention;
Fig. 2
in a view from above as part of the area around the sewing machine;
Fig. 3
a partial view, similar to Figure 1, in which the transfer of a workpiece position to the scanning and alignment station is shown.
Fig. 4
an end view of the scanning and alignment station with two workpiece layers held therein;
Fig. 5
a sectional view of a gripper with which a workpiece layer is removed from a support table;
Fig. 6
a diagrammatic partial representation from the area of the support table when transferring a workpiece position to the scanning and alignment station,
Fig. 7
a partially sectioned illustration of the alignment device in the scanning and alignment station; and
Fig. 8
a representation similar to FIG. 1 of a second embodiment of the invention for handling workpiece layers, which are fed in their longitudinal extent to a sewing machine.

Ausführungsbeispiel 1Embodiment 1

Die Vorrichtung nach der Erfindung enthält gemäß Fig. 1 mehrere zusammenwirkende Grundkomponenten, und zwar ein Gestell G, zwei nebeneinander angeordnete Fördereinrichtungen F und F', eine Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R sowie eine Nähstation N. Die Fördereinrichtungen F, F' umfassen einen Zuführförderer Z bzw. Z' zum Zuführen zweier Werkstücklagen W1, W2 zu der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R sowie eine Transportvorrichtung T bzw. T' zum Weiterfördern der ausgerichteten Werkstücklagen W1, W2 zur Nähstation N.According to FIG. 1, the device according to the invention contains several interacting basic components, namely a frame G, two conveyor devices F and F 'arranged next to one another, a scanning and alignment station R and a sewing station N. The conveyor devices F, F' comprise a feed conveyor Z or Z 'for feeding two workpiece layers W1, W2 to the scanning and alignment station R and a transport device T or T' for conveying the aligned workpiece layers W1, W2 to the sewing station N.

Der Zuführförderer Z ist als Manipulator ausgebildet und weist einen Arm 1 auf, dessen eines Ende auf der Welle 2 eines am Gestell G befestigten Getriebemotors 3 befestigt und dabei um eine horizontale Achse A1 schwenkbar ist und dessen anderes gabelförmig ausgebildetes Ende einen zangenartig ausgebildeten Greifer 4 trägt. Der Greifer 4 enthält eine erste (gemäß Fig. 5 untere) Greifplatte 5, die auf einer am Ende des Armes 1 gelagerten Welle 6 befestigt ist, sowie eine zweite (obere) Greifplatte 7, die auf der Welle 6 schwenkbar gelagert ist. An einem Ansatz 8 der ersten Greifplatte 5 ist ein Druckluftzylinder 9 angelenkt, dessen Kolbenstange 10 mit einem Ansatz 11 der zweiten Greifplatte 7 gelenkig verbunden ist.The feed conveyor Z is designed as a manipulator and has an arm 1, one end of which is attached to the shaft 2 of a geared motor 3 fastened to the frame G and can thereby be pivoted about a horizontal axis A1 and the other end of which is fork-shaped and carries a gripper-like gripper 4 . The gripper 4 contains a first (according to FIG. 5 lower) gripping plate 5, which is fastened on a shaft 6 mounted at the end of the arm 1, and a second (upper) gripping plate 7, which is pivotably mounted on the shaft 6. A compressed air cylinder 9 is articulated to an extension 8 of the first gripping plate 5, the piston rod 10 of which is articulated to an extension 11 of the second gripping plate 7.

Die Welle 6 ist mit einem am Arm 1 befestigten Drehmagnet 12 antriebsmäßig verbunden, durch den die Greifplatten 5 und 7 gemeinsam um die Längsachse A2 der Welle 6 schwenkbar sind, wobei die Längsachse A2 senkrecht zur Längserstreckung des Armes 1 und parallel zu dessen Schwenkebene verläuft.The shaft 6 is drivingly connected to a rotary magnet 12 attached to the arm 1, through which the gripping plates 5 and 7 can be pivoted together about the longitudinal axis A2 of the shaft 6, the longitudinal axis A2 running perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the arm 1 and parallel to its pivoting plane.

An der Unterseite der ersten Greifplatte 5 sind mehrere parallel zur Schwenkebene des Armes 1 verlaufende flache Rippen 14 ausgebildet. Die beiden Greifplatten 5 und 7 weisen mehrere bis zu ihrem ablaufseitigen Rand reichende Aussparungen 15 bzw. 16 auf, wobei die Aussparungen 15 der ersten Greifplatte 5 mit den Aussparungen 16 der zweiten Greifplatte 7 fluchten. Mit "ablaufseitig" ist hierbei derjenige Rand der Greifplatten 5, 7 gemeint, über den die Werkstücklage W1 bei der Übergabe an die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R abgezogen wird.On the underside of the first gripping plate 5, a plurality of flat ribs 14 running parallel to the pivoting plane of the arm 1 are formed. The two gripping plates 5 and 7 have a plurality of cutouts 15 and 16, respectively, which extend as far as their drain-side edge, the cutouts 15 of the first gripping plate 5 with the cutouts 16 of the second Align gripping plate 7. By "outlet side" is meant that edge of the gripping plates 5, 7 over which the workpiece layer W1 is pulled off when it is transferred to the scanning and alignment station R.

Die Werkstücklage W1, die durch den Greifer 4 erfaßt werden soll, wird auf einem sich im wesentlichen horizontal erstreckenden Auflagetisch 17 abgelegt, bei dem es sich um das Abgabeende einer vorgelagerten Bearbeitungseinrichtung handeln kann, beispielsweise um die Kühlstation einer Fixiermaschine. An der Oberseite des Auflagetisches 17 sind mehrere sich bis zu derem ablaufseitigen Rand erstreckende, zueinander parallel verlaufende Ausnehmungen 18 vorgesehen, welche die Rippen 14 der ersten Greifplatte 5 bei in Aufnahmestellung befindlichem Greifer 4 (Fig. 5) aufnehmen. Durch eine entsprechende Abschrägung des vorderen, zulaufseitigen Randbereiches der ersten Greifplatte 5 wird erreicht, daß bei in der Aufnahmestellung befindlichem Greifer 4 (Fig. 5) zumindest dieser abgeschrägte Randbereich bündig mit der Oberseite des Auflagetisches 17 abschließt, so daß die auf dem Auflagetisch 17 abzulegende Werkstücklage W1 nicht am vorderen Rand der Greifplatte 5 anstoßen und hängenbleiben kann, sondern über diesen Rand hinweg auch auf der Greifplatte 5 flach ausgebreitet wird. Gegebenenfalls könnte die erste Greifplatte auch gabelförmig ausgebildet werden, so daß in diesem Fall nicht nur der vordere, zulaufseitige Randbereich, sondern die gesamte Greifplatte mit der Oberseite des Auflagetisches 17 bündig abschließen würde.The workpiece position W1, which is to be gripped by the gripper 4, is placed on a substantially horizontally extending support table 17, which can be the discharge end of an upstream processing device, for example the cooling station of a fusing machine. On the upper side of the support table 17, a plurality of recesses 18 extending parallel to one another and extending up to the outlet-side edge thereof are provided, which receive the ribs 14 of the first gripping plate 5 when the gripper 4 is in the receiving position (FIG. 5). A corresponding beveling of the front, inlet-side edge area of the first gripping plate 5 ensures that when the gripper 4 (FIG. 5) is in the receiving position, at least this beveled edge area is flush with the top of the support table 17, so that the one to be placed on the support table 17 Workpiece layer W1 cannot strike against the front edge of the gripping plate 5 and get caught, but is also spread out flat on the gripping plate 5 over this edge. If necessary, the first gripping plate could also be fork-shaped, so that in this case not only the front, inlet-side edge region, but the entire gripping plate would be flush with the top of the support table 17.

Wie aus der Zusammenschau der Figuren 1, 3 und 6 ersichtlich ist, erfolgt mit Hilfe des beschriebenen Zuführförderers Z die Überführung der Werkstücklage W1 von der horizontalen Oberseite des Auflagetisches 17 mit zwei einander überlagerten Schwenkbewegungen in eine hängende Position, in der die Werkstücklage der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R dargeboten wird. Während der Schwenkbewegung des Armes 1 um die Achse A1 wird die Werkstücklage W1 von der Horizontalen in die Vertikale gebracht und gleichzeitig durch Schwenken des Greifers 4 um die Achse A2 geschwenkt, so daß sie sich schließlich in Verlängerung des Armes 1 befindet, wie Fig. 3 zeigt.As can be seen from the overview of FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, with the aid of the feed conveyor Z described, the workpiece layer W1 is transferred from the horizontal top of the support table 17 with two superimposed pivoting movements to a hanging position in which the workpiece position of the scanning and alignment station R is presented. During the pivoting movement of the arm 1 about the axis A1, the workpiece position W1 is brought from the horizontal to the vertical and at the same time by pivoting the gripper 4 about the axis A2 pivoted so that it is finally in extension of the arm 1, as shown in Fig. 3.

Es ist an dieser Stelle anzumerken, daß der Zuführförderer Z' der Fördereinrichtung F' im wesentlichen identisch ist mit dem vorstehend beschriebenen Zuführförderer Z. Daher wurden für die gleichen Bauelemente auch die gleichen Bezugszeichen verwendet, wobei sich die Bezugszeichen für den Zuführförderer Z' gegenüber den Bezugszeichen für den Zuführförderer Z lediglich durch einen Apostroph unterscheiden. Hierbei ist anzumerken, daß für die Verschwenkung des Armes 1' derselbe Getriebemotor 3 verwendet wird wie für die Verschwenkung des Armes 1, wozu der Getriebemotor 3 eine durchgehende Welle 2 und damit zwei Ausgänge aufweist.It should be noted at this point that the feed conveyor Z 'of the conveyor device F' is essentially identical to the feed conveyor Z described above. Therefore, the same reference numerals have been used for the same components, the reference numerals for the feed conveyor Z 'being different from those Distinguish reference numerals for the feed conveyor Z only by an apostrophe. It should be noted that the same gear motor 3 is used for pivoting the arm 1 'as for pivoting the arm 1, for which purpose the gear motor 3 has a continuous shaft 2 and thus two outputs.

Der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R ist eine Zwischenplatte 19 zugeordnet, die vertikal im Gestell G befestigt ist und der beidseitig je eine Klammer 20, 20' in vorbestimmtem Abstand im oberen Bereich der Zwischenplatte 19 gegenübersteht. Wenigstens eine der einander identisch aufgebauten Klammern 20, 20' ist mit Hilfe einer Ausrichtvorrichtung 21 nach Art eines Kreuzschlittens in zwei zueinander senkrechten Richtungen parallel zur Ebene der Zwischenplatte 19 verstellbar und außerdem um eine dazu senkrechte Achse verschwenkbar. Die Ausrichtvorrichtung 21 wird für die Klammer 20 anhand von Fig. 7 näher erläutert.An intermediate plate 19 is assigned to the scanning and aligning station R, which is fastened vertically in the frame G and which is opposed by a clamp 20, 20 'on both sides at a predetermined distance in the upper region of the intermediate plate 19. At least one of the mutually identical clamps 20, 20 'can be adjusted with the aid of an alignment device 21 in the manner of a cross slide in two mutually perpendicular directions parallel to the plane of the intermediate plate 19 and can also be pivoted about an axis perpendicular thereto. The alignment device 21 is explained in more detail for the clamp 20 with reference to FIG. 7.

Die Ausrichtvorrichtung 21 ist innerhalb eines auf dem Gestell G befestigten Gehäuses 22 der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R untergebracht. Am Gehäuse 22 ist ein senkrecht zur Zwischenplatte 19 verlaufender Zapfen 23 befestigt, auf dem eine Trägerplatte 24 schwenkbar gelagert ist. Zur Durchführung der Schwenkbewegung der Trägerplatte 24 dient ein gelenkig am Gehäuse 22 angeordneter Schrittmotor 25, der über eine Gewindespindel 26 und einen Gewindeblock 27 mit einer Halterung 28 verbunden ist, die ein fester Bestandteil der Trägerplatte 24 ist.The alignment device 21 is accommodated within a housing 22 of the scanning and alignment station R fastened on the frame G. A pin 23, which is perpendicular to the intermediate plate 19 and on which a carrier plate 24 is pivotably mounted, is fastened to the housing 22. A stepper motor 25, which is articulated on the housing 22 and is connected via a threaded spindle 26 and a threaded block 27 to a holder 28, which is an integral part of the carrier plate 24, serves to carry out the pivoting movement of the carrier plate 24.

In einer Führungsbahn 29 der Trägerplatte 24 ist ein im wesentlichen in horizontaler Richtung verschiebbarer Schlitten 30 aufgenommen. Die Verschiebung des Schlittens 30 gegenüber der Trägerplatte 24 wird durch einen an einem festen Ansatz 31 der Trägerplatte 24 befestigten Schrittmotor 32 bewirkt, der über eine Gewindespindel 33 mit dem Schlitten 30 verbunden ist.In a guideway 29 of the carrier plate 24, a carriage 30 which is essentially displaceable in the horizontal direction is accommodated. The displacement of the carriage 30 relative to the carrier plate 24 is brought about by a stepper motor 32 which is fastened to a fixed extension 31 of the carrier plate 24 and is connected to the carriage 30 via a threaded spindle 33.

In einer Führungsbahn 34 des Schlittens 30 ist ein im wesentlichen in vertikaler Richtung verschiebbarer zweiter Schlitten 35 aufgenommen. Die Verschiebung dieses Schlittens 35 gegenüber dem ersten Schlitten 30 wird durch einen an einem festen Ansatz 36 des ersten Schlittens 30 befestigten Schrittmotor 37 bewirkt, der über eine Gewindespindel 38 mit dem zweiten Schlitten 35 verbunden ist.In a guideway 34 of the carriage 30, a second carriage 35, which is essentially displaceable in the vertical direction, is received. The displacement of this slide 35 with respect to the first slide 30 is brought about by a stepper motor 37 which is fastened to a fixed extension 36 of the first slide 30 and is connected to the second slide 35 via a threaded spindle 38.

An einem am unteren Ende des zweiten Schlittens 35 angeordneten Ansatz 39 ist die Klammer 20 befestigt, die aus einem sich horizontal erstreckenden Klammerbalken 40 und mehreren an ihm angeordneten Druckluftzylindern 41 besteht. Die Anzahl der Druckluftzylinder 41 und deren gegenseitiger Abstand entspricht der Anzahl der Aussparungen 15 bzw. 16 in den Greifplatten 5 bzw. 7 sowie dem gegenseitigen Abstand dieser Aussparungen 15 bzw. 16. Die mit 42 bezeichneten Kolbenstangen der Druckluftzylinder 41 bilden mit der Werkstücklage W1 in Eingriff tretende Klammerelemente. Zu diesem Zweck sind die freien Enden der Kolbenstangen 42 kegelförmig ausgebildet. Durch Beaufschlagen der Druckluftzylinder 41 wird die Werkstücklage W1 durch die Kolbenstangen 42 gegen die als Widerlager dienende Zwischenplatte 19 gedrückt und dadurch formschlüssig festgehalten. Damit die Zwischenplatte 19 durch die Bewegungen der Spitzen der Kolbenstangen 42 nicht zerkratzt wird, sind die Druckluftzylinder 41 so justiert, daß die Spitzen der Kolbenstangen 42 bei beaufschlagten Druckluftzylindern 41 einen geringen Abstand zur Zwischenplatte 19 einhalten.The bracket 20, which consists of a horizontally extending bracket beam 40 and a plurality of compressed air cylinders 41 arranged on it, is fastened to an attachment 39 arranged at the lower end of the second slide 35. The number of compressed air cylinders 41 and their mutual spacing corresponds to the number of recesses 15 and 16 in gripping plates 5 and 7 and the mutual spacing of these recesses 15 and 16. The piston rods, designated 42, of compressed air cylinders 41 form with workpiece position W1 in Interlocking clip elements. For this purpose, the free ends of the piston rods 42 are conical. By acting on the compressed air cylinders 41, the workpiece position W1 is pressed by the piston rods 42 against the intermediate plate 19 serving as an abutment and is thereby held in a form-fitting manner. So that the intermediate plate 19 is not scratched by the movements of the tips of the piston rods 42, the compressed air cylinders 41 are adjusted so that the tips of the piston rods 42 keep a small distance from the intermediate plate 19 when compressed air cylinders 41 are actuated.

Es ist somit möglich, mit Hilfe des ersten Schrittmotors 25 die Klammer 20 um eine horizontale Achse, die durch den Zapfen 23 bestimmt ist, zu schwenken. Mit Hilfe des zweiten Schrittmotors 32 ist es möglich, die Klammer 20 hin- und herzuverschieben und mit Hilfe des dritten Schrittmotors 37 ist es möglich, sie zu heben und zu senken.It is thus possible, with the aid of the first stepping motor 25, to pivot the bracket 20 about a horizontal axis, which is determined by the pin 23. With the help of the second stepper motor 32 it is possible to move the clamp 20 back and forth and with the help of the third stepper motor 37 it is possible to raise and lower it.

Der Klammer 20' ist bei diesem Ausführungsbeispiel ebenfalls eine Ausrichtvorrichtung, die mit 21' bezeichnet ist, zugeordnet. Die Ausrichtvorrichtung 21' ist identisch mit der vorstehend beschriebenen Ausrichtvorrichtung 21. Daher wurden für die gleichen Bauelemente, sofern sie in der Zeichnung dargestellt sind, die gleichen Bezugszeichen verwendet, wobei sich die Bezugszeichen für die Ausrichtvorrichtung 21' durch einen Apostroph gegenüber den Bezugszeichen für die Ausrichtvorrichtung 21 unterscheiden.In this exemplary embodiment, the bracket 20 'is also assigned an alignment device, which is designated by 21'. The alignment device 21 'is identical to the alignment device 21 described above. Therefore, the same reference numerals have been used for the same components, insofar as they are shown in the drawing, the reference numerals for the alignment device 21' being separated by an apostrophe from the reference numerals for the Differentiate alignment device 21.

Da jeder Klammer 20, 20' eine eigene Ausrichtvorrichtung 21 bzw. 21' zugeordnet ist, kann somit jede der beiden Klammern 20, 20' jeweils relativ zur anderen Klammer 20' bzw. 20 in zwei zueinander senkrechten Richtungen linear verstellt und außerdem in der durch diese zwei Richtungen definierten Ebene verschwenkt werden.Since each bracket 20, 20 'is assigned its own alignment device 21 or 21', each of the two brackets 20, 20 'can be linearly adjusted relative to the other bracket 20' or 20 in two mutually perpendicular directions and also in the through direction these two directions defined plane are pivoted.

Die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R weist für jede Werkstücklage W1, W2 eine optische Abtastvorrichtung 43 bzw. 43' auf. Die Abtastvorrichtung 43 weist drei an einen Träger 44 angeordnete Reflexlichtschranken 45, 46, 47 (Fig. 3 und 4) auf, die mit der zumindest in diesem Bereich reflektierend ausgebildeten Zwischenplatte 19 zusammenwirken. Die Abtastvorrichtung 43' ist in identischer Weise aufgebaut wie die Abtastvorrichtung 43 und weist daher ebenfalls drei Reflexlichtschranken 45', 46' und 47' auf.The scanning and alignment station R has an optical scanning device 43 and 43 'for each workpiece position W1, W2. The scanning device 43 has three reflective light barriers 45, 46, 47 (FIGS. 3 and 4) arranged on a carrier 44, which cooperate with the intermediate plate 19 which is designed to be reflective at least in this region. The scanning device 43 'is constructed in an identical manner to the scanning device 43 and therefore likewise has three reflective light barriers 45', 46 'and 47'.

Die Abtastvorrichtungen 43, 43' dienen zum punktförmigen Erfassen der Kontur der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 und somit zum Erfassen ihrer momentanen Ausrichtlage. Die Abtastvorrichtungen 43, 43' sind mit einer deren Signale verarbeitenden, nicht dargestellten Steuereinrichtung verbunden. Diese Steuereinrichtung ist ferner auch mit den Schrittmotoren 25, 25', 32, 32', 37, 37' der beiden Ausrichtvorrichtungen 21, 21' verbunden, so daß diese in Abhängigkeit von den von den beiden Abtastvorrichtungen 43, 43' gelieferten Signalen im Sinne einer gegenseitigen konturenmäßigen Ausrichtung der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 beaufschlagt und gesteuert werden können.The scanning devices 43, 43 'are used for point-by-point detection of the contour of the workpiece positions W1, W2 and thus for detection of their current alignment position. The scanning devices 43, 43 'are equipped with a signal processing device, not shown Control device connected. This control device is also connected to the stepper motors 25, 25 ', 32, 32', 37, 37 'of the two aligning devices 21, 21', so that they function as a function of the signals supplied by the two scanning devices 43, 43 ' a mutual contour alignment of the workpiece layers W1, W2 can be applied and controlled.

Die in Fig. 1 dargestellte Transportvorrichtung T ist von einem sich in horizontaler Ebene unterhalb der Klammer 20 erstreckenden endlosen Förderriemen 48 gebildet, der um ein Antriebsrad 49 und ein Umlenkrad 50 umläuft. Die auf der anderen Seite der Zwischenplatte 19 befindliche Transportvorrichtung T' ist identisch mit der Transportvorrichtung T, weshalb für die Bauelemente der Transportvorrichtung T' die gleichen, nur zusätzlich mit einem Apostroph gekennzeichneten Bezugszeichen verwendet werden wie für die Transportvorrichtung T.The transport device T shown in FIG. 1 is formed by an endless conveyor belt 48 which extends in a horizontal plane below the clamp 20 and which rotates around a drive wheel 49 and a deflection wheel 50. The transport device T 'located on the other side of the intermediate plate 19 is identical to the transport device T, which is why the same reference numerals, only additionally identified with an apostrophe, are used for the components of the transport device T' as for the transport device T.

Zum Antrieb der beiden Förderriemen 48, 48' ist ein gemeinsamer Motor 51 vorgesehen, der auf dem Gestell G befestigt und mit der in Fig. 2 dargestellten Welle 52' des Antriebsrades 49' antriebsmäßig verbunden ist. Auf der Welle 52' ist ein Zahnrad 53' befestigt, das über ein von zwei Zahnrädern gebildetes Drehrichtungsumkehrgetriebe 54 mit einem auf der Welle 52 befestigten Zahnrad 53 antriebsmäßig verbunden ist. Auf diese Weise werden die beiden Förderriemen 48, 48' mit einander entgegengesetztem Drehsinn angetrieben.To drive the two conveyor belts 48, 48 ', a common motor 51 is provided, which is fastened on the frame G and is drivingly connected to the shaft 52' of the drive wheel 49 'shown in FIG. 2. A gear 53 'is fastened on the shaft 52' and is drivingly connected to a gear 53 fixed on the shaft 52 via a reversing gear 54 formed by two gearwheels. In this way, the two conveyor belts 48, 48 'are driven with opposite directions of rotation.

An einer zwischen der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R und dem Antriebsrad 49 liegenden Stelle ist zwischen den beiden Trumen 48a und 48b des Förderriemens 48 ein auf einem Träger 55 gelagertes Umlenkrad 56 und diesem gegenüberliegend ein auf einem Träger 57 gelagertes Umlenkrad 58 angeordnet. Durch die Umlenkräder 56, 58 ist die Transportvorrichtung T in einen vom Umlenkrad 50 bis zu den Umlenkrädern 56, 58 reichenden ersten Abschnitt T1 und einen von den Umlenkrädern 56, 58 bis zum Antriebsrad 49 reichenden zweiten Abschnitt T2 unterteilt.At a point lying between the scanning and aligning station R and the drive wheel 49, a deflection wheel 56 mounted on a carrier 55 and a deflection wheel 58 mounted on a carrier 57 are arranged opposite the two runs 48a and 48b of the conveyor belt 48. Through the deflection wheels 56, 58, the transport device T is in a first section T1 extending from the deflection wheel 50 to the deflection wheels 56, 58 and one of the Deflection wheels 56, 58 divided up to the drive wheel 49 reaching second section T2.

Auf dem Gestell G ist ein Druckluftzylinder 59 schwenkbar gelagert, dessen Kolbenstange 60 mit einem stangenförmigen Träger 61 gelenkig verbunden ist, an dem das Umlenkrad 50 drehbar gelagert ist. Mit Hilfe des Druckluftzylinders 59 läßt sich der erste Abschnitt T1 der Transportvorrichtung T zwischen einer der Zwischenplatte 19 benachbarten Mitnahmestellung für die Werkstücklage W1 und einer von der Zwischenplatte 19 weiter entfernten Nichtmitnahmestellung hin- und herschwenken, wobei die Trume 48a und 48b um jeweils eine mit der Längsachse der Träger 55 bzw. 57 zusammenfallende Achse geschwenkt werden. In identischer Weise läßt sich auch der erste Abschnitt T1' der Transportvorrichtung T' mit Hilfe des Druckluftzylinders 59' hin- und herschwenken.A compressed air cylinder 59 is pivotally mounted on the frame G, the piston rod 60 of which is articulated to a rod-shaped carrier 61 on which the deflection wheel 50 is rotatably mounted. With the aid of the compressed air cylinder 59, the first section T1 of the transport device T can be pivoted back and forth between a driving position adjacent to the intermediate plate 19 for the workpiece position W1 and a non-driving position further away from the intermediate plate 19, the strands 48a and 48b being moved one by one Longitudinal axis of the carrier 55 and 57 coinciding axis are pivoted. In an identical manner, the first section T1 'of the transport device T' can also be pivoted back and forth with the aid of the compressed air cylinder 59 '.

In der Nichtmitnahmestellung der Abschnitte T1, T1' sind die Trume 48 a, 48 a' so ausreichend weit von der Zwischenplatte 19 entfernt, daß die Greifer 4, 4' zusammen mit den Werkstücklagen W1, W2 ungehindert in den Bereich der Klammern 20, 20' eingeschwenkt werden können.In the non-driving position of the sections T1, T1 ', the strands 48a, 48a' are sufficiently far away from the intermediate plate 19 that the grippers 4, 4 'together with the workpiece layers W1, W2 are freely in the area of the clamps 20, 20th 'can be swung in.

Die Trume 48 a, 48 a' der Förderriemen 48, 48' können ggf. im Bereich der beiden Abschnitte T1, T2, T1' und T2' rückseitig abgestützt sein, um die erforderliche Haltewirkung an den zu transportierenden Werkstücklagen sicherzustellen. Eine solche Abstützung, die beispielsweise durch mit Andruckrollen versehene schienenartige Träger bewerkstelligt werden kann, ist in den Zeichnungen aus Übersichtlichkeitsgründen nicht dargestellt.The strands 48 a, 48 a 'of the conveyor belts 48, 48' can optionally be supported on the back in the region of the two sections T1, T2, T1 'and T2' in order to ensure the required holding action on the workpiece layers to be transported. Such a support, which can be provided, for example, by rail-like supports provided with pressure rollers, is not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity.

Die Nähstation N enthält eine Nähmaschine 62, die auf einem Schlitten 63 befestigt ist. Der Schlitten 63 ist auf einer vertikal verlaufenden Führungsschiene 64 gelagert und mittels eines Kettengetriebes 65 auf- und abbewegbar. An der Nähmaschine 62 ist zur genauen Führung der miteinander zu vernähenden Werkstücklagen eine Führungsvorrichtung 66 angeordnet. Eine derartige Führungsvorrichtung ist beispielsweise in dem DE-GM 85 16 184 beschrieben, so daß es sich erübrigt, an dieser Stelle näher auf sie einzugehen.The sewing station N contains a sewing machine 62 which is fastened on a carriage 63. The carriage 63 is mounted on a vertically running guide rail 64 and can be moved up and down by means of a chain transmission 65. On the sewing machine 62 is for precise guidance a guide device 66 is arranged to be sewn together. Such a guide device is described for example in DE-GM 85 16 184, so that it is unnecessary to go into more detail at this point.

Die Vorrichtung arbeitet wie folgt:The device works as follows:

Es werden zwei Werkstücklagen W1, W2 bei in Aufnahmestellung befindlichen Greifern 4, 4' gemäß Fig. 5 auf dem Auflagetisch 17 abgelegt, wobei der vordere Rand der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 mit dem ablaufseitigen Rand der Greifplatten 5, 5' abschließt. Anschließend werden die Greifplatten 7, 7' nach abwärts gegen die Greifplatten 5, 5' geschwenkt, wodurch die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 gemäß Fig. 1 in den Greifern 4, 4' festgeklemmt sind.There are two workpiece layers W1, W2 placed on the support table 17 with the grippers 4, 4 'in the receiving position, the front edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2 being flush with the outlet-side edge of the gripping plates 5, 5'. The gripping plates 7, 7 'are then pivoted downward against the gripping plates 5, 5', as a result of which the workpiece layers W1, W2 according to FIG. 1 are clamped in the grippers 4, 4 '.

Nachdem die Greifer 4, 4' die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 erfaßt haben, werden die Arme 1, 1' um die Achse A1 nach aufwärts geschwenkt und dabei zugleich die Greifer 4, 4' um die Achsen A2 geschwenkt, so daß die Greifer 4, 4' und die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 die in Fig. 3 dargestellte Lage einnehmen. Damit die Greifer 4, 4' ungehindert in diese Lage bewegt werden können, müssen die Abschnitte T1, T1' der Transportvorrichtungen T, T' in der von der Zwischenplatte 19 entfernten Nichtmitnahmestellung stehen und die die Klammerelemente bildenden Kolbenstangen 42 zurückgezogen sein.After the grippers 4, 4 'have gripped the workpiece layers W1, W2, the arms 1, 1' are pivoted upwards about the axis A1 and at the same time the grippers 4, 4 'are pivoted about the axes A2, so that the grippers 4, 4 'and the workpiece layers W1, W2 assume the position shown in FIG. 3. So that the grippers 4, 4 'can be moved into this position unhindered, the sections T1, T1' of the transport devices T, T 'must be in the non-driving position remote from the intermediate plate 19 and the piston rods 42 forming the clamp elements must be retracted.

Sobald die Greifer 4, 4' die in Fig. 3 dargestellte Stellung erreicht haben, werden die Druckluftzylinder 41 der Klammern 20, 20' beaufschlagt, wodurch deren Kolbenstangen 42 durch die Aussparungen 15, 16, 15', 16' der Greifplatten 5, 5' und 7, 7' hindurch die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 erfassen und im Zusammenwirken mit der Zwischenplatte 19 festhalten. Anschließend werden die Greifer 4, 4' geöffnet und zur Übernahme der nächsten Werkstücklagen in die in Fig. 5 dargestellte Aufnahmestellung zurückgeschwenkt.As soon as the grippers 4, 4 'have reached the position shown in FIG. 3, the compressed air cylinders 41 of the clamps 20, 20' are acted upon, whereby their piston rods 42 through the cutouts 15, 16, 15 ', 16' of the gripping plates 5, 5 'and 7, 7' grasp the workpiece layers W1, W2 and hold them in cooperation with the intermediate plate 19. The grippers 4, 4 'are then opened and pivoted back into the receiving position shown in FIG. 5 in order to take over the next workpiece positions.

Nach der Übernahme der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 durch die Klammern 20, 20' wird mit Hilfe der Abtastvorrichtung 43, 43' die momentane Position der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 ermittelt. Hierbei wird zunächst durch die Relexlichtschranken 46, 47 und 46' 47' die Winkellage der vorderen nach abwärts verlaufenden Kante der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 gemessen und bei Abweichungen von der gewünschten Ausrichtlage durch Beaufschlagen des Schrittmotors 25 und/oder 25' eine winkelmäßige Ausrichtung der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 vorgenommen. Danach wird mit Hilfe der Reflexlichtschranken 45, 47 und 45', 47' einerseits die vertikale und andererseits die horizontale Relativlage der beiden Werkstücklagen W1, W2 ermittelt und bei Vorliegen einer Differenz durch Beaufschlagen der entsprechenden Schrittmotoren 32, 37, 32', 37' eine gegenseitige Ausrichtung der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 durchgeführt. Die vertikale und horizontale Ausrichtung wird durch gleichzeitige gegensinnige Beaufschlagung der entsprechenden Schrittmotoren 32, 32' bzw. 37, 37' der beiden Ausrichtvorrichtungen 21, 21' durchgeführt, wodurch die Ausrichtzeit auf ein Minimum reduziert wird.After the workpiece layers W1, W2 have been taken over by the clamps 20, 20 ', the current position of the workpiece layers W1, W2 is determined with the aid of the scanning device 43, 43'. First, the angle position of the front, downward-running edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2 is measured by the relex light barriers 46, 47 and 46 '47' and, in the event of deviations from the desired alignment position, the angular alignment of the workpiece layers is acted upon by the stepping motor 25 and / or 25 ' W1, W2 made. Then, with the aid of the reflex light barriers 45, 47 and 45 ', 47', on the one hand the vertical and on the other hand the horizontal relative position of the two workpiece positions W1, W2 is determined and, if a difference is present, one is applied to the corresponding stepper motors 32, 37, 32 ', 37' mutual alignment of the workpiece layers W1, W2 performed. The vertical and horizontal alignment is carried out by simultaneously acting in opposite directions on the corresponding stepper motors 32, 32 'and 37, 37' of the two alignment devices 21, 21 ', whereby the alignment time is reduced to a minimum.

Nach erfolgter gegenseitiger Ausrichtung der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 werden die Abschnitte T1, T1' der Transportvorrichtungen T, T' bei noch ausgeschaltetem Motor 51 in die Mitnahmestellung geschwenkt, in der sie in Verbindung mit der als Widerlager dienenden Zwischenplatte 19 die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 dicht unterhalb der Klammern 20, 20' erfassen.After mutual alignment of the workpiece layers W1, W2, the sections T1, T1 'of the transport devices T, T' are pivoted with the motor 51 still switched off into the driving position, in which they seal the workpiece layers W1, W2 in connection with the intermediate plate 19 serving as an abutment below the brackets 20, 20 '.

Sobald die Transportvorrichtungen T und T' die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 erfaßt haben, werden die Klammern 20, 20' durch Entlüften der Druckluftzylinder 41 geöffnet und es wird der Motor 51 eingeschaltet, worauf die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 gemeinsam unter Beibehaltung ihrer gegenseitigen Ausrichtlage in Richtung auf die Nähstation N bewegt und nach Erreichen dieser Station durch Abschalten des Motors 51 in der Nähstellung stillgesetzt werden.As soon as the transport devices T and T 'have grasped the workpiece layers W1, W2, the clamps 20, 20' are opened by venting the compressed air cylinder 41 and the motor 51 is switched on, whereupon the workpiece layers W1, W2 together in the direction while maintaining their mutual alignment position moved to the sewing station N and after reaching this station can be stopped by switching off the motor 51 in the sewing position.

Sobald die Werkstücklagen W1, W2 über die Berührungsstellen der Umlenkräder 56, 58 der Transportvorrichtung T und die entsprechenden Berührungsstellen der nicht dargestellten Umlenkräder der Transportvorrichtung T' hinaus transportiert worden sind und sich im Bereich der zweiten Abschnitte T2, T2' befinden, werden die ersten Abschnitte T1, T1' wieder in die Nichtmitnahmestellung geschwenkt. Auf diese Weise können bereits zu diesem Zeitpunkt die nächsten Werkstücklagen in die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R eingeführt und an die Klammern 20, 20' übergeben werden, so daß eine zeitlich überlappte rationelle Arbeitsweise möglich ist.As soon as the workpiece layers W1, W2 have been transported beyond the contact points of the deflection wheels 56, 58 of the transport device T and the corresponding contact points of the deflection wheels, not shown, of the transport device T 'and are in the region of the second sections T2, T2', the first sections T1, T1 'pivoted back into the non-driving position. In this way, the next workpiece positions can already be introduced into the scanning and aligning station R at this point in time and transferred to the clamps 20, 20 ', so that an overlapped, rational way of working is possible.

In der Nähstellung stehen die miteinander zu vernähenden Randbereiche der beiden Werkstücklagen W1, W2 gemäß Fig. 2 um ein geringes Maß über den vertikalen Rand der Zwischenplatte 19 vor.In the sewing position, the edge regions of the two workpiece layers W1, W2 to be sewn together, as shown in FIG. 2, protrude a small amount beyond the vertical edge of the intermediate plate 19.

Zur Durchführung des Nähvorganges wird die Nähmaschine 62 aus der in Fig. 1 dargestellten Ruhestellung nach abwärts bewegt, wobei die überstehenden Randbereiche der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 von der Führungsvorrichtung 66 erfaßt werden. Sobald die Nähmaschine 62 den oberen Rand der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 erreicht, wird sie eingeschaltet, worauf sie entlang des vorderen Längsrandes der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 im Zusammenwirken mit der Führungsvorrichtung 66 eine randparallele Verbindungsnaht bildet. Da die Werkstücklagen nur im Bereich ihres oberen Querrandes festgehalten werden und im übrigen frei herabhängen, kann die gemeinsam mit der Nähmaschine 62 in vertikaler Richtung geradlinig nach abwärts bewegte Führungsvorrichtung 66 durch entsprechende Quer- bzw. Schwenkbewegungen von Teilen der Werkstücklagen W1, W2 auch in denjenigen Randbereichen eine randparallele Naht gewährleisten, wo der Randverlauf von der Vertikalen abweicht.To carry out the sewing process, the sewing machine 62 is moved downward from the rest position shown in FIG. 1, the protruding edge regions of the workpiece layers W1, W2 being detected by the guide device 66. As soon as the sewing machine 62 reaches the upper edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2, it is switched on, whereupon it forms an edge-parallel connecting seam along the front longitudinal edge of the workpiece layers W1, W2 in cooperation with the guide device 66. Since the workpiece layers are only held in the area of their upper transverse edge and otherwise hang freely, the guide device 66, which is moved downwards in a straight line in the vertical direction together with the sewing machine 62, can also be moved in those by corresponding transverse or pivoting movements of parts of the workpiece layers W1, W2 Ensure a seam parallel to the edge where the edge course deviates from the vertical.

Ausführungsbeispiel 2Embodiment 2

Dieses in Fig. 8 dargestellte Ausführungsbeispiel betrifft eine Vorrichtung, bei der die Werkstücklagen W3, W4 nicht wie bei der zuvor beschriebenen Vorrichtung des ersten Ausführungsbeispiels an einer Schmalseite hängend, sondern nunmehr an einer Längsseite hängend ausgerichtet werden.This embodiment shown in FIG. 8 relates to a device in which the workpiece layers W3, W4 are not aligned on a narrow side as in the previously described device of the first embodiment, but are now aligned on a long side.

Die Vorrichtung nach Fig. 8 ist im wesentlichen gleich aufgebaut wie die Vorrichtung nach den Fig. 1 bis 7 und besteht daher ebenfalls aus einem Gestell GA, zwei Fördereinrichtungen FA, FA', einer Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA sowie einer Nähstation NA. Ebenso umfassen die Fördereinrichtungen FA, FA' je einen Zuführförderer ZA bzs. ZA' zum Zuführen zweier Werkstücklagen W3, W4 zu der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA sowie je eine Transportvorrichtung TA bzw. TA' zum Weiterfördern der ausgerichteten Werkstücklagen W3, W4 zur Nähstation NA.The device according to FIG. 8 is constructed essentially the same as the device according to FIGS. 1 to 7 and therefore also consists of a frame GA, two conveying devices FA, FA ', a scanning and aligning station RA and a sewing station NA. Likewise, the conveyor devices FA, FA 'each include a feed conveyor ZA or. ZA 'for feeding two workpiece layers W3, W4 to the scanning and aligning station RA and one transport device TA or TA' each for further conveying the aligned workpiece layers W3, W4 to the sewing station NA.

Die Zuführförderer ZA, ZA' unterscheiden sich gegenüber den Zuführförderern Z, Z' des ersten Ausführungsbeispieles allein in der größeren Länge der Greifer 104, 104', wobei die größere Länge dadurch bedingt ist, daß die Greifer 104, 104' die Werkstücklagen W3, W4 an einer Längsseite erfassen.The feed conveyors ZA, ZA 'differ from the feed conveyors Z, Z' of the first embodiment only in the greater length of the grippers 104, 104 ', the greater length being due to the fact that the grippers 104, 104' have the workpiece layers W3, W4 grasp on one long side.

Die Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA ist hinsichtlich ihrer nicht dargestellten Ausrichtvorrichtungen völlig identisch mit der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation R des ersten Ausführungsbeispieles. Lediglich die Klammern 120' (die gegenüberliegende Klammer ist nicht dargestellt) sind entsprechend der Länge der Längsseiten der Werkstücklagen W3, W4 breiter ausgebildet. In gleicher Weise müssen auch die nicht dargestellten Abtastvorrichtungen an die besondere Ausrichtlage der Werkstücklagen W3, W4 angepaßt sein.The scanning and alignment station RA is completely identical with respect to its alignment devices (not shown) with the scanning and alignment station R of the first exemplary embodiment. Only the clamps 120 '(the opposite clamp is not shown) are made wider in accordance with the length of the long sides of the workpiece layers W3, W4. In the same way, the scanning devices, not shown, must also be adapted to the particular alignment position of the workpiece layers W3, W4.

Auch die Transportvorrichtungen TA, TA' sind im wesentlichen identisch mit den Transportvorrichtungen T, T' des ersten Ausführungsbeispieles und unterteilen sich daher ebenfalls in erste Abschnitte TA1, TA1', die zwischen einer Mitnahme- und einer Nichtmitnahmestellung hin- und herbewegbar sind, und in zweite Abschnitte TA2, TA2'.The transport devices TA, TA 'are also essentially identical to the transport devices T, T' of the first exemplary embodiment and are therefore also divided into first sections TA1, TA1 ', which can be moved back and forth between a take-away and a non-take-away position, and in second sections TA2, TA2 '.

Allein die Nähstation NA unterscheidet sich in größerem Umfang von der Nähstation N, da die mit einer Führungsvorrichtung 166 versehene Nähmaschine 162 nicht beweglich, sondern ortsfest am Gestell GA angeordnet ist und sich überdies noch in einer anderen Ausrichtlage befindet.The sewing station NA alone differs to a greater extent from the sewing station N, since the sewing machine 162 provided with a guide device 166 is not movable, but is arranged in a fixed position on the frame GA and, moreover, is in a different alignment position.

Die Arbeitsweise der Fördereinrichtungen FA, FA' und der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA ist die gleiche wie die der entsprechenden Grundkomponenten des ersten Ausführungsbeispieles, so daß es sich erübrigt, hierauf näher einzugehen.The operation of the conveyor devices FA, FA 'and the scanning and aligning station RA is the same as that of the corresponding basic components of the first embodiment, so that it is not necessary to go into this in more detail.

Ein Unterschied besteht lediglich in der Art und Weise, wie der Nähvorgang durchgeführt wird. Im Gegensatz zum ersten Ausführungsbeispiel erfolgt hier die für die Nahtbildung erforderliche Relativbewegung zwischen der Nähmaschine 162 und den Werkstücklagen W3, W4 dadurch, daß die Transportvorrichtungen TA, TA' gebildet wird und der über die Transportvorrichtungen TA, TA' die ausgerichteten Werkstücklagen W3, W4 in einem kontinuierlichen Bewegungsablauf aus der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA herausziehen und sodann an der feststehenden Nähmaschine 162 entlangbewegen. Diese bildet im Zusammenwirken mit der Führungsvorrichtung 166 entlang des oberen Längsrandes eine randparallele Verbindungsnaht. Da die Naht mit geringem Abstand zu den die Werkstücklagen W3, W4 festhaltenden Transportvorrichtungen TA, TA' gebildet wird und der über die Transportvorrichtung TA, TA' hinausragende schmale Werkstückstreifen vergleichsweise unflexibel ist, lassen sich mit der Vorrichtung des zweiten Ausführungsbeispieles vorzugsweise Werkstücklagen mit geradlinigem oder nur wenig konturiertem Randverlauf verarbeiten. Für das Verarbeiten von Werkstücklagen mit stärker konturiertem Randverlauf könnte es zweckmäßig sein, die Nähmaschine quer zur Vorschubrichtung bewegbar anzuordnen und ihren Abstand zum Randverlauf durch die Signale einer Randabtastvorrichtung zu steuern.The only difference is the way in which the sewing process is carried out. In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, the relative movement required for the seam formation takes place between the sewing machine 162 and the workpiece layers W3, W4 in that the transport devices TA, TA 'are formed and the aligned workpiece layers W3, W4 in via the transport devices TA, TA' pull out a continuous movement from the scanning and aligning station RA and then move along the fixed sewing machine 162. In cooperation with the guide device 166, this forms an edge-parallel connecting seam along the upper longitudinal edge. Since the seam is formed at a short distance from the transport devices TA, TA 'holding the workpiece layers W3, W4 and the narrow workpiece strip projecting beyond the transport device TA, TA' is comparatively inflexible, the device of the second exemplary embodiment can preferably be used to process workpiece layers with a straight line or Process only a little contoured edge. For the processing of workpiece layers with a more contoured edge profile, it could be expedient to arrange the sewing machine to be movable transversely to the feed direction and to control its distance from the edge profile by the signals of an edge scanning device.

Da die Transportvorrichtungen TA, TA' nicht nur die Werkstücklagen W3, W4 aus der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA wegtransportieren, sondern zugleich auch die für die Nahtbildung erforderliche Vorschubbewegung ausführen und daher anders als beim ersten Ausführungsbeispiel während des Nähvorganges nicht stillgesetzt werden, können in Verbindung mit der Maßnahme, die ersten Abschnitte TA1, TA1' während des Nähens in eine Nichtmitnahmestellung zu schwenken, in dieser Zeit bereits die nächsten Werkstücklagen in der Abtast- und Ausrichtstation RA ausgerichtet werden. Auf diese Weise kann zeitüberlappend mit einer vergleichsweise dichten Aufeinanderfolge der Werkstücklagen gearbeitet werden.Since the transport devices TA, TA 'not only transport the workpiece layers W3, W4 away from the scanning and aligning station RA, but also carry out the feed movement required for the seam formation and therefore, unlike in the first exemplary embodiment, cannot be stopped during the sewing process, in connection with the measure of pivoting the first sections TA1, TA1 'into a non-driving position during sewing, the next workpiece positions are already aligned in the scanning and alignment station RA during this time. In this way it is possible to work overlapping in time with a comparatively dense succession of the workpiece layers.

Claims (12)

  1. Method of bringing together at least two flexible workpiece layers, which are to be treated jointly or are to be interconnected, said layers being scanned in respect of configuration in a scanning and aligning station in a position suspended in a vertical plane with smooth surfaces and being aligned with reference to the scanning results, and thereafter being advanced jointly to a treating or connecting location, characterised in that the workpiece layers are individually gripped in a horizontal starting position, transferred into the vertical position and passed to the scanning and aligning station, whence they are directly taken after the alignment process and transported further to the treating or connecting location.
  2. Method according to claim 1, wherein a connecting seam is established at two workpiece layers, which seam has parallel edges, characterised in that the workpiece layers are transported further to the seam-forming machine substantially at right angles to the position of alignment of the edges of the workpiece layers which are to be interconnected, and the operational steps of transporting and connecting are effected one after the other.
  3. Method according to claim 1, wherein a connecting seam is established at two workpiece layers, which seam has parallel edges, characterised in that the workpiece layers are transported further to the seam-forming machine substantially parallel to the position of alignment of the edges of the workpiece layers which are to be interconnected, and the operational steps of transporting and connecting are effected simultaneously at least with respect to time.
  4. Device for effecting the method according to claim 1, having two conveyor arrangements for supplying two workpiece layers to a scanning and aligning station, which has at least one aligning device disposed laterally of an intermediate plate, which separates the workpiece layers from each other, and for the further transportation of the aligned workpiece layers to a treating and/or connecting location, characterised in that each of the conveyor arrangements (F, F'; FA, FA') has at least one feed conveyor (Z; Z'; ZA; ZA'), which grips a respective workpiece layer (W1; W2; W3; W4) lying on a supporting table (17), conveys it into a vertical position and passes it to the scanning and aligning station (R; RA), and a transporting device (T; T'; TA; TA'), which grips the aligned workpiece layer (W1; W2; W3; W4) and advances it towards the treating and/or connecting location (N; NA), the transporting devices (T, T'; TA, TA') being drivable synchronously with one another and being reciprocatable in the region of the scanning and aligning station (R; RA) between an entrainment position and a non-entrainment position, and in that the scanning and aligning station (R; RA) has two clamps (20, 20'; 120') for taking the workpiece layers (W1, W2; W3, W4) from the feed conveyors (Z, Z'; ZA, ZA'), at least one of said clamps being displaceable for the alignment of a workpiece layer (W1; W2; W3; W4).
  5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that each feed conveyor (Z; Z'; ZA; ZA') is formed by a manipulator comprising an arm (1; 1'), which is pivotable about a horizontal axis (Al) and is connected to a drive means (3), and a pincer-like gripper (4; 4'; 104; 104'), which is disposed on the free end of the arm (1, 1') and is pivotable, by a second drive means (12), about an axis (A2), which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the arm (1; 1') and is parallel to the pivotal plane of the arm (1; 1').
  6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that each gripper (4; 4'; 104; 104') has two gripper plates (5, 7; 5', 7'), the first (lower) gripper plate (5; 5') having a plurality of ribs (14) on the underside, which ribs are insertable into corresponding recesses (18) in the supporting table (17) so that at least the front edge region of the gripper plate (5; 5') terminates substantially flush with the supporting face of the supporting table (17), and the second (upper) gripper plate (7; 7') is pressable, by means of a driving mechanism (9), towards the first gripper plate (5; 5') and is removable therefrom.
  7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the gripper plates (5, 7; 5', 7') have a plurality of notches (15; 16; 15'; 16'), which each extend towards the rear edge, the notches (15; 15') in the first gripper plate (5; 5') being in alignment with the corresponding notches (16; 16') in the second gripper plate (7; 7').
  8. Device according to one or more of claims 4 to 7, characterised in that the clamps (20, 20'; 120) of the scanning and aligning station (R; RA) each comprise a clamp bar (40), which is situated in the region of the upper end of the pivotal movement of the associated gripper (4; 4'; 104; 104'), and a plurality of clamping elements (42), which are displaceable through the notches (15, 16; 15', 16') in the corresponding gripper plates (5, 7; 5', 7'), the intermediate plate (19; 119) forming a support for the clamping elements (42).
  9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the clamping elements are formed by the piston rods (42) of a corresponding number of compressed-air cylinders (41), which are disposed on the clamp bars (40).
  10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the aligning means, which carry the clamps (20, 20'), are each formed by a carrier plate (24), which is pivotable about a horizontal axis (23) extending at right angles to the intermediate plate (19) and is connected to a first drive means (25; 25'), and a cross-slide system, which is disposed on said drive means and has a slide (30) which is connected to a second drive means (32; 32'), its other slide (35) being connected to a third drive means (37; 37').
  11. Device according to one or more of claims 4 to 10, characterised in that each transporting device (T; T') is formed by a conveyor belt (48; 48'), which circulates in a horizontal plane and is connected to a drive means (51), in that the transporting devices (T, T') are divided into at least one first portion (T1; T1') and one second portion (T2; T2'), the first portion (T1; T1') extending into the region of the clamps (20, 20') and being pivotable in a reciprocating manner, by a drive means (59, 59'), about two adjacent vertical axes (55, 57) between an entrainment position and a non-entrainment position, while the second portion (T2; T2') is disposed in a substantially stationary manner, runs parallel to the intermediate plate (19) and extends into the region of the treating and/or connecting location (N), and in that the intermediate plate (19), at least for the first portions (T1; T1') of the two transporting devices (T, T'), forms a support for the workpiece layers (W1, W2) to be gripped in a friction-locking manner.
  12. Device according to claim 11, characterised in that the conveyor belts (48, 48') are drivable by a single motor (51), which is directly connected to the drive wheel (49') of one conveyor belt (48') and is indirectly connected to the drive wheel (49) of the other conveyor belt (48) by the interposition of a transmission unit (54) for reversing the direction of rotation.
EP90914697A 1989-09-22 1990-09-18 Process and device for bringing together, aligning and joint processing of limp workpiece layers Expired - Lifetime EP0493492B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE3931673 1989-09-22
DE3931673A DE3931673A1 (en) 1989-09-22 1989-09-22 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR COMBINING, ALIGNING AND JOINTLY PROCESSING SLEEPING WORKPIECES

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EP0493492A1 EP0493492A1 (en) 1992-07-08
EP0493492B1 true EP0493492B1 (en) 1993-12-15

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EP90914697A Expired - Lifetime EP0493492B1 (en) 1989-09-22 1990-09-18 Process and device for bringing together, aligning and joint processing of limp workpiece layers

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US (1) US5337687A (en)
EP (1) EP0493492B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2510045B2 (en)
DE (1) DE3931673A1 (en)
WO (1) WO1991004365A1 (en)

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DE3734660A1 (en) * 1987-10-13 1989-04-27 Philipp Moll Method and device for producing garments or individual parts thereof
DD275995A3 (en) * 1988-03-07 1990-02-14 Inst Spielzeug Sonneberg Veb APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC TRANSFER FEEDING, PREFERABLY HAENGETRANSPORT PLANTS IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY
DD275993A3 (en) * 1988-03-07 1990-02-14 Inst Spielzeug Sonneberg Veb DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING COMPONENTS IN TRANSMITTERS OF HAENGETRANSPORTANLAGEN BEING MOVED ON A CHAIN
US5140919A (en) * 1990-07-03 1992-08-25 Bevington Charles E Method for manufacturing tee shirts from tubular blanks including fastening blanks in registry during finishing steps

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2510045B2 (en) 1996-06-26
WO1991004365A1 (en) 1991-04-04
DE3931673A1 (en) 1991-04-04
DE3931673C2 (en) 1992-12-24
EP0493492A1 (en) 1992-07-08
JPH05503228A (en) 1993-06-03
US5337687A (en) 1994-08-16

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