EP0662365A1 - Method and apparatus for grinding and/or polishing, in particular the bottom of ceramic ware - Google Patents

Abstract

The foot parts of two plates (2) are ground and/or polished on alternate sides. The foot parts in a slightly axially displaced device are pressed against one another in a sprung pliable manner, executing a relative rotary movement to one another and a pendulous movement around the projecting edge areas of them. The two plates are rotated in opposite directions for grinding and in the same direction but at different speeds for polishing. Grinding and/or polishing is carried out wet or dry. The foot parts are pressed against one another with the intermediary of a sheet material, pref. an endless sheet material, such as a polishing sheet in roll form.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts of glazed and fired clay or porcelain (foot parts of ceramic moldings), such as flatware, preferably plates and plate-like objects with round and / or angular and / or oval shape.

Usually, the base areas, such as base parts of ceramic moldings, are either not glazed or freed from the glaze in the case of pottery or porcelain goods, since they are used in particular as firing surfaces during firing, for example for resting on storage plates in kilns. These unglazed parts, in particular unglazed foot parts, are therefore rough on the surface after firing. Since the ceramic moldings are removed after firing and stacked to form bumps, these foot parts with a rough surface, which serve as a footprint, lead to scratching during the formation of bumps or piles, and consequently damage the glazed and fired surface of an object underneath in the stack. In particular, due to the transport devices, such as transport belts, the stacked, glazed and fired shaped bodies can move and shift relative to one another if they are transported to downstream processing devices with the aid of the transport devices. Such scratched glaze surfaces or surfaces of the glazed and fired ceramic moldings are of inferior quality and can therefore only be offered in the trade as clay or porcelain goods at a discount.

In order to avoid such rough surfaces on a glazed and fired or smoothly fired ceramic molded body, foot grinders have been used to date, which allow a fully automatic grinding of this rough surface, in particular of the foot parts, in the wet or dry state. These grinding machines have a grinding belt which is subject to considerable wear during grinding and which requires a great deal of effort when it comes to disposal. In order to be able to achieve a sufficient grinding and smoothing of the rough surfaces, in particular of the foot parts, such grinding machines comprise several grinding stations with different grinding belts from coarse to fine grain. Even if one checks the glazed and fired ceramic shaped bodies for cracks and discards ceramic shaped bodies with cracks, practice has shown that the grinding belts tear very often in such a grinding machine. Thus, the previous grinding of rough surfaces not only requires separate machines with expensive grinding aids, but also such grinding results in considerable increases in manufacturing costs.

The invention therefore aims to provide a method and a device for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts of glazed and fired clay or porcelain, such as flatware, preferably plates or plate-like objects, which effectively grind and smooth rough surfaces Allow surfaces of ceramic moldings in a largely fully automatic manner and without separate grinding machines.

According to the invention, a method for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts of glazed and fired clay or process goods, such as flatware, preferably plates or plate-like objects, is characterized in that the foot parts of two objects are mutually ground and / or polished that the foot parts resilient in a slightly off-axis arrangement are resiliently pressed against each other, perform a relative rotational movement to one another and a pendulum movement around the protruding edge regions of the foot parts.

In the method according to the invention, the rough surfaces, in particular of foot parts, are thus ground and polished by being moved relative to one another, preferably without the use of abrasive belts, directly under mutual contact in conjunction with a predetermined grinding pressure, and thereby effecting the grinding and / or polishing processing . Such a processing method can be integrated in terms of process technology and manufacturing technology, particularly in a production line for the production of pottery or porcelain, without interruptions in the production process. This results in an economical and inexpensive machining for grinding and / or polishing rough surfaces, in particular of foot parts on glazed and fired ceramic moldings. The method according to the invention also eliminates all of the difficulties that have previously arisen in connection with the separate grinding machines using expensive grinding belts with different grain sizes.

Furthermore, the method according to the invention enables grinding and / or polishing of these rough surfaces, for which purpose appropriate working conditions are selected when carrying out the method with the aid of the same means, and in this case a matching to the size, type, shape or the like of the ceramic to be processed Shaped body is possible without difficulty. For grinding, the two objects to be processed, preferably directly under mutual contact, are preferably rotated in opposite directions, since greater frictional forces can be applied for the grinding operation. For polishing, however, the objects to be processed can be rotated in the same direction, but at different speeds.

Depending on the desired requirements, this can Grinding and / or polishing can be carried out wet or dry. The particular choice of processing conditions preferably depends on the material to be processed and / or other quality requirements.

In the method according to the invention, the ground and / or polished objects can preferably be cleaned, for example wet cleaned and optionally dried.

According to an embodiment variant of the method for grinding and / or polishing according to the invention, a cloth material, such as a polishing cloth, is preferably additionally used for polishing, which is arranged between the foot parts held against one another. The cloth material is preferably an endless cloth material which is moved on, for example, by means of preferably driven roll-up and roll-off rolls, as required. With such a procedure, the polishing process can preferably be optimized and significantly improved polishing results are obtained.

Thus, the method according to the invention for grinding and / or polishing rough surfaces, in particular foot parts of clay or porcelain objects, can be used in a universal manner and can be adapted to the respectively required requirements and circumstances, so that one can be made in a technically advantageous manner and in a reliable manner Can avoid quality degradation by scratching burned surfaces when handling objects removed from kilns. Thus, the procedure according to the invention allows the provision of high-quality glazed and fired clay and pottery goods while achieving low manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, according to a further solution concept according to the invention, a device for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts of glazed and fired clay and Process goods, such as flatware, preferably plates or plate-like objects, are provided, which are characterized in that a receptacle keeps two objects to be processed slightly offset with their foot parts facing one another, the receptacle is radially and axially movably supported in the central region, and can be driven in a speed-controllable manner, and the receptacle resiliently presses the foot parts against one another around their protruding edge regions while performing a pendulum movement.

In the device according to the invention, a special receptacle is thus used, which holds two objects to be processed such that the rough surfaces to be processed, such as the feet of plates, face each other, and that the grinding and / or polishing processing then, if necessary, directly physically, mutually takes place in that these areas to be machined, which are preferably slightly offset from one another, are pressed against each other and rotated relative to each other. Due to the resilient mounting of the objects to be machined in the receptacle and the radially and axially movable mounting of the receptacle, a radial and axial displacement of the objects to be machined is possible during machining, so that in particular the projecting edge areas on the foot parts under execution a pendulum movement for grinding and / or polishing can be processed. The device according to the invention thus enables the most effective grinding and / or polishing processing of rough surface areas of ceramic shaped bodies, in particular of foot parts thereof, in a structurally simple and space-saving manner. In particular, this processing is carried out in the device according to the invention without additional effort and almost automatically, grinding and / or polishing processing under optimal conditions and conditions. This preferably so-called self-grinding by the method according to the invention and in the device according to the invention surprisingly results in high-quality and excellent ground and / or polished Surfaces in the desired areas.

The receptacle preferably comprises two receptacles which are arranged at a distance and have end faces which prevent the objects being scratched from being scratched, an object to be machined being held on the end faces of each receptacle preferably by means of a vacuum.

For the rotary drive and in particular for the independent rotary drive of the respective receiving disk, a driver disk is assigned to the receiving device according to the invention, which is fixedly connected to a drive shaft of an associated, speed-adjustable drive, for which purpose, for example, a belt drive or the like can be provided, and wherein the drive plate is resiliently connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the receiving plate, to allow the degrees of freedom of movement of the respective receiving plate that are necessary for achieving optimum machining. Furthermore, such an arrangement also permits the possibility that the receiving disks of the receiving device can be arranged at different distances from one another using corresponding additional actuating devices without the basic construction of such a receiving device needing to be changed. As a result, the device according to the invention can be used universally for carrying out grinding and / or polishing processing.

An elastic membrane is preferably provided for the rotationally fixed connection of the driving disk and the receiving disk. Such an elastic membrane allows the receiving disk to be carried in connection with the driving disk when the rotary movement is carried out, but relative movements taking into account the opposing surfaces are possible without disturbing the operation of the device, and these are compensated for with the aid of the elastic membrane.

The pressing force exerted by the receptacle preferably changes during grinding and / or polishing Circumferential direction of the recording. Starting from a greatest value, the pressing force preferably decreases over half a circumference of the receptacle to a smallest value. Due to the changing pressure forces over the circumference of the receptacle, the grinding and / or polishing processing can be optimized directly on the surfaces rubbing against each other.

The pressing force is preferably applied or the pressing forces are applied via springs, preferably compression springs, which are arranged between the receiving disk and the driving disk of the respective receiving device. These springs can produce different spring forces distributed over the circumference, which then lead to the pressure forces during machining also changing in accordance with the arrangement.

In order to reduce thermal stresses in the objects to be processed during grinding and / or polishing processing and a risk of crack formation caused thereby, wet processing can preferably be carried out in the device according to the invention, for which purpose, for example, a liquid cooling device is provided for grinding and / or polishing , which preferably has a nozzle directed toward the base parts for dispensing cooling liquid, preferably water. Thus, the device according to the invention can also be used for wet processing.

According to a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, a cloth material, which is preferably used for polishing, is arranged between the foot parts which are held towards one another and pressed against one another by means of the receptacle. If an endless cloth material is used here, it can be guided over opposite unwinding and reeling rollers, at least one of the rollers being driven. A stepping motor is expediently used for the drive, so that when the cloth material is used up, a fresh cloth material is automatically introduced into the working and working area without interrupting the operating sequence of the device with the help of a fully automatic step-by-step operation. If necessary, sensors can be assigned to the cloth material, which automatically monitor and detect the condition of the effective area of the cloth material.

In order to remove grinding and / or polishing dust adhering to the processed objects, for example in connection with liquid, during grinding and / or polishing, in particular during wet processing, the device for grinding and / or polishing can be followed by a cleaning device. In this cleaning device, the receptacle holds the processed objects in such a way that the processed foot areas are arranged at a distance from one another. A spray device is preferably used for cleaning, which in particular directs water onto the spaced-apart foot parts and which is arranged between them. The spray device preferably comprises a plurality of spray nozzles in the diameter direction of the objects which are held at a distance by means of the receptacle and which direct corresponding spray jets onto the processed foot region.

In order to achieve the most uniform and quick cleaning of the processed objects, particularly in the processing areas, the objects to be cleaned rotate during the cleaning treatment, for which purpose the drive devices provided for the grinding and / or polishing processing are used for the parts of the receptacle.

In particular, it is preferred for cleaning that after a basic cleaning treatment, the rotational speed or the rotational speed of the rotating objects, which are cleaned, for example with the aid of spraying, is increased with the aid of the speed-controllable drive, so that excess cleaning fluid is thrown off the processed and cleaned objects and drying can be accelerated.

It is preferred if a wet cleaning device it is provided that this is followed by a drying device in which the objects which are held, cleaned or rinsed by means of the receptacle are preferably dried with warm air. Thus, in the drying treatment according to the invention, the cleaned objects do not need to be converted, but the same holder is used for this drying treatment that is also used in the grinding and / or polishing processing.

The drying device preferably comprises an air nozzle device which is arranged between the cleaned objects, which are held at a distance by means of the receptacle. This allows the drying device to act effectively on the cleaned objects in order to achieve rapid drying.

The air nozzle device preferably has a slot-shaped air nozzle outlet which extends in the diameter direction of the receptacle and the object to be treated, this slot-shaped air nozzle outlet extending in particular essentially over the entire diameter dimensions of the receptacle. When the objects in the drying device rotate about their own axis, as is preferred, an air nozzle device of this type provides an optimal application of dry air to the surfaces of the objects to be dried, so that very short drying times result.

According to a preferred embodiment, the air nozzle outlet is designed in the form of a slot in a spiral, preferably S-shaped, the turning area of the S-shaped shape preferably passing through the center of the receptacle or the receiving disks.

Using the rotary drive of the receptacle, the drying process can be further optimized in that the objects held in the drying device are spaced with a turn to the air speed, taking into account the temperature of the dry air, if necessary. The direction of rotation can be selected in a corresponding manner, and the optimal ratios can then be determined and determined empirically.

In order to achieve a fully automatic treatment sequence in the device according to the invention, a feed device is connected upstream of the device for grinding and / or polishing, and this or one of the aftertreatment devices, such as the cleaning device and / or the drying device, is followed by a delivery device. In this way, the objects to be processed in pairs can be automatically transferred to the corresponding devices and devices, such as the receptacle or the like, and then removed from them again.

Preferably, the feed device removes the objects to be treated in pairs from a feed-side conveyor, preferably an intermittently operable conveyor belt or parallel conveyor belts in a substantially horizontal and slightly off-axis position, and arranges the objects with each other by executing a counter-rotating movement of 90 ° with the foot parts facing to. With the help of such a feeding device, the objects to be processed are transferred in pairs to the receptacle in the predetermined arrangement. In this way, the degree of automation of such a system can be further increased.

The feeding device preferably comprises a suction device arrangement with two suction devices which can be rotated in opposite directions by 90 ° and which can preferably be rotated via assigned and meshing gear wheels via a common drive, such as a servomotor or the like. With the aid of this suction arrangement of the feed device, two objects arriving in a horizontal position are each detected and then pivoted or rotated so that the areas to be processed, in particular the foot parts are facing each other and the objects are arranged and held substantially in a vertical position parallel to each other, but slightly offset from the axis.

Preferably, similar to the feeding device, a delivery device is also provided which, based on the position in which its foot parts or the processing areas face each other, executes the objects treated in pairs by executing a counter-rotating movement of about 90 ° in each case to a delivery device on the delivery side essentially horizontal alignment, wherein the conveyor is preferably formed on an intermittently operable conveyor belt or intermittently operable parallel conveyor belts. With the aid of this conveying device, the objects treated, ground and / or polished according to the invention are then transported to further processing devices. The details of the delivery device are essentially similar to those of the receiving device, as has already been described above.

The feed device and the delivery device are expediently assigned a common transfer device which permits appropriate handling for the paired arrangement of the objects to be processed in the assigned receptacle.

In particular in the case of a turntable system, a transfer device can be provided, which has two arms, arranged at an angle of approximately 90 °, with suction devices for holding the objects to be treated on their outer, ie their glazed and fired, bottom area. These two arms preferably form a body which is rotatable about a common axis in such a way that the objects to be treated are transferred in pairs from the feed device to the receptacle and the treated objects are delivered in pairs to the delivery device. Such a common transfer device allows the simultaneous handling in pairs of objects to be treated and treated, so that a clock-controlled Movement sequence can be achieved, and thereby the intermediate handling times can be significantly reduced.

According to the invention, the device for grinding and / or polishing and optionally the further treatment devices as well as the feeding, transferring and dispensing device can be arranged in the form of a turntable system or a linear system. The essential details according to the invention and the respective treatment steps are, apart from intermediate conveying means, independent of the configuration as a turntable system or linear system. The design of the invention is in no way limited to a rotary table system.

If a rotary table system is preferably selected, a transfer station, a station with a device for grinding and / or polishing, optionally a cleaning station and a drying station can be arranged on a turnstile at regular angular intervals over an angular range of 360 °. As a result, the individual processing and treatment steps can be carried out in a space-saving manner by means of the appropriate cycle control and a rotary circuit of the rotary table system using the method and the device according to the invention.

In a linear system, of course, a linearly movable transfer device is provided instead of a rotatable transfer device.

Regardless of the specific embodiment of the device, the system and the system, such as in the form of a rotary table system or a linear system, it is essential according to the invention that the objects to be processed, which are ground and / or polished in particular on their foot parts and foot areas should be processed, either directly or with the interposition of a cloth material in mutual physical contact during grinding and / or polishing, and that using one and the same holder, which is intended for grinding and / or polishing, can carry out further treatment steps depending on the desired process sequence, such as cleaning, drying and the like. With the help of these measures according to the invention, excellent processing and treatment results can be achieved in a surprisingly favorable manner in terms of production technology and with the shortest possible production times. The design and process engineering effort is also considerably less than in the previous treatment methods, in which separate grinding machines and / or polishing machines have to be provided, to which the objects to be treated have to be transported. Such grinding machines also only allow individual processing of objects to be treated. Thus, in the method and the device according to the invention, the processing power is increased by about twice as compared to the previous treatment method, apart from the fact that the invention allows fully automatic processing and possibly necessary further treatment steps, such as cleaning and drying.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Draufsicht auf eine in Form eines Drehtischsystems ausgelegten Gesamtanlage für die Bearbeitung von glasierten und gebrannten Ton- oder Porzellanwaren,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht durch den Aufgabe-, Übergabe- und Abgabebereich der in Fig. 1 gezeigten Anlage,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Seitenansicht des in Fig. 1 gezeigten Aufgabe- und Übergabebereichs,

Fig. 4

eine schematische Ansicht des in Fig. 1 rechts oben gezeigten Übergabe- und Abgabebereichs,

Fig. 5

eine vergrößerte Seitenansicht mit Teilschnittdarstellung zur Verdeutlichung der wesentlichen Einzelheiten einer Vorrichtung zum Schleifen und/oder Polieren,

Fig. 6

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer gegebenenfalls vorgesehenen Reinigungseinrichtung zum Einsatz bei der in Fig. 5 gezeigten Anordnung der dort verdeutlichten Vorrichtung,

Fig. 7

eine schematische Seitenansicht einer gegebenenfalls vorgesehenen Trockeneinrichtung,

Fig. 8

eine Draufsicht auf die Luftdüseneinrichtung der Trockeneinrichtung nach Fig. 7 zur Verdeutlichung einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform einer Luftdüse,

Fig. 9

eine ausschnittshafte Seitenansicht in Teilschnittdarstellung zur Verdeutlichung einer Ausführungsvariante einer Vorrichtung zum Schleifen und/oder Polieren, und

Fig. 10

eine Draufsicht auf den Wirkbereich der Vorrichtung zum Schleifen und/oder Polieren nach Fig. 5 ohne einen zweiten zu bearbeitenden Gegenstand zur Verdeutlichung von weiteren Einzelheiten.

The invention is explained below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the figures of the drawing, identical or similar parts are provided with the same reference symbols for reasons of clarity. Although the invention is explained in more detail below in connection with a turntable system, the invention is not limited to this, but the measures essential according to the invention can also be provided and implemented in a design in the form of a linear system in the same or similar manner. The figures in the drawing show:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic top view of an overall system designed in the form of a turntable system for processing glazed and fired earthenware or porcelain,

Fig. 2

2 shows a side view through the loading, transfer and delivery area of the system shown in FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

2 shows a schematic side view of the loading and transfer area shown in FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

2 shows a schematic view of the transfer and delivery area shown at the top right in FIG. 1,

Fig. 5

3 shows an enlarged side view with a partial sectional view to illustrate the essential details of a device for grinding and / or polishing,

Fig. 6

2 shows a schematic side view of a cleaning device which may be provided for use in the arrangement of the device illustrated there in FIG. 5,

Fig. 7

2 shows a schematic side view of a drying device which may be provided,

Fig. 8

7 shows a plan view of the air nozzle device of the drying device according to FIG. 7 to illustrate a preferred embodiment of an air nozzle,

Fig. 9

a fragmentary side view in partial sectional view to illustrate an embodiment of a device for grinding and / or polishing, and

Fig. 10

a plan view of the effective area of the device for grinding and / or polishing according to FIG. 5 without a second object to be processed to clarify further details.

The system explained below and the facilities described and described in more detail there are particularly suitable for the processing and treatment of glazed and fired ceramic moldings determined, which is glazed and fired clay or process gas. In particular, shaped bodies of this type are generally referred to as flatware, and they are plates or plate-like objects, such as plates and the like, which can have a round and / or angular and / or oval shape. These objects still have rough, unprocessed foot parts or foot areas. For reasons of clarity, in the following description, as an example of such an object, a plate is used as an abbreviation for the above-mentioned definition of the term, which in the figures of the drawing with 2 in the glazed and fired or smooth-burned state and in the treated or processed state with 2 'is designated. As can be seen in particular from FIG. 5, such a plate 2 comprises a base area with a foot part 2a with a protruding edge area 2b, which forms the actual footprint or foot. Furthermore, an inner base region 2c is provided between the foot part 2a, and the plate 2 has an upper-side base region 2d on its upper side.

First, the basic concept of a turntable system is to be explained using the overall system shown in plan view in FIG. 1. This system comprises several stations I, II, III, IV, V and VI, which are marked according to their flow. A turnstile, designated overall by A, has corresponding facilities for stations II to V at regular angular intervals of approximately 90 °. With the appropriate cycle control, a complete operation from the task to delivery and delivery is carried out by means of a corresponding indexing movement of 90 ° during undergo a complete orbital movement through 360 °.

In the area of station I, the plates 2 arriving on a feed-side conveyor are centered and arranged in pairs in such a way that the plates 2 are arranged such that they are centered, but in pairs there is an axially offset assignment, as is the case is shown below in particular in connection with FIG. 5. The feed-side conveyor 1 can be operated intermittently and, in the example shown, comprises two parallel, feed-side belts 1 '. Furthermore, station I is assigned a task device, generally designated 3, from which the plates 2 are transferred in pairs to station II by means of a transfer device, generally designated 4. As indicated by the arrow, station III, which represents the next switching step during the switching sequence, forms a device for grinding and / or polishing, which is designated overall by S, and the details of which are shown in FIG. 5. This is then optionally followed by a cleaning device designated overall by R in station IV. In station V, drying is then optionally carried out with the aid of a drying device designated overall by T. In the subsequent switching step, one then returns to station II, and with the aid of the transfer device 4 which is shown specifically and is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2, a transfer is then carried out to a delivery device, designated overall by 5, by means of which the processed objects in station VI are delivered to a delivery device which is denoted overall by 6 and which, for example, comprises two synchronously running, intermittently operable delivery belts 6 '.

With reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 and in particular with reference to FIG. 3, further details of the feeding device for plates 2, which is designated as a whole by 3, are described in more detail. The feed device 3 comprises a suction arrangement with two suction devices 7, which can be actuated and moved, for example, with an associated compressed air cylinder 8. Each suction cup 7 with the associated air cylinder 8 is operatively connected to a gear wheel 9 via a support arm 31 which is L-shaped, the two gear wheels 9 being in meshing engagement with one another. The two plates 2 arriving on the feed-side belts 1 'and lying opposite one another, the axes of which are slightly offset from one another, see the arrangement shown in station I in FIG gripped and removed from the feed-side tapes 1 '. As indicated by arrows in Fig. 3, the respective arrangements of the support arm 31, compressed air cylinder 8 and sucker 7 with the help of a drive device, not shown, such as an actuator, a pressure cylinder or the like, in cooperation with the meshing gear pair 9, starting from the position shown in FIG. 3, executing a pivoting movement or rotary movement by about 90 °, which is shown in FIG. 1 on the left in the area of the feed device 3. In this position, the two plates 2 are held with the aid of the suction cups 7 in such a way that the foot parts 2a which are to be machined are directed towards one another, but the dash-dotted center axes shown in FIG. 1 of the plates 2 held in pairs are slightly offset from one another are. As indicated in FIG. 2 on the left, the feed device 3 can be moved in the longitudinal direction to the feed-side conveyor device 1, for which purpose the feed device 3 is mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable by means of a slide-like device 10. During the rotational movement of the suction device with the plates 2 held there, a longitudinal displacement movement is also carried out with the aid of the slide-like device 10, as is illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 2. The plates 2 are thus removed in the predetermined position and arrangement from the feed-side conveying device 1 and arranged in the position which is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1. The pair of plates 2 arranged in this way is then transferred, starting from the arrangement according to FIG. 1, with the aid of the transfer device 4 to a receptacle generally designated 30, the further details of which are explained in particular in connection with FIG. 5.

As can be seen from FIG. 2 in connection with the station II indicated there (see FIG. 1), the transfer device 4 has two arms 4a arranged at an angle of approximately 90 °, which are preferably connected to form a body. These two angle arms 4a can be rotated about a common axis of rotation 4b, as illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 2. At their respective free The ends of the arms 4a carry suction cups 11 and 33, as can be seen, inter alia, from the schematic view according to FIGS. 3 and 4 and from FIG. 1. With the help of the suction cups 11 of the transfer device 4, the two plates 2 arranged with the aid of the feed device 3, as shown in FIG. 1, are held on the transfer device 4. The finished plates 2 'indicated in station II in FIG. 1 are gripped with the other arm 4a of the transfer device 4. Now the transfer device 4, for example in FIG. 2, is rotated clockwise about the common axis of rotation 4b, so that the finished pair of plates 2 'held on the transfer device 4 is delivered to the delivery device 5 in FIG. 2 or 1, and at the same time the pair of plates 2 to be taken over and processed by the feed device 5 is moved to the receptacle 30 and transferred.

1, 2 and 4, more details of the dispenser 5 will be explained. As can be seen from Fig. 4, the finished pair of plates 2 'in the arrangement taken from the receptacle 30 in Fig. 1, which is held on the suction cups 33 of one arm 4a of the transfer device 4, with the aid of suction cups 13 Dispensing device 5 detects, each suction device 13 being assigned to an actuating compressed air cylinder 12 via an L-shaped support arm 34 is operatively connected to a drivable rotary device which includes meshing gears 14. With the aid of a drive (not shown in more detail), the respective arrangement, comprising the support arm 34, the compressed air cylinder 12 and the suction device 13 - as shown by arrows in FIG. 4 - is rotated or rotated in opposite directions by about 90 ° or via the meshing gears 14. 2, and at the same time, according to the arrow in FIG. 2, the delivery device 5 is moved in the longitudinal direction via a sled-like device 15 such that at the end of the movement the two finished plates 2 'are placed on the belts 6' of the delivery device 6 on the delivery side. The finished plates 2 'can then be fed to corresponding downstream devices and systems via the delivery device 6 be transported.

After a pair of plates 2 to be processed is held by the feed device 3 with the aid of the transfer device 4, the feed device 3 moves back into the starting position shown in FIG. 3 by executing a longitudinal displacement movement with the aid of the slide-like device 10 and a corresponding turning back of the suction arrangement.

After placing the finished plate pair 2 'in a similar manner and vice versa to the movement of the dispenser 5 to the discharge of the plate pair 2', the dispenser 5 executes a longitudinal displacement movement over the sled-like device 15 and a rotation of the suction arrangement into the in Fig. 4 shown starting position back.

A device for grinding and / or polishing the base parts 2a of a pair of plates 2, designated overall by S, will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 5. The structure of the recordings 30 explained below corresponds to the respective recordings, which are shown schematically in stations III to V in FIG. 1 of the drawing. It is therefore sufficient to explain only one receptacle 30 in connection with FIG. 5.

The receptacle 30 in the device designated as S for grinding and / or polishing comprises holding disks 30 ', on the end faces of which a plate 2 to be machined is held, for example by means of vacuum, in such a way that the foot part 2a of each plate 2 to be machined is the other foot part 2a is facing. As indicated schematically at 16, the vacuum is applied to the end face of the respective receiving disk 30 'via the vacuum connection 16 and a connecting device designated 17. In this case, a connecting channel 16a passes through a drive shaft 40 and which will be explained in more detail below in each case an associated drive plate 20 of the receptacle, and a communicating connection is then established with the aid of the connecting device 17 from the connection duct 16a to the duct 16b leading to the end face of the receptacle disc 30 '. The connecting device 17 can be a so-called vacuum band, which is to be understood as a tubular, flexible connecting line.

Furthermore, each receiving disk 30 'of the receptacle 30 is assigned a driving disk 20, which is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a respective drive shaft 40, which is fixed in place with the aid of a combined axial and radial bearing 32. This drive shaft 40 is driven by a speed-controllable drive (not shown) and a drive belt 23. Each drive plate 20 is connected to the rotary drive via an elastic membrane 19 with the respectively associated receiving plate 30 '. Each receiving disk 30 'is mounted with the aid of a support indicated at 80 to be slightly axially and radially displaceable with respect to the driving disk 20. With the aid of a pressure control unit 24, the basic contact pressure for the plates 2 to be machined in the receptacle 30 shown in FIG. 5 can be adjusted in a controllable manner, and moreover the distance between the two opposing receptacle disks 30 'can thereby be adjusted. Furthermore, 20 springs, in particular compression springs 21, 22 are provided between the respective receiving disk 30 'and the driving disk in an arrangement distributed in the circumferential direction. In Fig. 5, 21 denotes, for example, a compression spring with a maximum compression force and 22 a compression spring with a minimum compression force. Distributed approximately over half the circumference in each case are further springs or compression springs (not shown in more detail), each of which exerts pressure forces which decrease in their order, starting from the compression spring 21 with maximum compression force, to the compression spring 22 with the smallest compression force. Of course, these springs 21, 22 are preferably arranged symmetrically opposite each other in the diameter direction, so that the springs overall over the circumference of the receiving disc 30 'and Drive plate 20 are arranged evenly distributed. With the aid of this arrangement of the springs 21, 22, a pressure force profile which is desired in accordance with the conditions and which is optimally matched to the desired processing, such as grinding or polishing, can be applied to the respective receiving disc 30 '.

As shown in Fig. 5, the foot parts 2a including the projecting edge regions 2b are immediately physically moved against each other and pressed against one another with a predetermined contact pressure, so that a corresponding machining takes place by executing a pendulum movement and a relative rotary movement between the foot parts 2a to be machined. In Fig. 5, the two plates 2 to be machined are driven in opposite directions via the respective drive shafts 40 and the drive plates 20. Although not shown in more detail, the receiving disks 30 'with the plates 2 held thereby can be driven in the same direction but via the drive disks 20 and the drive shafts 40 via the assigned and separately controllable drive devices, but at different rotational speeds and different speeds. Such drive conditions are particularly suitable for polishing, while one preferably takes a counter-rotating movement when grinding the foot parts 2a. This device S thus allows the foot parts 2a of two objects, in the example shown plate 2, to be mutually ground and / or polished by the foot parts 2a being resiliently pressed against one another in a slightly axially offset arrangement, and a relative rotational movement to one another and one Carry out a pendulum movement around the protruding edge areas 2b of the foot parts 2a. With the aid of the receptacle 30, two objects to be machined (plates) are thus kept slightly axially offset with their foot parts 2a facing each other and the receptacle 30 is mounted so that it can move radially and axially in the central region via the support 18. Via the drive plate 20 firmly connected to the drive shaft 40 and the resilient connection via the elastic membrane 19 is the respective receiving disc 30 'of the receptacle 30 at the same time rotated in a predetermined manner either in the opposite direction or in the same direction with selectable speeds, with the help of springs 21, 22 distributed over the circumference of the receiving discs 30' different compressive forces are applied during grinding and / or polishing . In this way, with the aid of the device S according to the invention, for example, the foot parts 2a of two plates 2 are machined with mutual physical contact for grinding or polishing the respective surfaces.

5, for example, the processing for grinding and / or polishing can be carried out wet, for which purpose a coolant, if appropriate in conjunction with an abrasive and / or polishing agent, such as water, via a nozzle 25 onto the processing area of the device S in Fig. 5 can be conducted. If this liquid, which is dispensed via the nozzle 25, is used simultaneously or alone for cooling, the device S is effectively cooled in the processing area in order to avoid thermal stresses in the glazed and fired plates 2 and thereby possible crack formation. Although it is not shown in more detail, the processing of the plates 2 in the device S can also be carried out dry, if necessary, so that the nozzle 25 need not necessarily be provided.

An embodiment variant of a device S 'for grinding and / or polishing is explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, in which the same or similar parts as in the embodiment details described above are provided with the same reference symbols. In particular, the explanation is based on the details which were previously explained in connection with FIG. 5. In contrast to the embodiment of the device S for grinding and / or polishing according to FIG. 5, in the embodiment variant according to FIGS. 9 and 10, a cloth material 41 is provided which is offset but axially offset between the facing and pressed against each other mutually arranged foot parts 2a is arranged in the overall device shown with S 'in FIGS. 9 and 10. With the aid of this cloth material 41, which is preferably used for polishing, even more optimal polishing results are obtained for the objects to be polished, in particular in the area of the foot parts 2a. Preferably, the cloth material 41 is laid out endlessly and runs over an opposite unrolling roller 42 and an associated reeling roller 43. At least one or both of the unwinding and reeling rollers 42 and 43 is driven, so that the used tissue material in the effective area of the foot parts 2a in the direction of the reeling roller 43 can be moved step by step, so that the grinding and / or polishing processing can be carried out in an efficient manner without an interruption of operation of the device S 'in such a way that a fresh, effective cloth material area is then again available in the working area and effective area of the device S'. A stepper motor 44 is preferably used for the drive, or if the unwinding roller 42 and the reel-up roller 43 are driven, an associated stepper motor is provided for each drive. Thus, the cloth material can be moved in predetermined switching steps per activation of the drive device in the form of the stepping motor 44 in such a way that a fresh and unused cloth material is then arranged again on the effective area of the device S 'with the foot parts 2a held against one another. It is sufficient to advance the cloth material in small steps, since a fresh cloth material only has to be available for the effective areas, so that the cloth material 41 can be optimally used and used.

In this embodiment variant according to FIGS. 9 and 10, the foot parts 2a to be machined are therefore not physically pressed against one another, but instead the cloth material 41, which is preferably a polishing cloth material, is arranged between them.

With reference to station IV in FIG. 1 and with reference to FIG. 6, an example of a possibly downstream one is shown Cleaning device R explained. The receptacle 30 with the receptacle disks 30 'corresponds in terms of the design details to the structure explained above with reference in particular to FIGS. 5 or 9 and 10. As shown in FIG. 6, in the cleaning device R the respective receiving disks 30 'with the plates 2 held there are axially displaced and moved apart from one another with respect to the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, so that the foot parts machined in the device S, S' 2a the plate 2 have a distance from each other. The cleaning device R comprises a spray device 26, which in the diameter direction of the receptacle 30 comprises a plurality of spray nozzles 27 which, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, directs spray jets for cleaning onto the respectively assigned surfaces of the plates 2 arranged in pairs. Preferably, the two plates 2 held with the aid of the receptacle 30 are rotated either in the same direction or in the opposite direction via the associated and not shown speed-controllable drive, of which only the drive belt 23 is shown for clarity. Thus, in the cleaning device R, the respective area of the processed plate 2 can be cleaned in an efficient manner, preferably with the aid of water or another liquid, so that abrasion accumulated and adhering during the processing by the device S, S 'is quickly and reliably rinsed off and can be removed. Of course, the cleaning device R can also be designed in a way that differs from the embodiment shown. The speeds and the sense of rotation of the receiving disks 30 'and the plates 2 held there are matched to one another in a correspondingly suitable manner, suitable operating ranges preferably being determined empirically. At the end of the cleaning treatment in the cleaning device R, when the spray device 26 is switched off, for example, the speeds of the drive shafts 40 are preferably changed noticeably in the sense of an increase, so that, for example, excess liquid still adhering to the plates 2 can be thrown off. 7 and 8, a drying device T which may be provided in station V is explained in more detail, for example.

In the drying device T, the two plates 2 processed in the device S, S 'and possibly treated in the cleaning device R are also kept at a distance from one another with the aid of the receptacle 30. An air nozzle device 28, which has an air nozzle 29, is arranged in the drying device T between the foot parts 2 a of the plates 2 that are opposite each other at a distance. With the help of this air nozzle device 28, warm air is preferably directed via the air nozzle 29 onto the respectively opposite plates 2 for drying the same.

FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of a slot-shaped air nozzle outlet, designated 29a, which is designed in a spiral or S-shape, the turning area lying approximately in the central axis area of the respective receiving disk 30 'and the plate 2 held there. With the help of an air nozzle outlet 29a designed in this way, warm air can be blown uniformly over the entire diameter of the plate 2 onto the plate 2 via the air nozzle device 28 in order to effect efficient and rapid drying in the drying device T. In addition, the plates 2 can perform a rotary movement about their axis with the aid of the receptacle 30, as is illustrated by an arrow in FIG. 7, for which purpose the drives assigned to the respective receptacle 30 are used, which were previously explained in connection with FIG. 5 . The speed of rotation is in this case preferably matched to the air speed, the temperature of the warm dry air discharged with the aid of the air nozzle device 28 also being taken into account where appropriate. The most favorable conditions can be determined empirically and depend on the shape, dimensions and the like of the objects to be treated in the drying device T, such as the plates 2. Of course, different embodiments are possible from the illustration possible with regard to the design of the drying device T.

The invention is not limited to the details described above in connection with the preferred embodiments, but numerous changes and modifications are possible, which the person skilled in the art will make if necessary, without departing from the inventive concept. In particular, details of the above-described receptacle 30 of the respective Depending on the application, they are designed in a different form, but it is essential that such a receptacle 30 on the one hand allows axial and radial - if slight - movement, and that the device S enables the objects to be processed to be in mutual and mutual contact with one another Grinding and / or polishing can be processed with corresponding, predeterminable and variable pressing forces. Certain changes can also be made within the scope of the average skill in the art if the processing and treatment essential to the invention are to be carried out in a linear system or in a linear arrangement.

Reference numerals

1

total conveyor on the task side

1'

Tapes

2nd

Plate glazed and burned

2 '

treated and processed plates

2a

Foot part

2 B

protruding edge area

2c

inner floor area

2d

top floor area

3rd

Total delivery facility

4th

Total transfer device

4a

poor

4b

common axis of rotation

5

Total delivery facility

6

delivery device on the delivery side

6 '

belts on the delivery side

7

Mammal

8th

Air cylinder

9

Gears

10th

sledge-like facility

11

Mammal

12th

Air cylinder

13

Mammal

14

Gears

15

sledge-like facility

16

Vacuum connection

16a

Connecting channel

16b

Channel in mounting plate 30

17th

Connecting device

18th

Support

19th

membrane

20th

Drive plate

21

Spring, preferably compression spring with the greatest compressive force

22

Spring, preferably compression spring with the smallest pressure force

23

Drive belt

24th

Pressure control unit

25th

jet

26

Spraying device

27

Spray nozzle

28

Air nozzle device

29

Air nozzle

29a

Air nozzle outlet

30th

Total admission

30 '

Holding washer

31

Beam

32

axial and radial bearings

33

Mammal

34

Beam

40

Drive shaft for receptacle 30

41

Cloth material

42

Unrolling roller

43

Take-up roller

44

Stepper motor

A

Turnstile

S

Device for grinding and / or polishing

S '

Device for grinding and / or polishing according to FIGS. 9 and 10

R

Cleaning facility

T

Drying facility

I.

Plate centering and alignment station

II

Station with transfer device 4

III

Station with device S for grinding and / or polishing

IV

Station with cleaning facility R

V

Station with drying facility T

VI

Station with delivery device 5

Claims (37)

Method for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts (2a) of glazed and fired clay or process goods, such as flatware, preferably plates (2) or plate-like objects, characterized in that the foot parts (2a) of two objects (2) are mutually ground and / or polished in such a way that the foot parts (2a) are resiliently pressed against one another in a slightly axially offset arrangement and carry out a relative rotational movement to one another and a pendulum movement around the projecting edge regions (2b) of the foot parts (2a). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the two objects (2) are rotated in opposite directions, preferably for grinding. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the two objects (2) are rotated in the same direction, but at different speeds, preferably for polishing. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the grinding and / or polishing are carried out wet. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the grinding and / or polishing is dry be performed. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foot parts (2a) are pressed against one another with the interposition of a cloth material, preferably an endless cloth material, such as a polishing cloth in roll form. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ground and / or polished objects (2) are cleaned and optionally dried. Device for grinding and / or polishing, in particular of foot parts (2a) of glazed and fired clay or porcelain, such as flatware, preferably plates (2) or plate-like objects, characterized in that a receptacle (30) has two objects (2 ) slightly axially offset with its foot parts (2a) facing each other, the receptacle (30) is mounted radially and axially movable (at 18) in the central region, and can be driven in a rotationally adjustable manner, and that the receptacle (30) is resiliently flexible to the foot parts (2a) while carrying out a pendulum movement uni presses their protruding edge areas (2b) against each other. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that the receptacle (30) comprises two receiving disks (30 ') arranged at a distance, on the end faces of which an object (2) to be processed is held by means of a vacuum. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that each receiving disk (30 ') is assigned a driving disk (20) which is fixedly connected to a drive shaft (40) of an associated speed-controllable drive (at 23) and which is resiliently rotationally fixed to the receiving disk (30 ') is connected. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that an elastic membrane (19) is provided for the rotationally fixed connection of the driving plate (20) and the receiving plate (30 '). Device according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the pressing force applied by the receptacle (30) changes in the circumferential direction of the receptacle (30). Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the pressing force decreases from a maximum value (spring 21) over half the circumference of the receptacle (30) to a minimum value (spring 22). Apparatus according to claim 12 or claim 13, characterized in that the pressing force is distributed over the circumference by means of springs (21, 22), preferably compression springs, arranged between the receiving disc (30 ') and the driving disc (20). Device according to one of claims 8 to 14, characterized in that a liquid cooling device (nozzle 25) is provided for grinding and / or polishing, which preferably has a nozzle (25) directed towards the base parts (2a) for dispensing cooling liquid, preferably water , having. Device according to one of Claims 8 to 15, characterized in that a cloth material (41), preferably for polishing, is arranged between the foot parts (2a) which are held towards one another and pressed against one another by means of the receptacle (30). Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that the cloth material (41) runs endlessly over opposite unwinding and reeling rollers (42, 43). Device according to claim 17, characterized in that at least one of the unwinding and reeling rollers (42, 43) is driven by means of at least one stepping motor (44). Device according to one of claims 8 to 18, characterized in that the device (S) for grinding and / or polishing is followed by a cleaning device (R) for removing dust or the like which has arisen during processing. Apparatus according to claim 19, characterized in that the receptacle (30) keeps the objects (2) processed on their foot parts (2a) at a distance from one another with their foot parts (2a), and a spray device (26) for cleaning, preferably for dispensing Water is arranged between the spaced foot parts (2a). Apparatus according to claim 20, characterized in that the spray device (26) has a plurality of spray nozzles (27) directed towards the foot parts (2a) in the diameter direction of the objects (2) held apart by the receptacle (30). Device according to one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the objects (2) to be cleaned rotate during the cleaning treatment. Apparatus according to claim 22, characterized in that after the cleaning treatment, the rotational speed or the rotational speed of the rotating, cleaned objects (2) is increased in order to spin off excess cleaning liquid. Device according to one of claims 19 to 23, characterized in that the cleaning device (R) is followed by a drying device (T) in which the by means of the Receptacle (30) kept apart, cleaned or rinsed objects (2) are preferably dried with warm air. Apparatus according to claim 24, characterized in that an air nozzle device (28) is arranged between the cleaned objects (2) held at a distance. Apparatus according to claim 25, characterized in that the air nozzle device (28) has an air nozzle (29) with an air nozzle outlet (29a) which extends in the diameter direction of the receptacle (30). Apparatus according to claim 26, characterized in that the air nozzle outlet (29a) is designed in the form of a slot in a spiral, preferably S-shaped, and extends approximately at least over the diameter dimensions of the foot parts (2a). Device according to one of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that the objects (2) held at a distance in the drying device (T) rotate at a speed which is adapted to the air speed, if appropriate taking into account the temperature of the drying air. Device according to one of claims 8 to 28, characterized in that the device (S) for grinding and / or polishing is preceded by a feed device (3) and this or one of the aftertreatment devices, such as the cleaning device (R) and the drying device (T), a delivery device (5) is connected downstream. Apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that the feed device (3) pairs the objects (2) to be treated by a feed device (1) on the feed side, preferably an intermittent one Conveyor belt or parallel conveyor belts (1 ') decreases in a substantially horizontal and slightly off-axis position, and the objects (2) are arranged facing each other by executing a counter-rotating movement by 90 ° with the foot parts (2a). Apparatus according to claim 30, characterized in that the feed device (3) comprises a suction device arrangement with two suction devices (7) which can each be rotated in opposite directions by 90 ° and which can preferably be rotated via associated and meshing gear wheels (9) via a common drive. Apparatus according to claim 29, characterized in that the dispensing device (5), starting from the position in which its foot parts (2a) face each other, carry out a counter-rotating movement of the objects (2 ') which are treated in pairs on a dispensing side Conveyor (6), preferably an intermittently operable conveyor belt or parallel conveyor belts (6 '), settles in a substantially horizontal orientation. Apparatus according to claim 32, characterized in that the delivery device (5) is essentially similar to the feed device (3) according to claim 27. Device according to one of claims 29 to 33, characterized in that the feed device (3) and the delivery device (5) are assigned a common transfer device (4). Apparatus according to claim 34, characterized in that the transfer device (4) has two arms (4a) arranged at an angle of approximately 90 ° with suction devices (11, 11; 33, 33) for holding the objects to be treated on the inner floor area (2c) which can be rotated about a common axis (4b) such that the objects (2) to be treated transferred in pairs from the feed device (3) to the receptacle (30) and the treated objects (2 ') are delivered in pairs from the latter to the delivery device (5). Device according to one of the preceding claims 8 to 35, characterized in that the device (S) for grinding and / or polishing and optionally the further treatment devices (R, T) and the task (3), the transfer (4) and the dispensing device (5) is arranged in the form of a rotary table system or a linear system. Apparatus according to claim 36, characterized in that in a turntable system on a turnstile (A) over an angular range of 360 ° at regular angular intervals, a transfer station (II), a station (III) with a device (S) for grinding and / or polishing , optionally a station IV with a cleaning device (R) and a station V with a drying device (T) are arranged.

Images