EP1593467B1 - A device to handle a staple of sheets - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a platform for already cut sheets (1) and a platform for the sheets to be cut (2), a gate (4) holding the cutting blade (5), and a feeding element (7). The stack of sheets can be clamped in between an upper (13) and a lower hydraulically moved pressure disk (11). The stack can be slightly lifted by the lower disk (11) and either rotated or moved in order to be cut. The device facilitates the production of triangular or polygonal sheets.

Description

The invention relates to a device for handling a stack formed from sheets according to the features indicated in the preamble of claim 1, see US 6,012,367 ,

Such devices are state of the art and are used in the batch processing of paper.

Out DE 195 14 395 C2 a device for handling a stack of sheets is known, which forms part of a cutting machine. This device comprises a device for rotating a stack of sheets, which operates with a pressure plate which can be lowered from above, which is driven about its vertical axis for the purpose of rotating the stack of sheets. In addition, this can be lowered from above pressure plate by means of a linear drive in the direction transverse to the cutting plane. Since the device described therein works exclusively with contact pressure from above, their use is possible only with such Schnittgut, in which the frictional forces within the stack against transverse displacement are significantly higher than that between the bottom of the stack and the machine table. Thus, in particular in the case of high stacks as well as those which are formed of smooth-surfaced sheets, shearing movements within the stack can occur both during rotation and when shifting, which means a renewed alignment require and thus make the handling device unusable insofar.

Out DE 40 37 099 C2 For example, a cutting device for cutting stacked sheet material is known, which has a handling device for rotating the sheet stack. The handling device in this case has a lower turntable, which is so far moved out for the purpose of rotating the stack together with the stack lying on it, that the stack is disposed over the support surface of the machine table and then by rotating the turntable about an axis perpendicular to Table surface can be rotated. Since the stack lying on the plate is held exclusively by gravitational forces, the rotational movement should be gently initiated, otherwise a shift would already take place within the stack due to the inertia. To exclude this, is provided in a development, in addition to the turntable from below turntable a lowerable from above turntable opposite to arrange, so that the intervening stack is clamped between the two turntables and thus can be handled without displacement. In order to achieve a displacement of the stack in the direction transverse to the cutting plane, an additional lateral gripper system is provided in the machine described therein, which grips the paper stack from the side similar to the pliers. The handling device for rotating and the gripping device for moving thereby work completely independently of each other, so the stack to be handled is to pass from one device to the other, ie re-tighten from the turntables to the pliers or vice versa. This re-clamping requires additional times in automated or semi-automated operation of the machine. In addition, any re-clamping poses a risk of shifting the stack, often requiring further alignment of the stack.

Based on the latter prior art, the present invention has for its object to provide a device for handling a stack formed of sheets, which avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art and both a rotation and longitudinal displacement of the stack transverse to the cutting plane without additional Re-clamping allows, without the risk that the leaves of the stack to be handled thereby move to each other.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims, the following description and the drawing.

The basic idea of the present invention is to provide a handling device in a device for handling a stack formed from sheets with a support surface, typically a table surface for the stack to be handled, which has a lower pressure plate, which can preferably be extended upward from the table plane, and an upper arranged opposite Pressure plate has, between which a stack of sheets can be stretched. In this case, at least one of the two pressure plates is provided with drive means, which allows rotation of the pressure plate and thus of the clamped between the pressure plates sheet stack about an axis perpendicular to the support surface axis. In order to move the stack of sheets so clamped between the upper and lower pressure plate readily and without the risk of shifting the sheets in the stack to each other, in particular in the direction transverse to the cutting plane, according to the invention corresponding means are provided for moving at least one pressure plate along the support surface.

Thus, the present invention combines the advantages of clamping the stack of sheets to allow substantially independent of the coefficient of friction between the individual sheets in a shift-free and secure turning of the stack and on the other hand equally secure, without re-clamping, the stack along to be able to move. It is thus possible with the device according to the invention to handle the sheet stack without manual intervention, in a longitudinal or opposite direction and for rotating the stack about an axis perpendicular to the support surface axis. The rotation is typically done in 90 ° increments, but can also be done in any other angular steps, so that the stack is arbitrarily alignable in its angular position. Since a re-clamping as required in the prior art is omitted, the device according to the invention can work over the prior art with significant time savings, with an extremely high positioning accuracy can be achieved due to the fixed clamping, as typically system-related not possible with spanning devices is.

Advantageously, the device according to the invention is used as part of a cutting machine and arranged at the rear table side, wherein the displacement direction works transversely to the cutting plane. In this way, the entire handling of the stack to be trimmed, be it main cuts, edge cuts or intermediate cuts without manual intervention can be controlled exclusively by the handling device.

In order to guide the upper and lower pressure plate structurally simple and safe at the same time, according to an embodiment of the invention arranged above the support surface guide for longitudinal displacement of the upper pressure plate and arranged below the support surface guide for longitudinal displacement of the lower pressure plate intended. Both guides are firmly connected to the machine frame. By separate guides for the upper and lower pressure plate, the guides can be arranged in the immediate vicinity of the respective pressure plate, whereby the accuracy of the guide increases and a comparatively high moment load is avoided. The latter allows a comparatively easy construction of the guides.

In this case, a translational drive is provided according to the invention both for the upper and for the lower pressure plate. Structurally particularly favorable when a common translational drive is used for both pressure plates, since the risk that shifts between the plates may occur is already prevented constructively in a common drive both pressure plates.

It is particularly advantageous if, as provided according to the invention, the drive of the feed saddle, which is present anyway in cutting machines, is used for the translatory drive of the pressure plates. For this purpose, controllable coupling means are provided according to the invention, which mechanically connect or disconnect at least one, but preferably both pressure plates with the feed saddle. Apart from the fact that in this training can be completely dispensed with an additional translational drive for the pressure plates, the detachable connection allows a feed through the feed saddle on the one hand and the common longitudinal displacement of the pressure plates on the other. In this case, when moving through the feed saddle, the sheet stack is additionally aligned in itself, namely on the smooth surface of the feed caliper. It can not be complete on the machine table in this way in conjunction with the turning device and the feed saddle aligned stack on the feed saddle be aligned to all sides.

In addition, with the device according to the invention on a cutting machine, a method can be carried out in which successive main steps without manual intervention, that is done without the usual alignment of the sheet material stack on the feed saddle. This is done in such a way that initially in a first step, the stack to be cut is clamped between the pressure plates and moved with them in the direction of the front table, after which the clamping of the stack by means of the press beam of the cutting machine and then the cut takes place in a second step. In a third step, the clamping is then maintained by means of the press beam and the lifted between the pressure plates, after which the pressure plates are back process. Steps 1 to 3 can then be repeated one or more times until the remaining stack of sheets is so small that it can no longer be securely clamped by the pressure plates. It is thus possible to perform all marginal, intermediate cuts and main cuts without manual intervention.

In cutting machines, it is state of the art to design the support table as a so-called air table, ie to be provided with air supply holes, which are closed by balls in the manner of a check valve, wherein at the points where the sheet stack is pressed down the balls and the Compressed air openings are released, so that the stack can be moved with low friction on an air cushion along the table surface. In order to allow the longitudinal displacement of the pressure plates, in particular the lower pressure plate transversely to the cutting plane in the region of such an air table, a clearance for passing through the lower pressure plate is to create.

According to the invention, however, this clearance is only created when such a drive-through is required by one or more lowerable sections are provided in the air table, which are then deliberately shut down or possibly also moved in the manner of a blind. This design has the advantage that, on the one hand, a passage through the pressure plate is made possible by the support table, on the other hand, the air table and thus the support surface for the stack in the remaining operation is not interrupted.

It is expediently the area between the lower pressure plate until shortly before the cutting plane, ie where the press beam is located, provided with one or more such lowerable portions to provide Nachvornfahren the lower pressure plate the necessary space.

On the back of the pressure plate is provided along with the pressure plate longitudinally displaceable table section according to an embodiment of the invention. This table section extends between the rear region of the lower pressure plate and the free end of the rear table, so that when moving back the lower pressure plate practically the aligned in the direction of travel behind table area mitverfahren. Such an arrangement is particularly advantageous, since in the arrangement of such transverse to the cutting plane movable within the air table arranged table section virtually no gap occurs, so that the sheet stack can be easily moved across the border areas even when the table surface is closed. Since this table section is advantageously designed to be continuous in the transverse direction to the cutting plane, in particular, no transverse column results which could impair the feed of the sheet stack.

To a sheet stack largely automated by means of the device according to the invention with the required precision in its position handle, ie to be able to align, according to a development of the invention, a measuring device for detecting the stack layer is provided which has at least one sensor. Such a measuring device can work, for example, by means of a laser with a corresponding sensor, but also mechanically, capacitively or in another suitable manner. Expediently, in order to reliably detect not only the stack position in the longitudinal direction, but also in its angular position, a measuring device is provided which has at least two sensors, preferably at a distance transversely to the feed direction. These sensors are advantageously arranged at a distance above the support surface, namely preferably at the bridge of the machine frame, which also carries the knife guide and the pressing beam. This arrangement is particularly favorable since, on the one hand, this bridge is already present on the machine side and, on the other hand, it concerns an area in which the machine frame has the highest rigidity, so that a correspondingly high measuring accuracy can be achieved here.

Fig. 1

In schematischer perspektivischer Darstellung von vorne rechts eine Schneidmaschine mit der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

die Schneidmaschine gemäß Fig. 1 von vorne links,

Fig. 3

einen Längsschnitt durch die Maschine gemäß Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

eine Draufsicht auf die Maschine nach Fig. 1 und

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht im Teilschnitt.

The invention is described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing closer erläuterf. Show it:

Fig. 1

In a schematic perspective view from the front right a cutting machine with the device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

the cutting machine according to FIG. 1 from the front left,

Fig. 3

a longitudinal section through the machine of FIG. 1,

Fig. 4

a plan view of the machine of Fig. 1 and

Fig. 5

a plan view in partial section.

The cutting machine illustrated in FIG. 1 has, in a manner known per se, a front table 1 for receiving the cut product and a rear table 2 for receiving the material to be cut. In the area between front table 1 and back table 2, the machine frame 3 is formed into a bridge 4, in this area a cutting blade 5 and a pressing bar 6 is guided as is usual and known in such paper cutting machines. In this connection, reference is made, by way of example only, to the machines marketed under the name "trim master" by Senator Technology GmbH in Buchholz.

The rear table 2 is designed as an air table as described in the introduction and has in a conventional manner a feed saddle 7, which is movable by means of a translational drive in the direction transverse to the cutting plane 8, ie in the longitudinal direction of the machine for the purpose of sheet stacking and movable in the opposite direction , The translational drive takes place via a spindle 9 which is driven by means of a servomotor and which drives a spindle nut 10 connected to the feed saddle 7.

Within the back table 2, a circular, plate-shaped lower pressure plate 11 is provided, approximately in the center of the front area of the back table 2. This lower pressure plate 11 can be moved out of the table level of the back table 2 pneumatically upwards. It is rotatably mounted about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the table central axis and otherwise along a arranged under the back table 2 arranged transversely to the cutting plane 8 extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine guide 12 movable.

The lower pressure plate 11 lying opposite an upper also circular plate-shaped pressure plate 13 is arranged pneumatically in the direction of the lower pressure plate 11 down towards is movable. The upper pressure plate 13 is rotatably mounted and has a rotary drive 14, with which the upper pressure plate 13 is rotatable relative to a supporting intermediate console 15 about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the table. The upper pressure plate 13 is movable together with the rotary drive 14 and the intermediate console 15 perpendicular to the table level upwards or downwards. It is movable on a vertical guide 16, which in turn is mounted on a above the back table 2 from the bridge 4 of the machine frame 3 to the free end of the back table 2 extending longitudinal member 17, which also forms a guide, with the vertical guide 16 longitudinally displaceable on the machine frame 3 is stored.

Due to the fact that the lower pressure plate 11 can be moved pneumatically upwards and the upper pressure plate 13 can be moved downwards, an intervening stack of sheets can be clamped by appropriate pressurization. In the clamped state, the sheet stack can then be lifted by further extension of the lower pressure plate 11 from the table level out a piece, after which by means of the rotary drive 14 of the clamped so stack can be rotated arbitrarily, in particular by 90 ° for trimming another side. It is understood that the angle of rotation is arbitrarily controllable, so it can also be any three- or polygonal blanks produced by appropriate control.

In order not only to rotate the paper stack stretched between the pressure plates 11 and 13, but also to be able to move away from or away from the cutting plane 8 in the longitudinal direction of the machine, the lower pressure plate 11, including its pivot bearing and the pneumatics, is upwardly or forcefully applied for extending the pressure plate 11 via a arranged in the longitudinal direction of the machine frame 3 under the back table 2 rod 18 with the feed saddle 7 and thus also the drive for the feed saddle connected. For this purpose, a controllable coupling 19 is provided, which in a defined position the feed saddle 7 positively connected via a groove at the end of the rod 18 with this and thus produces a translational drive in the longitudinal direction of the machine for the lower pressure plate 11.

In a corresponding manner, the upper pressure plate 13 by means of a rod 20 which extends parallel to the longitudinal beam 17 at the front of the table 1 seen from left outside, can be coupled, which is fixedly connected to the vertical guide 16. Near the free end of this rod 20, a groove is also provided, via which a coupling 21 is positively connected, which is connected to the feed saddle 7 and thus produces the drive connection between the upper pressure plate 13 and the feed saddle 7. The clutches 19 and 21 and the corresponding coupling terminals on the rods 18 and 20 are formed and arranged so that in the engaged state, the upper and lower pressure plate 13 and 11 are arranged opposite, so that then in the process of the feed saddle 7, these mitverfahren, whereby the sheet stack clamped therebetween in the longitudinal direction, d. H. is moved perpendicular to the cutting plane 8.

In this case, located behind the lower pressure plate 11 section 22 of the rear table, which surrounds the lower pressure plate 11 laterally and forwardly (see Fig. 5) slidably mounted in the longitudinal direction, so that when moving the lower pressure plate 11 of this section 22 to avoid a collision between the lower pressure plate 11 and the rear table 2 mitverfahren.

In order to avoid a table collision during the process in the opposite direction, ie to the cutting plane 8, two table sections 23 are provided in the embodiment shown, which have the same width as the table section 22 and cover the space in the area between the lower pressure plate 11 and the pressing beam 6, pneumatically formed downwardly lowered, as shown with reference to the left in Fig. 3 section 23. These table sections 23 can be lowered so far down that sufficient space for driving through the lower pressure plate 11 is created in this area.

Instead of the movable table section 22 and the lowerable sections 23, other constructive solutions may be provided here as well, a lowering of the portion 22 is conceivable or a jalousie-like table training, which moves together with the lower pressure plate 11 in this area, so that the table surface the back table 2 as completely closed. The embodiment described above has the advantage that both the table sections 22 and the table sections 23 can be designed as air tables, which facilitates the displaceability of the stack along the back table.

The rotary drive 14 is provided only on the upper pressure plate 13, the lower pressure plate 1 is freely rotatably mounted so that it rotates when clamped sheet stack. Since the transverse forces to be overcome in this case are comparatively high in comparison to the frictional forces within the sheet stack, even with extremely smooth blade surfaces, there is no danger that the stack will be displaced in it. For the longitudinal movement, however, where machine forces greater forces are to be overcome, a separate drive or a separate mechanical connection for both the upper and for the lower turntable to the feed saddle 7 in the form of the rod 18 and 20 is provided.

In order to detect the position of the paper stack to be trimmed, a measuring device not shown in detail in the drawings is provided which has two sensors arranged at a distance on the bridge 4, which operate optically and detect the stack position exactly by means of a laser beam, both in the longitudinal direction as well as in the direction of rotation. It is sufficient in this case the detection of the front stacking edge, as with further displacement of the stack in the longitudinal direction by means of the pressure plates 11 and 13, the corresponding path signals from the servo motor for the feed of the seat drive controlling control signals are available.

The coupling of the rods 18 and 20 with the clutches 19 and 21 is possible only in a defined position in which the pressure plates 11 and 13 and the feed saddle 7 are moved back completely to the rear.

With the above-described handling device on the cutting machine, it is possible to cut a stack of sheets without manual intervention on all four sides or in other geometric shapes on three or more pages. Different lengths can be cut, it is possible to cut, edge cuts and intermediate cuts. With appropriate control of the machine, this can perform in a fully automatic sequence all cuts to the final trimming of a paper stack, without re-clamping, which brings considerable time advantages, but also advantages in terms of cutting accuracy.

The feed of the stack to be cut can be done either via the feed saddle 7 or else via the feed drive of the pressure plates 11 and 13. With the latter feed there is the advantage that a subsequent manual alignment can be omitted since the paper stack is fixed in itself due to the clamping. By alternately clamping the stack of sheets by means of the press bar 6 and between the pressure plates 11 and 12, as described above, several successive major cuts can be made without having to reorient the stack. The pressure plates 11 and 13 are back process when the sheet stack is still clamped after the cutting process by the pressing bar 6 and the latter clamping only then solved when in turn the retracted pressure plates 11 and 13 clamp the stack again. It is thus a clocking paper feed without any manual intervention possible, with a high positioning and thus cutting accuracy can be achieved.

reference numeral

1

front table

2

rear table

3

machine frame

4

bridge

5

cutting blade

6

pressing bars

7

The back gauge

8th

cutting plane

9

spindle

10

spindle nut

11

Lower pressure plate

12

Guide for lower pressure plate

13

Upper pressure plate

14

rotary drive

15

between console

16

vertical guide

17

Side member and guide

18

pole

19

clutch

20

pole

21

clutch

22

Rear table section

23

Lowerable rear table sections

Claims (8)

1. A device for handling a stack formed of sheets, with a contact surface for the stack and with a handling appliance which comprises a lower pressing plate (11) as well as an upper pressing plate (13) arranged lying opposite, as well as drive means (14) for rotating at least one of the pressing plates (13) about an axis perpendicular to the contact surface, and means for travelling at least one pressing plate (11, 13) along the contact surface, characterised in that the contact surface is formed by an air table which comprises a lowerable section or lowerable sections (23), which are arranged such that in the lowered position, they create free space for the passage of the lower pressing plate (11).
2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that it forms part of a cutting machine and is arranged on the rear table side, wherein the displacement direction lies transversely to the cutting plane (8), and preferably the lower pressing plate (11) may be extended upwards out of the plane of the table.
3. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a guide (17) arranged above the contact surface, for displacing the upper pressing plate (13), and a guide (12) arranged below the contact surface, for displacing the lower pressing plate (11), are provided
4. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the upper and the lower pressing plate (13, 11) have a preferably common, translatory drive (9, 10).
5. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the translatory drive (9, 10) is formed by the drive of the feed saddle (7) of the cutting machine, and controllable coupling means (19, 21) are provided, which mechanically connect or separate at least one, preferably both pressing plates (11, 13) to or from the feed saddle (7).
6. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a table section (22) arranged between the lower pressing plate (11) and the free end of the rear table is provided, which is longitudinally displaceable together with the lower pressing plate (11).
7. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one sensor of a measurement appliance for detecting the stack position is provided on the rear table side, wherein the measurement appliance preferably comprises two sensors and is designed for detecting the stack position in the feed direction as well as for detecting the rotation angle.
8. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sensor/sensors of the measurement appliance are arranged at a distance above the contact surface and preferably is/are fastened on a bridge (4) of the machine frame (3).

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