EP1762353B1 - Pressing system for laminated profiles - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a press (1) and a conveying device (2) for gradually supplying of blades (4) in a press area (3) of the press, so that blades pile (5), which is formed after pressing the finished profile, is directly formed in the press area of the press. The press area is opened upwards, so that the conveying device can insert the blades from top in the press area. A locking unit (7) is arranged at an upper opening. An independent claim is also included for a method of manufacturing profiles e.g. composite lumbers.

Description

The invention relates to a device for producing profiles composed of two or more lamellae, in particular laminated beams, with a press and at least one conveyor for the automated feeding of lamellae to the press, wherein the conveyor gradually feeds the lamellae into the press space of the press, thus the lamella stack forming the finished profile after pressing is formed directly in the press space of the press, wherein in the press room on the underside of a pressing device applying a pressing device, for example with at least one pressing cylinder, is arranged, and wherein the conveyor comprises a continuously circulating transport. Profiles constructed from several slats are used in particular in timber construction. In this case, rod or board-shaped lamellae are joined together to form laminated beams or layer-laminated wooden beams.

There are already known such devices and methods in which a glue is applied to the individual lamellae, the lamellae treated in this way are piled up into a stack and the stack thus prepared is then introduced into a press. There, the lamella stack is glued under pressure, resulting in a solid composite of a layered profile.

The US 4 141 775 A describes a hydraulic press having a plurality of hydraulic clamps in a domed plane, each clamp having a fixed clamp end and a hydraulically movable clamp end.

The US 4,776,919 A , on which the preamble of the independent claims is based, describes a laminate wood press device with a plurality of press devices, each press device comprising a lower press plate and an upper press plate.

A disadvantage of the known devices, however, is that a lot of time passes between the application of the glue and the actual pressing process, so that it comes to a long open time of the glue. However, a long open time has the consequence that long press times are necessary to achieve a good connection. This results in a long machine usage and a correspondingly uneconomical production process. To increase the output, therefore, a large number of presses must work simultaneously. The now available adhesives with short open time and equally short pressing time can not be used with the known devices.

The object of the present invention is therefore to increase the output of generic devices and methods to shorten the press times and make the process more economical overall.

This object is achieved in that carriers preferably designed as hooks for transporting the lamellae are arranged on the transporting means, and that the pressing space is open at the top during its filling so that the conveying device can introduce the lamellae from above into the pressing space.

This has the advantage that by means of these drivers, the slats can be placed directly in the press room. The drivers can be designed so that they can take over the lamellae of one of the conveying direction upstream further conveyor or another processing station and convey the slats from this into the press room. In this way, a very fast movement of the slats can be ensured in the press room.

The fact that the lamella stack is formed directly in the pressing chamber eliminates any manipulation process with the already stacked lamellae. The pressing pressure can therefore be applied immediately after the last lamella has been stacked on the lamella stack. This can significantly shorten the open time. Therefore, fast-curing adhesives with a correspondingly short open time can be used.

Since the pressing space is open during its filling upwards, the Fordereinrichtung can insert the lamellae from above into the pressing space.

This results in the advantage that the individual slats need not be held in their position, as they come to lie together in a stack stacked.

Since the conveyor comprises a continuously circulating transport, lamellae can be continuously added to the lamella stack or placed on this. The conveyor can in this case continuously, and in a particularly advantageous manner without reacting and without changing their conveying direction, work.

Since a pressing device applying the pressing device is arranged in the press room, immediately after the last lamella stacked and as soon as an abutment is available, the pressing pressure on the lamella stack can be applied. This results in the particular advantage that the remaining pages remain free to stack the lamellae. Therefore one or more of the remaining pages can be freely selected for the supply of the slats. The device can therefore be easily extended and integrated into other systems.

In a further embodiment, a closure member may be arranged at the upper opening, which constitutes an at least upper, preferably also lateral, stop for the lamella stack during the pressing process. This makes it possible to form an abutment for the subsequent pressing process by simply closing the closure member.

Advantageously, the conveyor may comprise a conveyor belt or a conveyor chain.

Particularly preferred may - as seen in the conveying direction - before the conveyor device for applying a connecting means, preferably adhesive, may be arranged. This makes it possible to keep the paths covered by a lamination already provided with the connecting means particularly short and thus to further shorten the open time.

In a further embodiment, the device for applying the connecting means may be a gluing station for applying glue. The use of glue as a connection means an ecologically advantageous, proven connectivity is created. Furthermore, no special protective measures are required in the application, as no harmful vapors arise.

Advantageously, the lamellae may have a rod-shaped or board-like shape and preferably be formed from wood. The joining of such slats results in a particularly advantageous manner a solid profile body, which can also realize long lengths.

According to another embodiment of the invention, at least one additional press can be provided. Furthermore, it can be provided that the conveyor can selectively deliver the slats in the press or in the other press. As a result, while a pressing and gluing process is running in the first press, further slats can be conveyed from the conveying device into the further press without substantial or even complete interruption. It can also be provided a variety of presses, even so many that ultimately the pressing process in the first press has already been completed until the last press is filled with fins. This results in a continuously running process, since after filling the last press in turn the first press for refilling - after removal of the finished profile from the previous production step is available.

The invention further relates to a corresponding process for the preparation of two or more

Slats constructed profiles, especially laminated beams.

• Fig. 1 eine erste Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung,
• Fig. 2 mehrere Pressen in der selben Ansicht wie Figur 1,
• Fig. 3 die Presszylinder einer Pressvorrichtung in einer Seitenansicht in einer ersten Anwendung,
• Fig. 4 die Presszylinder einer Pressvorrichtung in einer Seitenansicht in einer zweiten Anwendung.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments are shown by way of example. Showing:

• Fig. 1 a first view of a device according to the invention,
• Fig. 2 several presses in the same view as FIG. 1 .
• Fig. 3 the pressing cylinders of a pressing device in a side view in a first application,
• Fig. 4 the pressing cylinder of a pressing device in a side view in a second application.

In the FIG. 1 A conveyor 2 conveys slats 4, which are already coated with an adhesive - preferably glue - directly into the press room 3. The conveyor 2 shown can consist of an endlessly circulating band, an endlessly circulating Chain or other suitable means of transport exist. At this means of transport drivers are arranged in the example shown in the form of hooks 9, which transport the slats 4. The slats 4 are stacked directly in the press room 3 to a lamella stack 5. As in particular in FIG. 2 can be seen, located on the underside of the press 1, a pressing device 10. This can - as shown - have at least one press cylinder 12. At the beginning of the layering of the lamella stack 5, the pressing cylinder 12 is in its fully extended, upper position. The first lamella 4, which is transported by a hook 9 of the conveyor 2, can be stored directly on the press cylinder 12, for example by stripping. Then the Press cylinder 12 lowered by the thickness of a blade 4 and thus created space for a further blade 4. The next transported slat 4 is then placed on the first slat.

As a result, the pressing cylinder 12 is lowered again and again by a lamella thickness and a further lamella 4 is piled on the resulting lamella stack 5. A arranged on the pressing cylinder or on the pressing cylinders lifting table clocks depending on the lamella thickness down.

Laterally, the lamella stack is aligned by side pressure devices 14. This happens preferably already during the layering of the lamella stack 5, but may alternatively or additionally also be carried out at the end of the stacking.

Are lamella 4 superposed in the desired number or the press device is reached, the lifting table is lowered and the closure member 7 is brought into its closed position. This lock thus formed simultaneously constitutes an abutment for the press as well as a stop for the lamella stack 5. This stop determines the upper or the lateral position of the lamination stack 5 fixed.

Now pressure is applied to the lamella stack 5 from below over a certain time by means of the pressing device 10. The time depends primarily on the adhesive or glue used. It is thus indirectly dependent on how much time is required between the application of adhesive and the application of the pressing pressure. If this so-called open time is of short duration, fast-curing adhesives can be used, which then require only a short pressing time. The open time is therefore in direct proportion to the necessary pressing time. For a long time between adhesive application and

Application of the pressing pressure is to use a suitable adhesive with a long open time to achieve a solid connection. However, these adhesives also require a long pressing time in consequence. In order to be able to produce quickly and economically with the shortest possible machine occupancy, a short press time and a short open time are therefore of decisive advantage.

After the actual pressing operation, the pressing cylinder 12 is driven downwards again so far, so that the now finished profile 6 is lowered onto a further conveyor, in the example shown on a roller conveyor 13. About this roller conveyor 13, the profile 6 can be immediately forwarded. In this case, preferably the roller conveyor itself is driven. The press cylinder is then brought into its upper position and in the press room a new lamella stack can be piled up.

In the FIG. 1 are next to the press 1 more presses 11, 21, etc. shown. In this way, while, for example, in the first press 1, a pressing operation is running, in the second press 11, a lamella stack are stacked. If then in the second press 11 of the pressing process was started, more slats can be placed in the third press 21. Ideally, you will provide so many presses that the pressing process of the first press 1 is completed when all other presses 11, 21, etc. have been filled with fins 4. The first press 1 is then made free on the roller conveyor 13 and is now available for the stacking of a lamella stack 5 available. As a result, the conveying of fins 4 by the conveyor 2 need not be interrupted and can proceed continuously.

Subsequently, the on-transport of the slats will now be described. For this purpose, a longitudinal feed, for example, a roller conveyor 15, is provided, which promotes the fins 4 to a Querabzugseinrichtung 16. From this, the slats 4 - for example, via a further conveying means such as the conveyor belt 17 - in the direction of the conveyor belt or the conveyor chain 8 moves. The movement of the arranged on this transport means 8 driver or hook 9 is matched to those of the conveyor belt 17, that in each case a blade 4 comes to rest on a hook 9. In this way, the lamellae 4 individually the hook 9 and be handed over by these individually to the respective press. Alternatively, it would also be conceivable to supply the lamellae not individually, but in groups of two, three or more pieces of the respective press. Of importance is only that no further manipulation process is necessary, which would extend the open time.

As in FIG. 3 Each press 1, 11, 21, etc. may be constructed of a plurality of press cylinders 12, 22, 32, etc., respectively. As a result, the necessary pressing pressure can be applied uniformly over the entire length of the profile or glue binder 6. In this case, over its length with constant cross-section constructed profiles can be generated as well as those that change the cross section over its length. This is achieved by inserting blades 4 of different lengths into the presses 1, 11, 21, etc.

As in FIG. 4 shown, the lower blades 4 may for example be shorter than those arranged above. The press cylinders 12, 22, 32, etc. are brought into different positions for the pressing process, so that in turn the entire profile 6 or the entire laminated beam is subjected to the same pressing pressure. In this way it is possible to produce a wide variety of shapes and cross-sectional profiles on the same presses.

Claims (9)

1. An apparatus for producing profiles (6) composed of two or more slats (4), especially glue-laminated beams, comprising a press (1) and at least one conveying device (2) for automated delivery of slats (4) to the press (1), with the conveying device (2) supplying the slats (4) successively to the press chamber (3) of the press (1), so that the stack of slats (5) forming the finished profile (6) after the pressing being formed directly in the press chamber (3) of the press (1), with a pressing device (10) which comprises at least one pressing cylinder (12) for example and exerts the pressing pressure being arranged in the press chamber (3) on its bottom side, characterized in that the conveying device (2) comprises a continually revolving transport means (8), drivers (9) which are arranged on the transport means (8) preferably as hooks (8) are arranged for conveying the slats (4), and the press chamber (3) is upwardly open during its filling, so that the conveying device (2) can insert the slats (4) from above into the press chamber (3).
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a locking member (7) is arranged on the upper opening for illustrating an at least upper, preferably also lateral, stop for the stack of slats (5) during the pressing process.
3. An apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying device (2) comprises a conveyor belt or conveyor chain.
4. An apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an apparatus for applying a bonding agent, preferably an adhesive, is arranged before the conveying device (2) as seen in the conveying direction.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the apparatus for applying the bonding agent is a glue-spreading station for the application of glue.
6. An apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one further press (11) and the conveying device (2) for optional delivery of the slats (4) to the press (1) or to the further press (11) are provided.
7. A method for producing profiles composed of two or more slats (4), especially glue-laminated beams, with slats (4) being supplied in an automated manner by means of a conveying device (2) directly to a press chamber (3) of a press (1), with the slats (4) being supplied successively to the press chamber (3) of the press (1), with the slats (4) being supplied continually to the press chamber (3), with the stack of slats (5) which forms the finished profile (6) after the pressing being formed directly in the press chamber (3) of the press (1), and with the pressing pressure being applied by means of a pressing device applying the pressing pressure on the stack of slats (5) with at least one pressing cylinder (12) from the bottom side of the press chamber (3), characterized in that the conveying device comprises a continually revolving transport means (8), drivers (9) which are preferably arranged as hooks are arranged on the transport means (8) for conveying the slats (4), the slats (4) are introduced from above into the press chamber (3) which is upwardly open during the filling and are stacked directly in the press chamber (3) as a stack of slats (5), and the pressing cylinder (12) is situated in its fully extended, upper position at the start of the stacking of the stack of slats (5).
8. A method according to claim 7, characterized in that a bonding agent, preferably an adhesive, especially glue, is applied to the slats (4) prior to the delivery of the slats (4) to the press (1).
9. A method according to one of the claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the slats (4) are supplied in an automated manner optionally either to the press (1) or at least to a further press (11).

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