EP2151288A1

EP2151288A1 - Device for counterthrust movement in caulking machines

Info

Publication number: EP2151288A1
Application number: EP08425557A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mauro Bartolini
Original assignee: Atla Coop Cooperativa di Produzione e Lavoro Soc
Current assignee: Atla Coop Cooperativa di Produzione e Lavoro Soc
Priority date: 2008-08-08
Filing date: 2008-08-08
Publication date: 2010-02-10

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for counterthrust movement in caulking machines essentially comprised of two wedges (10,10') that can slide one on top of the other along one of an inclined surface (11,11') thereof along which said wedges (10,10') are appropriately hinged.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the field of machine tools, specifically the field of caulking machines.

State of the art

It is known that caulking is an operation that involves joining, by means of a connecting bracket, the two metal profiles that form the corner of a metallic frame (for example for a door or window).
Machines for performing the aforesaid operation are essentially comprised of a fixed seat (fitted with relative slides, guides, clamps, etc.), on which the profiles to be caulked are positioned, and two movable assemblies (known as "thrust assemblies" or "caulking heads") to which the caulking tools are applied (normally known as caulking blades or punches).
Said caulking heads are also connected, by means of a screw/nut system, or another means of connection, to a guide (integral with the caulking machine seat) that allows the heads to slide parallel to the profile to be caulked, so that they can be positioned at a desired point.
The caulking blades provide the required deformation of the walls of the profiles so that they are engaged against the corresponding sides of the bracket to ensure that the corner is held securely in place.
It is obvious how the action of the blades on the profile during caulking involves the exertion of a considerable force, and it is therefore essential that the profile is kept firmly in position, otherwise it would be impossible to achieve the required clean cut and the profile would bend, undergoing only partial deformations.
To achieve the desired degree of stability when cutting, it is therefore essential that the slide on which the profiles to be caulked are placed be fitted with a counterthrust device integrally anchored to the working surface, to oppose the force produced by the action of the blades that, as mentioned above, would tend to move the profile to be caulked from its position.
Said device is normally comprised of an air/oil cylinder with relative feed tank and lock solenoid valves; it is apparent how such a device could be costly, also given the large number of component parts, and how it could also be subject to oil leaks, which over time could compromise the counterthrust of the cylinder and thus the required zero-movement of the profile-holder slide.
It is therefore apparent that it is important to have a simple, cost-effective and reliable device that can ensure the required zero-movement and thus keep the profile-holder slide in the preset position during caulking.

Brief description of figures

Figure 1 schematically depicts a side section view of a device according to the invention, at rest (a) and at work (b) respectively.
Figure 2 depicts a detailed view of a specific embodiment of the device according to Figure 1.

Summary of the invention

There is disclosed a counterthrust movement device for caulking machines comprised essentially of two wedges that can slide one on top of the other along an inclined surface thereof.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention allows to overcome the aforesaid problem in virtue of a device comprised essentially of two wedges, each of which has at least one inclined surface, and able to slide one on top of the other along said inclined surface.
As can be seen from Figure 1, the device according to the invention includes two wedges essentially in the shape of a rectangular truncated pyramid 10, 10' bound together through the respective inclined surfaces 11, 11' and oriented so that the smaller base of one 12 corresponds to the smaller base of the other 12'.
The wedge 10 is hinged on a guide 14 along which it can slide in virtue of the thrust provided by the pneumatic cylinder 15 acting on the larger base of the wedge, positioned perpendicular to the guide 14.
The guide 14 is in turn integrally connected to the structure of the caulking machine 13 and is positioned perpendicular to the guide 16 along which slides the slide 17 carrying the profile to be caulked (not shown in the figure), which is connected to the slide by means of appropriate clamps and relative supports (H and G respectively).
The second wedge 10' on the other hand is integrally connected, through its larger base, to said slide 17 by means of appropriate fastening means.
As mentioned above, the two wedges 10 and 10' are bound together along their inclined surface by means of an appropriate shaping of their inclined surfaces and the wedge 10 is in turn hinged to the guide 14 in virtue of the shaping of its surface parallel to said guide 14.
Figure 2 shows a possible example of a hinge adapted to join together the guide 14, the wedge 10 and the wedge 10' by means of appropriate shapings on the various surfaces coming into contact as indicated above.
As can be seen from figure 2, the surface of the wedge 10 parallel to the guide 14 features a shaping 18 than may couple with the cavity 19 of the guide 14, while the inclined surface of the wedge 10 and the corresponding inclined surface of the wedge 10' engage together in virtue of their respective shaped sections 20 and 21. The operation of the device according to the invention is apparent per se.
The wedge 10, pushed by the pneumatic cylinder 15 slides along the guide 14 and the inclined surface of the wedge 10' until it touches the guide 16 with its smaller base.
The movement of the wedge 10 causes the wedge 10' (and therefore also the slide 17 to which it is connected) to slide along the guide 16 so that the drawn to be caulked and positioned on the slide 17 is moved to the desired position.
At this stage, the backward force (indicated by X in the figure) exerted by the profile as a result of the action of the caulking blades thereon is almost entirely absorbed (through the inner friction of the inclined surface) by the wedge 10, transmitting only a limited force component (indicated by Z in the figure) to the pneumatic cylinder.
Therefore the slide 17 is guaranteed the counterthrust required to keep it in position during the caulking operation, and as a result, the profile to be caulked is held in the desired position, with zero movement.
It should be noted how the device according to the invention allows to achieve the desired effect with a considerably lower number of components than state-of-the-art devices (resulting in reduced costs and easier maintenance) and how it also eliminates all the drawbacks due to the use of an air/oil cylinder.

Claims

A device for counterthrust movement in caulking machines essentially comprised of two wedges that can slide one on top of the other along an inclined surface thereof along which said wedges are appropriately hinged.
A device according to claim 1, including two wedges essentially in the shape of a rectangular truncated pyramid (10, 10') bound together through the respective inclined surfaces (11, 11') and oriented so that the smaller base of one (12) corresponds to the smaller base of the other (12').
A device according to claim 2, wherein the wedge (10) is hinged, with its surface perpendicular to the two bases (13), on a guide (14) along which it can slide in virtue of the thrust provided by a pneumatic cylinder (15) acting on the larger base of the wedge (10).
A device according to claim 3, wherein said guide (14) is in turn integrally connected to the structure of the caulking machine (13) and is positioned perpendicular to a guide (16) along which slides a slide (17) carrying the profile to be caulked which is connected to the slide by means of appropriate clamps and relative supports (H, G).
A device according to claims 1 - 4, wherein said wedge (10') is integrally connected, through its larger base, to the slide (17) by means of appropriate fastening means.
A device according to claims 1 - 5, wherein said wedges (10, 10') are bound together along their inclined surface by means of an appropriate shaping on their respective inclined surfaces (11, 11') and wherein the wedge (10) is hinged to the guide (14) in virtue of the shaping of its surface parallel to said guide (14).
A method for achieving counterthrust movement in caulking machines using a device according to claims 1 - 6, wherein the wedge (10), pushed by the pneumatic cylinder (15) slides along the guide (14) and the inclined surface of the wedge (10') until it touches the guide (15) with its smaller base, causing the simultaneous sliding of the wedge (10') and of the slide (17) to which it is connected, along the guide (16) so that the drawn to be caulked positioned on the slide (17) is held securely in the desired caulking position.
Caulking machines fitted with a device according to claims 1 - 6.