FR2476450A1 - DEVICE FOR WORKING SHEET-LIKE OBJECTS, PARTICULARLY FOR CUTTING CIGAR CAPS IN TOBACCO LEAVES - Google Patents

Abstract

SEVERAL TABLES 1, EACH HAVING A STORAGE SECTION FOR TOOLS, CUTTING KNIVES 3 FOR EXAMPLE, AND A WORKING SECTION, MOVE ONE AFTER THE OTHER ON A CLOSED CURVED PATH. THE SHEETS TO BE WORKED ARE TRANSFERRED BY A SUCTION BELT 65 TO TABLES 1 IN A LOADING STATION AND THE WORKED SHEETS, CAPES OR UNDERCOATS FOR EXAMPLE, ARE REMOVED DIAMETRALLY FROM THE OPPOSITE BY A BELT 80. OF THE CARRIERS 40 ARE INTENDED TO TRANSPORT TOOLS 3 FROM STORAGE SECTIONS TO WORK SECTIONS IN TABLES 1 AND VICE VERSA. A COMPUTER R DETERMINES EACH TIME THE LAYOUT OF THE TOOLS BASED ON THE EXAMINATION OF THE WORK SHEET IN AN EXPLORATION STATION 72.

Description

The invention relates to a device for working objects in the form of

sheet, comprising one or more work tables and tools cooperating with it (s) to work a

  object on a work table.

  The invention aims to provide a device which makes it possible to execute a large number of successive operations on the objects in

  sheet form and which is nevertheless of small size.

The device is essentially characterized in that the table or each table is movable along a closed curved path, the center of curvature or each center of curvature is located on a perpendicular above the table. This prevents the tables from being constantly moved in their plan but undergoes

on the contrary a tilting. Thanks to this movement path, the lar-

geur of the device is fixed mainly by the dimension of the table transversely to its direction of movement, while the height or length of table is fixed mainly by the number of tables

  arranged one after the other.

To prepare each table for treatment

adapted to each object, the invention provides that each table is for

view of corresponding tools.

These tools are preferably removably attached

on the table.

In a preferred embodiment, the table pre-

  there is a shopping section to store tools and a section.

  tion of work o the tools are to be put in the position of use

The device according to the invention is further provided with

  means of transport to move the tools from the magazine section

  sinage to the working section and vice versa.

It is advantageous for the means of transport to be formed by one or more guides arranged along the route and serving

  each with a slide carrying a tool gripping member.

  For the precise positioning of the tools on the

table, the invention provides that the tool gripping member is dis-

rotated, relative to the slide, around a perpendicular axis

area above the table.

  The gripping member is preferably arranged at the end of an arm rotatably mounted in the slide and can itself be

  rotatably mounted in the end or outer end of the arm.

In the preferred embodiment, each means of transport or conveyor is provided with a first hollow shaft driven in rotation, rotatably mounted in the slide and connected to

the inner end of the arm, of a second shaft driven in rotation

  tion and arranged coaxially in the first, of a third tree

  connected to the gripper and rotatably mounted in the outer end

arm, as well as an endless flexible transmission element, such as a toothed belt, which circulates around the second and

of the third tree.

  The tools to be placed on the table can be, for example, knives to cut pieces from sheets of paper, leather or tobacco. In the event of application of the device to the tobacco industry, the tools will generally be knives having a cutting edge closed in itself which corresponds to the outline of a cape

or a cigar undercoat.

For the automatic feeding of objects to work from the tables, the device according to the invention is characterized by a transfer station which is arranged along the path of the movement of the tables and which is preferably provided with an endless suction passing belt. on the top of the table. When the vacuum breaks, the object on the table side of the suction belt can come off

  this and be transferred to the table.

  According to an improvement of the device, the suction strip also passes through an exploration station where the objects to be treated are explored, in particular to determine the shape of the periphery and other properties of the sheet-shaped object, such as differences thick, after which a computer processing the data obtained controls the means of transport of

tools accordingly.

Another characteristic provides that the device has a removal station located downstream of the transfer or loading station, in the direction of movement of the table or tables, if necessary facing the storage section of the

table at the pick-up station.

The picking station has means for removing the worked articles from the table and for transferring them to a strip

or a storage reel.

  The means of transfer from the pick-up station include

There is preferably an air box which a distributor can connect alternately to a source of compressed air and a source of vacuum and which is installed on the side opposite the support surface of a strip.

of breathable transport.

According to the invention, this dispenser has a shutter disposed rotatably in a dispenser body and preferably formed of two cylindrical parts. Wedged at a distance from each other on a

common axis and whose peripheries have mutual notches

offset, the arrangement being such that the rotation of the shutter

tor allows switching from a supply of compressed air to the box

  has its connection to the vacuum source in a very short time, depending

  dant of the speed of rotation of the shutter.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention

  will emerge more clearly from the following description of a

nonlimiting exemplary embodiment, as well as the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a side view of a device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view taken from the front in the direction indicated by the arrows II-II in Figure 1 Figure 3 is a perspective view taken from the rear in the direction indicated by the arrows III- III in Figure 1, Figure 4 is a detail in section along the line IV-IV of Figure 1 Figure 5 is a section along the line VV of

Figure 4; -

  Figure 6 is a side view of part of the removal station of the device on a larger scale; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a distri-

rotary stopper used in the removal station according to figure 6.

The device shown comprises ten tables 1 which rotate along a circular path around a horizontal axis of rotation 2 in the direction of the arrow Pl. The center of curvature of the path is located in this embodiment on the axis of rotation 2 but it It goes without saying that the tables could also move along an elliptical path, in which case there would be several centers of curvature but which would all be located on a perpendicular to the

table top 1.

  Although the device of FIG. 1 can be used for any objects in the form of a sheet, paper, leather or other material, the device shown in the attached drawings has been designed in particular for cutting capes or cigar subcoats in whole tobacco leaves or in half tobacco leaves. Each table cooperates for this purpose with a number of corresponding knives 3, which can be transported from a storage section 4 of the table to a working section 5 and vice versa, see Figures 2 and 3. These figures clearly show that each table has a shopping section 4 of share and

  other of a working section 5. At rest, each section of maga-

sinage 4 contains three knives 3, so that six knives can be put in position of use on the working section 5 of

each table 1.

  To place knives 3 in the layout

  rée on the working section, to set up and treat the sheet-shaped object, to remove the treated object and to return the knives 3 to the storage sections, the tables 1 can be brought one after the another with ten positions, which emerges from FIG. 1. The lower side, that is to say the radially inner side of each table 1 carries for this purpose two parallel end pieces 6, see also FIG. 4, which are arranged to slide in two sockets 7. The sockets 7 are fixed by means of a support 8 on a rotary hub 9 of a central shaft common to all the tables 1. The hub 9 shown on the left in FIG. 4 is rotatably mounted by bearings 10 around a fixed hollow axis 11 which is connected by a conduit 12 to a suction device 13, see FIG. 1. By its opposite side, the hollow axis 11 communicates through a part of a hollow shaft 14 located between

hubs 9 with telescopic tubes 15 whose radiating ends

  each communicates with work section 5

  - made in the same way as a suction box - tables 1.

The hub 9 shown on the right in FIG. 4 is in one piece with a pin 16, on which is fixed a

drive pulley 17.

  The pulley 17 is controlled by a motor 20, by the

  through a belt 18, a pulley 19 and a speed variator

speed 21, see figure 1.

The axis 12 is fixedly mounted in a side plate 22 of the main frame, while the pin 16 is rotatably mounted by

bearings 23 in an opposite side plate 24 of the main frame.

Each side plate is reinforced by edge plates 25 which form with the side plate a flange which rests on the

floor by one leg 26.

On the inner side of each of the side plates 22 and 24 is disposed, along the periphery of the plate, a rail 27 in which is guided a roller 28 rotatably mounted on the adjacent end of each of the tables 1. At each station treatment, the side plates further carry a radial slide 29, in which can move radially a chick 30, which

  also has a guide corresponding to rail 27. Each coulis-

bucket has a tenon 98 which projects outside through a slot in the side plate 22 or 24 and which is attacked by a forked lever 31, see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5. Each lever 31 is articulated on an axis 32 carried by the side plate 22 or 24 and the ends opposite to the forks of the levers are connected together by coupling bars 33. The lever 31 located at the bottom carries in addition * a cam roller 34 which is applied against a cam The boss or bosses of the latter rotate the lever 31 considered around one axis 32 and this movement is transmitted by the coupling bars 33 to each lever 31, which has for

  effect that the sliders 30 are moved radially outward

  laughing in the slides, with the guide roller driving 28

  of the table, therefore also with training of the work table 1.

  This movement of the table is possible thanks to the sliding mounting of the end pieces 6 in the sockets 7. The radial movements of extension and retraction of the work tables are necessary in order, in the various treatment stations, to move the surface of the table in direction of the auxiliary tool cooperating with it. The working section of each table 1 is connected

  to the vacuum source (suction device 13) by the teles tubes

copics 15.

To bring the tools 3 from the storage sections 4 to the working section 5 of each table and to bring them back from the working section to the storage sections, conveyors 40 are installed at different stations along the movement path of the tables. Figure 1 shows that the device of this example comprises six means of transport or conveyors 40, divided into two groups of three. An exemplary embodiment of a conveyor, designed in particular for knives 3, will be described in more detail.

below in relation to Figures 4 and 5.

  It should be noted that the carriers are not shown, for clarity, in the perspective views of the

Figures 2 and 3.

  The conveyor 40 comprises a frame 41 in the form of

  bridge which is essentially formed by two parallel box girders

  lels 42 which are mounted by their ends on the plates of

border 25 of the lateral flanges by means of batteries 43.

  Between the box beams 42 are arranged two guide bars 44 which are mutually offset in height and along which two sliders 45 mounted can be moved

on bars with interposition of ball bearings 46.

  The displacement of the slides is produced by a control belt 47 circulating in each of the beams 42 and connected to an arm 77 coupled to the slides. The control belt 47 circulates around two pulleys 48 at the ends of the box beam 42. One of the pulleys 48 is controlled by a motor 49 by means of a reduction gear 50. A similar control system, not shown in detail in Figure 5, is provided in the second

  box beam 42 for the other slide.

  The lower part of the slider 45 contains a hollow shaft 51 which is rotatably mounted in the slider by bearings 52. The hollow shaft Ml carries at the top a wheel for global specifications53

which is attacked by a glubic screw controlled 54. On the lower part

lower of the shaft 51 is mounted an arm 55. The rotation of the global screw 54 by a motor not shown therefore makes it possible to rotate the shaft 51 and to pivot with it the arm 55 about an axis

which is perpendicular to the top of the work table 1.

  In the radially outer end of the arm 55 is rotatably mounted a second shaft 56, which carries at the bottom a gripping member 57. The latter can be produced in different ways, in the form of a clamp or a magnetic system for example. It is used to grip a knife 3 each time and to hold it during transport. Pins provided in the gripper 57 are used for its

  precise centering in relation to the knives 3.

  The shaft 56 carries inside the arm 55 a pinion 58, around which passes a toothed belt 59. The hollow shaft 51 is crossed by a third shaft 60, also rotatably mounted in the

  slide, which carries a pinion 61 below, around which also passes

  the toothed belt 59. At the top, the shaft 60 carries a wheel

  globic screw62 which is attacked by a controlled global screw 63.

  The rotation of the screw 63 by a motor (not shown) therefore rotates the shaft 60 and also, via the toothed belt 59, the shaft 56. The gripper 57 can thus be rotated

  relative to arm 55. The parallel displacement system compre-

the toothed belt 59 makes it possible to move the gripper 57 relative to the top of the table 1, by the rotation of the shaft 51 and the pivoting of the arm 55, without the gripper rotating around

tree 56.

With the carrier which has just been described, each

gripper 57 can be positioned longitudinally and transversely-

  compared to work table 1 and it can also be

  angularly rotated, namely by the displacement of the sliding slider

  pectively by the pivoting of the arm 55 and the rotation of the shaft 56.

The motors required for this purpose can be controlled by the computer R shown on the left next to the device in the

figure 1.

It appears from Figures 2 and 3 that the two slides

  and the grippers 57 coupled to them place two layers

3 heads in the working section of the table in each position of the latter, so that the six knives can be put in position for use in the working section of the table in three successive positions occupied by the table. The knives are returned to the storage sections in reverse order, which

is shown in Figure 3.

After placing the knives 3 in the working section 5 in the middle of the table 1, the object in the form of a sheet to be cut can be brought to the table, which

  takes place in the station shown on the left at the top in Figure 1.

  This station is serviced for this purpose by an endless belt 65, a section of which 66 runs parallel to the top of the table 1 in the station in question. The strip being made of porous material, the application of a vacuum by a suction box 67 on the other side of the strip makes it possible to press sheet-shaped objects against the strip 65. To reduce the resulting air consumption of the use of strip 65, a cover strip

68 circulates in front of its lower side.

  From the series of work tables 1, the strip extends horizontally towards a storage reel 69, between the turns of which the product in the form of a sheet is kept, tobacco half-sheets for example. The strip unwound from the reel 69 is freed from sheet-shaped objects and is then rewound on a reel provided under the reel 69. When it is unwound from the full reel 69 located at the top, the strip section included between the two reels passes over an air box 70 which a jack 71 can cause to go up and down. As soon as a sheet-shaped object arrives above the box 70, the jack 71 is supplied, which produces the raising of the box against the underside of the storage strip, so that the sheet-shaped object can be

carried away by the band 65.

In order to provide the computer used to control the various motors and synchronous movements of the tables with the necessary data relating to the object to be processed, this object is exposed in a station 72 to a radiation source 73. The image thus produced

of the leaf-shaped object is recorded by a recorder

  registration 74 which transforms properties, in particular the

  round, holes or tears and the ribs of the tobacco leaf in digital or analog data which are transmitted to computer R. The distance between the exploration station 72 and the transfer or loading station at the right of the section 66 of the

band 65 is large enough that under the control of the computer

nator R, the arrangement of the knives in the middle of the table in function

tion of the properties of the tobacco leaf can already start three posts earlier. The transfer of the sheet-shaped object by the strip section 66 results from the elimination of the vacuum in the part of the box 67 located opposite the section 66 and the extension

radial of table 1 carrying the knives 3. The vacuum in the par-

  central tie 5 of the table 1 plate the sheet then on the

knives 3.

  The treatment of the object by the knives is carried out, in the station represented quite above in FIG. 1, using any means, for example knurling wheels which are guided under pressure on the cutting edges of the knives 3 Such means are not within the scope of the invention and are generally known in the tobacco industry for cutting capes or

tobacco leaf undercoats.

  The pieces cut from the leaf-shaped object

  and to be used thereafter remain inside the tran-

  knife edges 3, so that after the knives have been returned to the storage sections of work tables 1, these pieces of objects must be removed from the knives, which can be done at the pick-up station, which is provided diametrically in front of the transfer or loading station at the bottom right on

Figure 1.

  The removal station of the example shown is located opposite the storage sections of work tables 1 and will be

described below in relation to Figures 6 and 7.

2476450Q

  The removal station is mainly formed by an endless band 80, a section 81 of which runs parallel to the top

from table 1 to the collection station. This section is followed by a section

  lesson 82 which is almost horizontal. Under the two sections 81, 82 S is a box 83 which is connected to a vacuum source. On removal of the vacuum in the working section of the table 1 at the removal station, the pieces of sheet previously cut are sucked and pressed against the section 81 of the strip 80 then transported to a transfer station 84 for the transfer of

  pieces cut from a storage reel 85.

Most of the section 82 of the conveyor belt 80 is covered at the top by a cover band 86 which runs in the same direction and at substantially the same speed and

which is intended to limit the consumption of vacuum.

The transfer station 84 essentially consists of a recovery table 87 which is produced in the form of a box

  of suction and on the underside of which the strip of magazine passes

  swims from the empty reel 88 mounted at the top and heading towards

the storage reel 85.

On the side opposite to the recovery table 87 of the strip 80 is a pressing member 89 which is also produced in the form of an air box and which is fixed elastically to a part 91 of the frame by spring blades 90. L the pressing member 89 can be pressed upwards against the section 82 of the strip 80 by a rotating cam 92, which has the effect that the upper surface of this strip section is pressed against the underside of the recovery table 87. The product supplied to the strip 80, in this case the cut capes or sub-capes, can thus be transferred from the band 80 to the storage strip; this transfer can also be promoted by applying an overpressure to the pressing member

89 in the shape of a box.

  The alternative application of a vacuum and an overpressure to the air box forming the pressing member 89 can be

  produced by means of a rotary distributor mounted on the rotation axis

tion of the cam 92 and shown in detail by a perspective view

in figure 7.

  The rotary distributor has a shutter which is formed by two cylindrical parts 94 wedged axially at a distance from each other on an axis 93. The two parts 94 have notches 95 formed in the cylindrical surfaces and mutually angularly offset by a room to another. The body 96 of the distributor has three connection orifices, of which this one located in the middle, designated by 97, is connected to the pressing member 89 in the form of a box. The connection orifices located on either side of the central orifice 97 are connected, one to a vacuum source the other to a source of compressed air. Thanks to the suitable arrangement of the notches 94 relative to the bosses of the cam 92, the box 89 can be connected either to the vacuum source or to the source of compressed air; as the transition from one to the other can be done in a very short time, the transfer of the product from the strip 80 to the storage strip passing over the recovery table 87

  can be done very effectively.

  The invention is not limited to the embodiment described and those skilled in the art may make various modifications thereto,

without going beyond its framework.

Claims (28)

R E V E N D I C A T I 0 N S   1. Device for working sheet-shaped objects, in particular tobacco leaves, comprising one or more several work tables and tools cooperating with it (s) -   for working on an object on a work table, characterized in that the table (1) or each table (1) is movable along a closed curved path, the center of curvature (2) or each center of curvature located on a perpendicular to the above the table. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in   that each table (1) is provided with corresponding tools (3).   3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized   in that the tools (3) are removably attached to the table (1). 4. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 3, characterized in that the table (1) has a magazine section sinage (4) to store tools (3) and a working section (5)   for the arrangement of the tools (3) in the position of use. 5. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 4, characterized in that it has transport means (40) for moving the tools (3) from the storage section (4) to the section   working (5) of the table (1) and vice versa.   6. Device according to any one of claims 1   to 5, characterized in that the means of transport (40) are formed one or more guides (44) arranged. along the slack path tables (1) for at least one slide (45) carrying a tool gripping member (57).   7. Device according to any one of claims 1 6, characterized in that the tool gripper (57) is rotated   tif, with respect to the slide (45), around a perpendicular axis above the table (1). 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 7, characterized in that the tool gripping member (57) is placed at the end of an arm (55) rotatably mounted in the slide (45). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the tool gripping member (57) is rotatably mounted in the end of the arm (55).   10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that each means of transport or conveyor (40) has a first hollow shaft (51) driven in rotation, rotatably mounted in the slide (45) and connected to the inner end of the arm (55), S a second shaft (56) rotated and arranged coaxially in the first shaft (51), a third shaft (60) connected to the gripping member (57) and rotatably mounted in the end or outer end of the arm (55), as well as an endless flexible transmission element   (59) which circulates around the second (56) and the third tree (60).   11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in   that the transmission member (59) is a toothed belt.   12. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the table (1) or each table (1) can be raised and lowered relative to the direction of movement on the closed curved path.   13. Device according to any one of claims   previous, characterized in that the movement path of the   table (1) or tables (1) is circular. 14. Device according to any one of claims   above, particularly suitable for cutting capes or underscapes of tobacco leaves cigars, characterized in that the tools (3) are knives having a closed cutting edge in self corresponding to the outline of a cape or a sub-cape. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in   what the table (1) is made in the manner of a suction box. 16. Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the storage section (4) of the table (1) has   centering pins for tools.   17. Device according to any one of the claims   above, characterized in that it includes a transfer or loading station arranged along the movement path of the tables (1) and intended to each time bring sheet-shaped objects to the tables (1).   18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that the transfer or loading station is provided with a band endless vacuum cleaner (65) -which passes over the table (1) is before this post. 2476 45: 19. Device according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the suction strip (65) also passes through a station exploration (72).   20. Device according to any one of claims 17   to 19, characterized in that it includes a removal station provided for downstream of the transfer or loading station in the direction of movement work tables (1).   21. Device according to claim 20, characterized in that the removal station is located opposite the section of storage (4) of the work table (1) located at this station.   22. Device according to claim 20 or 21, charac-   terrified in that the pick-up station has means for reti- rer from the table of the parts of the worked object and for trans- refer to a storage strip and reel (85). 23. Device according to claim 22, characterized in that the transfer means comprise an air box (89) which a distributor can connect alternately to a source of compressed air and to a source of vacuum and which is installed on the side opposite the support surface of a permeable conveyor belt (80) the air. 24. Device according to claim 22 or 23, charac- terized in that the distributor has a shutter arranged rotatably tif in a distributor body (96).   25. Device according to claims 23 and 24 taken   assembly, characterized in that the valve shutter is formed by two cylindrical parts (94) arranged at a distance on the other on an axis (93) and having in their cylindrical surfaces   drics of the notches (95) which are angularly offset by piece (94) to another. 26. Device according to any one of claims 23   to 25, characterized in that the air box (89) can be approached and away from the air permeable strip (80).   27. Device according to any one of claims 23   to 26, characterized in that the displacement of the air box (89) is controlled by a rotary cam (92).   28. Device according to any one of claims 23   27, characterized in that the cam (92) and the shutter of the distributor   tor are mounted on the same axis of rotation.