FR2544632A1 - Automatic flocking installation - Google Patents

Abstract

Installation intended for producing, in an entirely automatic manner, an integral coating by spraying fibres without subsequent finishing work. The articles, pre-coated with an adhesive paint, are suspended from a carousel-type circular transfer device 1 and are directed towards a flocking chamber 10 followed by a passage into a drying tunnel 11. The suspension means consist of radiating support arms (jibs) 2 at the free end of which a rod 4 swivels in a vertical-axis bearing 3, the hook-forming lower end of which rod receives a gripping element or pincer 5 subjected to the action of a spring, the jaws of which ensure point clamping. The rod 4 carries a turbine 7 subjected to the flow from a compressed-air diffusing nozzle 16 located on the front face of the flocking chamber presenting, by rotation, the suspended object on all its faces to the flow from an electrostatic gun 14 mounted so as to oscillate about a horizontal spindle 15, the conjugated action of the movements preventing any blind angle of the spray beam with respect to the object.

Description

-1 - The present invention relates to methods and means of setting

  work for performing so-called flocking operations consisting of coating objects by projection

fibers on an adhesive backing.

  This technique applies to objects of any shape and any destination and in particular to small subjects reproducing animals on which one wishes to imitate the hair This operation

  was previously carried out using a gun, the subject has recovered.

  being held in the hand and embedded in the flock, this for reasons of quality of the finish, no known process making it possible to avoid the lack or absence of flock in particular in difficult angles The low yield of this process essentially manual d and the difficult working conditions have

  leads to the search for a fully automated solution.

  This is how the electro-static process is currently known, making it possible to attract the flock to the subject previously coated with an adhesive material. The electro-static flock projection apparatus uses a source of compressed air to bring the flocks in an ionized zone, and a high voltage generator to electrically charge the flocks projected by means of an axial electrode placed at the end of the spray gun This electrode supplied with high voltage to create between it and the part to be flocked connected to the earth, an electric field causing ionization in the gun outlet area by effluvation ensures the electrical charge of the flocks The flocks contained in a storage capacity are taken in by the flow of compressed air passing through the annular volume of the gun, the flocks are

  oriented vertically along the lines of force of the electric field

  stick and accelerated by it to lead normally to the

  piece to be flocked, thus achieving perfect electro- projection

  static The object to be flocked is either held in place with a pin or placed on a grid. In the first case, the subject must be previously perforated; even if the perforation is carried out on the less conspicuous side of the subject, its lower side for example, this arrangement is however detrimental to a good marketing of the product in the state, due to the lack of covering on this part of the subject, which involves a manual leveling operation, the same is true in the second case; to the non-flocked lower surfaces are added those which are not accessible and which are located in blind spots relative to the diffusion zone of the flocking gun. -2- l.'in E tallction, according to the invention, makes it possible to avoid these drawbacks In the latter it is indeed possible to ensure an integral coating of the objects during a single passage of them- here at the flocking station, this operation carried out in a fully automatic manner requiring no subsequent intervention

smoother.

  The installation, object of the invention, consists of a circular transfer device of the carousel type allowing, from a single station, to carry out the successive operations of adhesive coating of the objects, their introduction into a flocking booth. , their passage through a drying tunnel and their removal

  of the carousel for their transport to a downstream post, of decoration

  tion or packaging, for example The flocking booth includes a flock projector device, a high-voltage generator, a flock recovery unit, as well as a device for orienting the objects to be flocked. The objects are fixed on the cairousel of transfer, by means of free suspension devices rotating around a vertical axis This rotation is obtained by the action of a nozzle diffusing dormant under pressure towards a turbine integral with the axis of rotation of the suspension device The diffusion nozzle is placed slightly upstream of the flock projector device * its action is exerted above the fiber projection area so that the flows from the nozzle and the spray gun do not contradict each other The suspension device consists at the bottom of a sort of gripper whose beaks with tapered points ensure good support for the object, which points can for example e, in the case of animal reproduction flocking, being housed in the orifices of the ears thereof, without leaving any traces Prior to its attachment to such a device, the object is soaked in a bath of adhesive paint; before entering the flocking booth, it undergoes a first jet of air from above, this in order to remove excess paint and recover it. The combined action of the rotation of the hanging device and the alternating tilting of the flocking spray gun in a vertical plane ensures, by the absence of a blind spot, an integral coating of the objects, The attached drawings illustrate by way of example, an embodiment of an installation in accordance with the present invention, 4 oo These represent in FIG. 1, a top view of the entire installation, in FIG. 2, a perspective view of an object suspension device,

  in Figure 3, an elevation-sectional view of a flocking cabin.

  As shown, the flocking installation consists of a circular transfer device 1 of the carousel type driven in continuous rotation about a vertical axis: on this device are regularly distributed radiating brackets 2 at the free end of which is located a bearing 3 with a vertical axis in which the axis of the axis of a suspension device 4 revolves, this consists of a metallic cylindrical rod whose lower end is bent in the shape of a hook to receive a gripping element 5 in the form of pliers whose

  branches subjected to the action of a return spring 6 are reali-

  seated from a metal rod whose ends are tapered so as to ensure a punctual tightening of the objects: in the particular case of subjects representing animals, the tips of the branches of the pliers can be housed in the orifice of the ears On the axis of the suspension device 4 is fixed a turbine 7, the rotor of which consists of a series of blades

  welded to the side faces of a Complementary polygonal ring

  taire this transfer device, are associated with a common station 9 for hanging and unhooking objects, a flocking enclosure 10, and a drying tunnel 11 The station 9 has a ba <

  12 immersion of the objects in a bath of adhesive paint reaching

  nant to a paint excess recovery tank 13: the objects leaving the tank 12 are in fact exposed to a pressurized air flow from a nozzle placed above the tank 13 and diffusing vertically downwards The objects are then suspended from each bracket to reach the flocking enclosure 10: this is in the form of a cabin placed in the field of circulation of the objects The transverse walls of the cabin have a cut-out corresponding as closely as possible to the profile overall dimensions of the suspension 4 and gripping devices 5 The front face of the cabin carries the flock projection device consisting of an electro-static gun 14 mounted oscillating around a horizontal axis 15 so as to allow angular diffusion in a vertical plane located substantially in the median plane of the cabin On the same front face of the

  cabin is also fixed an air diffusion nozzle under pressure

  sion 16 whose action is exerted on the fin of the turbine 7 of each suspension device in order to give the latter a -4- rotational movement This action is exerted in Gmont of the plon of diffusion of the electro gun -stotic 14 and at a level located above the upper point of projection of said gun so as to avoid any interference of the flows of the nozzle 16 and of the gun 14 The flockcge enclosure is connected in upper and lower parts respectively by lines 17 and 18 to a collector

  19 returning to a flock storage tank: this arrangement

  tion makes it possible to recover the fibers which could not adhere to the object to be treated Finally, the cabin is connected to an energy source

  electric or high voltage generator supplying the gun.

  electro-static to ensure the load of the flock At the exit of the flocking enclosure the objects enter the tunnel 11 whose length corresponds substantially to half of the path traveled by the objects treated between the attachment points

  and stall representing a carousel ride.

  An installation as described, comprising for example ninety clamps, allows the treatment of as many objects in a time limited to about a quarter of an hour, the flocking operation by itself not exceeding two to three seconds the

  objects being at the exit of the tunnel completely dry and manipu-

lables.

  The invention is not limited to special embodiments.

  described, but it covers all possible variants, provided that these are not in contradiction with

  the subject of each of the claims appended hereto

description.

  The installation, object of the invention, can be used for all flocking operations and more particularly those concerning subjects reproducing animals with small

ladder.

-5 -

Claims (5)

CLAIMS -   1. Flocking installation intended to produce a fully automatic coating without any subsequent patching operation by spraying fibers onto objects suspended from a circular transfer device of the carrouse type: (1) on the occasion of a only rotation compared to a commur station   (9) loading and unloading, said objects prior-   ment coated with an adhesive paint before being taken care of by the carousel being transported in their path towards a flocking enclosure (10) followed by a passage in a drying tunnel (11), characterized in that the carousel comprises suspenslon means cooperating with means equipping the flocking cabin   to avoid any blind spot in the projection beam.   2. Flocking installation according to claim 1, charac-   characterized in that the circular transfer device of the carousel type with vertical axis of rotation comprises, regularly distributed, radiating brackets (2) at the free end of which a bearing (3) of vertical axis is provided in which it pivots the axis of a suspension device (4) consisting of a cylindrical rod whose lower end curved in the shape of a hook receives a gripping element (5) in the form of pliers whose branches subjected to the action of a return spring (6) are made from a metal rod whose ends are tapered so as to ensure a punctual tightening of the objects, the suspension device (4) comprising a drive means in rotation about its axis vertical so as to present all the faces of the object suspended from the flow of the pistol flock projection.   3. Flocking installation according to claims 1 and 2,   taken together, characterized in that the drive means in   rotation of the suspension device (4) about its vertical axis   cal is a turbine (7) whose rotor consists of a series of blades welded on the lateral faces of a polygonal ring fixed on the axis of the device, which turbine is subjected to the flow of a diffusion nozzle of compressed air (16) located on the   front face of the flocking enclosure (10).   4. Flocking installation according to claims 1, 2   and 3, characterized in that the flocking enclosure (10) comprises an electrostatic gun (14) mounted oscillating around a horizontal axis (15) so as to allow an angular diffusion of flock in a vertical plane located substantially in the median plane of the enclosure, the combined action of the rotation of the suspension device and the alternating tilting of the pistol ensuring an integral coating of the objects by absence of blind spots of the projection beam, relative to the object .   5. Flocking installation according to claims 1, 2,   3 and 4 taken together, characterized in that the compressed air diffusion nozzle (16) acting on the turbine (7) for rotating the suspension device (4) exerts its action upstream of the diffusion plane of flock of the electrostatic pistol (14) and at a level situated above the upper point of projection of said pistol so as to avoid any interference from the flows of the nozzle (16) and of the pistol (14) o