FR2585982A1 - Installation for manufacturing slaty products, such as slates, covering or decorative elements - Google Patents

Abstract

a. Installation for manufacturing slaty products. b. Installation characterised in that it comprises a device 1 for feeding raw blocks 2, a primary sawing device 3, a secondary sawing device 5 for sawing into slabs 7, at least one splitting machine 8, a trimming device 9, a packaging station 10, 11 and a transfer installation 6, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19. c. The invention relates to the manufacture of slates.

Description

"Installation for the production of slate products,
such as slates, cladding elements or
of decoration ".

 The invention relates to an installation for manufacturing slate products, such as slates, covering or decorative elements.

 The manufacture of slates involves a certain number of operations made partly with machines and partly by hand. The operations of handling and transporting blocks, parts of blocks, starting again, splitting, (slates before rounding), then slates between the various manufacturing stations, from the entrance to the factory Until packaging, are painful operations and take a long time.

 The relatively high cost of slate products resulting from these different work operations, load breaks, etc. do not allow them to compete with terracotta covering products (tiles, etc.) which can be manufactured in a much more industrial way and with human intervention reduced to a minimum.

 The object of the present invention is to create a plant for manufacturing slate products which makes it possible to automate this manufacture in order to make manufacturing more efficient, reduce human intervention and result in products making it possible to compete with products already produced almost automatically, such as ceramic, concrete, etc. coating products

To this end, the invention relates to an installation, characterized in that it comprises
- a device for supplying raw blocks from the quarry,
a primary debitage device receiving the raw blocks from the supply device for debiting them,
- a secondary debitage device receiving the blocks of the primary debitage device for debiting them again,
- at least one slitting machine for splitting up,
- a device for rounding the slits,
- a slate conditioning station,
- a transfer installation formed by a first part connecting the primary debitage station to the secondary debitage station, and a second part for the transport of the parts, then the slices and finally slates from the secondary debitage station to the slitting machine then at the rounding device and at the packaging station, this second part of the installation comprising trays for transporting the products (starting again, split and slate).

 This installation makes it possible to reduce handling work and, more generally, tedious and long work at the level of product transfers, to arrive at a very automatic manufacturing between the reception of shale blocks from the quarry and the packaging of finished products. , by limiting human intervention to selection, choice and ordering operations.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the second part of the transfer installation comprises a first transfer means connecting the secondary debitage device to a storage area or to at least one transfer line supplying a slitting machine.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the installation comprises a distribution means receiving the parts of the first transfer means and putting them on plates circulating on the feed lines of the slitting machines.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the product transport plate is composed of a horizontal receiving plate, on a vertical side bordering the plate and carrying a spacing stopper as well as an arm-shaped holding member. pivotally connected to the receiving plate and applying the product against the vertical side of the tray.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the arm provided with a roller at its free end is connected to the plate by a return spring fixed so as to retain the arm either in the open position or in the closed position, these two limit positions being separated by an unstable position.

 The product transport tray, which follows the products from the state of reparton to the state of finished or semi-finished products, constitutes a very important element of the manufacturing installation because this tray allows to cross different devices manufacturing without load break. This plate standardizes the elements transported by the transfer means since the dimensions of the parts (dimensions which vary in the direction of the thickness) do not intervene in the transfer of the products.

 I1 results in a considerable simplification of the transfer and transport operations since only the size of the plate intervenes and all the plates are identical.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the transfer line comprises, upstream of the slitting machine, an accumulation device capable of receiving several trays loaded with repartons and comprising a retractable retaining stop, as well as a centering means let's go again.

 The accumulation device is an important element of the installation because this accumulation device makes it possible to absorb the irregular flow of the devices or stations upstream of the slitting machine.

This also makes it possible to compensate for supply shortages or to ensure supply either from the primary and secondary debitage devices, or from the reserve of departures from the storage area. This accumulation device in which the trays loaded with repartons remain stationary at least for a certain time, is used to center the repartons on the trays, themselves guided in their trajectory. This makes it possible to place the plate and, above all, the reparton in an ideal position in the slitting machine.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the centering means is formed by two arms pivoting in a vertical plane transverse to the direction of travel of the plates, these arms being connected to a control jack and the free end of the arms is fitted with a pad to come to bear against the sides of the spreads and align them in the axis of travel.

 This embodiment of the centering device is particularly simple, reliable, for the conditions of use and operation of the installation.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the accumulation device is composed of an endless conveyor two driven roller chains, the upper strands of which form the accumulation surface, as well as a thrust member for transferring at each cycle a tray of the accumulation device in the slitting machine.

 This embodiment of the accumulation device is very robust for the operating conditions, in particular dust and slate debris which thus have no tendency to cling to the various organs of the accumulation device.

 As also, the accumulation device comprises retaining members, the pushing member constituted by a jack provided with a retractable cleat, ensures the transfer of each plate released from the retaining members towards the slitting machine.

The present invention will be described in more detail using an embodiment of an installation shown in the accompanying drawings in which
FIG. 1 is an overview of the installation,
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of an accumulation device upstream of the slitting machine,
FIG. 3 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 is a view along IV-IV of FIG. 2,
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along VV of FIG. 2,
FIG. 6 is an elevation view of a tray loaded with a part,
FIG. 7 is a left view of FIG. 6,
FIG. 8 is a schematic detail view of the passage means between the second and third parts of the transfer circuit,
- Figure 9 is a diagram of the circuit of the product transport trays.

 According to FIG. 1, the installation for manufacturing slate products, in particular slates or covering or decorative elements, comprises a device 1 for supplying rough blocks 2 coming from the quarry.

 Following the device 1 is a primary debitage device 3, which debit the block 2 in slices 4 for example, parallel to the block cleavage plane.

 This primary debitage device 3 is followed in the installation represented by two secondary debitage devices 5, placed at each end of a conveyor 7 alternately transferring the blocks 4 to one or the other of the secondary debitage devices 5. The devices 5 debit the blocks 4 into parts 7, perpendicular to the cleavage plane. These repartons 7 are intended to be split in the slitting machines 8 which ensure the cleavage of the repartons into plates the thickness of a tiny slate (plate called "slits"), transferred to a rounding device 9 which works the edges split and give slates or similar products.

 After the rounding device 9, the products are transferred to a packaging station 10 to be placed, for example, on pallets 11.

 The various devices 5, 8, 9, 10 are connected by a transfer installation formed by a first means 6 connecting the primary debitage station 3 to the secondary debitage stations 5 and a second means 12 for the transfer of the parts 7 and a third means 14 for transferring the slits and slates to the slitting machine 8 then to the rounding device 9 and to the conditioning device 10. This third means 14 of the transfer installation comprises trays for transporting products.

 In more detail, the second means 12 of the transfer installation comprises a conveyor connecting the secondary debitage devices 5, either to a storage area 13, or to the lines of the second transfer means 14 supplying the slitting machines 8 then the rounding device 9 and the packaging device 10.

 The first transfer means 12 is constituted by a roller track or a combination of roller tracks and conveyors. This first transfer means 12 supplies the storage area 13 with handling belts 15, two of which are shown in FIG. 1.

These strips and the storage area occupy the entire surface inside the loop formed by the transfer means 12.

This transfer means 12 also supplies the lines 14 or third means, via one or two distributors 16 which will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 8. These distributors 16 movable in the transverse direction, ensure the connection between the transfer means 12 and the inlet of the transfer lines 14. A distributor 16 can thus be associated with several lines 14.

 Upstream of the slitting machines 8, the transfer lines 14 each comprise an accumulator 17 which will be described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 5.

 The transfer lines 14 are also equipped with trays for transporting the products between the distributors 16 and the packaging device 10 at the machine outlet. These plates will be described in relation to FIGS. 6 and 7.

 Finally, according to FIG. 9, the means for returning and circulating the plates will be described.

 On leaving the slitting machines 8, each line 14 is subdivided respectively into two branches 18 and 19 depending on the quality of the slits. The lines 18 end at the automatic rounding device 9 while the lines 19, corresponding to products of lower quality or having irregularities, are grouped together on lines 20 ending at manual rounding stations 21.

The automatic rounding station 9 and the manual rounding stations 21 all lead to the packaging device 10, subdivided into two parts 10A and lOB, one for the products coming from the rounding device 9, the other for the products coming from the manual rolling stations 21.

 The accumulation device 14 will be described below with the aid of FIGS. 2 to 5.

 According to Figure 2, the accumulation device 14 consists of a frame 22 carrying a double roller chain 23 rotating around idler pulleys 24 mounted on an axis 25 itself carried by a movable assembly 26, housed in guides 27 making it possible to tension the conveyor by screws or springs 28.

 This conveyor is driven by a motor 30 and a transmission 31, protected by a casing, attacking the other return pulley 32.

 This accumulation device 14 also includes two retractable stops 32, each controlled by a jack 33. These lock stops 32 of the carriages are placed on either side of the device 14.

 Upstream of the retractable stops 32 is a centering device constituted by two arms 34, also provided on the sides of the device and each carrying a pad 35 for centering the distribution on the plate which is located directly upstream of the stops 32. The stops 32 and the centering device will be described in detail using FIGS. 4 and 5.

 Figures 2 and 3 also show the thrust cylinder 36 placed in the axis of the device, parallel to the direction of circulation of the products. The rod of the jack carries a retractable cleat 37 making it possible to push the plates towards the slitting machine which is located to the right of the device 14 according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

 The stroke of the jack 36 corresponds to the length of a plate so that when the piston returns, the cleat 37 can be positioned behind the plate waiting in front of the stops 32 in the working position. When the slitting machine 8 sends an instruction to the control circuit indicating that the slitting operation is complete, the control circuit retracts the stops 32 and controls the jack 36 which, by its cleat 37, pushes the plate into the machine 8 during this movement, the plate loaded with slits is evacuated from the machine 8.

 Depending on the operating mode of the installation, there may be a plate in the intermediate position on standby, downstream of the stops 32, a plate which will then be pushed into the machine and replaced by the plate directly pushed by the jack 36.

 FIG. 2 shows trays loaded with waiting departures on the device 14.

 According to Figure 4, the centering device upstream of the stops 32 consists of two arms 34 articulated around the axes 38 housed in bearings 39. These arms 34 are integral with arms 40 connected to a lug 41 carried by the rod 42 of the piston of the cylinder 43. This vertical cylinder 43 is preferably located in the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the machine.

 Figure 4 also shows the cylinder 36 and the two roller pins 23 on the left and right forming the supports for the trays. The upper strands also carry a tray. On either side of the upper strands of the chains 23, a guide rule 44 is provided for the plates, the bottom 45 of which appears in FIG. 4.

 Figure 4 shows in solid lines the centering position of the arms 34 and the pads 35 in solid lines. The open position of these arms is shown in phantom.

 FIG. 5 shows the retractable stops 32 provided downstream of the centering device, so as to retain the line of trays loaded with repartons. These retractable stops 32 are located on either side of the accumulation device 14, so that in the non-retracted position (shown in dotted lines), these stops come above the path of the double roller track 23, to lean against the trays loaded with repartons. These retractable stops 32 are pivotally mounted on horizontal axes 46, the second branch 47 of the stops being respectively connected to the rod 48 of a jack 49, vertical, fixed on each side of the machine.

 FIG. 5 also shows the motor 30 for driving the double roller chain 23. The distribution plate for spreads 7 will be described below in relation to FIGS. 6 and 7. This plate consists of a receiving plate 51 , .horizontal, bordered at its front part by a vertical side 52, fixed to the plate 51 by extensions or lugs 53. This vertical side 52 is furnished with an elastic plate 53 against which the part 7 rests.

The side 52 also includes an elastic stop 54, for example in the shape of a cone, connected to this side by a screw connection 55.

 This stop 54 makes it possible to push the plates relative to one another while maintaining a spacer between them while facilitating or allowing the introduction into this interval of the stopper 37 of the jack 36.

 On the other side, the plate 51 carries an upright 56 to which an arm 57 is connected by a hinge 58.

The free end of the arm 57 is provided with a roller 59. A spring 60 is fixed by one end to a latching axis 61 carried by the arm 57 and to a latching axis 62 carried by the upright 56.

 Preferably, the upright 56 has a U-shaped section, open on the side facing the part 7, and the axis 58 is in fact constituted by an axis in two parts. The arm 57 also preferably has a U-shaped section, each lateral branch of which is connected to the corresponding lateral branch of the upright 56 by the link 58.

Thus, the interior of the U-shaped section of the arm 57 and of the upright 56 makes it possible to receive the spring 60 so as to allow the tilting of the arm 57 between a position of support against the part 7 (whatever the thickness of the latter) and an open position of the arm 57, passing through an unstable position, the other two positions being stable. This intermediate position of unstable equilibrium corresponds substantially to the line X-X.

 Indeed, when the arm 57 is on the right side of the line XX according to FIG. 6, the spring 60 applies the roller 59 against the reparton 7. Conversely, when the arm 57 is beyond the line XX, the spring 60 tends to keep the arm in this open position.

 These two positions (closing and opening the arm 57) are necessary, one to maintain the part 7, the other to open the arm of the tray during the evacuation of the products to allow the tray to be reloaded.

 FIG. 7 shows, in more detail, the mounting of the arm 57 on the upright 58 and, in particular, the left part of the articulation provided by the two screw connections 58.

 FIG. 8 shows the dispenser 16 constituted by a carriage 70 movable perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 8 in front of the transfer means 12. This carriage is, for example, driven manually on a guide bar 71 and is guided in its lower part by a rail 72. This carriage comprises rollers 73 with an axis perpendicular to the plane of the figure, that is to say parallel to the corresponding part of the transfer means 12. A pushing member 74, shown diagrammatically by a jack whose rod has a pusher 75, pushes a part 7 of the transfer means 12 on the passage means 16 then from this, to tilt the part 7 in the direction of arrow A in the plate 76 whose arm is open. Then his arm is pressed against the reparton 7. The transfer of the trays responsible for the repartons is done as shown on the right side of FIG. 8.

 FIG. 9 shows diagrammatically the circulation of the plates 76, charged with starting again 7 and the empty plates in return. The loaded trays circulate on the transfer line 14 shown diagrammatically by an endless conveyor. At the end of this transfer line, at the level of the packaging device, an exchanger 77 places the empty trays open on a conveyor 78 ensuring the return of the empty trays to the distributors 16.

 In the example above, the conveyor 12 consists of a roller track for collecting the parts. The distributor 16 is movable along the conveyor, the parts passing from one to the other by sliding on the rollers of 12 and rolling on those of 16.

Claims (8)

 1) Installation for manufacturing slate products, such as slates, coating or decorative elements, etc., installation characterized in that it comprises  - a feed device (1) for raw blocks (2) from the quarry,  - a primary debitage device (3) receiving the raw blocks (2) from the feed device (1) to debit them,  a secondary debitage device (5) receiving the blocks (4) from the primary debitage device (3) for debiting them in parts (7),  - at least one slitting machine (8) spreads out (7) in splits,  - a device for rounding (9) the slits,  - a slate conditioning station (10, 11),  a transfer installation formed by a first part (6) connecting the primary debitage station (3) to the secondary debitage station (5), and a second part (12, 14, 16, 17, 18,  19) for the transport of the parts (7) then the slits and finally the slates from the secondary debitage station (5) to the slitting machine (8) then to the rounding device (9) and to the packaging station (10, 11 ), this second part of the installation comprising trays (45) for transporting the products (starting again, splits and slates).  2) Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the second part of the transfer installation comprises a first transfer means (12) connecting the secondary debitage device (5) to a storage area or to at least one line transfer (14) feeding a slitting machine (8).  3) Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a distribution means (16) receiving the parts (7) of the first transfer means (12) and putting them on plates (45) circulating on the lines d 'feed (14) of the slitting machines (8).  4) Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport plate (45) of the products is composed of a receiving plate (51) horizontal, a vertical side (52) bordering the plate (51) and carrying a spacer (54) and an arm-shaped holding member (57) pivotally connected (58) to the receiving plate (51, 56) and applying the product (7) against the vertical side (52 ) from the tray.  5) Installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the arm (57) provided with a roller (59) at its free end is connected (58) to the plate by a return spring (60) fixed so as to retain the arm (57) either in the open position or in the closed position, these two limit positions being separated by an unstable position.  6) Installation according to claim 2, characterized in that the transfer line (14) comprises upstream of the slitting machine an accumulation device (17) capable of receiving several plates (45) charged with repartons and comprising a stop retractable retainer (32), as well as a centering means (34, 35) of the parts (7).  7) Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the centering means is formed of two arms (34) pivoting in a vertical plane transverse to the direction of travel of the plates (45), these arms (34) being connected to a control jack (43) and the free end of the arms is provided with a shoe (35) to come to bear against the sides of the repartons (7) and align them in the running axis.  8) Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the accumulation device (16) is composed of an endless conveyor with two roller chains (23), driven whose upper strands form the accumulation surface, thus that a thrust member (36, 37) for transferring at each cycle a plate (45) of the accumulation device (16) in the slitting machine (8).