FR2680164A1 - DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING A WORKING STATION IN FLAT PRODUCTS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for feeding a workstation with flat products, such as, for example, cardboard plates. It will find its application in particular in the field of cardboard. The device comprises a storage area (2) upstream, in which said products are stored in stacks, as well as an area (5) for layering in scales in which said products are taken one by one at the bottom of battery. This zone (5) has a vertical apron (6), able to keep the front face of the stack secured, and a laying plane (8) of the stack, the surface (13) of which is able to be set in motion towards apron. The apron and the laying plane define between them a space (10) through which the flat products thus removed are discharged. In addition, the device comprises at said laying plane and at the inlet thereof, a motorized roller (12), able to control the balance of the attached stack, and allow a regular distribution of the overlap of the products in the tortoiseshell tablecloth.

Description

The invention relates to a feeding device of a station of

work in flat products,

  such as for example cardboard plates.

  The invention will find particular application in many fields of industry where it is necessary to work such flat products in different workstations One of the applications of the present invention relates to the field of cardboard where it is common to form piles of blanks or cardboard plates which are then taken back and used to feed different machines such as for example chopping press, printing press, etc. In order to produce a sheet of flake from a stack of blanks or cardboard plates, document GB-1 404 839 discloses a device which enables the plates to be taken one by one from the bottom of the stack and to place them with overlap or overlap For this stack is placed vertically against a stop, at the bottom of the stack, and on a laying plane whose surface is suitable for

to be set in motion.

  A space is defined between the abutment and said laying plane such that when the latter is set in motion, the lower plate of the stack will move and pass through said space Au f ur and as this plate S ' will evacuate, the movement will be transmitted to the next plate and so on to form the sheet in shell. One of the problems encountered consists in the stability of the piles when they are brought to this zone of sheet-shaped flake and during this operation, because the equilibrium of the piles is precarious, because of the straightness of the stacking, the bad flatness of the cardboard plates constituting the pile, the start of the brutal movements, and if, no particular attention is brought, it is common to see collapse the piles. These collapses naturally affect the cost of the finished product because the loss of time thus caused has an impact on the labor force.

necessary for the finished product.

  To overcome this drawback, it is known to tilt the battery rearward and maintain the rear face of this battery, that is to say the one opposite the stop, via a support plate, retractable to allow the power supply of the device, in the manner of a "draw bridge" This complicates the realization of the power device, and is a limit for the rate of supply, and the universal use of several formats In addition, if the problem of stability is solved during the flaking process, the problem remains when handling the battery.

upstream of the device.

  That being so, the present applicant has devised a method and a device for supplying a flat product workstation from at least one stack of such products, such as, for example, blanks or cardboard plates, in which a storage area is formed at which the cells are substantially contiguous, all of said cells are moved to a separation zone in which a stack is secured, and the said products produced by the at the bottom of the pile, and the said products thus taken are transferred into a continuously moving flake sheet which is supported and directed towards the

work to feed.

  Under these conditions, in the storage area upstream of the device, the batteries are "touch-key" and form a stack of batteries in which not only the middle batteries are at risk absolutely nothing, but the first and last batteries backed others are good and have good stability in their

  progress, thus preventing collapse.

  To implement this method, the developed feeding device comprises an upstream storage area, in which the said products are arranged in stacks, which constitute in particular the said train of touch-key batteries, as well as a zone shell in which the said products are taken from one to

one at the bottom of the pile.

  This zone for forming a sheet of flake is for example constituted by a vertical apron, able to maintain the front face of the stack subject to the tablecloth zone, and a laying plane of the pile whose surface is able to be set in motion towards the apron, the latter

  and said laying plan defining between them a space beyond

  through which are evacuated flat products.

  It should be noted in these conditions that after presenting the first pile of the battery train against the deck, only then the last pile can collapse but being touch-key to all the others, they are one of them the other This makes it possible to mitigate the problems of collapse of the batteries during their handling and during

their setting in shell.

  In addition, this avoids the need for additional holding devices and allows to charge the batteries one after the other by making them travel the minimum distance, and especially without the need to separate them at the time of their transfer, nor to lift them

which would force them to separate them.

  It should also be noted that one advantage of such a method and device lies in the possibility of admitting a large number of products to be treated of untaxed dimensions, and of authorizing high rates. However, in some cases, such devices still suffer from some drawbacks and do not fully satisfy the fact that they do not have the possibility of ensuring a regular distribution of plates throughout the range of dimensions and different profiles of plates, to ensure universal use of the device, to allow the evacuation of defective or dirty plates in line and to authorize the distribution at a specific point to a workstation. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for supplying a workstation with flat products, such as, for example, cardboard plates, which makes it possible to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks in order to ensure perfect automation that can release the

  driver of the machine for other tasks.

  One of the aims of the present invention is to propose a device for supplying a workstation which makes it possible to use micro-corrugated cardboard plates, up to triple-fluted plates, with various formats and even small ones. dimensions, this in feed rates that can just go over

20,000 plates / hour.

  The present invention makes it possible to dispense with the routing or the approach of the stacks of unstable plates, allows storage in regular scale and allows the elimination of the bottom plates of piles without disturbing the storage shell or require a

  operator intervention on the flake tablecloth.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for supplying a workstation with flat products which does not require displacement of the batteries over a long distance and thus avoids their

inadvertent collapse.

  Another object of the present invention is to allow the adaptation of the feed device to a large number of products to be treated while keeping a precise positioning of the plate delivered at the workstation and further allowing access at said workstation without being generated by the power supply. Other purposes and advantages of this

  invention will appear during the description that will

  to follow, which is however only indicative and

which is not intended to limit it.

  According to the present invention, the feeding device of a flat products workstation such as for example cardboard plates, comprising an upstream storage area in which the said products are arranged in piles, and a zone in which the said products are taken one by one at the bottom of the stack, consisting of a vertical apron, able to hold the front face of the stack in the tablecloth forming zone, and a laying plan of the stack, whose surface is adapted to be moved towards the apron, said deck and said laying plan defining between them a space through which are evacuated flat products removed, is characterized by the fact that it comprises, at the level of said laying plane and at its entrance, a motorized roller, able to control the balance of the secured pile and allow a regular distribution of the

  overlap of the products of the slick tablecloth.

  According to another characteristic of the present invention, the device comprises, disposed downstream of the tableting zone, a transfer conveyor capable of continuing the translational movement of the thus formed flake web at this level, the device comprises in addition to means of evacuation of flat products

soiled or defective.

  Furthermore, according to another characteristic of the present invention, the device has means for adjusting the positioning of the delivered flat products.

output according to the format.

  The present invention will be better understood in

  reading of the following description accompanied by the drawings

  in an appendix, which form an integral part thereof.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of the device according to FIG.

present invention.

  FIG. 2 shows an embodiment variant

  of the device shown in FIG.

  Figure 3 shows schematically a profile view illustrating in detail the operation of the means for discharging soiled or defective flat products. FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of a device of the present invention and more particularly illustrates the means of evacuation of flat products and of transfer of

  these towards the nose of the powered workstation.

  The invention relates to a device for supplying a workstation with flat products, such as by

example of cardboard plates.

  Although it has been particularly developed in the field of cardboard, in order to handle blanks or cardboard plates, and to feed machines for processing such products, they could be applied to any other

  type of piles of flat products to handle.

  The solution proposed by the present invention makes it possible to automate the power supply of a workstation,

schematically in 1 in Figure 1.

  The feed device of the present invention is arranged between the workstation 1 to be fed and a storage area 2 in which the said products are arranged in stacks 3, advantageously stored.

in a contiguous manner.

  The storage area is for example constituted by a table 4 of conventional roller conveyor motorized or not, on which rest the batteries 3 in

  forming a "touch-key" battery train.

  This arrangement makes it possible to reinforce the stability of the various stacks, thanks to the contact of the lateral sides of said stacks. Thus, the collapse of the stacks is avoided.

  batteries because they support each other.

  Just at the exit of the storage area 2, the device comprises a zone 5 of tablecloth shell in which said products are collected one by one in

bottom of pile.

  This zone 5 is advantageously constituted by a vertical apron 6, able to hold the front face of the secured pile 7 in the lay-up zone 5, and of a laying surface 8 of the stack, the surface of which is suitable to be set in motion towards the apron, as simulates the

arrow 9 in the figures.

  In addition, the lower part of the apron 6 and the said laying plane 8 define between them a space 10 through which are evacuated the flat products removed.

to form the web 11.

  With the movement 9 caused at the level of the laying plane, the coefficient of adhesion between the product of the lower part of the stack in contact with the moving bearing surface 8, the coefficient of friction of the products between them, the inertia , as well as the space 10 left in the lower part of the vertical deck 6, the

  Products will be cut one by one from the bottom of the stack.

  In general, the product immediately in contact with the laying surface will be driven through the space 10 and then when the next higher product has a sufficiently large contact area with the laying plane, it will also be caused by overlapping overlapping products. However, in this case, the overlap is dependent on the nature of the plates, the height of the stack In addition, it should be noted that by this action, the

  battery tends to tilt from behind.

  This last disadvantage may not be detrimental in the case where the batteries on the storage area are arranged in "touch-key" Indeed, when we move the entire queue, step by step, to the zone 5 of tablecloth, the stack 7 subject will be supported by the first pile of the train arranged on the area

storage 2.

  Nevertheless, in order firstly to increase the equilibrium of the stack during shell formation and secondly to allow a regular distribution of the overlap, and hence of the flake sheet, the device of the present invention comprises, at level of said laying plane 8, and at the input thereof, a motorized roller 12. The said motorized entry roller 12 has height control means allowing it to be retracted in the plane or under the level of the laying plane 8, or to project it, according to an adjustable height, to raise the rear of the secured pile 7;

  this is particularly illustrated in the figures.

  FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment in which said laying plane 8 is constituted by an endless belt conveyor 13, above which said vertical apron 6 is provided, and the motorized roller 12 is provided on an arm 14, rotating about the axis 15 of the input pulley of said conveyor 13. The motorized roller 12 is placed at the zero level of the conveyor 13, as schematically dashed in Figure 3, to allow the passage of the stack that advances one step to come against the vertical deck 6 Then, just before this battery 7 comes to bear on the vertical deck, the motorized entry roller 12 is placed at a position, pre-set to in advance in order to

lift the back of the battery 7.

  It should be noted that according to the different types of blanks or cardboard plates, several positions can be programmed Similarly, in the case of a product with poor flatness, the operator can manually adjust the position of the roller to

to optimize the setting in shell.

  The motorized entry roller, on the one hand supports the rear of the secured pile, but engages the plates, one by one, by already shifting them on the belts of the conveyor 13 of flaking to give them a

regular overlap.

  This roller by its action avoids the irregular passages that are usually found In addition, this regularity of the scale is observed regardless of the height of the stack and regardless of the corresponding weight of the plates varying much between the beginning

and the end of stack.

  The embodiment of FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, concerning the motorized roller, which has just been described, is well suited for small and medium size blanks. On the other hand, in the case of large plates, the input roller can position on a vertical axis in order to, in the case of tiling on large formats,

  ability to respond to very abnormal cases.

  In this case, as shown particularly in Figure 2, the roller 12 is provided on a vertical arm 16, moved vertically including via a cylinder 17, placed upstream of the input pulley 15 of said

conveyor 13.

  The operation of the roll is similar to that described above, that is to say that the roll will be retracted to allow the passage of the stack and just before the stack comes to rest on the deck, the

Entrance roller will be lifted.

  This being so, to continue the movement in translation, shown diagrammatically at 16 in the figures, of the cloth 11 in flake thus formed, it is expected, downstream of the zone

  of tablecloth 5 a transfer conveyor 17.

  More specifically, it is, for example, an endless belt conveyor disposed in an inclined manner, as shown in particular in the figures, at the exit of the conveyor

  13 constituting said laying plan 8 mentioned above.

  Naturally, the synchronization of the movements is planned to avoid disturbing the established order at the level of the

shell tablecloth.

  Furthermore, according to the present invention, the device comprises means for discharging soiled or defective flat products.

  particularly illustrated in Figure 3.

  These evacuation means are on the one hand constituted by the transfer conveyor 17 and, on the other hand, means for causing a break 18 at the path of travel of the ply 11 between said transfer conveyor 17 and the conveyor 17. 5, 13. The means for causing the break 18 are in the form of a relative movement, shown schematically by the arrow 19 in FIG. 3, of the transfer conveyor 17 with respect to the said zone 5 of FIG. flaking, and more precisely with respect to the conveyor 13, allowing the lifting of the path of displacement at this level, in

thus defining a switch.

  If the conveyor 17 is raised, the ply 11 formed will continue horizontally as the arrow 20 simulates. Therefore, the plate (s) can be evacuated.

unwanted.

  To facilitate this evacuation, there are provided means 21 for braking the moving web 11 which may in particular be in the form of a pad 22 controlled. More specifically, this pad may be either capable of being completely raised from the sheet so as not to hinder its path, or able to be placed in abutment on the sheet, at the height of the product upstream of that or those to be evacuated, for curb the water table upstream while leaving the path of the plate (s) to be evacuated, as

schematizes it in figure 3.

  In other words, for example, in order to evacuate the bottom plate of the stack, the brake 21, 22 of the sheet descends and bears on the sheet 11, as soon as the first plate passes below At this moment, only the first plate continues its transfer, and as the transfer conveyor 17 is raised, the plate to be evacuated passes below to

  go to a reserve provided for this purpose.

  As soon as the plate to be eliminated has passed, the transfer conveyor 17 inclined returns to its normal low position to accommodate with the second plate in

head then the brake is raised.

  To facilitate the evacuation of the defective plate (s), downstream of the conveyor 13, and under the lifting end of the transfer conveyor 17, will be placed an endless continuous belt conveyor 23 which, in particular, will convey the defective plate (s). towards

a reserve 24.

  However, the device of the present invention also advantageously comprises means for adjusting the positioning of the output products whatever

the format used.

  These means are in the form of a triple adjustment, namely: a longitudinal adjustment of the vertical deck 6 with respect to the storage area, as simulated by the arrow, to admit more or less wide plates, a transverse adjustment of the flake zone 5, as simulated by the arrow 26, in order to make up for a misalignment of the products of the stack with respect to the system, a longitudinal adjustment of the transfer conveyor 17 with respect to the flaking zone 5, simulated by the arrow 27 in FIG. 4, to deliver the

  plates positioned in relation to the workstation 1.

  To authorize the longitudinal adjustment 25, provision will be made for a sliding assembly of the apron 6 on the

conveyor 13.

  To allow the transverse adjustment 26, the assembly 6, 13 can be provided at a carriage, movable relative to the ground, by means of rollers and running rails, perpendicularly

  in the sense of moving the web.

  To allow the longitudinal adjustment 27 of the conveyor 17, it will be provided at a displaceable carriage 28 sliding longitudinally relative to the

shelling area 5.

  In this respect, said transfer conveyor 17 may be constituted by an assembly of two conveyors 29, 30 with endless belt with continuous movement, mounted in articulation 31 on said sliding carriage 28, and subject to two systems 32, 33 of rotation of said two conveyors 29, 30 around the hinge 31 for lifting the conveyors, as simulate the lines in

dotted line in Figure 4.

  By way of example, the systems 32, 33 for rotating the conveyors will consist of a set of jacks mounted in articulation on the one hand on the frame 28 and on the other hand respectively on the conveyors 29 and 30. Thanks to the longitudinal adjustment 25, we will be able to adapt the device to the width of the format used, as

  suggest for example Figures 1 and 2.

  With the transverse adjustment 26, we will be able to authorize a centering of the stack to be charged with respect to

the axis of the workstation 1.

  Finally, depending on the width of the plates used, we will move back or advance more or less the trolley

  28 to position the nose of the feeder, that is,

  say the end 34, against the format, as shown in the

figure 4.

  It should be noted that the conveyor 23, provided at the switch for the evacuation of the defective plates will advantageously be used to allow the sliding of the carriage 28 relative to the zone 5 flaking shell so as not to cause of

  discontinuity due to this movement.

  FIG. 4 shows different positions of the end of the conveyor 17 in the low position, and also

  in the high position, according to the formats of the plates used.

  The entanglement of the two conveyors 17 and 23 will be made possible for example by using conveyors

with staggered belts.

  Furthermore, it should be noted that the longitudinal displacement of the carriage 28, and the lifting of the conveyors 29 and 30 will also be appreciated to have free access to the workstation without being spared by the infrastructure of the

  feeding device of the latter.

  Naturally, other implementations of the present invention within the reach of those skilled in the art, could have been envisaged, without departing from the

part of it.

Claims (10)

  A device for supplying a workstation with flat products, such as, for example, cardboard plates, comprising an upstream storage area (2) in which said products are arranged in stacks (3), as well as a zone (5) for forming a shell in which said products are taken one by one at the bottom of the stack, consisting of a vertical apron (6) adapted to hold the front face of the secured pile (7) in the tablecloth zone (5), and a laying plane (8) of the stack whose surface (13) is able to be set in motion (9) towards the apron (6), said apron (6) ) and said laying plane (8, 13) defining between them a space (10) through which drain flat products sampled, characterized in that it comprises, at said laying plane (8 ) and at the input thereof, a motorized roller (12) capable of controlling the equilibrium of the stack (7) and providing a regular distribution of overlaps of   produced in the slick tablecloth (11).   2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said motorized roller entry (12) has means (14; 16, 17) of height control for either retracting in the plane or below the level of laying plan (8), or to project it   to raise the back of the stack (7).   3 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said laying plane (8) is in the form of a conveyor (13) with endless belt above which said vertical apron (6) is provided, that the motorized roller (12) is provided on an arm (14) rotating about the axis (15) of the input pulley of the said   conveyor (13) according to an adjustable height.   4 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said laying plane (8) is in the form of a conveyor (13) endless belt above which is provided said apron (6) vertical, and that the motorized roller (12) is provided on a vertical arm (16), moved vertically upstream of the input pulley   said conveyor (13), according to an adjustable height.   Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (17, 18,   21) evacuation of soiled or defective flat products.   6 Device according to claim 5, characterized in that said means are in the form of: a transfer conveyor (17) disposed downstream of the zone (5) of tablecloth, able to continue the movement (16). ) in translation of the flake web (11) thus formed, means for causing a break (18) at the path of travel of the web (11) between the transfer conveyor (17) and the tablecloth zone ( 5, 13), means (21) for braking the moving web and allowing the evacuation of said product (s). soiled or defective dishes.   7 Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the said means for causing a break (18) is in the form of a relative movement (19) of the transfer conveyor (17) relative to the said area of bet in a web (5, 13) allowing the travel path to be raised to this level defining and a referral.   8 Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said means (21) for braking the web are in the form of a pad (22) adapted to be placed in abutment on the web (11) at the height of the product upstream of the one or those to be evacuated for braking the upstream sheet while allowing the continuation of the   path of the plate (s) to be evacuated.   9 Device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means (25, 26, 27) for adjusting the positioning of flat products   output, depending on the format.   Device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the said means are in the form of: a longitudinal adjustment (25) of the vertical apron (6) relative to the storage area (2), a setting (26) transverse of the zone (5) for forming a flake sheet, a longitudinal adjustment (27) of the transfer conveyor (17) relative to the zone (5) flaking. 11 Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said vertical apron (6) and laying plane (8, 13) are provided at a carriage movable transversely to the direction of movement of the web (11). to allow centering of the battery.   12 Device according to claim 10, characterized in that said transfer conveyor (17) is provided at a displaceable carriage (28) sliding longitudinally with respect to the placing area. in shell (5).   13 Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that said transfer conveyor (17) is constituted by an assembly of two conveyors (28, 30) endless belt with continuous movement, mounted in articulation (31) on the said carriage (28) slidable and secured to two systems (32, 33) of rotation of said two conveyors (29, 30) around the hinge (31)   allowing the lifting of the conveyors.