GB2042411A - Manufacture of flatware - Google Patents

Abstract

The peripheral edge of an article of flatware F is rounded by supporting the article on its edge on a pair of rotating wiper rollers 12, each roller having a resiliently deformable surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Manufacture of flatware This invention relates to a method of, and apparatus for use in the, manufacture of pottery flatware.

The manufacture of pottery flatware, such as plates, involves the step of cutting the flatware to the desired peripheral shape, often circular but not always circular, by a cutting tool. This leaves the flatware with a square edge having sharp corners and this square edge has then to be rounded. Hitherto the rounding has been done either by hand or, more recently, by machines. The machines have been of varying types but all include at least one roller having a resiliently deformable surface and the flatware and the roller being arranged to be moved relative to each other in a predetermined path.

For example, a plate has been mounted on a turntable which rotates the plate about a vertical axis normal to the general plane of the plate and the roller, which has a generally cylindrical surface, has been rotated about its cylindrical axis which has been arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the plate. The roller has been caused to rotate so that its peripheral speed is different to that of the plate and in addition the plate or roller has been isolated in the direction of its axis of rotation. In order not to distort the circular shape of the plate it has been necessary to set up the machine very carefully both with regard to the distance between the axes of the turntable and the roller and also with regard to the position of the plate centrally on the turntable.

If flatware of non-circular peripheral shape is to be treated a more complicated machine is required in which the roller and table are caused to move in a relative path which follows the non-circular periphery of the flatware.

Such machines are complicated to manufacture and hence are expensive and in addition require considerable care and expertise in setting up and in use.

Objects of the invention are to provide a new and improved method of, and apparatus for use in the, manufacture of flatware such as plates and in particular for rounding the peripheral edge of the flatware.

According to one aspect of the invention we provide a method of rounding the peripheral edge of an article of flatware comprising the step of supporting the article of flatware on its peripheral edge on at least two wiper rollers, at least one of the rollers having a resiliently deformable surface at least where engaged by the edge of the flatware and causing rotation of the rollers and hence of the article of flatware and hence causing rounding of the peripheral edge of the article of flatware as a result of the reaction between the edge and the deformable surface as the surface is deformed as the roller and article of flatware rotate.

According to another aspect of the invention we provide a machine for rounding the peripheral edge of an article of flatware comprising at least two wiper rollers mounted for rotation about axes inclined to the vertical so as to permit the article of flatware to be supported, on its peripheral edge on the rollers, at least one of the rollers having a resiliently deformable surface and there being drive means to rotate at least one of the rollers.

The wiper rollers may both have a resiliently deformable surface and the deformable surface of the or each roller may comprise a sponge material.

The rollers may be cylindrical.

The axes of rotation of the rollers may be parallel and lie side by side in a horizontal plane.

Means may be provided to cause axial movement of an article of flatware along the rollers.

Said means may comprise an abutment member adapted to engage the surface of the article and the abutment member being movable in said axial direction.

The abutment member may comprise a guide roller and may have a resiliently deformable surface such as a sponge material.

Alternatively the abutment member may comprise first and second guide rollers mounted for rotation about a common axis, the first guide roller being arranged to abut the article of flatware on one side of a radial line extending from its axis of rotation, and the second guide roller being arranged to abut the article of flatware on the other side of said line, so that, in use, the first guide roller will rotate in an opposite direction to the second guide roller.

This arrangement is particularly suitable for non-circular flatware although it may be used with circular flatware.

Conveyor means may be provided at the end of the wiper rollers along which the articles of flatware are caused to move, to transport the articles of flatware from the wiper rollers to a discharge position.

Means may be provided to apply water to the sponge surface of the or each wiper roller at a circumferential position after the surface of the roller has become disengaged from the article of flatware, and means may be provided to remove the thus applied water from the or each wiper roller at a circumferential position prior to engagement of the flatware by the roller whereby the surface of the roller is cleaned by the water after engagement with the article of flatware and then substantially dried before re-engagement with the article of flatware.

The invention will now be described in more detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying the invention; Figure 2 is an end view of the machine of Fig. 1, partly broken away for clarity; Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view of a machine similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 but having an alternative abutment member.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a base 10 on which a tank 11 is supported. Within the tank 11 a pair of cylindrical wiper rollers 1 2 are mounted on shafts 1 3 for rotation about parallel axes which are spaced in side by side relationship in a horizontal plane. The rollers 1 2 are each provided with a surface layer of sponge rubber to provide a resiliently deformable surface.At their one ends the shafts 1 3 carry spockets 1 4 which are interconnected by a continuous chain 1 5 whilst one of the shafts 1 3 carries a further sprocket 1 6 connected by a further chain 1 7 to a sprocket 1 8 carried on a drive shaft 1 9 of an electric drive motor 20.

Thus the wiper rollers 1 2 can be rotated by the motor 20. In the example described in the Figures the rollers 1 2 are rotated at the same speed but, if desired, by appropriate choice of the relative diameters of the sprockets 14, one of the rollers can be caused to rotate faster than the other. Water supply pipes 21 are provided and have nozzles which provide a jet of water onto the surface layer of the rollers 1 2 and squeejee rollers 22 are provided to compress the sponge layer of the rollers 1 2 and to squeeze the water therefrom.

An abutment member comprising a PVC or foam covered guide roller 23 for example, is provided on the end of an arm 24 mounted on the top of the tank 11. The arm 24 is fixed and an article of flatware F is arranged to be supported by the rollers 23. The guide roller 23 is adjustable so that, in use, its axis is in a common plane with the rotational axis of the rotating flatware. If desired, a further guide roller 25 may be provided to act on the other side of the article of flatware F to ensure that the article remains in a substantially vertical plane. In practice it is found however that the guide roller 25 is not required.

In Fig. 3, there is shown an alternative abutment member comprising first and second guide rollers 30, 31 respectively, mounted for rotation about a common axis on a spindle 32. The first guide roller 30 abuts the flatware F on one side of a radial line extending from its rotational axis, and the second guide roller 31 abuts the flatware F on the other side of the radial line.

Thus it will be appreciated that as the flatware is rotated by rollers 12, guide rollers 30 and 31 will be rotated on spindle 32 oppositely.

Preferably, as shown, the spindle 32 is substantially parallel to the horizontal plane of the shafts 1 3 of the wiper rollers 12, although it may be inclined if desired.

In both of the examples described a plurality of guide rollers 23 and, if desired, guide rollers 25, or pairs of guide rollers 30, 31 are provided at spaced positions axially of the rollers 1 2 so that a plurality of articles of flatware may be treated simultaneously, although only a single guide roller 23 and pair of guide rollers 30, 31 are shown.

In a further embodiment, not illustrated, a plurality of guide rollers 23 or pairs of guide rollers 30, 31 may be provided, the arms 24, or spindles 32 thereof being arranged to be moved axially along the rollers 1 2 so that the articles of flatware can be transported along the rollers 1 2. At the far end of the rollers 1 2 suitable conveying means may be provided to remove the articles of flatware F therefrom and transport them to a discharge position.

In this further embodiment, if desired, the nature of the surface of the rollers may vary along the axial length thereof, for example the resilience of the surface may be different in different zones.

In use, an article of flatware F is placed on the wiper rollers 1 2 as shown in the Figures and is maintained in a substantially vertical plane by means of the guide rollers 23 and, if desired, the guide rollers 25 or the pair of guide rollers 30 and 31. The rotation of the rollers 1 2 and the reaction between the resiliently deformable surface of the wiper rollers 1 2 and the peripheral edge of the article F as the surface is caused to be continuously deformed to accommodate the peripheral edge causes rounding of the edges.

Because the article of flatware F is supported on the wiper rollers 1 2 and only the force of gravity acts on the article F to bias it downwardly there is no requirement for any setting up of the wiper rollers to be adopted.

The rollers 1 2 can accommodate a wide range of diameter of flatware, the only essential requirement being, of course, that the distance between the wiper rollers 1 2 is not greater than the diameter of the article of flatware.

The apparatus described hereinbefore may be utilised with articles of flatware of circular or non-circular peripheral shape, for example oval or substantially square plates with rounded corners although the support arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is particularly applicable to non-circular flatware.

Although in the examples described hereinbefore two wiper rollers each with resiliently deformable surfaces have been described, it is thought that only one wiper roller need be provided with a resilient surface. Also, if desired, more than two wiper rollers may be provided, particularly if the wiper rollers in excess of two are resiliently biased into en gagement with the article of flatware F.

In apparatus described hereinbefore for treating a plurality of articles of flatware simultaneously, two pairs of wiper rollers may be provided within the apparatus arranged axially or side by side, the arrangement being such that one pair of the rollers may be in use rounding peripheral edges whilst the other pair are being unloaded and loaded. If desired appropriate manual or time switch means may be provided to control the motor 20 of the or each pair of wiper rollers.

Although in the above described examples, the use of an electric drive motor together with a sprocket and chain drive has been described, it should be appreciated that the wiper rollers may be driven by any suitable drive means.

Claims (12)

1. A method of rounding the peripheral edge of an article of flatware comprising the step of supporting the article of flatware on its peripheral edge on at least two wiper rollers at least one of the rollers having a resiliently deformable surface at least where engaged by the edge of the flatware and causing rotation of the rollers and hence of the article of flatware and hence causing rounding of the peripheral edge of the article of flatware as a result of the reaction between the edge and the deformable surface as the surface is deformed as the roller and article of flatware rotate.

2. A machine for founding the peripheral edge of an article of flatware comprising at least two wiper rollers mounted for rotation about axes inclined to the vertical so as to permit the article of flatware to be supported, on its peripheral edge on the rollers, at least one of the rollers having a resiliently deformable surface and these being drive means to rotate at least one of the rollers.

3. The invention according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the wiper rollers both have a resiliently deformable surface.

4. The invention according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the deformable surface of the or each roller comprises a sponge material.

5. The invention according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the rollers are cylindrical.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein the axes of rotation of the rollers are parallel and lie in side by side relationship in a horizontal plane.

7. The invention according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to cause axial movement of an article of flatware along the rollers.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein said means comprise an abutment member adapted to engage the surface of the article, the abutment member being movable in said axial direction.

9. The invention according to claim 8 wherein the abutment member comprises a guide roller and has a resiliently deformable surface.

10. The invention according to claim 8 wherein the abutment member comprises first and second guide rollers mounted for rotation about a common axis, the first guide roller being arranged to abut the article of flatware on one side of a radial line extending from its axis of rotation, and the second guide roller being arranged to abut the article of flatware on the other side of said line, so that, in use, the first guide roller will rotate in an opposite direction to the second guide roller.

11. The invention according to any one of the claims 7 to 10 wherein conveyor means are provided at the end of the wiper rollers along which the articles of flatware are caused to move to transport the articles of flatware from the wiper rollers to a discharge position.

12. The invention according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to apply water to the sponge surface of the or each wiper roller at a circumferential position after the surface of the roller has become disengaged from the article of flatware.

1 3. The invention according to claim 1 2 wherein means are provided to remove the thus applied water from the or each wiper roller at a circumferential position prior to engagement of the flatware by the roller.

1 4. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.