GB2055668A

GB2055668A - Hydraulic press for processing hides, leather, rubber, plastics, fabrics, and similar materials

Info

Publication number: GB2055668A
Application number: GB8024407A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1979-08-03
Filing date: 1980-07-25
Publication date: 1981-03-11
Also published as: ES252325Y; PT71636A; PT71636B; DE3028572A1; IT7922286V0; BR8004852A; ES252325U; AR223059A1

Abstract

A hydraulic press for processing hides, leather, rubber, plastics, fabrics, and similar materials. The press comprises a frame 1 with a lower thrust plate 5 to be raised by a piston 4 and an upper fixed plate 10. A working table 6, 6' is rotatable about a vertical axis 12, which passes through its centre and is situated adjacent to the frame 1. Part of the working table can be inserted between the lower thrust plate 5 and the upper plate 10, while another part thereof is simultaneously outside the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hydraulic press for processing hides, leather, rubber, plastics, fabrics and similar materials This invention relates to a hydraulic press for processing hides, leather, rubber, plastics, fabrics and similar materials.

These presses normally comprise a lower plate which can be raised by a piston, an upper fixed plate overlying said lower plate, and at least one working table either inserted or insertable between said lower plate and upper plate, said working table being arranged to support the material to be processed and to be urged by said lower plate with the material against the upper plate.

If a single working table is provided disposed between the lower plate and upper plate of the press, there is the drawback of long down-times caused by the loading and unloading of the material being processed, and in addition as the free space between the table and upper plate is a minimum, these operations become extremely uncomfortable when considering that either the table or upper plate is normally heated. Various methods have already been proposed for obviating these drawbacks.

One of these methods comprises the use of a working table the dimensions of which are substantially double those of a normal working table and which is mobile in a direction perpendicular to the press axis, because of which while one half of the table is outside the press, and the material can therefore be loaded on to and unloaded from it, the other half with the material mounted on it is inside the press for processing. In this manner, down-times can be reduced, but there is the drawback that the loading and unloading operations cannot be carried out in a single position, but have to be carried out in two positions on opposite sides of the press.

Another method tending to obviate this latter drawback comprises two working tables acting in two overlying planes, and possibly connected together such that one of the two working tables is inside the press for processing, while the other working table is outside for material loading and unloading. In this case, these operations can always be carried out in a single position outside the press, but the method has the drawback of a larger overall press height and a reduction in productivity because of the greater distance of travel which the lower plate has to carry out, and its lower speed in order to prevent excessive impact.

The object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic press of the type indicated, which although having the advantages of the aforesaid method, it obviates its drawbacks and therefore enables the overall height to be kept within normal limits besides providing high productivity with very small down-times.

This object is attained by the press according to the invention, which is provided with a working table rotatable about a vertical axis which passes through its centre and is situated adjacent to the press frame in such a manner that part of the working table can be inserted between the lower plate and upper plate while another part is simultaneously outside the frame.

The working table of the press according to the invention can either be totally rotatable always in the same direction or in the two directions, or it can be partially rotatable alternately in the two directions.

The working table can be rotated either manually or by any mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other means.

The working table can be a single table, in which case it can be guided in its raising and lowering under the action of the lower thrust plate of the press, for example by means of a plunger slidable telescopically in the rotation pivot.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the working table can also be divided into two halves, and these two halves of the working table can be supported by a suitable frame rigid with the rotation pivot in such a manner that that half which is inside the press can be raised by the thrust plate without influencing the other half located outside the press, and on which the loading and unloading operations can be carried out. These and further characteristics of the hydraulic press according to the invention, together with the advantages deriving therefrom, will be more apparent from the description given hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a diagrammatic vertical section through the press, and Figure 2 is a section on the line Il-Il of Fig.

1.

The press consists of a support frame 1 lowerly carrying a support plate 2 on which a cylinder 3 is mounted. A piston 4 slidable under sealed conditions in said cylinder carries a thrust plate 5 covered upperly by a suitable insulating material 8.

The support frame 1 upperly carries the upper plate 10, on the underneath surface of which (i.e. that surface facing the thrust plate 5) a felt 9 is stretched by suitable means.

Laterally, the frame 1 comprises supports 13, 14 in which a pivot 12 is guided, its axis being parallel to the vertical axis of the piston 4.

The pivot 12 carries rigid with its upper end a support frame 11 which supports the two halves 6 and 6' of a working table. It should be noted that each of these two halves of the working table simply rests on the frame 11, without being fixed thereto. Each half 6, 6' can be heated by means, not shown, and carries a polished or stamping plate 7, 7' respectively, according to the operation to be carried out. The plates 7, 7', which face upwards and are intended to receive the material to be processed thereon, are in a plane which is at an optimum distance from the felt 9 stretched over the upper plate 10. The pivot 12 with the frame 11 on which the two halves 6, 6' of the working table rest can be rotated in its supports 13, 14. Any mechanical. electromechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic or other means can be provided for this purpose.

Rotation can be continuous in one direction or can alternate in the two directions. In the case considered, a hydraulic actuator or motor 15 is provided, which by means of a hydraulic pump 16 and a distribution valve 17 can rotate the pivot 1 2 alternately through 1 80'.

The frame 11 can carry slide wheels 18 (Fig. 2), which during rotation of the assembly can slide on a plate 19 or on suitable guides.

A microswitch 21 can be provided in order to limit the rotation of the rotary assembly, and to start the operation of the press.

A second microswitch 22 can be operated by the thrust plate 5 when in the lowered position, in order to control the valve 17 and thus cause the assembly to rotate.

The operation of the described press is as follows.

The operator, indicated by 20 in Fig. 2, disposes the material to be processed, for example a hide, on the plate 7' of the half 6' of the working table located outside the press.

He then activates the system, which rotates the rotary assembly through 1 80', so that the half 6' of the working table becomes inserted into the press between the thrust plate 5 and upper plate 10. Simultaneously, the other half 6 of the working table emerges from the press and is moved in front of the operator. On termination of the 1 80' rotation, the microswitch 21 is operated, this stopping the rotation and starting the operation of the press.

The thrust plate 5 is raised, takes from the frame 11 that half 6' of the working table located inside the press, and presses it together with the material mounted thereon against the felt 9 of the upper plate 10, to carry out the required process operation.

The other half 6 of the working table located outside the press remains resting on the frame 11, and the operator, without changing position, can unload the material previously processed and load further material to be processed.

When the press has finished its set working cycle, the thrust plate 5 with the half 6' of the working table is made to descend, the half 6' is re-deposited on the frame 11, and when the plate 5 has reached its initial position it operates the microswitch 22 which controls the valve 17 so that it feeds oil under pressure to the motor 15, which rotates the rotary assembly through 1 80', so reversing the order of the halves of the working table in order to commence a new working cycle.

Instead of providing an automatic control for automatically rotating the rotary assembly when the press is opened, a semi-automatic control can obviously be provided for operation by the operator.

Furthermore, as already stated, instead of being divided into two independent halves, the working table can be constructed as a single table of such dimensions that when one part thereof is located inside the press, the other part is outside.

In this case, it is apparent that when the thrust plate 5 of the press is closed, it raises the entire working table, i.e. including the part outside the press. This overall raising can be made possible, for example, by supporting the working table by a plunger slidable in a cylinder provided in the top of the pivot 12.

This plunger must be axially slidable relative to the pivot 12, but must be rotatably rigid with it. The raising of the plunger with the working table supported by it can be controlled mechanically, pneumatically or hydraulically in synchronism with the thrust plate 5 of the press.

The working table can also be of shape other than the rectangular shape illustrated, for example round. In this case, the working table can be made to rotate through portions of a revolution always in the same direction, so as to carry out partial but continuous processing operations on the material being processed, for example in order to disperse any moisture contained in the material. The operations which can be carried out by the described press can include for example stretching and stamping hides and the like.

Claims

1. A hydraulic press for processing hides, leather, rubber, plastics, fabrics and similar materials, comprising a frame with a lower thrust plate which can be raised by a piston, an upper fixed plate overlying said lower plate, and a working table insertable between said lower plate and said upper plate, wherein the working table is rotatable about a vertical axis which passes through its centre and is situated adjacent to the frame in such a manner that part of the working table can be inserted between the thrust plate and upper plate while another part thereof is simultaneously located outside the frame.

2. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working table is totally rotatable always in the same direction or in the two directions.

3. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working table is partially rotatable alternately in the two directions.

4. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working table is a single table, and means are provided for enabling it to be raised and lowered in addition to rotated.

5. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the working table is divided into at least two independent parts.

6. A press as claimed in claim 5, wherein each independent part of the working table is supported separately by a rotatable frame, and can be raised from the frame by the thrust plate.

7. A press as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable working table is supported by wheels resting on a plate or on guides.

8. A hydraulic press substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.