GB2124148A - Apparatus for laminating glass - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the production of laminated glass which, in combination with a conveyor 1 and a movable sucker device 15 overlying the latter, comprises a movable table 22 provided with a comb plane 30. Said plane is insertable in the conveyor and raisable to lift a plate or sheet 4 and transfer the latter away from the conveyor, where the sheet of plastics material is laid thereon. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A movable table device for the production of laminated glass The present invention is concerned with a device for use in the production of laminated glass, such as armoured glass formed of two or more overlying plates with the interposition of sheets of plastics material, such as for example polyvinylbutyrate (PVB).

As is well known, glass plates or sheets intended for such production are cut to size, washed and dried, and the first of these plates or sheets has laid thereon a sheet of PVB of slightly larger size than the plate; then, another plate of the same size as the former is laid or superimposed on such an assembly and, where required by production requirements, a further sheet of PVB and a further plate may be laid on, and so on until the desired result is obtained. The superimposition of the plates is carried out manually as far as small sizes are concerned, otherwise a bridge crane is used, provided with a sucker frame suspended therefrom, which lifts the plate and allows manual transfer thereof to the required position. This is an innaccurate, slow process and involves some risks for buildings and persons.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device allowing removal of the above disadvantages and which is such as to be more convenient and efficient than conventional solutions.

According to the invention, the device is essentially characterized in that, in combination with a conveyor and a movable sucker device overlying the latter, provision is made for a movable table fitted with a comb plane, which is insertable in the conveyor and raisableto lift the plate and transfer the latter away from the conveyor, where a sheet of plastics material is laid thereon.

Advantageously, the plate transfer occurs through two successive movements, of the comb plane and then of the table, carrying the plate to such a position that the operator can readily act upon the whole plate periphery to lay down the sheet of plastics.

At the end of the laying down operation, the table transfers the plate covered with the plastics sheet into the conveyor and another plate previously raised by the sucker device is then superimposed thereon.

Under these conditions, the assembly may be delivered to heating and calendering operations or, prior to such operations, the superimposition of plates and sheets may be continued.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, given by mere way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing the device according to the invention, some parts being omitted for the sake of clarity, Figure 2 is a schematic side elevational view showing the movable table of the device and a cross-sectional view of the conveyor and frames associated with the table, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a detail of the means vertically driving the sucker-holder frame, and Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a detail of the means vertically driving the frame for lifting and lowering of the table comb plane.

Referring to the Figures of the accompanying drawing, reference numeral 1 designates as a whole the carrying structure of base for a conveyor comprising, for example, a series of rotable shafts 2, of which some are driven, carrying a series of wheels 3 for bearing glass plates or sheets 4.

A frame 5 is arranged in said base or structure 1, below the plane defined by the wheels 3, this frame 5 supporting several rows of grooved or splined idler wheels 6, the axes of rotation of which are perpendicular to the shafts 2. This frame 5 is vertically movable and at its lowermost position bears against parts 6A of said structure or base 1 through adjusting screws 7. The frame 5 is substantially rectangular and at about its corners is made integral at 10 with a rod 8 vertically movable in a support 9 integral with said structure or base 1. Through a connecting rod-crank system 11 said rod 8 is connected to a shaft 12.This shaft 12 is rotatably mounted in bearings 13 attached to the structure or base 1.A kinematic system, such as that described, is provided on each shaft 12, and particularly to each of its ends, so that as a whole there are two shafts 12, by means of which upward and downward movements of frame 5 are controlled. Rotation of said two shafts 12 is effected by an hydraulic cylinder, not shown, connected to rods 14, which in turn are connected to said shafts by any known means.

Above the conveyor plane there is a vertically movable frame 15, which, in a manner known per se, carries a series of resiliently retractable articulated suckers 16, connected to a vacuum supply through valves, not shown. The sucker-holder frame 15 is rectangular and supported at the four corners by rods 16 sliding in supports 17 and 18 integral with base 1 and frame 5, respectively. Said rods 16 are connected in pairs to shafts 19 carried by the base 1.

In this case also, connection is provided by means of linkages or connecting rod assemblies 20. The two shafts 19 are controlled by an hydraulic jack through a mechanical system similarto that described in connection with frame 5.

Reference numeral 21 denotes idler rollers having vertical axes of rotation, carried by base 1 and acting to provide side restraint to the plates 4.

A movable table 22 is arranged laterally of the above described means and comprises a bedplate 23 mounted on wheels 24 rolling on rails 25 fixed to the ground. Through a known type of stemless jack 26, driven by pressure fluid, secured for example to the ground and connected to the bedplate 23 through an arm 27, said bedplate can be moved in the direction of arrows A. At the top said bedplate 22 carries a series of parallel rows of grooved or splined idler rollers 28, as well as a stemless jack 29, driven by pressure fluid and connected to a comb plane 30 by a pair of parallel plates 31 and a rod 32 interposed between the latter.More particularly, such plates have a vertical slot 33, wherein a pin 34 integral with the rod 32 is located, said rod in turn being integral with a crosspiece 36 having freely extending therefrom a series of parallel rods 35 of different lengths, comprising the "teeth" of the comb plane 30, each of which bears and slides on a row of wheels or rollers 28. The different lengths for the teeth enables an operator to enter within the comb, thereby facilitating the laying operation for the plastics sheet on glass plates of reduced size.

The operation is as follows: Afirst plate 4from an inclined roller conveyor, not shown, arrives at the wheeled conveyor 3, laterally bearing against the side wheels 21 and stopping at its front against abutments, not shown, which are raised when the presence of the plate is sensed by presence sensors, also not shown. A stop system similar to this stop system is described, for example, an Italian Patent Application No. 30947 A/78 filed on December 18, 1978, to which reference is made for further details.

At this position of plate 4, the frame 5 is at the bottom end of its stroke and the teeth 35 of the comb 30 bear on rollers 6 thereof. At this position, the frame is raised, so that the comb plane 30 slightly lifts the plate 4 from the wheels 3. Said jack 29 is now operated to withdraw in the rightward direction, as seen in Figure 2, whereby the plate 4 lying on the comb teeth 35 is removed from the conveyor. When the plane 30 reaches the position at the right end of its stroke, the jack 26 is operated and moves the entire table 22 rightwards to the position shown in Figure 1. Now, the operator can readily lay down the plastics material sheet onto the glass plate, since the latter is readily accessible from all sides.Further, the comb structure has teeth of different lengths and this enables the operator to move into the structure to facilitate the laying operation of the plastics sheet onto plates of reduced size.

While, externally of the line, said plate 4 is being covered with the plastics sheet, a second plate from the same inciined roller conveyor is positioned according to the same references and raised by frame 15, provided with suckers 16 and controlled by the above-described mechanism. Upon completion of such an operation, the plate 4 covered by the plastics sheet is again transferred first through the action of jack 26 and then through the action of jack 29 to the inside of the conveyor. The frame 5 is moved downwardly, so that said plate will bear on the rollers 3. Now, the frame 15 is lowered and the previously raised plate is laid on the underlying plate covered with the plastics sheet. Where the laminated glass to be produced comprises only two glass plates, on lowering of the abutments, the laminated glass is moved forwardly and supplied to a next station, where the edge of the plastics sheet is trimmed. Where the glass is to include further layers, the assembly comprising the two plates is removed again from the conveyor, receives a second plastics (PVB) sheet and then re-enters the conveyor to receive a third glass plate which in the meantime has been raised by the suckers. Of course, this operation can be repeated until the desired number of layers is attained. At the end of plate superimposition, the comb remains inserted in the conveyor, bearing on rollers 6 of frame 5, which is at the bottom end of its stroke. Thus, the device is ready for the next operation.

Claims (7)

1. Adevicefortheproduction of laminated glass, characterized in that, in combination with a conveyor and a movable sucker device overlying thereto, a movable table is provided fitted with a comb plane, which table is insertable in the conveyor and raised to lift a plate and transfer the latter away from the conveyor, where a sheet of plastics material is laid thereon.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said table and comb plane are movable both together and relatively to one another.

3. A device according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting of the comb plane within the area of the conveyor is allotted to a driven movable frame, provided with bearing idler rollers for the comb teeth.

4. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said comb has teeth of different lengths.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said comb bears on said table by means of idler rollers.

6. A device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said suckers are arranged in a vertically movable frame.

7. A device for the production of laminated glass substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.