GB2152922A

GB2152922A - Glass cutting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2152922A
Application number: GB08416243A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Lisec
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-01-23
Filing date: 1984-06-26
Publication date: 1985-08-14
Also published as: GB2152922B; CH662807A5; AT382857B; GB8416243D0; ATA21284A; DE3420916C1

Abstract

In a glass cutting machine comprising a cutting table (1) with a cutting head (6) and a breaking table (13), the breaking table (13) is arranged next to the long side (12) of the cutting table (1) and is movable to and fro transversely with respect to its length and thereby transversely with respect to the length of the cutting table (1). The cutting table (1) is elongated to provide a rest position for the cutting head support bridge so that the breaking table (13) can be brought into contact with the long side (12) of the cutting table (1) without fouling the bridge (5). Furthermore, a beam (23) is provided which extends across the breaking table (13) until it projects over the cutting table (1) and on which a device (22) is provided for gripping the scored sheets of glass lying on the cutting table (1), by which device scored sheets of glass lying on the cutting table (1) can be shifted transversely with respect to the length of the cutting table (1) onto the breaking table (13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Glass cutting machine The invention relates to a glass cutting machine comprising a cutting table and a breaking table arranged next to it, the cutting table being equipped with a bridge movable in the longitudinal direction of the said table and on which the cutting head is arranged to be movable to and fro for carrying out the cutting work, and the cutting table having conveying facilities for moving the sheets of glass to be cut in its longitudinal direction.

As a rule, the cutting tables of known glass cutting machines are arranged adjoining a sheet glass store in which the sheets of glass, which usually have dimensions of 6 x 3.3 m, are kept available in a vertical position. The sheets of glass are transported out of the glass store to a tilting table arranged in front of the cutting table, and are turned over into the horizontal position by the tilting table and conveyed onto the cutting table, for which purpose the latter is equipped with conveying means operative in its longitudinal direction, for example, longitudinally extending conveyor belts.

As soon as the sheet of glass is disposed on the cutting table, the cutting head carried by a bridge movable in the longitudinal direction of the cutting table begins to score the sheet, the movements of the cutting head being usually optimized by a computer in order to keep the cutting losses, i.e., the waste of glass, as small as possible. In known glass cutting machines, the sheet of glass scored by the cutting head is then conveyed further onto a breaking table, which is arranged adjoining the narrow or short side of the cutting table and in which is plurality of raisable breaking bars is provided for breaking the sheet of glass in the region of the previously produced scored lines.Owing to the fact that the breaking table is arranged adjoining the short side of the cutting table, this gives rise to a considerable space being required in one direction for the known glass cutting machines in view of the dimensions of the sheets of glass (6 x 3.3 m).

With the glass cutting machines hitherto proposed in which the cutting table is of the same dimensions as the breaking table it is not possible to arrange the breaking table adjacent the long side of the cutting table, since a space has to be left free between the two tables because the bridge carrying the cutting head projects beyond the edges of the long sides of the cutting table. Had it been attempted to move a sheet of glass scored by the cutting head from the cutting table onto the breaking table arranged at a distance therefrom, the sheet would have broken prematurely as soon as it was moved over the edge of the long side.

Another problem is represented by the circumstances that on the cutting table there are provided conveying facilities which are operative in the longitudinal direction thereof and these make difficult or altogether prevent the drawing-off of the sheet of glass transversely of the length of the cutting table.

The problem underlying the invention is to provide a glass cutting machine of the kind mentioned hereinbefore for which the space required in the longitudinal direction is considerably reduced compared with known glass cutting machines without there being the above-described risk of premature breaking of the second sheet of glass.

According to the invention, this problem is solved by making the cutting table longer than the breaking table so that the bridge carrying the cutting head can be moved to a position which allows the breaking table to be moved to a position in which it contacts the long side of the cutting table and the breaking table is movable to and fro transversely with respect to its length and therefore transversely with respect to the length of the cutting table, and by providing a beam which extends across the breaking table until it projects over the cutting table and which carries a gripping device for gripping the scored sheets of glass lying on the cutting table, and a carriage by which the device is guided on the beam coupled to a drive, so that the gripping device is movable transversely with respect to the length of the breaking table and of the cutting table.

Because the breaking table is arranged next to the long side of the cutting table, the space required in the longitudinal direction of the glass cutting machine is in the first place considerably shortened. Moreover, in the glass cutting machine according to the invention, the breaking table can be brought right up to the cutting table as soon as the bridge carrying the cutting head has been moved into its inoperative position, so that there is no longer any gap between the cutting table and the breaking table during the transverse conveyance of the scored sheets of glass.In order to be able to move a scored sheet of glass carefully from the cutting table onto the breaking table, the gripping device movable to and fro on a beam projecting transversely with respect to the length both of the cutting table and of the breaking table is provided, by means of which device the scored sheets of glass can be gripped and drawn carefully from the cutting table onto the breaking table.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the conveying facilities provided in the longitudinal direction of the cutting table, such as, for example, conveyor belts or the like, can be lowered below the surface of the table and air outlet openings connected to a compressed air source are distributed over the surface of the cutting table, for producing an air cushion between the surface of the table and the sheet of glass. In this embodiment, the transverse conveyance of the scored sheet of glass, that is the movement of the sheet of glass from the cutting table onto the breaking table, takes a particularly careful form, it being naturally also possible to arrange that air outlet openings connected to a compressed air source are provided in the breaking table for producing an air cushion between the surface of the breaking table and the scored sheet of glass.

This embodiment has the advantage that the transverse conveyance of the scored sheet of glass is not impeded in any way by the conveying facilities of the cutting table.

Moreover, it may be provided within the scope of the invention that the beam carrying the device for gripping the sheets of glass is guided to be vertically adjustable on a fixed pillar. The device can thereby be brought close to the sheets of glass for gripping them.

Advantageously, the gripping device comprises at least one, and preferably a plurality, of suction cups, arranged on a support oriented transversely with respect to the beam on a carriage guided on the beam. Alternatively or in addition to the vertically adjustable construction of the beam on a fixed pillar, it may be provided within the scope of the invention that the suction cup or cups can be raised and lowered by lifting arrangements, preferably pressure-medium motors, with respect to its or their support.

For moving the breaking table into abutment against the long side of the cutting table to allow the transverse conveyance of a scored sheet of glass, and for the return movement of the breaking table in order to create room for the bridge carrying the cutting head between the cutting table and the breaking table, the breaking table is preferably movable transversely of its length on wheels guided on or in rails, the wheels adjacent the cutting table, which are driven, being preferably in the form of pinions which engage on rails in the form of racks.

In order to make movement of the breaking table precise, it may furthermore be provided that the pinions engaging in the racks are fixedly coupled via a common rotatable shaft, to a drive for shift ing the breaking table.

Further details and features of the invention will appear from the following description of the em bodiment shown diagrammatically in the accompa nying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a glass cutting machine in plan view, and Figure 2 shows the glass cutting machine of Fig ure 1 in side view.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the cutting table 1 of the glass cutting machine illustrated in Figure 1 has conveying facilities for the sheets of glass to be cut which are in the form of conveyor belts 2. Mounted at the edges of the long sides of the cutting table 1 are guide rails 3 on which a bridge 4 is movable to and fro in the di rection of the double arrow 5. The bridge 4 carries a cutting head 6 which is movable along the bridge in the direction of the double arrow 7, i.e., transversely with respect to the cutting table 1. A tool for scoring the sheets of glass to be cut which lie on the cutting table 1, is provided on the cutting head 6, the tool, for example, being of conven tional design.

The cutting table 1 of the glass cutting machine according to the invention has conveyor belts 2 which can be raised and lowered in the direction of the double arrow 8 (Figure 2), so that the upper runs of the conveyor belts 2 which are operative for conveying the sheets of glass can be lowered below the surface of the cutting table 1. In the surface 9 of the cutting table 1 are provided air outlet openings 10, distributed over its area, these openings being connected by.a pipe 11 to a compressed air source, so that an air cushion can be produced between the surface 9 of the cutting table 1 and a sheet of glass lying on the cutting table 1.

Next to the long side 12 of the cutting table 1 there is provided a breaking table 13 in which a plurality of breaking bars is provided to be raisable and lowerable in manner known per se. The sheets of glass scored by the cutting head can be broken by raising the breaking bars. The cutting table 1 is longer than the breaking table 13 and has a portion 1a into which the bridge 4 can be moved to allow the breaking table 13 to be brought into contact with the long side 12 of the cutting table without fouling the bridge 4. As is apparent in particular from Figure 2,, the breaking table is movable on wheels in the direction of the double arrow 14, so that it can be moved right up to the long side 12 of the cutting table 1 and away from the latter so as not to impede the movements of the bridge 4 carrying the cutting head 6 in the direction of the double arrow 7.As indicated in Figure 2, in the surface 15 of the breaking table 13, which surface is in alignment with the surface 9 of the cutting table 1, air outlet openings (not shown) may be provided which are connected via a pipe 16 to a compressed air source.

Figure 1 furthermore indicates that the wheels of the breaking table 13 are guided on or in rails, the wheels 17 adjacent the cutting table 1 being in the form of pinions which run in guide rails in the form of racks 18. In order to ensure precise parallel movement of the breaking table 13 in the direction of the double arrow 14, the pinions 17 are non-rotatably mounted on a common driving shaft 19 which is connected to a driving motor. The wheels 20 of the breaking table 13 are in the form of rollers and run, for example, in U-shaped guide rails 21.

The glass cutting machine according to the invention also comprises a device with which the sheet of glass lying on the cutting table 1 and scored by the cutting tool 6 can be drawn from the cutting table 1 onto the breaking table 13 when the breaking table 13 is moved into abutment against the edge of the long side 12. This device 22 is movablefion a beam 23 in the direction of the dou ble arrow 24, the beam 23 extending across the breaking table 13 and projecting over the cutting table 1. The beam 23 is guided to be movable up and down on a fixed vertical pillar 25.

A drive is provided for raising and lowering the beam 23 along the pillar 25, the drive being in the form of a chain hoist 26 in the embodiment shown in the drawing. Other drives may also be em ployed, however, such as spindle or rack-and-pi nion drives as well as pressure-medium motors.

The device 22 includes a carriage 27 which is guided on the beam 23 and can be moved to and fro in the direction of the double arrow 24 by means of a cable or chain pull system or the like 28. On the slide 27 there is provided a support 29 oriented transversely with respect to the beam 23 and on which, in turn, devices are provided for gripping the scored sheets of glass, these devices being in the form of suction cups 30 in the embodiment shown in the drawing. In the embodiment illustrated, the suction cups 30 are fixed to piston rods of pressure-medium motors 31, so that the suction cups 30 can be raised and lowered with respect to the support 29.It is evident that the lowering of the suction cups 30 for applying them to a sheet of glass lying on the cutting table 1 can be effected by lowering the beam 23 and/or by actuating the pressure-medium motors 31, To draw a scored sheet of glass across from the cutting table, the cutting bridge 4 is first shifted into its waiting position 1a (on the left in Figure 1), the breaking table 13 is advanced into abutment against the edge of the long side 12 of the cutting table 1, the device 22 is moved until it is over the sheet of glass lying on the cutting table 1 and, after lowering the conveyor belts 2 below the surface 9 of the cutting table 1, the suction cups 30 are applied against the sheet of glass in the abovedescribed manner and a vacuum is applied to them.By actuating the drive 28 for the device 22, it is moved, together with the sheet of glass held by it, over and onto the breaking table 13.

The transverse shifting of the scored sheet of glass takes place in such a careful manner and without movement across free spaces (gap between the cutting table and the breaking table) and/or over edges (the surface 9 of the cutting table 1 is the same height as the surface 15 of the breaking table 13) that premature breaking of the sheet of glass is impossible. The careful transport of the scored sheets of glass is completed by the fact that air cushions can be produced between the surface 9 and, if need be, also the surface 15 and the sheets of glass to be moved.

Measuring devices (e.g. reflecting light barriers, proximity switches, etc.) detecting the position of the sheet of glass may be associated with the cutting table 1 or the conveying devices 2 provided in it. These measuring devices control the conveying device 2 before or after the scoring of the sheet of glass, so that this is oriented symmetrically with respect to the path of movement of the device 22 for gripping the sheet and drawing it across from the cutting table 1 into the breaking table 13. In this way, moving out of line or swinging is prevented during the shifting of the sheets of glass.

Claims

1. Glass cutting machine comprising a cutting table and a breaking table arranged next to it, the cutting table being equipped with a bridge movable in the longitudinal direction of the said table and on which the cutting head is arranged to be movable to and fro for carrying out the cutting work, and the cutting table having conveying facilities for moving the sheets of glass to be cut in its longitudinal direction, wherein the breaking table is arranged next to the long side of the cutting table, and the cutting table is longer than the breaking table to allow the bridge to be moved to a position which allows the breaking table to be moved to a position in which it contacts the long side of the cutting table, the breaking table being movable to and fro transversely with respect to its length and thereby transversely with respect to the length of the cutting table and a beam is provided which extends across the breaking table to a position in which it projects over the cutting table, which beam carries a device for gripping the scored sheets of glass lying on the cutting table, a carriage by which the gripping device is guided on the beam being coupled to a drive, so that the gripping device is movable transversely with respect to the length of the breaking table and of the cutting table.

2. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 1, wherein conveying facilities provided in the longitudinal direction of the cutting table are lowerable below the surface of the table and air outlet openings connected to a compressed air source are, distributed over the surface of the cutting table, for producing an air cushion between the surface of the table and the sheet of glass.

3. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 2, wherein the conveying facilities comprise one or more conveyor belts.

4. A glass cutting machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the beam carrying the gripping device is guided to be vertically adjustable on a fixed pillar.

5. A glass cutting machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the gripping device comprises at least one suction cup, arranged on a support oriented transversely with respect to the beam.

6. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 5, wherein the suction cup or cups can be raised and lowered with respect to its or their support by a lifting arrangement.

7. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 6, wherein the lifting arrangement comprises a pressure-medium motor.

8. A glass cutting machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the breaking table is movable transversely of its length on wheels guided on or in rails.

9. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 8, wherein the wheels adjacent the cutting table are pinions and the guide rails therefor are racks.

10. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 9, wherein the pinions engaging in the racks are non-rotatably coupled via a rotatable common shaft to a drive for moving the breaking table.

11. A glass cutting machine according to Claim 1, substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.