GB2188623A - Attachment of prefabricated ceramic parts - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for attaching prefabricated parts made of ceramic paste (such as cup handles) includes a vertically movable lifting cylinder (11) with a stop device (6), a support (2) for the blank and a known type of vibrator (10). A vibrator rod (5) with an elastic upper zone is rigidly connected to the lifting cylinder (11) and the vibrator (10), the rod being of elastic construction in the upper part and bearing a non-self-locking adapter (3). A part-attachment mount (13) is movable between stops (17) whether the part-attachment flap (14) serving to hold the prefabricated part is open or closed. When the blank (1) is positioned and the prefabricated part (12) is moved up to the blank (1) by means of the part-attachment unit (15), the attachment operation without the use of slip is carried out under the effect of mechanical vibrations in the range 200-800 Hz, the part-attachment unit (15) being limited by a stop in such a way that the attachment operation takes place primarily when the vibrator rod is not in a neutral position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for the attachment of prefabricated ceramic parts This invention relates to an apparatusforthe mechanical attachmentwithoutslip of prefabricated, preferably leather-hard individual parts of ceramic material, such as handles on cups or knobs on covers, at the raw manufacturing stage in the ceramic industry.

Apparatus for the preparation of ceramic parts to be assembled and attached, such as handles and cups, are already known. In a system described in DD-B-210 230 a chain conveyor unit carries a vertically movable lifting unit with non-seif locking adapter part as a supportforthe blank mounting. A stop device and a swivel device with special mounting plates, a low-pressure connection, a distributor piece and a handle mount pivotable by means of a stepping motor are also provided. It is characteristic of this system that both the cup mount and the handle mount can be caused to assume a preselected fixed position.

Afurther apparatusforthe preparation of ceramic parts to be assembled and forthetransmission of mechanical vibration forthe attachment of parts is described in DE-B 146414.

Theblankto befitted with the partis placed in readiness on a grooved blank mount by means of a turntable actuated step by step, the required position forthe groove ofthe blank mount being obtainable by means of a lever and roller system. An elastically constructed vibrator rod affixed to a vertically and horizontally movable vibrator moves into the blank mount groove thus positioned and is forced against the blank by a horizontal movement, the ends ofthe handle being atthe same time pressed againstthe blank by a handle receiver.Apparatus of this kind is based on the principle that the ceramic body to be fitted with the attachment, particularly if the former is a cup, is positioned by means of a preparation unit and vibrated at the attachment point by means of a vibration transmission unit. The drawbacks of known devices of this kind reside in the considerable outlay on apparatusandtheinadequatenumberof cycles which can be performed, in addition to the fact thatthe rigid positioning of the ceramic parts before the attachment process necessitates absolute dimensional accuracy on the attachment surfaces, while the approach and contact between the parts to be assembled is too inacurate, unless effected by the expensive sensor and adjustment process.The known devices fail to ensure that the part concerned, such as the handle on the cup, will rest firmly in position during the production process.

Fu rthermore, when the known part-attachment flaps are opened following the attachment operation, the part to be affixed, particularly in the case of a handle, is liableto get displaced from its normal position.

This invention seeks to provide an apparatus which will eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages in the attachment of prefabricated ceramic parts to blanks, particularly handles for cups, without recourse to using slip, so as to ensure a reliable attachment process over an ample number of cycles, the part concerned fitting faultlessly and being accurately positioned, with only moderate expense in respect of technical apparatus.

This invention provides an apparatus for the slip4ree attachment of parts using mechanical vibrations, the preparation and positioning of the blank a nd and alsothetransmission of the vibrations being combined in one unit at moderate cost as far as apparatus is concerned, ensuring the required contact between the attachment surfaces ofthe prefabricated part and the blank and also performing the attachment operation.

According to this invention there is provided apparatus forthe attachment of prefabricated parts made of ceramic paste material, using mechanical vibration, a horizontally movable attachment unit with an attachment flap serving to hold the prefabricated part, and a vertically movable lifting cylinder with casing, stop device and adapter not having a self-locking action which serve to hold the mountforthe blank, wherein the adapter is integrated with the vertically movable lifting cylinder and is rigidly connected with a vibrator rod which supports the adapter, the blank mount and the blank, the vibrator rod being of elastic construction between a guide bearing and the adapter, the prefabricated part in a part mount which is movable between the stops, projecting from the said mount and being positioned in the part attachment unit, the said part attachment unit being limited by a stop in such a waythatthe attachment operation takes place primarily when the vibrator rod is not in a neutral position.

In this invention the problem is solved as a result ofthe fact that a vibration transmission unit is integrated in a known type of lifting cylinder, stop device and adapter part without self-locking action, the vibrator rod of the vibrator or an extension thereof serving at the same time as a supportforthe adapter without self-locking action, for the blank mount and thus forthe blank. The free upper zone of the vibrator rod is of elastically flexible construction.

The mountforthe prefabricated separate part to be attached is movable, particularly in the case of handles, that is remains movable even after the attachment flap has been closed. The frequency range for the vibration exceeds the values hitherto adopted, being over 200-800 Hz, according to the shape and mass of the blank and the partto befitted thereto. In an advantageous embodiment ofthe apparatus according to the invention a horizontal vibrator is provided on a level with the elastic zone of the vibrator rod.

The elastic construction of the upper zone of the vibrator rod as well as the mobility, limited by stop devices, of the part mount, ensures faultless contact and connection surfaces between prefabricated ceramic parts and the blank. When the prefabricated part positioned in the part mount is moved up the blank it is pressed out of the neutral position and in conjunction with the mobility ofthe part mount and thus of the prefabricated part to befitted balances out any imperfections in the fit between the two ceramic parts. The operation offitting together the respective contact and connection surfaces of the prefabricated parts and the blankofceramic paste is advantageously assisted by means of the additional horizontal vibrator in the elastic zone of the vibrator rod.

The apparatus will be further described by reference to an example and the accompanying drawing.

Example 1 Referring to the drawing the blanks 1 are periodically placed in readiness on a special blank mount 2 by means of a suitable moving holder, such as a chain or a turntable. The combination consisting of lifting cylinder, stop device and vibrator is constructed asfollows: On a lifting cylinder 11 the vibrator 10 is mounted in a fixed position with the vibrator rod 5, including adapter 3, as well as the casing 9 with the guide bearing 7 for the vibrator rod 5. The housing 8and the stop device 6 accommodate the casing 8.

The blank 1 with the blank mount 2 rests in the moving holder4atthecommencementofthe process, and the unit described above has been lowered to the extent required for the adapter 3 to be positioned underneath the said holder 4. In a central position above the unit the steady rest 18, coated with soft elastic material, can be adjusted in the vertical direction and locked in position in a known manner.

The horizontally movable part-attachment unit 15 of whichthestroke is limited bythe adjustablestop 16, in accordance with the known technical system, carries the part-attachmentflap 14, preferably capable of being opened to qn angle of 90 , and this flap, in its turn, bears the mount 13 forthe partto be attached. The particular feature ofthe system resides in thefactthatthe part mount 13, after receiving the prefabricated part made of ceramic paste and after the part-attachment flap 14 has been closed, remains rotatable within a certain range limited by adjustable stops 17.In the drawing the part-attachmentflap 14 is shown when in the open state, whereas the prefabricated part 12 occu pies the position required as if the part-attachmentflap 1 4were closed.

The vibrator rod 5 is so constructed that its lower end is rigid between the point at which it is clamped intothe vibrator 10 and the guide bearing 7 in the casing 9, while its upper end, between the guide bearing 7 and the adapter 3, is elastic. This is achieved bythe use of various types of material, such as fibre glass and steel, or else, as in the example in question, by varying the cross section using the same metal, in this case steel. The released position ofthevibrator rod, i.e. the perpendicular position in the present example, is regarded as the normal position.

The apparatus functions as follows: Starting from the lower position the lifting cylinder 11 moves the vibrator 10 and thus the casing 9, including the guide bearing 7, and the vibrator rod 5, including the adapter 3, in an upward direction, thus pressing the support 2 for the blank out of the moving holder4together with the blank 1. The lifting process is limited by the stop device 6, the operation of positioning the blank 1 thus being completed. The steady rest 18 ensures force-closed contact between the blank 1, the blank mount 2, the adapter 3 and the vibrator rod 5 during the vibration process.

Parallel to the transport and positioning of the blank 1 and in the known manner the prefabricated part 12 is inserted into the mount 13in such away that the ends of the prefabricated part 12 project from the mount 13. The partattachmentflap 14is open in this process and preferably horizontal. When the flap 14 closes the operation of preparing the prefabricated part 12 is completed and the process of attaching into the produce can commence. Forthis purpose the part attachment unit 15 moves as far as the adjustable stop 16. The said stop 16 is adjusted to ensure that the ends of the prefabricated part 12 press the blank 1, including the mount 2, the adapter 3 and the vibrator rod 5, out of the normal position.

The resulting elastic force and the mobility ofthe partmount 13 between thestops 17 ensurethatthe ends of the prefabricated part 12 will rest in the required position. When the part attachment 15 moves up to the stop 16 the vibrator 18 is brought into action atthe;sametimeorwith aslight retardation,the prefabricated part 12thus being attached to the blank 1. The stop 16 can be adjusted to result in the desired difference between the normal position of the blank 1 and the position which it occupies at the beginning of the attachment operation. Deviations between the part 12 and the blank 1 as regards dimensions and shape can thus be compensated and the required contact pressure for the ceramic parts in the attachment process ensured.

On the termination of the attachment process the flap 14 opens and the partattachmqnt unit 15 returns to its initial position. The lifting cylinder 11 then lowers the vertical unit to its initial low position, in which process the blank 1, with the prefabricated part 12 attached to it, and with the blank mount 2, is returned to the moving holder, which latter is now moved on by one pitch division, thus moving the next blank 1 into position. The cycle can then recommence.

Example 2 In a further embodiment a horizontal vibrator 19 is added, consisting of a lifting cylinder with a mount for the vibrator and vibrator rod, on a level with the elastic zone of the vibrator rod 5 in the apparatus as described under example 1. The horizontal vibrator unit 19 is then moved as far as the adjustable stop 20, the said stop 20 being adjusted to ensure that in the position of restthe horizontal vibrator rod touches the vibrator bar 5, or else, in an alternative version rests against the vibrator rod with a certain amount of prestressing. In both systems the vibration for the atachment process can be effected horizontally and vertically, that is in a superimposed manner, with separately selectable frequencies and amplitudes, and thus the slip-free attachment operation can be assisted.

Claims (3)

1. Apparatusforthe attachment of prefabricated parts made of ceramic paste material, using mechanical vibration, a horizontally movable attachment unit with an attachment flap serving to hold the prefabricated part, and a vertically movable lifting cylinder with casing, stop device and adapter not having a self-locking action which serve to hold the mountforthe blank, wherein the adapter is integrated with the vertically movable lifting cylinder and is rigidly connected with a vibrator rod which supports the adapter, the blank mount and the blank, the vibrator rod being of elastic construction between a guide bearing and the adapter, the prefabricated part in a part mount which is movable between the stops, projecting from the said mount and being positioned in the part attachment unit,the said part attachment unit being limited by a stop in such a way that the attachment operation takes place primarily when the vibrator rod is not in a neutral position.

2. Apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, wherein an additional horizontal vibrator contacts the vibrator rod in the neutral position or rests against the rod with a certain prestressing, said horizontal vibrator being provided between the guide bearing and the adapter in the elastic zone of the vibrator rod.

3. Apparatus for the attachment of prefabricated parts of ceramic material as herein described and exemplified with particular reference to the drawing.