GB2325915A

GB2325915A - Gantry robot type tangential edge profiling machine

Info

Publication number: GB2325915A
Application number: GB9711323A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Julian Fuchs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-06-02
Filing date: 1997-06-02
Publication date: 1998-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2017-06-02
Also published as: GB9711323D0; GB2325915B

Abstract

A gantry robot type tangential edge profiling machine, suitable for industrial processing such as sewing the edge of cloth, cutting cloth, steel or wood shapes with band knives or jig saws. The machine is constructed such that there is a main gantry frame 1, supporting a sliding beam 4 on it's underside parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the gantry frame. Underneath the beam a sliding and rotating gripper mechanism 7 is fitted to hold the work 8 or tool. This enables two axis of movement in the horizontal plane and one axis rotation about the vertical plane. All three axis are driven by motors and are computer controlled. The resulting movement enables the machine to position the work or tool such that processing can be achieved tangential to the edge of the work. Preferably, a sewing machine 9 is provided and an automatic work loading and unloading station 10.

Description

Gantry Robot Tangential Edge Profiling Machine The invention relates to a gantry robot capable of profiling the edge of a work piece tangentially.

Robots are widely used in industry and are produced in a variety of forms. The invention relates to a sub category of robots, the gantry robot where the robot arm is suspended by a gantry frame usually located directly above or above and to the side of the work piece or tool.

Edge profiling is the process of manipulating the work piece or tool such that the edge or shape of the work piece is worked upon or followed, for example the work piece is sewn, cut, ground or polished.

With tangential edge profiling it is necessary that the edge of the work piece is profiled such that a tangent line at any point on the edge of the work piece is parallel with the direction of movement of the work piece at that point.

Examples of tangential edge profiling are sewing the edge of a trouser seam using a chain stitch machine or cutting a shape out of wood or metal using a band saw or a jig saw.

Existing gantry robots capable of tangential edge profiling are complicated in design and relatively expensive to produce. They are also often equipped with articulated arms, being constructed of mainly of multiple linked pivoting or rotating jointed arms such as seen in the robots commonly used for welding in car factories, these robots are not rigid or fast enough to be suited to the high speed production work of the nature of sewing for example.

According to the present invention there is provided a gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine comprising a gantry frame below which is suspended a beam mounted parallel to the ground and it will be located substantially perpendicular to the gantry frame, the beam will be capable of moving along the gantry frame, below the beam a rotating clamp is mounted, capable of moving along the beam, the rotating clamp will clamp the work piece or tool by acting in the vertical plane so as to prevent movement relative to the axis of rotation and be capable of rotating the work piece or tool, the axis of rotation is about the vertical plane, the movement of the beam along the gantry frame, the clamp along the beam and the rotation of the clamp will be effected by servo motors controlled by a computer controller and an electronic motor drive system.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The machine comprises a gantry frame(1) constructed of tubular steel. The frame is provided with flanged supports enabling the frame to stand upright unsupported otherwise. For additional rigidity the frame may be bolted to the floor. Along the main beam of the gantry frame are provided linear guides(2), one on the left and one on the right side. Onto these guides are fitted linear bearings(3) also being mounted onto a bracket which supports the Y axis beam(4). The combined assembly of the linear bearings, bracket and Y axis beam is capable of sliding on the linear guides. Also on the main beam a motor and gearbox is provided which drives a belt travelling between two pulleys (not shown), one located towards the rear and one towards the front of the main beam on the underside. Attached to this belt is a clamp (not shown) which clamps the belt to the Y axis beam. Thus by rotating the motor on the main beam(5) the Y axis beam can move from front to rear and rear to front along the main beam.

Similarly the Y axis beam is provided with linear guides along the front and rear sides and along the length of the beam, onto which linear bearings are mounted. Onto the linear bearings a bracket is mounted(6) which supports the cone which supports the Z axis motor and work clamp CGl bracket(7).A motor and gearbox is located at the end of the Y axis beam which drives a belt travelling between two pulleys (not shown), one located towards the left and one towards the right of the main beam on the underside.

Attached to this belt is a clamp (not shown) which clamps the belt to the Z axis cone and work clamp 'G' bracket thus the Z axis cone and work clamp 'G' bracket is capable of being moved along the length of the Y axis.

A motor located in the Z axis cone is provided and orientated so that the output shaft of the motor is on the vertical plane and directed towards the floor. The output shaft is connected to a gear box which supports the damp mechanism. The vertical operation of the clamp mechanism will clamp the work piece such that it is not possible to move the work piece in the horizontal plane. The work piece is supported on the underside by a metal plate resting on a ball bearing which is held by the underside of the G bracket, thus the work piece may be rotated about the axis of the Z motor.

A separate sewing machine(9) is provided driven by a motor.

The movement of the main motor, the Y axis motor and the Z axis motor enables the work(8) to be positioned through the needle of the sewing machine such that for every stitch the line of the stitch is parallel to a tangent at the edge of the work being sewn.

The work is loaded from and unloaded to a loading station(10).

The movement of the sewing machine motor and the three gantry robot motors is synchronised and controlled by a computer controlled and electronic drive system built into the frame.

Claims

1. A gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine comprising a gantry frame below which is suspended a beam mounted parallel to the ground and it will be located substantially perpendicular to the gantry frame, the beam will be capable of moving along the gantry frame, below the beam a rotating clamp is mounted, capable of moving along the beam, the rotating clamp will clamp the work piece or tool by acting in the vertical plane so as to prevent movement relative to the axis of rotation and be capable of rotating the work piece or tool, the axis of rotation is about the vertical plane, the movement of the beam along the gantry frame, the clamp along the beam and the rotation of the clamp will be effected by servo motors controlled by a computer controller and an electronic motor drive system.

2. A gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the damp clamps the work piece between the open jaws of a 'G' clamp.

3. A gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sewing machine motor is a servo motor and is computer controlled in synchronisation with the motors on the gantry frame, the beam and the rotating clamp.

4. A gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine as claimed in any preceding claim, incorporating automatic equipment to load and or unload the work piece from the machine.

5. A gantry robot tangential edge profiling machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.