NZ197939A - Gang-nail press carried by overhead travelling crane-type apparatus - Google Patents

Description

197939 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No.: 197939 Date: 4 August 1981 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "Improvements in or relating to Mobile Machinery" *K/We, GANG-NAILS N.Z. LIMITED a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 3-5 Zelanian Drive, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand hereby declare the invention for which X / we pray that a patent may be granted to rpe/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- ;1 ;1C7939 ;This invention relates to mobile machinery and has been developed particularly, though not necessarily solely to provide a mobile overhead assembly for press fabrication. ;It is an object of the present invention to provide mobile machinery and/or a method of providing an item of mobile machinery which will at least provide the public with a useful choice. ;Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention consists in mobile machine apparatus comprising a power source movable along a first path; an operating head connected to said power source for powering thereby, said operating head being of low mass relative to said power source and being manually displaceable independantly of said power source; displacement means to, in use, move said power source along said first path; and sensing means constructed and arranged to sense at least two limits of relative position of said power source and said operating head and operate said displacement means to maintain the relative positions at or between said limits. ;In one embodiment the mobile machine apparatus comprises an overhead press assembly, the power source being in the form of press actuating means and the operting head comprising a pressing head connected to said press actuating means. ;' X 1 C ,% ;c ;2 ;197939 ;Q-ctuating mcranj arid said prcaoing head at or within caid-» / limits i ;In a third aspect the invention consists in^a method of providing an item of mobile machinery, said method comprising the steps of mounting a first machine P^t for movement along a first path; mounting a secpffd machine part connected to said first machine part fo^movement along a second path; providing displacement mg-Jms to displace one of said first or second machine p^ts along its respective path; and providing sensj/rfg means to sense at least two limits of relative nefsition of said first and second machine parts and operate said displacement means to maintain said first and p^cond pavtj at or within paid limita. ;To those skilled in the art to which this invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and it is not our intention to limit the scope of the invention by those disclosures and descriptions, or otherwise, than by the terms of the appended claims. ;The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples. ;One preferred form of the invention, as applied to an overhead mobile assembly for press fabrication, will now be described with reference to the accompaning drawings in which: ;197939 ;* Figure 1 shows a plan view, from above, of apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 2 shows a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, according to the invention there is provided mobile machine apparatus 5 which, in the form shown, comprises an overhead mobile pressing assembly designed particularly for use in pressing toothed nail connector plates into timber to form prefabricated structural 10 trusses 6. To this end the apparatus must be capable of ready movement over all points of a pressing table 7 on which the trusses 6 are formed.

As shown, the apparatus comprises a first machine part or press actuating means 8 moveable along a first path 15 which, in the embodiment illustrated, is defined by an I section steel beam 9. The beam 9 is, in use, mounted in the roof structure of a building and thus provides a track along which the press actuating means 8 may be displaced. A motor 10 is as shown, provided in unit with the press actuating 20 means 8, the motor 10 driving a wheel or gear (not shown) in contact with the beam 9 to effect displacement of the press actuating means along the beam 9.

The apparatus further includes a second machine part or pressing head 10 which is attached to the part 8 and is 25 moveable along a second path and sensing means 12 which are constructed and arranged to sense at least two limits of relative position, indicated in dotted outline in figure 1, between the actuating means 8 and the pressing head 11 and, 197939 upon doing so, operating the motor 10 to move the actuating means 8 so as to maintain the relative position between the actuating means 8 and the pressing head 11 at or between the two limits.

As shown the press actuating means 8 and the pressing head 10 are connected by an arm 13 which is pivotly mounted on the unit carrying the actuating means 8 at 14 and extends out so as to, in use, sweep over the area immediately above the pressing table 7. The outer end of the arm 13 is vertically supported by means of a link 15, the upper end of which is slideable along a further beam 16 also, in use, mounted in the roof structure of the building housing the appartus.

The link 15 is preferably at least partially flexible to accomodate the radial movement which occurs as the arm 13 pivots about pivot point 14.

The pressing head 11 is suspended from the arm 13 by means of a chain or other link 17 which includes a connection 18 at the upper end thereof. The connection 18 is preferably such as will allow the link 17 and thus the pressing head 11 to slide longitudinally of the arm 13. The construction and arrangement of the link or chain 17 or the connections at either end thereof, is such that the pressing head 11 may freely swivel or pivot about the axis thereof. Thus by moving the entire apparatus 5 longitudinally of the beams 9 and 16, or by moving the pressing head 11 longitudinally of the arm 13, or by swiveling the pressing head 11 about the axis of the link 17 the pressing head 11 may be positioned at any desired point over the pressing table 7. It will be 197939 appreciated, therefore, that the second path is a combination of a number of linear components.

The sensing means 12 preferably comprise a pair of limit switches, mounted in unit with the actuating means 8 and motor 10, which sense the relative positions between the actuating means 8 and the pressing head 11 by sensing the angular displacement between the arm 13 and the unit bearing the actuating means 8. The arm 13 is provided with an extension 19 on the inner end thereof which engages one of the limit switches 12 at a lmit position and actuates the motor 10 to move the actuating means in such a direction along the beam 9 as will tend to keep the extension 19 on or between the limit switches. A further limit switch 12a is, as shown, provided mid way between the switches 12 to stop the motor 10 when the arm 13 is substantially perpendicular to the beam 9.

In the form of apparatus shown, the pressing head 11 comprises a C clamp having a plunger 20 operated by hydraulic cylinder 21. The actuating means 8 thus comprises a hydraulic pump fed from a suitable hydraulic reservoir which feeds the cylinder 21 by means of hydraulic lines 22.

In use, the operator positions the pressing head 11, which is of relatively low mass, manually by grasping the pessing head 11 and moving it towards the desired position. The pressing head may be thus moved longitudinally over the table 7 and transverse thereto. As the pressing head 11 is moved longitudinally over the pressing table 7 the arm 13 is displaced about pivot point 14 until extension 19 on the arm 197939 13 engages one of the limit switches 12. The motor 10 is then actuated to displace the actuating means 11 along the beam 9 in such a direction as will maintain the relative position between the actuating means 8 and the pressing head 5 11 i.e. the actuating means 8 follows the pressing head 11.

Movement of the actuating means 8 continues until extension 19 engages limit switch 12a. If the pressing head 11 is to be positioned transversly of the table 7 then this can be affected by manually sliding the pressing head 11 along the 10 arm 13. Once located in the desired position, the pressing head 11 is actuated in the conventional manner.

It will be appreciated, by those skilled in the art that in apparatus of this type the mass of the motor 10 and the actuating means 8 is relatively high when compared to 15 the mass of the pressing head 11. By splitting the apparatus into two parts, one of relatively high mass and one of relatively low mass and making the part of relatively high mass self powering, the task of the operator is made much easier. Further the jerky action experienced when a suspended, 20 heavy mass is displaced, is obviated or minimised in the present apparatus as that part which is suspended i.e. the pressing head 11 is of relatively low mass.

While the particular form of apparatus described herein has been designed for use in pressing operation it will be 25 appreciated that the invention could be applied to other forms of apparatus.

Claims (13)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1G7S39

1. Mobile machine apparatus comprising a power source movable along a first path; an operating head connected to said power source for powering thereby, said operating head being of low mass relative to said power source and being manually displaceable independently of said power source; displacement means to, in use, move said power source along said first path; and sensing means constructed and arranged to sense at least two limits of relative position of said power source and said operating head and operate said displacement means to maintain the relative positions at or between said limits.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said operating head is attached to an arm, said arm being pivotal about a point fixed with respect to said power source.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said operating head is displaceable along said arm.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said sensing means is constructed and arranged to sense limits of angular displacement of said arm.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim M wherein said sensing means comprise limit switches.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further including means to define said first path.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said means to define said first path comprises a track.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said displacement means comprises a motor driven wheel or gear mounted in unit i . li 'a>/ 8 1C7939 with said power source and engaged with the said track.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said power source comprises press actuating means and said operating head comprises a pressing head connected to said press actuating means.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said press actuating means comprises a tank for hydraulic fluid and a hydraulic pump.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said pressing head comprises a hydraulically operated C-clamp.

12. Mobile machine apparatus when constructed, arranged and operable substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A mobile overhead press assembly when constructed arranged and operable substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS ^ DAY OF A. J. PARK & SOH per nMru*;AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANT*