WO1990013397A1

WO1990013397A1 - A bearing surface for worktables

Info

Publication number: WO1990013397A1
Application number: PCT/IT1990/000049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nerio Bentivogli
Original assignee: Nerio Bentivogli
Priority date: 1989-05-08
Filing date: 1990-05-07
Publication date: 1990-11-15
Also published as: IT8904804V0; IT216422Z2

Abstract

The invention provides the manufacture of a bearing surface for worktables that comprises a number of metal strips (1), intersecting according to a ' + ' cross pattern, to define a grate (2), that is associated with a table (3) provided with a drawer (4) inserted in and removable from a space (5), provided in the table underneath the grate, or else with a chute, placed underneath the grate. The table can otherwise be made in such a way as to allow the free passage of a belt of a swarf conveyor, underneath the grate. Lastly the grate can be associated with a machine tool.

Description

'A BEARING SURFACE FOR WORKTABLES"

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention is within the field related to the manufacture of equipment for machine workshops, ' and it is particularly concerning the manufacture of a base or bearing surface for bench working or machining of parts in general.

BACKGROUND ART

orktables or benches, manufactured so far, are well known, comprising a work plane, made of wooden boards or a metal sheet, provided with legs for its positioning at a predetermined height.

Also with machine tools, such as drilling machines, tapping machines or other similar machines, such bearing surfaces are usually associated, consisting of a cast-iron or steel surface, either fixed or movable, which may be provided with slots where the means for clamping the parts to be machined may be fastened.

The drawbacks are also known, which occur when it is necessary to carry out particular workings of pieces on said bearing surf ces.

For instance, during the machining of mechanical pieces with small machine tools, such as drills, bench drilling machines, tapping machines, etc., or even when cleaning mechanical pieces already worked, the resulting chips, or more generally metal swarf, inevitably accumulate on the work plane which, after a short time, is uselessly cluttered up.

This involves the need of frequent cleaning of the work plane, particularly for works requiring a certain accuracy and carefulness, often by using an air blast under pressure.

Furthermore, for some works, mechanical pieces should be fastened to a firmer support, and this turns out to be difficult with a conventional work plane, unless vices or clamps are arranged for this purpose, which on the other hand are not always best suited to clamp the pieces.

Finally, for drilling or tapping through holes, it is necessary to arrange supports leaving empty spaces below the piece, where the tool has to come out, this to prevent the worktable from being damaged.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The aim of this invention is to present a bearing surface for a worktable or for a machine tool, by which it is possible to avoid, or at least minimize, the drawbacks resulting from the use of a conventional work plane.

In substance, this invention involves a technical solution which is inexpensive and easy to carry out, which allows the manufacture of a bearing surface on which the pieces to be worked may be easily clamped, with the aid of simple tools, without requiring the arrangement of special supports for drilling or tapping through holes, or frequent cleaning to avoid the accumulation of chips.

The invention provides the manufacture of a bearing surface for worktables that comprises a number of metal strips, intersecting according to a "-^*-" cross pattern, to define a grate.

The grate is associated with a table provided with a drawer inserted in and removable from a space, provided in the table underneath the grate. In other embodiments, a hopper, or a chute, is placed underneath the grate.

Moreover the table can be made in such a way as to allow the free passage of a belt of a swarf conveyor, underneath the grate. Lastly the grate can be associated with a machine tool.

The versatility features of the grate are self- evident, in that the grate allows to realize bearing surfaces on which the accumulation of chips or other swarf is eliminated, or at least substantially reduced, while providing, at the same time, a very good flatness of the surface as well as favourable operative possibilities .

These operative possibilities allow to exploit any protrusion or projection of pieces to be worked, in cooperation with the openings in the grate, to achieve an easy and quick locking of the piece, for instance to tighten or to unscrew bolts associated with it or to keep a determined position of the piece, in order to streamline the insertion or removal of components.

It is also to be remarked the extreme stiffness of the bearing surfaces made in this way, their reduced weight and the low manufacturing cost.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The features of the invention are pointed out in the following description, with particular reference to the drawings attached herewith, where:

- Figure 1 shows a partial perspective view of the worktable made according to this invention, and provided with a drawer underneath.

- Figure 2 schematically illustrates a system for continuous and automatic removal of chips and swarf produced on a row of tables lined up and provided with the plane illustrated by figure 1.

- Figures 3 and 4 show a side section view of a portion of the same plane, with two different examples of possibility of working a piece laid on it. - Figure 5 shows a portion of the plane made in accordance with this invention, but with a different structural shape.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to said figures, no. 1 indicates metal strips intersecting according to a "+" cross pattern to define a grate 2. In the example illustrated in said figures, the strips 1, e.g. having a rectangular section, are favourably disposed in such a way that the longer side of said section is vertical; the "+" cross pattern, according to which the strips 1 are arranged, defines a number of openings 2a, for instance having a square plan. In figure 1, said grate 2 is associated with a table 3, partially illustrated, provided with a drawer 4 inserted in and removable from a corresponding space 5, provided in the same table 3 underneath the grate 2.

The drawer 4, having a surface at least equal to that of the grate 2, collects the chips, and swarf S in general, falling into it after having crossed the openings 2a. The drawer 4 is periodically removed to discharge swarf and chips into a suitable container (not illustrated) . Instead of the drawer, as illustrated in the drawings attached herewith, a hopper may be provided, placed below the bearing surface, so to collect chips and swarf and to convey them to a suitable container.

Moreover, a further alternative to the hopper may provide for a chute having basically the same function. The two forms of realization described just now have not been illustrated, since they may be easily understood from this description.

Figure 2 illustrates a series of tables 13, each of them is defining a work station, lined up and arranged in such a way as to allow the passage of the belt 14 of a swarf conveyor 15 underneath the grates 2 associated with each of said tables; the swarf S crosses the openings 2a and is collected on the belt 14 by which it is conveyed to a container placed at one end of the swarf conveyor 15.

In figure 3 it is visible, in enlarged scale, a side section view of a portion of the grate 2, bearing, laid on itself, a generic piece 30 which is to be worked, e.g. drilled, by means of a column drilling machine, of the bench type, not illustrated. The twist drill 31 passes through one of said openings 2a, after having drilled the piece 30, without damaging the worktable in any way.

Figure 4 illustrates a further operative possibility provided by the grate 2 which allows the clamping of a piece 30 to the same grate 2 by using a clamp 32, of a known type.

The presence of the openings 2a allows the passage of the lower jaw 32a of said clamp to enable the simultaneous clamping, between the latter and the corresponding upper jaw 32b, of the piece 30 and of one or more strips 1 of the grate 2.

In this connection, it is to be pointed out that the shape of the openings may be different and not necessarily square: the grate 22, as illustrated by way of example in figure 5, may be provided with openings 22a having a rectangular shape.

Besides, this allows the optimal use of particular piece-clamping means, consisting of screws having heads of parallelepipedal shape. Thus, the head of a screw may be inserted into the openings 22a and remain locked there, due to the axial rotation of the screw itself, while the free end of the latter engages with corresponding threaded nuts for locking suitable clamps, which in their turn hold the piece to be worked.

Another advantageous form of grate (not illustrated) provides for a series of concentric circles, mutually connected by a number of equidistant radial strips.

To meet particular requirements, it is always possible to make tables having both a portion of the surface realized with the grate 2, and the remaining portion realized with a conventional solution.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

It turns out to be evident the possibility of realizing the bearing surface not only of working tables, but also of machine tools, such as drilling machines, tapping machines or other similar machines, by using the grate made in one of the described forms, instead of the conventional cast-iron or steel plane.

Furthermore, in order to meet particular requirements, it is possible to make tables having both a portion of the surface realized with the grate, and the remaining portion realized with a conventional solution.

Claims

1) A bearing surface for worktables characterized in that it comprises a number of metal strips (1) , intersecting according to a "+" cross pattern, to define a grate (2) .

2) A bearing surface according to claim 1, characterized in that said grate (2) is associated with a table (3) provided with a drawer (4) inserted in and removable from a corresponding space (5) , provided in the same table (3) underneath the grate (2> .

3) A bearing surface according to claim 1, characterized - in that said grate (2) is associated with a table (3) provided with a hopper placed underneath said grate (2) .

4) A bearing surface according to claim 1, characterized in that said grate (2) is associated with a table (3) provided with at least one chute placed underneath said grate (2) .

5) A bearing surface according to claim 1, characterized in that said grate (2) is associated with a table (13) made in such a way as to allow the free passage of the belt (14) of a swarf conveyor (15), underneath said grate (2) .

6) A bearing surface according to claim 1, characterized in that said grate (2) is associated with a machine tool.