Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27F—DOVETAILED WORK; TENONS; SLOTTING MACHINES FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES
  • B27F7/00—Nailing or stapling; Nailed or stapled work
  • B27F7/02—Nailing machines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/08—Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23P—METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS
  • B23P19/00—Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes
  • B23P19/04—Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes for assembling or disassembling parts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27F—DOVETAILED WORK; TENONS; SLOTTING MACHINES FOR WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES
  • B27F7/00—Nailing or stapling; Nailed or stapled work
  • B27F7/17—Stapling machines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27M—WORKING OF WOOD NOT PROVIDED FOR IN SUBCLASSES B27B - B27L; MANUFACTURE OF SPECIFIC WOODEN ARTICLES
  • B27M3/00—Manufacture or reconditioning of specific semi-finished or finished articles
  • B27M3/0013—Manufacture or reconditioning of specific semi-finished or finished articles of composite or compound articles
  • B27M3/0073—Manufacture or reconditioning of specific semi-finished or finished articles of composite or compound articles characterised by nailing, stapling or screwing connections

Definitions

• the invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing pallets comprising at least one connecting device and an insertion frame set for receiving the pallet elements - namely bottom elements, blocks, cross elements and cover elements - as well as a process for manufacturing pallets.
• the pallets are produced as a mass- product on an assembly line.
• the pallet elements With charging magazines, the pallet elements are brought on various feed-devices to a nailing machine and are nailed there in two steps. For this, the pallet must be turned over by a costly device. "Costly" because this turning device requires a lot of time and energy for pallet-assembly-lines as well as for single pallet machines and moreover, they are not free from interference.
• the turning device of known pallet machines has furthermore the disadvantage to occupy much space.
• DE-OS 22 02 405 describes an apparatus for manufac ⁇ turing wooden half-timbering for roofs including an insertion frame in which the half-timbering-carriers can be put and providing that connecting pieces are brought at the front and the back of the insertion frame into such a position that they join the beams being put in the insertion frame simultaneously from both sides with aid of a hydraulic press. From US-PS 4 650 106, it is known that insertion frames can be arranged sloping to the vertical.
• the principle object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing pallets which makes it possible to produce pallets in efficient special order with occupying little space and in short production intervals.
• the vertical arrangement of the insertion frame makes it possible to arrange connecting devices on both sides of the insertion frame in an advantageous way so that the pallet elements put into the insertion frame can be joined from both sides simultaneously. In consequence, the pallets need not to be turned over for being joined on both sides and therefore, a costly turning device can be dropped. At the same time, the production interval for manufacturing one pallet is reduced. Furthermore, the apparatus for manufacturing pallets can be designed very space-savingly compared to machines with turning devices.
• the apparatus has a simple structure and can be operated without complicated and costly electronic steering. Aside from nailing machines run by compressed air, only a few electromagnetic or pneumatic driven devices are needed. Moreover, such an apparatus can easily be arranged and dismantled.
• the connecting devices are within easy reach so that replacing of single devices, e.g. nailing devices, or charging the devices with connecting pieces is possible in an easy way.
• the apparatus for manufacturing pallets can favourably be used universally for various pallet materials and connecting techniques.
• flaps or something like that are mounted as holding devices having a vertical locking function On the one hand, they retain the pallet elements in the desired position during the insertion process and on the other hand, they release the pallet elements for transporting the pallets after the joining process is finished.
• the flaps make it possible to hold the blocks and cross elements in a horizontal position during the pallet elements are aligned and until they are joined.
• the release of the pallet elements by the flaps allows to take the pallets after finishing the joining process vertically down ⁇ wards to which gravity on the basis of the pallet's dead weight (25 - 30 kg) can be utilized.
• the apparatus for manufacturing pallets can be mounted on a platform to make it possible that the completed pallets can be taken out downwards.
• the flaps are mounted as holding devices lateral to the insertion frame and/or in the slots between the skid of the pallet.
• the slots between the skid can be used favourably because the holding devices do not hinder there a vertical transportation of the pallets.
• the insertion frame can be equipped with vertical guides on its back for receiving the bottom elements and/or the blocks. These guides made of e.g. angle sheet or other sectional steel facilitate an exactly defined position of the pallet elements.
• the connecting devices arranged on the front and back of the insertion frame can preferably be moved in horizontal as well as in vertical direction so that it is possible to choose every desired nailing position within the insertion frame.
• the nailing devices are mounted on mobile carriers at both sides of the insertion frame and that these carriers clamp the pallet elements before the nailing process. This clamping the pallet elements prevents a slipping of the pallet elements reliably during they are nailed.
• a trapdoor is mounted to release the pallet after the nailing process.
• the trapdoor is a specific form of holding device for retaining the pallet elements at the bottom of the insertion frame and in its locking position, it forms the bottom of the insertion frame.
• the trap ⁇ door releases the pallet for free fall downwards and at the same time, all the other holding devices must release the respective pallet elements which are not lying on the trapdoor. Therefore, it is useful to synchronize the release of the trapdoor with the release of all the other holding devices.
• a chute for the transportation of the pallets is mounted below the trapdoor.
• This chute may have a bent form to direct the pallet into a horizontal position and to brake the motion of the pallet in the course of this.
• a sprung clamping device for each cover element of the pallet so that the cover elements are temporarily retained in their position until they are clamped by the nailing devices.
• the insertion frame may have a back which is left blank up to the height/level of the blocks.
• the nailing devices arranged on the back of the insertion frame can then nail the pallets from the back straight through the gap.
• Fig. 1 shows a side view of an apparatus for manu ⁇ facturing pallets which is mounted on a platform
• Fig. 2 shows a rear view of an apparatus for manu ⁇ facturing pallets comprising a frame element for guiding the nailing devices on both sides and an insertion frame for the pallet elements.
• Fig. 3 shows a top view of the carrier frame for the nailing unit
• Fig. 4 shows a side view of the nailing unit
• Fig. 5 shows a top view of a trapdoor from below for the release of the pallet downwards.
• Fig. 1 shows the general structure of the apparatus for manufacturing pallets 1 mounted on a platform 2 to release the completed pallet 3 to the space 4 under the platform 2 for further transportation.
• the pallets fall out of the insertion frame 5 when the trapdoor 6 is opened. They fall into a chute 7 which is arranged under the trapdoor 6 and diverts the pallets 3 from a vertical position into a substantially horizontal position for further utilization.
• the platform 2 stands on supporting columns 8 and may be equipped with a safety railing or protecting bars 9.
• the insertion frame 5 is enclosed by a gate frame 10 where a nailing unit 11 with nailing devices 12,13 arranged on both sides at the level of the gate frame 10 respectively of the insertion frame 5 can be driven up and down vertically.
• the insertion frame 5 can be reached for being fed with pallet elements namely three bottom boards 14, nine blocks 15, three cross boards 16 and five cover boards 17.
• Fig. 2 shows the gate frame 10 in detail preferably consisting of a pipe frame with a removable top element 18 and two vertical pipe columns which are fixed into each other at the top element 18 by adapter couplings and secured by a safety pin.
• a lifting device 20 for the nailing unit 11 is mounted and consists of e.g. a winch in which a wire cable 21 is connected across steering pulleys 22 with the nailing unit 11. With the winch, the nailing unit 11 can be moved up and down in any desired direction.
• Fig. 2 shows as well the insertion frame 5 which is set up for UlC-pallets.
• the gaps between the skids of the pallets as required by DIN 15146, page 2 are normally used for the engagement of the transport forks by the fork-lift-truck and serve in the insertion frame 5 for placing the holding devices 24 which fix the blocks 15 of the pallet 3.
• These holding devices 24 are based on folding or turning mechanism and placed in one position they break off their horizontal locking and release with that the pallet elements, here the blocks 15, vertically downwards.
• the insertion frame 5 is stocked up in the following way:
• the operator inserts the middle and two lateral bottom boards 14 vertically in the insertion frame 5 to which corresponding vertical guides or in profile on the back 26 of the insertion frame 5 are provided.
• the holding devices 25 for the middle and top of the three cross boards 16 which must be laid hori ⁇ zontally on the respective lines of blocks are brought into their locking position by bringing the holding pins 29 to the height/level of the cross boards 16 from the frame edge into the insertion frame 5.
• the three vertical bottom boards 14, the lower line of blocks 15 and the lower cross board 16 as well as the five vertical cover boards 17 put on the cross boards 16 lie together on the trapdoor 6 which constitutes a common holding device for these pallet elements.
• the nailing unit 11 can be moved vertically downwards to nail the pallet line by line each at the height/level of the blocks 15 from both sides and at the same time.
• all nailing positions of the pallet 3 may be nailed simultaneously with a nailing unit 11 appro ⁇ priately adapted.
• Fig. 2 shows a mechanic solution for the operation of the holding devices 24,25 consisting of several verti- cal pulling poles 28 which make it possible to steer the flaps 27 as well as the holding pins 29 at the same time.
• the pulling poles 28 are taken in a guide 30 and connected together at the lower end with a pivoted crossbar 31 by a lever mechanism.
• the crossbar 31 can be moved in two directions by a pedal, a manual lever or a pneumatic cylinder and the turning motion of the crossbar 31 can be converted into the turning motion of the flaps 27.
• the lever mechanism of the crossbar 31 is connected with the trapdoor 6 and is adjusted in such a way that first of all, the trapdoor 6 is opened and only then, the flaps 27 of the holding devices 24, to avoid that the flaps become stuck.
• clamping devices 32 consisting of springs with pins are provided for the cover boards 17 and are pressed up when the cover boards are put into the insertion frame so that the clamping devices 32 take on fixing the aligned but still not nailed cover boards.
• Fig. 3 shows the nailing unit 11 in a top view.
• the nailing unit 11 has a carrier frame 33 which shows a four-sided cross section. This carrier frame contains the aligned pallet elements and is guided along the gate frame 10 by two rolls on each side.
• Fig. 4 shows a side view of the nailing unit 11 with nailing devices 12,13 arranged in two lines.
• two pipes 35 run in parallel to the pallet 3 taking two removable mobile carriers 36 of nailing devices by claws.
• the nailing carriers 36 are pressed against each other by pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders so that the pallet elements are firmly pressed together at these points.
• the nailing machines run by compressed air nail the front and the back of the pallet 3 simultaneously. A slipping of the pallet elements is reliably avoided by pressing the nailing carriers 36 together.
• the position of the nailing devices can freely be chosen on the mobile carrier 36, too.
• FIG. 5 shows a top view of a trapdoor 6 from below.
• the trapdoor 6 is swivelling mounted in hinge joints 37 and is held in horizontal position by locking mechanism 38 which can be released mechanically by the crossbar 31 per linkage or tackle, otherwise in an electromagnetic, a pneumatic or a hydraulic way.
• locking mechanism 38 which can be released mechanically by the crossbar 31 per linkage or tackle, otherwise in an electromagnetic, a pneumatic or a hydraulic way.
• a for example hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder unit 39 as shown in Fig. 5 may also be used.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
• Pallets (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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ID=25864934

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Cited By (1)

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Citations (1)

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• 1989
  • 1989-02-17 DE DE19893904805 patent/DE3904805A1/de active Granted
• 1990
  • 1990-09-07 WO PCT/EP1990/001507 patent/WO1992004168A1/en unknown

Patent Citations (1)

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