Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27N—MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • B27N3/00—Manufacture of substantially flat articles, e.g. boards, from particles or fibres
  • B27N3/08—Moulding or pressing
  • B27N3/086—Presses with means for extracting or introducing gases or liquids in the mat
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27N—MANUFACTURE BY DRY PROCESSES OF ARTICLES, WITH OR WITHOUT ORGANIC BINDING AGENTS, MADE FROM PARTICLES OR FIBRES CONSISTING OF WOOD OR OTHER LIGNOCELLULOSIC OR LIKE ORGANIC MATERIAL
  • B27N5/00—Manufacture of non-flat articles

Definitions

• the invention is usefully applied in making small blocks of wood chip, obtained by mixing chips with an agglomerating substance, followed by pressing.
• the products are applicable in many fields, for example in the manufacturing of pallets.
• a main aim of the present invention is to provide a higli-production machine for pressing loose materials, possibly made solid by the use of a glue, and manufacturing small compacted blocks.
• An advantage of the invention is that it provides a constructively simple and economical machine.
• a further advantage is that it makes available a machine which is able to manufacture relatively high-quality pressed products.
• figure 1 is a view in vertical elevation of a machine made according to the present invention
• figure 2 shows section II-II of figure 1
• figures 3, 4 and 5 show the machine of figure 1 in three different operative configurations
• figure 6 is a plan view from above the loading device of the mould
• figure 7 is a side view from below of figure 6
• figure 8 is a view from above of a second pressor element 5
• figure 9 shows section IX-IX of figure 8
• figure 10 shows a detail of figure 9
• figure 11 shows section XI-XI of figure 9
• figure 12 is section XLT-XII of figure 9.
• 1 denotes in its entirety a machine for manufacturing pressed loose material products (possibly with the use of a glue).
• the loose material could comprise, for example, wood chips.
• the material to be pressed and/or the glue are heated by a hot fluid (for example water vapour) in order to activate in a short time the reactions winch contribute to fransforming the loose material into a compact block by effect of pressing.
• the pieces obtained in the illustrated example are small blocks, for example rectangular or cylindrical, destined for example to be used as components in manufacturing pallets: in this case the pieces obtained constitute spacer elements, located below the load plane of the pallet, the spacer elements going to create the spaces below the plane for the insertion of forklift truck forks.
• the machine 1 comprises a mould 2 in which a plurality of through-cavities 3 are afforded, one by the side of another, longitudinally extended and parallel to each other.
• the mould comprises a single parallelepiped block of considerable width and provided with cavities 3 arranged in a special order.
• the cavity axis is vertical.
• a first pressor element 4 is axially mobile on command according to an axis which is parallel to the vertical axis of the cavity 3.
• the first pressor element 4 can assume an active position (figure 4 and figure 3 hi a broken line) in which it is lowered, and presents a flat lower side which is in contact with an upper face, also flat and horizontal, of the mould 2.
• the upper face of the mould 2 is perpendicular to the axis of the cavity 3.
• the first pressor element 4 closes the upper end of the cavity 3.
• the first pressor element 4 can also assume an inactive position (represented in figures 1, 5 and 3 in a continuous line), in which the lower side thereof is distanced from the upper face of the mould 2.
• the machine comprises a plurality of second pressor elements 5 which face the first pressor element 4 and collaborate there-with.
• the second pressor elements 5 extend in length in a parallel direction to the vertical cavities arranged one beside another.
• Each of the second pressor elements 5 is axially mobile on command internally of a respective cavity 3 of the mould and can assume a lower first position (figures 1 and 3) in which the cavities are filled with material to be pressed, and in which the lower end of the respective cavities 3 is closed, i.e. the end situated at the opposite end of the mould from the above-cited upper face.
• a lower first position (figures 1 and 3) in which the cavities are filled with material to be pressed, and in which the lower end of the respective cavities 3 is closed, i.e. the end situated at the opposite end of the mould from the above-cited upper face.
• each of the second pressor elements 5 is relatively distant from the upper face of the mould and inferiorly delimits the cavity to be filled with the material to be pressed.
• the lower position of the second pressor elements 5 with respect to the upper face of the mould 2 determines the size of the filling cavity and can be chosen on the basis of the final density of the product to be obtained.
• Each filling cavity 3 extends in a vertical direction.
• the material to be pressed can be constituted by solid loose material (for example wood chips) or by an agglomerating substance (for example an adhesive resin), or by a mixture of the two.
• the second pressor elements 5 are supported by and are solidly constrained to a horizontal lower plate 6 which is perpendicular to the second pressor elements 5 and vertically mobile on command.
• Each of the second pressor elements 5 can assume an intermediate second position (figure 4) for the material pressing operation, chosen on the basis of the height or breadth of the final piece desired, in which intermediate second position the second pressor elements 5 exhibit their upper end internally of the respective cavities and closer to the upper face of the mould.
• Each second pressor element 5 can also assume an upper third position (figure 5) in which the pressed piece P is expelled from the mould; in this third position the upper end of the second pressor element 5 is coplanar or very nearly so to the flat upper face of the mould 2.
• the machine comprises means for injecting a hot activating fluid internally of the filling cavity 3; the activating function is generally the heat of the fluid.
• the hot fluid is injected internally of the mass of the material introduced into the filling cavity 3 before and during the pressing operation, so that it can act on the material (for example the resin or the material to be pressed) in order to obtain compact and resistant pieces rapidly.
• the hot fluid used is, for example, water vapour.
• the means for injecting the hot fluid comprise at least one feeding line 7 of hot fluid which sends the fluid towards a manifold 8 afforded internally of the lower plate 6 supporting the second pressor elements 5 (figure 1).
• the manifold 8 s connected to a plurality of hot fluid infeed conduits 9, each of which is afforded internally of a second pressor element 5.
• each infeed conduit 9 superiorly terminates in a horizontally-extended chamber 9a from wliich plurality of nozzles 9' depart, which nozzles 9' are also afforded internally of the second pressor element 5.
• Each nozzle 9' opens into the filling cavity 3 through one or more outlets for the fluid located at the upper end of the second pressor element 5.
• each filling cavity comes into contact with a plurality of upwards-facing hot fluid outlets. In the illustrated embodiment these outlets are aligned one with another.
• the machine further comprises means for heating both the first pressor element 4, the mould 2 and the second pressor elements 5.
• the means for heating comprise a series of separate circuits, afforded internally of the above-cited elements, in which a second hot fluid (for example heat-radiating oil) circulates.
• the heating facilitates the hardening of the pressed material and the activation of a glue if present, hi the figures 11 and 12 denote the delivery and return conduits of the second hot fluid, which are afforded internally of a second pressor element 5 and are extended over almost the whole length thereof.
• each of the second pressor elements 5 there is at least one further infeed conduit 13 for an active substance, for example paraffin, having one or more outlets 13' arranged on the lateral side of the second pressor element 5 in a low area 14 preferably close to the upper end of the second pressor element 5.
• the substance is injected from the inside of the second pressor elements 5 towards the outside during the return run of the second pressor elements 5, internally of the filling cavities 3 before filling them.
• the substance is distributed on the internal walls of the cavities 3, forming a thin layer so that after filling and pressing the external surfaces of the pieces exhibit special characteristics which depend on the substance used (for example by using paraffin water-repellent surfaces are obtained) and which also facilitate detacliment of the pieces from the mould walls.
• the various lower areas 14 form, together with the internal surface of the filling cavity 3, small chambers which spread over the whole of the transversal oftlie cavity 3.
• the machine can be equipped with means for aspirating, of known type and not illustrated, which are preferably connected to the circuits through which the activating fluid is injected into the filling cavity 3. These means for aspirating create a depression in the filling cavities and thus collect the vapours issued during the pressing operation.
• This device comprises a commandable axially mobile draw 15, mobile on horizontal guides 16 in the direction of arrows J.
• the drawer 15 can assume a first position (figure 7 and on the right in figure 6) in which it is in a material deposit station and receives the material destined for pressing; this station can be for example a hopper 17.
• the drawer can also assume a second position (on the left in figure 6) in which it is entirely above the mould 2.
• the drawer 15 is open both above and below.
• One or more rotating combs (set on rollers 18) are located at the lower opening of the drawer 15; the rollers 18 can be commanded to rotate about an axis which is transversal to the drawer movement axis.
• Each roller 18 bears a plurality of radial teeth thickly distributed over the external surface of the roller 18 and arranged in such a way as not to interfere with the teeth of an adjacent roller 18 during rotation.
• the lower opening is closed by a horizontal fixed plane 19, which in effect becomes the bottom of the drawer 15 and prevents exit of the material from the bottom of the drawer 15.
• the plane 19 is coplanar to the mould and extends up to the mould itself.
• the drawer 15 displaces axially towards the mould 2, moving on the horizontal guides 16.
• the first pressor element 4 is made to lower, in the direction of arrow F, up until it comes into the active position in which it superiorly closes the various filling cavities.
• the plate 6 supporting the second pressor elements 5 is raised, in the direction of arrow G into an end-pressing position (see figure 4), to press the material into the filling cavities 3.
• the means for injecting inject the hot fluid upwards into the mass of material.
• the injection stage can begin before the pressing phase.
• the hot activating fluid enters from the bottom into the mass of material contained in the cavity to activate the reactions contributing to transforming the loose material into a compact and coherent block after pressing.
• the first pressor element 4 is raised in the direction of arrow H, after which the plate is also raised (arrow K) to bring the second pressor elements 5 into the expelling position (figure 5).
• the pressed pieces P after expulsion from the cavities in an upwards direction, can be easily removed from the mould.
• the hot fluid can be injected internally of the filling cavities 3 from above, through the first pressor element 4, either alternatively or in concert with the means for injecting which operate from the side of the second pressor elements 5.
• second means for injecting the hot fluid are provided, which comprise a supply line 10 which conveys the fluid towards a manifold afforded internally of the first pressor element 4.
• the manifold is connected to a plurality of nozzles which terminate with downwards-facing outlets for the fluid, predisposed on the flat lower side of the first pressor element 4, for injecting the fluid internally of the filling cavities during the material compacting stage, activating the resin or glue.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Forests & Forestry (AREA)
• Dry Formation Of Fiberboard And The Like (AREA)
• Optical Record Carriers And Manufacture Thereof (AREA)
• Pallets (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Switches (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11450854

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (1)

Citations (5)

• 2001
  • 2001-08-08 IT IT2001MO000168A patent/ITMO20010168A1/it unknown
  • 2001-11-23 EP EP01274427A patent/EP1414631B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-11-23 WO PCT/IT2001/000592 patent/WO2003013812A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2001-11-23 DE DE60142085T patent/DE60142085D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-11-23 AT AT01274427T patent/ATE466703T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (5)

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