WO2005042215A1

WO2005042215A1 - A panel turning device

Info

Publication number: WO2005042215A1
Application number: PCT/IB2004/003527
Authority: WO
Inventors: Piergiorgio Benuzzi
Original assignee: Giben International S.P.A.
Priority date: 2003-10-31
Filing date: 2004-10-27
Publication date: 2005-05-12
Also published as: ITBO20030646A1

Abstract

A panel (2) turning device (1) applicable to a panel saw machine (4) basically comprises a panel (2) hold-down element (12) acting on the panel (2) in such a way as to form a pivot (13) in a defined area of the panel (2), downstream of a cutting device (7).

Description

Description A panel turning device

Technical Field The present invention relates to a device for turning panels, especially for turning wooden panels on panel saw machines .

Background Art Panel saw machines of known type are used to cut panels that vary both in width and length, usually placed one over the other in normally large stacks whose dimensions depend on the size of the panels made by the panel forming machines . Panel saw machines, in their minimum standard configurations with a single cutting line to which we shall refer in this specification, basically comprise: a horizontal worktable to support the stacks of panels to be cut; a unit for picking up the panels and feeding them, along an axis X (horizontal) , towards the end of the table opposite the stack loading end; a cutting device operative on the part of the panel stack at the end where the worktable is located. More specifically, the pickup unit comprises a beam extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis X and equipped with a plurality of pickup elements, for example of the gripper type, mounted side by side. The pickup elements act on the rear edge of the panels to be cut and may carry and/or hold the panels in position while they are being cut or moved backwards and forwards on the worktable. The cutting device is mounted on a carriage that moves in both directions along an axis Y perpendicular to the axis X so as to cut right through all the panels if these are stacked or through only one if a single panel is being processed. Usually, after the panels have been fed to the cutting line, they are trimmed and then, when necessary, cut one or more times according to a predetermined pattern. After the feeding step, if the panels have to be cut first along a direction parallel to the feed direction corresponding to the axis X, the panel stack or the single panel has to be turned through a right angle so that it can be fed to the cutting device in a position appropriate for the programmed pattern. To facilitate the work of the operators who have to turn the panels downstream of the cutting device, devices such as the one described in patent EP-1057599 have been devised. These devices basically comprise an element for holding down at least one panel being processed and means for turning the panel about the hold- down element. More specifically, the hold-down element is located in the vicinity of the worktable in such a way as to form a pivot in a preset area of the panel and the devices for turning the panel about the pivot facilitate panel movement to change the position of the panel relative to the cutting device. These prior art devices, however, are complex and expensive and are installed on the panel saw machines when the machines are assembled, thus considerably increasing their cost. This means that the machines are economical only in large installations. Normally, very expensive machinery is used only in production facilities comprising a plurality of process machines installed in line and requiring high investments. In production facilities of this kind, the panel saw machines are equipped with panel turning devices because the panels are very large and heavy and turning them manually is a burdensome task which considerably slows machine operations and reduces the productivity of the entire production facility if performed manually by machine operators. In small production facilities, on the other hand, machines are not usually equipped with panel turning devices because the cost of such devices is too high and disproportionate to the workload.

Disclosure of the invention The present invention therefore has for an object to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages by providing a panel turning device for panel saw machines that has a simple, economical structure. Another object of the invention is to provide a panel turning device that can be retrofitted on a panel saw machine even after the machine has been installed and is in working order, that is to say, a device that can be purchased at any later stage, as an accessory, even in small to medium sized production facilities, which are not normally equipped with such panel turning devices, so as to facilitate the work of the machine operators who otherwise have to turn the sawn panels manually. The technical characteristics of the invention according to the aforementioned objects may be easily inferred from the contents of the appended claims, especially claim 1, and preferably any of the claims that depend, either directly or indirectly, on claim 1.

Brief description of the drawings The advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention provided merely by way of example without restricting the scope of the inventive concept, and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a panel saw machine equipped with a panel turning device according to the invention; - Figure 2 is a front view, with some parts cut away for clarity, of a detail of the panel turning device according to the invention, illustrated in Figure 1; - Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are all schematic top views illustrating a generic sequence of operations for turning and positioning the panels that can be performed with the device according to the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention With reference to the accompanying drawings, especially

Figure 1, the numeral 1 denotes a device for turning panels 2. For simplicity, the description that follows will refer to a panel 2 to also include two or more panels 2 placed one over the other to form a stack 3 of panels 2, as illustrated in Figure 2. The panel 2 turning device 1 is applied to a panel saw machine 4 with a single cutting line. In the basic configuration illustrated, the machine 4 comprises a first horizontal table 5 for supporting and working the panel 2, a transporting element 6 that moves along a feed axis X forwards in a direction VI and backwards in a direction V2 in such a way as to push the panel 2 on the table 5, and a cutting device 7 that divides the panel 2 into sub-panels 8 by sawing the panel 2 along an axis Y transversal to the feed axis X. The cutting device 7 is of known type and therefore not described in detail and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in a solution with a single bottom tool . The panel saw machine 4 also comprises a second horizontal table 9 (of the type with two or more elements set apart to allow the passage of the operator) and defined at the sides by an edge 9a. The table 9 is located downstream of the cutting device 7 in the direction of feed VI and is designed to support and receive the panel 2 and the sub-panels 8 after they have been cut. In known solutions, the table 9 is equipped with a plurality of air cushion elements 9b so that the panels 2 and sub-panels 8 on it can be handled more eaily. The transporting element 6 comprises a crossbar 10, equipped with a plurality of pickup elements 11 designed to grip the panel 2 by an area at the back of it relative to the forward direction of feed VI, and drive means 6a which are not further described since they are of substantially known type. The pickup elements 11, in configurations that are not illustrated, are variable in number according to requirements and may move in multiple directions even along an axis parallel to the axis Y and perpendicular to X and Y in a manner that is well known and therefore not described. As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the panel 2 turning device 1 basically comprises a panel 2 hold-down unit 12 that forms a pivot 13 in a defined area of the panel 2. More specifically, the hold-down unit 12 is located in the vicinity of the lateral edge 9a of the table 9 downstream of the cutting device 7 relative to the forward direction of feed VI of the transporting element 6. In the configuration illustrated, the unit 12 is located in the vicinity of an end E2 of the panel saw machine 4. With reference in particular to Figure 2, it should be noticed that the unit 12 comprises fixing means 15 for stably attaching the unit 12 itself to the table 9. More specifically, the fixing means 15 may consist of screws, clamps or any other suitable known device. Advantageously, as illustrated by a dashed line in Figure 2, the hold-down unit 12 may stand on the floor on suitable supporting means 15a. Looking in more detail at the configuration illustrated by way of example, the hold-down unit 12 consists of a column 16, supported by the fixing means 15 or, similarly, by the supporting means 15a, and rising in substantially perpendicular manner above the second table 9, and a free turning plate 17 attached to the column 16 itself. Drive means 18 of substantially known type are provided for moving the plate 17 between an idle position, shown by a dashed line in Figure 2, away from the panel 2 and from the table 9, and a working position, where the plate 17 is in contact with the panel 2 in the aforementioned predetermined area, in such a way as to define the pivot 13. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the panel saw machine 4 comprises a pair of sliding pusher elements 19 that move parallel to the cutting device 7 along the axis Y in both directions A and B. With reference in particular to Figure 1 and Figures 3 to 8, each pusher element 19 is mobile between a first end El of the machine 4 and the above mentioned second end E2 of the machine, and is designed to hold the panel 2 in position while it is being cut . The pusher elements 19 constitute rotation means 14, as described in more detail below, for turning the panel 2 being cut. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, there is a free turning roller 20 acting in conjunction with the pusher element 19 to facilitate the turning of the panel 2. Similarly, in embodiments that are not illustrated, the pusher element 19 may be associated with low-friction, rolling or other types of elements to facilitate the movement of the panel 2 relative to the element 19. As illustrated in all the accompanying drawings, the panel 2 turning device 1 comprises, at the table 5, a multiplicity of multidirectional low-friction supporting members 21, 22 and 23 on which the panel 2 is turned. Looking in more detail, the supporting members may comprise brush type elements 21, illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figure 2 or air cushion elements 22, illustrated schematically in Figure 8, or elements 23 made of fibrous material with a low adherence coefficient (moquette) illustrated in simplified form in Figure 1 and in Figures 3 to 7. In other words, the supporting members may be made of any suitable material that offers low resistance to movement . The choice of the members 21, 22 or 23 will depend on the type of material the panel 2 is made of. The members 21, 22 and 23 thus form a multidirectional rotation surface 24 whose area is small compared to the area of the table 5. It is important to observe that because the surface 24 is small, the parts of the panel that do not lie on it can move over the customary transporting rollers 25 that turn freely about axes of rotation parallel to the axis Y. More specifically, if the panel saw machine 4 comprises a plurality of transporting rollers 25 associated with the first table 5 to facilitate movement of the panel 2 along the axis X, as is usually the case in machines of this kind, the low-friction supporting members 21, 22 and 23 are installed in the place of some of the rollers 25 in order to define the surface 24. The panel saw machine 4 also comprises stop elements 26, illustrated by a dashed line in Figure 1 and not shown in the other drawings since they are of substantially known type, mounted in such a way as to move between a working position that is not illustrated, where they intercept a stack 3 of panels 2 as it is fed towards the cutting device 7 thus aligning the panels 2 in the stack 3, and the rest position illustrated, where they are folded or tucked away under the table 5, in a suitable space made in the table 5 by the surface 24. During use, the panel 2 is picked up in a substantially known manner from a loading station 30 and positioned on the table

5. In the case of a stack 3 of panels 2, once the panels 2 have been placed on the table 5 and before they are gripped by the pickup elements 11 and cut or trimmed, the transporting element 6 pushes the panels 2 against the stop elements 26 which align the panels 2 neatly over each other according to substantially known methods . The transporting element 6 grips the panel 2 by means of the pickup elements 11 and moves it towards the cutting device 7 which performs a first run to cut or simply trim the panel. As illustrated in Figure 3, after the first cut, the remaining portion of the panel 2 (which, for convenience, we shall continue to refer to as panel 2) is fed past the cutting device 7 by the transporting element 6 and then positioned by the machine operator OP against the edge 9a in the vicinity of the hold-down unit 12. With the panel 2 in this position, the operator OP acts on it in such a way that the hold-down unit 12 forms the pivot 13 at the predetermined part of the panel 2, at a point corresponding substantially to the corner of the panel 2 positioned against the edge 9a that is upstream relative to the forward feed direction

VI. More specifically, the drive means 18 move the plate 17 from the idle position to the working position in contact with the predetermined part of the panel 2. The pivot 13 may be formed either as a result of an action of the operator OP or automatically by operation of devices of known type which are not illustrated or described. At this stage, the pusher elements 19 are positioned against the end El on the side of the panel saw machine 4 opposite the hold-down unit 12. With reference in particular to Figure 4, once the pivot 13 has been formed, the operator OP causes the panel 2 to rotate about the pivot 13 - clockwise in the configuration illustrated - until the panel 2 is positioned in such a way that the pusher elements 19 and the rollers 20 can complete the rotation of the panel 2 during their motion along Y in the direction A towards the end E2. This operation is made easier by the multidirectional surface 24 located at the first worktable 5 and by the air cushion elements 9b located on the table 9. More specifically, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the elements 19 and the rollers 20, as they move along Y in the direction A, push the panel 2 until it completes its rotation.

This operation is facilitated by the fact that the roller 20 can rotate about the pusher element 19. In a configuration that is not illustrated, the machine 4 does not have pusher elements 19 like those described and, instead, has other devices, of known type and therefore not described, for holding down the panel 2. In this case, the panel 2 may be turned completely by the operator OP with the aid of the pivot 13. With reference to Figures 7 and 8, once rotation has been completed, the plate 17 returns to the idle position and the transporting element 6 can position the panel 2 relative to the cutting device 7 for further cutting. Where the machine 4 allows, according to embodiments that are not illustrated, the second table 9 may be equipped with a second plate on the side of the panel 2 opposite the plate 17 and also mobile between a rest position and a working position where it is in contact with the panel 2. In this way, the pivot 13 is formed by the action on the panel 2 of the plate 17 and of the second plate which is also attached to a supporting structure and able to turn freely. A device constructed as described above therefore fully achieves the aforementioned aims thanks to a structure that is simple and economical yet very effective in facilitating the rotation of the panel 2. Further, the device 1 as described can be fitted or retrofitted to panel saw machines 4 of any kind thanks to its simple, practical structure and it can also be installed as an accessory in medium- to small-size machines. This practicality greatly alleviates the work of the operators OP attending to the machine 4 and considerably speeds up the positioning of the panels 2, thus increasing the overall productivity of the machine 4. Moreover, the cost of the device is limited by the fact that the rotation surface 24 is small in size compared to the worktable 5 and may be installed in the place of some of the customary idle rollers 25. The rollers 25 constitute a common, low-cost unidirectional conveying system, thus restricting to a limited surface 24 in the vicinity of the cutting device 7 the multidirectional supporting members 21, 22, 23 that facilitate the turning movement of the panel 2 and thus reducing the cost of the device 1. The invention described has evident industrial applications and can be subject to modifications and variations without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, all the details of the invention may be substituted by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1. A panel (2) turning device applicable to a panel saw machine (4) of the type comprising:

- a first horizontal table (5) for supporting and working the panel (2) ; - at least one transporting element (6) which moves along a feed axis (X) forwards in a direction (VI) and backwards in a direction (V2) in such a way as to push the panel (2) along the horizontal table (5) , and which comprises a mobile crossbar (10) equipped with at least one pickup element (11) designed to grip and hold the panel (2) while the panel (2) is being cut or positioned;

- a cutting device (7) that divides the panel (2) into sub-panels (8) by sawing the panel (2) along an axis (Y) that is substantially transversal to the feed axis (X) , the cutting device (7) being supplied with the panels (2) by the transporting element (6);

- at least one second horizontal table (9) located downstream of the cutting device (7) in the forward feed direction (VI) and designed to support and receive the panel (2) and the sub-panels (8); the panel (2) turning device comprising a panel (2) hold-down unit (12) acting on the panel (2) in such a way as to form a pivot (13) in a defined area of the panel (2) , the turning device being characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) is located in the vicinity of a lateral edge (9a) of the table (9) downstream of the cutting device (7) relative to the forward feed direction (VI) of the transporting element (6) .

2. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) comprises fixing means (15) acting between the hold-down unit (12) and the second table (9) and designed to attach the hold-down unit (12) to the second table (9) .

3. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) comprises supporting means (15a) acting between the hold-down unit (12) and the floor so as to enable the hold-down unit (12) to rest on the floor.

4. The device according to any of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of low-friction supporting members (21, 22, 23) forming a multidirectional surface (24) associated with the first table (5) .

5. The device according to claim 4, characterised in that the multidirectional surface (24) is located upstream of the cutting device (7) relative to the forward feed direction (VI) .

6. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of brush-type supporting elements (21) forming a multidirectional surface (24) located upstream of the cutting device (7) relative to the forward feed direction (VI) .

7. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of supporting elements (23) made of a fibrous material and forming a multidirectional surface (24) located upstream of the cutting device (7) relative to the forward feed direction (VI) .

8. The device according to claim 1, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of air cushion supporting elements (22) forming a surface (24) located upstream of the cutting device (7) relative to the forward feed direction (VI) .

9. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 4 to 8, characterised in that the multidirectional surface (24) is smaller than the table (5) .

10. The device according to claim 2, characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) comprises a column (16) supported by the fixing means (15) above the second table (9) and a free turning plate (17) attached to the column (16) and mobile between an idle position away from the panel (2) and a working position where it is in contact with the panel (2) .

11. The device according to claim 3, characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) comprises a column (16) , associated with the supporting means (15) and rising above the second table (9) , and a free turning plate (17) attached to the column (16) and mobile between an idle position away from the panel (2) and a working position where it is in contact with the panel (2) .

12 The device according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the hold-down unit (12) comprises drive means (18) that move the plate (17) between the working position and the idle position.

13. The device according to claim 1, where the panel saw machine (4) comprises a pusher element (19) for holding the panel (2) in position while the panel (2) is being cut, located in the vicinity of the cutting device (7) and mobile along the axis (Y) between a first end (El) of the machine (4) and a second end (E2) of the machine (4) , the device being characterised in that it comprises panel (2) turning means (14) defined by the pusher element (19) .

14. The device according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the panel (2) turning means (14) comprise a free turning roller (20) associated with the pusher element (19) .

15. The device according to any of the foregoing claims from 4 to 9, where the panel saw machine (4) comprises a plurality of transporting rollers (25) that turn freely about axes of rotation normal to the feed axis (X) and associated with the first table (5) in order to facilitate movement of the panel (2) along the feed axis (X) , the device being characterised in that the multidirectional surface (24) substitutes the rollers (25) at least partly.