Machine for assembling lamellar bodies

Background of the invention

The invention relates to a machine for assembling lamellar bodies, in particular lamellar bodies made of wood or material similar to wood.

Specifically, but not exclusively, the invention can be used for assembling lamellar beams, in particular lamellar beams with a curved shape.

A lamellar beam comprises, as known, a plurality of flat elements (generally called tables, or boards, or plates), made of wood, superimposed on one another in such a manner as to form a lamellar body and coupled together by gluing. In general, the assembly of each beam comprises applying glue to a side of each flat element, joining flat elements to form the lamellar body, then pressing the lamellar body to stabilise gluing.

Using machines for assembling lamellar bodies is already known. Such machines consist of presses (commonly called clamps) suitable for maintaining the lamellar body pressed in such a manner as to make gluing effective. Such presses can be configured in such a manner as to form curved lamellar bodies. Some examples are shown in patent publications US 5199475 and EP 1125700. US 4552345 shows an assembly machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

One problem in the assembly of lamellar bodies is to provide a gluing pressure that is uniform over the entire surface of the flat elements.

Another problem is to maintain the desired compression condition during the pressing time that is necessary for stabilising gluing; in fact, after initial clamping of the lamellar body, the yieldability of the (wooden or similar) material subjected to compression generally tends to make compression force smaller.

Another problem is to maintain uniform clamping pressure as the yieldability of the material is generally uneven and irregular.

Summary of the invention

One object of the invention is to make a machine that solves one of more of the aforementioned problems.

One advantage is to enable the lamellar body to be assembled with reduced intervention of an operator.

One advantage is to make a machine available that is constructionally simple and cheap for automatic assembly of a lamellar body.

One advantage is providing a machine that is able to maintain the desired compression condition even in the event of yieldability of the lamellar body.

One advantage is assembling the lamellar body with even gluing pressure, both in the initial clamping situation and in the event of unequal yieldability of the lamellar body during compression.

One advantage is to compress with uniform gluing pressure also in the case of assembling of only one lamellar body, such as, for example, a lamellar beam, with consequent greater productive flexibility, maintaining high quality of the assembled product.

Such objects and advantages, and also others, are achieved by the assembling machine according to one or more of the following claims.

Short description of the drawings

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings that illustrate an embodiment thereof by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an example of an assembling machine, made according to the invention, in an assembly configuration of a lamellar beam of curved shape.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a part of the machine in figure 1 in an assembly configuration of a lamellar beam of rectilinear shape.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the machine in figure 3.

Figure 6 is a side view of the machine in figure 5.

Figure 7 is a front view of the machine in figure 6.

Detailed description

With reference to the aforesaid figures, with 1 has been indicated overall an assembling machine for assembling a lamellar body 2, in particular a lamellar body made of wood or of a material that is similar to wood, such as, for example, a lamellar beam, of curved or rectilinear shape. The lamellar body 2 will have a plurality of flat elements, commonly called plates, or tables, or boards, that face one another and are coupled together by gluing, and possibly curved to form a curved lamellar body. The lamellar body 2 is intended for being assembled through the effect of compression, performed by using the assembling machine 1, to make gluing effective.

The machine 1 comprises a work plane, which can be used to support the lamellar body 2, for example during a preparing step of the machine. In particular, the work plane, which can be horizontal as in the illustrated example, can be intended to receive as a rest the lamellar body 2 with the flat elements arranged vertically, before being coupled with pressing means of the machine 1. The work plane can comprise, for example, a plurality of beams 3 (horizontal and parallel to one another), for example beams with a T-shaped cross section. The work plane can comprise empty spaces extending in length and parallel to one another (that are, for example, obtainable with parallel beams 3 that are spaced apart from one another) to form lanes along which elements of the assembling machine can be mobile, as will be explained below.

The machine 1 comprises two or more linear guides, in particular sliding guides with a horizontal sliding axis. The linear guides can be, as in the specific example, parallel alongside one another. The linear guides can be arranged, as in the disclosed example, below the work plane. In particular, the linear guides can be integral with further beams 4 (which are linear and parallel to one another) arranged below the beams 3 that form the work plane. The (lower) further beams 4 will be parallel to the (upper) beams 3.

The machine 1 comprises two or more carriages, each of which is slidable on a corresponding linear guide. Driving means of known type will be provided for controlled movement of the carriages on the linear guides.

Each carriage has a clamping unit for compressing the lamellar body 2 with the flat elements arranged vertically. The clamping unit can comprise, as in the specific example, the following components: at least one column element 5 (extending in a vertical direction); at least one jaw 6 that is movable in a horizontal direction with respect to the column element 5 to compress the lamellar body 2 between the column element 5 and the jaw 6; a linear actuator 7 (with horizontal axis, for example a fluid-driven cylinder) for supplying the force for compressing the lamellar body 2. The linear actuator 7 will in particular be configured for pushing the jaw 6 to the column element 5. Each clamping unit further comprises at least one tie rod 8 configured for connecting a movable part (piston) of the linear actuator 7 to the jaw 6.

The movable part of the actuator, or at least one end of this movable part that is connected to the tie rod 8, can be situated (as in the example) on an opposite side of the column element 5 with respect to the jaw 6. The linear actuator 7 will be arranged, at least prevalently, in a zone of the carriage outside the compression zone where the lamellar body 2 is compressed between the column element 5 and the jaw 6.

Each clamping unit can comprise, as in the example illustrated, a further tie rod 9 arranged parallel to the tie rod 8. The tie rod 8 and the further tie rod 9 can be arranged (as in the example) one above and the other below the linear actuator 7.

The lamellar body 2 may be compressed by a plurality of clamping units, each of which has a jaw 6 driven by a linear actuator 7 through one tie rod 8 and a possible further tie rod 9 arranged one above and the other below the lamellar body 2.

The tie rod 8 can have a distal end fixed to the jaw 6 and a proximal end fixed to the movable part (piston) of the actuator 7, directly, or as in the example, by the interposition of a transverse structure 10 that is in turn fixed to the movable part. The tie rod 8 can pass through a (vertical) opening 11 in the column element 5. The further tie rod 9, if present as in the example, can also have a distal end fixed to the jaw 6 and a proximal end fixed directly or by the transverse structure 10, to the movable part (piston) of the actuator 7. The further tie rod 9, if present, can pass through the (vertical) opening 11 arranged in the column element 5.

The linear actuator 7 can have, as in the specific example, a guiding system configured for contrasting a moment of force generated by a possible misalignment between the direction of the thrust force of the linear actuator 7 and the direction of the compression force applied to the lamellar body 2. The guide system can comprise, as in the example, two pairs of elements 12 in which each pair 12 comprises two elements that are slidably coupled together with a sliding axis parallel to the axis of the linear actuator 7. The elements of each pair of elements 12 will in particular be connected, one to the column element 5, and the other element will be connected to the movable part (piston) of the actuator 7. These pairs of slidable elements 12 can be arranged, as in the example, one above and the other below the operating axis of the linear actuator 7. Each pair 12 of slidable elements can comprise, as in the example disclosed here, two cylindrical surfaces that are slidable axially in relation to one another.

Each clamping unit can be mounted, as in the specific example disclosed here, on the corresponding carriage with the possibility of rotation around a vertical axis. Each rotatable clamping unit can be provided with driving means arranged on the corresponding carriage for rotating the clamping unit around the vertical rotation axis thereof, in such a manner as to vary the angular orientation of a compression axis of the lamellar body 2 between the column element 5 and the jaw 6 (in figure 1 the various clamping units are visible that are oriented in a coordinated manner in order to compress a curved (for example substantially semicircular) lamellar beam. Rotation of the clamping unit will entail, in particular, rotation of the linear actuator 7 and of the parts (column element 5 and jaw 6) arranged for clamping the lamellar body 2, such that each clamping unit can operate with a compression axis having its own angular orientation, in order to enable the lamellar body to be clamped in a curved configuration.

The clamping unit can be provided with locking means for locking in a removable manner the clamping unit in a desired angular orientation. The locking means can comprise an automatically driven locking brake.

Each clamping unit can comprise, as in the illustrated example (see in particular figure 4), one or two pipes 13 for conveying the operating fluid (liquid, for example, oil) of the actuator. The pipes 13 are housed around the column element 5, in particular in the step of preparing pressing in which the machine positions the various clamping units. This possibility of rapidly positioning the pipes 13 enables the time for preparing the pressing operation to be shortened and detaching the pipes 13 from the actuator to be avoided. With 14 the connections of the pipes 13 to the actuator have been indicated (see in particular figure 4). These connections 14 can be fixed.

With 15 two fixing pins have been indicated that are used to fix the ends of the tie rods 8 (for example for fixing the latter to the transverse structure 10), and which can be housed, ready for use, in seats arranged on the column element 5, for example (as in figure 4) on the top thereof.

The machine 1 comprises a control unit for controlling the movement of the carriages and the rotation of the column elements 5. The control unit will be programmed to position the various clamping units in such a manner as to command first the movement of one or more carriages and subsequently the rotation of the clamping units associated with these one or more carriages, in order to avoid interference and collisions between the clamping units associated with two different carriages. A (circular) line L in figure 6 indicates the maximum overall dimensions of a clamping unit during rotation thereof. The control unit is programmed in such a manner that the step of moving the carriages and rotating the clamping units, in order to obtain the desired curving of the lamellar body (beam), occurs without collisions. This step can comprise moving several carriages at the same time; in this case, it is possible to provide, for example, for two or more of the simultaneously moved carriages not being carriages that are adjacent to one another, i.e. not being slidable on linear guides that are contiguous to one another.

The linear actuators 7 can comprise, as in the specific case, fluid-driven actuators (in particular oil-hydraulic actuators). The machine 1 can comprise a centralised system for supplying the operating fluid to the linear actuators 7 driving the clamping units. This centralised supply system, provided with distribution valves, will be automatically controlled by the control unit.

As is seen, a (oil-hydraulic cylinder) actuator for driving the jaw is associated with each column element of the assembling machine. This actuator will be arranged at the rear, i.e. such that the column element 5 is interposed between the compressed lamellar body 2 and the actuator 7. Further, this actuator will operate by pushing onto the clamping unit (in particular on the movable part, or jaw, of the clamping unit) through the interposing of one or more tie rods transmitting the compression force.

It is observed that the use of a centralised operating fluid supplying system, owing to which the operating pressure of each single actuator 7 is controllable, enables the desired pressure to be maintained in each clamping unit. It is thus possible to recover automatically the pressure in the points where, through the effect of the yieldability of the material (wood) of the lamellar body, the pressure would tend to lower. This can occur without any intervention by an operator and moreover independently of the place where the yieldability of the lamellar body occurs and of the quantity of the yieldability.

The control unit of the machine is connected to the centralised operating fluid supply system in such a manner as to control the operating pressure of every single actuator 7 independently of the other actuators; this enables a desired pressure to be supplied to one or more actuators that is different from the desired pressure supplied to the other actuators. In other words, the set value of the operating pressure of an actuator can be different from that of another actuator of the assembling machine. This can be advantageous, in particular, for assembling lamellar bodies, such as, for example staggered beams, that comprise plates of various lengths; in this case it could in fact be necessary to supply different pressures to one, or several, or to all actuators.