Splitting blade changing device for block splitter

A splitting blade changing device for a block splitter, comprising a revolving mechanism in which an upper rotary member is suspended by a supporting plate which is moved up and down by a cylinder installed in an upper part of a gate-like frame, a plurality of upper blades are held on a circumferential face of the upper rotary member, a slit is provided in a table which is supported in a lower portion of the gate-like frame via buffer members, an lower rotary member fixed detachably on a bottom plate of the gate-like frame is installed in a lower part of the table, a plurality of lower blades facing the upper blades are held on a circumferential surface of the lower rotary member such that one of the lower blades protrudes from the table surface via the slit of the table, and the upper and lower rotary members sequentially select and install the upper blades and lower blades. The device enables the attainment of split blocks having a desired surface shape without requiring a cumbersome process of replacing splitting blades.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a splitting blade changing device used in a machine for splitting molded blocks (hereinafter, referred to as a block splitter).

2. Description of the Prior Art

FIG. 6is a front view showing a main part of a block splitter which has long been used, where a holder plate82is horizontally fixed to a lower end of one set of hydraulic cylinder81which is attached to the upper part of a gate-like frame80, and when activating the hydraulic cylinder81, the holder plate82can be moved up and down along with a slide shaft84.

One upper blade86is fixed to a lower end of the holder plate82by means of bolts87. Further, a table90on which a molded block88is to be placed is horizontally fixed to the lower part of the gate-like frame80, and one lower blade92extending horizontally facing the upper blade86is provided inside a slit91of the table90.

The table90is mounted on buffer members94such as an air bag. The blade edge of the upper blade86which is descended by operating the hydraulic cylinder81is pressed against an upper surface of the block88. When the upper blade86is further descended, the table90is elastically descended with a deflection of the buffer member94, and a blade edge of the lower blade92installed inside the slit91protrudes from a face of the table90and is pressed against a bottom face of the block88. Then the block88is split by the upper blade86and the lower blade92(see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-141360A).

In such a block splitter, the upper blade86and the lower blade92need to be replaced appropriately in accordance with the shape, size and the like of the molded block, or with a desired surface shape of the resultant split blocks. In this case, since the upper blade86and the lower blade92are fixed respectively to the holder plate82and a seat plate83by means of the bolts87or the like, the upper blade86and the lower blade92are replaced with other upper blade and lower blade after removing the bolts and the like. It takes a substantial time even for a skilled engineer in such replacement of the splitting blades. Also nowadays, automation of a process from molding to finishing blocks by using an industrial robot has been progressing. Although the splitter needs to be stopped in order to change the splitting blades, the problem is that stopping the splitting process becomes a factor of lowering the production efficiency of the entire equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is contrived to eliminate the problem described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can obtain split blocks having a desired surface shape by holding a plurality of splitting blades on a circumferential face of a rotary member without going through a cumbersome process of replacing the splitting blades.

The present invention has employed the following configuration in order to solve the above-described problem.

(1) A splitting blade changing device for a block splitter, comprising a revolving mechanism in which an upper rotary member is suspended by a supporting plate which is moved up and down by a cylinder installed in an upper part of a gate-like frame, a plurality of upper blades are held on a circumferential face of the upper rotary member, a slit is provided in a table which is supported in a lower portion of the gate-like frame via buffer members, an lower rotary member fixed detachably on a bottom plate of the gate-like frame is installed in a lower part of the table, a plurality of lower blades facing the upper blades are held on a circumferential surface of the lower rotary member such that one of the lower blades protrudes from the table surface via the slit of the table, and the upper and lower rotary members sequentially select and install the upper blades and lower blades.

For the cylinder which moves the supporting plate up and down, the various types can be used. Examples include hydraulic, vapor pressure type, combustion pressure type cylinders and the like. As a method of pivotally holding the rotary member to the supporting plate, the face of the detachable rotary member to which no splitting blades are attached may be fitted to the supporting plate by means of a fitting such as a bolt or the like, or both axial ends of the rotary member may be fixed to the supporting plates. Further, the various types of buffer members are used. For example, an air bag, coiled spring where a spring steel is used, plate spring, disk spring and the like are used.

(2) A splitting blade changing device for a block splitter, comprising a revolving mechanism in which a pair of upper rotary members are suspended by a pair of supporting plates which are moved up and down by a pair of cylinders installed in an upper part of a gate-like frame, a plurality of upper blades are held on each of circumferential surfaces of the upper rotary members so as to make a plurality of pairs of upper blades with the upper blades held on circumferential surfaces of the other upper rotary member, a slit is provided in a table which is supported in a lower portion of the gate-like frame via buffer members, a lower rotary member fixed detachably on a bottom plate of the gate-like frame is installed in a lower part of the table, a plurality of lower blades facing the upper blades are held on a circumferential surface of the lower rotary member so as to protrude from the table surface via the slit of the table, and the upper and lower rotary members sequentially select and install the upper blades and lower blades.

By using paired two upper blades, two molded blocks having a length that is half the normal length can be split at once into a total of four blocks in two rows. Moreover, molded blocks with irregular sizes can be split in order not to generate damaged products. Also the lower blades are not necessarily paired, but they may be used in pairs, like the upper blades, by causing the lower blades to face the upper blades.

(3) The splitting blade changing device for a block splitter according to (1) or (2) above, wherein a concave portion is provided at both axial ends or one axial end of the upper rotary member(s), and two or one handling devices, which have a convex portion having a shape to be fitted and fixed into the concave portion and have a grasping portion on the other ends, are installed in the axial direction of the upper rotary member(s) as through shafts passing the gate-like frame.

By fitting the handling device(s) in one or both ends of the upper rotary member, and rotating the rotary member by moving the handle manually or mechanically, any splitting blade can be selected easily. Various methods can be employed as a method of fitting the handling device(s) in one end or both ends of the rotary member. Examples include a method of fitting by forming an end or ends of the rotary member into a hexagonal convex as a hexagonal wrench, and forming an end or ends of the handling device(s) facing the end or ends of the rotary member into a hexagonal concave so as to be fitted into the convex, and other methods.

(4) The splitting blade changing device for a block splitter according to any of (1) to (3) above, wherein the upper rotary member and the lower rotary member are formed in a shape of a polygonal column having side faces (excluding both end faces in the axial direction of the rotary members) twice as many as the number of a plurality of upper blades or lower blades that are held on the circumferential surface of each rotary member.

By smoothing each face of the rotary members supporting the splitting blades, it is possible to hold the splitting blades on the face of each rotary member more securely than on a curved face.

The present invention has an effect of providing a block splitter which comprises a supporting plate which is moved up and down by a cylinder, a detachable upper rotary member, and a lower rotary member of the same sort under a table, and which can obtain split blocks having a desired surface configuration by holding a plurality of splitting blades on a circumferential surface of the rotary member without going through a cumbersome process of replacing the splitting blades.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinbelow, an embodiment of the present invention is described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1is a side view showing an example of the embodiment of the present invention, in which a supporting plate5is fixed to a fixing plate2which is moved up and down by a hydraulic cylinder1installed in the upper part of a gate-like frame10. Reference numeral4indicates slide shafts. Further, a fitting convex portion16, which is formed on a circumferential surface of an upper rotary member7, is fitted in a bottom part of the supporting plate5, thereby suspending the rotary member7. Three upper blades6A,6B and6C are supported on the circumferential surface of the rotary member7. Furthermore, in the lower part of the gate-like frame10, there is a table9mounted on buffer members (not shown), and the table9is provided with a slit11for protruding a lower blade. A lower rotary member17is installed in the lower part of the table9. A circumferential surface of this rotary member17is provided with a plurality of lower blades12A,12B and12C that face the upper blades6A,6B and6C. Further, the lower blade12A needs to be held on the circumferential surface of the rotary member17so as to protrude from the face of the table9through the slit11. Moreover, the supporting plate5and the rotary member7have a structure so as to be detachably attached. Each of the rotary members is in the shape of a hexagonal column. The circumferential surface of the rotary member7is provided with faces to which the upper blades are attached, and faces on which the fitting convex portions16are formed. The fitting convex portion16is fixed to a fitting hole formed at the bottom part of the supporting plate5. Fastening of the rotary member to the supporting plate may be effected by means of a magnetic lock or bolts.

A molded block19to be split is conveyed onto the table9of the block splitter by a conveyer18. The conveyed molded block19is positioned at rest in a central part of the table9. The slit11portion of the table9is present under the bottom face of the molded block19which is positioned at rest. The table9is mounted on the buffer members (not shown), and the blade edge of the upper blade6A which is descended by the hydraulic cylinder1is pressed against the upper surface of the block19. When the upper blade6A is further descended from this state, the buffer members are elastically pressed down, then the table9is elastically descended, and the lower blade12A which is installed inside the slit11protrudes from the face of the table9and pressed against the bottom face of the block19. Then the block19is sandwiched between the upper blade6A and the lower blade12A and split. After the block19has been split, the upper blade6A is moved upward again by the hydraulic cylinder1. The split molded block19is transferred to the next process by a discharge conveyer20.

FIG. 2shows an example of the rotary means.FIG. 2is a front view showing an example of another embodiment of the present invention. The same parts or members as those inFIG. 1are explained using the same numerals.

Hydraulic cylinders21and22that are installed in the upper part of the gate-like frame10move the rotary member7up and down. The three upper blades6A,6B and6C are retained on the circumferential surface of the rotary member7. In the lower part of the gate-like frame10, there is the table9mounted on buffer members23, and the table9is provided with the slit11(not shown) for protruding the lower blade12A. The rotary member17is installed in the lower part of the table9. The circumferential surface of this rotary member17is provided with a plurality of lower blades12A,12B and12C that face the upper blades6A,6B and6C. Further, the lower blade12A needs to be retained so as to protrude from the face of the table9through the slit. Furthermore, the both ends of the rotary member7are fixed to supporting plates24provided on the lower end parts of the cylinders21and22, and the rotary member7is appropriately rotated freely by a motor embedded in the lower end of the cylinder21and22.

The molded block19to be split is conveyed onto the table9of the block splitter by a conveyer (not shown). The conveyed molded block19is positioned at rest in a central part of the table9. The slit of the table9is present under the bottom face of the molded block19which is positioned at rest. The table9is mounted on the buffer members23, and the blade edge of the upper blade6A which is descended by the hydraulic cylinders21and22is pressed against the upper surface of the block19. When the upper blade6A is further descended from this state, the buffer members23are elastically pressed down, then the table9is elastically descended, and the lower blade12A which is installed inside the slit protrudes from the face of the table9and pressed against the bottom face of the block19. Then the block19is sandwiched between the upper blade6A and lower blade12A and split. After the block19has been split, the upper blade6A is moved upward again by the hydraulic cylinders21and22. The split molded block19is transferred to the next process by a discharge conveyer (not shown). Reference numeral25indicates a handling device. InFIG. 2, the upper blade6C and the lower blade12C are not shown.

FIG. 3is a front view showing an example of another embodiment of the present invention. The same parts or members as those inFIG. 1are explained using the same numerals. As shown inFIG. 3, in the block splitter according to this embodiment, two upper rotary members37and38, each supported upper blades thereon so as to make pairs of upper blades, are provided with convex portions at axial outer ends thereof; and two handling devices40and41, which are provided with concave portions having shapes to be fitted and fixed into the above concave portions and have grasping portions on the other ends, are installed in the axial direction of rotary members37and38as thorough shafts42and43passing through the gate-like frame10.

The two hydraulic cylinders31and32that are installed in the upper part of the gate-like frame10move up and down supporting plates33and34to which the rotary members37and38are bounded. Further three upper blades36A1,36B1and36C1are held on the circumferential surface of the rotary member37. The same applies to three upper blades36A2,36B2and36C2that are held on the circumferential surface of the rotary member38

FIG. 4is a partial perspective view for explaining a method of bounding the rotary members37and38to the supporting plates33and34. In order to release the rotary members37and38from the supporting plates33and34, the handling devices40and41which are not shown are inserted into the concave portions of the axial outer ends of the rotary members, and thereby fixedly fitted, thereafter a magnetic lock50is turned OFF to cancel magnetization of a fitting magnetic body54. At this time, flanges51of the rotary member37and38are being mounted in a pinching fashion on suspending members53of the supporting plates33and34. By pressing the handling devices40and41(not shown) towards the direction of the arrow in the figure, the flanges51of the rotary members37and38can be removed from the suspending members53of the supporting plates33and34. At this time the rotary members37and38are being fitted and fixed to and supported by the handling devices40and41. The handling devices40and41are pushed down in this state, the upper blades36A1and the like that are held by the rotary members37and38are rotated together with the rotary members at the place where the handling devices are pushed down, and the upper blades36B1(not shown) and the like are selected accordingly. After selection, the rotary members37and38are magnetically bonded to the supporting plates33and34, using the above-described opposite method.

FIG. 5is a partial perspective view for explaining another method of bounding the rotary members37and38to the supporting plates33and34. In order to release the rotary members37and38from the supporting plates33and34, the handling devices40and41which are not shown are inserted into the concave portions of the axial outer ends of the rotary members, and thereby fixedly fitted, thereafter bolts61are loosen and pulled out of insertion holes62. At this time, a convex portion63of the rotary member37and38are being placed in a pinching fashion on suspending members64of the supporting plates33and34, and the rotary members37and38are being fitted and fixed to and supported by the handling devices40and41. The handling devices40and41are pushed down from this state towards the direction of the arrow in the figure to a predetermined position, the upper blades36A1and the like that are held by the rotary members37and38are rotated together with the rotary members at the place where the handling devices are pushed down, and the upper blades36B1and the like are selected accordingly. After selection, the rotary members37and38are jointed to the supporting plates33and34, using the above-described opposite method, in which the rotary members37and38are introduced between the suspending member64and jointed to the supporting plates33and34by inserting the bolts61into the insertion holes62. Reference numerals65and66are a fitting convex portion and a fitting concave portion for positioning the respective members in a correct positional relationship therebetween and this positioning can also be effected by means of positioning pins and insertion holes.

Moreover, as shown inFIG. 3, in the lower part of the gate-like frame10, there is a table49which is supported via buffer members39, and the table49is provided with a slit (not shown) for protruding a lower blade52A1. A lower rotary member57is installed in the lower part of the table49. A plurality of lower blades52A1,52B1,52C1facing the upper blades36A1,36A2,36B1, and36B2,36C,36C2are held on a circumferential surface of this rotary member57. Further, the lower blade52A1is supported so as to protrude from the face of the table49through the slit.

The molded block19to be split is conveyed onto the table49of the block splitter by a conveyer (not shown). The conveyed molded block19is positioned at rest in a central part of the table49. The slit of the table49is present under the bottom face of the molded block19which is positioned at rest. The table49is mounted on the buffer members39, and the blade edges of the paired upper blades36A1and36A2which are descended by the hydraulic cylinders31and32are pressed against the upper surface of the block19. When the upper blades36A1and36A2are further descended from this state, the buffer members39are elastically pressed down, then the table49is elastically descended, and the lower blade52A1which is installed inside the slit protrudes from the face of the table49and pressed against the bottom face of the block19. Then the block19is sandwiched between the upper blades36A1and36A2and the lower blade52A1and then split. After the block19has been split, the upper blades36A1and36A2are moved upward again by the hydraulic cylinders31and32. The split molded block19is transferred to the next process by a discharge conveyer (not shown). A handling device45is installed for the rotary member57. InFIG. 3, the upper blades36C1and36C2and the lower blades52B1and52C1are not shown.

In the above paragraphs, the embodiments using the lower rotary member holding three lower blades on its circumferential surface are explained, splitting of blocks could be successfully performed by installing a lower rotary member holding four blades on its circumferential surface in the above-mentioned block splitter. The number of plural upper and lower splitting blades may be varied to desired numbers by appropriately modifying the design or arrangement of the upper and lower rotary members.