Machine for cutting flat bodies

A machine for cutting flat bodies, wherein a fixed first table supports flat bodies to be cut into strips; a straight cutting line, located between an input station and an output station, being travelled by a rotary tool for cutting the flat bodies in a given cutting pattern; and a movable second table being connectable to the first table by connecting means, so as to be rotatable selectively about at least one vertical axis, and so as to slide parallel to the cutting line.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a machine for cutting flat bodies made of 
wood, acrylic material, aluminium, light alloy or similar. 
The present invention may be used to advantage on lines for producing wood 
panels, to which the following description refers purely by way of 
example. 
In the furniture industry, panels for shelving or for the sides and inside 
shelves of cupboards or wardrobes are formed by cutting flat bodies made 
of wood, normally of constant thickness, and of considerable size 
requiring a cutting machine with a very large supporting surface. As such 
bodies are normally rectangular, rectangular panels are particularly easy 
to cut by cutting the bodies along the perpendicular sides. 
For this purpose, cutting machines normally comprise a base; an input 
station with a first fixed supporting surface for the flat bodies; and an 
output station downstream from the input station. The output station is 
separated from the input station by a cutting line along which runs a 
powered carriage supporting a rotary tool, which is fed along the cutting 
line to cut the flat bodies into strips of the required size. The machine 
also comprises feed members for feeding the flat bodies from the input 
station to the cutting line and to the output station. At the output 
station, the machine comprises a substantially rectangular supporting 
surface large enough to receive the flat bodies cut completely into 
strips, and which is connected laterally to the base by a fixed hinge so 
as to rotate between a first and second work position in the first work 
position, the supporting surface is parallel to the cutting line and forms 
an extension of the work surface on the base; in the second work position, 
the supporting surface is perpendicular to the cutting line and forms a 
lateral extension of the lateral portion of the work surface on the base 
to which the supporting surface is hinged. Once the flat bodies are cut 
into strips in the direction defined by the cutting line, the strips may 
therefore be cut easily in a direction perpendicular to the cutting line 
by first rotating the supporting surface from the first to the second 
position and transferring the strips onto the fixed supporting surface, 
and then operating strip feed members and moving the carriage with the 
rotary tool back and forth to cut the strips into rectangular panels, the 
size of which depends on the set step of the feed members. 
A first drawback of the supporting surface-base connection is that of only 
allowing the supporting surface to assume two given positions with respect 
to the base, so that the operator station adapts poorly to different 
output requirements, as when cutting small-size panels for example. 
Moreover, extending substantially the same length as the cutting line, the 
supporting surf ace is of considerable size and weight, so that cutting 
machines of the above type are only feasible for grid cutting large-size 
flat bodies, and are totally unsuitable for cutting small strips or flat 
bodies in the form of small boards. For cutting small strips, in fact, 
such machines are preferably avoided for handling reasons. Moreover, the 
fixed-hinge connection between the supporting surface and the base limits 
the freedom of movement of the user and selection of the best work 
position in which to control operation of the machine. Finally, regardless 
of the work position assumed, the supporting surface defines the same 
reference by which to position the flat bodies, which seriously limits the 
versatility of the machine. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for cutting 
flat bodies, designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks. 
According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for cutting 
flat bodies, said machine comprising a base; an input station having a 
fixed first table for supporting flat bodies; an output station located 
downstream from said input station and separated from the input station by 
a cutting station in which is defined a straight cutting line, said line 
being travelled by a rotary tool for cutting the flat bodies in a given 
cutting pattern; feed means for feeding said flat bodies to said cutting 
station in a direction perpendicular to said line; and at least one 
movable second table for receiving said flat bodies from said cutting 
station via said feed means; connecting means for connecting said second 
table to said base being provided to enable said second table to rotate 
about at least one vertical axis; characterized in that said connecting 
means comprise a guide fitted to said base; and at least one pivot member 
fitted to said second table and cooperating with said guide to enable said 
second table to rotate about said pivot member and to move parallel to a 
respective long side or parallel to a respective short side, so that said 
second table may be positioned with a long side parallel to said line or 
with a short side parallel to said line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Number 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicates as a whole a machine for cutting flat 
bodies, in particular rectangular panels 2, which may even be fed to 
machine 1 stacked into blocks, and which may be made of wood or other 
materials such as aluminium, light alloy or concrete. Machine 1 comprises 
a base 3 supporting a rectangular work table 4; a cutting station 5 for 
cutting panels 2; an input station 6 for feeding in panels 2 and defined 
on table 4, upstream from cutting station 5; and an output station 7 for 
panels 2 from cutting station 5. Base 3 supports a clamping device 8 
installed at cutting station 5 and comprising a pressure member for 
pressing panels 2 onto table 4 during cutting; cutting station 5 comprises 
a slot 11 formed in base 3 and defining a straight cutting line 12; base 
3, at cutting station 5, supports a carriage 13 (shown by the dash line in 
FIG. 2) located beneath slot 11 and travelling in a direction parallel to 
cutting line 12; and carriage 13 carries a cutting assembly comprising a 
rotary tool 14 having a blade lying in the same vertical plane as line 12. 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, machine 1 also comprises a four-sided work 
table 15, which is connected to base 3 by a connecting device 16 having a 
guide 17 parallel to line 12 and connected rigidly to base 3. Connecting 
device 16 also comprises a number of rollers 18 fitted to respective 
corners of table 15. More specifically, table 15 is rectangular, and has 
four corners A, B, C, D defined by the intersections of adjacent 
perpendicular sides; guide 17, in this embodiment, is defined by a 
straight, substantially U-shaped bar open at the top and each end; and 
rollers 18 are fitted to respective vertical hinge pins 21 extending 
downwards from the underside of table 15 at corners A, B, C and D. 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, guide 17 is so formed as to enable rollers 
18 to be freely inserted or withdrawn; hinge pins 21 of rollers 18 are so 
located with respect to corners A, B, C, D that even only one roller 18 
may be left inside guide 17 without the respective corner of table 15 
colliding with base 3; and table 15 is provided with legs 22, each fitted 
with a castor 23. One or two rollers 18 of table 15 may therefore engage 
guide 17, so that: when two rollers 18 engage guide 17, table 15 may be 
moved parallel to the longitudinal axis of guide 17, which, as stated, is 
parallel to cutting line 12; and, when one roller 18 engages guide 17, 
table 15, besides moving along guide 17, may also be rotated about the 
axis of pin 21 supporting said roller 18. In other words, table 15 may 
assume widely differing configurations with respect to cutting line 12, in 
particular, a configuration in which a short side is parallel to cutting 
line 12, o r a configuration in which a long side is parallel to cutting 
line 12; within which configurations, the most suitable position with 
respect to either lateral edge of table 4 may be selected by moving table 
15 parallel to cutting line 12. To switch from one to the other of the 
above configurations, table 15, with two rollers 18 engaging guide 17, is 
simply moved along guide 17 to extract one roller 18, is rotated about the 
axis of pin 21 supporting the roller 18 still engaging guide 17, and is 
simultaneously moved along guide 17 to insert a third roller 18 inside the 
guide. 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, machine 1 also comprises a device 24 
which, when activated, provides for locking table 15 to base 3 in any 
table 15 position in which two rollers 18 engage guide 17. Device 24 
comprises a number of pads 25 fitted to respective rods 26, which are 
movable, e.g. pneumatically, between a first position in which pads 25 are 
a given distance from the side of table 15 engaging guide 17, and a second 
position in which pads 25 contact and frictionally prevent any movement of 
said side of table 15. 
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, machine 1 comprises, over table 4, a feed 
device 27 for activating panels 2 on table 4 and feeding panels 2, cut or 
not, from input station 6 to output station 7 and vice versa via cutting 
station 5. Device 27 comprises a number of known push grips 28 for 
gripping whole or cut panels 2. 
Machine 1 as described above is extremely versatile by enabling different 
cutting patterns, such as those shown by way of example in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
It should be pointed out that panels 2 are fed to cutting station 5 in 
conventional manner, with the long sides of panels 2 parallel to cutting 
line 12, so that, when feeding the panels to the cutting station, table 15 
is positioned with a long side, e.g. side B-C, parallel to cutting line 
12, and is locked to base by device 24. 
FIG. 3 shows a cutting pattern of panels comprising a number of cuts LI 
parallel to the long sides of panels 2, and a number of cuts L2 parallel 
to the short sides of panels 2; which cuts L1 and L2 are made respectively 
through the whole length and width of panels 2. The FIG. 3 cutting pattern 
is the simplest and fastest, in that each cut is made with whole panels 2 
at cutting station 5. 
The method by which to perform the FIG. 3 cutting pattern comprises the 
steps of: 
positioning table 15 with a long side, e.g. side B-C, parallel to line 12; 
moving side B-C along guide 17 into such a position that the panels 2 from 
station 5 rest entirely on table 15; 
feeding panels 2, with the long sides parallel to line 12, to cutting 
station 5 to make a number of cuts L1 parallel to said long sides and 
through the whole length of panels 2, so that the panels 2 leaving station 
5 are defined, on table 15, by a number of strips 2a; 
disabling device 24 to release table 15 from the base; 
moving table 15 along guide 17 to extract the corner C roller 18 from the 
guide; 
rotating table 15 about pin 21 supporting the corner B roller 18 to align 
the corner A roller 18 with guide 17; 
moving table 15 along guide 17 to insert the corner A roller 18 inside the 
guide, and moving side A-B of table 15 along the guide into a position 
enabling all of strips 2a to be engaged by push grips 28; 
enabling device 24 to lock table 15 to base 3; 
transferring panels 2, by means of device 27, onto table 4 on the opposite 
side of cutting line 12; and 
feeding panels 2 to cutting station 5 to perform a number of cuts L2 
through the whole width of panels 2, so that the panels 2 on table 15 are 
defined by a number of boards as shown in FIG. 3. 
FIG. 4 shows a cutting pattern comprising a number of cuts L3 parallel to 
the short sides of and through the whole width of panels 2 to form a 
number of strips 2b; and a number of cuts L4 parallel to the long sides of 
panels 2 and through the whole width of strips 2b. 
The method by which to perform the FIG. 4 cutting pattern comprises the 
steps of: 
positioning table 15 with a long side, e.g. side B-C, parallel to line 12; 
moving side B-C along guide 17 into such a position that the panels 2 from 
station 5 rest entirely on table 15; 
feeding panels 2, with the long sides parallel to line 12, through cutting 
station 5 and onto table 15 without cutting the panels; 
disabling device 24 to release table 15 from the base; 
moving table 15 along guide 17 to extract the corner C roller 18 from the 
guide; 
rotating table 15 about pin 21 supporting the corner B roller 18 to align 
the corner A roller 18 with guide 17; 
moving table 15 along guide 17 to insert the corner A roller 18 inside the 
guide, and moving side A-B of table 15 along the guide into a position 
enabling panels 2 to be engaged by push grips 28; 
enabling device 24 to lock table 15 to base 3; 
transferring panels 2, by means of device 27, onto table 4 on the opposite 
side of cutting line 12; 
feeding panels 2 to cutting station 5 to perform a number of cuts L3 
through the whole width of panels 2, so that the panels 2 on table 15 are 
defined by a number of strips 2b; 
disabling device 24 to release table 15 from base 3; 
moving table 15 along guide 17 to extract the corner A roller 18 from the 
guide; 
rotating table 15 about pin 21 supporting the corner B roller 18 to align 
the corner C roller 18 with guide 17; 
moving side B-C of table 15 along guide 17 to first insert the corner C 
roller 18 inside the guide and then position table 15 as required; 
enabling device 24 to lock table 15 to base 3; 
transferring one strip 2b, by means of device 27, onto table 4 on the 
opposite side of cutting line 12; 
feeding said strip 2b to cutting station 5 to make a number of cuts L4 
through the whole width of strip 2b, so that the strip 2b on table 15 is 
defined by a number of boards; 
unloading the cut strip 2b off table 15; and 
repeating the above operations strip by strip, i.e. transferring strip 2b 
onto table 4; feeding strip 2b to cutting station 5 to make cuts L4 
through the whole width of the strip; and unloading the strip off table 
15. 
Obviously, if the same cuts L4 are to be made in two adjacent strips 2b, 
both strips 2b may conveniently be transferred simultaneously onto table 4 
to make cuts L4 in both strips 2b in one cutting operation. 
Machine 1 obviously provides for further cutting patterns comprising, for 
example, forming strips of the same length as panels 2, and then cutting 
the whole width of each strip one at a time. 
In FIG. 1, guide 17 comprises a detached portion enabling a roller 18 to be 
extracted from guide 17 at the gap defined between the two portions 17a 
and 17b of guide 17; by utilizing portion 17b the table 15 can be moved 
substantially from one lateral edge to the other of table 4. 
Clearly, changes may be made to machine 1 as described and illustrated 
herein without, however, departing from the scope of the present 
invention. 
For example, to cut small-size panels 2 without using table 15, table 4 may 
conveniently be modified by applying a fixed lateral appendix 31 as shown 
in FIGS. 5a and 5b. Appendix 31 is substantially rectangular, is elongated 
in a direction perpendicular to line 12, and comprises, along one 
longitudinal edge, a lateral stop 32 extending the whole length of 
appendix 31 and high enough to laterally locate a panel 2 or block of 
panels 2. As table 15 is normally rectangular, and the presence of table 
15 alongside and contacting appendix 31 prevents the formation of a single 
rectangular lateral supporting surface, rectangular table 15 may be 
replaced by an L-shaped table 33 (FIGS. 5a and 5b) having a recess for 
exactly housing appendix 31. Table 33 comprises five corners, each having 
a roller 18, and may assume all the configurations and positions of table 
15, including one particular position in which it forms a single 
rectangular supporting surface with appendix 31. The need to rotate table 
33 clockwise, as in FIG. 5a, and also anticlockwise, as in FIG. 5b, means 
guide 17 must be shortened enough to allow a roller 18 to be extracted 
from the end facing appendix 31, but also to allow a roller 18 to be 
locked adjacent to appendix 31. For this purpose, guide 17 is shortened 
and divided into two portions 17a and 17b: portion 17a is substantially 
the same length as the long side of table 33, and is fitted to base 3 as 
of the free lateral edge of table 4; while portion 17b, which is located 
adjacent to appendix 31, is just long enough to house a roller 18. 
FIGS. 5a and 5b show how table 33 is rotated respectively clockwise and 
anticlockwise as of a position in which rollers 18 at the long-side 
corners of table 33 are inserted inside portion 17a. More specifically, in 
FIG. 5a, table 33 is rotated and positioned contacting appendix 31; while, 
in FIG. 5b, table 33 is located at the free lateral edge of table 4. It 
should be pointed out that, in FIGS. 5a and 5b, table 33 is indicated by a 
dash-and-dot line in the respective start positions, by a continuous line 
in the respective end positions, and by a dash line in the respective 
intermediate positions. A work station is obviously defined between 
appendix 31 and table 33, in which the operator may, for example, unload a 
strip or board off table 33 and load it onto appendix 31, from where the 
strip or board is transferred, by means of device 27, onto table 4 on the 
opposite side of line 12, and then fed to cutting station 5 where the 
strip or board is cut into pieces and deposited onto appendix 31. 
FIG. 6 shows a variation of machine 1 in FIG. 1, wherein table 15 is 
replaced by a table 51 having, at a first corner, a first roller 18 
similar to those of machine 1 and so formed as to act as a pivot member 
about the vertical axis of which table 51 rotates. At a second corner 
aligned with the first, however, table 51 comprises a second roller 18 
engaging guide 17 but which does not define a pivot member. That is, table 
51 may rotate about the pivot member, once table 51 is moved along guide 
17 to extract second roller 18 from the guide, and may be moved parallel 
to line 12 when guide 17 is engaged by first roller 18 alone or by both 
rollers 18. 
The advantages of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing 
description. 
In particular, machine 1 comprises an output station 7 with one or two 
tables, and one table is movable, as described above, to alter the 
configuration of output station 7 according to the cutting pattern, and so 
enable different cutting patterns to be performed. The possibility of 
sliding the movable table parallel to one side of the table provides for 
selecting the cutting reference as required, and also for selecting the 
portion of device 27 by which to grip the bodies for cutting. Since, for 
cost reasons, push grips 28 are not normally provided in large numbers, 
and are not equally spaced with respect to cutting line 12, a 
predetermined number of push grips 28 may be concentrated at one portion 
of device 27, and a smaller number at another portion of device 27. That 
is, it is possible to define a portion with push grips 28 by which to 
conveniently grip small-size bodies for cutting, and a portion with push 
grips 28 by which to conveniently grip large-size bodies. For all the 
above reasons, the present invention therefore provides for a highly 
versatile machine.