APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND REMOVAL OF RUBBER TUBES

Abstract: Combined apparatus for performing the processes to which a rubber tube (17) formed on a metal core (19) must necessarily be subjected after having been vulcanised comprises a bed (1) constituted by a series of conveyor belts (9) disposed in longitudinal sequence in a horizontal plane, onto which the tubes (17, 17′) are individually placed after vulcanisation. Along one side of the bed (1) a carriage (13) carrying a spool (15) can be moved with the spool being driven to rotate by a slipping motor (22). At the two ends of the bed (1) there are positioned headers (3) having forks (4,5) for attachment to the cores (19) on which the tubes are formed. By rotating the spool (15) and simultaneously moving the carriage (13) it is possible to unwrap and recover bindings (16) from tubes (1) of any diameter tidily, whilst by fixing one end (18) of the metal core (19) to one of the said headers (3) and operating the conveyor belts, the tube can be released from the associated core.

Description: The present invention relates to combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes made on a metal core, after vulcanisation thereof. Known installations for the production of rubber tubes of a predetermined length substantially comprise a pair of rotary heads fixed to the end of cores constituted by round bars and supported along their horizontal length by a plurality of fixed stands mounted on an appropriate supporting structure or bed. Tubes formed on such cores using a process of known type must necessarily subsequently be subjected to a vulcanisation process which generally requires a preliminary wrapping or "bandaging" of the tubes by a bandage, strip, cord or the like according to different requirements. After vulcanisation of the rubber the tubes, now constituting the finished product, must be removed from the associated forming core after removal, when present, of the said bandage. Currently, the "unbandaging" of the finished tubes -­ that is, when these have been clad with a bandage or strip or the like before vulcanisation - is effected manually. This involves a significant use of manual labour with a consequent increase in the cost of production and with the possibility of breakage of the cladding strip because of the more or less marked adherence of this latter onto the tube; in any case this procedure makes the possible reutilisation of the bandage itself problematical. Moreover, there have not until now been provided convenient devices operable to simplify the operation of releasing the finished tube from the associated metal forming core. This releasing operation, on the other hand, involves significant practical difficulties when the tube to be released has a length exceeding determined limits. The object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes made on a metal core, after vulcanisation thereof, which allows any cladding which has been wound on the tubes to be removed in a substantially automatic manner. According to the present invention there is provided combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes formed on metal cores, after vulcanisation thereof, characterised in that it comprises a bed constituted by a series of conveyor belts arranged in sequence in a horizontal plane to receive the tubes after vulcanisation, a header at each end of the bed, a carriage carrying a spool movable along one side of the bed and a drive motor for driving the spool via a transmission means allowing slippage of the drive. One advantage of the present invention is that it provides combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes made on metal cores, after vulcanisation thereof, which permits the bandage or strip removed from the tube to be collected in an orderly way in such a way as to allow subsequent reutilisation thereof. Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes made on a metal core, after vulcanisation thereof, which is able to separate tubes of any length easily from the metal core on which they are made. One embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a carriage for the unwrapping of tubes formed on a core. Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a conveyor belt bed; Figure 3 is a partial side elevation of one of the said conveyor belts; Figure 4 is a plan view of the conveyor belt shown in Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the two headers positioned at the ends of the said bed. Referring now to the drawings there is shown combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes made on metal cores, after vulcanisation thereof, comprising a bed, generally indicated 1 constituted by a plurality of supporting structures 2 disposed in longitudinal sequence between two headers 3 each provided with a pair of connector forks, one of which (the fork 4) is fixed and the other of which (the fork 5) is capable of rotation. At the two ends of the said structure there are positioned corresponding drums 6 with horizontal axes, one of which is driven by means of a geared motor 7, whilst the other is provided with a tensioner device 8. Over the said pair of drums passes an endless belt supported at regular intervals by freely rotatable rollers 10 and suitably maintained in tension by the above-mentioned tensioner device. Along one of the sides of the said bed, moreover, there is positioned, at ground level, a rail 11 along which a carriage 13 can roll by means of corresponding pairs of rollers 12 mounted on one side thereof, the carriage 13 being supported on the opposite side by rubber-tyred wheels 14. This carriage is provided with a suitable spool 15 driven to rotate by a motor 22 via a trans­ mission mechanism 21 which includes a slipping clutch for enabling the spool 15 to maintain a slight tension on the bandage or strip 16 without damaging it. The bandage or strip 16 which clads the tube can thus be wound back in an orderly fashion. This arrangement permits tubes of all diameters to be unwrapped at any speed. More precisely, the said spool is driven, via a suitable transmission member such as a slipping clutch, by a motor, whilst the movement of the carriage along the said rail 11 can be regulated continuously by an operator conveniently mounted on the carriage itself. The operator can adjust the speed and the winding tension in such a way as to be able to wind onto the spool 15 any type of cord, bandage or strip at any withdrawal angle. In practice, the said unwrapping operation is effected by depositing a vulcanised tube 17 on a core 19, onto the bed 1 (obviously with the conveyor belts stopped) and then fixing the ends 18 of the metal core 19 to the rotary fork 5 of the header 3 by means of a pin 20. For this purpose the ends 18 of the core 19 are suitably shaped and provided with a transverse aperture for receiving the pin 20. Subsequently, the operator engages one end of the strip or bandage onto the spool 15 and puts the spool itself into rotation whilst arranging to move the carriage at a speed which is a function of the unwinding velocity of the strip or bandage itself. After it has been unwrapped the tube 17 is removed from the associated core by fixing one end of this latter into the fixed fork 4 of one of the said headers 3 and then putting into operation the conveyor belts 9, first of all slowly and then with a gradually increasing speed; these belts, by sliding in contact with the tube 17 and having a surface able to exert a convenient frictional force on the tube itself, cause its progressive separation from the core. This separation can be facilitated by means of an adequate introduction of compressed air between the tube and the core itself.

Claims: 1. Combined apparatus for the unwrapping and removal of rubber tubes (17) formed on metal cores (19), after vulcanisation thereof, characterised in that it comprises a bed (1) constituted by a series of conveyor belts (9) arranged in sequence in a horizontal plane to receive the tubes after vulcanisation, a header (3) at each end of the bed (1), a carriage (13) carrying a spool (15) movable along one side of the bed (2) and a drive motor (22) for driving the spool (15) via a transmission means (21) allowing slippage of the drive. 2. Combined apparatus according to Claim 1, charac­ terised in that the said bed (1) is formed by a plurality of supporting structures (2, 9, 10) disposed in longitudinal sequence between two headers (3), each of which latter is provided with a pair of forks (4,5) one of which is fixed and the other of which is rotatable about a horizontal axis, to which forks (4,5), the cores of tubes to be separated and the cores of tubes to be unwrapped are attachable respectively. 3 Combined apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that at the ends of the said supporting structure (2,9,10) there are positioned corresponding drums (6) with horizontal axes over which passes an endless conveyor belt (9), one of the said drums being driven by a geared motor (7) whilst the other drum is provided with a tensioner device (8) for tensioning the conveyor belt. 4. Combined apparatus according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a rail (11) is located on one side of the said bed (1) at ground level, along which rail the said carriage (13) can roll by means of corresponding pairs of rollers (12) mounted on one side thereof, the carriage (13) being further supported at its opposite side by rubber-tyred wheels (14). 5. Combined apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that the said spool (15) is driven, via a transmission mechanism (21), by a slipping motor (22), whilst the movement of the carriage (13) along the said rail can be continuously adjusted by an operator conveniently positioned on the carriage (13) itself whereby to adjust the speed of the carriage and the winding tension in such a way as to be able to wind onto the spool (15) any type of cord, bandage or belt at any angle at which it may be wrapped on the tube. 6. Combined apparatus according to any preceding Claim, characterised in that the removal of a tube (17) from its core (19) after it has been unwrapped, is achieved by fixing one end (18) of the core (19) into the fixed fork (4) of one of the said headers (3), and then putting the said conveyor belts (9) into operation, first of all slowly and subsequently with gradually increasing speed, so that the conveyor belts (9), by sliding in contact with the tube (17) and having a surface capable of exerting a convenient frictional force on the tube (17) itself, cause progressive withdrawal of the tube (17) from the core (19).

Inventors: COLBACHINI, GIUSEPPE ALDINIO
Applicants: I.V.G. COLBACHINI S.P.A.
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B29D23
IPC codes: B29C31, B29C33, B29C35, B29C37, B29K21, B29L23