SPREADING CONVEYER, PARTICULARLY FOR MACHINES, FOR MEASURING IRREGULAR SHEETLIKE MATERIALS, SUCH AS ANIMAL HIDES, WHEREBY HIDE STRETCHING BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER MENSURATION IS PROVIDED

Abstract: A conveyer (5, 5′, 8), particularly for machines for measuring irregular sheetlike materials, such as cattle or animal hides (0), is provided, whereby hide spreading, is made before, during and after mensuration. Over one or more bottom conveyers (5, 5′) an upper conveyer (8), of the same kind, comprised with endless cords or strips, is provided which engages the upper surface of the hides (0) being meausred, whereby the hides being moved, are vertically forced against its main surfaces thus giving to them an even attitude during mensuration. The conveyer endless members (50, 50′; 80, 80′) or the respective cylinder grooved rims (4″) are ideally divided in diverging ranks (50, 50′; 80, 80′), whereby the hides being moved and measured are further subjected to stretching, spreading them outwardly to the fullest extent, by forces suitably working, in a strictly parallel direction to the same hides.

Description: The invention relates to a device for conveying sheetlike materials, particularly for use in machines for measuring the surface area of sheetlike materials having an irregular perimeter, such as animal hides, whereby the sheetlike material is stretched before, during and after mensuration, the device comprising at least a bottom conveyor provided with an endless conveying member having an upper run to support the sheetlike material, a similar upper conveyor being provided above the bottom conveyor, said upper conveyor comprising an endless conveying member whose lower run engages the upper surface of the sheetlike material, said upper conveyor being driven for movement of its lower run in the same direction as the upper run of the bottom conveyor, whereby the sheetlike material is moved and vertically pressed against its main surfaces. According to known techniques, US-A- Patent 3473244 shows a conveyor for animal hides comprising a bottom conveyor and an upper conveyor, the upper conveyor having an endless conveying member engaging the upper surface of the hide, whereby the hide, being moved, is vertically forced against its main surfaces thus giving an even attitude. Moreover an endless conveying member comprising endless cords or strips is known per se (see for instance DE-A- 1660096). In the known conveyers, difficulties were encountered to combine these two devices and to provide favorable conditions for embodying them into measuring machines of irregular sheetlike materials, such as cattle hides, to distend the hides, before, during and after mensuration and along the complete procedure, comprising marking of hides, including the indication of surface area value of each of them. Further difficulties resulted on delivery of the hide, after the mensuration and/or marking device; quite often become full of wrinkles and the like, thus undergoing a heavy quality degradation. The invention as claimed is intended to remedy these drawbacks. The inventor has conceived a conveyer, particularly for machines for measuring irregular sheetlike materials, such as animal hides and the like, wherein continuous stretching of hides, is performed in a fashion strictly horizontal or parallel to the surface being measured. The device comprises at least a bottom conveyor provided with an endless conveying member having an upper run to support the sheetlike material, a similar upper conveyor being provided above the bottom conveyor, said upper conveyor comprising an endless conveying member whose lower run engages the upper surface of the sheetlike material, said upper conveyor being driven for movement of its lower run in the same direction as the upper run of the bottom conveyor, whereby the sheetlike material is moved and vertically pressed against its main surfaces; the endless conveying member of each conveyor comprises a plurality of endless cords or strips divided into ranks, which ranks diverge with respect to the conveying direction, whereby the sheetlike material is stretched, being spread outwardly by forces working in a direction parallel with the main surfaces of the sheetlike material A machine or device embodying the present invention, provides an arrangement wherein the endless strips or belts of the bottom conveyer, are comprised in at least two ranks, which, in at least one section thereof, particularly including the mensuration device, are arranged in a "V" attitude. In other words, about one half of members, comprising a first rank, diverge from the remaining members, comprising a second rank, in a fashion to leave a triangular space therebetween. To obtain this by minimizing wearing each conveyer of endless strips or belts runs over at least three rolls, at least two of which provide therebetween a concave angle, whose vertex comprises a twofold support bearing the adjacent end of both rolls. Correspondingly, the endless strips or belts of the upper conveyer are comprised in at least two ranks, which, in at least one section thereof, particularly including the mensuration device are arranged in a "V" attitude. In other words, about one half of members, comprising a first rank, diverge from the remaining members, comprising a second rank, in a fashion to leave a triangular space therebetween. To obtain this by minimizing wearing each conveyer of endless strips or belts runs over at least three rolls, at least two of which provide therebetween a concave angle whose vertex comprises a twofold support bearing the adjacent end of both rolls. The upper and bottom conveyers cooperate each other in two kinematic ways: 1) the transmission of movement; 2) comprising together a parallelogram to control the distance between the common plane of lower conveyer upper branches and upper conveyer lower branches of endless strips or belts. These two functions are provided by a single device. One way of carrying out the invention is described, in detail, below, with reference to drawings which illustrate only one specific embodiment, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of the upper section of a measuring machine, embodying the conveyer, according to the present invention. In this figure breaking have been made to show otherwise hidden important particulars. The unit is shown in an attitude wherein the upper conveyer is in its lifted position, not engaging the hide being measured, not shown. Figure 2 is a plane view, of the machine shown at figure 1 but with the upper conveyer lowered. Figure 3 is a detailed plane view, in an enlarged scale, showing a detail of Figure 2 comprising the crossing lengths of endless strips or belts and respective fitting of optical pick-ups. Figure 4 is a side view of Figure 3. Figure 5 is a detailed side view, of the strip or belt transmission driver, interconnecting the lower and upper ranks of strips or belts, as well as one parallelogram member and a jockey pulley provided for sinking, the bottom branches of the upper endless strips or belts. Figure 6 is substantially a side view of device of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a detailed side view, showing one member of the suspension parallelogram of the upper conveyer section, as well as a device for automatically adjusting the upper conveyer level or in other words, the distance between the common plane of lower conveyer upper branches and upper conveyer lower branches of endless strips or belts. Figure 8 is substantially a side view of device shown at Figure 7. Figure 9 is a partially cross-sectioned detailed side view, in an enlarged scale, showing one end of the upper conveyer, wherein stretching of upper endless strips or belts may be controlled. Figure 10 is a detailed cross-section, showing a twofold support bearing the adjacent ends of two contiguous conveyer rolls. Referring now to the figures of the drawings, a measuring machine comprises, conventionally, a partially shown body 1, a frame 2, for a conveyer 3, with at least one conveyer e.g. two, 3′, 3″, each of them comprising at least two rolls 4, 4′, 40 and a number of endless members 5, 5′, in the form of strips, cords, ropes or belts running over rolls 4, 4′, 40, i.e. having grooved rims 4″. Only one axle is driven, e.g., the axis of roll 40, having a toothed pulley 41 keyed thereto (figure 6) which is engaged by a toothed belt 42, (figure 6) which, in turn, is driven by a motorgear, not shown, fastened to a section of body 1, not shown in the drawings. Power transmission to at least another roll 4, 4′, is not necessary as naturally provided by endless strips or belts 5, 5′or mutually by at least a conveyer 3′, 3″ of cords or ropes 5, 5″. Moreover there is a marking device symbolized by box 06. In such conventional machine, endless strips or belts 5 run, longitudinally, parallel, comprising a movable conveyer and adherence and flatness of hides 0 may be promoted by a device (not shown) providing air depression. Of course, a measuring machine, is provided with a pick-up device 7, for mensuration scanning and other electronic devices duly connected, which supply the mensuration obtained at least to the marking device 06. According to the present invention, conveyer 3″ is substantially provided with three branches running over three rolls 40, 44 and 45. It will be appreciated that over roll 40 are run both the cords or ropes of conveyers 3 and 3″ and that rolls, 40, 44 e 45 are arranged with their axes parallel one another in a triangular attitude to provide room inside the endless strips or belts 5′of conveyer 3″, to receive therein the marking device 06. According to an important feature of the present invention, even over the bottom conveyers 3′, 3″, a conveyer 8, similar therewith, is provided. Such upper conveyer 8 is supported by a frame 18, and includes the substantially horizontal stretcher 18′ and the substantially vertical stretcher 18″ and is comprised with endless cords or strips 80, providing two diverging ranks 80, 80′, engaging the upper surface of the hide 0 being measured and stretched by rolls 88, 88′, 88″. Thus the hide 0, being moved, is vertically forced against its main surfaces, thus giving to it an even attitude. Moreover, according to the present invention, the cord members 5 and/or 80 of conveyers 3′and/or 3″ and/or 8 or grooved rims 4″ of rolls, are ideally arranged in diverging unfastened bundles, whereby the hide 0 being supplied and measured, is subjected not only to forces provided perpendicularly to its main surfaces but chiefly to a stretching, spreading it outwardly to the fullest extent, by forces suitably working, in a strictly parallel direction to the main surfaces of hide 0. This stretching, provided at least by bottom branches of upper endless ranks of cords 80, arranged in diverging directions. Such effect is obtained by providing a narrower pitch between grooved rims 4″ on one or more downstream rolls 4, 4′; 88, 88′, particularly at central gap between ranks or bundles 50, 50′; 80, 80′. In this gap is fitted support 05, to be described in the following. According to a preferred embodiment of present invention, at least one (88″) of upper rolls or conveyers (80) is driven by a bottom roll 40 or conveyer 3′, 3″ by two gears 9, 9′and the attitude of upper conveyer 8 is adjustable by an arrangement in the form of a parallelogram, driven by a motorgear 90, which controls the distance between upper conveyer 8 and bottom conveyers 3′, 3″ (figure 8). In fact, any swinging of a pair of linking arms 11, provided by motorgear 90, controlled by knob 91, involves a corresponding swinging of linking arm pairs 11′, 11″ suspending the upper conveyer 8. It will be appreciated that, in the critical point, wherein both upper and lower endless strips or belts, 50, 50′; 80, 80′, respectively go across device 7, scanning the mensuration of the hide 0 being measured, the endless strips or belts 50, 50′, 80, 80′ cross one another, substantially in a manner to leave enough room to device pick-ups 7 to operate and eliminating disturbing shadows (figure 3). According to a preferred embodiment of present invention, for spreading apart the ranks of cords or ropes 5, 5′; 8, 8′, a stretching by three lower and upper rolls, 4, 4′, 40; 88, 88′, 88″ respectively, is used, wherein the rolls 4, 4′and 88, 88′ are supported at their adjacent ends by one support 05, 05′ (figures 2 and 10) provided by inserts 55, 55′ each receiving a self-aligning bearing 55″, duly supporting the adjacent roll. From the foregoing the operation of the machine should be evident, however in the following a description will be given. At start (figure 1) the parallelogram suspension of upper conveyer 8, including the pairs of arms 11, 11′, 11″ is lifted better swung up in clockwise direction by about 90 degrees. In these conditions, the bottom branches 80, 80′of upper cords or ropes 8, are lifted, beyond the upper branches 50, 50′of the lower cords or ropes 5. In fact, the bottom end of arms 11 is keyed on the shaft of motorgear 90, which may be controlled, by knob 91. Of course this regulation does not affect the transmission to the upper conveyer, as the gears 9 and 9′ are permanently meshing. More particularly, in generally intermediate positions an average regulation is made keeping into account the thickness of hides 0. Powering the driving motor, not shown, of the machine, the belt 42, driven thereby, drives in turn, the pulley 41 (figure 6) and the latter drives roll 40, which is provided with two ranks of alternated grooved rims 4″. The grooved rims of one rank are engaged by cords 5 and the alternated grooved rims are engaged by cords or ropes 5′ of conveyer 3″ delivering the measured hides 0. Instead of a single bottom conveyer 5, two bottom conveyers 5, 5′are provided, wherein conveyer 5, covering the upstream length preceding the mensuration station 7, is used for the special purpose to spread the hide being measured to the fullest extent and this may be made easily by a shorter conveyer. Whereas, conveyer 5′, covering the length following the mensuration station 7, is used for the special purpose to remove the measured hides. Carpet 5′ is in the form of a miniconveyer whose endless cord members 3″ run over three rolls 40, 44, 45 with triangular attitude to receive therein the marking device 06.

Claims: 1. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, particularly for use in machines for measuring the surface area of sheetlike materials having an irregular perimeter, such as animal hides, whereby the sheetlike material is stretched before, during and after mensuration, the device comprising at least a bottom conveyor provided with an endless conveying member having an upper run to support the sheetlike material, a similar upper conveyor being provided above the bottom conveyor, said upper conveyor comprising an endless conveying member whose lower run engages the upper surface of the sheetlike material, said upper conveyor being driven for movement of its lower run in the same direction as the upper run of the bottom conveyor, whereby the sheetlike material is moved and vertically pressed against its main surfaces, characterized in that the endless conveying member of each conveyor comprises a plurality of endless cords or strips divided into ranks, which ranks diverge with respect to the conveying direction, whereby the sheetlike material is stretched, being spread outwardly by forces working in a direction parallel with the main surfaces of the sheetlikematerial. 2. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the diverging arrangement is obtained by providing a wider pitch between grooved rims (4″) in one or more downstream rolls (40, 88″) with respect to the corresponding pitch between grooved rims (4″) on upstream rolls (4, 4′; 88, 88′), particularly in their central section, between ranks (50, 50′; 80, 80′). 3. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein at least one of the upper conveyers (8) or conveyer rolls (88″) is driven by a lower roll (40) or conveyer (5) characterized in that such driving is obtained by means of two meshing gears (09, 9′), the attitude of upper conveyer (8) being adjustable by a parallelogram whose swinging arms (11′, 11′, 11″, 11″) are contextually driven by a motorgear (90, 91). 4. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, as claimed in claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that in the critical point, wherein both upper and lower endless strips or belts, (50, 50′; 80, 80′) go across to device (7), scanning the mensuration of the hide (0) being measured, the endless strips or belts (50, 50′, 80, 80′) cross one another, substantially in a manner to leave enough room to device pick-ups (7) to operate and to eliminate disturbing shadows. 5. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, as claimed in claim 1. characterized in that the lower conveyer comprises two conveyer sections (5, 5′) wherein the first section (5) including the diverging ranks (50, 50′) is located substantially upstream of the mensuration station (7) while consecutively thereto is joined the second conveyer section (5′) provided with parallel endless strips or belts (5′), the two conveyer sections (5, 5′) having a common intermediate roll (40) which engages the strips or belts 50, 50′; 5′) of both conveyer sections (5, 5′) running thereover in alternated grooves (4″) and in opposed directions. 6. Device for conveying sheetlike materials, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the spreading apart of the ranks of endless strips or belts is provided by running them over at least three rolls (4, 4′, 40; 88, 88′, 88″), two of which (4, 4′; 88, 88′) having substantially half length and arranged with their axes spread apart to provide a concave or lower than 180 degrees angle therebetween whose vertex comprises a twofold support (05, 05′) bearing the adjacent ends of both rolls (4, 4′; 88, 88′)

Inventors: DEON, GOTTARDO, DEON, LUIGI
Applicants: FORNI VARESE S.N.C. DEI FRATELLI DEON E LEONARDI
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G15, B65G47