A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR FILLING A CLOSED SPACER FRAME WITH A DRYING AGENT

Abstract: A method of filling a spacer frame is described. A corner of the frame is positioned in relation to a positioning pin (21), whereas a surface (79) of two of the sides of the frame is positioned in relation to driving pins (40) which have a contact surface extending in a plane which is tangent to the circumference of the positioning pin (21). The driving pins form a part of or are combined with separated working units (6) which comprise a pierce needle (32) for forming an opening (82), a filling nozzle and a hammer for re-closing the opening (82). The opening (82) is formed in a lateral surface (85) of the profile of the frame and in the vicinity of an adjacent surface (79). When the frame is positioned correctly in relation to the pins (21 and 40) all three working tools can thereby be activated while the frame is maintained in a groove (41) in each working unit. Thus, there is no risk that the frame is incorrectly positioned between the different working sequences. Nor is there any risk that the supplied drying agent leaks as the frame is re-closed in an effective way by an outwards deformed part (80) of the adjacent lateral surface (79). By means of the hammer (68) this part is directed inwards to a position (81) where the opening (82) is re-closed.

Description: A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR FILLING A CLOSED SPACER FRAME WITH A DRYING AGENT. Background of the Invention. The present invention relates to a method of filling a closed spacer frame with a drying agent, which method comprises positioning the fra¬ me in a filling apparatus and subsequently positioning a working unit in relation to the frame so that at least one opening is formed in the profile forming the frame before the drying agent is supplied, which opening is closed after the desired amount of drying agent is supplied. Methods of this type are especially known in connection with spacer frames for double-glazed windows in which the drying agent is to ab¬ sorb moisture, if any, and prevent formation of dew between the glass layer of a double-glazed window. Up to now it has been possible to supply the drying agent in several fundamentally different ways. One of these methods which is described in GB-A-2,118,605 works like the method mentioned above comprising bending and closing the frame and subsequently supplying the drying agent. When using this method a filling opening is formed by drilling or alike. The drying agent is then supplied in a separate filling step by using a nozzle which forms part of the working unit and which swings in position in relation to the opening formed. The opening for¬ med is then re-closed with a plug. Said plug can be formed by injec- tion of a curable material, e.g. glue, butyl or the like in the open¬ ing, or the plug may be pre-manufactured to fit in the opening formed. Both cases involve the risk that the plug at some point gets loose, e.g. due to the curing and shrinking of the curable material or due to changes in the materiale of the plug used. In these cases there is the risk that the drying agent falls out before the frame is inserted be¬ tween the two glass layers. This causes working problems for the user. Moreover, the latter method requires transportation of the frame be¬ tween different process stages which makes the filling slow and de¬ manding. It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of the type mentioned above and by means of which it is possible to obtain a considerable simplification of the filling process and an effective closing of the filling opening without the drawbacks mentioned above, and which method makes it possible to fill a closed spacer frame of any form and having substantially any imaginable angle for the corner of the frame. According to the invention this is obtained with a method which is characterized in effecting the positioning of the frame by positioning one of the corners of the frame in the filling apparatus, effecting the positioning of the working unit by positioning an adjustable work¬ ing unit against each of the adjacent sides in the frame, forming an opening with a pierce needle in at least one of the sides of the fra¬ me, which pierce needle is inserted into one of the lateral faces of the profile in the immediate vicinity of a corner of the profile so that a part of the adjacent lateral face is deformed outwards, closing the opening after the drying agent is supplied by directing inwards the outwards deformed part of the adjacent lateral face for re-closing the opening and subsequently removing the frame filled with drying agent from the working unit. The method makes it possible to make an opening, to supply drying agent and to re-close the opening in an effective way in one conti¬ nuous sequence and in one working unit. The requirements usually made to the amount of filled drying agent result in that it will suffice to fill two of the side members of the frame of substantially any frame form with drying agent. In the method one of the corners of the frame is positioned in rela¬ tion to a working unit. The operator can freely choose which corner is to be positioned. This means that the operator can choose to position a corner which allows the total amount of drying agent to be supplied in the frame by filling the sides of the frame which are adjacent the corner positioned. As the working units are adjustable to a position towards the adjacent sides irrespective of the mutual angle between these sides it is possible to form an opening, to effect a filling and to re-close the opening in one continuous working sequence. Thus, neither manual nor mechanical transport of the frame between the indi¬ vidual steps in the working sequence is required. In at least one of the sides of the frame the opening is formed with a particularly formed pierce needle which is mounted in the adjustable working unit. The needle is inserted through a profile in the immedia¬ te vicinity of a corner of the profile without any material being re¬ moved. Through the opening one or two of the sides of the frame adja¬ cent the positioned corner can be filled with drying agent in any suitable way, preferably by pneumatical introduction while monitoring the flow of materials which allows an automatic interruption of the filling step and an automatic initiation of the subsequent re-closing step when the two adjacent side members are filled. As the adjacent lateral face of the profile is deformed outwards when making an opening the opening is closed by said outwards deformed part being pressed, hammered or in any other way directed inwards inside the original cross section of the profile for re-closing the opening. Thus, popularly speaking the lateral face is opened only by bending one part of the material of the lateral face and after the filling the opening formed is re-closed by using the bended material. As the mate¬ rial constituting a part of the profile is used for re-closing the opening there is no risk that the opening will open at a later point and thus there is no risk that the drying agent will run out of the closed spacer frame in the subsequent working processes or during sto¬ rage before such working processes are carried out. The embodiment of the method stated in claim 4 results in a particu¬ larly simple adaptation to frames where the positioned corner has dif- ferent angles. As the corner is positioned in relation to a position¬ ing pin and two positioning units which are pivotable round the cen¬ tral axis of the positioning pin the contact faces on the combined working and positioning units can be placed in a tangent plane to the circumference of the positioning pin in any position during their swing. As the positioning takes place towards the lateral face of the side member of the frame turning inside the frame the opening is for¬ med in one of the faces intending for abutting the glass of the doub¬ le-glazed window. The method can thus be used in connection with any width of the profile which constitutes the spacer frame. Moreover, the invention relates to an apparatus for use in filling a closed spacer frame by using the above-mentioned method, which appara¬ tus comprises means for positioning the frame and for positioning a working unit in relation to the frame, and which apparatus is charac- terized in that the positioning means comprises a positioning pin having a small diameter so that one of the corners of the frame may be placed freely pivotable thereon, pivotable positioning units which are arranged for swinging round the central axis of the positioning pin and which each has a contact face which irrespective of the angle po¬ sition of the positioning units extends in a plane which substantially touches the circumference of the positioning pin, which positioning units are combined with or form part of a working unit comprising a groove for absorbing one of the sides of the frame and a set of wor- king tools in the form of a pierce needle, a filling nozzle, and a hammer, and that the apparatus furthermore comprises a pressure plate for maintaining the frame between the bottom of the groove and the pressure plate during the use of the tools, and means for automatic control of the operation of the apparatus. The method according to the invention can be performed with the appa¬ ratus by positioning and maintaining the frame in one position during the formation of the opening, subsequently supplying the drying agent and finally re-closing the opening. As the frame is maintained in the apparatus during the whole filling process there is no risk that the frame is incorrectly positioned as would be the case by using several successive apparatusses. The apparatus is very simple to operate and may be used in filling frames having any polygonal form, triangular, quadrangular, pentago¬ nal, etc., as a corner is positioned on the positioning pin having a smaller diameter than the inside curvature of a corner thereby allow¬ ing the frame to swing freely. The positioning units are pivotable around the centrale axis of the positioning pin and thus can swing to a position abutting the lateral face of a profile facing the inside of the frame. As the face of contact with the inwards turning face of the frame always is located in a plane which substantially touches the pivot pin, the working unit will automatical adjust itself correctly in relation to the two side members of the frame which are adjacent the suspension corner of the frame. After the frame has been positioned in relation to the pin and the two pivotal positioning units, the two side members are positioned in se¬ parate grooves and maintained therein by means of the pressure plate. In this manner the frame is maintained not only against a swing but also against an unintentional displacement during the subsequent acti¬ vation of the working tools. As the frame is provided with means for controlling the operation of the working tools, an operator only needs to place the frame in relation to the positioning pin and the positio¬ ning units so that the two side members are placed in separate groo¬ ves. The subsequent steps of maintaining the frame, forming an open¬ ing, filling, re-closing and releasing the frame will automatically take place and the operator then only needs to remove the frame filled with drying agent. It is noted that the mentioned apparatus is suitably mounted at the top of a column which makes is possible to suspend even large frames in the apparatus. If desired, these may extend down into a small canal formed in the floor in front of the apparatus. Equipment for pneumatic transport of drying agent and storage room for drying agent may advan¬ tageously be contained in said column or in a base of said column. Thus, the area requirement of the apparatus will be quite small. As the vast majority of frames normally are manufactured as a quadran¬ gle with rectilinear corners, the apparatus can advantageously be pro¬ vided with spring-loaded ball catches which maintain each combined working and positioning unit in a position for filling such frames. Thus, the apparatus will already be preset for positioning of a recti- linear corner even though it may be used for filling corners having other angles simply by releasing the ball catches. In practice, the apparatus may be used in connection with corners having an angle from approximately 10 β to approximately 179°. Brief description of the drawing. The invention will now be further explained with reference to the ac¬ companying drawing wherein Fig. 1 shows a side view of a filling machine comprising an appara- tus according to the invention, Fig. 2 a view, from above, of an apparatus according to the inven¬ tion, Fig. 3 a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2, Figs. 4-6 views, on an enlarged scale, for illustrating a basic ele- δ ment of a working unit which forms part of an apparatus, seen from above, from the side, and from below, respective¬ ly, Figs. 7 and 8 a partial view and a partial section, respectively, on another scale for illustrating an element for incorporation with the basic element of the working unit shown in Figs. 4-6, Figs. 9-11 a plane view and two side views, partly in section, on the same scale as in Figs. 7 and 8 and for illustrating a hammer which forms part of a working unit, Figs. 12-14 side views, on the same scale as Figs. 7-11, of a pierce needle which forms part of a working unit and seen under different angles, Figs. 15-17 a schematic view, on another scale, for illustrating dif- ferent positions of two working units which form part of the apparatus according to the invention, Figs. 18 and 19 a partial view, from the side and from above, respec¬ tively, for illustrating an opening formed by the method according to the invention, and Fig. 20 a partial side view, on another scale, for illustrating the way the opening is re-closed. It is noted that the different figures of the drawings are not on the same scale, as the different elements forming part of the apparatus and the frame are enlarged for illustrating the invention as clearly as possible. In Fig. 1 the reference numeral 1 denotes a column at the top of which an apparatus 2 is mounted said column resting on a base 3 which also supports one or more containers 4 for the drying agent to be filled. The base 3 and the column 1 contain control means and means for pneu¬ matic transport of the drying agent from the containers 4 to the appa¬ ratus 2 at the top of the column. The base 3 is provided with height adjustable feet 5 for correct straightening. The apparatus 2, which will be explained in further detail below, comprises two combined working and positioning units 6 (in the following only referred to as the working unit) and a pressure plate unit 7 which comprises a pres¬ sure plate 15 and a front cover 16 which is supported by two column guides 8. As will appear from Fig. 1, the column may be manufactured with substantially any suitable height which allows filling of even relatively large frames. However, the apparatus 2 may be expediently located in an ergonomically correct working height for the operator, and in that case it will also be possible to use the apparatus for filling frames having a height which is higher than the height of the column, as only a fairly small canal needs to be formed in the floor in front of the base 3. Figs. 2 and 3 show on enlarged scale a more detailed view of the appa- ratus 2 which is mounted at the top of the column 1. The reference nu¬ meral 9 denotes a back plate of the apparatus. In principle the back plate can be constituted by a part of the column. The back plate 9 supports a socket 10 for each column guide. The socket 10 is provided with ball sockets 11 for the movement of the column guide. The column guide is moved by means of a double-acting cylinder 12, one connection of which is indicated with 13. The double-acting cylinder 12 is, via a cylinder plate 14, mounted on one end of the column guides 8 which are projecting from the socket 10 at the back of the back plate 9 (as seen from the front side of the apparatus). Thus, the double-acting cylin- der 10 can move the pressure plate 15 mounted under the front cover 16 by way of the column guides 8. The front cover 16 covers clamping nuts 17 of the compression plate and a wire 18 for an inductive sensor 19, the importance of which will be explained below. The apparatus comprises a right and a left side having substantially identical elements. The two column guides 8 are connected with a sin¬ gle centrally placed cylinder 12 via the cylinder plate 14. At the right and left side the working unit is mounted pivotally round a shaft 20. A positioning pin 21 is placed at the end of the shaft 20. As will also appear from Fig. 4-6, which illustrate the basic elements of the right working unit 6, each working unit is provided with pro¬ jecting flaps 22 intended for mutual engagement with corresponding flaps of the working station in the left side and which are provided with a through-going opening 23 for mounting on the shaft 20. Thus, each working station may swing round a central axis 24 which also is central axis for the positioning pin 21. A strong pressure spring 39 is placed round the shaft 20 between the back plate 9 and the inner most flap 22 of the working unit 6. As will appear from Figs. 15-17, which show the apparatus from the back, the back plate 9 is provided with a circular flap 25, and a pin 26 is mounted on the back of each working station 6 and projecting through the circular flap 25. At the rear end each pin 26 is connected with a fixed pin 27 through a tension spring 28. The tension spring 28 is connected with the fixed pin 27 and the movable pin 26 through spring plates 29. Usually the springs 28 will be able to drive the working stations to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 (corresponding to the position shown in Fig. 15). Each working unit comprises a projecting socket 30 which is provided with a bore 31 for adopting a pierce needle 32. The blunt end of the pierce needle 32 is projecting from the protruding terminal surface 31' of the socket 30 (see Fig. 2). Between a collar 33 (see Figs. 12- 14) a pressure spring 34 is placed which extends round the stem 35 of the pierce needle to abut a collar 36 in the bore 31. In the position shown in Fig. 2 the outer point 37 (see Figs. 12-14) of the pierce needle will be located immediately within a bottom 42 of a groove 41 which is formed in the front 38 of the working unit 6 (see Figs. 4-6). Each working unit is provided with a driving pin 40 which contributes to positioning a spacer frame (which will be explained below). In im¬ mediate connection with the driving pin 40 the trace 41 is formed in each working unit for adopting one of the sides of a spacer frame the corner of which is positioned around the positioning pin 21. In the bottom 42 of the groove 41 an inductive sensor 43 is situated to registrate the presence of a frame in the groove 41. Moreover, each working unit comprises a plate shaped element 44 (see Figs. 7 and 8) which both acts as a filling nozzle and as a guide in closing an opening in the spacer frame. The element 44 is intended to be mounted on a surface 45 of the working unit 6 (see Fig. 5). At the opposite side 46 each working unit 6 is provided with a cylinder 47 which, through a cylinder pin 48, is intended for activating a hammer 49 (illustrated in Figs. 9-11) which is used in re-closing the filling opening in the spacer frame. Via nipples 50 and tubes 51 the cylinder is connected with a pneumatic source which is controlled by the pre¬ viously mentioned means which monitors and controls the operation of the apparatus. In the basic element 46 of the working unit an opening 52 is formed for receiving the cylinder pin 48 of the cylinder 47. In the bottom of the groove 41 (in Fig. 5) an opening 53 is shown for mounting the inductive sensor 43. In the surface 45 of the working unit the bore 31 debouches in the form of a semi-circular recess 54 which is intended for supporting the pierce needle 32. The two working units 6 can be swung into a position where the surfaces 45 approxima¬ tely are in contact with each other for the filling of a frame having a corner which is bent under a fairly small angle (in practice down to approximately 10 * ). As will appear from Fig. 5, the flaps 22 are bent in relation to the remaining part of the basic element of the working units, which makes it possible to handle profiles with very acute ang¬ led corners, as the two grooves 41 for adopting the sides of the fra- mes substantially can be placed parallel with each other as illustra¬ ted in Fig. 17. Figs. 7 and 8 show a plane view and a section view, respectively, through the element 44 mounted at the side 45 of the working unit 6. The element 44 comprises a through-going channel 55 connecting a dry¬ ing agent source with a filling nozzle or a filling opening 56. In or¬ der to allow the formation of the through-going channel 55, the embo¬ diment of the element 44 shown is made of an upper half 57 and a lower half 58. In the upper part 57 a projection 59 is provided which is in- tended to be positioned in a recess 45' in the side 45 of the working unit. In this manner the element 44 is mounted correctly in relation to the remaining part of the working unit 6. Preferably by spark ma¬ chining the filling nozzle 56 is formed so as to have a form corres¬ ponding to the form of the opening made by the pierce needle in the spacer frame. Moreover, in Fig. 7 a guide plate 60 is shown which is provided with a groove 61 for adopting a part of the hammer 49 of the apparatus which is used in the re-closure of the opening formed in the spacer frame. In immediate connection with the groove 61 the guide plate 60 comprises a recess 62 which substantially is formed as a spherical surface. The recess 62 will not be in contact with the out¬ wardly deformed part 81 (which will be explained below). A space 87 between the recess 62 and the outside of the outwardly deformed part 81 is so small that drying agent cannot be blown out into the space under a pneumatic filling. The filling nozzle 56 will be located in the position which is indica¬ ted with 63 in Fig. 3, whereas the recess 62 will be located in the position which is indicated with 64 in Fig. 3. Figs. 9-11 illustrate the hammer 49 of the right working unit 6. The hammer 49 is provided with a handle 65 which is intended to be connec¬ ted with the cylinder pin 47 through a mounting opening 66. The handle 65 is connected with the hammer element 68 proper through an L-shaped lever 67. As will appear from Fig. 10, the hammer element 68 has a stop surface 69 which is directed obliquely in relation to the direc¬ tion of travel of the hammer. When the hammer element 68 is displaced in the groove 61 of the guide plate 60 the oblique direction of the stop surface ensures that the hammer presses the outwards deformed part of the profile inside the original cross section of the profile as will be explained below. A needle of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated in Figs. 12-14. As mentioned above the needle is intended to be mounted in the bore 31 which debouches into the bottom 42 of the groove 41 in the semi-circular recess 54. The needle is mounted with the circular part 70 of the circumference of the neddle point turning upwards as will be seen in Figs. 3 and 5. The other part 71 of the circumference of the pierce needle 32 is limited by two plane or substantially plane surfaces 72. The surfaces 72 form an obtuse angled corner 73. The sur- faces extend tapering against the front end 37 of the curved edge 74 of the pierce needle which is formed along the circular part 70 of the circumference of the needle. It is noted that the needle 32 is provi¬ ded with plane surfaces 75,75'. Such plane surfaces 75,75' may be for¬ med in any way and contribute to position the angle of the needle cor- rectly in relation to the working unit 6. In Figs. 12,13, and 14 the needle is shown in a direct front view tur¬ ned 60" and 90° respectively. Thus, the angle which the edge forms with a central axis 76 through the needle is approximately 37°. How- ever, this angle may be varied within limits depending on the material from which the spacer frame is made. The apparatus comprises a spring-loaded ball lock 77 (see Figs. 15-17) for each of the two working units. The ball lock 77 is positioned in such a way that the ball 78 engages with a recess in the pin 26 when the two working units are in a position where the two grooves 41 are situated mutually rectlinear. This is advantageous as most of the fra¬ mes to be filled with drying agent will be rectilinear. It is noted that the spring locks are dimensioned so that they can maintain the working units against the force exerted by the spring 28 for maintain¬ ing the two working units 6 in the mutual position illustrated in Fig. 16. The method of operating the above described apparatus will now be de¬ scribed. This description is given with reference to Figs. 15-20. The working units are held in the position shown in Fig. 15 with each pin 26 situated in the bottom of the circular flap 25. Fig. 16 shows the position which is obtained by the engagement of the ball locks 77 with the movable pins 26 for maintaining the working units in a position where the grooves 41 are situated mutually rectli¬ near. A frame which is closed and bent into a desired form, triangular, qua¬ drangular, pentagonal, etc. is manually introduced in front of the two working units 6 which either are in the position shown in Fig. 15 or in the position shown in Fig. 16. A corner of the frame will be situated substantially vertically over the position pin 21 and each of the side surfaces 79 of the frame be¬ ing adjacent said corner and facing the middle will be situated abutt¬ ing each driving pin 40 (not shown in Figs. 15-17). In case it is a rectliniear corner where the working unit is in the position shown in Fig. 16, the frame may then simply be displaced into the groove 41. In case it is a corner with an obtuse angle or an acute angle, e.g. in an interval from approximately 10" to approximately 179°, the working units must be swung into a position where the groo¬ ves 41 are aligned with the sides of the frame. This is simply effec¬ ted by the operator drawing the frame downwards thereby causing the working units to be swung downwards in direction against the force from the springs 28. The operator directs the frame downwards until the corner of the frame engages with the positioning pin 21 and in this position the grooves 41 situated out side the contact surface on each of the driving pins 40 will automatically be aligned with the sides of the frame. This is due to that fact that the contact surfaces of the driving pins 40 extend in a plane touching the circumference of the position pin 21 and moreover this plane contains one side of the groove 41. When the frame is aligned with the grooves 41, the frame is displaced manually into the grooves 41. Thus, the mutual angle position of the two working units are maintained and the operator may release his hold of the frame. The subsequent steps will then be carried out automati¬ cally and controlled by the means intended for monitoring and control¬ ling the operation of the apparatus. When the frame is situated in the apparatus the pressure plate unit 7 is located in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. When the frame is positioned in contact with the bottom 42 of the grooves 41, the induc¬ tive sensor 43 registrates the presence of the frame in the groove 41. A signal from the sensor 43 will cause the guiding means to activate the cylinder 12 which directs the pressure plate 15 towards the work¬ ing units 6 via the cylinder plate 14 and the column guides 8. The cylinder 12 operates in two steps. In the first step a fairly small counter-pressure will cause a reversion of the cylinder. Thus, if the operator's hand is inside the pressure plate unit 7 the cylin¬ der is reversed and the pressure plate unit 7 is then displaced away from the working units 6. Once the pressure plate 15 is situated in a position in the immediate vicinity of the working units 6, the cylinder 12 operates in the se¬ cond step which produces a far greater pressure. Consequently, the pressure plate 15 presses against the side of the frame turned away from the bottom 42 of the groove 41. This results in that the frame is now maintained in the groove 41. The cylinder 12 continues its inwards directed movement and the wor¬ king units 6 are now directed inwards towards the back plate 9 against the effect of the strong pressure spring 39. The cylinder directs the working units inwards towards the back plate until the terminal surfa¬ ce 30' of the projecting socket 30 abuts the back plate. This causes the pierce needles 32 which are situated in the bores 31 of the pro¬ jecting socket 30 to be pressed inside the terminal surface 30' of the socket 30. Simultaneously, the acute end 37 of the needles is directed forwards inside the bottom 42 of the groove 41 which means that the point 37 of the pierce needles is inserted into a lateral face 85 (see Fig. 18) in the profile of the frame and thereby forms an opening 82 which is il¬ lustrated in Figs. 18,19. The outwards deformed part 80 of the adja¬ cent lateral face 79 will, as mentioned earlier, be located inside the recess 62 in the guide plate 60. During the formation of the opening the recess 62 will be located at the position 64 (in Fig. 3) opposite the pierce needle in the viewed working unit. The angle of pierce needle is positioned in such a way that the curved edges turn inwards towards the lateral face 85 of the profile, whereas the two substantially plane surfaces 72 of the point of the pierce needle turn outwards and are in contact with the adjacent lateral face 79. As the needle is inserted in the immediate vicinity of a corner 86 of the profile, the part 80 of the adjacent lateral face 79 is defor¬ med outwards. After the insertion of the pierce needles through the lateral faces 85 of the profile, the cylinder 12 is activated (by the guide means) to move a short distance in the opposite direction. As a result the pres¬ sure springs 34 will return the pierce needles 32 to their recessed position. In the fairly short reverted position the strong pressure spring 39 will still press the working units 6 outwards towards the pressure plate so that the frame continues to be maintained in the groove 41. When the pierce needle is withdrawn, the profile may now be filled with drying agent. The filling nozzle or the filling opening 56 which is situated at the position 63 will debouch directly into the opening 82 formed after the withdrawal of the pierce neddle 32. The material is then injected pneumatically through the channel 55 and the filling nozzle 56. As the recess 62 is situated immediately outside the out- wards deformed part 80 the drying agent can only penetrate through the opening 82. The filling continues until a sensor registrates that the flow of drying agent has stopped. This means that the frame in ques¬ tion is filled. When a completed flow is registrated for both working units 6 the filling is completed. Then the guide means activates the cylinder 47 which activates the hammer 49. The cylinder 47 thus dis¬ places the hammer element 68 downwards through the groove 61 of the guide plate 60 (see Figs. 18 and 19). As a result the inclined stop surface 69 of the hammer element 68 will be directed into the volume of the recess 62. This causes the outwards deformed part 80 to be bea¬ ten inwards into an inwards deformed position which is indicated with 81 in Fig. 20. Consequently the filling opening 82 is re-closed in an effective way which prevents the drying agent from falling out later. Even though a small crack 83 is formed between the now inwards defor- med part 81 of the lateral surface 79 and the part 84 of the lateral surface 85 abutting the opening formed this will not cause the drying agent to fall out as the crack formed has a smaller size than the par¬ ticle size of the drying agent supplied. Moreover, it is noted that the part 84 of the lateral surface 85 abutting the opening 82 prefe- rably is slightly bent downwards when forming the opening 83. This contributes to make the crack 83 as small as possible. This will allow the requirements to the particle size of the drying agent to be redu¬ ced. After re-closing the opening 82 the cylinder 47 and the hammer 49 are returned to their initial position. The guide means then reactivates the cylinder 12 and the cylinder plate 14 and the column guides 8 are displaced outwards until the pressure plate unit 7 again is situated in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. As the outwards directed travel of the working units 6 is limited the working units will be situated in the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 and now it beco¬ mes possible for the operator to remove the filled and re-closed frame from the apparatus. When the frame is removed the working units 6 will swing back to the initial position shown in Fig. 15 due to the effect of the spring 28 or remain/return to the initial position shown in Fig. 16. The above described process, i.e. from the moment when an operator has placed the frame in the apparatus and to the moment when the operator again can remove the frame, only takes a few seconds and the greater part of the process time will be the time used for the pneumatical filling of drying agent. In this connection it is noted that the fill¬ ing may take place in any suitable way. In practice, it is preferred that the pumps are reversed for the pneumatic filling so that immedia¬ tely after the openings 82 are reclosed a suction is made which emp¬ ties the filling nozzle 56 and the channel 55 for drying agent. Thus, it is avoided that any drying agent is wasted which might cause func¬ tional faults in the movable parts of the apparatus and/or sensors. During the whole process of forming an opening, filling, and re-clos¬ ing the frame, the frame will advantageously be maintained. Thus there is no risk of the problems which may occur in connection with trans¬ port of the frame between different working stations. Moreover, the opening formed will be closed in an effective way so that there is no risk of a subsequent leak of drying agent before the frame is used for insertion between two layers of glass for forming a double-glazed win¬ dow.

Claims: C L A I M S: 1. A method of filling a closed spacer frame with a drying agent, which method comprises positioning the frame in a filling apparatus and subsequently positioning a working unit in relation to the frame so that at least one opening is formed in the profile forming the fra¬ me before the drying agent is supplied, which opening is closed after the desired amount of drying agent is supplied, c h a r a c t e r i - z e d in effecting the positioning of the frame by positioning one of the corners of the frame in the filling apparatus, effecting the posi¬ tioning of the working unit by positioning an adjustable working unit against each of the adjacent sides in the frame, forming an opening with a pierce needle in at least one of the sides of the frame, which pierce needle is inserted into one of the lateral faces of the profile in the immediate vicinity of a corner of the profile so that a part of the adjacent lateral face is deformed outwards, closing the opening after the drying agent is supplied by directing inwards the outwards deformed part of the adjacent lateral face for re-closing the opening and subsequently removing the frame filled with drying agent from the working unit. 2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pierced lateral face of the profile and the adjacent lateral face are placed mutually rectangularly, that the pierce needle is directed parallelly with the adjacent lateral face, that the outwards deformed lateral face is directed inwards for re-closing the opening by means of a hammer which is provided with a bevelled head and which also is moved parallelly with the adjacent lateral face and that the piercing and the beatening press the material of the profile in the immediate vicinity of the opening inside the original cross section of the pro¬ file. 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pierce needle performs a cut in the lateral face and is in- troduced through the same so as to displace material towards the adja¬ cent lateral face, and that the pierce needle simultaneously forms a weakening line in the material straight in front of the outwards de¬ formed part, said material being displaced towards the adjacent late¬ ral face. 4. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the corner of the spacer frame is placed on a positioning pin while two positioning units, at least one of which is combined with a working unit comprising a set of working tools for opening, filling and closing the profile, is swung round the central axis of the positioning pin until a contact face on each positioning unit abuts one side surface of two of the side members of the frame which is adjacent said corner of the frame and facing the frame there¬ by positioning the working tools for effecting the subsequent opening, filling and closing. 5. A method according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the contact faces of the positioning units at any time during the swing extend in a plane which substantially touches the circumference of the positioning pin and that after being positioned in relation to the positioning pin and the positioning units the frame is displaced into a groove in each working unit, said groove extending parallelly with the contact face of the positioning unit, that the frame is main¬ tained in the groove by means of a pressure plate which is displaced perpendicularly to the plane of the spacer frame to place the adjacent lateral face of the frame in resilient rest between the pressure plate and the bottom of the groove. 6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the pierce needle works by a displacement per¬ pendicular to the plane of the spacer frame. 7. An apparatus for filling a closed spacer frame with drying agent by a method according to any of the preceding claims, which apparatus comprises means for positioning the frame and for positioning a work¬ ing unit in relation to the frame, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the positioning means comprises a positioning pin having a small diameter so that one of the corners of the frame may be placed freely pivotable thereon, pivotable positioning units which are arranged for swinging round the central axis of the positioning pin and which each has a contact face which irrespective of the angle position of the positioning units ex¬ tends in a plane which substantially touches the circumference of the positioning pin, which positioning units are combined with or form part of a working unit comprising a groove for absorbing one of the sides of the frame and a set of working tools in the form of a pierce needle, a filling nozzle, and a hammer, and that the apparatus fur¬ thermore comprises a pressure plate for maintaining the frame between the bottom of the groove and the pressure plate during use of the tools, and means for automatic control of the operation of the apparatus. 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each of the combined working and positioning units comprises a spring which presses the combined unit outwards for abutting the late¬ ral face of two of the side members of the frame facing the frame, said side members being placed adjacent the corner which is placed on the positioning pin, and a spring which acts perpendicularly to the plane of the frame to press the combined working and positioning units against the pressure plate during a part of the travel of the pressure plate, and that the pierce needle and the hammer are placed in the working unit so that the pierce needle is directed through the bottom of the groove in the immediate vicinity of a lateral wall in the groo- ve whereas the hammer is displaced along said lateral wall but outside the groove, and that the pierce needle is arranged for a perpendicular displacement on the plane of the frame. 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pierce needle has an asymmetric cross section and at its front end has a curved cutting edge which extends approximately over half of the circumference of the pierce needle whereas the other part of the circumference of the pierce needle is limited by two approxima¬ tely plane faces which together form a obtuse-angled corner which ta- pers towards the front end of the curved cutting edge of the pierce needle. 10. An apparatus according to any of the claims 7-9, c h a r a c t e ¬ r i z e d in that the hammer used has an excitation surface which ex- tends under an inclined angle between 30-60" in relation to the direc¬ tion of travel of the hammer and that the excitation surface is posi¬ tioned in relation to the pierce needle so that the excitation surface affects the lateral faces of the profile opposite the weakening line formed.

Inventors: MADSEN JOERGEN SKOVGAARD, MADSEN, JOERGEN, SKOVGAARD
Applicants: SKOVGAARD & CO AS, SKOVGAARD & CO. A/S
Application year: 1991
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E06B3