Device for the automatic supply of a press for moulding thermoplastic material sheets

Abstract: A device for loading and unloading a frame (6) which bears a covering (4) to be applied to a thermoplastic sheet. The device is associated with a press (1) which is intended to carry out the moulding of the sheet and the application of the covering onto the surface of the sheet simultaneously. The device is an integral part of the mould and comprises a pair of guides (10) supported by one of the dies (5) and a take-up member (19) which slides along the guides (10) and can grasp a frame disposed in a take-up station (15) and place it between the dies (3, 5).

Description: The present invention relates to the manufacturing of articles including a covering 4 applied to a support sheet. More specifically, the invention relates to a device according to the pre-characterising portion of claim 1, which is known from US-A-4 257 840. US-A-4 257 840 shows a hot-press machine provided with a device for transferring a facing layer from a first position to a second position. The device comprises two parallel guides and a take-up member slidably movable along the guides. The take-up member has means for grasping the facing layer in the first position, so that the facing layer can be transferred to the second position by moving the take-up member along the guides. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for the automatic supply of covering layers to a press, having better performances than the prior art device, in particular from the point of view of the productivity of the press. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a device according to claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, given purely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a moulding press provided with a device according to the present invention; Figures 2, 3 and 4 are schematic perspective views showing the operation of the device according to the invention; Figure 5 is a lateral view along arrow V in Figure 2; Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-section along line VI-VI in Figure 5; and Figures 7 and 8 are enlarged views of the part indicated by the arrow VIII in Figure 5, in two different operating configurations. With reference to the Figures, a press equipped for the production of cover panels, for example, for motor vehicle doors, is indicated 1. The press is provided, in known manner, with a fixed lower die and a movable upper die indicated 3 and 5 respectively. 2 indicates an oven for heating the thermoplastic sheets to be supplied to the press 1. The heated sheets are supplied to the press by means of an automatic device which is not described in detail, since it is beyond the scope of the present invention. During the moulding process, each thermoplastic sheet is covered with a covering which can consist of fabric, PVC, or any other covering material. The covering for each sheet, indicated 4 in the Figures, is stretched on a quadrangular frame 6. In Figures 2 to 4, a device for supplying the frames 6 automatically to the press 1 is indicated 8. The device 8 comprises a pair of guides 10 which are supported from the upper die 5 and form an integral part of the latter. As shown in Figure 1, the guides 10 extend through an aperture 12 provided in a safety gate 14, which prevents access to the press 1. The guides 10 extend from a station 15 for taking up a frame 6, to a moulding station 18 disposed between the two dies of the press 1. The two guides 10 are articulated to the upper die 5, about a horizontal axis A (Figure 2) and are connected to actuator means (not shown in the Figures), by means of a pair of arms 16. These actuator means are supported by the die 5, and control pivoting of the guides about the axis A, between a loading position shown in Figures 2 and 4, and an unloading position shown in Figure 3. A take-up member, indicated 19, grasps a frame 6 in the manner described hereinafter. The take-up member 19 is mounted so as to slide along the guides 10 by means of wheels 20 (Figure 6). The take-up member 19 is moved along the guides 10 by an actuator 22 of known type (shown in Figures 5 and 6), consisting of a rod 24 fixed to a guide 10, on which slides a body 26 which is fixed to the take-up member 19. As shown in Figure 3 in particular, the take-up member 19 has a U-shaped configuration, with two limbs 28 which are parallel to one another and are provided with grasping means 30 for taking up a frame 6. As shown in greater detail in Figures 7 and 8, each of the said grasping means 30 consists of a stop member 32 which is fixed in relation to the take-up member 19, and of a sliding latch 34. Each frame 6 is provided with four projecting pins 36 which cooperate with respective grasping means 30. The four latches 34 are connected to a single actuator 37 (Figure 5), which controls the opening and closing movement. The frames 6 to be supplied to the press 1 are disposed in turn in the take-up station 15, supported on rails 38. Below the take-up station 15 are disposed two inclined guides 40 which can receive a frame 6, which has completed the moulding cycle. Figure 2 shows a configuration in which a frame 6 is held by the take-up member 19 between the two dies of the press 1, whereas a further frame 6 is disposed in the take-up station 15. When the moulding operation is completed, the panel consisting of the thermoplastic sheet onto which the covering 4 has been applied, is joined to the frame 6 by some parts of the covering 4, which will then be cut. Figure 3 shows the stage in which the frame 6 bearing a moulded panel is unloaded. In this stage the guides 10 are inclined relative to the loading position, and extend parallel to the guides 40 on which the frame 6, which has completed the moulding cycle, is deposited. The frame is unloaded by activating the actuator 37 which opens the latches 34. When a frame bearing the finished panel has been unloaded, the guides 10 are raised into their loading position (see Figure 4). Whilst the guides 10 are being raised, the latches 34 and the stop members 32 are on opposite sides of a respective pin 36, as shown in Figure 7. At this point, activation of the actuator 37 closes the latches 34, which adopt the configuration shown in Figure 8. When the frame 6 has thus been grasped, the take-up member 19 moves along the guides 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Figure 4, and is inserted between the two dies of the press 1. The loading and unloading operations can take place simultaneously with loading of a further sheet, which is placed by an automatic device, so as to rest on the lower die of the press 1. These operations can also take place without having to open and close the safety gate 14, since the operator is still outside the working area of the press 1. The device for supplying the frames forms an integral part of the mould, and does not require any adjustment operations after the moulds have been replaced.

Claims: A device for manufacturing articles including a covering (4) applied to a support sheet, comprising: an upper die (3) and a lower die (5) associated with a press (1) and defining therebetween a moulding station (18), a take-up station (15) disposed outside the press, for receiving the coverings (4), a pair of guides (10) which form an integral part of the mould and are supported from one of the dies (3, 5) the guides (10) extending from the take-up station (15) to the moulding station (18), and a take-up member (19) which is slidably mounted along the guides (10) and is movable between the take-up station (15) and the moulding station (18) for transferring a covering (4) from the take-up station (15) to the moulding station (18), characterised in that the covering (4) is stretched on a frame (6) which is detached from said guides (10) and in that the take-up member (18) is provided with means for grasping a frame (6) located in the take-up station (15), the take-up member (19) being associated with actuator means (22, 24) which control its movement for transferring the frame (6) from the take-up station (15) to the moulding station (18) where the two dies (3, 5) carry out simultaneously the moulding of a thermoplastic sheet and the application of the covering (4) onto a surface of the sheet. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that it comprises second actuator means (16) which controls displacement of the guides (10) between a loading position and an unloading position. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the guides (10) are articulated about an axis (A) which is at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the guides (10), the second actuator means being able to control the pivoting of the guides (10) about the axis (A) between the loading position and an inclined unloading position. A device according to Claim 2, characterised in that in their unloading position the guides (10) are parallel to a second pair of guides (40) which can receive a frame, which has completed a moulding cycle. A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the take-up member (19) has a generally U-shaped configuration, with two limbs (28) which are parallel to one another, and which are disposed outside the frame, and bear grasping means (30) which grasp respective projecting parts (36) of the frame (6). A device according to Claim 5, characterised in that each of the grasping means (30) comprises a stop element (32) which is fixed relative to the take-up member (19), and a latch-type element (34) which slides relative to the take-up member (19) and presses the projecting part (36) of the frame (6) against the stop element (32). A device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the said guides (10) of the take-up member (19) extend through an aperture (12) which is provided in a safety gate of the press (14).

Inventors: RAVERA GIORGIO, RAVERA, GIORGIO
Applicants: RAVERA GIORGIO, RAVERA, GIORGIO
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B29C51
IPC codes: B29C51