A PROCESS FOR INDUSTRIAL-SCALE PRODUCTION OF OBJECTS, ADVANTAGEOUSLY OF CONTAINERS SUCH AS SCENT BOTTLES, CLAD IN AGGLOMERATE MATERIAL

Abstract: A process is described for industrial scale production of objects covered with an agglomerate material composed of products comprising powders of marble and/or granite and/or sands and/or quartz and bonding resins, also possibly quantities of metal, glass, ceramic, wood, precious stones. The process comprising the following working phases: a) fragmentation of the materials constituting the agglomerate; b) mixing of the constituting products; c) pressing and compacting in moulds of said products for obtaining a panel of a predetermined size; d) hot and/or cold catalysis reaction of the panel for a predetermined time. Before phase c) a series of objects is arranged in the pressing mould of the products mixed in phase b), and during phase c) said series of objects is sunk into the agglomerate, the external surface of said objects being thus covered by said agglomerate.

Description: "A PROCESS FOR INDUSTRIA -SCALE PRODUCTION OF OBJECTS, ADVANTAGEOUSLY OF CONTAINERS SUCH AS SCENT BOTTLES, CLAD IN AGGLOMERATE MATERIAL" TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a process for the production on an industrial scale of generally small size containers, for example scent bottles, clad in agglomerate material, being in this case constituted by a mixture of marble and/or quartz and/or sands and/or bonding resins and/or granite, possibly even comprising quantities of various type of material (metal, glass, wood and the like) . The invention further relates to containers, for examples scent bottles, manufactured according a process of this type. BACKGROUND ART The prior art teaches a production process for panels and slabs in agglomerate material, for examples constituted by marble and/or sand and/or quartz and/or quantities of various types of material (metals, glass, ceramics, wood, precious stones and the like) , or granites, quartzes or sands bonded with predetermined quantities of bonding resins. A process of this type comprises various working phases, as follows: a first phase in which the various materials constituting the agglomerate are fragmented; - a second phase wherein the fragmented materials are mixed to obtain a product as homogeneous as possible, during which phase the bonding resins are added; - a tiiird phase of pressing and compacting the agglomerate, during which the correct shape is achieved; a fourth phase of panel hardening, performed at a predetermined temperature; a fifth phase in which both faces of the panel are subjected to sanding and buffing; a sixth phase of cutting to size, chamfering, gauging and countersinking of the panel, after which the final products are unloaded. A process such the above-described enables production of panels or slabs in agglomerate material with predetermined lengths, breadths and thicknesses, the whole process being continuously performed by a special machine. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention exploits a process similar to the above-described in order to clad various types of objects with an agglomerate material and, in the present example, to clad scent bottles so that an aesthetically desired shape thereof can be obtained. This is achieved by means of a process having the characteristics described in the mam claim. The dependent claims describe especially advantageous embodiments of the process according to the invention. Further, claim 5 describes a scent bottle covered with agglomerate material, obtained by means of the process according to the invention. According to a feature of the invention, during the pressing and compacting phase of the process producing containers clad with agglomerate material, various containers, generally glass or plastic scent bottles, are submerged m series in the agglomerate. Once the pressing phase and the consequent hot or cold catalysis reaction have been completed, the resulting panel of agglomerate contains, sunk within the panel iteself, the series of containers covered with the agglomerate material. The panel is then subdivided by cutting or sawing into a number of elements corresponding to a number of containers sunk therein, and each container is subjected, manually or automatically, to phases of milling, turning and buffing so that the agglomerate material coating obtains the desired external shape, thus attaining the aims of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF A FORM OF EMBODIMENT The materials used for the production on an industrial scale of agglomerate material panels are generally constituted by mixtures of: marbles, of various type of colouring, bonded w tn bonding resins; marbles Ponded with quartzes m predetermined proportions; - marbles oonded with sands quartzes in predetermined proportions; sands bonded with bonding resins; quartzes bonded with bonding resins; granites bonded with bonding resins; - marbles to which metals, glass, ceramic, wood, precious stones and the like are added during the process . The process of manufacturing such panels s performed m an automated plant which is provided with one cr more computers checking and controlling each working phase . The first phase of the process comprises fragmenting the various marble or granite materials comprised m the agglomerate nto granules - obviously sand is generally available ir. every dimension or size and needs no fragmenting. In a second phase the fragmented materials are mixed together in a special mixer, during which phase the bonding resin is added. In a third phase, the mixed product is poured into a press mould which, by application of a pressing force cr. the product and w th the use of a vioratmg device and a vacuum- creating device, produces a panel with a predetermined shape, generally quadrangular, thickness and density. Subsequently the material of the panel is subjected to a first phase of hardening, carried out using a preformed slab; at the end of this phase the surface of the material exhibits a series of cavities, each suitable for receiving an object such as a scent bottle. According to the invention, a series of objects, advantageously containers, for example scent bottles, is arranged inside the pressing mould, each object being housed m a cavity obtained as above described. Subsequently, a further quantity of mixed material tc be pressed s poured into the mould, covering all the containers and the new mould is subjected to another phase of vacuum pressing and vibrating. After this phase of pressing, the objects, m this case the bottles, are sunk in the compacted agglomerate. Subsequently, the panel containing the objects is first conveyed to a kiln in which by addtion of chemical adjuvants a catalysis reaction takes place, resulting in the panel hardening phase, performed at a predetermined temperature and for a specific length of time m the kiln. The panel exiting from the kiln is then conveyed towards other work-stations to be subjected to further treatments, essentially comprising the cutting of the panel into various portions, each of which contains an object, m this case a scent bottle clad with agglomerate material, the milling and/or the turning of each portion to emphasise the shape of the clad object, and also the rubbing down and buffing of the ewhich can then be conveyed to other stations for eventual waxing, drying and packing. The objects thus obtained are covered with the agglomerate material achieving an aesthetically desired shape . The above-described invention relates to a preferred form of embodiment thereof . However , it is clear that the invention is not limited exclusively to this form of embodimentand it englobes a plurality of variants falling within its aims and within the f ield of technical equivalences . By way of example , the above-described catalysis process performed inside a kiln can also be carried out in cold conditions , obviously implying longer production times

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A process for industrial scale production of objects covered with an agglomerate material composed of products comprising powders of marble and/or granite and/or sands and/or quartz and bonding resins, also possibly quantities of metal, glass, ceramic, wood, precious stones, said process comprising the following working phases : a) fragmentation of the materials constituting the agglomerate; b) mixing of the constituting products; c) pressing and compacting in moulds of said products for obtaining a panel of a predetermined size; d) hot and/or cold catalysis reaction of the panel for a predetermined time; said process being characterized in that before phase c) a series of objects is arranged in the pressing mould of the products mixed in phase b) , and in that during phase c) said series of objects is sunk into the agglomerate, the external surface of said objects being thus covered by said agglomerate. 2. A process as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said process is carried out by means of an automatic system comprising a number of automatic machines a functioning of which is controlled by means of a suitable computer, said machines being suitable for carrying out phases a) and d) . 3. A process as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that said objects are constituted by containers, advantageously by scent bottles, in that before inserting said objects inside said pressing mould, the agglomerate is subjected to a pressing phase using a preformed slab for shaping in the material a series of cavities capable of receiving said objects, and in that, after inserting said objects in said cavities, further agglomerate material is poured into the pressing mould in order to cover said objects entirely, the whole being therefore subjected to a further pressing phase. 4. Process as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that after said phase d) said panel is subdivided into as many portions as the number of objects contained in the panel itself, and in that each portion is subsequently subjected to milling and/or turning and/or manual or automatic buffing, in order to emphasise the shape of the object covered with the agglomerate material. 5. A scent bottle covered in agglomerate material constituted by products comprising powders of marble and/or sands and/or quartz and bonding resins, with possible additions of quantities of metal, glass, ceramic, wood, precious stones, characterized in that it is obtained by means of a process as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims .

Inventors: DALLA VALLE ROBERTO, DALLA VALLE, ROBERTO
Applicants: DALLA VALLE ROBERTO, STONE ITALIANA S R L, DALLA VALLE, ROBERTO, STONE ITALIANA S.R.L.
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B29C67
IPC codes: B29C39, B29C67