Abstract:
An installation for winding sheets of molding materials exiting a machine wherein at least two coil devices are provided at space locations horizontally with respect to an exit of the machine, and wherein the sheet material is directed to the coils by way of a horizontally movable carriage including a main frame and a secondary frame, which is adjustable horizontally relative to the main frame, and which carriage is movable horizontally to direct the sheet material to a selected one of the at least two coils.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to an installation and to a method for conditioning a sheet of moulding material on coils at the exit of a machine for producing a moulding material in sheet form. 
   2. Brief Description of the Related Art 
   Such a material, commonly called “SMC” (Sheet Moulding Compound) is produced continuously on a machine which may be of type known from FR-A-2 778 360 or of any other type. Such a machine functions without interruption and a system must be provided for conditioning the sheet of SMC produced, this system being compatible with the speed of advance of the sheet at the exit of the machine. When coils adapted to receive about 300 to 700 kg of material are used, it is possible to employ a system incorporating rocker provided with two mandrels supporting the coils, the material being alternately wound on each of these mandrels. 
   However, for at least certain applications, it is necessary to provide the use of large-capacity coils, such coils not being able to be manipulated by a system incorporating rocker, due to their weight and dimensions. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a more particular object of the invention to overcome this problem by proposing a novel installation which is compatible with the continuous functioning of an SMC producing machine and with the use of coils of considerable mass and diameter. 
   In this spirit, the invention relates to an installation of the afore-mentioned type, which comprises: 
   at least two locations for positioning coils winding the sheet of SMC, such locations being in succession in a substantially horizontal direction, 
   a carriage constituted by a main frame and a secondary frame, provided with rollers guiding the sheet and mobile in translation, in the afore-mentioned direction, between a first position located substantially above a first location and a second position located substantially above the second location, and reciprocally, the main and secondary carriages being adapted to slide with respect to each other parallel to the afore-mentioned horizontal direction. 
   Thanks to the invention, the use of two successive locations makes it possible to provide, for each location, adapted means for supporting and driving the web of moulding material, while the carriage makes it possible to take the sheet of moulding material up to each of the coils respectively installed in each of these locations. The bipartite nature of the carriage of the invention makes it possible to vary its length parallel to the horizontal direction of advance of the sheet. It is thus possible to provide a compact configuration of this carriage, for example when it is not used, and an extended position which allows it to guide the sheet of moulding material over a relatively considerable length. The conditions of support of the sheet at the exit of the moulding material producing machine may thus be optimized. 
   According to advantageous aspects of the invention, the installation incorporates one or more of the following characteristics: 
   The carriage is equipped with a device for driving the sheet, this device being mobile, concomitantly to the employment of sheet cutting means, between a position of engagement with the sheet and a position disengaged with respect thereto. In particular, this device may be provided to comprise a frame supporting a motorized roller and a follower roller, these rollers each being centered on an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet and surrounded by a drive belt, while this frame is articulated on the carriage about an axis substantially perpendicular to this direction, between a first position where the belt is in contact with the sheet and a second position where the belt is remote from the sheet, and vice versa. 
   The carriage is equipped with a cutting device mounted on a frame articulated on the carriage about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet. The cutting device may therefore be activated by its frame pivoting about its axis of articulation. 
   The carriage is equipped with a terminal guiding device extending, in configuration of use of the carriage, in the direction of a coil in the course of being filled, the guiding device being articulated on the carriage about an axis substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet. The articulated nature of this guiding device makes it possible to retract it when the carriage is not being used. 
   The main and secondary frames are equipped with rollers for supporting the sheet in its movement of advance. 
   The carriage is adapted to be displaced towards a standby position where it does not interfere with the path of the sheet. This aspect of the invention makes it possible to use an SMC producing machine both to produce coils of SMC of considerable weight, greater than 1000 kg, and coils of SMC of the order of 300 to 700 kg, such as known previously. 
   Each coil is mounted in a principal chassis in which it is adapted to rest, by the peripheral edges of its end plates, on blocking shoes, while the principal chassis is adapted to be placed on an auxiliary chassis equipped with rollers adapted to lift the afore-mentioned edges with respect to the shoes when the principal chassis is placed on the auxiliary chassis. The use of these two chassis makes it possible to provide a blocking by default of a coil inside the principal chassis thanks to the use of the shoes, such blocking being eliminated when the coil and the principal chassis are placed on the auxiliary chassis, the idly mounted rollers making it possible to support the end plates of the coil with a possibility of rotation. 
   The auxiliary chassis is equipped with wheels allowing it to slide in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance of the sheet. This transverse access makes it possible to carry out the operations of positioning and of evacuation of the coils in masked time. 
   The invention also relates to a method of conditioning which may be carried out with the installation described hereinbefore and, more specifically, to a method which comprises the steps consisting in using two types of coils of different diameter at the exit of the machine, depending on the quantity of matter to be wound, while 
   when coils of relatively smaller diameter are used, 
   they are supported by a rocker disposed opposite the exit zone of the machine, and 
   when coils of relatively larger diameter are used,
         a coil adapted to be driven in rotation is installed in at least one of two locations for positioning coils located downstream of the rocker with respect to a direction of advance of the sheet,   a mobile carriage is disposed, substantially above the coil, provided with guiding rollers on or against which the sheet was previously arranged,   the sheet is driven from the carriage in order to displace the front edge of this sheet up to contact with the mandrel of the coil,   the coil is driven in rotation until the desired quantity of material is wound,   the sheet is cut in the vicinity of the carriage, and   the carriage is displaced up to above the second location in which a second coil was previously installed.       

   
     A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more readily understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of a form of embodiment of an installation in accordance with its principle and of its method of functioning, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of an installation according to the invention in a first configuration of use. 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  while the installation is in a second configuration of use. 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the installation in the configuration of FIG.  1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of a part of the carriage used in the installation of  FIGS. 1  to  3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a section similar to  FIG. 4  while the installation is in another configuration of use. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of the system for driving the coils used in the installation. 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded view, on a larger scale, of the elements located in a location of the installation, and 
       FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIGS. 1 and 2  in another configuration of use of the installation. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The installation according to the invention is arranged at the exit of a machine  1  for producing composite moulding material of SMC type, in the form of a sheet  2  circulating along a path represented by arrows F 1  in the Figures. The machine  1  is equipped with a “jumping jack” element  3  for compensating the variations in length and speed of advance of the sheet  2 . 
   As is more particularly visible in  FIG. 8 , the sheet  2  may be wound over the mandrel  4   a  or  4 ′ a  of coils  4  and  4 ′ supported by the arms of a rocker  5  disposed opposite the exit zone of the machine  1 . In the configuration shown in  FIG. 8 , the sheet  2  is in the course of being wound on the coil  4 , while coil  4 ′ may be either loaded on the rocker  5 , or unloaded therefrom before being stored on a transport pallet  6  disposed in the vicinity. This use of the machine  1  corresponds to the known state of the art. 
   When the coils  14  and  14 ′ of large diameter d are to be used, particularly for winding the sheet  2  in quantities greater than 1000 kg, two locations  15  and  15 ′ are used, successively provided to the rear of the rocker  5  in a substantially horizontal direction X-X′ of advance of the sheet  2  after it has left the machine  1 . These locations  15  and  15 ′ are accessible in two directions Y 1 -Y′ 1 , Y 2 -Y′ 2  substantially perpendicular to direction X-X′. 
   The direction X-X′ is substantially parallel to the path F 1  of the sheet  2  in its upper part, after it has left the machine  1 . 
   In this way, and as is visible in  FIG. 3 , it is possible to position an empty coil  14 ′ in the location  15 ′ by a translation in the direction of the arrow F 2  in  FIG. 3 , this arrow being parallel to direction Y 2 -Y′ 2 . When coil  14  is filled, it is possible to remove it, as represented by arrow F 3  which is parallel to direction Y 1 -Y′ 1 . In this way, an intervention F 2  or F 3  on one of the coils  14  or  14 ′ has no influence on the coil  14 ′ or  14  located in an adjacent location  15 ′ or  15 . 
   A carriage  20  rests on rails  21  above the rocker  5  and the locations  15  and  15 ′. This carriage is equipped with a plurality of rollers  22  making it possible to support the sheet  2  in its movement of advance F 1 , these rollers being mounted idly on two frames, namely a main frame  20 A and a secondary frame  20 B each provided with wheels  23 A,  23 B respectively, allowing them to slide along the rails  21 , as represented by arrow F 4 . The wheels  23 A rest on the rails  21  while wheels  23 B, which are located at the right height for the frame  20 B disposed at a level lower than that of frame  20 B, rest on the lower flanges of the rails  21  which have a substantially C-shaped cross-section. 
   An electric motor  29  drives certain wheels  23 A for the displacement of the carriage  20  on the rails  21 . The motor  29  is controlled by the monitoring unit of the machine  1 . 
   A jack  24  is mounted on the main frame  20 A. The secondary frame  20 B is fast with the rod  24   b  of the jack  24 , with the result that the distance e between the frames  20 A and  20 B may be adjusted by means of the jack  24 . 
   The total length L of the carriage  20  is provided to be sufficient for the sheet  2  to be efficiently guided, forming a substantially horizontal and planar web on the rollers  22 . In this way, the length of the carriage  20  may be adjusted thanks to the jack  24 , as a function of the characteristics of the sheet  2 , these characteristics being able to vary due to its composite nature. The adjustment of the length of the carriage  20  also makes it possible to adjust the tension of winding of the sheet  2 . 
   On the contrary, when the carriage  20  is not used, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the jack  24  is retracted in order to reduce the total dimensions of the carriage  20  parallel to direction X-X′. 
     20 C denotes the edge of the carriage  20  which extends, perpendicularly to direction X-X′, opposite the machine  1 . 
   When the coil  14  is to be filled, the carriage  20  is positioned on the rails  21  so that its edge  20 C is disposed substantially above the coil  14 . In this way, that part  2   a  of the sheet  2  stretched between the carriage  20  and the coil  14  extends in a plane only slightly inclined with respect to the vertical. The part  2   a  of the sheet  2  coming from the carriage  20  may therefore be easily wound on the mandrel  14   a  of the coil  14  suitably driven in rotation in the direction of arrow R. 
   A device  25  for guiding the part  2   a  of the sheet  2  is constituted by a frame  251  articulated on the frame  20 A about an axis Y 25  substantially perpendicular to the direction X-X′. This frame bears, at its end opposite axis Y 25 , two rollers  252  and  253  defining therebetween a slot  254  for passage of the sheet  2 . The frame  251  also supports a plate  255  which extends over the whole width of the carriage  20 . The position of the frame  251  about axis Y 25  is controlled thanks to two jacks represented by their axis lines  256  articulated on the frame  20 A and of which the rod is fast with the frame  251 . 
   The frame  251  remains in the position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5  except when the carriage  20  is not used, as in the configuration of  FIG. 8 , in which case the jacks  256  are contracted in order to return the rollers  252  and  253  up to the immediate vicinity of the frame  20 A in order to reduce the dimensions of the carriage  20 . 
   A cut-out device  26  is articulated on the frame  20 A about an axis Y 26  substantially parallel to axis Y 25 , i.e. perpendicular to the direction X-X′. The device  26  comprises a frame  261  supporting a rodless jack  262  controlling a blade  263 . Two jacks represented by their axis lines  266  are articulated on the chassis  20 A and make it possible to control pivoting of the frame  261  about axis Y 26 . 
   During filling of the coil  14 , the device  26  is in the position of  FIG. 4  where it does not interfere with the sheet  2 . When the coil  14  has been filled, the jacks  266  are activated in order to bring the frame  261  into the configuration of  FIG. 5  where the blade  263  is in contact with the sheet  2 . The jack  262  then displaces the blade  263  along the plate  255 , thus cutting the sheet  2 . 
   It is then possible to proceed with the final winding of the sheet  2  on the coil  14 . 
   When the sheet  2  has been cut, it no longer undergoes any effort of tension due to the movement of rotation of the coil  14 . It should therefore be avoided that the sheet  2  sets off again in the direction of the machine  1  under the effect of the elastic effort exerted by the element  3 . To that end, the carriage  20  is equipped with a device  27  for driving and blocking the sheet  2  which comprises a frame  271  articulated about an axis Y 27  on the frame  20 A and of which the displacement is controlled thanks to two jacks represented by their axis lines  276 . The frame  271  supports a first roller  272  which extends parallel to the rollers  22  and to the axis Y 27  and which is motorized thanks to an electric motor  274 . The frame  271  also supports a second roller  273  mounted idly and parallel to the roller  272 . A belt  275  formed by metal links is stretched around the rollers  272  and  273  and may be set into motion by the controlled rotation of the roller  272 . 
     22   a  denotes the roller supported by the frame  20 A and disposed as close as possible to the edge  20 C, i.e. the roller  22  which is the last on the path of the sheet  2 . 
   Concomitantly to the displacement of the frame  261 , the frame  271  is displaced in the direction of the frame  20 A by the jacks  276 , so that the belt  275  is firmly applied against the sheet  2  in abutment on the roller  22   a . The distance e′ of rollers  272  and  273  is chosen so that the roller  22   a  may be partially engaged between the rollers  272  and  273 , as represented in FIG.  5 . In this configuration, the belt  275  acts like a brake to a possible movement of withdrawal of the sheet  2  in the direction opposite to arrows F 1 . To that end, the motor  274  may be blocked. This motor is equipped with a gear motor thus increasing the value of the load moment, this preventing the return of the sheet  2 . 
   When the sheet  2  has been cut by the blade  263 , the carriage  20  is displaced so that its edge  20 C lies substantially above the coil  14 ′ which was positioned in the location  15 ′ in parallel to the winding of the sheet  2  on the coil  14 . From this configuration, the motor  274  is activated so that the roller  272  is driven in the direction of arrow F 5  in  FIG. 5 , which has the effect, taking into account the pressure exerted by the jack  276  and the firm abutment of the belt  275  on the sheet  2 , of driving the sheet  2  in the direction of arrows F 1 , so that its free edge which was previously located at the level of the plate  255  progresses in the direction of mandrel  14 ′ a  of the coil  14 ′ around which the sheet  2  then begins to be wound. The coil  14 ′ is then rotated and the jacks  275  are activated in order to move the belt  275  away from the sheet  2 . 
   One is then in the position of  FIG. 2  where the filling of the coil  14 ′ may take place, while the coil  14  may be evacuated in the direction of arrow F 3  in FIG.  3 . 
   During the filling of coil  14 ′, the coil  14  is evacuated and a fresh coil is placed in position. When the coil  14 ′ is full, one proceeds as indicated hereinabove for the coil  14  and the carriage  20  is returned above the location  15 . 
   In this way, continuous functioning of the installation can be envisaged. 
   In order to render the drawings clearer, devices  25  to  29  have been omitted from  FIGS. 1  to  3  and  8 , except for rollers  252  and  253 . 
   The drive system  28  of the coils  14  and  14 ′ is shown solely in  FIG. 6  in order to render the drawings clearer. It comprises an electric motor equipped with a gear motor  281  of which the driven shaft is coupled to a plate  282  provided with two fingers  283  intended to be introduced in openings  141  provided between bars  142  at the centre of each end plate  143  of the coils  14  or  14 ′. When the fingers  283  have been introduced in the openings  141  and when the motor  281  is activated, the fingers come into contact with two bars  142  on which they may exert a torque for rotation of the coil  14  or  14 ′ in question. 
   The system  28  is mobile in directions Y 1 -Y′ 1 , Y 2 -Y′ 2  and X-X′, so that it may be alternately brought into engagement with one or the other of the coils  14  or  14 ′. 
   Each coil  14  or  14 ′ is supported by a chassis  16  or  16 ′ formed by angles welded or assembled by bolting. The lower cross-ties  161  of the chassis  16  are of U-section, with webs of large thickness giving them a good dimensional stability, including when they are manipulated relatively suddenly with lift trucks. Each chassis  16  or  16 ′ defines four shoes  162  in arc of cylinder form disposed level with the end plates  143  of the coils  14  and equivalent. By default, each coil  14  rests, by each end plate  143 , on two shoes  162 , so that, taking into account its weight and the forces of friction between the edges  144  and the side plates  143  and the shoes  162 , the coil  14  is immobilized in rotation about its central axis Y 14 . This corresponds to the position shown in  FIG. 7  which is that of the coil l  4  when it must be stored or transported. 
   When the coil  14  is to be rotated about its axis Y 14 , in particular for conditioning the sheet  2  or for unwinding it with a view to use thereof, the chassis  16  is installed, as represented by arrows F 6 , on an auxiliary chassis  17  constituted by cross-ties  171  extending in substantially horizontal directions and from which supports  172  upwardly project, on which supports are idly mounted rollers  173  which are four in number and which are arranged so that, when the chassis  16  is placed on the chassis  17 , the edges  144  of the end plates  143  rest on the rollers  173 , being detached from the shoes  162 . To that end, the height h 1  of the centres of the rollers  173  with respect to the upper face of the cross-ties  171  is greater than the height h 2  of the lower part of the edge  144  of the end plate  143  with respect to the lower surface of the cross-ties  161 . 
   Each auxiliary chassis  17  is equipped with wheels  174  allowing it to slide, perpendicularly to the direction F 1  of advance of the sheet  2 , on rails  7  extending in the floor of the installation in directions Y 1 -Y′ 1 , and Y 2 -Y′ 2 , as represented in FIG.  3 . 
   Functioning is as follows: when an empty coil  14 ′ is to be disposed in the location  15 ′, the auxiliary chassis  17 ′ intended for this location is taken into a position offset with respect to the zone of advance of the sheet  2 , this position being shown in FIG.  3 . In this position, a coil  14 ′ installed in a chassis  16 ′ is placed on the chassis  17 ′, which makes it possible to release the possibility of rotation of this coil about its central axis while the coil  14 ′ remains captive of the chassis  16 ′. The carriage  17 ′ is then translated in the direction of the location  15 ′, as represented by arrow F 2 . 
   When a full coil is to be withdrawn from the installation, such as coil  14 , the carriage  17  being intended for the location  15 , the chassis  16  and the coil  14  are taken to the position represented in dashed and dotted lines in FIG.  3  and the simple fact of lifting the chassis  16  with respect to the chassis  17  makes it possible to immobilize the coil  14  in rotation inside the chassis  16  in question. 
   A system of indexing the position of the chassis  17  and  17 ′ along the rails  7  may be provided by means of a finger  175  elastically loaded in the direction of the floor and adapted to be engaged in holes  8  provided in the ground at the level of the position of the chassis  17  and  17 ′ in each of the locations  15  and  15 ′ and in each of the positions of loading/unloading of the principal chassis on the auxiliary chassis. 
   The invention has been shown with two coils  14  and  14 ′ disposed in two locations  15  and  15 ′. However, it is also applicable with three or more than three locations, the number of coils used being adapted accordingly without disturbing the functioning of the production line, particularly of the machine  1 . 
   The invention has been described during its implementation with a sheet of SMC. However, it is applicable with other sheet moulding materials, such as mats or fiber fabrics.