Abstract:
System and methods for piling and compressing pieces of insulation wool. The system includes a piling tower for receiving and piling multiple pieces of insulation wool and means for compressing multiple pieces of insulation wool. The system includes a first and a second compression plate having plane and smooth upper and lower surfaces, whereby the compression plate can be slid out from between two compressed pieces of insulation wool. The compression plates receive a batch between the compression plates and compress the batch by moving one compression plate towards the other. The pressure on the insulation wool does not need to be relieved after the pieces have been compressed once as the system and method makes it possible to gradually increase compression toward the bottom of the piling tower by shifting between the first and second compression plate being used for compressing a batch of pieces of insulation wool.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a method of piling and compressing pieces of compressible material, such as pieces of insulation wool. Further, the invention relates to a system for piling and compressing pieces of compressible material, such as insulation wool. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Insulation wool is being used for insulating e.g. houses in order to reduce energy loss. Insulation wool is a material comprising a lot of air and in order to save space both when transporting and storing it is an advantage to compress the material before packaging. This is of course not only an advantage when it comes to insulation wool, but also other material comprising air, such as foam e.g. used in furniture, e.g. in mattresses, could be compressed to save space. 
         [0003]    It is known to stack and compress compressible products, such as insulation wool, in the same process. When a lot of wool pieces are to be stacked before being compressed and packed, a quite high tower is needed in order to stabilize and fixate the pieces before and during compressing; this problem limits the number of wool pieces which can be stacked. A limitation of prior art is that the height of the piling tower limits the number of insulation wool pieces that can be stacked in one batch of piled pieces. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,344 describes a method of compressing glass fibre insulation batts or pieces and this is done using compression plates having a concave surface. The concave surface ensures that the batts can be compressed in a higher degree without damaging the batts. In this method the height of the apparatus limits how many batts a stack can consist of. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,539 describes an apparatus for stacking and compressing pieces or batts of compressible material and after a compression plate has compressed batts of compressible material the batts are pushed laterally out of the stacking chamber and into a bagging machine. In this method the height of the apparatus limits how many batts a stack can consist of. 
         [0006]    CA 952 495 describes a machine for stacking flexible material, where two stacking plates are in turns stacking material into batches. Plates define sidewalls of the machine ensuring that the material is aligned, and further an opening is provided at the bottom allowing a stacking plate to slide out between batches and be moved upwards for starting compression of further material into batches. A problem with this machine is, that because of the predefined position of the opening where a plate can slide out, limitations are introduced as to how much a specific material can be compressed and as to in which dimensions batches can be made. 
       OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems. 
         [0008]    This is obtained by the system and method defined in the claims. 
         [0009]    Thereby a continuously packing is possible where pieces of compressible material can be added while the first and second compression plate cycle and compress the compressible material. The number of pieces that can be compressed is not limited by the height of the piling tower, since the pieces can be compressed during piling by cycling between compression from respectively the first and the second compression plate. 
         [0010]    Further, by ensuring a continuous flow of piling and compressing by shifting between compression from respectively the first and the second compression plate, the pressure on the pieces of insulation wool is never relieved after the pieces have been compressed once. The compression is gradually increased toward the bottom of the tower without the pressure at any time being relieved again. Thereby the risk of damaging the compressible material is significantly removed, which is especially relevant when it comes to specific types of insulation wool. 
         [0011]    The flexible sidewalls being used for delimiting sides of the piling tower ensure that the compression plates always have access to the compressible material when being moved up and down the piling tower. Thereby the system can be used for continuous packing where any batch size and compression rate is possible, thereby making it possible to adapt the machine to different kinds of material of the compressible pieces and to different requirements to the batch size. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described referring to the figures, where 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates the basic elements of a system according to the present invention, 
           [0014]      FIGS. 1-6  illustrate the method of stacking and compressing according to the present invention, 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  illustrates holding arms positioned at the top of the piling tower, 
           [0016]      FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  illustrate an embodiment of a compression plate. 
           [0017]    FIGS.  9 , 10  and  11  illustrate alternative embodiments of the flexible sidewalls. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The basic elements of a system according to the present invention are illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The system comprises a piling tower  101  for piling pieces of insulation wool  107 . The pieces of insulation wool enter the piling tower at the top. The system further comprises a first and a second compression plate  103  and  105 , these plates are being used for compressing batches of piled pieces of insulation wool, wherein a batch comprises multiple pieces of insulation wool. After being piled and compressed the batches leave the piling tower  101  at the bottom. After leaving the piling tower further processing of the batches can be performed such as packaging e.g. by wrapping in foil. The compression plates are positioned in sliding drawers  113 ,  115 , whereby the compression plate  103  and  105  can slide into the piling tower  101  and out from the sliding drawer  113 ,  115  or out from the piling tower  101  and into the sliding drawer  113 ,  115 . The compression plate  103  and  105  has a plane and smooth upper and lower surface, whereby the plate can be slid out when supporting at least one batch of compressed insulation wool, without or at least with a minimum of damages on the surface of the piece of insulation wool having contact with the compression plate. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, flexible sidewalls embodied as belts  121 ,  123  have been added; the belts delimit the sides of the piling tower and thereby assist aligning piled pieces of insulation wool. The belts further extend around the sliding drawers  113  via sliding members or belt rollers  125 ,  127 ,  129 ,  131 . This is also the case with regards to the other sliding drawer  115 . Thereby the sliding drawers can be moved upwards and downwards parallel to the piling tower while the compression plates  103 ,  105  maintain access to the piles in the piling tower. The sidewalls are flexible in the sense that the compression plates are able to access the pile of compressible material at any position. 
         [0019]    The method of stacking is described in the following using  FIGS. 1-6 . 
         [0020]    The piling is started when the piling tower  101  is empty, the first compression plate  103  is positioned at the top of the piling tower  101  and pieces of insulation wool enter the piling tower  101  and falls down on the first compression plate  103 . The pieces enter the piling tower and the first compression plate  103  moves downwards enabling space for more pieces, while ensuring that the falling distance between the upper piece of insulation wool and the new entering piece is minimised. This is minimised to avoid large falling speed which could result in damage of the insulation wool and further result in a more precise aligning of the insulation wool pieces. 
         [0021]    In  FIG. 1  the first compression plate has reached the bottom of the piling tower and a number of pieces of insulation wool has entered and is piled on the first compression plate  103 . The second compression plate  105  is positioned in the sliding drawer  115  enabling both pieces of insulation wool and the first compression plate  103  to pass the second compression plate  105 . 
         [0022]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , when a predefined number of insulation wool pieces has been piled, whereby a batch of multiple piled pieces of insulation material has been obtained on said first compression plate  103 , the second compression plate  105  is slid out of the sliding drawer  115  and into the piling tower  101 , whereby the second compression plate  105  is positioned in the sliding tower  101  above the piled batch of multiple pieces of insulation material. Further, the first compression plate  103  is slid out from below the batch of multiple pieces of insulation material into the sliding drawer  113 , whereby the bottom surface  201  of the piling tower carries the batch. 
         [0023]    Pieces of insulation material now enter the piling tower and the second compression plate moves downwards enabling space for more pieces while ensuring that the falling distance between the upper piece of insulation wool and the new entering piece is minimised. 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  illustrates the sliding drawer  115  where the second compression plate  105  is positioned above the piled batch of multiple pieces of insulation material and moved downwards  303  while receiving new pieces of insulation wool on top of the compression plate  105 , while compressing the batch of piled insulation material between the second compression plate  105  and the bottom surface  201  of the piling tower  101 . Further, as illustrated in  FIG. 3  the first compression plate  103  has been moved upwards  301  to the top of the piling tower  101 . 
         [0025]    In  FIG. 4  the first compression plate  103  has entered the piling tower and a number of pieces of insulation wool is piled on the second compression plate  105  while the first compression plate  103  is moved downwards  401  compressing the piled batch  403 . 
         [0026]    As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a predefined number of insulation wool pieces has been piled on said first compression plate, the second compression plate  105  has been slid into the sliding drawer  115  and the compression plate is moved upwards  501 . Further, the first compression plate  103  is moved downwards  503  for further compressing the piled pieces. 
         [0027]    In  FIG. 6  the second compression plate  105  has entered the piling tower and a number of pieces of insulation wool are piled on the second compression plate  105  while the second compression plate  105  is moved downwards  601  compressing the piled batch  603 . 
         [0028]    The above cycle continues, whereby the two compression plates interchange between being at the top and at the bottom during the compression cycle. The cycle repeats until the wanted number of pieces of insulation wool is compressed inside the tower and the stack is being held compressed by one of the compression plates at the top of the piled pieces. The multiple piled and compressed pieces of insulation wool can then be pushed or pulled out of the tower and further processed. 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment where sets of holding arms  701 ,  703 ,  705  are mounted at the top of the piling tower. The holding arms can be tilted between a first position where they can hold a piece of insulation wool and a second position where they can drop a piece of insulation wool previously being held by the arms. The purpose of these arms is to both ensure that new pieces of insulation wool are ready to be transferred to a compression plate, but also to minimize the falling distance of the pieces. In the illustrated embodiment three sets of holding arms have been mounted enabling the pieces to be stepwise released downwards to a compression plate. 
         [0030]    The timing of the stacking cycle including movement of the compression plates and the holding arms can be controlled by a programmed computer. Further, timing of the different steps can be determined based on sensors, such as optical sensors. 
         [0031]      FIGS. 8   a  and  8   b  illustrate an embodiment of a compression plate seen from the side in  FIG. 8   a  and from an isometric view in  FIG. 8   b , respectively. The plate is wedge shaped and has a super smooth surface e.g. obtained by using a smooth plate and adding sliding varnish to the surface of the plate. 
         [0032]    The front of the compression plate  801  comprises sidepieces  803  mounted on each side of a sliding plate  805 . In the illustrated embodiment the sliding plate is made from three pieces of thin metal which have been welded together and processed to obtain a smooth surface. Further, the sidepieces  803  are higher than the thickness of the sliding plate  805  and are also made from a thicker metal than the sliding plate. The sidepieces  803  and the sliding plate  805  being assembled by three pieces ensure strength of the compression plate 
         [0033]    The examples given are based on insulation material, but the apparatus could be used for piling and compressing other types of compressible material such as foam products, e.g. mattresses. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate embodiments of the belts which are one way of making the sidewalls flexible whereby the compression plates are able to access the compressible material at any position. 
         [0035]    In this embodiment belts  121 ,  123  are extending around belt rollers, also referred to as sliding means  125 ,  127 ,  129 ,  131 , and these rollers also constitute the sliding drawer  113 ,  115 . Both figures illustrate a compression plate  103 ,  105  between the sliding means. 
         [0036]    In  FIG. 9  an embodiment of the flexible sidewalls is illustrated where a number of narrow belts are used extending around the belt rollers  125 ,  127 ,  129  and  131 . 
         [0037]    In  FIG. 10  an embodiment of the flexible sidewalls is illustrated where a single wide belt is used extending around the belt rollers  125 ,  127 ,  129  and  131 . 
         [0038]    In the above example belts are described, but alternatively plastic or metal chains could also be used. 
         [0039]    A property of the flexible sidewalls is that the sliding drawer can move op and down while the sidewalls adapt around the sliding drawer  113 ,  115 . Any sidewall allowing that could be used. If belts are used, these belts could e.g. be made from a textile or from plastic material or any other flexible material. 
         [0040]    In  FIG. 11  an example is given where the sidewalls are made flexible in an alternative way. In this embodiment the side walls are made from a number of stiff plates which can either be made longer or shorter in a telescopic manner, whereby the stiff plates  122  either lie in layers or in continuation of each other. The plates could be made from thin metal or another stiff material. The plates are connected to a sliding drawer  113 ,  115 . Also in this embodiment flexible sidewalls are obtained, whereby the compression plate  103 ,  105  is able to access the compressible material at any position.