Patent Description:
The invention is particularly suitable for use in association with laser cutting machines, but its application in association with any operating machine that generates slag to be removed from a workbench is not excluded.

The known workbenches with which the invention is adapted to interact are those typically fitted to precision laser cutting machines or the like. They comprise a series of plates with a longitudinal development direction, placed side by side and spaced apart with said longitudinal parallel directions, so as to define a series of resting surfaces all lying in one plane.

During cutting, molten slag drips onto the plates and adheres to them, altering the plane and thus the precision of the machine. After a certain limit, the alteration in the working precision is such that the workbench needs be replaced.

Alternatively, slag removal machines have been developed that can slide along the plates and clean them with special tools.

An example of such machines is known from the Applicant's previous international patent application No. <CIT>. This machine is very effective, but as it features manual traction it may require some strength from the operator.

Other machines for cleaning such benches are known in patent literature from <CIT> and <CIT>.

The latter in particular attempts to provide a traction system for the autonomous displacement of the machine along the plates. However, it provides for giving the slag removal cutters also the function of traction wheels. This limits the possibility of choosing the removal tools, so this system is not applicable to any machine, moreover it requires that the orientation of the cutters is only on axes that are orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the plate, thus preventing an orientation that "pulls" the machine downwards for a greater slag grip. But the main drawback of the traction system described is that it requires a laborious displacement of the machine from one plate to another, in fact it is necessary to manually lock the machine on the initial side of the plate and unlock it when it has arrived on the opposite side in order to displace it onto the adjacent plate.

Alongside the specific problems of the known machine, it can be noted that a cleaning system with a motorised traction system must respect the overall dimensions of the laser cutting machine, which includes cutting heads and groups supplying parts from automatic loaders etc. around and above the bench.

It is therefore clear that when not in use the slag removal system must not prevent the operation of the members from the operating machine it has cleaned.

In patent literature are known <CIT>, in accordance with the preamble of claim <NUM>, and <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>.

An object of the present invention is to completely or partially overcome the problems of the.

A preferred object of the present invention is to provide a motorised system for removing slag from workbenches which is motorised and which is compatible with various types and inclinations of slag removal tools.

A further preferred object of the present invention is to provide a motorised system for removing slag that can be operated by an operator standing on only one side of the workbench.

A further preferred object of the present invention is to provide a motorised system which respects the overall dimensions of the operating machine associated with the bench and does not hinder the operation thereof when cleaning is finished.

Another further object of the present invention is to provide a motorised system with a reliable supply.

Another further preferred object of the present invention is to provide an easy-to-use motorised system.

According to a first general aspect thereof, the present invention relates to a system for removing slag from workbenches comprising a plurality of plates (<NUM>) side by side parallel to each other in a first main development direction L thereof, wherein the system comprises a slag removal machine (<NUM>), a traction group (<NUM>) of the machine (<NUM>), a linear sliding guide (<NUM>) for the traction group, wherein said three elements are associated with each other in such a way that:.

wherein the slag removal machine comprises tool means suitable for straddling, during said traction, at least one of said plates (<NUM>) which is oriented with said first development direction L parallel to said traction direction L.

In general, it is preferable that said group (<NUM>) comprises at least one traction cable (<NUM>), at least one winch (<NUM>) for winding said cable (<NUM>) and skid means (<NUM>) for the sliding association of the winch to the linear guide (<NUM>).

According to some preferred embodiments the winch is supported by the machine (<NUM>) and said skid means (<NUM>) are slidingly supported by the guide (<NUM>), the winch (<NUM>) and the skid means being connected to each other by the traction cable <NUM>. In this way, the winch drags the machine with it towards the skid means placed on the sliding guide.

According to some alternative embodiments, said winch is slidingly supported by the sliding guide (<NUM>) by means of skid means, and is connected to the machine (<NUM>) by means of said traction cable (<NUM>) in order to pull it to itself.

According to some preferred embodiments of the invention the winch (<NUM>) comprises at least one reel for winding the traction cable (<NUM>) of the machine (<NUM>).

Preferably, the winch (<NUM>) and the machine (<NUM>) are connected to each other by a towing cable (<NUM>) and by a control line (<NUM>) of motor means (<NUM>) of the winch (<NUM>), which are simultaneously windable by the winch (<NUM>).

In such a case, preferably the control line supplies motor means (<NUM>) of the winch (<NUM>), and is in turn supplied by means of a supply line (52b) connected to the machine (<NUM>), wherein the winch (<NUM>) is controlled by means of controls (<NUM>) that are arranged on the machine (<NUM>).

Preferably, the winch (<NUM>) comprises at least two reels (<NUM>, <NUM>) for simultaneously winding the traction cable (<NUM>) of the machine and the control line (<NUM>).

In such a case, preferably the reels (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprise respective grooved surfaces with respective spiral seats for housing the traction cable (<NUM>) and the control line (<NUM>) respectively, further the traction group comprises respective shaving elements (<NUM>, <NUM>) which during the rotation keep the traction cable (<NUM>) and the control line (<NUM>) inside the spiral seats (<NUM> and <NUM>), the reels are preferably counter-rotating.

According to some possible embodiments, the winch (<NUM>) and the machine (<NUM>) are connected to each other by a towing cable (<NUM>) and the winch (<NUM>) is connected to a control line (<NUM>) of motor means (<NUM>) wherein only the traction cable is wound by the winch (<NUM>), while the control line (<NUM>) remains outside the winch (<NUM>) and connects the winch (<NUM>) with a control that is separate from the machine (<NUM>), for example a foot control, or with the machine (<NUM>) itself.

Preferably the winch (<NUM>) is connectable and disconnectable to the machine (<NUM>) and is reclinable with respect to the linear sliding guide (<NUM>).

In general, preferably the traction group (<NUM>) has at least one non-operational condition in which it allows manual unwinding of the cable (<NUM>) for the manual distancing of the machine (<NUM>) in the opposite direction to the towing direction. For example, the group comprises pneumatic motor means arranged to move at least one reel of the winch to wind said cable (<NUM>), wherein in a non-operational condition the motor means allow the rotation of the reel to be reversed by manually pulling the cable to unwind it.

According to some preferred embodiments, the group comprises pneumatic motor means arranged to move at least one reel of the winch to wind said cable (<NUM>). This generally makes the adaptation to the opposition offered by the slag possible.

Preferably, the machine (<NUM>) comprises a handlebar (<NUM>) on which there are:.

According to a second general aspect thereof, the invention relates to a process for removing slag from workbenches comprising plates parallel to each other, wherein the process comprises the following steps:.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, with reference to the appended drawings and provided by way of an indicative and non-limiting example. In such drawings:.

With reference to <FIG>, a system for removing slag from workbenches according to the present invention is shown, indicated as a whole with the reference number <NUM> and hereinafter referred to briefly as "the system".

The system <NUM> comprises a slag removal machine <NUM>, hereinafter referred to as "the machine" for short, a traction group <NUM> of the machine <NUM>, a linear sliding guide <NUM> for the traction group.

The traction group is operationally interposed between the machine <NUM> and the guide <NUM>, so as to drag the machine <NUM> towards the guide <NUM> along a traction direction L coinciding with the working direction of the machine, which in turn is destined to coincide with the longitudinal development direction of the plates <NUM> of the bench, described below.

The traction group slides along the guide <NUM> along a sliding direction W orthogonal to the traction direction L.

In general, traction group <NUM> allows the manual distancing of the machine in the opposite direction to the towing direction.

For example, the traction group <NUM> draws the machine <NUM> towards the guide <NUM> by winding a towing cable <NUM> and allows the distancing thereof by unwinding the cable <NUM>, as will be explained later.

In general, the traction group is free to displace itself in both directions of the sliding direction W of the guide <NUM>, for example being able to be displaced manually.

With reference to <FIG>, the association of the system <NUM> to a workbench <NUM> to be cleaned is shown, wherein said association is generally indicated by reference number <NUM>.

The workbench <NUM> comprises a series of plates <NUM> with a prevalent longitudinal development in the direction L, which are arranged parallel and spaced apart to define, with their vertically facing sides <NUM>, a horizontal working plane P.

The bench <NUM>, in the plane P, has a length L1 and a width W1.

As can be understood from the previous hints, the system <NUM> is associated with the bench <NUM> in such a way that the traction direction L coincides with the longitudinal development direction L1 of the plates <NUM>, and the sliding direction W coincides with the width direction W1 of the bench.

The winding and unwinding extent of the traction cable <NUM> is at least equal to the length L1 of the bench <NUM>, and the length of the guide <NUM> is at least equal to the width of the bench W1.

Preferably the sliding guide <NUM> is permanently associated with the bench <NUM>, at a level below the plane P.

The traction group <NUM> may preferably assume at least two positions on the sliding guide <NUM>, namely a working position in which it keeps the towing cable above the plane P, and a rest position, in which it is reclined and the entire traction group lies at a level below the plane P. In this way, even if the guide and the working group are permanently associated with the bench, they do not hinder the displacements of a tool machine when not in use.

The machine <NUM> can be preferably coupled and uncoupled to the traction group, for example by simple hooking and unhooking the traction cable <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, the machine <NUM> comprises a main body <NUM> provided with resting means <NUM> for resting on the vertically facing sides <NUM> of the plates <NUM>, so as to define an ideal sliding plane P1 on the plane P of the bench. The resting means comprise for example a pair of wheels <NUM>, which resting means are aligned with each other so as to roll on the vertically facing side <NUM> of a single plate <NUM>. Preferably, the resting means <NUM>, in addition or as an alternative to the pair of wheels <NUM>, comprise a resting surface <NUM> facing vertically downwards capable of resting on the vertically upwards facing sides <NUM> of more than one plate <NUM>.

The machine <NUM>, below the sliding plane P1, comprises slag removal tool means <NUM>. The tool means preferably project downwards so as to straddle a single plate <NUM> on two sides in the horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the traction direction L. For example, the tool means comprise at least one pair of cutters and/or one pair of knives, but any other means suitable for the removal of slag from said two sides is contemplated. In general, the tool means <NUM> form a passage seat of a single plate <NUM>. Preferably the seat is adaptable to the thickness of the plate so that the tools interact with it, for example this can be achieved by opposing mobile jaw cutters to clamp the plate <NUM> together.

In general, the machine <NUM>, in the advancement working direction in the direction L, comprises a front part <NUM>, intended to face the linear guide <NUM>, and a rear part <NUM>.

In the front part <NUM> there is a coupling <NUM> to the towing cable <NUM>, where their union is preferably removable, being for example of the slot/hook type.

In the rear part <NUM> there is a handlebar <NUM> with a distal manual grip portion <NUM> so as to be preferably placed at a predetermined distance from the main body in the advancement direction L. For example, the grip portion comprises a pair of knobs <NUM> connected to the body <NUM> of the machine by means of a spacer rod <NUM> with a prevalent development in the advancement direction L.

The handlebar <NUM> also comprises means <NUM> for controlling the tool means <NUM>. For example, they comprise one or more levers arranged adjacent to the knobs <NUM>.

In a preferred example, the tool means comprise motor means, for example electric ones, for example capable of carrying out the rotation of the pair of cutters or the movement of the knives, operated by means of said lever <NUM>. Any power supply may be provided, for example, by means of a power supply cable <NUM> connected to the handlebar <NUM>, preferably at the distal end thereof. At this point the supply cable can preferably be connected and disconnected, e.g., by means of a plug and socket connection.

With reference to <FIG>, <FIG>, the traction group <NUM> generally comprises a winch <NUM>, the traction cable <NUM> and skid means <NUM>.

The winch <NUM> is at least controllable for winding the towing cable <NUM> and is slidingly supported in the direction W on the guide <NUM> by means of the skid means <NUM>.

For unwinding the cable, the winch is generally preferably left free to rotate in the opposite direction to the winding direction in response to a manual traction of the cable.

The winch <NUM> is preferably controlled at least for the winding of the cable <NUM> by means of control means <NUM> that are arranged on the handlebar <NUM> of the machine and connected to the traction group <NUM> by means of a control line <NUM> which controls the machine <NUM> and is parallel to the towing cable <NUM>, where it is also wound by the winch. The control means <NUM> for example comprise a second lever.

The control line <NUM> is preferably supplied from a source of compressed air that is external to the system by means of a supply section 52b connected to the distal end of the handlebar <NUM>, for example by means of a pneumatic quick coupling.

The control means <NUM> generally control both the winding of the cable <NUM> and the release of the winch to allow a manual unwinding by simply pulling backwards the machine <NUM>.

The winch comprises motor means <NUM>, preferably pneumatic ones, so that the control line <NUM> is a pneumatic line. However, other types of motorisation, such as oleodynamic or electric one, are not excluded. The latter example, however, is less preferred since the electric motor in this case must comprise a clutch to adapt to possible slowdowns due to particularly encrusted and stubborn spots to be cleaned. In contrast, the pneumatic motor means <NUM> allow a simplification as they adapt autonomously to the resisting forces that oppose the advancement of the machine <NUM>.

As can be seen better in <FIG>, the winch <NUM> comprises a pair of counter-rotating reels, in particular a cable-winding reel <NUM> and a hose-winding reel <NUM>.

One of the two reels is preferably connected to the motor means <NUM> while the other is driven into counter-rotation by the first one by means of drive means <NUM>, for example with gears.

The winches preferably have grooved winding surface according to spiral seats <NUM>, <NUM> capable of accommodating the traction cable <NUM> and the control line <NUM>, respectively.

The reel comprises respective shaving elements <NUM>, <NUM> which during the rotation keep the traction cable <NUM> and the control line <NUM> inside the spiral seats <NUM> and <NUM>. This avoids chaotic windings that can generate winding or unwinding jams.

Alternative embodiments of the invention are described below where same or similar elements to those described above will be indicated with the same reference numbers or with the same numbers increased by <NUM> or multiples thereof.

In general, embodiments are contemplated in which the control line <NUM> is independent of the machine <NUM> and is not wound around the winch.

<FIG> shows a first example of this type in which the system is indicated as a whole with the reference number <NUM>.

The system <NUM> differs from the system <NUM> of the previous figures in that the control line <NUM> controls a foot control <NUM> that is separate from the machine <NUM>. In this case, therefore, the control lever <NUM> on the handlebar <NUM> is absent.

This solution is ideal when a simple and cost-effective system is required, but is less preferred than the previous one, as the control line <NUM>, since it is not wound in the winch, remains free in a dirty environment with potential sharp points, and moreover it can cause jams.

<FIG> shows a second alternative embodiment, indicated as a whole as system <NUM>, which differs from the system <NUM> in that the control line <NUM>, while continuing to control the machine <NUM>, is not wound by the winch, but it reaches the traction group <NUM> remaining permanently free outside it.

The solution is as economical as the one <NUM>, but more convenient as it can be controlled by the handlebar.

Naturally, all the combinations between the systems <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> are also contemplated, such as for example a pedal control <NUM> which controls the machine <NUM> from which the control line <NUM> for the traction group (<NUM>) departs.

In both systems <NUM> and <NUM>, the winch <NUM> does not need to have two reels, but it can only have one reel for winding the towing cable <NUM>. In this case it is preferable that the reel is spirally grooved and that there is a corresponding shaving element as described for the system <NUM>.

In use, the bench <NUM> to be cleaned is provided with the sliding guide <NUM> at one end thereof and in a position orthogonal to the longitudinal development direction L of the plates <NUM>. The traction group <NUM> is then provided on the guide <NUM> and the machine <NUM> is positioned astride a first plate <NUM>, at a distal end with respect to the traction group <NUM>.

At this point, while the tool means <NUM> are in operation, the winch is operated to displace the machine <NUM> along the plate <NUM>. When the machine <NUM> reaches the end of the plate <NUM> proximal to the traction group <NUM>, the winch <NUM> stops and the cable <NUM> and the control line <NUM> are unwound by manually pulling the machine <NUM> backwards and by displacing it onto an adjacent plate <NUM>. The tension of the towing cable <NUM> is sufficient to displace the traction group <NUM> in front of the new plate to be cleaned by sliding on the guide <NUM>. In this way, advantageously, the whole bench can be cleaned by an operator standing in front of a single side of the machine. Machines of different widths capable of cleaning more than one plate at a time are not excluded.

At the end of cleaning, the machine <NUM> is disconnected from the winch, e.g., by unhooking the towing cable <NUM> and the control line <NUM>. The winch <NUM> can be removed or remain associated with the guide <NUM> in a reclined position below the working plane P while waiting for the next use.

Generally, the system <NUM> may be totally removable from the bench <NUM>, in order to be applied to other benches, or remain partially applied thereto. In addition to the case already mentioned in which both the traction group <NUM> and the sliding guide <NUM> remain associated with the bench, there is also provided a case in which only the guide remains, as in this way the traction group <NUM> may be used for cleaning benches of various machines, each provided with its own sliding guide <NUM> to which the traction group <NUM> can be associated.

Referring now to <FIG> and <FIG>, a third embodiment of the invention, indicated as a whole under reference number <NUM>, is illustrated, characterized by a different arrangement of the elements of the traction group <NUM>. In particular, the winch <NUM> and the motor means thereof <NUM> are supported by the machine <NUM> instead of by the sliding guide <NUM>. Therefore, instead of remaining on the guide <NUM> and drawing the machine to itself, the winch remains on the machine and drags it with it towards the guide <NUM>.

Preferably the winch can have only the reel <NUM> for winding the cable <NUM>.

The skid means <NUM> naturally remain associated with the guide to provide a sliding anchorage point of the cable <NUM>, so that the winch, cable and skid means can be aligned along the line L of a plate to be cleaned.

These figures also illustrate a variant of linear guide <NUM>, which can be used in association with this embodiment of the system or with any other embodiment. The guide line <NUM> in particular is movable between an operational position in which it is above the working plane P, and a non-operational position in which it is below. Switching between the two positions is done for example by reclining or telescoping. The operational separation between the machine <NUM> and the guide line <NUM>, when the bench is not to be cleaned, is achieved by removing the skid means <NUM> from the guide <NUM>, or more easily by leaving them associated therewith and disconnecting the cable <NUM> from the skid means <NUM>.

In understanding the object of the present invention, the term "comprising" and its derivatives, as used herein, are intended as open-ended terms that specify the presence of declared characteristics, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps, but do not exclude the presence of other undeclared characteristics, elements, components, groups, integers and/or steps. The above also applies to words, which have similar meanings, such as the terms "comprised", "have" and their derivatives. Furthermore, the terms "part", "section", "portion", "member" or "element" when used in the singular can have the double meaning of a single part or a plurality of parts. As used herein to describe the above executive embodiment(s), the following directional terms "forward", "backward" "above", "under", "vertical", "horizontal", "below" and "transverse", as well as any other similar directional term, refers to the embodiment described in the operating position. Finally, terms of degree, such as "substantially", "about" and "approximately", as used herein, are intended as a reasonable amount of deviation of the modified term such that the final result is not significantly changed.

Claim 1:
System for removing slag from workbenches comprising plates (<NUM>) parallel to each other developed in a first main direction L, wherein the system comprises a slag removal machine (<NUM>), a traction group (<NUM>) of the machine (<NUM>),
wherein the slag removal machine comprises tool means suitable for straddling, during said traction, at least one of said plates (<NUM>) which is oriented with said first development direction L parallel to said traction direction L,
characterized by further comprising a linear sliding guide (<NUM>) for the traction group (<NUM>), and
in that said slag removal machine (<NUM>), said traction group (<NUM>) of the machine (<NUM>), and said linear sliding guide (<NUM>), are associated with each other in such a way that:
- the traction group (<NUM>) is operationally interposed between the machine (<NUM>) and the guide (<NUM>), so as to drag the machine (<NUM>) towards the guide (<NUM>) along a traction direction L, and
- the traction group (<NUM>) slides at least partially along the guide (<NUM>) along a sliding direction W orthogonal to the traction direction L.