Patent Description:
In particular, the invention relates to a kit of brushes and needles for forming a carpet of brushes for such machines, to a cutting machine and to a method for locking a lay of plies on a carpet of brushes.

<CIT> suggests a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics provided with a needle system suitable to allow a locking of the mutually aligned plies on a carpet of brushes. The needles are positioned below the carpet of brushes and are movable by a mechanical system between a raised position, in which they emerge from the carpet of brushes to lock the lay to be cut in place, and a lowered position, in which they remain below the carpet of brushes to allow the passage of the cutting blade between the bristles of the brushes.

If, on the one hand, such a technical solution rather effectively resolves the problem of locking the plies by keeping them aligned with one another, on the other hand it has proven to be too rigid with regard to the position and number of needles. Indeed, in certain cases, the drawings of the plies, which are to be perfectly aligned with one another, are in areas of the carpet of brushes which are distant from the locking needles, for example between nearby needles. Although the plies are perfectly locked, and therefore aligned, misalignments between the plies could occur at and close to the needles, in the intermediate areas, which even if minimum, could affect the quality of the end product if there are graphic patterns in such intermediate areas. In these cases, it would be desirable to position the needles according to the position of the graphic patterns on the fabrics, but the connection of the needle grid to the mechanical movement system does not allow any flexibility in the positioning and number of the needles with respect to the carpet of brushes. <CIT> discloses a method for pattern cutting that involves establishing and needling a bearing stack on a cutting support; <CIT> discloses an arrangement for needling limp material webs, which includes an adjacent arrangement of numerous conventional brush elements which have a base with through holes and bristles extending away therefrom; <CIT> discloses a brushes fitting structure for an automatic cutting machine of sheet materials; <CIT> discloses a modular block for the formation of suction surfaces in machines for the cutting of fabrics with a free blade with alternating movement.

It is the object of the present invention to obviate the above limitations of the machine for cutting fabrics according to the known art.

Such an object is achieved by a kit for obtaining a carpet of brushes on a table of a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics according to claim <NUM>, by a brush according to claim <NUM>, by a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics according to claim <NUM>, and by a method for locking fabrics according to claim <NUM>. The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The features and advantages of the kit, brush, machine, and method according to the invention will in any case become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, given only by way of a non-limiting, indicative example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

In said drawings, a kit for obtaining a carpet <NUM> of brushes on a table <NUM> of a machine <NUM> for the automatic cutting of fabrics <NUM> is indicated by numeral <NUM>.

In a general embodiment, kit <NUM> comprises a plurality of brushes <NUM> and a plurality of fabric locking needles <NUM>; <NUM>.

The brushes <NUM> are shaped so as to be placeable side-by-side to form the carpet <NUM> of brushes. For example, the brushes <NUM> have a square or rectangular plan.

Each brush <NUM> comprises a base <NUM>, a plurality of bristles <NUM> which extend from base <NUM> and which form, with their respective upper ends, a bristle plane (α) for supporting fabric plies <NUM> to be cut, and table coupling means <NUM> suitable to be connected to brush support elements <NUM> provided on the table <NUM> of machine <NUM>.

A plurality of base holes <NUM> extending parallel to the bristles <NUM> and which are open at least at the upper end facing the bristles <NUM> is formed in base <NUM>.

Each needle <NUM>; <NUM> has a lower point 22a; 220a and an upper point 22b; 220b. The lower point 22a; 220a is suitable to be inserted with shape and/or force coupling into at least one portion of a base hole <NUM> so that the needle is rigidly supported by base <NUM>. The upper point 22b; 220b protrudes vertically from the plurality of bristles <NUM> when needle <NUM>; <NUM> is inserted into the brush so as to pierce a plurality of overlapping plies (referred to as a "lay" as a whole) positioned on the bristle plane. Rigidly supported needle means that the needle is capable of keeping its vertical position when it is engaged by the lay resting on the bristle plane.

Therefore, once the carpet <NUM> of brushes is formed, the needles can be inserted into the carpet in desired numbers and positions, without any restrictions, for example according to the graphic patterns on the fabrics.

In an embodiment, the bristles <NUM> and the base holes <NUM> alternate with one another and are uniformly distributed over the plane defined by the upper side of base <NUM> of the brush.

This allows the whole surface of the carpet of brushes to be taken advantage of. Moreover, the uniform distribution of holes and bristles facilitates obtaining the brushes by plastic material molding.

According to the invention, each base hole <NUM> has an open upper portion <NUM>', for example cylindrical in shape, and a lower portion <NUM>" which forms a support surface for a locking needle inserted into the base hole <NUM>. The lower portion <NUM>'' is conical in shape with a cross-section decreasing downwards.

According to the invention, the lower point 22a; 220a of the needle is conical in shape to be suitable to obtain a shape and/or force coupling with the lower portion <NUM>" of the base hole <NUM>.

A solid, both axial and radial locking of the needles in the respective holes is obtained by virtue of the conical shape of the lower portion <NUM>''.

According to one embodiment, base <NUM> comprises an upper plate <NUM> penetrated by the base holes <NUM> and a lower counter-plate <NUM> connected to the upper plate <NUM>. Abutment means <NUM>'' engageable by the lower point 22a; 220a of the needle are obtained in the lower counter-plate <NUM>.

For example, the lower portion <NUM>" of each base hole <NUM> is obtained in the lower counter-plate <NUM> and forms the abutment means <NUM>".

In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate <NUM> is removably connected to the upper plate <NUM>, for example by means of interlocking coupling.

In an embodiment, the table coupling means <NUM> are obtained in the upper plate <NUM> and protrude at the bottom beyond the lower counter-plate <NUM>.

For example, the table coupling means <NUM> comprise a pair of arms <NUM>' suitable to elastically engage a track <NUM>' obtained in the brush support means <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate <NUM> is provided with reference means <NUM>, for example in the shape of a peg vertically extending from the lower counter-plate <NUM>, suitable to allow an alignment of the portion of the base holes <NUM> which penetrates the upper plate <NUM>, for example the cylindrical upper portion <NUM>', with the abutment means <NUM>'', for example the conical lower portion.

In an embodiment, at least some (<NUM>) of the needles <NUM>; <NUM> for locking the fabric comprise a needle holder <NUM> with a small plate <NUM> suitable to rest on the bristle plane α and a shank <NUM> which extends below the small plate <NUM> and which is suitable to be inserted between the bristles <NUM>. An upper needle part 220b suitable to pierce the plurality of overlapping plies is inserted into the small plate <NUM>; a lower needle part 220a suitable to engage at least one portion of a respective base hole <NUM> with shape and/or force coupling, for example both the cylindrical upper portion <NUM>' and the conical lower portion <NUM> ", is inserted into shank <NUM>.

The above-described shape of needle <NUM> with support <NUM> contributes to further providing the vertical rigidity required to correctly process the fabrics resting on the carpet of brushes.

The needles can be made of steel, iron, or similar materials, of plastic materials and/or various types of resins. The needles can be shaped with different lengths and diameters, according to the requirements.

The present invention also relates to a brush <NUM> suitable to obtain a carpet <NUM> of brushes on a table <NUM> of a machine <NUM> for the automatic cutting of fabrics <NUM>.

Brush <NUM> comprises a base <NUM>, a plurality of bristles <NUM> which extend from base <NUM> and which form, with the respective upper ends thereof, a bristle plane (α) for supporting fabric plies to be cut, and table coupling means <NUM> suitable to be connected to brush support elements <NUM> provided on the table <NUM> of machine <NUM>.

A plurality of base holes <NUM> is also obtained in base <NUM>, extending parallel to the bristles <NUM> and being open at least at the upper end facing the bristles so as to be suitable to receive a lower portion of locking needles of the plies inserted from the top into the base holes <NUM>.

In an embodiment, base <NUM> comprises an upper plate <NUM> penetrated by the upper portion <NUM>' of base holes <NUM> and a lower counter-plate <NUM> removably connected to the upper plate <NUM>. The lower portion <NUM>" of each base hole <NUM> is obtained in the lower counter-plate <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the table coupling means <NUM>, for example comprising a pair of arms <NUM>' suitable to elastically engage a track <NUM>' obtained in the brush support elements <NUM>, are obtained in the upper plate <NUM> and protrude at the bottom beyond the lower counter-plate <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate <NUM> is provided with reference means <NUM>, for example in the shape of a peg, suitable to allow an alignment between the upper portion <NUM>' of the base holes <NUM> and the lower portion <NUM>" of the base holes <NUM>.

The present invention also relates to a machine <NUM> for the automatic cutting of fabrics. Machine <NUM> comprises a table <NUM> and a cutting head <NUM> movable above the table, for example by an electric axis system <NUM>. Table <NUM> is covered by a carpet <NUM> of brushes, consisting of a plurality of brushes <NUM> placed side-by-side as described above.

The cutting head <NUM> is provided with a cutting blade suitable to pass through the bristles <NUM> of the brushes to simultaneously cut plies of the lay resting on the bristle plane.

In an embodiment, table <NUM> is provided with brush support crossbars <NUM> to which the brushes <NUM> are connected by means of the table coupling means <NUM>.

In an embodiment, machine <NUM> comprises, below table <NUM>, suction means <NUM> facing the carpet <NUM> of brushes and suitable to hold a lay <NUM> of fabrics stacked against the bristle plane α.

The present invention also relates to a method for locking a lay <NUM> of fabrics on a carpet <NUM> of brushes of a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics as described above.

In an embodiment, the locking means consist of suction means <NUM> placed below the table and suitable to suck the lay of fabrics against the bristle plane.

Claim 1:
A kit for obtaining a carpet of brushes (<NUM>) on a table (<NUM>) of a machine (<NUM>) for the automatic cutting of fabrics (<NUM>), comprising:
- a plurality of brushes (<NUM>) placeable side by side so as to form a carpet of brushes, each brush comprising a base (<NUM>), a plurality of bristles (<NUM>) that extend from said base and that form, with their respective upper ends, a bristle plane (α) for supporting fabrics to be cut, and table coupling means (<NUM>) suitable to connect to brush support elements (<NUM>) provided on the table (<NUM>) of the machine (<NUM>), wherein in the base is further formed a plurality of base holes (<NUM>) extending parallel to the bristles (<NUM>) and which are open at least at the upper end facing the bristles; and
- a plurality of needles (<NUM>; <NUM>) for locking the fabric, each needle (<NUM>; <NUM>) having a lower point (22a; 220a) and an upper point (22b; 220b), the lower point (22a; 220a) being suitable to be inserted with shape and/or force coupling in at least one portion of a base hole (<NUM>) so that the needle is rigidly supported by the base (<NUM>), the upper point (22b; 220b) protruding vertically from the plurality of bristles (<NUM>) when the needle (<NUM>; <NUM>) is inserted in the brush so as to pierce a plurality of overlapping fabrics or plies positioned on the bristle plane,
wherein each base hole (<NUM>) has an open upper portion (<NUM>'), for example cylindrical, and a lower portion (<NUM>") that forms an abutment surface for a needle inserted in the base hole,
the kit being characterized in that the lower portion (<NUM>") of the base hole (<NUM>) has a conical shape with a cross-section decreasing downwards, and wherein the lower point (22a; 220a) of the needle has a conical shape suitable to obtain a shape and/or force coupling with said lower portion (<NUM>") of the base hole (<NUM>).