Patent Description:
Herein, the term "sheet" is intended to include a long, and thin "web material", usually fibrous and stored and transported as rolls, but not limited there to, i.e. also rigid sheet material is included, and also such sheet material which is not stored on rolls but stored in other manners, for example stored in piles of sheets.

A preferred example of a method of folding over and pressing of sheet units to produce a low weight building element is disclosed in Swedish patent application No. <CIT>, in the name of IKEA Supply AG.

<CIT>) discloses a method of and a machine for continuous manufacture of a composite hollow board material, i.e. a material including more than one sheet material with intermediate distance material. Such composite hollow board materials, compared to solid board materials or wood, provides a lightweight and relatively strong material having a first surface and a second surface, and between the first and second surfaces a plurality of spacing elements.

The disclosed method comprises providing material for spacing elements in the form of laths extending along the length of the composite hollow board material, e.g. to provide members of sufficient size for attaching screws to penetrate and be firmly anchored.

<CIT> further discloses a machine for producing wall boards wherein a supply device including a conveyor has a horizontal portion for receiving laths and a downwardly inclined run for carrying the laths down beneath the fingers which transfer the laths over to an assembly roll.

<CIT> describes a panel of wood having solid, outer layers and at least one supple inner layer with a lightweight foam material structure. The panel has at least one spacing block-shaped plug inserted between the outer layers.

The object of the present invention is to speed-up and simplify at least one, preferably a plurality of the steps in the production of composite, preferably low weight, building elements. In particular the building elements formed according to the teachings of the present invention are useful for forming parts of pieces of furniture, as furniture building elements. For example the building elements formed could be used as table tops, parts of a book case, a wardrobe or a chest of drawers, etc. In many such pieces of furniture several building elements are to be attached to each other to form the book case, the chest of drawers, the wardrobe etc., or table legs need to be attached to a building element forming a table top. Efficient attachment is facilitated by the teachings of the current application.

In the method stated in the first paragraph above, this object is achieved in that according to the invention the method comprises:.

Thereby, the placing of pad members may be carried out much faster than was possible heretofore, for example by using robots.

It is to be understood that a "pad member" refers to a discrete element to be applied and fixed onto a building element such as a sheet, and may be inserted and fastened between two faces of a building element.

According to a preferred embodiment the method includes providing a plurality of coaxially arranged feeding wheels and a plurality of supply devices simultaneously placing a plurality of pad members to predetermined positions on the sheet.

According to one embodiment the method includes placing pad members of two or more different sizes on the sheet unit, preferably the different sizes of pad members being placed in different locations on the pad. This may be preferable for example in applications when the final building element needs both pad members capable of handling relative high loads and pad members for which it is sufficient to handle relatively low loads.

The pad members are suitably made by providing a plurality of strips, gluing together a plurality of the strips to form a multilayer lath of predetermined dimensions, and cutting the lath in predetermined lengths to form the pad members. Hereby, the density and dimensions of the pad members can be controlled to provide the desired properties, inter alia the grip of screws therein.

For forwarding the pad members toward the first supply device, the method suitably further comprises providing a conveyor, placing a plurality of laths side by side on the conveyor, and cutting the laths crosswise to form a group of side by side lying pad members.

To continue forwarding the pad members toward the first buffer device, the method suitably further comprises providing a paternoster device having a plurality of receptor boxes, and transferring the group of side by side lying pad members from the conveyor to one of the receptor boxes in the paternoster device.

To initiate preparations for a simultaneous application of a plurality of pad members to the sheet, the method suitably further comprises repeating the cutting and pad member transferring steps to form and transfer more groups of side by side lying pad members to at least some empty receptor boxes in the paternoster device.

To proceed with the preparations for a simultaneous application of a plurality of pad members to the sheet, the method suitably further comprises providing a plurality of belt conveyors on top of one another beside the paternoster device, and discharging the groups of side by side lying pad members from each receptor box to an associated one of the belt conveyors.

A machine not part of the invention comprises:.

Thereby, the placing of pad members can be carried out much faster than was possible heretofore, for example by using robots.

The first feeding wheel may be arranged to feed pad members having a width being less than half of the width of the sheet. Thereby, the machine is adapted for producing building elements of low weight.

Preferably, the first feeding wheel is arranged for feeding pad members having a width not exceeding <NUM>% of the width of said sheet. This provides for producing building elements of even lower weight.

Typically, the pad members have a length Lp of <NUM>-<NUM>. This provides for suitable mechanical strength and still a low weight of the building element.

The feeding wheel may include a plurality of peripherally arranged feeding spaces, to improve the ability to properly and quickly transfer a pad member from the first supply device to predetermined positions on a moving sheet.

It is preferred that a portion of the periphery of the feeding wheel of said first embodiment is enveloped by a feeding cover arranged to assist in withholding each pad within its feeding space from a first/inlet position to a second/outlet position. Thereby, the proper transfer of the pads is even safer.

To simplify the design, the feeding space is suitably designed to enable gravity to assist in feeding out the pad at said outlet position.

For the same reason, the first supply device is suitably positioned to enable gravity to assist in feeding in a pad at said first/inlet position into said feeding space.

The feeding wheel may include a plurality of peripherally arranged gripping means, to receive a pad member at said first/inlet position and withhold said pad member during transfer from the first supply device to said second/outlet position whereat it is positioned on a moving sheet. This embodiment provides the advantage of improved control of the positioning of the pad members, as the pad members are firmly gripped by the gripping means when moved from a first position/top position to a second position/bottom position of the feeding wheel. Hereby it is possible to fine-tune the position of the pad member at the point when it is applied onto the moving sheet. This may simplify rightful placement of the pad member at a predetermined position, e.g. between spacing strips on a board sheet.

To assist in feeding out the pad member at said outlet position, said second embodiment of the feeding wheel may include ejector members, one for each gripping means, arranged to be activated at the second/outlet position to eject the pad member and which may simultaneously to ejection apply a pressure onto said pad member to fix it onto the sheet, which sheet may be moving. Thus, said ejector member may have a dual function in that it both ejects the pad member and presses it onto the underlying material, such as said moving sheet.

To make it possible to position the pad member at an arbitrary position across the width of the sheet, the feeding wheel preferably is axially movable on the shaft.

Then, it is preferred that a movable holder engages the feeding cover of the axially movable feeding wheel to move it axially on the shaft to a predetermined position. Thereby, a mechanism for moving the feeding wheel axially can be simplified.

Each feeding wheel may have its own separate drive, but to simplify the design, it is preferred that a plurality of feeding wheels having a common drive.

Preferably, the machine further comprises a conveyor for transporting a plurality of board laths lying side by side, each of said laths including a plurality of the strips glued together to form a multilayer lath of predetermined dimensions, and a cutting device for cutting the laths crosswise to form a group of side by side lying pad members. Hereby, the density and dimensions of the pad members can be controlled to provide the desired properties, inter alia the grip of screws therein.

To continue forwarding the pad members toward the first buffer device, the machine further suitably comprises a paternoster device having a plurality of receptor boxes for receiving the group of side by side lying pad members from the cutting device, and a plurality of belt conveyors on top of one another beside the paternoster device for receiving the groups of side by side lying pad members from each receptor box.

Further, the machine preferably further comprises in addition to said first supply device, said first feeding wheel, said first glue applicator, and said first pressing member, an additional supply device, an additional feeding wheel, an additional glue applicator, and an additional pressing member for each belt conveyor, each one of all of the buffer devices being vertical and receiving pad members from an associated one of the belt conveyors.

The first feeding wheel may include at least one, and preferably a plurality, of peripherally arranged receiving space/-s each adapted for receiving a pad member. The receiving space/-s provides for a high accuracy in receiving and transferring the pad member to a desired position.

Preferably the first feeding wheel comprises <NUM>-<NUM> peripherally arranged receiving spaces. This provides for both high accuracy in transferring pad members and also provides for a high production rate.

Preferably the width of each receiving space of the feeding wheel is less than half of the width of the sheet. This provides for forming a light-weight building element, in which the pad members are placed where they are needed, without being overly large. More preferably the width of the receiving space is less than <NUM>% of the width of the sheet. This provides for placing small, and thereby efficient, pad members, into the building element.

Preferably the width of each receiving space of the feeding wheel is less than <NUM>. This provides for placing very small pad members to obtain a highly efficient light weight building element.

In the following, the disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments and the appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONFig. <NUM> shows a machine for making a sheet unit adapted to be folded over and pressed to produce a building element, preferably a low weight building element, having two large faces. By "low weight building element" is meant a building element having a volume weight of less than <NUM>/m<NUM>. A sheet <NUM>, suitably a long, thin, and flexible web material, usually fibrous and of such a length that it is stored and transported as rolls, is passed through the machine carried by a conveyor, not shown. Preferably, the elongate sheet <NUM> is a low weight, environmentally friendly and inexpensive material such as fibrous board having a thickness of, for example, about <NUM>-<NUM> millimeters, and a first <NUM> and a second <NUM> half of the sheet extend beside each other along the length of the sheet <NUM>. The second half <NUM> is to be folded over the first one <NUM> and attached thereto by an adhesive to form a low weight building element <NUM>, illustrated in <FIG>.

The first half <NUM> of the sheet <NUM> carries spacing elements for providing a desired thickness of the building element. Preferably, the spacing elements are board strips <NUM> having a thickness of about <NUM> and a width of about <NUM> to about <NUM>, the board strips <NUM> standing on their longitudinal edges on the first half <NUM> parallel to the length of the sheet <NUM> and extending to a height of about <NUM>-<NUM> from the surface of the first half <NUM>. In the shown machine, the spacing board strips <NUM> are straight, but if desired they may alternatively have, e.g., a zigzag or wave shape. Another but less preferred alternative would be a honeycomb structure having its cells extending either parallel to the large faces of the building element or in the thickness direction of the building element. If desired, a properly dimensioned lath (not shown) may be provided along each longitudinal border of the first half <NUM> of the sheet <NUM>.

In addition, the machine shown in <FIG> includes a first pad conveyor <NUM> for feeding pad members <NUM> to the first buffer device <NUM>. The solid pad members <NUM> may be of sufficient size to permit attachment screws to penetrate and be firmly anchored therein, and they are of a height that is equal to the width of the spacing strips <NUM> to work also as spacing elements in the building element. The spacing strips <NUM> are spaced apart a distance that is sufficient to permit a pad member <NUM> to be placed in the space between them. The pad members <NUM> and also the laths extending along the sides of the first half <NUM> of the sheet <NUM> can be made of a plurality of materials, if desired wood can be used, but preferably they are made by gluing together board strips and cutting in predetermined lengths as described in connection with <FIG> below.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the width wp of the pad members <NUM> is substantially smaller than the width Ws of the running/conveyed sheet <NUM>, preferably the width wp of a pad member <NUM> is less than half of the width Ws of said sheet <NUM>, preferably the width wp does not exceed <NUM>% of the width Ws of said sheet <NUM>, more preferably the width wp does not exceed <NUM>% and even more preferably not <NUM>% of said width Ws. Preferably, said pad members <NUM> have a rectangular shape with a length Lp and a width wp. The length Lp is typically <NUM>-<NUM>. Each pad member <NUM> is fed onto the running sheet <NUM> such that the pad member length Lp (i.e. its long side) is positioned parallel with respect to the conveying direction F (<FIG>) of said sheet. As also seen in <FIG>, the first feeding wheel <NUM> is adapted to the width wp of the pad members <NUM> to be transported, and thus the width br of a receiving space <NUM> of the wheel <NUM> substantially corresponds to the width wp of said pad members <NUM>. Preferably the width br of each receiving space <NUM>, as seen in a direction perpendicular to the travel direction F of the sheet <NUM>, is less than half of the width Ws of the sheet <NUM>, more preferably the width br of the receiving space <NUM> is less than <NUM>% of the width Ws of the sheet <NUM>. Preferably the width br of the receiving space <NUM> is less than <NUM>.

The machine further comprises a first glue applicator <NUM> (<FIG> and <FIG> respectively) for applying glue to said first one of the pad members <NUM> and/or to the predetermined position on the sheet <NUM> during the transfer of said first one of the pad members <NUM>.

The first feeding wheel <NUM>, <NUM> may be designed according to a first or a second embodiment respectively, where said first embodiment of a feeding wheel <NUM> is shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, and said second embodiment of a feeding wheel <NUM> is shown in <FIG>.

Now referring mainly to <FIG>, said first embodiment of the feeding wheel <NUM> will be described.

In <FIG> is illustrated a machine for making a sheet unit comprising at least a first feeding wheel <NUM> according to a first embodiment. Said first feeding wheel <NUM> is associated with a first press member <NUM> (<FIG>) for pressing said first one of the pad members <NUM> against the sheet <NUM> to fix said first one of the pad members <NUM> in the predetermined position on the sheet <NUM>.

As best shown in <FIG>, the machine suitably has a first feeding cover <NUM> that extends around nearly half of the circumference of the first feeding wheel <NUM> providing the outer part of a feeding channel <NUM> that provides room for accommodating and guiding the pads <NUM>. The pad members <NUM> are carried by receiving spaces in the form of recesses <NUM> in the first feeding wheel <NUM> all the way from the first buffer device <NUM>, which suitably is vertical, via the feeding channel <NUM> to the sheet <NUM>. The first feeding cover <NUM> has a bottom portion, which includes the first glue applicator <NUM> and the attachment for arms <NUM> of a first press member <NUM>. The shown first press member <NUM> is a roller carried by one or between two arms <NUM> (see also <FIG>) extending from the bottom portion of the first feeding cover <NUM>.

Returning to <FIG>, the machine further comprises a frame <NUM> for carrying the various components of the machine. The frame <NUM> includes a beam <NUM>, preferably a box beam, extending across the width of the sheet <NUM>. On two opposite and parallel sides thereof, the beam <NUM> has, as is best shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, two guide rails <NUM>. The first feeding cover <NUM> is provided with a first cover holder <NUM> having two rail followers <NUM>, and the first cover holder <NUM> is movable along the length of the beam <NUM> to place the first feeding cover <NUM> at a desired position across the sheet <NUM>.

Returning to <FIG>, the drive <NUM> includes a shaft <NUM> for carrying the first feeding wheel <NUM> and rotating it by a motor <NUM>, the first feeding cover <NUM> has, as is best illustrated in <FIG>, a respective guide member <NUM> on each side of the first feeding wheel <NUM> to move the first feeding wheel <NUM> along the shaft <NUM>, and the first cover holder <NUM> carries also the first buffer device <NUM>. Thereby, the first buffer device <NUM>, the first feeding wheel <NUM>, the first feeding cover <NUM> with the first glue applicator <NUM> and the first press member <NUM>, and the first cover holder <NUM> are movable as an assembly in the cross direction of the sheet <NUM> to achieve a desired position for the pad member <NUM>. In the drawings, the shaft <NUM> has a square cross-section to enable torque transmission and axial displacement of the feeding wheel <NUM>, but if desired any keyed joint permitting axial displacement could be used. It would also be possible to have the first feeding wheel <NUM> rotatable on the shaft <NUM> and substitute a driving gear (not shown) for one of the guide members <NUM> on each side of the first feeding wheel <NUM>.

The drawings show the machine having three such basically identical assemblies, thereby enabling, in this set-up, placing three pads <NUM> in parallel on the first half <NUM> of the sheet <NUM>, but the machine may include another number of such assemblies, if desired. Since the components of the second and third assemblies are very similar to and perform the same functions as those of the first assembly, they have the same basic reference numeral as the components of the first assembly but with the addition of a prime symbol (') and a double prime symbol ("), respectively. As an example, in <FIG> the second pad conveyor <NUM>' in the second assembly and the third pad conveyor <NUM>" in the third assembly correspond to the first pad conveyor <NUM> in the first assembly.

<FIG> illustrates a step in the manufacturing of the pad members <NUM>. Long lath- shaped board members <NUM> are supplied to a cutting device <NUM>. There is a large number of laths <NUM> placed parallel next to one another on a supply arrangement <NUM> including a horizontal surface <NUM> and feeding device <NUM>. Each lath <NUM> may be produced from a number of strips of board, e.g. strips having a thickness of <NUM> and a width of <NUM>-<NUM> like the spacing board strips <NUM>. The strips are glued together, e.g. eight of them, to make up a lath <NUM> of desired width, e.g. <NUM> millimeters, i.e. <NUM> thick and <NUM> wide. The cutting device <NUM>, shown as having a circular saw blade, cuts the laths <NUM> crosswise to form a group of side by side lying, rectangular pad members <NUM>. Thus, it is possible and preferred to use the same kind of lightweight environmentally friendly and inexpensive material, e.g. <NUM> thick board, for the sheet <NUM> and the interconnecting strips <NUM> and also the pad members <NUM> to provide efficient stability and durability.

The group of pad members <NUM> is, after being cut from the laths <NUM>, transferred to a receptor box <NUM> in a paternoster <NUM> having a plurality of such receptor boxes for transporting the group of pad members <NUM> vertically. Then the group of laths <NUM> is fed forward, and a new group of pad members <NUM> is cut by the cutting device <NUM> and transferred to the next receptor box <NUM> in the paternoster <NUM>, and so forth.

<FIG> illustrates how the groups of pad members <NUM> in the receptor boxes <NUM> of the paternoster <NUM> are discharged to the three pad conveyors <NUM>, <NUM>', and <NUM>". A respective pushing device <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>", for example including compressed air cylinders <NUM> and a pushing bar <NUM>, serves to push the pads from the respective receptor box <NUM> and onto the respective pad conveyor <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>". As shown in <FIG>, the first pad conveyor <NUM> forwards the group of side by side lying pad members <NUM> to the vertical first buffer device <NUM>, where a pusher <NUM> arranged on top of the first buffer device <NUM> feeds one pad member <NUM> after the other down into the first buffer device <NUM>. The first buffer device <NUM> has such internal dimensions in relation to the dimensions of the pad members <NUM>, that pressure from the pusher <NUM> is required to discharge the pad members <NUM> at the bottom of the first buffer device <NUM> one at a time to the first feeding wheel <NUM> and into the respective recess <NUM> thereof.

As is best shown in <FIG>, the first feeding wheel <NUM> preferably is a spoke wheel having around its circumference a plurality of feeding spaces or recesses <NUM> (also referred to as "receiving spaces"), each dimensioned to receive a single pad member <NUM>. In the preferred embodiment shown in <FIG>, there are eight recesses <NUM>. The number of recesses <NUM> could be both higher and lower. Often it is preferred to have <NUM> to <NUM> recesses <NUM>. The length and width of each recess <NUM> is slightly larger than the length and width of the respective pad member <NUM>, but the depth of each recess <NUM> is preferably slightly smaller than the thickness of each of the pad members <NUM>, e.g. to enable application of adhesive radially without contacting the feeding wheel <NUM>, but also to make the arrangement less bulky. A pad member <NUM> is discharged into a recess <NUM> from the first buffer device <NUM> by activating the pusher <NUM> when the first feeding wheel <NUM> has one of its recesses <NUM> in a top position.

During the rotation of the first feeding wheel <NUM>, the first feeding cover <NUM> retains the pad member <NUM> in the recess <NUM> until it is time to place the pad member <NUM> by gravity on the sheet <NUM>. When the pad member <NUM> is forwarded, by means of the feeding wheel <NUM>, past the first glue applicator <NUM> an amount of glue is applied to that side of the pad member <NUM> which is to face the first half <NUM> of the sheet <NUM>. The wheel <NUM> then turns further and the pad member <NUM> falls out of the recess <NUM> and contacts the sheet <NUM>, positioned such that the long side of said rectangular pad is positioned parallel with respect to the conveying direction F of said sheet. As the sheet <NUM> is forwarded further the first press member <NUM> presses the pad <NUM> towards the sheet <NUM> to ensure proper contact between the glue applied on the pad <NUM> and the sheet <NUM>. As is best shown in <FIG>, the pad members <NUM> are placed in the spaces between the spacing board strips <NUM>.

Now referring mainly to <FIG>, said second embodiment of the feeding wheel <NUM> will be described.

In <FIG> there is seen a perspective view of a machine for making a building element having two large faces, said machine having components corresponding to the machine shown in <FIG>, i.e. comprising a first buffer device <NUM> for receiving, storing and delivering, in a similar manner as described hereinbefore with reference to <FIG>, solid pad members <NUM>; a first feeding wheel <NUM>; and a drive <NUM> for rotating the feeding wheel <NUM> to fetch a first one of the pad members <NUM> from the first buffer device <NUM> and transfer it to a predetermined position on a moving sheet <NUM> carried by a conveyor. The machine of <FIG> comprises a first feeding wheel <NUM> according to a second embodiment which will be described in more detail hereinafter. In <FIG>, said machine is shown to comprise a number of three feeding wheels, <NUM>, <NUM>', <NUM>" with separation walls in between, however the skilled person understands that a larger or lesser number of feeding wheels is conceivable.

The two types of feeding wheel <NUM>, <NUM> described herein, according to the first and second embodiments respectively, provide a similar function, i.e. transferring a pad member <NUM> from said buffer device <NUM> onto a predetermined position on a moving sheet <NUM>, however the solution differs as will now become more clear when describing the feeding wheel <NUM> best shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> shows a side view of a feeding wheel <NUM> according to the second embodiment, including a plurality of peripherally arranged gripping means <NUM> arranged on a wheel frame <NUM>. In a corresponding manner as previously described for <FIG>, the pad member <NUM> is delivered by means of gravity from the buffer device <NUM> at an upper, first/inlet position whereat the pad member <NUM> is received by one of the gripping means <NUM> of the feeding wheel <NUM>. The gripping means <NUM> holds the pad member <NUM> during transfer to a lower, second/outlet position where the pad member <NUM> is released and positioned on a moving sheet <NUM>. Said feeding wheel <NUM> includes ejector members <NUM>, one for each gripping means <NUM>, arranged to be activated at the second/outlet position to eject the pad member <NUM> and preferably simultaneously to ejection apply a pressure onto said pad member <NUM> to fix it onto the moving sheet <NUM>.

The components and function of the gripping means <NUM> will now be more thoroughly described, referring mainly to <FIG>.

In one example, each gripping means <NUM> comprises:.

The space between said first gripper 352A and said second gripper 354A of a gripping means <NUM> is referred to as "receiving space" <NUM>. In this embodiment there is nine receiving spaces <NUM> in the feeding wheel <NUM>. The number of receiving spaces <NUM> could be both higher and lower. Often it is preferred to have <NUM> to <NUM> receiving spaces <NUM>. Furthermore, each pivotable jaw gripper <NUM> comprises a spring <NUM> (see <FIG>) that urges the jaw gripper <NUM> into a closed position, and a jaw guide wheel 354B that urges, as will be described hereinafter, the jaw gripper <NUM> into an open position, against the action of the spring <NUM> (for reasons of maintaining clarity of illustration the respective springs <NUM> are not illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>). It is to be understood that by "closed position" means a position where the second gripper 354A is close enough to the first gripper 352A to firmly grip and hold a pad member <NUM> therebetween. Correspondingly, an "open position" refers to when said second gripper 354A has been moved/pivoted away from said first gripper 352A far enough for said pad member <NUM> to be released.

The machine is arranged with a first stationary cam ring <NUM> having a cam surface 355A arranged to guide the jaw guide wheel 354B of the pivotable jaw gripper <NUM> as the feeding wheel <NUM> rotates around its shaft <NUM>. This means that the design/profile of the cam surface 355A of the cam ring <NUM> affects the gripping movement of the pivotable jaw gripper <NUM> during rotation of the wheel frame <NUM>. The direction of rotation of the wheel frame <NUM> is indicated by an arrow R in <FIG>. As can be seen e.g. in <FIG> and <FIG>, the cam ring <NUM> is designed so that the pivotable jaw gripper <NUM> is free to assume a closed position by means of said spring <NUM> (<FIG>) whilst moving from the first/inlet position to the second/outlet position (referred to as transferring path), and then the pivotable jaw gripper <NUM> is forced by the cam surface 355A interacting with the jaw guide wheel 354B to an open position whilst moving from said second/outlet position back to said first/inlet position (referred to as return path), as also illustrated in <FIG>. This is achieved in that the cam surface 355A of the cam ring <NUM> is located further away from the center of the shaft <NUM> of the wheel <NUM> along the transferring path, and closer to the center of the shaft <NUM> along the return path, as shown in, e.g., <FIG>. In other words, along said transferring path, the jaw guide wheel 354B is guided so that the jaw gripper <NUM> may be urged by the spring <NUM> to pivot around its pivot point 354C to a closed position, thereby holding the pad member <NUM> between the first and second grippers 352A, 354A, and in a corresponding manner, along the return path the jaw guide wheel 354B is guided by the cam surface 355A of the cam ring <NUM> so that the jaw gripper <NUM> is moved towards the wheel <NUM> shaft <NUM> center by pivoting around its pivot point 354C to adopt an open position, such that the receiving space <NUM> is open to receive a new pad member <NUM>.

As previously indicated, each gripping means <NUM> is preferably associated with an ejector member <NUM> (see e.g. <FIG>) which herein is depicted as an ejector beam <NUM> comprising an ejector guide wheel 357A (<FIG>). The purpose of said ejector beam <NUM> is to assist in feeding out the pad member <NUM> at said second/outlet position onto the underlying surface, e.g. a moving/running sheet. Thus, when the grippers 352A, 354A holding a pad member <NUM> reaches the outlet position said ejector beam <NUM> is arranged to be activated to eject the pad member <NUM>, and simultaneously to ejection apply a pressure onto said pad member <NUM> to fix it onto the moving sheet <NUM>. Thus, said ejector member <NUM> has a dual function in that it both ejects the pad member <NUM> and also presses it onto the underlying material, such as said moving sheet <NUM>. Said ejector member <NUM> may therefore also be referred to as "press member".

Activation of the ejector member <NUM> is actuated by means of an ejecting mechanism <NUM> arranged in connection to the feeding wheel <NUM> and installed at the second/outlet position. The perspective view of <FIG> shows the location of the ejecting mechanism <NUM> on the machine, and <FIG> illustrates the components of said ejecting mechanism in more detail.

The ejecting mechanism <NUM> comprises at least:.

The transferring of a pad member <NUM> from said first/inlet position to said second/outlet position by means of a feeding wheel <NUM> according to a second embodiment will now be described.

Said pad members <NUM> are preferably manufactured as previously described in connection to <FIG>, and thereafter transferred to the buffer device <NUM> via a paternoster <NUM> and conveyor <NUM> respectively, as also previously described in connection to <FIG> and <FIG>.

Pad members <NUM> are discharged, one at a time, at the bottom of the first buffer device <NUM> by means of a pusher <NUM>. As best seen in <FIG>, the pad member <NUM> is discharged into the receiving space <NUM> formed between said first 352A and second grippers 354A of the gripping means <NUM>. The gripping means <NUM> is here in an open position where the cam surface 355A keeps the jaw guide wheel 354B in a position where the jaw gripper <NUM> has pivoted around its pivot point 354C and the second gripper 354A has moved in a direction away from the first gripper 352A. A pad member <NUM> can hereby easily fit into the receiving space <NUM> when released from the buffer device <NUM>. As the feeding wheel <NUM> turns further, the cam surface 355A of the cam ring <NUM> exhibits an outwardly oblique portion, increasing its radius, allowing for the jaw gripper <NUM> to be urged by the spring <NUM> towards a closed position (see e.g. <FIG>), in which closed position the pad member <NUM> is firmly held between the first and second grippers 352A, 354A. A glue applicator <NUM> may apply glue onto the pad member <NUM> as it is moved along the transferring path. The pad member <NUM> is then transferred by the feeding wheel <NUM> to the second/outlet position whereat the pad member <NUM> is to be released onto the underlying, moving sheet <NUM>. Referring now to <FIG>, the ejecting mechanism <NUM> is arranged to actuate the ejector member <NUM> so that it pushes/ejects the pad member <NUM> out from the receiving space <NUM> and simultaneously presses the pad member <NUM> onto the underlying surface for firm affixation thereto. Ejection is achieved as follows. The gripping means <NUM> of the feeding wheel <NUM> is rotated along the transferring path. As it approaches the second/outlet position the ejector guide wheel 357A is engaged by the ejector cam 358A such that the ejector guide wheel 357A is gradually moved downwards (i.e. in a direction towards the underlying sheet <NUM>). When the ejector guide wheel 357A moves, the ejector beam <NUM> moves along with it, resulting in that the pad member <NUM> is pushed by the ejector beam <NUM> out of the receiving space <NUM> onto the sheet <NUM>. When the pad member <NUM> hits the sheet <NUM>, the ejector beam <NUM> has reached its maximum ejected position. In case the ejector cam 358A still engages the guide wheel 357A to move downwards, the resilient member <NUM> of the ejecting mechanism <NUM> will allow for the support arm <NUM> holding the cam 358A to flex upwardly in order to let said guide wheel 357A to pass. Hereby, the ejecting mechanism <NUM> provides a tolerance for accepting different heights of the pad members.

After having passed by the second/outlet position, said gripping means <NUM> will adopt an open position in that the cam surface 355A of the cam ring <NUM> will gradually decrease its radius along the return path of the feeding wheel <NUM>. The rectangular shaped pad members <NUM> may be applied onto the sheet <NUM> such that the long side of said pad member <NUM> is positioned parallel with respect to the conveying direction F of said sheet <NUM>.

According to an alternative embodiment the glue could, instead of being applied to the pad <NUM>, be applied directly onto the sheet <NUM>, wherein glue is applied, by means of a glue applicator, upstream of the wheel <NUM> and at least in that predetermined position on the sheet <NUM> at which the pad <NUM> is to be placed. The pad <NUM> is then placed, by means of the wheel <NUM>, in the glue of the sheet <NUM>.

According to a further alternative embodiment glue is applied both to the pad <NUM>, e.g. by means of the first glue applicator <NUM> as described hereinabove, and is also applied to the sheet <NUM>, in a position upstream of the wheel <NUM> and at least in the predetermined position on the sheet <NUM>, by means of a further glue applicator, wherein the pad <NUM> has glue applied on it when contacting the predetermined position on the sheet <NUM>, where there is also glue, resulting in a glue-against-glue situation. This glue-against-glue situation may often give an extra efficient attachment of the pad <NUM> to the sheet <NUM>.

Hereinbefore it has been described that pad members <NUM> made from glued-together laths <NUM> are mounted on the sheet <NUM>. It will be appreciated that other pad members <NUM> may also be mounted using the above described technique. Examples of such of other pad members include pad members made from solid wood and made from chipboard. The pad members may also be made from other materials, such as metal and plastics.

Furthermore, the pad members <NUM> may have various sizes to fit the various applications. Still further, pad members <NUM> of two or more different sizes may be supplied to one and the same sheet <NUM>, when there are various needs with respect to the pad member <NUM> size within one and the same building element <NUM>.

Furthermore, the pad members <NUM> may have other functions than being support for connectors and devices being screwed into the light-weight construction element. For example the pad members <NUM> may include electronics of various types, including lamp sockets, LED-lamps and other electric fittings.

In accordance with the illustration of <FIG> there are a first half <NUM> and a second half <NUM> of a common sheet <NUM>, wherein the second half <NUM> is folded over the first half <NUM> to form the low weight building element <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. However, it will be appreciated that other embodiments are also possible. For example, separate first and second halves, which originate from separate elongate sheets, may be placed on top of each other, with pad members <NUM> and board members <NUM> in between the first and second halves, to form a low weight building element.

As is obvious from the above description with reference to the attached drawings, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a method that can produce construction members, e.g. wall members, shelf members, etc. for production of lightweight, environmentally friendly and cost efficient furniture, e.g. shelves, cupboards etc. A preferable embodiment is to use the same kind of lightweight environmentally friendly and inexpensive material, e.g. board, in several or even all of the components of the lightweight board and having interconnecting strips/reinforcements that provide efficient stability and durability. One preferred raw material to be used is board material, e.g. of a thickness of two millimeters. Further, in order to enable attachment means for screws etc. there are arranged pad members, e.g. solid members of sufficient size for attaching screws to penetrate and be firmly anchored. This preferred embodiment relates to the cost efficient production of such pad members and also an efficient and speedy machinery placing such pad members into desired positions within a construction member, for example where the pad members are intended for supporting attachment devices, such as screws, but also for speedy and reliable placing of other kinds of pad members, e.g. pad members including electronics and/or other functions.

Claim 1:
A method of making a building element having two large faces, comprising:
- providing one or more sheets (<NUM>) adapted to form a first and a second large face (<NUM>, <NUM>), respectively, at least one of the large faces (<NUM>) carrying spacing elements (<NUM>) for providing a desired thickness of the building element (<NUM>);
- providing a first supply device (<NUM>) for supplying pad members (<NUM>);
- providing a first feeding wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) adapted for receiving pad members (<NUM>) from the supply device (<NUM>); and
- rotating the first feeding wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) to fetch a first one of the pad members (<NUM>) from the supply device (<NUM>) in a first position, and,
- rotating the feeding wheel (<NUM>, <NUM>) further to a second position in which the pad member (<NUM>) is transferred to a predetermined position on the sheet (<NUM>), wherein in said predetermined position, the width (wp) of the pad member (<NUM>) being less than half of the width (Ws) of the sheet (<NUM>), preferably the width (wp) of said pad member (<NUM>) not exceeding <NUM>% of the width (Ws) of said sheet (<NUM>).