Patent Description:
The waste products which the removal device allows to be moved away from the apparatus may be chippings generated whilst the profiled bars are machined, or pieces of profiled bars which are rejected after being cut, or the like.

The profiled bars may be made of metallic materials, for example aluminium, or synthetic polymeric materials, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or composite materials.

The invention furthermore relates to an apparatus for machining profiled bars, comprising a removal device for removing waste products.

When the profiled bars are machined on the prior art apparatuses, waste products are generated which have to be removed from the apparatus.

Manually removing the waste products from the apparatuses for machining profiled bars is a lengthy operation, not very safe and not at all comfortable for the operator. For this reason, removal devices have been developed for automatically removing the waste products from the apparatuses for machining profiled bars, so as to limit the interventions of the operators.

The prior art removal devices comprise a conveyor belt, made of rubber, which passes beneath a work plane on which the profiled bars are supported whilst they are machined. The waste products, generated when each profiled bar interacts with one or more tools generally positioned above the work plane, fall on the conveyor belt, which is moved in such a way as to move the waste products away from the apparatus. The conveyor belt is wound around a motorized roller and a driven roller, which are located at two opposite ends of the path of the conveyor belt.

An intermediate plane having a monolithic structure is interposed between a lower branch and an upper branch of the belt in order to support the upper branch, on which the waste products fall.

Since the apparatus has a significant longitudinal dimension, as it is designed for machining profiled bars which are several metres long, the lower branch and the upper branch of the conveyor belt - as well as the intermediate plane - also have a significant length, which may be about ten metres or more. In effect, the conveyor belt extends substantially for the entire length of the apparatus for machining the profiled bars, so as to effectively remove the waste products.

In the prior art removal devices, the conveyor belt is supported by an autonomous supporting structure, which includes the intermediate plane, the motorized roller and the driven roller. The supporting structure, together with the conveyor belt supported by it, therefore acts like an independent unit.

A drawback of the prior art removal devices is that it is difficult to perform maintenance operations on the removal device, in particular maintenance operations which require the removal of the conveyor belt. It is in effect difficult to pull the conveyor belt out from the supporting structure, in particular due to the intermediate plane which prevents significant deformation of the conveyor belt during the removal operations.

Moreover, in order to extract the conveyor belt from the apparatus for machining profiled bars, a free space equal to the length of the path of the conveyor belt must be available in front of the apparatus. This length is normally greater than the length of the apparatus, because the conveyor belt extends through the entire apparatus and protrudes downstream and upstream of the latter, so as to be wound on the motorized roller and on the driven roller, which are normally arranged outside the apparatus.

The situation is made more difficult due to the length of the apparatus, and hence the length of the conveyor belt, which is particularly bulky and difficult to handle when the apparatus has to be removed.

Moreover, the removal device is located inside the apparatus, in an operating zone closed by a safety hatch, so that it is not easy to access the conveyor belt when the apparatus for machining profiled bars is inserted in a production line and installed in a factory, possibly together with other machines or plants.

Lastly, since the supporting structure acts like an autonomous unit, it is not easy to remove the motorized roller and the driven roller, which are positioned inside the supporting structure and can only be removed after having disassembled a large number of components.

Due to the large dimensions of the supporting structure and the monolithic shape of the intermediate plane, it is not easy to ship the removal device to a production plant in which the apparatus for machining profiled bars is installed. In effect, it is necessary to use particularly bulky packaging and to deal with high shipping costs.

Some examples of prior art apparatuses are disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT> , both disclosing the features of the preamble of claim <NUM>, and <CIT>.

An object of the invention is to improve the apparatuses for machining profiled bars, in particular with regard to the possibility of automatically moving away waste products from the tools which generated them.

A further object is to improve the maintenance operations on the apparatuses for machining the profiled bars, in particular as regards the parts of such apparatuses intended to remove waste products generated whilst the profiled bars are machined.

Another object is to provide a removal device for removing waste products from an apparatus for machining profiled bars, on which it is easy to perform maintenance operations.

Another object is to provide a removal device for removing waste products from an apparatus for machining profiled bars, comprising a conveyor belt which can be easily removed from the apparatus in order to perform maintenance operations.

A further object is to provide a removal device for removing waste products from an apparatus for machining profiled bars, which can be easily transported and dispatched.

According to the invention, there is provided a removal device for removing waste products from an apparatus for machining profiled bars, the removal device comprising a conveyor belt for transporting the waste products to an unloading zone along an advancement direction, the conveyor belt comprising a belt made of a synthetic polymeric material, the removal device further comprising at least two end rollers on which the conveyor belt is wound so as to define an upper branch of the conveyor belt interposed between the two end rollers and a lower branch of the conveyor belt positioned below the upper branch, a supporting plane being positioned below the upper branch to provide support for the waste products transported by the conveyor belt, wherein the supporting plane is defined by a plurality of supporting modules positioned one alongside the other along the advancement direction, each supporting module being configured to be removed from the supporting plane independently of the adjacent supporting module.

When it is necessary to remove the conveyor belt to perform maintenance operations on the removal device, it is possible to remove one or more support modules in such a way as to free space inside the space surrounded by the conveyor belt. Removing one supporting module at a time is a simplified operation with respect to removing the entire supporting plane as occurred in the prior art, because the supporting modules have reduced dimensions with respect to the supporting plane and can therefore be handled and moved away from the apparatus more easily. Moreover, by removing one or more supporting modules, it is possible to rapidly provide a free space in which the conveyor belt can be temporarily housed whilst it is deformed for being extracted from the machine. In this way, the conveyor belt may be removed from the apparatus for machining profiled bars even by removing a limited number of supporting modules, that is, even without removing all the supporting modules which define the supporting plane.

The removal device according to the invention can be easily transported and shipped, since the components of the removal device, in a disassembled configuration of the latter, may be packaged in individual packages which are relatively simple to handle.

In an embodiment, a first roller of the end rollers is a motorized roller included in a drive unit, the drive unit comprising a motor and being removably fixable to a base of the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

In an embodiment, a second roller of the end rollers is a driven roller included in a driven unit, the driven unit being removably fixable to a base of the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

The drive unit and the driven unit are independent of each other.

The drive unit is a compact, independent unit, which can be removed from the apparatus for machining profiled bars in an easy manner, without intervening on other components.

The driven unit is also a compact and independent unit, which is easy to remove from the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

This makes it easier to remove the conveyor belt from the apparatus for machining profiled bars. After removing one or more supporting modules, the drive unit and the driven unit, the conveyor belt can, in effect, be folded and easily extracted from the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

In an embodiment, the supporting modules form a treadable plane on which the operator can stand to perform maintenance or cleaning operations on the apparatus for machining profiled bars, particularly after having removed the conveyor belt.

In this way, the operator can easily access the components positioned inside the apparatus for machining profiled bars, for example the operating heads, even if the removal device is present.

In an embodiment, at least one supporting module has a protrusion, which projects from an end zone of the supporting module and extends transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the advancement direction, so as to engage in a seat of an adjacent supporting module.

By coupling the protrusion of a supporting module to the seat of an adjacent supporting module, the supporting module may be securely anchored to the adjacent supporting module, during operation of the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate some non-limiting example embodiments of it and in which:.

<FIG> schematically shows a removal device <NUM> designed to be mounted on an apparatus for machining profiled bars. The latter may be made of metallic material, for example aluminium, or synthetic polymeric material, for example polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or composite material, or others.

The apparatus for machining profiled bars is configured to perform operations on the profiled bars which involve the removal of chippings, for example cutting, drilling, milling or other operations. During these operations, waste products are generated, for example chippings or parts of profiled bars which are rejected because they are too short to be subsequently used.

The removal device <NUM> allows the waste products to be removed from the apparatus for machining profiled bars. For this purpose, the removal device <NUM> comprises a conveyor belt <NUM> movable in an advancement direction F for transporting the waste products towards an unloading zone <NUM>. The conveyor belt <NUM> is intended to be installed in a lower region of the apparatus for machining profiled bars, under a work plane on which the profiled bars are supported while they are machined. Above the work plane, one or more operating heads are arranged, the one or more operating heads supporting one or more work tools for machining the profiled bars. The waste products which are generated when the profiled bars are machined fall by gravity on the conveyor belt <NUM> to be transported towards the unloading zone <NUM>.

The drawings show only a portion of the conveyor belt <NUM> having a width less than the actual width of the conveyor belt <NUM>, so as to make more easily visible some components positioned inside the removal device.

The conveyor belt <NUM> is made of synthetic polymeric material, for example rubber, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), elastomeric material or other. According to the example shown, the conveyor belt <NUM> is a continuous belt wound around in a loop, that is to say, it is not formed by links connected to each other. The continuous belt may be produced directly in the form of a sleeve, or it may be produced starting from a flat strip the ends of which are joined to each other to obtain a belt closed in the form of a loop. In other words, the conveyor belt <NUM> comprises a single-piece belt, whether it is produced directly as a closed loop or formed as a strip the ends of which are joined, in a permanent or removable manner.

In <FIG>, the advancement direction F is shown as directed from right to left. It is understood that the advancement direction F could also be directed from left to right, depending on the configuration of the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

The removal device <NUM> also comprises two end rollers <NUM>, on which the conveyor belt <NUM> is wound. According to the example shown, only two end rollers <NUM> are provided and no intermediate rollers are provided. In an alternative embodiment, the conveyor belt <NUM> could be wound on a number of rollers greater than two.

Between the end rollers <NUM> an upper branch <NUM> and a lower branch <NUM> of the conveyor belt <NUM> are defined, which can be seen for example in <FIG>. The upper branch <NUM> defines a transport plane on which the waste products fall for being transported towards the unloading zone <NUM>. The lower branch <NUM> is positioned below the upper branch <NUM>.

The upper branch <NUM> lies on a horizontal plane. However, this condition is not necessary, since the upper branch <NUM> could also be inclined relative to the horizontal direction.

According to the example shown, the lower branch <NUM> also lies on a horizontal plane and is therefore parallel to the upper branch <NUM>. This condition is also not mandatory and, in an alternative embodiment, the lower branch <NUM> might be inclined relative to the horizontal direction and/or be positioned not parallel to the upper branch <NUM>.

A supporting plane <NUM> is provided below the upper branch <NUM> for supporting the waste products which are transported by the conveyor belt <NUM>. The waste products may also have a significant weight and, if the support plane <NUM> were not present, they could deform the conveyor belt <NUM> and make it unable to operate correctly.

The supporting plane <NUM> is interposed between the upper branch <NUM> and the lower branch <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the supporting plane <NUM> comprises a plurality of supporting modules <NUM>, positioned alongside each other along the advancement direction F. In other words, the supporting modules <NUM> are positioned in sequence along the advancement direction F.

According to the example shown, the supporting modules <NUM> have a substantially quadrangular shape in plan view, for example a substantially rectangular shape, and are positioned side by side along a long side of the rectangle. However, this condition is not necessary and other embodiments could also be adopted for the supporting modules <NUM>.

The supporting modules <NUM> may have a shape like a slab. In other words, each supporting module <NUM> may have a base and a height, the height being less than the linear dimensions of the base.

The supporting modules <NUM> are mounted on the apparatus for machining profiled bars in such a way that each of them is easily removable, independently of the other supporting modules <NUM>. In other words, each supporting module <NUM> may be detached, that is to say, removed from the supporting plane <NUM>, without removing the adjacent supporting modules <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the apparatus for machining profiled bars comprises a base <NUM> which includes a vertical structure <NUM>, shown only partly in <FIG>, arranged to support one or more operating heads and other components of the apparatus. The base <NUM> further comprises a lower protrusion <NUM>, which projects frontally from a lower region of the base <NUM>.

A pair of resting bodies <NUM> are arranged in a fixed position relative to the base <NUM>. According to the example shown, the resting bodies <NUM> are supported by the lower projection <NUM> of the base <NUM>.

The resting bodies <NUM> may extend longitudinally in a direction parallel to the advancement direction F.

Each supporting module <NUM> rests on the resting bodies <NUM>. In particular, each supporting module <NUM> has a rear end, facing towards the inside of the apparatus for machining profiled bars, which rests on the resting body <NUM> located in a position further inside on the apparatus. Each supporting module <NUM> also has a front end, facing outwards, which rests on the resting body <NUM> located in a position further outwards on the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

The resting bodies <NUM> are an example of a resting structure fixed relative to the base <NUM> for restingly receiving the supporting modules <NUM>. However, other types of resting structure are possible.

As shown in <FIG>, each supporting module <NUM> may comprise a protrusion <NUM>, which projects from a first end zone of the supporting module <NUM> transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the advancement direction F. The protrusion <NUM> may extend for the entire width of the supporting module <NUM>, measured perpendicularly to the advancement direction F. According to the example shown, the protrusion <NUM> extends vertically downwards, that is to say, towards the lower branch <NUM> of the conveyor belt <NUM>, but this condition is not necessary. The protrusion <NUM> might also have geometries different from that shown in <FIG>.

The protrusion <NUM> is configured for engaging in a seat <NUM> of the adjacent supporting module <NUM>. The seat <NUM> may extend transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the advancement direction F, for the entire width of the supporting module <NUM> measured perpendicularly to the advancement direction F. According to the example shown, the seat <NUM> is open upwards. Between the protrusion <NUM> and a main portion of the supporting module <NUM> a further seat <NUM> is defined, which in the example shown faces downwards and which extends transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the advancement direction F. The further seat <NUM> receives a further protrusion <NUM> which projects from the adjacent supporting module <NUM>. According to the example shown, the further protrusion <NUM> extends vertically upwards. The further protrusion <NUM> extends transversely, for example perpendicularly, to the advancement direction F.

The protrusion <NUM>, which engages in the seat <NUM>, and the further protrusion <NUM>, which engages in the further seat <NUM>, define an anchoring profile by means of which the supporting module <NUM> remains in a stable position relative to the adjacent supporting module <NUM>.

More specifically, the supporting modules <NUM> which, in an assembled configuration of the supporting plane <NUM>, are interposed between two adjacent supporting modules, have anchoring profiles for anchoring to both the lateral ends, which engage, respectively, with a supporting module <NUM> positioned upstream and with a supporting module <NUM> positioned downstream along the advancement direction F. The supporting modules <NUM> which, in an assembled configuration of the supporting plane <NUM>, are arranged in an end position, and engage only with one supporting module <NUM>, may have an anchoring profile only at the end engaged with an adjacent supporting module <NUM>.

The anchoring profiles may have any shape which is suitable for keeping a supporting module <NUM> in a fixed position relative to the adjacent supporting modules <NUM>, during operation of the removal device <NUM>.

The anchoring profiles also give stability to the supporting modules <NUM> when the latter are arranged in an assembled configuration to define the supporting plane <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the supporting modules <NUM> can be hollow inside to reduce the weight and make the handling easier. In the case of supporting modules <NUM> having significant dimensions, it is possible to provide stiffening ribs <NUM> inside each supporting module <NUM>.

The supporting plane <NUM> defined by the supporting modules <NUM> may extend below the conveyor belt <NUM> substantially for the entire length of the upper branch <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. In this case, the supporting modules <NUM> substantially occupy the entire space between the end rollers <NUM>, defined in a longitudinal direction.

Alternatively, as shown in the example of <FIG>, the supporting plane <NUM> defined by the supporting modules <NUM> may have a length less than the length of the upper branch <NUM>.

The supporting modules <NUM> define a treadable plane on which the operator can stand and walk, for example if it is necessary to perform maintenance operations on the removal device <NUM> or on the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

A first roller 4a of the end rollers <NUM> is a motorized roller, which forms part of a drive unit <NUM> shown for example in <FIG> and <FIG>. By rotating about a respective longitudinal axis, the motorized roller moves the conveyor belt <NUM> in the advancement direction F.

The drive unit <NUM> may comprise a motor <NUM> for rotating the first roller 4a, optionally a reduction gear unit <NUM> for connecting the motor <NUM> to the first roller 4a and a supporting element for supporting the motor <NUM>, the first roller 4a and the reduction gear unit <NUM>, if present. The supporting element is removably fixable to the base <NUM> of the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

If the supporting element is removed from the base <NUM>, the entire drive unit <NUM> is detached from the apparatus for machining profiled bars. This helps removal of the conveyor belt <NUM>.

A second roller 4b of the end rollers <NUM> is a driven roller, that is, a roller free to rotate about a relative longitudinal axis when the conveyor belt <NUM> is moved. The second roller 4b is included in a driven unit <NUM>, which comprises a supporting member <NUM> which can be fixed in a removable manner to the base <NUM>. By detaching the supporting member <NUM> from the base <NUM>, it is possible to remove the entire driven unit <NUM> from the apparatus for machining profiled bars with a few simple operations.

The drive unit <NUM> and the driven unit <NUM> are thus two independent units, which may be removed from the apparatus for machining profiled bars and reassembled on the apparatus separately from each other.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, above the conveyor belt <NUM> a rear lateral chute <NUM> and a front lateral chute <NUM> may be provided, positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor belt <NUM> and inclined towards the latter, for conveying the waste products towards the conveyor belt <NUM> like a funnel.

<FIG> shows an example in which a removal device <NUM> of the type shown in <FIG> is mounted on the base <NUM>. The removal device <NUM> comprises in this case a single conveyor belt <NUM>.

During operation, the profiled bars to be machined are placed on the work plane and the operating heads and/or work tools perform the required operations. The waste products which are generated whilst the profiled bars are machined fall by gravity on the conveyor belt <NUM>. The latter is moved by the drive unit <NUM> in the advancement direction F and carries the waste products towards the unloading zone <NUM>, moving them away from the apparatus for machining profiled bars.

When it is necessary to perform maintenance or cleaning operations on the apparatus for machining profiled bars, which require removal of the conveyor belt <NUM>, it is possible to remove the drive unit <NUM> and the driven unit <NUM> from the base <NUM>. Moreover, some or all of the supporting modules <NUM> can be detached from the base <NUM>, after which the conveyor belt <NUM>, which at this point is no longer tensioned, may be freely deformed and removed from the apparatus. With the inverse operations, it is possible to refit all the components of the removal device <NUM>.

The supporting modules <NUM> may be pulled out from the supporting plane <NUM> for example at an end of the supporting plane <NUM> close to the drive unit <NUM> or to the driven unit <NUM>, after the drive unit <NUM> or, respectively, the driven unit <NUM> have been removed from the removal device <NUM>. Alternatively, one or more supporting modules <NUM> can be removed in a central zone of the supporting plane <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a removal device <NUM> according to an alternative embodiment. The removal device <NUM> in this case comprises two conveyor belts <NUM> positioned one after the other along the advancement direction F.

Each conveyor belt <NUM> has a respective upper branch <NUM> supported by a supporting plane <NUM> in such a way that, during operation, the conveyor belt <NUM> slides on the supporting plane <NUM>. The supporting plane <NUM> comprises a plurality of supporting modules <NUM> of the type described above with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>. Each conveyor belt <NUM> is equipped with a drive unit <NUM> for rotating a respective motorized roller 4a and a driven unit, not visible in <FIG>, for supporting a respective driven roller 4b. The drive units <NUM> and the driven units are similar to those described above with reference to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> and are removably fixable to the base <NUM>.

According to the example shown, the driven units are positioned at respective facing ends of the corresponding conveyor belt <NUM>. In other words, the ends of the conveyor belts <NUM> in which the driven units are provided are adjacent to each other and are positioned in a central zone of the removal device <NUM>. The central zone may define an accessibility zone in which it is possible to perform maintenance, removal and similar operations of the removal device <NUM>.

The drive units <NUM>, on the other hand, are positioned at respective outer ends of the conveyor belts <NUM>, that is to say, in opposite peripheral regions of the removal device <NUM>.

The removal device <NUM> may be used, for example, in combination with apparatuses for machining profiled bars which are particularly long, in which case a single conveyor belt <NUM> may be more difficult to control.

Claim 1:
A removal device for removing waste products from an apparatus for machining profiled bars, the removal device (<NUM>; <NUM>) comprising at least one conveyor belt (<NUM>) movable along an advancement direction (F) for transporting the waste products to an unloading zone (<NUM>), the removal device (<NUM>; <NUM>) further comprising at least two end rollers (<NUM>) on which the conveyor belt (<NUM>) is wound so as to define an upper branch (<NUM>) of the conveyor belt (<NUM>) interposed between the two end rollers (<NUM>) and a lower branch (<NUM>) of the conveyor belt (<NUM>) positioned below the upper branch (<NUM>), a supporting plane (<NUM>) being provided below the upper branch (<NUM>) to provide support for the waste products transported by the conveyor belt (<NUM>), characterised in that the conveyor belt (<NUM>) comprises a belt made of a synthetic polymeric material, and in that the supporting plane (<NUM>) is defined by a plurality of supporting modules (<NUM>) positioned one alongside the other along the advancement direction (F), each supporting module (<NUM>) being configured to be removed from the supporting plane (<NUM>) independently of the adjacent supporting module (<NUM>), and wherein each supporting module (<NUM>) comprises at least one anchoring profile acting in conjunction with a further anchoring profile of an adjacent supporting module (<NUM>), so that the supporting module (<NUM>) is kept in contact with the adjacent supporting module (<NUM>) whilst the conveyor belt (<NUM>) is moved, the anchoring profile comprising at least one protrusion (<NUM>) which extends along an edge of the supporting module (<NUM>) transversely to the advancement direction (F) for engaging with a seat (<NUM>) of the adjacent supporting module (<NUM>).