[0001] The invention concerns a method and apparatus for the construction of composite surface
elements, such as tiles and panels, having a natural stone facing. Such elements are
intended for use, for example, in the cladding of walls, ceilings or other surfaces,
in the manufacture of furniture, and for all purposes where natural stone surfaces
are required.
[0002] Natural stone, such as marble, is an exquisite surfacing material on account of its
hardness and durability, its beauty of structure and the high polish which can usually
be imparted to it, but its use is greatly restricted by reason of its weight and expense,
since the material is liable to fracture if not of a certain thickness, depending
upon the handling and usage to which it may require to be subjected. These drawbacks
are overcome by the invention the subject of my U.K. Patent Specifications Nos. 1,215,501
and 1,447,756 which describe a method of preparing a stone-faced composite surface
element having a lamina of stone bonded to a backing sheet, comprising adhesively
bonding to the surface of a stone slab a backing sheet of light-weight multicellular
material of substantially greater thickness than said lamina, and thereafter sawing
off a portion of said slab to leave a thin marble lamina adhered to said sheet of
multicellular material As the backing sheet supports the lamina when it is being cut,
the risk of cracking the lamina is reduced and remarkably thin stone laminae of the
order of between 2 and 5 mm in thickness, may be obtained. In carrying out the aforesaid
method a large block of stone is first cut into a number of slabs which are of the
order of 20 to 25 mm in thickness. The slabs are dried and a light-weight backing
sheet is bonded to each of the two opposite faces of the slab. The slab is then sawn
in two along a cutting plane substantially parallel to and midway between said faces
to leave a thin lamina of stone attached to each backing sheet. In my French Patent
Specification No. 2,350,938 I have described a method and apparatus for rigidly supporting
the slab during the sawing operation without exerting inwardly directed pressure on
the partly-cut stone layers or on the saw. This method comprises the steps of:
(a) cutting a block of natural facing stone into a number of slabs, the two faces
of each slab being substantially parallel and each slab being of a thickness greater
than twice the thickness of the stone lamina required;
(b) applying and bonding to each of the opposed faces of each stone slab a backing
layer comprising a core of light-weight material which is resistant to compressive
forces in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the layer; and
(c) sawing the slab in two along a cutting plane substantially parallel to and mid-way
between the aforesaid opposed faces of the slab to leave a thin stone lamina attached
to each of the backing layers,
and is characterised in that before the sawing step (c), each slab is positioned with
backing layers attached between oppositely arranged suction cups, a vacuum is then
applied to the suction cups to hold the slab rigidly in position therebetween, and
the vacuum is maintained during the said sawing step to inhibit relative movement
of the partly-cut stone laminae.
[0003] The apparatus for rigidly supporting the slab during the sawing operation comprises
first gripping means in the form of at least one first vacuum-operated suction cup,
second gripping means in the form of at least one second vacuum-operated suction cup
disposed in such a manner in relation to the first suction cup that a stone slab may
be positioned between the suction cups, and means for applying suction to each of
the cups such that said first cup grips one face of the slab while the second suction
cup grips the opposite face of the slab.
[0004] When cutting the marble laminae it is advantageous to use a saw having a disc blade
rather than a band saw. The disadvantage of the disc blade saw is that the diameter
of the blade must be kept small as otherwise the unsupported peripheral edge of the
blade vibrates during cutting which tends to leave wavy patterns on the cut surface
of the stone. Nevertheless, I have found that by using the vacuum gripping device
referred to above, I can obtain considerable accuracy in cutting even when using a
relatively large blade, e.g. of a diameter of the order of 2.5 m. However, even with
a blade of this diameter the width of the stone panel produced is limited to about
1.0 m (i.e. to less than the radius of the saw blade). Furthermore, a disc blade having
a diameter of 2.5 m is relatively thick and so due to the width of the kerf it is
necessary to start with a stone slab of a thickness of 23 mm instead of the standard
sawn slab of a thickness of 20 mm which is readily available. Further, there is a
consumer demand for stone-faced panels of a size of 2.0 m x 1.25 m.
[0005] German Patent Specification No. 26 55 375 describes a method for cutting stone panels
from a stone block in which a set of first cuts are made in the block by means of
circular saws to a depth of approximately half that of the block but corresponding
to the maximum depth of cut of the saws. The block is then removed from the cutting
station, inverted and set down on a pallet at an alignment station. It is aligned
at the alignment station so that one slit is correctly lined up with reference to
the plane and cutting height of the saw. Finally the pallet which is itself positioned
with reference to the alignment station is lifted and set down at the cutting station,
in an aligned condition, so that the aligned block can now be cut through with the
second cuts being made in vertical continuation of the first cuts.
[0006] This method relates to the cutting of a number of stone panels from a single block
rather than the separation of a stone panel into two individual laminae. The alignment
of the second cuts with the first cuts is achieved by removing the block after the
first cuts to a separate alignment station where it is aligned with respect to a pallet
which is itself aligned relative to the alignment station, and which can be transported
together with the aligned block and set down again in an aligned position relative
to the saw blades at the cutting station. Thus this method requires the provision
of a separate alignment station, a pallet, means for ensuring the alignment of the
pallet at both the alignment station and the cutting station and means for transporting
the pallet and block between the alignment and cutting stations.
[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby stone
panels can be cut accurately to a width of up to 1.25 m using a disc saw and with
a minimum of kerf, in which the panels are cut through in separate first and second
cuts, and means are provided for inverting a panel after the first cut and continuing
the second cut in the same plane as the first cut, without it being necessary to remove
the partly-cut panel to a separate alignment station.
[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing composite
surface elements having a lamina of stone bonded to a backing layer, comprises the
steps of:
(a) cutting a block of natural facing stone into a number of slabs, the two faces
of each slab being substantially parallel and each slab being of a thickness greater
than twice the thickness of the stone lamina required;
(b) applying and bonding to each of the opposed faces of each stone slab a backing
layer comprising a core of light-weight material which is resistant to compressive
forces in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the layer;
(c) gripping each slab with backing layers attached by means of a slab-gripping device;
and
(d) sawing the slab in two along a cutting plane substantially parallel to and mid-way
between the aforesaid opposed faces of the slab to leave a thin stone lamina adhered
to each of the backing layers, the slab being gripped by the gripping device during
the sawing step;
[0009] characterised in that the sawing step (d) includes a first sawing operation in which
one longitudinal edge of the slab is presented to a disc saw and the slab is sawn
through to a depth which is approximately half the depth of the slab, and a second
sawing operation in which the opposite longitudinal edge of the slab is presented
to a disc saw and the remainder of the depth of the slab is sawn through, that between
the two sawing operations the slab is released by the gripping device and is conveyed
on its edge to slab inverting means comprising a body portion having two spaced-apart
parallel channel-shaped bearings lying in a substantially horizontal plane, a frame
which receives and supports the vertically-disposed slab of stone and which is provided
with a pair of spaced-apart parallel axles which are adapted to engage with said channel-shaped
bearings, wherein when the slab is positioned in the frame, the frame is pivoted from
a first position in which it is disposed in a substantially vertical plane on one
side of said body portion with one of said axles located in one of said channel- shaped
bearings through approximately 90° about said bearing, to a position in which the
frame is disposed horizontally on said body portion with an axle engaged in each of
said channel-shaped bearings, the frame then being pivoted about said other channel-shaped
bearing through a further 90° until it is again disposed in a substantially vertical
plane on the opposite side of the body portion, thereby inverting the partly-cut slab
onto its opposite edge and presenting the uncut longitudinal edge of the slab for
the second sawing operation. Preferably, during each sawing operation one of the backing
layers of the slab abuts against a respective abutment defining a plane parallel to
and spaced from the cutting plane of the disc saw, the spacing between the plane defined
by the respective abutment means and the cutting plane of the disc saw being the same
for each sawing operation and the same backing layer of the slab abutting against
the respective abutment means during each sawing operation so that the slab is sawn
through along the same plane for each sawing operation.
[0010] In a preferred method, the slab is stood on one of its longitudinal edges between
oppositely positioned vacuum-operated suction cups during each sawing operation and
suction is applied to the cups to hold the slab rigidly in position therebetween;
the suction being maintained during the sawing operations so as to inhibit relative
movement of the partly-cut stone layers. In the apparatus described in the French
Patent Specification referred to above, the slab to be cut is positioned between the
suction cups by conventional handling means. German Patent Specification No 1 148
932 describes apparatus in which a displaceable workpiece holding device is employed
to carry the workpiece past a stone sawing device in a vertical orientation and centrally
aligned with the sawing device. Holding means are provided for retaining the panel
being cut within the displaceable holding device during a sawing operation.
[0011] The present invention also includes apparatus for manufacturing composite surface
elements having a lamina of stone bonded to a backing layer, comprising a stone-cutting
saw having at least one disc blade adapted to cut in a vertical plane, conveyor means
for conveying a stone slab beneath the saw blade, and at least one slab-gripping device
mounted on said conveyor means and adapted to support the slab upwardly on one longitudinal
edge of the slab, characterised in that the apparatus includes means for inverting
the slab so that a partly-cut slab can be inverted onto its opposite longitudinal
edge after a first pass through the saw, the inverting means comprising a body portion
having two spaced-apart parallel channel-shaped bearings lying in a substantially
horizontal plane, a frame which is adapted to receive and support a slab of stone
and which is provided with a pair of spaced-apart parallel axles which are adapted
to engage with said channel-shaped bearings, the arrangement being such that the frame
may be pivoted from a first position in which it is disposed in a substantially vertical
plane on one side of said body portion with one of said axles located in one of said
channelshaped bearings, through approximately 90° about said bearing, to a position
in which the frame is disposed horizontally on said body portion with an axle engaged
in each of said channel-shaped bearings, through approxi- being pivotable about said
other channel- shaped bearing through a further 90° until it is again disposed in
a substantially vertical plane on the opposite side of the body portion.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment the saw includes two spaced-apart parallel saw blades and
the bogie has mounted thereon a pair of vacuum-gripping devices, each of which comprises
a first gripping means in the form of at least one first vacuum-operated suction cup,
second gripping means in the form of at least a second vacuum-operated suction cup
disposed in opposed spaced relation to said first suction cup, such that a stone slab
may be positioned between said suction cup and means for applying suction to each
of the cups such that said first cup is adapted to grip one face of the slab while
the second suction cup is adapted to grip the opposite face of the slab.
[0013] One embodiment of apparatus for use in carrying out the method of the invention is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus;
Figure 2 is an end elevation in the direction of the arrow C of Figure 1;
Figures 3a, 3b and 3c are elevations of a slab inverting device in the direction of
the arrow B of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an end elevation of a conveyor shown in the direction of the arrow A of
Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a vacuum-gripping device;
Figure 6 is a front elevation of the device of Figure 5; and
Figure 7 is a modification of the device of Figure 1.
[0014] Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a saw 1 mounted on a gantry 2.
The saw includes two spaced-apart parallel disc blades, 3, 4 which are mounted for
rotation in a vertical plane. The disc blades, 3, 4 are powered by electric motors
5, 6 respectively, mounted on top of the gantry 2. The blades 3, 4 are capable of
being lowered downwardly of the gantry by hydraulic or electric means to the position
shown by broken lines in Figure 1. The depth of cut of each blade is slightly in excess
of 600 mm.
[0015] A bogie 7 is mounted on rails 8 which extend beneath the gantry 2 and run in the
same direction as the direction of cut of the saw 1. The bogie 7 is movable along
the rails 8 by means of a motor and rack device which engages with the underside of
the bogie. The speed of travel of the bogie is controlled to give optimum sawing conditions
depending on the type of stone to be cut.
[0016] The bogie 7 carries a pair of vacuum-gripping devices 14 which are parallel to each
other and spaced apart from each other at a distance equal to the spacing of the blades
3, 4. One of the vacuum-gripping devices is shown in more detail in Figures 5 and
6 and comprises an upright frame member 51 supported on a stand 52. The frame member
51 is provided with three tubular supports 53, which are arranged vertically in the
frame member and are parallel to each other. A vacuum-operated suction cup 54 is mounted
on each support 53 and is movable vertically along the support. A clamp member 55
is provided on each suction cup 54 to lock the suction cup in position at a desired
location on the support 53. A tilting arm 56 is pivotally connected by a pivot 57
on the stand 52 at a position opposite to, but spaced from, the frame member 51. The
tilting arm 56 is provided with a clamp member 58 which serves to lock the arm in
a desired position. A tubular support 59 is hingedly connected to the end of the tilting
arm by means of a pivot 60. The pivot 60 is provided with a clamp member 61 by means
of which the tubular support 59 can be locked relative to the arm 56. A vacuum-operated
suction cup 54a is mounted on the support 59 and is movable vertically along the support.
The cup 54a can be locked in position at a desired location by means of a clamp member
62. The suction cups 54 and 54a are connected by suitable tubing 63 to a vacuum pump
64.
[0017] A slab inverting device 15 is positioned rearwardly of the rails 8. The inverting
device 15 is in the form of a bogie which travels on rails 16 which run transversely
of the rearward end of the rails 8. As shown in Figures 3a, 3b and 3c the inverting
device 15 comprises a body portion 17 in which are formed two parallel channel-shaped
bearings 18 and 19. The bearings 18 and 19 lie in a horizontal plane. The inverting
device 15 carries a frame 20. The frame 20 is adapted to receive and support a slab
of stone with backings attached, and is provided with rollers 21 which, in the position
of the frame as shown in Figure 3a or 3c, extend vertically of the inner wall of the
frame. The frame is also provided at its top and bottom edges with shorter rollers
22, the axes of rotation of which are in a plane normal to the axes of rotation of
the rollers 21. Thus, when the frame is in the position shown in Figures 3a or 3c,
the rollers 22 extend horizontally of the frame. The frame 20 is provided with a pair
of axles 23 and 24. When the frame is in the vertical position shown in Figure 3a,
the axle 23 engages in the channel bearing 19. However, as shown in Figure 3b, the
frame 20 can be tilted into a horizontal position in which it lies on top of the body
portion 17, in which case the axle 23 remains in location within the channel bearing
19, while the axle 23 is located in the channel bearing 18. The frame 20 can then
be displaced into the vertical position shown in Figure 3c by disengaging the axle
23 from the channel bearing 19 and pivoting the frame about the axle 24 and bearing
18.
[0018] In carrying out the method of the invention using the apparatus described above,
a block of stone, which may be marble, granite or onyx for example, is cut into a
number of slabs each of which has a thickness greater than twice the thickness of
the desired stone lamina of the composite surface element.
[0019] Before bonding the backing sheet thereto, the stone slabs are dried, either by leaving
them for a period in racks to dry naturally, or by means of force drying. When the
slabs are perfectly dry the light-weight backing is attached to the opposed faces
of each slab, e.g. by means of an epoxy resin. The backing preferably comprises a
light-weight core material, e.g. a multicellular metal core, which has a skin of sheet
material of greater tensile strength than the backing sheet bonded to at least that
surface of the core remote from the surface to which the stone is attached. Preferably,
however, both surfaces of the core are reinforced with a skin of sheet material. The
reinforcing skins may be attached to the core before or after the sawing step but
are preferably attached before. Suitably, the reinforcing skins each comprises a woven
glass fibre mat which is pre-impregnated with an epoxy resin which is not fully cured.
The mat is then applied to each of the opposed surfaces of the core material and is
cured in position. In an alternative method, a block of stone is cut into a plurality
of slabs as described above, e.g. by means of a gang saw. A plastics material such
as, for example, a foamed plastics material is injected into the cuts formed between
the slabs. When the plastics material has hardened the slabs are separated by cutting
through the hardened layer of plastics by means of a hot wire or the like to leave
a layer of plastics material adhered to each opposite face of each slab. If necessary
this layer can be strengthened by the application of a reinforcing skin as described
above.
[0020] A stone slab 29 with the backings attached is positioned on a conveyor 30 which includes
a plurality of horizontally disposed rollers 31. The inverting device 15 is positioned
at the end of the conveyor 30 with the frame 20 disposed in the horizontal position.
When in this position the rollers 21 of the frame are at the same height as the rollers
31 of the conveyor 30 and the stone slab can conveniently be rolled on to the rollers
21. When the stone slab is in position in the frame 20, the frame is pivoted into
one of its vertical positions e.g. as shown in Figure 3a. The lower longitudinal edge
of the stone slab 29 then rests on the rollers 22 and is retained in the frame 20
by flanges 25.
[0021] The inverting device 15 is then moved along the rails 16 until the stone slab 29
is aligned with rollers 28 of one of the two vacuum-gripping devices 14 on the bogie
7. The slab 29 is then rolled on to the rollers 28 of the vacuum-gripping device and
is positioned on its edge in an upright position between the frame member 51 and the
tilting arm 56. The tilting arm 56 and support 59 are then tilted relative to each
other until the suction cup 54a is parallel to and in contact with the outer surface
of the slab. The clamp members 55, 58, 61 and 62 are then locked and suction is applied
to the cups 54 and 54a to hold the stone slab 29 rigidly in position. The function
of the vacuum cups 54, 54a is to hold the slab rigidly during sawing without applying
any substantial inwardly-directed or outwardly-directed pressure. Thus, it is important
to ensure, when applying and locking the cups 54a in position against the slab, that
it is not pressed too tightly inwards. This can be avoided by using the modification
shown in Figure 7. In this modification the clamp member 58 is dispensed with. Instead
the tilting arm 56 is provided with a nut 66 or the like, which is welded or otherwise
secured to the arm 56. The nut 66, receives, in screw engagement, a threaded rod 67
which, when the arm is positioned as shown in Figure 7, rests against a stop 68. Thus
the maximum inward tilt of the arm 56 can be predetermined by suitably adjusting the
projecting length of the rod 67. The rod 67 can be secured in a desired position by
means of a lock nut 69.
[0022] The bogie 7 is then moved beneath the saw 1 and the blade 3 is lowered to cut to
the maximum depth of the blade by approximately half the depth of the slab 29 as shown
to the lefthand side of Figure 2 or, as shown in broken lines, in Figure 1. When sawing
has been completed, the slab is then rolled out of the vacuum-gripping device and
into the frame 20 of the inverting device 15. The slab is then inverted through 180°,
over on to the opposite side of the inverting device 15 by following the sequence
shown in Figures 3a, 3b and 3c, and is positioned in the second vacuum-gripping device
so that now the uncut longitudinal edge of the slab is facing upwardly. A second slab
is positioned in the first vacuum-gripping device and the sawing procedure is repeated.
The blade 4 now completes the cutting of the first slab into two separate composite
surface elements while the second slab is partly cut. It will be appreciated that
the side of the first slab which abutted the fixed frame when positioned in the lefthand
vacuum-gripping device, as viewed in Figure 2, abuts the fixed frame 51 of the other
vacuum-gripping device when located in that device during the second cutting step.
This results in the elimination of any ridge on the joint of the two cuts if there
is a variation from normal of the thickness of the stone slab.
[0023] The cut sections comprising the composite stone-faced elements can then be removed
directly from the side of the bogie 7 by opening the clamps and tilting back the arm
56 and support 59.
[0024] The blades 3, 4 of the saw can be either 1600 mm or 1700 mm in diameter and therefore
can be thinner than the larger (i.e. 2.5 m diameter) disc saw and so leave ample thickness
of stone on the cut laminae to grind and polish to give a finished lamina thickness
of 3 to 4 mm from the original 20 mm thick slab.
1. Apparatus for manufacturing composite surface elements having a lamina of stone
bonded to a backing layer, comprising a stone-cutting saw (1 )having at least one
disc blade (3, 4) adapted to cut in a vertical plane, conveyor means (7) for conveying
a stone slab (29) beneath the saw blade (3, 4), and at least one slab-gripping device
(14) mounted on said conveyor means (7) and adapted to support the slab (29) upwardly
on one longitudinal edge of the slab, characterised in that the apparatus includes
means for inverting the slab (29) so that a partly-cut slab (29) can be inverted onto
its opposite longtudinal edge after a first pass through the saw (1), the inverting
means comprising a body portion (17) having two spaced-apart parallel channel-shaped
bearings (18, 19) lying in a substantially horizontal plane, a frame (20) which is
adapted to receive and support a slab (29) of stone and which is provided with a pair
of spaced-apart parallel axles (23, 24) which are adapted to engage with said channel-
shaped bearings (18, 19), the arrangement being such that the frame (20) may be pivoted
from a first position in which it is disposed in a substantially vertical plane on
one side of said body portion with one of said axles (23) located in one of said channel-shaped
bearings (19), through approximately 90° about said bearing (19), to a position in
which the frame (20) is disposed horizontally on said body portion (17) with an axle
engaged in each of said channel- shaped bearings, the frame then being pivotable about
said other channel-shaped bearing (18) through a further 90° until it is again disposed
in a substantially vertical plane on the opposite side of the body portion (17).
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame (20) is provided with at least
one roller (21) which extends vertically of the frame (20) and is adapted to engage
with a face of the stone slab (29) supported in the frame (20), and the frame, adjacent
top and bottom portions thereof, is provided with rollers (22) having axes of rotation
which are normal to the axes of rotation of said vertical roller (21) and which are
adapted to engage with opposite edge portions of said slab of stone.
3. Apparatus according to either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the conveyor means comprises
a first bogie (7) mounted for travel on first rails (8) which extend in the direction
of cut of the saw and run beneath the saw, and the inverting means (15) is mounted
on a second bogie mounted for travel on second rails (16) which are disposed rearwardly
of and extend transversely of the rearward ends of the first rails.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the saw (1) has two spaced apart parallel
saw blades (3, 4) and the first bogie (7) carries two slab gripping devices (14) which
are arranged parallel to each other and are spaced apart from each other a distance
equal to the spacing of the saw blades (3, 4).
5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein each slab gripping device
(14) comprises a first gripping means in the form of at least one first vacuum-operated
suction cup (54), second gripping means in the form of at least a second vacuum-operated
suction cup (54a) disposed in opposed spaced relation to said first suction cup such
that a stone slab may be positioned between said suction cups, and means (64) for
applying suction to each of the cups such that said first cup (54) is adapted to grip
one face of the slab while the second cup (54a) is adapted to grip the opposite face
of the slab.
6. A method of manufacturing composite surface elements having a lamina of stone bonded
to a backing layer, comprising the steps of:
(a) cutting a block of natural facing stone into a number of slabs, the two faces
of each slab (29) being substantially parallel and each slab being of a thickness
greater than twice the thickness of the stone lamina required;
(b) applying and bonding to each of the opposed faces of each stone slab (29) a backing
layer comprising a core of light-weight material which is resistant to compressive
forces in a direction substantially normal to the plane of the layer;
(c) gripping each slab with backing layers attached by means of a slab-gripping device
(14); and
(d) sawing the slab in two along a cutting plane substantially parallel to and mid-way
between the aforesaid opposed faces of the slab to leave a thin stone lamina adhered
to each of the backing layers, the slab being gripped by the gripping device (14)
during the sawing step,
characterised in that the sawing step (d) includes a first sawing operation in which
one longitudinal edge of the slab is presented to a disc saw (1) and the slab is sawn
through to a depth which is approximately half the depth of the slab, and a second
sawing operation in which the opposite longitudinal edge of the slab is presented
to a disc saw and the remainder of the depth of the slab is sawn through, that between
the two sawing operations the slab (29) is released by the gripping device (14) and
is conveyed on its edge to slab inverting means comprising a body portion (17) having
two spaced-apart parallel channel-shaped bearings (18, 19) lying in a substantially
horizontal plane, a frame (20) which receives and supports the vertically-disposed
slab (29) of stone and which is provided with a pair of spaced-apart parallel axles
(23, 24) which are adapted to engage with said channel-shaped bearings (18, 19), wherein
when the slab is positioned in the frame (20), the frame is pivoted from a first position
in which it is disposed in a substantially vertical plane on one side of said body
portion with one of said axles (23) located in one of said channel-shaped bearings
(19), through approximately 90° about said bearing (19), to a position in which the
frame (20) is disposed horizontally on said body portion (17) with an axle engaged
in each of said channel-shaped bearings, the frame then being pivoted about said other
channel-shaped bearing (18) through a further 90° until it is again disposed in a
substantially vertical plane on the opposite side of the body portion (17), thereby
inverting the partly-cut slab (29) onto its opposite edge and presenting the uncut
londitudinal edge of the slab (29) for the second sawing operation.
7. A method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that during each sawing operation
one of the backing layers of the slab (29) abuts against a respective abutment defining
a plane parallel to and spaced from the cutting plane of the disc saw (1) the spacing
between the plane defined by the respective abutment means and the cutting plane of
the disc saw being the same for each sawing operation and the same backing layer of
the slab abutting against the respective abutment means during each sawing operation
so that the slab is sawn through along the same plane for each sawing operation.
1. Appareil pour la fabrication d'éléments composites de revêtement de surface ayant
une lamelle de pierre liée à une couche support, comprenant une scie (1) pour couper
les pierres ayant au moins une lame disque (3, 4), adaptée pour couper dans un plan
vertical, des moyens de transport (7) pour amener une dalle de pierre (29) sous la
lame de scie (3, 4) et au moins un dispositif de fixation de la dalle (14) monté sur
lesdits moyens de transport (7) et adapté pour maintenir la dalle (29) de bas en haut
sur un bord longitudinal de la dalle, caractérisé par le fait que l'appareil comprend
des moyens pour retourner la dalle (29) de façon à ce que la dalle partiellement coupée
(29) puisse être retournée sur son bord longitudinal opposé après une première passe
sur la scie (1), les moyens de retournement comprenant un bâti (17) ayant deux supports
parallèles (18, 19) séparés en forme de reinures, disposés dans un plan sensiblement
horizontal, un châssis (20) qui est adapté pour recevoir et supporter une dalle (29)
de pierre et qui est muni d'une paire de tourillons (23, 24) séparés, parallèles,
adaptés pour s'engager dans lesdits supports (18, 19) en forme de rainures, la disposition
étant telle que le châssis (20) puisse être pivoté d'une première position dans laquelle
il est disposé dans un plan sensiblement vertical sur un côté dudit bâti avec un desdits
tourillons (23) situé dans un des supports (19) en forme de rainure, d'approximativement
90° autour dudit support (19), à une position où le châssis (20) est disposé horizontalement
sur ledit bâti (17) avec un tourillon engagé dans chacun desdits supports en forme
de rainures, le châssis pouvant alors être pivoté autour dudit autre support (18)
en forme de rainure d'encore 90° jusqu'à ce qu'il soit à nouveau disposé dans un plan
sensiblement vertical du côté opposé du bâti (17).
2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le châssis (20) est muni d'au moins
un rouleau (21) disposé verticalement et adapté pour s'engager avec une face de la
dalle en pierre (29) supportée par le châssis (20), et la châssis, dont les parties
adjacentes supérieures et inférieures sont munies de rouleaux (22) ayant des axes
de rotation qui sont perpendiculaires aux axes de rotation dudit rouleau vertical
(21) et qui sont adaptés pour s'engager avec les bords opposés de ladite dalle de
pierre.
3. Appareil selon l'une ou l'autre des revendications 1 ou 2, dans lequel les moyens
de transport comprennent un premier bogie (7) monté pour se déplacer sur des premiers
rails (8) disposés dans la direction de coupe de la scie et sous la scie, et les moyens
de retoure- ment (15) sont montes sur une second bogie se déplaçant sur des seconds
rails (16) disposés à l'arrière et transversalement aux extrémités arrière des premiers
rails..
4. Appareil selon la revendication 3, dans lequel la scie (1) a deux lames (3, 4)
écartées parallèles et le premier bogie (7) porte deux dispositifs de fixation de
dalle (14) disposés parallèlement l'une par rapport à l'autre et écartés l'un par
rapport à l'autre d'une distance égale à celle séparant les deux lames de scie (3,
4).
5. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 4, dans lequel chaque dispositif
de fixation de dalle (14) comprend un premier moyen d'accrochage sous la forme d'au
moins une première ventouse (54) actionnée par dépression, un second moyen d'accrochage
sous la forme d'au moins une seconde ventouse (54a) actionnée par dépression disposée
de façon opposée et écartée par rapport à ladite première ventouse, de façon à ce
qu'une dalle de pierre puisse être mise en place entre lesdites ventouses, et des
moyens (64) pour exercer cette dépression sur chacune des ventouses de façon à ce
que ladite première ventouse (54) soit adaptée pour se fixer sur une face de la dalle
alors que la seconde ventouse (54a) est adaptée pour se fixer à la face opposée de
la dalle.
6. Un procédé de fabrication d'éléments composites de revêtement de surface ayant
une lamelle de pierre liée à une couche support, comprenant les étapes consistant
à:
a) couper un bloc de pierre naturelle de parement en un certain nombre de dalles,
les deux faces de chaque dalle (29) étant sensiblement parallèles et chaque dalle
étant d'une épaisseur plus grande que deux fois l'épaisseur de la lamelle de pierre
requise;
b) appliquer et fixer sur chacune des faces opposées de chaque dalle de pierre (29)
d'une couche support comprenant un noyau en matériau léger qui résiste aux efforts
de compression dans une direction sensiblement normale au plan de la couche;
c) fixer chaque dalle avec sa couche support au moyen du dispositif de fixation de
dalle (14); et
d) scier la dalle en deux le long d'un plan de coupe sensiblement parallèle et à mi-épaisseur
desdites faces opposées de la dalle de façon à laisser une fine lamelle de pierre
adhérant à chacune des couches support, la dalle étant maintenue pendant le sciage
par le dispositif de fixation (14),
caractérisée par le fait que l'étape de sciage (d) comporte une première opération
de sciage dans laquelle le bord longitudinal de la dalle est présenté à un disque
de scie (1) et la dalle est sciée à une profondeur qui est approximativement la mi-épaisseur
de la dalle et une seconde opération de sciage dans laquelle le bord longitudinal
opposé de la dalle est présenté à un disque de scie et la partie restante en profondeur
de la dalle est sciée, qu'entre les deux opérations de sciage, la dalle (29) est libérée
du dispositif de fixation (14) et déplacée sue un bord vers les moyens de retournement
de la dalle comprenant un bâti (17) ayant deux supports séparés, parallèles (18, 19)
en forme de rainures, disposés dans un plan sensiblement horizontal, un châssis (20)
qui reçoit et supporte le dalle de pierre (29) disposée verticalement et qui est muni
d'une paire de tourillons, séparés, parallèles (23, 24) adaptés pour s'engager dans
lesdits supports (18, 19) en forme de rainures, de façon à ce que lorsque la dalle
est placée dans le châssis (20), le châssis soit pivoté d'une première position dans
laquelle il est dans un plan sensiblement vertical sur un côté dudit bâti avec un
desdits tourillons (23) placé dans l'un desdits supports (19) en forme de rainure,
d'approximativement 90° autour de ce dit support à une position dans laquelle le châssis
(20) est disposé horizontalement sur ledit bâti (17) avec un tourillon engagé dans
chacun desdits supports en forme de rainure, les châssis étant alors pivoté autour
dudit autre support en forme de rainure (18) d'encore 90° jusqu'à ce qu'il se trouve
à nouveau disposé dans un plan sensiblement vertical du côté opposé du bâti (17),
par là-même la dalle (29) partiellement coupée étant retournée sur son bord opposé
et présentant le bord longitudinal non scié de la dalle pour la seconde opération
de sciage.
7. Un procédé comme revendiqué à la revendication 6, caractérisé par le fait que pendant
chaque opération de sciage une des couches-supports de la dalle (29) s'appuie contre
une butée correspondante définissant un plan parallèle et séparé du plan de coupe
du disque de scie (1), l'écartement entre le plan défini par les moyens respectifs
de butée et le plan de coupe du disque de scie étant le même pour chaque opération
de sciage et la même couche support de la dalle s'appuyant contre les moyens de butée
pendant chaque opération de sciage de façon à ce que la dalle soit sciée selon le
même plan pour chaque opération de sciage.
1. Vorrichtung zum Herstellen von Verbundoberflächenelementen mit einer Steinschicht,
die auf eine Trägerschicht geklebt ist, mit einer steinschneidenden Säge (1) mit mindestens
einem scheibenförmigen Sägeblatt (3, 4), welches in einer vertikalen Ebene schneidet,
mit einer Transporteinrichtung (7) zum Transportieren einer Steintafel (29) unterhalb
des Sägeblattes (3, 4) und mit zumindest einer die Steintafel greifenden Einrichtung
(14), welche auf der Transporteinrichtung (7) angeordnet ist und die Steintafel (29)
hochkant auf einer longitudinalen Kante der Steintafel hält, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß die Vorrichtung eine Einrichtung zum Umkehren der Steintafel (29) umfaßt, so daß
eine teilweise geschnittene Steintafel (29) auf ihre entgegengesetzte longitudinale
Kante umgedreht werden kann, nachdem sie einen ersten Durchgang durch die Säge (1)
durchgeführt hat, wobei die Umkehreinrichtung einen Körperteil (17) mit zwei voneinander
beabstandeten parallelen kanalförmigen Lagern (18, 19) umfaßt, welche in einer im
wesentlichen horizontalen Ebene liegen, einen Rahmen (20), welcher eine Steintafel
(29) aufnimmt und trägt und welcher mit einem Paar voneinander beabstandeten parallelen
Achsen (23, 24) versehen ist, welche mit den Kanalförmigen Lagern (18, 19) zusammenwirken,
wobei die Anordnung so ist, daß der Rahmen (20) von einer ersten Position, in der
er in einer im wesentlichen vertikalen Ebene auf der einen Seite des Körperteils mit
einer der Achsen (23) in einer der kanalförmigen Lager (19) angeordnet ist, durch
in etwa 90° hindurch um dieses Lager (19) in eine Position verschwenkt werden kann,
in der der Rahmen (20) horizontal auf dem Körperteil (17) angeordnet ist, wobei in
jede der kanalförmigen lager eine Achse eingreift, und daß der Rahmen dann um das
andere kanalförmige Lager (18) um einen weiteren Winkel von 90° verschwenkbar ist,
bis er wiederum in einer im wesentlichen vertikalen Ebene auf der entgegengesetzten
Seite des Körperteils (17) angeordnet ist.
2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Rahmen (20) mit zumindest
einer Laufrolle (21) versehen ist, welche sich vertikal des Rahmens (20) erstreckt
und welche mit einer Oberfläche der im Rahmen (20) gehaltenen Steintafel (29) in Eingriff
kommt, und daß der Rahmen an den hieran benachbarten Ober- und Unterbereichen mit
Laufrollen (22) versehen ist, die Rotationsachsen aufweisen, welche rechtwinklig zu
den Rotationsachsen der vertikalen Laufrolle (21) angeordnet sind, wobei die Laufrollen
(22) mit entgegengezetzten Kantenbereichen der Steintafel in Eingriff kommen.
3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Transporteinrichtung
ein erstes Fahrwerk umfaßt, welches zur Bewegung entlang erster Schienen angeordnet
ist, welche sich in Richtung des Schnittes der Säge erstrecken und unterhalb der Säge
verlaufen, und daß die Umkehreinrichtung (15) auf einem zweiten Fahrgestell angeordnet
ist, welches zur Bewegung entlang zweiten Schienen (16) angeordnet ist, die rückwärtig
von den rückwärtigen Enden der ersten Schienen angeordnet sind und sich quer hierzu
erstrecken.
4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Säge (1) zwei voneinander
beabstandete Sägeblätter (3, 4) umfaßt, und daß das erste Fahrwerk zwei die Steintafel
greifende Einrichtungen (14) trägt, welche parallel zueinander angeordnet sind und
voneinander beabstandet sind mit einem Abstand, der gleich ist dem Abstand der Sägeblätter
(3, 4).
5. Vorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 . bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß eine
jede die Steintafel greifende Einrichtung (14) eine erste Greifeinrichtung in der
Form von mindestens einem ersten vakuumbetriebenen Saugnapf (54) umfaßt, eine zweite
Greifeinrichtung in der Form von mindestens einem zweiten vakuumbetriebenen Saugnapf
(54a), welcher relativ zum ersten Saugnapf gegenüberliegend beabstandet angeordnet
ist, so daß eine Steinstafel zwischen die Saugnäpfe positioniert werden kann, sowie
eine Einrichtung (64) zum Anwenden einer Saugwirkung an jeden der Saugnäpfe, so daß
der erste Saugnapf (54) eine Seite der Steintafel greifen kann, während der zweite
Saugnapf (54a) die gegenüberliegende Seite der Steintafel greifen kann.
6. Verfahren zum Herstellen der Verbundoberflächenelemente mit einer Steinschicht,
die auf eine Trägerschicht geklebt ist, mit folgenden Schritten:
(a) Schneiden eines Steinblockes mit natürlicher Oberfläche in eine Anzahl von Steintafeln,
wobei die beiden Oberflächen einer jeden Steintafel (29) im wesentlichen parallel
sind und eine jede Steintafel eine Dicke aufweist, die größer ist als die zweifache
Dicke der erforderlichen Steinschicht,
(b) an jede der gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen einer jeden Steintafel (29) eine Trägerschicht
anfügen und ankleben, welche einen Kern aus leichtgewichtigem Material aufweist, welche
in einer Richtung im wesentlichen senkrecht zur Ebene der Schicht gegenüber Druckkräften
resistent ist,
(c) Greifen einer jeden Steintafel mit darangefügten Trägerschichten mittels einer
Steintafel-Greifeinrichtung (14), und
(d) Auseinandersägen der Steintafel in zwei Teile entlang einer Schneidebene, welche
im wesentlichen parallel zu den vorgenannten gegenüberliegenden Oberflächen der Steintafel
ist und welche im wesentlichen in der Mitte zwischen diesen beiden Oberflächen liegt,
um eine dünne Steinschicht an einer jeden der Trägerschichten anhaften zu lassen,
wobei die Steintafel während des Sägeschrittes von der Greifeinrichtung (14) gegriffen
wird,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Sägeschritt (d) einen ersten Sägevorgang umfaßt, bei
welchem eine longitudinale Kante der Steintafel einer Scheibensäge (1) zugeführt wird
und daß die Steintafel zu einer Tiefe durchgesägt wird, welche annäherungsweise die
halbe Tiefe der Steintafel beträgt, und daß er einen zweiten Sägevorgang umfaßt, bei
dem die entgesetzte longitudinale Kante der Steintafel einer Scheibensäge Zugeführt
wird, und der Rest der Tiefe der Steintafel durchsägt wird, daß zwischen den beiden
Sägevorgängen die Steintafel (29) von der Greifeinrichtung (14) losgelassen wird und
auf ihrer Kante zu einer Steintafel-Umkehreinrichtung transportiert wird, welche einen
Körperteil (17) mit zwei beabstandeten parallelen kanalförmigen Lagern (18, 19) umfaßt,
welche in einer im wesentlichen horizontalen Ebene liegen, einen Rahmen (20), welcher
die vertikal angeordnete Steintafel (29) aufnimmt und trägt und welcher mit zwei beabstandeten
parallelen Achsen (23, 24) versehen ist, welche mit den kanalförmigen Lagern (18,
19) in Eingriff bringbar sind, wobei, wenn die Steintafel in den Rahmen (20) positioniert
ist, der Rahmen von einer ersten Position, in der er in einer im wesentlichen vertikalen
Ebene auf einer Seite des Körperteils mit der einen Achse (23) in dem einen der kanalförmigen
Lager (19) angeordnet ist, durch ungefähr 90° um dieses Lager (19) in eine Position
verschwenkt wird, in der der Rahmen (20) horizontal auf diesem Körperteil (17) angeordnet
ist, wobei in ein jedes dieser kanalförmigen Lager eine Achse eingreift, wobei der
Rahmen dann um das andere kanalförmige Lager (18) um einen weiteren Winkel von 90°
verschwenkt wird, bis er wiederum in einer im wesentlichen vertikalen Ebene auf der
gegenüberliegenden Seite des Körperteils (17) angeordnet ist, wodurch die teilweise
geschnittene Steintafel (29) auf ihre entgegengesetzte Kante umgedreht wird und die
ungeschnittene longitudinale Kante der Steintafel (29) für den zweiten Sägevorgang
dargeboten wird.
7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß während eines jeden Sägevorgangs
eine der Trägerschichten der Steintafel (29) gegen einen jeweiligen Anschlag anschlägt,
welcher eine Ebene parallel zu und beabstandet von der Schneidebene der Scheibensäge
(1) definiert, wobei der Abstand zwischen der durch die jeweilige Anschalgeinrichtung
und der Schneidebene der Scheibensäge definierte Abstand für jeden Sägevorgang gleich
ist und die gleiche Trägerschicht der Steintafel gegen die entsprechenden Anschlageinrichtung
während eines jeden Sägevorgangs anschlägt, so daß die Steintafel bei jedem Sägevorgang
entlang der gleichen Ebene durchgesägt wird.