Device for introducing hides in tanning machines

Abstract

 The device comprises a movable belt (4) operated by means of a traction roller (13) cooperating therewith. The movable belt (4) has the peculiarity of being interposed between a rotating work cylinder (16) and an operator of a tanning machine. The belt (4) being entrained around and adjustably tensioned by separate free rollers (5,6,7) which are parallel to each other. The device also comprises safety members for the operator's control of the machine, as well as means for determining the direction of rotation of the traction roller (13).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for introducing hides in tanning machines.

[0002] These machines usually have a rotatable work cylinder, suitable for obtaining, e.g., the cleaning, scraping, shaving, fluffing, polishing or perching of hides.

[0003] In these machines of the known kind, the operator must take hold of the hide and insert it into the machine in such a way that said rotating cylinder, which e.g. in the case of perching has protruding fins, may perform the desired treatment on the hide.

[0004] The disadvantages which can be found in such machines of the known kind essentially consist of their hazard potential, since the operator usually has to manually bring the hide close to the rotating cylinder until it interacts with the same.

[0005] Since the cylinder rotates at a considerable speed, the operator is forced to take great care in placing the hide, since it may drag the fingers, e.g., into contact with the fins.

[0006] Another disadvantage is that usually the treatment of the hide occurs between the surfaces of two facing cylinders, the work area being thus greatly reduced, with the consequent necessity of performing more than one cycle to obtain an optimum degree of treatment.

[0007] The main aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above described disadvantages, by devising a device for introducing hides in tanning machines which allows the operator to perform his duties in safe conditions.

[0008] Within the scope of the aim described above, a further important object is to provide a device for introducing hides in tanning machines which adds to the preceding characteristic that of allowing an optimum and rapid treatment of the hide, simplifying its introduction phase.

[0009] Not least object is to provide a device for introducing hides which is structurally simple and can be applied to tanning machines of the known kinds.

[0010] The aim and the objects described above as well as other objects which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a device for introducing hides, in tanning machines having a rotatable work cylinder, which is characterized in that it comprises a traction roller and a movable belt which cooperate by means of preset control means, said movable belt being adjustable between separate free and parallel rollers, defining a continuous work area and providing a rest plane for a hide interposable between an operator of said device and said work cylinder.

[0011] Further features and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawing figures, where:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device associated with a machine for treating hides;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic end views of the components of the device illustrating how the treatment of the hide occurs in its interaction with the rotating work cylinder.

[0012] With reference to the abovementioned figures, the device 1 for introducing hides 2 in tanning machines 3 comprises a movable belt 4, preferably provided in antiskid plastic material, and maintained taut between three rollers indicated respectively with the numerals 5, 6 and 7.

[0013] These rollers are advantageously identical, arranged parallel to each other and externally encased in a cylinder provided in elastically deformable material indicated with the numerals 5a, 6a and 7a.

[0014] These rollers are freely pivoted at their ends to a frame 8 having means for adjusting the tension of the belt 4, these means being possibly composed of a tensioning element 9, which may comprise screw thread means or similar belt tension adjustment means.

[0015] To the frame 8 is furthermore expediently hinged the end of a leverage 10, to the other end of which is pivotally coupled the corresponding end of a stem or rod of a piston or pusher member 11, the roller 5 being freely pivotally coupled and placed at the same height of the roller 6 to define an upper rest or resting plane 4a.

[0016] Obviously, the stem of the piston 11 may be operatively connected to the frame by any suitable kinematic connection means, or alternatively, the frame may be fixed and the traction roller arranged to be moved towards the belt.

[0017] The operation of the piston 11 occurs by means of a control device composed of a bar 12, upwardly protruding transversely to the machine 3, said bar being adapted to be gripped by an operator, and the motion thereof controlling a preset solenoid valve.

[0018] Above the movable belt 4, a traction roller 13 is placed, to an end of which is keyed a hydraulic motor, this roller being pivotally coupled, proximate to the roller 6, to a compensator 14, having one end pivotally coupled to the frame of the machine 3 and an other end associated with a biasing means such as a spring 15, adapted for maintaining optimum contact engagement relationship between the surface of the roller 13 and the surface of the moving belt 4. Advantageously, such spring or biasing means may be provided with adjustment means for selectively varying the pressure imposed by the traction roller 13 on the hide 2 to be processed.

[0019] The device 1 is associated with the machine 3 so as to position the rollers 6 and 7 proximate to and facing the rotating work cylinder 16 which is usually present on these machines, the configuration of the cylinder allowing for the obtainment of various kinds of treatment, such as scraping, cleaning, fluffing, shaving, polishing, or perching.

[0020] In the latter case, the roller 16 will be provided on its lateral surface with a plurality of fins 17 which interact, during treatment, with the hide 2 placed on the belt 4.

[0021] While the cylinder 16 may have a one-way rotation, the traction roller 13 can be made to rotate in one direction or the other, an operator being able to select the direction by acting on an actuation member such as a bar or rod 18, similar to the bar 12 but expediently located counterposed to it, protruding upwardly from the machine 3.

[0022] The use of the device 1 is thus as follows: once it is associated, as shown in the accompanying drawing figures with a tanning machine 3, initially the belt 4 will be placed in such a way as to not interact with the surface of the roller 13 or with the fins 17 of the cylinder 16.

[0023] Successively, the operator will proceed to position the hide 2 on the resting plane 4a and can then grip both of the bars 12 and 18.

[0024] By operating the first bar 12, the piston 11 will be actuated which, by means of the leverage 10, will bring the belt 4 in contact with the traction roller 13 and with the work area of the fins 17.

[0025] By operating the lever or second bar 18 the operator will for example control the start up of the rotation of the roller 13 in the direction indicated in Fig. 4; the roller 13 engaging, in contact engagement relationship with the belt 4 according to a pressure which is adjustable by means of the spring 15, will thus transmit the motion to the belt 4 itself, pulling the hide 2 into contact with the work cylinder 16.

[0026] Since the rollers 6 and 7 are adjacent to the work cylinder 16, a work area or plane 20 is defined between the rollers 6 and 7 which is continuous or flat and not point-shaped, thus permitting better and quicker treatment of the hide itself.

[0027] Again by acting on the bar 18, the operator can push the hide 2 in such a way as to perform the treatment of most of it, and subsequently he may reverse the motion of the roller 13 (Figure 3), extracting the hide itself until it is positioned as illustrated in Fig. 2.

[0028] At this point the operator must take his hands off the bars 12 and 18, therefore preventing any motion of the belt 4, in order to take hold of the hide and turn it to complete the treatment of the same or to perform another cycle. Thus, at the time when an operator is required to handle the hide 2, the rollers 5, 6, 7 and hence the belt 4 are motionless, and the work cylinder is completely safely guarded.

[0029] The hide 2 is pressed between the rollers 13 and 6 in such a way that the force imparted by the work cylinder 16 cannot pull it out, the cylinders 5a, 6a, 7a, and the belt 4 being provided in antiskid material, or similar material having gripping means, or properties such as a high coefficient of friction.

[0030] It has thus been observed that the invention has achieved all the aims proposed, as it is possible to associate the device with any tanning machine and in practice, by allowing the treatment of hides in conditions of absolute safety and tranquility for an operator, the device according to the invention inherently provides increased productivity. The treatment of hides can furthermore be carried out very quickly whilst maintaining optimum work standards, since the operator can cause the movable belt 4 to advance as slowly or as quickly as necessary, thus keeping the hide 2 for presettable times in the work area 20.

[0031] The work area 20, being continuous, allows the correct cleaning or treatment of the hide in every point without any discontinuity whatsoever.

[0032] Naturally, the invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.

[0033] Thus for example the belt 4 may be trained around more than the three rollers 5, 6, 7 illustrated, and the tensioning element may be of the automatic or self-adjusting type.

[0034] Naturally, the materials and the dimensions of the components may be any, according to the requirements.

Claims

1. Device (1) for introducing hides (2) in tanning machines (3) having a rotatable work cylinder (16), characterized in that it comprises a traction roller (13) and a movable belt (4) which cooperate by means of provided control means (12, 18), said movable belt (4) being adjustable between separate free and parallel rollers (5, 6, 7), defining a continuous work area (20) and providing a rest plane for a hide (2), interposable between an operator of said device and said work cylinder (16).

2. Device according to claim 1, comprising a movable belt (4), characterized in that it is taut between three separate free rollers (5, 6, 7), identical and parallel to each other, each of said rollers (5, 6, 7) having externally a cylinder (5a, 6a, 7a) provided in elastically deformable material and being pivotally coupled at the ends with a frame (8), to which the end of a leverage (10) is pivotally coupled, the other end of said leverage being pivoted to the corresponding one of the stem of a pusher (11), which is manually operatable by means of preset control means (12).

3. Device according to claims 1 and 2, comprising a control means (12) characterized in that it is composed of a bar (12) protruding upwardly and transversely to the tanning machine (3), the motion of said bar (12), which can be gripped by one hand of the operator, controlling the actuation of the pusher (11), this last bringing the movable belt (4) into contact with the traction roller (13) and with the work cylinder (16).

4. Device according to the preceding claims, comprising a frame (8) which supports the three rollers (5, 6, 7) of the movable belt (4), characterized in that it is provided with means (9) for adjusting the tension of the belt (4) itself.

5. Device according to the preceding claims, comprising a traction roller (13), characterized in that it is arranged parallel to the rollers (5, 6, 7) which entrain the movable belt (4), said traction roller (13) being pivotally coupled, at the end of the belt (4) contiguous the rotating work cylinder (16), with a compensator (14), an end of which is freely pivoted on the machine (3), and the other is associated with a means (15) for the adjustment of the pressure of said traction roller (13) on the movable belt (4).

6. Device according to claims 1 and 5, comprising a traction roller (13), characterized in that at one end is keyed a motor with two directions of rotation, which direction can be selected by the operator by means of a bar (18) which protrudes upwardly and transversely to the machine (3).

7. Device according to the preceding claims, comprising a movable belt (4), characterized in that it is provided with an upper rest plane (4a) for the hide (2), said plane (4a) being interposed between the operator and the rotating work cylinder (16).

8. Device for introducing hides in tanning machines, according to the preceding claims, comprising a bar (12) which operates the pusher (11) and, preferably, the rotating work cylinder (16) and a second bar (18) which actuates the motor keyed on the traction roller (13), which are characterized in that they are placed above the rest plane (4a) of the movable belt (4) and each can be held by one hand of the operator, said bars (12, 18) actuating the above described means preferably only in positions which are different from the rest ones.

9. Device according to claims 1 and 7, comprising a movable belt (4), the rest plane (4a) of which is characterized in that it has a length which is greater than the average length of the upper limbs of an operator.

10. Device for introducing hides in tanning machines having a rotating work cylinder (16), according to claim 1, further comprising safety members (12, 18) for ensuring safety of an operator while using the device and for determining the direction of rotation of the traction roller (13).

Drawing