Adjustable caulking machine for corner connections

Abstract

 Summary
A caulking machine including a flat frame 2, an arched frame 21 connected integrally to the flat frame, a pair of heads 10 and 10' slidingly connected to said flat frame and a V-shaped backing element 4. Both said heads and said V-shaped backing element include as many endless screw systems 5, 5' and 5", each including a pulley adapted to move the heads and backing element forwards and backwards with respect to the arched frame 21. Said endless screw systems are connected by means of at least one transmission belt 3 and transmission means, so that the forward or backward motion of a head 10 is coordinated with the forward or backward motion of the other head 10' and with the backing element 4. Motion of the first endless screw system can be provided manually by means of a hand wheel 6 or by means of a rotary actuator, possibly with position control.

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] This invention relates to a caulking machine.

State of the art

[0002] The current construction process for aluminium window and door frames includes technical operations that are now consolidated, consisting of a sequence of machinings on a linear aluminium profile until the finished product is obtained.

[0003] Window and door frames are typically comprised of a shutter and a frame to which the shutter is hinged.

[0004] For both window and door frames, the longitudinal and transverse elements that define the frame and the shutter frame are cut from one or more profile bars with the ends cut at an angle of 45 degrees, depending on the specific lengths corresponding to the measures of the frame. The transverse and longitudinal elements are then coupled together using coupling brackets.

[0005] The most commonly used profiles are typically made of aluminium, with a substantially C-shaped cross section, but they can also have a section of any shape.

[0006] This coupling operation is usually referred to as caulking of the linear elements. It involves inserting a bracket through the ends of the two adjacent elements to be joined and special tools are then used to deform part of each of said profiles so as to prevent said bracket from slipping out from said elements, thus locking them integrally.

[0007] Specifically, said part of each of said profiles can be deformed or upset, or else partially trimmed or folded, to ensure that it adheres to a surface defining said bracket.

[0008] For this purpose, machines exist that include a pair of machining heads and a V-shape backing element, into which the vertex defined by said elements drawn together is inserted, said elements allowing the simultaneous caulking on both adjacent elements to be joined.

[0009] It is apparent that the mutual position of said caulking heads with respect to the V-shaped backing element depends on the features and dimensions of the profile used for the construction of the frame and therefore each time the type of profile used is changed, the machine configuration also needs to be adjusted accordingly. Therefore, such an adjustment of the machine takes place by adjusting the position both of each caulking head and of the V-shaped centring backing element, which is essential for ensuring the correct positioning of the elements to be joined with respect to the position of the heads.

Summary of the invention

[0010] It is the object of the present invention to provide a caulking machine adapted to solve the aforementioned problem.

[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is a caulking machine that, according to claim 1, includes a flat frame, an arched frame connected integrally to said flat frame, a V-shaped backing element, a first head and a second head slidingly associated along said flat frame, the position of said V-shaped backing element and of said heads being adjusted in relation to said arched frame by means of first and second thrusting means coordinated by means of motion transmission means. A caulking machine according to the present invention includes a pair of machining heads and a V-shaped backing element supported by a frame and driven simultaneously by appropriate motion transmission means.

[0012] Specifically, said motion transmission means include at least one belt that, using appropriate means of transmission, transmits motion from one head to the other and to the V-shaped supporting element, causing the synchronised and coordinated motion of the three elements.

[0013] Advantageously, by making only one adjustment, it is possible to prepare the machine for caulking.

[0014] The dependent claims disclose preferred embodiments of the invention, and form an integral part of the present description.

Brief description of the drawings

[0015] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed, though not exclusive description of a preferred embodiment of a caulking machine, which is shown by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 depicts a caulking machine including two caulking heads and a V-shaped backing element;

Figure 2 depicts a view of a machining head;

Figure 3 depicts a cross section of the view of figure 2;

Figure 4 depicts a counterthrust support.

[0016] The same reference numbers and letters in the figures identify the same elements or components.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

[0017] A caulking machine 1 according to the present invention includes a flat frame 2, an arched frame 21 connected integrally to the flat frame, a first head 10 and a second head 10' connected to said flat frame so that they can move forwards and backwards in relation to the door or window frame to be caulked. Specifically, the forward and backward motion of the heads is relative to said arched frame 21, by means of thrusting means 5 and 5' that can be operated manually using a hand wheel 6, or by means of an actuator with position control. Said thrusting means 5 and 5' are preferably endless screws.

[0018] The operation of said hand wheel 6 not only determines the forward or backward motion of the caulking head 10, but also, by means of a belt 3, the forward or backward motion of the caulking head 10'.

[0019] Specifically, if the belt is not a dual-stage belt, then to move the heads forward, it is necessary to turn the hand wheel 6 indirectly connected to the first head 10, while to move the heads backwards, it is necessary to turn the hand wheel 6' connected indirectly with the second caulking head 10'.

[0020] Each endless screw system includes a corresponding pulley along which slides said belt 3, which is appropriately moved by means of common transmission means 7 and tighteners 8.

[0021] Said belt 3 therefore connects the endless screw systems 5 and 5' and a third endless screw system 5" adapted to enable the coordinated forward and backward motion of a V-shaped backing element 4.

[0022] To ensure the perfect coordination of the motion of the two heads and of the backing element, the pitch of the thread of the third endless screw 5" relative to the V-shaped backing element 4 should have a ratio equivalent to the square root of 2 with respect to the pitch of the thread of the other two endless screws relative to heads 10 and 10'.

[0023] At said third endless screw 5", instead of a corresponding pulley, there may be provided two distinct reels on which to wind, separately and in opposite directions, the portion of the belt that engages the pulley corresponding to the first endless screw 5 and the portion of the belt that engages the pulley corresponding to the second endless screw 5'.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the heads 10 and 10' includes a thrusting slide 11 adapted to be attached on the bottom to said flat frame 2, by means of fastening means 11a.

[0025] A caulking assembly 12 is fastened on said thrusting slide 11 in order to slide thereover in the direction imposed by the axis of thrust 14, which is adapted to be connected coaxially to said endless screw system 5, and by a sliding coupling including slides 15 that limit the mutual motion between the caulking assembly and the thrusting slide.

[0026] The sliding of said caulking assembly 12 is enabled or disabled depending on the operation of a locking actuator 13. This actuator, preferably of a hydraulic or pneumatic type, includes a first lever 21 connected at the top by means of a hinge 13a, and, on the shaft, a second lever 20 connected by means of a second hinge 13b, said first and second levers 21, 20 being respectively hinged in the fulcrums 21 a and 20a on the caulking assembly 12 and integral therewith. The ends 20b and 21 b of said levers, drawn into contact with the slides of the thrusting slide 11, allow or prevent the sliding of the caulking assembly on the thrusting slide.

[0027] To facilitate the sliding of the caulking assembly 12 on the slides 15, there are provided counterthrust elements 25 each including a helicoidal spring 26.

[0028] Figure 4 shows a single example of a counterthrust support 30.

[0029] In this example, there is a slide 32 to which at least two sliding flanges 31 are slidingly connected. The sliding is controlled by a hydraulic circuit 33.

[0030] The machine object of the present invention may further include graduated or electronic measuring means for the precise adjustment of the forward motion of the heads.

[0031] The advantages deriving from the application of the present invention are apparent, particularly the fact that it is much simpler to adjust the heads and the V-shaped backing element, so that they can be perfectly positioned in a single operation.

[0032] The specific embodiments described here in no way limit the scope of this application, which covers all the variants of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A caulking machine comprising a flat frame (2), an arched frame (21) associated integrally to said flat frame (2), a V-shapes backing element (4), a first head (10) and a second head (10') slidingly connected with said flat frame (2), the position of said V-shaped backing element (4) and of said heads (10, 10') being adjusted in relation to said arched frame (21) by means of first (5) and second thrusting elements (5') coordinated by means of appropriate motion transmission means (3).

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said V-shaped backing element (4) includes third thrusting means (5") for adjusting the position of said V-shaped backing element (4) with respect to said arched frame (21); said thrusting means being coordinated with said first (5) and said second thrusting elements (5') by means of motion transmission means (3).

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said first, second and third thrusting means include an endless screw.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein a first pitch of the endless screws of said first and second thrusting means is the same, and wherein a second pitch of the endless screw corresponding to said third thrusting means has a ratio equivalent to the square root of two with respect to said first pitch.

5. A machine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said motion transmission means (3) include at least one belt (3), transmission means (7) and tightening means (8), and wherein motion transmission means (3) are associated mechanically to said thrusting means (5, 5' and 5") by means of pulleys.

6. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said first head (10) and/or said second head (10') comprise: a thrusting slide (11) that can be fastened on the bottom to said flat frame (2), by means of fastening means (11a); a caulking assembly (12) adapted to be slidingly coupled to said thrusting slide (11) so as to move in the same operation direction as said first and second thrusting elements (5 and 5').

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said thrusting slide (11) comprises slides (15) adapted to limit the mutual motion between the caulking assembly (12) and the thrusting slide (11).

8. A machine according to claim 7, wherein said first head (10) or said second head (10') include a locking actuator (13) adapted to operate a first lever (20) and a second lever (21) respectively hinged in fulcrums (20a) and (21 a) obtained in the caulking assembly (12) and integral therewith, so that the ends (20b) and (21 b) of said levers, drawn into contact with the slides (15) of the thrusting slide (11) allow or prevent the sliding of said caulking assembly (12) on said thrusting slide (11).

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said locking actuator (13) is a hydraulic or pneumatic type actuator and is connected at the top by means of a first hinge (13a) to said first lever (20) and - on the shaft - by means of a second hinge (13b), to said second lever (21).

10. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said first or said second head includes at least one counterthrust element (25) each including a helicoidal spring (26), adapted to facilitate the sliding of said caulking assembly (12) on said thrusting slide (11).

11. A machine according to claim 6 or 10, wherein said first or second head includes at least one counterthrust element (25) including at least one slide (32) to which at least two flanges (31) are slidingly connected, and whose sliding is controlled by a hydraulic circuit (33).

Drawing