Method and machine for processing components made of wood.

Abstract

 Method and machine for processing components (2) made of wood having an elongated shape, according to which a component (2) is locked inside at least one clamping vice (16), is processed by means of a working head (12) to form at least one seat (36) in the component (2), and is removed from the clamping vice (16) by means of a grip and transfer unit (19) to be transferred to at least one working unit (27) suitable to insert a pin or ironmongery element inside each seat (36).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for processing components made of wood or the like having an elongated shape, in particular components for frames.

[0002] In the field of processing components for frames, a prior art machine comprises an elongated base provided with two longitudinal guiding members, a plurality of cross members slidingly coupled to the longitudinal members, at least one clamping vice mounted on each cross member for locking the component to be processed, a bridge crane mobile along the base in a first direction, a working head mobile along the bridge crane in a second direction transversal to the first direction, and a grip and transfer unit mobile along the bridge crane in the second direction for loading and unloading the components onto and from the clamping vices.

[0003] The working head is normally provided with tools for longitudinally profiling the components as well as tools for longitudinally drilling the head ends of said components to form holes to house relative connecting pins.

[0004] The prior art machines for processing components for frames of the type described above have some drawbacks mainly deriving from the fact that such machines, although thoroughly tried and tested, are unable to perform machining processes following on from and in addition to those performed by the working head.

[0005] For example, in order for said pins to be inserted inside the relative holes, the components must first be unloaded from the machine, then transferred to a broaching machine, and lastly arranged in the correct position in said broaching machine. The work cycle described above is relatively complex and naturally takes a relatively long time to perform, it involves the presence of a device to transfer the components from one machine to the other, and relatively large overall dimensions.

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for processing components made of wood or the like having an elongated shape, in particular components for frames, that overcomes the drawbacks described above and is simple and economical to produce.

[0007] According to the present invention there is provided a method for processing components made of wood or the like having an elongated shape, in particular components for frames, as claimed in claims 1 to 5.

[0008] The present invention also relates to a machine for processing components made of wood or the like having an elongated shape, in particular components for frames.

[0009] According to the present invention there is provided a machine for processing components made of wood or the like having an elongated shape, in particular components for frames, as claimed in claims 6 to 11.

[0010] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating a nonlimiting embodiment thereof, in which:

figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the machine according to the present invention;

figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a first detail of the machine of figure 1; and

figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a second detail of the machine of figure 1.

[0011] With reference to figure 1, designated as a whole by number 1 is a machine for processing components 2 made of wood or the like for frames having, in the specific case, an elongated rectilinear shape.

[0012] The machine 1 comprises an elongated base 3, which extends in a horizontal direction 4, is substantially U-shaped, has two longitudinal guiding members 5 parallel to the direction 4, and supports a bridge crane 6 in turn comprising a vertical upright member 7, which is coupled to the base 3 in a conventional manner so as to perform, along said base 3 and driven by a conventional drive device that is not illustrated, rectilinear movements in the direction 4, and which supports a cross member 8 attached to a free end thereof and extending above the base 3 in a direction 9 horizontal and transversal to the direction 4, and is limited laterally by two faces 10, 11 arranged opposite one another substantially orthogonal to said direction 4.

[0013] The bridge crane 6 supports a conventional working head 12, which is mounted on the face 10, is connected in a conventional manner to the cross member 8 so as to perform rectilinear movements along said cross member 8 in the direction 9, and comprises a plurality of tool-carrying spindles (not illustrated) mounted in a conventional manner on the head 12 so as to move in a direction 13 vertical and orthogonal to the directions 4 and 9. A plurality of tools (not illustrated) can be attached to the tool-carrying spindles (not illustrated), said tools being designed to perform at least milling and/or drilling of the components 2, and being transferred between the relative tool-carrying spindles (not illustrated) and a ring-shaped tool magazine 14 via the upright member 7.

[0014] The machine 1 is also provided with a plurality of cross elements 15, which are referred to in the following description as "working planes", extending between the longitudinal members 5 and in the direction 9, and slidingly coupled to said longitudinal members 5 so as to be moved, manually or by means of respective conventional drive devices that are not illustrated, along said longitudinal members 5 in the direction 4.

[0015] The working planes 15 support a plurality of clamping vices 16, which are arranged on the relative working planes 15 substantially according to the dimensions of the components 2 to be processed and/or the machining processes to be performed on said components 2, fixed to the relative working planes 15 in the direction 9.

[0016] According to an alternative embodiment that is not illustrated, the vices 16 are slidingly coupled to the relative working planes 15 so as to be moved, manually or by means of respective conventional drive devices that are not illustrated, along the relative said working planes 15 in the direction 9.

[0017] Each vice 16 comprises, in the specific case, a lower jaw 17 and an upper jaw 18 which is mobile, driven by a conventional actuating cylinder that is not illustrated, in the direction 13 between a locked position and a released position of a component 2.

[0018] The components 2 are inserted into, and removed from the vices 16 by a grip and transfer unit 19 comprising an arm 20, which protrudes from the face 11 of the cross member 8 in the direction 4, is coupled in a conventional manner to the cross member 8 so as to perform, along said cross member 8 and driven by a conventional drive device that is not illustrated, rectilinear movements in the direction 9, and supports, in the specific case, two grip and transfer devices 21, 22 which are mobile with respect to one another in the direction 4.

[0019] In the specific case, the device 21 is attached to the arm 20 in the direction 4, while the device 22 is connected in a conventional manner to the arm 20 so as to perform, along said arm 20 and driven by a conventional drive device that is not illustrated, rectilinear movements in the direction 4.

[0020] According to that illustrated in figures 1 and 2, each device 21, 22 comprises a clamping vice 23 in turn comprising a lower jaw 24, which is substantially L-shaped, and is mounted so as to perform rectilinear movements in the direction 13, and an upper jaw 25 connected in a conventional manner to the jaw 24 so as to move, with respect to the jaw 24 and driven by an actuating cylinder 26 attached to said jaw 24, in the direction 13 between a locked position and a released position of a component 2.

[0021] With reference to figures 1 and 3, the machine 1 is also provided with a broaching device 27, which enables assembly pins (not illustrated) to be inserted inside the components 2, and comprises two broaching units 28 attached to a free end of one of the longitudinal members 5.

[0022] Each unit 28 comprises a delivery duct 29, which extends in the direction 4, cooperates with an end-of-travel device (not illustrated) which is mobile between an operating position, in which the end-of-travel device (not illustrated) protrudes into the duct 29 to prevent the pins (not illustrated) from leaving the duct 29, and a resting position, in which the end-of-travel device (not illustrated) is arranged outside the duct 29 so as to allow the pins (not illustrated) to leave said duct 29, and is connected by means of a relative feed duct 30 to a vibratory hopper 31 that is placed on the ground and contains the pins (not illustrated).

[0023] The unit 28 also comprises an actuating cylinder 32, which extends in the direction 4, is substantially aligned with the duct 29 in the direction 4, and is provided with an output shaft (not illustrated) which is mobile between a forward position for inserting each pin (not illustrated) as it comes to the end of the duct 29 and a retracted resting position.

[0024] The unit 28 also comprises a gumming nozzle 33, which is arranged above the duct 29, and is connected by means of a pumping device 34 to a tank 35 that is placed on the ground and contains glue or the like.

[0025] With regard to the above description, it should be noted that:

the broaching device 27 is stationary in the directions 4, 9, and 13; and

the two broaching units 28 are oriented for inserting the pins (not illustrated) inside the components 2 in respective insertion directions 4a, 4b parallel to the direction 4 and opposite one another.

[0026] In use, the grip and transfer unit 19 removes a component 2 from a magazine (known and not illustrated) and releases it inside at least one vice 16 parallel to the direction 4 to allow the working head 12 to process a face 2a of the component 2 parallel to the direction 4 and protruding outwards from the relative vices 16 and to drill holes longitudinally or transversely in the head ends of the component 2 so as to obtain the holes 36 parallel to the direction 4 or to the direction 9.

[0027] The component 2 can then be transferred from the vices 16 to other vices 16 directly or by the unit 19 to allow the head 12 to process a face 2b of the component 2 opposite the face 2a and protruding outwards from said vices 16.

[0028] When the machining processes to be performed inside the vices 16 are complete, the unit 19 collects the component 2 from the vices 16, places it so that a head end thereof is facing one of the broaching units 28 to enable gumming of the relative holes 36 and the insertion of the relative pins (not illustrated) in the direction 4a, and then places it so that the other head end is facing the other broaching unit 28 to enable gumming of the relative holes 36 and the insertion of the relative pins (not illustrated) in the direction 4b, after which it releases it inside said magazine (not illustrated).

[0029] From the above description it is apparent that while the machine 1 processes each component 2 and inserts the pins (not illustrated) the component 2 is always kept inside the vices 16 and/or 23 and never released and that the component 2 is transferred into said magazine (not illustrated) already complete with said pins (not illustrated).

[0030] According to some alternative embodiments that are not illustrated:

the machine 1 is provided with further working units, in addition to or instead of the broaching device 27, for inserting additional ironmongery elements for frames, for instance hinges, pintles, handles, in relative seats made by the head 10 in the components 2;

the components 2 are inserted into the relative vices 16 by hand; and

the two broaching units 28 can be oriented about an axis of rotation parallel to the direction 13 for inserting the pins (not illustrated) inside relative holes arranged at a slant according to an angle other than 0° with respect to the directions 4 and 9.

Claims

1. Method for processing elongated-shaped components (2), made of wood or the like, in particular components (2) for frames, in a machine comprising a base (3) extending in a first direction (4); at least two cross elements (15) mobile along the base (3) in the first direction (4); at least a clamping vice (16) mounted on each cross element (15) for locking at least a component (2); and a bridge crane (6), which is mobile along the base (3) in the first direction (4), is provided with at least a working head (12) mobile along the bridge crane (6) in a second direction (9) transversal to the first direction (4), and is further provided with a grip and transfer unit (19) of the components (2) mobile along the bridge crane (6) in the second direction (9), said method comprising the following steps:

locking at least a component (2) in at least a clamping vice (16);

providing the component (2) with at least a seat (36); and;

removing the component (2) from the clamping vice (16) by means of the grip and transfer unit (19);

and characterized in that it further comprises the following steps:

transferring the component (2) from the clamping vice (16) to at least a working unit (27) by means of the grip and transfer unit (19); and

inserting a pin or an ironmongery element in each said seat (36) by means of the working unit (27) while the component (2) is kept inside the grip and transfer unit (19).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the working unit (27) is stationary in said first and second direction (4, 9).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the working unit (27) comprises at least a broaching device (27), said method comprising the following steps:

drilling the head ends of the component (2) in order to obtain at least a housing hole (36), whereas the component (2) is kept inside the clamping vice (16); and

inserting a said pin in each said hole (36) by means of the broaching device (27), whereas the component (2) is kept inside the grip and transfer unit (19).

4. Method according to claim 3, further comprising the following steps:

keeping a constant orientation of the component (2) inside the grip and transfer unit (19); and

inserting the pins in the relative holes (36) of the two head ends in two insertion directions (4a, 4b) which are parallel and opposed to each other.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the following step:

locking the component (2) parallelly to said first direction (4), both inside the grip and transfer unit (19) and inside the clamping vice (16).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the following step:

rotating the working unit (27) around at least a rotation axis orthogonal to said first and second direction (4, 9).

7. Machine for processing components (2) made of wood or the like, having an elongated shape, in particular components (2) for frames, the machine comprising a base (3) extending in a first direction (4); at least two cross elements (15) mobile along the base (3) in the first direction (4); at least a clamping vice (16) mounted on each cross element (15) for locking at least a component (2); and a bridge crane (6), which is mobile along the base (3) in the first direction (4), is provided with at least a working head (12) mobile along the bridge crane (6) in a second direction (9) transversal to the first direction (4) for forming at least a housing seat (36) on the component (2), and is further provided with a grip and transfer unit (19) of the components (2) mobile along the bridge crane (6) in the second direction (9); and being characterized in that it further comprises at least a working unit (27) for inserting a pin or an ironmongery element in each said seat (36), whereas a component (2) is kept inside the grip and transfer unit (19).

8. Machine according to claim 7, wherein the working unit (27) is stationary in said first and second direction (4, 9).

9. Machine according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the working head (12) comprises at least a drilling tool for drilling the head ends of the component (2) and forming at least a hole (36); the working unit (27) comprising at least a broaching device (27) apt to insert a said pin in each said hole (36).

10. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the broaching device (27) is shaped in order to insert the pins into the relative holes (36) of the two head ends in two insertion directions (4a, 4b), parallel and opposed to each other.

11. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the broaching device (27) is shaped in order to insert the pins into the relative holes (36) of the two head ends in two insertion directions (4a, 4b) mutually oriented according to an angle different from 0°.

12. Machine according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the broaching device (27) comprises two broaching units (28), each of them being oriented for inserting the pins into the relative holes (36) in a relative said insertion direction (4a, 4b).

13. Machine according to one of claims 9-12, wherein the broaching device (27) comprises at least a gumming nozzle (33) for gumming each hole (36), inserting means (32) for inserting the pins inside the relative holes (36), a first tank (35) for glue or the like, pumping means (34) for feeding glue to the gumming nozzle (33), and a second tank (31) for the pins; the two tanks (35, 31) and the pumping means (34) being placed on the ground; the gumming nozzle (33) and the inserting means (32) being fixed to the base (3).

14. Machine according to one of claims 7-13, wherein the working unit (27) is revolving around a rotation axis orthogonal to said first and second direction (4, 9).

Drawing