A tub body for mass finishing machines, particularly vibratory finishing machines and associated machine

Abstract

 A tub body (10) for a mass-finishing machine in particular a vibratory finishing machine and associated machine. Tub body comprises at least a first and second tub (12,14), in which the first tub (12) is superposed on the second tub (14). The first tub (12) exhibits an entry sector for the pieces to be treated and the first and the second tub (12,14) exhibit, at the terminal unloading sectors (22,23), exit holes (25,26) for the pieces to fall through, in which the outlet hole (26) of the first tub (11) is superposed on an inlet sector (Y) of the second tub (25). The tubs (12,14) exhibit a toroidal conformation, so that they can surround a cylindrical body (50) which contains the means for setting the tub (10) body in vibration such as to cause the pieces undergoing treatment and the relative finishing media, to follow a circular pathway through the tub body (10). In consequence of this assembly the pieces are subjected to a substantially constant vibratory amplitude.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a tub body for a vibro-finishing an/or a mass-finishing machine, and a machine therefor.

[0002] A first type of vibro-finishing machine comprises a cylindrical body internally of which a spiral trajectory is afforded which is travelled by the work pieces. In particular, the cylindrical body is made to vibrate and both the work pieces and the finishing media are loaded into the machine such that by following the spiral trajectory the pieces undergo the finishing treatment.

[0003] In more detail, the pieces to be treated and the finishing media are generally introduced into the internal part of the spiral and, following the vibratory motion of the machine, follow a treatment trajectory, moving progressively onto the wider arches of the spiral up to the exit.

[0004] However, beyond the constructional complexity of these machines, there is a drawback due to the fact that the pieces being treated are subjected to a non-uniform vibratory action during the finishing operations as they are progressively at further distances from the centre of the machine and thus the vibratory amplitude to which they are subjected varies with the increase in the circumference.

[0005] Document US 4 201 017 illustrates a device prevalently provided for mixing material, but which can also be used for finishing treatments and which comprises a group of superposed components internally of which the products to be treated circulate, moved by activating means that create a vibratory motion with a vertical component.

[0006] The products circulate internally of the single tubs, following a spiral pathway going from the centre towards the periphery.

[0007] The activating means of the device are located inferiorly of the device in order to give space to the spiral pathway.

[0008] At the end of the spiral pathway, which develops from the centre towards the periphery, the pieces fall onto a conical tray which returns them towards the centre.

[0009] In a second type of machine, a trajectory for the pieces to be treated and the relative finishing media develops vertically, from top downwards, along a helical trajectory which can perform a number of turns about the centre of the machine.

[0010] One of the problems of this solution is, however, that in order to assemble the machine it is necessary to mount a plurality of curved pieces for each revolution of the helical trajectory, a fact which contributes to increasing the final cost of the machine.

[0011] An aim of the present invention is to obviate the above-cited drawbacks, by means of a vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing machine which performs a vibratory action that is substantially constant on the treated pieces.

[0012] A further aim of the invention is to create a modular machine that is easily-assembled.

[0013] A further aim of the invention is to provide the above-mentioned result in a way which is practical and economical.

[0014] The aims are attained with a tub body for a vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing machine destined to be coupled to means for setting it in vibration, where the tub body comprises at least a first and a second tub, where the first tub is superposed on the second tube, and where the first tub exhibits an inlet sector for the pieces to be treated, characterised in that the first and the second tube exhibit, at unloading terminal sectors thereof, outlet holes for falling pieces and where each of the tubs exhibits a toroidal conformation and surrounds a cylindrical body which contains the means for setting the tub body in vibration such as to cause the pieces and the relative finishing media to follow a circular pathway during the treatment phase to follow a circular pathway during which the pieces are subjected to a vibratory amplitude which is substantially constant and wherein the outlet hole of the first tub is superposed on an inlet sector of the second tub.

[0015] This realisation of the invention advantageously enables the pieces under treatment and the relative finishing media to be made to follow a circular trajectory during which the pieces are subjected to a substantially constant vibratory amplitude, with a practical and economical construction of the machine.

[0016] The same is true of self-tumbling treatments, where the treatment media are not required, as the action is performed by the pieces being treated on themselves. one against another.

[0017] Lastly, the predisposing of the activating means at the centre of the machine enables limiting dimensions and volumes.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the tub body exhibits at least an intermediate tub between the first and the second tub, in which the exit hole of each of the intermediate tubs is superposed on an inlet sector of the lower tub.

[0019] This realisation exhibits the advantage of being a modular construction assembly.

[0020] A further preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a tub body in which, in proximity of the exit hole of each tub, there is an element provided with a slightly-rising ramp.

[0021] This realisation of the invention has the advantage of enabling a gradual exit of the pieces from the upper tub to the lower tub or from the lower tub towards the exit from the tub body.

[0022] The invention also relates to a machine for vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing which comprises a tub body as defined in the present description. Further characteristics of the invention will emerge from the dependent claims.

[0023] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from a reading of the following description, provided by way of non-limiting example, with the aid of the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of the tub body of the machine of the invention;

figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the body of figure 1;

figure 3 is a further exploded perspective view of the body of figure 1;

figure 4 is a plan view of the body of figure 1;

figure 5 is the section along line A-A of figure 4; and

figure 6 is the section along line B-B of figure 4.

[0024] The figures illustrate a tub body 10 for a machine for vibro-finishing and/or mass finishing, made up of a first tub 12 and a second tub 14, where the first tub 12 is superposed on the second tub 14. It is specified that in other versions of the machine of the invention (not illustrated for reasons of simplicity), the number of superposed tubs can be more than two.

[0025] In particular, each of the tubs 12, 14 exhibits a toroidal conformation and surrounds a cylindrical body 50 which contains the means for vibrating the tub body 10.

[0026] In the illustrated example, each of the superposed toroidal tubs 12, 14 is located horizontally.

[0027] The tub body 10 is inserted in a complex of devices associated thereto which form the machine for vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing, the devices, of known type, being mentioned herein for the sake of completeness of the description.

[0028] In particular, a first conveyor belt is comprised for loading the pieces to be worked, as well as a second conveyor belt for loading and recycling the finishing media.

[0029] Further, a connecting chute is provided between the lower unloading point of the mass composed of the media and the treated work pieces and vibroseparators for the pieces and for the media which can be conveyed to an elimination container when they are undersized, while the treated pieces are conveyed to a collecting chamber or on a further conveyor belt.

[0030] Further, the tub body is associated to motorised means, also of known type, and destined to set the tub body in vibration in order to generate the movement of the pieces and the treatment media during the working.

[0031] The upper toroidal tub 12 exhibits a plurality of sectors 21 which form a first part of the tub 12, which part can also be termed the partially toroidal base sector 42, which is followed by a terminal sector 22 for transfer to the lower tub 14 (figure 3).

[0032] A terminal unloading sector 23 is also identified in the lower tub 14.

[0033] In the illustrated example, the terminal transfer sector 22 of the toroidal tub 12 exhibits an element which is provided with a slightly-rising ramp 24, the function of which will be more fully explained herein below, and a hole 25 which is in communication with the lower toroidal tub 14 and through which the pieces under treatment and the treatment media can fall into the lower tub 14.

[0034] The terminal unloading sector 23 of the second toroidal tub 14 also exhibits an element provided with a slightly-rising ramp 34, and an unloading hole 26 which is in communication with the outside of the lower toroidal tub 14 and through which the treated pieces and the treatment media can exit to outside the tub body 10.

[0035] The ramp 34 is not however located directly below the ramp 24 of the toroidal tub 12, but as for example can be seen in figure 4, it is further back in the advancement direction of the pieces under treatment with respect thereto.

[0036] During machine operation, the pieces to be treated are loaded into the zones X or XI, having taken care to load the finishing media before the pieces to be treated in order to activate the thrust.

[0037] In more detail, the media can be loaded in zone X while the pieces to be worked are loaded between X or XI according to the dimensions of both the pieces and the media.

[0038] The mass of pieces under treatment proceeds through the various points of the tub 12 and on arriving in the terminal sector 22 is subjected to a slight slowing down, due to the presence of the ramp 24 which is slightly inclined upwards, followed at the next point by a descent towards the hole 25 and the fall into the lower tub 14. The presence of the ramp 24 enables the lower tub 14 to receive the treated pieces gradually.

[0039] Likewise, the presence of the ramp 34 enables the gradual exit of the pieces from the tub body 10.

[0040] In figure 2, the arrow F denotes the advancement direction of the pieces to be treated which are loaded from above in zone X.

[0041] After having fallen through the hole 25, the pieces under treatment and the finishing media follow the path denoted by the arrow G, starting from point Y up to the ramp 34, and then to the exit hole 26.

[0042] In a case where the tubs 11 making up the tub body 10 were more than two, the pieces being treated and the media are made to fall, after having gone past the ramp 24, into a further underlying tub like the preceding one, which exhibits its own ramp and an exit hole, in which the exit hole is located in a retreated position in the advancement direction of the pieces to be treated with respect to the exit hole of the upper tub.

[0043] In general the pieces therefore enter the hole of an upper tub and then fall into the lower tub and exit from the hole of a lower tub to the upper tub.

[0044] In special applications, it is not necessary to use the finishing media, as the treatment is performed with contact only between the pieces to be treated, one against another in the process known as self-tumbling.

[0045] It is specified that the toroidal tubs 12, 14 can be constituted by modular components, for example made of metal or polymers.

[0046] A possibility is, for example, realising the tubs in polyurethane, or other polymers including elastomer polymers.

[0047] Obviously modifications or improvements can be made to the invention as described herein, for contingent or special reasons, without its forsaking the ambit of the invention as claimed herein below.

Claims

1. A tub body (10) for a vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing machine destined to be coupled to means for vibrating thereof, in which the tub body comprises at least a first and a second tub (12, 14), in which the first tub (12) is superposed on the second tub (14) and in which the first tub (12) exhibits an entry sector for the pieces to be treated, characterised in that the first and the second tub (12, 14) exhibit, at the terminal unloading sectors (22, 23), exit holes (25, 26) for the pieces to fall through, where each of the tubs (12, 14) exhibits a toroidal conformation and surrounds a cylindrical body (50) which contains the means for setting the tub body (10) in vibration such as to cause the pieces undergoing treatment and the relative finishing media to follow a circular pathway during which the pieces are subjected to a vibratory amplitude that is substantially constant, and in that the outlet hole (26) of the first tub (11) is superposed on an inlet sector (Y) of the second tub (25).

2. The tub body (10) of claim 1, characterised in that it exhibits at least an intermediate tub between the first (12) and the second tub (14), in which the exit hole of each of the intermediate tubs is superposed on an inlet sector of the lower tub.

3. The tub body (10) of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that an element provided with a slightly-rising ramp (24) is located in proximity of the exit hole (25, 26) of each of the first tub (12) and the second tub (14).

4. The tub body (10) of claim 3, characterised in that each of the first tub (12) and the second tub (14) exhibits a toroidal conformation and surrounds a cylindrical body (50) which contains the means for vibrating the tub body (10).

5. The tub body (10) of claim 4, characterised in that each of the first tub (12) and the second tub (14) exhibits a plurality of partially-toroidal sectors, of which one contains at least a hole and a ramp.

6. The tub body (10) of claim 1, characterised in that it is constituted by modular components made of metal or polymers.

7. A machine for vibro-finishing and/or mass-finishing comprising a tub body of one of the preceding claims.

Drawing