FR2836856A1 - Stapling machine for assembly of picture frames comprises assembly table under which stapler is located and spring loaded magazine with adjacent staple loading corridors - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine (10) comprises a frame (12) which rests on the ground and comprises an assembly table under which a stapler (110) is located. There is a vertical channel for the insertion of staples in which a staple insertion knife can push vertically a first staple located at the longitudinal front end of a set of staples received in a horizontal longitudinal loading corridor formed in a staple magazine (60). The magazine comprises a spring which permanently act on the last rear staple so that the first staple is supported against a guide along which the knife slides. The magazine comprises parallel adjacent loading corridors (each receiving different height staples.

Description

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"Advanced machine for assembling frames using staples of different heights"
The present invention relates to a machine for assembling frames.

 The invention relates more particularly to a machine for assembling frames for framing paintings and the like, commonly known as a "collator", and of the type comprising:. an assembly table supported by a frame, provided on its upper face with means for guiding the positioning and clamping of the rods to be assembled, the ends of which have previously been sawed at 450 to make a frame, and under which is arranged a stapler, for vertically inserting (into the thickness of the rods to be assembled and on either side of the edges to be assembled) at least one V-shaped staple whose ends of the free lateral wings are terminated by a flange or fold; . a stapler having an upper vertical staple insertion channel in which a staple insertion knife or push rod which slides along a lower guide can vertically push a first staple located at the front longitudinal end a group of consecutive staples; . a staple magazine in which a longitudinal loading corridor is formed which receives the group of consecutive staples and which comprises means which permanently urge the last rear staple of the group of staples so that the first front staple is in support , longitudinally forward against the knife guide.

 The applicant has already proposed different designs of such a collator, and for example in document FR-A-2. 525,949. Likewise, the design of the staples has been the subject of numerous improvements.

 It is desirable to be able, using such a machine, to increase the speed of production of the frames, by improving

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 different aspects of the assembler involved in a series production of frames.

 Thus, it is desirable to be able to speed up the reloading of the magazine and it has already been proposed to temporarily connect the staples together, so that they form a staple bar, and / or to produce a magazine or a staple cassette. which is received in the hallway of the stapler supply store.

 However, assembling a frame remains a relatively long operation when it is necessary to use staples of different heights.

 This is particularly the case when the strips used have a height and a molding profile such that it is necessary, to make a frame angle, to insert several staples of different heights successively from the vicinity of the interior corner to vicinity of the outer corner of the corner.

 In this case, it is necessary to change the staples as and when this operation, despite the known improvements mentioned above, is very long.

 It is thus desirable to produce a new assembly machine which is more efficient and which can also be automated, for example to be able to be controlled in a programmable manner (such as a so-called numerically controlled machine), and this whatever the number and dimensions of the staples used for an assembly of two rods.

 For this purpose, the invention provides a machine of the type mentioned above, characterized in that the magazine comprises at least two adjacent parallel loading lanes each receiving a group of staples, in particular of different heights, and in that the magazine is mounted movable relative to the guide: - longitudinally between a front stapling position and a rear selection position;

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 - And transversely to transversely align one of the corridors with the guide, in particular with a view to selecting a clip of determined height.

 Thus, with such a design, it is possible to initially load the magazine with staples of several dimensions or of several types, and the change of staple then only requires selecting the transverse position of the magazine with multiple lanes, without no direct manipulation of the staples or change of magazine or cassette as in the prior art.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, there are provided complementary means which transversely position the free end before each lane relative to the guide, when the magazine reaches its position before stapling. These means are advantageously produced in the form of guide surfaces or ramps of the front longitudinal end of the magazine relative to the guide.

 This characteristic guarantees that the return movement of the magazine longitudinally forward, in order to reach its functional stapling position, causes transverse alignment and precise positioning, whatever the precision of the initial transverse positioning of the magazine relative to the guide of the magazine. knife at the end of the transverse selection movement which is carried out when the magazine is in the rear longitudinal selection position.

 The longitudinal position before stapling of the magazine is a longitudinal position of rest of the magazine, and the collator may include motorized longitudinal drive means of the magazine so as to cause a longitudinal travel back and forth, front-back, during each selection of a corridor.

- la machine comporte un bâti et un chariot qui est monté coulissant, longitudinalement et horizontalement sur des organes de guidage du bâti, ledit chariot supportant le magasin d'agrafes. According to still other characteristics of the invention:

- The machine comprises a frame and a carriage which is slidably mounted, longitudinally and horizontally on guide members of the frame, said carriage supporting the staple magazine.

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 - It also comprises transverse drive means, in particular motorized, of the magazine so as to control the transverse movements of the magazine between selection positions corresponding to the alignment of one or the other of the corridors with the guide; - These transverse drive means comprise at least one horizontal cylinder, in particular pneumatic, which acts against elastic means for returning the magazine to a determined transverse position; - the store has three parallel and adjacent loading lanes.

 Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view above and three-quarter view rear right of the frame of an exemplary embodiment of an assembler in accordance with the teachings of the invention; - Figure 2 is a perspective view, in the same orientation, of the upper table which equips the frame of Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a perspective view from above and three-quarters front right of the main components of the assembler arranged inside the frame; - Figure 4 is a perspective view, from above and three-quarters front left and on a large scale, of the multi-lane magazine according to the invention; - Figure 5 is a large-scale perspective view from above and three-quarters rear left of the staple guide and the staple insertion knife, with which the front nose of the magazine cooperates; - Figure 6 is a perspective view, from another angle, of the body of the guide itself;

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 - Figure 7 is an axial end view along arrow F7 of Figure 6; - Figure 8 is a perspective view on a larger scale of the front nose of the store of Figure 4; - Figure 9 is a front view along arrow F9 of Figure 8; - Figure 10 is a top view of Figure 9; - Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the detail D1 1 of Figure 10; - Figure 12 is a front view of the stapler insertion knife; - Figure 13 is an end view of the knife of Figure 12; the figure is a diagram in section through a horizontal plane which illustrates a corridor of the store in active functional position engaged with the guide; - Figure 14 is an overview of the collator with all its main components, with the exception of the upper table shown in Figure 2 which has been dismantled here.

 In the description which follows, a vertical orientation V, longitudinal L and transverse T will be adopted, without limitation, as indicated in the figures.

 Identical, analogous or similar elements will be designated by the same reference signs and numbers.

 The assembler 10 essentially consists of a frame 12 which rests on the floor of the workshop and which supports components or sub-assemblies which are generally fixed or, on the contrary, movable relative to the frame.

 Among the fixed components, and in a known manner, the machine comprises a removable upper table 14 in the form of a horizontal plate, the general design of which is known and which "closes" the open upper face 16 of the lower frame 12 which is in the form of a rectangular box. rectangle and inside which the main components of the machine are arranged,

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 with the exception of the means which allow the rods to be assembled to be pressed vertically from bottom to top on the upper face of the table, during the phase of vertical insertion of a staple, these means projecting vertically in part above the table in the form of a bent arm 18 (FIG. 3) which supports a pressure pad 20.

 At its upper part, and in the vicinity of its left lateral face 22, of longitudinal orientation, the frame comprises a rocking lever 24 which is pivotally mounted in both directions around a transverse and horizontal axis 26 to control, like this will be explained later, the backward movement towards the rear of the staple magazine.

 Thanks to this pivoting assembly, it is possible to carry out this command from the front or from the rear of the assembler, insofar as the tilting lever protrudes longitudinally on either side of the frame to act on the either of two control switches mounted in opposition.

 At its upper part, the frame carries two main longitudinal cylindrical slides 28 on which are slidably mounted, on the one hand, a transverse bar 30 which carries jacks 32 which bear against the internal face facing the frame 32 to cause longitudinal movements forward of a vertical finger 34 which is received in a hole 36 of a rack bar 38 which carries claws 40 for clamping the rods (not shown) against two brackets 42 of fixed support on the upper face 44 of the table 14. The rack 38 with the claws 40 is slidably mounted longitudinally from front to rear relative to the table 14 to tighten or loosen the rods.

 On the other hand, and as can be seen in Figure 3, the cylindrical slides 28 are also used for sliding mounting, in the longitudinal direction and in a horizontal plane, of a main carriage 46 which is generally presented

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 in the form of a frame comprising two opposite transverse uprights 46 and rear 48.

 In known manner, the carriage 46 carries the bent arm 18 for vertical pressing of the rods which is extended at the bottom by a jack assembly 52 which controls, by relative tightening effect, a staple insertion knife, not visible on FIG. 3, which is guided in a stapler 52, the main element of which is a guide 54 fixed to the front cross member 50 of the main carriage 46.

 The two crosspieces 46 and 48 also carry two secondary longitudinal slides 56 which are fixed to the carriage 46.

 Each slide 56 carries, longitudinally sliding in both directions, a longitudinal post 58 of an assembly forming a secondary carriage, movable in a horizontal plane and in both longitudinal and transverse directions, which carries the multi-lane magazine 60 shown at Figure 4.

 The two uprights 58 carry between them two other transverse slides 62 which guide, in the transverse direction and in both directions, the magazine 60.

The magazine 60 is slidably mounted transversely on the slides 62 which are themselves carried by two parallel longitudinal uprights 58 which are themselves slidably mounted longitudinally on the carriage 46 thus constituting a movable element in two transverse and longitudinal directions relative to the carriage 46, and this in a horizontal plane in order to allow the selection of a corridor of the store as will be explained later,
To control the longitudinal movements of the magazine 60, the carriage 46 carries, on its rear cross-member 48, a jack 64 which can act on the external cylindrical surface opposite the rear bush 84 for translational guidance of the magazine 60, at the 'against elastic means for returning the magazine backwards, not shown in the figures.

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 To control the transverse movements of the magazine 60, one of the longitudinal uprights 58 carries, on its upper face, an assembly 68 with several jacks whose rods are capable of cooperating with the external lateral face of one of the two longitudinal plates 70 and 72 of the magazine 60 (see FIG. 4), and this against a set 74 of return springs 76 which cooperates with the external lateral face of the other plate 72.

 Finally, in known manner, the carriage 46 carries a handle 76 for its longitudinal maneuvering from front to rear which, at its upper end, carries a button 78 for controlling the stapling proper.

 Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the magazine 60 with multiple lanes consists essentially of a block or rectangular rectangular parallel body 80 which is a machined part on which are fixed, in the vicinity of its front end, the two longitudinal and vertical side plates 70 and 72 which carry between them two transverse guide bushes 84 in which the transverse cylindrical slides 62 are received.

 The entire magazine 60 is thus slidably mounted transversely on the slideways 62 which are themselves slidably mounted longitudinally, by the longitudinal uprights 58, on the longitudinal cylindrical slideways 56 of the carriage 46.

 At its rear end 86, the body 80 carries a vertical transverse plate 66 for guiding the pull tabs 126.

 When the magazine 60 is mounted on the carriage 46, the central part of the magazine 80 is received, with play in the transverse direction, in a notch 88 formed in the upper face of the rear cross member 48 of the carriage 46 so as to allow movement transverse of the magazine 60 under the action of the jacks of the block 68.

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 According to a known design, illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the guide 54 is a solid piece comprising a body of generally parallelepipedal shape 90 which, on its rear vertical transverse face 92 has a convex vertical boss with a V section which is the surface 94 guide proper, along which can slide the knife 96 of complementary shape illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 whose V-section with folded side edges 98, as well as the thickness, are similar to those of staples 100 (see figure 11).

 In the stapling position, each staple itself is pressed longitudinally forward by its concave face 102 against the portion facing the guide surface 94 of the guide 54.

 To guide the knife 96, the guide 54 is associated with a counter guide 106 which is fixed to it by screws.

 At its free upper end 108, the guide 54 receives, in a fixed manner, a yoke 110 in two parts 112 and 114 which delimit between them a slot or channel 116, of V section, at the outlet of each staple. The horizontal upper face of the yoke 110 and the upper end 108 of the guide 54 are flush with each other and, in the position mounted on the assembler, they are generally flush with the upper face 44 of the table 14.

Between the upper yoke 110 and the lower counter guide
106 (as can be seen in FIG. 5), the guide 54 has a free intermediate section, with its guide surface 94 which, in a known manner, is intended to cooperate with the open front longitudinal end of a longitudinal corridor of a staple store.

 In the state of the art, the staple magazine is a single-aisle magazine which can receive only one type of staple at a time, while, in accordance with the teachings of the invention and as can be seen in the figures, the magazine 60 according to the invention is a magazine with multiple lanes.

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 For this purpose, by way of example, three adjacent parallel corridors C1 J C2 and C3 have been machined in the upper face 120 of the body 80 of the magazine 60.

 In known manner, each lane receives a sliding pusher 122 which is urged longitudinally forward and permanently by a compression spring 124, each pusher 122 being associated with a rear pull tab 126 making it possible to compress the spring 124 to recharge the lane with a bar or bar of staples (not shown in Figure 4).

 The front end part of the magazine 80 is produced in the form of an attached nose 130 which extends the body 80 with the machined corridors C1, C2 and C3.

 This two-part design enables the nose to be made from a different material, in particular for subjecting it to thermal and / or physico-chemical treatments.

 As can be seen in particular in FIGS. 8 to 11, the corridors C1 to C3 can be of different heights and each opens into the transverse face of the longitudinal front end 132 of the nose 130 with concave rounded shapes 134 which extend the internal lateral faces parallel and opposite from the corridor and which are tightening each other 134 so that (under the action of the pusher 122 which acts on the convex rear face 104 of the last rear staple of the staple bar received in a determined corridor) the staple bar cannot escape longitudinally forward and this because the folded wings 105 of the first front staple bear against the surfaces 134.

 On the other hand, when the magazine 60 is in a stapling position, with a selected lane, in which the front transverse face 132 of the nose 130 is in longitudinal abutment forwards against the portion facing the face vertical and rear transverse 92 of the guide 54, the staples recede slightly backwards so that the first front staple occupies its geometric position shown in detail in the figure

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 11 while being in abutment against the V-shaped guide surface 94 of the nose 54, but without the wings 105 being in abutment against the rounded and constricted surfaces 134 of the corresponding passage.

 Of course, each of the three adjacent corridors is shaped in the same way at its front longitudinal end.

 During the final approach to the magazine 60, longitudinally forward to bring a determined corridor "in engagement" with the guide 54, and in the event that this selected corridor is not perfectly aligned transversely with the guide 54-94, l either of the two vertical front end stops 136 of the determined corridor then cooperates with one or the other of the two faces of the V-shaped guide surface 94 of the guide 54 which act as automatic refocusing ramps of the corridor at the end of the race before the latter.

 At the end of the selection, the store is again in the functional position as illustrated in FIG. 14.

 The selection cycle for a staple corridor of a given type and size is carried out as follows.

 The action of return springs 76 naturally tends to initially select lane C3.

 The magazine 60 is permanently urged longitudinally forwardly in abutment against the guide 54 by the single-acting cylinder 64 which pushes longitudinally forward on the rear plate 66.

 If the supply to the pneumatic cylinder 64 is cut off, the magazine 60 automatically moves backwards longitudinally under the action of two return springs, not shown in the figures, which are coil springs mounted concentrically on the slides. main 56, compressed between the rear face of the front cross member 50 and the transverse front end face 59 of the associated upright 58.

 Thus, when the control logic of the machine interrupts the supply of the jack 64, the magazine 60, with the

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 uprights 58, moves backwards into a position in which no end of the corridor is no longer engaged with the guide 54.

 It is then possible to transversely move the magazine 60 by sliding on the slides 62.

 To this end, by acting on the block 68 of cylinders, it is possible to cause a transverse displacement, from left to right, considering FIG. 10, of the magazine 60 with its nose 130 against the force of spring return 76.

 The block 68 comprises for this purpose a first cylinder which can cause a first displacement of a pitch corresponding to the transverse gap between the lanes C3 and C2, then other cylinders to cause a second displacement of another pitch corresponding to the difference or not between the two lanes C2 and C 1.

 The selection of the jacks in block 68 thus makes it possible to choose any one of the three corridors C1 to C3.

 Once this selection has been made, the assembly control logic again supplies the jack 64 which then pushes the magazine 60 longitudinally forward until the end of the selected passage formed in the front nose 132 comes to again in engagement with guide 54.

 The magazine 60 is then again in a position allowing stapling by insertion of one or more staples belonging to the staple bar loaded in the selected lane.

 The application of the principle according to the invention of a store with several lanes is not limited to an automated and motorized selection of lanes.

 Indeed, the general structure of the machine, and in particular of the carriage 46 makes it possible, by eliminating the jacks 68 and the springs 76, to carry out a manual selection of the transverse position of the carriage whose recoil and advance movements are well heard always ensured by the cylinder 64 and by the return springs.

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 The same modular structure of the machine also makes it possible to produce a single-aisle magazine machine by simplifying the structure of the carriage 46.

 However, in its most perfected version with motorization of all the movements and displacements of the magazine 60, the assembly machine 10 can advantageously be managed by a control program of the numerical control type to automate its operation and increase its performance.

Claims (8)

1. Machine (10) for assembling frames, by angle stapling of rod sections, of the type comprising an assembly table (14) under which is arranged a stapler (52) comprising a vertical channel (116) d staple insertion in which a staple insertion knife (96) can push vertically a first staple (100) located at the front longitudinal end of a group of consecutive staples which is received in a corridor (Ci ) horizontal longitudinal loading formed in a staple magazine (60) comprising means (122,124) which permanently urge the last rear staple of the group of staples so that the first staple bears, longitudinally forward, against a guide (54, 94) along which the knife (96) slides, characterized in that the magazine (60) has at least two adjacent parallel loading lanes (C1, C2, C3) each receiving a group of staples , in particular of different heights, and in c e that the magazine (60) is mounted movable relative to the guide (54,94): - longitudinally (L) between a position before stapling and a rear position of selection; - And transversely (T) to align transversely one of the corridors (C1, C2, C3) with the guide (54, 94) in particular with a view to selecting a clip of determined height.  2. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that there are provided complementary means (136, 94) which transversely position the free end before each lane (C1, C2, C3) relative to the guide, when the magazine of staples (60) reaches its position before stapling.  3. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that its front position is a longitudinal position of rest of the magazine (60).  4. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises motorized longitudinal drive means of the magazine so as to cause a stroke <Desc / CRUD Page number 15>  longitudinal round trip, rear-front, each time a loading lane is selected.  5. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises a frame (12) and a carriage which is slidably mounted, longitudinally and horizontally on guide members of the frame, said carriage supporting the magazine (60) of staples .  6. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (68, 74, 76) of transverse drive (T), in particular motorized, of the magazine (60) so as to control the movements transverse of the magazine between positions corresponding to the alignment of one or the other of the corridors (C1, C2, C3) with the guide (54,94).  7. Machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said transverse drive means comprise at least one horizontal cylinder (68), in particular pneumatic, which acts against elastic means (74,76) for returning the magazine to a determined transverse position.  8. Machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the magazine (60) has three parallel and adjacent loading lanes (C1, C2, C3)