WO2006079743A1 - Device for clamping and assembling wooden parts in particular for producing structures - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for clamping and assembling wooden parts in particular for producing structures, more particularly the elements of a structure called triangular truss, characterized in that it comprises at least one station, with a mobile platform (44) equipped with a retractable platform designed to take up two positions, one vertical and retracted, and the other horizontal for absorbing loads, the displacement requiring a combined movement under the effect of an actuator (28).

Description

 DEVICE FOR CLARIFYING AND ASSEMBLING WOOD PARTS, IN PARTICULAR FOR CARRYING OUT CARPENTES

The present invention relates to a device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood, in particular for the production of frames, more particularly the so-called truss frame elements. The farmhouses are made of pieces of wood assembled together according to particular geometries, in the same plane.

In order precisely to keep the pieces of wood in the same plane and oriented appropriately, it should be clamped before making the connections. These mechanical connections are generally obtained by means of plates with spurs obtained by stamping and intended to penetrate the wood. A known device for ensuring that the wood pieces are held in position is a bridge table which comprises a flat and horizontal working surface of large dimensions, at least equal to those of the frame to be produced. Above this working surface is arranged a bridge which carries pressure elements and crimping means, in this case means for laying the connecting plates.

It is understood that such an installation requires a heavy infrastructure little adjustable and immobilizing a large space, even if it is not used. In addition, for the operators, the work is difficult and painful because it requires to lean permanently, the pieces of wood resting on the ground on which move said operators. There is no possibility to work at the level of man. Crimping is done point by point because the bridgehead must come to the right of each crimp junction, which can be long.

Finally, whether it is a farmhouse of small dimensions or large dimensions, the same means are used. There is therefore no possibility to optimize according to needs.

There is also a solution for the assembly and clamping of pieces of wood to achieve a farm which consists of using individual items. These stations comprise a fixed base and a pivoting lid between a vertical position in order to set up the pieces of wood and a horizontal pressing position vis-à-vis the fixed base.

If the solution is better, it still suffers from many disadvantages. The first is the presence of the pivoting cover which increases the height of each station and which forces the operators to lift the finished farm to a high height to clear above said covers of said positions.

In addition, in known installations, the stations are fed from a common hydraulic power plant, which generates the presence of many delicate hoses to handle, likely to be degraded during the movements of the stations according to the geometry of the farmhouse. These known mobile units are also delicate to move on wheels. The object of the present invention is to propose a modular unit which makes it possible to respond to the current manufacturing constraints, in particular to the change of type of production, which limits the difficulty of the work for the operators, which is simple to implement and which does not requires a reduced infrastructure. The device according to the present invention is now described in detail according to a particular embodiment, not limiting, the appended figures for illustrating the description and these figures represent:

FIG. 1, a view of an installation comprising several stations, FIG. 2, a schematic perspective view of a station,

- Figure 3, a detail view of the upper presser with one of its flanges,

FIGS. 4A to 4E, a movement kinematics of the presser.

In Figure 1, there is shown a simple installation with six positions, 10-1 to 10-6. The installation preferably comprises a reference 12, for example in the form of a rectilinear rail 14, embedded in the ground or arranged in projection, this in a manner adapted according to the desired layout and the available surface. The stations 10-1 to 10-3 are aligned according to this reference 12 and correspond to the base of a farm 16 to achieve. These stations are arranged at the nodes of the farmhouse to receive the ends of the pieces of wood to be linked together. The known connection means are plate connectors 18. These metal plates are bristling with pins that have been stamped with the plate and intended to be forced into the wood by exerting pressure on the entire plate.

Each plate is disposed astride at least two ends of pieces of wood 20 constituting the farmhouse. Several connectors may be arranged on a node, this in a known manner. The pressure to be exerted must be of the order of 150 bar to ensure complete penetration of the pins. This requires the use of pressing by hydraulic means because they make it possible to easily reach these pressures and especially these hydraulic means provide a displacement at constant speed and pressure, which can be easily controlled, without causing noise detrimental to the good conditions working.

In order to allow a setting of the positions according to the plans of the farms to achieve, the stations are guided relative to the rail and movable in translation. The other three stations 10-4, 10-5 and 10-6 are arranged at the other specific nodes according to the geometry of the farmhouse.

Also each station, in the case of the present invention, is equipped with a hydraulic unit 22 independent with a pump 24 driven by an electric motor, a tarpaulin 26 with hydraulic fluid and associated actuators such as a cylinder 28 maneuvering and a cylinder 29 pressing. It is therefore necessary to provide only an electric power supply cable 30 of the electric motor of the pump for each station. A block 32 of multi-socket electrical connection is advantageously disposed near the rail 14 or better still, integrated with it. In fact, it is found that the hose bundle is limited in the working area with two electric cables in the case shown.

The installation as shown, comprises a working area whose floor must be, according to a particular embodiment, perfectly horizontal and smooth, for example a resin floor so as to allow easy movement of each station.

One solution is to provide rolling means such as wheels. According to the present invention and advantageously, each station comprises, as shown in Figure 2, pads skirt 36, supplied with compressed air to form air cushions when said pads are supplied with compressed air. Fixed support feet 38 ensure the recovery of efforts on the ground when the air cushions are inactive, preventing any inadvertent movement in the working position.

The compressed air supply, always available in an industrial installation, is performed by means of a small flexible hose, not shown, conveniently arranged in juxtaposition to the power cable. Such a flexible provides a negligible footprint and remains simple in design, compared to the size and nature of a hydraulic fluid hose, necessarily double with a supply and a return. According to a particularly advantageous improvement, it is possible to provide these pads on a transport trolley type pallet.

Thus, the carriage has a plate equipped with air cushions adapted to slip under the station in adapted slides. The putting into service of the air cushions makes it possible to maneuver the post thus loaded without any difficulty.

The station shown in detail in Figure 2 comprises a press 40.

This press 40 comprises a pressure plate 42 capable of exerting pressing forces and a movable plate 44 for absorbing forces.

In Figure 3, there is shown this press in detail. The arrangement comprises two flanges 46-1 (not shown) and 46-2 and the movable plate 44 of efforts recovery.

This mobile plate 44 of recovery efforts comprises a plate 48 connected to an arm 50. This arm comprises in turn a fork 52 at its end.

This arm has three axes A1, A2 and A3 transverse parallel to each other. The first axis Al, said front pivoting, is embodied by two outwardly projecting trunnions, 54-1 and 54-2.

The second axis A2, said rearward pivoting, is embodied by two outwardly projecting trunnions, 56-1 and 56-2.

The third axis A3 is the axis of pivoting of the head of the ram 28 for operation, generally in the form of a grommet disposed at the end of the rod of said jack.

The flanges are symmetrical and only one 46-2 is shown for the clarity of the diagram.

This flange 46-2 is in the form of an L Ce L comprises a horizontal branch 58 for receiving the plate 42 of pressing, while the vertical branch 60 carries two grooves 62-2 and 64-2 for guiding.

These grooves are machined directly in the thickness of the flange, on the inner face. The groove 62-2 is intended to receive the journal 54-2 of the arm 50 of the movable plate 44 and the groove 64-2 is intended to receive the pin 56-2 of the same arm 50 of the movable plate.

The grooves 62 are substantially straight with a stop at the end of the race.

The grooves 64 are rectilinear on a first portion, parallel to the grooves 62, then bend backwards to form a double inflection.

The plate 42 of pressing is movable in translation on a reduced stroke but exerting a significant force of pressing to allow the introduction of connectors 18 plates with penetration of the pins in the wood.

Operation is now indicated. The posts are set up at the places necessary for the realization of a particular farmhouse.

These stations are moved from a storage area to the work area without any difficulty since they are on air cushions or can be handled using an air-cushioned transfer trolley and it suffices for this purpose feed the pads with compressed air.

The stations aligned along the reference 12 are also moved appropriately. Guide rollers may be added to cooperate with the rail if necessary.

Once in place, the power failure causes the ground immobilization of said station. The same is done when the carriage is removed when this variant embodiment is used. In this case, the carriage is removed so that it can be reused to move the other stations.

The satellite stations that is to say non-aligned along the reference 12 are connected to the power strip and the compressed air supply that can advantageously be juxtaposed to this power strip. It should be noted that the air connections use quick couplings, which is an extremely simple and instant maneuver. The movable pressers 44 are in the open position with the plate 48 oriented vertically, the jack 28 is in position with its piston retracted. The pre-cut pieces of wood are positioned on the pressure plate 42 of each of the stations. The plate connectors are then positioned at the nodes.

It is then necessary to activate each cylinder 28 of each station. The movement of the piston causes the plate 48 to move upwards in a first movement. For this purpose, the two pairs of pins 54-1 / 54-2 and 56-1 / 56-2 move respectively in the grooves 62-1 / 62-2 and 64-1 / 64-2.

When the pins reach the first point of inflection of the grooves 64, the plate tilts while continuing to lift causing a combined movement so that the plate 48 does not touch the pieces of wood. The journals 56 cause the platen 48 to be leveled horizontally and at the end of travel this platen comes horizontally above the connector concerned and previously positioned. This plate 48 is then parallel to the pressing plate 42.

In order to allow a recovery of the forces subsequently exerted, there are provided means 66 for locking in position. These are represented as retractable lugs 68, for example driven by a hydraulic cylinder or by an electromagnet. These lugs 68 are retracted during the movement phases of the plate 48 and projecting therein when the plate 48 is in the working position. In fact, once the plate 48 of recovery forces in place, said plate is locked by the locking means 66.

The pressing cylinder 29 is then actuated to ensure the pressing by the plate 42 of the wooden parts against the plate 48 of recovery forces, itself locked. This kinematics is visible on the succession of representations of FIGS.

Advantageously, it is possible to provide wireless commands and simultaneous all stations.

Such an arrangement allows simultaneous pressing and therefore prevents relative movements of the wood pieces relative to each other, which is a guarantee of quality.

In an improved manner, it is previously provided an acknowledgment on each station to be certain that the assembly of the pieces of wood, the connectors and their positions on the station concerned have been verified. This arrangement also leads to another security advantage. The operator can indeed embrace at a glance all stations and triggers the pressing movements when everything is in place and that potential stakeholders are away from the positions.

Similarly, any interruption is centralized, which can greatly limit accidents.

If the controls are wireless, the workspace is all the more uncluttered, which also helps to limit damage to equipment and the risk of falling for staff hitting cables and other flexible conduits.

With such an arrangement, there are obvious gains in working time for commissioning and for each operation.

Once the farmhouse is finished, there is also a primary advantage related to the partial retraction of the trays 48.

Indeed, not only operators and assistants can work at man's height for the implementation of the pieces of wood, but it is easy for them to clear the farm once finished over said trays that are relatively low. The retraction of the movable plate 44 of effort recovery allows to go from a height of 500 mm projecting to a height of 160 mm only to give an example. The plate 48 can also advantageously be connected to the arm 50 by a hinge so as to allow a certain angular freedom and a suitable plating of the plate on the connector and to exert a uniform pressure in all points, compensating for any irregularities. Another improvement may provide an additional jack for assistance in lifting the farmhouse. In this case, the plate 42 is movable and connected to an additional jack.

Similarly, the position of the positions relative to each other and especially compared to the reference 12 can be done by laser, which allows positioning not only accurate but very fast.

Claims

1. Device for bridging and assembling pieces of wood (20), in particular for the production of frames, more particularly the so-called truss frame elements, characterized in that it comprises at least one station (10), with: - A movable presser (44) equipped with a retractable plate (48) provided to take two positions, one vertical, retracted, and the other horizontal working, the displacement providing a combined movement under the effect of an actuator (28), and - A pressing plate (42) equipped with an actuator (29). 2. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20), according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises two side flanges (46-1, 46-2), each flange (46) is in the shape of an L, with a horizontal leg (58) for receiving the plate (42) of pressing, and a branch (60) vertical carrying two grooves (62, 64) for guiding. 3. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20), according to claim 2, characterized in that the plate (48) is connected to an arm (50) provided with three axes A1, A2 and A3, transverse parallel to each other, the first axis Al, referred to as forward pivoting, comprises two outwardly projecting trunnions (54-1, 54-2) intended to cooperate with the grooves (62) of the flanges, the second axis A2, said rearward pivoting, comprises two outwardly projecting trunnions, (56-1, 56-2) provided to cooperate with the grooves (64) of the flanges and the third axis A3 is the pivot axis connected to the actuator (28). 4. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20), according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the grooves (62) are substantially rectilinear with a stop at the end of stroke and the grooves (64) are straight on a first portion, parallel to the grooves (62), then curved rearward to form a double inflection. 5. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuator is a hydraulic cylinder (28) and each station (10) comprises an autonomous plant. 6. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each station (10) comprises displacement means in the form of pads (36) cushioned d 'air. 7. Device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stations (10) comprise wireless control means with an acknowledgment by station. 8. Installation comprising at least one device for clamping and assembling pieces of wood (20) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one station (10-1, 10-3) arranged in line with a reference (12) and at least one mobile station (10-4, 10-5, 10-6) intended to be positioned at the nodes of the frame to be produced.