Feeding Machine for Washers for the Placement of Eyelets

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding machine for washers allowing a correct placement of eyelets in laminar bodies, such as textile elements, wherein said feeding machine includes a ramp for moving the washers from a higher height to a lower height, a plurality of detectors for detecting a washer which are arranged in different segments of a length of the ramp, configured to detect the presence of each washer; and a plurality of linear actuators arranged along the length of the ramp, said actuators being connected to stops which are configured to block the passage of the washers along the ramp. The feeding machine also includes a control electronics connected to the linear actuators and to the detectors for detecting a washer, said control electronics being configured to control the feeding of the washers along the ramp.

Claims

1. A feeding machine for washers for the placement of eyelets in laminar bodies, wherein said machine is wherein it comprises: a ramp configured to move the washers from an upper height to a lower height, the washers being moved, located at the lower height, in an orientation for the placement of eyelets; a plurality of detectors for detecting a washer arranged in different segments of a length of the ramp, said detectors being configured to detect the presence of each washer moving along said segments of the ramp; and a plurality of linear actuators arranged along the length of the ramp, said actuators being connected to stops which are configured to block the passage of the washers along the ramp by means of the actuation of the linear actuators; wherein the feeding machine comprises a control electronics connected to the linear actuators and to the detectors for detecting a washer, said control electronics being configured to control the feeding of the washers along the ramp.

2. The feeding machine for washers according to claim 1, wherein each detector for detecting a washer is associated with and connected to a linear actuator of the ramp.

3. The feeding machine for washers according to claim 1, wherein said machine is configured to be connected, by means of a conveyor belt, to a hopper vibrator which positions the washers in the position for the placement of eyelets, and moves them to the upper height of the ramp of the feeding machine for washers.

4. The feeding machine for washers according to claim 1, wherein the ramp comprises an elongated cavity through which the washers move by sliding, wherein said cavity allows a maximum of three washers in a row to be housed throughout the interior.

5. The feeding machine for washers according to claim 1, wherein the linear actuators are electric or pneumatic actuators.

6. The feeding machine for washers according to claim 1, wherein the ramp comprises a first straight section located in an upper part of the ramp, comprising an inclination with respect to the horizontal, and a second curved section, located in a lower part of the ramp, connected to the first straight section, configured to release the washers in a horizontal position.

7. A work station comprising: a feeding machine for washers, as defined in claim 1; a supply machine for eyelets; a linear drive machine, preferably comprising a hydraulic actuator, wherein said linear drive machine is configured to perform the operation of connecting a washer to an eyelet in a laminar body; and an electronic management system connected to the linear drive machine, to the control electronics of the feeding machine for washers and to the supply machine for eyelets.

8. The work station according to claim 7, comprising a hopper vibrator connected to a feeding machine for washers by means of a conveyor belt.

9. The work station according to claim 7, comprising a support structure configured to support the feeding machine for washers.

10. The work station according to claim 7, comprising an electronic touch screen connected to the electronic management system of the work station.

11. The work station according to claim 7, comprising an activation pedal for activating the linear drive machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] To complete the description of the invention, and for the purpose of helping to make the features thereof more readily understandable, according to a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included wherein, by way of illustration and not limitation, the following figures have been represented:

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a front perspective view of the feeding machine for washers in which the component parts as well as three aligned washers, located inside the longitudinal cavity of said ramp, can be seen.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows a detailed perspective of FIG. 1, in which a section of the upper part of the ramp can be seen, allowing the position of the stops and the detectors for detecting washers to be seen.

[0051] FIG. 3 shows a rear perspective of the feeding machine for washers in which the linear actuators and the detectors for detecting washers, as well as the support structure, can be seen.

[0052] FIG. 4 shows a detailed perspective view of FIG. 2, with the arrangement of the linear actuators and the detectors for detecting washers to be seen.

[0053] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the work station, in which the arrangement of the feeding machine for washers, the supply machine for eyelets, the linear drive machine, and the hopper vibrator connected to the feeding machine for washers by means of a conveyor belt can be seen.

[0054] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the work station in which the arrangement of the eyelets in the delivery machine can be seen.

A List of the References Used in the Figures is Provided Below

[0055] (1) Feeding machine [0056] (2) Work station [0057] (3) Washers [0058] (4) Eyelets [0059] (5) Ramp [0060] (51) Cavity [0061] (52) First section [0062] (53) Second section [0063] (6) Detectors [0064] (7) Linear actuators [0065] (8) Stops [0066] (9) Conveyor belt [0067] (10) Hopper vibrator [0068] (11) Supply machine [0069] (12) Linear drive machine [0070] (13) Hydraulic actuator [0071] (14) Support structure [0072] (15) Electronic touch screen

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0073] As can be seen in the figures, especially in FIGS. 1 and 3, the invention consists of a feeding machine (1) for washers (3) for placing eyelets (4) in laminar bodies, such as curtains, and of a work station (2) for the placement of eyelets (4), as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, comprising said feeding machine (1) for washers (3), which is fixed by means of a support structure (14) to a workbench or table of said station (2).

[0074] More specifically, the feeding machine (1) shown in FIG. 1 allows to provide washers (3) in a horizontal position on a laminar body, transferring said washers (3) from a higher to a lower height, taking advantage of the sliding fall of said washers (3) by means of gravity, in order to place them in a suitable position for the placement of an eyelet (4).

[0075] For this purpose, the feeding machine (1) comprises a ramp (5) which in turn comprises an elongated cavity (51) having a rectangular section, the washers (3) sliding inside same, a first straight section (52) comprising, at an upper end part, the inlet of the cavity (51) through which the washers (3) are introduced, and a second curved section (53) comprising, at a lower end part, the exit of the cavity (51) through which the washers (3) are ejected.

[0076] In this way, said ramp (5) comprises a shape particularly suitable for supplying washers (3) one by one, in the ideal position for the placement of eyelets (4) due to the combination of the inclination of the first straight section (52) with the curvature of the second curved section (53).

[0077] As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, in order to allow a suitable arrangement of the washers (3) for the subsequent placement of eyelets (4), the ramp (5) also comprises a plurality of detectors (6) for detecting a washer (3) and a plurality of electric linear actuators (7), preferably three of each, arranged along the length of the ramp (5), said actuators (7) being connected to stops (8) which allow the washers (3) to be retained in different sections of the ramp (5) by means of the actuation of the linear actuators (7) to which they are connected.

[0078] In this way, since the control electronics of the feeding machine (1) for washers (3) are connected to each of the linear actuators (7) as well as to the detectors (6), they can control the supply of washers (3) of the feeding machine (1) according to the configuration provided.

[0079] To provide washers to the feeding machine (1), said machine is connected to a hopper vibrator (10) by means of a conveyor belt (9), as can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0080] The operation of this set of machines (1, 10) consists of introducing the washers (3) at the bottom of the hopper (10), which, by means of vibration, transfers the washers (3) to the conveyor belt (9), in a row, so that only the washers (3) that are in the correct position to be moved by the ramp (5) of the feeding machine (1) cross said belt (9) while those that are in an incorrect position or overlap with another washer (3) are returned to the bottom of the hopper (10). Once the washers (3) have been moved by the conveyor belt (9), they are introduced into the cavity (51) through the upper end part of the first section (52) of the ramp (5), sliding through said cavity (51) until they are ejected through the lower end part of the second section (53).

[0081] Once they have been ejected in the position for the placement of eyelets (4), the eyelets can be placed and fixed by means of the machines arranged in the work station (2).

[0082] In addition to the feeding machine (1) and the hopper vibrator (10) with the conveyor belt (9), the work station (2) also comprises a supply machine (11) for eyelets (4) which can have an operation similar to the feeding machine (1), a linear drive machine (12), which preferably comprises a hydraulic actuator (13) that performs the operation of connecting the washer (3) with an eyelet (4) in a laminar body, and an electronic management system connected to the linear drive machine (12), to the control electronics of the feeding machine (1) for washers (3) and to the supply machine (11) for eyelets (4).

[0083] This electronic management system of the work station (2) is configurable and operable from an electronic touch screen (15), which allows an operator controlling said work station (2) to arrange and choose the way in which the eyelets (4) are placed according to the available configurations.

[0084] Once a configuration has been selected, the work station can be activated by means of an activation pedal for activating the linear drive machine (12), so that said linear drive machine (12) generates, by tightening, the placement of the eyelets (4) and washers (3) that the supply machines (11) and feed machines (1) provide.