Presses – Methods
Patent
1995-11-01
1997-04-15
Gerrity, Stephen F.
Presses
Methods
72446, 100215, 100224, 100229R, 100264, 100918, 425193, 483 28, B30B 1530
Patent
active
056199139
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for changing the dies or moulds in thermoforming equipment, typically configured as a vertical thermoforming press, in order to obtain thermoformed objects from a thermoplastics material in sheet form. Equipment for thermoforming and the stacking of hollow objects made from thermoplastics material in sheet form in which provision is made for the use of a male die or mould (generally the upper die) and one (or two) lower female dies has already been proposed.
A sheet of a suitable thermoplastics material is caused to advance stepwise between the upper die and the lower die (or dies) after each closure of the dies.
The sheet is fed along two longitudinal members which support a double chain and which extend towards the die so as to reach and pass beyond the area of the die (or dies).
A feature of this equipment is that as the die (or dies) are guided by sliding along their own guide columns, and the longitudinal members are inserted in the area outside the perimeter of the die, but within the guide columns for the latter, the operation of fitting or removing the die (or dies) is very complex and laborious, particularly as in most cases devices are installed for discharging the objects which are located downstream of the die or dies with respect to the feeding direction of the sheet.
In this situation it is found that the die or dies are as a consequence always imprisoned between the longitudinal members and the devices for discharging the thermoformed objects, and these devices impede access thereto. As a result, in order to fit or remove the die or dies it is always necessary to first remove all the discharge devices to create sufficient working space for the operation, which involves a need for a considerable working area, a considerable expenditure of time, particularly when discharge of the objects is directly connected to a packaging line or another processing line which is synchronised with the production of the objects, and the use of labour or expensive auxiliary equipment for moving the discharge devices.
An object of this invention is to provide a new method for the rapid replacement of dies which does not involve the need to remove the object-discharging devices from the equipment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for replacing the dies which will avoid the need to introduce these in the direction of advance of the chains and therefore longitudinally to the longitudinal members.
Another object of this invention is to provide thermoforming equipment based on a new concept which will allow the dies to be fitted and removed after the longitudinal members for transporting the sheet have been removed in a simple and automatic manner from the area of the die or dies.
According to a first aspect of this invention a method is provided for replacing the dies in thermoforming equipment which comprises a base, a supporting member supported by the base, a supporting head for one or more counter-dies borne by the supporting structure, a supporting table for one or more dies supported by the base beneath the supporting head, actuation means for the head and for the supporting table to control a sequence of controlled insertion and withdrawal movements between the head and the supporting table to cause the or each die to close against or open away from the corresponding counter-die or dies, feed means for a sheet of thermoformable material for the or each die designed to operate synchronously with the said actuation means and including a pair of longitudinal members to advance the or each sheet in a direction substantially normal to the direction in which its respective die opens and closes, characterised in that it comprises withdrawal of the longitudinal members into a waiting position, the lateral insertion or removal of the or each counter-die closed against the or its respective die and advance of the longitudinal members from the waiting position to the working position.
According to another aspect of this invention there
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Gerrity Stephen F.
Isap Omv Group SPA
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