Apparatus for breaking interconnecting bridges of a reinforcement of an extruded elastomeric profiled section The present invention relates to an apparatus for breaking a series of bridges which interconnect adjacent transverse elements of a reinforcement incorporated in an extruded elastomeric profiled section having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, the series of interconnecting bridges extending in at least one lateral limb or flange of the profiled section.

Figure 1 of the appended drawings shows a piece of an extruded elastomeric profiled section 1 in which a reinforcement 2, for example, made of metal, is incorporated in the course of the extrusion. The reinforcement 2 has a series of transverse elements 3, the opposite ends of which are interconnected by two series of longitudinal bridges indicated 3a and 3b, respectively.

The elastomeric profiled section 1 may be extruded in a flat ribbon-like configuration as shown in Figure 1, or may be extruded directly in a substantially U-shaped configuration as shown, for example, in Figure 2, in which the interconnecting bridges 3a and 3b extend in respective lateral limbs or flanges la, lb of the profiled section.

The reinforced profiled section 1 can be used for fitting, for example, on a flange of the periphery of a motor-vehicle passenger-compartment door opening. The presence of the reinforcement 2, which can undergo plastic deformation, enables the most convenient local shape to be imparted to the profiled section 1 for its correct and stable coupling with such a flange.

For fitting on a flange which has small radii of curvature locally, it is advisable for at least some of the bridges 3a and 3b to be broken beforehand to allow the profiled section 1 better to follow the shape of the curvature of the flange.

Conventionally, this is achieved by subjecting parts of the profiled section 1, which is extruded in a flat configuration as shown in Figure 1, to a violent longitudinal tensile stress, for example, between spaced- apart pairs of rollers rotating at different speeds, so as to bring about breakage of all of the bridges of the portion of reinforcement of those parts or portions of profiled section.

This technique for the breakage of the bridges is not easily applicable when the reinforced profiled section 1 is extruded already in the U-shaped configuration shown in Figure 2.

An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can break the interconnecting bridges of the reinforcement of a profiled section having a U-shaped configuration.

This and^-other objects are achieved according to the invention by an apparatus which comprises: - a stationary support structure, - a motor-driven feed wheel mounted in the structure so as to be rotatable about an axis and having a shaped peripheral coupling profile the cross-section of which is substantially complementary with that of the recess of the extruded profiled section; a portion of the peripheral profile being intended to engage in a corresponding longitudinal portion of the extruded profiled section in use, in a manner such that the at least one limb or flange of the profiled section bears locally on a portion of a corresponding lateral surface of the profile; - at least one presser unit, mounted so as to be movable in the support structure and including a motor-driven presser wheel the periphery of which can be applied operatively against the portion of the at least one limb or flange of the profiled section which is momentarily coupled with the said portion of the peripheral profile of the feed wheel, and - control and operating means which can bring about rotation of the presser wheel of the at least one presser unit with a tangential velocity in the same direction as and greater than that of the feed wheel.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description which is given purely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 and Figure 2, which have'already been described, show, in a plan view and in a perspective view, respectively, portions of extruded profiled sections provided with internal reinforcement comprising a plurality of adjacent transverse elements interconnected by series of breakable bridges; Figure 3 is a partial front view of an apparatus according to the present invention; and Figure 4 shows the apparatus in a side view taken on the arrow IV of Figure 3.

With reference to Figure 3, an apparatus according to the present invention comprises a stationary support structure, generally indicated 10. In the view shown by way of example, the structure comprises basically a table 11 with a horizontal surface 12 in which a slit-like slot 13 is formed.

A feed wheel 14 is mounted so as to be rotatable in the support structure 10 about a horizontal axis 15 and extends through the slot.

In the embodiment shown by way of example in Figure 3, an electric drive motor 16 of a type known per se is associated with the feed wheel 14.

The feed wheel 14 has a shaped peripheral coupling profile 14a the cross-section of which is substantially complementary with that of the recess lc of the profiled section 1, which is U-shaped.

The profiled section 1 which is treated in the apparatus according to the invention may be extruded already in the U- shaped configuration or may be extruded in a flattd configuration as shown in Figure 1 and subsequently shaped so as to adopt the U-shaped configuration before entering the apparatus according to the invention.

In that apparatus, the profiled section 1, which moves in the direction indicated by the arrow F1 of Figure 4 with its concavity facing downwards, is coupled with the shaped. peripheral profile 14a of the motor-driven feed wheel 14 so that the limbs or flanges la and lb of the profiled section bear locally on respective corresponding portions of the lateral surface of that profile.

The support structure 10 of the apparatus further comprises a pillar 17 to which a substantially horizontal cross-member 18 is connected. This cross-member may optionally but not necessarily be movable vertically relative to the pillar 17.

Two symmetrical presser units 20 and 21, that is a left-hand unit and a right-hand unit as seen in Figure 3, respectively, are connected to the cross-member 18.

The presser units 20 and 21 are arranged on opposite sides of the general plane of rotation of the motor-driven feed wheel 14.

Each presser unit 20,21 comprises a respective electric drive motor 22 the shaft of which is coupled by means of a transmission 23 including, for example a geared reduction unit, to a terminal output shaft 24 to the lower end of which a presser wheel 25 is connected. The peripheral surface of the presser wheel 25 of each presser unit 20,21 is intended to be applied operatively against that portion of a respective limb or flange la and lb, respectively, of the profiled section 1 which is momentarily coupled with the top portion of the peripheral profile 14a of the feed wheel 14.

In the embodiment shown, the presser units 20 and 21 are oriented operatively along axes that are inclined to the vertical and the respective presser wheels 25 have respective frustoconical peripheral surfaces.

Preferably, each presser unit 20,21 is mounted so as to be translatable relative to the cross-member 18 of the support structure 10 away from and towards the motor-driven feed wheel 14. For this purpose, horizontal sliding guides such as those indicated 26 in Figure 3 may be provided in the cross-member 20.

Each presser unit 20 and 21 can advantageously also be mounted so as to be pivotable about a respective horizontal axis 27 perpendicular both to the axis of rotation 15 of the motor-driven feed wheel 14 and to the axis of the cross- member 18.

Actuator devices of a type known per se and not specifically illustrated in the drawings enable the presser units 20 and 21 to be moved in use towards and away from the profiled section 1 which is supported on the top portion of the motor-driven feed wheel 14.

The apparatus also advantageously but not necessarily comprises a presser device, generally indicated 28 This presser device is disposed on the side of the profiled section 1 remote from the motor-driven wheel 14 and is intended to urge the profiled section locally against the peripheral profile 14a of the motor-driven feed wheel.

In the embodiment shown by way of example, the presser device 28 comprises a fluid cylinder 29 supported by the support structure 10 in a manner not shown and having a vertically movable rod 30 carrying at its lower end an idle contact wheel 31 rotatable about a horizontal axis (Figure 3).

The idle contact wheel 31 can be moved operatively towards and away from the profiled section 1 by means of the cylinder 29 and the associated movable rod 30.

In operation, the profiled section 1 is moved along by the motor-driven wheel 14 which in turn is rotated by the electric motor 16 in the direction of rotation indicated by the arrow F2 in Figure 4.

The motor-driven presser wheels 25 of the presser units 20 and 21 bear on the external surface of the limbs or flanges la and lb in the region of the top portion of the motor- driven feed wheel 14.

The apparatus further comprises an electronic control unit ECU (Figure 3) which is arranged to control the electric motor 16 of the feed wheel 14 as well as the electric motors 22 of the presser units 20 and 21 and-by means of interface devices known per se-the fluid cylinder 29. The control unit ECU also receives signals from speed sensors (known per se and not shown) associated at least with the motor-driven feed wheel 14 and optionally also with the presser wheels 25 of the presser units 20 and 21 or with the associated electric drive motors 22.

The control unit ECU is arranged in particular to bring about the rotation of the presser wheels 25 of the presser units 20 and 21 with a tangential velocity in the same direction as that of the feed wheel 14 but with an absolute value which is greater, for example by between 5% and 15%, than that of the feed wheel. With reference to Figure 4, the direction of rotation of the presser wheel 25 of the presser unit 20 is that indicated by the arrow F3.

Owing to the different (greater) tangential velocity of the presser wheels 25 in comparison with that of the motor- driven feed wheel 14 and to the pressure exerted on the limbs or flanges la and lb of the profiled section, the profiled section 1 is stressed locally so that its interconnecting bridges 3a and 3b are gradually broken.

To facilitate the breakage of the bridges, they may advantageously be arranged so as to be easily broken. This can be achieved by means of pre-incisions or punching, or calibrated reductions in the thickness of the bridges.

During the operation of the apparatus, the idle contact wheel 31 is kept in engagement with the upper surface of the profiled section 1 in the region in which the profiled section engages the top portion of the motor-driven feed wheel 14.

The movement capability of the presser units 20 and 21 as well as of the presser device 28 enables the profiled section 1 to be arranged easily on the motor-driven feed wheel 14 at the start of a processing stage.

Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining the same, the forms of embodiment and details of construction may be varied widely with respect to those described and illustrated purely by way of non-limiting example, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Thus, for example, the motor-driven feed wheel need not necessarily be rotatable about a horizontal axis and the profiled section 1 need not necessarily engage the top portion of the feed wheel.