The invention concerns guillotine shears, namely those shears that have at least one mobile blade, on guides, governed by kinetic means to ensure rectilinear motion. The blade is generally worked by eccentric devices or by hydraulic controls. In one improved model two opposing blades translate one towards the other each parallel to itself and to the opposing blade, describing equal trajectories around parallel geometrical axes lying on the same vertical plane . Blade movement is obtained by a double pair of cranks connected by suitable kinetic means to ensure synchro¬ nization.

Clearly with such devices it is possible to operate solely on metal sheets or bands making a single cut at

a constant angle substantially orthogonal to the move¬ ment of said sheets or bands.

Purpose of the above invention is to permit a cut to be made at any angle desired and therefore to produce various polygonal shapes such as squares, rectangles, triangles, trapezoids, rhomboids and others. Subject of the invention is a guillotine shearing ma¬ chine on which one or more blades are mounted on struc¬ tures that translate cyclically in relation to the cutting plane on which the sheets and bands to be cut are laid or on which they translate.

The blade or blades are fixed to the translating struc¬ tures by an intermediate body that rotates around a geometrical axis substantially orthogonal to the cutting plane .

The cut can thus be orientated as preferred on the cut¬ ting plane at a constant angle for a run of the same or varied cuts . The intermediate body is rotated by a ratiomotor con- trolled by an electronic drive unit containing a pre¬ ferred program.

In one advantageous solution there is a pair of opposing blades, one below and one above, respectively fixed, to an upper and a lower structure. Translation of said blades is synchronized, each one parallel to itself and to the opposite one, describing equal circular trajectories around geometrical axes lying on the same vertical plane and meeting close to the cutting plane. Rotation of the intermediate bodies between the trans ^¬ lating structures and the blades takes plane in synchro ^¬ ny on a single geometrical axis orthogonal to the cutting

p l an e .

The two translating struetures , on which the upper and lower blades are respectively mounted, assume a form that is substantially U-shaped and lie longitudinally with a horizontal central bar and vertical sides.

Said sides face upwards in the structure on which the lower blade is mounted and downwards in that car.rying the upper blade . The intermediate bodies rotate on roller gears inserted between said intermediate bodies and corresponding seats made on the central horizontal bar of the structure. Said intermediate bodies are rotated by a ratiomotor and a kinetic pair obtained from a pinion fixed to the shaft of the ratiomotor and crown gears fixed to said bodies. Movement of each translating structure on which the blades are mounted is obtained by two pairs of cranks. One pair of cranks acts on one side of the structure; the other pair acts on the other side of the same struc- ture . The cranks in each pair, front and rear in relation to the front plane of the machine, are connected one to ano¬ ther by gear wheels fixed to said cranks and to an inter¬ mediate idling gear wheel. Both axes of rotation of the two pairs of cranks, acting on each oscillating structure, lie on the same horizontal geometrical plane.

The pair of cranks on the lower translating structure are connected by gear wheels, one to another and to a longi ^¬ tudinal shaft which ensures their synchronized movement, said shaft being in turn connected to a ratiomotor.

The gear wheels fixed to the front cranks of the pairs on the lower translating structure respectively mesh with

those fixed to the front cranks of the pair on the upper translating structure. The gear wheels fixed to the rear cranks of the pair on the lower translating structure res¬ pectively mesh with those fixed to the rear cranks of the pair on the upper translating structure.

Rotation of the intermediate bodies on the upper and lower blades is synchronized by bars fixed to the two sides of said bo¬ dies, said bars being free to slide inside the guides made in the two sides of the other body. The cutting plane, where sheets or bands to be cut lie or translate is formed of a feeder having a set of oblong supporting devices, parallel and side by side, that slide axially controlled by kinematic devices synchronized with the structures that determine horizontal translation of the blades and with intermediate rotating bodies that cause rotation of said blades.

Said kinematic devices determine the relative axial move¬ ment of said oblong devices so that the edge of the cut- ting plane obtained, near the blades, lies parallel moment by moment with the blades when the cut is made.

The effect of this is to give support to the material for cutting close to the blades but without any interference with said blades. Each oblong supporting device consists of feeder bars at whose bladeward end is a pulley and at whose other end is an arm that supports a second pulley which is placed at a lower level than the first pulley.

At this latter end is a frame that supports a third pulley at a horizontal distance comprised between the first and second pulleys, then a fourth pulley at the same level as the first pulley but further back than the second pul¬ ley, and a fifth pulley at a lower level than that of the

fourth pulley fixed to the horizontal shaft of the ra¬ tiomotor common to all the devices.

A continuous band is placed round the first, third, fourth and fifth pulleys while said band surrounds the second pulley externally. In this way said bars can make free axial translations since a lengthening of that part of the band that surrounds the first pulley involves an equi¬ valent shortening of band that surrounds the second pulley. A feed mechanism determines axial translation of said bars in such a way that the first pulleys are aligned, moment by moment, at the level of the cutting plane, the blades following both horizontal and rotational translating movements . The feed mechanism comprises a rectilinear horizontal chan- nel-shaped guide open above and fixed to an orthogonal shaft freely turning in a horizontally sliding support. Freely lodged within this guide are pins fixed to the lower side of each of the above bars. From one moment to the next horizontal translation of said sliding support is made by the structure causing the blades to translate horizontally.

Rotation of the channel-shaped guide is obtained by rota¬ tion of the intermediate body fixed to one of the blades. Each feeder bar is therefore forced by the pins fixed to it, lodged in the channel-shaped guide, to follow movement of that portion of blade which is aligned with said bar. An unloading deivce, associated to the feeder, comprises an oblong plate fixed to an orthogonal shaft, or equiva¬ lent means, that rotates freely on the horizontally sli- ding support .

Rotation of said plate is determined by rotation of the intermediate body fixed to one of the blades.

A longitudinal edge of said plate is situated, a short distance from the blade, at the level of the cutting plane on the side opposite - in relation to the blade - to the feeder. Moment by moment, therefore, said plate remains parallel to and at a short distance from the blade and collects and holds the pieces cut off.

Synchronized translation speed of the two blades, espe¬ cially at the moment of cutting, rotation of the blades' intermediate bodies turning round a geometrical axis that lies orthogonally to the cutting plane, and the speed at which the sheets and band to be cut advance on the cutting plane, are regulated by pulses emitted by an electronic control unit . Said control unit can be programmed as required for cut¬ ting at a constant angle, a series of the same cuts or varied ones, for producing differently shaped pieces such as _^ rec angles , squares, rhomboids, trapezoids and others. The invention clearly offers many advantages. By manual controls or by using a program easily set in an electronic drive unit, a constant angle can be established on the cutting plane of the pair of blades for making a number of cuts at that angle or varying it as desired. Different regular or irregular polygonal shapes can thus be cut, such as rectangles, rhomboids, triangles, trape¬ zoids and many others.

The feeder device, feeding in bands laid side by side and parallel, whose ends are kept substantially in contact with the blades during the cut, following both their ho- rizontal translation and their rotation, and the unloading device with its rectangular plate on the side opposite the feeder, substantially in contact with the blades while

the cut is made, ensure a series of cuts at maximum speed, precision and safety, at whatever angle to the cutting plane the blades may be set.

All the above is obtained at high speed and great ac- curacy with cleanly sheared pieces, in runs either of the same shape or different shapes, with maximum flexi¬ bility and full compliance with varying needs. Characteris ics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following example of its exe- cution illustrated by diagrammat ically drawn figures.

Fig. 1 Front view of the shearing machine partially cut away on the vertical longitudinal plane of symme¬ try, with the blades open. Fig.2 Detail of the shearing machine cut through at the shafts of the front cranks (YY axis in Fig. 8).

Fig. 3 The machine seen from above cut through a horizon¬ tal plane at the point of the lower cranks. Fig. 4 The machine seen from above cut through a horizon- tal plane at the point of the upper cranks. Fig. 5 The view in Fig.3 with the two blades rotated clockwise . Fig. 6 The view in Fig. 3 with the two blades rotated anti-clockwise . Fig. 7 Lateral projection of a cross section of the shear- ing machine on the XX axis towards A (Fig. 1).

Fig. 8 The same as Fig. 7 towards B (Fig. 1). Fig. 9 The machine in Fig. 1 with blades closed. Figs. 10 to 13. Diagrams of blade movements. Fig.14 Cross section of the machine with continuous band feeder and unloader of material, in the position of parallel blades at the front of the machine. Fig.15 The machine from above cut at a horizontal plane above the lower blade.

Fig.16 Detail of the device for adjusting horizontal orientation of the unloader and feeder accord- ding to the angle assumed by the blades. Fig.17 Detail of the unloader. Fig.18 Detail of the feeder control unit.

Fig.19 Detail of the device for guiding horizontal axial movement of the tubular bars that sustain the feeder's continuous bands. Fig.20 Detail of the tubular bars that sustain the fee- der's continuous bands.

Fig.21 Detail of the device that determines horizontal axial movement of the feeder's tubular bars. Fig.22 The shearing machine in the projection in Fig.15 with the blades rotated anti-clockwise. Fig.23 The shearing machine as cut through in Fig. 14 with the blades rotated anti-clockwise. The shearing machine subject of the invention comprises a base 10 and uprights 11 and 12 with sides 13, 14 joined above by heads 15, 16. Low down, on bearings 30, said uprights support the pairs of shafts 31, 33 and 32, 34 respectively for the pairs of cranks 35, 37 and 36, 38 that determine alternating move¬ ment of the lower blade 20 by means of the structure 50 comprising the horizontal bar 51 and upward facing sides 52, 53.

Higher up, on bearings 60, said uprights 11, 12 support the pairs of shafts 61,63 and 62,64 respectively for the pairs of cranks 65, 67 and 66, 68 that determine alterna¬ ting movement of the upper blade 21 by means of the struc- ture 80 comprising the horizontal bar 81 and downward facing sides 82, 83.

Towards the rear, on bearings 90, the uprights support the shafts 91 and 92.

The small shaft 91 is joined by a coupling 100 to the drive unit 101 supported by the structure 102 and, by couplings 103 and 104 with the intermediate shaft 105, to the small shaft 92. Said shafts 91 and 92 are respectively connected, by pinions 95, 96 and gear wheels 97, 98, to the short shafts 31 and 32 on the cranks 35, 36.

Said gear wheels 97, 98 are connected to gear wheels 110, 111, fixed to the shafts 33, 34 respectively for cranks 37 and 38 by pinions 42 and 43 on the shafts 40, 41(Figs. 1 and 8) /supported ^' by bearings 77.

The rear-lower shafts 35 and 36 are connected to the rear- -upper cranks 65, 66 (Figs. I and 4) respectively by gear wheels 97, 98 and 112, 113. Said cranks 65, 66 are con- nected to front-upper cranks 67, 68 by the pinions 72, 73 on shafts 70, 71 supported by the bearings 78 and gear wheels 114, 115.

These latter mesh similarly with gear wheels 110, 111 on the lower-front cranks 37, 38. The lower blade 20 is fixed to the intermediate cylindri¬ cal body 24 supported by the structure 50 on roller gears 22, 23.

Said body 24 comprises the crown gear 25 with which meshes the pinion 26 fixed to the shaft of the ratiomotor 27 moun- ted low down on the structure 50.

The upper blade 21 is fixed to the intermediate cylindri¬ cal body 47 supported by the structure 80 on roller gears 45, 46. Said body 47 comprises the crown gear 48 on which meshes the pinion 49 fixed to the shaft of the ratiomotor 28 mounted higher up on the structure 80.

Laterally on the lower intermediate body 24 are pairs of supports 55 for the right-angled rollers 56, 57 which guide

the pairs of vertical rods 75, 76 fixed to the two dia¬ metral side of the upper intermediate body 47. As will be clear, on starting up the drive unit 101, the ratiomotors 27 for the lower blade 20j and 28 for the upper blade 21, the two blades 20 and 21 cyclically close and open for cutting metal bands and sheets at practically any angle in relation to the machine's plane of symmetry, making repeated cuts at the same angle or at angles sub¬ sequently set, as desired. Figures 10-13 show the pairs of cranks 36, 38 and 66, 68 operating on structures 50 and 80 which, by means of the intermediate bodies 24 and 27, control blades 20 and 21. The intermediate bodies can be made to rotate around the axis ZZ by means of pinions 26 and 25, fixed to the shafts of the ratiomotors, which act on the crown gears 25, 48 fixed to said intermediate bodies 24 and 4.7. In Fig. 10 the blades are parted.

In Fig. 11 the blades are approaching each other. In Fig. 12 the blades have come together. In Fig. 13 the blades are moving apart.

Here follows the description of an automatic feeding and unloading system which can with advantage be associated to the above shearing machine. The uprights 11 and 12 in the shearing machine are pro- vided with supports 130 to carry the cross bars 131 on which the pair of guides 132 are mounted. On these guides the quadrangular frame 140 can slide, said frame being formed by transversal 141 and longitu¬ dinal 142, 143 bars by means of sliding blocks 144 below. Roughly halfway along the longitudinal bars are placed the columns 150 and 151. The bracket 152 is mounted at the top of column 150 to

give support to the unloading means 160.

This bracket carries the roller gear 161 for free rota¬ tion of the ring 162 to which the horizontal arm 163 and upper rectangular plate 164 are fixed. In front of the shearing machine 9 the feeder 170 is situated to feed in bands and sheets for cutting. The bracket to support the operative unit 171 of said- feeder is mounted on the top of column 151. Said bracket carries the roller gear 172 for free rota- tion of the ring 173 to which the pin 174 is fixed.

Attached to said pin is the horizontal arm 175 and, above, the horizontal transversal U-shaped guide 176. Lower down on said uprights 150, 151 are supports 154, 155 for the free horizontal pins of the forks 156, 157 and for the pins in the rollers 158, 159 that make con¬ tact against the sides 50' and 50" of the structure 50 worked by the cranks 36, 38 and 35, 37.

Ver-tical movements of said structure do not affect the frame 140 since rollers 158 and 159 rotate freely. Horizontal movements of said structure 50, on the contrary, cause longitudinal movement of the frame 140 and of the structure itself and therefore cause longitudinal move¬ ment of the rectangular plate 164 of the unloader 160 and of the horizontal U-shaped guide 176 of the feeder 170. On one side 24' of the intermediate body 24 that carries the blade 20 is the small vertical bar 180 at whose upper end a coupling 181 is placed and, at the lower end, a coup¬ ling 182 connected by a strut 183 and by another strut 184 to the couplings 185 and 186 fixed at the ends of the arms 163 and 175 respec ively.

Therefore, rotation of the intermediate body 24 together with the upper intermediate body 47 that carries the blade 21

to create an angle on the horizontal geometrical planes of said blades 20 and 21, similarly determines rotation of the plate 164 of the unloader 160 and of the U-shaped guide 176 of the feeder. Said feeder comprises a bed 190 and a set of oblong sup¬ porting devices 120-125 comprising continuous parallel bands 191-196 placed side by side that form a horizontal geometrical plane. At the top of this bed is the front cross piece 200 fit- ted with brackets 210 for a set of six pulleys 243, and the rear cross piece 201 fitted with brackets 211 for a set of six pulleys 242.

The ratiomotor 228, placed at a lower level than that of the pulleys 243, has a transversal shaft that carries six pulleys 244 whose diameters are greater than those of the pulleys 242 and 243.

On the front edges of the lateral uprights 11 and 12 of the* shearing machine 9, aligned and horizontal transversal brackets 212 and 213 are placed to sustain the longitudi- nal parallel oblong shoulders 220 and 221.

Said shoulders support at the end that projects close to the blades 20 and 21, a cross bar 214 on supporting bars 215. On said bar 214 the supports 216 are fixed in the spaces between the bands 191-196. The supporting bars 215 and 216 carry a pair of lateral opposing projecting guides 222 on which bearings 225 can freely slide, a pair of bearings being mounted to the sides of each of six longitudinal jrubular bars 230, laid side by side and corresponding to the six continuous bands 191- 196.

Supports 217 are placed on the bed 190 to sustain the other ends of the shoulders 220, 221 and of the supporting bars 215, 216.

At the ends facing the shears the bars 230 exhibit a set of supports 231 for six idling pulleys 240, one beside the other, and at the front end a set of six arms 232 for six pulleys 241. In a substantially central position said bars 230ιexhibit on their lower sides, a set of six downward facing pins 235 with rollers 236 lodged in the U-shaped guide chan¬ nel 176 supported by the control unit 171. Said pins 235 are connected to the tubular bars 230 by the forks 237 that allow passage, on their inside 238 of the bands 191-196 (Fig. 21).

Therefore, when the transversal U-shaped guide 176 ro¬ tates in synchrony with the blades, said bars 230 lie flat with their rear ends aligned with the vertical geo- metrical plane of the blades whose clockwise and anti¬ clockwise angles they then follow.

Widths and centre distances of the set of pulleys 240-244 ar§ substantially equal. Pulleys 240, 242-244 are placed inside the bands 191-196. The pulleys 241 are placed externally to said bands.

In view of the above, the bands 191-196 permit axial move¬ ment of the tubular bars 230 supporting the pulleys 240, 241, to follow the angles made by the blades since the lengthening of an area of band that surrounds pulleys 240 is compensated for by a shortening of the area of bands that surround pulleys 241, this without variation in the pull exerted by said bands round the sets of pulleys 240-244. Therefore, when the ratiomotor is in motion the bands will run in conditions of constancy irrespective of the longi- tudinal positions of the pins 235 lodged within the U-shaped guides 176 as a consequence of translation of the structure 50 and therefore of the blades, and of the angular position

of said guide when, due to rotation of the intermediate bodies 24 and 2>7, the blades lie on horizontal planes. There is thus continuous feed of sheets and of bands to be cut right up to a short distance from the blades during their longitudinal movement and their angular movement .

Similarly, by means of the plate 164, which also follows the longitudinal and rotary movements of the blades, the cut pieces are guided and carried away for unload- ing at a short distance from said blades.