DESCRIPTION

[0001]The present invention relates to the field of machines for the automatic cutting of fabrics, in particular fabrics with printed rows, squares or panels, which, for the simultaneous cutting of several fabrics or overlapping fabric plies forming a lay, require a perfect alignment between the drawings of the various plies in order to obtain a high quality item.

[0002]In particular, the invention relates to a kit of brushes and needles for forming a carpet of brushes for such machines, to a cutting machine and to a method for locking a lay of plies on a carpet of brushes. [0003]EP 1331 070 A1 suggests a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics provided with a needle system suitable to allow a locking of the mutually aligned plies on a carpet of brushes. The needles are positioned below the carpet of brushes and are movable by a mechanical system between a raised position, in which they emerge from the carpet of brushes to lock the lay to be cut in place, and a lowered position, in which they remain below the carpet of brushes to allow the passage of the cutting blade between the bristles of the brushes. [0004]If, on the one hand, such a technical solution rather effectively resolves the problem of locking the plies by keeping them aligned with one another, on the other hand it has proven to be too rigid with regard to the position and number of needles. Indeed, in certain cases, the drawings of the plies, which are to be perfectly aligned with one another, are in areas of the carpet of brushes which are distant from the locking needles, for example between nearby needles. Although the plies are perfectly locked, and therefore aligned, misalignments between the plies could occur at and close to the needles, in the intermediate areas, which even if minimum, could affect the quality of the end product if there are graphic patterns in such intermediate areas. In these cases, it would be desirable to position the needles according to the position of the graphic patterns on the fabrics, but the connection of the needle grid to the mechanical movement system does not allow any flexibility in the positioning and number of the needles with respect to the carpet of brushes. [0005]It is the object of the present invention to obviate the above limitations of the machine for cutting fabrics according to the known art.

[0006]Such an object is achieved by a kit for obtaining a carpet of brushes on a table of a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics according to claim 1, by a brush according to claim 11, by a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics according to claim 17, and by a method for locking fabrics according to claim 20. The dependent claims describe preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0007]The features and advantages of the kit, brush, machine, and method according to the invention will in any case become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof, given only by way of a non-limiting, indicative example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0008]- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a kit for obtaining a carpet of brushes according to the invention; [0009]- Figure 2 is a top plan view of the kit in

Figure 1;

[0010]- Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the kit along line A-A in Figure 2;

[0011]- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics according to the invention, in which the table is partially covered by brushes;

[0012]Figure 4a is an enlarged view of the detail C circled in Figure 4; and [0013]- Figure 5 is a perspective view of the machine in Figure 4, with a lay of plies positioned on the carpet of brushes.

[0014]In said drawings, a kit for obtaining a carpet 3 of brushes on a table 2 of a machine 1 for the automatic cutting of fabrics 4 is indicated by numeral 100.

[0015]In a general embodiment, kit 100 comprises a plurality of brushes 10 and a plurality of fabric locking needles 22; 220.

[0016]The brushes 10 are shaped so as to be placeable side-by-side to form the carpet 3 of brushes. For example, the brushes 10 have a square or rectangular plan.

[0017]Each brush 10 comprises a base 12, a plurality of bristles 14 which extend from base 12 and which form, with their respective upper ends, a bristle plane (a) for supporting fabric plies 4 to be cut, and table coupling means 16 suitable to be connected to brush support elements 18 provided on the table 2 of machine 1.

[0018]A plurality of base holes 20 extending parallel to the bristles 14 and which are open at least at the upper end facing the bristles 14 is formed in base 12.

[0019]Each needle 22; 220 has a lower point 22a; 220a and an upper point 22b; 220b. The lower point 22a; 220a is suitable to be inserted with shape and/or force coupling into at least one portion of a base hole 20 so that the needle is rigidly supported by base 12. The upper point 22b; 220b protrudes vertically from the plurality of bristles 14 when needle 22; 220 is inserted into the brush so as to pierce a plurality of overlapping plies (referred to as a "lay" as a whole) positioned on the bristle plane. Rigidly supported needle means that the needle is capable of keeping its vertical position when it is engaged by the lay resting on the bristle plane. [0020]Therefore, once the carpet 3 of brushes is formed, the needles can be inserted into the carpet in desired numbers and positions, without any restrictions, for example according to the graphic patterns on the fabrics. [0021]In an embodiment, the bristles 14 and the base holes 20 alternate with one another and are uniformly distributed over the plane defined by the upper side of base 12 of the brush.

[0022]This allows the whole surface of the carpet of brushes to be taken advantage of. Moreover, the uniform distribution of holes and bristles facilitates obtaining the brushes by plastic material molding.

[0023]In an embodiment, each base hole 20 has an open upper portion 20', for example cylindrical in shape, and a lower portion 20" which forms a support surface for a locking needle inserted into the base hole 20. For example, the lower portion 20'' is conical in shape with a cross-section decreasing downwards.

[0024]In an embodiment, the lower point 22a; 220a of the needle is conical in shape to be suitable to obtain a shape and/or force coupling with the lower portion 20" of the base hole 20.

[0025]A solid, both axial and radial locking of the needles in the respective holes is obtained by virtue of the conical shape of the lower portion 20''.

[0026]According to one embodiment, base 12 comprises an upper plate 24 penetrated by the base holes 20 and a lower counter-plate 26 connected to the upper plate 24. Abutment means 20'' engageable by the lower point 22a; 220a of the needle are obtained in the lower counter ^¬ plate 26. [0027]For example, the lower portion 20" of each base hole

20 is obtained in the lower counter-plate 26 and forms the abutment means 20".

[0028]In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate 26 is removably connected to the upper plate 24, for example by means of interlocking coupling.

[0029]In an embodiment, the table coupling means 16 are obtained in the upper plate 24 and protrude at the bottom beyond the lower counter-plate 26.

[0030]For example, the table coupling means 16 comprise a pair of arms 16' suitable to elastically engage a track 18' obtained in the brush support means 18.

[0031]In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate 26 is provided with reference means 28, for example in the shape of a peg vertically extending from the lower counter-plate 26, suitable to allow an alignment of the portion of the base holes 20 which penetrates the upper plate 24, for example the cylindrical upper portion 20', with the abutment means 20'', for example the conical lower portion. [0032]In an embodiment, at least some (220) of the needles

20; 220 for locking the fabric comprise a needle holder

230 with a small plate 232 suitable to rest on the bristle plane and a shank 234 which extends below the small plate 232 and which is suitable to be inserted between the bristles 14. An upper needle part 220b suitable to pierce the plurality of overlapping plies is inserted into the small plate 232; a lower needle part 220a suitable to engage at least one portion of a respective base hole 20 with shape and/or force coupling, for example both the cylindrical upper portion 20' and the conical lower portion 20'', is inserted into shank 234.

[0033]The above-described shape of needle 220 with support 230 contributes to further providing the vertical rigidity required to correctly process the fabrics resting on the carpet of brushes.

[0034]The needles can be made of steel, iron, or similar materials, of plastic materials and/or various types of resins. The needles can be shaped with different lengths and diameters, according to the requirements.

[0035]The present invention also relates to a brush 10 suitable to obtain a carpet 3 of brushes on a table 2 of a machine 1 for the automatic cutting of fabrics 4.

[0036]Brush 10 comprises a base 12, a plurality of bristles 14 which extend from base 12 and which form, with the respective upper ends thereof, a bristle plane

(a) for supporting fabric plies to be cut, and table coupling means 16 suitable to be connected to brush support elements 18 provided on the table 2 of machine 1. [0037]A plurality of base holes 20 is also obtained in base 12, extending parallel to the bristles 14 and being open at least at the upper end facing the bristles so as to be suitable to receive a lower portion of locking needles of the plies inserted from the top into the base holes 20.

[0038]In an embodiment, the bristles 14 and the base holes 20 alternate with one another and are uniformly distributed over the plane defined by the upper side of base 12 of the brush. [0039]In an embodiment, each base hole 20 has an open upper portion 20', for example cylindrical in shape, and a lower portion 20" which forms a support surface for a locking needle inserted into the base hole 20. For example, the lower portion 20'' is conical in shape with a cross-section decreasing downwards.

[0040]In an embodiment, base 12 comprises an upper plate 24 penetrated by the upper portion 20' of base holes 20 and a lower counter-plate 26 removably connected to the upper plate 24. The lower portion 20" of each base hole 20 is obtained in the lower counter-plate 26.

[0041]In an embodiment, the table coupling means 16, for example comprising a pair of arms 16' suitable to elastically engage a track 18' obtained in the brush support elements 18, are obtained in the upper plate 24 and protrude at the bottom beyond the lower counter-plate 26.

[0042]In an embodiment, the lower counter-plate 26 is provided with reference means 28, for example in the shape of a peg, suitable to allow an alignment between the upper portion 20' of the base holes 20 and the lower portion 20" of the base holes 20.

[0043]The present invention also relates to a machine 1 for the automatic cutting of fabrics. Machine 1 comprises a table 2 and a cutting head 5 movable above the table, for example by an electric axis system 50. Table 2 is covered by a carpet 3 of brushes, consisting of a plurality of brushes 10 placed side-by-side as described above.

[0044]The cutting head 5 is provided with a cutting blade suitable to pass through the bristles 14 of the brushes to simultaneously cut plies of the lay resting on the bristle plane.

[0045]In an embodiment, table 2 is provided with brush support crossbars 18 to which the brushes 10 are connected by means of the table coupling means 16.

[0046]In an embodiment, machine 1 comprises, below table 2, suction means 7 facing the carpet 6 of brushes and suitable to hold a lay 4 of fabrics stacked against the bristle plane a. [0047]The present invention also relates to a method for locking a lay 4 of fabrics on a carpet 3 of brushes of a machine for the automatic cutting of fabrics as described above.

[0048]The method comprises the steps of: [0049]- positioning the lay 4 of fabrics on the brush plane;

[0050]- inserting a plurality of locking needles into the brushes, passing through the lay of fabrics at desired points in the lay; [0051]- activating means for locking the lay of fabrics to the carpet of brushes;

[0052]- removing the locking needles.

[0053]In an embodiment, the locking means consist of suction means 7 placed below the table and suitable to suck the lay of fabrics against the bristle plane.

[0054]Those skilled in the art may make changes and adaptations to the embodiments of the kit, brush, machine and method according to the invention or can replace elements with others which are functionally equivalent in order to meet contingent needs without departing from the scope of the following claims. Each of the features described above as belonging to a possible embodiment can be implemented irrespective of the other described embodiments.