The machine according to the present invention may be advantageously employed in industrial processes involved in the production of discoidally shaped tools, the type that can be mounted on fixed or portable motorised equipment (electrotools) for cutting of materials such as glass, wood, bricks in general, ceramics, granite and reinforced concrete.

Background of the invention As known, the above mentioned tools are generally constituted by a core of metal plate having a substantially discoidal and flat configuration, peripherally provided with a cutting edge which can be obtained by mechanical workings or depositing abrasive materials that are welded or joined by means, for example, of sinterisation or electroplating processes.

In order to achieve a sufficient working precision, these tools must exhibit such planarity deviation errors that they fall within the allowed tolerance limits. It often occurs though that the different manufacturing phases of these tools entail the occurrence of stresses and strains within the discoidally shaped structure that lead to deviations from planarity that go beyond such tolerance limits.

These deviations are mostly present in correspondence with the outer peripheral

edge of the disks where the deviations attain the maximum value.

Currently, in accordance with the prior art, planarity errors, which effect these tools, are corrected by means of a simple manual hammering of the discoidally shaped surface.

Such an operation is difficult to carry out and it requires an operator with great skills as the surface of the tools must be hammered with the greatest care in order to attain extremely precise results.

The above operation is furthermore rather expensive, cumbersome and not always capable of achieving a satisfactory qualitative standard, as it cannot be repeated and as already mentioned, its outcomes exclusively depend on the skills of the operator.

These manual operations carried out to flatten the tools surfaces obviously require rather long labour times, and these negatively affect the yield and efficiency of the whole production process.

Summary of the invention A primary object of the present invention is therefore to overcome all inconveniences and drawbacks of the above mentioned manual technique by proposing a machine that makes it possible to carry out the correction the planarity errors discoidally shaped tools are affected by in an automatic fashion, in a short time and ensuring a high and constant qualitative standard.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a machine that is simple from the structural point of view, and totally reliable in operation.

The above and other objects are achieved by the machine for correcting planarity errors of discoidally shaped tools according to the present invention which is characterised in that it comprises a support structure lying on the ground, means for holding at least one discoidally shaped tool, said holding means being movably engageable on one central portion of said tools and being supported by a carriage slidingly mounted on the support structure, first movement means operatively associated with the carriage to move it together with the discoidally shaped tool along a translation direction, second movement means acting on the discoidally shaped tool to rotate it about its central symmetry axis, detection means operatively acting on an upper and/or lower surface of the discoidally shaped tool, to detect any deviations from planarity affecting its surface, pressing means mounted onto the supporting structure and operatively acting on at least one upper and lower surface of the discoidally shaped tool, a logic control unit which is operatively connected with the detection means and that is adapted to control the movement of the discoidally shaped tool by means of said first and second movement means and for subsequently actuating the pressing means according to predetermined operative sequences over different portions of the surface of the discoidally shaped tool in order to make it planar.

By means of the machine according to the present invention, the times and costs involved in the correction of planarity errors affecting discoidally shaped tools are remarkably reduced.

Moreover such a machine is constructively simple while fully reliable from the operational point of view.

Brief Description of the drawings The technical features of the present invention according to its specific objects

and aims are clearly falling within the scope of the annexed claims and will become more apparent from the detailed description that follows, with reference to the attached tables of drawings, that show an exemplary but not limiting embodiment thereof, where: Fig. 1 illustrates a first schematic side view of the machine according to the present invention, showing the cross section of some of its parts and with some of its parts removed in order to better highlight its structure; Fig. 2 illustrates a second schematic side view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic front view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Detailed Description of a preferred form of Embodiment With reference to the attached drawings, the machine for the correction of planarity errors according to the present invention is generally indicated with the reference numeral 1 and the discoidally shaped tool subjected to correction of planarity errors affecting ir is generally indicated with the reference numeral 2.

Tool 2 that may be for example employed in cutting machines, traditionally comprises a metal plate core having a discoidally shaped configuration with a peripheral cutting edge and a central hub provided with an axial hole suitable for fixing the tool to the mandrel of a cutting machine.

The above cutting edge can be either obtained by sharpening a peripheral crown of the disk core or by applying abrasive means that are peripherally welded onto the core or joined to it by sintering or electroplating processes.

As it is known, at the end of the production process, such discoidally shaped tools 2 often exhibit deviations from planarity that result to be more enhanced in

correspondence of their outermost peripheral edge.

In this regard, it is observed that planarity error can frequently assume different values in correspondence of such outermost periphery whereas it generally decreases along a radial direction towards the hub.

Therefore, in order to meet the allowed planarity tolerance, it will be sufficient to carry out corrections that bring the deviations detected along the outer peripheral edge within allowed values, because all other portions of the tool core may be affected by even smaller deviations.

Machine 1 is provided with a supporting structure 3 lying on the ground, comprising a plurality of legs 4 that extend from an upper supporting plate 5.

Above the supporting plate 5 holding means 6 are mounted which engage onto the hub of the discoidally shaped tool, to secure it in a substantially horizontal position. Advantageously, holding means 6, which will be better described hereinafter, ensure that the discoidally shaped tool is affected by deviations from the horizontal position that fall within very narrow tolerance limits, for example comprised in the 2 hundredths of a millimetre.

As shown in the attached drawings, holding means 6 are supported by a carriage 7, which is in turn slidingly mounted onto support structure 3.

More particularly, discoidally shaped tool 2 is capable of being moved over the whole plane on which it lies by actuation of first movement means 8 which are operatively associated with carriage 7 in order to move it, together with the discoidally shaped tool 2, along a translation direction X that is substantially parallel to the plate of the tool, and by actuation of second movement means 9 which provide rotation of the discoidally shaped tool 2 about its central axis Z.

Detection means 10 are further provided on the above carriage 7, which detection means being operatively actuated over the lower surface of the discoidally shaped tool 2, so as to detect any deviations from planarity.

Pressing means 11 are fixed above supporting plate 5, which pressing means are in turn functionally actuatable over the upper surface of the discoidally shaped tool 2 in order to correct the planarity errors.

According to the invention, a logic control unit 12 is further provided which preferably comprises a PLC or of an industrial computer that is suitable for controlling the manufacturing process of the discoidally shaped tool.

This basic unit is thus capable of controlling the detection means 10, the actuation of the discoidally shaped tool 2 by means of first and second movement means 8,9 and consequently the actuation of pressing means 11 over different portions of the discoidally shaped tool according to predetermined operative sequences, in such a manner to render it planar.

A suitable operative program can be installed onto the logic control unit 12. Said operative program is suitable to process deviations from planarity detected by detection means 10, and to consequently define a sequence of compression steps to be carried out over the surface of tool 2, which sequence being carried out by the pressing means 11. In order to allow pressing means 11 to operate over a sequence of portions of the surface of tool 2, that obviously correspond with a sequence of positions held by the tool itself 2 with respect to pressing means 11, the operative program installed into the logic control unit 12 controls the movements of tool 2 itself by means of the controlled operation of respectively first 8 and second 9 movement means.

More in detail, carriage 7 can be moved between a first operative position, drawn in dotted line and indicated with the reference numeral 13, where the discoidally shaped tool 2 is rigidly secured by holding means 6, and a second operative position 14, where the discoidally shaped tool 2 is subjected to the tension exerted by pressing means 11.

Advantageously, detection means 10 are integrally fitted onto carriage 7 and are actuated by logic control unit 12 when the carriage itself is located in said first operative position 13.

First movement means 8 for the motion of carriage 7 along translation direction X may be provided by a first motor 15 whose rotating shaft is connected to an advancement screw 16 by means of a first self-centering joint 17. A support joint 18 is mounted coaxially with respect to screw 16 and is rigidly connected to carriage 7 by means of a stirrup 19 in such a way that carriage 7 is caused to advance along translation direction X together with tool 2 following the actuation of the first motor 15 and the subsequent rotation of screw 16.

Upon translation motion on supporting plate 5 of the supporting structure 3 of machine 1 along X direction, carriage 7 is guided by at least one guide 20 supported at its ends by two columns 21.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above mentioned holding means 6 comprise at least one mandrel 22 provided with an idle flange 23 that is mechanically connected to a first actuator 24 and with a driving flange 25 that is mechanically connected to the second movement means 9.

More in detail, flanges 23 and 25 are subject to the action of first actuator 24 to pressure engage tool holding it in a perfectly horizontal position. Upper flange 23

is idle in order to allow the driving lower flange to bring into rotation mandrel 22 and consequently tool 2 about its vertical axis Z.

In order to allow tool 2 to be positioned when carriage 7 is in its first operative position 13 idle flange 23 is reciprocated by first actuator 24 (preferably consisting of an automatic piston) between an upper position (not shown) where idle flange 23 is disengaged from discoidally shaped tool 2, and a lower position (illustrated in Figs. 1,2 and 3) where idle flange 23 exerts a compression action onto the hub of the discoidally shaped tool 2.

In turn, second movement means 9 comprise a second motor 26, which is connected to driving flange 25 by means of transmission means 27 including a second self-aligning joint 28 and by means of a transmission shaft 29 supported in its vertical position by two pairs of bearings 30. Advantageously, both motors 15 and 26 are of brushless type which are capable of featuring a very high control of the movements of tool 2.

The mechanical connection between holding means 6 and carriage 7 is accomplished by means of a substantially C-shaped first support body 31.

Detection means 10 may advantageously comprise a linear transducer 32 which is capable of emitting a signal, for example a current signal of different intensity according to the extent of the measured deviation. Such a signal is transmitted to the logic control unit 12, for example consisting of an industrial PLC, by means of a suitable electric cable not illustrated in the drawings.

To this end, when carriage 7 is located in its first operative position 13, linear transducer 32 can be operatively brought into contact with its outer peripheral edge by means of a second actuator 33 supported by the surface of discoidally shaped tool 2. In such a way, upon rotation of tool 2 imparted by second movement means 9 a signal indicating the extent of the deviation from planarity

of the discoidally shaped tool as a function of its angular position is emitted.

In accordance with the embodiment shown in the attached drawings, linear transducer 32 acts on the lower surface of tool 2 and to that purpose it is vertically moved by second actuator 33, which preferably consists of a pneumatic piston. In this regards, it is observed that the correct operation of linear transducer 32 is ensured only if this latter is kept in contact and in sliding relationship with the lower surface of the discoidally shaped tool. Thus, an elastic element is associated with linear transducer 32, to keep this latter in contact with tool 2 whilst exerting a certain pressure thereon.

As the maximum deviation of tool 2 from planarity is detected in correspondence of the outer periphery thereof, during the detection step the linear transducer 32 is advantageously positioned in correspondence of the peripheral edge 34 of discoidally shaped tool 2.

Machine 1 according to the present invention is suitable to be employed for correcting planarity errors of discoidally shaped tools 2 having a very wide range of sizes and specifically designed according to the required applications. Thus, such machine can be for example employed both for tools 2 whose size is the largest available on the market, with a diameter up to 600 mm and thicknesses up to 5 mm, and for tools 2 having the smallest possible sizes available on the market, which means diameters up to 140 mm and thicknesses up to 1 mm.

To this aim, flanges 23,25 may be provided with various sizes according to the different sizes of the hubs of tools 2, and with reference to Fig. 1, in particular a third actuator 35 may be provided in order to allow the motion of linear transducer 32 along a radial direction of tool 2, similarly enabling its positioning in correspondence of its outermost peripheral edge even upon variation of the dimensions thereof.

In order to accomplish a controlled movement of the linear transducer 32 by means of the third actuator 35, this latter being similarly and advantageously constituted by a pneumatic piston, a linear potentiometer 36 may be provided, said linear potentiometer being suitable for defining the position held by transducer 32 with respect to the tool 2.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings, the above mentioned pressing means 11 comprise an arm 37 that can be actuatable along a vertical compression direction R, by a fourth actuator 38 between a lower position, wherein arm 37 pressure engages a portion of the discoidally shaped tool 2, and an upper position wherein arm 37 is disengaged from discoidally shaped tool 2.

At the lower end of arm 37 there is provided a pushing rod 39 having an end portion not shown in the drawings of a material with enhanced hardness and coated with a steel liner.

The compression force to be exerted on the upper surface of tool 2 may reach several tens of thousands of N, for example advantageously ranging between 1x105 and 2x105, according to the size of tool 2, deviation from planarity and exact location of the portion of tool 2 to be pressed. Such a force can be for example obtained by means of an hydraulic-pneumatic cylinder provided with an air-oil multiplication chamber.

Pressing means 11 can be rigidly fitted onto supporting structure 3 of machine 1 by means of a second substantially C-shaped support body 40.

Attention is drawn to the fact that according to the above described embodiment, the pressing action is exerted by means 11 only on the upper

surface of tool 2. However, simple constructive modifications would result in pressing means capable to operate even or exclusively onto the lower surface of tool 2.

Similarly detection of the deviations from planarity as described in the above example and carried out on the lower surface of tool 2 may be even or exclusively carried out on the upper surface of tool 2, without falling outside the scope of the present invention.

In use, machine 1 described as above from a mainly structural point of view operates under control of the logic control unit 12 as outlined below.

Firstly, machine 1 is arranged in its first operative position 13 by means of first movement means 8. In such a position a protection panel mounted onto machine 1 and not shown in the attached drawings, is initially provided to allow an operator or automatic loading means to place tool 2 on lower driving flange 25 of mandrel 22.

Subsequently, a first actuator 24 is then actuated to hold tool 2 in a perfectly horizontal position. At this point, logic unit 12 controls the start-up of a detection step of any deviation of tool 2 from planarity by the actuation of linear transducer 32, which is controllingly moved (also on account of linear potentiometer 36) by second and third actuators 33,35 and is located along the peripheral edge 34 of tool 2.

In such a way, when tool 2 is brought into rotation by the second movement means 9, a full detection of the deviations from planarity affecting it along its outer peripheral edge takes place.

Once said detection step has been carried out, logic control unit 12 elaborates

the information relating to the deviations of the tool from planarity and determine a sequence of portions of the tools 2 to be controllably compressed by pressing means 11.

For that purpose, logic control unit 12 subsequently brings the discoidally shaped tool 2 into locations suitable for allowing compression by means of arm 37 of the surface portions of tool 2, which have been determined in the previous detection step. Thus, logic control unit 12 provides movements of tool 2 on its lying plane by means of the actuation of first movement means 8 and of second movement means 9.

The actuation of first movement means 8 also initially allows to bring carriage 7 to its second operative position 14.

Once the pressing sequence of the selected portions on the surface of tool 2 has been completed, at least another step for the detection of the planarity of tool 2 is envisaged, this step being preceded by return of carriage 7 to its first operative position 13.

If during this step tool 2 satisfies the planarity tolerances or if the maximum amount of operating cycles has been carried out (analyses and corrections), then the (manual or automatic) tool 2 will be removed from mandrel 22 that is opened for that purpose immediately after that carriage 7 returns to its first operative position 13.

Otherwise a further working step (correction and analysis) is carried out up to when the planarity requirements initially set are met and therefore up to when the tool is (manually or automatically) removed.

The present invention conceived as herein detailed accomplishes the aims set

for it.

Obviously, in practice the present invention may have forms and conformations that are different from that detailed above without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, all details may be substituted with technically equivalent elements and the machine according to the present invention can be of any size, shape, form and made of any material according to the requirements set by the specific needs to be fulfilled.