TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a machine for machining components made of wood or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

In the field of machining components made of wood or the like, it is known to provide a machine of the type comprising an elongated base provided with two long guide members parallel to a first horizontal direction, a bridge-crane provided with at least one working head and mobile along the base in the first direction, a plurality of crosspieces fitted between the long guide members and mobile along said long guide members in the first direction, and at least one locking device fitted on each crosspiece so as to lock at least one component to be machined and slidingly coupled to said crosspiece so as to perform rectilinear movements in a second direction which is horizontal and transverse to the first direction.

Generally, the locking devices are moved along the relative crosspieces either manually or by means of relative actuating devices. When the locking devices are moved manually, the position of each locking device along the relative crosspiece is controlled by the operating personnel with reference, for example, to a metric scale fitted along the same crosspiece parallel to the second direction.

When the locking devices are moved automatically, the position of each locking device along the relative crosspiece is controlled by means of a relative position sensor .

Known machines for machining components made of wood or the like of the type described above have several drawbacks mainly deriving from the fact that the manual positioning of the locking devices is relatively inaccurate inasmuch as it is exposed to the risk of possible errors by the operating personnel, while the automatic positioning of the locking devices, although accurate and tried and tested, leads to the presence of a relatively high number of electrical wires and therefore, the problems connected to the dimensions and handling of said electrical wires.

Known machines for machining components made of wood or the like of the type described above also have a further drawback, constituted by the fact that the inaccuracy of the manual positioning of the locking devices can lead to a collision between the locking devices and the machining tools and, consequently, the launching of metal fragments which can compromise the safety of the operating personnel.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine for machining components made of wood or the like which is free from the above-described drawbacks and which is simple and cost-effective to be implemented .

According to the present invention, a machine for machining components made of wood or the like is provided as claimed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the machine for machining components made of wood or the like according to the present invention;

figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a detail of the machine in figure 1; figure 3 is a diagrammatic lateral view, with parts removed for clarity, of a first detail of figure 2;

figure 4 is a diagrammatic lateral view, with parts removed for clarity, of a second detail of figure 2;

figure 5 is a diagrammatic lateral view, in enlarged scale, of a detail of figures 3 and 4.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1, numeral 1 indicates as a whole a machine for machining components 2 made of wood or the like, comprising an elongated base 3, which extends in a horizontal direction 4, is substantially U- shaped, and has two lateral, long guiding members 5 parallel to direction 4 itself.

The machine 1 further comprises a bridge-crane 6 comprising, in turn, a vertical upright 7, which is coupled in a known manner to base 3 so as to perform, along the base 3 itself and under the bias of a known actuating device (not shown) , rectilinear movements in direction 4, and carries a crosspiece 8 connected to a free end thereof, which extends over base 3 in a direction 9 which is horizontal and transverse to direction 4, and supports a working head 10 of the known type, which is coupled in a known way to crosspiece 8 in order to perform, along said crosspiece 8, rectilinear movements in direction 9.

Machine 1 is further provided with a plurality of crosspieces 11, which will be referred to as "work surfaces" below, which extend between the long members 5 in direction 9, each comprising a respective metal profile obtained by means of extrusion, and are slidingly coupled to the long members 5 so as to be moved, either manually or by means of a known actuating device (not shown) , along the long members 5 in direction 4.

The work surfaces 11 support a plurality of locking devices 12 of the known type, the arrangement of which on the relative work surfaces 11 substantially depends on the dimensions of the components 2 to be machined and the machining operations to be carried out on said components 2.

According to what is shown in figure 2, each device 12 comprises a slide 13 which is coupled in a known manner to the relative work surface 11 so as to be moved, either manually or under the bias of a known a tuati ng device (not shown) , along said work surface 11 in direction 9, and a interchangeable locking member, which is releasably coupled to slide 13 so as to lock at least one component 2 to be machined, and is defined, in this case, by a supporting plate 14 connected to a known pneumatic suction device (not shown) or by a clamping vice 15.

With reference to figures 2, 3, and 5, machine 1 further comprises a detecting device 16 for detecting the position of work surfaces 11 in direction 4.

Device 16 comprises an elongated support element 17, which is housed within a containment channel 3a fitted to base 3 parallel to direction 4, is made of conductor material, and is connected to an electronic control unit 18 for controlling machine 1; and a plurality of magnetic field detectors 19, which are fitted in sequence in direction 4 on an upper face of support element 17, are distributed along support element 17 with a substantially constant distribution pitch, are also made of conductor material, and are each defined, for example, by a respective Hall probe or a respective magnetoresistive sensor.

Device 16 further comprises, for each work surface 11, a respective permanent magnet 20 fitted to work surface 11 in a position facing support element 17 and, therefore, the detectors 19 so as to generate a magnetic field interacting with said detectors 19.

In use, the detectors 19 are sensitive to, and interact with, the magnetic field generated by each magnet 20 according to the position of said magnet 20 in direction 4, allow the magnetic flow density values to be measured, and enable control unit 18 to determine the position of the relative work surface 11 along base 3 in direction 4 according to the readings of said detectors 19.

When the work surfaces 11 are automatically moved along base 3, the cited actuating device (not shown) for actuating the work surfaces 11 is connected to control unit 18 so as to move each work surface 11 in direction 4 in response to a signal coming from the detectors 19.

Machine 1 is further provided with a signalling device (not shown) for signalling the correct positioning of the work surfaces 11 in direction 4. The signalling device (not shown) comprises, for each work surface 11, a respective luminous indicator, for example a LED, connected to control unit 18 so as to generate a light signal when the position of the work surface 11 detected by device 16 corresponds with a reference value stored in control unit 18.

According to what is shown in figures 2, 4, and 5, machine 1 further comprises, for each work surface 11, a respective detecting device 21 for detecting the position of the relative devices 12 in direction 9.

Each device 21 comprises an elongated support element 22, which extends in direction 9, is fitted, in this case, within a housing 23 obtained in the relative work surface 11, is made of conductor material, and is connected to control unit 18; and a plurality of magnetic field detectors 24, which are fitted in sequence in direction 9 on an upper face of support element 22, are distributed along support element 22 with a substantially constant distribution pitch, are also made of conductor material, and are each defined, for example, by a respective Hall probe or a respective magnetoresistive sensor.

Device 21 further comprises, for each device 12, a respective permanent magnet 25 fitted to the relevant slide 13 in a position facing support element 22 and, therefore, the detectors 24 so as to generate a magnetic field interacting with the detectors 24 themselves.

In use, the detectors 24 are sensitive to, and interact selectively with the magnetic field generated by each magnet 25 according to the position of said magnet 25 in direction 9, allow the magnetic flow density values to be measured, and enable control unit 18 to determine the position of the relative device 12 along work surface 11 in direction 9 according to the readings of said detectors 24.

When the devices 12 are automatically moved along the relative work surfaces 11, the cited actuating devices (not shown) for actuating the devices 12 are connected to control unit 18 so as to move each device 12 in direction 9 in response to a signal coming from the detectors 24 of the relative device 21.

With reference to figure 2, each work surface 11 is further provided with a signalling device 26 for signalling the correct positioning of the relative devices 12 in direction 9. Device 26 comprises, for each device 12, a respective luminous indicator 27, for example a LED, connected to control unit 18 so as to generate a light signal when the position of device 12 detected by device 21 corresponds with a reference value stored in said control unit 18.

Machine 1 has several advantages mainly deriving from the fact that the detecting device 16 and the detecting devices 21 guarantee extremely precise positioning of the work surfaces 11 and the locking devices 12, respectively.

The total absence of contact between the detectors 19 and the magnets 20 and between the detectors 24 and the magnets 25 prevents the wear of, and mechanical vibrations between the parts in relative movement to each other and guarantees high precision and repeatability of the measurements carried out by the devices 16 and 21.

Furthermore, the housing of support element 17 within channel 3a and of the support elements 22 within the relative housings 23 allows the protection of support elements 17 and 22 and, therefore, detectors 19 and 24 from machining shavings and/or waste.

Finally, machine 1 has the further advantage constituted by the fact that the signals coming from the devices 16, 21 can be used by the control unit 18 to selectively control the operation of said machine 1, i.e. the actuating of bridge-crane 6, working head 10, and the tools (not shown) assembled on said working head 10. In particular, when the signal coming from at least one of the devices 16, 21 does not correspond with the reference value stored in control unit 18, machine 1 is disabled and the anomaly is signalled by means of an alarm signal.