Sheet fed article forming system

• US 5,238,382 A
• Filed: 08/20/1991
• Issued: 08/24/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Highland Supply Corporation
• Original Assignee: Highland Supply Corporation
• Inventors: Weder, Donald E., Craig, Franklin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US07/747,778
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 264/40.2, 425/126.1, 425/145, 425/161, 425/149, 425/397, 425/400, 425/444, 425/387, 425/436 R, 425/387.1, 425/388, 425/150, 425/398, 271/94-96, 271/7
• US Class Current: 425/150
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 31/08 of preforms to be moulded, e.g. tablets, fibre reinforced preforms, extruded ribbons, tubes or profiles; Manipulating means specially adapted for feeding preforms, e.g. supports conveyors B29C31/066, B29C37/001, B29C43/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B31F 1/0077 Shaping by methods analogous to moulding, e.g. deep drawing techniques

Abstract

An article forming system for forming at least one sheet of material into an article, such as a decorative flower pot cover for example. The article forming system includes a male die and a female die. A sheet of material is automatically moved to a loaded position between the male and female dies and then the male and female dies are moved to a forming position for forming the article. The formed articles are automatically stacked.

Claims

1. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into an article, the apparatus comprising:

a frame having a support surface with opposite sides for supporting a sheet of material;

a male die secured to said frame;

a female die secured to said frame and having an upper end, a lower end, and an opening extending from the upper end toward the lower end thereof, the opening being shaped to receive a portion of said male die in a forming position;

means for moving the sheet of material from a loading position wherein the sheet of material is positioned to the side of said support surface, to a loaded position wherein the sheet of material is disposed upon said support surface over the opening of said female die and between said male die and said female die;

a sensor secured to said frame for producing a signal when the sheet of material is in the loaded position; and

means for moving at least one of said male die and said female die from a storage position wherein said male die is spaced a distance from the upper end of said female die, to the forming position wherein said male die is at least partially disposed in the opening of said female die, and from the forming position to the storage position, said die moving means moving at least one of said male die and said female die to the forming position in response to the signal from said sensor;

wherein said sheet moving means comprises;

a first continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent one side of said support surface to the loading position;

a second continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent the opposite side of said support surface to the loading position;

means for releasably holding at least one sheet of material against said first and second continuous belts; and

means for rotating said belts so that a sheet of material may be moved from the loading position to the loaded position; and

wherein said holding means comprises;

one or more first rails secured to said frame generally parallel to said first continuous belt and extending substantially the length of said first continuous belt;

one or more second rails secured to said frame generally parallel to said second continuous belt and extending substantially the length of said second continuous belt; and

means for moving said first rails against and away from said first belt and for moving said second rails against and away from said second belt.

2. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into an article, the apparatus comprising:

a frame having a support surface with opposite sides for supporting a sheet of material;

a male die secured to said frame;

a female die secured to said frame and having an upper end, a lower end, and an opening extending from the upper end toward the lower end thereof, the opening being shaped to receive a portion of said male die in a forming position;

means for moving the sheet of material from a loading position wherein the sheet of material is positioned to the side of said support surface, to a loaded position wherein the sheet of material is disposed upon said support surface over the opening of said female die;

a sensor secured to said frame for producing a signal when the sheet of material is in the loaded position; and

means for moving at least one of said male die and said female die from a storage position wherein said male die is spaced a distance from the upper end of said female die, to the forming position wherein said male die is at least partially disposed in the opening of said female die, and from the forming position to the storage position, said die moving means moving at least one of said male die and said female die to the forming position in response to the signal from said sensor;

wherein said sheet moving means comprises;

a first continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent one side of said support surface to the loading position;

a second continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent the opposite side of said support surface to the loading position;

means for releasably holding at least one sheet of material against said first and second continuous belts; and

means for rotating said belts so that a sheet of material may be moved from the loading position to the loaded position; and

wherein said holding means comprises;

one or more first continuous holding belts secured to said frame generally parallel to said first belt and extending substantially the length of said first belt;

one or more second continuous holding belts secured to said frame generally parallel to said second belt and extending substantially the length of said second belt; and

means for moving said first continuous holding belt against and away from said first belt and for moving said second continuous holding belt against and away from said second belts.

3. An apparatus for forming a sheet of material into an article, the apparatus comprising:

a frame having a support surface with opposite sides for supporting a sheet of material;

a male die secured to said frame;

a female die secured to said frame and having an upper end, a lower end, and an opening extending from the upper end toward the lower end thereof, the opening being shaped to receive a portion of said male die in a forming position;

means for moving the sheet of material from a loading position wherein the sheet of material is positioned to the side of said support surface, to a loaded position wherein the sheet of material is disposed upon said support surface over the opening of said female die;

a sensor secured to said frame for producing a signal when the sheet of material is in the loaded position; and

means for moving at least one of said male die and said female die from a storage position wherein said male die is spaced a distance from the upper end of said female die, to the forming position wherein said male die is at least partially disposed in the opening of said female die, and from the forming position to the storage position, said die moving means moving at least one of said male die and said female die to the forming position in response to the signal from said sensor;

wherein said sheet moving means comprises;

a first continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent one side of said support surface to the loading position;

a second continuous belt secured to said frame and extending from adjacent the opposite side of said support surface to the loading position;

means for releasably holding at least one sheet of material against said first and second continuous belts; and

means for rotating said belts so that a sheet of material may be moved from the loading position to the loaded position; and

wherein said holding means comprises;

one or more first rails secured to said frame generally parallel to said first continuous belt and extending substantially the length of said first continuous belt;

one or more second rails secured to said frame generally parallel to said second continuous belt and extending substantially the length of said second continuous belt; and

means for forcing air from said first rails toward said first belt and for forcing air from said second rails toward said second belt.