JPH0223465B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is applicable to hoses, tubes, belt-like fabrics,
The present invention relates to a folding method and device for folding flexible long objects such as ropes and electric cords into a zigzag pattern.

For example, when storing a fire hose in a fire hydrant, the two hoses 1a and 1b are connected with a coupling 2 as shown in Fig. 10 so that the hose can be quickly expanded while passing water during use. connection,
A nozzle 3 is connected to one end of the nozzle 3, and the nozzle 3 is folded in a zigzag manner, and the folded part is hung from a hose locking part 5 in a fire hydrant box 4 for storage.

Therefore, when supplying such a fire hose for a fire hydrant, it is preferable to supply the hose in a zigzag folded state so that it can be stored in the fire hydrant box 4 as it is. Therefore, in the final process of manufacturing this fire hose, a process for folding it in a zigzag manner to a predetermined width is required.

In addition, folding belts, tapes, ropes, electrical cords, etc. into small pieces and tying them together is also widely practiced.

Prior Art Conventionally, the work of folding long objects of this type has mostly been done manually. That is, while pulling out a long article in an appropriate form such as a coil, it is manually folded in a zigzag pattern to a predetermined width and tied up using an appropriate means.

It has also been considered to mechanize this work; for example, in the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 143796/1983, a long object on a workbench is alternately folded back and forth using a sliding rod that reciprocates from side to side. , the folded portions were successively pressed down with a presser while being folded.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the above-mentioned manual method, when the length of a long object to be folded becomes long or the folding width becomes large, it cannot be handled satisfactorily by one worker, and many workers are required to fold the object. This resulted in poor work efficiency and high costs.

Furthermore, although the method described in the above publication requires less manpower, it basically replaces what was previously done by humans with machine operations, so the work time is hardly shortened. However, it could not be said that the work efficiency was good.

The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for folding long objects extremely efficiently in a short period of time.

Means for Solving the ProblemsThe method of the present invention involves placing one end of a long object substantially straight on a flat table, and fixing one end of the long object to the table. A plurality of bending members are arranged at mutually staggered positions on both sides of the long object on the table, and the bending members are moved in directions past each other to bend the remaining part of the long object. After bending the long object in a zigzag pattern over its entire length while pulling the part onto the table, and removing the bending member from the bent portion, the long object in the zigzag shape is bent in the direction of movement of the bending member. It is characterized by compression in one direction at right angles to the other.

Further, the device of the present invention includes a table, a guide roller provided at one end of the table, and a clamp that is provided to be able to reciprocate on the table and fixedly supports an end of a long object. a lateral movement device; a group of rollers arranged on the table in two rows parallel to the movement direction of the lateral movement device and with the rows being offset; and a roller moving device that moves the rollers of each row in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the rollers so that they pass each other.

The apparatus of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings. 6
is a frame, in the middle of which is provided a stand 7, and on the side of the stand 7 is provided a turntable 8 on which a long object wound into a coil is placed. Further, the turntable 8 on the stand 7
A guide roller 9 is provided at the end near the guide roller 9, and a presser plate 11 is provided in the vicinity thereof, extending back and forth and having a notch 10 in the center thereof.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a lateral movement device, which has a plate-shaped part 13 provided so as to be able to reciprocate on the table 7 in the left-right direction in FIG. The slit 1
A clamp 15 is provided near 4. Furthermore, alignment tools 16 are provided at both ends of the plate-shaped portion 13 to protrude laterally.

Reference numerals 17 and 18 are an upper roller moving device and a lower roller moving device provided above and below the stand 7, respectively, and the frame 6
The bases 21 and 22 can be moved up and down by air cylinders 19 and 20 attached to the bases 21 and 22, respectively. Three air cylinders 23 and 24 are attached to the sides of the bases 21 and 22 of each roller moving device 17 and 18 facing the base 7, respectively.
Sliding members 25, 26 are at the tips of the bases 21, 2.
It is provided so as to be able to slide back and forth along rods 27 and 28 fixed to 2.

On the side of each sliding member 25, 26 facing the table 7, three to four rollers 29, 30, each acting as a bending member, are rotatably attached. Each roller 30 in the lower roller moving device 18 is fitted into a longitudinally long elongated hole 31 bored in the base 7, so that when the base 22 is raised, the rollers 30
0 protrudes from the upper surface of the stand 7 through the elongated hole 31, and the upper end of the roller 30 sinks into the elongated hole 31 when lowered.

In addition, the roller 2 of the upper roller moving device 17
9 and the roller 30 of the lower roller moving device 18
are arranged in a row at regular intervals, and the row of upper rollers 29 and the row of lower rollers 3
The 0 rows are arranged parallel to each other across the movement path of the slit 14 in the lateral movement device 12, and the rollers 29 and 30 are provided at different positions. Then, by operating the air cylinders 23 and 24, the sliding members 25 and 26 are moved between the rollers 29 and 30.
They are now moving in directions that pass each other.

Operation Figures 1 to 3 show the device of the present invention in its pre-operational state. That is, the lateral movement device 12 is located at the right end of the platform 7 in FIG. Each roller 3 of the moving device 18
0 is lowered and submerged from the surface of the table 7, and is located at the rear position, that is, at the upper position in FIG.

In this state, the long object A wound into a coil is placed on the turntable 8, one end of which is pulled out and passed between the guide rollers 9, and then the holding plate 1
1 notch 10 and slit 1 of lateral movement device 12
4 and fix its tip to the clamp 15.
This state is shown in FIG. In addition, 4th to 9th
The rollers 29 and 30 in the figure are rollers 29 and 30.
The state in which the roller 29 has moved upward and the roller 30 has moved upward is shown by a solid line, and the state in which the roller 29 has moved upward and the roller 30 has moved downward is shown by a broken line.

Next, the lateral movement device 12 is moved on the platform 7 to the left in FIG. As a result, the long object A is pulled out from the turntable 8, and as shown in FIG. It remains on table 8. In this state, when the air cylinders 19 and 20 are operated to lower the base 21 and raise the base 22, the rollers 29 and 30 sandwich the long object A and are arranged alternately on both sides thereof. This state is shown in FIG.

Next, the air cylinders 23 and 24 are operated to move the rollers 29 and 30 in the front and rear directions. That is, the air cylinder 23 is activated to draw the sliding member 25 backward and the roller 29 is moved upward in FIG. 3, and the air cylinder 24 is activated to push the sliding member 26 forward and the roller 30 is Move it downward in Figure 3.
At this time, all three air cylinders 23 and 24 are operated simultaneously, and all rollers 29 and 30 are operated simultaneously.
Although it is possible to move the air cylinders 23 and 24 at the same time, it is preferable to operate the air cylinders 23 and 24 in order starting from the left side in the figure, since this may cause too much load and damage the long object A.

First, when the left air cylinders 23 and 24 are activated, the rollers 2 are moved.
9 and 30 alternately pass each other with a space between them in the front and back, and while the long object A is being pulled out from the turntable 8 and being fed, a part of it is moved between the rollers 29 and 30 as shown in FIG. It is spanned in a zigzag pattern.

Next, when the central air cylinders 23, 24 and the right air cylinders 23, 24 are operated in order, all the long objects A are pulled out from the turntable 8 and spread over their entire length, as shown in FIG. It is then stretched between rollers 29 and 30 in a zigzag pattern.

In this state, when the air cylinders 19 and 20 are operated again and the roller 29 is pulled up and the roller 30 is lowered, the rollers 29 and 30 are removed from the bent part of the long object A, and the long object A is turned into a long object as shown in FIG. Object A is left on the table 7 in a zigzag-folded state.

At this time, the rollers 29 and 30 are slightly
By raising and lowering the long object A while moving it toward the center, it is possible to prevent the zigzag shape of the elongated object A from collapsing due to the movement of the rollers 29 and 30.

Then, when the lateral moving device 12 is moved to the right again, the long object A is pushed and moved to the right by the plate-shaped part 13 while the bending part of the long object A is adjusted by the alignment tool 16, as shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the zigzag-shaped elongated object A is compressed and folded between the plate-shaped portion 13 and the presser plate 11.

Next, when the clamp 15 is removed and the long object A is taken out, the long object A can be obtained in a correctly folded state, and can be tied or packed as necessary. Furthermore, the air cylinder 23 and the air cylinder 24 are operated to
When 9 and 30 are returned to their old positions, the state shown in FIG. 3 is restored and the next long object A can be folded.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to automate the folding work of a long object, which greatly reduces manpower, and it is also possible to fold a long object sequentially from one end, unlike conventional folding devices. Unlike other machines, the bending member (roller) meanderes the long object in a zigzag shape all at once, so the operating speed is fast and the work efficiency is extremely high.

Example In the previous example, the two groups of rollers 29 and 30 were moved from above and below the table 7, respectively.
This may be done by moving both groups of rollers 29 and 30 from the same direction, either above or below.

Further, each roller 29, 30 is attached separately to three air cylinders 23, 24, but each of these can be moved by one air cylinder, or each roller 29, 30 can be moved by one air cylinder.
9, 30 can also be attached to separate air cylinders 23, 24. However, as mentioned above, it is not preferable to move all the rollers at once, and in order to simplify the structure, it is preferable to drive about 3 to 4 rollers with one cylinder as shown in the drawings.

Furthermore, in the present invention, when the long object A is very long, a part of it is first folded according to the present invention, and the folded part is compressed to the left in FIG. By pulling it out onto the table 7, folding this part according to the present invention, and repeating this process, it is possible to fold even an extremely long object A and store it on the left side of the table 7.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 3 show a folding device for long objects according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a front view, and FIG.
The figure is a side view, and FIG. 3 is a plan view. 4 to 9 show the operating process of the device of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a front view showing a fire hose folded according to the present invention stored in a fire hydrant. A... Long object, 7... Stand, 9... Guide roller, 12... Lateral movement device, 15... Clamp, 1
7, 18... Roller moving device, 29, 30...
Roller (bending member).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. One end of a long object A is placed on a flat table 7 in a substantially straight line, and one end of the long object A is fixedly supported on the table 7. , a plurality of bending members 29 and 30 are arranged at mutually different positions on both sides of the long object A on the table 7, and the bending members 2
9 and 30 in directions passing each other, and while pulling the remaining part of the long object A onto the table 7, bend the long object A in a zigzag pattern over its entire length, and from the bent part, After removing the bending members 29 and 30, the zigzag long object A is folded into the bending member 2.
A method for folding a long object, characterized by compressing it in one direction at right angles to the direction of movement of items 9 and 30. 2 A table 7, a guide roller 9 provided at one end of the table 7, and a clamp 15 that is provided so as to be able to reciprocate on the table 7 and fixedly support the end of the long object A. A lateral movement device 12, a group of rollers 29 and 30 arranged in two rows on the table 7 parallel to the movement direction of the lateral movement device 12 and with the rows being offset, and a group of rollers 29 and 30. the rollers 29, 3 of each row in the vertical direction and in the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the lateral moving device 12.
A folding device for a long object, characterized in that it has roller moving devices 17 and 18 that move the objects so that they pass each other.