Equipment for surface processing of plate-shaped elements

Abstract

Equipment (300) for the surface sanding of plate-shaped bodies (101), in particular of tiles, said equipment (300) comprising support and feeding means (100) for supporting said plate-shaped bodies (101) and feeding said plate-shaped bodies (101) along a given feed direction (D), so that during the movement along said given direction (D) the surface of each said plate-shaped body (101) that shall be sanded can be visible and accessed, said equipment (300) including a sanding module (200) provided with sanding means defining a sanding abrasive surface and with moving means for moving said abrasive surface in contact with the visible surface of said plate-shaped bodies (101) in succession during the movement thereof; wherein said sanding means comprise a closed belt (201) that defines said sanding abrasive surface and is suitable to be driven into rotation by means of said moving means.

1 . Equipment ( 300 ) for the surface sanding of plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ), in particular of tiles, said equipment ( 300 ) comprising support and feeding means ( 100 ) for supporting said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ) and feeding said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ) along a given feed direction (D), so that during the movement along said given direction the surface of each said plate-shaped body ( 101 ) that shall be sanded can be visible and accessed, said equipment ( 300 ) including a sanding module ( 200 ) provided with sanding means ( 201 ) defining a sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′) and with moving means ( 202 ) for moving said abrasive surface in contact with the visible surface of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ) in succession during the movement thereof along said given feed direction (D); wherein said sanding means comprise a closed belt ( 201 ) that develops along a path comprising at least one rectilinear portion that defines said sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′) and is suitable to be driven into rotation by means of said moving means ( 202 ), characterized by comprising adjusting means ( 215 ) for regulating the contact pressure of said sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′) against said visible and accessible surface of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ), and in that said adjusting means ( 215 ) comprise a plurality of pressing elements ( 216 ) arranged in succession along said rectilinear portion of said belt ( 201 ), each of said pressing elements being carried movable transversally with respect to the surface of each said plate-shaped body ( 101 ) that shall be sanded, each of said pressing elements ( 216 ) being thus suitable to exert an adjustable pressure against a respective portion of the inner surface of said closed belt ( 201 ) opposite to said sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′), and therefore in that the pressure on said bodies ( 101 ) exerted by the portion of said belt ( 201 ) urged by each of said pressing elements ( 216 ) against said belt ( 201 ) can be regulated according to the needs and/or circumstances. 
     
     
         2 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said closed belt ( 201 ) extends along a direction (X) other than said feed direction (D) of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ). 
     
     
         3 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said closed belt ( 201 ) can be oriented at will with respect to said feed direction (D) of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ) between two end positions where it extends along two different directions, respectively a transverse direction and an oblique direction with respect to said feed direction (D) of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ). 
     
     
         4 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said closed belt ( 201 ) extends between two opposite pulleys ( 204 ,  205 ) with rotation axes parallel to each other and orientable with respect to said feed direction (D) of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ). 
     
     
         5 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that a first pulley ( 205 ) of said two pulleys ( 204 ,  205 ) is driven into rotation by means of said moving means ( 202 ), while the second pulley ( 204 ) of said two pulleys ( 204 ,  205 ) is driven into rotation by means of said closed belt ( 201 ). 
     
     
         6 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 5 , characterized in that said moving means ( 202 ) comprise a power source ( 202 ) and transmission means ( 203 ) interposed between said power source ( 202 ) and said first pulley ( 205 ). 
     
     
         7 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said transmission means comprise a third pulley ( 206 ) rigidly fixed to said first pulley ( 205 ) by means of a drive shaft or axle ( 209 ) and a drive belt ( 203 ) interposed between said power source ( 202 ) and said third pulley ( 206 ). 
     
     
         8 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising adjusting means ( 212 ) for regulating the tension of said closed belt ( 201 ). 
     
     
         9 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 8 , characterized in that said adjusting means ( 212 ) are so shaped as to allow the regulation of the centre-to-centre distance between said first pulley ( 205 ) and said second pulley ( 204 ). 
     
     
         10 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising adjusting means ( 215 ) for regulating the contact pressure of said sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′) against said visible and accessible surface of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ). 
     
     
         11 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 10 , characterized in that said adjusting means ( 215 ) comprise at least one pressing element ( 216 ) suitable to exert an adjustable pressure against the inner surface of said closed belt ( 201 ) opposite to said sanding abrasive surface ( 214 ′). 
     
     
         12 . The equipment ( 300 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by comprising a plurality of said modules ( 200 ) arranged in succession along said feed direction (D) of said plate-shaped bodies ( 101 ).