Apparatus for automatically connecting shutter slat and preventing its disengagement

Abstract

Apparatus for automatically connecting shutter slat and preventing its disengagement, which automatically connects one shutter slat with another having a notch and slots for preventing its disengagement and cut in the specified dimension, and also prevents the connected shutter slats from being disengaged from each other.

I claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for automatically connecting shutter slat and preventing its disengagement which comprises: a feed means which moves the shutter slat having a notch and slots for preventing its disengagement and cut in specified dimension, to the connecting position while guiding it exactly; a forward feed means that moves the shutter slat, which is moved to said connecting position, to the holding position and holds it there; and a press means provided ahead of said holding position in order to prevent the connected shutter slat from being disengaged, thereby automatically connecting shutter slats that are sent to the connecting position one after another, and preventing the connected slats from being disengaged. .Iadd. 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said slat is elongated and has hooklike portions on the opposite longitudinally extending edges thereof, said notch being formed in said slat adjacent one edge thereof and said slots being formed in said slat adjacent the other edge thereof for forming a bendable tongue; said first-mentioned feed means moving said slat in a first direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction thereof for positioning said slat in said connecting position; and   said forward feed means moving said slat in a second direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first direction from said connecting position into said holding position, said holding position being spaced from said connecting position by a distance substantially equal to the width of said slat whereby the hooklike portion formed on one edge of said slat becomes engaged with the hooklike portion formed on the other edge of a further slat when said further slat is moved into said connecting position by said first-mentioned feed means..Iaddend..Iadd. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said forward feed means includes an engaging member adapted for engagement with a slat for moving same from said connecting position to said holding position, said forward feed means also including driving means connected to said engaging member for moving same horizontally between said connecting position and said holding position and for raising same vertically relative to said slat..Iaddend..Iadd. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said slat has a channel-like cross section which opens upwardly when in said connecting and holding positions, said engaging member being moved vertically downwardly into the interior of said slat when same is in said connecting position for engaging said slat, said driving means displacing said engaging member horizontally after it engages said slat for moving said slat from said connecting position to said holding position, said driving means raising said engaging member vertically upwardly so as to disengage said slat after it has been moved to said holding position and additionally horizontally returning said engaging member to a position wherein it is disposed above said connecting position..Iaddend..Iadd. 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said driving means includes first fluid pressure cylinder means having extendible ram means connected to said engaging member and movable primarily in a horizontal direction, said first cylinder means being mounted for at least limited pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis, and said driving means including second fluid pressure cylinder means having a substantially vertically extendible ram interconnected to said first cylinder means for vertically swinging same for causing raising and lowering of said engaging member..Iaddend..Iadd. 6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said driving means includes a first drive device interconnected to said engaging member for moving same horizontally and a second drive device interconnected to said engaging member for moving same vertically. .Iadd. 7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said press means includes a pair of movable press members disposed in opposed relationship to one another, one of said press members being positioned above said slats and movable downwardly toward said slats, the other press member being disposed below said slats in substantial alignment with said one press member and being movable upwardly toward said slats, whereby movement of said pair of press members into engagement with said slats causes the tongue on one slat to be deformed into the notch formed in an adjacent slat for preventing said slats from being disengaged due to relative movement therebetween in the longitudinal direction thereof..Iaddend..Iadd. 8. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said forward feed means includes a pair of substantially identical feed devices positioned adjacent said connecting position and spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of said slat, each of said feed devices having an engaging member positioned for engaging a slat located at said connecting position and for moving said slat substantially horizontally into said holding position..Iaddend..Iadd. 9. An apparatus according to claim 8, including stationary frame means, slide means slidably mounted on said frame means for linear movement relative thereto in a direction substantially parallel to said first direction, said slide means having one of said feed devices mounted thereon and additionally having abutment means thereon positioned in alignment with said first direction and disposed for engaging the leading end of said slat as same is moved into said connecting position for controlling the proper positioning of said slat..Iaddend..Iadd. 10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the engaging member associated with each of said feed devices is mounted for both horizontal and vertical movement relative to said frame means, and each of said feed devices including drive means for displacing the respective engaging member both vertically and horizontally..Iaddend..Iadd. 11. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said press means includes a pair of movable press members disposed in opposed relationship to one another, one of said press members being positioned above said slats and movable downwardly toward said slats, the other press member being disposed below said slats in substantial alignment with said one press member and being movable upwardly toward said slats, whereby movement of said pair of press members into engagement with said slats causes the tongue on one slat to be deformed into the notch formed in an adjacent slat for preventing said slats from being disengaged due to relative movement therebetween in the longitudinal direction thereof..Iaddend..Iadd. 12. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first-mentioned feed means includes conveyor means for moving said slats longitudinally thereof in said first direction, said first-mentioned feed means further including a pair of opposed rollers disposed vertically one above the other for rotation about substantially horizontal axes, said rollers being adapted to have said slat longitudinally fed through a nip defined between said rollers, one of said rollers having a peripheral contour similar to the cross-sectional shape of said slat for assisting in guiding same, and power means drivingly connected to one of said rollers for rotatably driving same, whereby said rollers feed said slat along said first direction into said connecting position. .Iaddend.