Apparatus and method for moving pairs of workpieces having a rough face and an opposite finished face

A method for moving worked pieces of stone material in block or slab form having a rough face and an opposite finished face by means of an apparatus for moving the worked pieces of stone material comprising:

• a piece-supporting plane configured to support one or more of said worked pieces of stone material;
• and
• a first gripping device and a second gripping device, respectively defining a first and a second gripping plane of one of said worked pieces of stone material, the first gripping device and the second gripping device being configured for retaining a respective one of said worked pieces of stone material;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• a) providing a plurality of said worked pieces of stone material with the rough face laid on the piece-supporting plane and the finished face facing away from the piece-supporting plane or vice versa, with the finished face laid on the piece-supporting plane and the rough face facing away from the piece-supporting plane;
• b) picking up from the piece-supporting plane a first piece of a pair of said worked pieces of stone material on the piece-supporting plane by means of one of the first gripping device or the second gripping device keeping the finished face or the rough face of the first piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material facing the gripping device used to pick up the first piece;
• c) moving the first piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material towards a piece storage area by means of the first or the second, gripping device, used in step b);
• d) releasing the first piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material in the piece storage area leaving visible the finished face or the rough face;
• e) picking up from the piece-supporting plane a second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material by means of one of the first gripping device or the second gripping device keeping the finished face or the rough face of the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material facing towards the gripping device used to pick up the second piece;
• f) positioning the first gripping device and the second gripping device in an exchange position wherein the first gripping device and the second gripping device are mutually oriented such that said first and second gripping planes of the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material are facing each other;
• g) transferring the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material from the first gripping device to the second gripping device in such a way as to orient the finished face or the rough face of the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material away from the second gripping device, or transferring the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material from the second gripping device to the first gripping device in such a way as to orient the finished face or the rough face of the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material away from the first gripping device;
• h) moving the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material towards said piece storage area by means of the first or second gripping device, which the second piece is transferred to in step g);
• i) releasing the second piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material in the piece storage area by means of the first or second gripping device which the piece is transferred to in step g) lying the finished face of the second piece against the visible finished face of the first piece of the pair of worked pieces of stone material or the rough face of the second piece against the visible rough face of the first piece;
• l) optionally, repeating steps a)-i) on one or more further pairs of worked pieces of stone material.

An apparatus for moving worked pieces of stone material in block or slab form comprising:

• a piece-supporting plane configured to support one or more of said worked pieces of stone material;
• a first gripping device and a second gripping device, respectively defining a first gripping plane and a second gripping plane configured for retaining a respective one of said worked pieces of stone material, the first gripping device and the second gripping device being configured for retaining a respective one of said worked pieces of stone material;
• and
• wherein the apparatus is configured to move the first gripping device and the second gripping device among:
• i) a picking position, wherein the first gripping device or the second gripping device is configured to pick up one of said worked pieces of stone material laid on the piece-supporting plane;
• ii) an exchange position, wherein the first gripping device and the second gripping device are mutually oriented such that said first gripping plane and second gripping plane are facing each other to allow transferring the worked piece of stone material picked up in the picking position from the first gripping device to the second gripping device, or vice versa;
• and
• iii) a laying position, wherein the second gripping device or the first gripping device is configured to release in a piece storage area the worked piece of stone material transferred in the exchange position.