Installation for the production by draping of multilayer structures formed from composite materials

An installation for producing multilayer structures of composite materials by draping precut elementary layers, the installation comprising:

• a shaping mold;
• a gripping, shaping and compacting tool comprising a support;
• a countermold complimentary to the shaping mold and mounted on the support of the tool;
• a flexible membrane facing the countermold and having a periphery which is fixed to a planar edge of the support of said tool, wherein the membrane is fixed to the planar edge of the support so as to be spaced from the countermold in a first position of said membrane;
• vacuum means, operatively cooperating with the tool, for creating a vacuum between the countermold and the membrane so as to cause the membrane to contact the countermold in a second position of the membrane;
• pressing means, operatively cooperating with the tool, for pressing the membrane against the shaping mold;
• vacuum gripping suction cups provided at a plurality of spaced locations on the membrane;
• and
• suction means connected to the suction cups, said suction means being operatively connected to the tools;
• wherein the flexible membrane and the countermold define between them a closed pace communicating by passages with a collector formed in the support, which is opposite to the membrane with respect to the countermold, and each of the suction cups is connected to at least one suction compartment placed in the collector and communicating with the suction means by a flexible tube traversing be countermold so as to slide within the countermold during a deformation of the membrane.