Modular conveying apparatus

An apparatus for working layer material (16) having properties of substrate materials, comprising:

• at least one working unit (6) of working the layer material 16), said working unit (6) determining a conveying direction (10) and a general conveying plane (9) for the layer material (16), said working unit (6) including connecting means for operationally and directly connecting said working unit (6) with a apparatus base (2) in an operating position, in said operating position said working unit (6) defining an operational working state, a working station and a working zone, said working unit (6) including at least, one base frame unit (84) including said connecting means, wherein said base frame unit (84) is constructed as a subassembly substantially ready for operation for conveying said layer material when assembled with the apparatus base (2), said base frame unit (84) having at least one assembly runner (68) for guiding said base frame unit (84) on the apparatus base (2) during insertion of said base frame unit (84) in a substantially horizontal insertion direction (30) along an insertion path via an insertion motion, said insertion direction (30) being oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10), wherein a separating plane (4) is defined which substantially separates said working unit (6) from a top of the apparatus base (2), wherein in said operating position said working unit (6) extends substantially only above said separating plane (4) and the apparatus base (2) wherein said working unit (6) includes a bearing frame (63) with a trolley bearing for guiding the working unit (6) with respect to the apparatus base (2) during insertion of the working unit (6), said trolley bearing having at least one assembly runner (68) including at least one support roll, said at least one assembly runner (68) including at least three individual runners (68) for substantially stably supporting said working unit (6), said bearing frame (63) including an underframe (67) traversed by a passage for conveying the layer material (16) through said underframe (67) in a direction transverse to said general conveying plane (9) oriented substantially horizontally.

An apparatus for working layer material (16) having properties of subtrate materials, comprising:

• at least one working unit (6) for working the layer material (16), said working unit (6) determining a conveying direction (10) and a general conveying plane (9) for the layer material (16), said working unit (6) including connecting means for operationally and directly connecting said working unit (6) with an apparatus base (2) in an operating position, in said operating position said working unit (6) defining an operational working state, a working station and a working zone, said working unit (6) including at least one base frame unit (84) including said connecting means, wherein said base frame unit (84) is constructed as subassembly subtantially ready for operation for conveying said layer material when assembled with the apparatus base (2), said base frame unit (84) having at least one assembly runner (68) for guiding said base frame unit (84) on the apparatus base (2) during insertion of said base frame unit (84) in a substantially horizontal insertion direction (30) along an insertion path via an insertion motion, said insertion direction (30) being oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10), wherein a separating plane (4) is defined which substantially separates said working unit (6) from a top of the apparatus base (2), wherein in said operating position said working unit (6) extends substantially only above said separating plane (4) and the apparatus base (2):
• wherein said working unit (6) has at least one assembly runner (68) for positively engaging a counter member (33, 34) of the apparatus base (2) to limit motion of the working unit (6) parallel to said conveying direction (10), means being provided for automatically positively engaging in the counter member (33, 34) under the weight of the working unit (6) only at an end of said insertion motion and upon arriving at said operating position, in said operating position said at least one centering member providing a motion clearance for positionally adjusting said working unit (6) with respect to the apparatus base (2) in an adjusting direction oriented substantially parallel to said conveying direction (10);
• and
• wherein said working unit (6) has a plurality of said assembly runners (68) including a frontal centering assembly runner and a rear centering assembly runner on each lateral side of said working unit (6), said frontal centering assembly runner (68) being laterally offset with respect to said rear centering member in a direction transverse to said insert direction (30), wherein the counter member (33) of the apparatus base (2) is provided for engaging said rear centering assembly runner (68) without engaging said front centering assembly runner (68), in said operating position said centering assembly runner (68) having limited motion clearance with respect to the apparatus base (2) to permit adjusting motions of said working unit (6) parallel to said insertion direction (30).

An apparatus for working layer material (16) having properties of substrate materials, comprising:

• at least one working unit (6) for working the layer material (16), said working unit (6) determining a conveying direction (10) and a general conveying plane (9) for the layer material (16), said working unit (6) including connecting means for operationally and directly connecting said working unit (6) with an apparatus base (2) in an operating position, in said operating position said working unit (6) defining an operational working state, a working station and a working zone, said working unit (6) including at least one base frame unit (84) including said connecting means, wherein said base frame unit (84) is constructed as a subassembly substantially ready for operation for conveying said layer material when assembled with the apparatus base (2), said base frame unit (84) having at least one assembly runner (68) for guiding said base frame unit (84) on the apparatus base (2) during insertion of said base frame unit (84) in a substantially horizontal insertion direction (30) along an insertion path via an insertion motion, said insertion direction (30) being oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10) wherein a separating plane (4) is defined which substantially separates said working unit (6) from a top of the apparatus base (2), wherein in said operating position said working unit (6) extends substantially only above said separating plane (4) and the apparatus base (2);
• wherein said working unit (6) has at least one assembly runner (68) for positively engaging a counter member (33, 34) of the apparatus base (2) to limit motion of the working unit (6) parallel to said conveying direction (10), means being provided for automatically positively engaging in the counter member (33, 34) under the weight of the working unit (6) only at an end of said insertion motion and upon arriving at said operating position, in said operating position said at least one centering member providing a motion clearance for positionally adjusting said working unit (6) with respect to the apparatus base (2) in an adjusting direction oriented substantially parallel to said conveying direction (10);
• wherein drive means (70, 91) are provided for positionally adjusting said working unit (6) when in said operating position, said drive means (70, 91) being provided for adjusting substantially with respect to at least one of
• a direction parallel to said inserting directions (30),
• a direction parallel to said conveying direction (10) and
• a direction around an adjusting axis oriented transverse to said inserting direction and said conveying direction (10);
• and
• wherein said drive means (70, 91) include drivably interengaging positioning members (71, 72) provided on said working unit (6), said positioning members (71, 72) including an abutment member having a coupling member for positively positionally and easily detachably connecting said drive means (70, 91) with the apparatus base (2), in said operating position, and working unit (6) being positionally locked with respect to said inserting motion by centering means (33, 34, 68), said drive means (70, 91) being provided to overcome a locking stress of said centering means.

An apparatus for working layer material (16) having properties of substrate materials, comprising:

• at least one working unit (6) for working the layer material (16), said working unit (6) determining a conveying direction (10) and a general conveying plane (9) for the layer material (116), said working unit (6) including connecting means for operationally and directly connecting said working unit (6) with an apparatus base (2) in an operating position, in said operating position said working unit (6) defining an operational working state, a working station and a working zone, said working unit (6) including at least one base frame unit (84) including said connecting means, wherein said base frame unit (84) is constructed as a subassembly substantially ready for operation for conveying said layer material when assembled with the apparatus base (2), said base frame unit (84) having at least one assembly runner (68) for guiding said base frame unit (84) on the apparatus base (2) during insertion of said base frame unit (84) in a substantially horizontal insertion direction (30) along an insertion path via an insertion motion, said insertion direction (30) being oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10) wherein a separating plane (4) is defined which substantially separates said working unit (6) from a top of the apparatus base (2), wherein in said operating position said working unit (6) extends substantially only above said separating plane (4) and the apparatus base (2);
• wherein said apparatus base (2) has a plurality of insertion receptacles (28), said insertion receptacles (28) being arranged in a sequence parallel to said conveying direction (10), each one of said insertion receptacles (28) providing an individual receptacle (28) for autonomously mounting an individual corresponding working unit (6) when in said operating position, wherein said apparatus base (2) includes at least one substantially autonomously operable and supportable first base unit (5) providing at least one of said insertion receptacles (28), at least one second base unit (5) including at least one of said individual receptacles (28), and wherein connecting means (45) are provided for rigidly but detachably interconnecting said first base unit (5) with said second base unit (5), and wherein means are provided for elongating and shortening a working path of said apparatus by adding and removing said second base unit (5), said second base unit (5) being individually connectable to and removable from said apparatus base (2), each working unit (6) being individually connectable to and removable from said apparatus base (2) and said base unit (5), each base unit (5) and each working unit defining an operating module, each first base unit (5) and each second base unit (5) supporting a corresponding load, wherein each load is individually and separately supportable by each respective base unit (5);
• wherein for each of said individual receptacles (28) provided on at least one of said first and second base units (5), wherein said base unit (5) includes a separate and individual drive unit (46) including at least one driving input (51) for a drive motor and a driving output (52) for an individual one of said working units (6), said drive unit (46) including positioning means (48) between said input (51) and said output (52) for controlling at least one of a driving direction of said output (52), and a relative positioning between said input (51) and said output (52);
• wherein said drive unit (46) includes an angular gear (47) pivotable about said driving output (52) with respect to said apparatus base (2) into two substantially equiaxial revolving positions, said angular gear (47) providing remote connecting members (51) for shaft sections (56), said angular gear (47) further providing a control device (48, 49) for dynamically altering reciprocal rotary positioning between said driving input (51) and said driving output (52).

An apparatus for working layer material (16) having properties of substrate materials, comprising:

• at least one working unit (6) for working the layer material (16), said working unit (6) determining a conveying direction (10) and a general conveying plane (9) for the layer material (16), said working unit (6) including connecting means for operationally and directly connecting said working unit (6) with an apparatus base (2) in an operating position, in said operating position said working unit (6) defining an operational working state, a working station and a working zone, said working unit (6) including at least one base frame unit (84) including said connecting means, wherein said base frame unit (84) is constructed as a subassembly substantially ready for operation for conveying said layer material when assembled with the apparatus base (2), said base frame unit (84) having at least one assembly runner (68) for guiding said base frame unit (84) on the apparatus base (2) during insertion of said base frame unit (84) in a substantially horizontal insertion direction (30) along an insertion path via an insertion motion, said insertion direction (30) being oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10) wherein a separating plane (4) is defined which substantially separates said working unit (6) from a top of the apparatus base (2), wherein in said operating position said working unit (6) extends substantially only above said separating plane (4) and the apparatus base (2);
• and
• wherein said apparatus base (2) includes at least one insertion receptacle (28) for autonomously mounting said working unit (6) when in said operating position, wherein at least a lateral reception member (29) of at least one of said insertion receptacles (28) is positionable with respect to said apparatus base (2) along said conveying direction (10) in a selected one of a plurality of positions, to enable at least one of varying a width extension of said insertion receptacle (28), and varying a positioning of said insertion receptacle (28) along a length extension of said apparatus base (2).

An apparatus for working layer material (16) in an operating state while conveying the layer material (16) in a tensioned state along a processing line in general conveying direction (10) oriented substantially horizontal, said apparatus being configured for support on a foundation floor and comprising:

• an apparatus base (2) including a dimensionally rigid base frame for supporting said apparatus (1) on the foundation floor, said apparatus (2) extending substantially over said processing line, and
• a plurality of first and second working stations (6) supported on the top of said apparatus base (2) said working stations being spacedly distributed along said processing line for simultaneously but successively working the layer material (16) by mechanically engaging the layer material (16) extending between said working stations (6),
• wherein along a division plane oriented transverse to said conveying direction (10) said apparatus base (2) is subdivided into at least two first and second positionally interexchangeable but separably interconnected base units (5), each of said first and second base units (5) separately supporting each of said first and second base units (5) above the foundation floor,
• said first and second base units (5) each having at least two individual insertion receptacles (28) positioned on top of said first and second base units (5) and spacedly juxtaposed along said processing line for simultaneously mounting and indirectly supporting said first and second working stations (6) exclusively via said first and second base units (5) above the foundation floor, each of said insertion receptacles (28) being provided for simultaneously operably receiving only one of said first and second working stations (6), said working stations (6) being positionally interexchangeable on said insertion receptacles (28) for varying the working of the layer material (16), each of said insertion receptacles (28) providing a support guide for inserting and removing said first working station (6) in an inserting direction (30) oriented substantially horizontally and transverse to said processing line without disconnecting said base units (5) and said second working station (6), said first and second working stations (6) each including a bottom side, at said bottom side of each of said first and second working stations (6) including an assembly runner (68) for supporting and guiding said working station (6) on said support guide during insertion and removal of said working station (6), at said bottom side each of said first and second working stations including station support faces (69) separate from said assembly runner (68) for supporting said working station (6) while machining the layer material (16) and operating said working station (6), wherein said apparatus is modular for elongating and shortening said processing line, for varying a total number of said first and second working stations as provided in said operating state, for varying the product to be processed by said working stations (6) and from the layer material (16), for varying positioning of said working stations (6) along and substantially entirely over said processing line, between said working station (6) and said apparatus base (2) a substantially horizontal separating plane (4) being defined, in said separating plane (4) said support guide including base support faces (31) for directly engaging and supporting said assembly runner (68) during insertion of said working station (6) and for directly engagingly supporting said station support faces (69) when said working station (6) works the layer material (16), said base units (5) not extending above said separating plane (4), when disconnected said base units (5) being separable in a direction parallel to said inserting direction (30).