Apparatus for continuous production of mattresses comprising coalesced mineral fibres

Abstract

There is described an apparatus (100) for continuously producing mattresses (14) comprising coalesced mineral fibers, the apparatus comprising: a mineral fiber receiving or forming chamber (2); an accumulation conveyor (3) arranged below the receiving or forming chamber (2) and comprising adjacent drums (4) provided with perforated or air-permeable circumferential surfaces (5) for receiving and accumulating fibres in order to form a mattress (14) containing mineral fibres between the drums (4); an air extraction device (6) in fluid communication with the perforated or air-permeable circumferential surface (5) of the drum (4); and a lower space (10) between the drums (4) for unloading a mattress (14) comprising mineral fibres formed between the drums (4), the apparatus (100) being characterized in that: the drum (4) is arranged in the lower space (10); the rollers (4) are movable along a displacement axis (Y) perpendicular to the axis of rotation (X) of the rollers (4) between a first end-of-stroke position in which the rollers (4) are at a maximum distance from each other and a second end-of-stroke position in which the rollers (4) are at a maximum proximity position from each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] In a broader aspect, the present invention relates to the production of an insulating mattress comprising agglomerated mineral fibers (non-woven), such as glass fibers or rock wool fibers.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously producing mattresses of agglomerated mineral fibers, the apparatus comprising: a mineral fiber receiving or forming chamber; an accumulation conveyor arranged below the receiving or forming chamber and comprising adjacent rollers, which are provided with perforated or breathable surfaces for receiving and accumulating fibers so as to form a mattress of agglomerated mineral fibers between the rollers; an exhaust device fluidly connected to the perforated or breathable surfaces of the rollers; and a lower space located between the rollers for unloading the mattress formed between the rollers.

[0003] The invention represents in particular an improvement over the prior art for receiving (collecting) so-called insulating mineral fibers containing a liquid binder and separating the gases from the fiberizing machine and the introduced air in order to produce mattresses with said mineral fibers. Background Art

[0004] As is known in the art, the production of mattresses comprising agglomerated mineral fibers (such as glass fibers) involves separating the fibers produced by a fiber forming machine (fiberizing machine) from the gases produced by the burner of the machine and the introduced air, and collecting and forming (accumulating) the separated fibers to form a felt comprising agglomerated mineral fibers, essentially in the form of a mattress.

[0005] In order to carry out the above-mentioned operations, it is known to use an apparatus comprising: a receiving or forming chamber intended to be fed from above with a flow containing mineral fibers, gas and introduced air coming from a fiberizing machine; an accumulation conveyor arranged below the fiber receiving or forming chamber and comprising adjacent rollers provided with perforated or breathable surfaces for receiving and accumulating the fibers so as to form a mattress containing agglomerated mineral fibers between the rollers; an extraction device connected to the perforated or breathable surfaces of the rollers; and a lower space located between the rollers for unloading the mattress containing agglomerated mineral fibers formed between the rollers.

[0006] In particular, according to the known method, a flow output from a fiberizing machine and containing gas, introduced air and mineral fibers impregnated with a binder mixture (resin) is introduced into a fiber receiving or forming chamber and directed towards the air-permeable or perforated surfaces of a drum arranged below the receiving or forming chamber. These surfaces are air-permeable or they have pores of such a size that allow the passage of gas but not of mineral fibers. They are subject to the suction applied by the suction device and they act as a kind of filter, allowing the fibers to accumulate thereon to form a mattress containing mineral fibers, while the gas sucked through them is discharged to the outside. The mattress containing mineral fibers thus formed is therefore unloaded through the lower space formed between the drums, which is appropriately predetermined according to the thickness required for the mattress.

[0007] Traditionally, the fiber receiving or forming chamber comprises an upper part having a first vertical wall extending longitudinally in the direction of the rotation axis of the drum and a second vertical wall extending transversely relative to the rotation axis of the drum, such first and second walls laterally defining the receiving or forming chamber; the fiber receiving or forming chamber also comprises a lower element provided with a recess in the form of an arc segment of a circle, the drum being accommodated below the recess.

[0008] The first and second vertical walls of the chamber usually consist of rotating felt pads or belts, usually made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the outwardly directed portions of which are in contact with cleaning means (e.g. scrapers) arranged to keep the surfaces of these walls clean and to prevent the formation thereon of fiber clots impregnated with the binder mixture, which would otherwise form thereon if the walls were fixed and which could fall between the rollers, thereby impairing the quality of the mineral fiber mattress produced.

[0009] Furthermore, the first vertical walls have a greater height since they overlap laterally with the lower element and terminate below in tangential juxtaposition with the breathable or perforated surface of the drum, whereas the second vertical walls of the chute terminate below above the lower element and are able to move above the drum in the direction of its axis of rotation and thereby move away from or closer to each other in order to adjust the width of the fiber receiving or forming chamber (i.e. the size of the chamber in the direction of the axis of rotation of the drum) according to the width or transverse width of the mineral fiber mattress to be obtained.

[0010] The applicant's patent application WO2022 / 074106 describes an improved device for the continuous production of mattresses of agglomerated mineral fibers. In the device, each drum comprises a first half-drum and a second half-drum, which are telescopically connected to each other and can move along the rotation axis between a first end-of-stroke position and a second end-of-stroke position, in which the first half-drum and the second half-drum are juxtaposed or in contact with each other, and in which the first half-drum and the second half-drum are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined maximum distance, and a permeable or perforated circumferential belt is provided, which overlaps at least one of the first half-drum and the second half-drum at the opposite ends of the first half-drum and the second half-drum.

[0011] Said device advantageously allows to dispense with the use of fixed lower elements, thus reducing the formation of clots of impregnated fibers inside the receiving or forming chamber, while maintaining the ability to adjust the width or amplitude of the mineral fiber mattress obtained with the device according to production requirements.

[0012] Although the above-described device is satisfactory from a functional point of view, it has the limitation that the rollers are arranged at a fixed distance, which may lead to disadvantages in the production of fiber mattresses.

[0013] In fact, the distance between the rollers helps determine the pressure to which the mineral fibers in the mattress being formed are subjected between the rollers, and this pressure allows the mineral fiber mattress to be felted, i.e. to become dense. The greater the pressure, the greater the weight per square meter (weight / square meter) of the mineral fibers in the mattress being formed, which determines the final density of the mineral fiber mattress.

[0014] Thus, if on the one hand a pressure applied by the rollers to the fiber mattress being formed is required in order to bind the mineral fibers and obtain a mineral fiber material with an appropriate density, on the other hand it should be noted that if said pressure is too high, the fibers may break, while if the pressure is too low, the final mineral fiber mattress may not be very dense. In both cases, this may lead to an unsatisfactory product being obtained, for example because it is damaged and / or does not meet the desired properties, for example in terms of mechanical resistance properties. Summary of the invention

[0015] Therefore, the main purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for the continuous production of mattresses containing agglomerated mineral fibers, which apparatus has such structural characteristics as to allow adjusting the pressure exerted by the rollers on the fiber mattress being formed, and therefore adjusting the density and / or thickness of the mattress produced, so as to obtain a product with appropriate characteristics as required, and to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages mentioned with reference to the prior art.

[0016] Another object of the present invention is to provide a device as defined above which has no structural complexity, thereby making the manufacture of the product obtained with said device simple and economical.

[0017] These objects are achieved by a device for the continuous production of mattresses containing agglomerated mineral fibers, the device comprising: a mineral fiber receiving or forming chamber; an accumulation conveyor, which is arranged below the receiving or forming chamber and comprises adjacent rollers, which are provided with a perforated or breathable circumferential surface for receiving and accumulating fibers so as to form a mattress containing mineral fibers between the rollers; an exhaust device connected to the perforated or breathable surface fluid of the rollers; and a lower space located between the rollers for unloading the mattress containing mineral fibers formed between the rollers, the device being characterized in that the rollers are able to move along a displacement axis substantially perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rollers between a first stroke end position and a second stroke end position, in which the rollers are at a maximum distance from each other in the first stroke end position and in which the rollers are at a minimum proximity to each other in the second stroke end position.

[0018] In one embodiment, the fiber receiving or forming chamber includes: a first vertical wall, which extends longitudinally in the direction of the rotation axis of the drum, and each first vertical wall terminates below in a tangential and juxtaposed manner with the air-permeable or perforated circumferential surface of the corresponding drum; and a second vertical wall, which extends transversely relative to the rotation axis of the drum, and each second vertical wall terminates below in a juxtaposed manner with the corresponding drum.

[0019] In one embodiment, the device further comprises: a lower slide sliding along the displacement axis, the corresponding roller being integrally connected to the lower slide; and a device for adjusting the translational movement of each lower slide connected to the corresponding roller along the displacement axis.

[0020] Preferably, the device for adjusting the translational movement of the lower slide comprises at least one rotating screw connected to the lower slide and a motorized device suitable for applying rotational movement to the at least one screw so as to adjust the movement of the lower slide and the roller integral therewith along the displacement axis in a manner approaching or moving away from the relative roller.

[0021] In one embodiment, the distance between the circumferential surfaces of the drums between their maximum proximity position and maximum distance position is between 10 mm and 400 mm, preferably between 40 mm and 300 mm.

[0022] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned first vertical wall of the receiving or forming chamber is capable of moving along a vertical axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the rollers and in the height direction of the fiber receiving or forming chamber so as to maintain the tangential juxtaposition of the lower end of the first vertical wall with the perforated circumferential surface of one of the corresponding rollers according to the relative positions of the rollers along the displacement axis.

[0023] In one embodiment, each of the above-mentioned rollers includes: a first half-roller and a second half-roller, wherein the first half-roller and the second half-roller are connected to each other (especially telescopically connected) and can move along the rotation axis between a first stroke end position and a second stroke end position, wherein the first half-roller and the second half-roller are juxtaposed or in contact with each other in the first stroke end position, and wherein the first half-roller and the second half-roller are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined maximum distance in the direction of the rotation axis of the roller; and a breathable or perforated circumferential belt is also provided, which overlaps with at least one of the first half-roller and the second half-roller at the opposite ends of the first half-roller and the second half-roller.

[0024] In one embodiment, the device also includes: an upper slide sliding along the rotation axis, the corresponding half-roller of the roller is integrally connected to the upper slide, each upper slide is capable of sliding along a pair of relative guides, the guides extend along the rotation axis of the roller and are fixed to the corresponding lower slide; and a device for adjusting the translational movement of each upper slide connected to the corresponding half-roller of the roller along the rotation axis.

[0025] Preferably, the above-mentioned device for adjusting the translational movement of the upper slide includes: at least one rotating screw connected to the upper slide; and a motorized device suitable for applying rotational movement to the at least one screw so as to adjust the movement of the upper slide and the half-roller integral with it along the rotation axis of the roller in a manner approaching or moving away from the relative half-roller.

[0026] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned second vertical walls are able to move away from or towards each other along the direction of the rotation axis of the drum so as to adjust the width of the receiving or forming chamber to an amount that is equal to the sum of the width of the circumferential surface of the drum and the distance determined by the relative positions of the first half-roller and the second half-roller along the direction of the rotation axis.

[0027] In one embodiment, the above-mentioned suction device includes a suction chamber arranged internally in each drum and located below its breathable or perforated surface, each suction chamber includes a first half chamber arranged internally in the first half drum and a second half chamber arranged internally in the second half drum, the first half chamber and the second half chamber being able to move along the rotation axis between the first stroke end position and the second stroke end position of the first half drum and the second half drum, and a belt is also provided, which overlaps with at least one of the first half chamber and the second half chamber at the opposite ends of the half chamber.

[0028] The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description given by way of indicative and non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] In the attached picture:

[0030] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an apparatus for continuously producing a mattress comprising agglomerated mineral fibers according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 Shows Figure 1 A schematic side view of the apparatus of , in an operating configuration in which the rollers are at a maximum distance from each other;

[0032] Figure 3 Shows Figure 1 A schematic side view of the apparatus of in an operating configuration with the rollers in maximum proximity to each other;

[0033] Figure 4 Shows Figure 1 A schematic side view of the apparatus of in an operating configuration with the rollers being located in an intermediate position between a position of maximum proximity and a position of maximum distance from each other;

[0034] Figure 5 Shows Figure 1 A schematic side view of an apparatus of in an operating configuration in which the fiber receiving or forming chamber has a relatively small width;

[0035] Figure 6 Shows Figure 5 an enlarged view of a detail of the device shown in;

[0036] Figure 7 Shows Figure 1 A schematic side view of an apparatus of in an operating configuration in which the fiber receiving or forming chamber has a greater width;

[0037] Figure 8 Shows Figure 7 A detailed enlarged view of the device shown in;

[0038] Fig. 9 Shows Figure 7 Another detailed enlarged view of the device is shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] refer to Figures 1 to 9 , a plant for the continuous production of mattresses containing agglomerated mineral fibers according to the present invention will now be described. The plant is indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 100 .

[0040] The apparatus 100 comprises: a fiber receiving or forming chamber 2; an accumulation conveyor 3, which is arranged below the fiber receiving or forming chamber 2 and comprises an adjacent roller 4, which is capable of rotating around a rotation axis X and is provided with a circumferential surface 5 equipped with holes 5a; an exhaust device 6, which has an output opening 11 arranged inside the roller 4 and is fluidically connected to the perforated surface 5 of the roller 4; and a lower space 10, which is located between the rollers and is used to unload a mattress 14 containing mineral fibers formed between the rollers 4.

[0041] The receiving or forming chamber 2 comprises above a first vertical wall 7 extending longitudinally in the direction of the rotation axis X of the drum 4 and a second vertical wall 8 extending transversely relative to the rotation axis X of the drum 4, said first and second walls 7, 8 defining the receiving or forming chamber 2 above and laterally.

[0042] The first vertical wall 7 and the second vertical wall 8 of the receiving or forming chamber 2 are composed of rotating felt pads or belts that can move in a circular manner, and their outward parts are in contact with at least one scraper (not shown) which is arranged to keep the surface of the walls clean and prevent the formation of fiber clots impregnated with the binder mixture on them.

[0043] In this embodiment, the first vertical wall 7 and the second vertical wall 8 have the same rotation direction, from top to bottom inside the receiving or forming chamber 2 and from bottom to top outside the receiving or forming chamber 2. Obviously, the first vertical wall 7 and the second vertical wall 8 may have opposite rotation directions.

[0044] The first vertical wall 7 terminates at the bottom in a tangential and juxtaposed manner with the perforated circumferential surface 5 of one of the corresponding rollers 4, while the second vertical wall 8 is laterally juxtaposed with the roller 4 in the upper area of ​​the roller 4 above the output opening 11 of the suction device 6 so as to laterally close a part of the perforated circumferential surface 5 during the rotation of the roller 4, above the lower space 10 between the rollers 4 for unloading the mattress 14.

[0045] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the rollers 4 can be moved in a translational manner away from or close to each other along the displacement axis so as to adjust the distance between the two rollers 4 according to production requirements. Specifically, the distance between the rollers 4 is adjusted along the displacement axis Y between a first stroke end position and a second stroke end position, in which the rollers 4 are at a maximum proximity position (minimum distance between the rollers 4) and in which the rollers 4 are at a maximum distance position (maximum distance between the rollers 4).

[0046] The movement of the rollers 4 along the axis Y can be performed independently by the respective sliding lower carriages 25, to which the rollers 4 are integrally connected, and means for adjusting the translational movement of each roller 4 are also provided. In more detail, in this embodiment, each lower carriage 25 slides along a pair of relative rails 26 and extends along said displacement axis Y by means of suitable wheels 27 fixed to each lower carriage 25. Furthermore, the means for adjusting the translational movement of each lower carriage 25 along the axis Y comprise a pair of relative rotating screws 28 extending along the displacement axis Y and operatively connected to the lower carriage 25 of the respective roller 4, so as to adjust the travel of said roller 4 along the axis Y in a manner approaching or moving away from the relative roller 4, according to the rotation applied to the screws 28. The rotation can be applied to the screws 28 by motorized means, which comprise a motor 29 connected to the rotating screws 28 by a motion transmitting rod 30.

[0047] Advantageously, the distance between the rollers 4 can be adjusted according to the weight per square meter (weight / square meter) of the mineral fibers in the mattress being formed or according to the thickness of the mattress being formed between the rollers 4, so as to exert an appropriate pressure on the fibers and obtain a fiber mattress 14 with optimal consistency, that is, the pressure is neither too great to damage the mineral fibers nor too small to affect the characteristics of the final product, in particular the density of the final mattress.

[0048] For example, the distance between the rollers 4 can be adjusted and varied based on process parameters such as the weight per square meter of the mattress formed on each roller 4 above the lower space 10 between the rollers 4, on the amount of binder used and on the size of the fibers, in order to obtain a final mattress 14 with the desired nominal specifications, in particular in terms of thickness and / or weight per square meter. In general, if the mattress formed on each roller 4 above the lower space 10 between the rollers 4 has a low weight per square meter, the final thickness of the mattress 14 is given by the sum of the thicknesses of the mattresses formed on the rollers 4. On the contrary, if the mattress formed on each roller 4 above the lower space 10 between the rollers 4 has a high weight per square meter, the final thickness of the mattress 14 can be greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the mattresses formed on the rollers 4, because the final mattress 14 can have elastic properties, which can cause expansion and thus increase the thickness. Therefore, in order to obtain a mattress 14 that is always dense and has appropriate resistance, a person skilled in the art can adjust the distance of the rollers 4 in an optimal way based on the above indications and his general technical knowledge.

[0049] In the device 100 according to the invention, the distance between the rollers 4, understood as the (minimum) distance G between the circumferential surfaces 5 of the rollers 4, may for example be between 10 mm and 400 mm, preferably between 40 mm and 300 mm.

[0050] Some operations of the device 100 are configured in Figures 2 to 4 As shown in , these operating configurations differ in the adjustment of the mutual distance between the rollers 4 and in the adjustment of the height of the first vertical wall 7 .

[0051] Specifically, Figure 2 A configuration of the device 100 is shown in which the rollers 4 are at a maximum distance from each other at the end of their travel at maximum distance. In order to keep the first lateral wall 7 tangentially juxtaposed to the rollers 4, the first lateral wall 7 is raised along the vertical axis Z to reach a predetermined maximum height, which is a function of the end of their travel at maximum distance.

[0052] on the contrary, Figure 3 A configuration of the device 100 is shown in which the rollers 4 are at a minimum distance from each other in the end-of-stroke position of maximum proximity. In order to keep the first lateral wall 7 tangentially juxtaposed to the rollers 4, the first lateral wall 7 is lowered along the vertical axis Z so as to reach a predetermined minimum height depending on the end-of-stroke position of maximum proximity of the rollers 4.

[0053] Figure 4A configuration of the device 100 is shown in which the rollers 4 are at an intermediate distance from each other, said intermediate position being between the end-of-stroke position of maximum distance from each other and the end-of-stroke position of maximum proximity to each other. In order to keep the first lateral wall 7 tangentially juxtaposed to the rollers 4, the first lateral wall 7 is adjusted along the vertical axis Z at an intermediate height between the aforementioned maximum height and minimum height, according to the intermediate mutual position of the rollers 4.

[0054] Therefore, according to another aspect of the invention, the first lateral wall 7 of the receiving or forming chamber 2 is movable vertically along an axis Z perpendicular to the rotation axis X of the drum 4 , ie vertically in the height direction of the fiber receiving or forming chamber 2 .

[0055] In particular, said movement of the first lateral wall 7 along the axis Z is preferably carried out together with the translation movement of the rollers 4 along the displacement axis Y, so as to keep the lower end of the first lateral wall 7 tangentially juxtaposed to the perforated circumferential surface 5 of the respective one of the rollers 4 when the distance of the rollers 4 along the displacement axis Y varies. In other words, when the rollers 4 approach each other, the first vertical wall 7 can be lowered synchronously, or at a certain moment after the movement of the rollers 4, to such an extent that it is ensured that in the new approach position of the rollers 4, the first vertical wall 7 is tangentially juxtaposed to the perforated circumferential surface 5 of the respective roller 4. Conversely, when the rollers 4 are spaced apart from each other, the first vertical wall 7 can be raised synchronously, or at a certain moment before the movement of the rollers 4, to such an extent that it is ensured that in the new distance position of the rollers 4, the first vertical wall 7 is tangentially juxtaposed to the perforated circumferential surface 5 of the respective roller 4.

[0056] The height variation of the first lateral wall 7 may be small enough so as not to significantly vary the volume of the receiving or forming chamber 2. For example, the height variation of the first lateral wall 7 may be between 50 mm and 200 mm.

[0057] Advantageously, the vertical movement of the first lateral wall 7 and the translational movement of the drum 4 along the axis Y can be adjusted by a command and control unit (not shown), which communicates electrically (e.g., bidirectional electrical communication) with motorized devices 29, 30 that control the translational movement of the drum 4 via the screw 28 and with a motorized device (not shown) that controls the vertical movement of the first vertical wall 7.

[0058] According to another aspect of the invention, the device 100 also allows adjusting the width W of the receiving or forming chamber 2 and, therefore, the width of the mattress 14 formed between the rollers 4. In this respect, in the present embodiment, each roller 4 comprises a first half-roller 4a and a second half-roller 4b connected to each other (for example telescopically) and movable along the aforementioned axis of rotation X between a first end-of-stroke position and a second end-of-stroke position in which the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b are juxtaposed or in contact with each other ( Figure 5-6 ), in the second stroke end position, the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b are spaced apart from each other along the axis of rotation X of the rollers by a maximum distance which is appropriately predetermined according to the maximum width W required for the receiving or forming chamber 2 and therefore for the final product ( Figure 7 and Figure 8 ).

[0059] Furthermore, the second vertical walls 8 can be moved away from or towards each other outside the drum 4 along its rotation axis X direction in order to adjust the width W of the receiving or forming chamber 2 (ie the dimension of the chamber 2 in the rotation axis X direction of the drum).

[0060] In more detail, the movement of the second lateral wall 8 is preferably carried out together with the translational movement of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b in the same direction along the direction of the rotation axis X of the roller 4, so as to maintain the lateral juxtaposition of the second lateral wall 8 with the roller 4 and adjust the width W of the receiving or forming chamber 2 to a value substantially equal to the sum of the width of the circumferential surface of the roller 4 and the distance determined by the mutual position of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b along the direction of the rotation axis X of the roller 4.

[0061] The movement of each half-roller 4a, 4b of the drum 4 along the axis of rotation X can be performed independently by a corresponding sliding upper carriage 21, to which the first half-roller 4a or the second half-roller 4b is integrally connected, and means for adjusting the translational movement of each half-roller 4a, 4b are also provided. In more detail, in this embodiment, each upper carriage 21 connected to the first half-roller 4a or the second half-roller 4b of the drum 4 slides along a pair of opposite guides 32 extending along the axis of rotation X of the drum 4 and fixed to each corresponding lower carriage 25. In addition, the means for adjusting the translational movement of each upper carriage 21 along the axis X include a rotating screw 33 extending along the axis of rotation X and operatively connected to the upper carriage 21 of the corresponding first half-roller 4a or second half-roller 4b of the drum 4, so as to adjust the travel of the first half-roller 4a or the second half-roller 4b along the axis X in a manner close to or away from the opposite half-roller 4b or 4a, according to the rotation applied to the screw 33. The rotation may be imparted to the screw 33 by a motorized device (not shown).

[0062] Advantageously, the movement of the second lateral wall 8, together with the translational movement of the roller 4 along the axis X, can also be regulated by a command and control unit (not shown), in which case the command and control unit communicates electrically (for example bidirectionally) with a motorized device operably connected to the second lateral wall 8 and to the half-rollers 4a, 4b to control their movement along the axis of rotation X.

[0063] The connection between the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b of each drum 4 can itself be made in a conventional manner, for example, the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b can be provided with coaxial tubular rods, which extend along the rotation axis X of the drum 4 and slide into each other so as to form a telescopic connection between them.

[0064] In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, Figure 5-8 As shown, the device 100 comprises, for each cylinder 4, a circumferentially extending perforated plate 22 fixed to the end of the circumferential surface 5 of the second cylinder half 4b and partially overlapping the opposite end of the circumferential surface 5 of the first cylinder half 4a.

[0065] Advantageously, the plate 22 allows closing the space created between the first half-cylinder 4a and the second half-cylinder 4b in any spacing position between them. In practice, the plate 22 has a width greater than the predetermined maximum distance between the first half-cylinder 4a and the second half-cylinder 4b in the direction of the axis of rotation X of the cylinder 4 in the end-of-travel position of the maximum distance of the half-cylinders 4a, 4b, so as to always partially overlap one of the half-cylinders 4a, 4b by its free end circumferential portion.

[0066] At the same time, the plate 22 is perforated with holes 22a, the size of which is capable of retaining the fibers and letting the gas pass (like the holes 5a on the circumferential surface of the drum 4), which allows to expand the effective surface of the drum 4 for accumulating the fibers when the first half-drum 4a and the second half-drum 4b are in a position spaced apart from each other, thereby appropriately adjusting the width W of the receiving or forming chamber 2 and, accordingly, the width of the final product unloaded from the device 100.

[0067] In an alternative embodiment of the device 100 (not shown), the above-mentioned plate 22 can be replaced by a functionally equivalent device, for example, by a perforated ring integrally formed at the end of one of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b, the diameter of which is larger than the half-roller and which also partially overlaps the opposite end of the circumferential surface 5 of the other of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b.

[0068] Likewise, in the device 100, the air extraction means comprise suction chambers 6 arranged internally in each drum 4, below the perforated circumferential surface 5, each suction chamber comprising a first half chamber arranged internally in the first half-drum 4a and a second half chamber arranged internally in the second half-drum 4b. The first half chamber and the second half chamber are movable along the axis of rotation X between a first end-of-stroke position and a second end-of-stroke position of the first half-drum 4a and the second half-drum 4b, and a belt 18 is provided which overlaps the first half chamber and the second half chamber at the opposite end portions of the half chambers so as to close the space created between the first half chamber and the second half chamber in any spacing position between them and thereby allow the gas to be extracted in each of the above-mentioned positions.

[0069] In the present embodiment, the belt 18 consists of a plate fixed to the peripheral end of the wall 6b of the second chamber half and partially overlapping the opposite peripheral end of the wall 6a of the first chamber half. However, other functionally equivalent means may be used.

[0070] Figure 5 and Figure 6A configuration of the apparatus 100 is shown in which the first half-drum 4a and the second half-drum 4b of the drum 4 are side by side (juxtaposed) and the second lateral wall 8 is juxtaposed laterally to the half-drum 4a or the second half-drum 4b of the drum 4 so as to define a minimum width W for the receiving or forming chamber 2. In this configuration, the portion of the circumferential plate 22 protruding from the second half-drum 4b of each drum 4 towards the first half-drum 4a completely overlaps a portion of the circumferential surface 5 of the first half-drum 4a, and the width W of the fiber receiving or forming chamber 2 is substantially equal to the sum of the widths (or amplitudes) of the first half-drum 4a and the second half-drum 4b of each drum 4 in the direction of the axis of rotation X of the drum 4. In this configuration, the two suction half-chambers of the suction device 6 of each drum 4 are also juxtaposed to each other, integral with the respective half-drum 4a and 4b and move with it.

[0071] on the contrary, Figure 7-9 A configuration of the apparatus 20 is shown in which the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b of the drum 4 are spaced apart from each other and the second lateral wall 8 is juxtaposed laterally to the half-roller 4a or the second half-roller 4b of the drum 4 so as to define a maximum width W for the fiber receiving or forming chamber 2. In this configuration, the portion of the circumferential plate 22 of each drum 4 that projects from the second half-roller 4b towards the first half-roller 4a overlaps with the circumferential surface 5 of the first half-roller 4a with the smallest free end circumferential portion so as to close the space below that is created by the mutual distance of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b of the drum 4. A width W is thus defined for the fiber receiving or forming chamber 2 that is substantially equal to the sum of the width (or amplitude) of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b of each drum 4 and a predetermined maximum distance between the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b in the direction of the axis of rotation X of the drum. In this configuration, the two suction half-chambers of the suction device 6 of each roller 4 are also spaced apart from each other in the same way, are integral with the corresponding half-rollers 4a and 4b and move with them, and the belt 18 overlaps the free end peripheral parts of the wall 6a of the first half-chamber and the wall 6b of the second half-chamber so as to close the space generated between them due to the mutual distance between the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b.

[0072] Obviously, the above-mentioned features described for the device 100 also allow the width W of the receiving or forming chamber 2 to be adjusted to an intermediate value between the minimum width and the maximum width by appropriately adjusting the relative position (distance) of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b in each intermediate position, and the intermediate position is between the end of the juxtaposed stroke of the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b and the end of the stroke of the maximum distance (interval) between the first half-roller 4a and the second half-roller 4b.

[0073] It should be noted that the plate 22 or other functionally equivalent means can advantageously be formed with a reduced thickness so as to reduce the height of the step created on the circumferential surface 5 of the drum 4 due to the presence of the plate 22 and to keep possible non-uniformities in the thickness of the final product within acceptable values, or in any case within values ​​that do not jeopardize the desired properties of the final product.

[0074] In this respect, the plate 22 may be formed with a thin thickness, preferably between 1 mm and 5 mm, in particular about 3 mm.

[0075] Furthermore, advantageously, in the area overlapping with the circumferential surface of the first half-cylinder 4a, and in the case where the size of the holes 22a is smaller than the size of the holes 5a of the half-cylinders 4a and 4b, the ratio between the solid parts and the hollow parts (holes 22a) of the perforated plate 22 is greater than the ratio between the solid parts and the hollow parts (holes 5a) of the half-cylinders 4a and 4b. In other words, in the area overlapping with the circumferential surface of the first half-cylinder 4a, the plate 22 has a greater number of holes 22a relative to the lower holes 5a provided in the half-cylinder 4a.

[0076] Advantageously, this allows, during operation of the device 20, to minimize the loss of effective surface on the drum 4 for extracting the gases due to the possibility that the solid part of the overlapping plate 22 overlaps the holes 5a below the drum 4, in particular in the event of a loss of rotational movement of the drum 4 or an incomplete synchronization.

[0077] As regards the operation of the above-described device 100, in a first phase, the distance between the rollers should be adjusted according to the weight per square meter of the mattress formed on each roller 4 above the lower space 10 between the rollers 4, so as to obtain a final product (mattress) with desired characteristics, in particular in terms of thickness and / or weight per square meter. Typically, the weight per square meter of the final mattress obtained is between 400 g / m2 and 5000 g / m2, depending on the type of final product (mattress), for example in the form of a roll or a board. The distance between the rollers 4 (in addition to being based on the weight per square meter) can also be adjusted based on the type of final product (for example a board or a roll) so as not to affect the elastic properties of the final product, in particular when it has a high value of weight per square meter. For example, if the final mattress is in the form of a roll and, in addition, it has a high value of weight per square meter, too high a pressure should not be applied during the bonding phase, since this can damage the final mattress 14, overcompacting it, thus affecting important elastic properties. Therefore, for the same weight per square meter, the final product in the form of a roll or a board may require bonding distances between the rollers 4 that are different from each other.

[0078] Thus, the fibers impregnated with the binder mixture, the gas and the introduced air output from the respective fiberizing unit 13 are introduced into the receiving or forming chamber 2 and are directed towards the perforated circumferential surface 5 of the drum 4, which rotate in opposite directions. The fibers accumulate on the circumferential surface 5 of the drum 4, forming a mattress 14 containing agglomerated fibers, while the gas is suitably sucked by the suction device 6 (e.g. a device capable of generating a vacuum) through the holes 5a of the circumferential surface 5 to be discharged to the outside from the output opening 11 (arrow A). In fact, it should be noted that the size of the holes 5a of the circumferential surface 5 is small enough to allow the passage of gas but not of fibers.

[0079] The mattress 14 carried by the rotary movement of the drums 4 is thus conveyed towards the lower space 10 between the drums 4, where it is unloaded and collected on a conveyor belt 16 to be sent to the next processing station, to storage or for other uses.

[0080] In view of the above, the device according to the invention achieves the intended objects and realizes important advantages over known devices.

[0081] In fact, thanks to the use of movable rollers that slide along displacement axes Y perpendicular to their rotation axis X, the device according to the invention allows the thickness of the fiber mattress coming from the fiberizing machine to be effectively adjusted according to production requirements and based on the weight per square meter value of the mineral fibers in the mattress being formed, all without damaging the fibers and without obtaining a less dense product. This can be achieved in a simple way by appropriately adjusting the mutual position (distance) between the rollers.

[0082] In particular, when the weight per square meter of the mineral fibers is high, the distance between the rollers is increased in order to reduce the compression pressure of the fibers and thus avoid possible breakage.

[0083] On the contrary, when the weight per square meter value of the mineral fiber mattress is very low, the distance between the rollers is reduced in order to increase the pressure and thus obtain a dense and uniform mineral fiber mattress.

[0084] Thus, thanks to said device, it is possible to adjust the distance between the rollers so as to be able to adjust the pressure provided by the rollers during the formation of the mineral fibre mattress, and therefore its thickness.

[0085] In fact, thanks to the use of a movable drum consisting of two half-drums sliding along its axis of rotation (and thanks to the use of an overlapping belt between the half-drums), the device according to the invention allows to effectively adjust the width of the receiving or shaping chamber of the fibers coming from the fiberizing machine according to requirements, and accordingly to adjust the width of the product unloaded from the device within a wide range according to the most different production requirements. This can be achieved in a simple way by appropriately adjusting the mutual position (distance) between the half-drums that make up the drum and arranging the vertical walls of the inclined slots extending longitudinally in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the drum to be juxtaposed laterally relative to the drum.

[0086] Finally, it should be noted that the formation of a movable roller that slides perpendicularly along its axis of rotation and of a movable roller in the form of a half-roller that slides along the axis of rotation of the roller and is equipped with overlapping plates does not introduce significant complexity in terms of the structure, functionality and / or construction characteristics of the device.

[0087] A person skilled in the art will be able to make several modifications and alternatives to the device according to the invention, all of which however fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A device (100) for the continuous production of a mattress (14) comprising agglomerated mineral fibers, said device include: The invention relates to a mineral fiber receiving or forming chamber (2); an accumulation conveyor (3) arranged below the receiving or forming chamber (2) and comprising adjacent rollers (4) provided with a perforated or air-permeable circumferential surface (5) for receiving and accumulating the fibers so as to form a mattress (14) containing mineral fibers between the rollers (4); an air extraction device (6) in fluid communication with the perforated or air-permeable circumferential surface (5) of the rollers (4); and a lower space (10) having a lower space (11) and a lower space (12) for collecting and accumulating the fibers. The device (100) is located between the rollers (4) and is used to unload a mattress (14) containing mineral fibers formed between the rollers (4). The device (100) is characterized in that the rollers (4) are able to move along a displacement axis (Y) perpendicular to the rotation axis (X) of the rollers (4) between a first stroke end position and a second stroke end position, in which the rollers (4) are at a maximum distance from each other, and in which the rollers (4) are at a maximum proximity to each other.

2. The device (100) according to claim 1, in, The fiber receiving or forming chamber (2) comprises a first vertical wall (7) and a second vertical wall (8), wherein the first vertical wall extends longitudinally in the direction of the rotation axis (X) of the drum (4), each of which terminates below in a tangential and juxtaposed manner with the perforated or breathable circumferential surface (5) of the corresponding drum (4), and the second vertical wall extends transversely relative to the rotation axis (X) of the drum (4), each of which terminates below in a lateral juxtaposed manner with the corresponding drum (4).

3. The device (100) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: include: A lower slide (25) sliding along the displacement axis (Y), the corresponding roller (4) being integrally connected to the lower slide (25); and a device for adjusting the translational movement of each lower slide (25) connected to the corresponding roller (4) along the displacement axis (Y).

4. The device (100) according to claim 3, in, The device for adjusting the translational movement of the lower slide (25) comprises: at least one rotating screw (28) connected to the lower slide (25); and a motorized device suitable for applying a rotational movement to the at least one screw so as to adjust the movement of the lower slide (25) and the roller (4) integral with the lower slide along the displacement axis (Y) in a manner close to or away from the relative roller (4).

5. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The distance between the perforated or air-permeable circumferential surface (5) of the drum (4) between the position of maximum proximity and the position of maximum distance of the drum is between 10 mm and 400 mm, preferably between 40 mm and 300 mm.

6. The device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in, The first vertical wall (7) of the receiving or forming chamber (2) is capable of moving along a vertical axis (Z) perpendicular to the rotation axis (X) of the roller (4) in the height direction of the fiber receiving or forming chamber (2) so as to keep the lower end of the first vertical wall (7) tangentially juxtaposed with the perforated or breathable circumferential surface (5) of the corresponding one of the rollers 4 according to the relative position of the rollers (4) along the displacement axis (Y).

7. The device (100) according to any of the preceding claims, in, Each of the rollers (4) comprises a first half roller (4a) and a second half roller (4b), which are telescopically connected to each other and are capable of moving along the rotation axis (X) between a first stroke end position in which the first half roller (4a) and the second half roller (4b) are juxtaposed or in contact with each other and a second stroke end position in which the first half roller (4a) and the second half roller (4b) are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined maximum distance in the direction of the rotation axis (X) of the roller (4), and a breathable or perforated circumferential belt (22) is provided, which overlaps with at least one of the first half roller (4a) and the second half roller (4b) at the opposite ends of the first half roller and the second half roller (4a, 4b).

8. The device (100) according to claim 7, further comprising: include: An upper slide (21) slides along the rotation axis (X), the corresponding half-rollers (4a, 4b) of the roller (4) are integrally connected to the upper slide, each upper slide (21) can slide along a pair of relative guides (32), the pair of relative guides extend along the rotation axis (X) of the roller (4) and are fixed on the corresponding lower slide (25); and a device for adjusting the translational movement of each upper slide (21) connected to the corresponding half-rollers (4a, 4b) of the roller (4) along the rotation axis (X).

9. The device (100) according to claim 8, in, The device for adjusting the translational movement of the upper slide (21) comprises: at least one rotating screw (33) connected to the upper slide (21); and a motorized device suitable for applying rotational movement to the at least one screw (33) so as to adjust the movement of the upper slide (21) and the half rollers (4a, 4b) integral with the upper slide along the rotation axis (X) in a manner close to or away from the relative half rollers (4a, 4b).

10. The device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, in, The second vertical walls (8) are capable of moving away from or towards each other in the direction of the rotation axis (X) of the drum (4) so ​​as to adjust the width (W) of the receiving or forming chamber (2) by an amount equal to the sum of the width of the perforated or breathable circumferential surface (5) of the drum (4) and the distance determined by the mutual position of the first half-drum (4a) and the second half-drum (4b) in the direction of the rotation axis (X).

11. The device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 10, in, The suction device (6) includes a suction chamber arranged internally in each roller (4) and located below its breathable or perforated circumferential surface (5), each suction chamber including a first half chamber arranged internally in the first half roller (4a) and a second half chamber arranged internally in the second half roller (4b), the first half chamber and the second half chamber being able to move along the rotation axis (X) between the first stroke end position and the second stroke end position of the first half roller (4a) and the second half roller (4b), and a belt (18) is also provided, which overlaps with at least one of the first half chamber and the second half chamber at the opposite ends (6a, 6b) of the first half chamber and the second half chamber.

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