Gypsum board manufacturing apparatus and method

Abstract

Provided is a cutting device with which, even if a plate body to be cut is warped, it is easy to obtain a cut item of the same quality as when a plate body which is not warped is cut. The cutting device is mounted on a conveyor for transporting a plate body, and cuts the plate body being transported by the conveyor. The cutting device comprises: a cutting blade for cutting the plate body in a direction parallel to the transporting direction; and, at a position on a side of the cutting blade, a pressure-applying part having a press plate arranged to be movable between a pressure-applying position for pressing the plate body and a retracted position retracted from the pressure-applying position. The cutting device cuts the plate body with the cutting blade while pressing the plate body with the press plate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device, a gypsum board manufacturing device, and a cutting method. [Background technology]

[0002] Gypsum board is known as a material made by covering a core material mainly made of gypsum with gypsum board base paper (hereinafter sometimes referred to as board base paper). Gypsum board is mainly used as an interior building material because of its properties such as fire resistance, sound insulation, ease of construction, and economy.

[0003] The gypsum raw material for gypsum boards is calcined gypsum, which is obtained by calcining gypsum in a furnace. Calcined gypsum has the property of solidifying upon reaction with water. Generally, gypsum boards produced in factories are manufactured using a manufacturing device (production line) employing a continuous casting method. In the continuous casting method, a gypsum slurry obtained by mixing calcined gypsum and water is poured onto the cover and / or backing paper of board base paper, forming a continuous laminate with the gypsum slurry sandwiched between them. The continuous laminate is roughly cut into strips at predetermined lengths. The laminate thus formed is sent onto a conveyor as a gypsum board base plate, hardens while being transported by the conveyor, and is dried in a dryer (furnace). Next, the laminate, which is a semi-finished gypsum board, is finished by cutting it into the dimensions of a gypsum board product using a cutting machine installed on the conveyor's transport path. Gypsum boards are continuously manufactured through the process described above.

[0004] The above-mentioned cutting machine is also called a sizer. Examples of documents disclosing cutting machines that can be used to manufacture building board products such as gypsum boards include Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Patent Document 1 describes a continuous fixed-length cutting device for board products, which comprises a fixed-length detector, a moving base equipped with a cutting table and a pressing table, a cutter device equipped with a cutter blade, and a product pressing device equipped with a pressing block. Patent Document 2 also describes a moving cutting device having a fixing device for a building board molded body and a cutting cutter that moves in the width direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 56-126599 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-243982 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The inventors' investigations revealed that, in a manufacturing apparatus employing the above-described continuous casting method, when a semi-finished gypsum board (a plate-shaped semi-finished product) is cut with a cutter during finishing, the base paper may become frayed on the cut cross section. The inventors' investigations into the cause of this led to the following conclusions: Because the finishing process occurs immediately after the plate-shaped semi-finished product has been dried, moisture in the plate-shaped semi-finished product may cause warping in the plate-shaped semi-finished product. This warping results in the plate-shaped semi-finished product being cut with no support on the underside, leaving gaps, which results in the board base paper in the plate-shaped semi-finished product not being cut cleanly, resulting in fraying.

[0007] When cutting a warped board, such as the plate-shaped semi-finished product mentioned above, it is thought that this could lead to a situation where clean cutting of the board to be cut is hindered, not just for the above-mentioned gypsum board semi-finished product (plate-shaped semi-finished product).

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a cutting device that can easily produce cut pieces of the same quality as when cutting a non-warped board, even when the board to be cut is warped.The present invention also aims to provide a gypsum board manufacturing device equipped with the cutting device, and a cutting method using the cutting device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention provides a cutting device that is provided on a conveyor that transports plate bodies and cuts the plate bodies being transported on the conveyor, comprising: a cutting blade that cuts the plate body in a direction parallel to the transport direction; and a pressure section that has a pressure plate that is movable between a pressure position that presses the plate body at a position to the side of the cutting blade and a retracted position that is retracted from the pressure position, and that cuts the plate body with the cutting blade while pressing the plate body with the retracted position.

[0010] The present invention also provides a gypsum board manufacturing apparatus including the above-mentioned cutting device. The present invention also provides a cutting method using the above-mentioned cutting device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cutting device that can easily obtain cut pieces of the same quality as when cutting a non-warped board, even when the board to be cut is warped. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gypsum board manufacturing device equipped with the cutting device, and a cutting method using the cutting device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a general configuration of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a presser plate is in a retracted position. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a general configuration of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with a presser plate in a pressure applying position. [Figure 3] 10 is a schematic diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 and illustrating a schematic configuration of a cutting device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a main part of a cutting device for explaining a state in which a plate body is being cut using the cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a cutting method according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic plan view of a long, strip-shaped plate body. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The following describes embodiments for implementing the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0014] <Cutting device> As mentioned above, when gypsum boards are manufactured using a manufacturing device that employs a continuous gypsum slurry pouring molding method, cutting a semi-finished gypsum board (a plate-shaped semi-finished product) during finishing can result in fuzzing of the board base paper on the cut cross section. Because finishing occurs immediately after the drying of the plate-shaped semi-finished product, moisture in the plate-shaped semi-finished product can cause upward warping at both ends of the plate-shaped semi-finished product. This warping occurs at both longitudinal and lateral ends of the plate-shaped semi-finished product, with relatively large warping occurring particularly at both longitudinal ends. Furthermore, the shorter the time from the drying process to the cutting process, the larger the warping that occurs during cutting. Due to this warping, gaps can form between the plate-shaped semi-finished products when two sheets of plate-shaped semi-finished products are stacked and cut, or between the plate-shaped semi-finished product and the table on which the plate-shaped semi-finished product is placed. Because of this gap, the cutting of the plate-like semi-finished product was carried out without any support on the underside of the plate-like semi-finished product to be cut, which is thought to have resulted in the board base paper not being cut cleanly and causing fuzzing.

[0015] When plate-shaped semi-finished products are piled up, the weight of the plate-shaped semi-finished products reduces the warping of the plate-shaped semi-finished products underneath. It is also thought that the warping of the plate-shaped semi-finished products will be reduced somewhat when the plate-shaped semi-finished products cool after drying. However, from the perspective of improving the production efficiency of gypsum boards, it is desirable to be able to cut the plate-shaped semi-finished products immediately after drying, that is, to be able to cut cleanly without fuzzing the board base paper even if the plate-shaped semi-finished products are warped due to being dried immediately.

[0016] Furthermore, not only for the semi-finished plate-like product that is a precursor to the gypsum board described above, but also for warped or potentially warped plates, there is a risk that the warping will prevent the plate from being cut cleanly. Therefore, the inventors have investigated technical means that will enable cutting with the same quality as cutting a non-warped plate, even when the plate to be cut is warped.

[0017] As one of the methods we considered, we considered using a device that uses the force of a leaf spring to suppress warping when cutting the plate. However, with a device that uses a leaf spring, it is difficult to adjust the leaf spring according to the thickness and degree of warping of the plate, and it is difficult to maintain a constant force pressing against the plate, which can result in damage to the plate. Furthermore, repeated use of the device that uses the leaf spring can also cause damage to the leaf spring.

[0018] Therefore, the inventors conducted research on a cutting device equipped with a cutting blade for cutting a board, equipped with a presser plate capable of holding down the board when cutting, and equipped with a presser plate that can be moved by pressing down on the board and then releasing it. As a result, they found that by using such a cutting device, even if the board is warped, it is possible to cut the board while pressing down the board with the presser plate, thereby obtaining cut pieces of the same quality as when cutting a board that is not warped. With regard to the aforementioned semi-finished gypsum board (semi-finished board), they found that even if the semi-finished board is warped, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of fuzzing of the board base paper when cutting the semi-finished board.

[0019] A cutting device according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed on a conveyor that transports plate materials and cuts the plate materials being transported on the conveyor. This cutting device was developed based on the findings of the inventors described above. Specifically, the cutting device according to this embodiment includes a cutting blade that cuts the plate material in a direction parallel to the transport direction, and a pressure unit that has a presser plate that is movable between a pressure position that presses the plate material and a retracted position that is retracted from the pressure position, located to the side of the cutting blade. The cutting device according to this embodiment cuts the plate material with the cutting blade while the presser plate holds it down.

[0020] By using the cutting device of this embodiment, the cutting blade can cut the plate while the pressure plate, moved to the pressure position, presses the plate downward at a position to the side of the cutting blade. Therefore, even if the plate is warped, the pressure plate presses the plate, preventing gaps between the plate and the conveyor (or the platform on which the plate is placed on the conveyor) due to the warp. As a result, even if the plate to be cut is warped, it is possible to obtain cut pieces of similar quality to those obtained when cutting an unwarped plate. For example, even if the plate is a semi-finished plate immediately after drying during the finishing process of gypsum board manufacturing, which is prone to warping, and warps during cutting, the occurrence of fuzzing of the board base paper at the cut surface of the semi-finished plate can be suppressed, just as when cutting an unwarped semi-finished plate.

[0021] Furthermore, the pressure plate of the cutting device of this embodiment is movable between the pressure position and the retracted position, which makes it easy to avoid collisions between the plate being conveyed to the cutting device and the pressure plate in the conveying direction, making it less likely that the plate will be damaged by such a collision, and also making it less likely that the pressure plate will break due to repeated use.

[0022] Hereinafter, an example of the configuration of a cutting device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

[0023] 1 and 2 are diagrams showing the general configuration of a cutting device 10 of this embodiment, and are schematic side views of a plane parallel to the height direction of the cutting device 10 (Z-axis direction in the diagram) and the conveyance direction of a plate body 1 to be cut by the cutting device 10 (X-axis direction in the diagram). FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the cutting device 10 before cutting the plate body 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the state of the cutting device 10 when cutting the plate body 1.

[0024] The plate 1 (sometimes simply referred to as "plate" in this specification) to be cut by the cutting device 10 may be any plate-shaped object. Examples of the plate 1 include plate-shaped semi-finished products and products made from inorganic materials such as ceramic, gypsum, and mortar; polymeric materials such as resin, and organic materials such as paper and wood. In particular, the plate 1, which is prone to warping during the process leading up to the cutting step, is suitable because using the cutting device of this embodiment enhances the technical significance. From this perspective, as described above, the plate 1 is preferably a semi-finished gypsum board (plate-shaped semi-finished product). In this specification, a semi-finished gypsum board refers to a gypsum board that is in the middle of being manufactured and will ultimately become a gypsum board (product).

[0025] The plate 1 is transported to the cutting device 10 by the conveyor 200. At this time, the plate 1 may be transported on the conveyor 200, or may be transported on a base 2 such as a stock placed or installed on the conveyor 200. When the plate 1 is cut by the cutting device 10, it is transported from right to left in FIGS. 1 and 2, i.e., along the X-axis direction in FIGS. 1 and 2. The cutting device 10 is disposed on the transport path of the plate 1 and is provided on the conveyor 200 that transports the plate 1.

[0026] When the plate 1 is transported to the cutting device 10, the plate 1 can be positioned with a gap between it and the support surface of the conveyor 200. For example, the plate 1 is preferably placed on a platform 2, such as a base, provided on the conveyor 200 in the width direction of the conveyor 200 (the Y-axis direction in the figure), and then transported. Specifically, a pair of chain conveyors can be used as the conveyor 200. It is more preferable to provide a frame (not shown) between the chain conveyors, and to install one or more platforms 2 within the frame by fixing them to the frame with screws (not shown), etc., and then transport the plate 1 on the platform 2. In this case, the upper surface of the platform 2 serves as the support surface for the plate 1, and is located at approximately the same position as the upper surface of the chain conveyor 200. The conveyor 200 is not limited to a chain conveyor, and can be appropriately adopted.

[0027] The cutting device 10 is equipped with a cutting blade 41 that cuts the plate 1 in a direction parallel to its conveying direction (the X-axis direction in the drawing). The cutting blade 41 can be provided inside a hood 31 that is part of the housing of the cutting device 10. For example, a disk-shaped rotary blade can be used as the cutting blade 41. The cutting blade 41 can be kept constantly driven while the conveyor 200 is in operation.

[0028] The cutting device 10 includes a pressure unit 50 provided at a position to the side of the cutting blade 41. The pressure unit 50 has a pressurizing plate 53 that is movable between a pressure position (see FIG. 2) at a position to the side of the cutting blade 41, where the pressurizing plate 50 presses the plate 1, and a retracted position (see FIG. 1) retracted from the pressure position. The pressurizing plate 53 provided in the pressure unit 50 can move away from the plate 1 when in the retracted position as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, when the pressurizing plate 53 is moved to the pressure position as shown in FIG. 2, the pressurizing plate 53 can press the plate 1 downward (against the conveyor 200 or the table 2). When the pressurizing plate 53 is moved to the pressure position (see FIG. 2), the pressurizing plate 53 is preferably positioned from a position immediately before (upstream of) a contact position C between the cutting blade 41 and the conveyed plate 1 (the end surface 1a of the plate 1 on the downstream side in the conveying direction) and the contact position C.

[0029] The pressure applying unit 50 may include a moving mechanism 51 for moving the pressure plate 53 as described above. Examples of the moving mechanism 51 include a power cylinder such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. Among these, the pressure applying unit 50 preferably includes an air cylinder 51 for moving the pressure plate 53 between a pressure applying position and a retracted position. As an example, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an air cylinder 51 including an outer cylinder portion 51a and a rod portion 51b. The air cylinder 51 can move the pressure plate 53 to the retracted position when in a contracted state (see FIG. 1), and can move the pressure plate 53 to the pressure applying position when in an extended state (see FIG. 2).

[0030] 1 and 2, the upper end 50a is tilted downward in the conveying direction of the plate body 1 rather than perpendicular to the surface of the plate body 1, but the outer cylinder 51a may be perpendicular to the surface of the plate body 1. If there is a delay or malfunction in the operation of the air cylinder 51 and the plate body 1 hits the pressure plate 53, a horizontal force is applied to the air cylinder 51, but if the air cylinder 51 is tilted as described above, this force can be easily released. This makes it easier to avoid damage to the air cylinder 51 and the plate body 1.

[0031] Furthermore, it is preferable that the pressure unit 50 drives the air cylinder 51 in accordance with the position of the plate 1. In this way, by relating the driving of the air cylinder 51 to the position of the plate 1 conveyed by the conveyor 200 and the cutting state of the plate 1 by the cutting blade 41, it is possible to perform the following preferable operation. This allows for efficient cutting work, and as a result, the productivity of products manufactured from the plate 1 can be further improved.

[0032] For example, when the end of the plate 1 (the end on the downstream side in the conveying direction) is conveyed to a predetermined position below the pressure plate 53, the pressure unit 50 preferably drives the air cylinder 51 downward to move the pressure plate 53 to the pressure position and press the plate 1 with the pressure plate 53. By performing such an operation, it is possible to strongly press the plate 1 with the pressure plate 53 without applying an impact to the plate 1. In this operation, the pressure plate 53 can be lowered when a position P1, which is a predetermined distance D1 from the end face (front end) 1a of the plate 1 on the downstream side in the conveying direction toward the upstream side in the conveying direction (the direction opposite to the conveying direction), passes under the pressure plate 53. For example, when manufacturing gypsum board (when the plate 1 is a semi-finished gypsum board), the predetermined distance D1 is preferably 0 to 110 mm (0 mm ≦ D1 ≦ 110 mm), and more preferably 0 to 100 mm (0 mm ≦ D1 ≦ 100 mm). Specifically, it is more preferable to drive the air cylinder 51 downward when the position P1 of the plate 1 at the predetermined distance D1 within the above range passes through the center of the rod portion 51b of the air cylinder 51. The predetermined distance D1 can be set, for example, by an operator inputting the value in advance via a touch panel of the cutting device before starting work.

[0033] For example, the pressure unit 50 preferably raises the air cylinder 51 to move the pressure plate 53 to the retracted position just before the cutting of the plate 1 is completed. By performing this operation, just before the cutting of the plate 1 is completed, when only a small portion of the plate 1 remains uncut, the pressure can be released by retracting the pressure plate 53 before the plate 1 succumbs to the pressure force and cracks or chipped corners, thereby avoiding the above-mentioned problems. This also prevents the cutting blade 41 from getting caught on the cut pieces of the plate 1, contributing to improved product quality. As for the above operation, the pressure plate 53 can be raised when a position P2, a predetermined distance D2 from the end face (rear end) 1b of the plate 1 on the upstream side in the conveying direction toward the downstream side in the conveying direction (the X-axis direction, which is the conveying direction), passes under the pressure plate 53. For example, when manufacturing gypsum board (when the board 1 is a semi-finished gypsum board), the predetermined distance D2 is preferably 0 to 110 mm (0 mm≦D2≦110 mm), and more preferably 0 to 100 mm (0 mm≦D2≦100 mm). Specifically, it is more preferable that the air cylinder 51 be driven to rise when the position P2 of the board 1 at the predetermined distance D2 within the above range passes through the center of the rod portion 51b of the air cylinder 51. The predetermined distance D2 can be set, for example, by an operator inputting the value in advance via a touch panel of the cutting device before starting work.

[0034] The driving of the air cylinder 51 by the pressure applying unit 50 in accordance with the position of the plate 1 as described above can be performed by a control unit (not shown) provided in the pressure applying unit 50 by being built into or connected to the pressure applying unit 50. Examples of the control unit include a servo motor, a computer, a CPU, a processor, a microcomputer, a sensor, an inverter, and a sequencer, and two or more of these can also be used in combination. For example, a sequencer can be provided that controls the extension and retraction of the air cylinder based on input from an operator on a touch panel in accordance with the type and length of the plate 1.

[0035] Preferably, the control unit is capable of detecting the position of the plate 1 being transported by the conveyor 200, or the cutting device 10 further includes another control unit capable of detecting the position of the plate 1. By being able to detect the position of the plate 1, it is possible to detect that the plate 1 has been transported to a predetermined position and drive the air cylinder 51.

[0036] For example, a sensor can detect the position of the plate 1 being transported by the conveyor 200, and the air cylinder 51 can be driven based on the position information. Alternatively, the conveyor 200 can be driven by a servo motor, and the position of the plate 1 can be determined from an encoder of the servo motor, and the drive of the air cylinder 51 can be controlled by a sequencer or the like.

[0037] The pressure applying unit 50 is preferably configured so that the force with which the pressing plate 53 presses the plate 1 can be kept constant, and more preferably so that the pressing force can be adjusted depending on at least one of the thickness and warpage of the plate 1. For example, the pressure applying unit 50 can be configured as described above by providing a pressure regulator.

[0038] The pressure plate 53 in the pressure unit 50 is provided at a position to the side of the cutting blade 41. It is preferable that the pressure plate 53 presses the vicinity of the cutting location by the cutting blade 41 when cutting the plate 1, because this reduces the likelihood of a gap occurring between the plate 1 and the conveyor 200 or the platform 2 on which the plate 1 is placed on the conveyor 200. From this perspective, the distance between the pressure plate 53 and the cutting blade 41 (the distance along the Y-axis in the figure) is preferably 1 mm to 30 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 5 mm. The pressure plate 53 may be provided on either the outside or the inside of the cutting blade 41. By providing the pressure plate 53 on the outside of the cutting blade 41, the cut surface is free of fuzzing of the board base paper, resulting in a cleaner cut edge. By providing the pressure plate 53 on the inside of the cutting blade 41, it is possible to reduce cutting waste after cutting, leading to improved yield.

[0039] As described above, the pressure plate 53 is provided so as to be movable between a pressure position (see FIG. 2) where it presses the plate body 1 against the conveyor 200, and a retracted position (see FIG. 1) where it is retracted from the pressure position. The pressure position is a position closer to the conveyor 200 or the placing surface of the table 2 than the surface of the plate body 1 in the Z-axis direction in the drawing, so that the pressure plate 53 presses the plate body 1 downward (toward the conveyor 200 or the table 2), and can be set according to the thickness of the plate body 1. The retracted position is not particularly limited as long as it is a position where the pressure plate 53 can avoid contact with the plate body 1.

[0040] The pressure plate 53 shown in the drawing is shown as being connected to the movable mechanism (air cylinder) 51 described above via the mounting shaft 52, but the configuration is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to be able to press and release the plate body 1. Furthermore, the mounting shaft 52 and pressure plate 53 are provided inside the hood 31 in the Y-axis direction in the drawing (the far side of the page in the Y-axis direction) and outside the cutting blade 41, but they may also be provided outside the hood 31 (the near side of the page in the Y-axis direction).

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure plate 53 preferably has a pressure surface 53a parallel to the surface of the plate 1 being conveyed by the conveyor 200 and an inclined surface 53b whose upstream end in the conveyance direction (X-axis direction in the figure) rises and forms a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the plate 1. The pressure plate 53 having such a configuration can hold the plate 1 with the pressure surface 53a during cutting, and the inclined surface 53b can easily accommodate variations in the degree of warping of the plate 1. Furthermore, even if the pressure plate 53 is slightly off-timing in returning to the retracted position before the next plate 1 is conveyed after the cutting blade 41 has finished cutting the plate 1, the inclined surface 53b can easily avoid collision with the side of the plate 1 conveyed toward the cutting device 10 along the thickness direction (Z-axis direction in the figure). From these perspectives, the angle of the inclined surface 53b is preferably 10° to 30°, and more preferably 12° to 17°.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, in one aspect, the cutting device 10A of one embodiment of the present invention preferably includes a brush unit 60 for sweeping up chips generated when the plate body 1 is cut with the cutting blade 41. By providing such a brush unit 60 to the cutting device 10A, the chips can be swept up as the plate body 1 is transported. From the viewpoint of the effectiveness of the brush unit 60, the brush unit 60 is preferably arranged parallel to the transport direction of the plate body 1 (the X-axis direction in the figure) and in contact with the surface of the plate body 1 at its lower part. Furthermore, in the Y-axis direction in the figure, the brush unit 60 is preferably arranged outside the mounting shaft 52 and the pressure plate 53 (the front side of the paper in the Y-axis direction), and the mounting shaft 52 and the pressure plate 53 are preferably arranged inside the brush unit 60 (the back side of the paper in the Y-axis direction).

[0043] 3, in one aspect, the cutting device 10A of one embodiment of the present invention may include a cover member 54 for the pressure unit 50 to protect the pressure unit 50. Furthermore, in one aspect, the cutting device 10, 10A of one embodiment of the present invention may include a housing (not shown) that further covers the hood 31 inside which the cutting blade 41 is provided. The above-described configurations may be employed independently in the cutting device 10, 10A, or may be combined in any manner.

[0044] By using the cutting device of the present embodiment described above, a cutting method using the cutting device can be provided. In the cutting method, a method can be adopted in which the operations of the cutting device 10 described above are performed. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the main parts of the cutting device 10 to illustrate the state in which the plate body 1 is being cut using the cutting device 10. In the cutting method of the present embodiment, the cutting device 10 performs the operations described above, and the plate body 1 can be cut with the cutting blade 41 while being pressed down by the presser plate 53. Below, a preferable configuration of the cutting method, other than the operation of the cutting device, will be described from the viewpoint of productivity of products manufactured from the plate body 1.

[0045] The object to be cut is preferably a plate having a long strip shape. The long strip-shaped plate is then preferably conveyed in a direction parallel to its width direction and cut in the width direction parallel to the conveying direction. When the plate 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is long and strip-shaped, the width direction of the plate 1 is the X-axis direction, and the longitudinal direction of the plate is the Y-axis direction.

[0046] A preferred embodiment for cutting the long, strip-shaped plate 1 using the cutting device 10 (or 10A) of this embodiment will now be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view of the long, strip-shaped plate 1. When the long, strip-shaped plate 1 is a semi-finished gypsum board, an example of the plate 1 may have a width (length between end face 1a and end face 1b) of about 910 mm and lengths between each cut point (between CL1 and CL2, between CL2 and CL3, and between CL3 and CL4) of about 1820 mm.

[0047] For example, as shown in FIG. 5, when cutting a long, strip-shaped plate 1 at multiple cutting locations (four cutting locations in FIG. 5: CL1, CL2, CL3, and CL4), it is preferable to use the cutting device 10 (or 10A) of this embodiment to cut the plate 1 at the cutting locations on both ends (CL1 and CL4 in FIG. 5). It is more preferable to cut and separate the long, strip-shaped plate 1 by using a cutting blade while pressing down the end portions 1c and 1d, including the side surfaces along the width direction, with a pressing plate 53. In a long, strip-shaped plate 1, warping tends to be large from the center toward both ends 1c and 1d in the longitudinal direction. By using the cutting device 10 (or 10A) of this embodiment, the end portions 1c and 1d of the plate 1 can be cut by the cutting blade 41 while being pressed down with the pressing plate 53. Therefore, even if warping occurs at the ends 1c and 1d as described above, the plate 1 can be cut in a manner that makes it difficult for gaps to form between the plate 1 and the lower part (conveyor 200 or table 2) due to the warping, and the ends 1c and 1d can be separated from the product with a clean cut edge without fraying the board base paper.

[0048] The cutting device 10 (or 10A) that cuts at the cutting position CL1 to separate the end portion 1c and the cutting device 10 (or 10A) that cuts at the cutting position CL4 to separate the end portion 1d can be symmetrical in terms of the position of the pressure unit 50. Specifically, the cutting device that cuts at the cutting position CL1 is installed so that the pressure unit 50 is on the left side of the cutting position CL1 in FIG. 5, and the cutting device that cuts at the cutting position CL4 is installed so that the pressure unit 50 is on the right side of the cutting position CL4 in FIG. 5. By installing the pressure plate 53 on the outer side near the cutting blade 41 (the end side of the board 1) in this way, any warping of the board 1 can be more effectively suppressed, and the ends 1c and 1d can be separated from the product with a clean cut edge that does not cause any fuzzing of the board base paper.

[0049] The cutting device 10 (or 10A) of this embodiment may also be used to cut at locations other than the cutting locations CL1 and CL4 on both ends of the plate body 1, for example, at the cutting locations CL2 and CL3. However, this is not limiting, and for example, it is also possible to use a simpler cutting device (a device similar to the cutting device of this embodiment except that it does not have the pressing unit) in which the pressure unit 50 (pressing plate 53) is removed from the cutting device 10 (or 10A) of this embodiment.

[0050] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cutting devices 10 and 10A are configured so that their installation positions in the length direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 5) can be adjusted according to the size of the plate body 1. Furthermore, in the cutting method of this embodiment, it is preferable that cutting is performed with two long strip-shaped plate bodies 1 stacked on top of each other.

[0051] According to the cutting device 10, 10A, and cutting method of the present embodiment described above, the cutting blade 41 can cut the plate 1 while the pressure plate 53, which has moved to the pressure position, presses the plate 1 downward, at a position to the side of the cutting blade 41. Therefore, even if the plate 1 is warped, by pressing the plate 1 with the pressure plate 53, cutting can be performed in a state where gaps due to the warp are unlikely to occur between the plate 1 and the conveyor 200 or the table 2. As a result, even if the plate 1 to be cut is warped, it is possible to obtain a cut product of similar quality to that obtained when cutting a plate that is not warped. For example, even if the plate 1 is a semi-finished gypsum board that is prone to warping (or even a semi-finished plate immediately after drying at the finishing stage of the gypsum board manufacturing process, which is even more prone to warping), the occurrence of fluffing of the board base paper at the cut surface of the semi-finished plate can be suppressed, similar to that when cutting a non-warped semi-finished plate.

[0052] Furthermore, with the cutting device 10, 10A and cutting method of this embodiment, it is possible to continuously perform cutting with the cutting blade 41, which cuts in a direction parallel to the conveying direction of the plate 1 (the X-axis direction in the figure), and pressing down of the plate 1 with the pressing plate 53 without stopping the conveyance of the plate 1 in the conveying direction. This further improves the production efficiency of products manufactured from the plate 1. Note that the plate 1 does not need to run completely continuously before being conveyed in the conveying direction, and may be stopped intermittently, or the plate 1 being conveyed in the conveying direction may be conveyed to the cutting device 10 while being stopped intermittently.

[0053] <Gypsum board manufacturing equipment> Next, a gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as a "gypsum board manufacturing apparatus") will be described. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment includes the cutting apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention described above, and can include the cutting apparatuses 10 and 10A described above (hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to as the cutting apparatus 10). The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the cutting apparatus 10 described above. In addition to the cutting apparatus 10 described above, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can efficiently manufacture the gypsum board 1E as a series of production lines that manufacture the gypsum board 1E from raw materials, and therefore preferably includes the various devices described below.

[0054] (mixing device) For example, in the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100, when it is necessary to mix raw materials for the core material of the gypsum board 1E to obtain a gypsum slurry, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can be provided with a mixing device (mixer) 300 that mixes the raw materials. A step of preparing a gypsum slurry (preparation step) can be performed using the mixing device 300. A hardened body of the gypsum slurry (gypsum hardened body) becomes the core material of the gypsum board 1E, and the main component of the core material is gypsum dihydrate.

[0055] The mixer 300 can be placed at a predetermined position related to the conveyance line for the base board papers 1A and 1B described below, for example, above or beside the conveyance line. In the mixer 300, calcined gypsum, water, and various additives as necessary can be mixed to prepare a gypsum slurry. The calcined gypsum and some of the additives may be mixed in advance and then supplied to the mixer 300. The mixer 300 may be provided with a device (not shown) for supplying the calcined gypsum and additives to the mixer 300, a supply pipe (not shown) for supplying the gypsum slurry prepared in the mixer 300 to the molding device 400 described below, and the like.

[0056] Calcined gypsum, the main raw material of the core material of gypsum board 1E, is also known as calcium sulfate hemihydrate and is a hydraulic inorganic composition. As the calcined gypsum, either β-type gypsum obtained by calcining natural gypsum, by-product gypsum, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, or other gypsum alone or in combination in the air, or α-type gypsum obtained by calcining in water (including steam), or a mixture of both, can be used. When producing calcined gypsum from raw gypsum (gypsum dihydrate), the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 may be equipped with a raw gypsum dryer and a calcination furnace (neither of which are shown). In this case, a step of calcining the raw gypsum in the calcination furnace to obtain calcined gypsum (calcination step) may be performed.

[0057] Examples of the additives include adhesion improvers (e.g., starch, polyvinyl alcohol, etc.) that improve the adhesion between the core material (hardened gypsum body) and the board base paper (cover 1A and backing paper 1B), inorganic fibers and lightweight aggregates such as glass fibers, fireproofing materials such as vermiculite, setting retarders, setting accelerators, water-reducing agents, bubble size adjusters such as sulfosuccinate surfactants, water repellents such as silicone and paraffin, organic carboxylic acids and / or organic carboxylates, etc. One or more types of additives may be used.

[0058] (molding equipment) When the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the mixing apparatus 300 or when the gypsum board 1E is manufactured using a gypsum slurry in the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can include a molding apparatus 400 that molds the gypsum slurry. The molding apparatus 400 can be used to execute a step (molding step) of manufacturing a continuous laminate 1C in which the gypsum slurry is coated with board base papers 1A and 1B. The molding apparatus 400 can also have a function of determining the thickness and width of the continuous laminate 1C.

[0059] The molding device 400 may include molding machines 410 and 420 that mold the gypsum slurry. The molding device 400 may also be provided with a roll coater (not shown) for applying the gypsum slurry to the surfaces of the cover sheet 1A and / or the back sheet 1B before pouring the gypsum slurry into the space between the cover sheet 1A and the back sheet 1B of the board base paper. The roll coater may have multiple rolls, such as an application roll, a receiving roll, and a dregs removal roll, depending on the purpose.

[0060] The molding device 400 can also include a cutter 430 that roughly cuts the continuous laminate 1C obtained by the molding machines 410 and 420 into predetermined lengths. The molding device 400 is preferably designed so that the continuous laminate 1C reaches the cutter 430 in a state where the hardening reaction of the gypsum slurry between the cover sheet 1A and the back sheet 1B of the board base paper has progressed to a certain extent while the continuous laminate 1C is being transported by the transport device 500 (such as a belt conveyor). The cutter 430 roughly cuts the continuous laminate 1C into predetermined lengths, thereby obtaining strip-shaped laminate bodies 1D whose length direction is the predetermined length and whose width direction is perpendicular to the length direction.

[0061] (Conveyor) When the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the mixing apparatus 300 and the molding apparatus 400, or when the gypsum board 1E is manufactured using a gypsum slurry in the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can include a conveyor 210 that transports the laminated plate body 1D to the next process. The conveyor 210 may be the same as the conveyor 200 that transports the plate body 1 to the cutting apparatus 10, as described above in the description of the cutting apparatus 10. The conveyors 210 and 200 can be used to execute a process (transport process) of transporting the laminated plate body 1D or the plate body (semi-finished gypsum board) 1.

[0062] (drying equipment) When the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 includes the mixing apparatus 300 and the molding apparatus 400, or when the gypsum board 1E is manufactured using gypsum slurry in the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can include a drying apparatus 600 that dries and hardens the gypsum slurry in the laminated plate body 1D. The drying apparatus 600 can be used to execute a step (drying step) of drying and hardening the gypsum slurry in the laminated plate body 1D (the gypsum slurry sandwiched between the cover sheet 1A and the backing sheet 1B of the board base paper). By drying and hardening the gypsum slurry in the laminated plate body 1D in the drying step, a plate body (semi-finished gypsum board) 1 can be obtained, which is then supplied to the cutting apparatus 10 and cut.

[0063] From the viewpoint of productivity of the gypsum board 1E, it is preferable that the drying device 600 is a drying furnace 600 provided on the transport path of the laminated plate body 1D by the conveyors 210, 200 so that drying and hardening occur while the laminated plate body 1D is being transported by the conveyors 210, 200. While the laminated plate body 1D is traveling through the drying furnace 600 by the conveyors 210, 200, a hardening reaction (hydration reaction) of the calcined gypsum in the laminated plate body 1D and excess moisture can be removed.

[0064] (cutting device) The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can transport the plate body 1, which is a semi-finished gypsum board that has undergone the drying process described above, to the cutting device 10 by the conveyor 200. As described above, the cutting device 10 can execute the step of cutting the plate body 1 as a finishing step (cutting step), and can obtain, as a product, a gypsum board 1E with a trimmed end side surface or a gypsum board 1E formed to any desired dimensions.

[0065] (Other configurations) When the cutting device 10 simultaneously cuts two stacked boards 1, the gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 can also be provided with a mechanism (not shown) for stacking the boards 1 in two, upstream of the cutting device 10 on the transport path of the conveyor 200.

[0066] The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment described above, which includes the cutting device 10, can perform the cutting process under conditions where the possibility of warping of the board 1 is relatively high. Specifically, the cutting process can be performed on the board 1 immediately after the drying process, which is the final stage of the manufacturing process for the gypsum board 1E. Even if the board 1 is warped, by pressing the board 1 with the pressure plate 53 of the cutting device 10, cutting can be performed in a state where gaps due to warping are unlikely to occur between the board 1 and the conveyor 200 or the table 2. Therefore, even if the board 1 to be cut is warped, it is possible to obtain a gypsum board 1E of the same quality as when cutting a board that is not warped. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture a gypsum board 1E in which the occurrence of fluffing of the board base paper at the cut surface of the board 1 is suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a high-quality gypsum board 1E with high efficiency.

[0067] The cutting device, cutting method, and gypsum board manufacturing device of the above-described embodiments can have the following configurations. [1] A cutting device that is installed on a conveyor that transports plate bodies and cuts the plate bodies being transported on the conveyor, comprising: a cutting blade that cuts the plate body in a direction parallel to the transport direction; and a pressure unit that has a pressurizing position at a position to the side of the cutting blade, where the pressurizing position presses the plate body, and a retracted position retracted from the pressurizing position, and the cutting device cuts the plate body with the cutting blade while the pressurizing plate presses the plate body. [2] The cutting device according to [1] above, wherein the pressure unit further includes an air cylinder that moves the pressure plate between the pressure position and the retracted position. [3] The cutting device according to [2] above, wherein the pressure unit drives the air cylinder depending on the position of the plate body. [4] The cutting device described in [2] or [3] above, wherein when the end of the plate body is transported to a predetermined position below the pressure plate, the pressure unit drives the air cylinder downward to move the pressure plate to the pressure position, and presses the plate body with the pressure plate. [5] The cutting device according to any one of [2] to [4] above, wherein the pressure applying section drives the air cylinder upward to move the pressure plate to the retracted position just before cutting of the plate body is completed. [6] The cutting device according to any one of [1] to [5] above, wherein the pressure unit is configured to be able to keep constant the force with which the pressure plate presses the plate body. [7] The cutting device described in [6] above, wherein the pressure applying section is configured to be able to adjust the pressing force depending on at least one of the thickness and warpage of the plate body. [8] A cutting device described in any one of [1] to [7] above, wherein the pressure plate has a pressure surface portion parallel to the surface of the plate being transported by the conveyor, and an inclined surface portion whose upstream end in the transport direction rises and has a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the plate. [9] The cutting device according to any one of the above [1] to [8], wherein the cutting blade is a disk-shaped rotary blade.

[10] The cutting device according to any one of the above [1] to [9], wherein the plate is a semi-finished product of gypsum board.

[11] A gypsum board manufacturing device comprising the cutting device according to any one of [1] to

[10] above.

[12] A cutting method using the cutting device according to any one of [1] to

[10] above.

[13] The cutting method according to

[12] above, wherein the plate has a long strip shape, and the long strip-shaped plate is transported in a direction parallel to its width direction and cut.

[14] A cutting method according to the above

[13] , in which the end portion of the long strip-shaped plate, including the side surface along the width direction, is pressed down by the pressing plate and cut off by the cutting blade.

[15] The cutting method according to

[13] or

[14] above, wherein the long strip-shaped plate is stacked in two pieces and then cut with the cutting blade. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1 Plate 10 Cutting device 41 Cutting blade 50 Pressure section 51 Movable mechanism (air cylinder) 53 Retaining plate 200 Conveyor

Claims

1. a conveyor that conveys a long strip-shaped plate, which is a gypsum board, in a direction parallel to a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; A cutting device is provided on the conveyor and cuts the plate body being conveyed by the conveyor in a direction parallel to the conveying direction. The cutting device is a cutting blade that cuts the plate in a direction parallel to the conveying direction, which is the width direction of the plate; a pressure unit having a presser plate that is movable between a pressure position that presses the plate body and a retracted position that is retracted from the pressure position, at a position to the side of the cutting blade; A gypsum board manufacturing device that cuts the longitudinal end of the plate body, including the side along the width direction, with the cutting blade in a direction parallel to the conveying direction, which is the width direction, while pressing down the longitudinal end of the plate body with the pressing plate.

2. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure unit further includes an air cylinder that moves the pressure plate between the pressure position and the retracted position.

3. The gypsum board manufacturing device according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure unit drives the air cylinder in accordance with the position of the plate body.

4. 4. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein when the end of the plate is transported to a predetermined position below the pressure plate, the pressure unit drives the air cylinder downward to move the pressure plate to the pressure position, thereby pressing down the plate with the pressure plate.

5. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the pressure unit drives the air cylinder upward to move the presser plate to the retracted position immediately before cutting of the plate body is completed.

6. The gypsum board manufacturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pressure unit is configured to be able to keep constant the force with which the pressure plate presses the plate body.

7. The gypsum board manufacturing device according to claim 6, wherein the pressure unit is configured to be able to adjust the pressing force in accordance with at least one of the thickness and warpage of the board.

8. The pressure plate has a pressure surface portion parallel to the surface of the plate body being transported by the conveyor, and an inclined surface portion whose upstream end in the transport direction rises and has a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the plate body. The gypsum board manufacturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The gypsum board manufacturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cutting blade is a disk-shaped rotary blade.

10. The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the plate body is a semi-finished gypsum board.

11. A molding machine that pours gypsum slurry, which is the core material of the gypsum board, into the space between the cover and backing paper of the gypsum board base paper to mold it, and produces a continuous laminate in which the gypsum slurry is covered with the cover and backing paper; a cutter that roughly cuts the continuous laminate into predetermined lengths to obtain a strip-shaped laminate, with the predetermined lengths defined as the length direction and the direction perpendicular to the length direction defined as the width direction; A drying device that dries and hardens the gypsum slurry in the laminated plate body to obtain the plate body to be cut and supplied to the cutting device; The gypsum board manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:

12. A conveying step of conveying a long strip-shaped plate body, which is gypsum board, in a direction parallel to its width direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction using a conveyor; A cutting step of cutting the plate body being conveyed by the conveyor in a direction parallel to the conveying direction using a cutting device provided on the conveyor, The cutting device is a cutting blade that cuts the plate in a direction parallel to the conveying direction, which is the width direction of the plate; a pressure unit having a presser plate that is movable between a pressure position that presses the plate body and a retracted position that is retracted from the pressure position, at a position to the side of the cutting blade; The cutting step includes: A method for manufacturing gypsum board, in which the end portion in the longitudinal direction of the plate body, including the side portion along the width direction, is pressed down with the pressing plate, and cut and separated with the cutting blade in a direction parallel to the conveying direction, which is the width direction, to obtain a gypsum board product.

13. A molding process in which a gypsum slurry serving as the core material of the gypsum board is poured into the space between the cover and backing paper of the gypsum board base paper using a molding machine to form the gypsum slurry, thereby producing a continuous laminate in which the gypsum slurry is covered with the cover and backing paper; a step of roughly cutting the continuous laminate into pieces of a predetermined length using a cutting machine to obtain a strip-shaped laminate having the predetermined length as the length direction and a direction perpendicular to the length direction as the width direction; A drying process in which the gypsum slurry in the laminated plate body is dried and hardened using a drying device to obtain the plate body to be cut and supplied to the cutting device; The method for manufacturing a gypsum board according to claim 12, further comprising:

14. A method for manufacturing gypsum board as described in claim 12 or 13, wherein in the cutting process, the pressing of the end of the plate by the pressure plate and the cutting by the cutting blade are carried out continuously without stopping the transportation of the plate by the conveyor.

15. The method for manufacturing a gypsum board according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the long strip-shaped plate body is cut with the cutting blade in a state where two long strip-shaped plate bodies are stacked on top of each other.

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