A SAFETY DEVICE FOR USE WITH A PANEL RETURN AND AN EDGEBANDER

Machines such as an edgebander 1 and panel return 3 are usually configured to work together， where there may be a common controller， which controls both machines. Typically， there is an elongate gap 9 between the two machines. As a panel P is edged by the edgebander 1 it moves along the elongate gap 9， with the panel P being supported at one end by the edgebander 1， and at the other end by the panel return 3. The elongate gap 9 can be large enough for a user U1， U2 to fit in. This can happen when handling a large panel P which requires two users U1， U2 to lift. One of the users can walk into the elongate gap 9 to help lift the panel P into an initial position so that edging can begin. Once in that initial position， the edgebander 1 exerts a significant grip force on panel P， that grip force typically being too great for a user U1， U2 to overcome. Consequently， it is possible for a user U1， U2 to be trapped in the elongate gap 9 by the panel P， such that during edging， the panel P can move along the gap 9 and crush the user U1， U2. Due to the significant forces exerted by the edgebander 1 on the panel P， this can cause severe injury to the user U1， U2 that is trapped. The present invention therefore relates to a safety device for use with an edgebander 1 and a panel return 3 which are together configured to move a panel P along a first path in a work direction to edge the panel P， and to return the panel P along a return path in an opposite direction， the safety device comprising a safety actuator configured to detect relative movement between the edgebander 1 and the panel return 3， and to generate a safety signal when that relative movement is detected， the safety signal being configured to be used to deactivate the edgebander 1 and the panel return 3.