EP1351783A1

EP1351783A1 - Device for cutting metal strips to length

Info

Publication number: EP1351783A1
Application number: EP02719701A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Werner Kruse; Klaus Boguslawsky
Original assignee: Sundwig GmbH
Current assignee: Sundwig GmbH
Priority date: 2001-01-17
Filing date: 2002-01-17
Publication date: 2003-10-15
Also published as: DE10102073A1; WO2002070164A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cutting metal strips (B) to length, using a cutting unit (3) that cuts into the strip (B). Said device comprises a driver device (2), located at a distance (A) upstream of the cutting unit (3) in the direction of transport (F) of the strip (B), which transports said strip (B) to the cutting unit (3), and a transport device (4) located downstream of the cutting unit (3) in the direction of transport (F) of the strip (B), which carries away the strip sections (Ba) separated by the cutting device (3). The invention also comprises a support device (16), which can be displaced from a waiting position, that is allocated to the direction of transport (F) and is remote from the cutting area of the cutting unit (3) into a supporting position in the vicinity of the transport device (4).

Description

Device for cross-cutting metal strips

The invention relates to a device for the transverse cutting of strips, in particular metal strips, which cuts into the strip with a cutting device which cuts into the strip at intervals which determine the length of the strip section in each case, with a spacing in the conveying direction of the strip the cutting device, which drives the belt to the cutting device, and is equipped with a transport device, which is arranged behind the cutting device in the conveying direction of the belt and transports the strip sections separated by the cutting device.

Devices of this type are used, for example, in the processing of rolled steel or light metal strips in order to separate sheet metal blanks from the respective strip. The boards obtained in this way are then passed on for further processing.

In order to ensure high performance during cross-cutting, the strip to be cut is usually conveyed continuously to the cutting device. The necessary distance between the cutting device and the driver device must be bridged. The one that takes over the respectively sectioned strip section and, for example, into one Storage or a further processing station transporting transport device is usually also unavoidably arranged at a certain distance behind the cutting device.

In the practical operation of a cross-dividing device of the type in question, it must therefore be ensured that, after a band section has been divided, the beginning of the next section reaches the transport device without problems. In practice it turns out that this requirement can often not be met with the necessary reliability.

The object of the invention is, based on the above-described prior art, to provide a powerful device for cross-cutting with simple means, in which the trouble-free division and removal of the sheet metal blanks is ensured.

This object is achieved in that a device is provided in a device of the type specified at the outset, which can be moved from a waiting position remote from the cutting area of the cutting device and assigned to the conveying device into a supporting position arranged near the transport device.

In a device designed according to the invention, the support device assumes a waiting position during the cutting process, in which it does not hinder the division of the respective sheet metal blank. As soon as the cutting process has ended, the support device is moved from the waiting position into a support position advanced in the conveying direction of the belt. In this position it secures the beginning of the belt section to be cut off in such a way that its trouble-free transition to the transport device is guaranteed even if the belt is continuously conveyed on. The invention thus enables the safe operation of a cross-cutting device continuously supplied with the strip to be cut without affecting the strip transport or having to take costly other measures to control the production process.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of a device according to the invention is characterized in that the movement of the support device from the waiting position into the support position and back is forcibly coupled to the movement of the cutting device via a mechanical coupling device. Such a forced coupling can be implemented inexpensively on the one hand with particularly simple means and with little outlay on equipment. In addition, the means required for the mechanical coupling are not susceptible to malfunction and do not require any additional hydraulic or pneumatically transmitted energy.

The invention can be used particularly advantageously in connection with cross-section devices in which the cutting device has a pair of knives, one of which is assigned to one of the surfaces of the strip. In particular when, in the case of such a transverse dividing device, the knives perform a lifting movement directed essentially perpendicular to the belt, the problem solved by the invention of securely bridging one between the cutting device and the respective upstream or downstream drive or processing devices. As an alternative to a stroke-driven drive of the knives, it is also possible to hold the knives of the cutting device on a parallel guide, which are driven by a rotary drive. In this way, the lifting movement required for the cutting process can be achieved in a particularly simple manner. This applies in particular when the knives are each held on a holder which is guided by means of two cranks which are rotatably coupled to them in such a way that the respective knife executes a circular movement during operation.

The mechanical coupling between the cutting device and the support device can be realized particularly simply in this connection in that the coupling device comprises a coupling member which is firmly coupled to one of the knives and a gear which converts the movement of the coupling member into a movement of the support device. Alternatively, it is also possible in a simple manner to implement the coupling of the knife movements with the support device by means of two sliding joints which are coupled to one another.

Another variant of the invention which is significant in practice is characterized in that the support device has a device for conveying the belt supported by it. This additional conveyor, which is designed as part of the support device, can be used in such cases, in which the last section of a belt encompassing the end of the belt is too short for automated conveying out of the cross-section device, even without such a short section Need for intervention, which is usually dangerous To transport operators out of the device. Belt conveyors are particularly suitable for this purpose. Alternatively, however, at least one friction shaft extending transversely to the conveying direction can also be used, on which the belt rests, so that it is driven forward when the shaft rotates.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims and are explained in more detail in connection with the exemplary embodiment described below with reference to a drawing. Schmatic each show a side view:

Figure 1 shows a device for cross-cutting cold-rolled metal strips in the cutting position.

FIG. 2 shows the device according to FIG. 1 in a second operating position;

Fig. 3 shows the device of FIG. 1 in a third operating position.

4 shows another device for cross-cutting cold-rolled metal strips in the cutting position;

5 shows the device according to FIG. 4 in a second operating position;

6 shows the device according to FIG. 4 in a third operating position.

The device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 for the transverse division of a steel or light metal uncoiled by a device, not shown existing belt B comprises a driver device 2 which conveys the belt B in the conveying direction F to a cutting device 3. The driver device 2 has two drive rollers 5, 6, via which the belt B is driven. In the conveying direction F, a transport device 4 designed as a belt conveyor is arranged behind the cutting device 3.

The cutting device 3 has two knives 7, 8 which extend over the width of the band B to be cut and are each carried by a knife bar 9, 10 which also extends over the width of the band B. The cutter bars 9, 10 are arranged in the lateral direction of the conveying path of the belt B, here guides 11, not shown in detail in the vertical direction. The cutter bars can also be cyclically moved from the cutting position shown in FIG. 1 to the starting position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which they are in a position removed from the belt B, by means of lifting devices, also not shown.

A coupling member 12 is fixedly connected to the cutter bar 10 assigned to the underside of the band B and engages with its free end in a receptacle 13 of a slide 14 movable axially parallel to the cutter bar 10 in a guide. With each stroke of the lower cutter bar 10, the slide 14 accordingly carries out a stroke.

With its end assigned to the band B, the slide 14 is coupled to a mechanically operating gear 15, which converts the essentially vertical movement of the slide 14 into a horizontal, parallel one Movement of a support device 16 aligned to the conveyor path of the belt B is implemented. The support device 16 is slidably mounted in a guide 17 carried by the driver device 2 so that it can be moved from its waiting position shown in FIG. 1 to the support position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in which its front end in the conveying direction F. protrudes through the cutting area of the cutting device 3 to the transport device 4.

The support device 16 is table-shaped in the manner of a plate and extends over the width of the belt B. At the same time, its length, measured in the conveying direction F, is dimensioned such that, in its waiting position, the distance A between the driver device 2 and the entrance area of the cutting device 3 bridged. In order to ensure a trouble-free transfer of the beginning of a tape B newly introduced into the device 1, the side of the support device 16 assigned to the driver device 2 is bevelled in such a way that this side in the waiting position of the support device 16 in the immediate vicinity of the lower drive roller 6 of the drive device 2 can be arranged.

Around the support device 16 is the endless belt of a belt conveyor 18 carried by the support device 16 and moved with it. The belt B lies on the part of the belt conveyor 18 arranged on the upper side of the support device 16 on its way to the cutting device 3.

To divide a band section Ba from band B, the cutter bars 9, 10 are moved towards one another until the are carried by them, horizontally offset from each other positioned knife 7,8 and the band B located between them is sheared. The support device 16 is in its waiting position next to the driver device 2, into which it has been moved along with the movement of the cutter bar 10 due to the coupling mechanically forced by the gear 15, the slide 14 and the coupling member 12. The strip section Ba separated by the cutting process is transported by the transport device 4 to a storage unit (not shown) (FIG. 1).

As soon as the cutter bars 9, 10 are moved from the cutting position in the direction of their starting position, the support device 16 is moved in the direction of the cutter device 3 due to its positive coupling with the cutter bar 10. The end of the support device 16 assigned to the cutting device 3 only reaches the cutting area after the lower cutter bar 10 has moved sufficiently far from the belt B. In this way, the support device 16 is advanced without interference through the cutting area until the end in question is arranged near the transport device 4.

During the feed movement of the support device 16 directed in the conveying direction F, the belt B is continuously conveyed further by the driver device 2. The support device positioned near the transport device 4 ensures that, in particular, the beginning Bb of the new belt section to be separated is reliably guided onto the transport device 4 (FIG. 2). As soon as the desired length for the band section Bb to be cut has passed the cutting device 3, the cutter bars 9, 10 are moved back into their cutting position. The support device 16 inevitably moves out of the cutting area of the cutting device 3 into its waiting position near the driver device 2 (FIG. 1).

The above-described process of cross-dividing the belt B is repeated until the belt end E has passed the driver device 2. If the distance between this belt end Be and the beginning Bb of the last belt section Bl is shorter than the distance between the driver device 2 and the transport device 4, the belt section Bl is conveyed out of the device 1 by means of the belt conveyor 18 of the support device 16 (FIG. 3) ,

The device 100 shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, apart from the elements used for driving the knives 7, 8, corresponds to the device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, to which reference is made in this regard.

In contrast to device 1, in device 100 the upper knife 7 is carried on a first holder 101 and the lower knife 8 on a second holder 102. The cuboid-shaped holders 101, 102 each extend at least across the width of the band B. In the upper and lower region of their side surfaces 103, 104 assigned to the edges of the band B, a swivel joint 105, 106, 107, 108 is arranged, via which the crank arm 109 has one each Crank drive 110, 111 or 112, 113 is rotatably coupled to the respective holder 101, 102.

The crank drives 110-113 are held in a frame (not shown), the axes of rotation of their drive shafts connected to the end of the crank arms 109 facing away from the pivot joints 105-108 being arranged in a common vertical plane. At the same time, the crank arms 109 of the crank drives 110-113 have the same length, so that the upper crank drives 110 and 111 with the upper holder 101 provide a parallel guide for the upper knife 7 and the lower crank drives 112 and 113 with the lower holder 102 provide a parallelogram guide for the lower knife 8 form. Both knives 7, 8 perform a movement on a circular path with the belt run and are held in position by the parallelogram guide.

4 shows the device 100 in an open position while a length of the band B to be cut is conveyed through the device 100. The support device 16 is in its advanced position towards the transport device 4.

FIG. 5 shows how the knives 7, 8 of the device 100 are started for cutting. For this purpose, the upper crank drives 110 and 111 rotate in opposite directions to the lower crank drives 112 and 113, so that the knives 7, 8 are moved towards one another. In the meantime, the support device 16 is withdrawn in the direction of its waiting position which is closely adjacent to the driver device 2. In the further course of the cutting movement, the knives 7, 8 dip into the band B and a new band section Ba is cut off (FIG. 6).

The knives 7, 8 are then moved back into their waiting position by continuing the rotary movement of the crank drives 110-113 with the direction of rotation unchanged. In the meantime, the separated belt section Ba is conveyed away and the support device 16 is advanced so quickly in the direction of the transport device 4 that the beginning of the belt B is correctly transferred to the conveyor belt when the transport device 4 is reached. The interruption of the conveyor track provided for the transport of the belt B, which otherwise exists between the entry and exit of the device 100, is thus reliably closed by the back and forth movement of the support device 16.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1,100 device for cross dividing

2 driver device

3 cutting device

4 transport device

5.6 traction rollers

7.8 knives

9.10 knife bar

11 tours

12 coupling link

13 recording

14 sliders

15 gears

16 support device

17 leadership

18 belt conveyors

101,102 holder

103,104 side surfaces of the holder 101,102

105-108 swivel joints

109 crank arm

110-113 crank drives

A distance between the driver device 2 and the input area of the cutting device 3

B band

Ba band section

Bb start of a new band section

Be band end

Bl last band section

F conveying direction

Claims

PA TEN TAN SP RUCHE

1. Device for cross-cutting of strips (B), in particular metal strips, with a cutting device (3), which cuts into the strip (B) at a time, by which the length of the strip section divided in each case, with one in a spatial Distance (A) in the conveying direction (F) of the belt (B) in front of the cutting device (3) arranged driver device (2) which conveys the belt (B) to the cutting device (3) and with one in the conveying direction (F) of the belt (B) behind the cutting device (3) arranged transport device (4), which transports the band sections (Ba) separated from the cutting device (3), characterized by a support device (16), which removed from a cutting area of the cutting device (3), the Conveying device (F) assigned waiting position in a near the transport device

(4) arranged support position is movable.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that ß the movement of the support device (16) from the waiting position into the support position and back via a mechanical Coupling device (12,13,14,15) with the movement of the cutting device (3) is forcibly coupled.

3. Device according to one of the preceding claims, that the cutting device (3) has a pair of knives (7, 8), one of which is assigned to one of the surfaces of the band (B).

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a ß the knife (7,8) perform a substantially perpendicular to the belt (B) lifting movement.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t d a ß the knives (7,8) of the cutting device are each held on a parallel guide, which are driven by a rotary drive.

6. The device according to claim 5, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a ß the knife (7,8) are each held on a holder which is guided by means of two rotatably coupled cranks such that the knife performs a circular movement in operation.

7. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that ß the coupling device is formed by two interconnected sliding joints.

8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a ß the support device (16) comprises a plate extending across the width of the band (B) on which the band (B) rests.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a ß the support device (16) has a device (18) for conveying the belt (B) supported by it.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, that the device for conveying is designed as a belt conveyor (18).

11. The device according to claim 10, d a d r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, that the device for conveying has at least one friction shaft extending transversely to the conveying direction, on which the belt rests.

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, d a d u r c h g e k e n n z e i c h n e t, d a ß the transport device (4) transporting the belt sections (4) is designed as a belt conveyor.