EP1404469B1 - Rotary tools for in-line perforation of profiled products and use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

There are upper and lower rotating cutting tools, the upper tool consisting of a stack of basic circular tools (11) and dividers (12). These are mounted and locked on a shaft (6). The lower tool also consists of a stack of lateral cutters (22).

Description

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a device comprising rotary cutting tools for joint operation cutting and profiling, preferably in line, according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention also relates to processes for joint implementation of cutting operations using the device of the invention, and the use of such a device.

State of the art

In many applications it is known to associate cutting and profiling. These cuts can be little many or, conversely, the cutting density can to be very high. This is the case, for example, of acoustic function or profiles intended to make office of cable trays.

One of the walls realization techniques exhibiting acoustic sound absorption properties is based on the use of profiled metal siding whose surface has many orifices. The processes currently consist in using either perforated profiles, usually round holes and small diameter, either still profiles in which one has made punctured. Punctures are partial cuts leaving the waste cutter attached to the sheet, these cutouts being generally of rectangular shape. Profiles mentioned above are characterized by a cutting density very important, of the order of several thousand holes per square meter.

Among the techniques to achieve cable trays, profiling figures prominently. In this case also we must combine operations of cutting and profiling. The number of cuts, lower in the case of acoustic function profiles, remain however very important.

Other products, such as amounts for metal shelves, are commonly made from profiles with cutouts. In this last example, however, the cuts are much smaller.

To obtain these profiled products presenting more or fewer cuts, we resort to different processes. In fact, two large families of processes must be distinguished according to whether the cuts are made by press or rotary tools.

Press cuts can be carried out before the profiling operation, outside the line of profiling, or by a press installed in the profiling line or even after the operation of profiling.

When the cuts are made before and outside the profiling line, handling additional are numerous and they lead to a significant extra cost. When the press is placed in the profiling line, the cutting operation penalizes substantially the profiling speed. Finally, the realization of cuts after profiling induces limitations as to the position of the cuts on the profile by the access constraints imposed by cutting tools, this which also penalizes productivity.

Rotary tools offer an alternative interesting to the use of presses, in that they can operate at speeds compatible with that of the profiling line.

Examples of such types of tools are described in GB-A-1,044,313, GB-A-1 123,536, US-A-1,581,236, US-A-1,333,704, US-A-3,828 636, US-A-3,205,744, US-A-3,709,077, US-A-3,438,835, US-A-3 274,873, US-A-3,066,542 and US-A-5,040,397. described in these documents do not respond well to problem considered here. Either they are intended only for cutting and not perforation operations, ie their realization is very complex and expensive when there is many perforations to achieve. They pose in particular the problem of the evacuation of the very numerous wastes resulting from perforation.

So, an alternative practiced in this case is the punctured which consists in making a partial cut, leaving the waste attached to the sheet, allowing to eliminate the problem of its evacuation. This operation can be achieved by rotating tools but present then other disadvantages. The lower knives being discs, a quality cut is obtained only according to parallel direction in advance of the sheet, the side perpendicular being rather torn off, which can deteriorate the corrosion behavior. In addition, waste remaining attached to the sheet prevents the presence of punctures in areas in contact with pebbles profiling, which significantly reduces the relative area the profile in which one can actually practice these punctures. In addition, by the technology of the tool rotary, the angle of the waste with respect to the plane of the sheet is closer to 45 ° than 90 ° which reduces substantially the apparent opening. Functional profiles acoustics made on the basis of the technique of the flat then have significantly lower performance than those made by drilling.

US Pat. No. 4,766,707 discloses a machine comprising a first pair of rotary drums drilling followed by a second pair of rotary drums cutting a metal strip. According to the installation this machine is followed by a forming machine or folding to make clips for roof panels. The first pair of tools makes a conical spike or hole, serving to accommodate subsequently fixing means such as nails. The second pair of tools crosswise practically a notch at each longitudinal edge of the strip, two contiguous sections of tape are no longer connected loosely in the middle, with a view to promoting a easy subsequent separation of the clips. The footsteps of both types of operations are significantly different.

US-A-1,931,468 discloses a similar facility where the movement of pairs of rolls is coordinated by a drive system to gears. Drilling in one or two operations is made using a pair of rotating tools, one of which presents channels for the disposal of cutting waste.

Goals of the invention

The present invention aims to provide a solution to overcome the disadvantages of the state of the art.

In particular, the present invention aims to propose a rotary tooling technology allowing the cutting of many small holes in line of profiling, the realization of geometric punctures improved and without penalizing the speed of profiling.

Main characteristic elements of the invention

The present invention relates to a device including rotary cutting tools, for the joint implementation of cutting operations and profiling of sheets, the cutting density being very important preference, said cutting operations being preferably integrated into an automated line of profiling, characterized in that it comprises a first pair of rotary cutting tools making a first plurality of blanks and a second pair of blanking tools rotary cutting completing and completing the first cut by a second plurality of cuts or by a folding to obtain a final cut respectively closed with fall of a cutting waste or a puncture.

According to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the final cut being essentially rectangular, the first pair of rotating tools is cutting in the transverse direction with respect to the advance of the sheet metal for making notches and the second pair of rotary tools is cutting in the longitudinal direction relative to the advance of the sheet. Note that the role of the two pairs of tools can be inverted (cut first in the longitudinal direction, then transversal).

According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the final cut being essentially rectangular and flat type, said first pair of tools is cutting on three contiguous sides of said rectangle and said second pair of tools is folding by relative to the axis constituted by the fourth side of said rectangle.

Preferably, said rotary tools are mounted on shafts supported by bearings whose axis is perpendicular to the direction of the advance of the sheet.

Advantageously, the direction of rotation of the upper and lower tools is such that speed tangential of said tools at the point of contact with the sheet metal is of the same meaning and essentially of the same value as the scroll speed of the sheet.

In a particularly advantageous manner, said device comprises means for ensuring the relative positioning according to the circumference of teeth belonging to the upper and lower tools of said first pair of circular tools, said means being preferably a gear box with play catch-up synchronizing the trees.

According to a particular embodiment of device of the invention, the first pair of tools includes a superior tool, consisting of a succession alternative elementary circular knives and of inserts, and a lower tool, consisting of a alternative succession of elementary circular knives and elements acting as side knives. Moreover, the second pair of tools includes a superior tool and a lower tool, each consisting of a succession alternative elementary circular knives and interlayers.

Advantageously, each circular knife elementary element has teeth at its periphery, arc whose length is equivalent to the games of cut close, at the distance between the two notches belonging to the same final cut and made by the first pair of tools. Circular knives as well as the dividers of the second pair of tools have equivalent widths, basically to cutting games near.

The device of the invention is advantageously provided with means for facilitating the disposal of cutting waste, preferably combs whose teeth are inserted between the tools elementary circulars of the second pair of tools.

Still according to the invention, the upper tool of the second pair of tools can be provided with teeth that are rounded or softened at the bending edge and having games compatible with folding.

• une première paire d'outils de découpe rotatifs réalise une première pluralité de découpes transversales par rapport à l'avance de la tôle ;
• une deuxième paire d'outils de découpe rotatifs réalise une deuxième pluralité de découpes longitudinales par rapport à l'avance de la tôle, le résultat combiné de ces deux opérations étant un ensemble de découpes fermées, de préférence rectangulaires ;
• les déchets de coupe sont évacués de par le mouvement des outils, de préférence au moyen de peignes incorporés à la deuxième paire d'outils et/ou évacués transversalement par une bande transporteuse.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for the joint realization of pierced type cutting and sheet forming operations, the cutting density being preferably very important, said cutting operations preferably being integrated into an automated line. profiling device, implementing a device according to claim 2 characterized by the following successive steps:

• a first pair of rotary cutting tools makes a first plurality of transverse cuts relative to the advance of the sheet;
• a second pair of rotary cutting tools produces a second plurality of longitudinal cuts with respect to the advance of the sheet, the combined result of these two operations being a set of closed cuts, preferably rectangular;
• the cutting waste is removed by the movement of the tools, preferably by means of combs incorporated in the second pair of tools and / or evacuated transversely by a conveyor belt.

• une première paire d'outils de découpe rotatifs réalise une première pluralité de découpes en forme de "U" inscrites dans un rectangle ;
• une deuxième paire d'outils de découpe rotatifs réalise un pliage dont l'axe est selon le côté restant pour former un ensemble de découpes rectangulaires de type crevé.

The invention also relates to a method for the joint implementation of puncturing and profiling sheet operations, said cutting operations preferably being integrated in an automated profiling line using a device according to claim 3,
characterized by the following successive steps:

• a first pair of rotary cutting tools makes a first plurality of U-shaped cuts inscribed in a rectangle;
• a second pair of rotary cutting tools performs a folding whose axis is along the remaining side to form a set of rectangular cuts flat type.

In a particularly advantageous way, the method of the invention can combine, on the same machine, cutting and puncturing operations, distributed according to sheet metal strips parallel to the progress of the sheet, said punctures being made in areas not entering in contact with profiling tools.

Advantageously, said cuts Rectangular type pierced or punctured are offset, the offset between two adjacent cuts being equal to not in long (Plg) divided by an offset parameter X, X being non-zero.

In use, the device of the invention is used for the realization of walls with acoustic properties of sound absorption, for the realization of cable trays, or for the realization of metal shelves.

Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 represents an overview of the rotating tool system according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows two tool elements belonging to the first pair of rotary tools corresponding figures in Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an elevational view of the first pair of rotary tools according to the invention.

Figure 4 shows two modes of particular embodiments of the teeth of the rotary tool upper portion shown in Figure 3.

FIG. 5 represents the detail of the notches made with the first pair of tools according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 represents a detailed view of the two tool elements belonging to the second pair corresponding rotary tools of FIG.

Figure 7 shows an elevational view of the second pair of rotary tools according to the invention.

Figure 8 shows a diagram of optimized positioning of the blanks in the sheet, according to the invention.

Figure 9 shows the parameters allowing to define the cuts as shown in the figure 8.

Figure 10 represents a real example of cutout diagram according to the invention.

Figure 11 shows the detail of cuts made with the first pair of tools according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, respectively and alternately in the direction longitudinal and in the transverse direction.

Figure 12 shows the detail of the teeth of the elementary folding tool on the second pair of tools corresponding to the cuts of Figure 11.

Detailed description of the invention

The present invention aims to obtain either a rectangular cut or a burst in breaking down the operations into two phases so that guarantee good cutting quality and evacuation easy waste in the case of cutting or a good quality of cutting and folding in the case of the flat.

The basic principle, illustrated in Figure 1, consists in using two successive pairs of tools rotatable. In the case of hole cutting, this principle allows to break down the cut into two phases. Firstly, the first pair of rotary knives makes cuts transverse to the advance of the sheet. Else the second pair makes longitudinal cuts and ensures easy evacuation of waste. In the case of flat cuts, the first pair of knives performs, for example, a cut on three sides. The second pair then carries out the folding of the cutting waste, which makes it possible to obtain an apparent opening clearly improved compared to the state of the art. Moreover, in the prior state of the art US-A-4,766,707, the successive operations performed by rotary tools (pushing or drilling, transverse shear) on different areas and have very different purposes distinct.

Figure 1 presents an overview of the system. A first pair of rotary tools composed of tools 1 and 2, respectively mounted on shafts 6 and 6 ', makes a partial cut on the sheet, without waste removal. The cut is completed by a second pair of tools, consisting of tools 3 and 4, mounted respectively on 6 '' and 6 '' 'shafts. These trees are supported by bearings mounted in similar heads to the profiling heads (not shown). The meaning of rotation of each tool is indicated (B, B ', B' ', B' ''). The advancement of the sheet is done in direction A, in the indicated direction and is equivalent to the peripheral speed common tools 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Description of several preferred embodiments of the invention

Figures 2 and 3 show a shape of preferred embodiment of rotary tools 1 and 2. In particular, Figure 2 shows the two tool elements upper circular 11 and lower 21 realizing a notch 7 perpendicular to the direction of advancement of the sheet 5 (see Figure 5). As shown in Figure 3, the upper tool 1 consists of a stack of tools elementary circulars 11 and inserts 12. These tool elements are mounted on the shaft 6, positioned and blocked on the shaft in the direction of rotation by elements such as keys. These elements are also blocked in the axial direction so as to guarantee a precise positioning. The lower tool 2 consists of analogous way of a stack of elements 21, lying vis-à-vis the elements 11 and separated by elements 22 which act as side knives when cutting the notch 7. The elements 21 and 22 are locked in rotation and positioned in the axial direction, as for tool 1. The elements 11, 21 and 22 are preferably made in a heat-treated tool steel, as for the conventional cutting tools.

This mode of construction of rotary tools is particularly advantageous because it allows a realization economic tools, items such as 11 or 21 can be made by wire cutting a stack of steel discs with a treated tool.

Axial positioning of tools 1 and 2 is achieved by stops mounted on the trees at level of the bearings in the support head. The Relative radial positioning of the teeth of the tools circular 11 and 21 is made by at least one box to gears synchronizing the shafts 6 and 6 '. It is preference of gears with catch-up clearance, so as to guarantee precise positioning compatible with the games cutting. At least one of the trees 6 or 6 'is motorized from to guarantee a circumferential rotation speed tools equal to the advance of sheet A.

Figure 4 shows two embodiments teeth 111 or 111 'of the circular tool 11.

After passing through the first pair of tools rotating, the sheet has notches 7 as indicated in the figure 5.

Figures 6 and 7 show the knives elementary 31 and 41 carrying out the second operation of cutting. The circular knife 31 has on its periphery teeth 311, whose arc has an equivalent length at cutting games near, at the distance between two notches 7. The complete upper circular tool 3 is made by a stack of elementary knives 31 separated by tabs 32. The positioning circumferential and axial knife 31 is made of similar to that of tools 1 and 2. In addition, the tree 6 '' is synchronized with respect to the shaft 6 so as to guarantee precise positioning of the notches 7 by compared to knives 311. This synchronization is by example made by a gear system.

The tool 4 consists of a stack of elementary cutting discs 41 and inserts 42 (Figure 7). Their axial positioning is realized as for tools 1 and 2, the relative positioning of tools 3 and 4 must be guaranteed only in the direction axial. Tool elements 11, 21 and 31 as well as tabs 42 have equivalent widths, at the games of cut close.

The cuttings waste is very easily evacuated between the disks 41, a possible comb with teeth interposed between discs 41 to ensure the evacuation of waste that would remain wedged between the cutting discs 41, the waste being then evacuated transversely, for example using a conveyor belt.

Figure 8 schematically presents a optimized positioning of the cutouts. Indeed a point delicate of the process is the cutting effort to be provided, especially when cutting the notches by the tools 1 and 2. To reduce this effort, it is thus interesting to stagger the cutouts as presented to the figure 8.

The parameters to be considered are presented in FIG. 9: the transverse pitch Ptr, the pitch length Plg, the DecTr transverse cut and the DecLg long cut. The cutting rate, which determines, for example, the sound quality of the panels, is the relationship between the cut surface (DecTr x DecLg) and the surface of the steps (Plg x Ptr). The parameter X determining the shift is chosen high enough to reduce the stress on the trees. In effect plus the parameter X is high, and especially if X is not complete, the fewer cuts are made simultaneously.

Another important parameter is the ratio between the length not cut in length, Plg - DecLg, and the no offset, Plg / X. If this report is complete, some first cuts of rectangular openings coincide with the second cuts offset by a number of rows equal to said report. In this case, the number of cuts taking place simultaneously is relatively high, which gives a relatively large load in bending of trees, but the cuts made in pairs, the radial forces on the knives compensate each other, which reduces the torque applied to the trees. If we choose cutting parameters so that this ratio (Plg - DecLg) / (Plg / X) is not an integer, we reduce the number cuts occurring simultaneously, which decreases the bending force, but increases the torque applied to trees.

Table 1 presents an example of choice adequate parameters corresponding to a non-integer ratio and Figure 10 illustrates a concrete example of cutting.

The technique of the invention also allows to optimize the cutting of openings in flat mode, it's up to say without removal of material.

The technology of tools is in his identical principle. At the first pair of tools 1 and 2, we makes a U-shaped cut as indicated in 7 ' (longitudinal direction) or 7 '' (transverse direction) to Figure 11. Type 111 teeth of the elementary tool 11 are adapted accordingly. On the second pair tool, no more cuts are made, as previously, but a bend according to 8. The teeth 311 of the tool Elemental 31 are of course adapted accordingly: rounded at the bending edge and compatible games with folding. Figure 12 shows typical views of this type of flat, for the longitudinal direction and for the transverse direction.

For these different applications, the diameter of the tools will be conditioned by the considerations of resistance of the materials that govern the dimensioning of trees, but also by contact conditions of the circular tool with the sheet. Thus the radius of the tools 1 and 2 will preferably be equal or greater than 100 times the thickness of the sheet. In the case of flat, we can also choose different rays for the tools 3 and 4, the tool 4 presenting for example a radius substantially greater than the tool 3, so as to guarantee a good support of the sheet during the operation of folding.

In a particular embodiment, it is possible to combine, in one and the same machine, cutting and puncturing operations distributed along strips parallel to the progress of the sheet, the punctures being located in areas that do not come into contact with the tools. profiling. Example of parameters Rate ptr DecTr Plg DecLg Offset (Ptr / x) 15 10 5 31.41 9.42 6.28 15 20 10 31.41 9.42 5.23 15 20 6.6 31.41 14.28 5.23 30 10 5 15.7 9.42 2.61 30 20 10 15.7 9.42 2.61 30 15 7.5 15.7 9.42 2.61

Claims (20)

1. Device comprising rotary cutting tools for combining cutting and shaping operations on metal sheets, the density of the cuts preferably being very high, said cutting operations preferably being integrated into an automated shaping line, characterised in that it comprises a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1, 2) producing a first set of cuts (7, 7', 7'') and a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3, 4) completing and finishing off the first cuts by a second set of cuts or by a fold (8) in order to obtain a final closed cut with the drop of cut waste or a puncture, respectively.
2. Device according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that, with the final cut being essentially rectangular, the first pair of rotary tools (1, 2) cuts in the transverse direction relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A) in order to produce notches (7) and in that the second pair of rotary tools (3, 4) cuts in the longitudinal direction relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A).
3. Device according to Claim 1,
   characterised in that, with the final cut being essentially rectangular and of the puncture type, said first pair of tools (1, 2) cuts on three adjacent sides of said rectangle (7', 7'') and said second pair of tools (3, 4) makes a fold relative to the axis formed by the fourth side of said rectangle (8).
4. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that said rotary tools (1, 2, 3, 4) are mounted on shafts (6, 6', 6'', 6''') supported by bearings, the axes of which are perpendicular to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A).
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rotation direction of the upper tools (1, 3) and lower tools (2, 4) is such that the tangential speed of said tools at the point of contact with the metal sheet is in the same direction and essentially of the same magnitude as the speed at which the metal sheet passes.
6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a means for ensuring the relative positioning depending on the circumference of the teeth (111, 111', 211, 211') of the upper tool (1) and lower tool (2) of said first pair of circular tools, said means preferably being a gearbox that takes up the play in order to synchronise the shafts (6, 6').
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first pair of tools (1, 2) comprises an upper tool (1) comprising an alternating series of simple, circular knives (11) and spacers (12), and a lower tool (2) comprising an alternating series of simple circular knives (21) and elements acting as lateral knives (22).
8. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the second pair of tools (3, 4) comprises an upper tool (3) and a lower tool (4), each comprising an alternating series of simple circular knives (31, 41) and spacers (32, 42).
9. Device according to Claim 8,
   characterised in that each upper simple, circular knife (31) comprises teeth (311) on its periphery, the arc of which having a length that is equivalent, apart from the sets of cuts, to the distance between the two notches (7) associated to the same final cut and produced by the first pair of tools (1, 2).
10. Device according to any one of Claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the simple, circular knives (11, 21, 31) and the spacers (42) of the second pair of tools have equivalent widths, apart from the sets of cuts.
11. Device according to Claim 8,
    characterised in that it is provided with a means for favouring the discharge of the cut waste, preferably combs, the teeth of which fit between the simple circular knives (41) of the second pair of tools.
12. Device according to Claim 3,
    characterised in that the upper tool (3) of the second pair of tools is provided with teeth (311) which are rounded or smoothed at the level of the fold line and have sets that are compatible with the fold.
13. Device according to Claim 1,
    characterised in that, with the final cut being essentially rectangular, the first pair of rotary tools (1, 2) cuts in the longitudinal direction relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A) and in that the second pair of rotary tools (3, 4) cuts in the transverse direction relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A).
14. Method for combining operations of drilling-type cutting and shaping of metal sheets, the density of the cuts preferably being very high, said cutting operations preferably being integrated within a automated shaping line, implementing a device according to Claim 2, characterised by the following successive stages:

    a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1, 2) produces a first set of transverse cuts (7) relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A);

    a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3, 4) produces a second set of longitudinal cuts relative to the travel direction of the metal sheet (A), the combined result of both operations being a set of closed cuts, preferably rectangular;

    the cut waste is discharged by the movement of the tools, preferably by means of combs that are incorporated into the second pair of tools and/or transversally discharged by a transport belt.
15. Method for combining puncturing and shaping operations on metal sheets, said cutting operations preferably being integrated into an automated shaping line, implementing a device according to Claim 3, characterised by the following successive stages:

    a first pair of rotary cutting tools (1, 2) produces a first set of U-shaped cuts (7', 7'') forming a rectangle;

    a second pair of rotary cutting tools (3, 4) produces a fold (8), the axis of which is intended on the remaining side for forming a set of rectangular cuts of the puncture type.
16. Method according to Claim 14 or 15, characterised in that it combines on a single machine cutting and puncturing operations distributed along strips of metal sheet that are parallel to the travel direction of the metal sheet, said punctures being produced in areas that do not come into contact with the shaping tools.
17. Method according to Claim 14 or 15, characterised in that said rectangular drilled or punctured cuts are shifted, the shift between two adjacent cuts being equal to the longitudinal pitch (Plg) divided by a shift parameter X, X being non-zero.
18. Use of the device according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 for producing partitions with acoustic sound-absorbing properties.
19. Use of the device according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 for producing cable conduits.
20. Use of the device according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 for producing metal shelves.

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