EP1426124B1 - Device for feeding longitudinal bars - Google Patents

Abstract

The arrangement has several magazines (4.1) for longitudinal wires and an arrangement for moving the longitudinal wires forward out of the magazines with a linear drive movable over the entire length of the magazine to which pusher elements for at least two magazines are connected. A controller can position the forward movement arrangement at any longitudinal position as the starting position. Independent claims are also included for the following: (a) a grid welding system with an inventive device (b) a method of feeding longitudinal wires to welding arrangement (c) and a method of automatic positioning of a magazine with longitudinal wires.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a device for feeding longitudinal wires to a welding device, comprising: a longitudinal wire magazine device with a plurality of longitudinally extending magazines for longitudinal wires, wherein the magazines are fixed with releasable holding devices in a desired position, and further comprising a wire feeding device for advancing in the Longitudinal wire magazine device provided longitudinal wires along the longitudinal direction. The invention further relates to a mesh welding machine with such a device and a method for automatically positioning a magazine for a longitudinal wire.

State of the art

The feeding of longitudinal wires in welding machines for producing wire meshes can be done according to various principles. One possibility is that the wires are drawn directly from coils, conditioned as needed and fed to the welding machine. This method is mainly used for systems for large lots (for standard grating, bearing mats). Another possibility is to provide the longitudinal wires in the desired length as a bundle and to provide the necessary number of wires in a longitudinal wire magazine device in the desired grid for each grid mat. When welding the longitudinal wires are advanced gradually with a wire feeder from behind. This method is suitable for the production of industrial gratings, especially for small lots.

In the present context, the feed devices suitable for the second-mentioned type of machine are of interest. In these usually an electric or pneumatic linear actuator is used, which causes the insertion movement. The length of the insertion movement is either constant or can be adjusted with a controller within a certain (limited) tolerance range to the length of the longitudinal wires.

In addition to the processing of different longitudinal wire lengths and the longitudinal wire spacing, d. H. the mutual distance of the wire magazines, can be changed. For this purpose, various facilities are known:

The GB 1 104 189 A (Baustahlgewebe GmbH) shows a device for a mesh welding machine, with which the distance of mutually parallel, longitudinal rod guide elements can be adjusted continuously. The tubular executed rod guide elements are hinged together via four transverse, trapezoidally arranged connecting elements. Similar to a spindle-driven jack, the formed trapezoid of these fasteners by a central spindle drive symmetrically pressed together or apart and thus set the distance to each other for all rod guide elements.

AT 384 968 B (EVG) relates to a device for feeding cut longitudinal elements to the entrance of a mesh welding machine. This comprises a stationary storage magazine with a plurality of compartments for receiving the longitudinal wires, wherein the mutual distance (and thus the position) of the subjects is changeable. For this purpose, the mesh welding machine on a shaft with spacers, which are formed ramp-shaped on its end face; the compartments are moved apart, then the spacers are pivoted in a suitable rotational position between the subjects, and finally the subjects are again moved towards each other until they are stopped by the pivoted shims. The length of the compartments can be changed by support rollers, which can be lowered in apertures, and thus adapt to differently long longitudinal wires. The longitudinal wires are transported from the subjects by means of a feed carriage to the welding machine, wherein the feed carriage by means of an electric motor via a toothed rail is movable, which extends over the entire length of the compartments. The feed carriage has a carrier extending transversely across the compartments, on which freely displaceable feed elements are arranged in the transverse direction, which are in permanent engagement with one compartment each.

However, the described facilities are not very flexible, all magazines have each design by the same distance to the neighbors.

EP 0566 011 A (Angelo Candiracci) shows a feed device for mesh welding machines. This has a carriage to pull off the longitudinal wires of corresponding coils. The withdrawn and cut wires are guided from the train carriage in telescopic tubes, through which they are further supplied to the welding machine. The telescopic tubes are arranged on carriers which are adjustable in the transverse direction by being displaced along guide profiles and fixed by means of screws.

This feature allows for more flexible adjustment of the wire spacing. However, this must be done consuming by hand.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a device attributable to the technical field mentioned above, which allows a rapid and flexible change of the longitudinal wire spacing, so that customer-specific small orders can be performed efficiently.

The solution of the problem is defined by the features of claims 1 and 13. The inventive device has means for automatically positioning the magazine transversely to the longitudinal direction with a transversely movable to the longitudinal positioning with a gripper for detecting one of the magazines.

By fixing the longitudinal wire magazines with releasable holding devices in a desired position, the desired flexibility is ensured: The longitudinal wire magazines can be positioned with virtually arbitrary transverse distances, wherein a minimum distance is limited by the width of the magazines. In particular, gratings can be produced which have different longitudinal wire transverse distances. The gripper as part of the means for automatically positioning the magazines can selectively detect a released magazine to be positioned and move it to the desired position, where it is again fixed. The automatic positioning allows a fast conversion to a new grid geometry even with complicated grid pitches.

In addition, the means for advancing the longitudinal wires advantageously have a linear drive movable over an entire length of the magazines, to which plunger elements for at least two magazines are connected, and a control is provided to position the means for advancing at any longitudinal position as the starting position can.

By having complete freedom in determining the starting position of the linear actuator and the starting position can be adjusted automatically, the device can be adjusted in no time without manual retooling from one longitudinal wire length to any other. The feed device is always brought to the actual position of the rear ends of the longitudinal wires at the beginning of welding a new grid mat. Thus, it is basically possible to change the length of grid mat to grid mat, without a loss of time must be taken into account.

The linear drive advantageously comprises a guide element which extends over the entire width of the device and to which the ram elements can be engaged. The width of the device corresponds at least to the maximum processable width the grid mats to be produced. With the guide element, the longitudinal movement is performed. The plunger elements are thus moved synchronously forward.

It is also conceivable that the guide element does not extend over the entire width of the device. It can e.g. be provided two complementary guide elements. These can be controlled by synchronized drives so that they can perform synchronous longitudinal steps. If two guide elements are controlled independently but provided synchronously movable if necessary, then different lengths of longitudinal wires can be welded to the same grid.

It is not mandatory that all ram elements are coupled to the same guide element. It is possible, e.g. that two guide elements are provided such that adjacent plunger elements can be coupled to different guide elements.

The plunger elements may e.g. be held by a coupling device on the guide member, which automatically releases when the driver is moved beyond a predetermined position to the rear (i.e., against the transport direction). After the tappet elements have been released in this way, the magazines can be adjusted to a different longitudinal wire spacing. To release the connection between the guide element and the plunger elements so no manual work is necessary. Preferably, the coupling device is designed so that it works purely mechanically. There may also be provided an electrical switch which is actuated as the driver passes by and operates by electromechanical means (for example by means of a magnetic coupling). However, it is also possible for the coupling to be released manually (for example by actuating a lever or slider), either separately for each ram element or simultaneously for all ram elements.

It may be provided on the plunger element, a mechanical case as part of the coupling device, which falls when leaving the magazine down and releases the guide element. Thus, the plunger element only needs to be pulled far enough back so that the latch comes out of the magazine and falls down.

The magazines are e.g. designed as U- or V-shaped channels which receive exactly one longitudinal wire. (A longitudinal wire store supplies a line wire to each magazine at the beginning of the production cycle.) The magazines are preferably aligned parallel to each other. The mutual distance of the magazines is changeable. In order to make this possible, the magazines are mounted, for example, on rails running transversely to the magazine longitudinal direction. Each magazine is held on the rail via a releasable holding device. During the production cycle, the magazines are fixed.

To change the longitudinal wire spacing (i.e., the mutual spacing of the single wire magazines), the holding devices are released. The affected magazine is then freely displaceable in the transverse direction on the rail. In the new position, the magazine is fixed again by the holding device. The release or fixing of the holding device is preferably carried out by machine. That the holding device has a motor-operated fixing mechanism, which can be controlled by control signals. The rail can be smooth so that any transverse position can be adjusted, or it can be screened (more or less fine) so that the distances can be varied in a particular step (e.g., 1 mm or 5 mm)

The fixing mechanism may e.g. have a clamping screw which is detachable or fixable with an electric screwdriver unit. The screwdriver unit can advantageously be moved back and forth between fixing mechanisms of different magazines, so that it is not necessary to provide a screwdriver unit for each clamping screw.

Instead of a clamping screw, e.g. a spring-loaded clamp or brake may be used which normally fixes the magazine on the cross rail and which e.g. can be opened with an actuator, so that the magazine is displaceable.

In order for the device to be adjusted to any longitudinal wire spacing and numbers, it is advantageous if magazines can be added or removed as needed. According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, a magazine receiving point is provided on at least one side of the device. If a new magazine is hung up at the magazine receiving point, this will be done by the controller detected. With an automatic Querpositioniervorrichtung the magazine is picked up and positioned at a desired location. Conversely, a superfluous magazine can be automatically moved to the magazine receiving point, so that it can be posted by the operator. It may also be advantageous if the process described above is semi-automatic or manual. The new magazine hung by the operator can eg be "logged in" (or "logged in") via a corresponding control button in the control. Accordingly, the removal of a magazine can be manually "written off" (or "acknowledged").

For positioning or moving the magazines units may be provided which can be moved on rails or with a linear drive transverse to the longitudinal direction of the magazines. To automatically retool the magazines, at least one unit is moved from one magazine to another to reposition each magazine.

It is also conceivable that each magazine is provided with its own drive to position itself. It can also be coupled to several magazines on a common drive. The magazine that has to be moved is coupled to the drive.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, three magazine positioning units are provided, which operate in different longitudinal sections of the device (namely in front, in the middle and in the back). The magazine positioning units are connected to a common drive and run synchronously. Each of said units has an actuating mechanism for controlled release and fixing of the holding device, as well as a Magazineinspannvorrichtung, with which the magazine is precisely held and guided when moving.

There are also two Magazinpositioniereinheiten, if the magazines are not too long. It is also conceivable that a Magazinpositioniereinheit is provided, which is additionally movable in the longitudinal direction.

In general, the exact positioning at the front (the welding unit facing) end of the magazine is more important than at the rear end. Advantageously, therefore, a sensor is provided at the output (i.e., front) end of the device for determining the position of the front end of the magazine. This is advantageously mechanically independent of the magazine positioning or machine fixed. After moving and fixing the magazine, the controller uses the probe to determine the effective position of the magazine. If a deviation from the set position is detected, the magazine is moved accordingly.

In an alternative embodiment, the position of a magazine during the movement is continuously measured, so that the fixation is "place-controlled" at the right place.

It will often happen that not all magazines are needed to make a particular grid. In this case, it must be ensured that the machine control system knows which magazines are required and therefore must be filled. To avoid faulty grid mats from the outset, a level sensor can be provided, with which it can be determined in each magazine during production, whether actually a longitudinal wire is present.

The level sensor can be based on an optical principle. The magazines may e.g. Have openings through which the longitudinal wire is visible. If the longitudinal wire is present, it blocks the opening. In this way, the filling state can be determined with a light barrier. It may also be provided a mechanical pawl, which is raised by the weight of the longitudinal bar (or lowered). With the jack, an electrical circuit can be closed. So there are different ways and means to check the presence of a longitudinal wire in the magazine.

1. 1. Auswählen des neu zu positionierenden Magazins (die Magazine können z.B. von der Maschinensteuerung systematisch abgefragt und positioniert werden).
2. 2. Lösen der Fixierung des ausgewählten Magazins (vorzugsweise automatisch).
3. 3. Paralleles Verschieben des Magazins (mit einer oder mehreren Querverschiebeeinheiten).
4. 4. Befestigen der Fixierung des Magazins (wiederum vorzugsweise automatisch).

A preferred method of positioning is as follows:

1. 1. Selecting the magazine to be repositioned (the magazines can be systematically queried and positioned by the machine control, for example).
2. 2. Release the fixation of the selected magazine (preferably automatically).
3. 3. Moving the magazine in parallel (with one or more transverse displacement units).
4. 4. Attach the fixation of the magazine (again preferably automatically).

Preferably, the position of the magazine is checked and corrected if necessary. After moving the magazine, a transverse position of the magazine is determined with a position sensor and, if necessary, a correction of the transverse position of the magazine is made. The sensor advantageously detects the location of the front end of the magazine (i.e., the location just before the welding electrode). In addition, the position of the rear area or even of the rear end of the magazine could also be scanned and - if necessary - corrected.

From the following detailed description and the totality of the claims, further advantageous embodiments and feature combinations of the invention result.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

Eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Vorrichtung zum Zuführen von Längsdrähten:

Fig. 2a, b

eine Seitenansicht eines Kupplungsmechanismus;

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht der eingekuppelten Haltevorrichtung für das Magazin;

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht der ausgekuppelten Haltevorrichtung für das Magazin;

Fig. 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemässen Positioniervorrichtung;

Fig. 6

ein Blockschaltbild einer erfindungsgemässen Anlage;

Fig. 7

eine schematische Darstellung eines Füllstandsdetektors.

The drawings used to explain the embodiment show:

Fig. 1

A perspective view of a device according to the invention for feeding longitudinal wires:

Fig. 2a, b

a side view of a clutch mechanism;

Fig. 3

a side view of the coupled holding device for the magazine;

Fig. 4

a side view of the disengaged holding device for the magazine;

Fig. 5

a perspective view of an inventive positioning device;

Fig. 6

a block diagram of a system according to the invention;

Fig. 7

a schematic representation of a level detector.

Basically, the same parts are provided with the same reference numerals in the figures.

Ways to carry out the invention

Fig. 6 shows the block diagram of a welding system. The welding unit 37, which is e.g. can be designed as a portal welding machine with a plurality of transversely slidable to the feed direction welding electrodes 39, a longitudinal wire insertion device 1 is upstream. A control circuit 38 (which may be centrally located or distributed to the individual devices) controls the system or its components according to a stored welding program.

On a front and a rear support frame 2.1, 2.2 rests a horizontal machine frame 3. The front support frame 2.1 has a certain distance from the front end of the machine frame 3, so that the machine frame 3 protrudes and can protrude beyond the substructure of a subsequent grid welding machine (not shown) to the welding electrodes 38 (Figure 6).

On the machine frame 3, a plurality of magazines for longitudinal wires is provided. In practice, for example, 5 to 80 magazines can be provided. For the sake of clarity, only one magazine 4.1 is shown in FIG. This has for example a V-shaped profile and extends from the back to the front, where it protrudes beyond the machine frame 3 also. The front end 5.1 of the magazine 4.1 must be up to the entrance the (not shown in Fig. 1) welding machine or stretch to the welding electrode.

The rear end 5.2 of the magazine 4.1 is located in front of the rear end of the machine frame 3. This allows the particularly preferred type of automatic disengagement of the plunger elements, which are held displaceably in the magazines.

In Figs. 2a and 2b, a plunger element 6 is shown in the magazine 4.1. It has a head 7 which is attached to the front end of a rod 8. The cross-section of the head 7 is adapted to the cross-section of the magazine 4.1 (i.e., it is preferably wedge-shaped). However, the head 7 does not protrude upwards out of the magazine. The rear end of the rod 8 is connected to the coupling part 9, which is also adapted in its cross section to the cross section of the magazine 4.1, so that there is a good guide. In addition, the coupling part 9 protrudes from the magazine 4.1 in such a way that it can engage with a flat profile 10, which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the magazine 4.1 on the machine frame (see Fig .. 1).

The coupling part 9 has on its upper side a recess 11 for the flat profile 10. At the front, i. the output side of the longitudinal wire insertion device 1 end facing the recess 11 is provided with a set screw 12. This set screw 12 (which is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the magazine 4.1) provides the front narrow side of the flat profile 10 a stop that is adjustable.

At the rear side of the coupling part 9, the nose 14 of an L-shaped lever 13 projects upwards out of the magazine 4.1. The nose 14 locks the flat profile 10 (in the horizontal direction) in the recess 11 when the (hump-like) support member 15 of the lever 13 during normal operation rests on the bottom of the magazine 4.1 (Fig. 2a). The lever 13 is pivotable in a vertical plane (see pivot axis 16). The pivot axis 16 is in the present embodiment, approximately in the middle (relative to the longitudinal extent) of the coupling part. 9

When the lever 13 is in the position shown in Fig. 2a, performs the plunger element 6 in the longitudinal direction of the movement, which dictates the flat profile 10. This is in the spirit of the invention. The flat profile 10 is namely part of a linear drive, the two linear guides or linear drives, which are mounted at the bottom of the horizontal machine frame 3 (or on the longitudinal members), two side support 17.1, 17.2 and the flat profile 10 includes. The flat profile 10 is thus held by the two side supports 17.1, 17.2, so that an entire machine spanning, longitudinally movable bridge is formed. (In Fig. 1, a drive 18 is visible for this longitudinally movable bridge.)

The driver can be moved over the entire length of the longitudinal wire insertion device 1. In the foremost position, the head 7 of the plunger element 6 is just about at the front end 5.1 of the magazine 4.1. In the rearmost position, the coupling part 9 abuts on the rear side on a cross member 19 (FIG. 2 b) and the flat profile 10 is retracted onto a table 20, which is fastened to the rear side of the cross member 19.

Any position can be selected as the starting position for the insertion of the longitudinal wires. That is, the machine control is designed and programmed so that the driver is positioned at the beginning of an insertion process according to the programmed or stored in the data memory length information, so that the loaded into the magazine longitudinal bar is advanced to the first welding position.

Different grids usually have not only different lengths, but also different longitudinal wire spacings. The longitudinal wire insertion device 1 is therefore designed so that the mutual distance of the magazines can be changed. As will be explained below, means for automatically positioning the magazines are provided according to the invention. The device can then be adjusted without manual intervention by an operator to different specifications.

In Fig. 1, three magazine positioning units 21, 22, 23 are shown. These are each on a guide 24, 25, 26 (eg a rigid metal profile) transversely to the magazine longitudinal direction traversable. The magazine positioning units 21, 22, 23 are moved synchronously. Each of them is connected via a belt with a (common) drive axle, which is arranged on a longitudinal side of the machine frame 1. This ensures that the magazines are moved in parallel and can not be inclined to the longitudinal axis of the device when moving.

At the foremost magazine positioning unit 21, a position sensor 27 is mounted. This protrudes to the front end 5.1 of the magazine 4.1, to determine as close to the welding electrode, the transverse position of the magazine (and consequently of the wire). The position of the magazines is best measured only when all magazines have been positioned. It can then be detected errors and eliminated by selective repositioning of the corresponding magazines. The magazine positioning unit 21 is used e.g. like a scanner across the entire width of the machine driven while the position data of all magazines are captured and loaded into a memory. The position data can then be evaluated for correction determination.

In addition to each guide 24, 25, 26, a carrier 28, 29, 30 is arranged. At this magazine can be fixed 4.1 (which is not very rigid in the horizontal plane). In order to be able to reposition the magazine 4.1 transversely to the longitudinal direction, the coupling between the flat profile 10 and the plunger element 6 must first be canceled in the present embodiment, and the transverse fixation of the magazine 4.1 must be released.

It will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b how the coupling between the flat profile 10 and the plunger element 6 is released. In Fig. 2a the coupled state and in Fig. 2b the uncoupled state is shown. If the flat profile 10 is moved so far back that the support member 15 of the lever 13 can no longer be supported by the bottom of the magazine 4.1, but falls backwards out of the magazine (Fig. 2b), then the nose 14 lowers under the Level of the recess 11 (and in this example also below the level of the top edge of the magazine 4.1). The flat profile 10 is therefore no longer locked in the recess 11 and can back over the cross member 19th be driven to the table 20. Because the coupling part 9 of the plunger element 6 strikes the cross member 19, the plunger element 6 remains in the rearmost position shown in Fig. 2b, when the flat profile 10 is moved over the cross member 19. The lever 13 is pivoted in the manner of a case about the pivot axis 16 downwards. The support part 15 protrudes into the void.

If the flat profile 10 is driven again after completion of the repositioning of the magazine 4.1 forward into the recess 11 until it stops at the set screw 12 and further forward to the new starting position, then the plunger element 6 is taken. Due to the suitably selected shape of the guide side 31, which adjoins the hump-shaped support member 15 on the horizontal arm of the lever 13, the lever 13 is pressed in a continuous pivotal movement upward when driving forward of the coupling part 9. When the support member 15 is again completely in the magazine 4.1 or rests on the magazine floor, then the flat profile 10 is locked again.

The transverse positioning will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The prerequisite is that the flat profile 10 and the plunger element 6 are in a decoupled state (see Fig. 2b). The magazines 4.1, 4.2 (see Fig. 4) are supported on three carriers 28, 29, 30, which extend over the entire working width of the longitudinal wire insertion device 1 (see Fig. 1). At the bottom of the magazine 4.1, a bracket 32 is attached to the carrier 30. The magazine 4.1 thus has three (preferably identical) brackets. The details will be explained below with reference to the holder 32.

In the present embodiment, the holder 32 consists essentially of a C-shaped bracket with a clamping screw 33 (Torx screw). With the clamping screw 33, the carrier 30 can be clamped at any desired transverse position. To move the magazine 4.1, the magazine positioning unit 23 is moved to the holder 32. First, the holder 32 is detected. An extensible gripper 34 serves this purpose. The clamping screw 33 can be released with the screwing device 35 arranged below the carrier 30. The same process occurs (preferably at the same time) on the other two holders of the magazine 4.1. When all the clamping screws are loosened, will the drive of Magazinpositioniereinheiten 21, 22, 23 is activated to move the magazine 4.1 in the new transverse position. In the new transverse position, the clamping screw 33 is tightened again with the screw 35, so that the magazine 4.1 is fixed in the transverse direction. The gripper 34 can now be withdrawn and the holder 32 are released.

The magazine positioning units 21, 22, 23 are then moved to a next magazine 4.2, where the repositioning is performed in the same way. A plurality of magazines can thus be successively moved.

If all magazines are positioned according to the new longitudinal wire distances, the flat profile 10 can be brought from the position shown in Fig. 2b forward to the new starting position (Fig. 2a), wherein the mechanical coupling between the plunger elements and the flat profile is created.

In FIG. 4 it can be seen that the magazines 4.1, 4.2 have a V-shaped cross-section at least in the bottom region, so that the (round) longitudinal wires are centered in the magazine, irrespective of the wire diameter.

A still further preferred embodiment of the magazine positioning unit 23 will be described with reference to FIG. The outer shape is essentially box-like (or cuboid). At the front, an angular recess is provided as the working area. In this an extendable gripper 34 and an extendable screw head 36 are arranged. The direction of movement of the gripper 34 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the screw head 36. The gripper 34 forms a recess 44 which is adapted to the outer shape of the holder 32 so that the holder can be held in place (eg clamped). As can be seen in connection with FIG. 3, the direction of movement of the gripper 34 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the magazine 4.1. The holder 32 is detected almost from the rear.

In contrast, the screw head 36 is extendable in the vertical direction (i.e., parallel to the axis of the tightening screw 33) into the working area, so that the tightening screw can be released and refastened during the positioning process.

The most preferred magazine receiving station 40 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. It is a device which is preferably provided on a longitudinal side of the longitudinal wire insertion device 1. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 3, the holder 32 shown can be pushed onto the carrier 30 without difficulty from the rear or from the side. The magazine receiving station 40 thus essentially provides a free space in which the individual wire magazines can be placed on the carriers 28, 29, 30 by the operator. If a new magazine has been used, e.g. an "Accept" button of the control circuit are operated, after which the new magazine is picked up by the magazine positioning units 21, 22, 23 and incorporated into the arrangement of the existing magazines.

The control circuit 38 may be further configured to automatically bring unnecessary magazines (i.e., magazines that are not needed for the current grid production process) into the magazine receiving station 40.

For operation, the following can be said: The magazines can basically be filled in a manner known per se by moving a longitudinal wire store from one magazine to the next and dispensing one longitudinal wire into the magazine in each case. If all the magazines that have to be filled are actually filled, then the advancing of the longitudinal wires and the welding of the grid begins.

It is quite possible that not all magazines are filled, because the grid to be produced does not require as many longitudinal wires. It is also not excluded that a magazine is not filled due to a disturbance of the longitudinal wire store. If, under these circumstances, the welding process is nevertheless started, the result is a mis-production.

To ensure that all magazines that need to be filled, are actually filled, preferably a level sensor is used. This can e.g. be formed as shown schematically in Fig. 7. The magazine 4.1 has at an appropriate location an opening 41 through which the longitudinal wire 42 is visible. With an optical sensor 43 aligned with the opening 41, it is determined whether the longitudinal wire 42 is present.

Only when it is certain that the magazines are filled according to the program, the feed of the wires begins.

The described embodiments can be modified in many ways.

The wire insertion device (flat profile 10 / side support 17.1, 17.2 / linear drive) does not have to be designed as shown. In particular, instead of a flat profile, a self-supporting beam can be provided. The beam can be stored or supported above instead of below the longitudinal wire plane. The coupling between the plunger elements can be realized instead of purely mechanical with magnetic holders. The coupling part can be easily realized also by the fact that the guide member is a carrier with sufficient rigidity, which is disengaged upward from a corresponding recess of the coupling part. It could e.g. a guideway be provided for the bar-like guide member which raises the guide member upwardly as soon as it exceeds a certain longitudinal position to the rear.

Instead of laterally inserting and removing the magazines, they can also be replaced from above or from behind. It is then the brackets that support the magazines on the supports 28, 29, 30, constructively adapt accordingly.

It should be noted that instead of the cross member 19 and individual buffer elements can be provided. These are to be placed so that they can act as a stop in any permissible transverse position of the magazines.

The connection between the plunger element and the longitudinal feed predetermining guide element (which was designed in the embodiment as a flat profile) can also be created in a different manner than described above. It is e.g. a clutch conceivable, although in the longitudinal direction backlash or "fixed", but in principle is free in the transverse direction. This type of coupling could e.g. be realized with roles. At the location of the adjusting screw 12 on the one hand and at the location of the nose 14 on the other hand, a roller with a bearing axis could thus be provided vertically to the plane of the longitudinal wires. The magazine would then be movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the flat profile 10 (i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the drawing of Fig. 2a).

The fill level sensor can also be designed mechanically or electromechanically. It can e.g. a small flap or rod may be provided which can be moved into the aperture when there is no wire in the magazine. The pivoting in and out of this mechanical element can be effected with an electromagnetic actuator. Other measuring principles can also be used.

In summary, it should be noted that the invention provides a device which allows a high degree of automation without the need for complex mechanical designs.

Claims (14)

1. Device for feeding longitudinal welding wires on a welding device, comprising:

   a) a longitudinal welding wire magazine device having a plurality of longitudinally extending magazines (4.1, 4.2) for longitudinal welding wires, the magazines (4.1, 4.2) being fixed in a desired position by means of removable retaining devices (32/33);

   b) a wire feeding device for feeding the longitudinal welding wires provided in the longitudinal welding wire magazine device in the longitudinal direction;
   characterised by

   c) means for automatically positioning the magazines (4.1, 4.2) transversely relative to the longitudinal direction using a positioning device which can be displaced transversely relative to the longitudinal direction and which has a gripping device for gripping one of the magazines (4.1, 4.2).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the positioning device can be moved from one magazine to the other in order to individually reposition each of the magazines.
3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the removable retaining devices (32/33) comprise at least one clamping device.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the clamping device is a resiliently loaded clamp or brake, and in that the device comprises an actuator, by means of which the clamp can be opened.
5. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterised in that there are provided at least two magazine positioning devices (21, 22, 23) which operate on different longitudinal portions and which can be displaced in a synchronous manner transversely relative to the longitudinal direction.
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
   characterised in that, at an outlet-side end of the magazines, there is provided a measuring sensor (27) for determining the position of a magazine (4.1, 4.2), and in that a control unit is provided which, after a magazine (4.1, 4.2) has been repositioned, verifies and, if necessary, corrects the transverse position thereof.
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
   characterised in that means are provided so that the magazines (4.1, 4.2) can be removed or added at least at one side of a machine frame (3) of the device for feeding longitudinal welding wires.
8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
   characterised in that the feeding means comprise a linear drive which can be displaced over an entire length of the magazines (4.1, 4.2) and to which tappet elements (6) for at least two magazines (4.1, 4.2) are connected, and in that a control unit is provided in order to be able to position the feeding means at each desired longitudinal position as a start position.
9. Device according to claim 8, characterised in that the linear drive has a guiding element (10) which extends over an entire operating width of the device and to which the tappet elements (6) are connected during operation.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the tappet elements (6) are connected to the guiding element (10) by means of a removable coupling device (9), the coupling device being constructed in such a manner that it is automatically released when the guiding element (10) is moved backwards beyond a predefined position.
11. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
    characterised in that there is provided a control unit, by means of which it can be verified whether there is a longitudinal welding wire in the magazine.
12. Grid welding assembly having a device for feeding longitudinal welding wires on a welding device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.
13. Method for automatically positioning a magazine for a longitudinal welding wire comprising the following steps:

    a) moving a positioning device (21, 22, 23) towards a retaining device (32) of the magazine (4.1);

    b) gripping the magazine (4.1) with a gripping device (34) of the positioning device (21, 22, 23);

    c) releasing a fixing arrangement (33) of the magazine (4.1);

    d) displacing the magazine by moving the positioning device (21, 22, 23);

    e) fixing the fixing arrangement (33) of the magazine (4.1);

    f) releasing the magazine (4.1) from the gripping device (34) of the positioning device (21, 22, 23).
14. Method according to claim 13, characterised in that, after the magazine (4.1) has been displaced, a transverse position of the magazine (4.1) is determined with a position sensor (27), and in that the transverse position of the magazine (4.1) is corrected, if necessary.

Images