EP1439922B1 - High-speed sheet feeding without grip pliers - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a conveying device for sheet steel plates and for moving several sheets ( 1, 1 ') inside or through a working zone (W; 50 ) wherein the sheets are machined. The inventive feeding device comprises first and second sheet feeders ( 10, 11; 20 ) which feed the sheets in controlled manner to the working zone (W) so that the sheets are machined with positional accuracy. The first sheet feeder ( 10, 11 ) is located on an input side of the tool zone and the second sheet feeder ( 20 ) is located on an output side of the tool zone. The two sheet feeders ( 10, 20; 11; 20 ) are mutually synchronized in their movements (x, y) when feeding forward the sheet ( 1 ), the sheet driven by the synchronous movement being maintained by the two sheet feeders. The invention provides the advantages of increased speed and safety. It is possible to increase the speed without the sheet being deformed or losing its flatness.

Description

The invention relates to a feed device and an associated method for transporting plate-shaped plates made of sheet metal (so-called panels) to a work area in which the panel is processed, according to the preamble of claim 1 or 19. The processing may include a stamping operation in which blanks are punched out of the board, which are arranged close together, spaced apart by a remaining skeleton on the board.

Starting point are feed devices (in short also "device") of the prior art, which is attacked with grippers at the rear end, ie the edge remote from the tool area edge of the plate, to the panel via a feed table, which is immovable, towards the tool area to promote and thereby position with an indexing movement in the y- and x-direction so that the discs can be punched out of the panel by lined up in a row stamp closely adjacent. The punches have a greater distance than the centers of the blanks on the board, so that a pure lateral movement of the panel relative to the punches is required to ensure the density of the blanks and the remaining skeleton after punching as low as possible hold. In addition to the density of the blanks, speed is also a decisive influencing factor for the costs incurred during production, which must be minimized.

An approach of the prior art is currently to provide two gripping tongs, which alternately convey successively panels in the tool area, wherein the front gripper performs a y-direction oriented return stroke movement when the next gripping tongs entering the tool area with the next panel , A quasi-continuous promotion can be achieved, although the plates themselves are present, see. DE-U 296 23 908 (Naroska ), Page 5, second paragraph.

Another prior art implementation is to use only a single gripper which, after its advancing movement, makes a fast return movement in the -y direction to thereafter align the aligned and positioned new plate at the side facing away from the tool area to grab backward (edge) and advance into the tool area. Due to the high speed, synchronization problems can occur when transferring the board from a loading area via a board transfer position into the feed area, which do not allow a higher speed. In addition, they are both Catching the reason that at the rear end portion of the panel, a strip area can not be edited by the tool, after here the force required for the movement by selective gripping (in the sense of a small point of attack for the clamping force the gripper) is initiated. If the strip area (usually also called gripper trim) is to be reduced as much as possible, the punching out of the last row of round blanks is provided with an increased safety problem if the grippers reach into the tool area and very close to the punching or embossing dies ,

The determining the preamble of claim 1 DE-A-3841683 (A. Haar ) shows such panel feeds with slides and tongs for the panels (= plates made of sheet metal); The panels are inserted V-shaped into the work area (alternately), in each case advanced by the grippers. It is an object of the invention to increase the speed of promoting the state of the art, to gain security and to leave the benefit (ie the useful area by punched blanks compared to the total area of the panel) at least equal, but preferably also to increase. Greiter should be avoided.

This object is achieved according to the invention with a feed device according to claim 1 or with a method for transporting sheets according to claim 19.

With the invention eliminates the use of pliers or grippers for purposes of advancing the panel. This also eliminates the selective introduction of the feed force at the rear end, so that edge portion of the panel, which faces away from the tool. Instead, the force is substantially flat, such as line, band or strip-shaped, applied to the panel to index them in the tool area retract (claim 5).

The endless systems used for this, in particular ribbon-shaped endless systems, are circumferential drive belts, which are arranged with their surfaces on a longitudinal section in a plane next to each other and thus enable a nearly full-surface drive, although they each strip-shaped support the supporting panel (claim 8).

A "panel" is a tabular plate made of sheet metal and thus used as a symbol technically understood in the claims. The establishment of the dependent claims which are based on the Feed device of claim 1, of course, these are the panels moving device as a feed device.

A substantially continuous promotion, without the punching device performs teaching strokes at a regular punching cycle is achieved by two stacked panel feeds, each of which exerts a substantially flat holding function on the surface of the panel. One panel is hanging, the other panel is placed lying on the tool area. A resulting between the successively funded panels cross gap is so small in the longitudinal direction that can be spoken of an alternating and thereby seen from the tool ago virtually continuous supply of the individual panels (claim 1).

Magnetic surfaces of the bands can be used to apply holding force to the panels (claim 10). Alternatives to applying the force are to use negative pressure when the surfaces of the bands of the sheet feeds have openings with which a tensile force (as holding force) can be applied to the sheets.

The advantages of the invention lie in a possible increased speed and safety. The safety is increased because the rear attacking pliers fall away. The speed can be increased without the panel deforms from its level position, which is difficult to fulfill in a rear attacking pliers thrust and increased speed. In addition, the times can be reduced and the risks that synchronizations cause to synchronize the panel with the grippers at the beginning of the feed can be reduced.

The "benefit" from a slab can be further increased because no strip area needs to be left unprocessed in place of the earlier engagement of grippers. The yield (utility) can be increased and more freedom is gained in the design of the tool that processes the panel.

To the substantially planar support of the panels have been found that up to 300 cycles per minute can be achieved, based on a punching device as a tool in the work area.

The safety and less susceptibility to interference is also improved by the fact that a resting support table, which supports the panel during the advance of the gripper according to the prior art, is no longer required and thus unevenness, residual sheet particles or irregularities on the surface of this conveyor table fall away. The conveyor table moves according to the invention, however, is formed by a Variety of individual endless systems, each independently on its surface on a longitudinal portion of its longitudinal extension holding or supporting force applied to the panel.

After the tape-shaped endless systems have an upper run and a lower run, a cleaning of the surface on the lower run, which is not engaged with the panel, take place.

According to the invention, a further sheet feed can be provided in the outlet of the tool area (claim 6). It is the second panel feed using only one feed sheet feed; if, on the other hand, two panel feeders are used one above the other at the entrance, then it is the third panel feed. This arranged in the direction of passage y behind the tool feed works synchronously with the feed device arranged in front of the tool together. This synchronous movement relates to the indexing movements that take place in the y- and x-direction (main direction y), so that the panel is guided as it passes through the tool in front of and behind the tool: In front of the tool by holding the plate, behind the tool by assuming the example residual grid after punching of blanks by the punching device. The feed is thus composed of a thrust and a tensile force in a continuous plane, which consists of inlet level, outlet level and the worktable surface of the tool device.

The panel can be processed by the provision of the conveyor on the outlet side to the end of the rear edge, so no longer needs a strip-shaped residual web on which in the prior art so far applied the grippers their holding power.

In the conveying method according to the invention (claim 19), both the inlet side as well as the outlet side may be provided with a non-straight edge, resulting in a mutual alignment of the discs by offsetting the centers to allow maximum utilization of the metal sheet. At the same time, in this feeding method, the plates having the trapezoidal shaped edge at the front and rear ends of the plate with respect to the conveying direction y, moreover, can be shortened the sideways movement in stepwise indexing of the plate during the feeding. A shortened sideways movement has the consequence that the processing takes place more quickly and more processing devices, in particular more punching or pressing punches, are accommodated on a given width can. Was previously provided in the prior art, a transversely oriented offset of each next transverse row of blanks auszustanzenden so according to the invention a straight front of blanks is no longer required. It can take place in the longitudinal direction an offset of each an entire adjacent Rondenspalte, which are lined up in the longitudinal direction (in the conveying direction y) linearly with their centers (without offset).

From the feed carried out strokes are thus zigzag-shaped, without sole lateral transverse movements, but rather combined by an x and y movement in the feed or lateral direction to approach the next position for processing controlled (claim 20).

Figur 1

ist eine Aufsicht auf ein erstes Beispiel einer Vorschubeinrichtung für eine plattenförmige Tafel 1, die bearbeitet werden soll, mit einem Einlauf-Vorschub 10, 11 und einem Auslauf-Vorschub 20. Sie sind einem Arbeitsbereich W, der im folgenden als Stanzeinrichtung 50 angenommen werden soll, benachbart.

Figur 2

ist eine Aufsicht auf die Arbeitseinrichtung W zur Erläuterung ihrer Funktion und mit abgenommener oberer Vorschubeinrichtung 10 am Einlauf, so daß nur noch die untere Vorschubeinrichtung 11 am Einlauf mit aufgelegter Blechtafel 1 und die Fördereinrichtung 20 am Auslauf ersichtlich sind.

Figur 3

veranschaulicht das zum Arbeitsbereich W weisende Ende der Einlauf-Vorschubeinrichtung mit dem oberen Vorschub 10 und dem unteren Vorschub 11.

Figur 4

ist eine Seitenansicht der Einlauf-Vorschubeinrichtung, wobei die Förderebene oder Einlaufebene 100 kenntlich gemacht ist.

Figur 5

ist eine Frontansicht der Vorschubeinrichtung am Auslauf, auch Auslauf-Fördereinrichtung 20, wie sie vom Arbeitsbereich W gesehen wird.

Figur 6

ist eine Seitenansicht der Auslauf-Fördereinrichtung 20, wobei ihr vorderes Ende die Auslaufebene 100 definiert, die eine Fortsetzung der Einlaufebene von Figur 4 ist und der Oberfläche einer Bearbeitungsplatte 52 der Arbeitseinrichtung entspricht, wie in Figur 2 dargestellt.

Figur 7

ist ein Ausschnitt aus einem Förderband, im Beispiel 10a, und seines inneren Aufbaus.

Figur 7a

ist ein Schnitt senkrecht zu demjenigen Schnitt von Figur 7, wobei eine seitliche Führung des Förderbandes von Figur 7 dargestellt ist.

Figur 8

ist eine schematische Darstellung einer Tafel 1, wie sie von der Vorschubeinrichtung gemäß den vorherigen Figuren auf die Stanzeinrichtung hin zugefördert wird, mit eingezeichneten oder bedruckten Ronden R, die von der Stanzeinrichtung 50 auszustanzen sind.

Exemplary embodiments explain and supplement the invention.

FIG. 1

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a first example of a sheet-like board feeding device 1 to be processed, including an infeed feed 10, 11 and a discharge feed 20. They are a work area W to be hereinafter referred to as a punching device 50 , adjacent.

FIG. 2

is a plan view of the working device W to explain its function and with removed upper feed device 10 at the inlet, so that only the lower feed device 11 at the inlet with the metal plate 1 and the conveyor 20 are visible at the outlet.

FIG. 3

FIG. 11 illustrates the end of the infeed feed device facing the work area W with the upper feed 10 and the lower feed 11.

FIG. 4

is a side view of the inlet feed device, wherein the conveyor plane or inlet level 100 is identified.

FIG. 5

is a front view of the feed device at the outlet, also outlet conveyor 20, as seen from the work area W.

FIG. 6

is a side view of the discharge conveyor 20, wherein its front end defines the outlet plane 100, which is a continuation of the inlet plane of Figure 4 and the surface of a processing plate 52 corresponds to the working device, as shown in Figure 2.

FIG. 7

is a section of a conveyor belt, in Example 10a, and its internal structure.

Figure 7a

is a section perpendicular to that section of Figure 7, wherein a lateral guide of the conveyor belt of Figure 7 is shown.

FIG. 8

is a schematic representation of a panel 1, as it is conveyed by the feed device according to the previous figures on the punching device, with marked or printed rounds R, which are to be punched out by the punching device 50.

The first embodiment according to Figure 1 shows a compilation of components used. A feed device 10 above and a non-visible similar feed device 11 below is equipped with a plurality of parallel endless belts, in the example ten juxtaposed tapes 10a to 10k. The middle band 10e is symbolically selected. This conveyor is aligned with a work area W, which in the example is formed with a punch 50 which extends transversely. Subordinate to the tool is a feed device 20, which is constructed similarly to the feed device 10. It is partially covered with the inner conveyor belts by a discharge system 29. Again, there are ten conveyor belts in the example as endless systems close together, designated 20a to 20k. Here too, symbolically, the conveyor belt 20e can be seen as a longitudinal continuation of the inlet conveyor belt 10e.

The infeed conveyors 10, 11 as the first panel feeders and the outfeed conveyer 20 as the further sheetfeed are arranged with respect to the tool 50 in its inlet area and outlet area.

The conveying direction y is the longitudinal direction. In the transverse direction x, a series of working punches extends in the tool 50, as can be seen from FIG . The punctured here punches 50, with individual punches 50a, 50d and 50e, work in common with a high frequency of up to 300 strokes per minute, corresponding to an operating frequency of 5 Hz. The main conveying direction is y as the feed direction or longitudinal direction. In the transverse direction x, the endless belt systems 10a to 10k, 11a to 11k and 20a to 20k are arranged adjacent in FIG. 1, and the adjusting stroke takes place, which serves for positioning.

Figure 1 also shows the lead-in area of the infeed panel transport 10,11 with two panel stacks L1 and L2, which are arranged on both sides of an alignment station A with an H-shaped alignment and support means. Here, sheets are first stacked from one side, placed on the alignment station A (from the side). Subsequently, an alignment process takes place, which aligns the sheet metal currently being fed so that it is properly aligned after feeding to the feed device 10,11 relative to the tool 50 at the workstation. If the one stack L1 is exhausted, the second stack of metal sheets placed on the other side of the alignment station A can be used directly, from which now the metal sheets are stacked and fed from the right side to the alignment station A. At the alignment station A is followed by a switch plate 9, the can be pivoted about an axis in order to influence the alignment plates coming from the alignment in their height direction or altitude. For this purpose, the switch plate 9 is pivotable by a small angle, which pivoting movement is synchronized with the feed of the current plate from the alignment station in the panel transport systems 10 or 11. The axis is closer to the alignment station and the free end of the switch plate leads to a slight deflection of a supplied panel upwards when it is pivoted upwards; if the diverter plate is in its rest position or inclined slightly downwards, the panel is fed without height change from the alignment station to the lower panel transport system 11.

The overview sketch of FIG. 1 is intended to clarify which components come to rest in the work area W at which point with respect to the tool-making device 50. The function will be described on Figure 2 , in which the upper panel transport system with its circulating belts 10a to 10k omitted for clarity and a panel 1 is placed on the lower endless conveyor system 11 with its parallel bands 11 a to 11 k. The Tafeistapel L1 and L2 and the alignment station A are omitted here and the tool 50 is shown in a schematic view so that its inside punch punches 50a to 50e are recognizable.

Downstream of the punching dies 50a to 50e of the punching device 50 is a discharge system 29 which removes the stamped blanks from the board in the transverse direction q along a path 30. For this purpose, the plurality of blanks which are punched out at the same time, in short Ausblaskanälen using impulse compressed air from the position of the punch in the main conveying direction y moves, and at the end of the short y-channel pieces 31 a to 31 e with a magnetic cross Conveyor belt 33 at a transverse support means 32 in the said transverse direction q, which runs parallel to the x-direction, conveyed out together. A look into the channel segments 31 a to 31 e can be seen in FIG . They are an extension of the punches 50a aligned in the y-direction. If other work equipment found at the work W application that do not work with punches, the discharge system can be omitted, for example, if the job only serves to print on the surface of the panel, so the discs are still physically contiguous with the panel left.

The circulating belts 11 a to 11 k are driven synchronously. Serves a drive device 18 which is laterally flanged recognizable and a torque applied to a shaft 18w, which generates a rear deflection with reversing rollers and the drive of the endless belts. After positioning of the panel on the alignment area A of Figure 1, this is taken with lowered switch on the lower panel feed 11 and runs with a longitudinal movement of the conveyor belts 11 a to 11 k in the y direction to a defined distance in front of the tool position W. Hier the panel 1 "is stopped in the" waiting "position, detected by at least one sensor 28. In this holding position, the panel waits until a panel, which has been conveyed before it and is processed by the tool, is completely conveyed to the tool by the advancing means located above to then be retracted smoothly, that is, without a free stroke of the up and down moving punches 50a to 50e, into the drawn first punching position of the plate 1, indicated by 1 'From this point on, the plate advances and indexes both in the y- as well as in the x-direction so that all predetermined round blanks, as shown in FIG 8 are shown as an example on a board, have been punched out of the drawn five punching dies.

The plate is thereby moved over a processing table 52 whose plane substantially corresponds to the plane 100 formed by the surfaces of the conveyor belts on which the table 1 comes to lie in the retracted position and in the first punching position.

The indexing movement is caused by a laterally arranged drive 17 and controlled by a control, not shown, in the exact position. y forms in Figure 2 from left to right, the main feed direction, which is taken over by the movement of the bands 11 and also these bands are controlled by a controller so that the respective position of the discs is accurately reached under the punches. When the position for machining has been reached, the feed movement is switched off both in the x and in the y direction and the engagement of the punches takes place. After moving out of the stamps from the panel, a new Indexierbewegung, composed of a combination of an x and a y-step, to control the next position begins.

As can be seen from the later side views, the indexing movement in the x direction is caused so that the entire feed device is displaced in the x direction, which affects all bands 11 a to 11 k simultaneously and synchronously. Due to the common drive shaft 18w is also the movements in the y-direction synchronously and simultaneously designed, controlled by the motor drive 18, which puts a drive roller in a controlled rotation via a slip-free drive belt 18a, which has a sliding bearing for the shaft 18w in the axial direction. The shaft 18w is axially movable in the drive roller, but not in the circumferential direction. Such a shaft may be designed, for example, as a groove shaft or as a polygonal in a pinion axially displaceable in order to reduce the weight that must be moved with the feed in the x direction. Only the shaft 18w, the motor 18 and the associated drive belt 18a are moved.

The spout in Figure 2 shows a plurality of parallel endless systems 20a to 20k of the sheet feeding device 20, wherein also their longitudinal movement in the y direction of a laterally flanged drive 26 with a belt transmission 26a and a pinion 26b is performed on a shaft 26w, which on the of the Stamping device facing away from the second panel feed device 20 is arranged. Again, a Indexierbewegung is possible, which is made in the same way as the Indexierbewegung the panel feed 11 on the inlet side, on the outlet side of a drive 27.

In the Indexierbewegung move all circulating belts on the input side in the x direction in synchronism with those on the output side. Synchronized is the movement in the y-direction, so that the panel 1 is held not only in the inlet, but also in the outlet and on the one hand can be moved into the tool and on the other hand can be pulled out of the outlet side of the tool. Therefore, the outlet side is also to be understood as a kind of feed, with an effect on the panel section, which is still on the inlet side. Of the full-scale panel on the inlet side is on the outlet side, however, only the skeleton after punching available, but which represents a physical connection and thus is able to transmit forces. If, instead of the punching device, another processing device is selected on the working region W, the plate can still be completely present, if e.g. a printing or a surface coating is made only that makes no changes to the mechanical consistency of the overall board.

The side view shows schematically the togetherness of the work table 52 of the punching device in the work area W, wherein an inlet conveyor belt 11 with parallel endless systems and a discharge conveyor system 20 also with several parallel endless systems is shown. On either side of the table, these endless systems closely abut the work plate 52, which may be slightly tapered to receive the schematically drawn panel 1 during the feeding movement as the endless conveyor system 11 at the inlet conveys it along the y direction. Through all three components 11,52,20 and the conveying plane 100 is located, which corresponds substantially to the surface of the bands, but can also come in the plane of a just-promoted metal sheet 1 to lie, or can be formed by the surface of the table 52 ,

In order to be able to guide the sheets with forces which are oriented perpendicular to the feed direction y and perpendicular to the indexing direction x, here assumed in the z-direction, their surface is specially formed. An example is shown in FIG. 7.

The circulating conveyor belt 10a is shown here in section and in section. A tape base 62 is reduced in thickness over that of a conventional conveyor belt and is provided with teeth 61 on the inward side provided in the longitudinal direction y at a substantially equal distance. Between these teeth engages a corresponding toothed roller or roller of the drive shaft, so that a plurality of adjacent conveyor belts have no slip relative to each other.

On the outside, that is the surface of the conveyor belt 10a facing the panel 1, a magnetic layer 63 is applied, which in the illustrated example is a film fastened by an adhesion layer 64 on the outer surface of the belt base 62, which is filled with magnetic particles or entirely permanent magnetic film is formed. It has a height of <1 mm, in particular in the range between 0.5 and 1 mm, in order to obtain the elasticity and compliance of the band, but at the same time substantially flat on the surface to offer an opportunity to metallic sheets by magnetic adhesion in z direction and steer controlled in y direction.

Other embodiments of a conveyor belt for applying adhesive force in the z-direction are those provided with flow or nozzle orifices for applying a force by negative pressure.

The circulating belts according to FIG. 7 are again illustrated in a section in the x-direction in FIG. 7a . Again, the magnetic layer 63 is provided in the y-direction (perpendicular from the plane of the paper) for feed purposes in FIG. 7 schematically drawn panel 1 is moved. In order to allow a substantially flat surface along the length of the tape and to prevent the tape from sagging in the longitudinal direction, or only slightly, a lateral guide 65a, 65b is provided for the tape base 62, in the areas 62a and 62b of the lateral guides held in z-direction. The guides are designed as U-shaped rails or profiles, which protrude below the band more in the x direction inwards, than above. Above the thickness of the rail is substantially matched to the thickness of the magnetic layer 63, so that over the entire transverse direction b _{10 of} the belt and the lateral guide a substantially uniform surface is created. If the magnetic layer 63 protrudes slightly in height with respect to the guides, that is, if it is raised above them, the friction of the plate on the lateral longitudinal guides 65a, 65b is reduced.

To simplify the design of the band and the tooth portions 61 are detected by the lateral U-shaped guides 65a, 65b with. In the drive area, where the teeth are to serve for a slip-free transmission of the movement of the shaft either 16w, 18w or 26w and the corresponding drive pinions, the bands are free, without lateral guidance.

The band back 62 is significantly reduced compared to the usual band back of timing belt, the height of the teeth 61 is greater than the thickness of the band back. Instead of a training with teeth and a different design of the band can be selected to the inside, if a substantially slip-free transmission of the movement of the drive shafts 18w and 26w is possible. It should be taken into account that the drive shaft 18 w exerts a sliding movement on the bands 11 a to 11 k, that is further away from the work area W, as a deflection 18v, which is located close to the work table 52. For the outlet conveyor 20 is a lateral guide uncritical and possibly unnecessary, because here is a feed movement by a pulling movement to the local parallel bands 20a to 20k, wherein the deflection 26v near the work table 52 with respect to the direction of movement assigned only deflection and no drive function receives. But if the working device in the work area W can be designed so that it occupies less space or can use a punching device with a different layout, so can be selected for the feed endless system 11 and a drive means on the shaft 18v to here lateral guides To be omitted, as long as the length of the band allows this to prevent sagging.

The panels processed with the device according to FIG. 1 and in the functional representation of FIG. 2 can, in the case of the punching device 50, be used to produce round blanks R with which metal closures for glasses for wide-mouth bottles can be produced. Already during the punching process can be done by a deep-drawing process, a shaping on the blanks, so that they receive a peripheral skirt edge, which are later provided with a sealant and Verschließnocken to serve as a bottle cap. It is to be assumed that round shapes when the closures are to be applied by a rotational movement, but it can also find other rounded shapes use that are not rectangular or square. Due to their shape, the occupancy or filling of the board is a decisive factor for the amount of the "benefit" in the sense of maximum utilization of Ronde surfaces, based on the board surface.

The drawn in Figure 8 panel shows a variety of closely spaced round blanks, depending on the viewing direction given a certain orientation of the discs to each other. In the example, a movement y 'of the panel from right to left for the prior art and from the top to in the direction y for use in the panel feed of Figure 1 should be assumed. On the upper and lower sides of the panel has a wave-shaped training, which may be designed trapezoidal or rounded (so-called "scroll edge"). The leading edge 1v and rearward edge 1r form for the device of FIG. 1 the leading edge and the trailing edge, respectively, which last passes through the processing device W. The side edges 1 d and 1 e are smooth and straight. They run parallel to a respective grid line through centers of disks arranged in the y-direction. In a direction perpendicular to the side edges 1 d, 1 e rows are formed, which are denoted by R1, R2, R3, R4 to Rn. The first row R1 is the one which first enters the tool device 50 at the work station W, as shown in FIG.

To save panel surface, each oriented in the y-direction columns of blanks are offset by a half distance from the center of the adjacent row, so that the curves of the blanks can be close together. As a result, a first row R1 of round blanks, which are not closely adjacent to each other, is produced at the front edge 1v, but have a clear spacing in the x-direction, which is denoted by c in the first and second rows R1, R2. This distance is greater than the distance which two x-direction grid lines have in the y direction from each other. These comparative grid lines yield by connecting the centers M of the first and third row of blanks in the x direction.

Now, if the panel with its scrolled (jagged or wavy or not straight) front end 1v moves into the processing device 50, then all the front round blanks of the series R1 are processed in a working stroke of the press 50, which moves the punches. Due to the larger distance c, the punches can be arranged so that no pure transverse thrust in the x-direction for the completion of processing the first row is more necessary and an indexing to the next row R2 can be made shorter and faster than when first in the first Row R1 would have to be a side movement would be there to edit any existing more closely spaced round blanks in a second stroke.

This prior art, saved machining step becomes apparent when Figure 8 is rotated 90 ° and the edge 1d is considered to be the edge which enters the tool device 50 in the y 'direction (corresponding to the x direction of the example of the invention ) enters. Here are the blanks of the first row (parallel to the edge 1 d) so close together that the punch of the tool, which require a greater distance, can only edit every other round blank. A pure page motion is required to punch out the second rounds, which could not be worked on the first stroke.

For such a movement, the gripping points 2 a, 2 b drawn in dashed lines would serve, which the prior art uses on a strip GTR with the width b. This advancing direction drawn as y 'is that of the prior art, wherein it can be seen that the gripper surface at the edge 1 e is very small compared to the total area of the panel 1, but the strip width b at the expense of the total benefits.

If, according to the conveying device described here, the necessity of still having a strip area for gripping purposes still exists, then with a feed movement in the y-direction (FIG. 8 in original orientation) the then right strip with the width b can be reduced to such a degree as it is also recognizable on the left edge 1 d. It is therefore saved a sheet metal strip of the sheet material, which is not converted into use (formed round blanks).

It is also evident that the density of the rim is otherwise unchanged from the prior art, ie the "benefit" has been increased solely by reducing the stripe area b, increasing the speed by omitting an x-indexing movement in the first row R1 and by the greater spacing of the centers in each row Rn of round blanks, more round blanks than sheet pieces can be processed in one working stroke, in particular punched out, than if the round blanks are located more densely.

Since the blanks serve as an example and do not necessarily have to be of a circular design, it is also possible to speak of surface pieces which are to be arranged on the board in order to be able to extract a maximum useful surface area from the panel, with a smallest possible residual web portion. which is determined in its width by the closest adjoining edge regions of the surface pieces and by the properties of the machining tool, that is, for example, the punching device, which requires a predetermined minimum residual web to perform the cut clean can.

It was previously mentioned that a connecting line of the centers of the third row R3 and a connecting line of the centers of the first row R1 is used to determine their distance "d". This presupposes necessarily that there also exists an intermediate second row of blanks whose centers can be connected through a connecting line intended to form a second connecting line lying between the first and the third connecting line. This has the distance d / 2 from the first and from the second connecting line.

If the distance c measured in the x-direction from centers in a first round blanks row is compared with the distance of the third grid line extending in the x-direction, then this means the second grid line after the next. In a recorded uniform and orthogonal network, in which all mutually perpendicular connecting lines of all centers are drawn, results in the y-direction denser network line geometry, as in the x-direction. This takes advantage of the new feed and uses the larger centers of the centers in the x-direction to allow these discs in this front to be processed simultaneously by the tool device 50.

In addition to the continuous feed function of panels, the side views and front views of the arrangement of FIG. 1 in FIGS. 3 to 6 will be described in more detail in their construction. Here is in the inlet region of Figure 3 recognize that a gap 12 between an upper plate feed 10 and a lower plate feed 11 is formed, which is designated in Figure 4. This gap is higher or stronger than the thickness of a panel 1, as explained in Figure 8 and located in the lead-in area on the lower panel feed 11 in Figure 2. In the side view of Figure 4, a wedge-shaped tape guide of the upper feed belts and the lower feed belts 11 can be seen. It is elongate and aligned with the tool area W, which is represented by the lead-in level 100, which comes to lie in the gap 12. The two conveyor belt sections of the endless conveyor belts arranged in parallel in gap 12 are provided with the magnetic surface, as explained in FIG. The upper feeder 10 can be lifted by a lifting device 19 from two spaced lifting cylinders 19a, 19b, relative to the lower sheet feeder 11.

Both panel feeds 10 and 11 are in their entirety in the x-direction controlled movable, which is achieved by drive 15 for the upper panel feed and drive 17 for the lower panel feed 11, which move via a spindle drive 15a and 17a, a frame geometry, which carrying respective endless belt panel conveyor and carry movable relative to a main frame.

As the upper panel conveyor 10 is driven by an electrically controlled drive means 16, an upper belt drive 16a and an upper shaft 16w (see Figs. 1 and 2), the lower panel conveyor 11 is also located at a rearward position via a drive means 18 and a belt drive 18a Shaft 18w powered. The rotational movement of the motors 16 and 18 is controlled as the y-advance movement is required during machining. The drive motors 15, 17 of the spindle drives 15a, 17a are likewise controlled in such a way as the x movement is required stepwise during the machining in the tool area W. Both movements are superimposed for the upper and the lower sheet feed, these sheet feeds are not active at the same time, but successively.

A panel fed first, for example to the lower panel feeder 11, causes the upper panel feeder 10, with its conveyor belts, to be free to pick up and hold a next panel. After the conveyor belts apply z-forces (eg magnetic), the second panel can also hang on the underside of the upper conveyor belt 10 in a waiting position until the lower panel of the lower panel feed 11 has been worked off by the tool. Subsequently, the upper panel feeder feeds and positions for processing in the Tool and the bottom panel feed 11 picks up the next panel and holds it in waiting position. The acquisition of a respective panel to the upper or lower feed controls the switch 9 by changing their position.

A rail system is provided, with which both panel feeds can be extended and retracted. Retraction and extension refers to moving a main supporting frame on tracks or rails toward and away from the tool area W. This is shown in FIG. 3 for the sheet feed at the inlet and FIG. 5 for the sheet feed at the outlet. By a possible shutdown of the inlet of the work area and also possible stopping of the outlet from the same work area, the tool provided in the work area is directly accessible from both sides. To allow the movement, tracks or rails 41 a are provided on a base 41 and sliders 41 a 'slide on the rails to allow movement of the supporting frame 41 b, on which the entire assembly rests against the rails 41 a and opposite the work area W. The same is provided at the feed at the outlet. Here, the base 41 is the same foundation on which rails 44a rest which guide sliders 44a 'on the underside of a main supporting frame 44b, 45b. For exact positioning, a stop may be provided at the inner end of the rails 44a for striking the supporting frame 44b at its end position closest to the working area W.

The movement in the x-direction is structurally realized by a guided in this direction displaceable frame structure relative to a non-displaceable frame structure 41 c above the lower frame 41 b. The upper part 42 of the intermediate frame 41 c is hinged via a joint 42a and the lifting cylinder 19 for maintenance against the lower part. The sliding frame construction is for the upper drive means 15 a system of transverse struts and guides, as well as for the lower drive system 17. To unify the overhead guide system for the belt drive 10 will be described, with an immediate transferability to the lower drive system 17, wherein the indexes are each transferable, eg the upper element 15a corresponds to the lower element 17a, etc. The overhead spindle drive 15a translates its movement to x-directional struts 15f, two of which are provided having a width in the transverse direction, the at least some of the conveyor belts spans. Perpendicular to this, evenly spaced further struts 15d are provided, each arranged between two bands and outside the edge of the outermost band.

These longitudinal struts 15d are supported by sliders 15c on support frames 15b on which they can slide, caused by the movements transmitted to the belt system 10 by the drive means 15 via the spindle drive 15a and the cross braces 15f. In these movements, the longitudinal drive 16 is not moved, but moves the shaft 16w guided in the axial direction in pinions or drive rollers, which are axially immovable. They are controlled by the drive 16 with a belt drive 16a.

The same applies to the lower longitudinal drive 18 with the lower belt drive 18a and the lower groove shaft 18w. The same applies in a corresponding transmission of the drive elements 15 for the lower drive elements 17,17a, 17b, 17c and 17d and 17f.

The conveyor in the outlet region of the tool is explained constructively in Figures 5 and 6. The view seen from the tool side is shown in FIG . A frame 44b, 45 carries the movable in the x-direction table from several adjacent belt conveyors 20a to 20k. A shaft 26w is provided, which can be jointly controlled by a controlled drive 26 with a belt strap 26a in a controlled rotational movement to perform stepwise y movement. This rotational movement is synchronized with the rotational movement of just the panel to the tool promoting panel feed 10 or 11 in the inlet region of the tool, there the drive 16 or 18th

The panel feeder 20 also has z-forces, e.g. Magnetic surfaces on the individual endless belts 20a to 20k and therefore can also apply forces in the z direction on a particular metallic panel.

The indexing movement in the x direction is achieved with a controlled motor 27 and a spindle drive 27a relative to the frame 45. This movement in the x direction is synchronized with the movement via the spindle drives 15, 15a or 17, 17a in front of the tool. The drive system in the x-direction for the feed is also configured as described with respect to the drive elements 15. Here are these drive elements at the same indexes accordingly 27, based on the controlled motor 27. 27f are the cross braces, with which of the spindle drive 27a, the indexing movement is transmitted to the endless belts 20. In the longitudinal direction longitudinal struts 27b are provided, which are arranged between and outside of the endless belts and slide on sliders 27c, which are arranged on mounting rails 27b. The support rails 27c are opposite to the Frame 45 immovable, which in turn is displaceable on the longitudinal rails 44a for a better access to the tool area, but not during the operation of the feed.

Also, the spout is in accordance with Figure 6 in the side view, where the plane 100 is the continuation of the plane 100 of Figure 4, wedge-shaped, directed towards the tool area W. Above the wedge-shaped tapered bearing area a flat discharge system 29 is provided which has a gap forms the top of the conveyor belts 20a to 20k and the exhaust channels 31 a to 31 e carries. Perpendicular to this runs the band 33, which is held by the support means 32 and which may also be magnetic to receive the punched blanks up and laterally in the transverse direction q, as shown in Figure 2 and 1, convey off.

A panel fed into the tooling area is already held by the panel conveyor 20 in the outlet prior to the last operation on the last row, which is close to the rear edge 1 r of FIG. 8, and held in synchronism with the movement of the infeed conveyor belts 10 or 11 , whichever moves the panel, moves. After the panel feed ends in the lead-in area of the machine in front of the table 52 to maintain a small safety margin opposite it, the discharge conveyor can take over the task of the infeed conveyor, even before the last stroke for the last punching operation is carried out. The remaining skeleton after punching is this mechanically strong enough to absorb tensile forces to convey out.

From Figures 1 to 3 , the position and location of sensors 28 (28a top, 28b bottom) can be seen, which are arranged at the infeed panel feed 10 or 11 so that the position 1 "of Figure 2 with respect to the panel 1 is reliably detected An inductive proximity sensor has been found to be advantageous for being located below the plane defined by the surfaces of the bands, and its y-directional distance from the tool is determined by the initial position of the panel. the drive switches off 16 or 18, which generates the feed motion in the y-direction for each affected feed 10 or 11. If the previous panel is processed, can be started from the waiting position immediately after, with only a small gap between the rear edge 1 r of the previous panel and the front edge 1 v of the new panel persists to näc in a practically continuous process hste panel in the tool area already submitted before the next Stamp stroke triggers the next operation. Thus, the feed process comes without any idle strokes of the constant frequency working tool device 50 from.

After the force is not introduced from an edge on the panel, but substantially flat, so by strip-shaped belt means, the supporting force is applied from the flat side of the plates forth. Also, the feed force is applied from the flat side, so that undulations or deformations can be safely avoided at higher feed rates.

At the inlet, the length of the panel section supported by the infeed panel feed changes in favor of increasing the length in the outlet. The support function in the inlet thus changes the support surface on the flat side of the panel, based on the total area of the panel. It is not a punctual introduction of force, which is transmitted in one or two small places, but a substantially flat transmission, which is a large area, but need not be over the entire surface.

Depending on the distance of the wedge-shaped tapered ends of the feed device 10,11 in the inlet region and the feed device in the outlet region, each based on the tool area, the number of patches R, which are processed, while only the outlet feed 20 is determined determines. Depending on the size of the patches, this residual plate length can be in the form of blanks between 1½ rows and three to four rows.

The length of the panel feed 20 in the outlet area may be shorter than that in the inlet area, since in the outlet area the entire panel must never be supported, but only a small part of its length. In any case, however, the discharge feed is already active before the last punch stroke processes the last row Rn of surface pieces. The conveyor in the outlet is therefore not only an element for tearing out a residual grid from the work area, immediately after the last stroke, but a controlled also working with the inlet panel conveyor feeder, only in the output area of the tool.

Claims (25)

1. Feed device for panel-like plates of sheet metal, below called panels (1, 1'), for moving the several panels (1, 1') in a and through a working region (W; 50), in which the panels are processed, in particular by punching out rounds, shaping punched-out rounds or altering the surface of a panel; which feed device has a first and a second panel feed (10, 11), which alternately supply panels in controlled manner to the working region (W) in order to process the panels in the working region with positional accuracy; characterised in that

   - the first panel feed (10; 10a, 10b, ..., 10k) at least during the period of suspended supply of a first panel (1) to the working region (W) is arranged above the second panel feed (11; 11a, 11b, ... 11k) then supplying a second panel lying on it and parallel to the first panel.
2. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein the first panel feed (10) during the entire period of supply of the first and second panel (1) is arranged above the second panel feed (11).
3. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein the second panel feed (11; 1 1a... 11 k) during the period of supply of the first panel (1) is arranged below first panel feed (10), in order to receive a second panel and to hold it in a waiting position (1"), even before the first panel leaves the first panel feed (10), as a result of which two panels come to rest at a distance from one another and one above another, at least during a time section of feed movement.
4. Feed device according to claim 3, wherein the second panel feed (11) is arranged below an input and passage plane (100), which is fixed essentially by the position of a processing plate (52) in the tool region (W).
5. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein one or the panel feed (20) arranged on the discharge side of the working region (W) receives, in particular supports, the processed panel, in particular the residual grid remaining after punching out rounds, and guides it synchronously by the movements (x, y) of the panel feed (10; 11) on the input side, even before a last row of rounds (Rn) is processed, in particular punched out, by the tool (50).
6. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein a further panel feed (20) is provided, which forms a continuation of the first and second panel feed (10, 11) in order to support panels processed in the working region (50), in particular a residual grid after punching out rounds (R) from the particular panel, on a discharge side of the working region (W), even before an end section of a particular panel is moved into the working region.
7. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein a controllable switch point (9) is arranged in front of the first and second panel feed (10, 11), which influences a run of a panel from an alignment region (A) so that the panel is conveyed to the first (10) or the second panel feed.
8. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein each panel feed (10, 11) has several continuous systems (10a, 10b; 11a, 11b) arranged next to one another and the two groups of continuous systems are arranged and aligned so that they have surfaces facing one another which define a gap (12) which is greater than one panel thickness.
9. Feed device according to claim 8, wherein each continuous system has a belt path aligned like a wedge, directed towards the tool region (50).
10. Feed device according to claim 1, having a belt drive comprising at least two parallel revolving belts (10a, 10b; 11a, 11b; 20a, 20b), wherein the revolving belts have an essentially flat surface layer (63) made from magnetisable or magnetic material on the outer side and are provided with projections (61) on the drive side facing away from the outer side, which projections (61) block slippage of the revolving belt in drive direction.
11. Feed device according to claim 10, wherein the particular revolving belt has a length which is greater with respect to its width, in particular is supported or guided (65a, 65b) laterally at least on a section of its length.
12. Feed device according to claim 10, wherein the revolving belt has a magnetic layer (63) on its outer side, which is below 1 mm thick and contains permanent magnetic material.
13. Feed device according to claim 12, wherein the layer is a film, which is adhered to a belt back (62a) of a belt base (62) of the revolving belt provided with projections (61) by means of adhesive layer (64).
14. Feed device according to claim 10, wherein teeth arranged in longitudinal direction at an essentially uniform distance are formed.
15. Feed device according to claim 9, wherein the wedge-shaped design is elongated.
16. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein the panel feeds (10, 11) are held to be movable in x direction by in each case a frame (15f, 15d; 17f, 17d) and can be driven in y direction by a drive shaft (18w, 16w), wherein a particular controlled motor (15, 17; 16, 18) for the drive cannot also be moved in x and y direction.
17. Feed device according to claim 1, wherein at least one stacking region (L1, L2) of sheets in transverse direction is arranged laterally next to an alignment region (A), in the y direction is upstream of the panel feed (10, 11).
18. Feed device according to claim 17, wherein the alignment region and the panel feed can be moved (41 a, 41a') laterally next to the stacking region in order to shift it back from the working region without moving the stacking region.
19. Feed process for panel-like plates of sheet metal ('panels'), having a movement of several panels (1, 1') in a and through a working region (W; 50), in which the panels are processed, in particular by punching out rounds, shaping punched-out rounds or altering the surface of the panel; which feed process operates with a first and a second panel feed (10, 11; 20), wherein panels are supplied in controlled manner to the working region (W) and removed in order to process the panels in the working region with positional accuracy; characterised in that

    (a) the first panel feed (10; 11) is arranged on an input side of the tool region and the second panel feed (20) is provided on a discharge side of the tool region;

    (b) both panel feeds (10, 20; 11, 20) operate in synchronised manner with one another in movements (x, y) which are vertical to one another for a feed of the panel (1), wherein the panel also moved by the synchronous movement is held by both panel feeds.
20. Process according to claim 19, wherein the feed movement of both panel feeds is composed of common movement sections in longitudinal direction (y) and in transverse direction (x), but the transverse direction serves mainly for positioning and the longitudinal direction serves mainly for feed.
21. Process according to claim 19, wherein a further panel feed (10), which, alternately with the first panel feed, supplies the panels (1) to the tool region (50) and to the second panel feed (20), to avoid no-load working times of the working device, is arranged above the first panel feed (11) on the input side.
22. Process according to claim 19, wherein each of the panel feeds (10; 11; 20) has several continuous systems (20a, 10a, 11a), which are driven (16, 18, 26) synchronously to one another in longitudinal direction for each panel feed and in each case are moved (17a, 15a, 27a) together controlled in transverse direction (x), wherein the panel is both fed and positioned (x, y) exactly in its position in the tool region (50).
23. Process according to claim 19, wherein the panel feeds (10, 11) are held to be movable in x direction by in each case a frame (15f, 15d; 17f, 17d) and are driven in y direction by a drive shaft (18w, 16w), wherein a particular controlled motor (15, 17; 16, 18) for the drive does not also move in x and y direction.
24. Process according to claim 19, wherein at least one stacking region (L1, L2) of sheets in transverse direction laterally next to an alignment region (A) of y direction is upstream of the panel feed (10, 11).
25. Process according to claim 19, wherein the alignment region and the panel feed is moved (41 a, 41 a') laterally next to the stacking region, as a result of which it is shifted back from the working region without moving the stacking region.

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