EP2050537A1

EP2050537A1 - Machine and method for grinding, polishing and satinising tubes and/or metallic plates

Info

Publication number: EP2050537A1
Application number: EP08702373A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Angel Vilanova Carrion
Original assignee: Maquinaria Electronica Esmerilado y Pulido SA
Current assignee: Maquinaria Electronica Esmerilado y Pulido SA
Priority date: 2007-03-02
Filing date: 2008-02-05
Publication date: 2009-04-22
Also published as: ES2323828A1; ES2323828B1; WO2008107748A1

Abstract

The machine for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes with a circular, square or rectangular cross-section and/or metallic plates, comprising a plurality of grinding heads (10) and polishing heads (1) provided with different kinds of consumable articles, a plurality of conveyor elements (2) of the metallic articles moving said metallic articles along said heads (1, 10), and a plurality of positioning elements (3) of said metallic elements, said grinding heads (10) being placed to carry out a transversal or longitudinal grinding on the metallic tubes and plates, and it is characterised in that said polishing heads (1) are placed to carry out a polishing on the tubes and plates along a different direction with respect to the direction of said grinding passing just once and in a continuous process.

It is obtained a different polishing than that of the current method, i.e. the polishing lines extend differently from the grinding lines.

Description

The present invention refers to a machine for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes and/or plates, specially square, rectangular and/or circular cross-section tubes, and/or plates of any metal and of any length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays to carry out the operations of grinding, polishing and satinizing of metallic articles, such as tubes and plates, it is necessary to use several machines, which implies a great loss of time for starting each machine when the dimensions of the tubes to be worked change and when the articles are handled from a machine to another.
In the conventional machines, the square cross-section tubes are ground and polished one face after the other, which means that the tube must pass four times through the same machine, presenting the drawback that it deforms when heating just one face and because it passes several times through the machine.
Furthermore, in the current machines the articles always pass by the same zone in contact with the positioning and conveyor elements and with the consumable elements of the heads.
Another drawback is that in the current machines the mechanisms must be corrected manually when they are used with articles of different sizes, which implies large inactive periods.
For the circular cross-section tubes, the grinding is carried out always radially, i.e. the grinding lines extend transversally with respect to the tube.
For polishing the circular cross-section tubes, the same working system as described for grinding is always used, i.e. the tube is polished along the same direction than the grinding carried out previously.
There are machines that can polish the circular cross-section tubes longitudinally, i.e. against (90°) the grinding lines. For polishing with this system there is a great drawback that the tubes to be polished must be attached by the internal part of the ends. There is another drawback for polishing tubes with a reduced diameter, e.g. D8, D10, D15 mm, etc. because of the warping they produce because of their length, which is normally standardised at 6 meters.
To obtain an optimal polishing finish, in this system, the polishing heads or the piece-holder table have an alternative working cycle consisting in carry out several round-trip runs on the tube with a high execution time.
For the square or rectangular cross-section tube or the plate, the grinding of the tube is carried out longitudinally.
For the polishing, machines with a similar configuration than that of grinding are used, i.e. the tubes and plates are polished with the same sense of the grinding lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With the machine of the invention said drawbacks can be solved, presenting other advantages that will be described.
The machine for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes with a circular, square or rectangular cross-section and/or metallic plates, comprises a plurality of grinding heads and polishing heads provided with different kinds of consumable articles, a plurality of conveyor elements of the metallic articles moving said metallic articles along said heads, and a plurality of positioning elements of said metallic elements, said grinding heads being placed to carry out a transversal or longitudinal grinding on the metallic tubes and plates, characterised in that said polishing heads are placed to carry out a polishing on the tubes and plates along a different direction with respect to the direction of said grinding passing just once and in a continuous process.
Thanks to this feature, a polishing different from the current method is obtained, i.e. the polishing lines run differently from the grinding lines, permitting the work on the tube or plate to be more efficient and the finishing to be better, because this system removes the grinding lines.
This system permits the polishing to be carried out continuously, without holding the tube or plate by its ends.
When the work is carried out on circular cross-section tubes, said grinding heads are preferably placed transversally with respect to the movement direction of the tubes, and the polishing heads are placed in a substantially longitudinal direction with respect to the movement direction of the tubes.
On the other hand, when the work is carried out on square cross-section tubes, said grinding heads are preferably placed longitudinally with respect to the movement direction of the tubes and plates, and the polishing heads are rotatable about a substantially vertical axis between 0° and 360°.
Advantageously, said heads are associated in pairs, the heads of each pair being placed substantially faced to each other.
Thanks to this feature, it is possible to grind, polish and satinize two faces of the tubes and plates at the same time, so that the passages through the machine by the tubes and plates to obtain a complete finish are reduced.
Advantageously, the heads are laterally and vertically movable, defining a swinging movement to obtain a complete wear of the consumable products.
Therefore, it is prevented the articles to be polished, ground and satinized to pass always through the same contact zone, preventing an accelerated wear and deformation.
Furthermore, said consumable products are advantageously detachably mounted in a quick change system. Hence, the consumable products can be mounted and removed quickly, adapting them to the features of the article to be ground and polished or to the kind of finish to be obtained.
Therefore, fixation tools for the tubes are not necessary, obtaining a better polishing quality than the standard one offered in the market, specially in circular cross-section tubes, and also in square cross-section tubes. This polishing system in circular, square and rectangular cross-section tubes represents an innovation in quality terms completely different with respect to the conventional systems in the market.
Advantageously, said heads and said positioning elements are laterally and vertically movable, so that they can be easily adapted to different sizes.
Preferably, said heads and said positioning elements are connected to electronic, pneumatic or hydraulic control means of numeric control, programmable logical controller (PLC) or computer positioning means, determining its position and driving. This control means permits to correct automatically the position of the elements of the machine to be adapted to the size of the articles to be ground and polished.
According to a preferred embodiment, said conveyor elements are a plurality of wheels placed associated by pairs one besides the other, which also make the circular cross-section tube to rotate about its transversal axis, and a plurality of conveyor belts providing a lineal advancement of the square cross-section tubes.
According to a second aspect, the present invention refers to a method for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes and plates, which is characterised in that the grinding of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out in a first direction and the polishing of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out in a second direction, different from said first direction.
When the work is carried out on circular cross-section tubes, the grinding is preferably carried out transversally on the tubes and the polishing is carried out in a substantially longitudinal way on said tubes, when the metallic tubes move longitudinally.
Furthermore, during the polishing of the circular cross-section tubes, they rotate about their longitudinal axis.
When the work is carried out on square cross-section tubes, the grinding is preferably carried out longitudinally on the tubes and plates, and the polishing is carried out in a substantially transversal way on said tubes and plates, when the metallic tubes and plates move longitudinally.
With the method of the present invention, apart from the previously cited advantages, a better finish is obtained than with the traditional polishing, with just one pass. Furthermore, it is not necessary to hold the ends of the tube or plate, because the method of the present invention is carried out in a completely continuous way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of what has been described some drawings are attached in which, diagrammatically and only as a non-limitative example, some embodiments are shown.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical elevation frontal view of the machine of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical elevation frontal view of the machine of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the polishing method of a circular cross-section tube; and
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detail of the polishing method of the square cross-section tube or plate.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As it can be seen in Fig. 1, the machine for grinding, polishing and satinizing of the present invention comprises:

a number of grinding heads 10 or a number of polishing heads 1 provided with consumable elements;
a number of conveyor elements 2 of the tubes and metallic plates; and
a number of positioning elements 3 of said tubes and metallic plates.

The heads 1, 10 grind, polish and satinize the tubes and metallic plates.
The conveyor elements 2 move said tubes and plates along the machine, passing through said heads 1, 10, and the positioning elements 3 guarantee the correct positioning of the tubes and plates for using said heads 1, 10.
According to the invention, said grinding heads 10 are arranged to carry out a transversal or longitudinal grinding on the tubes and metallic plates, and said polish heads 1 are arranged to carry out a polishing of the tubes and metallic plates in a direction different from that of said grinding.
When the tubes or plates have a circular cross-section, said grinding heads 10 are arranged transversally with respect to the movement direction of the tubes, and the polishing heads 1 are arranged in a direction substantially longitudinal with respect to the movement direction of the tubes.
When the tubes or plates have a square cross-section, said grinding heads 10 are arranged longitudinally with respect to the movement direction of the tubes and plates, and the polishing heads 1 are rotatable about a substantially vertical axis between 0° and 360°, and they are preferably arranged in a position in which they carry out a substantially transversal polishing (in multiple directions).
Said heads 1, 10 are preferably associated by pairs, and they are arranged substantially one faced to each other, one in front of each other, as it can be seen in Fig. 1, one over each other, or side by side, or in any suitable way. It must be pointed out, however, that it is not essential that said heads 1 are associated by pairs, but they could be simple.
Said heads 1 are laterally movable, defining a swinging movement to wear all the consumable element, and vertically, to adjust them to the sizes of the tubes and plates to be polished and ground. It must be pointed out that it must not be mistake this swinging movement for the swinging movement of the consumable elements, which also move defining a swinging movement irrespective of the working position of the consumable elements.
In Fig. 2 both driving means of said movements of the heads 1, 10 can be seen. Particularly, the machine comprises a first motor 4 that drives the vertical movement of said heads 1, 10, and a second motor 5 that drives the swinging movement of said heads 1, 10.
As stated previously, said swinging movement prevents the tubes and plates to be always in contact with the same zone of the consumable element of the head, permitting an even wear of the consumable element of the head 1, 10.
Furthermore, the consumable elements of said heads 1, 10 are detachably mounted, i.e. they can be placed and removed easily as whished.
The positioning elements 3 are vertically and laterally movable, to be adapted to the sizes of the tubes and plates.
All the movable elements of the machine, such as the heads 1, 10, the conveyor elements 2 and the positioning elements 3 are connected to numeric control electronic or pneumatic control means, programmable logic controller (PLC), positioning with computer (not shown), or pneumatically to determine automatically the positioning and the movement of all these elements according to the introduced parameters, e.g. the sizes of the articles to be ground or polished.
It must be pointed out that several machines of the present invention can be grouped to obtain a complete cycle of grinding, polishing and/or satinizing without the need of changing the consumable elements of the heads. It must be also pointed out that in the drawings a machine in which the heads are placed vertically is shown, however, it must be understood that the arrangement of the heads and of the rest of the components of the machine can be any suitable arrangement.
It must be pointed out that there is the possibility of machines only for grinding or machines only for polishing. This last option has the great advantage that it is possible to make a polishing machine for circular tubes and another one for polishing square tubes, but also a machine for polishing all the sections, i.e. tubes of circular section and tubes of square section at the same time.
Even though it is not shown in the drawings, it is provided that the machine of the present invention could comprise a charger, a packer and a discharger of tubes and plates, permitting said tubes and plated to be stacked.
In figs. 3 and 4 two alternative embodiments of the machine of the present invention are shown. The embodiment of fig. 3 is for grinding and polishing tubes of circular cross-section and the embodiment of fig. 4 is for grinding and polishing tubes or plates of square cross-section.
In fig. 3 it can be seen a circular cross-section tube 6 placed on conveyor elements 2, that in this embodiment are a plurality of wheels, associated by groups, being placed one beside the other in each group and faced with the wheels of the opposed group. Therefore, the tube 6 rotates about its longitudinal axis and, at the same time, moves longitudinally thanks to the action of said wheels and conveyor groups.
In fig. 4 it can be seen that the conveyor elements 2 are conveyor belts, and in this embodiment the tube does not rotate about its longitudinal axis, because of its square cross-section.
Also in fig. 4 it can be seen that the heads 1 are rotatable between 0° and 360°, as it can be seen by arrow A in fig. 4.
According to a second aspect, the present invention also refers to a method for grinding, polishing and satinizing, which is carried out with the machine previously described. In said method, the grinding of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out along a first direction and the polishing of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out along a second direction, different from the first direction.
When the tubes have a circular cross-section, the grinding is carried out transversally with respect to the tubes, and the polishing is carried out in a substantially longitudinal way with respect to said tubes, when the metallic tubes move longitudinally.
Furthermore, during the polishing of the circular cross-section tubes, these tubes rotate about their longitudinal axis.
On the other hand, when the tubes or plates have a square cross-section, the grinding is carried out longitudinally on the tubes and plates and the polishing is carried out substantially transversally on said tubes and plates, when the metallic tubes and plates move longitudinally.
Even though reference is made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is apparent for a person skilled in the art that the described machine is susceptible of numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details cited can be substituted by other technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims

Machine for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes with a circular, square or rectangular cross-section and/or metallic plates, comprising a plurality of grinding heads (10) and polishing heads (1) provided with different kinds of consumable articles, a plurality of conveyor elements (2) of the metallic articles moving said metallic articles along said heads (1, 10), and a plurality of positioning elements (3) of said metallic elements, said grinding heads (10) being placed to carry out a transversal or longitudinal grinding on the metallic tubes and plates, characterised in that said polishing heads (1) are placed to carry out a polishing on the tubes and plates along a different direction with respect to the direction of said grinding passing just once and in a continuous process.
Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said grinding heads (10) are placed transversally with respect to the movement direction of the circular cross-section tubes and the polishing heads (1) are placed along a substantially longitudinal direction with respect to the movement direction of the tubes, i.e. in a direction which crosses the grinding lines.
Machine according claim 1, characterised in that said grinding heads (10) are placed longitudinally with respect to the movement direction of the square or rectangular cross-section tubes and plates, and the polishing heads (1) are rotatable about a substantially vertical axis between 0° and 360°, i.e. in multiple directions, and it can be in a fixed or moving state.
Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said grinding heads (10) and said polishing heads
(1) are associated in pairs, the heads (1, 10) of each pair being placed faced to each other.
Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, characterised in that said heads (1, 10) are laterally movable, defining a swinging movement to permit a complete wear of the consumable element.
Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, characterised in that the consumable element of said heads (1, 10) is detachably mounted.
Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, characterised in that said heads (1, 10) are vertically and horizontally movable.
Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that conveyor (2) and positioning (3) elements are laterally and vertically movable.
Machine according to anyone of the previous claims, characterised in that said heads (1, 10) and said conveyor (2) and positioning (3) elements are connected to electronic, pneumatic or hydraulic control means, determining its position and driving.
Machine according to claim 9, characterised in that said control means are numeric control means, programmable logic controller (PLC) or computer positioning means.
Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that said conveyor elements (2) are a plurality of wheels placed associated by pairs one besides the other, to provide the movement and rotation of a circular cross-section tube about its transversal axis.
Method for grinding, polishing and satinizing metallic tubes and/or plates, characterised in that the grinding of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out in a first direction and the polishing of the metallic tubes and plates is carried out in a second direction, different from said first direction.
Method according to claim 12, characterised in that the grinding is carried out transversally on the circular cross-section tubes and the polishing is carried out in a substantially longitudinal way on said tubes, when the metallic tubes move longitudinally.
Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterised in that during the polishing of the circular cross-section tubes, they rotate about their longitudinal axis.
Method according to claim 12, characterised in that the grinding is carried out longitudinally on the square or rectangular cross-section tubes and the plates, and the polishing is carried out in a substantially transversal way on said tubes and plates, i.e. in multiple positions, that can be fixed or movable, when the metallic tubes and plates move longitudinally.