GB2347382A

GB2347382A - Material feed mechanism for a steel cutting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2347382A
Application number: GB0012178A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-01-25
Filing date: 1997-01-25
Publication date: 2000-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-25
Also published as: GB0012178D0; GB2347382B

Abstract

A material feed mechanism 2 for a steel cutting machine 1, the feed mechanism 2 being provided upstream of the cutting machine 1 and comprising at the bottom thereof a stationary platform 21 , a plurality of conveying rollers 22 disposed on the surface of the stationary platform 21 , a stationary clamp set 23 which straddles both sides of one end of the stationary platform 21 near the cutting machine 1 , and a movable clamp set 24 which straddles both sides of the other end of the stationary platform 21 at an appropriate location thereon.

Description

MATERIAL FEED MECHANISM FOR A STEEL CUTTING MACHINE The present invention relates to a material feed mechanism for a steel cutting machine, and especially to a structure of a material feed mechanism for a large size steel cutting machine.

According to the present invention, there is provided a material feed mechanism for a steel cutting machine, the feed mechanism being provided upstream of the cutting machine and comprising at the bottom thereof a stationary platform, a plurality of conveying rollers disposed on the surface of the stationary platform, a stationary clamp set which straddles both sides of one end of the stationary platform near the cutting machine, and a movable clamp set which straddles both sides of the other end of the stationary platform at an appropriate location thereon, the stationary clamp set and movable clamp set each being provided at the front thereof with a clamping plate, a clamping oil-pressure cylinder of appropriate length for work being provided at the middle on the back side of each clamping plate, and a guide rod being provided at each of an upper and a lower appropriate end position on the back side of each clamping plate, a slide seat being provided at the bottom of the movable clamp set, an oil-pressure cylinder for the slide seat being provided at the middle of the latter, two rail-bar holes being provided and located appropriately near the two sides of the slide seat, and a rail bar, provided on the lower end of the stationary platform, extending through each of the rail-bar holes.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a cutting machine including one embodiment of a material feed mechanism according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the material feed mechanism on an enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the material feed mechanism shown in Figure 2; Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of a first position of a cut-off pieces rest mechanism of the cutting machine ; Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of a second position of the cut-off pieces rest mechanism shown in Figure 4 ; Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the cut-off pieces rest mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5.

As shown in Fig. 1,2 and 3, a cutting machine 1 is provided in front thereof with a material feed mechanism 2, and is provided at the rear thereof with a cut-off pieces rest mechanism 3.

The material feed mechanism 2 is provided with a stationary platform 21, having on the surface thereof a plurality of conveying rollers 22, a stationary clamp set 23 which straddles both sides of one end of the stationary platform 21 near the cutting machine 1, and a movable clamp set 24 which straddles both sides of the other end of the stationary platform 21 at an appropriate location thereon.

The stationary clamp set 23 and the movable clamp set 24 are each provided at the front thereof with a clamping plate 25. A clamping oil-pressure cylinder 26 of appropriate length for work is provided at the middle on the back side of each clamping plate 25, and a guide rod 251 is provided at appropriate upper and lower end positions on the back side of each clamping plate 25.

The movable clamp set 24 is also provided at the bottom thereof with a slide seat 241. An oil pressure cylinder 27 for the slide seat 241 is provided at the middle of the latter, and two rail-bar holes 242 are provided and located appropriately near the two sides of the slide seat 241. A rail bar 211, provided on the lower end of the stationary platform 21, extends through each rail-bar hole 242.

As shown in Fig. 4,5 and 6, the cut-off pieces rest mechanism 3 is provided with a sliding platform 31, which is connected to an oil-pressure cylinder 32 at the rear and lower end thereof, and a cut-off pieces rest plate 33 which is pivotably provided at the front of the sliding platform 31.

The cut-off pieces rest plate 33 is provided on the back side thereof with a strut 34 which is pivotally connected at an appropriate position thereon to a resting oil-pressure cylinder 35 for cut-off pieces, and both sides of the strut 34 are provided on the lower ends thereof with links 36. The resting oil-pressure cylinder 35 and the links 36 are together pivotably provided on the fixing seat 311 on one side of the sliding platform 31.

A movable as well as extensible and contractive plate 331 is extended through the lower end of the cut-off pieces rest plate 33. On the back side of the cut-off pieces rest plate 33, there is more than one spring fixing barrel 37, each being provided with a slit 372 to allow the extensible and contractive plate 331 to move freely within the spring fixing barrels 37. At the rear of the cut-off pieces rest plate 33, a spring 371 is provided in each spring fixing barrel 37.

By means of the assembly of the above stated mechanisms, when the cutting machine 1 receives a command to cut a workpiece 4, the oil-pressure cylinder 27 will move the slide seat 241 of the material feed mechanism 2, and thereby move the movable clamp set 24 to the place where the workpiece 4 is positioned. The clamping oil-pressure cylinders 26 of the movable clamp set 24 then push the clamping plates 25 to clamp the workpiece 4. Once the movable clamp set 24 has firmly clamped the workpiece 4, the oil-pressure cylinder 27 retracts its arm to move the slide seat 241 to the cutting machine 1, and the workpiece 4 is fixedly clamped by the stationary clamp set 23. The cutting machine 1 then cuts the workpiece 4. When cutting, the cut-off pieces rest mechanism 3 moves the sliding platform 31 to the cutting machine 1 by means of the oil-pressure cylinder 32 at the bottom thereof (as shown in Fig. 4). When one piece 41 of the workpiece 4 is cut off, the piece 41 can stand and rest against the cut-off pieces rest plate 33 and the extensible and contractive plate 331. At this time, the cut-off pieces rest mechanism 3 receives a command whereby the resting oil-pressure cylinder 35 retracts its arm slowly and the cut-off pieces rest plate 33 pivotally moves toward the sliding platform 31 until placed in a horizontal plane facing upwardly (as shown in Fig. 5). Thus, the piece 41 can be laid down safely in a horizontal plane, and a hanger (not shown) can be used to move the piece 41 away from the cut-off pieces rest plate 33. Cutting of the next piece 41 can then begin.

It should be noted that the extensible and contractive plate 331 can be adapted to steel of different thickness to be cut. In operation and when the steel material (the workpiece 4) is located in position, the extensible and contractive plate 331 is pressed against the cutting machine 1 and, by activation of only the oil-pressure cylinder 32, the cut-off pieces rest mechanism 3 can be moved to where the workpiece 4 is, so that the cut-off pieces rest plate 33 abuts the workpiece 4.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I claim will be declared in the claims followed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A material feed mechanism for a steel cutting machine, the feed mechanism being provided upstream of the cutting machine and comprising at the bottom thereof a stationary platform, a plurality of conveying rollers disposed on the surface of the stationary platform, a stationary clamp set which straddles both sides of one end of the stationary platform near the cutting machine, and a movable clamp set which straddles both sides of the other end of the stationary platform at an appropriate location thereon, the stationary clamp set and movable clamp set each being provided at the front thereof with a clamping plate, a clamping oil-pressure cylinder of appropriate length for work being provided at the middle on the back side of each clamping plate, and a guide rod being provided at each of an upper and a lower appropriate end position on the back side of each clamping plate, a slide seat being provided at the bottom of the movable clamp set, an oil-pressure cylinder for the slide seat being provided at the middle of the latter, two rail-bar holes being provided and located appropriately near the two sides of the slide seat, and a rail bar, provided on the lower end of the stationary platform, extending through each of the rail-bar holes.
2. A material feed mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.