ITPN20010006A1 - TRANSFER AND IRONING PLANT FOR VARIOGENERE METAL PROFILES - Google Patents

Description

Description of the industrial invention entitled:

"TRANSFER AND STRETCHING PLANT FOR METALLIC PROFILES OF VARIOUS KINDS"

The invention relates to a plant for transferring and ironing metal sections of various kinds, made by extrusion, suitable for determining the automatic transfer and ironing of the same, obtaining finished products with the required profile and with a high production capacity.

Systems for transferring and ironing metal sections of various kinds are known, combined with extrusion systems and traditional heating furnaces, arranged respectively upstream and downstream of the systems themselves, said transfer systems being substantially constituted by one or more conveyor lines formed by conveyor belts or rotating rollers, arranged separate and aligned with respect to the extrusion line of the extrusion plants, in which the metal profiles are extruded, and these lines are designed to transport the extruded profiles, cut into pieces of the lengths required by suitable cutting machines associated with the lines themselves, towards a traditional type ironer in which they are first stretched to the desired lengths and then taken and introduced into the heating oven, to be subjected to the required heat treatment.

In plants of this kind, the extruded profiles coming out of the extruder are picked up by an automatic manipulator of a type known per se which arranges them freely on the transport line, whose advancement determines the movement of these extruded profiles towards further automatic manipulators positioned along the transport line, which grasp and temporarily block the sections themselves, to allow them to be cut with the cutting machine into sections of sections of the required length, with subsequent disengagement of these manipulators from the sections of sections and movement of the latter towards the ironer, to determine the ironing of the same.

However, the extruded metal profiles freely arranged on the conveyor line, during the movement towards the next ironer, can move to different positions on the same line, thus not always being correctly aligned with respect to the line, in order to be able to be moved correctly towards the ironer.

In these circumstances, therefore, the sections can be stretched incorrectly, thus making further processing necessary where possible, also inevitably entailing processing waste and production yields of the plant lower than those foreseen.

The present invention has the purpose of realizing a plant for transferring and ironing extruded metal profiles in such a way as to eliminate the drawbacks described above of the current plants, also allowing to obtain profiles always worked correctly, thereby minimizing processing waste and making it is possible to achieve high production yields of the plant itself.

This plant is made with the constructive characteristics substantially described, with particular reference to the attached claims of the patent.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, by way of non-limiting example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: - fig. 1 shows a schematic plan view of the transfer and ironing plant according to the invention;

- fig. 2 shows a schematic plan view of a part of the plant of fig. 1, with its component parts displaced into an operative position; - fig. 3 shows a schematic plan view of the same part of the plant of fig. 2, with its component parts moved to another operating position;

- fig. 4 shows a schematic side view of the same part of the system of figs. 2 and 3, with its component parts displaced into the operative position of fig. 3;

- fig. 5 shows a side view of some component parts of the present system;

- fig. 6 shows a plan view of the component parts of fig. 5; - fig. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of one of the component parts of the system, shown in figs. 5 and 6;

- figs. 8-11 show a schematic perspective view of one of the component parts illustrated in FIGS. 5-7, moved to different operating positions;

- figs. 12-21 schematically show a side view of the plant, with its component parts moved in a succession of different operating phases. In the specified figures, a plant for the transfer and ironing of metal profiles of various kinds and shapes is schematically represented, marked with the numerical reference 5, suitable for determining the automatic transfer of the profiles, which are extruded passing through at least one extruder (not indicated) arranged upstream of the transfer system and the automatic ironing of the profiles themselves, by means of at least one ironer 6 of the traditional type, so as to obtain sections of profiles of the required length, which are subsequently gathered in maps and moved to at least one treatment oven thermal (not indicated), arranged downstream of the ironer, in which these sections are subjected to the respectively required heat treatment.

Referring now to FIG. 1, in which the present plant is schematically represented in plan, and the press Ί of the extruder, with which the various extruded metal profiles of multiple lengths of those required are obtained, it is noted that the transfer plant is substantially constituted by at least an elongated conveying line 8 formed by rotating rollers 9 aligned horizontally with each other and with respect to the extruder and separated from the latter, on which these sections are selectively arranged as will be described below, to be subsequently cut into sections of sections of the length required, by means of at least one cutting machine 10 of a type known per se, combined with this conveyor line.

The plant is also constituted by a series of rollers or mobile conveyor belts 11, equal and of the same size, arranged adjacent to the conveyor line 8, orthogonally to the same, and extending parallel spaced and aligned with each other, and suitable for transferring the pieces of sections from the conveyor line 8 first towards the stretcher 6, which in turn extends parallel and spaced apart from the conveyor line 8, to thus determine the stretching of these sections of sections, and then to transfer the stretched sections towards a further transport line 12 identical to the previous one, arranged adjacent to the movable conveyor belts 11, orthogonally to the same and parallel to the transport line 8, from which these sections are then transferred to the heat treatment oven (not shown).

The transfer system and its various component parts are now described in detail, and their operation to determine the automatic transfer of the extruded profiles coming from the extruder, first towards the cutting machine 10, in which they are locked in position as will be described. , in order to be cut into sections of sections of the desired length, and then from the cutting machine 10 to the ironing machine 6, in which they are blocked as will be described to be subjected to ironing.

This transfer system, as can be seen from the attached figures, is also constituted by at least three gripping and locking devices 13, 14, 15, made as described and sliding independently of each other along longitudinal guides arranged parallel to the transport line 8, and acting on each extruded profile coming from the extruder, first moving it towards the cutting machine 10, in which this profile is locked in position for the time necessary to be cut to the required length, then moving it to the ironer 6, where this profile is picked up and moved towards the ironer itself as will be described, to perform its ironing, and during all the operating phases the section bar is always kept locked at its ends by one or two of these gripping and locking devices in the operative position reached each time.

Each gripping and locking device is made in the form of a so-called "puller" of the traditional type, formed by a support base shaped to slide alternately on the relative longitudinal guide and equipped with movable grippers with gripping jaws with a toothed surface applied to their ends. (the so-called "mordacchie"), base in which suitable actuation devices of the pliers and jaws are supported (for example with pneumatic pistons controlled by gearmotors), able to move these mechanical parts from a rest position in which the mechanical parts are moved away from each profile, to a working position in which they are tightened around the profile, locking it in position. In the present description, these "pullers" have not been illustrated in detail, since they are well known to those skilled in the art. However, it is necessary to specify the arrangement of these pullers in the plant and how they are moved, with drive mechanisms of the traditional type, which are not described, in order to better understand their way of acting.

For this purpose, referring now to figs. 12-21 in which the three pullers 13, 14 and 15 are shown in a first embodiment of the transfer system, and moved to different operating phases, it can be seen that a first puller 13 is provided for the selective picking up of each section extruder coming from the extruder and its displacement on the conveyor line 8 for a distance sufficient to be cut to the required length, and for this purpose this puller slides longitudinally on the corresponding guide from a position A in which it is close to the outlet of the extruder, in order to be able to pick up an extruded section at its initial end protruding from the extruder itself, at a position B in which it is moved away from the extruder by the aforementioned distance. In turn, a second and a third puller 14 and 15 are provided to temporarily lock the removed section in the cutting position and also allow the temporary blocking of the directly following section, and these pullers are arranged side by side and sliding in different positions, depending on the length of each section of section to be obtained, on the corresponding guide in a position lateral to the transport line 8 which is opposite to that in which the first puller 13 slides, so that they can respectively block the terminal end of the section moved to the cutting position and the initial end of the directly next section, thereby keeping each section always in the correct position to allow cutting. The cutting machine 10 for cutting the sections into pieces is supported slidably, as usual, on a corresponding longitudinal guide parallel to the conveyor line 8 and can be moved to different positions depending on the length of the various sections of sections to be obtained.

The various operating phases necessary to carry out the cutting and ironing operations of the metal sections are now described, always referring to figs. 12-21, and bearing in mind that these operations are automatically controlled with computerized control devices, in which all the data relating to these operations are set in advance, for the subsequent performance of the operations themselves in accordance with these data.

In the first operative phase, shown in fig. 12, in which a section being extruded is about to reach the exit of the extruder, the first puller 13 is moved to position A close to said exit and is operated in its rest position, while the second and third puller 14 and 15 are displaced in the cutting position, and operated in their rest position, in the condition in which the cutting machine (not shown) is also displaced in the cutting position.

In the second operative phase, shown in fig. 13, in which the extrusion of the profile is finished and the initial end of the same is made to come out of the extruder outlet, the first puller 13 is still moved to the previous position A and is operated in the working position, in which the its jaws firmly grip this initial end of the profile, in order to be able to move it longitudinally in direction C towards position B, while for their part the second and third pullers 14 and 15 still remain moved and operated as before.

In the third operative phase, shown in fig. 14, it is noted that the first puller 13 has moved longitudinally and smoothly in the established position B, stopping in this position and always keeping the initial end of the section locked, while the second and third pullers 14 and 15 still remain displaced and operated as before, a circumstance in which the profile is designed for cutting to the required length.

In the fourth operational step, shown in fig. 15, it is noted that while the first puller 13 remains displaced and operated in the condition of fig. 14, the second and third pullers 14 and 15 still remain displaced in the same position and are operated simultaneously in the working position, in which their respective jaws firmly grip the section, one arranging itself in the terminal area of the section of section that will be obtained after cutting, and the other in the initial area of the section of section directly following, thereby delimiting the cutting area. In these conditions, therefore, the profile is ready for cutting and is firmly locked in position, without the possibility of moving even at the end of the cut.

In the fifth operational phase, shown in fig. 16, all the pullers are kept in the same conditions as in the previous phase, and the section thus stopped is cut with the cutting machine in the cutting area comprised between the second and third pullers 14 and 15.

In the sixth operational phase, shown in fig. 17, the third puller 15 is kept in the same condition as in fig. 16, thus keeping the initial area of the next section of section always locked in position, while in turn the first and second pullers 13 and 14 still remain operated in the working position, thus keeping the ends of the section of section just obtained locked, however, they are both displaced simultaneously and longitudinally in the direction D, and arranged in correspondence with the ironer, with consequent distancing of the second puller 14 from the third puller 15.

In this condition, the component parts of the ironer, which will be described below, are not yet activated to carry out first the transfer with the aid of the associated mobile conveyor belts 11 of the section of section to the ironer, and then to lock in position and iron this section of profile.

In the seventh operational phase, shown in fig. 18, the third puller 15 is always kept in the previous condition, as well as the first and second pullers 13 and 14 are kept in the condition of fig. 17, and at this point the component parts of the ironer are activated, as will be described, to prepare the section section for transfer to the ironer with the aid of the associated conveyor belts 11.

In the eighth operational phase, shown in FIG. 19, all the pullers are kept in the same previous condition, and the section of section is gripped by the component parts of the ironer as will be described, and is about to be transferred to the ironer with the aid of the conveyor belts 11. In the ninth operating step, shown in fig. 20, the third puller 15 is always kept in the previous condition, while the first and second pullers 13 and 14 are operated in the rest position, disengaging from the section section, so that the latter remains blocked only by the component parts of the ironer , as will be described, a condition in which this section of section is about to be transferred from these component parts to the ironer, with the aid of the conveyor belts 11.

In the tenth operational phase, shown in fig. 21, the third puller 15 is always kept in the previous condition, while the first and second pullers 13 and 14 still remain displaced in the same position of fig. 20, however preparing for the start of a subsequent work cycle, which takes place with the same operational phases described.

Before the start of this subsequent cycle, the third puller 15 is operated in the rest position, disengaging from the next section, always remaining in correspondence with the cutting area of the latter, while in turn the first and second pullers 13 and 14 still remain actuated in the rest position and moved one near the third puller 15, as before, and the other near the initial end of the section, thus preparing themselves to start the next cycle.

It is thus evident that during all these operating phases, which are carried out automatically, each profile is always kept locked at its ends by two pullers, as well as it is kept locked both when it is moved towards the ironer, as will be described in detail, and when it is stretched. . Consequently, all the movements of the profile are carried out keeping the profile always in the correct position, without the possibility that it can move and prepare itself incorrectly for carrying out the required workings, thus allowing to obtain profiles cut to the required measures and shapes. , and subsequently stretched in a satisfactory way, with high production yield and reduced percentage of processing waste. Referring now to FIGS. 2-11, the stretcher 6 and the component parts associated with it are schematically shown, which will be described in detail, suitable for picking up each section after cutting it into pieces and for transferring it towards the ironing machine, always keeping the section itself locked. In figs. 5-7, in particular, it can be seen that the ironer 6 is constituted by a pair of elongated supporting and locking plates 16 and 17, identical to each other, made of aluminum or other metallic material, anchored to the structure of the ironer and extending in the direction transversal to the conveyor line 8, these plates being sliding in different positions, depending on the length of each section to be stretched, on a corresponding longitudinal guide 18 parallel and laterally spaced from the conveyor line 8, in order to determine how the transfer will be described of each section from the first and second pullers 13 and 14 first towards the stretcher 6 and then, at the end of the stretching of this section, towards the mobile conveyor belts 11 for their subsequent conveyance on the conveyor line 12.

Each of these elongated plates is provided at the top with rectilinear guides with recirculating balls 19 extending along its entire length, for the alternative sliding of a corresponding flat plate 20 operated by a screw-nut screw transmission mechanism 21 controlled by an electric motor of traditional type, said flat plate being shaped to support in an articulated manner the corresponding upper flat part 22 of a further flat plate 23, in the upper part of which an elongated and protruding straight bar 24 is made, facing towards the pullers 13 and 14, and in the whose lower part is obtained a further elongated rectilinear bar 25, below the previous one and parallel and spaced with respect to it, whose free end is connected with a vertical protrusion 26 and extends horizontally with a wedge-shaped protrusion 27 forming a vane, in order to to support the lower surface of each section blocked by pullers 13 and 14, and d transferring the product itself towards the ironer.

A support block 28 is disposed at the free end of the elongated bar 24, and is sliding in height along vertical guides, in different adjustment positions, controlled by a series of adjustment levers (not shown) incorporated in the block itself, called block supporting at the bottom some gripping jaws 29 (eccentric gripping jaws) free from each other, activated by a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) incorporated in the aforementioned block, and able to arrange themselves on the upper surface of each profile, locking it in position both when it is picked up by the puller 13 and 14 both when it has been transferred to the ironer and is being ironed by it.

Inside the further elongated bar 25 there is also housed a control screw (not indicated), able to move the flat plate 23 in the longitudinal direction, sliding along the guides 19 of the corresponding elongated plate, and operated by a gearmotor with inverter and controlled by a linear sensor, for detecting and reading by computer of the different positions in which this flat plate is moved, together with the protruding vane 27 and the vertical protrusion 26. In this way, by controlling this screw in the required adjustment positions, depending on the shape and size of each section to be ironed, it is possible to move the flat plate 23 from a first position in which it is approached with respect to the corresponding puller, to a second position in which it is moved away from said puller, and is predisposed to take delivery by the ironer. In the first position, then, this flat plate 23 keeps the relative end of the section locked, thanks to the combined action of the vertical projection 26 which is pressed against the lateral surface of the section, and of the horizontal blade 27 which is arranged against the lower surface of the section. section, to determine its transfer, as well as the gripping jaws 29 which are pressed against the upper surface of the section itself.

In the second position, moreover, the section is ready for ironing and is always kept locked as described above, and is subsequently taken over by the gripping and locking devices of the ironer, while the previous devices are disengaged from the section itself.

Then, the profile is ironed, keeping one of the plates stationary and moving the other in the opposite direction.

During ironing, the flat plate 23 is moved to the position in which it will be rotated.

After that, each flat plate 23 is rotated around its point of articulation 31 with the flat plate 20, by means of a pneumatic cylinder 32 fixed at its ends with these plates, from a working position in which the plate 23 is arranged vertically and it can therefore be actuated from one to the other of the aforesaid first and second operating positions, to a rest position in which it is arranged horizontally, being separated from both the section bar and the mobile conveyor belts 11.

In figs. 2-4 and 8-11 now show the different operating positions in which the elongated plates 16 and 17 of the ironer are moved, to determine the transfer of each section blocked by the pullers and its ironing in the ironer. In figs. 2 and 8, in particular, in which the elongated plates 16 and 17 are moved respectively in correspondence with the first and second puller 13 and 14, it is noted that the flat plate 20 is moved along the relative plate towards its end adjacent to the corresponding puller, together with the flat plate 23, which in turn is rotated into the working position, while the gripping pliers formed by the vertical projection 26 and the protruding blade 27 are one pushed against the lateral surface of the profile and the other inserted below it, and the gripping jaws 29 are displaced above the upper surface of the section and pressed against this surface, with consequent locking in position of the section itself at its ends. In this condition, then, the section is blocked both by the component parts just described and by the pullers 13 and 14 which are operated in their eighth operative position. As soon as this section is blocked by the aforesaid component parts, the pullers 13 and 14 are operated in their ninth operating position, thus disengaging from the section.

In the following figs. 3, 4 and 9 it can be seen that the flat plate 20 is made to slide along the relative plate, in the opposite direction to the previous one, towards the ironing position, together with the gripping pliers and the gripping jaws 29, until the section reaches the position ironing device indicated in the figures, in which it is blocked by the action of the gripping and locking devices of the ironer, while the gripping pliers and the jaws disengage from the section, so that ironing of the section itself can begin.

In fig. 10 it can be seen that during ironing the flat plate 20 is made to slide in the same direction as before, towards the other end of the relative plate, while the section after ironing is placed on the mobile conveyor belts 11 and is about to be transferred therefrom towards the conveyor line 12. In fig. 11, finally, it can be seen that the flat plate 23 is rotated into the rest position, together with the gripper and the gripping jaws 29, so that these component parts are moved away from the sliding path of the profile, and the mobile conveyor belts 11 are operated to carry out the transfer of the profile towards the conveyor line 12. It is thus evident that each profile is always kept locked at its ends during all the operating phases of the plant according to the invention, thus allowing to always obtain optimal stretching of the same.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS 1. Plant for transferring and drawing metal profiles of various kinds, preferably made by extrusion in at least one extruder, the plant being arranged downstream of said extruder and comprising first, second and third means for conveying the sections, means for cutting the sections and at least one stretcher of the sections of a known type per se, said first conveyor means being able to transfer the sections coming from the extruder towards said cutting means, where they are cut into pieces of the respectively required length, said stretcher being able to receive the sections of sections coming from the cutting area of said cutting means and for stretching them to the required extent, and said second and third conveyor means being able to receive the sections of sections coming from said stretching machine and to transfer them to heat treatment means arranged downstream of the plant, where they are heat treated under the required conditions, characterized by first, second and third gripping and locking means (13, 14, 15), associated with said first conveyor means (8), said cutting means (10) and said stretcher (6), said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) being provided for picking up and locking each section member respectively at its initial end and at its terminal end, said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) being operable from a position at rest, in which the section is not locked, initially in a first working position in which the section is blocked and is moved along said first conveyor means (8) for a distance sufficient to be arranged with its terminal end in the area of cut, so as to be able to be cut by said cutting means (10) into pieces of the required length, and subsequently in a second working position so as to be arranged with its initial ends and t terminal in correspondence of said ironer (6); and said third gripping and locking means (15) being provided for temporarily locking the initial end of the directly following section member, and being operable from a rest position, in which the section is not locked, when said first and second gripping means and locking (13, 14) are moved in their rest position, to a working position in which the profile is locked, when said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) are moved both in their first and in their second working position; and said stretcher (6) being provided with fourth and fifth gripping and locking means (26, 27, 29) cooperating with said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14), respectively, and with said second "conveyor means (11), and suitable for picking up and locking the section bar from said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) and for moving it to its ironing position of said ironer (6), said fourth and fifth gripping means and locking (26, 27, 29) being operable from one rest position to one first and a second working position, in the first working position of which they are moved in correspondence with the profile, grasping and locking the same, when said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) are moved to their second position of and in the second working position of which they are moved to the ironing position of the section, and are subsequently operated in their rest position, with consequent transfer of the section through said second and third conveyor means (11, 12), while said first and second gripping and locking means (13, 14) are operated in their rest position, said first, second, third, fourth and fifth gripping and locking means (13, 14, 15 , 26, 27, 29) being automatically controlled by computerized control devices, which can be set in advance with all the data relating to the various operating phases of the plant. 2. Plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said first, second and third gripping and locking means (13, 14, 15) are each made as a traditional puller, formed by a support base sliding on a guide and equipped with movable grippers with gripping jaws with toothed surfaces that can be adapted around the profile, and can be operated by means of command from the rest position to the working position, and vice versa, said first gripping and locking means (13) sliding laterally along said first means conveyors (8) from a position close to said extruder to their second working position, away from the extruder itself, and said second and third gripping and locking means (14, 15) being arranged side by side and sliding laterally along said first conveyor means (8) in a position opposite to the sliding one of said first gripping and locking means (13). 3. Plant according to claim 2, wherein said stretcher is constituted by a pair of elongated plates, anchored to the structure of the stretcher transversely to said first conveyor means and sliding parallel to said first conveyor means, characterized in that said fourth and fifth means gripping and locking devices (26, 27, 29) comprise a flat plate (20) operated slidably along the corresponding elongated plate by means of control means known per se, and also comprise a further flat plate (23), articulated in said flat plate (20) and shaped to form a vertical projection (26) and a blade projection (27), respectively adaptable against the lateral and lower surface of the profile, as well as gripping jaws (29) adaptable against the upper surface of the profile, called further flat plate (23) being sliding from the first to the second working position, and vice versa, always keeping the prof hinged, and being displaceable by means of control means known per se in its rest position, rotating to a limited extent around said flat plate (20), and being separated both from the section and from said second conveyor means (11), releasing the section. 4. Plant according to claim 3, characterized in that said further flat plate (23) comprises means for detecting the various positions for adjusting the displacements of the plate itself, acting on said control means to determine the displacements of the plate in its various positions adjustment.