RU2773074C2 - Device and method for processing bars - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: material processing.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a device for processing bars. The device contains a set of gripping devices located in parallel and having an elongated shape along longitudinal directions for placement of a corresponding bunch of bars, and a processing station. The processing station contains an extraction device made with the possibility of extraction of a bar from one of gripping devices, a drawing unit made with the possibility of movement of bars in the direction of loading, parallel to the specified longitudinal directions, and a bending device. A drive is connected to the processing station, made with the possibility of movement of the specified processing station in a direction transverse to the specified longitudinal directions to place the extraction device in correspondence with one of the specified gripping devices mounted stationary.

EFFECT: compactness of a device for processing bars and possibility of placement and/or movement of bars to gripping devices during a specific manufacture cycle.

10 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The technical field to which the invention belongs

The invention relates to a device and a method for processing bars, in particular metal bars.

The term "rods" refers to goods in a generally oblong shape, such as rods, reinforcing bars, rods, round parts, square parts or the like. The bars can be used, for example, in the field of construction as reinforcement for concrete structures, such as beams or columns.

State of the art

Devices are known for processing metal products, such as rods, reinforcing bars, bars, tubes or other profiles, with any sectional shape in order to obtain semi-finished products to be used as reinforcement in building structures.

These devices may include bending machines, staplers, cutting machines, measuring machines, or other machines.

Such devices require a loading device that is capable of arranging single bundled bars and loading them sequentially, eg one at a time, onto appropriate processing units, eg bending, cutting, counting units, etc.

One of said known bar-handling devices may comprise a plurality of gripping devices which are positioned side by side and parallel to each other and which are elongated in respective longitudinal directions to accommodate a respective bundle of bars; and a processing station that is downstream of the grippers and that includes a device for extracting at least one bar from one of the grippers, a pulling device that is configured to move the bar in a loading direction that is parallel to the longitudinal directions, and at least at least one bending device, which is configured to bend the bars.

Thus, the grippers form a modular storage in which bundles or groups of bars of different types can be placed, while each gripper can be assigned a specific type of bars.

Bar handling devices exist in which the modular storage is movable, for example mounted on rails located on the floor, so that it can be moved relative to the processing station to in each case place a selected gripper in front of the processing station provided with the bending device.

It is clear that the presence of a movable modular storage leads, for example, to the need for guides and a means of moving this storage, therefore, a large area for maneuvering is necessary, since the modular storage must be able to accommodate grippers from first to last, corresponding to a fixed processing station.

Since such devices are usually located inside warehouses or the like, it is clear that there must be large spaces inside these warehouses for the placement and maneuvering of a mobile storage.

In addition, moving the mobile storage requires structural interventions within the storage, which increases the cost and complexity of the entire processing apparatus.

Moreover, in such a case, it is difficult to expand the modular mobile storage with additional gripping devices. In general, if the user needs additional positioning grippers, for example, because he is handling goods that require bars of different lengths than the bars present in the grippers, he must ensure the installation of a new, larger, mobile storage, if in stock there is available space.

Thus, the mobile storage does not allow to place bundles of bars of different lengths with the same or different diameters in order to optimize production cycles.

Another disadvantage of the mobile storage is that the operator, if he needs to move/load/remove bundles of bars from one or the other grippers of the storage, must stop the mobile storage and, therefore, the cycle of processing bars will lead to losses in overall work efficiency.

Mobile storage, which must be provided with a means of movement and possibly appropriate rails, also adds to the weight of the entire system or device.

Another disadvantage of the known bar processing devices concerns the step of unloading the finished product, which corresponds to a certain processing cycle, for example, staples of suitable shape and different types. The unloading step is often limited in terms of automation, since it is difficult to detach the storage that contains the finished goods from the rest of the processing device and, in general, it is difficult to organize suitable grippers for each type of finished goods.

Other limitations and disadvantages of conventional solutions and technologies will be clear to the person skilled in the art from the following description.

Thus, there is a need to develop a processing device for bars, in particular metal bars, which can eliminate at least one of the disadvantages of the known solutions.

One object of the invention is to develop a device for processing bars, in particular metal bars, which is automated, efficient and allows to keep the storage containing the bars to be processed essentially stationary, while providing at least one movement of the processing station, so that each time its position corresponds to one from the gripping devices in order to extract at least one bar to be processed.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bar handler that allows the user to optimize bar manufacturing cycles by limiting machine stops and allowing bars to be placed and/or moved into grippers even during a particular manufacturing cycle.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bar processing device that allows the user to expand or reduce the storage that contains bars at will, by adding or deleting one or more devices that contain bundles or blocks of bars, which will optimize bar manufacturing cycles.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a bar processing apparatus which is compact and smaller in size and weight than prior art processing devices.

Another object of the invention is to improve the efficiency of the process for processing bars by allowing the processing station to move relative to the essentially stationary devices that contain the bars.

Disclosure of invention

These tasks are solved in a device for processing bars containing a plurality of grippers arranged in parallel next to each other and having an elongated shape along the longitudinal directions to accommodate the corresponding bundle of bars, and at least one processing station, which is located downstream of said grippers, wherein the processing station contains at least one extraction device, which is configured to extract at least one bar from one of the grippers, at least one pulling unit, which is configured to move the bars in the loading direction, parallel to the specified longitudinal directions, and at least one bending device that is configured to bend the bars.

According to the invention, at least one drive is associated with the processing station, configured to move said processing station in a direction transverse with respect to said longitudinal directions, in order to place the extraction device in accordance with one of said gripping devices mounted substantially stationary.

The processing station may include a support structure that is provided with sliding elements located on guides that are directed in the transverse direction.

A control station may be associated with the processing station, which may be configured to control the bar processing cycle.

The control station may be associated with the support structure of the processing station and may move with the processing station.

The processing device may also include a collection station that is configured to collect finished products and is located downstream of the processing station.

The station for collecting finished products is connected to the corresponding drives and can be moved in the transverse direction.

The collection station can be provided with sliding elements located on guides directed in the indicated transverse direction.

The processing station can be raised from the floor so that the collection station can move under the processing station.

Preferably, the grippers form a modular storage substantially independent of the bar processing station and the finished product collection station.

The object of the invention is also a method for processing bars using the device described above. This method includes at least one step, which move the processing station relative to parallel located next to each other grippers so as to position the processing station in each case in accordance with one of the essentially fixed grippers; at least one step of removing at least one bar from the grippers; and at least one step of bending and further shaping the rod, which is removed from the corresponding gripper, using said processing station.

These and other features of the present invention will be better understood from the further description of its embodiments with reference to the drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

In FIG. 1 shows a device for processing bars according to the invention, front view;

in fig. 2 - a device for processing bars, in which the processing station is in the first extraction position relative to the grippers, top view;

fig. 3 - a device for processing bars, in which the processing station is in the second extraction position relative to the grippers, top view.

For ease of understanding, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to identify identical common elements. It is clear that the elements and characteristics of one embodiment of the invention can be appropriately built into other embodiments of the invention without further explanation.

Embodiments of the invention

In the following, various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail, of which one or more examples are shown in the drawings. Each example is described as illustrating the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention. For example, the features shown or described previously, while they are part of one embodiment of the invention, can be applied in other embodiments of the invention or can be applied in connection with other embodiments of the invention to obtain another embodiment of the invention. It is clear that the present invention will include all such modifications and variations.

Before describing the embodiments of the invention, it should also be clarified that the present description is not limited to the details of the construction and arrangement of components, which is given below using the drawings. The present description may provide other embodiments of the invention, and they can be obtained or performed in various other ways. It is also to be understood that the phrases and terminology used are used solely to describe and not to limit the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1-3, the bar processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprises a plurality of grippers 11a-11f that are adjacent to each other and placed parallel to each other. They are elongated in the respective longitudinal directions L to accommodate the corresponding bundle F1-F6 of bars B1-B6.

Thus, the grippers 11a-11f essentially form a modular storage 13, and different types of bars B1-B6 can be placed in these devices 11a-11f.

The grippers 11a-11f are substantially fixed relative to the processing station 12. The processing station 12 is located downstream of the grippers 11a-11f and can be moved at least in the transverse direction T by suitable drives 15.

The processing station 12 may comprise a support structure 14 which is provided with sliding elements 16 such as wheels, tabs or the like, which are located on rails 17 mounted on the floor P parallel to the transverse direction T.

The processing station 12 can be raised high from the floor P so that there is a space 18 below the processing station 12 in which the collection station 19 can move for finished goods, such as shaped goods obtained from bars B1 and B6.

The collection station 19 can also be divided into a plurality of holding means 20 suitable for accommodating different types of finished goods.

The collection station 19 includes a pallet 21 where holding means 20 are located. The pallet 21 is also provided with holding elements 22 for finished goods.

The collection station 19 is movable in at least the transverse direction T by means of at least one drive 23.

For example, the pallet 21 may be provided with sliding elements 24, such as wheels, tabs or the like, which are located on respective guides 25 associated with the floor P and parallel to the transverse direction T.

The processing station 12 comprises at least one extraction device 26 which is configured to extract at least one bar, for example the bar B3' of the F3 bundle (FIG. 1).

The extractor 26 may be provided, for example, with a head 27 which is movable downward to extract the bar B3' from the bundle F3 and upward to place this bar in an alignment in loading direction A that is suitable for transferring it to suitable working elements of the station 12 processing. Head 27 may be magnetic or the like.

The loading direction A of the bars, in this case for example the bar B3', is parallel to the longitudinal directions L.

Downstream of the extraction device 26 is an insertion block 28 which is configured to feed the bar B3' towards the pulling block 29 .

In some embodiments of the invention (FIG. 1), the insertion unit 28 may comprise a gripper, for example, formed by two clamps 30, and translation devices that are designed to move the gripper in a direction parallel to the loading direction A, to feed the bar B3' to the components , which are located downstream. Thus, the insertion unit 28 can move in two directions in the loading direction A.

In embodiments not shown, the insertion block 28 may comprise motorized rollers between which the bar B3' is placed, and the insertion block 28 may be suitable for movement in loading direction A to bring the bar B3' towards the pulling block 29.

Downstream of the insertion block 28, an insertion element 31 can be installed which is suitable for properly positioning the bar B3' in alignment with the loading direction A, which is necessary for its subsequent transfer to the pulling block 29.

The insertion element 31 may comprise, for example, a channel 32 which extends in loading direction A and which may be provided with a chamfer 33 to facilitate insertion of the bar.

Between the insertion unit 28 and the pulling unit 29, a cutting device 49 can be installed, which is configured to selectively cut the bar that is loaded in the loading direction A. For example, the cutting device 49 may be configured to cut off the tail end of the bars passing through the processing station 12.

The pull unit 29 may comprise motorized rollers 34 between which any bars B1-B6, such as bar B3', can be placed to be able to be transferred to the downstream bender 35.

The bending device 35 may comprise a support table 36 which can be moved by a suitable drive in the Z direction, perpendicular to the loading direction A, which allows, in each case, the bending device 35 to be positioned in a predetermined manner for bending.

The bending device 35 comprises a support disk 37 on which a fixed support pin 39 is located. The bending pin 38 can be rotated, for example, in the direction R around the fixed support pin 39.

The bar can be inserted between the bending pin 38 and the fixed support pin 39 by a combined movement consisting of turning the bending pin 38 and moving the support table 36 in one direction or another Z, which is substantially perpendicular to the loading direction A, which allows to obtain a bent product from rod, for example, square, rectangular or other shape, such as, for example, a bracket.

Upstream of the bender 35 is a cutting block 40 which may be provided with, for example, a first cutting knife 41 and a second cutting knife 42. The cutting block 40 can be configured to cut off the front end of the loaded bars.

The cutting unit 40 may be mounted directly on the support structure 14 as shown in FIG. 1. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, part of the cutting unit 40, such as the first cutting blade 41, is mounted on the support frame 14, and the other part, such as the second cutting blade 42, on the support table 36.

Downstream of the bender 35, a gripping unit 48 can be mounted which is configured to hold a portion of the bar that is intended to move in loading direction A and which passes through the bending device 35 by means of the pulling unit 29.

The gripping unit 48 may be provided with rollers 43 and 43' between which the bar is placed, and these rollers 43 may be located on supports 44, at least one of which is suitable for movement at least in the direction Z1, essentially perpendicular to the loading direction A . Both of these supports 44 can be moved in two directions in the direction Z1, as shown schematically in the drawings.

At least one roller, for example roller 43', may be provided with a motor to enable the bar to move in both directions in loading direction A.

When the bar has been shaped by the bender 35, the cutting unit 40 separates the finished product from the pull unit 29 and allows it to pass through gravity to the collection station 19 for finished goods.

It is possible to provide that the support structure 14 has a certain inclination with respect to the vertical direction in order to provide a certain inclined plane along which the finished goods can slide before entering the collection station 19 .

The processing device also contains a control station 45 (FIGS. 2 and 3) from which the operator can control all operations of the bar processing cycle. The control station 45 may include at least one processor 46 connected to at least an extractor 26, a puller 29, and a bender 35.

Preferably, the control station 45 is located on the platform 47, which is connected to the processing station 12, therefore, it is suitable for moving in two directions in the transverse direction T, together with the processing station 12.

Comparing FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it is clear that in FIG. 2, the processing station 12 is arranged in accordance with the gripping device 11c, in which the bundle F3 of the bars B3 is located, and in FIG. 3, the processing station 12 is moved relative to the substantially fixed grippers 11a-11f so as to be positioned in accordance with the gripper 11e of the bundle F5 of the bars B5, i.e. to remove at least one B5 bar from the gripper.

It is expedient that, although the processing station 12 continues to process the bar B3, for example with the bender 35, it can also already be moved towards the positioner in order to extract the bar B5, which, for example, is supposed to be processed later.

In addition, the finished goods collection station 19 is substantially independent of both the modular storage 13 and the processing station 12 so that it can be moved in the transverse direction T to be positioned under the processing station 12 in the most appropriate way to collect finished goods. into the respective holding means 20.

The processing station 12 can be moved in the direction T to accommodate any gripper 11a-11f that is substantially stationary.

The processing device 10 thus makes it possible to achieve advantages over known processing devices or machines, i. e. combine the flexibility of a storage facility provided with a plurality of essentially stationary grippers with the many bar work that can be done with the processing station, such as cutting bar to size, bending, shaping, stapling and running through calenders, or the like.

Since the grippers 11a-11f are essentially fixed, they save space compared to a mobile storage, while also providing a simpler overall design of the bar handler 10 . In this case, it is possible to expand or reduce the storage, if desired, by adding or removing one or more gripping devices 11a-11f without the restrictions that are available with known devices and machines, when choosing or purchasing the entire device in accordance with the types of bars used in a given period.

If desired, the modular vault 13 can be modified even after the first installation, for example to accommodate rods that were not previously intended to be used at the initial stage of the vault installation.

It also optimizes bar removal operations, reducing the downtime required for format changes.

For example, from FIG. 2 and 3 it is clear how other grippers can be installed next to the existing grippers 11a and 11f, one or more of the existing grippers can be removed and replaced with other devices.

In addition, the considered bar processing device allows the placement of bundles of different lengths with the same or different diameters, resulting in a better optimization of production cycles.

Since the grippers 11a-11f are substantially stationary, during the processing of any bar, the operator is able to move the bars or bundles of bars to or from the grippers 11a-11f safely and without having to stop the processing cycle, as happened in known mobile stores.

Preferably, the maneuvering space required to move the processing station 12 relative to the grippers 11a-11f is substantially equal to or slightly larger than the total width of all grippers 11a-11f so that all installed grippers, from first to last, can be interacted with. In prior art mobile storage, the space required to maneuver the mobile storage is essentially twice the width of the mobile storage and is therefore quite large.

The total weight of the bar handler 10 is also much less than the total weight of the mobile storage machine, so that faster movements are possible when changing from one bundle to another and more accurate alignment when removing the bar.

It is clear that the considered bar processor 10 can also be equipped with one or more stations for receiving parts of a certain shape, while such stations can be self-propelled and can be synchronized with the movement of the processor and, therefore, with the bar processing cycle. The collection station 19 allows the optimal organization and unloading of finished products.

Thus, the collection station 19 offers several arrangement devices for organizing finished products, while the collection station 19 may not be limited to a processing device during the unloading of products, even during processing, therefore, even in the receiving station, it is possible to maneuver finished products of a certain shape safely and without stopping the processing cycle.

It is clear that parts for processing bars can be changed and/or added to the apparatus and method as described above without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person skilled in the art will be aware of many other equivalent forms of apparatus and method for processing bars, in particular metal bars, which do not go beyond the scope of the invention defined by its claims.

Claims (10)

1. A device for processing bars, containing a plurality of grippers (11a-11f) arranged in parallel next to each other and having an oblong shape along the longitudinal directions (L) to accommodate a corresponding bundle (F1-F6) of bars (B1-B6), and at least one processing station (12), which is located downstream of said grippers (11a-11f), wherein the processing station (12) comprises at least one extraction device (26), which is configured to extract at least at least one bar (B1-B6) from one of the grippers (11a-11f), at least one block (29) pulling, which is configured to move the bars (B1-B6) in the loading direction (A), parallel to the specified longitudinal directions (L), and at least one bending device (35), which is configured to bend the bars (B1-B6), characterized in that at least one drive (15) is associated with the processing station (12), performing movable said processing station (12) in a direction (T) transverse with respect to said longitudinal directions (L) in order to accommodate the extraction device (26) in accordance with one of said gripping devices (11a - 11f) mounted substantially fixed . 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing station (12) comprises a support structure (14) which is provided with sliding elements (16) located on guides (17) which are directed in said transverse direction (T). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a control station (45) is connected to the processing station (12), which is configured to control the processing cycle of bars (B1-B6). 4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that a control station (45) is associated with the processing station (12), which is configured to control the processing cycle of bars (B1-B6), while the control station (45) is associated with the support structure (14) processing station (12) and is movable with this processing station (12). 5. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that it contains a collection station (19), which is configured to collect finished products and is located downstream relative to the processing station (12). 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the station (19) for collecting finished products is connected to the corresponding drives (23) and is movable in the indicated transverse direction (T). 7. The device according to claim. 5, characterized in that the collection station (19) is equipped with sliding elements (24) located on guides (25) directed in the indicated transverse direction (T). 8. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the processing station (12) is raised relative to the floor (P) so that the collection station (19) can move under the processing station (12). 9. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the grippers (11a-11f) form a modular storage (13) substantially independent of the bar processing station (12) and of the finished product collection station (19). 10. Method for processing bars using a device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-9, which includes at least one step, in which the processing station (12) is moved relative to gripping devices (11a-11f) located parallel to each other so as to position the processing station (12) in each case in accordance with one of the essentially fixed grippers (11a-11f); at least one step in which at least one rod (B1-B6) is removed from the grippers (11a-11f); and at least one step, in which the rod, which is removed from the corresponding gripper (11a-11f), is bent and further shaped using said processing station (12).

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