US3853233A

US3853233A - Method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars

Info

Publication number: US3853233A
Application number: US00317234A
Authority: US
Inventors: O Kreuz; S Raab
Original assignee: Demag AG
Current assignee: Mannesmann Demag AG
Priority date: 1970-06-18
Filing date: 1972-12-21
Publication date: 1974-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-10

Abstract

The method utilizes a stationary tipping trough including a pair of longitudinally spaced substantially angular supporting surfaces each having a downwardly and inwardly sloping inlet side and an upwardly and outwardly sloping steeper outlet side. A pair of tipping levers are oscillatable by an associated fluid pressure actuator to engage a longitudinal corner edge of a bar in the tipping trough to tilt the bar so that it rests on a different side. A pair of lifters, having projecting fingers, are oscillatable about the same axis as the tilting levers by a different fluid pressure actuator so that the fingers engage the then lower side of a bar in the tipping trough and move the bar over the outlet sides of the supporting surfaces. The tipping trough preferably is arranged between a bar feeding roller conveyor and a bar discharge roller conveyor, and switch means are provided for engagement with a bar moving along the feeding conveyor. The bars have sloping or tapered ends providing respective projecting noses, coplanar with one bar side surface, and the switch means are so arranged that, depending upon which switch is engaged by a projecting nose, an appropriate bar tipping operation is initiated. Alternatively, the switch means may be arranged beneath a bar support surface, again for cooperation with the nose of a bar, or may be arranged to project into the tilting trough for engagement by the nose of a bar.

Description

United States Patent Kreuz et a1.

[451 Dec. 10, 1974 1 1 METHOD OF MANIPULATING POLYGONAL CROSS-SECTION CAST COPPER BARS Inventors: Otto Kreuz, Duisburg; Stefan Raab, Essen, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Demag Aktiengesellschaft, Duisberg,

Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 21, 1972 211 App]. No.: 317,234

Related US. Application Data Primary ExaminerFrank E. Werner Attorney, Agent, or FirmMcGlew and Tuttle [57] ABSTRACT The method utilizes a stationary tipping trough including a pair of longitudinally spaced substantially angular supporting surfaces each having a downwardly and inwardly sloping inlet side and an upwardly and outwardly sloping steeper outlet side. A pair of tipping levers are oscillatable by an associated fluid pressure actuator to engage a longitudinal corner edge of a bar in the tipping trough to tilt the bar so that it rests on a different side. A pair of lifters, having projecting fingers, are oscillatable about the same axis as the tilting levers by a different fluid pressure actuator so that the fingers engage the then lower side of a bar in the tipping trough and move the bar over the outlet sides of the supporting surfaces. The tipping trough preferably is arranged between a bar feeding roller conveyor and a bar discharge roller conveyor, and switch means are provided for engagement with a bar moving along the feeding conveyor. The bars have sloping or tapered ends providing respective projecting noses, coplanar with one bar side surface, and the switch means are so arranged that, depending upon which switch is engaged by a projecting nose, an appropriate bar tipping operation is initiated. Alternatively, the switch means may be arranged beneath a bar support surface, again for cooperation with the nose of a bar, or may be arranged to project into the tilting trough for engagement by the nose of a bar.

4 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures METHOD OF MANIPULATING POLYGONAL CROSS-SECTION CAST COPPER BARS This is a division of application Ser. No. 152,867 filed June 14, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,759,401. issued Sept. 18, 1973.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method of manipulating polygonal cross-section bars and, more particularly, to a manipulating method which is capable of tilting bars for inspection of all surfaces thereof in an efficient and expeditious manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART Manipulators for oblong workpieces having a polygonal cross-section are known both in rolling mill construction and in testing apparatus for castings in foundries. A manipulator used in rolling mill construction consists of a roller bed with rows of juxtaposed rollers spaced at substantial center-to-center distances from each other and, between these rollers. there are arranged additional rows of rollers spaced at one-half the center-to-center spacing of the first mentioned rollers.

As a result. and as viewed in the axial direction of the rollers. tipping troughs are formed, with two rollers, in tandem relation with each other, forming a tipping trough. The rollers are driven and pull the polygonal cross-section workpieces into the trough which tips, due to gravity, into the surface pointing in the direction of workpiece movement. The supporting roller. in this position, is also driven, and moves the workpiece from the trough into the following trough formed by a succeeding roller. The material to be tilted thus is placed successively on all canting surfaces in successive tipping troughs, and thus can be checked by visual inspection. However, this requires an arrangement of several rollers, which in turn results in a relatively long roller bed and thus a very long manipulator. The known device therefore is suitable only in cases where a conveying track is to be connected with the manipulator.

In another known manipulator, a spoke wheel is provided to receive a workpiece between adjacent spokes. Rotation of the wheel effects a tilting of the workpiece through 180, so that each workpiece can be turned over only on the face opposite the preceding bearing surface or face. The turnover remains limited to the initial position. In addition. this device has the disadvantage that it is very long, and tilting the workpiece over, in any position, is not possible. Arriving workpieces can be turned over when they have a predetermined position. but a selected number of tilting operations cannot be effected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to improve known bar manipulating methods. An improvement meeting all prerequisites requires use of a compact device which permits turning the polygonal cross-section bar onto all of its sides in succession. or turning with relation to any selected side surface. For stacking copper bars, it is advantageous to place the widest surface of the trapezoidal cross-section on the bottom and, for inspecting the surfaces of bar in rolling mills, it is advantageous to bring all the possible bearing surfaces successively into the range of view of an inspector.

In accordance with the invention. there is provided a method for controlling the turnover operation of polygonal cross-section bars. The method is particularly suitable for copper bars which have been produced in a metal mold and which are air-cooled on one surface and have a correspondingly wide base or bearing surface. These wide base surfaces serve to stack a large number of bars, the bars having a generally trapezoidal cross-section. In the stacked position, the weight is stamped on the top side of each bar.

In accordance with the method of the invention, the bars assume such a desired position that their position, when brought to a halt on a feeding roller conveyor in advance of a manipulator, is first determined by actuation of a switch by a tapered tip of the bar, and this switch actuation initiates, by means of a signal, a corresponding number of oscillations of a swinging drive, after which a swinging drive for the lifters is activated.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method for manipulating polygonal cross-section bars having tapered noses at each end coplanar with a surface of the bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a method which permits turning the bar onto all of its sides in succession, or turning the bar with respect to any one side.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a method which results in a substantial reduction of the space required for manipulating cast copper bars.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a manipulator for practicing the method of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the manipulator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line A-A of FIG. 2, in part, and in part an enlarged front elevation view corresponding to FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 6, 8 and I0 are elevation views, taken in a viewing direction along a roller conveyor. illustrating various phases of the switching procedures initiated by arriving bars;

FIGS. 5, 7, 9 and II are side elevation views corresponding, respectively. to FIGS. 4, 6, 8 and 10',

FIGS. I2, 13 and I4 are elevation views illustrating another embodiment ofa control switch and its method of operation; and

FIGS. 15, I6 and 17 are elevation views illustrating still another embodiment of a control switch and its manner of actuation by bars.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The manipulator illustrated in FIG. 1 is representative of an application of the method of the invention to an inspection station arranged behind or following a copper bar foundry. In itself, the manipulator therefore need not be used only in connection with additional conveyor means. but it can also be used separately and the bars do not have to consist solely of metal.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a frame I is supported on

legs

2 and 3, and the material to be turned comprises bars 4. By means of parts described hereinafter, a single bar 4 arrives in tipping trough 5, which consists of two supporting

surfaces

6 and 7 arranged at an angle to each other. Supporting surface 6, which is the inlet side, is less steep than supporting surface 7, which is the trough outlet side. The illustrated bar 4 has a trapezoidal cross-section, and thus has four longitudinally extending corner edges 8. Each bar, in the usual manner, has tapered tip ends or noses 40, such as indicated in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9, which are coplanar with one surface of the bar, such as, for example, the base surface 41 of the trapezoidal cross-section. These noses, as best seen in FIG. 16, for example, are formed by two tapered

surfaces

51, 51, one of which extends at a small angle to surface 41 and the other of which extends at a much steeper angle to surface 41.

As best seen in FIG. 2, two supporting surfaces 6 and two supporting surfaces 7 are arranged along the length of a bar 4. Each supporting surface 7 extends as an arc and forms, toward the discharge side of the trough, a bearing surface 9. Supporting

surfaces

6 and 7 are so narrow that they essentially form rails. As a result, there is sufficient room to provide tilting or canting levers 10 between each pair of supporting

surfaces

6, 7, and tilting levers 10 are secured to a tubular shaft 11.

Lifters 12 are provided and arranged for swinging or oscillation independently of shaft 11, each lifter 12 comprising projections arranged around the periphery or circumference of a respective wheel 13. Wheels 13 can be turned about the same axle 14 which rotatably supports shaft 11.

Tipping trough 5 is arranged between a feeding roller conveyor 15 and a discharging roller conveyor 16. The rollers 17 of the respective conveyors form conveying planes 18, as best seen in FIG. 1, along which bars 4 can be conveyed in dependence on the direction of motion of the driven rollers 17. FIG. 2 illustrates the bar feeding device 19 and the bar discharging device 20.

The pair of tilting levers 10 secured on shaft 11 can be actuated by an oscillating drive 21. For this purpose, shaft 11 has secured thereto a lever 22 whose free end is articulated, at a joint 23, to the connecting rod of a hydraulically actuated piston-cylinder drive 24. Drive 24 is, in turn, connected with supporting frame 1 through an articulation at a housing 25.

Movement of a bar 4 in the direction 19 is limited by a stop 26, in which there are arranged

switches

27, 28 and 29 for actuating the oscillating drive 21, with the method of operation of these switches being explained hereinafter.

Shaft 11 is tubular or hollow and has, at both ends in its interior, bearings 31 by means of which it is rotat- .ably supported on shaft 30. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, shaft 30 carries the spaced wheels 13 which are secured to rotate with shaft 30 by keys 32. In correspondance with the lengths of bars 4, wheels 13 are arranged between bearings 33 which are fixedly mounted on supporting frame 1. Outwardly of bearings 33, ratchets 350 are fixed to shaft 30 to rotate therewith, and respective pairs of levers 35 are oscillatably mounted on the hubs of each ratchet 35a. The ends of levers 35 support pivot bolts 36, with one pivot bolt mounting a pawl 37 engageable with the associated ratchet 35a. The other pivot bolt connects the associated pair of levers to the piston rod of a piston-cylinder drive 38. The piston cylinder drives, or linear fluid pressure actuators, 24 and 38 can be controlled independently of each other. By virtue of their pivotal interconnection with the associated levers 35 through bolts 36, drives 38 can be positioned on either side of the tilting trough. In the illustrated embodiment, the drives 38 are arranged adjacent feed roller conveyor 15.

The rollers 17 of feed roller conveyor 15, which are driven by means of chains and sprockets, move bars 4 toward stop 26. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the workpiece has the form of a copper bar, and such copper bars have tapered tips 40, as described hereinbefore. If bar 4 therefore rests on its base 41, which is characteristic of a trapezoidal cross-section, nose 40 will actuate switch 29. Switch 29 transmits a control pulse to drive 21 so that the latter either does not perform any movement at all, if bar 4 is in correct position, or performs a predetermined number of tilting or canting movements, for bar 4, for inspection of all four surfaces of bar 4. A canting or tilting movement is always one complete reciprocation of the piston rod of drive 21.

In the phase illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, bar 4 rests on its side face 42, and its nose 40 consequently actuates switch 28, with

switches

27 and 29 remaining inactive. Switch 28 is set, for controlling drive 21, in such a way that a single pulse is emitted. Bar 4 is thus tilted to rest on its base 41 and is advanced in this position. Further movement of bar 4 is then effected, on the basis of the last pulse supplied to drive 21, by pivot drive 28 oscillating lifters 12 which push bar 4 along trough outlet surfaces 7 and bearing surfaces 9 onto discharge roller conveyors 16. As stated, the last bar tilting pulse initiates operation of drive 38 for lifters 12.

In the phase shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, bar 4 rests on its upper or head surface 43, so that its tip 40 actuates switch 27. This initiates two tilting cycles effected by drive 21, after which there follows the actuation of drive 38 for lifters 12 to discharge the bar from the tilting trough.

The phase shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is similar to that in FIGS. 6 and 7, so the switch 28 again is actuated by tip 40 of bar 4 which is now resting on its side face 44. The same tilting and discharge procedures occur as described above.

As shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, other switching means may be provided either to inspect the bar repeatedly, after a determinable number of pulses for tilting operations, or to discharge it in a selected orientation. To this end, there is provided at least one lever 45 pivoted intermediate its ends on an axle 46 in supporting frame 1. Each pivot lever 45 has a tip 47 which extends by a certain amount above inlet side 6 of trough 5 and inwardly of inlet side 7 of trough 5. Depending on the orientation of a bar 4, having a tip 40, the tip 47 of lever 45 is engaged by the bar.

In FIG. 12, there is no contact between the bar and the lever 45, so that there is no movement of the lower end 48 of each lever. Consequently, the actuator 49 of switch 50 remains in the rest position. In FIG. 13, bar 4 has its upper or head face 43 toward the upper end of lever 45, so again there is no pivoting of lever 45 due to the bevel 51 at the tip 40 of the bar. This bevel is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 15.

ln FIG. 14. however, the base 41 of bar 4 faces outlet side 7 of the trough and. as bar 4 is not bevelled on its base. as is the case for the surfaces 51 of FIG. 16. pivot lever 45 is turned by a certain amount corresponding to the projection of the tip 47. Thus. the rear or lower end of lever 45 operates actuator 49 to actuate switch 50. The pulses provided by switch 50 can be transmitted in the same manner as described to drive 21, drive 38, or both.

H65. l5, l6 and I7 illustrate a further control switch 52 which. instead of an operating lever 49, has a reciprocable operating pin 53 but otherwise works in a manner similar to the principle illustrated in FIGS. l2, l3 and 14. In FIG. 15, bar 4 rests on its side face 42, and thus does not touch pin 53 with its tip 40 or, respectively. the surfaces Sl. The same holds true for the phase illustrated in FIG. 16. In FIG. 17, however, bar 4 rests on its base 41, and its tip 40 therefore actuates pin 53 to release a pulse which can be transmitted either to drive 21, to drive 38 or to both. The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 12 through [7 thus are suitable for the arrangement of switches of the

types

50 and 52, respectively.

Discharge of bars 4 can be effected either by feed roller conveyor 15 orby an easily constructed sloping trough, which has not been shown. along which the bars 4 move by gravity. ln connection with feed roller conveyor 15, it is advisable to provide a sliding mover 54, as shown in FIG. 2, which moves bar 4 transversely of the roller conveyors in the rhythm of the operation ofthe manipulator. through the medium ofa linear actuator of the piston-cylinder type 55. Movement of slide 55 can also be initiated by

switches

50 or 52.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars having. at their ends, tapered projecting tips flush with a reference base surface thereof, said method comprising the steps of transporting a bar lengthwise to a position adjacent and parallel to a tipping trough; responsive to arrival of the bar at such position, utilizing the leading projecting tip of the bar to determine whether the bar. at such position, is resting on its reference base; displacing the bar sidewise into the tipping trough; and, responsive to a determination that the bar is not resting on its reference base, initiating a number of tilting movements of the bar, about its corner edges, in the tipping trough, sufficient to cause the bar to rest on its reference base in the tripping trough.

2. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim I, in which, if the bar is resting on its reference base at such position, no tilting movements of the bar, in the tipping trough, are performed.

3. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim I, including the step of, responsive to completion of the number of tilting movements necessary to cause the bar to rest on its reference base in the tipping trough, initiating discharge of the bar from the tipping trough.

4. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim 1, in whichdetermination of whether or not the bar is resting on its reference base in such position is effected by engagement of the leading tip of the bar with a selected one of three switches when the bar, in such position. is not resting on its reference base; and controlling the number of resulting tilting movements of the bar in the tipping trough in accordance with the particular switch actuated by the leading tip of the bar.

t I! t

Claims

1. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars having, at their ends, tapered projecting tips flush with a reference base surface thereof, said method comprising the steps of transporting a bar lengthwise to a position adjacent and parallel to a tipping trough; responsive to arrival of the bar at such position, utilizing the leading projecting tip of the bar to determine whether the bar, at such position, is resting on its reference base; displacing the bar sidewise into the tipping trough; and, responsive to a determination that the bar is not resting on its reference base, initiating a number of tilting movements of the bar, about its corner edges, in the tipping trough, sufficient to cause the bar to rest on its reference base in the tripping trough.

2. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim 1, in which, if the bar is resting on its reference base at such position, no tilting movements of the bar, in the tipping trough, are performed.

3. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim 1, including the step of, responsive to completion of the number of tilting movements necessary to cause the bar to rest on its reference base in the tipping trough, initiating discharge of the bar from the tipping trough.

4. A method of manipulating polygonal cross-section cast copper bars, as claimed in claim 1, in which determination of whether or not the bar is resting on its reference base in such position is effected by engagement of the leading tip of the bar with a selected one of three switches when the bar, in such position, is not resting on its reference base; and controlling the number of resulting tilting movements of the bar in the tipping trough in accordance with the particular switch actuated by the leading tip of the bar.