WO2010040820A1

WO2010040820A1 - Feed device for metal bars, and relative feed method

Info

Publication number: WO2010040820A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/063149
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giorgio Del Fabro
Original assignee: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici Spa
Priority date: 2008-10-10
Filing date: 2009-10-09
Publication date: 2010-04-15
Also published as: ITUD20080212A1

Abstract

Device (10) and method for feeding metal bars (11) to a work apparatus. The device (10) comprises containing means (12, 13), in which the metal bars (11) are disposed in respective bundles, and loading means (15) to pick up one or more metal bars (11) and extract them from the relative bundles in a determinate direction of loading (D). The device (10) also comprises a translator member (16) disposed independent and downstream of the loading means (15), and conformed so as to collect in determinate groups the metal bars (11) exiting from the loading means (15). The translator member (16) is able to move the groups of metal bars (11) thus formed in a direction of translation (T), transverse to the direction of loading (D), until they are taken to a lateral position with respect to the loading means (15), from which they are fed to the work apparatus. The loading means (15) comprise a shearing unit (25) suitable to selectively divide the metal bars (11) picked up into segments of desired length, in order to feed them in the form of segments to the translator member (16).

Description

"FEED DEVICE FOR METAL BARS, AND RELATIVE FEED METHOD"

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a device, and the relative method, to feed metal bars to a work apparatus, such as for example a store, a stirrup-machine, a bending machine, a shaping machine, a binding machine or other type of similar or comparable apparatus. In particular, the feed device according to the invention is suitable to pick up, in a substantially automatic manner, at least one bar at a time from a bundle of bars disposed in a relative container, arranging them in groups of a desired conformation, both in terms of diameter and in the length of the individual bars, for specific feed to the work apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Work apparatuses for metal bars are known, which work or store one or more bars at a time, for example to make shaped pieces for the building trade or other type of product.

Apparatuses that use metal bars are normally fed by a feed device provided with a plurality of containers or pockets, mounted and/or made on a feed trolley in which respective bundles of bars are disposed, of different diameter and/or length, between one container and the other, from which the bars to be sent to the apparatus are picked up on each occasion.

The operation of picking up and removing the individual bars from the bundle is often very difficult, since the bars, which can reach up to lengths of 12 meters and more, arrive randomly, entangled and twisted together.

Different types of feed devices are known, for example of the type described and claimed in the patent application PCT WO2005/080021, in the name of the present Applicant, which automatically separate from a bundle a leading end of a plurality of bars and dispose said leading ends in cooperation with a drawing unit of the feed device, so that the bars can be sent for working.

It is also known, from the European patent application EP-A- 1845040 in the name of the present Applicant, that to facilitate the operations of picking up the metal bars from the bundle, the feed trolley is translated laterally, on each occasion, before pick-up. In this way, the pocket containing the bundle of bars is positioned with respect to the feed device according to the level of fullness of the pocket and the relative position of the bars to be picked up from inside the pocket. This guarantees that the bars are picked up in a desired order, and with a lesser effort in the extraction.

From the European patent EP-B-I 738 843 in the name of the present Applicant, a feed device for metal bars is also known provided with a translator member, disposed downstream of the loading means and independent thereof, which collects in groups the metal bars exiting from the loading means, and moves them in a direction of translation substantially orthogonal to the development of the length of the bars, so as to define a store on which the metal bars are disposed, grouped together and moved transversely in predefined groups, between being picked up from the bundle and fed to the work apparatus.

Although they have various operational and functional characteristics that are advantageous for the processing of the metal bars, these known devices are able to process the bars only in their nominal length, and therefore require, downstream, specific shearing units for the metal bars fed.

Solutions with the shearing unit downstream of the device have various operating limitations, for example to define different lengths between the individual metal bars of the same group, and also for the discharge of possible working scrap. One purpose of the present invention is therefore to achieve a device and perfect a method to feed metal bars that allow to optimize feed of the bars to the work apparatus.

Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a device that allows to load into a work apparatus, substantially without any interruptions, series consisting of limited numbers of metal bars having different diameter and/or sizes.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea. In accordance with the above purpose, a feed device for metal bars according to the present invention is associated with a work apparatus and comprises containing means, for example of the pocket type, in which the metal bars are disposed in respective bundles, and loading means comprising at least a drawing unit, and able to pick up one or more metal bars and remove them from the relative bundles in a determinate direction of loading.

The feed device also comprises a translator member, disposed downstream of the loading means and independent from them.

Advantageously, the translator member is conformed to collect in determinate groups the metal bars exiting from the loading means, and to move the groups thus formed in a direction of translation, transverse to the direction of loading, so as to take them to a position external and lateral to the loading means, from which position they are fed to the work apparatus.

According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the loading means comprise at least a shearing unit suitable to selectively divide the metal bars picked up into segments of a desired length, and then to feed them to the translator member in the form of segments sheared to size.

In this way, the translator member moves the metal bars, possibly divided into segments sheared to size, independently of the loading and feed times, and substantially defines a store on which the metal bars, already possibly disposed in the size required for the subsequent working, are deposited, grouped and moved transversely in predefined groups, between pick-up from the bundle and feed to the work apparatus.

In this way the device feeds to the work machine metal bars and/or segments of bars already sheared, according to the specific operating functions of the machine, which can be very different on each occasion.

Furthermore, the presence of the translator member allows to make the operativeness of the loading means independent of the feed of the work apparatus, and can feed the work apparatus substantially continuously and in a manner not constrained by possible downtimes of the machine due, for example, to the change of bars to be loaded.

It is thus possible to feed series each consisting of a reduced number of metal bars having different diameter and/or size. The apparatus according to the present invention can also be used with the sole function of counting the bars picked up, in order to deposit them in the store, or to shear them to segments only.

According to a variant, the loading means comprise a first drawing unit disposed upstream of the shearing unit with respect to the direction of feed of the bars, and able to feed to the shearing unit the metal bars to be divided.

According to another variant, the loading means also comprise a second drawing unit disposed downstream of the shearing unit and able to extract the segments of sheared bars, and possibly to feed "tail-wise" part of the segments sheared to make segments with a considerably reduced length, even in the range of about 500 mm.

According to another variant, the shearing unit comprises a pair of shears.

According to another variant, a third drawing unit is interposed between the two shears in order to manage and move the shearing scrap. According to a variant, the feed device also comprises a feed plane disposed lateral to the translator member, suitable to accommodate the metal bars and/or segments, individual or in groups, exiting from the translator member.

Advantageously, the feed plane is operationally coordinated, at outlet, with the work apparatus, so as to feed to the latter the metal bars and/or segments, and further disassociating the loading times from the feed times.

According to a variant, the feed plane is directly conformed from by the feed channel, for example the rollerway, of the apparatus for working the bars and/or segments.

According to another variant, the feed plane comprises an accumulation shelf and a feed channel of the work apparatus. According to this variant, the translator member feeds the metal bars and/or segments to the accumulation shelf substantially continuously, and the bars and/or segments are then fed to the feed channel. In this way it is possible to disassociate the operating times of the translator member from those of the feed channel. According to a variant, a positioning member is provided, mobile with respect to the feed plane and conformed to effect a temporary lifting action of the bars and/or segments deposited on the feed plane, so as to reciprocally move the metal bars and/or the segments and thus promote a substantially adjacent and co-planar disposition thereof.

According to a variant, the translator member comprises a plurality of partitions disposed substantially parallel to each other and to the direction of loading of the bars and/or segments. The partitions are disposed suitably distanced from each other, so as to define an equal number of containing sectors. The metal bars loaded by the loading means are positioned inside the relative containing sectors in a desired manner, so that the bars can be disposed individually and/or collected in groups.

Depending on the different operating conditions, the groups of metal bars and/or segments can be formed irrespectively of size and/or number.

According to another variant, the feed device also comprises movement means on which the loading means are mounted. The movement means are conformed in such a manner as to selectively move the loading means in a direction transverse to the direction of loading of the metal bars. In this way it is possible to selectively position the loading means with respect to the containing means, depending on the type of metal bars to be fed.

According to this variant, it is thus possible to pick up one or more bars from a first bundle and deposit them individually, in segments and/or in groups, in one or more sectors of the translator member. In fact, in this variant solution, while the translator member transports the metal bars and/or segments transversely, the loading means move into correspondence with another bundle, so as to load bars of different size from the previous load.

The bars thus loaded can be deposited individually, in segments and/or in groups, in new sectors, or at least partly in the sectors previously used, without stopping the movement of the translator member and hence the feed of the work apparatus of the bars and/or segments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein: - fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a feed device for metal bars according to the present invention; - fig. 2 is a schematic lateral view of the feed device in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 is a schematic front view of the feed device in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 shows a variant of a detail of fig. 3;

- fig. 5 shows an enlarged detail of fig. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF

EMBODIMENT

With reference to the attached drawings, a feed device 10 according to the present invention is shown, which is applied to load one or two metal bars 11 at a time to a traditional work apparatus for said metal bars 11 , such as a store, a stirrup-machine, a shaping machine, a bending machine, a binding machine or any other similar type of apparatus, or even different.

The feed device 10 comprises a containing frame 13, provided with a plurality of pockets 12, substantially parallel to each other and inside which the metal bars 1 1 are grouped together according to diameter in bundles. The feed device 10 also comprises a loading trolley 15, disposed downstream and in cooperation with the containing frame 13, so as to pick up from the latter the metal bars 11 and extract them from the relative bundles in a direction of loading D.

The loading trolley 15 is mobile transversely to the direction of loading D by means of a movement board 18, so as to be able to be selectively taken into cooperation with or another of the pockets 12, in the pick-up step of the metal bars 11.

In this case, the loading trolley 15 comprises two first drawing units 23, for example with rolls of a substantially known type, which determine the extraction of the metal bars 11 from the relative bundle, in order to move it in the direction of loading D.

The loading trolley 15 (figs. 2 and 5) also comprises a shearing unit 25, disposed downstream of the two first drawing units 23 with respect to the direction of feed of the metal bars 11 , and able to selectively divide the metal bars 1 1 picked up from the bundles into segments of desired length.

In this case, as shown in the enlarged detail of fig. 5, the shearing unit 25 comprises a pair of shears, respectively first 30a and second 30b, suitable to shear the metal bars 1 1 head wise or tail wise and make the desired segments, for example sheared to size for subsequent processes.

The loading trolley 15 also comprises a second drawing unit 31 disposed immediately downstream of the second shears 30b, usable in particular for tail- wise shearing, being suitable to feed the tail ends of the metal bars 1 1 so as to be able to make segments of extremely reduced lengths, even about 500 mm,

In this case, the loading trolley 15 comprises a third drawing unit 32 interposed between the two shears 30a and 30b, and able to participate in the feed of the sheared metal bars 11 and/or segments, and also to manage the working scrap due to the different cuts of the metal bars 11. According to another variant, one or another of the drawing units 23, 31, 32 is of the type with grippers, or magnetic, or another type.

According to another variant, the metal bars 11 are picked up from the bundle, to be taken in cooperation with the drawing units 23, 31, 32, and with the shearing unit 25, by means of automatic pick-up means, for example magnetic, not shown here.

In order to show with greater clarity the conformation of the pockets 12 of the containing frame 13, in fig. 3, the drawing unit 23 and the drawing unit 25 have been deliberately removed from the drawing.

The loading trolley 15 also comprises a beam 26, which extends parallel to the direction of loading D.

According to the invention, the feed device 10 also comprises a translator member 16 disposed immediately downstream of the loading trolley 15 and conformed to translate the metal bars 11 and/or segments arriving from the loading trolley 15 in a direction of translation T, substantially transverse to the direction of loading D.

In this case, the translator member 16 is defined by a plurality of motorized chains 17, which are disposed substantially parallel to each other and oriented in the direction of translation T.

According to another variant, the chains 17 can be replaced by belts or other similar or comparable movement member.

Advantageously, the distance between one chain 17 and the other is progressive, as gradually the distance from the loading trolley 15 increases, so as to guarantee a correct and effective support for the metal bars 1 1 and/or segments, whatever their length may be.

Each chain 17 is provided externally with a plurality of blades 19 or partitions, disposed equidistant from each other and aligned in the direction of loading D, with the blades 19 of the adjacent chains 17. The space between two blades 19 of the same chain 17 defines a translation sector 20, in which the metal bars 11 and/or segments, exiting from the loading trolley 15, are able to be disposed in groups, according to a desired order.

The feed device 10 also comprises a feed channel 21 conformed so as to accommodate the metal bars 11 and/or segments exiting from the translator member 16.

The feed plane is provided at the side of the translator member 16 and is oriented parallel to the direction of loading D.

In this case, the feed channel 21 is operationally coordinated with the work apparatus, so as to feed the metal bars 11 and/or segments directly to the work apparatus.

A plurality of positioning forks 22 are associated with the feed channel 21, and are distributed on the length of the feed channel 21 ; they are able to lift, slightly and quickly, the metal bars 1 1 and/or segments disposed on the feed channel 21, so as to promote a disposition of the metal bars 11 and/or segments reciprocally adjacent and substantially on the same plane.

The feed device 10 according to the present invention functions as follows.

Initially, the loading trolley 15 is moved until it disposes the relative drawing units 23 in correspondence with the pocket 12 in which the metal bars 11 to be fed are found. The metal bars 11 picked up and extracted from the relative bundles are possibly sheared into segments and subsequently deposited in one or more translation sectors 20 of the translator member 16. The individual or group disposition of the metal bars 1 1 and/or segments in the translation sectors 20 is chosen on each occasion, depending on the different operating conditions and/or the type of work apparatus with which the feed device 10 is associated.

The translator member 16, by moving its chains 17 simultaneously, determines the translation of the metal bars 11 and/or segments, deposited in the various translation sectors 20, in the direction T. Simultaneously, the loading trolley 15 is positioned in correspondence with a new pocket 12 picking up a new type of metal bars to be sent for processing.

The metal bars 11 and/or segments, now picked up, are subsequently positioned in new translation sectors 20, and so on, so as to form groups of metal bars, homogeneous or not, in each translation sector 20.

While the loading trolley 15 translates laterally in order to remove the different metal bars 11 and/or segments from the pockets 12, the translator member 16 feeds to the feed channel 21, substantially without any break in continuity, the groups of metal bars 11 and/or segments formed. The metal bars 11 and/or segments, deposited on the feed channel 21, are briefly and quickly lifted by the positioning forks 22 so as to induce the metal bars 11 and/or segments to assume an orderly and substantially co-planar position.

At this point the metal bars 11 and/or segments are fed toward the work apparatus and the feed channel 21 is prepared to feed new metal bars 1 1 and/or segments.

It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the device 10 and the method as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention. For example, as shown in the variant in fig. 4, the feed device 10 also comprises an accumulation shelf 27, interposed between the translator member 16 and the feed channel 21, and able to define an intermediate store in which the metal bars 11 and/or segments are positioned, substantially continuously, at exit from the translator member 16. The accumulation shelf 27 thus functions as a store and disassociates the operativeness of the translator member 16 from that of the feed channel 21, making them completely independent of each other.

Advantageously, the accumulation shelf 27 is selectively rotatable to overturn the metal bars 11 and/or bars contained therein, inside the feed channel 21. It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of feed device for metal bars, and relative feed method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Feed device for metal bars (11), associated with a work apparatus, and comprising containing means (12, 13), in which said metal bars (11) are disposed in respective bundles, loading means (15) able to pick up one or more metal bars (1 1) and extract them from the relative bundles in a determinate direction of loading (D), and a translator member (16) disposed independent and downstream of said loading means (15), and conformed so as to collect in determinate groups said metal bars (11) exiting from said loading means (15), and so as to move the groups of metal bars (11) thus formed in a direction of translation (T), transverse to said direction of loading (D), until they are taken to a lateral position with respect to said loading means (15), from which they are fed to the work apparatus, characterized in that said loading means (15) comprise at least a shearing unit (25) suitable to selectively divide said metal bars (11) picked up into segments of desired length, in order to feed them in the form of segments to said translator member (16).

2. Feed device as in claim 1, characterized in that the loading means (15) comprise at least a first drawing unit (23) disposed upstream of the shearing unit (25), with respect to the direction of feed of the metal bars (1 1), and able to feed to said shearing unit (25) said metal bars (1 1) to be divided.

3. Feed device as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the loading means (15) also comprise a second drawing unit (31) disposed downstream of said shearing unit (25), and able at least to extract the segments of metal bars (11) from said shearing unit (25).

4. Feed device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that the shearing unit (25) comprises a pair of shears (30a, 30b).

5. Feed device as in claim 4, characterized in that the loading means also comprise a third drawing unit (32) interposed between the pairs of shears (30).

6. Feed device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises a feed plane (21, 27) disposed laterally to said translator member (16), suitable to accommodate said metal bars (11) singly or in groups, as they exit from said translator member (16), and operationally coordinated, at exit, with the work apparatus, so as to feed said metal bars (11) to the latter.

7. Feed device as in claim 6, characterized in that said feed plane comprises a feed channel (21) of the work apparatus.

8. Feed device as in claim 6, characterized in that said feed plane comprises an accumulation shelf (27) disposed immediately downstream of said translator member (16), and a feed channel (21) of the work apparatus.

9. Feed device as in any claim from 6 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a positioning member (22), mobile with respect to the feed plane (21, 27) and conformed to carry out an action of temporary lifting of said metal bars (11) deposited on said feed plane (21, 27), so as to move said metal bars (11) reciprocally and to promote a substantially adjacent and co-planar disposition thereof.

10. Feed device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said translator member (15) comprises a plurality of partitions (19) disposed substantially parallel to each other and to said direction of loading (D), so as to define a plurality of containing sectors (20), in which said metal bars (11) are able to be loaded by said loading means (15).

11. Feed device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises movement means (18) on which the loading means (15) is mounted, and conformed so as to selectively move said loading means (15) in a direction transverse to the direction of loading (D).

12. Method for feeding metal bars (11) to a work apparatus, comprising at least a first loading step in which, by means of loading means (15), one or more metal bars (11) are picked up from containing means (12, 13), in which said metal bars (11) are disposed in respective bundles, said metal bars (11) are also extracted from the relative bundles in a determinate direction of loading (D), and at least a second step of translation in which, by means of a translator member (16) disposed independent and downstream of said loading means (15), the metal bars (1 1) exiting from said loading means (15) are collected in determinate groups and thus moved in a direction of translation (T), transverse to said direction of loading (D), until they are taken to a lateral position with respect to said loading means (15), from which they are fed to the work apparatus, characterized in that between the first loading step and the second translation step a shearing step is provided, in which by means of at least a shearing unit (25) of said loading means (15) the metal bars (11) picked up in said first loading step are selectively divided into segments of a desired length, to be sent to said second translation step in the form of segments.