HAGA, Fredrik (Aspvägen 14, Fagersta, S-737 45, SE)
LANDGREN, Bo (Gärdesvägen 17, Krylbo, S-775 71, SE)
HAGA, Fredrik (Aspvägen 14, Fagersta, S-737 45, SE)
| CLAIMS 1. Arrangement to allow producing an elongate product machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material consisting of metal, while utilizing a number of serial-orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first elongate station (11) is adapted to allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station (12) orientated downstream said first station is adapted to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material ("A") covered by lubricating substance into said product ("B"), said first station being adapted to permit the starting material to pass through the first station, and that said first station moreover is adapted to be co-ordinated with a number of means, adapted to an electrostatic charging of the lubricating substance in relation to said starting material, characterized in that one or more elongate charge electrodes (31 , 32) intended for an electrostatic charging of the particles of the lubricating substance are assigned to said first station (11) and its free space (36) and placed and/or distributed along and within one or a first half (11a) of said first station, and that said lubricating substance ("c") is adapted to be supplied to the first half (11a) of said elongate first station, via an elongate slit (35) orientated therein, for the formation of a particle curtain (35a). 2. Arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that said lubricating substance is adapted to be supplied to the first station via said slit and a feed screw related, such as rotary, thereto. 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that, in case of a clockwise rotating feed screw (33), the slit (35) is orientated within an angle ("a") of 180 to 240°, in a clockwise direction from a vertically upwardly extending plane. 4. Arrangement according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, characterized in that said lubricating substance is assigned the form of a powder and, as a particle curtain, adapted to pass past charge electrodes, before the powder becomes subjected to an attractive force toward the starting material. 5. Arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a surplus of the lubricating substance is adapted to, by, among other things, gravitational forces, fall down toward a bottom area assigned to the first station. 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that said surplus is adapted to be removed in a controlled way from the first station. 7. Arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first station is assigned a cross-section formed with a plane bottom area. 8. Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the bottom area is allocated small holes to allow moving and distributing the surplus by compressed air toward an intermediate portion allocated to the bottom area. 9. Arrangement according to claim 1 , 7 or 8, characterized in that the bottom area is adapted to have a depression, connectable to a source of negative pressure, in order to allow conveying a surplus formed within the first station directly or indirectly to a cyclone unit. 10. Arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the conveyance of the surplus is effected in a controlled way via a guide unit. 11. Arrangement according to claim 1 , 9 or 10, characterized in that a conveyed surplus is adapted to be directly supplied to a cyclone unit via an ejector. 12. Arrangement according to claim 11 , characterized in that the cyclone unit is integratedly formed with said first station. 13. Arrangement according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that said cyclone unit is assigned to the first station and orientated next to and/or placed at the upper surface area of the station. 14. Arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first station is, for an inlet opening and/or an outlet opening, assigned a seal operative on a negative pressure and adaptable to capture dusty surplus within the station. 15. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 14, characterized in that the seals are formed as a respective die ring, adapted to, on one hand, freely surround the starting material and, on the other hand, freely surround a starting material covered by lubricating substance. 16. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that a cyclone unit is dimensioned for being able to serve as a cyclone separator of particulate lubricating substance as well as for being able to work as a container storing a lubricating substance. 17. Arrangement according to claim 1 , 7, 9 or 16, characterized in that a thus separated surplus is adapted to recycle in order to, as a lubricating substance, be reused within the first station. 18. Arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the charge electrodes (31 , 32) are co-ordinated parallel on each side of the slit (34). |
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an arrangement to allow producing an elongate product machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a bar, a thread or similar products, having circular or other cross-sectional surfaces, from an elongate starting material, such as composed of metal or metal raw materials.
Said manufacture is intended to be effectable while utilizing a number of, such as serial-orientated, stations covering and/or machining the starting material or the metal raw material.
For this purpose, the invention provides a utilization of a first, elongate station, which in principle is adapted to only allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance adapted to the dimensional reduction in question. This lubricating substance is suggested to have a marked powder form, wherein the individual particulate constituents are electrically chargeable.
A second station orientated downstream said first station is primarily intended to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by lubricating substance into said machined product via a die placed therein.
Even if the present invention provides the utilization of two stations having mutually different functions, this has, however, only been illustrated for the purpose of clarification, and a selected embodiment of the present invention may very well come to contain the two stations within one and the same gear or unit.
Accordingly, the present invention suggests that said first station should be adaptable to permit the starting material to pass through the first station centrally, or in any case essentially centrally, with a surrounding free space intended to contain electrostatically charged particles included in the lubricating substance.
Said first station should moreover be adapted to be co-ordinated with a number of charge electrodes, adapted to a selected direct-current voltage, to allow charging the particles electrostatically, within the free space with the powdered lubricating substance, at a polarity counter-directed the polarity assigned to said starting material, which, for instance, may have a positive potential.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Methods, arrangements and designs related to the above-mentioned technical field and nature are previously known in a plurality of different embodiments.
As a first example of prior art and the technical field to which the invention relates, as background information, reference may be made to the contents in the Dutch Patent Publication NL-1 004158-C and then particularly to the figure shown therein
As a second example of prior art and the technical field to which the invention relates, a reference may be made to the contents in the International Patent Application No. PCT/SE20081050742, with the publication number WO 20091002257-A1 , wherein Figure 4 intends to illustrate the existence and a design of a first station (11) for a covering of the starting material by a lubricating substance.
In said International Patent Application, and particularly Figures 1 and 2, there is shown and disclosed an arrangement to allow producing an elongate machined product ("B") machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material ("A") consisting of metal, while utilizing a number of serial- orientated stations (11 , 12) covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first, elongate station (11) is adapted to allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance ("c") adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station (12) orientated downstream said first station is adapted to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material ("A") covered by lubricating substance into said machined product ("B"; "C").
Figures 2 and 4 in said International Patent Application then let illustrate that said first station (11) should be adapted to permit the starting material or the metal raw material ("A") to pass through the first station (11) centrally or in any case essentially centrally.
The first station (11) is adapted to provide conditions for the powdered and particulate lubricating substance to be provided at a negative electrostatic charge (-) in relation to a positive electrostatic charge (+) assigned to said starting material ("A").
The present invention intends to get its application in the first station (11) disclosed therein, wherein it is about to create a preparation of and a covering of the starting material ("A") by a lubricating substance adapted for dimensional reduction and wherein the proper dimensional reduction will be effectable in a second station (12) directly attached behind the first station (10, 11).
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM
If attention is paid to the circumstance that the technical considerations that a person skilled in the relevant technical field has to do to be able to present a solution to one or more technical problems raised, are, on one hand, initially a necessary understanding of the measures and/or the sequence of measures that have to be taken, and on the other hand a necessary selection of the means that is/are required, then the
subsequent technical problems would, in view of this, be relevant in the Evaluation or of the present subject matter of invention.
While taking prior art into consideration, as it has been described above what relates to an arrangement to allow producing an elongate product machined into a
dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material consisting of metal, or a metal raw material, while utilizing a number of serial-orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first, elongate station is adapted to allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance adapted to a selected dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station orientated downstream said first station is adapted to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by the lubricating substance into said product, said first station being adapted to permit the starting material to pass through the first station centrally, or in any case essentially centrally, and wherein the first station should be adapted to an electrostatic charging of the lubricating substance in relation to a selected charging of said starting material, it should, therefore, be seen as a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow creating and designing a first station that has turned out to be able to provide a covering of the lubricating substance occurring with an adapted thickness against the outer surface of the starting material and provide conditions to efficiently and in a short time be able to take care of an occurring surplus or surplus material of the substance, for an efficient reuse within said first station.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow creating a first station having built-in charge electrodes therein and realizing the need for not only allowing selecting the number of electrodes but also allowing orientating the same along the orientation of and within the first station, so that the lubricating substance will be distributable successively around the starting material and stick to its outer surface by attractive forces.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow said charge electrodes to be distributed within and along one half of the first station and to allow said lubricating substance to be adapted to be supplied to said elongate first station within the same first half, via a slit orientated therein and selected shorter than the length of, and advantageously centrally placed within, the first station. There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow said lubricating substance to be adapted to be supplied to the first station via said longitudinally oriented slit and via a feed screw related, such as rotary, thereagainst.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to, in case of a clockwise rotating feed screw, allow the slit to be
orientated within an angle ("a") of 180 to 240°, in a clockwise direction, from a vertically upwardly extending plane.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow said lubricating substance to be assigned the form of a powder formed into small particles and, as a powder curtain, adapted to pass past the elongate charge electrodes, before the powder curtain becomes subjected to an attractive force toward the starting material and its longitudinal extension.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a surplus or a surplus material of the lubricating substance after the charge electrodes to be adapted to, by, among other things, gravitational forces, fall toward a bottom area assigned to the first station. There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow said surplus as a powdered material to be adapted to be removed in a controlled way from the first station, such as by means of a source producing a negative pressure or a positive pressure of air.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a free space assigned to the first station to be assigned a cross- section that in any case is formed with a plane, or in any case essentially plane, bottom area against which surplus material can be collected. There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a plane bottom area to be allocated with small holes, in order to, via the same, the diameter(s) and assigned directions thereof, allow moving and distributing surplus material toward a subjacent intermediate portion allocated to the bottom area.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow the bottom area to be adapted to have a channel or depression orientated along the area and the station and connectable to a source of negative pressure, to allow conveying a surplus material formed within the first station to a cyclone unit.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a conveyance of surplus material to be effected in a controlled way via a guide unit and cyclone unit adapted therefor.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a conveyed surplus material to be adapted to be directly supplied to a cyclone unit adjacent to the station and a container storing the material.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow the cyclone unit to be integratedly formed with said first station. There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow said cyclone unit to be assigned to the first station and in that connection orientated next to and/or placed at the upper surface area of the station. There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow the first station, for an inlet opening and/or an outlet opening, to be assigned a peripheral ring, connected to a source of negative pressure, and wherein a slit assigned to the ring is adaptable to capture surplus particles formed as dust within the station.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow the ring and the slit to be formed and adapted to, on one hand, surround the starting material and, on the other hand, surround a starting material covered by lubricating substance.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a cyclone unit to be dimensioned for being able to serve as a cyclone separator of particulate lubricating substance in the form of a surplus material, as well as for being able to work as a container storing a lubricating substance.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow a thus separated surplus material to be adapted to recycle in order to, as a lubricating substance, be directly reusable within the first station.
There is a technical problem to be capable of realizing the significance of, the advantages associated with and/or the technical measures and considerations that will be required to allow differences between the embodiment described herein, according to the invention, and the known technique, according to the initially mentioned
International Patent Publication, to consist of one or more of the following peculiarities; a. allow the lubricating substance to be fed by means of a screw and via a slit that extends along a part of an elongate upper surface of a station or a charging chamber thereof,
b. dispense with a tipping chute having charge electrodes for the lubricating substance before the first station,
c. allow the elongated shaped, placement and/or number of the electrodes to give a controlled successive covering of lubricating substance on an earthed starting or connected material or metal raw material,
d. allow eliminating a focusing electrode in the first station or the charging chamber,
e. provide a fully open charging chamber, without allowing co-ordinating bellows and seals to the end portions,
f. provide only one high voltage generator for all charge electrodes for a charging of the fed-in powdered lubricating substance and that occurs as a particle curtain, g. allow a recovery of surplus material, via an ejector, to pass to a cyclone unit, which, in that connection, can work both as a cyclone separator and a storage vessel
(without any movable parts),
h. offer that only unused lubricating substance in the form of surplus material will be directly reusable, because of which the need for sieves, mills, etc., disappears and/or,
i. offer a discharge electrode(s) that can be utilized in a suitable place within a return line, in order to avoid an accumulation and a "hanging" of lubricating substance.
THE SOLUTION
In that connection, the present invention starts out from the known technique provided by way of introduction and is based on an arrangement to allow producing an elongate product machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material consisting of metal, while utilizing a number of serial-orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first elongate station is adapted to allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station orientated downstream said first station is adapted to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by lubricating substance into said product, said first station being adapted to permit the starting material to pass through the first station centrally, or in any case essentially centrally, and that said first station moreover is adapted to a co- ordination with a number of charge electrodes (one or more) adapted to an
electrostatic charging of particles within the lubricating substance in relation to said starting material.
In order to be able to solve one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention particularly teaches that the thus known technique shall be supplemented by allowing said charge electrode(s) to be distributed and/or orientated along one, the upper, half of the first station, and that said lubricating substance should be adapted to be supplied to one half of said elongate first station, via a longitudinal slit orientated therein and formed next to or between the elongate charge electrodes.
As proposed embodiments, falling within the scope of the fundamental idea of the present invention, moreover it is taught that said lubricating substance should be adapted to be supplied to the first station as a particle curtain within a free space, via said slit and a feed screw related, such as rotary, thereto.
In a clockwise rotating feed screw, a slit, between the feed screw and the free space, should be orientated within an angle of 180 to 240°, in a clockwise direction from a vertically upwardly extending plane.
Said lubricating substance may then be assigned the form of a particle-laden powder and adapted to pass past one or between two charge electrodes as a downwardly expanding particle curtain, before the powder with its charged particles becomes subjected to an attractive force toward the starting material.
A surplus or surplus material of the lubricating substance should then, after the passage of the starting material, by, among other things, gravitational forces, be adapted to fall downward and toward a bottom area assigned to the first station. Said accumulated surplus material should then be adapted to be removed in a controlled way from the first station, such as by means of a source of negative pressure.
The first station is assigned a cross-section of its free space formed with a plane, or in any case essentially plane, bottom area.
The bottom area should then be allocated small holes to allow moving and distributing accumulated surplus material by compressed air toward an intermediate portion allocated to the bottom area. In that connection, the bottom area is adapted to have a depression or a longitudinally oriented channel, connectable to a source of negative pressure, in order to allow conveying a surplus material formed within the first station to an adjacent cyclone unit. The conveyance of the surplus material should then be effected in a controlled way via a guide unit adapted thereto.
A thus conveyed surplus material is then adapted to directly or indirectly be supplied to an ejector and a cyclone unit.
The cyclone unit is advantageously integratedly formed with said first station and a storage vessel.
Said cyclone unit may then be assigned to the first station and orientated next to and/or placed at the upper surface area of the station.
The first station should, for an inlet opening and/or an outlet opening, be assigned a seal operative on a negative pressure and adaptable to capture dusty surplus material within the station.
The seals may then be formed as a respective ring having a slit adapted to, at a distance and freely, on one hand, surround the starting material, and, on the other hand, surround a starting material covered by lubricating substance. A utilized cyclone unit should advantageously be dimensioned for being able to serve as a cyclone separator of particulate lubricating substance as surplus material, as well as for being able to work as a container storing a lubricating substance.
A thus separated surplus material may then be adapted to recycle in order to, as a lubricating substance, be directly reusable within the first station.
ADVANTAGES
The advantages that foremost may be regarded as characteristic of the present invention and the special significative features provided thereby are that, in this way, conditions have been created in order to - in an arrangement for allowing producing an elongate product machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material consisting of metal, while utilizing a number of serial- orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first elongate station is adapted to allow covering the starting material by a lubricating substance adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station, orientated downstream said first station as counted in the feeding direction of the starting material, is adapted to allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by lubricating substance into said product, said first station being adapted to permit the starting material to pass through the first station centrally or in any case essentially centrally, and that said first station moreover is adapted to an electrostatic charging of the lubricating substance in relation to said starting material - allow that one or more charge electrodes should be distributed along the free space of the first station and its upper, or first, half, and that said lubricating substance should be adapted to be supplied to the free space of said elongate first station and its upper half as a particle curtain, via a longitudinal slit orientated therein and next to a, or between two, charge electrodes and extending along the starting material.
What foremost can be regarded as characteristic of the present invention is defined in the characterizing clause of the subsequent claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Prior art and a presently proposed embodiment, having the significative features associated with the invention, will now, for the purpose of exemplifying, be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawing, wherein:
Figure 1 shows and describes a known set-up, according to Figure 2 in the initially mentioned Patent Publication WO 20091002257-A1 , and that is considered to be the prior art closest to the subject of invention,
Figure 2 shows, in a side view and in a longitudinally oriented section, an
arrangement associated with the present invention, having a first station - provided together with the present invention and intended for an electrostatic covering of a starting material by lubricating substance in a selected powder form - connected ahead a second station intended for dimensional reduction and co-ordinated with a superjacent storage and cyclone unit and a unit distributing the lubricating substance within the storage unit,
Figure 3 shows in a crosswise section the arrangement according to Figure 2,
Figure 4 shows in a section the principle of a now proposed embodiment of the first station,
Figure 5 shows the first station in a longitudinally oriented section, and Figure 5a shows, in an enlargement, a part of a circular die ring, and
Figure 6 shows a storage unit in combination with a cyclone unit. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART, ACCORDING TO FIGURES 1, 2 AND 4, IN THE INTERNATIONAL PATENT PUBLICATION WO 2009/002257 -A1
Said patent publication is considered to embrace the known technique presented closest with the invention and is based, according to the attached Figure 1 , on an arrangement (100) to allow producing an elongate product ("B") machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread, from an elongate starting material ("A") consisting of metal, while utilizing two serial-orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material (1 1 ; 12).
A first, elongate station (1 1 ), having a focusing electrode (10), is adapted to allow covering the starting material ("A") by a lubricating substance ("c") adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station (12) orientated downstream said first station is adapted to, via a die, allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by lubricating substance into said product ("B"). Said first station (1 1 ) is adapted to permit the starting material ("A") to pass through the first station centrally, or in any case essentially centrally, and has an entry side provided with a flexible material (1 1 a) that seals against the starting material and ensures that the starting material can pass into the station (1 1 ) but will limit an air passage or an air current into and/or out of the station or the chamber (1 1).
In the same way, an exit side is provided with a flexible material (11 b) that seals against the starting material covered by lubricating substance and ensures that the starting material ("A") provided by a lubricating substance ("c") can pass out from the station (1 1 ) and into the second station (12) and thereby will limit an air passage or an air current into and/or out of the station or the chamber (1 1 ). The outer wall of the station (11) is here well insulated from live parts of a focusing electrode (10). The lubricating substance ("c") is here allowed to pass a unit (9) precharging the particles in order to then, via a tipping chute (13a), be fed to the station (11) via a plurality of inlet holes perpendicularly orientated in relation to the conveying direction ("F") of the starting material. Surplus material, what relates to the lubricating substance ("c"), is removed by a source of negative pressure so as to, via a cyclone unit peripheral to the station (11), be allowed to return to a storage container (1).
DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PROPOSED EMBODIMENT
It should then by way of introduction be emphasized that in the subsequent description of a presently proposed embodiment, which has the significative features associated with the invention and which is elucidated by the figures shown in the appended drawings, we have selected terms and a particular terminology with the intention to thereby primarily allow making evident the proper inventive idea.
It should, however, in this connection be taken into consideration that expressions selected here should not be seen as limiting solely to the terms utilized and selected here, but it should be understood that each term selected in this manner should be interpreted so that it, in addition, will be able to comprise all technical equivalents operating in the same or substantially the same way in order to, in this way, enable the achievement of the same or substantially the same intention and/or technical effect.
Thus, with a reference to the known technique, described above, the invention will now be described schematically and in detail to make clear the fundamental conditions for the invention and where the significative peculiarities associated with the invention have been made concrete, by the presently proposed embodiment described more in detail in the following.
In the following description of the embodiment significative to the invention, the same reference designations have been chosen as in the known technique illustrated in the above-mentioned International Patent Publication.
Accordingly, Figure 2 shows, in a side view and partly in a section, the arrangement 110 associated with the present invention and having a first station - provided together with the present invention 11 and intended for an electrostatic covering of a starting material or metal raw material "A" by lubricating substance "c" in a selected powder form - connected ahead a second station 12 (not shown) intended for dimensional reduction via a die and co-ordinated with a superjacent storage vessel 23 and a cyclone unit or cyclone separator 23' resting thereon, while Figure 3 shows the arrangement according to Figure 2 in a section.
Figure 4 shows the principle of the station 11 , however not in a co-operation with a cyclone separator 23'. In the figures shown here, there is seen an arrangement to allow producing an elongate product machined into a dimensional reduction, such as a thread ("B"), from an elongate starting material "A" consisting of metal, while utilizing a number of serial- orientated stations covering and/or machining the starting material, wherein a first, elongate station 11 is adapted to allow covering the starting material "A" by a lubricating substance "c" adapted to the dimensional reduction, and wherein a second station (12) orientated downstream said first station is, as in the known technique, adapted to, via a die, allow dimensional reduction of said starting material covered by lubricating substance into said product. Said first station 11 is adapted to permit the starting material "A" to pass through the first station centrally, or in any case essentially centrally.
The first station is moreover adapted to comprise a number of (one or two) charge electrodes 31 , 32 adapted to an electrostatic charging of the lubricating substance "c" in relation to said starting material "A". Here, eight electrodes orientated in parallel, four on the respective side of a longitudinal slit 35, are provided.
Here, it is suggested that the charge electrodes 31 , 32 should be distributed along one (the upper) half 11a of the first station 11 , and that said lubricating substance should be adapted to be supplied to one half 11a of said elongate first station 11 , via a longitudinal slit 35 orientated therein, as a particle curtain 35a. Said one half 1 1 a is in a co-operation with a second, lower half 11 b.
Here, said lubricating substance "c" is adapted to be supplied to the first station 1 1 , via said slit 35 and a feed screw 33 related, such as rotary, thereto by means of a shaft 33a, as a downwardly expanding particle curtain 35a orientated along the station 11 toward the starting material to surround the longitudinal section orientated next and parallel to the charge electrodes 31 , 32. The shaft 33a may be driven by a variable-speed controlled driving unit, such as via a direct or indirect operation, as a suggestion a synchronous drive belt.
In a clockwise rotating feed screw 33, a slit 35' is orientated within an angle "a" of 180 to 240°, in a clockwise direction from a vertically upwardly extending plane "P".
Said lubricating substance "c" is assigned the form of a fine-grained and easy-flowing powder (the consistency of thickening flour) and, as a particle curtain 35a, adapted to pass past one or between two or more charge electrodes 31 , 32 before the powder "c", within the free space 36, becomes subjected to an attractive force toward the starting material
A surplus or a surplus material ("c") of the lubricating substance is adapted to, by, among other things, gravitational forces, fall down toward a bottom area 34 assigned to the first station and be conveyed away.
Said surplus or surplus material ("c") is adapted to be removed in a controlled way from the first station 1 1 , such as by means of a source of negative pressure and channels 38, 38a to an ejector and further to a cyclone separator 23. The first station 1 1 is assigned a circular cross-section for the free space 36 but formed with a plane bottom area 34, which Figure 4 clearly illustrates.
The bottom area 34 is, according to Figure 5, allocated small holes 34a to allow moving and distributing the surplus material ("c") toward an intermediate portion 34b allocated to the bottom area 34. The bottom area 34 is further adapted to have a depression or channel 34c,
connectable to a source of negative pressure (ejector) 40, in order to allow conveying a surplus material ("c") formed within the first station to a cyclone unit 23', via the channels 38, 38a.
The conveyance of the surplus material ("c") is effected in a controlled way via a guide unit 35 not shown in more detail. Said guide unit is controlled by an ejector. The cyclone unit 23' is formed to be carried by said first station 1 , according to
Figures 2 and 3, via a storage vessel 23.
Here, said cyclone unit 23' is assigned to the first station 1 1 and orientated next to and/or placed at the upper surface area of the station.
The first station 1 1 is, for an inlet opening 1 1 a' and/or an outlet opening 1 1 b', assigned a seal applied around the starting material "A" and operative on an air current under a negative pressure as well as adaptable to capture dusty surplus material within the station and its free space 36.
Said seals may then be formed as a respective die ring 5 , 52 (operative by a negative pressure) in Figure 5 and adapted to, on one hand, surround the starting material and, on the other hand, surround a starting material "A" covered by lubricating substance "c". The die rings 51 , 52 are provided with a respective slit or slot 51 a, 52a, forming each a circle.
Here, a cyclone unit 23' is dimensioned for being able to serve as a cyclone separator of particulate lubricating substance as well as for being able to work as a container storing a lubricating substance.
A thus separated surplus material ("c") is adapted to circulate in order to, as a lubricating substance "c", be directly reused within the first station.
As for the embodiment described above, having the peculiarities associated with the present invention, moreover, it may be mentioned that the elongate metal raw material "A" should be permitted to pass the first station 1 1 as a charging chamber, which is provided with a plurality of electrodes 31 , 32 orientated along the chamber, which in cross-section and in considering a clock face should be orientated as the hour hand at 10:30 and 13:30 or thereabout, and with the time indication 12:00 directed vertically upward according to the plane "P".
Each one or selected ones of the numerous charge electrodes orientated here should be adapted to the total length of the station 11 and particularly the length and width of the slit 35.
The powdered drawing compound "c" should be applied to the interior of the station by means of a ball roller screw 33, which is adapted to be able to provide a radial feeding along the entire axial length of the ball roller screw and station 1 1 , and then provide a continuous feeding so that the application of lubricating substance "c" can be made continuously along a selected part, such as a centred part, of the length of the station 1 1 .
An outlet slit 35 of the ball roller screw 33 and/or the storage vessel 23 should then be placed at 7:00 o'clock or thereabout, when the ball roller screw 33 is assigned a clockwise direction of rotation, and at 5:00 o'clock or thereabout, when the ball roller screw 33 is assigned a counter-clockwise direction of rotation, (see Figure 4).
This orientation should primarily be adapted so that the powdered drawing or lubricant compound "c" is prevented from "running out of a storage vessel 23 upon possible shutdowns.
With its powder form, the drawing compound "c" is adapted to pass the charge electrodes 31 , 32 as a downwardly expanding particle curtain 35a for a supply of an electrostatic charge and after that be attracted by the earth-connected metal raw material "A", which with its circular cross-section and its continuous feeding can obtain an adapted covering of the lubricant and by a continuously increasing application toward a final and adapted thickness and/or distribution.
In cross-section, the charging chamber and the free space 36 are formed with a plane or essentially plane bottom area 34, and with this bottom area being provided with obliquely directed small holes 34a, which should be co-operatable so that the powdered lubricating substance ("c") can move in relation to the bottom area 34 by compressed air. The invention teaches moreover the existence of a chute or a depression 34b, which is connected to a source of negative pressure 40 in order to thereby be able to convey surplus of lubricating substance in a controlled way to the cyclone unit 23'.
Differences Between the Embodiment Described Herein, According to the
Invention, and the Known Technique, According to the Initially Mentioned
International Patent Publication
1. Lubricating substance "c" can here be fed via a slit 35 by means of a screw 33 that extends along a part of an upper elongate surface 11a".
2. Tipping chute 13a, with appurtenant charge electrodes, is removed.
3. The shape, placement and/or number of the electrodes 31 , 32 will be able to provide a controlled covering of lubricating substance "c" on the earthed connected metal raw material "A".
4. Focusing electrode (10) in the station or the charging chamber (11) is excluded.
5. Open 11a', 11b' charging chamber 11 without end piece-related bellows and seals.
6. Only one high voltage generator is required for a charging of the powdered lubricating substance.
7. The recovery to the cyclone unit 23' works both as a cyclone separator and storage vessel, without any movable parts. (Figure 6).
8. Only unused lubricating substance ("c") will be reusable, because of which the need for sieves, mills, etc., disappears.
9. Discharge electrode(s) can be utilized in a suitable place within a return line 38, 38a, in order to avoid an accumulation and a "hanging" of lubricating substance. Figure 6 illustrates a cyclone unit in the form of a combined cyclone separator 23' and a storage vessel 23, wherein the channel or conduit 38a, via an ejector (40) not shown, conveys the surplus material "c" into the upper part of the cyclone separator 23' to be accumulated within the lower part 23" of the cyclone separator, and wherein a pipe 61 is adapted to control the upper level of the lubricating substance "c" and at a low level provide an automatic replenishment from the storage vessel 23 via the pipe 61. The pipe 61 is surrounded by a truncated cone 61a where air should pass a slot 61b situated across the narrower part 61a' of the cone.
The length of the slit 35 should connect to 30-50 %, such as about 40 %, of the total length of the station 11 or the distance between the die rings 51 , 52.
The invention is of course not limited to the embodiment given above as example, but may be subjected to modifications within the scope of the general idea according to the invention, illustrated in the subsequent claims.
Particularly, it should be taken into consideration that each unit and/or category shown can be combined with any other unit and/or category shown within the scope in order to be able to attain the desired technical function.