BERNARDINIS, Claudio (Via Sala 18, BUIA, I-33030, IT)
| CLAIMS 1. An automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars, adapted for systems for manufacturing three-dimensional lattice-like structures or frames derived from electro-welded metal grids, characterized in that it cooperates in coordination to service a machine for bending electro-welded metal grids and/or to serve to a bending machine that is included in a system for the continuous production of three-dimensional lattice-like frames derived from said grids, having a frame-supported station (3) and a magazine (9) for bending pins supporting bars (7), wherein - the frame-supported station (3) rests on the floor on two shoulders, of which one (10) is proximate to the bending machine to be served, said shoulders being mutually connected in an upward region by an adapted lattice girder system that is capable of supporting a rectilinear sliding guide (5), which is horizontal and longitudinal with respect to the bending machine, on which an upper carriage (6) slides which is provided with a clamp or clamps or other means for the automatic grip of the ends of the bars (7), which are directed downward, and moved by an adapted motion transmission system and associated motor (15), two other guides (14, 18) being arranged on the two shoulders, in a downward position with respect to the sliding guide (5), said two other guides (14, 18) being horizontal and perpendicular to the sliding guide (5), the two ends of the structure for supporting the magazine (9) for supporting the bars (7) sliding on command said two other guides (14, 18); and wherein - the magazine (9) for bending pins supporting bars (7) is preferably of the horizontal type and has a plurality of side-by-side stations (13), each provided with a plurality of idle rollers for the longitudinal sliding of the bars, the magazine (9) being movable automatically in both directions at right angles to the guide (5) and to the bending machine, the seats on the stations (13) that accommodate the bars (7) of the magazine being therefore individually arrangeable in the horizontal direction and on the same longitudinal working axis of the bending machine to be served, in order to facilitate the movement of the bars longitudinally and coaxially to the bending machine from the magazine to the machine and vice versa by means of said upper carriage (6). 2. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure of the automatic loading unit (3) for bars (7) is of the movable type and is hinged to the floor (19), so as to allow its rotation through 90° during the inactive step, i.e., if replacement of the bars from the magazine to the bending machine (2) does not occur. 3. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to claim 1, characterized in that the structure (8) of the magazine (9) of the bars (7) may be arranged above and/or below the working plane and downstream of the bending machine, the bars of which are replaced and inserted in said bending machine, and vice versa, by means of adapted automated clamps which work above the working plane. 4. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the magazine with multi-stations for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines for electro-welded metal grids may be provided with movements of the stations in a vertical direction with consequent modifications of the arrangement of the carriage for extraction and/or insertion of said bars from the magazine. 5. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the magazine with multi-stations for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines for electro-welded metal grids (20) may be of the type with revolver-like rotation with the same carriage for automatic extraction (6) and/or with a different constructive technical solution. 6. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the handling of the magazine, in a direction at right angles with respect to the axis of the bending machine to be served, occurs with the help of electric step motors and of a respective mechanical transmission. 7. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is adapted for simple bending machines for bending electro-welded metal grids and is arranged exactly longitudinally and coaxially with the axis of said bending machine. 8. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is adapted to serve the bending machine longitudinally and coaxially with respect to the axis of the machine, although the bending machine is inserted in a system for the continuous production of three- dimensional lattice-like frames obtained by bending electro-welded metal grids, wherein in this technical solution, the bending machine in a continuous production line is arranged at right angles to the production flow, and consequently the loading unit (3) also is arranged at right angles despite being external to the production flow. 9. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1-8, characterized in that it allows the fast replacement of said bars (7), making it possible to provide three-dimensional lattice-like frames with mutually different bending radii (rl, r2, r3) of the electro-welded grids (20) - see for example Figure 3 - and/or different bending shapes. 10. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1-9, characterized in that the magazine (9) is movable automatically in both directions at right angles to the guide (5) and to the bending machine with a hydraulic system provided with a cylinder (1 1) which can move on the guide (18) that causes the movement of the end carriage (12), which transmits the coordination motion to the other end, provided with a pinion (17), which meshes with a rack that is fixed on the other shoulder of the frame, by means of the shaft (16) arranged below the bar surface of said magazine. 11. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1-10, characterized in that the motor (15) is a gearmotor. 12. The automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to one or more of claims 1-1 1, wherein the replacement and/or loading of the bending pins supporting bars (7) on the bending machine (2) occurs completely automatically, by placing the selected bar from the magazine on the axis of the bending machine; then the upper carriage (6) with the clamp grips the end of the bar and pushes it onto the bending machine, the reverse operation also occurring completely automatically without direct manual interventions by the operators. 13. A method for operating an automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars for bending machines according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the replacement and/or loading of the bending pins supporting bars (7) on the bending machine (2) occurs completely automatically, by placing the selected bar from the magazine on the axis of the bending machine; then the upper carriage (6) with the clamp grips the end of the bar and pushes it onto the bending machine, the reverse operation also occurring completely automatically without direct manual interventions by the operators. |
SUPPORTING BARS
Field of application
The present invention relates to an automated apparatus or automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars, particularly adapted for replacing said bars in automatic bending systems for manufacturing three- dimensional lattice-like structures or frames derived from electro-welded metal grids, i.e., serving individual bending units for said grids.
The invention provides full automation of the operation for replacing bending pins supporting bars from bending units, eliminating completely the manual intervention by the operators. In practice one starts from a small magazine, provided with a series of bending pins supporting bars which have various dimensions - so as to obtain different bending shapes - and which are arranged at various mutual distances on each bar, with different technical characteristics adapted for bends on round steel bars or rods having various diameters. The automatic loading unit is arranged in a longitudinal direction with respect to the bending machine of the production system, i.e., transversely to the formation flow of the three-dimensional lattice-like structures. The movable bar supporting magazine is arranged in position by means of automatic devices controlled by computerized management systems and the bar suitable for the required bending operations is picked up by virtue of suitable means and arranged in a working position in the bending unit. The opposite operation, i.e., the pickup of the bending pins supporting bar from the bending unit to the magazine, also occurs in an automatic manner.
With the present invention it is possible to replace bending pins supporting bars quickly so as to allow the forming of three-dimensional lattice-like frames that have even different radii of curvature on the same frame.
Background art
In the current background art, in the field of automated systems for forming electro-welded metal grids and in the construction of three- dimensional lattice-like metal structures, such as for example reinforcement frames for concrete castings, bending units are used which have a bar that supports a plurality of bending pins and is rotated in both directions and around its own axis, so that they can perform their function. Said bending pins have different geometric characteristics and different radii of action and spacings depending on the dimensions of the round bars to be bent and on their positions. Therefore, if the continuous production of metallic frames is changed, varying for example the geometric characteristics of the round steel bars or rods used for the construction of said three-dimensional structures, it is necessary to intervene by calibrating the bending pins on the bars that contain them or to replace the bar itself completely. Currently, this operation is performed manually by two or more operators, in an area with a high risk of accidents, using considerable time for replacement and at the same time interrupting the continuous production of the system, affecting negatively the set-up costs and consequently the overall production costs.
The present invention obviates this drawback, since it provides replacement of the bending pins supporting bar completely automatically, thus avoiding any direct manual intervention of the operators, therefore with no risk of accidental injury and obviously without stopping production for long periods of time, or in any case with reasonable times which are substantially shorter than those that can be obtained by manual operators.
Summary of the invention
The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide an automated machine or apparatus for loading bending pins supporting bars from a magazine, provided with a plurality of bars with pins having various geometric characteristics, which is arranged in a longitudinal direction with respect to the bending unit to be controlled, having the following main characteristics:
- the structure of the automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars is arranged longitudinally and coaxially with respect to the bending axis on the specific unit, so as to have a rectilinear continuity of the movements of the bars from the bending unit to the magazine and vice versa;
- said structure of the loading unit is in a perpendicular position with respect to the direction of the flow of continuous production of the system for forming metallic frames derived from electro-welded grids, since the bending bar mounted on the same-named unit also is perpendicular to said production flow;
- said bar magazine supporting structure is fixed with respect to the frame forming system or can move through 90° so as to free the space lateral to said system during the step in which the bars are not replaced, or it can be arranged so as to hang above the working plane of the system and whose bending pins supporting bars, in the magazine, are moved automatically by adapted automatic grippers;
- the magazine of the bending pins supporting bars is provided with a plurality of side-by-side stations, each of which accommodates a specific bending pins supporting bar that has specific geometric characteristics. Said magazine can slide horizontally in the same direction as the frame production flow and is arranged in the correct bar extraction position with suitable automation means known by persons skilled in the art. The magazine is arranged longitudinally and coaxially with the axis of the bending machine so as to facilitate both the extraction of the desired bar and the insertion of said bar in the bending machine;
- the bending pins supporting bar magazine can be of the single-level type or of the multilevel type, and each level can have several stations. In the case of several superimposed levels, the whole magazine can also move in a vertical direction so as to arrange the bar on the same axis of the bending machine;
- as an alternative to these types of magazine with movements on the horizontal plane and/or the vertical plane, there is provided the possibility of a multi-station loading unit of the circular type, capable of arranging automatically the desired bar coaxially to the axis of the bending machine to be served;
- the automatic loading unit is capable of avoiding completely manual intervention by operators for the replacement of the bending pins supporting bars on the bending unit of the frame forming system;
- said automatic loading unit with fast replacement of bending pins supporting bars provides frames that have different radii of curvature.
Summary of the invention
The aim and objects of the invention are achieved according to the characteristics of the main claim and/or of any other claim stated in this patent specification by the provision of an automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars, adapted for systems for the continuous manufacture of three-dimensional lattice-like structures or of frames derived from electro-welded metal grids with serving of the pertinent bending machine or unit of said system.
It is known that the production of three-dimensional lattice-like frames composed of electro-welded steel grids and/or simple round steel bars or rods uses a wide variety of materials having various geometric shapes and dimensions (diameters, spacings, meshes) and therefore there is the need to replace repeatedly the bending pins supporting bars on the bending machine in order to perform correct bendings of all the elements involved in the bending step.
The invention consists in a machine or an automatic loading unit in a position which is laterally adjacent and at right angles with respect to the direction of production of the system for forming metallic frames obtained from electro-welded grids. The loading unit is coaxial to the axis of the bending machine of the system, which in turn is transverse to the direction of the continuous production flow. It comprises a multiple-station magazine with bending pins supporting bars, each with specific geometric characteristics of the pins. The magazine can be of the horizontal type that can slide in that orientation in both directions and/or of the vertical type and/or of the circular type. The different bending pins supporting bars are correctly arranged for automatic extraction and insertion in the bending machine of the production system, and vice versa.
In a first embodiment of the present invention, the bar supporting magazine is of the horizontal type with a plurality of laterally adjacent stations, each of which accommodates a bar with specific bending pins. The magazine slides on adapted guides and a carriage at right angles to said bars and is moved in the correct position, with adapted automatic means, so as to make it possible to pick up the desired bar at the upper movement unit. Each bar has, at one end, a grip point for the upper movement unit. In this manner, the upper carriage grips the end of the bar and pushes it into the bending machine of the system. Thus, with just one grip point, the bar is pushed through the guide, which directs it exactly onto the bending machine. Here, the bar is released automatically from the upper conveyance carriage of the magazine and is gripped by the fastening devices of the bending machine.
The opposite operation comprises the automatic disengagement of the bar by the bending machine, the arrival of the upper gripping carriage of the magazine, which grips said bar at the end and draws it toward the free station of the magazine through the guides that are also provided on the specific station. Once the storage position has been reached, the grip of the upper carriage on the bar is opened, thus releasing the magazine to move automatically in the new position for the pick up of another bending pins supporting bar and to repeat the cycle. In a second possible embodiment, the bar supporting magazine is of the vertically extending type, so that the correct positioning of the bending pins supporting bar occurs with a vertical motion and the automatic extraction and insertion devices are provided for this purpose.
In a third possible embodiment, the magazine for supporting bars with bending pins is of the circular type and therefore said bars are arranged in a circular manner and moved in an automatic circular manner, with arrangement of the desired bar in the position for extraction and insertion in the bending machine.
In a further variation, the bar supporting magazine can be fixed, i.e., at right angles to the direction of production flow of the system for forming lattice-like frames, or also movable, hinged to the floor and rotatable through 90°, arrangeable correctly like the fixed one when bar replacement occurs, so as to have more free space on the side of the system.
Another variation of the present invention consists in an arrangement of the magazine of the bending pins supporting bars above or below the working plane of the system for manufacturing the lattice-like frames, downstream with respect to the bending unit, i.e., superimposed on the working plane, so that with adapted overhead suspended grip means, again in an automatic manner, the desired bar is picked up and arranged on the underlying bending unit, and the same occurs for the reverse operations. Obviously, it is possible to intervene on the various bars contained in the magazine even when the production system is operating, for example for maintenance requirements.
Another particularity of the invention consists in that said unit can easily serve a simple bending machine for lattice-like frames derived from electro-welded metal grids or from simple round bars or rods or metal bars, without the necessity of being included in an actual more complex production system.
Ultimately, the present unit allows the automatic replacement of bending pins supporting bars without the employment of manual operators directly on the bending unit of the system, thus reducing set-up times and avoiding technical accidents or injuries, in this manner achieving fully the intended aim and objects.
Description of the drawings
Two embodiments according to the present invention are illustrated by way of preferential but non-limiting example in the accompanying seven drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the method for forming a lattice-like frame derived from an electro-welded metal grid;
Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of a lattice-like frame with identical bending radii rl ;
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of a lattice-like frame with three different bending radii, rl, r2 and r3;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars arranged outside the production line, of the fixed and perpendicular type to enable insertion of said bars in the bending machine;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the automatic loading unit for bars similar to the preceding one, but of the movable type hinged to the floor, with rotation through 90° so as to reduce space occupation when not in use;
Figure 6 is a plan view of another variation in which the bending pins supporting bar magazine is arranged above the working plane of the bending machine and downstream and its bars are moved by adapted suspended automatic movable grippers;
Figure 7 is a front view of the bar loading unit, which highlights a bending pins supporting bar that is gripped at the left end by the upper transfer carriage;
Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view, taken along the plane A- A, of the automatic loading unit, which highlights the devices for moving the bar magazine toward the bending machine side; Figure 9 is an enlarged-scale partial transverse sectional view, taken along the plane B-B, of the region of the magazine with four stations, of which one is free and three have different bars;
Figure 10 is a plan view of the automatic bar loading unit, of the fixed type and enlarged with respect to Figure 3, which highlights the various movement devices of the bar magazine and of the carriage for the longitudinal movement of the bars with respect to the axis of the bending machine of the system for manufacturing lattice-like metal frames derived from electro-welded steel grids.
As can be seen from the first three figures, the construction of the three-dimensional lattice-like frames derived from electro-welded metal grids 20 may occur, as in the case 21, with identical bending radii rl or, in the case 22, with three different bending radii rl, r2 and r3. This last case would entail, if this operation were performed manually, considerable time, whereas in an automatic manner, with the use of the present loading unit for bending pins supporting bars 7, the whole operation is performed with greatly reduced time periods.
In fact, the automatic loading unit 3 for bending pins supporting bars 7 serves a bending machine 2 inserted in a system 1 for the continuous manufacture of metallic lattice-like frames 21, 22 derived from electro- welded steel grids 20. It may be of the type that is fixed, perpendicular and external to the manufacturing system, as shown in Figure 4, or of the movable type that is hinged to the floor 19, so as to rotate through 90°, from a working position to a resting position, in order to occupy less lateral space with respect to the production system 1 , as shown in Figure 5, or arranged above the system as shown in Figure 6.
As shown in Figures 7 through 10, the automated unit or machine for loading bending pins supporting bars 7 is composed of a framework that rises vertically so as to define an upper supporting beam 4, which supports a sliding guide 5 for the carriage 6 with automatic grip clamp. These structures are parallel to the horizontal magazine 9 of the bending pins supporting bars 7. The horizontal magazine 9 has, for example, four stations 13 for arranging the bars 7, which rest on idle rollers for facilitating their movement by sliding in the two directions for entry and exit from said magazine. Said magazine is moved automatically at right angles with respect to the bars so as to arrange correctly one bar at a time proximate to the exit seat, which shall coincide with the axis of the bending machine 2.
The magazine 9 is supported by a suitable framework 8, which rests at its two ends on the base frame 3 of the loading unit, on an adapted guide and a sliding carriage. On the side facing the bending machine 2, on the framework 10, there are means for movement, such as the carriage 12 on a guide 18 connected to a movable hydraulic cylinder 11 for the transverse movement of said magazine. On the opposite side, the respective end instead slides on an adapted guide 14, which is moved synchronously with the other side (carriage) by means of a transmission shaft 16, which crosses longitudinally the entire magazine and at the end of which a pinion 17 meshes with a straight and transverse rack which is fixed to the framework.
Once the bar to be extracted has been positioned, by moving the magazine automatically, the automatic clamp of the upper carriage 6 grips the tab that protrudes upward of the end of the bar 7 and moves it, making it slide on the idle rollers of the magazine 9, thanks to the actuation of the motor 15 connected to the carriage supported by the upper guide 5.
The selected bending pins supporting bar 7 is thus inserted in the bending machine of the system, and the operation of picking up the bar in order to replace it with another one that is present in the external magazine occurs in the reverse manner.
All the operations for movement and selection of the type of bending pins supporting bar that is present in the magazine 9 occur automatically with the use of computerized means for automatic management which are known to persons skilled in the art. The invention is of course not limited to the examples of embodiment of the automatic loading unit for bending pins supporting bars described above, starting from which it is possible to provide other types and other manners of embodiment, and the details of execution may in any case vary without thereby abandoning the essence of the invention as stated and claimed hereinafter.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included just for the sole purpose of increasing intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.