SUZUKI, Tsunetoshi (Sinto SB Tec Company, Ichinomiya-Jigyosyo, 180-1 Komaki, Ogi-cho, Toyokawa-sh, Aichi 05, 44112, JP)
YAMASHITA, Kyouji (Sinto SB Tec Company, Ichinomiya-Jigyosyo, 180-1 Komaki, Ogi-cho, Toyokawa-sh, Aichi 05, 44112, JP)
SUZUKI, Tsunetoshi (Sinto SB Tec Company, Ichinomiya-Jigyosyo, 180-1 Komaki, Ogi-cho, Toyokawa-sh, Aichi 05, 44112, JP)
| Claims [1] A shot-blasting machine that processes a desired part of shaped steel by shot blasting, the machine comprising: a means for shooting shot materials against a predetermined location; a cabinet to which the means for shooting is attached and that prevents the shot materials that are shot by the means for shooting from scattering; a means for transporting the shaped steel, the means being placed horizontally through the cabinet; a means for detecting an edge of the front end of the shaped steel on the means for transporting; a means for detecting a hole that is bored in the shaped steel on the means for transporting; and a controlling means for controlling each of the means and calculating a current location of the shaped steel based on signals from the means for transporting and the means for detecting the edge of the front end; wherein the machine transports the shaped steel on the means for transporting to a desired location and processes a desired part of the shaped steel by shot blasting. [2] The shot-blasting machine of claim 1, further comprising a means for removing the shot materials that are on the shaped steel. [3] The shot-blasting machine of claim 2, wherein the means for removing the shot materials jets compressed air through an air nozzle to blow out the shot materials that are on the shaped steel. [4] The shot-blasting machine of claim 3, wherein the air nozzle is adjustable up or down in its direction of jetting based on a size of the shaped steel. |
A SHOT-BLASTING MACHINE FOR SHAPED STEEL
Technical Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to a shot-blasting machine for shaped steel.
Specifically it relates to a machine that is suitable for processing any desired part of the steel by shot blasting. Background Art
[0002]
Shaped steel, which is used for the construction of buildings or bridges, is processed by shot blasting to increase its friction factor (slip coefficient) at a joining area to strengthen the joint, or to remove scales from its surface. [0003]
Conventionally, a shot-blasting process has been used for steel in the field to empirically increase the friction factor and to remove scales. Thus, no prior-art publication has been found.
Disclosure of Invention [0004]
In a conventional shot-blasting process for shaped steel, shot materials are shot along the entire length of a long piece of shaped steel, even when only a short part of it is to be processed by shot blasting. Furthermore, to measure the surface roughness of the processed shaped steel, the shaped steel is carried out of the shot-blasting machine and a small piece is cut away from it. Such a small piece is suitable for measuring surface roughness, and so the surface roughness is measured by using the small piece.
Thus, it takes a long time to measure the surface roughness. If the processed surface is not in a desired condition, the shaped steel is again processed in the shot-blasting machine. These are problems. [0005] The present invention is conceived to solve those problems. Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a shot-blasting machine that processes the desired part of the shaped steel by shot blasting. [0006] To achieve the object, the shot-blasting machine of the present invention, which processes any desired part of shaped steel by shot blasting, comprises a means for shooting shot materials against a predetermined location; a cabinet to which the means for shooting is attached and that prevents the shot materials that are shot by the means for shooting from scattering; a means for transporting the shaped steel, the means being placed horizontally through the cabinet; a means for detecting the edge of the front end of the shaped steel on the means for transporting; a means for detecting a hole that is bored in the shaped steel on the means for transporting; and a controlling means for controlling each of the means and calculating the current location of the shaped steel based on signals from the means for transporting and the means for detecting the edge of the front end; wherein the machine transports the shaped steel on the means for transporting to a desired location and processes a desired part of the shaped steel by shot blasting. [0007]
Since the shot-blasting machine of the present invention comprises a means for shooting shot materials against a predetermined location, a cabinet to which the means for shooting is attached and that prevents the shot materials that are shot by the means for shooting from scattering, a means for transporting the shaped steel, the means being placed horizontally through the cabinet, a means for detecting the edge of the front end of the shaped steel on the means for transporting, a means for detecting a hole that is bored in the shaped steel on the means for transporting, and a controlling means for controlling each of the means and calculating the current location of the shaped steel based on signals from the means for transporting and the means for detecting the edge of the front end, it can transport the shaped steel on the means for transporting to a desired location and then shoot shot materials against the shaped steel by the means for shooting. Thus, the present invention has practical advantageous effects such as processing a desired part of shaped steel by shot blasting.
[0008]
The basic Japanese Patent Application, No. 2009-151694, filed June 26, 2009, is hereby incorporated in the present application in its entirety by reference. The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given below. However, that description and the specific embodiment are just illustrations of desired embodiments of the present invention, and are given only for an explanation. Various possible changes and modifications will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art on the basis of the detailed description. The applicant has no intention to dedicate to the public any disclosed embodiment. Among the disclosed changes and modifications, those which may not literally fall within the scope of the present claims constitute, therefore, a part of the present invention in the sense of the doctrine of equivalents.
The use of the articles "a," "an," and "the" and similar referents in the specification and claims are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by the context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention, and so does not limit the scope of the invention, unless otherwise claimed. Brief Description of Drawings
[0009]
[Fig.l] Fig.l is a front view of one embodiment of the shot-blasting machine for shaped steel of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of H-shaped steel as shaped steel to be processed by shot blasting using the shot-blasting machine for shaped steel of the present invention.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0010]
Below, an embodiment of a shot-blasting machine for shaped steel of the present invention is described in detail based on Figs. 1 and 2. As shown in Fig. 1, the shot-blasting machine for shaped steel comprises a centrifugal shooting machine 1 as a means for shooting shot materials against a desired location of shaped steel on a roller conveyer 3, which is described below. It also comprises a cabinet 2, to which the centrifugal shooting machine 1 is attached, and that prevents shot materials that are shot by the machine 1 from scattering. It also comprises the roller conveyer 3, which acts as a means for transporting the shaped steel, which conveyer is placed horizontally through the cabinet 2. It also comprises a means 4 for detecting the edge of the front end of the shaped steel that is placed on the roller conveyer 3. It also comprises a means 5 for detecting a hole that is bored in the shaped steel near its front end, which shaped steel is placed on the roller conveyer 3. It also comprises a machine 6 for jetting compressed air as a means for removing shot materials from the shaped steel when the shot materials that are shot by the centrifugal shooting machine 1 lie on the shaped steel. It also comprises a controlling means (not shown) for controlling each of the means and the machines. [0011] Two centrifugal shooting machines 1 are provided above the roller conveyer 3 and two below the roller conveyer 3. Because four centrifugal shooting machines 1 are used for shot blasting, a piece that has a complicated shape, such as a hole, can be processed by shot blasting. However, the number of centrifugal shooting machines 1 is not limited to four, and any number may be used, based on the planned use. The roller conveyer 3 is configured to control the speed of rotation and operating time of the motor 8 that drives the rollers 7 under the control of the controlling means. Thus, the location of the shaped steel to be transported and the speed at which it is to be transported are set as desired.
The means 4 for detecting the edge of the front end is disposed on the left outer surface of the cabinet 2, where the shaped steel enters the cabinet 2. The means 5 for detecting a hole is also disposed on the left outer surface of the cabinet 2.
The machine 6 for jetting compressed air is configured to jet it through an air nozzle. The compressed air is produced by a Roots compressor or a Roots blower. The direction of the air nozzle is adjustable up and down or to the right or left based on the size of the shaped steel. Because the air nozzle is moved, the shot materials on the shaped steel can be removed regardless of its size. The adjustment of the air nozzle may be done manually when the centrifugal shooting machine 1 does not operate. It may be remotely done by a control from the controlling means whether the centrifugal shooting machine 1 is being operated or not operated. The air nozzle may move during the operation, so as to jet the air to a wider area. [0012]
In the figure, the number 9 denotes a hopper for storing shot materials. The number 10 denotes a pipe for guiding the shot materials to the centrifugal shooting machine 1 through an on-off valve 11. The number 12 denotes a bucket elevator for transporting the shot materials that are collected from the cabinet 2 to the hopper 9 for storage. [0013]
The shot-blasting machine for shaped steel enables a desired part of the shaped steel to be processed by shot blasting by choosing a processing mode through the controlling means. The processing modes include a mode for processing only the parts near the holes of the shaped steel, a mode for processing only the ends in the longitudinal direction of the shaped steel, and a mode for processing all the shaped steel in the longitudinal direction. [0014] The area to be processed by shot blasting can be set by determining, before processing, the distance from the end of the shaped steel and the distances to the rear and front of each hole. [0015]
For example, through the controlling means, H-shaped steel W is chosen as shaped steel to be processed, as shown in Fig. 2. The mode for processing only the parts near the holes is chosen. Thus, the H-shaped steel W that is mounted on the roller conveyor 3 is transported in the direction shown by arrows in Fig. 2 by the rotation of the rollers 7, which are driven by the motor 8. The edge of the front end of the H-shaped steel W is detected by the means 4 for detecting that edge. It is further transported in the direction of the arrows under the control of the controlling means. Then four holes 13 are detected by the means 5 for detecting the holes. Next, the centrifugal shooting machines 1 are actuated and the on-off valve 11 is opened. Thus the shot materials are shot against the parts near the four holes 13 of the H-shaped steel W from the centrifugal shooting machines 1. The surface of the H-shaped steel W near the holes 13 is made rough. An entrance for carrying the H-shaped steel W in the cabinet 2 and an exit for carrying the steel out of it are covered with fibers formed as a brush that are made of soft plastics (or metal) so as to enable the H-shaped steel W to pass through them. In addition, the shutters (not shown) that are raised and lowered depending on the height of the H-shaped steel W may be provided for the entrance and exit. Thus, the shot materials are prevented from being scattered through the entrance and exit. [0016]
Now further details are discussed. The H-shaped steel W, which is 200x200x8 (in mm), is located on the part of the roller conveyor 3 on which the steel is placed. The four holes 13 are bored in the web 14. Shot blasting is carried out in a mode for processing an area that is within 100 mm from the holes 13.
The H-shaped steel W is carried into the cabinet 2 by the roller conveyor 3. When the means 4 for detecting the edge of the front end detects its edge, it is quickly transported, at a speed of 5 m/min, until the edge enters the shooting zone. While transporting it, the means 5 for detecting the holes detects the four holes 13 in it. The positions of the holes 13 are calculated by using the speed for transporting the H-shaped steel by the roller conveyor 3 and the time between the detection of the edge of the front end and the detection of the holes 13, and the data are then stored. [0017] After the edge of the front end of the H-shaped steel W enters the shooting zone, the on-off valve 11 is opened. The H-shaped steel W is transported at a speed of 1.5 m/min by the roller conveyor 3 and processed by shot blasting. After the area near the holes 13 passes through the shooting zone, the on-off valve is shut. The H-shaped steel W is again quickly transported, at a speed of 5 m/min, to the discharging part of the roller conveyor 3. Thus the efficiency of the total process by shot blasting is enhanced by transporting the shaped steel at a speed that is suitable for processing by shot blasting and by transporting it at a higher speed when carrying it to and from the position for shot blasting. [0018] When the mode for processing only the ends in the longitudinal direction is chosen, the H-shaped steel W on the roller conveyor 3 is transported in the same way, in the direction shown by arrows. After the means 4 for detecting the edge of the front end detects its edge, the end is moved under the control of the controlling means to the zone where the shot materials can be shot by the centrifugal shooting machines 1. Then the edge of the H-shaped steel W is processed by shot blasting using the shot materials that are shot by the centrifugal shooting machines 1. [0019]
When the mode for processing all the shaped steel is chosen, in the same way the H-shaped steel W on the roller conveyor 3 is transported in the direction shown by arrows. After the means 4 for detecting the edge of the front end detects its edge, all the H-shaped steel W that is detected by the means 4 for detecting the edge is processed by shot blasting under the control of the controlling means. [0020]
As discussed above, data on the shapes of the H-shaped steel W, such as the length and the locations of the holes, which shapes differ, are obtained to process the H-shaped steel W. Thus unproductive processing is eliminated. Wear of parts of the machines and the use of electricity are reduced. As a result, the efficiency of the machines rises and the quality of shaped steel is enhanced. [0021] Although the details are not given in the embodiment, the means 4 for detecting the edge may use any known means for detecting a position, such as a contact-type sensor or a noncontact-type sensor. The means 5 for detecting the hole may use any known means for detecting a hole, such as a contact-type sensor or a noncontact-type sensor. Although the means 4 for detecting the edge and the means 5 for detecting the hole are located on the left outer side of the wall of the cabinet 2, they may be located anywhere as long as they are on the front side of the location where the shaped steel is processed by shot blasting.
[0022]
Although the means for shooting the shot materials is explained as being the centrifugal shooting machine 1, any known means for shooting the shot materials may be used. The cabinet may have any structure if it prevents the shot materials from scattering and enables the shaped steel to pass through it. Although the means for transporting is explained as being the roller conveyor 3, any known means for transporting may be used. The controlling means may be a known controller such as a personal computer. Although the means for removing the shot materials is explained as being a Roots compressor or a Roots blower, any known equipment for jetting compressed air, such as a compressor, may be used.