(19)
(11)EP 2 136 941 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
08.08.2012 Bulletin 2012/32

(21)Application number: 08735799.2

(22)Date of filing:  03.04.2008
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
B21F 23/00(2006.01)
(86)International application number:
PCT/EP2008/054058
(87)International publication number:
WO 2008/122588 (16.10.2008 Gazette  2008/42)

(54)

FEED DEVICE FOR METAL BARS, AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

ZUFÜHRVORRICHTUNG FÜR METALLSTANGEN UND VERWANDTES ZUFÜHRVERFAHREN

DISPOSITIF D'ALIMENTATION POUR BARRES MÉTALLIQUES ET PROCÉDÉ D'ALIMENTATION ASSOCIÉ


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL NO PL PT RO SE SI SK TR
Designated Extension States:
RS

(30)Priority: 06.04.2007 IT UD20070065

(43)Date of publication of application:
30.12.2009 Bulletin 2009/53

(73)Proprietor: M.E.P. Macchine Elettroniche Piegatrici S.p.A.
33010 Reana del Rojale (UD) (IT)

(72)Inventor:
  • DEL FABRO, Giorgio
    I-33100 Udine (IT)

(74)Representative: Petraz, Gilberto Luigi et al
GLP S.r.l. Piazzale Cavedalis 6/2
33100 Udine
33100 Udine (IT)


(56)References cited: : 
EP-A- 0 790 086
WO-A-2005/080021
DE-U1- 7 916 259
EP-A- 1 845 040
DE-A1- 2 417 851
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    FIELD OF THE INVENTION



    [0001] The present invention concerns a device according to the preamble of claim 1 and the relative method according to the preamble of claim 7 for feeding metal bars to a work machine, such as for example a stirruping machine, bending machine, shaping machine, binding machine or other type of analogous or similar machine. 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 container, keeping said container stationary and with a nominal axis constantly aligned with an axis of a drawing unit of the work machine, irrespective of the relative pick-up position of the bars with respect to the container.

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION



    [0002] Work machines for metal bars are known, which work one or more bars at a time, for example to make shaped pieces for the building trade or other type of product. Machines that use metal bars normally have a plurality of containers, mounted and/or made on a feed trolley in which respective bundles of bars are prepared, of different diameter between one container and another, from which the bars to be sent to the machine are picked up on each occasion.

    [0003] The operation of picking up and extracting the individual bars from the bundle is often very difficult, because the bars, which can even reach lengths of 12 meters and more, are disposed haphazard, entangled and twisted with each other.

    [0004] From WO2005/080021, in the name of the present Applicant, a feed device is known, comprising a first magnetic means which separates from a bundle a head segment of a plurality of bars and disposes said head segments on a plane raised with respect to the bundle, and a second magnetic means which picks up from the first magnetic means one bar at a time from the plurality of bars and discharges it into a desired release position, in particular into a drawing unit of the work machine, so that the bar can be sent for working.

    [0005] The containers present on the trolley are substantially triangular in shape, with a progressive reduction in width between the top and the bottom. Therefore, as the bars are gradually picked up, the position of the remaining bars is modified with respect to the axis of the drawing unit, and there is no longer any reciprocal alignment.

    [0006] It is also known, from the Italian patent application IT-A-UD2006A000096 (EP 1845040-A1), also in the name of the present Applicant, that in order to facilitate the operations of picking up the metal bars from the bundle, the feed trolley is translated laterally, on each occasion, before the pick-up, so as to position the container containing the bundle of bars with respect to the first magnetic means, according to the level of fullness of the container and the relative position of the bars to be picked up inside the container. In this way, a desired pick-up order of the bars is guaranteed.

    [0007] Normally, however, the feed trolley must be re-positioned after pick-up, in a substantial condition of alignment, at least with a determinate nominal axis with the axis of the drawing unit for the whole duration of the operation to load the bars, so as to facilitate the complete extraction thereof from the relative bundle.

    [0008] This aligned positioning of the container with the drawing unit does not always coincide with the loading position of the new bars and, therefore, at the end of the complete extraction of the bars, the trolley must again be translated laterally in order to allow the first magnetic means to begin gripping again according to the established pick-up order.

    [0009] The first magnetic means must therefore wait for the complete extraction of the bars from the bundle before picking up new bars, both to prevent uncontrolled flexions of the bars during extraction, and also due to the risk of knocking the bars being extracted.

    [0010] Purpose of the present invention is therefore to achieve a device, and perfect a method, for feeding metal bars which will allow to optimize the feed of the bars, reducing operating times between one load and the next, irrespective of their position in the container from which they are taken, and irrespective of the value of the state of fullness of said container.

    [0011] 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



    [0012] The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

    [0013] In accordance with the above purpose, a feed device for metal bars according to the present invention is associated with a work machine, and comprises loading means able to load one or more metal bars to the work machine, and containing means of the container type, made on a trolley, in which the metal bars are disposed in respective bundles.

    [0014] According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, the feed device also comprises deflector means, disposed downstream of the containing means and upstream of the work machine, and movable at least laterally, in an independent manner with respect to the latter, in order to be able to condition the position of at least a head portion of the metal bars, on each occasion picked up, with respect to a nominal lying axis thereof in the containing means, so as to displace them sideways, one by one, or in groups, with respect to the axis of feed of the work machine, as they are gradually picked up from the specific containing means.

    [0015] With the present invention, the metal bars to be picked up therefore have at least their head portion displaced sideways with respect to the axis of feed, irrespective of their relative position inside the loading means.

    [0016] In this way, it is possible to carry out simultaneously both the complete extraction of the loaded bars, which always takes place substantially along the axis of feed of the machine, and also the picking up of new bars from the bundle, which takes place in a position displaced sideways with respect to said axis of feed, therefore without reciprocal interference.

    [0017] The solution according to the present invention is even more advantageous in the common case where the containing means comprises one or more containers for the bundles which have a substantially triangular shape with a progressive reduction in width.

    [0018] In this condition, the state of fullness of the container can always be monitored, according to the original weight of the bundle and the number of bars progressively extracted, so as to establish a desired pick-up order of the bars and to condition the positioning of the pick-up means.

    [0019] With the present invention, the lateral movement of the deflector means can therefore be correlated to the progressive emptying of the container, so as to guarantee always the desired pick-up order of the bars and the correct reciprocal positioning of the pick-up means and the deflector means, according to the known position of the container.

    [0020] Moreover, the lateral movement of the head portions of the bars determines an elastic deformation thereof which, once picked up and released by the loading means, tend to automatically return in alignment with the axis of feed of the machine, which facilitates the correct extraction from the bundle.

    [0021] In a preferential form of embodiment, the deflector means comprises a slider movable laterally with respect to the containing means, in a direction transverse to the development of the metal bars, and on which one or more guide elements are provided which cooperate with the head portions of the bars in order to displace them laterally with respect to the axis of feed of the work machine.

    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



    [0022] 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 plane view of a feed device for metal bars according to the present invention;
    • fig. 2 is a schematic front view of the feed device in fig. 1;
    • fig. 3 is a schematic view from above of a first operating condition of the feed device in fig. 1;
    • fig. 4 is a schematic view from above of a second operating condition of the feed device in fig. 1;
    • fig. 5 is a schematic view from above of a third operating condition of the feed device in fig. 1.

    DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT



    [0023] With reference to the attached drawings, a feed device 10 according to the present invention is shown, which is applied for loading one or more metal bars 11 at a time to a traditional work machine for said metal bars 11, such as stirruping machine, shaping machine, bending machine, binding machine or other type of analogous or similar machine, or also different.

    [0024] The metal bars 11 are grouped together by diameter in bundles, each one disposed in a relative container 12 of a loading trolley 13 of the work machine. In this case, each container 12 has a cross section converging towards the bottom and asymmetrically, so as to promote the sliding of the metal bars 11 towards one side as they are progressively picked up.

    [0025] The loading trolley 13 is selectively movable in a direction substantially transverse with respect to the development of the metal bars 11, by means of a movement member of a known type, for example on a track, so as to position the relative containers 12 on each occasion with a nominal longitudinal axis X, substantially median, substantially aligned with an axis of feed Y of the metal bars 11 into the work machine.

    [0026] The feed device 10 is mounted in this case on a supporting frame 15 and comprises a first magnet 16 disposed advantageously during use in proximity with a head end of the bars 11, and able to pick up a certain number of metal bars 11 from the relative container 12, and a second magnet 17, with horizontal movement, which picks up a desired number of metal bars 11, normally one at a time, from the first magnet 16, in order to dispose them in cooperation with a known drawing member 19, for example with rollers, which feeds the metal bars 11 to the work machine, substantially along the axis of feed Y.

    [0027] The first magnet 16 is mounted on an arm 21 associated with a first actuator 22, for example of the fluid-dynamic type, which makes it move, in this case in a substantially circular manner.

    [0028] The feed device 10 also comprises a deflector member 23 mounted downstream of the containers 12 and upstream of the drawing member 19, provided with guide elements 25 disposed in extension of the containers 12, and conformed so as to contain at least the head ends of the metal bars 11.

    [0029] Advantageously, the guide elements 25 have a cross section substantially equivalent to the containers 12, that is, conformed convergent towards the bottom.

    [0030] The deflector member 23 also comprises a slider 26, in this case mounted sliding transversely on the head end of the loading trolley 13, and on which the guide elements 25 are fixed.

    [0031] The slider 26 is selectively movable by means of a second actuator 27, mounted on the loading trolley 13.

    [0032] In this way, the deflector member 23 is selectively movable independently with respect to the loading trolley 13, so it is possible to displace on each occasion the head portion of the metal bars 11, picked up laterally to the axis of feed Y, irrespective of their relative position inside the container 12 and with respect to the median axis X of the latter.

    [0033] In particular, the movement of the deflector member 23 is commensurate with a pre-defined pick-up position of the metal bars 11, so as to keep a desired pick-up order of the bars 11.

    [0034] The feed device 10 is associated with a command and control unit, not shown.

    [0035] The command and control unit, according to the original weight of the bundle of metal bars 11 and the size of the metal bars 11 extracted, is able to calculate, with a good approximation, the state of fullness of the container 12, in order to correlate with said state the lateral movement of the deflector member 23, and hence of the head ends of the metal bars 11, with respect to the load effected by the magnets 16 and 17.

    [0036] The method according to the present invention for feeding the metal bars 11 to the work machine is as follows.

    [0037] First of all, a first set-up step is carried out in which, after having identified the container 12 containing the metal bars 11 to be loaded onto the work machine, the loading trolley 13 is commanded to move and take the container 12 with the relative median axis X substantially aligned with the axis of feed Y of the work machine.

    [0038] According to a variant, the work machine is moved with respect to the loading trolley 13, so as to align the two axes X and Y.

    [0039] In this first step, the state of fullness of the container 12 is also estimated, in terms of volume occupied, so as to establish the desired pick-up order of the metal bars 11.

    [0040] Then a second step of deflection is started, in which the deflector member 23 displaces at least the heads of the metal bars 11 laterally to the axis of feed Y, by means of the corresponding guide element 25.

    [0041] This lateral displacement is effected by means of the guide elements 25 of the deflector member 23 which, due to the movement imparted to them by the slider 26, displace the respective head ends of the metal bars 11 and take them to the relative pick-up position with respect to the first magnet 16.

    [0042] The entity of the displacement imparted by the guide elements 25 is commensurate with the pick-up order of the metal bars 11. In this way, the first magnet 16 picks up the metal bars 11 from a determinate position in the bundle, according to the state of fullness of the container 12.

    [0043] For example, in the case shown here, if the magnet 16 picks up some metal bars 11 on the right side of the container 12, the entity of the lateral movement imparted by the guide element 25 is only slight, whereas if metal bars 11 disposed in a central zone or on the left side of the container 12 have to be picked up, the entity of lateral movement is progressively greater.

    [0044] After the heads of the metal bars 11 have been moved laterally, there is a loading step in which, in a substantially traditional manner, the first magnet 16 picks up one or more metal bars 11 from the relative bundle and lifts them to the height of the second magnet 17, so that the latter picks them up one by one in order to carry them, directly or indirectly, into cooperation with the drawing member 19.

    [0045] The operation of the second magnet 17 is facilitated by the elastic return of the metal bars 11 which, from the laterally displaced position imparted by the deflector member 23, tend to return substantially aligned with the axis of feed Y.

    [0046] With the present invention, simultaneously with the loading of the metal bars 11 into the drawing member 19 by the second magnet 17, we also have a new movement of the deflector member 23, so as to prepare, according to the desired pick-up order, new metal bars 11 to be picked up by the first magnet 16.

    [0047] In this way, the first magnet 16 can pick up new metal bars 11, without interference with the tail ends of the metal bars 11 being extracted, at the same time as the metal bars 11 previously loaded finish being extracted.

    [0048] 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 claims.

    [0049] For example, it comes within the field of the present invention to provide that the guide elements 25 have a different shape from that of the containers, but in any case suitable to displace the metal bars 11 laterally with respect to the axis of feed Y of the work machine.

    [0050] It also comes within the field of the present invention to provide that the deflector member 23 is completely independent from the loading trolley 13, that is, with the slider 26 mounted sliding on a support detached from the loading trolley 13.

    [0051] According to a variant, the deflector member 23 comprises only one guide element 25 able to cooperate, on each occasion, with the container 12 from which the metal bars 11 are picked up.

    [0052] According to another variant, the device 10 comprises two deflector members 23 disposed on different segments of the bars 11 of the same bundle.

    [0053] 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 method of feed, within the scope of the claims.


    Claims

    1. Feed device for metal bars (11) associated with a work machine comprising at least a drawing member (19) for said metal bars (11), said device (10) comprising loading means (16, 17) able to load one or more of said metal bars (11) to said work machine, and one or more longitudinal containing means (12) in which said metal bars (11) are disposed in respective bundles, wherein said container (12) has a nominal longitudinal axis (X) and said drawing member (19) defines an axis of feed (Y) of said metal bars (11) into said work machine, characterized in that it also comprises deflector means (23) disposed downstream of said containing means (12) and upstream of said drawing member (19), and movable laterally in independent manner with respect to said containing means (12), so as to be able to move laterally a head portion of each of said metal bars (11) picked up, relative to their lying position in said containing means (12), so as to displace them sideways one by one, or in groups, with respect to said nominal axis (X) in which the metal bars (11) lie stationary in the respective containing means (12) in order to position said head portion sideways with respect to said axis of feed (Y).
     
    2. Feed device as in claim 1, characterized in that said deflector means (23) comprises one or more guide elements (25) conformed to cooperate at least with said head portions of said metal bars (11).
     
    3. Feed device as in claim 2, wherein said containing means (12) have a cross section converging towards the bottom, characterized in that said guide elements (25) are conformed in a manner corresponding to said containing means (12).
     
    4. Feed device as in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said deflector means (23) comprises a slider element (26) mounted sliding with respect to said containing means (12) in a direction substantially transverse to the development of said metal bars (11), and on which said guide elements (25) are mounted.
     
    5. Feed device as in claim 4, wherein said containing means (12) are mounted on a loading trolley (13) movable transversely with respect to the development of said metal bars (11), characterized in that said slider element (26) is mounted sliding on said loading trolley (13) and downstream of said containing means (12).
     
    6. Feed device as in claim 5, characterized in that said deflector means (23) also comprises an actuator member (27) mounted on said loading trolley (13) and able to selectively move said slider (26).
     
    7. Method for feeding metal bars (11) to a work machine comprising at least a drawing member (19) for said metal bars (11), said method comprising at least a first set-up step in which longitudinal containing means (12) for bundles of said metal bars (11) are aligned with a nominal axis (X) thereof to an axis of feed (Y) of said drawing member (19), and a second loading step in which by means of loading means (16, 17) said metal bars (11) are picked up from said containing means (12) and loaded onto said drawing member (19), wherein said container (12) has a nominal longitudinal axis (X) and said drawing member (19) defines an axis of feed (Y) of said metal bars (11) into said work machine, characterized in that it also comprises a third deflection step in which at least a head portion of each of said metal bars (11) picked up is moved laterally by said deflector means (23) disposed downstream of said containing means (12), so as to displace sideways, one by one or in groups, said head portions of said metal bars (11) with respect to said nominal axis (X) in which they lie stationary in the respective containing mean (12), in order to position said head portion sideways with respect to said axis of feed (Y).
     
    8. Method as in claim 7, wherein it provides at least a set-up step, in which according to the weight of the bundles and the parameters of size of said metal bars (11), the state of fullness of the relative containing mean (12) is estimated, establishing a desired pick-up order of said metal bars (11), characterized in that said lateral movement of the head portions of said metal bars (11) is effected in correlation to said progressive variation in the fullness of said containing mean (12).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Zuführvorrichtung für Metallstangen (11), die einer Arbeitsmaschine zugeordnet ist, die mindestens ein Zugelement (19) für die Metallstangen (11) aufweist, wobei die Vorrichtung (10) aufweist: Lademittel (16, 17), die in der Lage sind, eine oder mehr der Metallstangen (11) in die Arbeitsmachine zu laden, und ein oder mehr longitudinale Behältermittel (12), in denen die Metallstangen (11) in jeweiligen Bündeln angeordnet sind, wobei der Behälter (12) eine nominale Längsachse (X) hat und das Zugelement (19) eine Zuführachse (Y) für die Metallstangen (11) in die Arbeitsmaschine definiert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie ferner Ablenkmittel (23) aufweist, die stromabwärts von den Behältermitteln (12) und stromaufwärts von dem Zugelement (19) angeordnet sind und bezüglich der Behältermittel (12) unabhängig seitlich bewegbar sind, um in der Lage zu sein, einen Kopfabschnitt von jeder der aufgehobenen Metallstangen (11) bezüglich ihrer Liegeposition in den Behältermitteln (12) seitwärts zu bewegen, um diese nacheinander oder in Gruppen bezüglich der Nominalachse (X), auf der die Metallstangen (11) stationär in dem jeweiligen Behältermittel (12) liegen, seitwärts zu verlagern, um den Kopfabschnitt bezüglich der Zuführachse (Y) seitlich zu positionieren.
     
    2. Zuführvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Ablenkmittel (23) ein oder mehr Führungselemente (25) aufweist, die angepasst sind, um mindestens mit den Kopfabschnitten der Metallstangen (11) zusammenzuwirken.
     
    3. Zuführvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 2, wobei die Behältermittel (12) einen Querschnitt haben, der in Richtung zu dem Boden konvergiert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Führungselemente (25) auf eine mit den Behältermitteln (12) korrespondierende Weise angepasst sind.
     
    4. Zuführvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 2 oder 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Ablenkmittel (23) ein Gleitelement (26) aufweist, das bezüglich der Behältermittel (12) in einer Richtung im Wesentlichen quer zu dem Verlauf der Metallstangen (11) gleitend montiert ist, und an dem die Führungselemente (25) montiert sind.
     
    5. Zuführvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 4, wobei die Behältermittel (12) an einem Beladungswagen (13) montiert sind, der bezüglich des Verlaufs der Metallstangen (11) transversal bewegbar ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Gleitelement (26) gleitend an dem Beladungswagen (13) und stromabwärts von den Behältermitteln (12) montiert ist.
     
    6. Zuführvorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Ablenkmittel (23) ferner ein Aktorelement (27) aufweist, das an dem Beladungswagen (13) montiert ist und in der Lage ist, das Gleitstück (26) wahlweise zu bewegen.
     
    7. Verfahren zum Zuführen von Metallstangen (11) in eine Arbeitsmaschine, die mindestens ein Zugelement (19) für die Metallstangen (11) aufweist, wobei das Verfahren aufweist:

    mindestens einen ersten Einrichtungsschritt, in dem longitudinale Behältermittel (12) für Bündel der Metallstangen (11) mit einer Nominalachse (X) davon zu einer Zuführachse (Y) des Zugelements (19) ausgerichtet werden, und

    einen zweiten Beladungsschritt, in dem die Metallstangen (11) mittels Beladungsmitteln (16, 17) aus den Behältermitteln (12) aufgehoben und auf das Zugelement (19) geladen werden,

    wobei der Behälter (12) eine nominale Längsachse (X) hat und das Zugelement (19) eine Zuführachse (Y) für die Metallstangen (11) in die Arbeitsmaschine definiert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es ferner einen dritten Ablenkungsschritt aufweist, in dem mindestens ein Kopfabschnitt von jeder der aufgehobenen Metallstangen (11) von den Ablenkmitteln (23), die stromabwärts von den Behältermitteln (12) angeordnet sind, seitlich bewegt wird,

    um die Kopfabschnitte der Metallstangen (11) bezüglich der Nominalachse, auf der sie stationär in dem jeweiligen Behältermittel (12) liegen, einzeln oder in Gruppen seitwärts zu verlagern, um die Kopfabschnitte bezüglich der Zuführachse (Y) seitwärts zu positionieren.


     
    8. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 7, wobei es mindestens einen Einrichtungsschritt bereitstellt, in dem gemäß dem Gewicht der Bündel und den Größenparametern der Metallstangen (11) der Füllstand des jeweiligen Behältermittels (12) geschätzt wird, wobei eine gewünschte Aufhebe-Reihenfolge der Metallstangen (11) erstellt wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die seitliche Bewegung der Kopfabschnitte der Metallstangen in Korrelation zu der progressiven Veränderung des Füllstandes des Behältermittels (12) durchgeführt wird.
     


    Revendications

    1. Dispositif d'alimentation pour des barres métalliques (11) associé à une machine de travail comprenant au moins un élément de traction (19) pour lesdites barres métalliques (11), ledit dispositif (10) comprenant des moyens de chargement (16, 17) capables de charger une ou plusieurs desdites barres métalliques (11) à destination de ladite machine de travail, et un ou plusieurs moyens longitudinaux permettant de contenir (12) dans lequel lesdites barres métalliques (11) sont disposées en faisceaux respectifs, dans lequel ledit conteneur (12) a un axe longitudinal nominal (X) et ledit élément de traction (19) définit un axe d'alimentation (Y) desdites barres métalliques (11) dans ladite machine de travail, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre des moyens de déflecteur (23) disposés en aval desdits moyens permettant de contenir (12) et en amont dudit élément de traction (19), et mobiles latéralement de manière indépendante par rapport auxdits moyens permettant de contenir (12), de manière à pouvoir déplacer latéralement une partie supérieure de chacune desdites barres métalliques (11) prélevées, par rapport à leur position couchée dans lesdits moyens permettant de contenir (12), de manière à les déplacer latéralement, une par une, ou en groupes, par rapport audit axe nominal (X) dans lequel les barres métalliques (11) se trouvent immobiles dans les moyens respectifs permettant de contenir (12), afin de positionner ledit côté de la partie supérieure par rapport audit axe d'alimentation (Y).
     
    2. Dispositif d'alimentation selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens de déflecteur (23) comprennent un ou plusieurs éléments de guidage (25) conformés pour coopérer au moins avec lesdites parties supérieures desdites barres métalliques (11).
     
    3. Dispositif d'alimentation selon la revendication 2, dans lequel lesdits moyens permettant de contenir (12) ont une section transversale convergeant vers la partie inférieure, caractérisé en ce que lesdits éléments de guidage (25) sont conformés de manière à correspondre auxdits moyens permettant de contenir (12).
     
    4. Dispositif d'alimentation selon la revendication 2 ou 3, caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens de déflecteur (23) comprennent un élément de coulisseau (26) monté coulissant par rapport auxdits moyens permettant de contenir (12) dans une direction sensiblement transversale au développement desdites barres métalliques (11), et sur lequel lesdits éléments de guidage (25) sont montés.
     
    5. Dispositif d'alimentation selon la revendication 4, dans lequel lesdits moyens permettant de contenir (12) sont montés sur un chariot de chargement (13) mobile transversalement par rapport au développement desdites barres métalliques (11), caractérisé en ce que ledit élément de coulisseau (26) est monté coulissant sur ledit chariot de chargement (13) et en aval desdits moyens permettant de contenir (12).
     
    6. Dispositif d'alimentation selon la revendication 5, caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens de déflecteur (23) comprennent en outre un élément d'actionnement (27) monté sur ledit chariot de chargement (13) et capable de déplacer de manière sélective ledit coulisseau (26).
     
    7. Procédé pour alimenter en barres métalliques (11) une machine de travail comprenant au moins un élément de traction (19) pour lesdites barres métalliques (11), ledit procédé comprenant au moins une première étape de configuration dans laquelle des moyens longitudinaux permettant de contenir (12) des faisceaux desdites barres métalliques (11) sont alignés avec un axe nominal (X) de celles-ci sur un axe d'alimentation (Y) dudit élément de traction (19), et une seconde étape de chargement dans laquelle, au moyen de moyens de chargement (16, 17) lesdites barres métalliques (11) sont prélevées desdits moyens permettant de contenir (12) et chargées sur ledit élément de traction (19), dans lequel ledit conteneur (12) a un axe longitudinal nominal (X) et ledit élément de traction (19) définit un axe d'alimentation (Y) desdites barres métalliques (11) dans ladite machine de travail, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre une troisième étape de déviation dans laquelle au moins une partie supérieure de chacune desdites barres métalliques (11) prélevées est déplacée latéralement par lesdits moyens de déviation (23) disposés en aval desdits moyens permettant de contenir (12), de manière à déplacer latéralement, une par une, ou en groupes, lesdites parties supérieures desdites barres métalliques (11) par rapport audit axe nominal (X) dans lequel elles se trouvent immobiles dans le moyen respectif permettant de contenir (12), afin de positionner ledit côté de la partie supérieure par rapport audit axe d'alimentation (Y).
     
    8. Procédé selon la revendication 7, dans lequel il est prévu au moins une étape de configuration, dans laquelle en fonction du poids des faisceaux et des paramètres de taille desdites barres métalliques (11), l'état de remplissage du moyen respectif permettant de contenir (12) est estimé, en établissant un ordre de prélèvement souhaité desdites barres métalliques (11), caractérisé en ce que ledit mouvement latéral des parties supérieures desdites barres métalliques (11) est effectué en corrélation avec ladite variation progressive du remplissage dudit moyen permettant de contenir (12).
     




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    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



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    Patent documents cited in the description