FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns a method to feed bars to a working machine as per
the preamble of claim 10 and the relative feeder device as per the preamble of claim
1. The features mentioned in the preamble are disclosed in
WO-A-2005/080021.
[0002] The working machine to which the invention refers is advantageously a stirrup-making
machine, a bending machine, a shaping machine, a tying machine or other type of analogous
or comparable machine.
[0003] The feeder 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, and to unload
it into a pre-loading position so as to form a store with a desired number of bars,
and then to load, substantially in a single operation, possibly comprising one or
more movements, all the bars that make up the store into the drawing assembly of said
working machine, so as to allow them to be sent for working, while the feeder device
can start a new cycle to pick up bars from the bundle and form the store.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Machines for working bars are known, which work one or more bars at a time, for example
to achieve shaped pieces for the building trade or other type of product. The machines
that use pre-sheared bars normally have one or more feed zones where a bundle is prepared,
from which the bars to be sent to the machine are picked up on each occasion.
[0005] The operation to pick up and remove the individual bars from the bundle is often
very difficult since the bars, which can also reach lengths of 12 meters and more,
are all pell-mell, twisted and tangled with each other. To remove a bar from the bundle,
taking it by one end, requires a great deal of effort for the worker, with risks to
his safety and a slow-down in the operating cycle, which reduces the productivity
of the machine.
[0006] The International Patent application
WO 2005/080021, in the name of the Applicant, describes a feeder device comprising first magnetic
means that separate an end segment of a plurality of bars from a bundle, and dispose
said end segments on a plane raised with respect to said bundle, and second magnetic
means which pick up, from the first magnetic means, one bar at a time from among the
plurality of bars and unload it in a desired release position, to be more exact, in
the drawing assembly of the working machine, so that said bar can be sent for working.
[0007] This device, although extremely efficient, has a limitation in those cases, very
frequent, where the working machine is disposed to work several bars simultaneously,
for example from 5 to 10, and is therefore equipped with a drawing assembly, for example
with rollers or grippers, configured to accommodate the plurality of bars and to send
them simultaneously for working.
[0008] In these cases, the known device must sequentially perform a plurality of cycles
to pick up one bar at a time and deposit it in the drawing assembly, but then it must
obviously stop for the whole time while the bars are being translated by the drawing
assembly towards the working machine.
[0009] This entails a reduction in the efficiency and productivity of the machine, since,
when the working cycle of the machine is finished, it is necessary to wait, with the
machine stopped, until the feeder device again begins its cycle of picking up one
bar at a time and positioning all the bars required in the drawing assembly of the
machine.
[0010] Purpose of the present invention is therefore to increase the efficiency of a feeder
device of the type indicated above so as to reduce the waiting times to obtain the
loading of the desired number of bars in the relative drawing assembly.
[0011] The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to obtain this
purpose and other advantages as shown hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The purpose of the invention is attained by a device as per claim 1 and a method
as per claim 10. The dependent claims describe other innovative characteristics of
the invention.
[0013] The feeder device according to the invention comprises first magnetic means, disposed
substantially in cooperation with an end part, or near the end, of the bundle of bars
from which the bar or bars are to be picked up, and second magnetic means able to
cooperate with said first magnetic means in order to selectively pick up the bar or
bars to be sent to the machine.
[0014] To be more exact, the first magnetic means are associated with first movement means
able to move them so as to raise the end parts of a plurality of bars with respect
to the bundle.
[0015] The second magnetic means are associated with second movement means able to move
them in a direction parallel, slant-wise or curvilinear with respect to the bars whose
ends are held raised by the first magnetic means; the second magnetic means are suitable
to pick up from the first magnetic means, selectively, the end part of one or more
bars, advantageously one at a time, and to displace it and then release it in the
desired position, in order to prepare it to be fed to the working machine.
[0016] According to one characteristic of the invention, the second magnetic means are able
to sequentially unload a plurality of bars, picked up one at a time from the first
magnetic means, in a pre-loading position so as to form a store with said plurality
of bars.
[0017] Advantageously, the pre-loading and store-formation position is in proximity with
the loading position defined by the space between the rollers of the drawing assembly.
[0018] The bars are then loaded, substantially with a single operation, all together inside
the drawing assembly, which is then activated to remove the bars from the bundle and
send them for working.
[0019] Thanks to this procedure for forming the store and the substantially simultaneous
loading of several bars into the drawing assembly, we obtain the advantage that, while
the drawing assembly is active and is feeding the working machine, the feeder device
can restart its cycle of picking up the bars and forming the store.
[0020] In this way, when the working machine has finished its working cycle on the first
bars loaded, the store can already have been formed, so that a new plurality of bars,
already ready, can be immediately loaded into the drawing assembly, substantially
without any waiting times.
[0021] In a preferential embodiment, the position of forming the store of bars to be loaded
into the drawing assembly is substantially parallel but below the loading position
into the drawing assembly.
[0022] This solution determines the advantage of a lesser reciprocal interference between
the rear segments of the bars already inserted into the drawing assembly and the rear
segments of the bars that form the store, since the bars inserted into the drawing
assembly, at least as far as their front segments are concerned, lie on a different
plane from the plane where the front segments lie of the bars that form the store.
[0023] In this case, the loading of the bars that form the store in the drawing assembly
provides first a lifting movement to dispose the bars in an aligned position but external
with respect to the position of insertion into the drawing assembly, and then a lateral
translation to load said bars into the drawing assembly.
[0024] According to another solution, the store is formed in a position aligned and external
with respect to the loading position into the drawing assembly, and the insertion
of the bars into the drawing assembly provides only a lateral translation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from
the following description of some preferential forms of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive
example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
- figs. 1-4 show a front view of one form of embodiment of the feeder device for bars
according to the present invention in a sequence of its operating cycle;
- fig. 5 shows a lateral view of the feeder device in figs. 1-4 used to remove bars
from a bundle;
- fig. 6 shows a front view of another embodiment of the feeder device for bars according
to the present invention;
- fig. 7 shows a lateral view of the device in fig. 6 used to remove bars from a bundle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERENTIAL FORMS OF EMBODIMENT
[0026] With reference to the attached drawings, a feeder device 10 for bars 11 according
to the invention is suitable to be located upstream of a working machine such as a
stirrup-making machine, shaping machine, bending machine, tying machine or any other
machine of a similar type or even different.
[0027] Of said working machine the attached figures show a drawing assembly or drawer 27,
which in this case consists of a pair of rollers, respectively upper roller 26a, and
lower roller 26b. It comes within the scope of the invention that the drawing assembly
27 may consist of a gripper with alternating movement, or can be of any other type.
[0028] The feeder device 10 is suitable to operate on bars 11 substantially of any length
and/or diameter, guaranteeing in any case to pick up the bars in an orderly and efficient
manner, and to count them without mistakes.
[0029] The device 10 is suitable to pick up, from a bundle of bars 12 lying at least partly
in a housing seating 30 (see fig. 7), one or more bars 11 at a time to send to the
working machine. The housing seating 30 can comprise two, three or more pockets, possibly
movable laterally, inside each of which bars 11 of the same size are disposed, but
different from those in the other pockets.
[0030] It comes within the scope of the invention that the feeder device 10 is movable with
respect to the pockets, or other housing seating for the bars 11, in order to move
selectively according to the type or size of bars 11 to be picked up.
[0031] The possibility of moving the pockets with respect to the feeder device 10, or vice
versa, allows to feed the machine sequentially even with bars 11 having a different
diameter, if the working program so requires, substantially without interrupting the
working cycle of the machine downstream.
[0032] The feeder device 10 is mounted in this case on a supporting frame 18 and comprises
first magnetic means 13 consisting of a first magnetic or electromagnetic element
14 disposed advantageously during use in proximity with one end of the bars 11 of
the bundle 12.
[0033] It comes within the scope of the invention that the first magnetic means 13 comprise
two or more magnetic or electromagnetic elements 14, disposed at several distinct
points on the length of the bars 11, advantageously near their front ends.
[0034] The first magnetic element 14 is located with a direction prevalently transverse
to the longitudinal development of the bars 11 lying in the respective seating 30,
and advantageously has a width such as to cover a considerable part of the width of
the bundle 12. The first magnetic element 14 is mounted on an arm 31 associated with
a first actuator 15, for example of the fluid-dynamic type, which achieves a movement
thereof, in this case a substantially circular movement - direction 72 (fig. 1).
[0035] Thanks to the linear actuator 15, the magnetic element 14 can be correctly positioned
in correspondence with the desired bundle 12 from which the bars 11 are to be removed.
[0036] At the start of the pick-up cycle, the magnetic element 14 is lowered towards the
bundle 12, by means of the first actuator 15, to take the lower face thereof, comprising
the attractive surface, to a position such as to exert an effect of magnetic attraction
on the ends of the bars 11 located at the highest part of the bundle 12. Subsequently,
the magnetic element 14 is returned upwards, magnetically lifting the ends of one
layer of bars 11 disposed adjacent to each other so as to form substantially a plane
(fig. 1).
[0037] The first magnetic element 14 is mounted on the relative arm 31 by means of an articulated
joint 42, which allows it a certain freedom of oscillation in order to facilitate
the picking up of the bars 11 even if the pockets have a curved and/or shaped bottom,
and even if only a few residual bars 11 have remained at the bottom of the pockets.
[0038] When the ends of the bars 11 have been raised by means of the upward movement of
the first magnetic means 13, second magnetic means 21 are activated, which comprise
a second magnetic element 22 mounted at the end of a second actuator 23 mounted, in
turn, on the supporting frame 18 (fig. 2).
[0039] Here too, it comes within the scope of the invention that the second magnetic means
21 comprise two or more magnetic elements 22 able to act at two or more distinct points
on the length of the bars 11.
[0040] The second actuator 23 is able to act in a direction 71, substantially perpendicular
to the longitudinal development of the bars 11, so as to move, in this case horizontally,
the second magnetic element 22 from a first, advanced pick-up position, wherein it
moves into cooperation with the attractive surface of the first magnetic element 14
in order to pick up one or more bars 11 from it, advantageously one bar 11 at a time,
to a second retracted release position. In the second position, according to the characteristic
of the invention, it releases the end of the specific bar 11, which it has picked
up from the first magnetic element 14, in correspondence with a supporting surface
61 of a thruster element 65 of an accumulation assembly 60.
[0041] In this case, the bar 11 is released due to the interference on the bar 11 exerted
by a stop element 50 during the movement of retraction of the second magnetic element
22. The position of the stop element 50 can advantageously be regulated at least in
height according to the diameter of the bars 11 being worked, so as to create a housing
made to size for said bars 11.
[0042] The thruster element 65 comprises a front edge 62 facing upward, the upper end 63
of which is conformed as a lead-in slide to help the bars 11 to dispose themselves
on the supporting surface 61, which in this case is substantially horizontal.
[0043] In the embodiment shown in figs. 1-4 the supporting surface 61 of the thruster element
65 is disposed substantially parallel but lying on a plane below the position of the
loading plane for the bars 11 into the drawing assembly 27, which substantially corresponds
to the upper surface of the lower roller 26b.
[0044] When the first bar 11 has been released, the thruster element 65 performs a first
movement towards the inside - direction 70 - to move the bar 11 to an inner waiting
position, defined by the position of a substantially vertical abutment plate 64, and
then returns backwards to position itself in a position to receive a new bar 11. The
abutment plate 64 is substantially positioned flush with the lateral edge of the rollers
26a, 26b of the drawing assembly 27.
[0045] The stop element 50 is then moved vertically to define the housing made to size for
the bars 11.
[0046] The drive of the thruster element 65 is obtained by activating a substantially horizontal
actuator 66.
[0047] Simultaneously with, or immediately after, the movement of the thruster element 65,
the second magnetic element 22 performs a new cycle of picking up a bar 11 and unloading
it onto the supporting surface 61 of the thruster element 65 when the latter has returned
to its external start-of-cycle position.
[0048] Then the thruster element 65 returns towards the inside, that is, towards the rollers
26a, 26b, so as to locate the new bar 11 in a stand-by position near the abutment
plate 64 and adjacent to the first bar 11.
[0049] The cycle to pick up, unload and laterally translate the bars 11 can be repeated
a desired number of times so as to form the desired store, also according to the diameter
of the bars 11, the configuration of the rollers 26a, 26b, and the requirements of
the machine and the working cycle.
[0050] When the formation of the store is complete, the whole accumulation assembly 60 first
performs a movement upwards - direction 73 - so as to locate the bars 11 in a position
aligned with the upper surface of the lower roller 26b, immediately above the upper
end of the abutment plate 64.
[0051] The upper roller 26a is then positioned in the correct position to create a guide
channel according to the diameter of the bars 11. Alternatively, a mobile abutment
is provided, able to create said guide channel.
[0052] The accumulation assembly 60 then performs a movement of lateral translation towards
the rollers 26a, 26b, so as to thrust the bars 11 all together between the rollers
26a, 26b.
[0053] On the opposite side of the rollers 26a, 26b, with respect to the position of the
accumulation assembly 60, an abutment roller 67 is advantageously present, which prevents
the bars 11 from sliding beyond the loading position between the rollers 26a, 26b.
[0054] When the accumulation assembly 60 has returned to its inactive external position,
the upper roller 26a closes on the lower roller 26b and the operation to remove the
loaded bars 11 is started, and they are sent for working.
[0055] While the bars 11 are removed from the bundle and worked, the accumulation assembly
60 returns to its lowered, end-of-cycle position (fig. 1) and the feeder device 10
can start a new cycle to form the store, as previously described.
[0056] Thanks to the lower position where the store is formed compared with the position
where the bars are fed to the working machine by the drawing assembly 27, the relative
rear segments of the bars 11 interfere with each other less, creating fewer problems
of reciprocal friction during the removal of the bars 11 from the relative bundle.
[0057] Thanks to this procedure, when the working of the bars 11 fed by the drawing assembly
27 finishes, the store having the desired number of bars 11 is already substantially
ready for immediate loading between the rollers 26a, 26b of the drawing assembly 27.
[0058] The form of embodiment shown in figs. 6 and 7, where the same reference numbers are
given to elements equal or equivalent to those already described with reference to
figs. 1-5, which therefore will not be described again, provides that the store of
bars 11 is formed in a position aligned and external with respect to the loading position
defined by the upper surface of the lower roller 26a.
[0059] In this embodiment, when the formation of the store is terminated with the desired
number of bars 11, the accumulation assembly 60 performs only a movement of lateral
translation to insert the bars 11 between the rollers 26a, 26b, and then returns to
its external position so as to allow on the one hand the drawing assembly 27 to be
activated so as to feed the bars 11 to the working machine, and on the other hand
to prepare a new store-forming cycle to start.
[0060] In this embodiment, a guide roller 39 is shown, in this case solid with the stop
element 50 and disposed immediately above the lower roller 26a of the drawing assembly,
the function of which is to guide the movement of the bars 11 when they are translated
by the accumulation assembly 60 to the loading position between the rollers 26a, 26b.
[0061] The position of the guide roller 39 can be regulated at least in height according
to the diameter of the bars 11 being worked.
[0062] In this embodiment, the abutment plate 164 is associated with a positioning actuator,
and remains stationary during the whole cycle to form the store of bars 11, so as
to define the stop position thereof near the gap between the rollers 26a, 26b of the
drawing assembly 27; during the loading step, the abutment plate 164 is raised, or
lowered, allowing the bars 11 to be inserted in a removal position between the rollers
26a, 26b.
[0063] In figs. 5 and 7 a header element 37 can be seen, associated with a movement actuator
38. The function of the header element 37 is to align the bars 11 with respect to
each other, by acting repeatedly against the relative ends, after they have been picked
up by the first magnetic element 14 and are kept raised with respect to the bundle.
[0064] The header element 37, by selective activation of the movement actuator 38, performs
some beating cycles against the ends of the bars 11, equalizing their longitudinal
disposition so as to facilitate the subsequent step of loading into the drawing assembly
27 and the working to be carried out afterwards.
[0065] The heading operation can be performed both when the bars 11 are held raised by the
first magnetic means 13, and also on bars 11 which have already been unloaded onto
the accumulation assembly 60.
[0066] It is clear, however, that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be
made to the method to feed bars to a working machine and relative feeder device 10
as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention
as defined in the attached claims.
[0067] For example, a sensor may be provided which signals the fact that the second magnetic
element 22 is performing a purposeless travel without meeting bars 11, giving consent
for a new descent of the first magnetic element 14 towards the bundle of bars 11 to
perform a new pick-up.
[0068] Another variant may provide that there are fixed stop elements present above the
first magnetic element 14, which allow to discharge the bars 11, and make them fall
back into the relative bundle, that have remained gripped on said first magnetic element
14 once the working cycle of the machine has been stopped. This discharge is obtained
by rising the first magnetic element 14 by an extra travel beyond said stop elements.
The discharge of the bars 11 can also be obtained, in the event of electromagnetic
elements being used, by temporarily deactivating electric feed to said first magnetic
element 14.
1. Feeder device for bars, able to selectively pick up and remove from a bundle (12)
at least one bar (11) to prepare it for use in a working machine comprising at least
a drawing assembly (27), said device comprising first magnetic means (13) able to
separate from said bundle (12) at least an end segment of a plurality of bars (11)
and to dispose at least the end segments of said plurality of bars (11) on a plane
distanced with respect to said bundle (12), and second magnetic means (21) able to
pick up from said first magnetic means (13) at least one bar (11) at a time from said
plurality of bars (11) and to unload said at least one bar (11) in a desired release
position, characterized in that it comprises an accumulation assembly (60) able to receive in sequence from said
second magnetic means (21) a desired number of bars (11) so as to form a store, and
to transfer said desired number of bars (11) simultaneously to the drawing assembly
(27).
2. Device as in claim 1, characterized in that said accumulation assembly (60) comprises at least a thruster element (65) defining
a supporting surface (61) substantially parallel to the loading plane of said drawing
assembly (27).
3. Device as in claim 2, characterized in that said supporting surface (61) has a start-of-cycle position substantially parallel
and lowered with respect to the loading plane of the drawing assembly (27).
4. Device as in claim 2, characterized in that said supporting surface (61) has a start-of-cycle position substantially parallel
and as an extension to the loading plane of the drawing assembly (27).
5. Device as in any claim from 2 to 4, characterized in that said thruster element (65) comprises a front edge (62) facing upwards, the upper
end of which is conformed as a lead-in slide to help said bars (11) to dispose themselves
on said supporting surface (61).
6. Device as in any claim from 2 to 5, characterized in that said accumulation assembly (60) comprises an abutment plate (64) disposed substantially
between said supporting surface (61) and said drawing assembly (27), able to define
the stand-by position of the bars (11) forming the store before they are loaded into
the drawing assembly (27).
7. Device as in claim 6, characterized in that said abutment plate (64) is mobile so as not to interfere with said thruster element
(65) at least during the loading step of said bars (11) into the drawing assembly
(27).
8. Device as in any claim from 2 to 7, characterized in that it comprises at least a guide element (39) cooperating with said drawing assembly
(27) and cooperating with said thruster element (65) in positioning said bars (11)
inside said drawing assembly (27).
9. Device as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises at least a header element (37) able to be selectively activated at least
when a plurality of bars (11) have been picked up by said first magnetic means (13)
and/or are disposed on said supporting surface (61).
10. Method to feed bars (11), used to selectively pick up and remove from a bundle (12)
at least one bar (11) to prepare it for use in a working machine comprising at least
a drawing assembly (27), comprising a first step in which first magnetic means (13)
are brought close to said bundle (12) in order to magnetically attract an end segment
of a plurality of bars (11) and distance them from said bundle (12), a second step
in which second magnetic means (21) are brought close to said first magnetic means
(13) in order to pick up from them at least a first from among said plurality of bars
(11) and are then distanced from them so as to dispose said at least one bar (11)
in a desired release position, characterized in that said second magnetic means (21) sequentially perform a plurality of pick-up cycles
in order to unload a desired number of bars (11) in a pre-loading position so as to
form a store in a position adjacent said drawing assembly (27).
11. Method as in claim 10, characterized in that it comprises at least a step in which the bars (11) that form said store are displaced
simultaneously to the position of loading into said drawing assembly (27).
12. Method as in claim 11, characterized in that said simultaneous loading provides an upward movement of alignment between the pre-loading
position and the position of loading into the drawing assembly (27), and then a movement
of lateral translation so as to insert the bars (11) into the drawing assembly (27).
13. Method as in claim 11, characterized in that the simultaneous loading provides a movement of lateral translation so as to insert
the bars (11) into the drawing assembly (27).
14. Method as in any claim from 10 to 13, characterized in that it provides at least a step of heading the ends of the bars (11) held raised by the
first magnetic means (13) and/or disposed in the pre-loading position.
15. Method as in any claim from 10 to 14, characterized in that during the pre-loading step of said bars (11) into said pre-loading position, said
drawing assembly (27) feeds the bars (11) loaded in the previous cycle to the working
machine.
1. Zuführvorrichtung für Stangen, die zum selektiven Aufnehmen und Herausnehmen mindestens
einer Stange (11) aus einem Bündel (12) zum Vorbereiten derselben für die Verwendung
in einer Bearbeitungsmaschine geeignet ist, die mindestens eine Zug-Anordnung (27)
aufweist, wobei die Vorrichtung aufweist: erste Magnet-Mittel (13), die zum Trennen
mindestens eines Endabschnitts einer Mehrzahl von Stangen (11) von dem Bündel (12)
und zum Anordnen mindestens der Endabschnitte der Mehrzahl von Stangen (11) auf einer
Fläche, die relativ zu dem Bündel (12) im Abstand positioniert ist, geeignet sind,
und zweite Magnet-Mittel (21), die zum Aufnehmen von jeweils mindestens einer Stange
(11) aus der Mehrzahl von Stangen (11) aus den ersten Magnet-Mitteln (13) und zum
Abladen der mindestens einen Stange (11) in einer gewünschten Freigabe-Position geeignet
sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie eine Sammel-Anordnung (60) aufweist, die zum Empfangen einer gewünschten Anzahl
von Stangen (11) in Folge von den zweiten Magnet-Mitteln (21) zum Bilden eines Lagers
und zum gleichzeitigen Übertragen der gewünschten Anzahl von Stangen (11) an die Zug-Anordnung
(27) geeignet ist.
2. Vorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Sammel-Anordnung (60) mindestens ein Schub-Element (65) aufweist, das eine Stützfläche
(61) definiert, die im Wesentlichen parallel zu der Lade-Fläche der Zug-Anordnung
(27) ist.
3. Vorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Stützfläche (61) eine Arbeitszyklus-Start-Position aufweist, die im Wesentlichen
parallel und relativ zu der Lade-Fläche der Zugvorrichtung (27) abgesenkt ist.
4. Vorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Stützfläche (61) eine Arbeitszyklus-Start-Position aufweist, die im Wesentlichen
parallel und als Verlängerung der Lade-Fläche der Zug-Anordnung (27) ist.
5. Vorrichtung gemäß einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Schub-Element (65) einen vorderen Rand (62) aufweist, der nach oben gewandt ist,
dessen oberes Ende als Einführ-Gleitfläche zum Unterstützen der Stangen (11) beim
sich-Anordnen auf der Stütz-Fläche (61) eingerichtet ist.
6. Vorrichtung gemäß einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Sammel-Anordnung (60) eine Anstoßplatte (64) aufweist, die im Wesentlichen zwischen
der Stützfläche (61) und der Zug-Anordnung (27) angeordnet ist, die zum Definieren
der Warteposition der Stangen (11), die das Lager bilden, bevor sie in die Zug-Anordnung
(27) geladen werden, geeignet ist.
7. Vorrichtung gemäß Anspruch 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Anstoßplatte (64) derart bewegbar ist, dass sie zumindest während des Ladeschritts
der Stangen (11) in die Zug-Anordnung (27) das Schub-Element (65) nicht stört.
8. Vorrichtung gemäß einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie mindestens ein Führungselement (39) aufweist, das mit der Zug-Anordnung (27)
zusammenwirkt und mit dem Schub-Element (65) beim Positionieren der Stangen (11) innerhalb
der Zug-Anordnung (27) zusammenwirkt.
9. Vorrichtung gemäß einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie mindestens ein Kopf-Element (37) aufweist, das zumindest, wenn eine Mehrzahl
von Stangen (11) von den ersten Magnet-Mitteln (13) aufgenommen wurde und/oder auf
der Stützfläche (61) positioniert wird, selektiv aktivierbar ist.
10. Verfahren zum Zuführen von Stangen (11), das zum selektiven Aufnehmen und Herausnehmen
mindesten einer Stange (11) aus einem Bündel (12) zum Vorbereiten derselben für die
Verwendung in einer Bearbeitungsmaschine verwendet wird, die mindestens eine Zug-Anordnung
(27) aufweist, aufweisend einen ersten Schritt, bei dem erste Magnet-Mittel (13) in
die Nähe des Bündels (12) gebracht werden, so dass ein Endabschnitt einer Mehrzahl
von Stangen (11) magnetisch angezogen wird und diese von dem Bündel (12) entfernt
angeordnet werden, einen zweiten Schritt, bei dem zweite Magnet-Mittel (21) in die
Nähe der ersten Magnet-Mittel (13) gebracht werden zum Aufnehmen aus diesen mindesten
einer ersten aus der Mehrzahl von Stangen (11), und dann von diesen entfernt angeordnet
werden, so dass zumindest eine Stange (11) in einer gewünschten Freigabe-Position
angeordnet wird, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die zweiten Magnet-Mittel (21) in Folge eine Mehrzahl von Aufnahme-Zyklen zum Abladen
von einer gewünschten Anzahl von Stangen (11) in einer Vor-Lade-Position zum Bilden
eines Lagers in einer Position benachbart zu der Zug-Anordnung (27) durchführen.
11. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 10, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es mindestens einen Schritt aufweist, bei dem die Stangen (11), die das Lager bilden,
gleichzeitig in die Position des Ladens in die Zug-Anordnung (27) bewegt werden.
12. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das gleichzeitige Laden eine Ausrichtungsbewegung nach oben zwischen der Vor-Lade-Position
und der Position des Ladens in die Zug-Anordnung (27) und anschließend eine seitliche
Translationsbewegung zum Einsetzen der Stangen (11) in die Zug-Anordnung (27) vorsieht.
13. Verfahren gemäß Anspruch 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das gleichzeitige Laden eine seitliche Translationsbewegung zum Einsetzen der Stangen
(11) in die Zug-Anordnung (27) vorsieht.
14. Verfahren gemäß einem der Ansprüche 10 bis 13, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es mindestens einen Schritt des Vorschubs der Enden der Stangen (11), die von den
ersten Magnet-Mitteln (13) angehoben gehalten werden und/oder in der Vor-Lade-Position
angeordnet werden, bereitstellt.
15. Verfahren gemäß einem der Ansprüche 10 bis 14, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass während des Schrittes des Vor-Ladens der Stangen (11) in die Vor-Lade-Position die
Zug-Anordnung (27) die in dem vorherigen Zyklus geladenen Stangen (11) der Bearbeitungsmaschine
zuführt.
1. Dispositif d'alimentation en barres, capable de saisir sélectivement et de retirer
d'un groupe (12) au moins une barre (11) afin de la préparer pour une utilisation
dans une machine de travail comprenant au moins un ensemble extracteur (27), ledit
dispositif comprenant des premiers moyens aimantés (13) capables de séparer dudit
groupe (12) au moins un segment d'extrémité d'une pluralité de barres (11) et de disposer
au moins les segments d'extrémité de ladite pluralité de barres (11) sur un plan éloigné
dudit groupe (12), et des seconds moyens aimantés (21) capables de saisir à partir
desdits premiers moyens aimantés (13) au moins une barre (11) à la fois dans ladite
pluralité de barres (11) et de décharger ladite au moins une barre (11) dans une position
de libération souhaitée, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend un dispositif d'accumulation (60) capable de recevoir successivement de
la part desdits seconds moyens aimantés (21) un nombre souhaité de barres (11) de
manière à former une réserve, et de transférer ledit nombre souhaité de barres (11)
simultanément vers l'ensemble extracteur (27).
2. Dispositif selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif d'accumulation (60) comprend au moins un élément pousseur (65) définissant
une surface de support (61) sensiblement parallèle au plan de chargement dudit ensemble
extracteur (27).
3. Dispositif selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite surface de support (61) présente une position de début de cycle sensiblement
parallèle et abaissée par rapport au plan de chargement de l'ensemble extracteur (27).
4. Dispositif selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ladite surface de support (61) présente une position de début de cycle sensiblement
parallèle et en extension du plan de chargement de l'ensemble extracteur (27).
5. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 4, caractérisé en ce que ledit élément pousseur (65) comprend un bord frontal (62) tourné vers l'avant, dont
l'extrémité supérieure est formée comme une glissière de guidage pour aider lesdites
barres (11) à se disposer elles-mêmes sur ladite surface de support (61).
6. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 5, caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif d'accumulation (60) comprend une plaque de butée (64) disposée sensiblement
entre ladite surface de support (61) et ledit ensemble extracteur (27), capable de
définir la position d'attente des barres (11) formant la réserve avant leur chargement
dans l'ensemble extracteur (27).
7. Dispositif selon la revendication 6, caractérisé en ce que ladite plaque de butée (64) est mobile de façon à ne pas interférer avec ledit élément
pousseur (65) au moins pendant l'étape de chargement desdites barres (11) dans l'ensemble
extracteur (27).
8. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 7, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend au moins un élément de guidage (39) coopérant avec ledit ensemble extracteur
(27) et coopérant avec ledit élément pousseur (65) dans le positionnement desdites
barres (11) à l'intérieur dudit ensemble extracteur (27).
9. Dispositif selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend au moins un élément connecteur (37) capable d'être activé sélectivement
au moins lorsqu'une pluralité de barres (11) a été saisie par lesdits premiers moyens
aimantés (13) et/ou est disposée sur ladite surface de support (61).
10. Procédé d'alimentation en barres (11), utilisé pour saisir et retirer sélectivement
d'un groupe (12) au moins une barre (11) afin de la préparer pour une utilisation
dans une machine de travail comprenant au moins un ensemble extracteur (27), comprenant
une première étape au cours de laquelle des premiers moyens aimantés (13) sont approchés
dudit groupe (12) afin d'attirer par aimantation un segment d'extrémité d'une pluralité
de barres (11) et de l'éloigner dudit groupe (12), une deuxième étape au cours de
laquelle des seconds moyens aimantés (21) sont approchés desdits premiers moyens aimantés
(13) afin de saisir auprès de ceux-ci au moins une première barre dans ladite pluralité
de barres (11), puis sont éloignés de ceux-ci de manière à disposer ladite au moins
une barre (11) dans une position de libération souhaitée, caractérisé en ce que lesdits seconds moyens aimantés (21) effectuent séquentiellement une pluralité de
cycles de saisie afin de décharger un nombre souhaité de barres (11) dans une position
de préchargement de manière à former une réserve dans une position adjacente audit
ensemble extracteur (27).
11. Procédé selon la revendication 10, caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend au moins une étape au cours de laquelle les barres (11) qui forment ladite
réserve sont déplacées simultanément vers la position de chargement dans ledit ensemble
extracteur (27).
12. Procédé selon la revendication 11, caractérisé en ce que ledit chargement simultané prévoit un mouvement d'alignement vers le haut entre la
position de préchargement et la position de chargement dans l'ensemble extracteur
(27), puis un mouvement de translation latérale de façon à insérer les barres (11)
dans l'ensemble extracteur (27).
13. Procédé selon la revendication 11, caractérisé en ce que le chargement simultané prévoit un mouvement de translation latérale de façon à insérer
les barres (11) dans l'ensemble extracteur (27).
14. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 13, caractérisé en ce qu'il prévoit au moins une étape d'avancement des extrémités des barres (11) maintenues
surélevées par les premiers moyens aimantés (13) et/ou disposées dans la position
de préchargement.
15. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 10 à 14, caractérisé en ce qu'au cours de l'étape de préchargement desdites barres (11) dans ladite position de
préchargement, ledit ensemble extracteur (27) alimente la machine de travail en barres
(11) chargées au cours du cycle précédent.