Satin finishing system with flap wheels for shaped tubes

Abstract

 A satin finishing system with flap wheels for shaped tubes is described which comprises at least one satin finishing station (4) equipped with flap wheels (5) with a vertical axis, at least one satin finishing station (6) equipped with flap wheels (7) with a horizontal axis, means designed to rotate the flap wheels (5, 7), feed means (8) designed to make the tube (3) slide longitudinally through said stations (4, 6) and means (9) designed to move the tube (3) transversally to its direction of travel.
The system preferably comprises a plurality of stations (4, 6) equipped with flap wheels (5, 7) with a vertical and horizontal axis, each station (4, 6) allowing a different degree of finishing of the tube being processed.
To compensate for wear on the flap wheels (5, 7) and keep their peripheral speed constant, the speed of rotation of the flap wheels (5, 7) is advantageously increased.

Description

[0001] The present invention refers to a satin finishing system with flap wheels for shaped tubes which comprises at least one station equipped with at least one set of flap wheels with a vertical axis, at least one station equipped with at least one set of flap wheels with a horizontal axis, means designed to rotate the sets of flap wheels, means designed to slide the tube being processed longitudinally through said stations and means designed to move the tube to be processed transversally to its direction of travel.

[0002] In order to satin finish or polish a shaped tube, systems with abrasive cloths are currently used, in which each finishing station comprises a pair of opposed finishing heads, each of which comprises a ring of abrasive cloth carried by a drive roller and a roller which holds the abrasive cloth in contact with the surface to be processed.

[0003] The finishing heads are positioned vertically and simultaneously process the two opposite sides of a shaped tube made to pass in a per se known manner between the finishing heads.

[0004] Systems of the prior art present numerous limits and/or drawbacks, amongst which:

• processing of the shaped tube must take place in two stages: after having processed two sides of the shaped tube, it is necessary to stop the system, cause the tube to move back (or, in any case, bring it back) to the input to the system and rotate it to process another two sides; all this considerably lengthens processing times, reducing the productivity of the system;
• the abrasive cloths wear very rapidly, drastically reducing their removal capacity and no longer ensuring the initial level of finishing: it is therefore necessary to stop the system often to replace worn cloths, which can sometimes by re-used in the finishing heads that perform rougher finishing;
• the heat produced during processing of the tube by the abrasive cloths makes it necessary to cool the tube with water, with the consequent formation of sludge, which must be removed.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to overcome the abovementioned limits and/or drawbacks presented by the systems of the prior art, allowing all sides of a shaped tube to be "treated" in a single "pass" - with a consistently homogeneous surface finish - and the tube to be air-cooled: this allows a drastic reduction in processing times and costs.

[0006] This object is achieved by means of a satin finishing system produced according to the present invention, which has the characterising features illustrated in claim 1; further advantageous characteristics of the invention form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0007] Further characteristics of the invention will be made clearer by the detailed description that follows, referring to a purely exemplifying and therefore non-limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a side view of a satin finishing system according to the invention;
• Figures 2 e 3 show diagrammatically a front, partially sectional view and a side view of one of the satin finishing stations with a horizontal axis 4 of Figure 1;
• Figures 4 and 5 show diagrammatically a front, partially sectional view and a side view of one of the satin finishing stations with a vertical axis 6 of Figure 1.
• Figure 6 shows diagrammatically a front view and a side view of one of the feed stations 8 of figure 1, designed to feed the tube to be processed longitudinally;
• Figure 7 shows diagrammatically a front view and a side view of one of the carriages 9 of Figure 1, designed to move the tube to be processed transversally to its direction of travel.

[0008] In the attached figures like elements will be identified by the same reference numerals wherever possible.

[0009] Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a side view of a satin finishing system according to the invention, which comprises, in combination with each other:

• a bed of rollers 1 with horizontal axes, mounted idly and carried by a support 2, on which slides a shaped tube 3 to be processed: the roller bed 1, the support 2 and the tube 3 will not be described because they are per se known;
• at least one satin finishing station 4 (better described with reference to Figures 2 and 3) equipped with at least one set 20 (Figures 2 and 3) of flap wheels 5 with a horizontal axis; in Figure 1 six satin finishing stations 4 which perform an increasingly high finish are shown;
• at least one satin finishing station 6 (described better with reference to Figures 4 and 5) equipped with at least one set 30 (Figures 4 and 5) of flap wheels 7 with a vertical axis; in Figure 1 six satin finishing stations 6 which perform an increasingly high finish are shown;
• means (21, 22; 31, 32) designed to set the sets (20, 30) of flap wheels (5, 7) in rotation;
• at least one feed station 8, seen better in Figure 6, designed to feed the tube 3 to be processed longitudinally along the roller bed 1;
• at least one carriage 9, placed downstream of the at least one feed station 8 and seen better in Figure 7, designed to move the tube 3 to be processed transversally to its direction of travel and hold it in position between the sets 20 of flap wheels 5 with a horizontal axis of the satin finishing stations 4.

[0010] Without departing from the scope of the invention, the flap wheels (5, 7) may be replaced by grinding wheels or any other equivalent abrasive means, provided it is different from abrasive cloths.

[0011] At the start and at the end of the roller bed 1 and between the two adjacent satin finishing stations (4, 6) there are preferably a feed station 8 and a carriage 9.

[0012] Furthermore, since the heat produced during processing of the tube by means of the flap wheels (5, 7) is less than that developed by the abrasive cloths of a traditional system, the tube 3 can be cooled during processing by means of jets of air issuing from delivery nozzles 10 placed upstream of each satin finishing station (4, 6): the use of water of cooling means and the consequent formation of sludge are thus avoided and it is possible to use a dust suction system, of which only the suction openings 11, situated level with each satin finishing station (4, 6), can be seen in Figure 1.

[0013] For simplicity of the graphic representation, only one of the satin finishing stations 4 with a vertical axis, one with a horizontal axis resting on a support 302, one of the feed stations 8, a carriage 9, an air delivery nozzle 10 and a dust suction nozzle 11 are identified with reference numerals in Figure 1.

[0014] In Figure 1 the tube 3 is a square tube (square or rectangular in section) but, without departing from the scope of the invention, the tube 3 can be polygonal in section (for example hexagonal) and the satin finishing system further comprises at least one satin finishing station (omitted in Figure 1) equipped with at least one set of flap wheels with an inclined axis.

[0015] Figures 2 and 3 show diagrammatically a front, partially sectional view and a side view of a satin finishing station 4 equipped with two sets 20 of flap wheels 5 with a horizontal axis.

[0016] A satin finishing station 4 comprises a supporting element 23, fixed to the support 2 of Figure 1, which cantileverly carries two slides (24, 25) each of which carries a set 20 of flap wheels 5 with a horizontal axis, mounted on a shaft 21 set in rotation by a motor 22.

[0017] The slides (24, 25) are connected to the supporting element 23 by means 26 designed to move each slide (24, 25) vertically; each set 20 of flap wheels 5 is connected to the relative slide (24, 25) by means 27 designed to make the set 20 slide horizontally along the respective slide (24, 25).

[0018] The means (26, 27) designed to move each slide (24, 25) along the supporting element 23, and each set 20 of flap wheels 5 along the relative slide (24, 25) will not be described, however, because they are per se known; these means can be hydraulic or pneumatic or else they can consist of threaded couplings moved, by means of a screw and screw-nut coupling, by threaded shafts driven by a motor.

[0019] Figures 4 and 5 show diagrammatically a front, partially sectional view and a side view of one of the satin finishing stations 6, which comprises a pair of supporting elements 33, fixed to the support 302, each of which carries a set 30 of flap wheels 7 with a vertical axis, mounted on a shaft 31 set in rotation by a motor 32.

[0020] Each supporting element 33 is connected to the support 302 by means 36 designed to move it horizontally with respect to the support 2; each set 30 of flap wheels 7 is connected to the relative supporting element 33 by means 37 designed to make the set 30 slide vertically along the supporting element 33.

[0021] The satin finishing station 6 is similar to a station 4 and - in Figures 4 and 5 - the corresponding elements are indicated with the reference numerals used in Figures 2 and 3 increased by 10.

[0022] As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5, the height of the support 302 is such that, when the sets 30 of flap wheels 7 are completely lowered, the top area of the sets 30 is in contact with the tube 3.

[0023] The vertical movement of the sets 20, and the horizontal movement of the sets 30 allows the distance between the sets 20 and 30, respectively, to be adapted to the size of the tube 3 to be processed, and the flap wheels 5 and 7, respectively, to be kept in contact with the tube 3, compensating for wear on said wheels during the satin finishing process.

[0024] In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 2-5, the sets (20, 30) comprise a plurality of flap wheels (5, 7) of different thickness, each of which has a thickness corresponding to that of one of the tubes 3 to be processed: the horizontal movement of the sets 20, and the vertical movement of the sets 30 allows the tube 3 to be brought level with the flap wheels (5, 7) having a working height corresponding to that of the tube 3, thus wearing only said flap wheels (5, 7).

[0025] The fact of forming sets (20, 30) by means of flap wheels (5, 7) of different thickness and of moving the sets (20, 30) with respect to the tube 3 allows the wear to be divided between the various flap wheels (5, 7) belonging to the groups (20, 30) according to the sizes of the tubes 3 processed each time.

[0026] The above is economically advantageous because it allows only the flap wheels (5, 7) actually worn to be replaced, whilst in systems of the prior art wear is divided unevenly and is concentrated in the area always in contact with the tube, regardless of the size of said tube.

[0027] To compensate for the wear on the flap wheels (5 and 7, respectively) in contact each time with the tube 3 and keep their peripheral speed constant, advantageously the speed of rotation of the set (20 and 30, respectively) to which said flap wheels (5 and 7, respectively) belong is increased.

[0028] Figure 6 shows diagrammatically a front view and a side view of one of the stations 8 of Figure 1 designed to feed the tube 3 to be processed longitudinally; said station is advantageously made by means of an assembly known to the art as a pinch roll and therefore will not be described herein.

[0029] Figure 7 shows diagrammatically a front view and a side view of one of the carriages 9 of figure 1, designed to move the tube 3 to be processed transversally to its direction of travel.

[0030] The carriage 9 comprises a pair of idle rollers 70, with a vertical axis, carried by a base 71 on which they can be moved transversally to the direction of travel of the tube 3 by means of movement means 72 not described herein because they are known to the art or in any case can be implemented by a person skilled in the art without inventive activity.

[0031] Without departing from the scope of the invention, a person skilled in the art can make to the satin finishing system described above all the changes and improvements suggested by normal experience and/or the natural evolution of the art.

Claims

1. A satin finishing system with flap wheels (5, 7) for shaped tubes (3) moveable on a bed of rollers (1) with horizontal axes, mounted idly and carried by a support (2), characterised in that it comprises, in combination with each other:

- at least one satin finishing station (4) equipped with at least on set (20) of flap wheels (5) with a horizontal axis;

- at least one satin finishing station (6) equipped with at least one set (30) of flap wheels (7) with a vertical axis;

- means (21, 22; 31, 32) designed to set in rotation the sets (20, 30) of flap wheels (5, 7);

- at least one feed station (8), designed to feed the tube (3) to be processed along the roller bed (1);

- at least one carriage (9), placed downstream of the at least one feed station (8) and designed to move the tube (3) to be processed transversally to the direction of feed thereof and hold it in position between the sets (20) of flap wheels (5) with a horizontal axis belonging to the satin finishing stations (4).

2. A satin finishing system according to claim 1 for shaped tubes (3) with a polygonal section, characterised in that it further comprises at least one satin finishing station equipped with at least one set of flap wheels with an inclined axis.

3. A satin finishing system according to claim 1, characterised in that at the start and end of the roller bed (1) and between two adjacent satin finishing stations (4, 6) there are a feed station (8) and a carriage (9).

4. A satin finishing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that, during processing of the tube (3), it is cooled by means of jets of air.

5. A satin finishing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the tube (3) is cooled by jets of air issuing from nozzles (10) situated upstream of each satin finishing station (4, 6).

6. A satin finishing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that it further comprises a dust suction system having suction openings (11) placed level with each satin finishing station (4, 6).

7. A satin finishing system according to claim 1, characterised in that each satin finishing system (4) comprises a supporting element (23), fixed to the support (2), which carries projectingly two slides (24, 25) each of which carries a set (20) of flap wheels (5) with a horizontal axis; in that the slides (24, 25) are connected to the supporting element (23) by means (26) designed to move each slide (24, 25) vertically and in that each set (20) of flap wheels (5) is connected to the relative slide (24, 25) by means (27) designed to make the set (20) slide along the respective slide (24, 25).

8. A satin finishing system according to claim 1, characterised in that each satin finishing station (6) comprises a pair of supporting elements (33), fixed to a support (302), each of which carries a set (30) of flap wheels (7) with a vertical axis, in that the supporting elements (33) are connected to the support (302) by means (36) designed to move them horizontally with respect to the support (302) and in that each set (30) of flap wheels (7) is connected to the relative supporting element (33) by means (37) able to make the set (30) slide vertically along the supporting element (33).

9. A satin finishing system according to claim 8, characterised in that the height of the support (302) is such that, when the sets (30) of flap wheels (7) are completely lowered, the top area of the sets (30) is in contact with the tube (3).

10. A satin finishing system according to claim 7 o 8, characterised in that each set (20, 30) of flap wheels (5, 7) is mounted on a shaft (21, 31) set in rotation by a motor (22, 32).

11. A satin finishing system according to claim 1, characterised in that the sets (20, 30) comprise a plurality of flap wheels (5, 7) of different thickness, the thickness of each flap wheel (5, 7) corresponding to that of one of the tubes (3) to be processed.

12. A satin finishing system according to claim 11, characterised in that the horizontal movement of the sets (20) and the vertical movement of the sets (30) allow the tube (3) to be brought level with the flap wheels (5, 7) having a thickness corresponding to that of the tube (3).

13. A satin finishing system according to claim 1, characterised in that the at least one carriage (9) comprises a pair of idle rollers (70), with a vertical axis, carried by a base (71) on which they can be moved transversally with respect to the direction of travel of the tube (3) by movement means (72).

14. A satin finishing system according to claim 1 or 11, characterised in that, to compensate for the wear on the flap wheels (5 and 7, respectively) in contact each time with the tube (3) and keep their peripheral speed constant, the speed of rotation of the set (20 and 30, respectively) to which said flap wheels (5 and 7, respectively) belong is increased.

Drawing