Improved movable-arm loader for billets

Abstract

 A movable-arm loader for billets comprises a base (2), a carriage (3) slidably mounted on the base (2), and at least two billet supporting arms (10,11,12) with a table (5) swingably mounted on the carriage (3) and designed for simultaneously swinging at least two said arms (10,11,12) on a vertical plane of the loader.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a movable-arm loader for billets, which has been improved with respect to the related prior art.

[0002] The field of the invention is that of the loaders used for supplying billets (or light alloys and the like ingots, coming from melting processes) to section member extruding pressing machines.

[0003] As is known, conventional billet loaders comprise a fixed bearing base or bed, including horizontal sliding guides designed for allowing the loader to be properly displaced with respect to the pressing machine. On the fixed base or bottom is moreover mounted a carriage including two or more arms, one of which is fully rigid with the carriage (and accordingly devoid of any movements per se), whereas the other or the others can perform a translation movement in a horizontal plane, to move toward and away from the fixed arm. Thus, it is possible to grip, by the loader arms, billets of different lengths or billets formed by two billet lengths.

[0004] In the above mentioned prior loaders, the releasing of the billet on the pressing machine is performed through movable jaws.

[0005] Said movable jaws are driven by respective hydraulic or pneumatic actuators, which are directly mounted on an end portion of each arm, at the billet engaging region of the latter.

[0006] The above mentioned prior loaders have the drawback of exposing to heat (coming from the hot billets and their housing container) the jaw driving means, which constitute a very delicate part of the machine.

[0007] Moreover, the movable jaw construction for gripping the billets and releasing them is frequently very complex from a construction standpoint and has a comparatively low strength. Thus, said movable jaw construction is not reliable as it would be desired both from a general loader operation standpoint and with respect to the precision and accuracy in locating the billet at the center of the pressing machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a novel movable arm loader for billets which, with respect to prior equipment of this type, is much simpler, accurate, safe and reliable.

[0009] A further object of the invention is to provide such a loader of the above disclosed type, in which the critical parts supporting the billets are arranged at a place remote from the heat sources.

[0010] The above mentioned and other objects are achieved by the billet loader according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the remaining claims.

[0011] With respect to prior movable arm loaders for billets, the inventive loader provides the advantage of including a billet gripping and releasing mechanism, arranged at a location protected from heat sources, thereby making the machine more safe and reliable.

[0012] The above mentioned arrangement provides moreover the advantage of allowing the driving fluid supplying ducts to be displaced to any desired positions remote from heat sources, with a self-evident advantage both with respect to the system functionality and the safety thereof, since, in particular, dangerous combustions of the driving oil are eliminated.

[0013] Moreover, since the billet can be released by causing the movable arms to perform a rotary movement, it is not necessary to use, as in the prior art, movable jaws, with the advantage of providing a system which is more simple, less expensive and more reliable in operation.

[0014] The loader according to the invention provides the further advantage that it can be considered as an universal type of loader with respect to the movement for receiving the billet coming from its heating source, or supplied both in a horizontal direction (for billets coming from the heating oven or from the hot cutter), and in a vertical direction (for billets coming from a vertical handler).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The above mentioned and yet other objects, characteristics and advantages will become more apparent hereinafter from the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the movable arm loader for billets according to the present invention, which is illustrated, by way of a non limitative example, in the accompanying drawings, where:

• Figure 1 shows the loader according to the invention by a side view and at a rest position thereof, or at a billet loading position thereof;
• Figure 2 shows the loader of figure 1 at a billet releasing and disengaging position, for releasing the billet at the center of the press; and
• Figure 3 is a top plan view showing the loader of figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0016] The billet loader according to the invention has been generally indicated by the reference number 1 in figure 1. Said loader comprises a supporting base or bed 2 supporting a carriage 3 which is slidably mounted on guides 4 of said bed 2 through an actuator 15. On the carriage 3 is moreover arranged a swinging table 5, which can swing about a pivot pin 6 and with respect to the carriage 3, through a suitable oleodynamic actuator 7. Said table 5 comprises moreover rear 8 and front 9 guides, designed for slidably supporting the movable arms 10, 11 and 12, which can perform mutual approaching and moving away horizontal movements, to support billet lengths 13 and 14 of different dimensions.

[0017] The end portions of the arms 10, 11, 12 receiving said billet lengths comprise a supporting bottom portion including roller paths 16. On the top or upper side of said arms is mounted a locking bracket 17 for locking the billet, designed for holding said billet at a proper position during the transfer thereof. As shown, the bracket 17 is in turn pivoted, by a pivot pin 18, to a lug (not shown) of the corresponding loader arm. The bracket 17 is driven by a pneumatic cylinder 19.

[0018] In the operation of the loader 1, with a billet horizontally supplied (from an oven or hot cutter, see the arrow F1 of figure 3), the arms 10, 11, 12 are caused to mutually move toward the billet arriving region. Then, during the engaging of said billet in the loader, above the mentioned roller paths 16, said arms 10, 11, 12 are distended or mutually moved away, so as to cover the full length of the billet.

[0019] After having loaded the billet on the arms 10-12 as above disclosed, the bracket 17 will close on the body of the billet through the cylinder 19. Then, the actuator 15 drives the carriage 3 and related billet toward the center of the press 20 (arrow F2, figure 3). In this loader embodiment, the table 5 is held stationary on the press axis upon achieving its desired final position, whereas the billet is released on the press by opening the bracket 17 and lowering the end portions of the arms 10, 11, 12 due to the rotary movement of the swinging table 5 (arrows F3 and F4 of figure 2).

[0020] Upon releasing said billet, the arms 10, 11, 12 are mutually driven toward a position opposite to the loading ones (arrow F5), i.e. they are moved away from the press container. Simultaneously, the carriage 3 will be caused to move backward in the direction of the arrow F6 of figure 2, by its actuator 15, thereby moving away from the press.

[0021] For a billet supplied from the top (for example by a billet handler), the arms 10, 11, 12 will be arranged in a spaced relationship depending on the length of the billet, whether the latter is made of multiple-piece or in a single length. The movements will be analogous to those disclosed with reference to the preceding operating cycle.

[0022] The present invention, as above disclosed and illustrated, is susceptible to several modifications and variations all of which will come within the scope of the enclosed claims. Thus, for example, the number of said arms could be different from that which has been indicated, and the actuators and related controls could be of any desired different types (for example electrics or others).

Claims

1. A movable-arm loader for billets, of the type comprising a base (2), a carriage (3) slidably mounted on said base (2) and at least two supporting arms (10,11,12) for supporting a billet, characterized in that said loader further comprises means for simultaneously causing said at least two arms (10,11,12) to swing on a vertical plane of said loader.

2. A loader according to claim 1, characterized in that said means comprise a table (5) swingably mounted on said carriage (3).

3. A loader according to claim 2, characterized in that said table (5) is pivoted to said carriage (3) on a pivot pin (6).

4. A loader according to claim 1, characterized in that said loader comprises moreover a locking bracket (17) for locking said billet, said locking bracket being pivoted to a corresponding end portion of said at least two arms (10,11,12) by a pivot pin (18).

5. A loader according to claim 2, characterized in that said loader comprises rear (8) and front (9) guides fixed to said table (5) and adapted to drive at least two arms (10, 11, 12) on said table (5).

6. A loader according to claim 5, characterized in that said loader comprises moreover further guides (4) for driving said carriage (3) of said base (2).

Drawing