PRESSING DEVICE FOR COMPACTING DUST-SIZED, POWDER-SIZED OR CHIP-LIKE PARTICLES, ESPECIALLY METAL CHIPS

Abstract

Pressing device for compacting dust-like, powdery, or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, comprising a punch assembly (9) having a press punch (22) and an ejection punch (23), a die assembly (5) having a first die shape (2), and a base element (7), wherein the first die shape (2) has two die openings and a die chamber, wherein one of the two die openings of the first die shape (2) is an upper die opening, wherein the other of the two die openings of the first die shape (2) is a lower die opening, wherein the die assembly (5) comprises a second die shape (3), wherein the second die shape (3) has an upper die opening, a die chamber, and a lower die opening, wherein the die assembly (5) is designed and rotatable such that the first die shape (2) enters a pressing position.and the second die (3) simultaneously enters an ejection position, wherein the base element (7) covers the lower opening of the first die (2) in the pressing position and leaves the lower opening of the second die (3) open in the ejection position, wherein a lower end of the press ram (22) can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the first die (2) in the pressing position, and wherein a lower end of the ejection ram (23) can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the second die (3) in the ejection position, characterized in that the press ram (22) and the ejection ram (23) are attached to a lowerable ram holder (13), so that the press ram (22) and the ejection ram (23) can be lowered together by lowering the ram holder (13).

Description

The present invention relates to a pressing device for compacting dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles, in particular metal chips, according to the preamble of claim 1.Such a pressing device for compacting dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, having a punch device which has a press punch and an ejection punch, a die device which has a first die shape, and a base element, is known from GB 2 338 921, wherein the first die shape has two die openings and a die space, wherein one of the two die openings of the first die shape is an upper die opening, wherein the other of the two die openings of the first die shape is a lower die opening, wherein the die device comprises a second die shape, wherein the second die shape has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device is designed and rotatable such that the first die shape reaches a pressing position, The second die mold simultaneously reaches an ejection position, wherein the bottom element covers the lower opening of the first die mold in the pressing position and leaves the lower opening of the second die mold open in the ejection position, wherein a lower end of the pressing punch can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the first die mold in the pressing position, wherein a lower end of the ejection punch can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the second die mold in the ejection position.A disadvantage of the pressing device is that different punch driving means are used to lower the punch and the eject punch, which entails increased costs and complicated control.Further pressing devices which have the same disadvantage are known from DE 23 13 343 A1, JP 2009-255 121 A, U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,681 A and U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,857 A.The object of the present invention is to provide a pressing device for compacting dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles, in particular metal chips, which enables a time-efficient processing.The object on which the invention is based is achieved by a pressing device according to claim 1.The present invention relates to a pressing device for compacting dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, having a punch device which has a press punch and an ejection punch, a die device which has a first die shape, and a base element, wherein the first die shape has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device comprises a second die shape, wherein the second die shape has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device is designed and rotatable such that the first die shape reaches a pressing position and the second die shape simultaneously reaches an ejection position, wherein a bottom element covers the lower opening of the first die mold in the pressing position and leaves the lower opening of the second die mold open in the ejection position, wherein a lower end of the pressing punch can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the first die mold in the pressing position, wherein a lower end of the ejection punch can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the second die mold in the ejection position, and wherein the pressing punch and the ejection punch are attached to a lowerable punch holder, such that the pressing punch and the ejection punch can be lowered together by lowering the punch holder. The punch holder makes it possible to use a single punch driving means to lower the punch and the eject punch, and accordingly to simplify the control. The punches are preferably replaceable and inserted with their upper ends into recesses. An upper die opening in this context is the opening of a die shape whose lowermost point lies at least above the lowermost point of a lower opening of the die shape. Preferably, both the upper opening and the lower opening lie in two horizontal planes. Bevels are preferably provided at the upper openings in order to facilitate the precisely fitting lowering of the punches, which preferably have substantially the same cross section as the die spaces, into the die spaces, it being possible for the die device to flex by a small angle of rotation if the punches are introduced into the die spaces. The die space is the cavity which is formed between the lower opening and the upper opening and in which the material to be pressed is compacted. In this context, a base element is a component with any desired shape, which forms at least part of the wall of the die space in which material to be pressed is pressed during a pressing process. The bottom element is preferably designed as a plate and preferably has at least one partially planar upper side which lies in a horizontal, so that the die device can be rotated over the planar upper side into different positions, and so that the bottom element can at least partially cover lower openings of the die shapes. A lower die opening covered by a bottom element is in this connection a lower die opening which is located so close above the bottom element that the bottom element severely obstructs and preferably prevents the passage of dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, through the lower die opening, wherein preferably only a narrow gap or not even a gap remains between the edge of the die opening and the bottom element. The bottom element is therefore not located above the die opening or lies on the latter. A lower die opening left open is in this connection a lower die opening, in the immediate vicinity of which no further object is located, so that the unimpeded or almost unimpeded passage of dust-like, powder-like or chip-like particles and the like, in particular of metal chips, through the lower die opening is possible. The die device is preferably mounted rotatably about a vertical shaft. In addition to the first and second die molds, further die molds may be provided. Preferably, a total of three or four die shapes are provided. All the die forms are preferably provided at the same angular distance around the vertical shaft and at the same distance from the vertical shaft, wherein the die forms are preferably identical and hollow-cylindrical. For a die device with three die shapes, the angle between two lines in a horizontal plane, which each run through the axis of rotation and an axis of symmetry of one of the two adjacent die shapes, is therefore preferably 120°. For a die device with four die shapes, the angle between two lines in a horizontal plane, which each run through the axis of rotation and an axis of symmetry of one of the two adjacent die shapes, is therefore preferably 90°. In addition to the pressing ram and the ejection ram, at least one further pre-pressing ram can be provided. All punches are preferably cylindrical, provided at the same angular distance about an axis which runs through the vertical shaft and corresponds in sections to it, and at the same distance from the axis which the die molds have from the vertical shaft, so that all punches can be lowered by a vertical displacement from an upper position to a lower position into one of the dies, respectively, when the die device is in a suitable rotational position. The upper position is preferably fixed, while the lower position can be determined by a pressure with which one of the punches or the punches is acted upon in order to avoid overloading of the pressing device. The punches may have different lengths and their lower ends may be provided at different heights. The pressing device makes it possible to carry out different pressing material processing steps in parallel and to control the pressing material processing automatically in a simple manner, wherein only the continuous repeated upward and downward movements of the punch and the continuously repeated rotational movement of a die device have to be synchronized. The wear of the individual dies and punches is reduced in that they are used only for one of the press material processing steps. The material to be pressed used is in particular zinc chips which are produced during metal processing and are a valuable raw material. These zinc chips are pressed together in order to be able to store and transport them more easily, then to remelt them and to use them again. The pressing device is not limited to dust-like, powdery or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, but can be used for any material to be pressed for which it is suitable for processing.In a preferred embodiment, the die device comprises a third die shape, wherein the third die shape has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device is designed and rotatable such that the first die shape reaches a pressing position, that the second die shape simultaneously reaches an ejection position, and that the third die shape simultaneously reaches a filling position, and wherein a filling device is provided which is configured to fill pressed material through the upper die opening into the die space of the third die shape in the filling position. This makes it possible to fill a die with material to be pressed while at the same time material to be pressed is processed in other die forms.In a development of the preferred embodiment, the base element covers the lower die opening of the third die form in the filling position. Preferably, the bottom element also covers a region over which the lower opening of the die mould moves from the filling position into the pressing position. This prevents the material to be pressed from falling out of the lower opening of the die mold.In yet another preferred embodiment, the die device has a fourth die shape, wherein the fourth die shape has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device is designed and rotatable such that the first die shape reaches a pressing position, that the second die shape simultaneously reaches an ejection position, that the third die shape simultaneously reaches a filling position, that the fourth die shape simultaneously reaches a pre-pressing position, and wherein a pre-pressing punch is provided, the lower end of which can be lowered in the pre-pressing position through the upper die opening into the die space of the fourth die shape. Pressed material can be pre-pressed in the die mold in the pre-pressing position, while pressed material is simultaneously processed in further die molds. By pre-pressing the material to be pressed, the effort involved in pressing can be correspondingly reduced. Pressing is also advantageous in the case of materials which are difficult to compress, such as dust-like powders.In a development of the preferred last-mentioned embodiment, the bottom element covers the lower die opening of the fourth die mold in the pre-press position. Preferably, the bottom element also covers a region over which the lower opening of the die mould moves from the filling position into the pressing position. This prevents the material to be pressed from falling out of the lower opening of the die mold.In yet another development of the preferred last-mentioned embodiment, the pre-press ram is attached to the lowerable ram holder, so that the pre-press ram, the press ram and the ejection ram can be lowered together by lowering the ram holder. The punch holder enables a single punch driving device to be used to lower multiple punches and accordingly to simplify control. The punches are preferably replaceable and inserted with their upper ends into recesses. The vertical positions of the punches are preferably adjustable in the recesses, wherein in particular the lower end of the pre-press punch is adjustable relative to the lower end of the press punch in order to achieve suitable pressures of the pre-press punch and the press punch.In yet another preferred embodiment, the die molds are arranged on the die device in such a way, and the die device is rotatable in such a way that each of the die molds simultaneously reaches one of the press material processing positions, that any of the die molds is rotatable into each of the press material processing positions, and that the press material processing position of the further die mold or the press material processing positions of the further die molds is / are determined by the press material processing position of the any die mold. This makes it possible to process pressed material in parallel in a plurality of die molds, wherein the die molds repeatedly pass through different processing positions in sequence, in each of which the same processing step is carried out.In yet another preferred embodiment, a die drive device is provided which is configured to rotate the die device into positions in which the die molds are each in a material processing position, and a punch drive device is provided which is configured to lower punches into the die molds which are each in one of the material processing positions. The punch drive device can be formed mechanically, hydraulically, etc. The die device preferably comprises a gearwheel which is provided on its circumference and into which a gearwheel of the die drive device engages, as a result of which a particularly precise positioning of the die device is made possible. The die device can, however, also be driven, for example, by a sprocket wheel or via a shaft. Preferably, the die drive device automatically stops the rotation of the die device as soon as the die molds are each in a pressed material processing position. For this purpose, the position of the die device is determined directly or indirectly and passed on to a controller which controls the die drive device and the punch drive device. For direct measurement at the matrix device, a conventional optical angle measuring device can be provided, for example. For indirect measurement, an angle measuring device can be provided, for example, on an axis of the die drive device, and the position of the die device can be calculated by the controller on the basis of the measurements of this angle measuring device. Preferably, the punch drive device is synchronized with the die drive device and automatically lowers the punches from an upper position to a lower position after the die molds are each in one of the material processing positions, and then raises them back to an upper position, whereupon the die device is rotated further until the die molds are in the next processing positions. The punches can be provided on a punch holder and can be lowered together with the latter. The lower position can depend on a pressure with which one or more of the punches is acted on in order to avoid overloading of the pressing device, while the upper position is fixedly predefined.The pressing device for compacting dust-like, powder-like or chip-like particles and the like can also have a plurality of die devices with the features described in a preferred embodiment. The die devices can be arranged in different ways, wherein the punches which can be lowered into the die forms of the different die devices can be provided on a single punch holder. This makes it possible to drive punches which are lowered into different die shapes with a single punch drive device, and thereby achieve an enormous increase in performance with a low additional energy consumption.The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1A is a front view of a pressing device; FIG. 1B is a bottom view of the pressing device; FIG. 1C is a side view of the pressing device; FIG. 1D is a rear view of the pressing device; FIG. 1E is an opposite side view of the pressing device; FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the pressing device with a punch device in an upper position; FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the pressing device with the punch device in a middle position; and FIG. 2C is a perspective view of the pressing device with the punch device in a lower position.FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E show a front view, a bottom view, a side view, a rear view, an opposite side view of a pressing device. FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show perspective views of the pressing apparatus with a punch device in an upper position, in a middle position and in a lower position, respectively. The pressing device comprises a die device 5, a bottom element 7, a punch device 9, a punch drive device 10, a die drive device 11, a filling device 12 and a pressing device holder 14. The bottom element 7, the punch device 9, the punch drive device 10 and the filling device 12 are firmly connected to the pressing device holder 14, which comprises four vertical posts 15. The punch drive device 10 is configured to vertically move the punch device 9 up and down. The die drive device 11 is configured to rotate the die device 5 into different press material processing positions. An angle measuring sensor integrated in the die driving device 5 is provided for determining in which position the die device 5 is located, wherein the position of the die device 5 is calculated by the controller on the basis of the angle measurement of the angle measuring sensor. A controller (not shown) accommodated in the housing of the punch drive device 10 controls the punch drive device 10 and the die drive device 11 depending on the measurement results of the angle measurement sensor and the position sensor, and synchronizes the punch drive device 10 with the die drive device 11.The die device 5 has a substantially cylindrical structure and is rotatably mounted about a vertical shaft 6 which is fastened to the base element 7, rests with a lower side against the base element 7 and comprises the die forms 1, 2, 3 and 4. The die forms 1, 2, 3 and 4 each have a hollow cylindrical, vertically oriented die space with an upper and a lower opening and are arranged offset by 90° in each case at the same distance from the shaft 6 and have the same dimensions. The bottom element 7 is substantially circular, but has a recess 8 which is so large that a lower opening of one of the four die forms 3 is left open, while the lower openings of the further three die forms 1, 2 and 4 are simultaneously covered by the bottom element 7 and thus closed.The punch device 9 has the punches 21, 22, 23 which are fixedly and interchangeably attached with their upper ends in a recess of a punch holder 13, are formed cylindrically, have the same cross-sectional area and are vertically oriented. The lower ends of the punches 21, 22, 23 terminate at different heights. The positions of the lower ends of the punches 21, 22, 23 can be adjusted by fastening the punches to be inserted into the recesses of the punch holder to different extents. The punches 21, 23, 23 are each arranged offset by 90° at the same distance about an axis running longitudinally through the shaft 6, so that the punches 21, 22 and 23 can be moved into three of the four die molds 1, 2, 3 and 4 when they are properly positioned, i.e. the three die molds are directly under them. Accordingly, the fixed positions of the punches 21, 22, and 23 in a horizontal plane define three molding material processing positions of the die molds 1, 2, 3, 4 in which the molding material is processed in the die molds 1, 2, 3, or 4. The punches 21, 22 and 23 are of different lengths and accordingly project downward to different extents and are arranged counterclockwise lengthwise. The lengths of the punches 21, 22, 23 increase in the counterclockwise direction. A large gap is located between the shortest punch 21 and the longest punch 23. the shortest punch is the pre-press punch 21. The die mold 2 located directly below the pre-press punch 21 is accordingly in the pre-press position. The middle-length punch is the pressing punch 22, and the die mold 3 located directly below the pressing punch 22 is accordingly in the pressing position. The longest punch 23 is in the ejection position and is located directly above the recess 8 in the bottom element 7. the die mould 4, which is located directly below the ejection punch 23, is accordingly in the ejection position. The lengths of the pre-press ram 21 and the press ram 22 can be selected or adjusted depending on the material to be pressed, while the ejection ram 23 is on the one hand so long that its lower end protrudes into the lower opening of a die when the ram device 9 is completely lowered into a lower position, so that the material to be pressed is completely ejected, and on the other hand so short that its lower end lies above the upper opening of a die when the ram device 9 is completely raised into an upper position, so that the ejection ram 23 does not obstruct the rotation of the die device 5. The filling device 12 is arranged in such a way that the material to be pressed, which is poured from the material to be pressed dispensing device into the hopper 17, slides through the filling tube 18 into the fourth die form, over which no punch is located in the large gap between the shortest punch 21 and the longest punch 32, while a punch 21, 22, 23 is respectively located over the three further die forms. The die 1 is accordingly in the filling position. The punch drive device 10 comprises two hydraulic cylinders 16 which make it possible to lower and raise the punch device 9 and thus to simultaneously drive or drive the punches 21, 22 and 23 into and out of three of the die molds 1, 2, 3 and 4. A recess 26 in the plunger holder 13 ensures that the filling device 12 cannot collide with the plunger holder 13 when the plunger holder is lowered or raised. The die driving means 11 comprises a gear 25 driven by a motor and meshing with another gear 24 provided on the periphery of the die 5. The processing of material to be pressed by the pressing device takes place in a plurality of processing steps, wherein the same processing step is always carried out in one processing position, and wherein the die drive device 11 and the die drive device 10 are controlled by a controller.In a first processing step (filling), pressed material, which is zinc chips, is filled into the die mold in the filling position, while the ram device 9 is at the same time first lowered and then raised again in order to process pressed material in the further die molds. The die device 5 is then rotated further by 90° counter-clockwise, so that the die mold thus just filled with material to be pressed reaches the pre-pressing position.In a second processing step (pre-pressing), the stamping device 9 is moved down with the pre-pressing stamp 21 and the material to be pressed in the just filled die mold is thereby pre-pressed and the stamping device 9 is then moved up again, wherein at the same time, material to be pressed is processed in two other die molds with the aid of the two further stamps 22 and 23 and material to be filled is filled in a further die mold, which is now in the filling position. The die device 5 is then rotated further by 90° counter-clockwise, so that the die mold with the pre-pressed material is in the pressing position.In a third processing step (pressing), the punch device 9 is lowered with the press punch 22 and the material to be pressed is thereby pressed in the just filled die shape and the punch device 9 is then raised again, wherein at the same time material to be pressed is again processed in two other die shapes with the aid of the two further punches 21 and 23 and material to be filled is filled in a further die shape which is now in the filling position. The greatest force acts on the pressing ram 23 during pressing in the case of ideal adjustment. Depending on the force acting on all punches 21, 22, 23 during pressing, which should be substantially identical to the force acting on the press punch 23, and corresponds to a certain load of the punch drive device 10, the lowering of the punch device 9 can be ended and its raising can be initiated. After the material to be pressed is pressed into the die shape, the die device 5 is rotated further by 90° counter-clockwise, so that the die shape with the pressed material is in the ejection position.In a fourth processing step (ejection), the punch device 9 is lowered with the ejection punch 23 and the pressed material thus pressed is ejected through the lower opening of the die mold and the punch device 9 is raised again, wherein simultaneously in turn pressed material is processed in two other die molds with the aid of the two further punches 21 and 22 and filling material is filled into a further die mold, which is now in the filling position. The die device 5 is then rotated further by 90°, so that the die shape from which the material to be pressed has just been ejected is again in the filling position.The four press material processing steps filling, pre-pressing, pressing and ejection are now repeated in the same die form. In the further three die molds, the same press material processing steps proceed in parallel in sequence, the respectively proceeding press material processing step being determined by the position of the die mold.

Claims

A pressing device for compacting dust-like, powder-like or chip-like particles and the like, in particular metal chips, comprising a punch device (9) comprising a press punch (22) and an ejection punch (23), a die device (5) comprising a first die shape (2), and a bottom element (7), wherein the first die shape (2) comprises two die openings and a die space, wherein one of the two die openings of the first die shape (2) is an upper die opening, wherein the other of the two die openings of the first die shape (2) is a lower die opening, wherein the die device (5) comprises a second die shape (3), wherein the second die shape (3) comprises an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, wherein the die device (5) is formed and rotatable in such a way, the press die (2) moving into a pressing position and the second die (3) moving simultaneously into an ejection position, wherein the bottom element (7) covers the lower opening of the first die (2) in the pressing position and leaves the lower opening of the second die (3) open in the ejection position, wherein a lower end of the press die (22) can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the first die (2) in the pressing position, and wherein a lower end of the ejection die (23) can be lowered through the upper die opening into the die space of the second die (3) in the ejection position, characterized in that the press die (22) and the ejection die (23) are attached to a lowerable die holder (13), wherein, so that the pressing ram (22) and the ejection ram (23) can be lowered together by lowering the ram holder (13).Pressing device according to claim 1, characterised in that the die device (5) comprises a third die mould (4), that the third die mould (4) has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, that the die device (5) is designed and rotatable such that the first die mould (2) reaches a pressing position, that the second die mould (3) simultaneously reaches an ejection position, and that the third die mould (4) simultaneously reaches a filling position, and that a filling device (12) is provided which is configured to fill pressed material through the upper die opening into the die space of the third die mould (4) in the filling position.Pressing device according to claim 2, characterised in that the bottom element (7) covers the lower die opening of the third die mould (4) in the filling position.Pressing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the die device (5) has a fourth die mould (1), in that the fourth die mould (1) has an upper die opening, a die space and a lower die opening, in that the die device (5) is designed and rotatable in such a way that the first die mould (2) reaches a pressing position, in that the second die mould (3) simultaneously reaches an ejection position, in that the third die mould (4) simultaneously reaches a filling position, in that the fourth die mould (1) simultaneously reaches a pre-pressing position, and in that a pre-pressing punch (21) is provided, the lower end of which can be lowered in the pre-pressing position through the upper die opening into the die space of the fourth die mould (1).Pressing device according to claim 4, characterised in that the bottom element (7) covers the lower die opening of the fourth die mould (1) in the pre-pressing position.Pressing device according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterised in that the pre-press ram (21) is attached to the lowerable ram holder (13), so that the pre-press ram (21), the press ram (22) and the ejection ram (23) can be lowered together by lowering the ram holder (13).Pressing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) are arranged on the die device (5) in such a way, and the die device (5) is rotatable in such a way that each of the die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) simultaneously reaches one of the press material processing positions, that any of the die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) is rotatable into each of the press material processing positions, and that the press material processing position of the further die mold (1, 2, 3, 4) or the press material processing positions of the further die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) is / are determined by the press material processing position of the any die mold (1, 2, 3, 4).Pressing device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a die drive device (11) is provided which is configured to rotate the die device (5) into positions in which the die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) are each located in a material processing position, and in that a punch drive device (10) is provided which is configured to lower punches (21, 22, 23) into the die molds (1, 2, 3, 4) which are each located in one of the material processing positions.

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