Method for producing pressed products and assembly for producing pressed products

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing pressed products and to an assembly for producing pressed products, in which the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome and an efficient method is achieved together with simple construction and simple implementation. Method for producing pressed products, in which, after feedstock has been supplied, the volume of the feedstock (11) is reduced and the feedstock subsequently undergoes a main compression process to form a pressed product and the pressed product is ejected, characterised in that, after the feedstock (11) is supplied, a preliminary compression process takes place to form a preliminary agglomerate (12) using at least one preliminary compression ram (1) or using at least one compacting screw (17) and the preliminary agglomerate (12) then undergoes the main compression process to form a pressed product in at least one compression mould (3) using at least one main compression ram (21) and the pressed product is then ejected from the at least one compression mould (3), the preliminary compression process, the main compression process and the ejection each taking place in a mutually parallel working direction. Assembly for producing pressed products, wherein, in at least one mould receiver (2), there is at least one compression mould (3) having a supply means (10) for feedstock (11), wherein the at least one compression mould (3) can be brought into alignment with at least one preliminary compression ram (1) or at least one compacting screw (17) and with at least one main compression ram (21), wherein the working directions of the at least one preliminary compression ram (1) or the at least one compacting screw (17) and the at least one main compression ram (21) are mutually parallel, wherein there is a counter pressing plate (4) on the side of the respective compression mould (3) or mould receiver (2) which is nearest or furthest away from the at least one preliminary compression ram (1), and there is a counter pressing plate (4) and / or a moulding channel (30) with a narrowed region (31), on the side of the respective compression mould (3) which is furthest from the at least one main compression ram (21), wherein the at least one compression mould (3) is continuous in the working direction.

Description

[0001] Method for producing pellets and arrangement for producing pellets, in particular for processing renewable, fossil and mineral raw materials, as well as in the area of ​​residual and waste materials.

[0002] Pressing processes and pressing arrangements are already known.

[0003] DE 33 33 766 A1 describes a briquetting press for briquetting irregular fine material, in particular chip-, fiber-, or leaf-like plant material, into dimensionally stable briquettes. The briquetting press comprises a receiving chamber to which the material is fed via a pre-compressor consisting of a piston movable within a cylinder. From this chamber, the pre-compressed material is pressed into a forming tool by means of a press piston movable back and forth perpendicular to the movement of the compressor piston. The cross-section of the receiving chamber and the forming tool, viewed in the direction of the press piston, is approximately rectangular, so that the pre-compressor piston, with its end face, essentially forms an entire side wall of the receiving chamber. Furthermore, a rotating disc with forming cavities is disclosed.

[0004] DE 10 2010 012 300 A1 discloses a device for compressing loose material. It has a press piston that presses the material into a mold cavity located in a pressing position. The mold moves the mold cavity from the pressing position to an ejection position through a rotary movement. The compressed briquette is cooled by transferring heat to the solid material of the mold. To improve the dissipation of the heat generated during the pressing process, it is proposed to arrange the cavity in a mold designed as a solid disc.

[0005] US 3 980 014 discloses a briquetting press which produces briquettes by a pressing process using two oppositely arranged and counter-rotating pressing rams or pressing cylinders.

[0006] DE 10 2011 116 031 A1 discloses a lockless solids feed system for pressurized gasification reactors, which allows the continuous feed of solid fuel, in particular lignite and other briquettable solid fuels and fuel mixtures, into a gasification reactor pressurized to up to 65 bar.

[0007] US 2005 / 0238750 A1 discloses a briquetting machine with a press featuring a rotating disc, in which the disc rotates using a hydraulic cylinder and an eccentric disc. This drive is disadvantageous for precise disc positioning at very high travel speeds. During pre-compression, the ejection cylinder is positioned directly opposite the pre-compression cylinder. Due to the cylinder arrangement, parallel and simultaneous operation of the pre-compression and main compression, as well as the ejection, is not possible.

[0008] EP 0 888 873 A1 discloses a briquetting press equipped with two main pressing cylinders arranged opposite each other. This is an energy-consumptive disadvantage, since both cylinders must apply the maximum pressing force.

[0009] GB 2 338 921 A discloses a briquetting press with a rotating disc that is rotated by means of a hydraulic cylinder and an eccentric disc. A particular disadvantage is that the ejection cylinder is retracted into the disc, and then pressure on the movable mounting of this cylinder moves both the ejection cylinder and the disc.

[0010] US 4,371,328 discloses a sequential pressing operation, in which a die is filled via a screw. A locking mechanism then moves between the screw and the die, which acts as a counter-press plate during the main pressing, which occurs from the opposite side at the same circular position. This prevents the pre-pressing and main pressing, as well as the ejection, from occurring simultaneously, and greatly reduces throughput. Pre-compaction is achieved with only a screw, not with a pre-compaction cylinder. Pre-compaction occurs against the stationary main press cylinder, not against a fixed disk. The disk is driven externally, not via a shaft on the disk's rotational axis.

[0011] The forming tools of a briquetting press disclosed in WO 00 76757 A1 are arranged as three cylinders in a row or alignment, with two pressing cylinders at the outer ends of the machine applying the main pressing force. Thus, pre-pressing and main pressing do not take place simultaneously against a rigid plate, but always against a different cylinder. Before the main pressing, pre-compaction takes place perpendicular or transverse to the main pressing direction, so that the individual pressing steps occur sequentially rather than in parallel. This has a negative impact on the achievable throughput. The synchronous cylinder in the center of the machine is not used to apply the pressing force for the main pressing.

[0012] The pressing process disclosed in EP 0 024 003 for producing single-layer compacts takes place against a movable punch that moves beneath the compression sleeve along with the disk, which is moved for filling and ejection. The molds are not completely filled while the disk is stationary; the material trickles into the sleeve during the disk's movement and is then scraped off. Thus, there is no pre-compression of the material.

[0013] In the pressing process in a briquetting press disclosed in DE 33 33 766 A1, the material is pre-compacted perpendicularly or transversely to the main pressing direction. The compacted material is then transported by a main pressing cylinder into the forming sleeve, where the pressing pressure required for briquetting is built up. This is therefore a sequential process in which pre-compression, main pressing, and ejection cannot take place simultaneously. This negatively impacts the speed of the machine and thus also the throughput. - The pre-compacted material must be pushed completely into the die by the main pressing cylinder, which negatively impacts the electrical power consumption.

[0014] EP 1 568 477 A1, which represents the closest prior art, discloses a waste compaction machine in which the material is compressed in a perforated cylinder which is closed at one end by a closing element prestressed against the end by a hydraulic system.

[0015] US 4,397,231 A discloses an apparatus and method for producing and collecting a usable liquid extract and a usable dry by-product from a mash.

[0016] US 2,904,835 A discloses an apparatus for deliquescing sludges and simultaneously compressing the solids thereof into easily manageable, coherent forms.

[0017] DE 33 20 667 A1 describes a briquetting press for loose material to be pressed, such as sawdust, and has a loading device which introduces the material to be pressed into a pressing chamber, a pressing device which becomes active in the pressing chamber and a device for automatically ejecting the pressed product from the pressing chamber, wherein axially parallel oriented pressing chambers are successively divided by a stepping drive into a loading station containing the loading device, a pressing station containing the pressing device and a pressing station containing the device for ejecting the pressed product from the respective pressing chamber.

[0018] EP 0 684 117 A1 discloses a machine for processing moisture-containing material, comprising a fixed frame and a frame rotatably movable about a rotation axis, having at least two cylinders in which the ends are open. Work stations arranged around the rotation axis comprise at least one loading station provided with means for closing one of the ends of the cylinder located at the loading station and means for loading the material to be processed into one of the cylinders through the other end, a compression station provided with means for hermetically closing at least one of the ends of the cylinder located at the compression station, and an unloading station provided with means for ejecting the compressed material from the cylinder.

[0019] FR 2 792 570 A1 discloses a press for treating lumpy material, in particular waste or garbage with a fraction of material that flows under the influence of pressure.

[0020] DE 195 26 342 A1 describes a method and a device for producing highly compressed, dimensionally stable cylindrical briquettes from straw-shaped material, such as straw, whole plants, grass or other plant stems, which are fed continuously in an uncrushed state, preferably aligned longitudinally to the axial compression direction, and are fed, axially compressed, finally compressed and ejected simultaneously in several press bushings arranged on a partial circle.Here, the loosely piled strand of material aligned by a combing roller is compacted by a pair of pre-compaction rollers, separated into strand pieces by special upper and lower knives, ejected via ejection flaps onto a dosing belt, equalized in terms of strand height, then mass-dosed with a dosing star, radially and simultaneously formed as a strand of material and pre-compacted, then simultaneously positioned in the press bush and axially pre-compacted, finally compacted in the further stations and ejected.

[0021] DE 10 2012 010 263 A1 (57) relates to a rotary transfer press for producing green compacts from powder materials. The rotary transfer press comprises an indexing plate equipped with a plurality of tool cavities assigned to a plurality of tool positions. Tool positions are provided at least for filling, compacting, and ejecting workpieces, and at least one cavity is assigned to each tool position. The indexing plate is positively and / or non-positively connected to the machine body during compaction.

[0022] The invention is based on the object of developing a material feed device without complex extraction devices, in which an extruder continuously conveys the coal into a pressurized gasification reactor without a lock. The briquette strand, tightly clamped in the extruder's forming channel, forms a virtually gas-tight briquette plug and seals the pressurized reactor from the feed system. For this purpose, the pressing tool is equipped with a rigid forming channel and has cooling channels surrounding the entire pressing chamber. The forming channel consists of wear sleeves arranged in a geometry arranged on all sides and is divided into a pressing zone, a constriction zone, and an expansion zone.

[0023] The state of the art shows that the feed material is either only reduced in volume before the actual pressing process or the pressing process begins immediately, which has the disadvantage of requiring a very long cylinder or ram travel or requiring the use of two counter-rotating rams or cylinders. It has been shown that a single cylinder or ram must extend a very long way to fulfill the entire pressing task. Tests have shown that, depending on the feed material, significantly varying cylinder or ram travels, for example of more than 70% of the cylinder or ram travel, would only result in the air-filled void volume of the bulk material being displaced before the cylinder or ram begins to build up pressing pressure. This single cylinder would have a large diameter so that it can build up the full pressing pressure at the end. This would therefore require a very large amount of oil to be pumped into the cylinder. This implementation has proven to be highly inefficient.

[0024] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method for producing compacts and an arrangement for producing compacts, wherein the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome and an efficient method and at the same time a simple structure and a simple implementation are achieved.

[0025] With the invention, in the specified application, a method is created as a pressing process for producing compacts according to claim 8.

[0026] Accordingly, the invention further comprises an arrangement for producing compacts according to claim 1, wherein at least one compression mold with a feed for the feed material is present in at least one sequentially rotating mold holder, wherein the at least one compression mold can be arranged to correspond to at least one pre-compression punch, at least one main compression punch, and at least one ejection punch. For this purpose, the respective compression mold can be moved relative to the at least one pre-compression punch, the at least one main compression punch, and the at least one ejection punch.Furthermore, the working direction of the at least one pre-pressing ram, the at least one main pressing ram and the at least one ejection ram is parallel to one another, wherein on the side of the pressing mold opposite and / or facing the pre-pressing ram there is a counter-pressing plate and on the side of the pressing mold opposite the at least one main pressing ram there is a counter-pressing plate and on the side of the respective pressing mold opposite the at least one ejection ram there is a forming channel with a region of a constriction or a device or arrangement for collecting, transporting away or further processing the pressed pieces, wherein the at least one pressing mold is continuous in the working direction and thus the respective one-sided, parallel pressing or ejection of the pressed pieces can take place in the same or different pressing directions or ejection directions.

[0027] The respective positions into which or to which the die is moved for pre-pressing, main pressing and ejection can also be referred to as pre-pressing position, main pressing position and ejection position.

[0028] The respective counter-press platen is connected to the respective drives of at least the pre-press ram and the main press ram in a force-absorbing and thus force-balancing manner, so that no or only minimal axial forces or no forces acting in the working direction of the respective pressing occur or are directed into the mold component containing the pressing mold and its structural implementation. The pressing molds move relative to and towards the respective counter-press plates or to the at least one pre-press ram, the at least one main press ram, and the at least one ejection ram.

[0029] Advantageously, the method according to the invention and the arrangement at least divide the pressing process into two parts, for example, by a small-diameter hydraulic cylinder pre-compressing the bulk material into a pre-agglomerate, which also brings about a volume reduction and significantly exceeds pre-compaction, which also brings about a volume reduction. This hydraulic cylinder, for example, can be extended very quickly for the pre-compression. The pre-agglomerate already has a more solidified structure than with pre-compaction, which is neither achieved nor desired with pre-compaction. With pre-compaction, a loose structure of the feed material is retained. In this case, pressures a fraction of the actual main pressing process are used.Only then, in the high-pressure range, is a large-diameter hydraulic cylinder used, which only has to travel a very short distance. This allows the required oil flow to be drastically reduced, resulting in a significant reduction in power requirements.

[0030] During the first compression, known as the pre-compression, a large relative movement of the pre-compression ram and the feed material and the mold surface occurs, with the pre-compression occurring at only a low pressure. During the second compression, known as the main compression, a very high pressure is built up, but the travel of the main compression ram is only a few millimeters.

[0031] Hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic cylinders or linear motors as well as other similarly acting drives can be considered as drives for the respective pre-pressing rams or the main press rams or the ejection rams.

[0032] Using a plug screw as a pre-compression screw that is not in accordance with the invention, clearly defined pre-agglomerates cannot be formed due to the continuous conveying and pre-compression of the feed material. Nevertheless, a pre-compression pressure is achieved in the mold that forms positionally stable pre-agglomerates. The plug screw that is not in accordance with the invention is used, for example, with materials where shearing leads to no or only acceptable shear patterns at the interfaces forming the pre-agglomerate.

[0033] Volume reduction refers to the pre-compaction of the feed material, whereby the volume reduction only occurs under very low pressure, leaving the feed material in a loose, fluffy, or unstable form. In contrast, pre-compression occurs under increased pressure compared to volume reduction, which, in addition to reducing the volume, also causes the feed material to be compressed into a stable pre-agglomerate during pre-compression. This pre-agglomerate remains self-locking and inherently stable in the mold. Thus, in addition to the volume reduction, consolidation also occurs, although the final strength is not yet reached.

[0034] Only with the main pressing, i.e. pressing with a very high pressure, is a highly compacted, dimensionally stable and dimensionally stable compact achieved.

[0035] The process and configuration are suitable for producing compacts of high strength and dimensional stability of various shapes and sizes from a wide variety of feed materials. These can be divided into the following exemplary groups: renewable raw materials fossil raw materials mineral raw materials residues and waste materials

[0036] In detail, these can be, for example: all wood and bark, agriculturally produced biomass, crop residues and by-products of food and feed production, such as straw, for example wheat straw, rapeseed straw, oat straw, rice straw; grasses, for example miscanthus, reed canary grass; bagasse; husks; hay; fruit waste; shells, dried fermentation residues, peat, coal of different ages and degrees of coalification such as soft lignite, hard lignite, hard coal, anthracite, lime, quicklime, fertilizers, potash, dolomite, bentonite, sewage sludge, household waste, plastic waste, metal shavings, metal flakes, sponge iron, metallurgical residues, graphite and multi-component mixtures of these components

[0037] The pellets can be produced either without binders or using a variety of natural or synthetic binders, such as starch, tar, pitch and / or molasses.

[0038] The term “pressed material” equally includes briquettes and other names for pressed raw materials.

[0039] The process of pre-pressing, main pressing, and ejection runs continuously and repeatedly. After a compact is ejected from a mold, another pre-press and main pressing follows in the newly released mold, followed by another ejection. If multiple molds are used, it is possible that the mold may only be moved between individual pressing steps to proceed to the next pressing step or for ejection. Empty movements of the mold, movements of the mold with a pre-agglomerate, or movements of the mold with a compact are not excluded.

[0040] The mold can have any shape, cross-section and depth.

[0041] Advantageous embodiments of the method and the arrangement are presented in the subclaims.

[0042] Ejection is advantageously carried out by means of at least one ejection ram, since the ejection process involves comparatively longer distances than the main pressing process. However, it is still intended, or even planned, that ejection is carried out by means of at least one main pressing ram, since its drive is already designed for high forces. This main pressing ram and its drive would then have to cover longer distances than required for the main pressing process.

[0043] Advantageously, on the side of the respective mold opposite the at least one ejection ram, a mold channel with a constriction area or a device for removal or further processing is provided, thus making the device suitable for a variety of applications. In addition to the production of individually falling compacts and their discharge into fixed receptacles, it can also be used, for example, in a continuously operating, lockless solids feed system for pressurized reactors and vessels. The tapered shape achieves the well-known gas-tightness. The drive of the ejection ram would then have to be designed according to the necessary forces.

[0044] As an alternative to the molding channel, an arrangement or device for collecting, transporting, or further processing compacts is provided. This includes all measures and steps involving the compacts following the compact manufacturing process. These may include, but are not limited to, conveyor systems or collection devices.

[0045] In addition to or as an alternative to the mold channel with a region of a constriction on the side of the mold opposite the at least one ejection punch, a support plate is provided, wherein this support plate absorbs any forces that may occur during ejection and for this purpose comprises an opening that enables the ejection of the compact according to the shape or cross-section of the compact.

[0046] A further development of the process is that the pre-pressing, the main pressing and / or the ejection take place independently of one another in the same or in an opposite working direction, whereby the individual steps can take place in the same direction or in opposite directions as well as simultaneously in parallel or sequentially one after the other, depending on the requirements of the process.

[0047] By ensuring that the at least one pre-press punch, the at least one main press punch, and / or the at least one ejection punch each have the same or opposite working direction, the forces acting on the press mold are directed in the same direction. Furthermore, the arrangement of the punches can be simplified. Simultaneous pressing processes and the ejection process are facilitated. Furthermore, downstream processes can be handled efficiently.

[0048] By moving the at least one pressing mold one after the other to the at least one pre-pressing punch and to the at least one main pressing punch, or by moving the at least one pressing mold one after the other to the at least one pre-pressing punch, to the at least one main pressing punch and to the at least one ejection punch, the respective pressing processes or the ejection process can be carried out individually for the respective pressing mold. In addition, this ensures that only comparatively small masses are moved and the respective components that absorb the forces do not have to be actively moved. This respective process takes place in a circular manner or is repeated in each case, so that the pressing mold is moved back to the pre-pressing punch after the main pressing punch or the ejection punch.

[0049] By performing one, two, or more pre-pressing, main pressing, and / or ejection steps in parallel or simultaneously, throughput is increased, thus making the production process more efficient. Pre-pressing and main pressing, as well as ejection of the compact, can thus take place simultaneously. Previously, these were successive or sequential steps in other state-of-the-art hydraulic presses. Despite the increased throughput of the machine, neither the hydraulic cylinders nor the hydraulic power unit have been significantly larger.

[0050] Advantageously, the feed material is pre-compacted for the pre-compression and / or the pre-compression takes place to form at least one pre-pressed feed material or pre-agglomerate in the compression mold and / or in a pre-compression channel, so that on the one hand pre-compaction for the pre-compression, for which different lengths of travel are required depending on the feed material, and on the other hand a series of pre-compressions can take place one after the other in the pre-compression channel as multiple compressions, which are held one after the other in the pre-compression channel and are pushed one after the other into the respective compression mold for the final pre-compression, whereby they retain their shape and strength. It is advantageous that several pre-compressions take place one after the other in corresponding phases of process-related breaks in the process. The series of pre-compressions as multiple compressions achieves an additional reduction in the volume of the pre-agglomerates.

[0051] By performing two or more pre-compressions one after the other, whereby the respective feed material is pressed against the pre-agglomerate in front of it, the throughput during pre-compression is increased.

[0052] In addition to the pre-compression in the press mold, the pre-compression by means of a pre-compression punch also takes place in the pre-compression channel.

[0053] By pushing the pre-agglomerates one position further during the pre-pressing process, with one pre-agglomerate being pushed into the mold at a time, the pre-pressing of the preceding pre-agglomerate also takes place in the mold. This further promotes reliable pre-pressing.

[0054] In two or more consecutive main pressings or ejections, the compacts are pushed from the compression mold or from the compression mold into a mold channel with a region of constriction, whereby the respective compacts are pushed one position further into the mold channel, whereby a tightly fitting stack or a tightly fitting row of compacts is achieved, which favors the subsequent process, for example by maintaining a process pressure through tightness.

[0055] Advantageously, the pre-agglomerate is pre-pressed into a stable shape so that it does not fall out of the mold or remain loose or trickle out of the mold. Pre-pressing or the stable shape creates smooth or definable surfaces at the ends of the pre-agglomerate axial to the pressing direction, either as an interface or as a contact surface between two pre-agglomerates. These surfaces allow for clean separation or shearing without compromising the shape of the pre-agglomerate. This also allows the individual pre-agglomerates pre-pressed in the pre-press channel to be advantageously moved into the mold for further processing.

[0056] Particularly in the case of feed materials with increased elasticity or still residual elasticity, it can happen that the pre-agglomerate expands after pre-pressing. This leads to the pre-agglomerate protruding from the die at least on one side and the movement of the die to the main press ram being hindered or made impossible, or to the pre-agglomerate being damaged and failing. Accordingly, a positioning device is provided with which the position of the pre-agglomerate in the die can be corrected. Furthermore, the positioning ensures that in the case of pre-agglomerates which were pre-pressed, for example, as a stack in the pre-press channel, the pre-agglomerate pressed into the die can be pressed back towards the pre-press channel or the pre-press ram until the contact surface between the pre-agglomerate in the die and the pre-agglomerate in the pre-press channel is level orcorresponds to the plane or surface of the transition between the pre-press channel and the press mold, so that when the press mold moves towards the main press ram, no adverse shearing of the pre-agglomerate occurs.

[0057] By performing pre-compaction prior to pre-compression, additional pre-compaction and, in particular, a volume reduction of the feed material is achieved, which favors the pre-compression process and increases the reliability and accuracy of the pre-compression. Pre-compaction can be achieved, for example, using a pre-compaction ram or a plug screw as a pre-compaction screw, but not exclusively.

[0058] In a further development of the method, the feed of the feed material for pre-compression is controlled dynamically, with the quantity of feed material being influenced by at least one pre-compression ram or by pre-compaction. This allows for uniform pre-agglomerates or pre-agglomerates of a defined size to be achieved, since the required quantity of feed material is adjusted in each case.

[0059] For uniform pre-agglomerates or pre-agglomerates of a defined size, the quantity of feed material is advantageously adjusted based on the pre-pressing path.

[0060] Advantageously, the at least one pre-press punch and / or the at least one main press punch and / or the at least one ejection punch act simultaneously on respectively assigned pressing molds which are located in the corresponding position of the at least one pre-press punch and / or the at least one main press punch and / or the at least one ejection punch, whereby a pre-press in one pressing mold, a main pressing in another pressing mold and an ejection in a third pressing mold can take place simultaneously, whereby an efficient process and a high throughput are achieved.

[0061] By performing the main pressing alternately between at least two press molds with spaced-apart mold holders, it is achieved that when the main press ram retracts using the main press cylinder after pressing a compact, a new compact can be produced simultaneously on the other side of the main press cylinder using a second main press ram arranged thereon. This prevents the retraction of the main press cylinder after the pressing task from being an idle stroke during which no work is performed.

[0062] The mold holder is advantageously, for example, a round or polygonal mold disk or a mold ring rotatable about a rotational axis, with at least one compression mold being arranged in at least one round or polygonal mold disk or a mold ring rotatable about a rotational axis. This simplifies the uniform movement of the compression mold to the respective press punches, since the entire process, at least comprising pre-pressing, main pressing, and ejection, runs continuously and repeatedly, thus avoiding back-and-forth movement with the empty compression mold. Using a ring instead of a disk simplifies the design of the mold and reduces the masses to be moved.

[0063] With two or more molds, the molds are advantageously distributed in the mold holder as a rotatable round or polygonal mold disk or the mold ring in the circumferential direction, or are offset by 120 degrees, 60 degrees, or 30 degrees on the mold disk or the mold ring, allowing the respective molds to be operated evenly and without interfering with each other. Furthermore, arrangements of the molds at 180 degrees, 90 degrees, or 45 degrees are also possible.

[0064] In addition to the disc and ring, the at least one compression mold is advantageously arranged, for example, in at least one radially arranged mold arm extending from the axis of rotation and rotatable about the axis of rotation as a mold holder. With two or more radially arranged mold arms extending from the axis of rotation and rotatable about the axis of rotation as a mold holder, the mold arms are distributed around the axis of rotation or offset by 120 degrees, 60 degrees, or 30 degrees. This achieves a simple and material-saving implementation, with which the respective compression molds can be operated evenly and without mutual interference. Mold arms offset by 180 degrees, 90 degrees, or 45 degrees or distributed in the circumferential direction are also possible.

[0065] The distribution of the dies in the respective die holder in the circumferential direction, or the distribution of the die arms, can be ordered and uniform, or disordered and irregular. This is dictated by the respective process and / or the structural design.

[0066] If, for example, no separate ejection punch is used, the press molds or the mold arms can be arranged offset by 180 degrees, 90 degrees or 45 degrees, since, for example, the pre-pressing is followed by the main pressing with the accompanying ejection.

[0067] Any other angle specifications or gradations not mentioned are included and result from the respective design implementations and requirements.

[0068] Further or different shapes and cross-sections of the mold holder are possible, provided the respective design of the mold holder allows for the respective pre-pressing, main pressing, and ejection processes. For example, in addition to ellipsoids, irregular shapes with or without corners are also possible. Although the mold holder refers to the mold disk, the mold ring, or at least one mold arm, other suitable shapes and cross-sections of the mold holder are also included.

[0069] The at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk, as a mold ring, or as at least one mold arm, can be arranged vertically, with the rotation axis thus being aligned horizontally, or horizontally, with the rotation axis thus being aligned vertically. Accordingly, with a vertical arrangement of the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk, as a mold ring, or as at least one mold arm, the respective punches are arranged horizontally, and with a horizontal arrangement of the at least one mold holder as a mold disk, as a mold ring, or as at least one mold arm, the respective punches are arranged vertically.

[0070] A further development of the arrangement provides that the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk, a mold ring, or as at least one mold arm, rotates sequentially around the rotation axis, so that for the respective pressing step or ejection, the respective press mold in the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk, a mold ring, or as at least one mold arm, is stationary opposite and relative to the respective punch. Advantageously, low-wear servomotors, for example, are used, which act on the rotation axis and thus on the rotation shaft and influence the movement. However, other equally suitable drives are not excluded.

[0071] Depending on the design and requirement, on the one hand the respective counter-press plate arranged on the side of the respective press mold opposite the respective pre-press punch is arranged in a fixed position.

[0072] On the other hand, the respective counter-press plate is advantageously arranged so that it can pivot or slide if it is arranged on the side of the respective press mold facing the at least one pre-press punch, so that after pre-pressing in the mold channel or the filling channel, it releases the respective press mold and the pre-agglomerate can be inserted into the press mold. This makes it possible to pre-press and store a series of pre-agglomerates regardless of the position of the press molds. These can then be easily and quickly inserted into the respective press mold and distributed among the press molds. This allows the pre-pressing and the entire pressing process to be optimized.

[0073] For further flexibility, counter-press plates are provided on both sides of the press mold, i.e. on the side of the respective press mold opposite and facing the respective pre-press punch, whereby the counter-press plate on the side of the respective press mold facing the at least one pre-press punch is pivotable or movable. Thus, depending on the need, on the one hand, both independently of the

[0074] Press mold pre-press pre-agglomerates and on the other hand use the press mold for pre-pressing.

[0075] Furthermore, the respective counter-press plate for the main pressing is arranged to be pivotable or displaceable, if these are arranged in particular in combination with a forming channel on the side of the respective pressing mold opposite the at least one main pressing punch, so that after the main pressing in the respective pressing mold, this clears the way into the forming channel and the insertion or further pushing of the compact into the forming channel can take place.

[0076] If there is no mold channel on the side of the respective mold opposite the at least one main press ram, the respective counter-press plate can be stationary on the side of the respective mold opposite the respective main press ram. However, it can also be arranged so that it can pivot or slide.

[0077] The pivoting or sliding counter-press plate is driven to pivot or slide from the pressing position to a release or opening position. The drive type depends on the specific requirements of the respective arrangement.

[0078] Preferably, a locking of the pivotable or displaceable counter-press plate is provided for more reliable force absorption and more reliable force compensation in connection with the pre-press ram or the main press ram.

[0079] By distributing the at least one pre-press punch, the at least one main press punch and the at least one ejection punch to the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk or as a mold ring, in the circumferential direction of the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disk or as a mold ring or as an arrangement of the mold arms, or by each being offset by 120 degrees or repeatedly by 60 degrees or 30 degrees, it is achieved that for the respective pressing step or ejection, the respective press punch and ejection punch for the respective molds are arranged evenly and do not interfere with each other. The press punches can also be offset by 180 degrees, for example.

[0080] degrees or offset by 90 degrees or 45 degrees.

[0081] The distribution of the respective press rams in the circumferential direction of the respective mold holder can also be ordered or even, random, irregular, or staggered. This is dictated by the respective process and / or structural design.

[0082] If, for example, no separate ejection punch is used, the pressing punches can be arranged offset by 180 degrees, 90 degrees or 45 degrees.

[0083] Other angle specifications between 1 and 90 degrees as well as multiples of these angle specifications are included and also result from the respective constructive implementations and requirements.

[0084] By assigning at least one pre-pressing punch, at least one main pressing punch and at least one ejecting punch to one of the pressing molds in the case of two or more pressing molds, the pre-pressing can be carried out simultaneously on one respective pressing mold, the main pressing on another respective pressing mold and the ejecting on another respective pressing mold, thereby increasing the efficiency of the arrangement.

[0085] In a further development of the arrangement, a feed material feed is provided for each respective compression mold, or a common feed material feed is provided for two or more compression molds, wherein, in the case of a common feed material feed, the respective compression molds are arranged next to one another in a horizontal plane in the area of ​​the feed material feed and / or the pre-compression. By arranging compression molds, to which feed material is fed simultaneously, in a horizontal plane, the uniform feed of feed material is promoted, since different relative heights of the compression molds or an inclined position of an elongated compression mold would lead to uneven filling or feeding, and thus the pre-agglomerates or the pressed pieces would turn out unevenly.

[0086] With a horizontal arrangement of the at least one mold holder as a mold disk, a mold ring, or at least one mold arm, the respective compression molds lie in a horizontal plane defined by the respective at least one mold holder as a mold disk, a mold ring, or at least one mold arm. The position within the formed plane is relevant for the respective assignment of the respective pressing or ejection punches.

[0087] In the case of a vertical arrangement of the at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disc, as a mold ring or as at least one mold arm, the respective compression molds are located next to one another in a horizontal plane within the respective at least one mold holder, for example as a mold disc, as a mold ring or as at least one mold arm, in the area of ​​the supply of feed material and / or the pre-pressing.

[0088] The arrangement is further developed in that two mold holders are provided, for example as a mold disk or as a mold ring. Likewise, two mold holders can also be provided, for example as arrangements of at least one mold arm. It is not excluded that the mold holders, for example as a mold ring, as a mold disk or as an arrangement of mold arms, are each combined with one another for the dual arrangement, so that a combination of mold ring and mold disk or the arrangement of mold arms or a combination of mold disk and arrangement of mold arms is implemented. Since the mold holders are designed, for example, as a mold ring, as a mold disk or as an arrangement of mold arms, they each have the same or different axes of rotation.Likewise, the respective shape and size of the mold holders, for example as a mold ring, as a mold disc or as an arrangement of mold arms, can be the same or different.

[0089] The respective mold holders, for example as mold disks or mold rings or as arrangements of mold arms, are spaced apart from one another. At least one main press ram assigned to the at least one press mold in the respective mold holder, for example as a mold disk or mold ring or as arrangements of mold arms, can be driven alternately by a common main press cylinder or a drive arranged between the mold holders, for example as mold disks or mold rings or as two arrangements of mold arms. This enables operation of the main press cylinder as a synchronized cylinder. If the cylinder were operated as a hydraulic cylinder with a single-sided piston rod, the same volume of oil would have to be pumped into the cylinder during retraction as it required for extension.This idle stroke, during which no work is performed, requires additional energy and thus negatively impacts system efficiency. In addition to the main press cylinder, other suitable drives can also be considered, which provide an individually controlled linear movement of the main press ram with the required force.

[0090] The entire structure consisting of at least one pre-pressing ram and at least one ejection ram is present again on the other opposite side of the main press cylinder.

[0091] If the system is designed as a single system for small throughputs, operation can be achieved using a main press cylinder with a single-sided piston rod.

[0092] By having a pre-press channel opening into the mold, with the at least one pre-press ram being arranged in or opening into at least one pre-press channel, a series of agglomerates can be stored, which are pushed into the mold one after the other, and the agglomerate pushed into the mold and at least one other agglomerate are pre-pressed. Thus, the pre-agglomerates are pre-pressed twice, while the applied pressure is not increased.

[0093] The pre-compression channel's tapered shape in the working direction, i.e., toward the mold, promotes pre-compression of the agglomerate. This tapered shape offers the advantage of further compacting the pre-agglomerates within the pre-compression channel, which is particularly advantageous for feed materials with low bulk density.

[0094] By having a positioning punch connected to at least one compression mold, it is achieved that, on the one hand, pre-agglomerates can be pushed into a favorable central position within the compression mold and, on the other hand, that the pre-agglomerates, for example in the case of incomplete or staggered filling of the compression mold and / or when the pre-compression channel is used, can be pushed back into a position which corresponds to the contact surface between two pre-agglomerates or the interface of a pre-agglomerate and the plane of the surface of the mold holder around the compression mold or the plane between the pre-compression channel and the compression mold, thus preventing any adverse shearing of the pre-agglomerate. The positioning punch is present, for example, in the counter-press plate or is part of it.

[0095] The working direction of the positioning punch is opposite to that of the pre-press punch.

[0096] Preferably, the positioning punch is aligned with the pre-press punch.

[0097] Advantageously, at least one pre-compactor is arranged in the pre-compression channel or in the feed system. This makes it possible, particularly with large-volume feed materials, to achieve a volume reduction to such an extent that the feed of the feed material and subsequent pre-compression process are facilitated. Repeatedly feeding feed material and pre-compressing it until the desired size of a pre-agglomerate for a compact would be disadvantageous, as contact surfaces or interfaces would form on the resulting composite pre-agglomerates, which could result in weak points in the compact. Examples of pre-compactors used include, but are not limited to, pre-compaction rams or screw conveyors.

[0098] By positioning the pre-compactor at an angle of less than or equal to 90 degrees to the working direction of the pre-compression ram, i.e., inclined in the direction of the pre-compression ram drive, the feeding of the pre-compacted feed material is facilitated, as the pre-compaction is thus also inclined or directed in the working direction of the pre-compression and not against it. Pre-compaction transverse to the working direction of the pre-compression is also provided.

[0099] Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and described in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1a schematic representation of an arrangement for a pressing process with a feed for feed material, a pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder, a main press ram with main press cylinder and an ejection ram with ejection cylinder on a drivable, rotatable forming tool disk with press molds arranged therein and with a schematic representation of a force-absorbing connection between the counter-press plates and the cylinders of the pre-press ram and the main press ram, wherein the pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder, the main press ram with main press cylinder and the ejection ram with ejection cylinder are arranged parallel and with the same working direction, Fig. 2a schematic representation of an arrangement for a pressing process, each with a feed for feed material, each with a pre-pressing ram with a pre-pressing cylinder, each with a main press ram on a main press cylinder as a synchronous cylinder and each with an ejection ram with an ejection cylinder on two drivable, rotatable forming tool disks with pressing molds arranged therein, wherein the forming tool disks have a matching axis of rotation, Fig. 3a schematic representation of an arrangement for a pressing process with a feed for feed material, a pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder, a main press ram with main press cylinder and an ejector ram with ejector cylinder on a drivable, rotatable forming tool disk with press molds arranged therein, wherein the pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder and the main press ram with main press cylinder are arranged parallel and with the same working direction and the ejector ram with ejector cylinder is arranged parallel to the pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder and the main press ram with main press cylinder but with the opposite, i.e. opposite, working direction and with a pivotable counter-press plate between the pre-press ram or filling channel and the press mold, Fig. 4a schematic representation of an arrangement for a pressing process, each with a feed for feed material, each with a pre-press ram with a pre-press cylinder, each with a main press ram on a main press cylinder as a synchronous cylinder, and each with an ejection ram with an ejection cylinder on two drivable, rotatable forming tool disks with pressing molds arranged therein, wherein the forming tool disks have a matching axis of rotation and wherein the pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder and the ejection ram with ejection cylinder are arranged parallel and with the same working direction, and the main press ram with main press cylinder is arranged parallel to the pre-press ram with pre-press cylinder and the ejection ram with ejection cylinder, but with the opposite, i.e., opposite, working direction, Fig. 5a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with the feed material being fed into a filling channel, Fig. 6 a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with pre-pressed feed material as pre-agglomerate in the press mold, Fig. 7 a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with feeding and vertical pre-compaction of the feed material by means of a pre-compaction ram, wherein a pre-press channel is provided in front of the press mold, in which pre-compacted feed material and already pre-pressed feed material are present and an empty press mold is provided for receiving a pre-pressed feed material as a pre-agglomerate, Fig. 8a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with feeding and vertical pre-compaction of the feed material, wherein a pre-press channel is provided in front of the press mold, in which pre-compacted feed material is pre-pressed and already pre-compressed feed material is present and a press mold is provided into which a pre-agglomerate is pressed and loose and uncompacted feed material is already fed via the pre-press ram in the pressing position, wherein the positioning ram has positioned the pre-agglomerate in the boundary area or transition area between the pre-press channel and the press mold, Fig. 9a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with feeding and vertical pre-compaction of the feed material by means of a plug screw as pre-compaction screw, wherein a pre-press channel is provided in front of the press mold, in which pre-compacted feed material and already pre-pressed feed material are present and an empty press mold for receiving a pre-pressed feed material as a pre-agglomerate, Fig. 10a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with feeding and vertical pre-compaction of the feed material, wherein a pre-press channel is provided in front of the press mold, in which pre-compacted feed material is pre-pressed and already pre-compressed feed material is present and a press mold is provided into which a pre-agglomerate is pressed and loose feed material compacted by the plug screw as a pre-compaction screw is already fed above the pre-press ram in the pressing position, Fig. 11a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with the feed of the feed material, wherein a pre-press channel with a tapered cross-section is present in front of the press mold, in which already compacted feed material, already pre-pressed feed material and an empty press mold for receiving a pre-pressed feed material as a pre-agglomerate are present, Fig. 12 a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a pre-press ram and with feeding of the feed material, wherein a pre-press channel with a tapered cross-section is present in front of the press mold, in which already pre-pressed feed material and a press mold are present, into which a pre-agglomerate is pressed and a pre-press ram is present in the pressing position in the pre-press channel, Fig. 13a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a plug screw not according to the invention as a pre-press screw with a tapered cross-section and with feeding of the feed material into and through the plug screw not according to the invention as a pre-press screw, wherein already pre-pressed feed material is present in front of the press mold and an empty press mold for receiving a pre-pressed feed material as a pre-agglomerate, Fig. 14 a schematic sectional view of a pre-press with a plug screw not according to the invention as a pre-press screw with a tapered cross-section and with feeding of the feed material into and through the plug screw not according to the invention as a pre-press screw, wherein a pre-agglomerate is partially pre-pressed and pressed into the press mold, Fig. 15a schematic representation of an arrangement for a pressing process with a feed for feed material, a pre-pressing ram with pre-pressing cylinder, a main pressing ram with main pressing cylinder and an ejection ram with ejection cylinder on a drivable, rotatable forming tool disk with pressing molds arranged therein, wherein on the side of the pressing mold opposite the at least one ejection ram there is a forming channel with a region of a constriction and an enlarged cylinder is provided as a drive for the ejection ram, Fig. 16a schematic spatial representation of an arrangement for a pressing process with a pre-pressing punch with a pre-pressing cylinder with a counter-pressing plate located on the side of the pressing mold opposite the at least one pre-pressing cylinder and a main pressing punch with a main pressing cylinder with a counter-pressing plate located on the side of the pressing mold opposite the at least one main pressing cylinder and an ejection punch with an ejection cylinder with a mold channel located on the side of the pressing mold opposite the at least one ejection punch with a region of a constriction, wherein the ejection takes place into the mold channel, Fig. 17 a mold holder as a mold disc with press molds, Fig. 18 a mold holder as mold arms with press molds and Fig. 19 a mold holder as a mold ring with press molds.

[0100] The method according to the invention provides the following sequence in an at least two-stage pressing process in a mold, wherein feed material 11 is fed in and, after the feed material 11 has been fed in, pre-compression to form a pre-agglomerate 12 takes place in at least one pressing mold 3. This also results in a volume reduction of the feed material 11. Depending on the feed material 11 and the process design, the pre-compression takes place with at least one pre-compression ram 1 or with at least one stuffing screw 17. Subsequently, the pre-agglomerate 12 is subjected to main compression to form a compact in the at least one pressing mold 3 with at least one main compression ram 21. After the main compression, the compact is ejected from the at least one pressing mold 3. The pre-compression, the main compression and the ejection take place in a mutually parallel working direction.

[0101] In a specific embodiment, the pre-press and the main press take place simultaneously and in the same direction. In addition to the pre-press and the main press taking place simultaneously and in the same direction, pressing directions that are independent of one another, either opposite or in the same direction, and / or pressing processes that are independent of one another, simultaneous or sequential, are also provided.

[0102] The same pressing directions are in the Figures 1 to 3 , 15 and 16 shown. In Figure 4 Opposing pressing directions for pre-pressing and main pressing are shown.

[0103] The ejection or ejection direction of the compact depends, for example, on the respective subsequent process or the peripheral equipment for further processing the compact. Depending on the requirements, ejection occurs simultaneously or sequentially with at least one of the pre-pressing or main pressing processes. Furthermore, ejection occurs in the same direction or opposite to at least one of the pre-pressing or main pressing processes, depending on the requirements.

[0104] In the Figures 1 and 2 and 15 The ejection takes place in the same direction as the pre-press and the main press. Figure 3 The ejection takes place in the opposite direction to the pre-press and the main press. Figure 4 The ejection takes place in the opposite direction to the main pressing and in the same direction to the pre-pressing.

[0105] As an alternative to the Figures 3 and 4In the illustrated embodiments of the arrangement according to the invention, it is also provided that the main press ram 21 and the ejection ram 23 each act in the same working direction, while the pre-press ram 1 acts in the opposite, i.e. opposite, working direction.

[0106] The feed material 11 is conveyed into the press mold 3 for pre-compression and is pressed therein by means of the pre-compression ram 1 or the plug screw 17 (not according to the invention) against a fixed counter-press plate 4 located behind it. In this way, a pre-agglomerate 12 is produced. The press mold 3 is continuous. On the one hand, this facilitates the pre-compression and also the main pressing against the counter-press plate 4 and, on the other hand, the ejection of the compact from the press mold 3. This also allows the respective pressing directions to be selected depending on the process requirements. On the side of the press mold 3 opposite the respective pre-compression ram 1 or the plug screw 17 (not according to the invention) and main press ram 21, the counter-press plate 4 is provided. This is shown in the Figures 1 to 16 shown.

[0107] Opposite the ejection punch 23, a forming channel 30 with a constriction 31 is possible, for example with a stepped reduced course in the specific embodiment. This is shown in the Figure 16 shown. In this case, the ejection punch 23 ejects the compact from the mold 3 into the mold channel 30 having a constriction 31 region. A strand of compacts forms in this mold channel 30, with each ejection pushing the respective compacts one position further into the mold channel 30.

[0108] Depending on the embodiment, the respective pressing molds 3 are moved one after the other from the pre-pressing position, i.e. from the pre-pressing of the supplied feed material 11 to the pre-agglomerate 12 by means of the respective pre-pressing ram 1 or the respective plugging screw 17 not according to the invention, into the main pressing position, i.e. to the respective main pressing ram 21 for the main pressing of the pre-agglomerate 12 to a compact, and into the ejection position, i.e. for ejecting the compact by means of the at least one ejection ram 23.

[0109] For this purpose, the respective pressing molds 3 are arranged in at least one mold holder 2. The mold holder 2 is preferably a round or polygonal mold disk 2 rotatable about a rotation axis 28, or a mold ring 2, or at least one radially arranged mold arm 2 extending from a rotation axis 28 and rotatable about the rotation axis 28, in which the continuous pressing mold 3 or the continuous pressing molds 3 are arranged.

[0110] Depending on the design and requirements, one or more compression molds 3 are distributed within the respective mold holder 2. Thus, the compression molds 3 can be provided multiple times for pre-compression and main compression, and, if provided separately, for ejection. Thus, with two or more compression molds 3, a group of compression molds 3 is assigned pre-compression rams 1 or plug screws 17 not according to the invention, another group of compression molds 3 is assigned main compression rams 21, and another group of compression molds 3 is assigned ejection rams 23, thereby achieving a high level of process efficiency. The compression molds 3 can be arranged such that with each sequential rotation of the compression mold holder 2, the next compression occurs either or only after a further or subsequent sequential rotation of the compression mold holder 2.

[0111] Due to the rotational movement of the mold holder 2 around the rotation axis 28, the molds 3 are moved to various fixed positions distributed in the circumferential direction, one after the other, from the pre-pressing to the main pressing, from the main pressing to the ejection, and from the ejection back to the pre-pressing. The rotational movement is sequential, meaning that the mold holder 2 rotates sequentially, since the mold holder 2 remains stationary for each pressing process.

[0112] Pre-pressing punches 1 are provided corresponding to the press molds 3 assigned to the pre-pressing stage. Likewise, main pressing punches 21 are provided corresponding to the press molds 3 assigned to the main pressing stage, and, if designed separately, ejection punches 23 are provided for ejection corresponding to the press molds 3. In this respect, several press molds can be provided, which are preferably arranged so that pre-pressing, main pressing, and ejection, if carried out separately, can take place simultaneously and multiple times.

[0113] In a specific embodiment, the respective pressing mold 3 with the pre-agglomerate 12 contained therein is moved in front of the main pressing ram 21 by means of a sequentially rotating forming tool disk 2. The main pressing now takes place in the same pressing mold 3 at high pressure. The pressure depends on the feed material 11 and the design of the main pressing ram 21 and the respective drive of the main pressing ram 21.

[0114] In the specific embodiment, hydraulic cylinders as pre-press cylinder 9, main press cylinder 22 and ejection cylinder 24 are used as drives for the respective pre-press ram 1, main press ram 21 and ejection ram 23.

[0115] In the specific embodiments, the drive of the mold holder 2 is a stepper motor or a servo motor.

[0116] It is possible that two or more pre-pressings, main pressings and / or ejections can take place in parallel and at the same time, either individually or as a group.

[0117] The respective pre-compression punches 1 or the respective plugging screw 17 not according to the invention, the at least one main compression punch 21 and the respectively present ejection punches 23 act accordingly one after the other or in each case simultaneously on the respectively assigned compression mold 3 or assigned compression molds 3. The respective pre-compression punches 1 or the respective plugging screw 17 not according to the invention, the at least one main compression punch 21 and the respectively present ejection punches 23 each act unilaterally on the respectively assigned compression mold 3 or assigned compression molds 3. In this case, the respective pre-compression punches 1 or the respective plugging screw 17 not according to the invention, the at least one main compression punch 21 and the respectively present ejection punches 23 can act in the same or in different directions on the respectively assigned compression mold 3 or assigned compression molds 3. The respective directions, however, are parallel to one another.The respective pressing mold 3 or respective pressing molds are arranged at different fixed positions distributed in the circumferential direction on the mold holder 2 which rotates sequentially about a rotation axis 28.

[0118] In a specific embodiment, after a further rotational movement of the mold disk 2, the compact is ejected or removed from the mold 3 by means of an ejection punch 23 with a small hydraulic cylinder as the ejection cylinder 24. Ejection can occur by falling loosely onto a conveyor belt, into a fixed receptacle, or into a subsequent process.

[0119] In an alternative embodiment, ejection by means of ejection ram 23 occurs into a forming channel 30, which has a constriction 31 with a conical shape and subsequent widening. The resulting counterpressure can be lower than with the main press ram 21, since the compact is already fully pressed and only needs to be conveyed into the forming channel 30. Depending on the peripheral process and pressure conditions, however, it may be necessary for the compacts to seal the forming channel 30. A strand of compacts also forms in the forming channel 30, with the respective compacts being pushed one position further into the forming channel 30 upon each ejection.

[0120] After the ejection of the compact, the pressing process begins again with the feeding of the feed material 11, the pre-pressing of the feed material 11 to form a pre-agglomerate 12, the main pressing of the pre-agglomerate 12 to form a compact and the subsequent ejection, wherein the pressing mold 3 is moved for pre-pressing, main pressing and ejection respectively.

[0121] Pre-pressing can be done as described in Figures 5 to 14 shown, can be done in different ways.

[0122] A pre-pressing ram 1 with a small diameter hydraulic cylinder as pre-pressing cylinder 9 takes, as shown in the Figures 5 and 6As shown, the feed material 11 is collected loosely and uncompacted in the pre-compression channel 7 below the filling shaft 8 and conveyed directly into the compression mold 3, which is present or mounted in or on the sequentially rotating forming tool disk 2. Only when the feed material 11 has been conveyed into the compression mold 3 is the necessary pre-compression pressure built up, thus producing the pre-agglomerate 12. As shown, the pre-compression channel 7 opens into the compression mold 3.

[0123] In the Figures 7 to 10 It is shown that a pre-pressing ram 1 with a small diameter hydraulic cylinder as pre-pressing cylinder 1 presses the feed material 11, which is already in the filling shaft 8, for example by means of a plug screw 17, as in the Figures 9 and 10 shown, or by means of a vertical compressor 27 as pre-compaction stamp 14, as in the Figures 7 and 8shown, has been pre-compacted, and conveys the pre-compacted feed material 11 into the pressing mold 3, whereby the corresponding pre-compression pressure is then built up and the pre-agglomerate 12 is formed for the subsequent main pressing process. The pre-compaction with the pre-compressor 27 can be at an angle of less than or equal to 90 degrees to the direction of movement of the pre-compression ram 1, i.e. inclined in the direction of the drive of the pre-compression ram 1 or inclined away from the pressing mold 3, whereby the pre-compaction takes place in the direction of the subsequent pre-compression, or as shown, from above. The drive for the pre-compaction can be implemented by means of a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, linear motor or by means of a worm-driven pre-compaction unit.

[0124] In the Figures 7 to 10It is further shown that the pre-compression by means of pre-compression ram 1 already takes place outside of the press mold 3 in the pre-compression channel 7. Several pre-agglomerates 12 are located in the pre-compression channel 7, and with each pre-compression of the supplied feed material 11, the "strand" of pre-agglomerates 12 is pushed one position further. In this case, exactly one pre-agglomerate 12 is conveyed into the press mold 3. The pressure buildup required for the pre-compression is already built up on the loose, last-added feed material 11 in the pre-compression channel 7 by pressing the feed material 11 against the pre-agglomerate 12 in front of it. Thus, a series of pre-compressions take place as multiple pre-compressions. When the respective pre-agglomerate 12 is conveyed into the press mold 3, its pre-compression is completed. As shown, the pre-compression channel 7 opens into the press mold 3.

[0125] The respective drives of the Figures 5 to 12The pre-compression ram 1 or the pre-compression ram 14 shown can be hydraulic cylinders as pre-compression cylinders 9 or as pre-compression cylinders 15, whereby for the sake of simplicity only the piston rods 9 of the respective pre-compression ram 1 or the pre-compression cylinder 9 as well as the piston rods 15 of the respective pre-compression ram 14 or the pre-compression cylinder 15 are shown.

[0126] Likewise, for the positioning stamp 5 in the Figures 5 to 14 For the sake of simplicity, only the piston rod 6 of the positioning stamp 5 or the positioning cylinder 6 is shown as an example.

[0127] As in the Figures 13 and 14 As shown, the pre-press channel has a tapered section, which further compacts the pre-agglomerates within the pre-press channel. The tapered section of the pre-press channel 7 can also be combined with pre-compaction.

[0128] The pre-pressing by means of a plug screw 17 not according to the invention is shown in the Figures 13 and 14 shown. In this case, the operation of a pre-press ram 9 is dispensed with, and instead, a continuous strand of compacted feed material 11 is conveyed into the press mold 3 by means of the plug screw 17 not according to the invention. This strand is sheared off during the sequential rotation of the mold holder 2. As shown, the pre-press channel 7 opens into the press mold 3.

[0129] The feed material 11 for pre-compression is fed dynamically, with the quantity of the fed feed material 11 being influenced by means of the at least one pre-compression ram 1 or by means of the pre-compaction 27, so that the size of the pre-agglomerates 12 is preferably adjusted in each case. For this purpose, the travel path of the pre-compression ram 1 or the drive is measured, and the quantity of feed material 11 is adjusted based on the measurement. For example, based on the travel path measurement, the pre-compression ram 1 is only retracted far enough that the desired quantity of feed material 11 can reach in front of the pre-compression ram 1 or into the pre-compression channel 7 in front of the pre-compression ram 1. Depending on the feed material 11, this already falls towards the press mold 3, so that the pre-compression ram 1 does not have to completely clear the feed opening 10 or feed 10 of the feed material 11, depending on the feed material 11. This varies depending on the feed material 11 and its individual condition.Depending on the quantity of feed material 11 supplied, the travel path of the pre-press ram 1 varies during pre-pressing. Accordingly, for a subsequent pre-pressing process, the pre-press ram 1 is adjusted so that the required quantity of feed material 11 is supplied or reaches the pre-press ram 1.

[0130] During pre-pressing, the feed material 11 is pressed into a pre-agglomerate 12 with a positionally stable shape.

[0131] The modular design of the unit allows for the implementation of the optimal pre-pressing device for the respective feed material 11. The choice of pre-pressing device depends largely on the conveying properties of the respective feed material 11, as well as the ratio of the bulk density to the final density of the compact. This offers the possibility of applying the optimal solution in terms of energy and process technology, depending on the feed material 11.

[0132] For precise positioning of the agglomerate 12 in the press mold 3, a positioning device is provided. For this purpose, a positioning die 5 is provided on the side of the press mold 3 opposite the respective pre-press die 1, the main working direction of which is opposite to the pre-press die 1. Figures 5 to 14 A positioning punch 5 is present in each case. The positioning punch 5 is arranged in the counter-press plate 4.

[0133] In Figure 8 the positioning punch 5 is extended to such an extent that the pre-agglomerate 12 in the press mold 3 is pushed back again to such an extent that its boundary surface 17, as a contact surface 17 to the pre-agglomerate 12 following in the pre-press channel 7, is in alignment with the surface of the mold holder 2, for example as a mold disk 2.

[0134] Positioning of the pre-agglomerate 12 may also be necessary if the feed material has residual elasticity and, after pre-compression, relaxes and expands both in the direction of the pre-compression ram 1 and in the direction of the counter-compression plate 4. During positioning, the pre-agglomerate 12 is pushed into a central position in the press mold 3 so that the pre-agglomerate 12 does not protrude from the press mold 3. Positioning may also be necessary if the pre-agglomerates 12 have different sizes due to different feed material quantities or pre-compression cycles or, depending on the feed material 11, each have a uniformly small size and a large number of pre-agglomerates 12 are present within the pre-compression channel 7, which, however, may fit together into the press mold 3 depending on their size. It may therefore also be necessary to make a correction in the position.

[0135] The arrangement according to the invention for producing compacts comprises at least one pressing mold 3 with a feed 10 for feed material 11 in at least one mold holder 2. Corresponding to the respective pressing mold 3 is, as shown in the Figures 1 to 12 , 15 and 16 shown, a pre-pressing punch 1 or, as in the Figures 13 and 14 shown, a plug screw 17 not according to the invention is arranged. Furthermore, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 and 15 and 16 shown, a main press ram 21 is arranged corresponding to a press mold 3. The mold holder 2 is, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 , 15 and 16 shown rotatable, so that the pressing molds 3 can be moved from the pre-pressing die 1, to the main pressing die 21 and, if present, to the ejection die and back to the pre-pressing die 1.

[0136] The working direction of the respective pre-pressing ram 1 or the respective plugging screw 17 not according to the invention and the respective main press ram 21 is, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 , 15 and 16 shown, parallel to each other. At least one press mold 3 is continuous in the working direction.

[0137] On the side of the press mould 3 opposite the pre-pressing punch 1, as shown in the Figures 1 to 16 , a counter-pressing plate 4 covering the cross-section of the press mold 3 is present. The counter-pressing plate 4 is arranged to absorb the pre-pressing forces, so that these do not act or only minimally act on the mold holder 2. The counter-pressing plate 4 and the drive of the pre-pressing punch 1, for example a hydraulic cylinder, are structurally coupled via a force-absorbing connection 26 in such a way that the pressing process takes place almost stress-free with respect to the mold holder 2. The force-absorbing connection 26 is in the Figure 1 shown schematically.

[0138] Furthermore, on the side of the press mold 3 opposite the main press ram 21, depending on the design, there is also a counter-press plate 4, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 and 15 is shown, or a mold channel 30 with a region of constriction 31, as shown in the Figure 16 The counter-press plate 4 and the drive of the main press ram 1, for example a hydraulic cylinder as the main press ram 22, are also structurally coupled via a force-absorbing connection 26, so that the pressing process takes place almost stress-free with respect to the mold holder 2. The force-absorbing connection 26 is also in the Figure 1 shown schematically.

[0139] If the ejection does not take place via the main press ram 21, at least one ejection ram 23 is still present, as shown in the Figures 1 to 4 and 15On the side of the press mold 3 opposite the at least one ejection punch 23, as shown in the Figure 15 As shown, a molding channel 30 with a region of constriction 31 or a device for removal or further processing is present (not shown). This device for removal or further processing can be, for example, a conveyor belt or a collection box.

[0140] The mold holder 2 is in one embodiment as shown in Figure 17 shown, a round molding tool disk 2 rotatable about a rotation axis 28. An alternative embodiment of the molding tool holder 2 is a molding tool ring 2, as in Figure 19 The respective pressing molds 3 are distributed or offset by 120 degrees in the circular mold disk 2 and by 90 degrees in the circumferential direction in the mold ring 2. In the mold disk 2, as shown in Figure 17shown, two pressing molds 3 arranged together or in pairs.

[0141] In the example shown in Figure 18 As shown, the mold holder 2 comprises four mold arms 2 extending radially from a rotation axis 28 and arranged to rotate about the rotation axis 28. The respective compression molds 3 are arranged in the mold arms 2. The radially arranged mold arms 2 of the mold holder 2, which are rotatable about the rotation axis 28, are each distributed or offset by 90 degrees.

[0142] For example, it is provided that, on the one hand, a feed of feed material 11 is provided for each press mold 3 or that a common feed 10 of feed material 11 is provided for two or more press molds 3. In the case of a common feed 10 of feed material 11, the respective press molds 3 are in the area of ​​the feed 10 of feed material 11, as for example in Figure 17shown, arranged side by side in a horizontal plane.

[0143] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 1 As shown, the pre-press ram 1, the main press ram 21, and the ejection ram 23 are each arranged parallel to one another and in the same working direction on a mold holder 2 as a mold disk 2. The feed material 11 is fed 10 from a filling shaft 8 into the pre-press channel 7. The respective rams 1, 21, 23 are driven by hydraulic cylinders. A motor 25 drives the mold holder 2 as a mold disk 2 sequentially or stepwise. Counter-press plates 4 are provided on the sides of the press molds 3 opposite the respective press rams 1, 21.

[0144] In the example in Figure 2 is in addition to the arrangement as in Figure 1As shown, a further mold holder 2 is provided as a mold disk 2, which is arranged at a distance from the first mold disk 2 and has the same rotation axis 28. The at least one respective main press ram 21 can be driven alternately as a synchronous cylinder by a common main press cylinder 22 arranged between the mold holders 2.

[0145] The embodiment in Figure 3 indicates, in deviation from Figure 1an ejection punch 23 with an opposite working direction to the pressing punches 1, 21. Furthermore, a pivotable counter-pressing plate 4 is provided between the pre-pressing punch 1 or filling channel 7 and the pressing mold 3, against which the pre-pressing already takes place in the filling channel 7 or, if present, also in the pre-pressing channel. After the pre-pressing has been completed, the counter-pressing plate 4 is pivoted away, clearing the way for the respective pressing mold 3 to insert the pre-agglomerate 12 into the pressing mold 3.

[0146] The embodiment in Figure 4 indicates, in deviation from Figure 2 a pre-press ram 1 and an ejection ram 23 with opposite working directions to the respective main press ram 21. The main press cylinder 22 driving the main press ram 21 works alternately as a synchronous cylinder.

[0147] According to the embodiment in Figure 15 is different from Figure 1On the side of the press mold 3 opposite the ejection punch 23, a mold channel 30 with a conical and local taper 31 is arranged, into which the compacts are conveyed during ejection.

[0148] In Figure 161 shows an arrangement for producing compacts, wherein three compression molds 3 are present in a mold holder 2 as a mold disk 2, wherein two of the compression molds 3 are arranged correspondingly with a pre-press punch 1 and a main press punch 21. The working direction of the pre-press punch 1 and the at least one main press punch 21 is parallel to one another and in the same direction. On the side of the compression mold 3 opposite the pre-press punch 1 there is a counter-press plate 4 and on the side of the compression mold 3 opposite the main press punch 21 there is a mold channel 30 with a region of a constriction 31. A displaceable counter-press plate 4 is also arranged between the mold channel 30 and the compression mold 3. The compression molds 3 are continuous in the working direction. The pre-press punch 1 is arranged displaceably in a pre-press channel 7. The pre-press channel 7 opens into the compression mold 3 and has a feed 10 for feed material 11.

[0149] Although in Figure 16a pre-press punch 1 and a main press punch 21 are shown, more than one pre-press punch 1 and one main press punch 21 can be arranged individually, in groups or alternately, evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the rotational movement of the forming tool disk 2, the forming tool ring 2 or the forming tool arm 2. This advantageously ensures that any force input into the forming tool disk 2, the forming tool ring 2 or the forming tool arm 2 acts evenly and thus leverage forces on the drive and the bearing are avoided or at least reduced. Depending on the arrangement of the pre-press punch 1 and the main press punch 21, the corresponding distribution orArrangement also the respective pressing molds arranged or vice versa, according to the arrangement of the pressing molds in a uniform distribution in the circumferential direction of the rotational movement of the mold disk 2, the mold ring 2 or the mold arm 2, the pre-pressing punch 1 and the main pressing punch 21 are arranged accordingly in order to be able to operate the pressing molds at least for one step, for example the main pressing or the pre-pressing, simultaneously. Summary of reference symbols

[0150] 1 - Pre-compression ram 2 - Forming tool disc, forming tool ring, forming tool arm, forming tool holder 3 - Press mold 4 - Counter-press plate 5 - Positioning ram 6 - Piston rod positioning ram, positioning cylinder 7 - Pre-compression channel, filling channel 8 - Filling shaft 9 - Piston rod pre-compression ram, pre-compression cylinder 10 - Inlet opening, feed for feed material 11 - Feed material 12 - Pre-agglomerate 13 - Free space 14 - Vertical pre-compaction ram 15 - Piston rod pre-compaction ram, pre-compaction cylinder 16 - Pre-compacted feed material 17 - Plugging screw 18 - Contact surface between two pre-agglomerates, interface of a pre-agglomerate 19 - Direction of movement of feed material 20 - Direction of movement of ram 21 - Main compression ram 22 - Piston rod main compression ram, main compression cylinder 23 - Ejection ram 24 - Piston rod ejection ram,Ejection cylinder 25 - Motor 26 - force-absorbing connection 27 - pre-compression 28 - rotation axis 29 - rotational movement 30 - mold channel 31 - constriction 32 - pre-compression punch,

Claims

1. Method for making pressed pieces, wherein in two sequentially rotating moulder tool holders (2) around a horizontal axis of rotation (28), there is at least one press mould (3) with at least one feeder (10) for charging material (11), wherein at least one press mould (3) is correspondingly arranged or movable to at least one pre-press die (1), to at least one main press die (21), and to at least one ejection die (23), with the working direction of at least one pre-press die (1), at least one main press die (21), and at least one ejection die (23) being parallel to each other, and on the side of the press mould (3) or moulder tool holder (2) facing and / or opposite at least one pre-press die (1) there is a counter-press plate (4) and on the side facing at least one main press die (21) of the respective press mould (3) there is a fixed counter-press plate (4), at least one press mould (3) is continuous in the working direction, wherein a pre-press channel (7) opens into each press mould (3), with at least one pre-press die (1) being arranged in at least one pre-press channel (7) or opening into it, - wherein with at least one press mould (3) a centre-positioning die (5) arranged on the side of the respective press mould (3) or moulder tool holder (2) opposite the respective pre-press die (1) is connected, with the working direction of the centre-positioning die (5) being opposite to that of the pre-press die (1) and the centre-positioning die (5) existing on the side of the respective press mould (3) or moulder tool holder (2) opposite the respective pre-press die (1) being part of or a part of the counter-press plate (4), - the counter-press plate (4) arranged on the side of the respective press mould facing at least one pre-press die (1) is pivotable or movable, and - two moulder tool holders (2) are spaced apart and at least one respective main press die (21) is alternately driven by a common main press cylinder (22) or drive arranged between the moulder tool holders (2).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that on the side opposite at least one ejection die (23) of the respective press mould (3) there is a mould channel (30) with a constriction (31) or a device for collecting, transporting away or further processing the pressed pieces.

3. Method according to one of the claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the respective moulder tool holder (2) preferably is a rotatable round or polygonal tool holder disc (2) or a tool holder crown (2) around the axis of rotation (28), wherein at least one press mould (3) is arranged in at least one rotatable round or polygonal tool holder disc (2) or in a tool holder crown (2) as a moulder tool holder (2), wherein with two or more press moulds (3) the press moulds (3) are distributed or offset in the circumferential direction in the moulder tool holder (2) as a rotatable round or polygonal tool holder disc (2) or in the tool holder crown (2), or that the respective moulder tool holder (2) preferably is at least one radially arranged tool holder arm (2) extending from an axis of rotation (28) and rotatable around the axis of rotation (28), wherein at least one press mould (3) is arranged in at least one tool holder arm (2), wherein with two or more radially arranged tool holder arms (2) extending from the axis of rotation (28) and rotatable around the axis of rotation (28), the tool holder arms (2) of the moulder tool holder (2) are distributed or offset around the axis of rotation (28).

4. Method according to one of the claims 1 and 3, characterised in that with two or more press moulds (3), at least one pre-press die (1), at least one main press die (21) and / or at least one ejection die (23) is assigned to one of the press moulds (3).

5. Method according to one of the claims 1 and 4, characterised in that there is a feeder for charging material (11) for the respective press mould (3), or that there is a common feeder (10) for charging material (11) for two or more press moulds (3), wherein with a common feeder (10) for charging material (11), the respective press moulds (3) in the area of the feeder (10) for charging material (11) and / or the pre-pressing are arranged next to each other in a horizontal plane.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the respective pre-press channel (7) has a narrowing in the working direction.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterised in that at least one pre-compressor (27) is arranged in the respective pre-press channel (7) or in the feeder (11) and / or that the pre-compressor (27) is arranged at an angle of less than or equal to 90° to the working direction of the pre-press die (1).

8. Method for producing pressed pieces using a method according to one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises two moulder tool holders (2) rotating sequentially around an axis of rotation (28), wherein two moulder tool holders (2) are spaced apart and at least one respective main press die (21) is alternately driven by a common main press cylinder (22) or drive arranged between the moulder tool holders (2), and wherein, after feeding charging material, a volume reduction of the charging material (11) occurs followed by a main pressing of the charging material into a pressed piece and an ejection of the pressed piece, wherein after the feeding of the charging material (11) a pre-pressing as a volume reduction into a pre-agglomerate (12) with at least one pre-press die (1) occurs followed by the main pressing of the pre-agglomerate (12) into a pressed piece in at least one press mould (3) with at least one main press die (21) followed by the ejection of the pressed piece using at least one ejection die (23) from at least one press mould (3), wherein the pre-pressing, the main pressing and the ejection each occur with a respective parallel working direction at different fixed positions distributed in the circumferential direction simultaneously and on one side of the respective position while the moulder tool holder (2) is idle, and that the pre-pressing to at least one pre-pressed charging material (11) or pre-agglomerate (12) occurs in the press mould (3) and / or in a pre-press channel (7), wherein the pre-agglomerate (12) is pre-pressed into a stable form and subsequently a positioning of the pre-agglomerate (12) in the press mould (3) occurs using a centre-positioning die (5) arranged opposite the pre-press die (1), wherein the working direction of the centre-positioning die (5) is oriented opposite to the working direction of the pre-press die (1) and the main pressing alternates between at least two press moulds (3) in the spaced apart moulder tool holders (2)9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that a pre-compacting of the charging material (11) for the pre-pressing occurs.

10. Method according to claim 8 and 9, characterised in that the respective press mould (3) is moved sequentially to at least one pre-press die (1), at least one main press die (21), and at least one ejection die (23) and / or that one, two or more pre-pressings, main pressings, and ejections occur parallel or simultaneously.

11. Method according to one of the claims 8 to 10, characterised in that two or more pre-pressings occur successively, whereby the respective charging material (11) is pressed against the respective pre-agglomerate (12) ahead and / or that with two or more successive pre-pressings during the pre-pressing, the pre-agglomerates (12) are pushed one position further, whereby each pre-agglomerate (12) is pushed into the press mould (3) and / or that with two or more successive main pressings or ejections, the pressed pieces are pushed from the press mould (3) or from the press mould (3) into a mould channel (30) with a constriction (31), whereby the respective pressed pieces in the mould channel (30) are pushed one position further.

12. Method according to one of the claims 8 to 11, characterised in that a regulation of the feeding of the charging material (11) for the pre-pressing occurs dynamically, whereby the amount of the fed charging material (11) is influenced by at least one pre-press die (1) or by the pre-compacting (27) and / or that based on the travel path of the pre-press die (1) the amount of the charging material (11) is adjusted.

13. Method according to one of the claims 8 to 12, characterised in that at least one pre-press die (1) and / or at least one main press die (21) and / or at least one ejection die (23) act simultaneously on the respective assigned press moulds (3).

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