Apparatus and method for bending long metal products

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for bending long metal products (100), comprising a moving device (17) for said products (100) and a first bending unit (18) configured to bend one or more of said products (100) at a time in a same first bending plane (P1).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and associated method for bending long metal products, preferably to obtain brackets having a three-dimensional shape, i.e., but not limited to, brackets in which at least one portion is bent on an orthogonal plane, or in any way angled with respect to the bending plane of the other portions. The long metal products can be bars, rods, metal wires, provided as pre-cut segments or in continuous form wound on reels, and cut to the desired length before or at the end of processing. [Background technology]

[0002] Devices for bending metal products (also called brackets) are known that are configured to bend bars, rods, metal wires or other long metal products to obtain brackets, for example for making reinforcing cages. Such brackets may be two-dimensional, i.e. the sides of the bracket lie in the same plane, or three-dimensional, i.e. at least one side of the bracket lies in a plane different from the plane in which the other sides of the bracket extend. An example of a bending device with multiple bending units performing a bend in a single plane is described in AU patent 406744.

[0003] Apparatus for performing three-dimensional bending of metal products is known which comprises a bar movement unit or device, a cutting unit, and a single bending unit which bends both in a first bending plane which defines the two-dimensional shape of the bracket, and in a further bending plane which is angled relative to the first bending plane which defines the three-dimensional shape of the bracket.

[0004] The bending unit is mounted on a fixed worktable and consists of a rotating spindle with a single central contrast pin and a single radial bending element.

[0005] The bending element is rotatable about the contrast pin along an axis of rotation perpendicular to the fixed worktable such that a segment of the metal workpiece interposed between the bending element and the contrast pin is bent about the contrast pin.

[0006] The bar displacement device is configured not only to advance the metal product along the working direction, but also to rotate it about its axis of extension, so that the same bending unit can perform bends in a plane inclined to the bending plane in which the first bend extends. Indeed, rotating the metal product after performing a bend allows the bending unit to perform further bends extending in a different plane to the extension plane of the previous bend.

[0007] A disadvantage of such known devices is that, during rotation of the metal product, the already performed bend is held in a cantilevered manner above the worktable, which can cause the metal product to deform under the action of its own weight, which can result in the already performed bend being deformed and, in the worst case, the produced bracket becoming unsuitable for use.

[0008] A further disadvantage of such known devices is that the bar movement device is subjected to considerable stress, especially when rotating the metal product, which can cause twisting and deformation, compromising the mechanical properties of the resulting bracket.

[0009] A further disadvantage of such known devices is that it is not possible to perform multiple bend radii on the same workpiece during processing, so the bending unit must be equipped at any one time with a rotating spindle with the required bend radius, resulting in process interruptions, increased production times and costs, and positioning errors due to refitting of the bending unit.

[0010] Another drawback of such known devices is that they are not fully automated and therefore require one or more operators to control the process, such as positioning the metal products and temporarily supporting and ejecting them, which can be dangerous.

[0011] Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and related method for bending long metal products that can overcome at least one of the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0012] It is therefore necessary to solve the technical problem of performing a series of bends on a long metal product in different planes so that the long metal product as a whole rests on at least one of the work tables on which the bending is performed.

[0013] In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and associated method for bending long lengths of metal workpieces to obtain brackets having three-dimensional shapes with high precision and quality bends.

[0014] Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for bending long metal products which allows brackets to be made with multiple radius bends without retooling.

[0015] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for bending long metal products in which the bar movement apparatus is not overstressed when moving the metal product being worked.

[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for bending long metal products which is particularly simple and allows to obtain brackets of flat or three-dimensional shape of a wide variety of shapes.

[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for bending long metal products which is fully automated.

[0018] Applicant has researched, tested and devised this invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to obtain these and further objects and advantages. Summary of the Invention

[0019] The invention is set out and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims present further features of the invention or variants of the proposed main solution.

[0020] In accordance with the above objects, and in order to solve the above technical problems in a novel and original way, and also to obtain considerable advantages over the prior art, an apparatus for bending long metal products according to the present invention comprises: a moving device capable of moving said elongated metal product along a feed axis; a first bending unit comprising one or a plurality of different first bending devices configured to bend one or more of said elongated metal products at once in a same first bending plane with different bending radii; Equipped with.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises at least one separate second bending unit arranged upstream of the first bending unit, The second bending unit comprises one or more different second bending devices configured to bend the elongated metal product with different bending radii on a same second bending plane inclined relative to the first bending plane.

[0022] According to another aspect of the invention, the first bending plane is horizontal and the second bending plane is perpendicular to the first bending plane.

[0023] According to another aspect of the invention, at least the second bending unit is configured to be orientable with respect to the first bending unit to adjust the inclination of the second bending plane with respect to the first bending plane, both when the machine is at rest and when the machine is running.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, the first and second bending units are provided with first and second support plates, respectively, on which the first and second bending devices are fixedly mounted and which define the first and second bending planes, the first and second support plates being inclined relative to one another and respectively movable in first and second adjustment directions perpendicular to the feed axis in order to align a respective one of the first and second bending devices with the feed axis.

[0025] According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus further comprises a horizontally disposed fixed support surface having two opposing parallel leading edges, the first support plate being flush with the support surface and located within an opening in the support surface, and the second support plate being perpendicular to the support surface and located outwardly relative to a periphery of the support surface in correspondence with one of the leading edges.

[0026] According to another aspect of the invention, the first and second bending units are provided with respective holding devices arranged upstream and / or downstream of the first and second bending devices and retractably movable for temporarily holding the one or more elongated metal products during bending.

[0027] According to a variant embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a third bending unit similar to the two, arranged downstream of the first bending unit and inclined relative to the first bending unit, for bending the one or more elongated metal products on a third bending plane which is angled relative to the first bending plane.

[0028] According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus further comprises a fixed guide member with which the moving device is slidably associated for removing the one or more elongated metal products from the bar loading zone towards at least the first and second bending units, the moving device comprising an arm sliding on the guide member and provided at the end of the arm with a gripping head configured to temporarily hold the one or more elongated metal products.

[0029] The present invention relates to a method of bending a long metal product, comprising the steps of: - a moving device moving one or more of said products at a time forward or backward along a feed axis; a first bending step in which the first bending unit performs one or more bends with different bending radii in the same first bending plane by one or a plurality of different first bending devices; The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of:

[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the method further includes a second bending step in which a second bending unit performs one or more bends with different bending radii on a same second bending plane inclined with respect to the first bending plane by one or more different second bending devices.

[0031] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the disclosure of some embodiments thereof, given as non-limiting examples, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0032] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of an apparatus for bending long metal products according to the invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 shows a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 2 in which the second bending unit comprises three bending devices. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows a variant of the embodiment of FIG. 1, in which a third bending unit is also present. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0033] It should be noted that the phraseology and terminology used in this disclosure, as well as the figures in the accompanying drawings, are for the sole purpose of illustrating and explaining the present invention as disclosed, and their functions are illustrative and are not intended to be limiting of the present invention itself, the scope of protection of which is defined by the claims.

[0034] To facilitate understanding, the same reference numbers have been used wherever possible to identify identical common elements in the figures. It should be noted that elements and features of the embodiments may be conveniently combined or incorporated in other embodiments without further description.

[0035] 1, an apparatus 10 according to the present invention is configured to bend an oblong metal product, or multiple metal products at once, in this case one or more metal bars 100, to create structural brackets 200 or other reinforcing shapes having three-dimensional shapes. The bars 100 may be between about 6 m and about 24 m in length and between about 10 mm and about 40 mm in diameter.

[0036] The device 10 comprises a fixed structure 11 having a support surface 12 arranged substantially horizontally with respect to a mounting surface of the device 10. However, it is not excluded that the support surface 12 is inclined with respect to such mounting surface, for example to facilitate ejection of the produced bracket 200.

[0037] The support surface 12 may be constructed of or formed by a metal sheet or plate having a constant thickness and a substantially elongated shape.

[0038] The support surface 12 has two long, opposite and parallel side surfaces 13, 14 and two short, opposite and parallel leading edges 15, 16. The length of the sides 13, 14 corresponds to the maximum length of the bar 100 to be processed.

[0039] The apparatus 10 comprises a bar loading zone LZ in which is arranged a supply device, not shown, of substantially known type, configured to supply the bars 100 in the form of pre-cut segments or continuously wound on a reel and cut to the desired length, and a bar unloading zone UZ in which a flat or wheeled container is arranged and configured to receive the shaped bars 100, i.e. brackets 200.

[0040] The bar loading zone LZ is located on one or both of the leading edges 15 , 16 of the support surface 12 , and the bar unloading zone DZ is located on one or both of the side edges 13 , 14 of the support surface 12 .

[0041] The apparatus 10 comprises a moving device 17 capable of moving the bar 100 along the feed axis X, a first bending unit 18 configured to bend the bar 100 in a first bending plane P1, and at least a second bending unit 19 arranged upstream of the first bending unit 18 with respect to the direction of arrival of the bar 100 along the feed axis X, the second bending unit 19 performing the bending in a second bending plane P2 which is inclined with respect to the first bending unit 18 and which in the present case is substantially perpendicular to the first bending plane P1.

[0042] The second bending unit 19 is located between the loading zone LZ and the first bending unit 18. Thus, the moving bar 100 first encounters the second bending unit 19 and then the first bending unit 18. However, the order in which the two bending units 18, 19 operate depends on the bend that is to be performed on the bar 100.

[0043] The first bending unit 18 and the second bending unit 19 are arranged in a fixed position relative to each other.

[0044] According to a variant, at least the second bending unit 19 may be orientable with respect to the first bending unit 18 so that the inclination of the second bending plane P2 with respect to the first bending plane P1 can be adjusted both when the machine is at rest and when it is running. In this case, the bending plane P2 does not have a fixed angle with respect to the first bending plane P2 but is orientable with respect to the first bending plane P2.

[0045] According to a possible embodiment shown in Fig. 4, the device 10 can also comprise a third bending unit 22, similar to the first two, arranged downstream of the first bending unit 18 and performing bending in a third bending plane P3 inclined relative to the first bending unit 18. The bending plane P3 can be parallel to the second bending plane P2 or have a different inclination. In this embodiment, there is also a loading zone corresponding to the leading edge 16, and the device can work with two separate metal product inputs, for example one from a reel and one from a precut segment.

[0046] 2 and 3, the first bending unit 18 and the second bending unit 19 respectively comprise one or more first bending devices 20 and one or more second bending devices 21 aligned along a first adjustment axis T1 and a second adjustment axis T2, which are transverse (in this case perpendicular) to the feed axis X and also transverse to each other.

[0047] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the first bending unit 18 is provided with three first bending devices 20, and the second bending unit 19 is provided with one second bending device 21.

[0048] In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the second bending unit 19 is also provided with three second bending devices 21, although embodiments in which the number of bending devices 20, 21 differs from that shown in the figure are not excluded.

[0049] Each bending apparatus 20,21 includes a central contrast pin 23,24, a bending spindle or support 25,26 mounted coaxially and rotatably relative to the contrast pin 23,24, and bending pins 27,28 mounted around the periphery of the spindles 25,26.

[0050] Said contrast pins 23, 24 have a substantially cylindrical shape, although it is not excluded that in different operating solutions the contrast pins 23, 24 are provided with double, moulded or other shapes and sizes.

[0051] Each bending pin 27, 28 is selectively rotatable clockwise or counterclockwise about a corresponding contrast pin 23, 24 to cooperate with the respective contrast pin 23, 24 to impart a desired bending to the bar 100 in one direction or the other.

[0052] The contrast pins 23, 24 of different bending devices 20, 21 of the same bending unit 18, 19 have different dimensions from each other, so that each bending device 20, 21 can perform bending with a different radius of curvature. In the case of cylindrical contrast pins 23, 24, the different dimensions correspond to the radius of curvature of their side surfaces.

[0053] The first bending unit 18 is provided with a first support plate 30 which substantially defines a first bending plane P1 and on which the first bending device 20 is fixedly mounted. Similarly, the second bending unit 19 is provided with a second support plate 31 which substantially defines a second bending plane P2 and on which the second bending device 20 is fixedly mounted.

[0054] A first support plate 30 is substantially flush with the support surface 12 and is seated through an opening 32 formed in the surface bounded by the side edges 13,14 and leading edges 15,16 of the support surface 12.

[0055] The second support plate 31 is substantially perpendicular to the support surface 12 and is located outwardly relative to the periphery of the support surface 12 corresponding to one of the short recessed or stepped leading edges 15, 16.

[0056] In this embodiment, the support plates 30, 31 have a substantially elongated shape, and the bending devices 20, 21 are arranged parallel to the long sides of the respective support plates 30, 31.

[0057] The support plates 30,31 are selectively movable along corresponding adjustment axes T1,T2 so that one of the bending devices 20,21 can be aligned with respect to the feed direction X of the bar 100.

[0058] The second bending unit 19 includes a fixed structure 33 on which two side guides 34 are provided, and the second support plate 31 is slidably mounted on the side guides 34. The same applies to the first bending unit 18.

[0059] In another embodiment, the support plates 30,31 are circular and the desired positioning of the bending devices 20,21 is achieved by rotation of the support plates 30,31.

[0060] Each bending device 20, 21 is retractably movable in a manner known per se in a direction perpendicular to the corresponding bending plane P1, P2 and will not be described in detail, so that the bending devices 20, 21 not involved in bending can be positioned so as not to interfere with the bar 100 being processed, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0061] Each bending unit 18, 19 is also provided with a respective holding device 35, 36 arranged at least upstream, but preferably also downstream, of the bending devices 20, 21 and configured to temporarily hold the bar 100 during the performance of the bending in order to avoid undesired bending or deformation. The activation of the downstream or upstream holding device 35, 36 depends on the end of the bar 100 at which the bending is to be performed.

[0062] The holding devices 35, 36 are arranged along the feed axis X and are retractably movable in a direction perpendicular to the corresponding bending planes P1, P2, in a manner known per se and not described herein. The devices 35, 36 that are not active during the execution of a particular bend are therefore preferably arranged below the corresponding bending planes P1, P2.

[0063] The device 10 comprises a fixed guide member 37, in this case a beam 38, arranged above the support surface 12 and extending along a feed axis X. The beam 38 is substantially parallel to the side faces 14, 15 of the support surface 12.

[0064] The moving device 17 has an arm 39, one end of which slides on the beam 38, and at its end is provided with a gripping head 40 which is selectively movable along a gripping direction Z substantially perpendicular to the feed axis X to temporarily hold the bar 100 and lift the bar 100 relative to the support surface 12.

[0065] The support surface 12 is equipped with an ejection device 41, e.g. a chain, configured to convey the shaped bar 100 at the end of the bending operation along an ejection direction perpendicular to the feed axis X of the bar 100. The chain is arranged parallel to the leading edges 15, 16 of the support surface 12, and unloads the shaped bar 100 towards an unloading zone UZ.

[0066] The operation of the device 10 according to the method of the present invention as described above includes the following steps: a moving step in which the moving device 17 moves one or more bars 100 at a time forwards or backwards along the feed axis X; a first bending step in which the first bending unit 18 performs one or more bends with different bending radii in the same first bending plane P1 by means of one or different first bending devices 20; Includes.

[0067] The method comprises at least A second bending step in which the second bending unit 19 performs one or more bends with different bending radii in the second bending plane P2 by one or more different second bending devices 21. Includes.

[0068] During the execution of the bending operation, i.e. during the first and second bending steps, the bar 100 is only moved in one direction or the other along the feed axis X. The bar 100 does not rotate about its own axis.

[0069] Depending on the bending of the bar 100, the first bending step can also be performed after the second bending step.

[0070] Clearly, modifications and / or additions to components may be made to the apparatus 10 and methods disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0071] Although the invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, it is also clear that a person skilled in the art can make many other equivalent forms of devices and methods for bending long metal products having the characteristics expressed in the claims, all of which therefore fall within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

[0072] In the following claims, references in parentheses are for the purpose of readability only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of protection defined by the claims themselves.

Claims

1. An apparatus (10) for bending a long metal product (100), comprising: a moving device (17) capable of moving the product (100) along a feed axis (X); a first bending unit (18) comprising one or a plurality of different first bending devices (20) configured to bend one or more of the products (100) at once in the same first bending plane (P1) with different bending radii; Equipped with The device (10) further comprises: at least one separate second bending unit (19) arranged upstream of said first bending unit (18); Equipped with the second bending unit (19) comprises one or more different second bending devices (21) configured to bend the product (100) with different bending radii on a same second bending plane (P2) inclined relative to the first bending plane (P1); 1. An apparatus (10) comprising:

2. 2. The device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first bending plane (P1) is horizontal and perpendicular to the second bending plane (P2).

3. 2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the second bending unit (19) is configured to be orientable with respect to the first bending unit (18) in order to adjust the inclination of the second bending plane (P2) with respect to the first bending plane (P1) both when the machine is stopped and when the machine is running.

4. The first and second bending units (18, 19) are provided with first and second support plates (30, 31) respectively, on which the first and second bending devices (20, 21) are fixedly installed, the support plates defining the first and second bending planes (P1, P2); The first and second support plates (30, 31) are inclined relative to each other and are movable in first and second adjustment directions (T1, T2) perpendicular to the feed axis (X) in order to align each one of the first and second bending devices (20, 21) with the feed axis (X).

2. The device (10) of claim 1.

5. The device (10) further comprises a horizontally disposed, fixed support surface (12) having two opposing, parallel leading edges (15, 16); The first support plate (30) is flush with the support surface (12) and is installed within an opening (32) provided in the support surface (12); 5. The device (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the second support plate (31) is installed perpendicular to the support surface (12) and corresponding to one of the leading edges (15, 16) externally relative to the periphery of the support surface (12).

6. 2. The apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second bending units (18, 19) are provided with respective holding devices (35, 36) arranged upstream and / or downstream of the first and second bending devices (20, 21) and capable of being retractably moved to temporarily hold the one or more products (100) during bending.

7. The device (10) is further arranged downstream of the first bending unit (18), a third bending unit (22) similar to the first two and inclined relative to the first bending unit; 2. The apparatus (10) of claim 1, wherein the third bending unit (22) bends the one or more elongated metal products (100) on a third bending plane (P3) that is angled relative to the first bending plane (P1).

8. The apparatus (10) further comprises a fixed guide member (37) to which the moving device (17) is slidably associated for removing the one or more products (100) from the bar loading zone (LZ) towards at least the first and second bending units (18, 19); The moving device (17) comprises an arm (39) that slides on the guide member (37), and the arm terminates in a gripping head (40) that is configured to temporarily hold the one or more elongated metal products (100).

2. The device (10) according to claim 1 .

9. A method for bending a long metal product (100), comprising the steps of: a moving step in which a moving device (17) moves one or more of said products (100) at a time forward or backward along a feed axis (X); a first bending step in which a first bending unit (18) performs one or more bends with different bending radii on the same first bending plane (P1) by one or a plurality of different first bending devices (20); A method comprising: The method comprises: a second bending step in which a second bending unit (19) performs one or more bends with different bending radii on the same second bending plane (P2) inclined relative to the first bending plane (P1) by one or more different second bending devices (21); A method comprising at least

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