Workpiece reversing device and workpiece welding method

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a workpiece inversion device that is simple in structure, inexpensive, and allows for safe operation. [Solution] The workpiece reversing device 1 of the present invention comprises an L-shaped frame 3 having mutually orthogonal workpiece mounting surfaces 2, a base 5 that pivotably supports shafts 4 provided at the corners of the L-shaped frame 3, and a drive device 6 that rotates the L-shaped frame 3 so that the workpiece mounting surfaces 2 become a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, wherein the height of the horizontal workpiece mounting surface 2 from the floor is set to a height at which an operator M can work on a workpiece W placed on the horizontal workpiece mounting surface 2 from the floor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a work inversion device and a method for welding a work.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the inversion work of shaped steel such as large H-shaped steel has been carried out by using two cranes and at least two workers, which is dangerous.

[0003] As a device for inverting a work using an inversion device, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-25093 (Patent Document 1) has been proposed.

[0004] This conventional inversion device arranges a pair of rotating frames that are respectively rotationally driven around the same axis by a frame rotating device, and when welding the middle part of a steel column by holding both ends of the long steel column on the rotating frame, the rotating frames are respectively rotationally driven by the two frame rotating devices.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The conventional inversion device described in Patent Document 1 has a complicated structure and is expensive.

[0007] In addition, since the height of the steel column supported by the inversion device from the floor surface is high, it is difficult for a welding operator to perform welding work from the floor surface, and the operator has to perform welding work on the steel column or from a scaffold, which is dangerous.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a reversing device that is simple in structure, inexpensive, and allows for safe operation from the floor. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, the present invention employs the following means. Specifically, the workpiece reversing device of the present invention comprises an L-shaped frame having mutually orthogonal workpiece mounting surfaces, a base that pivotably supports shafts provided at the corners of the L-shaped frame, and a drive device that rotates the L-shaped frame so that the workpiece mounting surface becomes a plane perpendicular to the horizontal plane, wherein the height of the horizontal workpiece mounting surface from the floor is set to a height at which an operator can work on the workpiece placed on the horizontal workpiece mounting surface from the floor.

[0010] The drive device preferably has a motor that rotates the shaft portion.

[0011] Preferably, multiple workpiece reversing devices are arranged to support multiple locations in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece, and a drive connecting shaft is provided to connect the adjacent shaft portions of the multiple workpiece reversing devices.

[0012] Preferably, the workpiece is a long steel frame, and the operation is welding.

[0013] The drive device may have a cylinder device connected to the L-shaped frame on the base.

[0014] The present invention provides a method for welding a workpiece, comprising the steps of: placing a workpiece on one of two mutually orthogonal workpiece mounting surfaces of an L-shaped frame and performing a welding operation on the workpiece; inverting the L-shaped frame by -90 degrees and placing the workpiece on the other workpiece mounting surface; lifting the workpiece from the other workpiece mounting surface and then inverting the L-shaped frame by 90 degrees; placing the workpiece on the one workpiece mounting surface; inverting the L-shaped frame by -90 degrees and placing the workpiece on the other workpiece mounting surface and performing a welding operation on the workpiece.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, since it is configured to rotate the L-shaped frame, the structure is simple and can be produced at a low cost. Also, with respect to the workpiece, work can be performed from the floor surface, and the crane slinging work can also be performed from the floor surface. Therefore, compared with the conventional high-altitude work, the work can be performed safely.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a factory layout in which a plurality of workpiece inversion devices according to the first embodiment of the present invention are installed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the workpiece inversion device in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the drive device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a process diagram of a welding method using the workpiece inversion device of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a front view showing the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a factory layout in which a plurality of workpiece inversion devices of the second embodiment are installed, which is a plan view of FIG. 9(a). [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory view of the operation of the workpiece inversion device shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the factory layout in FIG. 8(d).

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 4 relate to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The work inversion device 1 has an L-shaped frame 3 having a work placement surface 2 orthogonal to each other. A shaft portion 4 is provided at a corner portion of the L-shaped frame 3. A base 5 that pivotally supports the shaft portion 4 rotatably is installed on the floor surface. A drive device 6 is provided to rotate the L-shaped frame 3 so that the work placement surface 2 becomes a horizontal plane and a vertical plane.

[0019] The height of the horizontal work placement surface 2 from the floor surface is set to a height at which an operator M can work from the floor surface with respect to the work W placed on the horizontal work placement surface 2. Further, when the work W is suspended and worked by a crane 7, it is set to a height at which the operator M can perform a stringing operation from the floor surface with respect to the work W on the work placement surface 2.

[0020] The drive device 6 has a motor 8 that rotates the shaft portion 4. The motor 8 and the shaft portion 4 of the L-shaped frame 3 are interlocked and connected by a drive shaft 9. This drive shaft 9 is interlocked and connected by an output shaft 10 of a speed reducer directly connected to the motor 8 and a sprocket-chain transmission device 11 (see FIG. 3). The drive device 6 has a control panel 12 that controls the rotation of the motor 8. <0000?102><0000?103><0000?104>In this embodiment, the work W is a long steel structural member, and is a large-sized long H-shaped steel such as about 500 mm (thickness) × 1250 mm (width) ×?15000 mm (length). The work placement surface 2 has a size capable of placing such a work W. The lengths of the two work placement surfaces 2 from the L-shaped corners to the tip directions are the same length. The work performed by the operator M is work such as welding. <0000?105><0000?106><0000?107>A plurality of work inversion devices 1 are arranged to support a plurality of locations in the longitudinal direction of the work W. In this embodiment, three work inversion devices 1 are arranged. A drive connection shaft (not shown) that connects the adjacent shaft portions 4 of the plurality of work inversion devices 1 is provided. Therefore, the L-shaped frames 3 of the three work inversion devices 1 perform a rotation operation around the shaft portion 4 synchronously by the rotation of the motor 8 of the drive device 6. <0000?108><0000?109><0000?110>Figure 4 shows the work process of the workpiece reversal device 1 in Figure 1. In other words, it is an embodiment of the workpiece welding method of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 4(a) shows step 1, in which a workpiece W is placed on one of the two workpiece mounting surfaces 2 of the L-shaped frame 3, and welding is performed on the workpiece W.

[0025] First, the workpiece W, which has been suspended by the overhead crane 7, is placed on one of the workpiece mounting surfaces 2 of the L-shaped frame 3. For convenience, the horizontal workpiece mounting surface 2 is called the first workpiece mounting surface 2a, and the vertical workpiece mounting surface 2 is called the second workpiece mounting surface 2b. Also, the upper surface of the workpiece W placed on the first mounting surface 2a is called surface A, and the lower surface is called surface B.

[0026] In this state, worker M performs welding on side A of workpiece W from the floor.

[0027] Figure (b) shows step 2, in which the L-shaped frame 3 is rotated -90 degrees and the workpiece W is placed on the other mounting surface, i.e., the second workpiece mounting surface 2b. Here, a negative rotation direction refers to counterclockwise rotation in Figure 4, and a positive direction refers to clockwise rotation.

[0028] Figure (c) shows step 3, in which, after lifting the workpiece W from the second workpiece mounting surface 2b, the L-shaped frame 3 is rotated 90 degrees to make the first workpiece mounting surface 2a horizontal. The rigging work using the overhead crane 7 can be performed by a worker M on the floor, so it does not involve working at height and is therefore safe.

[0029] Figure (d) shows step 4, in which the workpiece W is placed on the first workpiece mounting surface 2a.

[0030] Figure (e) shows step 5, in which the L-shaped frame 3 is rotated -90 degrees, the workpiece W is placed on the second mounting surface 2b, and welding is performed on the B side of the workpiece W.

[0031] According to the above embodiment, the welding work on the workpiece W can be performed by worker M from the floor and does not involve working at height, thus ensuring safety. Furthermore, the rigging work using the overhead crane 7 can also be performed by worker M from the floor, and only vertical up-and-down movement of the workpiece W is required; there is no need to rotate the suspended workpiece W, thus ensuring safe operation.

[0032] Furthermore, since the L-shaped frames 2 of the three workpiece reversing devices 1 can be rotated and driven by a single motor 8, the cost is reduced.

[0033] Figures 5 to 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] In this second embodiment, the drive unit 6 differs from that of the previous embodiment. The drive unit 6 has a cylinder device 13 connected to an L-shaped frame 3 on a base 5.

[0035] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the tip of the piston rod 14 of the cylinder device 13 is connected to the lower corner projection of the shaft portion 4 of the L-shaped frame 3. The end of the cylinder 15 of the cylinder device 13 is pivotally supported on the base 5. The L-shaped frame 3 rotates 90 degrees around the shaft portion 4 due to the extension and retraction of the piston rod 14 from the cylinder 15.

[0036] The base 5 is movable on rails 16 laid on the floor surface by the extension and retraction of a hydraulic cylinder 17. The hydraulic cylinder 17 and the cylinder 15 of the drive unit 6 are arranged in parallel.

[0037] Figure 8 is a plan view showing a factory layout with multiple workpiece reversing devices 1 of the second embodiment installed, and Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the workpiece reversing device 1 shown in Figure 8. Figure 8 is a plan view in Figure 9(a).

[0038] This factory is a processing line that performs pre-processing on workpieces W before welding. Pre-processing includes shot blasting, lengthening and cutting, hole drilling, beveling, etc.

[0039] Three workpiece turning devices 1 are arranged at predetermined intervals, and on both sides of these are vertically movable first roller conveyors 18. To the left of the first roller conveyor 18 in Figure 8, and parallel to the first roller conveyor 18, is a vertically movable second roller conveyor 19.

[0040] The width of the first roller conveyor is 600 mm, and the width of the second roller conveyor is 1400 mm. In addition, the lengths of the two workpiece mounting surfaces 2 of the L-shaped frame 3 are set to different lengths to match the thickness and width of the H-shaped steel of the workpiece W.

[0041] In Figures 9(a) and 8, an H-shaped steel workpiece W, either suspended by a crane or transported by a first roller conveyor 18, is placed on the first workpiece mounting surface 2a of the L-shaped frame 3, and pre-processing is performed.

[0042] As shown in Figure 9(b), after the pre-processing is complete, the L-shaped frame 3 is tilted by 30 degrees by the drive unit 6 to support the workpiece W on the first and second workpiece mounting surfaces 2a and 2b. In this state, the hydraulic cylinder 17 is extended to move the workpiece reversing device 1 on the rail 16.

[0043] As shown in Figure 9(c), the L-shaped frame 3 is rotated so that the second workpiece mounting surface 2b becomes horizontal. In this state, the workpiece W is positioned on the second roller conveyor 19.

[0044] As shown in Figures 9(d) and 10, the workpiece reversal device 1 retracts to its initial position. The workpiece W on the second roller conveyor 19 is transported to the next process, where welding and other operations are performed.

[0045] The present invention is not limited to those shown in the embodiments described above.

[0046] The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the above description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1. Workpiece inversion device 2. Workpiece mounting surface 2a First workpiece mounting surface 2b Second workpiece mounting surface 3 L-shaped frame 4. Shaft section 5 bases 6. Drive unit 7 Cranes 8 motors 9 Drive shaft 10 Output shaft 11 Sprocket Chain Transmission 12 Control Panel 13 Cylinder device 14 Piston Rod 15 cylinders 16 rails 17 Hydraulic Cylinder 18. First Roller Conveyor 19. Second roller conveyor M worker Double job

Claims

1. An L-shaped frame having mutually orthogonal workpiece mounting surfaces, A base that pivotally supports the shaft portion provided at the corner of the L-shaped frame, The system includes a drive device that rotates the L-shaped frame so that the workpiece mounting surface becomes perpendicular to the horizontal plane, A workpiece inversion device in which the height of the workpiece mounting surface in a horizontal state from the floor is set to a height at which an operator can work on the workpiece placed on the workpiece mounting surface in a horizontal state from the floor.

2. The workpiece reversing device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device has a motor that rotates the shaft portion.

3. The workpiece reversing device according to claim 1, wherein the drive device has a cylinder device connected to the L-shaped frame on the base.

4. Multiple workpiece reversing devices are arranged to support multiple points along the longitudinal direction of the workpiece. The workpiece reversing device according to claim 2, wherein a drive connecting shaft is provided for connecting the adjacent shaft portions of the plurality of workpiece reversing devices.

5. The workpiece reversing device according to claim 4, wherein the workpiece is a long steel frame and the operation is a welding operation.

6. A process of placing a workpiece on one of two mutually orthogonal workpiece mounting surfaces of an L-shaped frame and performing a welding operation on the workpiece, The process involves inverting the L-shaped frame by -90 degrees and placing the workpiece on the other workpiece mounting surface, After lifting the workpiece from the other workpiece mounting surface, the L-shaped frame is rotated 90 degrees. A step of placing the workpiece on one of the workpiece mounting surfaces, A method for welding a workpiece, comprising the steps of: inverting the L-shaped frame by -90 degrees, placing the workpiece on the other workpiece mounting surface, and performing a welding operation on the workpiece.

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