Separation device for tubular or rod-shaped workpieces

Abstract

A separating device (10) for controlled separation of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) is provided, the separating device (10) comprising a swivel unit (20) having a storage rack (22) and a lifter (24), where the storage rack (22) is configured for storage of a plurality of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) and the lifter (24) is configured for lifting the workpieces (40) stored in the storage rack (22), and a transport unit (30) having a conveying chute (32) forming an inclined conveying surface (33) for the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40), the swivel unit (20) and the transport unit (30) being mutually disposable such that a first pivot axis (26) about which the storage rack (22) of the swivel unit (20) can pivot extends along an upper end (322) of the conveying chute (32) of the transport unit (30). Additionally provided are a loading system including the separation apparatus (10) and a method of using the separation apparatus (10).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of tube processing machines, and in particular to a separation device for the controlled separation of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent document 1 discloses an apparatus for separating tubular or rod-shaped workpieces, in which the workpieces can be transported by a lifter from a pivotally mounted storage rack or from a pivotally mounted storage cassette over the load end onto the load surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Application Publication No. 102020100459A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The invention is based on the task of improving the state of the art, in particular by optimizing the separation for fully automatic transport of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from a storage location to a processing machine. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the objectives of the present invention, a separating device for controlled separation of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces is provided. The separating device comprises a rotating unit having a storage rack and a lifter, where the storage rack is configured to accommodate a plurality of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces, and the lifter is configured to lift the workpieces accommodated in the storage rack. In this specification, a tubular or rod-shaped workpiece refers to a workpiece having a length that is much greater than its cross-section. The tubular or rod-shaped workpiece may have a constant profile over its length and be made of an essentially inflexible material, such as metal. The profile may be open or closed and may have a rounded or angular contour. The rotating unit and the storage rack may each have an elongated shape, so that similarly elongated tubular or rod-shaped workpieces can be accommodated or transported therein. The storage rack may be fixedly integrated into the rotating unit or may be inserted into or removed from the rotating unit as a storage cassette. The base region of the storage rack or storage cassette can have a cavity through which a lifter can lift the workpieces in the storage rack. The lifter can include a plurality of support posts disposed along the length of the storage rack, each of which can move through a cavity in the base region of the storage rack. The lifter or the lifter support posts can form a support surface for the workpieces stored in the storage rack, which support surface can be parallel to the base surface of the storage rack or inclined at a predetermined angle (e.g., about 10°) relative to the base surface of the storage rack.

[0006] The separating device further comprises a conveying unit having a conveying chute forming an inclined conveying surface for the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces. The inclination of the conveying surface is understood to be relative to the horizontal. The conveying chute can include a plurality of conveying rails arranged adjacent to one another along the longitudinal side of the conveying unit and forming the conveying surface as a whole with their respective surfaces.

[0007] The swivel unit and the transport unit can be arranged relative to each other so that a first pivot axis, about which the storage rack of the swivel unit can pivot, extends along the upper end of the transport chute of the transport unit. Advantageously, the transport unit can be arranged at a predetermined position on a base, while the swivel unit can be arranged to be movable relative to the transport unit on the base. Furthermore, the inclination of the transport surface can have a predetermined fixed angle with respect to the horizontal, which can be, for example, 20° to 50°, and particularly about 35°. Due to the predetermined angle and the fixed arrangement of the transport belt, the upper end of the transport chute also preferably has a fixed position. The upper end of the transport chute extends along the length of the transport unit. The upper end of the transport chute refers to a region at the upper end of the transport chute that can extend, for example, up to 50 cm, preferably up to 20 cm, and more preferably up to 10 cm, downward in the direction of the inclined transport surface from the outermost upper end of the transport chute.

[0008] The storage rack, which is pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis, the lifter on the one hand, and the transport chute on the other hand, allow tubular or rod-shaped workpieces to be separated particularly easily and automatically upon proper positioning of the swivel unit relative to the transport unit. Separation of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces is understood to mean the separation of individual or relatively few tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from a large number of such workpieces. Workpieces separated from the storage rack by transfer to the transport unit can be temporarily stored at the bottom end of the transport chute for further transfer to a processing machine, for example.

[0009] According to a preferred variant, the transport unit can have a bridging element that is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the transport chute around a second pivot axis and is configured to bridge the gap between the upper end of the transport chute and the upper ends of the lateral boundaries of the storage rack of the swivel unit. The storage rack thus has at least one lateral boundary facing the transport unit, at least in the separation position of the swivel unit. As already mentioned above, the storage rack can be configured as a storage cassette. The storage rack or storage cassette can have the shape of an elongated box with two short and two long lateral boundaries, for example in the form of side walls or side supports.

[0010] The bridging element can have a predetermined width. By width, we mean the size of the bridging element transversely to the length of the transport unit. The width of the transport element can be, for example, at least 5 cm. The bridging element can have a hook-shaped end, which can reach behind the lateral boundary of the storage rack. The transport unit can also have multiple bridging elements attached at intervals along the length of the transport unit. If the transport chute is formed from multiple transport rails, a bridging element can preferably be attached to the upper end of each transport rail.

[0011] If the transport unit has at least one bridging element, the swivel unit and the transport unit can be positioned relative to each other so that the first pivot axis of the swivel unit and the second pivot axis of the bridging element of the transport unit coincide with each other. In other words, when the swivel unit is in the disconnected position, the storage rack and the bridging element can pivot about a common pivot axis. In this way, the gap between the upper end of the lateral boundary of the storage rack facing the transport unit and the upper end of the transport chute can be reliably and easily bridged without depending on the inclination of the storage rack, or at least from an inclination of the bottom surface of the storage rack relative to the horizontal of approximately 15°. This improves the transport of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from the storage rack to the transport chute.

[0012] The upper ends of the lateral boundaries of the storage racks can be pivoted about the first pivot axis at a radius that essentially corresponds to the width of the bridging element. This ensures that, in the disconnected position of the pivoting unit, the bridging element is flush with the upper ends of the lateral boundaries of the storage racks and reliably bridges the gap between the transport chute and the storage rack without protruding too far beyond the lateral boundaries inside the storage rack. In this context, the expression "essentially" should be understood to mean that the bridging element can be located at the upper ends of the lateral boundaries of the storage racks when the pivoting unit is in the disconnected position.

[0013] The upper end of the conveying chute can also be formed without a bridging element. In this case, it is particularly advantageous to keep the gap between the upper end of the conveying chute and the lateral border of the storage rack as small as possible (e.g., less than 5 cm, preferably less than 2 cm, and more preferably less than 1 cm) in order to ensure reliable separation of the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces. For example, the upper end of the conveying chute can be formed rounded, with the radius of the roundness extending around an axis that coincides with the first pivot axis when the swivel unit is in the separation position.

[0014] The transport unit has one or more drivers displaceable in the transport direction along the transport surface, allowing tubular or rod-shaped workpieces that have been lifted by the lifter from the storage rack beyond the upper end of the lateral boundary and reached the transport surface of the transport chute to be transported along the transport surface in a controlled manner. The transport speed of the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces on the transport chute can be controlled by the drivers, which are preferably motor-driven, independently of the inclination of the transport chute or of the transport surface. At least one driver can also transport the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from the lower end of the transport chute upward along the transport chute in the reverse direction and push them into the storage rack. Each driver can include a suitable sensor system that detects the number of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces in contact with the driver, for example, by a change in weight.

[0015] The conveying chute may include a plurality of conveying rails which together form a conveying surface. A follower may be movably arranged on each conveying rail, the follower preferably being able to move synchronously with one another.

[0016] The swivel unit of the separation device can include a base module and a swivel module. The storage rack can be disposed on the swivel module. The base module provides a bearing for the swivel movement of the swivel module. Preferably, the swivel module has an at least partially arcuate outer contour extending radially about the first pivot axis. Furthermore, the swivel unit can include a drive unit disposed on the base module and having a drive wheel that can engage with or is engaged with the arcuate outer contour of the swivel module to swivel the swivel module. The swivel unit can include a drive unit with a drive wheel that is disposed on the base module and can engage with or is engaged with the arcuate outer contour of the swivel module to swivel the swivel module. In particular, the swivel drive can be configured as a rack-and-pinion drive, in which a corresponding arcuate rack is attached to the arcuate outer contour of the swivel module, and the drive wheel is configured as a gear or a toothed pinion.

[0017] The base module can further have an arcuate groove, which extends radially and concentrically with respect to the arcuate outer contour, centered on the first pivot axis. In this case, rollers can be arranged on the base frame, which engage with the arcuate grooves of the support frame and serve as bearings for the pivot module. In this case, the weight of the pivot module is transferred to the base module via the rollers. The drive concept described here is advantageous for a particularly slim design of the pivot unit. At the same time, large loads can be transferred in a rack-and-pinion drive.

[0018] The swivel unit is movable. For this purpose, corresponding wheels can be arranged on the base module of the swivel unit. In particular, the swivel unit can be moved on the wheels transversely relative to the transport unit. For example, the swivel unit can load a storage cassette filled with tubular or rod-shaped workpieces in a loading position away from the transport unit, with the swivel module being swiveled to the loading position (e.g., a horizontal orientation of the storage cassette). For separation of the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces, the swivel unit is moved toward the transport unit toward the separation position, in which the first pivot axis extends within the upper end of the transport chute. In the separation position, the swivel module can be swiveled, for example, 35°, from one, particularly horizontal, orientation (e.g., loading orientation) to a separation orientation, and one or more workpieces stored in the storage cassette can be lifted or pushed onto the transport chute beyond the lateral boundaries of the storage cassette by one or more lifters.

[0019] The separating device may further include a control unit configured to automatically control the pivoting operation of the pivoting unit, the lifting operation of the lifter, and the moving operation of the at least one follower so that a desired number of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces arranged on the storage rack are separated from the storage rack via the transport unit. Additionally or alternatively, the control device may be configured so that the at least one follower transports the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from the lower end of the transport chute to the storage rack via the upper end of the transport chute.

[0020] The separating device may further comprise a sensor for detecting, for example, the amount of workpieces filled in the storage rack or the presence of individual workpieces on the transport unit and transmitting this to the control unit.

[0021] To achieve the object of the present invention, a loading system for loading tubular or rod-shaped workpieces into a processing machine is further provided. The loading system comprises a processing machine for processing tubular or rod-shaped workpieces. The processing machine can be, for example, a laser processing machine. The processing machine comprises a load area, a processing area, and an unload area. The processing area can preferably comprise a laser processing unit configured specifically for cutting and / or welding tubular or rod-shaped workpieces. The loading system further comprises a separating device according to one of the above-mentioned variants. The loading system further comprises a loading device arranged between a transport unit of the separating device and the load area of ​​the processing machine, the loading device having at least one gripper configured to remove individual tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from the transport unit and transport them to the load area of ​​the processing machine.

[0022] The loading system may further include a shelf configured to accommodate storage racks or storage cassettes. The swivel unit of the separating device is configured to reciprocate between the shelf and the transport unit of the separating device to load the storage racks loaded with tubular or rod-shaped workpieces onto the shelf and separate the workpieces in conjunction with the transport unit. The shelf preferably includes a loading / unloading system that automatically removes storage cassettes (storage racks), particularly empty storage cassettes (storage racks), from the rotating unit of the separating device and loads full storage cassettes. To exchange the storage cassettes, the rotating unit can be moved to a loading position on the shelf.

[0023] To achieve the object of the present invention, a method for loading tubular or rod-shaped workpieces into a processing machine using a separation device as described above is also provided, in which the transport unit of the separation device has at least one driver. The method includes, in a first step, loading the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces into a storage rack. For this purpose, the swivel unit can, for example, move to a shelf and load the filled storage cassette using the loading and unloading system described above. Alternatively, the storage rack can be loaded while the swivel unit is directly adjacent to the transport unit in the separation position, in which case the storage rack can be swiveled into a loading orientation, particularly a horizontal loading orientation, for loading the storage rack.

[0024] When the storage rack is installed and the swivel unit is in the unloading position, the method includes in a second step pivoting the swivel unit from the installation orientation to the unloading orientation, whereby the swivel unit or a swivel module of the swivel unit can be pivoted by a predeterminable tilt angle, for example between 20° and 50°, for example about 35°.

[0025] In a third step, the method includes using a lifter to lift the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces in the storage rack until at least one of the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces abuts against at least one following body. In other words, the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces stored in the storage rack are lifted by the lifter and moved along a lateral boundary of the storage rack that is inclined due to the inclination of the storage rack, until at least one of the workpieces passes over an upper end of the lateral boundary, passes onto a transport unit, and is held by at least one following body.

[0026] In a fourth step, the method includes lowering at least one follower along the conveying surface of the conveying unit. To control the separation of the workpieces, the follower can be lowered on the conveying chute, for example, until a predetermined number of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces are placed on the conveying chute. The lifter can then be lowered again until the remaining workpieces are at least below the upper end of the lateral boundary. The follower can then be further lowered along the conveying chute to a lower end position, at which the separated workpieces can be removed for further transport to the processing machine.

[0027] It is understood that this separation device can also be used to unload tubular or rod-shaped workpieces from the loading area of ​​a tube processing machine. In this case, the above-mentioned method steps can be performed in reverse order, with the orientation of the swivel unit being irrelevant. It is basically sufficient that the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces on the transport chute are pushed over the upper end of the transport chute into the storage rack by one or more drivers. The lowered position of the lifter is advantageous because it allows the workpieces to be transported to the storage rack without being obstructed by the lifted workpieces in the storage rack. After the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces have been returned to the storage rack, the swivel unit can be moved, for example, from the separation position to a shelf unloading position, where the storage rack, which in this case can be embodied as a storage cassette, can be removed and transferred to the shelf. During unloading, the swivel unit can preferably be swiveled to a horizontal position.

[0028] The following description of preferred embodiments, taken together with the drawings, will help to explain the present invention in more detail. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0029] [Figure 1a] 1 is a side view of a separating device according to the present invention for separating tubular or rod-shaped workpieces; [Figure 1b]1b shows a partial view of the separating device according to FIG. 1a at the connection between the turning unit and the conveying unit; [Figure 2] FIG. 1b is an isometric view of the separation device according to FIG. 1a. [Figure 3] 1 shows a loading system according to the present invention for loading tubular or rod-shaped workpieces into a processing machine; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] For simplicity, elements of the same function or structure are designated by the same reference symbols in the figures.

[0031] 1a and 2 show a separation device 10 in a side view (FIG. 1a) and an isometric view (FIG. 2), respectively. Both devices 10 shown are identically constructed, with the view according to FIG. 1a additionally accommodating a number of tubes 40 in the separation device 10.

[0032] The separating device 10 comprises a swivel unit 20 having a storage rack 22 and a lifter 24. The storage rack 22 is configured to accommodate a plurality of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40, and the lifter 24 is configured to lift the workpieces 40 accommodated in the storage rack 22. The storage rack 22 can be configured as a removable, essentially box-shaped storage rack 22 having a cavity at its bottom through which a corresponding, movably mounted, lifter 24 can be moved (see FIG. 2). The separating device 10 also comprises a transport unit 30 having a conveying chute 32 that forms an inclined conveying surface 33 for the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40. In the illustrated variant, the conveying chute 32 is composed of a plurality of conveying rails arranged adjacent to one another along the length of the conveying unit. Each conveying rail is fitted with a follower 38 that can move along the conveying surface 33. The swivel unit 20 also has a lamellar structure, with identical modules arranged adjacent to one another along the length of the swivel unit 20. This structure allows the length of the separating apparatus 10 to be easily adjusted. For example, the swivel unit 20 and the conveying unit 30 can each have a length of approximately 6.5 m, or, in larger implementations, approximately 8 m or 12 m. The weight of the separating apparatus and its load-bearing capacity are also affected by the number and spacing of identical elements arranged adjacent to one another. The separating apparatus 10 can be designed specifically for separating metal, tubular, or rod-shaped workpieces 40 with a total weight of at least 1 ton. This means, for example, that pipes with a total weight of 3 to 4 tonnes can be accommodated in the storage rack 22.

[0033] The swivel unit 20 comprises a base module 202 and a swivel module 204, the swivel module 204 having an arcuate groove attached to two support wheels fixed to the base module 202. Further wheels 29 are arranged on the base module 202, on which the swivel unit 20 can be moved relative to the transport unit 30. The swivel movement of the swivel module 204 is realized by a rack and pinion drive, whereby a drive unit having a pinion 28 is arranged on the base module 202, the pinion 28 engaging with an arcuate rack of the swivel module 204, the arcuate rack extending radially around a first pivot axis 26 of the swivel unit.

[0034] 1a and 2, the swivel unit 20 and the transport unit 30 are arranged relative to one another so that the first pivot axis 26, about which the swivel module 204 together with the storage rack 22 can pivot, extends along the upper end 322 of the transport chute 32 of the transport unit 30. In FIGS. 1a and 2, the swivel unit 20 is in the transfer orientation. This means that the swivel module 204 with the storage rack 22 is pivoted through an angle relative to the horizontal, so that the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40 stored in the storage rack 22 are tilted onto the transport chute 32 beyond the upper end of the lateral boundary 222. The number of workpieces 40 to be separated can be precisely set by the angle of the pivoting movement and the translational movement of the lifter 24. Furthermore, the separation can be monitored and / or controlled by one or more followers 38.

[0035] The transport unit 30 may have a bridging element 34 at the upper end 322 of the transport chute 32, as shown schematically in the detailed view of FIG. 1b. Preferably, a bridging element 34 may be arranged on each transport rail, and this bridging element 34 bridges the gap G between the upper end 322 of the transport chute 32 and the upper ends of the lateral boundaries 222 of the storage racks 22 when the swivel unit 20 is in the separated position. To this end, the or each bridging element 34 has a corresponding width W. The bridging element 34 may also have a hook-shaped outer end, whereby the bridging element 34 can engage beyond the upper ends of the lateral boundaries 222. The bridging element 34 is attached to the upper end 322 of the transport chute 32 so that the swiveling second pivot axis 36 of the bridging element 34 coincides with the first pivot axis 26 of the swivel unit 20 when the swivel unit 20 is in the separated position.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a loading system 100 according to the present invention for loading and / or unloading tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40 into a processing machine. The loading system 100 includes a processing machine 50, in particular a laser processing machine 50, for processing the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40. The processing machine 50 has a load area 52, a processing area 54, and an unload area 56. The loading system further includes a separating device 10, as described above in connection with FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 2. Between the transport unit 30 of the separating device 10 and the load area 52 of the processing machine 50, the loading system 100 further includes a loading device 60 having at least one gripper. The gripper is configured to remove individual tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40 from the transport unit 30 and transport them to the load area 52 of the processing machine 50. On the side of the separating device 10 away from the processing, the loading system 100 further includes a shelf 70 on which a plurality of storage cassettes or storage racks 22 are stored. The turning unit 20 mounts the storage rack 22, which is equipped with tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40, on a shelf 70, and is movably attached so as to be able to reciprocate between the shelf 70 and the transport unit 30 in order to separate the workpieces 40 in conjunction with the transport unit 30. It is understood that the workpieces 40 can also be transported in the reverse manner from the load area 52 of the processing machine 50 to the storage rack 22 and then transferred to the shelf 70 by the loading device 60 and the separating device 10.

[0037] A typical loading process is described below. The storage cassette 22 is loaded from the shelf 70 to the swivel unit 20 by the shelf's loading / unloading system. For this purpose, the swivel unit 20 is moved to the loading position on the shelf 70 and swiveled to the loading position. The storage cassette 22 is then moved by the swivel unit 20 toward the transport unit 30 until it reaches the separation position. Subsequent rotation of the swivel module 204 of the swivel unit 20 tilts the storage cassette 22 toward the transport chute 32. In combination with the movement of the swivel unit 20 by the lifter 24, at least one tubular or rod-shaped workpiece 40 is separated by gravity transporting it onto the transport chute 32 of the transport unit 30 via the bridge element 34. The at least one workpiece 40 is transported along the transport surface 33 of the transport chute 32 by a driver 38, which is part of the transport unit. At the lower end of the transport chute 32, a downstream loading device 60 can remove the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40 and transport them to the processing machine 50. For this purpose, the driver 38 can be moved to a position where it does not interfere with the loading process of the loading device 60.

[0038] Furthermore, the reverse conveying direction is also conceivable. Tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 40 are placed on the conveying chute 32 of the conveying unit 30 by an external device, such as the loading device 60. The conveying unit then conveys the workpieces 40 toward the swivel unit 20 by means of the driver 38, and pushes them into the storage cassette 22 via the bridge element 34. At this time, the lifter 24 is preferably in the lowered position. The swivel module 204 of the swivel unit 20 is then swiveled to a horizontal unloading position, where it can be moved to the shelf 70 in the unloading position. In this unloading position, the storage cassette 22 is removed from the loading / unloading system of the swivel unit 20 and transferred to the shelf 70. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 10 Separation device 20 Swivel unit 202 Bass Module 204 Swivel Module 22 Storage Rack 222 Horizontal boundary 24 Lifter 26 First pivot axis 28 Drive wheels 29 Swivel unit wheels 30 Transport unit 32 Transport chute 322 Upper end of conveying chute 33 Conveying surface 34 Bridging Elements 36 Second pivot axis 38 Convoy 40 Tubular or rod-shaped workpieces 50 Processing machine 52 Loading area for processing machines 54 Processing area of ​​the processing machine 56 Unloading area for processing machines 60 Loading Device 70 shelves 100 Loading System G Gap W is the width of the bridging element

Claims

1. A separation device (10) for controlled separation of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40), comprising: A rotating unit (20) having a storage rack (22) and a lifter (24), wherein the storage rack (22) is configured to store a plurality of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40), and the lifter (24) is configured to lift the workpieces (40) stored in the storage rack (22); a conveying unit (30) having a conveying chute (32) forming an inclined conveying surface (33) for the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40); The swivel unit (20) and the transport unit (30) can be arranged relative to each other such that a first pivot axis (26) about which the storage rack (22) of the swivel unit (20) can pivot extends along an upper end (322) of the transport chute (32) of the transport unit (30); The transport unit (30) has a bridge element (34), The separating device (10) is formed so as to bridge the gap (S) between the upper end (322) of the conveying chute (32) and the upper end of the lateral boundary portion (222) of the storage rack (22) of the rotating unit (20).

2. The bridging element (34) is attached to the upper end (322) of the conveying chute (32) so as to be rotatable about a second pivot axis (36), The bridging element (34) has a predetermined width (W); 2. The separating device (10) of claim 1, wherein the swivel unit (20) and the conveying unit (30) are arranged relative to each other so that the first swivel axis (26) of the swivel unit (20) and the second swivel axis (36) of the bridge element (34) of the conveying unit (30) coincide with each other.

3. 3. The separating device (10) of claim 2, wherein the upper end of the lateral boundary portion (222) of the storage rack (22) is pivotable about the first pivot axis (26) at a predetermined radius, the radius essentially corresponding to the width (W) of the bridge element (34).

4. The separating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conveying unit (30) has one or more followers (38) arranged displaceably in the conveying direction along the conveying surface (33), whereby tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) that have been lifted by the lifter (24) from the storage rack (22) beyond the upper end of the lateral boundary portion (222) and reached the conveying surface (33) of the conveying chute (32) can be conveyed along the conveying surface (33) in a controlled manner.

5. The swivel unit (20) comprises a base module (202) and a swivel module (204), and / or The storage rack (22) is disposed on the swivel module (204), and / or the pivot module (204) has an at least partially arcuate outer contour extending radially about the first pivot axis (26); and / or The separating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the swivel unit (20) has a drive section with a drive wheel (28), the drive wheel (28) being arranged on the base module (202) and engaging with the arcuate outer contour of the swivel module (204) for swivel of the swivel module (204).

6. The separating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the turning unit (20) is movable.

7. Further comprising a control unit, The separation device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically control the rotational movement of the rotation unit, the lifting movement of the lifter, and the movement movement of at least one follower so that a desired number of tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) arranged on the storage rack (22) are separated from the storage rack via the transport unit (30).

8. A loading system (100) for loading a tubular or rod-shaped workpiece into a processing machine (50), comprising: a processing machine (50) for processing a tubular or rod-shaped workpiece (40), the processing machine having a load area (52), a processing area (54), and an unload area (56); A separation device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3; A loading system (100) comprising: a loading device (60) arranged between the conveying unit (30) of the separating device (10) and the load area (52) of the processing machine (50), the loading device (60) having at least one gripper configured to remove individual tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) from the conveying unit (30) and transport them to the load area (52) of the processing machine (50).

9. Further, a shelf (70) formed for receiving the storage rack (22) is provided, 9. The loading system (100) of claim 8, wherein the rotating unit (20) of the separation device (10) is configured to mount the storage rack (22) equipped with tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) on the shelf (70), and to move back and forth between the shelf (70) and the transport unit (30) of the separation device (10) in order to separate the workpieces (40) in conjunction with the transport unit (30).

10. A method for loading tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) into a processing machine (50) using a separating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transport unit (30) of the separating device (10) has at least one follower (38), said method comprising: A step of mounting a tubular or rod-shaped workpiece (40) on the storage rack (22); rotating the rotation unit from an installation orientation to a separation orientation; Lifting the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) in the storage rack using the lifter (24) until at least one of the tubular or rod-shaped workpieces (40) abuts against at least one follower; and, in this order, lowering at least one follower (38) along the conveying surface (33) of the conveying unit (30).

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