Railway pole production plant and product thus obtained

Abstract

Railway pole production plant comprising: - tack welding bench comprising support plane, roller conveyor and templates, suitable for executing positioning and tack welding of two profiles with two coils; - welding bench comprising roller conveyor suitable for receiving the poles to be welded, transferring them into a welding device suitable for rotating them 360° on a longitudinal axis, carrying out the welding thereof; - unloading bench comprising a roller conveyor adapted to receive said welded poles and by means of two parallel conveyors, conveying them in the direction of two positioners, allowing entry on said roller conveyor of each subsequent pole; - two positioners comprising a mechanical interface suitable for bringing together and compressing said beams with a plate by means of a tailstock; - marking machine placed at one of the two ends suitable for imprinting the markings provided by the technical specification and by the construction drawings; - punching machine placed at one of the ends suitable for drilling the UPN beams required by the construction drawings, where applicable; - collection bench suitable for hosting the finished poles; said three benches being joined in a straight line, allowing a continuous processing line.

Description

[0001] “Railway pole production plant and product thus obtained”

[0002] Description

[0003] Field of the art

[0004] The present invention operates in the field of technological processes. More in detail, the object described and claimed below regards a new plant constituting a continuous line of pointing, assembly, welding and storage of LSU Poles - LS Poles - LS-bs Poles intended to constitute metal structures, preferably of railway systems.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] UPN are the initials used for defining the U-shaped profiles standardized according to the EN 10365 regulations, with production tolerances defined by the EN 10279: 2000 regulation. The steel UPN profiles are used in commerce and in industry, but also in machines and tools. The use of steel profiles is characterized by a high composition flexibility and by a quick and inexpensive constructions (through the possibility of prefabrication in the production of the steel). The steel profiles are mainly produced from scraps and can be recycled after use, thus saving natural resources.

[0007] Normally, the first operations carried out for making trellises and beams in general intended to constitute metal structures and parts of metal structures, are those dedicated to cutting, punching and shearing. The technology for cutting UPN beams, rods and metal sheets, more recent and revolutionary with respect to punching, is the cutting with automatic saws for beams and rods or with automatic machines for flame or laser cutting for the metal sheets. The step following the cutting is the bending, i.e. that operation with which the pressure, exerted by the machinery termed “hydraulic or mechanical bending-pressing machine”, deforms a flat semifinished material for the purpose of obtaining a stiffening of the structure and thus start to give volume and a geometric form to the product that one wishes to attain.

[0008] The last step of the process of machining metal sheets, rods and UPN profiles is the assembly, which consists of mechanically joining the particular items obtained in the preceding stages. In order to carry out the assembly, different processes can be used, based on the final use of the processed piece. In the present case, the assembly can occur by means of:

[0009] - conventional spot welding (also termed electric spot welding) or projection spot welding, which consists of the melting of 2 components following an electrical discharge of two copper electrodes and allows joining together solid parts in a permanent manner;

[0010] - welding, which is the process with which, by means of localized heat supply, 2 metals are melted, joining them in a permanent manner.

[0011] In turn, the welding can occur in different ways, among which the following are the most widespread and used:

[0012] - the tig welding (indicated for the welding of parts which require a pressure seal);

[0013] - the mig-mag welding (indicated for the welding of parts which require a mechanical seal.

[0014] Up to present, in the reference industry, such processes are carried out separately from each other, requiring a movement of the manufactured items, during processing, from one procedure to the next.

[0015] Even among the patents present in this field, there do not seem to be solutions to the aforesaid problem. A patent from 2009, RU2008114810A can be mentioned, regarding the attainment of sections for ceilings with hollow wall. The method consists of bending, in series, elements of the section in the main thin-wall billet, covering the shelves externally with a band coating material, bending the elements of the edge in order to enclose the terminal parts of the shelves. In the process of final bending of the coating listels on the perimeter elements from the side of the wall, notches are applied of specific depth with pitch that depends on the width of the ledge of the section. The lower roller of the final work support of the device has projections for the application of the notches. The method is aimed to bring improved quality of the bent profiles, with a reduced number of transitions and intensity of work force in the production.

[0016] The invention UA50037A instead regards the processing of metals by means of pressure in combination with heat treatment. This is based on a method for producing elastic spiral structures from alloy bands hardening via precipitation. The method provides for winding the band in a roll following the extension of the coils of the roll along the axis. During the attainment method, the band before being wound in a roll is subject to:

[0017] - longitudinal plastic-elastic deformation;

[0018] - transverse deformation by means of bending, then after winding the band that is not forcibly bent is unwound, cut from the spiral billet arbitrarily formed during this process;

[0019] - the billet, of specific length, is then pressed at the ends of the specific billet, stretched to the size of the ready profile, simultaneously twisting up to making the coils perfectly adhere, and then it is subjected to thermal fixing at the hardened state.

[0020] The invention is aimed to increasing the strength of the profile in the rectilinear work position, its resistance to gusts of wind and the uniformity of the operating properties over the entire length of the profile, but neither this patent nor the first patent mentioned above seem to propose a solution to the abovementioned problem.

[0021] Presently, plants and methods are missing which would allow a continuous production line, reducing the time and rendering more efficient the system of production of UPN profiles, trellises and beams intended for the fabrication of metal structures and of parts of metal structures. The object of the present patent is therefore to resolve the abovementioned problems.

[0022] Description of the invention

[0023] The object of the present invention is to present a new metal beam production plant, such beams assembled and welded through a continuous processing line comprising a sequence of benches and roller conveyors, allowing the sliding in succession of the sections to be worked through the base components like those detailed below:

[0024] - at least a tack welding bench comprising: o a horizontal support plane; o a roller conveyor parallel to said plane and o a marker; - at least a welding bench comprising: o a roller conveyor; o a hydraulic j ack and a plurality of levers connected thereto; o a welding device;

[0025] - at least an unloading bench comprising: o a roller conveyor; o two parallel conveyors perpendicular to the aforesaid roller conveyor; o a discharge chute;

[0026] - at least two positioners comprising: o a mechanical interface; o a tailstock; o a rotation system;

[0027] - at least a collection bench.

[0028] Advantageously the first of the aforesaid benches allows the tack welding of at least two profiles and two coils to be assembled: here, in fact, these are positioned on the aforesaid horizontal support plane, across from the first tack welding bench awaiting to be placed on the aforesaid roller conveyor. Once placed on the roller conveyor, by means of assembly templates, the aforesaid tack welding takes place, obtaining preassembled poles. Advantageously the positioning in a continuous line of the aforesaid roller conveyors allows the sliding from one station to the next without having to carry out a physical transfer of the components into another production line, speeding up and overall lightening the processing. Thus, the aforesaid pre-assembled poles are transferred onto the roller conveyor of the welding bench, up to reaching a starting position. Here the aforesaid levers are actuated by means of the aforesaid hydraulic jack up to lowering the roller conveyor and transferring the poles into the welding device which, due to a 360° rotation functionality, welds the coils to the profiles - on a longitudinal axis, on the upper and lower part. At the end of the welding, the levers bring the roller conveyor back to a starting position, allowing the transfer of the welded beams to the subsequent unloading bench. One of the most advantageous characteristics is represented by the configuration of the roller conveyor and of the discharge chute of the aforesaid unloading bench: these, in fact, being placed perpendicular with respect to each other, proceed with the lateral conveyance of the welded poles, allowing cyclic and constant entry of further poles to be subsequently transferred in the direction of the two positioners. The latter advantageously allow bringing each pole together with a plate, with which they must be welded, by means of a mechanical interface which integrates a tailstock aimed to mutually adhere the aforesaid components. The advantageous 360° rotation system, integrated at one end of the aforesaid positioners, ensures the welding of the plate on each side.

[0029] Each of the aforesaid roller conveyors comprises a plurality of

[0030] - support feet;

[0031] - sliding rollers;

[0032] - assembly templates;

[0033] - possibly and advantageously further lateral supports.

[0034] Further advantageous versions provide for the following variants:

[0035] - a laser measuring device installed in the aforesaid collection bench, aimed to verify the length of the finished beams comprised between mm 8200 and mm 12000 based on the type of pole to be produced, maintaining a tolerance of +0 / -3 mm;

[0036] - at least a weight sensor installed in the aforesaid unloading bench which allows a weighing of said beams once positioned on the discharge chute as well as the attainment of a limit quantity on the chute;

[0037] - visual, dimensional and / or liquid penetrant verification systems of said welds installed in each of said benches;

[0038] - verification sensors for the welding temperature installed in the aforesaid welding bench. In a further version, each of the aforesaid benches constituting the plant comprises:

[0039] - at least a monitoring camera for the verification of possible damage or errors during processing;

[0040] - an electronic control system which allows automatically starting each said processing. Still in further advantageous versions, the aforesaid roller conveyors and the positioners provide for:

[0041] - a plurality of loading sensors for detecting the completed reception of said profiles, coils and beams and automatically proceeding with each process;

[0042] - a telescopic support which doubles a longitudinal extension, allowing a processing of beams of greater length.

[0043] Possibly and advantageously, the aforesaid support feet are moved hydraulically, allowing a leveling and alignment of the roller conveyors and of said positioners.

[0044] Description of the figures

[0045] The invention will now be described hereinbelow in at least a preferred embodiment as a nonlimiting example with the aid of the enclosed figures, in which:

[0046] - FIGURE 1 shows an overall view of the plan of the present plant comprising at least a plane 50 and a tack welding bench 100 comprising a marker 101 placed at a front end 100.1; a welding bench 110, an unloading bench 120, at least two positioners 130 and a collection bench 140 of said finished beams.

[0047] - FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of the present plant comprising a roller conveyor 102, a roller conveyor 112 in starting position 110.1, a roller conveyor 122 and said positioners 130 and the collection bench 140.

[0048] - FIGURE 3 shows a perspective view of the body of the roller conveyor 102, comprising assembly templates 125, sliding rollers 126 and support feet 127.

[0049] - FIGURE 4 shows a top perspective view of the unloading bench 120 comprising at least a roller conveyor 122, suitable for receiving said beams 1, and at least two parallel conveyors 121 perpendicular to said roller conveyor 122.

[0050] - FIGURE 5 shows a perspective view of the positioners 130 with rotation system suitable for allowing operation on all sides of the plate 4.

[0051] - FIGURE 6 shows a view of the end 130.1 of the positioners 130: it is noted, in both figures, the end 130.1 comprising the rotation system 133, the mechanical interface 132 and the tailstock 131. - FIGURE 7a) shows a side view of the present beams 1 comprising two profiles 2 welded to two coils 3 and to a plate 4 at one end; 7b) shows a view of the single profile components 2, coil 3 and plate 4 still to be assembled; 7c) shows a perspective view of the aforesaid beams 1 comprising as stated the aforesaid two profiles 2 frontally joined by means of the two aforesaid coils 3 and comprising the aforesaid plate at one end; finally, in 7d), a view is noted from the end opposite that welded to the aforesaid plate 4.

[0052] Detailed description of the invention

[0053] The present invention will now be illustrated as a merely non-limiting or non-binding example, with reference to the figures which illustrate several embodiments relative to the present inventive concept.

[0054] With reference to Figs. 1 and 2, an overall view is observed of the present plant structured in at least a tack welding bench 100, a welding bench 110, an unloading bench 120, two positioners 130 and at least a collection bench 140 designed for obtaining poles 1, preferably with a length comprised between about 8200 mm and 12000 mm, to be employed in railway infrastructure.

[0055] The aforesaid poles 1, shown in Fig. 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d, are made from the assembly of two profiles 2 welded to at least two coils 3 and at an upper end to at least a plate 4.

[0056] In Fig. 3, 4, 5, 6, the structural components of the aforesaid benches are shown; in particular the aforesaid first three tack welding, welding and unloading benches 100, 110, 120 are joined in a straight line, allowing a continuous production line, and the sliding in succession of the components to be processed.

[0057] Fig. 5 and 6 show the positioners 130 comprising a rotation system 133 which allows rotating the poles 1 by 360° once they have been installed on the positioners and firmly held by means of at least a mechanical interface 132 that longitudinally brings the beams 1 together with at least a plate 4, due to a tailstock 131 that allows the adhesion of the two components: the interaction of the rotation system 133 and of the mechanical interface 132 allows welding each of the side of the aforesaid plate 4 to the beam 1. The first three tack welding, welding and unloading benches 100, 110, 120 comprise at least a roller conveyor 102, 112 122 each, structured in a plurality of sliding rollers 126 that ensure the horizontal movement of the profiles 2, a plurality of hydraulic assembly templates 125 installed for mechanically tightening the components, bringing them to a tack welding position, a telescopic support aimed to double the longitudinal extension thereof and lateral supports that limit the movement of the components outside of the aforesaid sliding rollers 126 during processing.

[0058] Each of the aforesaid roller conveyors 102, 112, 122 and each of the aforesaid positioners 130 lies on a plurality of hydraulically moved support feet 127, allowing a leveling and alignment of the bench during processing.

[0059] In addition, a plurality of loading sensors are installed therein in order to detect the completed reception of profiles 2, coils 3 and beams 1 so as to automatically proceed with each process. The aforesaid components, also being provided with a telescopic support, are extensible up to double their length, also allowing the machining of longer length beams 1.

[0060] The aforesaid tack welding bench 100 comprises at least a horizontal plane 50, installed across from the tack welding bench 100, aimed to abut the profiles 1 and the coils 3 awaiting processing, which subsequently are positioned on the roller conveyor 102. Here, by means of the aforesaid assembly templates 125, there is the positioning and subsequently, by an operator, the pointing of the profiles 2 with the two coils 3, obtaining a first assembly of poles 1 to be welded in the subsequent bench 110. The aforesaid bench 100 provides for, at a front end 100.1 of said roller conveyor 102, a marker 101 which by receiving the profiles 1 exerts a pressure in the opposite direction, carrying out a marking thereof.

[0061] Once the beams 1 have been pre-assembled, they are transferred onto the roller conveyor 112 of the subsequent welding bench 110 up to reaching a starting position 110.1 : here, through a hydraulic jack, a series of levers are actuated which by lowering the aforesaid roller conveyor 112 transfer - to a welding device, also comprising verification sensors for the welding temperature - the beams 1 which will thus be welded longitudinally both on an upper side and on a lower side. At the end of the operation, the roller conveyor 112 is brought back to a starting position 110.1, allowing the transfer of the components into a subsequent unloading bench 120.

[0062] The latter, after the movement onto the roller conveyor 122, will transfer the poles 1 onto a discharge chute 123 by means of at least two parallel conveyors 121, installed perpendicular to said roller conveyor 122, which convey by means of a transport chain the aforesaid beams

[0063] 1 in the direction of the aforesaid two positioners 130, also allowing entry on said roller conveyor 122 of each subsequent beam 1. The aforesaid loading chute allows allows detecting the complected reception of a predetermined quantity of poles, by means of weight sensors, so as to start the transfer onto said positioners 130. The present plant then provides for at least a collection bench 140 installed for storing the aforesaid poles once the processing has concluded and awaiting the transport outside of the plant. At this point, the exact length of the components is verified by means of a laser measuring device, programmed for recording, with a tolerance of +0 / -3 mm, a length comprised between 8200 mm and 12000 mm. Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variations that are obvious for the man skilled in the art can be made to the invention that has been described up to now, without departing from the protective scope that is provided by the enclosed claims.

Claims

Claims1. Pole production plant suitable for forming metal structures and parts of metal structures called “LSU poles” or “LS poles” or “LS-bs poles” of every type and length suitable for supporting electric traction railway lines with related steel or aluminum suspensions and all the tooling carpentry, characterized in that it constitutes a continuous processing line capable of allowing the sliding of said beams (1) in succession during said processing; said system including:- at least one tack welding bench (100) comprising at least one horizontal support plane (50), a roller conveyor (102) parallel to said plane (50) and at least one marker (101) placed at a front end (100.1) of said roller conveyor (102); said bench (100) being suitable for positioning and allowing tack welding of at least two profiles (2) with at least two coils (3); said profiles (2) and said coils (3) being suitable for being positioned on said horizontal support surface (50), in front of said tack welding bench (100); said two profiles (2) and two coils (3) being subsequently positioned above said roller conveyor (102); said roller conveyor comprising a plurality of hydraulic assembly templates (125), designed to mechanically tighten said profiles (2) and said coils (3), bringing them to a position of tack welding carried out immediately afterwards by an operator; said two profiles (2) being pushed in the direction of said marker (101) capable of exerting pressure in the opposite direction thus carrying out a marking; said tack welding being suitable for obtaining a first assembly of poles (1) still to be welded;- at least one welding bench (110) including at least one roller conveyor (112) which, once said tack welding of said poles (1) has been carried out, through a push of said roller conveyor (102), receives said poles (1) still to be welded in a starting position (110.1) of said bench (110); said bench (110) comprising at least one hydraulic jack suitable for activating levers suitable for lowering said roller conveyor (112) by transferring said poles (1) inside a welding device; said device being capable ofallowing a 360° rotation of said beams (1) on a longitudinal axis, so as to carry out a weld on an upper side and a lower side thereof; at the end of said welding said levers being suitable for lifting said roller conveyor (112); once said starting position (110.1) has been reached again, said welded beams (1) are pushed via said roller conveyor into a subsequent unloading bench (120);- at least one said unloading bench (120) including at least one roller conveyor (122) suitable for receiving said welded poles (1); said bench (120) integrating at least one discharge chute (123) installed perpendicular to said roller conveyor and including at least two parallel conveyors (121) designed to convey said poles (1) in the direction of at least two positioners (130); once the positioning of said beams (1) on said roller conveyor (122) has been achieved, said parallel conveyors (121) being capable of lifting up and by means of a transport chain, move said poles (1) perpendicular to said roller conveyor (122), allowing entry on said roller track (122) of each subsequent beam (1);- at least two said positioners (130) comprising at least one mechanical interface (132) suitable for bringing together and compressing said poles (1) with at least one plate (4) via a tailstock (131) suitable for making said pole (1) adhere to said plate (4); said positioners comprising a rotation system (133) capable of 360° rotating each of the sides of said plate (4) to be welded to said poles (1);- marking machine placed at one of the two ends suitable for imprinting the markings required by the technical specification and construction drawings;- punching machine placed at one of the ends suitable for drilling the “UPN” type beams according to the requirements indicated in the construction drawings, where applicable;- at least one collection bench (140) suitable for hosting said finished beams waiting to be transported outside of said plant; said three tack welding, welding and unloading benches (100, 110, 120) being joined in a straight line allowing said continuous processing line; each of said roller conveyors(102, 112, 122) and each of said positioners (130) resting on a plurality of support feet (127); said roller conveyors (102, 112 122) comprising a plurality of sliding rollers (126) designed to allow horizontal movement of said profiles (2) subsequently poles (1) above said benches (100, 110, 120).

2. Pole production plant (1), according to the preceding claim 1, wherein said roller conveyors (102, 112 122) include a plurality of lateral supports suitable for laterally containing said profiles (2) and subsequently beams (1), avoiding an escape from said sliding rollers (126).

3. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims 1 or 2, wherein said collection bench (140) includes a laser measuring device capable of carrying out a verification of the length of said finished beams with a tolerance of + 0 / -3mm; said length being between 8200 mm and 12000 mm.

4. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said unloading bench (120) includes at least one sensor suitable for allowing the weighing of said beams once positioned on said unloading chute (123).

5. Pile production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein visual, dimensional and / or liquid penetrant verification systems are included in each of said benches (100, 110, 120, 130, 140) of said welds.

6. Pole production plant (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said welding bench (110) includes sensors for verifying the welding temperature.

7. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of said benches (100, 110, 120, 130, 140) includes at least one monitoring camera suitable forverifying any damage or error during said processing of said beams (1).

8. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein each of said benches (100, 110, 120, 130, 140) provides an electronic control system capable of automatically starting each of said processes.

9. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said roller conveyors (102, 112, 122) and said positioners (130) comprise a plurality of load sensors suitable for detecting a successful reception of said profiles (2), coils (3) and beams (1) and automatically proceed with each process.

10. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said roller conveyors (102, 112, 122) and said parallel conveyors (121) comprise a telescopic support suitable for doubling a longitudinal extension of the same allowing a machining of longer length beams (1).

11. Pole production plant (1), according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said support feet (127) are moved hydraulically, allowing a levelling and alignment of said roller conveyors (102, 112, 122) and of said positioners (130).

12. Metal poles (1), obtained through said production plant, according to the preceding claims from 1 to 11, characterized in that they include at least two U-shaped shaped metal profiles (2), welded on the internal longitudinal sides to at least two coils (3); said beams (1) comprising at least one plate (4) at one upper end.

13. Metal poles (1), according to the preceding claim 12, characterized in that they are made of steel.

Images