Portable carrier device for a furnace charge and handling system for the carrier device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled, in particular coiled metal strips or metal wires, in a temperature-control device. The carrier device has a base body and a carrier element, to which a component part is attachable, wherein the carrier element is detachably attached to the base body. The base body has a transport coupling, which is configured such that the transport coupling is detachably fixable to a handling system for handling the device.

Claims

1. Handling system for hood-type furnace, the handling system having: a carrying device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled and a furnace hood, a transport device for transporting the carrying device, the transport device having a base frame which is transportable along a ground, and an attachment device, which is coupled to the base frame, wherein the attachment device is configured to selectively attach the carrying device to the base frame, wherein the base frame is configured such that the base frame is transportable for a transport of the carrying device between a set-up location, at which the carrying device is selectively attachable to the base frame, and a temperature-control location in the hood-type furnace; and wherein the carrying device is configured to carry component parts to be temperature-controlled that include coiled metal strips or metal wires, and wherein the carrying device comprises: a base body, and a plurality of carrier elements, to which a component part is attachable, wherein each carrier element is detachably attached to the base body by a snap-in connection or a clamp connection, wherein each carrier element is a head stock, wherein the base body has a transport coupling, which is configured such that the transport coupling is detachably fixable to the attachment device, wherein each carrier element forms a carrier column, and wherein each carrier column is configured such that a component part can be placed over each carrier column.

2. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein the base frame is formed along a base plane, wherein the attachment device is movable perpendicularly to the base plane.

3. Handling system according to claim 2, wherein the transport device has at least one first guide structure, which is fixed to the base frame and extends perpendicularly to the base plane, wherein the attachment device has a first guide carriage, which is movably coupled to the at least one first guide structure, wherein the first guide carriage is selectively coupleable to the carrying device.

4. Handling system according to claim 3, wherein the first guide carriage has a controllable attachment element, wherein the controllable attachment element is movable into a release position, in which the carrying device is decoupled from the controllable attachment element, and is movable into a clamping position, in which the carrying device is coupled to the controllable attachment element.

5. Handling system according to claim 3, wherein the transport device has at least one second guide structure which is fixed to the base frame and extends perpendicular to the base plane, wherein the attachment device has a second guide carriage, which is movably coupled to the at least one second guide structure, wherein the second guide carriage is selectively coupleable to the carrying device, wherein the first guide carriage and the second guide carriage are arranged such that the guide carriages are opposite each other with respect to the carrying device.

6. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein the transport device has a further attachment device, wherein the further attachment device is movable perpendicularly to a base plane.

7. Handling system according to claim 6, wherein the further attachment device has a further first guide carriage, which is movably coupled to the at least one first guide structure, wherein the further first guide carriage is selectively coupleable to the carrying device or to a further carrying device.

8. Handling system according to claim 7, wherein the further attachment device has a further second guide carriage which is movably coupled to the at least one second guide structure, wherein the further second guide carriage is selectively coupleable to the carrying device or the further carrying device, wherein the further first guide carriage and the further second guide carriage are arranged such that the further guide carriages are opposite each other with respect to the carrying device.

9. Handling system according to claim 8, further having the further carrying device, which is formed as a guide cylinder and/or as a furnace hood, wherein the further carrying device is selectively coupleable to the further attachment device, wherein the carrying device, by the attachment device, and the further carrying device, by the further attachment device, are movable relative to each other.

10. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein the carrying device forms a gripper unit, to which a component part is selectively coupleable, wherein the gripper unit is selectively attachable to the base frame by the attachment device.

11. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein each carrier column has a carrier tube, onto which the component parts are pluggable, and a carrier beam, wherein the carrier beam is insertable into the carrier tube and is lockable to the carrier tube, wherein the carrier beam has a transport section for coupling to a transport device.

12. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein the base body has a bottom section, which is placeable on a ground, wherein the base body is configured such that a weight force of the component parts is passable into the ground via the base body.

13. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein each carrier element is suspendable from the base body for detachable attachment so that the carrier element extends from the base body towards the ground.

14. Handling system according to claim 1, wherein the base body has a receiving section, wherein each carrier element has an attachment element formed such that said attachment element is selectively fixable to said receiving section.

15. Handling system according to claim 14, wherein the receiving section has a receiving rail, wherein each carrier element has a gripping element, which is selectively fixable to the base body with the receiving rail for fixing the respective carrier element to the base body.

16. Handling system according to claim 14, wherein the receiving section has a receiving opening, wherein the attachment element has an attachment pin, which is attachable in the receiving opening, wherein the attachment pin has a neck section and a head section, wherein the head section has a larger diameter than the neck section, wherein the receiving opening has a first opening area and a second opening area, wherein the first opening area is larger than the diameter of the neck section and the head section, wherein the second opening area is larger than the diameter of the neck section and smaller than the diameter of the head section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For further explanation and better understanding of the present invention, examples of embodiments are described below with reference to the attached drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a device for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a base body of the device from FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a base body, in which carrier elements can be suspended, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of carrier elements, which are configured to be suspended in the base body shown in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the base body from FIG. 3 and the carrier elements from FIG. 4 according to an exemplary embodiment.

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of a handling system for handling a functional device of a temperature-control device.

(8) FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of a furnace base, on which rests a base body according to an exemplary embodiment.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of a handling system which places functional units onto a furnace base.

(10) FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 are schematic illustrations of a handling system and a furnace base, wherein the handling system carries furnace hoods in order to put them over a furnace hood that is resting on the furnace base, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

(11) FIG. 12 shows a schematic illustration of a handling system which has assembled a charging unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(12) FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are schematic illustrations of a carrier element and/or a carrier column according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(13) FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 are schematic illustrations of a carrier element having two carrier elements provided one above the other.

(14) FIG. 17 to FIG. 22 are schematic illustrations of a gripper unit and a process sequence of the gripper unit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(15) Same or similar component parts in different figures are provided with the same reference numerals. The illustrations in the figures are schematic.

(16) FIG. 1 shows a device 100 for carrying component parts 101 to be temperature-controlled, in particular rolled metal strips or metal wires, in a temperature-control device 701. The carrier device may have a base body 102 and a carrier element 103, to which a component part 101 may be attachable, wherein the carrier element 103 may be detachably attachable to the base body 102 or lies loosely on it. The base body 102 may have a transport coupling 104, which may be configured such that the transport coupling 104 may be detachably fixable to a handling system 600 for handling the device 100.

(17) The device 100 may have a plurality of carrier elements 103. A carrier element 103 may serve to fasten the component part 101 to the base body 102 of the device. The carrier element 103 may be formed like a column as a so-called headstock. The carrier element 103 may be detachably attached to the base body 102. For example, the carrier element 103 may be attached to the base body 102 by a detachable snap-in connection or a clamp connection. A plurality of component parts 101 may be attached to the carrier element 103. The carrier element 103 may be equipped with the component parts 101, for example, at a distance from the base body 102, and then attached to the base body 102. Alternatively, the carrier element 103 may be attached to the base body 102 and may then be equipped with the component parts 101.

(18) The base body 102 may serve to support the carrier elements 103 on the one hand and to transport them on the other hand. The base body 102 may have a transport coupling 104, to which a handling system 600 (see FIG. 6) may be detachably fixable. Thus, the device 100 may be transported between a set-up location, where the base body 102 may be equipped with the carrier elements 103 and/or the component parts 101, and the temperature-control device 701 (see FIG. 7). The transport coupling 104, for example, may consist of a bolt so that an attachment device of the handling system 600 may be coupleable thereto.

(19) The base body 102 together with the carrier elements 103 and the component parts 101 may define a charging unit, which may be introduced into the temperature-control device 701. With the device 100 according to the invention and described above, the entire device 100 may thus be equipped with the component parts 101 to be temperature-controlled at a set-up location remote from the temperature-control device 701 without having to interrupt a temperature-control process in the temperature-control device 701.

(20) The carrier element 103 may form a carrier column (so-called headstock), wherein the carrier column 103 may be configured such that the component part 101 may be pluggable over the column as a coiled metal strip or metal wire. Plural component parts 101 may be attached and/or plugged onto a support column one above the other. A support element 105 or a support platform may be provided between the component parts 101 or between a group of component parts 101, which may be plugged onto to a support column, in order to reduce the weight load of the component parts 101 there underneath. The support element 105 may be connected to the carrier column 103 in order to transfer the weight force of the component parts 1 resting on the support element 105 via the carrier column into the base body 102.

(21) The support elements 105 also may have engagement openings 107, in which gripping elements, such as the rods 1703 from FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, may engage in order to raise and lower the support element 105. Component parts 101, such as wire coils and/or sheet metal rolls, for example, may be stacked on the support elements 105. By raising and lowering the support elements 105, the component parts 101 stacked on them may be removed from a carrier element 103, or a carrier element 103 may be equipped with the component parts 101.

(22) FIG. 2 shows a base body 102 from FIG. 1. The base body 102 may have a base section which may be placeable on a ground (or floor). The base body 102 may be configured such that a weight force of the component part 101 may be introducible via the base body into the ground. The base body 102 thus may form a ground platform. The base body 102 may be formed as a frame-like structure consisting of rigidly connected steel beams. For example, the device 100 and its component parts may be configured such that the device 100 as a whole may be placed on a base of the temperature-control device 701 and may pass through the entire heat treatment of the component parts 101 in the temperature-control device 701.

(23) The base body 102 may have a receiving section 201 having receiving rails 202. The carrier element 103 may have a gripper element, which may be selectively attachable to the base body 102 having the receiving rail 202 for fixing the carrier element 103 to the base body 102.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a base body 102, in which a carrier element 103 may be suspendable. FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of carrier elements 103, which may be configured to be suspended in the base body 102 shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of the base body 102 from FIG. 3 and the carrier elements 103 from FIG. 4.

(25) The carrier element 103 may be suspendable to the base body 102 for detachable fixing, so that the carrier element 103 may extend from the base body 102 in the direction towards the ground. For example, the carrier element 103 may stand on the ground or on the base of the temperature control device 701 so that the weight force may be lead via the carrier element 103 into the ground. The base body 102, to which the carrier elements 103 may be suspended and/or attached, may be arranged at a distance from the ground. The base body 102 may thus connect the carrier elements 103 so that a handling system 600 may grip the base body 102 at its transport coupling 104 and may transport the entire device to a desired location.

(26) The receiving section 201 may have a receiving opening 301, wherein the attachment element 401 of a carrier element 103 may have an attachment pin, which may be attachable in the receiving opening 301.

(27) In particular, the attachment pin 401 may have a neck section 402 and a head section 403, wherein the head section 403 may have a larger diameter than the neck section 402. The receiving opening 301 may have a first opening area 302 and a second opening area 303, wherein the first opening area 302 may be larger than the diameter of the neck section 402 and the head section 403, and the second opening area 303 may be larger than the diameter of the neck section 402 and smaller than the diameter of the head section 403. The first opening area 302 may form, for example, a circular opening, while the second opening area 303 may be formed as an elongated hole. The first opening area 302 and the second opening area 303 may be connected. Thus, a carrier element 103 may first be inserted with the attachment pin through the first opening area 302 and may then be moved in the direction towards the second opening area 303. Only the neck section 402 may slide along the second opening area 303. Due to the larger diameter of the head section 403, which may be larger than the diameter or opening distance of the second opening area 303, the carrier element 103 may not be detached from the base body 102 in this position.

(28) FIG. 6 shows a handling system 600 for handling a functional device of a temperature control device 701. The handling system 600 may have a transport device. The transport device may have a base frame 601, which may be transportable along a ground, and an attachment device 602, which may be coupled to the base frame 601. The attachment device 602 may be configured to selectively attach the functional device to the base frame 601. The base frame 601 may be configured such that the base frame 601 may be transportable for transporting the functional device between a set-up location, at which the functional device may be selectively attachable to the base frame 601, and a temperature-control location in the temperature-control device 701.

(29) A functional device may describe, for example, a device 100 described above for carrying component parts to be temperature-controlled 101. Furthermore, a functional device may also be understood to be a guide cylinder 801 or a furnace hood 902, 903, which may be put, for example, on a base of the temperature-control device 701. In a hood furnace, for example, a large number of different furnace hoods 902, 903 may be placed one above the other. For example, a furnace hood 903 having a larger diameter may be placed over a furnace hood 902 having a smaller diameter (see FIG. 10), so that the smaller furnace hood 902 may be located within the larger furnace hood 903. The innermost furnace hood 902 may act as a protective hood, for example, so that a protective gas atmosphere may be formed in an inner annealing chamber. Another furnace hood 903, such as for example a heating hood or a cooling hood, may be slided over the protective hood 902.

(30) The base frame 601 may be formed along a base plane, wherein the attachment device 602 may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. The transport device may have at least one first guide structure 603, which may be fixed to the base frame 601 and may extend (at least with a directional component) perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device 602 may have a first guide carriage 604, which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure 603. The first guide carriage 604 may be selectively coupleable to the functional device.

(31) The first guide structure 603 may consist, for example, of one or more beams (steel beams), which may be fixed to the base frame 601. For example, the beams simultaneously may form guide rails for the first guide carriage 604. For example, the first guide slide 604 may be movable along a column as a beam. In particular, two spaced beams of the first guide structure 603 may be provided, at which the first guide carriage 604 may be movably arranged.

(32) The first guide carriage 604 may have a controllable attachment element 605, in particular a clamping jaw. The controllable attachment element 605 may be movable to a release position, in which the functional device may be decoupled from the controllable attachment element 605, and may be movable to a clamping position, in which the functional device may be coupled to the controllable attachment element 605. In FIG. 6, the attachment elements 605, 611 may be in the release position. The controllable attachment element 605 may be, for example, a movable clamping jaw or an operable gripping element for implementing a selective coupling with the functional unit.

(33) The second guide structure 606 described in the following may be configured according to the first guide structure 603 described above. Accordingly, the further first guide carriages 609, the second guide carriages 607 and the further second guide carriages 610 described below may be formed in correspondence to the first guide carriage 603 described above.

(34) The second guide structure 606 may also be fixed to the base frame 601 and may extend perpendicular to the base plane. The attachment device 602 may have a second guide slide 607, which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure 606. The second guide carriage 607 may be selectively coupleable to the functional device, wherein the first guide carriage 604 and the second guide carriage 607 may be arranged such that the guide carriages 604, 607 may be opposite to each other with respect to the functional device. Furthermore, a further attachment device 608 may be provided, which may be movable perpendicular to the base plane. Thus, the attachment device 602 and the further attachment device 608 may be arranged one after the other, or one above the other, along a direction perpendicular to the base plane. In particular, the attachment device 602 and the further attachment device 608 may be moved relative to each other.

(35) The further attachment device 608 may have a further first guide carriage 609 which may be movably coupled to the first guide structure 603, wherein the further first guide carriage 609 may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to a further functional device. The further attachment device 608 may have a further second guide carriage 610, which may be movably coupled to the second guide structure 607. The further second guide slide 607 may be selectively coupleable to the functional device or to the further functional device. The further first guide carriage 609 and the further second guide carriage 610 may be arranged such that the further guide carriages 609, 610 may be opposite to each other with respect to the functional device.

(36) The further first guide carriage 609 and the further second guide carriage 610 may be coupled together, for example by reinforcing bars (or struts) 613. Thus the further attachment device 608 and the first guide structure 603 and the second guide structure 606 may be stiffened and/or reinforced.

(37) Furthermore, roller elements 612 may be arranged on the base frame 601. The roller elements 612 may serve to move the base frame 601 along the ground.

(38) FIG. 7 shows, in an exemplary manner, a furnace base 701 of a temperature-control device, on which a base body 102 from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 may be placed. The component parts 101 may be attached to the base body 102. The base body 102 of the attachment device 602 of the handling system 600 may be liftable from the furnace base 701 and transportable. For example, a total mass consisting of, for example, the component parts 101 and the furnace hoods of a hood-type furnace of 50,000 kg may be placed on the furnace base 701 (annealing base).

(39) FIG. 8 shows the handling system 600, which may place a device 100 (e.g. from FIG. 1) consisting of a base body 102, on which corresponding carrier elements 103 with component parts 101 may be attached, on the furnace base 701. The first guide carriage 604 and the second guide carriage 607 may each be moved to a lower position along the guide structures 603, 606. The controllable attachment elements 605 of the guide carriages 604, 607 may therein be set in the clamping position and may thus fix and/or couple the base body 102. A guide cylinder 801 may be placed over the carrier elements 103. The guide cylinder 801 may be coupled to the base body 102, or may rest on the base frame 102 and additionally may stabilize the carrier elements 103 with the component parts 101. Thus, by moving the guide slides 604, 607 along the guide structures 603, 606, the base body 102 may be raised or lowered together with the guide cylinder 801.

(40) The further attachment device 608 consisting of the further first and second guide carriages 609, 610 may be in an inactive state, wherein the further attachment elements 611 may be in the release position.

(41) FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 show, in an exemplary manner, a process for forming a charging unit 1201 (see FIG. 12) by the handling system 600.

(42) FIG. 9 first shows the device 100, the base body 102 of which may rest on the furnace base 701. The guide cylinder 801 may be slipped over the carrier elements 103. The device 100 may, for example, also be placed on the furnace base 701 by the handling system 600 (see FIG. 6).

(43) The further attachment device 608 of the handling system 600 may carry a further furnace hood 902, in which a smaller furnace hood 903 may be nested. The furnace hoods 902, 903 may be firmly connected by a coupling element 901. The coupling element 901 may, for example, fix the furnace hood 903 in the larger furnace hood 902 by a bolt-and-lug connection. The further first guide carriage 609 and the further second guide carriage 110 may be moved along the guide structures 603, 606 to a topmost position. The further attachment elements 611 may have been set, e.g. swivelled over, to the clamping position. The attachment elements 611 of the further guide carriages 609, 610 may be coupled to the further outer furnace hood 902. The furnace hood 902 may have, for example, a coupling area, which may consist, for example, of a circumferential guide rail or a ring groove, in which the further attachment elements 611 may engage.

(44) The guide carriages 604, 607 of the attachment device 602 may have been moved to the lowest position along the guide structures 603, 606, wherein their controllable attachment elements 605 may be in the release position.

(45) FIG. 10 shows that, in this configuration, the handling system 600 may be moved over the furnace base 701 and/or over the device 100 by the roller elements 612. Due to the rigid structure of the handling system 600, an exact positioning and centering of the furnace hoods 902, 903 over the furnace base 701 or the device 100 may quickly be possible. In particular, the rigidity of the handling system 600 may be increased by coupling and stiffening the mounting carriages 609, 610 with the connecting reinforcement bar 613.

(46) After an exact alignment of the handling system 600, the further guide carriages 609, 610 may be moved downwards along the guide structures 603, 606 as shown in FIG. 11, until the furnace hoods 902, 903 may be slipped over the device 100 and, for example, may rest on the furnace base 701.

(47) Then, the other attachment elements 611 may be set to the release position, and the handling system 600 may be removed from the furnace base 701. The hood-type furnace as a temperature-control device may thus be finally converted, so that a temperature-control process of the component parts 101 may be carried out.

(48) After the temperature-control process of the component parts 101, the handling system 600 may be used again, and may remove the furnace hoods 902, 903 from the furnace base 701 by the attachment device, and may lift off the component parts 101 together with the device 100 by the attachment device 602 so that component parts 101 may be quickly determined again on the furnace base 701.

(49) FIG. 12 shows a schematic illustration of a handling system 600 after the assembling of a charging unit 1201. A unit of component parts 101, which may be temperature-controlled in the temperature-control device in one temperature-control process, is called a charge (or batch). The charging unit 1201 may define a unit of the charge and the various superimposed hoods that may surround the charge to be temperature-controlled.

(50) FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 show detailed views of a carrier element 103 from FIG. 1. The carrier element 103 shown may consist of a carrier tube 1301 and a carrier beam 1302. The support element 105 may have a central opening so that it may be plugged onto the carrier tube 1301. By attachment means, each support element 105 may be fixed at a desired position along the carrier tube 1301. Alternatively, the support element 105 may be made integral and non-detachable with the carrier tube 1301. The support element 105 may form e.g. a bottom area, from which the carrier tube 1301 may extend.

(51) The component parts 101 may consist for example of rolled up metal strips or metal wires. These may also be slipped over the carrier tube 1301 and accordingly may rest on a support element 105. The carrier tube 1301 may further have guide rails 1304, which may engage in corresponding guide grooves of the support elements 105 and may guide the component parts 101.

(52) The support element 105 may further have engagement openings 107, in which gripping elements (e.g. the rods of the rod unit 1703 from FIG. 17) may engage in order to raise and lower the support element 105. By lifting and lowering the support element 105 or the carrier beam 1302, the component parts 101 placed thereover may be removed from the carrier beam 1302, or a carrier beam 1302 may be equipped with the component parts 101.

(53) The carrier beam 1302 may be inserted into the carrier tube 1301. After the insertion of the carrier beam 1302, the latter may be secured against being pulled out again, for example, by a locking element 1303, such as for example a bolt. At the upper end of the carrier beam 1302, the beam section 108 may be formed, for example as an eyelet or bolt, so that a transport device 1605, such as a crane hook, may grip the carrier beam 1302, and thus transport the entire carrier element 103. A carrier element 103 equipped accordingly with component parts 101 may, for example, be arranged on a base body 102 according to FIG. 1 and/or a furnace base 701 from FIG. 7.

(54) FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show a further exemplary embodiment, on which two support elements 105, 105′ together with their carrier tubes 1301, 1301′ may be stacked on top of each other along the carrier beam 1302. The second support element 105′ and the second carrier tube 1301′ may be configured according to the carrier element 1301 from FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. On each support element 105, 105′, for example, three component part units 101, 101′, such as wire coils, may be arranged. Herein, the support elements 105, 105′ may be connected with the respective carrier tubes 1301, 1301′ in a force transmitting manner. Thus, the weight force of the component parts 101′ may be transmitted via the support element 105′ to the corresponding carrier tubes 1301, 1301′ and the carrier beams 1302. The weight force of the upper component parts 101′ may thus not be transferred to the lower component parts 101 of the lower support element 105, so that the load on the lower component parts 101 may remain low. In other words, the support elements 105, 105′ may be fixed to the carrier tube 1301, 1301′ at a distance from each other along the carrier tube 1301, 1301′ so that the component parts 101 and the component parts 101′ may be spaced apart from each other.

(55) The lowest support element 105 may further form, for example, a stand, so that the carrier unit 103 may stand independently.

(56) FIG. 17 to FIG. 22 show a gripper unit 1701 and an operation of this gripper unit 1707 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The gripper unit 1701 may serve to grip the component parts 101, e.g. the wire coils from FIG. 1 or FIG. 13, in order to attach them to or detach them from a base body 102 according to FIG. 1 and/or a furnace base 701 from FIG. 7, for example. The gripper unit 1701 shown as an example may have a gripper frame 1702. The gripper frame 1702 may have a U-shape consisting of two parallel beams which may be connected to a common base beam.

(57) In the interior of the gripper frame 1702 several rods of a rod unit 1703 may run from one side of the gripper frame 1702 in the direction towards the open side of the U-shaped gripper frame 1702 (see FIG. 19, 20). The rods 1703 may be configured such that they may be retracted into the corresponding engagement openings 107. In this respect, the engagement openings 107 may form passage openings through the support elements 105. The gripper frame 1702 may initially be adjusted to a predetermined height. Subsequently, the gripper frame 1702 may move horizontally in the direction of the support element 105, whereby the rods 1703 may retract into the engagement openings 107. The two parallel bars of the U-shaped base frame 1702 may be formed such that one or more carrier columns and/or carrier elements 103 may be enclosed. Accordingly, the rods of the rod unit 1703 may engage in corresponding engagement openings 107 of plural support elements 105 of adjacent carrier columns.

(58) The rods of the rod unit 1703 may be dimensioned such that they may protrude on the opposite side after the retracting into the support element 105. The free ends may, for example, be reinforced by reinforcing elements, e.g. a, reinforcing beam 1704, in order to enable a higher maximum transport weight of the rod unit 1703.

(59) On the open side of the U-shaped base frame 1702, for example, a corresponding reinforcing beam 1704 may be arranged on the gripper frame 1702 as a reinforcing element. The reinforcing beam 1704 may be arranged on the gripper frame 1702 rotatably or swivelably around a rotation axis 1705 as shown. Additionally or alternatively, the reinforcing beam 1704 may also be moved laterally along the axis of rotation 1705. The rods 1703 may thus rest on the reinforcement beam 1704, for example, or may be stored in corresponding openings of the reinforcement beam 1704.

(60) As shown in FIG. 17 to FIG. 22, the rod unit 1703 may further be moved (horizontally) relative to the base frame 1702 so that the rods of the rod unit 1703 may be retractable from the outside into the interior of the U-shaped base frame 1702 through through-holes 1706 in the base beam of the gripper frame 1702. According to this embodiment, a method of operation is illustrated in FIG. 17 to FIG. 22.

(61) As can be taken from FIG. 17, the rod unit 1703 may first be drawn out of the gripper frame 1702 and the reinforcing beam 1704 may be turned around the rotation axis 1705 into an opening position, so that the open side of the U-shaped base frame 1702 may be open. The gripper unit 1701 may subsequently be moved horizontally such that the carrier elements 103 to be transported may be in the middle of the U-shaped base frame 1702.

(62) Then, as shown in FIG. 18, the reinforcing beam 1704 may be rotated around the rotation axis 1705 so that the open side of the gripper frame 1702 may be closed.

(63) Then, as shown in FIG. 19, the rod unit 1703 may be moved in the direction towards the carrier beam 1704 and, for example, along the rotation axis 1705. Thereby the engagement openings 107 of the support elements 105 may be aligned such that the rods of the rod unit 1703 may be pushed through the engagement openings 107. After the rods of the rod unit 1703 may have been completely pushed into the interior of the U-shaped base frame 1702, the ends of the respective rods of the rod unit 1703 may rest on the reinforcing beam 1704 or may be supported in corresponding receiving openings of the reinforcing beam 1704. Due to the bearing of the rods of the rod unit 1703 in the through-openings 1706 of the base frame 1702 and the reinforcing beam 1704, the rods of the rod unit 1703 may be reinforced and may therefore carry a high weight of component parts 103.

(64) After the bars of bar unit 1703 have been retracted, the gripper frame 1702 may be raised or lowered in order to move the support elements 105 along the carrier elements 103 accordingly and/or to transport the support elements 105 together with the component part 101 to desired locations. As shown in FIG. 20, the gripper unit 1701 may place the carrier elements 103 on a base body 102 and/or on a furnace base 701.

(65) As shown in FIG. 21, for releasing the carrier units 103, the rods of the rod unit 1703 may first be moved out of the interior of the U-shaped base frame 1702. Then, as shown in FIG. 21, the reinforcing bar 1704 may be swivelled around the rotation axis 1705 into an opening position, so that the open side of the U-shaped base frame 1702 may be open and the inside may be accessible. Subsequently, the gripper unit 1701 may again be moved horizontally or vertically, and may handle and/or transport a new charge of component parts 103.

(66) The gripper unit 1701, for example, may represent a functional device according to the present invention, and may be gripped by the controllable attachment elements 605, for example of the first guide carriage 604 of the handling system 600 from FIG. 6, and may be transported accordingly.

(67) Supplementarily, it should be pointed out that “having” does not exclude other elements or steps, and that “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. It should also be pointed out that features or steps that are described with reference to one of the above embodiment examples can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiment examples described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered as a limitation.

(68) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals: 100 device 101 component part 102 base body 103 carrier element 104 transport coupling 105 support element 106 ground section 107 engagement opening 108 transport section 201 receiving section 202 receiving rail 301 receiving opening 302 first opening area 303 second opening area 401 mounting element 402 neck section 403 head section 600 handling system 601 base frame 602 attachment device 603 first guide structure 604 first guide carriage 605 controllable attachment element 606 second guide structure 607 second guide carriage 608 further attachment device 609 further first guide carriage 610 further second guide carriage 611 further attachment element 612 roller element 613 reinforcement bar 701 furnace base 801 guide cylinder 901 coupling element 902 furnace hood 903 further furnace hood 904 coupling area 905 further coupling area 1201 charging unit 1301 carrier tube 1302 carrier beam 1303 locking element 1304 guide rail 1605 transport device 1701 gripper unit 1702 gripper frame 1703 rod unit 1704 reinforcing beam 1705 rotation axis 1706 passage opening