TURNING STATION FOR METAL SHEETS OR METAL SHEET STACKS, AND METHOD FOR USING THE TURNING STATION

Abstract

A turning station for metal sheets or metal sheet stacks, having a first support which forms a first support plane for a first side of the metal sheets, and having a second support which forms a second support plane for a second side of the metal sheets. The supports are rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis and provided with a plurality of detents which project beyond longitudinal edges of the metal sheets. The supports are part of a rotary installation with a frame having two end-side rotary bearings on a common rotation axis and a basket which is mounted in the two rotary bearings for motorized rotation about the rotation axis, the basket having end-side linear guides for the two supports. The supports by way of support planes which extend in parallel and are oriented toward one another are held in the basket such that the rotation axis is situated between the two support planes and the two supports in the end-side linear guides are in each case movable in a motorized manner in a movement direction toward and away from the rotation axis. Methods for unpackaging, storing, and turning metal sheet stacks are also provided.

Claims

1. A turning station for metal sheets or metal sheet stacks (18), the turning station comprising: a first support (4) which forms a first support plane for a first side of the metal sheets; a second support (5) which forms a second support plane for a second side of the metal sheets; the first and second supports (4, 5) are in each case rotatable about a horizontal rotation axis (10) and are provided with a plurality of detents (7), that project beyond the support plane of the supports (4, 5) and are adapted to support longitudinal edges of the metal sheets; the first and second supports (4, 5) are part of a rotary installation (1) which further comprises: a frame (11) having two end-side rotary bearings (12) which lie in a common rotation axis (10); a basket (8) which is mounted in the two rotary bearings (12) and is rotatable via a motor about the rotation axis (10), said basket (8) having end-side linear guides (9) for the two supports (4, 5); wherein the two supports (4, 5) by way of support planes which run in parallel and are oriented toward one another are held in the basket (8) such that the rotation axis (10) is situated between the two support planes, and the two supports (4, 5) are in each case movable in a motorized manner in the end-side linear guides (9) in a movement direction toward and away from the rotation axis (10).

2. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two supports (4, 5) are movable symmetrically to a plane of the rotation axis (10).

3. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second supports (4, 5) are in each case formed by a plurality of webs (6) which extend transversely to the rotation axis (10).

4. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the basket (8) is provided with racks by which the supports (4, 5) are able to be moved along the linear guides (9).

5. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least part of the detents (7) for longitudinal edges of the metal sheets are provided with track rollers (21) for the longitudinal edges.

6. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one pushing unit (22, 23) configured to act on the longitudinal edges of the metal sheets for pushing metal sheets, the at least one pushing unit is attached on the rotatable basket (8) within a displacement plane which is parallel to the support planes.

7. The turning station as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stationary transfer installation (2) having a plurality of horizontally oriented bars which on both sides are conjointly deployable horizontally and are adapted for depositing the metal sheets or the metal sheet stack, the bars are deployable on a first broadside (26) of the transfer installation (2) to engage below a support (4) in the rotary installation (1), and are deployable on a second broadside (27) of the transfer installation (2) to provide for transfer of the metal sheets or the metal sheet stack to a transport installation (3).

8. The turning station as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame (11) is provided with running wheels (13) for displacing or repositioning the rotary installation (1), and the rotary installation (1) is movable by the running wheels (13) at least partially across the stationary transfer installation (2).

9. The turning station as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a transport installation (3), the transfer installation (2) is disposed between the rotary installation (1) and the transport installation (3), and the transport installation (3) comprises at least one pallet (16) adapted for depositing and storing metal sheets or metal sheet stacks (18).

10. The turning station as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transport installation (3) is comprised substantially of a rail-bound storage truck (15) having at least one pallet (16) support thereon, the storage truck (15) is provided with lifting rams (17) or a lifting cradle configured for raising and lowering metal sheets or metal sheet stacks (18).

11. A method for unpackaging metal sheet stacks (18) using the turning station as claimed in claim 1, said method comprising: ensuring that the rotary installation (1) of the turning station is situated in a neutral position in which the first and second supports (4, 5) are mutually spaced apart and the support planes run horizontally; introducing the metal sheet stack (18) into the rotary installation (1) and depositing the metal sheet stack (81) on the first support (4) which is momentarily disposed below; opening a packaging of the metal sheet stack (18) before or after introducing the metal sheet stack into the rotary installation (1); converging the first and second supports (4, 5) and clamping the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5); rotating the rotatable basket (8) of the rotary installation (1) about 180 angular degrees, and diverging the first and second supports (4, 5); removing the packaging of the metal sheet stack (18); retrieving the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1), or converging the first and second supports (4, 5) and clamping the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5) as well as reversing the rotatable basket (8) of the rotary installation (1) by 180 angular degrees, and retrieving the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1).

12. A method for storing metal sheet stacks (18) using a turning station as claimed in claim 10, said method comprising: ensuring that the rotary installation (1) of the turning station is situated in a neutral position in which the first and second supports (4, 5) are mutually spaced apart and the support planes run horizontally; introducing the metal sheet stack (18) into the rotary installation (1) and depositing the metal sheet stack on the first support (4) which is momentarily disposed below; converging the first and second supports (4, 5) and clamping the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5); rotating the rotatable basket (8) of the rotary installation (1) about 180 angular degrees, and diverging the first and second supports (4, 5); retrieving the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1) using the transfer installation (2), or converging the first and second supports (4, 5) and clamping the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5) as well as reversing the rotatable basket (8) of the rotary installation (1) by 180 angular degrees, and retrieving the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1) by way of the transfer installation (2); transferring the metal sheet stack (18) from the transfer installation (2) to the transport installation (3).

13. A method for turning metal sheets or metal sheet stacks (18) using the turning station as claimed in claim 9, said method comprising: ensuring that the rotary installation (1) of the turning station is situated in a neutral position in which the first and second supports (4, 5) are mutually spaced apart and the support planes run horizontally; removing a metal sheet or a metal sheet stack (18) from the transport installation (3) by the transfer installation (2); introducing the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) into the rotary installation (1) by the transfer installation (2) and depositing the former on the first support (4) which is momentarily disposed below; converging the first and second supports (4, 5) and clamping the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5); rotating the rotatable basket (8) of the rotary installation (1) about 180 angular degrees, and diverging the first and second supports (4, 5); retrieving the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1) by the transfer installation (2); transferring the metal sheet stack (18) from the transfer installation (2) to the transport installation (3).

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the introducing of the metal sheet stack (18) into the rotary installation (1), and the depositing of the metal sheet stack on the first support (4) which is momentarily disposed below, takes place such that the metal sheet stack (18) on at least one longitudinal edge of the metal sheets bears on the detents (7) which project beyond the support plane of the first support (4), and wherein the rotary installation (1) is rotated such that the longitudinal edges of the metal sheets that bear on the detents (7) are oriented downward.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rotary installation (1), after the introducing and depositing of the metal sheet or of the metal sheet stack (18) and the converging of the first and second supports (4, 5) and the clamping of the metal sheet stack (18) between the first and second supports (4, 5), is rotated by 90 angular degrees, whereupon the first and second supports (4, 5) are slightly diverged and one or all metal sheets of the metal sheet stack (18) are pushed by a pushing unit (22) such that a longitudinal edge of the metal sheets is against the detents (7).

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first and second supports (4, 5) are in each case formed by a plurality of webs (6) which extends transversely to the rotation axis (10), and the metal sheet or all metal sheets of the metal sheet stack (18) are pushed to a neutral position by at least one pushing unit (23) that engages on an end side.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the retrieving of the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1) by the transfer installation (2) takes place such that the horizontally deployable bars are deployed on a first broadside (26) of the transfer installation (2) until said bars engage below the momentarily lower first support (4), that the lower first support (4) thereupon is lowered until the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) bears on the deployable bars, and the deployable bars thereafter are retracted again so as to retrieve the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) from the rotary installation (1).

18. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transferring of the metal sheet stack (18) from the transfer installation (2) to the transport installation (3) takes place such that the horizontally deployable bars with the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) are deployed on the second broadside (27) of the transfer installation (2) until the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) is situated above the pallet (16), the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) is then raised by the lifting rams (17) or the lifting cradle of the storage truck (15), the deployable bars thereafter are retracted again, and the lifting rams (17) or the lifting cradle finally is lowered until the metal sheet or the metal sheet stack (18) bears on the pallet (16).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] An exemplary embodiment for a turning station designed according to the invention will be described hereunder by the appended drawings and explained in more detail in the context of the use of said turning station, the latter representing examples of the methods according to the invention. In the drawings:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic lateral view of a turning station designed according to the invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the turning station from FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the rotary installation of the turning station from FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of parts of the rotary installation from FIG. 3;

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a view as in FIG. 4, but in another method stage;

[0037] FIG. 6 shows a view as in FIG. 4, but in another method stage;

[0038] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the rotary installation from FIG. 3, in another method stage;

[0039] FIG. 8 shows a schematic illustration of part of the rotary installation from FIG. 7;

[0040] FIG. 9 shows a view of the stationary transfer installation of the turning station from FIG. 1; and

[0041] FIG. 10 shows a further perspective view of the turning station from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The drawings are schematic illustrations not to scale. Identical elements are elements with equivalent functions are identified by the same reference signs in the figures.

[0043] FIG. 1 in a lateral view shows an exemplary embodiment for a turning station designed according to the invention, said turning station being subdivided into three regions. A first region is a rotary installation 1 in which metal sheets or metal sheet stacks can be rotated or turned, respectively. A second region is composed of a stationary transfer installation 2 for receiving a metal sheet or a metal sheet stack from the rotary installation 1. A transport installation 3 having a rail-bound storage truck 15 and the pallet 16 support thereon is disposed in a third region. The storage truck 15 possesses a number of lifting rams 17 which in FIG. 1 are deployed so as to lower a metal sheet stack 18 from a raised position onto the pallet 16.

[0044] The individual elements of the rotary installation 1 can preferably be seen when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 in combination. The rotary installation 1 has a first support 4 and a second support 5 for metal sheet stacks 18, or metal sheets, respectively, wherein the first support 4 in the neutral position of the rotary installation 1 illustrated forms the lower support, and the second support 5 forms the upper support. Both supports 4, 5 are composed of a number of webs 6 which at the end sides are provided with detents 7. This configuration in particular of the first support 4 enables metal sheet stacks 18 to be placed into the rotary installation 1 by a forklift truck in that the metal sheet stack 18 is introduced into the rotary installation 1 until said metal sheet stack 18 is situated above the first support 4, and the forks of the forklift truck are then lowered until said forks are situated approximately between the webs 6. The forklift truck then retracts the forks, on account of which the metal sheet stack 18, which by way of the detents 7 is retained on the webs 6, slides off. The metal sheets that have been introduced into the rotary installation 1 then bear on the detents 7.

[0045] The first support 4 and the second support 5 are mounted in a rotatable basket 8, specifically in linear guides 9 along which said supports 4, 5 are repositionable in a linear manner by way of support planes which are oriented so as to be mutually parallel. In the neutral position illustrated, this corresponds to upward and downward movements of the two supports 4, 5.

[0046] The first support 4 by way of the support plane thereof, and the second support 5 by way of the support plane thereof, are oriented so as to be mutually parallel and so as to be parallel with the rotation axis 10, and the rotation axis 10 is situated between the two supports 4, 5, or the two support planes, respectively. The supports 4, 5 in the linear guides 9 are adjusted symmetrically to the rotation axis 10 by the drive motors 20 such that said rotation axis 10 always lies between the two support planes.

[0047] The frame 11 of the rotary installation 1 by way of running wheels 13 rests on rails 14 such that the rotary installation 1 can be moved away from the transfer installation 2, for example so as to enable easier access for operators which release a metal sheet stack 18 that is situated on the lower support 4, 5 from the safety packaging of said metal sheet stack 18. In particular however, the rotary installation 1 on the rails 14 can also be moved across the transfer installation 2 so as to minimize the required floorspace of the turning station when not in use.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows a further view of the rotary installation 1, wherein a metal sheet stack 18 bears on the webs 6 which form the first support 4. The supports 4, 5 are opened; this is the neutral position of the rotary installation 1.

[0049] FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show in each case only part of the rotary installation 1, specifically the basket 8 having the discs 19 thereof on the end sides, the linear guides 9, and the two supports 4, 5 which are repositionable in said linear guides 9. While FIG. 4 is intended to contribute to the better understanding of the construction of the rotary installation 1, wherein the elements illustrated, with the exception of in each case one track roller 21 in the detents 7 of the first support 4, have already been described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 3, FIGS. 5 and 6 conjointly with FIG. 3 represent three different temporal points in the use of the rotary installation 1.

[0050] The rotary installation 1 in FIG. 3 is situated in the neutral position, that is to say that the support 4 is situated below, and the support plane of said support 4 extends horizontally, while the second support 5 has been moved upward. A metal sheet stack 18 is placed onto the first support 4 and by way of a longitudinal edge bears on the detents 7 of the first support 4, more specifically on the track rollers 21 of the latter. The metal sheet stack 18 is now optionally accessible to an operator, for example for opening a safety packaging and largely removing the latter.

[0051] The two supports 4, 5 are now converged symmetrically to the rotation axis 10 such that a situation which is illustrated in FIG. 5 results. The metal sheet stack 18 is clamped between the first support 4 and the second support 5. The rotation axis 10 simultaneously extends through the metal sheet stack 18 such that the center of gravity thereof lies advantageously close to the rotation axis 10 and only comparatively minor forces are consequently required for rotating the basket 8 by 180°.

[0052] The situation resulting after this rotation is shown in FIG. 6. In the latter, the first support 4, which is now situated at the top, and the second support 5 which is now situated below, have been diverged again such that the metal sheet stack 18, now bearing on the second support 5, is again accessible to an operator. Said metal sheet stack 18 has been turned by 180° such that the operator can now remove those parts of a safety packaging that to date have been situated on the lower side of the metal sheet stack 18, for example.

[0053] FIG. 7 shows the rotary installation 1 in an optional intermediate stage, the latter being able to be slotted between the temporal points which are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The rotatable basket 8 of the rotary installation 1 here has initially been rotated only by 90 angular degrees about the rotation axis 10 such that the supports 7 by way of the track rollers 21 thereof are now situated below. The metal sheet stack 18 is situated between the first support 4 and the second support 5 but is no longer fixedly clamped therebetween since the supports 4, 5 have been slightly opened. Rather, the metal sheet stack 18 by way of the longitudinal edges of the individual metal sheets now bears on the track rollers 21. The individual metal sheets of the metal sheet stack 18 are aligned in this intermediate stage, this being better highlighted in a sectional illustration in FIG. 8. On the one hand, the metal sheets by way of two first pushing units 22 that are mounted on the frame 11 are pushed against the webs 6, or the track rollers 21 thereof, respectively, and on the other hand, lateral second pushing units 23 which push together the end-side longitudinal edges of the individual metal sheets of the metal sheet stack 18 are provided. The metal sheets of the metal sheet stack 18 are thus precisely mutually aligned and optionally also moved to a neutral position, the coordinates of said neutral position being known and able to be used when further transporting, in particular storing, the metal sheet stack 18. The metal sheet stack 18 is thereafter clamped again by converging the two supports 4, 5 and is rotated by a further 90° so as to form the situation illustrated in FIG. 6. The turned metal sheet stack 18 can be retrieved in a mechanized manner from the rotary installation 1 in particular in this situation.

[0054] The retrieving of the turned metal sheet stack 18 from the rotary installation 1 takes place by the transfer installation 2 which is illustrated in FIG. 9. Said transfer installation 2 is composed of a stationary transfer frame 24 to which a number of telescopic bars 25 are fastened, said telescopic bars 25 being able to be deployed on a first broadside 26, which is oriented toward the rotary installation 1, and additionally able to be deployed on a second broadside 27, which is oriented toward the transport installation 3. The metal sheet stack 18 can be engaged below by the bearing sleeves 28 which are attached to the telescopic bars 25 and be raised so as to be removed from the rotary installation, as well as lowered so as to bear on the lifting rams 17 of the transport installation 3 (FIG. 1). The raising and lowering however takes place only relative to the rotary installation 1 and to the lifting rams 17 of the transport installation 3, because the telescopic bars 25 in reality are movable only horizontally but not vertically, this increasing the load bearing capability for the weight of the metal sheet stack 18. Rather, the first support 4 is lowered when raising the metal sheet stack 18 from the first support 4, while the telescopic bars 25 remain unchanged in vertical terms. The metal sheet stack 18 then bears on the bearing sleeves 28 of the telescopic bars 25. In analogous manner, the lifting rams 17 of the storage truck 15 raise a metal sheet stack 18 that bears on the bearing sleeves 18 of the telescopic bars 25 on the second side 17 of the transfer installation 2 such that the telescopic bars 25 can be retracted again while the metal sheet stack 18 remains on the lifting rams 17 and by way of the latter can be lowered onto the pallet 16 on the storage truck 15.

[0055] FIG. 10 shows a further overall illustration of the turning installation having the rotary installation 1, the transfer installation 2, and the transport installation 3, wherein a metal sheet stack 18 in this illustration lies so as to be buffered on the transport installation 3, awaiting to be stored along a rail track 29 in a metal sheet warehouse (not illustrated). At the same time, the telescopic bars 25 of the transfer installation 2 on the first broadside 26 of the latter are already deployed into the rotary installation 1 again so as to retrieve from the latter a next metal sheet stack 18.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0056] 1 Rotary installation [0057] 2 Transfer installation [0058] 3 Transport installation [0059] 4 First support [0060] 5 Second support [0061] 6 Webs [0062] 7 Detents [0063] 8 Basket [0064] 9 Linear guides [0065] 10 Rotation axis [0066] 11 Frame [0067] 12 Rotary bearing [0068] 13 Running wheels [0069] 14 Rails [0070] 15 Storage truck [0071] 16 Pallet [0072] 17 Lifting ram [0073] 18 Metal sheet stack [0074] 19 End-side disks [0075] 20 Drive motors [0076] 21 Track roller [0077] 22 (First) pushing units [0078] 23 (Second) pushing units [0079] 24 Transfer frame [0080] 25 Telescopic bars [0081] 26 First broadside (of 2) [0082] 27 Second broadside (of 2) [0083] 28 Support sleeves [0084] 29 Rail track [0085] 30 First side (of 18) [0086] 31 Second side (of 18)