Straightening apparatus and method of changing rollers thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a straightening machine (1) for straightening an elongated semifinished product with straightening roller elements (6), with a roller table line (3) designed as a conveying section (4), with a stand device (7), which holds the straightening roller elements (6) with respect to the conveying section (4) and comprises a drive-side stand half (17) and an operator-side stand half (18), which is displaceable with respect to the drive-side stand half (17), with a changing device (25) for changing the straightening roller elements (6) and with a changing path (35), along which the straightening roller elements (6) can be moved for changing, in which machine the straightening roller elements (6) are movable on the one hand by means of the operator-side stand half (18) along a first segment (36) of the changing path (35), which extends in a horizontal displacement plane (20), and on the other hand by means of the changing device (25) along a further segment (37) of the changing path (35), which extends in a horizontal changing plane (32), characterized in that the horizontal changing plane (32) is arranged in the region of the physical vertical extent (40) of the operator-side stand half (18).

Claims

1. A machine for straightening an elongated semifinished workpiece with straightening rollers, the machine comprising: a roller table line forming a transport path, a stand assembly holding the straightening rollers relative to the transport path having a drive-side stand half and an operator-side stand half displaceable relative to the drive-side stand half, a changing device for changing the straightening rollers, and a changing path along which the straightening rollers can be moved for changing, the straightening rollers being movable, on the one hand, by the operator-side stand half along a first segment of the changing path that extends on a horizontal transport plane and, on the other hand, by the changing device along another segment of the changing path that extends on a horizontal changing plane, the horizontal changing plane being generally vertically level with the operator-side stand half.

2. The straightening machine defined in claim 1, wherein the horizontal transport plane and the horizontal changing plane are at the same vertical level or at approximately the same vertical level with a difference in vertical level of less than 100 mm.

3. The straightening machine defined in claim 1, wherein the changing device has interchangeable cradles that can move sets of the straightening rollers along the horizontal changing plane for use as a set of rollers at the stand assembly.

4. The straightening machine claim 1, wherein the changing device has at least one longitudinal conveyor with a longitudinal support extension extending parallel to the transport path of the straightening machine, the longitudinal conveyor being at least in part between the drive-side stand half and the operator-side stand half.

5. The straightening machine defined in claim 4, wherein the longitudinal support extension lies vertically level with the horizontal changing plane.

6. The straightening machine defined in claim 4, wherein the longitudinal support extension is supported on both upstream and downstream sides of the stand assembly.

7. The straightening machine defined in claim 1, wherein the changing device has at least one transverse conveyor with a transverse support extension that can move the straightening rollers to a longitudinal conveyor of the changing device.

8. The straightening machine defined in claim 7, wherein the transverse conveyor is operatively connected by the longitudinal conveyor to the stand assembly.

9. The straightening machine defined in claim 7, wherein the transverse support extension lies at the same vertical level as the horizontal changing plane.

10. The straightening machine defined in claim 4, wherein the longitudinal support extension and the transverse conveyor section extend along the changing plane.

11. The straightening machine defined in claim 1, wherein the operator-side stand half has a holder for holding an interchangeable cradle, so that the interchangeable cradle can be displaced laterally to the roller table line along the first segment of the changing path on the transport plane.

12. The straightening machine defined in claim 11, wherein the holder is in the roller table line beneath the transport path.

13. A method of changing straightening rollers of a straightening machine for straightening an elongated semifinished workpiece conveyed along a transport path of a roller table line of the straightening machine, the method comprising the steps of: displacing the straightening rollers laterally along a horizontal transport plane out of the roller table line or into the roller table line by an operator-side stand half of a stand assembly that holds the straightening rollers relative to the transport path, holding fresh straightening rollers in a transfer station for changing that is laterally adjacent the roller table line, transferring the straightening rollers in this transfer station from the operator-side stand half to an interchangeable cradle or vice versa, and moving the interchangeable cradle along a horizontal changing plane passing through the operator-side stand half into the transfer station or out of the transfer station.

14. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of: moving the interchangeable cradle along the horizontal changing plane between the operator-side stand half and a drive-side stand half of the stand assembly opposite from the operator-side stand half.

15. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of: moving the interchangeable cradle into alignment with the transport path into the transfer station or out of the transfer station.

16. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of: changing a set of straightening rollers with a set of rollers at the transfer station by the interchangeable cradles.

17. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the steps, when the stand assembly is open, of: moving the interchangeable cradle between the drive-side stand half and the operator-side stand half, and then displacing the interchangeable cradle by the operator-side stand half into the roller table line and placing the interchangeable cradle beneath the transport path while an elongated semifinished workpiece is straightened by the straightening machine.

18. The method defined in claim 13, further comprising the step of: depositing the straightening rollers on the interchangeable cradle before the interchangeable cradle is displaced laterally out of the roller table line together with the operator-side stand half.

Description

(1) Components in the individual figures that are the same at least in terms of their function are designated by the same reference symbols, with the components not necessarily being designated and clarified in all figures.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a first straightening machine in which a device for changing straightening rollers has a longitudinal conveyor with a longitudinal support and transport section extending parallel to the transport path of the straightening machine and reaching into a stand assembly for holding straightening rollers;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the changing device at the stand assembly of the machine from FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is another schematic perspective view of the changing device shown in FIG. 2, with a set of used straightening rollers and with an additional set of new straightening rollers;

(5) FIG. 4 is an additional schematic view of the straightening machine from FIG. 1 with an alternative changing device with one for longitudinal conveyor as well as a transverse conveyor that is additionally present; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic, partially sectional view of the straightening machine from FIG. 1 or 4 modified such that at least one interchangeable cradle is temporarily positioned below the transport path of the roller table line of the straightening machine.

(7) The straightening machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 in a first embodiment is used to straighten an elongated semifinished workpiece (not shown), such as, for example, elongated profiles, brace beams (of high-speed rails, for instance) or the like. The straightening machine 1 shown particularly in FIG. 1 is specifically a horizontally rolling straightener (not numbered separately) of the CRS (Compact Roller Straightener) type.

(8) The straightening machine 1 has a roller table line 3 that extends in a longitudinal direction 2 of the straightening machine 1 that defines a transport path 4 of the straightening machine 1 along which the elongated semifinished workpiece is conveyed in a longitudinal travel direction 5 through the straightening machine 1.

(9) The straightening machine 1 has a plurality of straightening rollers 6 (only some numbered for the sake of example).

(10) These straightening rollers 6 are held in an inherently known manner in a working station 8 in the roller table line 3 in a stand assembly 7 of the straightening machine 1 such that the elongated semifinished workpiece is straightened as known per se upon passing through the straightening machine 1.

(11) At least in this embodiment, the straightening rollers 6 are formed by support sleeves 6A and roller bodies 6B that (see only FIGS. 2 and 3) directly engage the elongated semifinished workpiece and thus are subject to wear. Therefore, the need exists to exchange these straightening rollers 6 on the straightening machine 1 as a function of wear. The straightening rollers 6 can be exchanged cumulatively or, alternatively, also depending on the shape of the elongated semifinished workpiece to be straightenedfor example, if the straightening machine 1 is to be converted to a differently profiled elongated semifinished workpiece.

(12) The roller table line 3 is thus predefined on the one hand by straightening rollers 6 that are successively arranged and held in the stand assembly 7 and, on the other hand, by an inlet roller table 9 whichwhen seen in the longitudinal travel direction 5is upstream of the stand assembly 7, as well as by an outlet roller table 10 which, seen in the longitudinal travel direction 5, is downstream of the stand assembly 7.

(13) The straightening machine 1 further has for rotating the individual straightening rollers 6 a drive 15 that is spaced transversely, i.e. in a transverse direction 16, from the stand assembly 7 and is thus located to the side adjacent the stand assembly 7. Since the drive 15 coupled with the individual straightening rollers is well known from the prior art, it will not be discussed further here.

(14) The stand assembly 7 has a drive-side stand half 17 and an operator-side stand half 18. The drive-side stand half 17 is substantially fixed relative to the roller table line 3.

(15) In contrast, the operator-side stand half 18 is transversely displaceable relative to the roller table line 3 and thus also to the drive-side stand half 17, so that the stand assembly 7 can be opened in the transverse direction 16, i.e. transverse to the transport path 5, in order to facilitate the exchange of the straightening rollers 6 (see FIGS. 2 and 3).

(16) The straightening rollers 6 are held or supported on the operator-side stand half 18 on support stubs 19 (numbered only for the sake of example; see FIGS. 2 and 3) and can thus be moved by this operator-side stand half 18 transversely in a horizontal transport plane 20 relative to the transport path 4 out of the roller table line 3 and positioned in a transfer station 21 that is transversely adjacent the roller table line 3.

(17) Moreover, the straightening machine 3 has a changing device 25 for changing the straightening rollers 6. This changing device 25 has at least one longitudinal support 26 which, in this embodiment, extends precisely parallel to the transport path 4 of the straightening machine 1.

(18) This longitudinal conveyor 26 has a longitudinal support extension 27 that extends parallel to the transport path 4 of the straightening machine 1 and passes through the stand assembly 7 at least when the stand assembly 7 is open (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The longitudinal conveyor 26 is thus at least partially between the drive-side stand half 17 and the operator-side stand half 18, at least when the stand assembly 7 is opened sufficiently, thus enabling the straightening rollers 6 to be changed in accordance with the invention.

(19) In this embodiment, the longitudinal support extension 27 is a rail 28. Moreover, the straightening machine 1 has interchangeable cradles 30 on which sets 31 of straightening rollers 6 can be deposited as sets 31 of rollers 6 (numbered only for the sake of example).

(20) These interchangeable cradles 30 can be advantageously moved by the longitudinal conveyor 26 in a horizontal changing plane 32 between the drive-side stand half 17 and the operator-side stand half 18 parallel to the transport path 4 or the roller table line 3.

(21) The interplay between the stand assembly 7 and the interchangeable cradles 30 in the horizontal transport plane 20 and the horizontal changing plane 32 are at substantially the same vertical level 33 that is parallel to the drawing plane of FIG. 1.

(22) The present straightening machine 1 is thus characterized by a changing path 35 that has a first segment 36 that extends in the horizontal transport plane 20 and that has at least one additional segment 37 that also extends in the horizontal changing plane 32.

(23) The first segment 36 of the changing path 35 extends between the working station 8 of the straightening machine 1 and the transfer station 21 of the straightening machine 1 and is realized by the transverse 1 travel stroke 38 of the operator-side stand half 18. The additional segment 37 of the changing path 35 extends between the transfer station 21 of the straightening machine 1 and another pickup position (not shown here) outside of the straightening machine 1 and is realized by a different longitudinal travel path 39 of the changing device 25 or of the longitudinal conveyor 26 thereof. The changing path 35, more precisely, at least the two segments 36 and 37 of this changing path 35, extends along a horizontal plane (not numbered separately), preferably the horizontal changing plane 32 that coincides approximately with the drawing plane.

(24) By virtue of this horizontally extending, flat changing path 35, the changing device 25, unlike the known changing manipulators (not shown) of conventional straightening machines, is extraordinarily flat, so straightening machines 1 that are equipped with it can be set up even in low-rise buildings.

(25) The changing device 25 can be constructed to be sufficiently low-profile if the horizontal changing plane 32 extends at a vertical level 40 of the operator-side stand half 18, since the straightening rollers 6 can thus be moved particularly parallel to the transport path 4 of the straightening machine 1 through the stand assembly 7.

(26) As can be seen particularly from FIGS. 2 and 3, the longitudinal support extension 27 passes completely through the opened stand assembly 7 and between the drive-side and operator-side stand halves 17 and 18, so that the support extension 27 is extends longitudinally all the way through the stand assembly 7.

(27) According to FIG. 2, one of the interchangeable cradles 30 with a new set of rollers 31 is placed on the upstream end 41 of the transfer station 21 longitudinally upstream of the stand assembly 7, which interchangeable cradle 30 can travel parallel to the transport path 4 between the drive-side stand half 17 and the operator-side stand half 18. For example, an empty interchangeable cradle 30 is positioned on the downstream end 42 of the transfer station 21 longitudinally downstream of the stand assembly 7 so that a used set 31 of straightening rollers 6 can be retrieved from the stand assembly 7. According to FIG. 3, an interchangeable cradle 30 with a new set 31 of straightening rollers 6 is between the drive-side stand half 17 and the operator-side stand half 18. This fresh set of rollers 31 is thus in the transfer station 21 and can be used by the straightening machine 1. An interchangeable cradle 30 with a set 31 of used straightening rollers 6 is also by way of example on the downstream end 42 of this transfer station 21.

(28) In this first possible embodiment, the interchangeable cradles 30 enter the straightening machine 1 only during changing of the straightening roller, with a respective interchangeable cradle 30 being displaced next to the inlet and outlet roller tables 9 and 10 of the straightening machine 1 parallel to the longitudinal travel direction 5.

(29) For changing straightening rollers, the operator-side stand half 18 travels transversely of the longitudinal travel direction 5 together with the straightening rollers 6 to be changed out of the roller table line 3. An empty interchangeable cradle 30 then enters the opened straightening machine 1 parallel to the roller table line 3, takes the worn roller bodies 6B with the support sleeves 6A and travels back into its starting position on the downstream end 42 of the transfer station 21. The second interchangeable cradle 30 can then move with the roller bodies 6B already preassembled on support sleeves 6A from the other side, here the upstream end 41, into the straightening machine 1 and transfers the new straightening rollers 6 to the operator-side stand half 18. This second interchangeable cradle 30 then also returns to its previous starting position, i.e., to the upstream end 41. Finally, the operator-side stand half 18 travels again together with the support sleeves 6A/roller bodies 6B transversely of the roller table line 3 and into the working station 8.

(30) The changing of the straightening rollers 6 is thus carried out in a structurally and procedurally very simple manner. In this respect, the straightening rollers 6 have been transferred in the transfer station 21 from the operator-side stand half 18 to the interchangeable cradle 30 or vice versa, with the interchangeable cradle 30 having been moved along the horizontal changing plane 32 into the transfer station 21 or out of the transfer station 21.

(31) In the other embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the changing device 25 of the straightening machine 1 is alternatively also equipped with a transverse conveyor 50. This transverse conveyor 50 has a transverse support extension 51 connected to the longitudinal support extension 27 of the longitudinal support 26.

(32) In this respect, the transverse conveyor 50 is operatively connected by the longitudinal conveyor 26 to the stand assembly 7 of the straightening machine 1.

(33) In the transverse conveyor 50 as well, the transverse support extension 51 is at the vertical level 33 of the horizontal changing plane 32, so that an interchangeable cradle 30 can be transferred without any difficulty from the transverse conveyor 50 to the longitudinal conveyor 26 or vice versa.

(34) The transverse conveyor 50 also allows the stand assembly 7 to be operated from only one side.

(35) In this other embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the interchangeable cradles 30 are also moved into the straightening machine 1 only during the actual changing of the straightening rollers, although interchangeable cradles 30 can be positioned on the upstream end 41 and downstream end 42 (see FIG. 1) on a common platform 53 that can be displaced in the transverse direction 52 to the longitudinal support extension 27 in order to also be displaced parallel to the transport path 4 after transfer to the longitudinal conveyor 26.

(36) In principle, the changing of the straightening rollers is done in a manner that is similar to the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, although in the other embodiment that is shown in FIG. 4 the interchangeable cradles 30 are placed either only on the upstream end 41 (in particular, see FIG. 1) or only on the downstream end 42 (in particular, see FIG. 1) in order to optionally enable the present changing concept to be implemented even in extremely tight space conditions.

(37) In the other embodiment that is shown in FIG. 5, the present straightening machine 1 is also modified to the effect that a holder 60 for an interchangeable cradle 30 is provided beneath the transport path 4 and/or beneath the working station 8. During operation, this interchangeable cradle 30 remains in the straightening machine 1 between the two stand halves 17 and 18 and, when the straightening rollers are to be changed, is displaced together with the operator-side stand half 18 out of the roller table line 3 and then parallel to the travel flow of an elongated semifinished workpiece with used straightening rollers 6 or used support sleeves 6A/roller bodies 6B out of the straightening machine 1. Then, an interchangeable cradle 30 that has already been fitted with new straightening rollers 6 is moved into the straightening machine 1 and displaced together with the operator-side stand 18 into the roller table line 3, where the interchangeable cradle 30 also remains stationary in the stand assembly 7 during production. In this way, an interchangeable cradle 30 for holding used straightening rollers 6 can be made available especially quickly at the straightening machine 1. It is possible for the straightening rollers 6 to already be at least in part on the interchangeable cradle 30 when the interchangeable cradle 30 is displaced laterally out of the roller table line 3 together with the operator-side stand half 18.

(38) Express reference is made here to the fact that the features of the solutions that are described above and in the claims and/or figures can also be optionally combined in order to appropriately and cumulatively implement or achieve the described features, effects, and advantages.

(39) It will readily be understood that the embodiments that are described above merely represent initial design options for a straightening machine 1 claimed in terms of the invention. The configuration of the invention is therefore not limited to these embodiments.

(40) All of the features disclosed in the application documents are claimed as being essential to the invention insofar as they are novel in view of the prior art individually or in combination.

(41) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference symbols: 1 straightening machine 2 longitudinal direction 3 roller table line 4 transport path 5 longitudinal travel direction 6 straightening rollers 6A support sleeves 6B straightening rollers 7 stand assembly 8 working station 9 inlet roller table 10 outlet roller table 15 drive 16 transverse direction 17 drive-side stand half 18 operator-side stand half 19 support stubs 20 horizontal transport plane 21 transfer station 25 changing device 26 longitudinal conveyor 27 longitudinal support extension 28 track section 30 interchangeable cradles 32 horizontal changing plane 33 vertical level 35 changing path 36 first segment 37 other segment 38 transverse travel path 39 longitudinal travel path 40 vertical level 41 upstream end 42 downstream end 50 transverse conveyor 51 transverse support extension 52 transverse direction 53 platform 60 holder