Machine and method for the semi-continuous cold-bending of sections with low ductility

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine and method for the semi-continuous cold-bending of sections (3) with low ductility, of the type including a horizontal mount (1) and an interchangeable tool (4) against which the section (3) is bent. The machine includes a gantry support (10). The tool (4) is located in a zone delimited by the mount (1), vertical supports (5) for the tool (4), and a compression plate (7) actuated by vertical pressure cylinders. The tool (4) is positioned facing an actuation plane defined by a double set of hydraulic positioning (23) and push (20) cylinders. The bent sections (3) can be used for tents, skylights, facades, solar shading louvres, or three-rail frames for truck tarps, guaranteeing a uniform bend in all bent sections, without the section becoming pinned in the machine during bending.

Claims

1. A machine for cold semi-continuous bending of low ductility profiles (3), comprising a horizontal bed (1) and an interchangeable tool (4) against which said bending of the low ductility profile (3) is generated, the machine also comprising: at least one support frame (10) on the horizontal bed (1) where said at least one support frame (10) is perpendicular to said horizontal bed (1) and comprising at least two vertical feet (11) supporting at least one horizontal beam (12), at least one vertical support (5) that is part of said interchangeable tool (4) located on the horizontal bed (1), a double set of hydraulic cylinders (20,23) in a plane situated on and parallel to the horizontal bed (1), each set of hydraulic cylinders located on one side of a central axis of the machine (X), and each set of hydraulic cylinders comprising: a hydraulic pusher cylinder (20) connected at one end to a pusher plate (26) and at the other end connected, by means of a movable point (21) sliding along a guide (22), to a hydraulic positioning cylinder (23); said hydraulic positioning cylinder (23) fixed through a fixed rotating support point (24) to a structural element fixed to the horizontal bed (1), at least one presser cylinder (6) perpendicular to the horizontal bed (1), said at least one presser cylinder (6) fixed and anchored to the at least one horizontal beam (12) with an upper end, and a lower end supporting a compression plate (7), and at least one hydraulic pump driving said at least one presser and hydraulic cylinders (20,23,6) through valves connected to each cylinder.

2. The machine for cold semi-continuous bending of low ductility profiles (3), according to claim 1, characterized in that each hydraulic pusher cylinder (20) is supported by a secondary guide (25).

3. The machine for cold semi-continuous bending of low ductility profiles (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that said hydraulic pusher cylinders (20) comprise a transducer, and said at least one presser cylinders (6) comprise a sensor of position and mechanical load measurements.

4. The machine for cold semi-continuous bending of low ductility profiles (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the vertical feet (11) is a vertical support (5).

5. A method for cold semi-continuous bending of low ductility profiles (3), using the machine of claim 4, comprising the following steps: select a low ductility profile (3) and an interchangeable tool (4) of suitable dimensions to said low ductility profile and to a type of a bend to be made, place the interchangeable tool (4) on the horizontal bed (1) and against said at least one vertical supports (5), position the low ductility profile (3) on the horizontal bed (1) and against said interchangeable tool (4) by a side corresponding to an inside of the bend and a length of the low ductility profile, vertically hold said interchangeable tool and low ductility profile (3) with the pusher plate (26), operating said hydraulic press cylinders (6) by means of said at least one hydraulic pump, operate the hydraulic positioning cylinder (23) by moving the movable point (21) to an initial point (Y) of the guide (22), operate the hydraulic pusher cylinder (20) until the pusher plate (26) comes into contact with the low ductility profile (3), while keeping the hydraulic pusher cylinder (20) perpendicular to the low ductility profile (3), operate the at least one presser (6) to compensate for transverse stresses to which the low ductility profile (3) is subjected, operate the positioning hydraulic cylinder (23) advancing through the movable point (21) to an intermediate point (W) of the guide (22), and operate the hydraulic pusher cylinder until the low ductility profile is bent to an intermediate position (W).

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the following steps: disengage the hydraulic positioning, pusher cylinders and said at least one presser cylinder release the low ductility profile (3), move the low ductility profile (3) in a longitudinal direction of the low ductility profile, and position the low ductility profile (3) against said interchangeable tool for bending in this new fixing position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1: View of the top floor of the machine and various operating positions (initial Y,Y, intermediate W,W and final Z,Z) of the profile and set of cylinders on the left side (the set of cylinders on the right side of the machine is not shown).

(2) FIG. 2: Side view of the machine.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED FORM OF EXECUTION

(3) In FIG. 1, it can be observed that the pusher cylinder (20), located to the left of the central axis of the machine (X) in horizontal position on the bed (1), is connected to the positioning cylinder (23) through the movable support point (21) which moves along the guide (22). The other, free end of the pusher cylinder (20) supports a pusher plate (26) which abuts against the profile (3) to exert a perpendicular push on the profile by the pusher cylinder (20), which is driven by a hydraulic pump and after positioning the movable support point (21) at the suitable point of the guide (22) by starting the positioning cylinder (23).

(4) As for the positioning cylinder (23), it is placed horizontally on the bed (1) and is connected to a structural element fixed to the bed via a fixed rotating support (24) on the central axis (X) of the bed. Each of these pusher cylinders (20) is equipped with a transducer which reflects on the screen the position of the movable point (21) in the guide (22). The cylinders (20, 23) on both sides of the central axis (X) are driven by the same hydraulic pump (not shown), which starts the appropriate cylinder at each moment by means of a valve system connected to each cylinder. The hydraulic pusher cylinder (20) is supported by a secondary guide (25) fixed to the bed (1).

(5) In FIG. 2, hydraulic press cylinders (6) are observed, located and operating in the vertical plane of the bed (1). The upper end of each of these cylinders is fixed and anchored in a beam (12) supported by two feet (12) of the support frame (10), holding at its bottom a compression plate (7) parallel to the bed (1) for stress compensation. As can be observed in FIG. 2, the compression plate (7) above the profile (3), and the bed (1) below the profile (3), restrain the mentioned tool (4) and profile (3) to be bent in the working position, and compensate the lateral deformation stresses to which the profile (3) is subjected when being bent. These press cylinders (6) include position, load, etc. measuring sensors in order to transmit this information relative to working parameters to a computer and/or visualization/control screen.

(6) Therefore, as observed in both figures, on the machine bed (1), and in the operation plane formed by pusher cylinders (20) and positioners (23), and inside the operation zone of the compression plate (7), the positioning area of the tool (4) is located, on which the bending of the profile (3) will be generated. The tool (4) is placed against the vertical supports (5) made with double T beams with a height at least equal to that of the tool. Thus, on the bed (1), in the area defined above, the tool (4) and the profile (3) to be bent are located, with the mentioned profile (3) supported in the tool (4) by the side corresponding to the interior of the bend and with its length in the longitudinal direction of the tool (4).

(7) Then (see FIG. 2), press cylinders (6) are made to start by means of a hydraulic pump (not shown), which move the compression plate (7) for fixing the tool (4) in its position and fixing the profile (3).

(8) Subsequently (see FIG. 1), this profile (3) is bent by means of positioning cylinders (23) and pushers (20). Thus, initially, the positioning cylinder (23) is driven by a hydraulic pump so as to move the back (movable part (21)) of the positioning cylinder (20) to the point Y (initial position) of the guide (22), at this moment, the pusher cylinder (20) is started until the pusher plate (26) is brought into contact with the profile (3) (initial state Y). At this moment, the pusher cylinder (20) is perpendicular to the profile. The press cylinders (6) and the compression plate (7) also serve to compensate for the transverse forces to which the profile (3) would be subjected. Therefore, as it can be seen in FIG. 2, it is important that the height of the tool (4) and of the profile (3) be the same. The positioning cylinder then advances until the movable point (21) is moved to the intermediate point W of the guide (22). Now the pusher cylinder would advance until the profile is bent to the position W. This process goes on repeatedly until the moving point reaches the final point Z from which the profile can be carried until the desired bending (final state Z).

(9) The movement of the back part (movable point (21)) of the pusher cylinders (20) is made so that the pusher cylinder (20) always acts perpendicularly to the profile (3) during its bending. Alternatively, this process can also be automated and done continuously with the help of additional hydraulic pumps.

(10) Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the profile (3) is pressed against the tool (4) by the pusher plates (26) on each side of the central axis of the machine. Thanks to the guide (22), the pusher cylinders (20) always remain perpendicular to the zone of the profile (3) where it acts until the profile (3) in its deformation reaches the previously defined point (Z) or the one selected for generating the desired bend.

(11) If the requested bend length is greater than the bend length generated by the tool (4), the profile (3) is released and then is moved longitudinally to generate a new bent stretch as is described above. In this way, bent lengths are added in a semi-continuous process until the desired bend length is reached.