Products, systems, and methods for placement of covers on metallic spacers of concrete reinforcement

Abstract

A product cover for the end of wire (1) of spacer meshes, and a processes and a systems for cover placement on ends of said wires (1), The wire ends of transverse wires are formed in a manner resulting in indentations and protrusions on their surfaces, so that the placement of a cover induces flow of its plastic material and creates a stable joining. Covers are serially guided inside a guide so that one of them is guided to a rotor. This rotor is then rotated to line up with the wire and a plunger for placement of the cover. Then, by the action of the plunger, this cover is pushed until fitted on the end of the wire.

Claims

1. A system for placement of wire-end covers, comprising: a formation press configured to shape wire ends, producing indentations and protrusions on the wire ends, said formation press being situated along a spacer-mesh production line; and, a cover feeder configured to place covers on shaped wire ends produced by said formation press, said cover feeder being situated along said spacer-mesh production line subsequent to said formation press.

2. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: at least one stationary tool included in said formation press.

3. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: at least one movable tool included in said formation press.

4. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: a fluid powered motor operatively connected to drive said formation press.

5. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a cover-feeding mechanism, said cover-feeding mechanism including an approach guide configured to guide covers in a first direction inside said approach guide; a rotor situated to receive covers from said approach guide, said rotor being rotatable to orientate received covers to a second, alignment direction; a first fluid-powered cylinder operatively connected to drive said rotor; a plunger configured to controllably push covers onto shaped wire ends; and, a second fluid-powered cylinder operatively connected to drive said plunger.

6. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: a receiver in said rotor, said receiver having dimensions corresponding to cover dimensions; said rotor having at least two operative positions; one of said at least two rotor operative positions aligning said receiver with said approach guide; and, a second of said at least two rotor operative positions aligning said receiver with said plunger.

7. A system for placement of wire-end covers as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of said formation presses configured to shape wire ends; and, a plurality of said cover feeders equal in number to said plurality of formation presses, said plurality of cover feeders and said plurality of formation presses being situated along spacer-mesh production line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Aspects of systems, methods, and products according to the present disclosure may be understood from the following detailed description and from the attached drawings, wherein methods and systems are presented in an exemplary manner, and where parts which are the same or similar are provided with the same or similar reference numeral labels.

(2) FIG. 1Adepicts a first version of wire end formations with cover;

(3) FIG. 1Bdepicts a second version of wire end formations with cover;

(4) FIG. 1Csimilarly depicts a third version of wire end formations with cover;

(5) FIG. 1Dsimilarly depicts a fourth version of wire end formations with cover;

(6) FIG. 1Esimilarly depicts a fifth version of wire end formations with cover;

(7) FIG. 1Fsimilarly depicts a sixth version of wire end formations with cover;

(8) FIG. 2schematically depicts beginning of forming operation at end of wire, and the result, at formation station;

(9) FIG. 3Adepicts cover feeding mechanism in first disposition in the method;

(10) FIG. 3Bdepicts cover feeding mechanism in second disposition in the method;

(11) FIG. 3Cdepicts cover feeding mechanism in third disposition in the method;

(12) FIG. 3Ddepicts cover feeding mechanism in fourth disposition in the method;

(13) FIG. 3Edepicts cover feeding mechanism in fifth disposition in the method;

(14) FIG. 3Fdepicts cover feeding mechanism in sixth disposition in the method;

(15) FIG. 4Ais an elevational view of the formation press with cylinder in partial section;

(16) FIG. 4Bis a second elevational view rotated 90 relative to FIG. 4A again depicting formation press with cylinder in partial section;

(17) FIG. 5Aa side elevation view of the mechanism for cover placement;

(18) FIG. 5Ba top elevation view of the same mechanism of FIG. 5A;

(19) FIG. 6a first version of a line for placement of a cover; and,

(20) FIG. 7a second version of line for simultaneous placement of three covers.

DESCRIPTION

(21) In following is presented description of exemplary implementations of systems, methods, and products, in the sense of non-limiting examples. At this point, it is pointed out that, in the context of the present disclosure, either one of the terms wire and rod can equivalently be understood as meaning or indicating, in the context of the present disclosure, claims, and appended drawings, either wire and/or rod; as in implementations of the invention the material employed, as well as the dimension of the individual elements, may be commensurate with the requirements of particular applications.

(22) Product

(23) First turning to FIGS. 1A-1F, it should be understood that a subject product cover 3 is manufactured from plastic. However, the material of the product cover 3 may be plastic, synthetic, or other suitable material. The depicted blind opening of cover 3 is slightly smaller than the diameter of wire 1 end upon which it is placed.

(24) The wire 1 at its end, and within the region upon which is placed the cover 3, is formed with at least one formation 2 which creates protrusions and indentations on the wire, as depicted in all of FIGS. 1A-1F. With the placement of the cover 3 onto the end of the wire 1 the plastic material of the cover 3 flows into the indentations and around the protrusions so that the cover 3 is stabilized on the end of the wire 1.

(25) The ends of the wires 1 are formed with indentations 2 and protrusions 2 so that with the placement of the cover 3 its material flows towards the protrusions 2 and indentations 2 of the end of the wire 1, and there is created a stable joint. As FIGS. 1A-1F depict, these protrusions and indentations 2 of the wire 1 may be one, as in FIG. 1A, or more as depicted for example in FIGS. 1D, 1B. They may be straight sections perpendicular to the axis of the wire 1 or with inclination relative thereto, or parallel relative to the axis of the wire 1 as in FIG. 1F. They may be of curved form, or embody perimetric formation as for example in FIG. 1E threaded. However, in each case there are indentations and/or protrusions 2 on the wire so that the material of the cover 3 flows to stabilize it on the wire 1. Similarly, when the product cover 3 on the ends of wires 1 of a spacing mesh 1a as depicted in FIGS. 6-7, the transverse wire 1 similarly may be formed with indentations 2 and protrusions 2 perpendicular, angled or parallel relative to the axis of the wire 1, sectionally or continuously on the periphery.

(26) Method

(27) Having first described exemplary products in the preceding discussion, it is instructive to next consider exemplary methods for placement of covers 3 on the ends of wires 1 of spacer meshes 1a. According to versions of exemplary methods, the covers 3 are disposed on the ends of the wires 1 in the following manner:

(28) As depicted in FIGS. 6-7, the respective ends of the wires 1 are situated at the respective side of a produced mesh 1a that originates in an automated mesh producing machine.

(29) Turning to FIG. 2 in particular, it may be understood from this schematic depiction that as a mesh 1a is produced, the ends of the wires 1 are formed in a station 9 along the length of the machine, for example during the duration of time of the welding of the transverse wires on the longitudinal wires. The ends of the wires 1 upon which the covers 3 are placed are formed by the pressure of a movable tool 11 upon a stationary tool 12, and there are produced indentations 2 and/or protrusions 2 as previously referred to in the description of the product.

(30) With the aid of the understanding produced from the FIG. 2 isolation, turning attention again to FIGS. 6-7 explains further that in another station 19 situated after the ends formation station 9 and along the length of the direction of production of the mesh 1a, there are placed the covers 3 on the ends of the wires 1. In subsequent detailed explanation it shall be explained that the covers 3 are guided in series and with the correct orientation towards the ends of wires 1, initially inside a guide 23 perpendicular to the direction of the plunger 21.

(31) Indeed, with reference to FIGS. 3A-3F, in the lower portion of this guide 23 there is a cylindrical rotor 22 able to receive only one cover 3 from the guide 23. The rotor 22 is through-bored and rotatable relative to its own axis that coincides with the section of the axis of the feed guide 23 of the covers and the direction of the plunger 21.

(32) As depicted in FIGS. 3B-3C, by rotating the receiver 22a to 90 the cover 3 assumes a position in the direction of plunger 21. The end of wire 1 on which the cover 3 is to be placed is already located at the axis of plunger 21. As depicted in FIG. 3D, subsequently the plunger 21 is driven and pushes the cover 3 onto the end of wire 1. Thus, in summary of FIGS. 3A-3D, the covers 3 are initially guided in the perpendicular direction in an approach guide 23 towards a rotor 22a that rotates one cover 3 from the direction of the approach guide 23 to the direction of placement 23a onto the end of the wire 1. This rotated cover 3 is then pushed by the plunger 21 and positioned on the end of the wire 1.

(33) To complete, as depicted in FIG. 3E, in following, the plunger 21 returns to its initial position. Continuing to FIG. 3F, the receiver 22a rotates to its initial position, a new end of a wire 1 is transferred to the axis of the plunger 21 and the operational cycle is repeated.

(34) The formation of the ends and the feeding of the cover 3 may be made per cover 3, each time, as depicted in FIG. 6. However, there may also be formed simultaneously more than one end of wire 1 with simultaneous feeding 19 of a corresponding number of covers 3, and this is depicted in FIG. 7. Thus, FIG. 7 schematically depicts that there are simultaneously respectively fed more than one respective covers 3 to a corresponding number of more than one respective ends of transverse wires 1.

(35) System

(36) In the context of present disclosure, it should be understood at this point that exemplary systems described include mechanisms for placement of covers 3.

(37) Returning to FIGS. 6-7 for context, along the length of a production line for spacer mesh 1a, and located after the welding head (that need not be depicted) for the transverse upon the longitudinal wires, there are situated the station 9 for forming the end of the rod 1 and subsequently the station 19 for placement of the covers 3 upon the ends of the transverse wires 1. In this context, it should also be immediately understandable that the formation 2 of the ends 1 and the placement of the covers 3 may occur simultaneously with the welding (that need not be depicted) of the transverse wires onto the longitudinals.

(38) The formation of the ends occurs with formation press 10 that disposes formation tools 11,12 one of which is movable. As depicted in detail in FIGS. 4A-4B, the movable tool 11 is moved by a hydraulic cylinder 13 that exercises sufficient forces for the formation of the indentations 2 on the end of the wire 1. The cylinder 13 of the press is activated by a hydraulic valve (that need not be depicted).

(39) Thus, versions of exemplary systems for placement of covers 3 on the ends of wires 1 situate a formation press 10, along the length of a production line, for the ends of transverse wires 1 so that there result indentations and protrusions 2. Subsequently, feeding unit 20 for covers 3 places covers 3 on ends of the transverse wires 1 of a spacer mesh 1 a. It should be understood that the system may be controlled by an electronic computer and all of its working phases may be generated automatically. One or more ends 1 may be formed simultaneously from an equal number of presses 10, and the same number of covers 3 are placed on the ends of the wire 1 by an equal number of cover 3 feeding mechanisms 20.

(40) The placement of the covers 3 occurs at the placement station 19. The covers 3 are guided in the perpendicular direction in series, as depicted in FIG. 3A inside the guide 23 of cover feeding mechanism 20. In the mechanism 20 base there is a rotor 22 with a receiver 22a of dimensions corresponding to the dimensions of the cover 3, and having two positions. Considering FIGS. 3A and 3C, one position is towards the top for receiving a cover 3 from the feed guide 23 and one horizontal for feeding 23a the cover 3 towards the end of the wire 1. FIGS. 5A-5B depict the rotor 22a to be rotated from the air cylinder 25 through the lever 24.

(41) Again having reference to FIG. 3C, and in greater detail, in the horizontal direction of the rotor's 22 receiver 22a there is a plunger 21 that pushes the cover 3 through a guide 23a to the end of wire 1, and places this cover 3 on the end of the wire 1. As depicted in detail in FIGS. 5A-5B, the motion of the plunger 21 is effected by a pneumatic cylinder 26 that is driven by a directional valve (that need not be depicted).

(42) Thus, the covers 3 may be guided in the perpendicular direction inside the approach guide 23 towards the rotor 22 that is rotated so as to orientate the cover 3 in the direction of the ends of the transverse wires 1 of a mesh 1a, with the plunger 21 pushing the cover 3 onto the end of the mesh 1a, and with the rotor 22 and the plunger 21 being driven by pneumatic cylinders 25,26.

(43) It should be understood in the context of the preceding discussion that the present invention is not limited in any manner to the described and drawings-depicted implementations, but may be realized in many forms and dimensions without abandoning the region of protection of the invention. For example, in implementations of the invention the materials that are used and also as well the dimensions of particular elements may be according to the demands of a particular construction. Thus, in closing, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to the abovementioned versions and exemplary working examples. Further developments, modifications and combinations are also within the scope of the patent claims and are placed in the possession of the person skilled in the art from the above disclosure. Accordingly, the techniques and structures described and illustrated herein should be understood to be illustrative and exemplary, and not necessarily limiting upon the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims, including known equivalents and unforeseeable equivalents at the time of filing of this application.

REFERENCE LABELS LIST

(44) 1 wire (rod)

(45) 1a mesh

(46) 2 formations (protrusions/indentations)

(47) 3 covers

(48) 9 formation station

(49) 10 press

(50) 11 movable tool

(51) 12 stationary tool

(52) 13 hydraulic cylinder

(53) 19 cover placement station

(54) 20 cover feeding mechanism

(55) 21 plunger

(56) 22 cylindrical rotor

(57) 22a receiver

(58) 23 feed (approach) guide

(59) 23a guide to wire end

(60) 24 lever

(61) 25 air cylinder

(62) 26 pneumatic cylinder