DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A METAL MESH REINFORCEMENT

Abstract

A device for producing a metal mesh reinforcement that includes joining a plurality of long profiles and a winding profile. The device includes a welding unit for welding a longitudinal profile to a winding profile and a feed unit for feeding a portion of the winding profile provided from a master to the welding unit. The feed unit includes a cutting arrangement for cutting a profile portion of the winding profile from the master. The cutting arrangement is arranged within a cutting zone of the device remote from the welding unit such that, after cutting of the winding profile, the end portion of the winding profile cut from the master is fed from the cutting zone to the welding unit and at least one further weld is made between the cut-off end portion of the winding profile and a longitudinal profile to produce the metal mesh reinforcement.

Claims

1. A machine for producing a metal mesh reinforcement from interconnected metal profiles, wherein the metal mesh reinforcement has multiple longitudinal profiles and one winding profile, wherein the machine has a device and a driven, rotatable main wheel for receiving multiple longitudinal profiles, wherein the device comprises a welding unit for welding a longitudinal profile to the winding profile at a connecting point of the two metal profiles and a feed unit for feeding a portion of the winding profile, provided from a master, to the welding unit, wherein the feed unit comprises a cutting arrangement for severing the winding profile in order to separate a profile portion of the winding profile from the master, wherein the cutting arrangement is also present in a cutting region of the device that is remote from the welding unit, wherein the device is configured, after the winding profile has been severed, to feed the end portion of the winding profile that was separated from the master from the cutting region to the welding unit and at least one further weld is made between the separated end portion of the winding profile and a longitudinal profile to complete the metal mesh reinforcement, wherein the feed unit comprises an advancing arrangement with a drive unit for the driven movement of the winding profile in a longitudinal direction of the winding profile, wherein the advancing arrangement is designed to move, from among multiple winding profiles provided next to one another in the feed unit, one of the multiple provided winding profiles to the welding unit in a driven manner by means of the drive unit.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a synchronization unit, which is designed in such a way that the feed unit and the welding unit can be moved at the same time and together in a common direction coupled to one another, when the welding unit can be adapted in a driven manner to a desired outer dimension of the metal mesh reinforcement, in order to predefine a working position of the welding unit in which the welding unit remains for the production of a metal mesh reinforcement with a constant outer dimension.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding profile has at least two winding profile portions, wherein the first winding profile portion has a constant first outer dimension and the second winding profile portion has a constant second outer dimension different to the first outer dimension, wherein the device is designed in such a way that the winding profile portions with different outer dimensions can be interchanged in an automated manner during the production of the metal mesh reinforcement.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit is present in such a way that the welding unit can be adjusted in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the longitudinal profile to adapt to the working position.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the synchronization unit has transmission units, by way of which the feed unit and the welding unit are coupled to one another in such a way that the feed unit and the welding unit can be moved at the same time.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a receptacle, in which multiple separate and different winding profiles can be supplied in such a way that selectively precisely one of the multiple winding profiles supplied in the receptacle can be fed to the cutting arrangement.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the advancing arrangement is designed to move, from among multiple winding profiles provided next to one another in the feed unit, precisely one of the multiple provided winding profiles to the welding unit in a driven manner by means of the drive unit.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the provided winding profiles are interchangeable in an automated manner in the advancing arrangement.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the advancing arrangement has two oppositely situated drive elements comprising an advancing element and a counter element, wherein the drive elements make it possible to apply a driving action to precisely the one of the multiple provided winding profiles.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive unit has an advancing element or multiple advancing elements that is or are driven at the same time in the driving state by the drive unit.

11. The machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the counter element can be transferred from a first switching state into a second switching state by a switching device, wherein the counter element presses the selected winding profile onto the advancing element in the second switching state.

12. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the advancing arrangement comprises a profile retaining system and/or a profile brake, which are present for a winding profile, wherein the profile retaining system is designed to retain those winding profiles that from among all of the supplied winding profiles are not selected for processing, wherein just one single winding profile can be selected for the further processing.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cutting arrangement is designed such that the winding profile can be severed while the winding profile is moved at the same time in its longitudinal direction to the welding unit.

14. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed unit comprises a guide mechanism, which is designed to guide the driven winding profile from the cutting arrangement to the welding unit, wherein the guide acts contiguously on the winding profile at least in certain portions, so as to define the spatial travel of the winding profile moving in a driven manner.

15. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit comprises a winding profile guide and a welding arrangement, wherein the winding profile guide is designed to conduct the winding profile to the welding arrangement.

16. The machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the winding profile guide has a contact side and a positioning side, wherein the contact side and the positioning side can be moved relative to one another, and wherein the contact side and the positioning side are matched to one another in such a way that a winding profile guided up between the contact side and the positioning side is forced into a centered position when the positioning side and the contact side are moved toward one another.

17. The machine as claimed in claim 16, wherein the positioning side has a depression matched to the winding profile.

18. The machine as claimed in claim 15, wherein the welding arrangement can be moved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extent of the longitudinal profile.

19. The machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring mounting designed to compensate the difference in the outer dimension of the winding profile and/or the wear of the welding arrangement in an automated manner.

20. The machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a welding electrode positioned in a predefinable but then fixed working position by a drive, wherein a locking mechanism is present which positionally fixedly holds the welding electrode in the working position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0104] Further features and advantages of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to a schematically illustrated exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0105] FIG. 1 shows a perspective overall view of a machine with a device according to the present invention for producing a metal mesh reinforcement;

[0106] FIG. 2 shows a perspective individual view of part of the device according to FIG. 1;

[0107] FIG. 3 shows a highly schematic view from above of parts of the device according to FIG. 2;

[0108] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of an advancing arrangement of the device according to FIG. 2;

[0109] FIG. 5 shows a further perspective illustration of the advancing arrangement from FIG. 4;

[0110] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of part of the advancing arrangement approximately from detail A in FIG. 5;

[0111] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of part of the advancing arrangement approximately from detail B in FIG. 5;

[0112] FIG. 8 shows a perspective schematic view of part of the advancing arrangement approximately from detail C of FIG. 6 with multiple schematically illustrated inserted winding profiles;

[0113] FIG. 9 shows a schematic side view of the detail D from FIG. 8 with an inserted winding profile;

[0114] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a partially simplified illustration of a cutting arrangement from the device according to FIG. 2;

[0115] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a deflecting element of the device according to FIG. 2 with a schematically illustrated winding profile;

[0116] FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of the detail shown at E in FIG. 11;

[0117] FIG. 13 shows a side view of a winding profile guide of the device according to FIG. 2 with a schematically illustrated main wheel;

[0118] FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a detail of the winding profile guide according to FIG. 13 with a winding profile illustrated schematically in cross portion;

[0119] FIG. 15 shows a perspective view of a detail of the welding arrangement of the device according to FIG. 2; and

[0120] FIG. 16 shows a further perspective detail of the welding arrangement according to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0121] FIG. 1 shows a perspective overall view obliquely from the front of a machine 1 according to the present invention, which comprises a device 2. The machine 1 is designed to produce a metal mesh reinforcement from multiple metal profiles, comprising longitudinal profiles 4 (see FIG. 13) and a winding profile 3 (see FIGS. 7-9).

[0122] The machine 1, such as, for example, a cage welding machine, serves to produce steel or metal mesh reinforcements, such as, in particular, reinforcing cages for shaft or concrete pipes, piles, supports or beams of concrete.

[0123] The reinforcements that can be produced have a plurality, for example, 24 or 48, of parallel longitudinal profiles 4 around a central longitudinal axis of the machine 1, and a welded-on winding profile 3, such as e.g. a flexible winding wire, laid helically around the outside of the longitudinal profiles 4 (see, in particular, FIGS. 13 and 14). The winding profile 3 or the winding wire is preferably made from metal. The winding profile 3 is welded to all of the longitudinal profiles 4 at respective weld points on the finished metal mesh reinforcement preferably in one piece and uninterruptedly, the winding profile 3 being welded to all of the longitudinal profiles 4 in each case at multiple weld points 75 spaced apart in the longitudinal direction (see FIG. 13) of a longitudinal profile 4.

[0124] The machine 1 makes it possible to manufacture e.g. cylindrical reinforcing cages in one piece in a sustained manufacturing process and continuously. In this context, the continuously growing finished portion of the metal mesh reinforcement is advanced along a transporting portion 5 of the machine 1 in a conveying direction F, the continuously growing finished portion being stabilized by means of a retaining arrangement 13 in the process (see, in particular, FIG. 1). The retaining arrangement 13 can be moved along a rail guide 6. After the metal mesh reinforcement is completed, it is removed from the machine 1 by a forklift arrangement 11, which can be moved along a rail guide 12.

[0125] The transporting portion 5 is between a front end of the machine 1 and a frame portion 7 of the machine 1. A positioning portion 8 rearwardly adjoins the frame portion 7 opposite to the transporting portion 5. The positioning portion 8 serves to positionally correctly equip the machine 1 with all of the longitudinal profiles 4 of the reinforcing cage to be produced before the start of the production operation for producing the reinforcement. In the process, the pre-positioned longitudinal profiles 4 are spaced apart from one another around the circumference and pushed in parallel to the central longitudinal axis. The longitudinal profiles 4 are also arranged on supports 77 at spoke-like portions 10 of a main wheel 9 (see FIG. 13), which are mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation D.

[0126] The spoke-like portions 10 are on a main wheel 9, which is mounted so as to be rotatable in a direction of rotation B about the axis of rotation D in a motor-driven manner (FIG. 2), the longitudinal profiles 4 (see FIG. 13) resting on supports 77 located at the spoke-like portions 10. The main wheel 9, which is enclosed around the circumference on the outside by the frame portion 7, rotates the longitudinal profiles 4 and the rotatable portions 72 (see FIG. 1) of the positioning portion 8 in the direction of rotation B.

[0127] A part of the device 2, the welding unit 14, which comprises a winding profile guide 15 and a welding arrangement 16 is arranged in the region of the main wheel 9 (FIG. 2). The welding unit 14 can be moved in a perpendicular direction R, in particular, radially, in relation to the axis of rotation D of the main wheel 9, in order to adapt the welding unit 14 to a desired outer dimension of the metal mesh reinforcement. In the respectively set position, the welding unit 14 is in its working position. After the welding unit 14 has been brought into the working position, the position of the welding unit 14 is no longer changed during the welding operation. The outer dimension of the metal mesh reinforcement may vary e.g. up to 1600 mm, and thus the working position of the welding unit also varies e.g. up to 800 mm.

[0128] A feed unit 17 of the device 2 is moved preferably conjointly with the welding unit 14 in a manner coupled thereto, when the welding unit 14 is brought into the respectively desired working position. The feed unit 17 comprises an advancing arrangement 18, a cutting arrangement 19 and deflecting elements 20 (see FIG. 2). The synchronous movement of the feed unit 17 and the welding unit 14 is implemented by a synchronization unit 73, which comprises coupled transmission units 21 (see FIG. 3). The coupled transmission units 21 preferably comprise hydraulic cylinders 22, 23, in particular, at least or preferably precisely two hydraulic cylinders. The coupled transmission units 21 may also be pneumatic and/or electric mechanisms.

[0129] If hydraulic cylinders are used, e.g. when the welding unit 14 is moving a piston 22a of the first hydraulic cylinder 22 can be moved into a cylinder housing 22b of the cylinder 22, with pistons 22a, 23a being respectively movable relatively in corresponding cylinder housings 22b, 23b. The movement of the piston 22a in the cylinder housing 22b displaces e.g. the hydraulic oil out of the first hydraulic cylinder 22. The displaced hydraulic oil passes through hoses 24 into the second hydraulic cylinder 23, with the piston 23a of the second hydraulic cylinder 23 being moved out of the cylinder housing 23b and thus conjointly moving the feed unit 17.

[0130] The pistons 22a, 23a of the hydraulic cylinders 22, 23 preferably have the same displacement travel, which extends in a perpendicular direction R in relation to the axis of rotation D of the main wheel 9, and therefore both the welding unit 14 and the feed unit 17 are moved in a perpendicular direction R in relation to the axis of rotation D of the main wheel 9, with the distance A between the feed unit 17 and the welding unit 14 preferably always remaining the same. The feed unit 17 is movable in a perpendicular direction R in relation to the axis of rotation D of the main wheel 9 along guide elements 25, such as e.g. rails.

[0131] The winding profiles 3 are unwound from a master and fed to the device 2, with multiple masters, each having one winding profile 3, being present. In this case, the winding profiles 3 unwound from the masters preferably have different outer dimensions, it generally being the case that only one winding profile 3 is selected for the production of the metal mesh reinforcement, which winding profile will be described by way of example below. It is also conceivable to produce a metal mesh reinforcement with, in particular, different and multiple winding profiles.

[0132] The one selected winding profile 3 is unwound from an associated master, such as e.g. what is referred to as a coil, and a front free end is introduced into a receptacle 26, which preferably has multiple receiving tubes 26a, b, c, d, e (see FIG. 4). The receptacle 26 is part of the advancing arrangement 18. In the receptacle 26 there may be multiple winding profiles 3, in particular, five, which are respectively received in an associated receiving tube 26a, b, c, d, e for each winding profile 3.

Advantageously, the winding profiles 3, in the present case five, each have different outer dimensions of between 4-10 mm, for example. A profile retaining system 27 and a profile brake 28 are present in each receptacle 26 for each winding profile 3. That is to say, in this instance e.g. five profile retaining systems 27 and five profile brakes 28 (see FIG. 4). The profile retaining systems 27 fixedly retain the winding profiles 3 in the device 2. The profile brakes 28 are configured to reduce the drawing or pushing speed of the selected winding profile 3.

[0133] Following the receptacle 26 in the pushing direction of the winding profile 3 are drive elements 29 which are part of the advancing arrangement 18. For each winding profile 3, respective drive elements 29 are present, which comprise an advancing element 30 and a counter element 31, each of which is in the form of rotatably mounted rollers, for example, e.g. advancing rollers and counter rollers (FIGS. 8-9). For each winding profile 3, e.g. multiple advancing elements 30, preferably two advancing elements 30, are respectively present. For example, two advancing elements 30 are provided and support the winding profile 3 (see, in particular, FIG. 6). All advancing elements 30 are driven e.g. by a common drive unit 78, the drive unit 78 comprising e.g. a drive, e.g. an electric motor, a drive shaft 32a, a drive roller 32 and a connecting element 33. In this respect, the advancing elements 30 for one winding profile 3 are each connected to the drive roller 32 by the respective connecting element 33. The connecting element 33 is preferably made from a flexible material, e.g. in the form of a belt or cable. The drive shaft 32a transmits the rotational movement of the drive to the drive roller 32. The drive unit 78 makes it possible to rotate the advancing elements 30 both clockwise (FIGS. 8-9) or counterclockwise (not illustrated). If the advancing elements 30 rotate clockwise, the winding profile 3 is pushed to the cutting arrangement 19 by the advancing arrangement 18, whereas when the advancing elements 30 rotate counterclockwise, the winding profile 3 is moved in the direction of the receptacle 26. The advancing elements 30 preferably rotate counterclockwise when the winding profile 3 has been separated in the cutting arrangement 19 and the winding profile 3 is to be changed.

[0134] The winding profile 3 can be moved in the advancing region 29 by means of the drive unit 78 only when the counter element 31 presses on the winding profile 3, and therefore the winding profile 3 can be pressed onto the advancing elements 30 (not illustrated). Advantageously, for each winding profile 3 there are multiple counter elements 31, in particular, in each case two counter elements 31 (see FIGS. 6, 8 and 9). The counter elements 31 can be switched from a first switching state into a second switching state, the counter elements 31 not being in contact with the winding profile 3 in the first switching state. In the second switching state, the counter elements 31 press on the selected winding profile 3 (see FIG. 8), which is pressed onto the advancing elements 30. The selected winding profile 3 can then be used for the production of a metal mesh reinforcement.

[0135] The counter elements 31 arranged on a winding profile 3 are e.g. connected to one another by means of a connecting element 34. The connecting element 34 is preferably made from metal and/or plastic or the like and, in particular, has a cross-like shape.

[0136] Depending on which winding profile 3 is to be used for the production of a metal mesh reinforcement, this selected winding profile 3 is pushed to the welding unit 14, in that the counter elements 31 are vertically moved by means of a pressing element 35 exclusively onto the selected winding profile 3 (see FIG. 6). As a result, the advancing elements 30 are in contact with the winding profile 3. The pressing element 35 can be pressed onto the connecting element 34, in particular, by means of a pivot element 36 (see FIG. 6), which is pivotable about a pivot pin 37. The pivot element 36 is connected to the pivot pin 37 on one side and to a pressing arrangement 38 on the other side. The pressing arrangement 38 is connected to the pivot element 36 at one end and to a fixed frame 39 of the advancing arrangement 18 on the other side. The pressing arrangement 38 preferably comprises a pneumatic and/or a hydraulic unit. The unit comprises a cylinder, for example. In the event of switching from the first switching state to the second switching state, the pressing arrangement 38 presses the one end of the pivot element 36, which is connected to the pressing arrangement 38, toward the counter elements 31, the pivot element 36 being pressed against the pressing element 35 at the pivot pin 37 and therefore pressing the pressing element 35 onto the connecting element 34. A delimiting element 40, which delimits the pivoting movement of the pivot element 36 in the direction of the counter elements 31, is preferably provided for the pivot element 36. The delimiting element 40 preferably has a plate-like form and is produced e.g. from metal.

[0137] On the advancing arrangement 18, following the advancing region in the direction of the cutting arrangement 19 there is a run-out 41, which is formed on the advancing arrangement 17 in the direction of the cutting arrangement 19, for each winding profile 3 (see FIG. 5, detail B). Since only a single winding profile 3 is to be conveyed to the stationary cutting arrangement 19, the run-outs 41 can be moved in a perpendicular direction R in relation to the axis of rotation D. To displace the run-outs 41 in the direction R, a displacement element 42 is formed in the region of the run-outs 41 on the side facing toward the main wheel 9 (see FIG. 7). The displacement element 42 may be an electronic and/or a pneumatic and/or a hydraulic element, e.g. a hydraulic cylinder, preferably a multistage cylinder.

[0138] After the run-out 41, the winding profile 3 passes to the cutting arrangement 19, the winding profile 3 being centerable with respect to an ideal position in the cutting region by means of a pushing-in element 43. The pushing-in element 43 is shaped e.g. in the manner of a funnel and is made, for example, from metal and/or plastic (see FIG. 10). The winding profile 3 is centered in the cutting region by the pushing-in element 43 and can be separated by means of a cutting apparatus 44. The cutting apparatus 44 can be moved in a longitudinal direction of the winding profile 3, and e.g. two cutting members of the cutting apparatus 44 are preferably hydraulically and/or pneumatically pressed together. The cutting apparatus 44 is arranged in a housing, which is movably mounted on a plate 76. The cutting apparatus 44 in the housing can be moved linearly with the plate along a guide 45 and is brought from an end position 48 back to a starting position 47 by a return element 46. The return element 46 is a hydraulic and/or a pneumatic and/or an electric element. The adjustment travel C between the starting position 47 and the end position 48 of the cutting apparatus 44 is advantageously e.g. 350 mm, 300 mm, 250 mm, 200 mm or 150 mm. The longer the adjustment travel is, the further the cutting apparatus 44 can conjointly travel in the advancing direction of the winding profile 3, with the result that the cutting arrangement 19 does not require any reduction or requires only a small reduction in the advancement speed of the winding profile 3 through a cutting operation.

[0139] The winding profile 3 can be pushed from the cutting arrangement 19 to the welding unit 14 through the guide mechanism 79, which comprises curved deflecting elements 20 and a straight channel 51 (see FIG. 11). The deflecting elements 20 comprise base plates 74, rollers 49 arranged on the base plates 74, and slide strips 52. Here, the guide mechanism 79 forms a push channel for the winding profile 3, which is moved in a pushing direction S, a pushing direction S of the winding profile 3 being changed by the deflecting elements. The deflecting elements 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 11-12 without a cover, which is preferably present. Since the winding profile 3 has different rigidities depending on the outer dimension and the material, the deflecting elements 20 are formed in curves in order to reliably change the direction of the winding profile 3. The deflecting elements 20 are preferably aligned in a floor plane or a plane at an angle thereto. In order that the winding profile 3 can be pushed through the deflecting elements 20, the sides of the deflecting elements 20 comprise rollers 49 (see FIG. 12). The rollers 49 are preferably respectively formed in pairs or as twin rollers on a common central axis, with the result that between the rollers 49 there is preferably a circumferential annular groove 50, in which the winding profile 3 dips, in particular, partially from the outside. The rollers 49 are closely next to one another and, on the opposite side to each e.g. twin roller 49, there is one or two twin rollers 49. The rollers 49 are rotatably mounted on a pin on the base plate 74 of the deflecting elements 20. To conduct the winding profile 3 from the cutting arrangement 19 to the welding unit 14, two deflecting elements 20 are preferably present, between which the winding profile 3 is guided through a channel 51.

[0140] In addition to rollers 49, it is also possible for the slide strips 52 to be arranged on the deflecting elements 20, between which slide strips the winding profile 3 is conducted through. The channel formed by the slide strips 52 preferably has an opening side 53 and an exit side 54. The opening side 53 has e.g. a funnel-shaped section, by way of which the winding profile 3 can be positioned between the slide strips 52 more easily. Adjoining the exit side 54 there are preferably rollers 49 with a spacing in between, into which a winding profile 3 can be threaded.

[0141] The winding profile 3 can be pushed to the winding profile guide 15 from the deflecting elements 20. The winding profile guide 15 has a run-in side 58, where the winding profile 3 is pushed into the winding profile guide 15, and a run-out side 59, at which the winding profile 3 is pushed to the welding arrangement 16 (FIG. 13). The winding profile guide 15 has two sides: a contact side 55 and a positioning side 56. The winding profile 3 rests on the contact side 55 in the region of the run-out side 59. The positioning side 56 has an elongate depression 60 which is adapted to the winding profile 3 (FIG. 14) and is designed such that winding profiles 3 with different outer dimensions can be centered on a weld point 75. For this purpose, the positioning side 56 is moved toward the contact side 55, the winding profile 3 lying between the two sides. The positioning side 56 is pivoted toward the winding profile 3 and/or the contact side 55 about a pivot pin 57. When the winding profile 3 is located between the contact side 55 and the positioning side 56, the winding profile 3 is positioned on the weld point 75 by way of the depression 60 on the positioning side 56. The depression 60 is preferably in the form of a prism and formed e.g. along the entire positioning side 56 from the run-in side 58 to the run-out side 59. The depression 60 makes it possible to center any winding profile 3 with a respectively different outer dimension, in particular, between 4-10 mm, on the weld point 75. For this purpose, the positioning side 56 is moved or pivoted toward the contact side 55.

[0142] The contact side 55 is preferably also movable tangentially in relation to the main wheel 9, with the result that the distance between the run-out side 58 and the weld point 75 is almost eliminated, preferably e.g. is in a range of a few millimeters.

[0143] The winding profile 3 is positioned on the weld point 75 by the positioning side 56, in particular, provided that no welding operation has taken place. After a winding profile 3 has been welded to one or more longitudinal profiles 4, the positioning side 56 is advantageously moved away or pivoted away from the contact side 55.

[0144] Furthermore, after a pair of weld points 75 the winding profile 3 no longer needs to be pushed to the welding arrangement by the advancing elements 30 and counter elements 31, but rather the winding profile 3 is drawn by the rotational movement of the main wheel 9, on which the longitudinal profiles 4 are arranged, about the axis of rotation D and thus unwound from the master.

[0145] In order to stop the pushing movement, the counter elements 31, which rest on the selected winding profile 3, switch from the second switching state to the first switching state and are thus no longer pressed on the winding profile 3 and, therefore, the winding profile 3 is no longer driven by the advancing arrangement 18.

[0146] After the winding profile 3 has been positioned by the two sides 55, 56 of the winding profile guide 15, the winding profile 3 positionally correctly rests on the weld point 75 for being welded to the longitudinal profile 4. The welding arrangement 16 welds the two profiles to one another at a weld point 75. The welding arrangement 16 comprises two electrodes: a welding electrode 61 and a contact electrode 62 (see FIG. 15). The welding electrode 61 and the contact electrode 62 are preferably in the form of rotatably mounted rollers. The two electrodes 61, 62 are preferably made from metal, in particular, from copper.

[0147] The welding electrode 61 is arranged directly at or in a close range of at most a few centimeters from the run-out side 59 of the winding profile guide 15. To weld a longitudinal profile 4 to a winding profile 3, the winding profile 3 is pressed on the longitudinal profile 4 using the welding electrode 61.

[0148] In order to enable a predefinable pressing force of the welding electrode 61 during working operation and to minimize influences caused by wear of the electrode material, the welding electrode 61 is mounted yieldably and resiliently. The resilient mounting damps the movement of the welding electrode 61. For the preferably resilient mounting and positioning of the welding electrode 61, e.g. a cylinder/piston unit 63 with a cylinder and a piston that can be moved relative to the cylinder is provided. The cylinder/piston unit 63 is preferably a pneumatic cylinder/piston unit. The welding electrode 61 is coupled to the piston that can be displaced in the cylinder e.g. via a piston rod 64.

[0149] The contact electrode 62 is preferably also correspondingly pneumatic-spring mounted and positionable via a cylinder/piston unit 63, preferably a pneumatic cylinder/piston unit. The contact electrode 62 presses with the pressing force on a contact body 65, which is formed on the main wheel 9 at the spoke-like portions 10, and in the respect the contact bodies 65 are spaced apart from the longitudinal profiles 4 at the spoke-like portions 10.

[0150] With each new metal mesh reinforcement to be produced, the complete welding unit 14 together with the contact electrode 62 and the welding electrode 61 is moved in an automated manner until the contact electrode 62 rests on a contact body 65 on the main wheel by way of a lift. The contact body 65 preferably consists of metal, in particular, copper. Lift refers to a standard retracted state of the piston rod 64 in question. This means that the welding unit 14 is moved not just until contact is made with the contact electrode 62, but further by a value “X”. This value “X” corresponds to the lift and is detected and signaled via a travel sensor 66 on or in the cylinder, preferably in the pneumatic cylinder. The travel sensor 66 detects the retraction stroke and provides a corresponding signal to the control unit.

[0151] After this, a bracket, which is connected to the welding electrode 61 and movably mounted on the welding unit 14, is likewise moved forward until the standard lift of the welding electrode 61 is also reached, this likewise being done by means of a travel sensor 66 in a manner corresponding to the lift of the contact electrode 62 described above.

[0152] The lift is preferably predefined and set by means of the control unit in an automated manner.

[0153] This procedure according to the present invention is advantageous with respect to a procedure which proceeds in reverse and in which the welding unit 14 is moved until a target state of the welding electrode 61 is reached, and the contact electrode 62 is manually set after this.

[0154] The welding unit 14 may be displaced back and forth reversibly in a perpendicular direction R, in particular radially, in relation to the axis of rotation D of the main wheel 9 along a linear guide 68 by means of a drive 67 (see FIG. 16). The drive 67 is preferably an electric drive, such as a spindle drive, for example. The set working position is preferably locked, e.g. mechanically. A distinction should be made between the locking and a preferably present fine positioning of the welding electrode 61 and/or the contact electrode 62. The fine positioning is preferably always present and independent of the locked working position of the welding unit 14 and is achieved by the toothed rod 69 with a toothed contour and a mating toothed contour 70.

[0155] The locking is preferably done by a clamping mechanism. For example, a clamping mechanism is set up with the clamping mechanism having a toothing with a toothed rod 69, which comprises a toothed contour, and a mating toothed contour 70, which fits into the toothed contour of the toothed rod 69 (FIG. 16). The linearly movable toothed rod 69 is linearly moved e.g. via the drive 67, such as the electric spindle drive, by means of a toothed wheel 71, that can be rotated by the drive 67, in order to set the working position of the welding unit 14.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0156] 1 Machine [0157] 2 Device [0158] 3 Winding profile [0159] 4 Longitudinal profile [0160] 5 Transporting portion [0161] 6 Rail guide [0162] 7 Frame portion [0163] 8 Positioning portion [0164] 9 Main wheel [0165] 10 Portion [0166] 11 Forklift arrangement [0167] 12 Raid guide [0168] 13 Retaining arrangement [0169] 14 Welding unit [0170] 15 Winding profile guide [0171] 16 Welding arrangement [0172] 17 Feed unit [0173] 18 Advancing arrangement [0174] 19 Cutting arrangement [0175] 20 Deflecting element [0176] 21 Transmission unit [0177] 22 First hydraulic cylinder [0178] 22a Piston [0179] 22b Cylinder housing [0180] 23 Second hydraulic cylinder [0181] 23a Piston [0182] 23b Cylinder housing [0183] 24 Hose [0184] 25 Guide elements [0185] 26 Receptacle [0186] 26a Receiving tube [0187] 26b Receiving tube [0188] 26c Receiving tube [0189] 26d Receiving tube [0190] 26e Receiving tube [0191] 27 Profile retaining system [0192] 28 Profile brake [0193] 29 Drive elements [0194] 30 Advancing element [0195] 31 Counter element [0196] 32 Drive roller [0197] 32a Drive shaft [0198] 33 Connecting element [0199] 34 Connecting element [0200] 35 Pressing element [0201] 36 Pivot element [0202] 37 Pivot pin [0203] 38 Pressing arrangement [0204] 39 Frame [0205] 40 Delimiting element [0206] 41 Run-out [0207] 42 Displacement element [0208] 43 Push-in element [0209] 44 Cutting apparatus [0210] 45 Guide [0211] 46 Return element [0212] 47 Starting position [0213] 48 End position [0214] 49 Rollers [0215] 50 Indentation [0216] 51 Channel [0217] 52 Slide strip [0218] 53 Opening side [0219] 54 Exit side [0220] 55 Contact side [0221] 56 Positioning side [0222] 57 Pivot pin [0223] 58 Run-in side [0224] 59 Run-out side [0225] 60 Depression [0226] 61 Welding electrode [0227] 62 Contact electrode [0228] 63 Cylinder/piston unit [0229] 64 Piston rod [0230] 65 Contact body [0231] 66 Travel sensor [0232] 67 Drive [0233] 68 Linear guide [0234] 69 Toothed rod [0235] 70 Toothed contour [0236] 71 Toothed wheel [0237] 72 Portions [0238] 73 Synchronization unit [0239] 74 Base plate [0240] 75 Weld point [0241] 76 Plate [0242] 77 Support [0243] 78 Drive unit [0244] 79 Guide mechanism