APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A METAL GRID REINFORCEMENT AND MACHINE

Abstract

An apparatus for producing a metal grid reinforcement from metal profiles including longitudinal profiles and a winding profile, the apparatus having a welding unit for welding a longitudinal profile, and a winding profile guide guiding the winding profile, which can be fed from a provision location of the winding profile to the winding profile guide, to the welding unit. The winding profile guide has a contact side and a positioning side that are movable relative to one another, with the contact and positioning sides being matched such that a winding profile present between the contact and positioning sides is forced into a centered position when the positioning and contact sides are moved towards one another. The positioning side has a recess which is matched to the winding profile and into which a longitudinal portion of a centered winding profile engages.

Claims

1. A machine having a main wheel, which can be rotated in a driven manner, for receiving multiple longitudinal profiles, and having an apparatus for producing a metal mesh reinforcement from multiple metal profiles, comprising multiple longitudinal profiles and one winding profile, wherein the apparatus comprises a welding unit for welding a longitudinal profile to the winding profile at a connecting point of the two metal profiles and a winding profile guide that conducts the winding profile, which can be guided up to the winding profile guide from a master of the winding profile, to the welding unit, 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, wherein the positioning side has a depression which is matched to the winding profile and into which a longitudinal portion of a centered winding profile dips.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit has a resiliently mounted electrode, wherein the welding unit can be brought into a predefinable working position in an automated manner before a process for producing a metal mesh reinforcement.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a cylinder/piston unit with a cylinder and a piston, wherein the electrode is coupled to the piston, which is displaceable in the cylinder, wherein, after a contact position which is part of the working position and in which the electrode is in contact with a counterstop has been reached, a pressing action of the electrode against the counterstop can be set by a predefinable relative movement of the piston and the cylinder.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein a positioning region is formed between the contact side and the positioning side such that a winding profile guided up to the apparatus can be received in the positioning region.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the positioning side is movably mounted.

6. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact side can be brought into contact with a first longitudinal side of the guided-up winding profile and wherein the positioning side can be brought into contact with a second longitudinal side of the guided-up winding profile.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact side can be moved reversibly back and forth in a longitudinal direction of a winding profile present in the positioning region.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the winding profile guide has a run-in side, at which a front end of a winding profile that can be guided up from the master of the winding profile can be received by the winding profile guide.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the run-in side adjoins the positioning region.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein the winding profile guide has a run-out side which is opposite the run-in side and at which the centered winding profile can be moved further toward the connecting point of the two metal profiles.

11. The machine as claimed in claim 10, wherein the depression extends in a longitudinal direction of the depression from the run-in side of the winding profile guide to the run-out side of the winding profile guide.

12. The machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the positioning side is present with the depression situated opposite a contact surface of the contact side.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 11, wherein the depression comprises curved portions and/or straight portions.

14. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrode of the welding unit is designed as yieldable on a resilient mounting during working operation, with the result that pressing contact is established between the electrode and a portion to be welded of the winding profile.

15. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit can be displaced via a drive in order to set the working position of the welding unit.

16. The machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the welding unit has a securing arrangement for locking a set working position of the welding unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0069] 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.

[0070] FIG. 1 shows a perspective overall view of a machine according to the present invention with an apparatus for producing a metal mesh reinforcement;

[0071] FIG. 2 shows a perspective individual view of a detail of the machine according to FIG. 1;

[0072] FIG. 3 shows a partially highly schematic view of a detail of the machine equipped with indicated longitudinal profiles according to FIG. 1;

[0073] FIG. 4 shows a side view of a detail of the arrangement according to FIG. 3;

[0074] FIG. 5 shows a view of a detail of the arrangement according to FIG. 3 with a winding profile;

[0075] FIG. 6 shows a perspective individual view of a component from FIG. 5 with a cut winding profile; and

[0076] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a detail from FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a perspective overall view obliquely from the front of a machine 1 according to the present invention, which has an apparatus 2 for producing a metal mesh reinforcement from multiple metal profiles, comprising longitudinal profiles 3 (see FIG. 3) and a winding profile 4 (see FIGS. 5-7).

[0078] The machine 1, such as a cage welding machine, for example, serves to produce steel and/or metal mesh reinforcements, such as, in particular, reinforcing cages for shaft or concrete pipes, piles, supports or beams of concrete.

[0079] In principle, a computer-assisted control unit of the machine 1 is provided to manage the operation of the machine 1 and of the apparatus 2. The control unit also sets the working state or the working position of a welding unit 10 of the apparatus 2 in an automated manner.

[0080] The reinforcement that can be produced has a plurality, for example, 24 or 48, of parallel longitudinal profiles 3 around a central longitudinal axis L of the machine 1, and a welded-on winding profile 4, such as a flexible winding wire, laid helically around the outside of the longitudinal profiles 3. The winding profile 4 is welded to all of the longitudinal profiles 3 at respective weld points on the finished metal mesh reinforcement preferably in one piece and uninterruptedly, the winding profile 4 being welded to all of the longitudinal profiles 3 in each case at multiple points, spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, of a longitudinal profile 3.

[0081] 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.

[0082] The transporting portion 5 with a rail guide 6 is between a front end of the machine 1 and a frame portion 7 of the machine 1.

[0083] A positioning portion 8 adjoins the frame portion 3 rearwardly or opposite to the transporting portion 5, for the purpose of positionally correctly equipping the machine 1 with all of the longitudinal profiles 3 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 3 are spaced apart from one another around the circumference and pushed in parallel to the central longitudinal axis L supported on portions of the positioning portion 8 that can be rotated about the longitudinal axis L.

[0084] The longitudinal profiles 3 are also supported on spoke-like portions of a main wheel 9 which are rotatable in a direction of rotation R about the longitudinal axis L in a manner driven by a motor. The main wheel 9, which is enclosed around the circumference on the outside by the frame portion 7, rotates in accordance with the rotational movement of the rotatable portions of the positioning portion 8. A pulling wheel 32, which rotates simultaneously with the main wheel 9 during operation, of the transporting portion 5 is provided for a linear movement of a partially finished metal mesh reinforcement. The pulling wheel 32 receives the finished face-side end of the metal mesh reinforcement or its front longitudinal profile ends.

[0085] For the purpose of welding the longitudinal profiles 3 to the winding profile 4, the apparatus 2 comprises the welding unit 10 with a welding electrode 11, for example, a welding roller, and a contact electrode 12, for example, a contact roller, offset in a longitudinal direction L in relation to the welding roller. The welding unit 10 serves to weld an associated portion of a respective longitudinal profile 3 to the winding profile 4 at a connecting point of the two profiles. Also part of the apparatus 2 is a winding profile guide 13, which conducts the winding profile 4, which can be guided up from a master, not illustrated, of the winding profile 4 to the winding profile guide 13, to the welding electrode 11 of the welding unit 10.

[0086] The master is e.g. a coil with a comparatively long piece of a winding profile 4 wound up helically on the coil.

[0087] The winding profile guide 13 allows the winding profile 4 to bridge and be positionally accurately aligned on the welding electrode 11, this concerning a final partial distance on the path of the winding profile 4, separated from the master, from the master to the welding unit 10. The winding profile guide 13 has a contact side 14 and a positioning side 15 situated opposite the contact side 14.

[0088] The front end of the winding profile 4 is threaded in at a run-in side 18 of the winding profile guide 13, the winding profile 4 being able to be received in a positioning region 16 formed between the contact side 14 and the positioning side 15 for accurate guidance and alignment thereof. The contact side 14, which comprises a preferably flat, displaceable slide strip 17, can be moved in a longitudinal direction of a winding profile 4 present in the positioning region 16 reversibly toward the welding electrode 11 in the displacement directions R1 and away from the welding electrode in the displacement direction R2 (see FIG. 5).

[0089] The positioning side 15 is mounted so as to be pivotable about an axis A in relation to the contact side by way of a longitudinal axis L1 of the positioning side 15. In this way, the positioning side 15 can be pivoted toward and away from the contact side 14 or the slide strip 17 in the pivoting directions R3.

[0090] The longitudinal portion of the winding profile 4, which is received in the positioning region 16 from the run-in side 18 to a run-out side 19, is centered and aligned by means of a depression 20, adapted to an outer shape and an outer dimension of the winding profile 4, of the positioning side 15 when the positioning side 15 is pivoted toward the contact side 14. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 show the centering and alignment of the winding profile 4 in the depression 20. In this respect, the winding profile 4 is supported and positioned on a planar, flat contact surface 21 on the contact side 14.

[0091] The displacement of the contact side 14 or the slide strip 17 in the direction R1 causes the winding profile 4 to arrive at the welding electrode 11 at the point at which the winding profile is welded to a respective longitudinal profile 3. The winding profile 4 is forcibly moved at the same time.

[0092] The machine 1 makes it possible to produce reinforcing cages with different outer dimensions or different outer diameters. For this, the welding unit 10 is brought into a predefinable working position or a working state relative to the main wheel 9 in an automated manner before the start of a production process. In this respect, a radial distance between the welding unit 10 and the longitudinal axis L is altered. For this purpose, the welding unit 10 is received on a displaceable welding carriage 23, which may be displaced back and forth reversibly in a direction of movement R4 in a predefinable manner to the desired radial position along a linear guide 24 by means of a drive 22. The drive 22 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 mounting play of the welding electrode 11 and/or the contact electrode 12. The mounting play is preferably always present and independent of the locked working position of the welding unit 10.

[0093] 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 25, which comprises a toothed contour, and a mating toothed contour 26, which fits into the toothed contour of the toothed rod 25 (see FIG. 3). The linearly movable toothed rod 25 is linearly moved via the drive 22, such as the electric spindle drive, by means of a toothed wheel 27, that can be rotated by the drive 22, in order to set the working position of the welding unit 10. FIG. 5 shows a working position of the welding unit 10.

[0094] The welding unit 10 also brings the welding electrode 11 and the contact electrode 12 into a working position. In the working position of the electrodes, when longitudinal profiles 3 are present on the main wheel 9 and a fed winding profile 4 is present, the welding electrode 11 rests on the winding profile 4 to be welded in the region of its contact with the longitudinal profile 3. In order to allow a predefinable pressing force of the welding electrode 11 during working operation or to minimize influences caused by wear to the electrode material, the welding electrode 11 is mounted yieldingly or resiliently.

[0095] For the preferably resilient mounting and positioning of the welding electrode 11, a cylinder/piston unit 28 with a cylinder and a piston that can be moved relative to the cylinder is provided. The cylinder/piston unit 28 is preferably a pneumatic cylinder/piston unit. The welding electrode 11 is coupled to the piston that can be displaced in the cylinder via a piston rod 30 connected to the piston.

[0096] The contact electrode 12 is preferably also correspondingly pneumatic-spring mounted and positionable via a cylinder/piston unit, preferably a pneumatic cylinder/piston unit.

[0097] With each new metal mesh reinforcement to be produced, the complete welding carriage 23 together with the contact electrode 12 and the welding electrode 11 is moved in an automated manner until the contact electrode 12 rests on current collectors 31 by way of a lift.

[0098] Lift refers to a standard retracted state of the piston rod in question. This means that the welding carriage 23 is moved not just until contact is made with the contact electrode 12, but further by a value “X”. This value “X” corresponds to the lift and is detected and signaled via a travel sensor 29 on or in the cylinder or in the pneumatic cylinder. The travel sensor 29 detects the retraction stroke and provides a corresponding signal to the control unit.

[0099] After this, a bracket, which is connected to the welding electrode 11 and movably mounted on the welding carriage 23, is likewise moved forward until the standard lift of the welding electrode 11 is also reached, this likewise being done by means of a travel sensor in a manner corresponding to the lift of the contact electrode 12 described above.

[0100] The lift is preferably predefined and set by means of the control unit in an automated manner.

[0101] This procedure according to the invention is advantageous with respect to a procedure which proceeds in reverse and in which the welding carriage is moved until a target state of the welding electrode is reached, and the contact electrode is manually set after this.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0102] 1 Machine [0103] 2 Apparatus [0104] 3 Longitudinal profile [0105] 4 Winding profile [0106] 5 Transporting portion [0107] 6 Rail guide [0108] 7 Frame portion [0109] 8 Positioning portion [0110] 9 Main wheel [0111] 10 Welding unit [0112] 11 Welding electrode [0113] 12 Contact electrode [0114] 13 Winding profile guide [0115] 14 Contact side [0116] 15 Positioning side [0117] 16 Positioning region [0118] 17 Slide strip [0119] 18 Run-in side [0120] 19 Run-out side [0121] 20 Depression [0122] 21 Contact surface [0123] 2 [0124] 2 Drive [0125] 23 Welding carriage [0126] 24 Linear guide [0127] 25 Toothed rod [0128] 26 Mating toothed contour [0129] 27 Toothed wheel [0130] 28 Cylinder/piston unit [0131] 29 Travel sensor [0132] 30 Piston rod [0133] 31 Current collector [0134] 32 Pulling wheel