Stitcher

Abstract

A stitcher (1) for connecting an end portion of an outgoing metal strip to a starting portion of an incoming metal strip for a continuously operated strip processing system comprises a first punching tool (20), which is designed to connect metal strips having a first thickness range and/or strength range to one another, and a second punching tool (30), which is designed to connect metal strips having a second thickness range and/or strength range to one another. Both thickness ranges and/or strength ranges are different from one another.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A stitcher (1) for connecting an end portion of an outgoing metal strip to a starting portion of an incoming metal strip for a continuously operated strip processing system, comprising: a first punching tool (20), which is designed to connect the metal strips to one another if their thicknesses are in a first thickness range and/or if their strengths are in a first strength range, and a second punching tool (30), which is designed to connect the metal strips to one another if their thicknesses are in a second thickness range and/or their strengths are in a second strength range, wherein both thickness ranges and/or strength ranges are different from one another.

15. The stitcher (1) according to claim 14, wherein the first thickness range is 0.2 to 2.5 mm and the second thickness range is 2.0 to 3.5 mm.

16. The stitcher (1) according to claim 14, wherein the first strength range is 20 MPa to 250 MPa for aluminum and 100 MPa to 350 MPa for steel and wherein the second strength range is 200 MPa to 600 MPa for aluminum and 300 MPa to 1000 MPa for steel.

17. The stitcher (1) according to claim 14, wherein the first punching tool (20) has a first punching pattern and the second punching tool (30) has a second punching pattern, wherein both punching patterns are different from one another.

18. The stitcher (1) according to claim 14, wherein the first punching tool (20) has a first cutting gap and the second punching tool (30) has a second cutting gap that is different from the first cutting gap.

19. The stitcher (1) according to claim 14, wherein both punching tools (20, 30) are arranged in a punching tool cassette (80).

20. The stitcher according to claim 19, wherein the punching tool cassette (80) can be displaced within the stitcher (1) by a displacement device (60), such that the first punching tool (20) can be arranged in a punching position (50) and the second punching tool (30) can be arranged in a parking position (70) within the stitcher (1) or vice versa.

21. A strip processing system comprising a stitcher (1) according to claim 14.

22. A method for connecting an end portion of an outgoing metal strip to a starting portion of an incoming metal strip in a continuously operated strip processing system, comprising: connecting the metal strips to one another with a first punching tool (20), if their thicknesses are in a first thickness range and/or their strengths are in a first strength range; and connecting the metal strips to one another with a second punching tool (30), if their thicknesses are in a second thickness range and/or their strengths are in a second strength range, wherein both thickness ranges and/or strength ranges are different from one another.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein both punching tools (20, 30) are arranged in a punching tool cassette (80) that is displaceably supported within a stitcher (1).

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein a tool change takes place during ongoing strip operation between two stitch seams or when the strip is at a standstill.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the tool change is fully automatic.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the connecting is carried out by stitch seams arranged in a single row.

27. The method according to claim 22, wherein the connecting is carried out by stitch seams arranged in a double row.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of the stitcher.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a punching tool cassette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a stitcher 1 for connecting the end portion of an outgoing metal strip to the starting portion of an incoming metal strip for a continuously operated strip processing system, typically used in metal strip treatment or metal strip finishing operations. In the present illustration, the metal strips are not shown, only the strip run B is indicated.

[0029] The stitcher 1 comprises a first punching tool 20, which is designed to connect metal strips whose thicknesses lie in a first thickness range, preferably in the range from 0.2 to 2.5 mm, and a second punching tool 30, which is designed to connect metal strips whose thicknesses lie in a second thickness range, preferably from 2 to 3.5 mm, wherein both thickness ranges are different from one another.

[0030] In the present embodiment shown, the two punching tools 20, 30 are arranged in a punching tool cassette 80, which can be displaced within the stitcher 1 by means of a displacement device 60, such that the first punching tool 20 can be arranged in a punching position 50 and the second punching tool 30 can be arranged in a parking position 70 within the stitcher 1. For this purpose, the stitcher 1 has a motor (not shown) and a toothed rack 10 that interacts with the punching tool cassette 80 and allows the tools to be changed quickly.

[0031] To connect the two metal strips, stitching is used as the connecting method. For this purpose, each of the punching tools 20, 30 has a corresponding punch and die (not shown). Preferably, the punch and die of the first punching tool 20 are different from the second punching tool 30, that is, the first punching tool 20 has a first punching pattern and the second punching tool has a second punching pattern. In addition or alternatively, the punches and the dies of the respective punching tools 20, 30 also have different cutting gaps.

[0032] The respective punching tool 20, 30 located in the punching position 50 is hydraulically operated in the present embodiment shown of the stitcher 1. For this purpose, the stitcher 1 comprises a hydraulic unit 40, which is arranged in the lower part of the stitcher 1.

[0033] In the embodiment shown, the first punching tool 20 is arranged in the punching position 50 within the stitcher 1. Accordingly, the second punching tool 30 is arranged in a parking position in the punching tool cassette 80 on the strip inlet side and outside the stitcher 1 and is protected from possible damage by means of a wear plate 51.

[0034] For a tool change between the first and second punching tools 20, 30, the displacement device 60 is provided; this allows a fully automatic tool change. The tool change can preferably be carried out during ongoing strip operation between two stitched seams or when the strip is at a standstill.

[0035] In the present embodiment, the first punching tool 20 is moved out of the punching position 50 and into the parking position during a tool change. For this purpose, the punching tool cassette 80 is displaced by means of the displacement device 60 to such an extent that the first punching tool 20 is arranged on the strip outlet side, while the second punching tool 30 reaches the punching position 50. A wear plate 71 is also provided on the strip outlet side to protect the first punching tool 20 from possible damage.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment, the first punching tool 20 is designed to connect the metal strips to one another if their strengths are in a first strength range, wherein the second punching tool 30 is then designed to connect the metal strips to one another if their strengths are in a second strength range, wherein both strength ranges are different from one another. For aluminum, for example, the first strength range can comprise 20 MPa to 250 MPa and the second strength range can comprise 200 MPa to 600 MPa. For steel, on the other hand, the first strength range can comprise, for example, 100 MPa to 350 MPa and the second strength range can comprise 300 MPa to 1000 MPa.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the punching tool cassette 80. This comprises a cover plate 81, to which a plurality of T-bars 82 is fastened. By means of the T-bars 82, the punching tool cassette 80 is held in the stitcher 1 and is moved via the toothed rack 10 (FIG. 1). Via stop elements 83 arranged on the cover plate 81, the punching tool cassette 80 is moved to the correct end position, which is sensed by a limit switch (not shown). The two punching tools 20, 30 are fastened below the cover plate 81. As shown, each of the punching dies 20, 30 comprises a plurality of runners 84 that thread into a lifting ram 11 (FIG. 1), for example when the punching tool cassette 80 is moved. If the lower tool part of the respective punching tool 20, 30 does not follow the force of gravity when lowering the lifting ram 11 after a stitching process, such connection pulls the lower tool part back to the lower end position by the lifting ram 11.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0038] 1 Stitcher [0039] 10 Toothed rack [0040] 11 Lifting ram [0041] 20 First punching tool [0042] 30 Second punching tool [0043] 40 Hydraulic unit [0044] 50 Punching position [0045] 51 Wear plate [0046] 60 Displacement device [0047] 70 Parking position [0048] 71 Wear plate [0049] 80 Punching tool cassette [0050] 81 Cover plate [0051] 82 T-bars [0052] 83 Stop element [0053] 84 Runners [0054] B Strip run