Plant for extruding metals comprising a system of pullers with single direction guides

Abstract

A system of pullers, in particular for extruding metals, the system comprising at least a first puller and a second puller, each equipped with gripping means adapted to engage and grip an end portion of a profile, in particular of an extruded profile exiting from an extrusion press, the system comprising a first guide and a second guide, where the at least two, first and second, pullers can be translated along the first and second guides, where the first guide is dedicated to the translation of both the at least two, first and second, pullers in a single first translation direction, and where the second guide is dedicated to the translation of both the at least two, first and second, pullers in a second translation direction opposite to the first translation direction.

Claims

1. A system of pullers for a plant for extruding metals along an extrusion line, said system comprising: at least a first puller and a second puller, each adapted to engage and grip an end portion of an extruded profile (P) exiting from an extrusion press and supported by a plurality of rolls provided on the extrusion line; a first guide and a second guide arranged adjacent to the extrusion line, wherein said first and second pullers can be translated along said first and second guides without contacting the plurality of rolls that support the extruded profile (P), wherein said first guide is dedicated to the translation of both said first and second pullers in a single first translation direction (T1), wherein said second guide is dedicated to the translation of both said first and second pullers in a second translation direction (T2) opposite to said first translation direction (T1), wherein said first and second pullers can be translated along parallel directions along said first and second guides; and means for repositioning both of said first and second pullers from said first guide to said second guide and from said second guide to said first guide, wherein said guides are separate from each other, are placed side-by-side, are not overlapping and are both anchored to the ground on a same side with respect to an extrusion line along which said profile (P) is extruded, wherein said guides are positioned at the same height assessed with respect to a horizontal reference plane, are physically and mechanically separate and both anchored to the ground each in an independent manner of the other, whereby vibrations of each of said guides induced by the movement of said pullers are absorbed by or unloaded onto the ground without being transmitted to the other guide; and a parking guide intended to house at least one of said first and second pullers in a stopped status and so as not to hinder translation of a remaining one or more pullers of said first and second pullers along the first and second guides, wherein said means for repositioning comprise at least a first repositioning guide which can be repositioned alternatively between a first position at a first end portion of said first guide and a second position at a first end portion of said second guide adjacent to said first end portion of said first guide, wherein, with said first repositioning guide in said first position, said first guide, said first repositioning guide, and said parking guide define a continuous horizontal translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated along said first guide, along said first repositioning guide, and along said parking guide, and wherein, with said first repositioning guide in said second position, said second guide and said first repositioning guide define a continuous horizontal translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said second guide and along said first repositioning guide.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said means for repositioning comprise a second repositioning guide which can be repositioned alternatively between a first position at a second end portion of said first guide and a second position at a second end portion of said second guide adjacent to said second end portion of said first guide, wherein, with said second repositioning guide in said first position, said first guide and said second repositioning guide define a continuous translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said first guide and along said second repositioning guide, and wherein, with said second repositioning guide in said second position, said second guide and said second repositioning guide define a continuous translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said second guide and along said second repositioning guide.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said first and second repositioning guides can be moved by translation along a translation direction different from an extension direction of said first and second guides.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said system comprises an extension guide aligned with one of said guides and interposed between said one of said guides and said press, wherein said extension guide is configured so that one of said pullers reaches a position closer to said press during extrusion of said profile (P) than could be reached using said one of said guides without said extension guide.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein each of said first and second pullers comprises a main frame or carriage.

6. A plant for extruding metal profiles (P), said plant comprising an extrusion press and a system of pullers for moving in traction an extruded product (P) exiting from said extrusion press, characterized in that said system of pullers is the system of pullers according to claim 1.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said parking guide is arranged in axis with said first guide.

8. A system of pullers for a plant for extruding metals along an extrusion line, said system comprising: at least a first puller and a second puller, each adapted to engage and grip an end portion of an extruded profile (P) exiting from an extrusion press and supported by a plurality of rolls provided on the extrusion line; a first guide and a second guide arranged adjacent to the extrusion line, wherein said first and second pullers can be translated along said first and second guides without contacting the plurality of rolls that support the extruded profile (P), wherein said first guide is dedicated to the translation of both said first and second pullers in a single first translation direction (T1), wherein said second guide is dedicated to the translation of both said first and second pullers in a second translation direction (T2) opposite to said first translation direction (T1), wherein said first and second pullers can be translated along parallel directions along said first and second guides; and means for repositioning both of said first and second pullers from said first guide to said second guide and from said second guide to said first guide, wherein said guides are separate from each other, are placed side-by-side, are not overlapping and are both anchored to the ground and arranged on a same side with respect to an extrusion line along which said profile (P) is extruded, are physically and mechanically separate and both anchored to the ground each in an independent manner of the other, whereby vibrations of each of said guides induced by the movement of said pullers are absorbed by or unloaded onto the ground without being transmitted to the other guide; and a parking guide intended to house at least one of said first and second pullers in a stopped status and so as not to hinder translation of a remaining one or more pullers of said first and second pullers along the first and second guides, wherein said means for repositioning comprise at least a first repositioning guide which can be repositioned alternatively between a first position at a first end portion of said first guide and a second position at a first end portion of said second guide adjacent to said first end portion of said first guide, wherein, with, said first repositioning guide in said first position, said first guide, said first repositioning guide, and said parking guide define a continuous horizontal translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated along said first guide, along said first repositioning guide, and along said parking guide, and wherein, with said first repositioning guide in said second position, said second guide and said first repositioning guide define a continuous horizontal translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said second guide and along said first repositioning guide.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said guides are positioned at the same height assessed with respect to a horizontal reference plane.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein said means for repositioning comprise a second repositioning guide which can be repositioned alternatively between a first position at a second end portion of said first guide and a second position at a second end portion of said second guide adjacent to said second end portion of said first guide, wherein, with said second repositioning guide in said first position, said first guide and said second repositioning guide define a continuous translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said first guide and along said second repositioning guide, and wherein, with said second repositioning guide in said second position, said second guide and said second repositioning guide define a continuous translation path such that said first and second pullers can be translated both along said second guide and along said second repositioning guide.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein said first and second repositioning guides can be moved by translation along a translation direction different from an extension direction of said first and second guides.

12. The system according to claim 8, wherein said system comprises an extension guide aligned with one of said guides and interposed between said one of said guides and said press, wherein said extension guide is configured so that one of said pullers reaches a position closer to said press during extrusion of said profile (P) than could be reached using said one of said guides without said extension guide.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein each of said at first and second pullers comprises a main frame or carriage.

14. A plant for extruding metal profiles (P), said plant comprising an extrusion press and a system of pullers for moving in traction an extruded product (P) exiting from said extrusion press, characterized in that said system of pullers is the system of pullers according to claim 8.

15. The system according to claim 8, wherein said parking guide is arranged in axis with said first guide.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic top view of an extrusion plant equipped with a system of pullers according to one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectioned view of a system of pullers according to one embodiment of the present invention.

(4) The same numbers and the same reference letters in the figures identify the same elements or components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(5) The present invention is particularly advantageously applicable in the field of extruding metals, in particular metal profiles, this being the reason why the present invention is clarified below with particular reference to the application thereof in the field of extruding metal profiles. Moreover, the possible applications of the present invention are not limited to the case of extruding metal profiles; contrarily, the present invention is just as advantageously applied in the field of generally moving objects, in particular metal objects.

(6) The present invention is clarified below by means of the following detailed description of embodiments thereof depicted in the drawings. Moreover, however, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below and depicted in the drawings; contrarily, all those variants of the embodiments described below and depicted in the drawings, which are apparent to those skilled in the technical field, fall within the scope of the present invention.

(7) Numeral 100 in FIG. 1 identifies a plant comprehensive of an extrusion press 300 and of a system of pullers 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In particular, system 200 comprises a first guide 203 and a second guide 204, said first 203 and second 204 guides being arranged parallel to each other and adjacent to the extrusion line (or axis) along which the profiles P (FIG. 2) are extruded by press 300. A plurality of rolls 250 (substantially known and therefore not described in detail for reasons of brevity) for supporting profiles is prepared at the extrusion line and therefore in position adjacent to the second guide 204.

(8) The guides 203 and 204 are physically and mechanically separate and both anchored to the ground (FIG. 2), each in an independent manner of the other. Thereby, the vibrations for each guide induced by the movement of the puller are absorbed/unloaded by/onto the ground without being transmitted to the other guide.

(9) Namely, the two guides 203, 204 are placed side-by-side and are arranged on the same side (that is in the same half-space) with respect to the above-indicated line (or extrusion axis), as clearly visible in the diagram in FIG. 1. Letters A and B in this diagram identify the two half-spaces identified by the extrusion axis 500. In particular, the two guides 203, 204 are placed in the same half-space A, but in an alternative embodiment, they could be arranged placed side-by-side in the same half-space B.

(10) According to a possible embodiment, the two guides 203, 204 have the same height with respect to a substantially horizontal reference plane. In this regard, the height H of the two guides 203, 204 assessed with respect to a horizontal plane 600 substantially at ground level is indicated in FIG. 2. In an alternative embodiment, the two guides 203, 204 could have a different height with respect to the reference plane considered.

(11) In any case, according to the invention, the two guides 203, 204 are not vertically overlapping, that is to say one guide is not placed above the other guide with respect to the vertical direction.

(12) A first puller 201 and a second puller 202 can be translated along the guides 203 and 204 according to the methods and/or peculiarities of the present invention described in greater detail below. The translation of the pullers 201 and 202 along the guides 203 and 204, as well as along further guides (see the following description) is obtained by means of substantially known methods which do not necessarily fall within the scope of the present invention; for example, both remote drives and individual drives on board each of the pullers 201, and 202 and/or of the respective carriages (see the following description) may be provided. For example, in the case of remote drive, a geared motor mounted (for example) on the ground at one of the ends of each guide or travel path may be provided, where here the puller is pulled in two opposite directions by means a closed-loop drive element, for example a belt, a chain, a cable or similar element. Moreover, there is at least one pulley and possibly also an element adapted to tension the drive element, and that is the chain or cable or belt or similar element, at both ends of each guide, where at least one of the two pulleys is connected to the geared motor to allow the transmission of the motion to the puller.

(13) In the case instead of on-board drive, a geared motor or a linear motor that moves integrally with the puller itself may be for example, installed on each puller, where in this case the linear movement of the puller along the guides may be obtained by means of a pinion and rack system or with a pinion and fixed chain or also by friction by means of at least one drive wheel. In the case of a pinion and rack system, the pinion is mounted on the reducer while the rack is fastened to the guide. Instead in the chain system, the chain is fastened to the ends of the guide and is engaged in rotation by a pinion mounted on the shaft of the geared motor.

(14) Moreover, the solution of both the remote and the on-board type of drive does not fall within the peculiarities of the present invention, the present invention being susceptible to being equipped and/or integrated with any solution among those available to those skilled in the art and known in the field.

(15) As depicted in FIG. 1, in the case of the first guide 203, a first end portion 210 and a second end portion 207 opposite to the first may be identified, where likewise, in the case of the second guide 204, a first end portion 211 and a second end portion 208 opposite to the first and 211 may be identified. Moreover, the reference numeral 205 identifies a parking guide, which modes of use are clarified in detail below. Finally, reference numeral 206 identifies a repositioning guide arranged at the ends 207 and 208 of the guides 203 204, respectively, opposite to press 300, while the reference numeral 209 identifies a further repositioning guide arranged at the ends 210 and 211 of the guides 203 and 204, respectively.

(16) As indicated by the dual arrow F2 in FIG. 1, the peculiarity of the repositioning guide 209 is that of being repositionable between a first position at the end 210 of guide 203, and a second position at the end 211 of guide 204, where guide 209, in the first position, defines and forms a continuous path with guide 203, and where therefore the pullers 201 and 202 may translate from guide 203 to guide 209 and vice versa, and where, in corresponding manner, guide 209, in the second position, defines a continuous path with guide 204, whereby the pullers 201 and 202 may translate both from guide 204 to guide 209 and from guide 209 to guide 204.

(17) Likewise, as indicated by the dual arrow F1 in FIG. 1, the peculiarity of the repositioning guide 206 is that of being repositionable between a first position at the end 207 of guide 203, and a second position at the end 208 of guide 204. Guide 206, in the first position, defines and forms a continuous path with guide 203. The pullers 201 and 202 may translate from guide 203 to guide 206 and vice versa. In corresponding manner, guide 206, in the second position, defines a continuous path with guide 204, whereby the pullers 201 and 202 may translate both from guide 204 to guide 206 and from guide 206 to guide 204.

(18) According to one embodiment, at least one of the repositioning guides 206, 209 is moved/repositioned between the corresponding first position and the corresponding second position through a translation which occurs on a substantially horizontal plane and according to a transverse direction which is substantially orthogonal to the extrusion line 500. This transverse direction is identified in FIG. 1 by arrows F1 and F2. The translation in transverse direction may be obtained for example, through actuators which move the corresponding repositioning guide in the two directions according to the position (first or second) that the same should occupy.

(19) With reference to FIG. 2, it is also possible to appreciate that the pullers 201 and 202 comprise respective carriages 231 and 232 provided with anchoring means (not described in detail) for anchoring to the respective guides 203 and 204. Within the scope of the present invention, said anchoring means may comprise solutions of known type (and therefore not described in detail) such as for example, roll systems which engage tracks of the guides 203 and 204. Moreover, the carriages 231 and 232 support respective gripping means 221 and 222 adapted to be operated in such a manner so as to engage and grip the end of a profile P, for example an extruded profile P exiting from the extrusion press 300, also in this case according to modes of substantially known type.

(20) The operating and/or using modes of the system of pullers 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention depicted in the drawings and described above may be substantially summarized as follows.

(21) The starting configuration provides for the repositioning guide 209 to be in the position in which it defines a continuous path with guide 204 and for the repositioning guide 206 to be in the position in which it defines a substantially continuous path with guide 203, the pullers 201 and 202 being positioned on the repositioning guide 209 and on the repositioning guide 206, respectively. At this point, the gripping means 221 of puller 201 are positioned (for example, translated in vertical direction) so as to engage the end of profile P at the outside of press 300 and finally are engaged and gripped on said end of profile P. Puller 201 is then translated away from press 300 (from left to right in FIG. 1), and therefore in the direction indicated by arrow T2, thereby exerting the desired traction on the profile extruded by press 300. Puller 201 then moves from the repositioning guide 209 to guide 204. During the translation of puller 201 away from press 300, puller 202 is translated to approach press 300, and therefore in the direction indicated by arrow T1, first along the repositioning guide 206 and then along guide 203. Moreover, during the translation of the pullers 201 and 202 along guide 204 and guide 203, respectively, the repositioning guides 209 and 206 are repositioned, where guide 209 is arranged at the end 210 of guide 203 so as to define a substantially continuous path with guide 203, while the repositioning guide 206 is arranged at the end 208 of guide 204, and therefore so as to define a substantially continuous path with guide 204.

(22) Once a predefined first position is reached by puller 201, profile P is cut at a predetermined length L. Such a length L corresponds to the distance between the end of the profile, close to which the gripping means 221 are engaged, and the position of the cutting means. Then, profile P having length L is dragged by puller 201 along the system of rolls up to a predefined second position for the release. At this point, the gripping means 221 are disengaged from the end of profile P.

(23) Said predefined second position of puller 201 may be both on guide 204 and on guide 206; and in any case, whatever said predefined second position, puller 201 (whether it is already disengaged from the profile or is still engaged on the profile itself) is translated up to the repositioning guide 206, while puller 202 is translated up to the repositioning guide 209. At this point, the cycle may start over by repositioning guide 209 at the end 211 of guide 204 and guide 206 at the end 207 of guide 203, and may therefore continue according to the modes described above, where in this case it is puller 202 to act in traction on the profile (and therefore to perform the pulling step) while puller 201 is translated to approach press 300, thereby performing the return step.

(24) It is therefore apparent from that disclosed above that each of the two guides 203 and 204 is solely dedicated to one and one only of the two “pulling” and “return” steps; this means that both the pullers 201 and 202 on guide 204 are translated solely and exclusively in the translation direction T2, away from press 300, where the pullers 201 and 202 on guide 203 are translated solely and exclusively in the translation direction T1, approaching press 300.

(25) Reference numeral 205 in FIG. 1 identifies a further peculiarity of the present invention, that is to say a further guide (called a parking guide) and adapted to house one or more pullers in a stopped status and so as not to hinder the translation of the remaining pullers during the pulling and return steps. In the particular example in FIG. 1, the parking guide 205 is arranged in axis with guide 203, where therefore a puller 201 or 202 may be translated onto guide 205 by means of preventive positioning of the repositioning guide 206, in particular at the end 207 of guide 203. Guide 205 may in any case also be positioned in axis with guide 204, where more than one parking guide may also be provided. The parking guides (one or more than one) allow facilitating the maintenance operations of the pullers, where for example, a puller to be checked and/or repaired may be translated onto a parking guide, and where the parking guides may also be used for actually parking pullers to be used in the case for example, of failure of a puller among those employed and used.

(26) Reference numeral 270 in FIG. 1 identifies a guide (called an extension guide) which is aligned with guide 204 in a position interposed between guide 204 and press 300. The purpose of the extension guide 270 is to allow one of the two pullers to reach a position close to press 300 during the first extrusion. Thereby, the gripping means 221 may engage the end of profile P as soon as it is formed, that is to say in a position substantially corresponding to the outlet section of press 300 from which the profile itself exits.

(27) It has therefore been shown by the detailed description above of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings, that the present invention allows the preset objects to be obtained while overcoming the drawbacks encountered in the prior art.

(28) In particular, the present invention relates to the installation and use of constructionally different guides, each of the guides being dedicated to a single pulling or returning step, where the guide dedicated to the return step may be constructively simpler and therefore less costly both from a constructional and installation viewpoint as well as from the viewpoint of maintenance.

(29) In reference to the guides, contrarily to what occurs in solutions of known type, a mechanical division among the travel paths (guides) substantially is achieved through the present invention, which advantageously prevents the transmission of vibrations generated by the puller traveling the return path (guide 203) to the puller traveling the outward path (guide 204). In essence, the puller that drags profile P does not suffer the behavior of the puller that returns towards the repositioning guide 209 in favor of the quality of the extruded profile P.

(30) Moreover, the present invention allows the installation and use of substantially identical or at least very similar pullers from a constructional viewpoint, the problems of mutual interference between the pullers being avoided by means of the present invention, and therefore the need to provide at least one of the pullers with solutions for moving and repositioning gripping means, in particular during the return step.

(31) Substantially identical or at least very similar pullers from a constructional viewpoint also allow reducing the hours and energy or resources dedicated to design, decreasing the components of the carriages and the related assembly complexity, and decreasing the spare parts, with apparent advantages also from a logistics viewpoint.

(32) The system according to the present invention also allows simultaneously using more than two pullers and therefore speeding up the movement of the profiles, in particular the extrusion process. Moreover, the system may be kept running by means of the parking guides while simultaneously providing for the maintenance and/or repair of the parked pullers. Finally, one or more reserve pullers that may be put into operation according to simple and immediate modes may be prepared in the case of particular production needs and/or malfunctioning or failure of one of the other pullers. Again, in the case of extrusion plants with more than one extrusion press, the pullers may be repositioned from one to the other of the various guides with the same system of pullers and so as to meet any production need.

(33) Although the present invention was clarified by means of the preceding detailed description of the embodiments thereof depicted in the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and depicted in the drawings. Contrarily, all those modifications and/or variants of the embodiments described above and depicted in the drawings, which are obvious and apparent to those skilled in the art, fall within the scope of the present invention.

(34) For example, as anticipated, the number of pullers may vary according to the needs and/or circumstances, in particular both those operating and those “parked” and/or reserved. Likewise, according to the needs and/or circumstances, both the number and position of the repositioning and/or parking guides may vary. Moreover, the guides may be both anchored to the ground and suspended. Again, concerning the movement of the pullers, both remote and on-board drives may be provided. And finally, the broadest selection is allowed—within the scope of the present invention—concerning the solutions which may be implemented for moving the repositioning guides, which in the case of systems with particularly contained costs, may also provide manually moving the repositioning guides. The same may be said concerning the repositioning times, where the repositioning guides may be repositioned according to times dictated by the particular needs and/or circumstances.

(35) The scope of the present invention is thus defined by the claims.