FEEDING APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ROD-LIKE MATERIAL

FEEDING APPARATUS FOR FEEDING ROD-LIKE MATERIAL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a feeding apparatus for feeding rod- like material in the transverse direction thereof, the feeding apparatus comprising at least two transfer beams substantially in the feed direction, on top of which the rod-like material to be fed is placed in the transverse direction of the transfer beams, transfer means and a power unit as well as grip elements in the transfer means for transferring the material in the feed direction.

[0002] In different machining means, such as saws, the aim has been to automate the transfer of rod-like material to be processed to a machine tool. Typical solutions include different transfer chains operating as transfer means, which are moved either in one direction only or back and forth typically by means of an electric motor. Correspondingly the chains or the like are provided with various toothed projections operating as the grip element, which convey the rod-like material in the transverse direction thereof towards the saw or a similar machine means.

[0003] The feeding apparatuses used in known solutions are very expensive and the structure thereof is complicated. Typically the same motor rotates by means of a single main shaft moving in the transverse direction of the entire feeding apparatus all the transfer chains included in the feeding apparatus, which correspondingly makes the structure even more complicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a feeding apparatus, which is simple to manufacture and which regarding the expenses thereof is more advantageous than the previous solutions.

[0005] The feeding apparatus of the invention is characterized in that the transfer means comprise in at least two transfer beams a transfer rod parallel to the transfer beam that in relation thereto is mounted to move back and forth in the longitudinal direction thereof and for each transfer rod a separate power unit is mounted to move said rod, that the transfer rods are provided with transfer elements, which are rotatably mounted in respect of the transfer rods such that they are able during the return motion of the transfer rods to turn from the grip position towards the feed direction in such a manner that they are able to go below the material to be transferred and correspond- ingly to turn into the vertical position such that during the feed motion they touch the material to be transferred pushing it in the feed direction.

[0006] The essential idea of the invention is to use simple transfer rods, to which rotating grip elements i.e. transfer elements are coupled, and in order to provide transfer motion a separate power unit is employed for each transfer rod. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention pressure medium cylinders are used as the power units, whereby one movement of the cylinder provides a transfer motion and correspondingly an opposite movement allows pushing the transfer rods backwards to grip again the following rod-like material. According to a second embodiment of the invention the pressure medium cylinders of all transfer rods are arranged to operate such that they always move synchronously, in other words the same distance in the same amount of time. According to a third embodiment of the invention the pressure medium cylinders are pressure liquid cylinders.

[0007] An advantage of the feeding apparatus according to the invention is that the feeding apparatus is simple and advantageous to manufacture and also functionally reliable and easy to service.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] In the following the invention will be explained in more detail in the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 schematically shows a top view of a feeding apparatus according to the invention by way of example when mounted in a machine tool,

Figure 2 schematically shows a side view partly in cross-section of one transfer beam of the feeding apparatus according to the invention,

Figure 3 schematically shows the transfer beam according to Figure 2 in cross-section from B to B,

Figure 4a and 4b schematically show a side view from the front of a transfer element structure, and

Figure 5a and 5b schematically show in greater detail the transfer element mounted in the transfer rod in the normal position thereof and during the return motion while going below the rod-like material on the transfer beam during the return motion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Figure 1 schematically shows a top view of a feeding apparatus according to the invention by way of example when mounted in the ma- chine tool. The apparatus comprises three transfer beams 1, which are mutually substantially parallel and placed in the direction of the feed direction denoted by arrow S. Rod-like material 2 is placed for feeding on top of the transfer beams 1. The transfer beams 1 typically end at a roller conveyor 3, along which the rod-like material 2 is finally fed in the longitudinal direction thereof to a machine tool 4 in order to be machined.

[0010] Figure 2 schematically shows a side view partly in cross- section of the transfer beam 1 of the feeding apparatus according to the invention. The Figure shows the transfer beam 1, which typically stands on feet 5 of appropriate height. A transfer rod 6 provided with a transfer element 7 operating as a grip element moves inside the transfer beam 1. A pressure medium cylinder, or a transfer cylinder 8, operating as the power unit is placed below the transfer beam 1. The pressure medium cylinder is coupled from one end thereof to the transfer beam 1 by means of a bracket 9 and from the other end thereof to a bracketiO included in the transfer rod 6. Each transfer rod 6 is provided with a specific separate power unit, which moves only the transfer rod that simplifies the structure of the feeding apparatus. The transfer rod 6 is mounted to move in relation to the transfer beam 1 for instance by means of wheels 11.

[0011] In accordance with the invention the rod-like material 2 on the transfer beam is transferred in such a manner that at first the transfer cylinder 8 is used to push the transfer rod 6 as far back as possible, i.e. to the left in the situation depicted in Figure 2. Then the transfer element 7 is able to move from below the material 2 as shown in Figure 4 and rises again upright after having gone below the material. Thereafter the transfer cylinder 8 is used to transfer the transfer rod 6 to the right in the Figure, whereby the transfer elements 7 in each transfer rod push the rod-like material 2 towards the roller conveyor 3 of the machine tool. In order to carry out the transfer of the material directly and evenly, the transfer cylinders 8 are most preferably coupled such that the length of the transfer motion thereof is always equal, in which case the transfer rods 6 correspondingly move the same distance.

[0012] Figure 3 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention as a cross-section of the transfer beam 2 from B to B in Figure.

[0013] In this embodiment the transfer beam 1 is almost U-shaped, and is preferably made of a steel plate using bending. In this embodiment the upper edges of the vertical sides of the transfer beam 1 are provided with hori- zoπtal edge flanges 1a facing one another, between which a gap 1b remains in the longitudinal direction of the transfer beam 1. The edge flanges 1a form the upper control surfaces. The transfer rod 6 is movably mounted inside the transfer beam 1 using the wheels 11 appropriately mounted at the bottom of the transfer beam 1 and between the edge flanges 1 a and rotatably coupled to the transfer rod 6. The wheels 11 are rotatably coupled to the transfer rod 6 and the required amount of wheels is provided along the length of the transfer rod 6, which depends on the length of the transfer rod. The minimum amount is naturally two pairs of wheels.

[0014] The transfer rod 6 is further provided with rotatable transfer elements 7 shown in more detail in Figures 5a and 5b. The transfer element 7 as shown in Figure 3 is preferably made using two similar element parts, which are fastened together with a pin welded between the two in such a manner that they remain fixedly fastened to each other.

[0015] Instead of the solution provided with large wheels it is of course possible to arrange close to the lower edge and correspondingly the upper edge of the transfer rod 6 separate smaller controlling wheels, such as bearings, supported on which the transfer rod moves and which allow keeping the transfer rod in the correct position in respect of the transfer beam 1.

[0016] Figure 4a and 4b schematically show a side view from the front of a transfer element structure. The transfer element 7 is provided with a pin 7b between two plate-like element parts 7a. The transfer rod 6 in turn comprises a groove 6a extending downwards from the upper edge of the transfer rod 6 made for the pins 7b of each transfer element 7. The groove 6a is preferably slightly chamfered such that it slants towards the feed direction. The transfer element 7 can then be placed in position and if needed be removed without requiring any separate installations. The lower edge of the transfer element is also provided preferably with notches 7c. Correspondingly the transfer rod 6 is provided with counter elements, preferably a pin 6b passing there through, the ends of which are placed in the notches 7c of the transfer element 7 placed in the vertical position and the diameter of the pin 6b is preferably slightly smaller than the notches 7c at the lower edge of the transfer element parts 7a. The transfer element is formed and dimensioned in such a manner that the lower part thereof downwards from the pin 7b is heavier than the upper part. [0017] Figure 5a schematically shows in greater detail the transfer element 7 mounted in the transfer rod 6 in the normal position thereof. When the transfer element 7 is in the position shown in Figure 4a it is fixedly locked in position and pushes the material rod to be machined in front thereof while the transfer rod 8 moves in the feed direction.

[0018] Figure 5b in turn shows a situation, in which the transfer rod 6 is moved backwards for a new transfer motion. Such a situation shows how the transfer element 7 when hitting the material rod 2 to be transferred with the left-side surface thereof turns below the material rod 2 such that it is able to pass the material rod supported on the upper surface of the transfer beam 1 and to move behind the material rod without requiring other actuators or measures. When the transfer rod 6 has been pushed an adequately long distance backwards, the transfer element 7 is released from below the material rod 2 and has again turned into the position shown in Figure 5a for the duration of the next feed motion.

[0019] The invention has above in the description and in the drawings been explained merely by way of example, but it is by no means restricted thereto. Instead of an almost enclosed transfer beam provided with only one groove on the upper surface thereof it is also possible to use other types of transfer beams, whereby the transfer rod and the transfer element must naturally be mounted correspondingly in accordance with the structure of the transfer beam 1. Therefore the transfer rod may be movably mounted at the side of for instance an l-shaped or similarly shaped transfer beam to move supported by appropriate control chutes or other controllers. Likewise, it is not necessary for the transfer element to comprise two separate element parts, but can be replaced with one element part and a pin coupled thereto in order to provide the rotating motion in accordance with the above described principle. What can further be used as the power unit instead of the pressure medium cylinder is an electric motor, which is coupled with an appropriate mechanism to transfer the transfer rod.