Device to discard short bars

Device to discard short bars shorter than a predetermined length from a plurality of bars being fed by feeder that comprise a plurality of first conveyor chains (14a) and a matching plurality of second conveyor chains (14b), on which the bars (11) are positioned perpendicular to the conveyor chains (14) and are fed in a direction at a right angle to the lengthwise extent of the bars (11), the downstream ends of the first conveyor chains (14a) and upstream ends of the second conveyor chains (14b) being progressively staggered so as to define a separation channel (13) positioned at an angle to the axis of feed of the bars (11), an angle of between 10.degree. and 45.degree. being defined between the separation channel (13) and the axis of the bars (11), the separation channel (13) cooperating with a bridge to support ends of bars of at least the predetermined length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention concerns a device to discard short bars. 
The device to discard short bars according to the invention is applied 
advantageously to means which feed bars, such as conveyor chain means for 
instance, so as to discard bars of a length shorter than a pre-set length. 
The state of the art covers the problem of having to discard, from a 
plurality of bars being fed side by side in a direction at a right angle 
to the lengthwise extent of the bars on a plurality of conveyor chain 
means, the bars which are too short to meet the requirements of a 
pre-determined length. 
In fact, the bars which are not of the right length have to be discarded so 
as to be able to ensure the formation of bundles of bars consisting only 
of bars having a given minimum length according to the requirements laid 
down. 
The bars which are too short are discarded at the present time by making 
the plurality of bars travel side by side on a plurality of substantially 
horizontal conveyor chains which include at a certain point a separation 
channel having its axis parallel to the axis of the bars being fed and 
therefore substantially perpendicular to the direction of feed of the 
bars. 
Bridge-type supporting means are included at the separation channel, are 
fitted suitably spaced apart crosswise and extend by a length enough to 
straddle the separation channel fully. 
The transverse distance between the supporting means is such that the bars 
longer than the required minimum length rest at their ends on the 
supporting means, with which are associated chains that carry out the feed 
of the bars. 
The bars which do not reach the pre-set minimum length fall when they 
arrive at the separation channel, since they are no longer upheld by the 
conveyor chains or by the lateral supporting means. 
But this system entails the problem that the bars which have a suitable 
length but too small a cross-section and which are supported only at their 
ends by the supporting means bend at their centre and create problems at 
the time when they should cooperate with the feeder means positioned 
downstream of the separation channel. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present applicants have designed, tested and embodied this invention so 
as to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to achieve 
further advantages. 
The device to discard short bars according to the invention enables all 
bars having a length shorter than a pre-set value to be discarded. 
The bars are fed side by side in a direction at the right angle to their 
lengthwise extent on a plurality of suitably spaced parallel chains. 
The device to discard short bars according to the invention consists in the 
creation of a separation channel of a suitable width to interrupt the 
chains; the separation channel is arranged diagonally to the direction of 
feed of the bars. 
A bridge-type means cooperates with the interruption channel and can be 
positioned advantageously in such a way as to define the length of the 
bars which is to be accepted. 
In this way the end of bars shorter than the desired length bends when it 
is no longer upheld by a chain, and descends below the plane of feed 
little by little as the bars advance, and finally drops into discharge 
means positioned below. 
Instead, the bars of a length equal to or greater than the length required 
always stay upheld along almost all their length except for a segment of a 
short length which remains suspended above the separation channel. 
According to a first embodiment supporting arms cooperate with the 
separation channel and are located substantially below the plane of feed 
of the bars in cooperation with the separation channel. 
These supporting arms have a working position, in which they support the 
bars which are too short, and a discharge position, in which they release 
the too short bars which are thus discharged onto removal means 
consisting, for instance, of an underlying removal roller conveyor. 
The actuation of the supporting arms can be timed or be operated by hand by 
the machine operator. 
According to a variant a conveyor belt is included below the separation 
channel; the short discarded bars fall directly onto this belt and are 
then discharged onto a removal roller conveyor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The reference number 10 in the attached figures denotes generally a device 
to discard short bars 11 according to the invention. 
The device 10 according to the invention is applied to a system 12 that 
feeds single bars 11 lying substantially parallel to each other; these 
bars 11 are fed in a direction at a right angle to their lengthwise 
extent. 
In this case the feeder system 12 consists of a plurality of first conveyor 
chains 14a positioned parallel and side by side and followed by a 
coordinated plurality of second conveyor chains 14b which too are parallel 
to each other. 
These pluralities of first 14a and second 14b conveyor chains are arranged 
so as to define between them a separation channel 13 positioned diagonally 
and obtained by staggering in a regular and progressive manner the 
downstream ends of the first conveyor chains 14a and in an analogous 
manner the upstream ends of the second conveyor chains 14b. 
The separation channel 13 may be positioned at an angle of 10.degree. to 
45.degree. to the axis of the bars 11. 
Bridge means 15 which straddle the whole width of the separation channel 13 
are positioned at the two ends of that separation channel 13. These bridge 
means 15 can be positioned advantageously at such a distance apart in a 
crosswise direction as to define the length of the bars 11 to be accepted. 
In this case the bridge means 15 consist of chains 16, which are fed at the 
same speed as the conveyor chains 14 so as to feed bars 11 of a suitable 
length continuously from the first conveyor chains 14a and to discharge 
the bars 11 onto the second conveyor chains 14b. 
The too short bars 11a arriving at the separation channel 13, from the 
moment when their end is no longer upheld by the first conveyor chains 14a 
or by the bridge means 15, descend progressively below the feed plane 
defined by the conveyor chains 14. 
According to a first embodiment of the invention (FIG. 2) the device 10 
according to the invention includes a plurality of supporting arms 17 
positioned at, and extending over the whole width of, the separation 
channel 13. 
These supporting arms 17 have a first working position 17a shown with 
continuous lines, in which they support short bars 11a falling into the 
separation channel 13, and a second discharge position 17b shown with 
lines of dashes, in which they discharge the short bars 11a onto an 
underlying removal roller conveyor 18. 
Actuation of the supporting arms 17 may be timed or be operated by hand by 
the machine operator. 
According to a second form of embodiment an auxiliary conveyor belt 19, 
onto which the short bars 11a fall directly and are then discharged 
continuously onto the removal roller conveyor 18, is included at the 
separation channel 13 and below the plane of feed of the bars 11.