Rotary packaging machine to stack profiled sections

Abstract: Method to package sections either in normal layers or in alternate right-side-up/overturned layers, the layers being fed from determined layers, whereby two already butted layers, one having a number N of sections and the other having a number N-1 of sections, or viceversa, reach the packaging machine by moving axially at one and the same time, the layers having been distanced apart laterally beforehand by a required value linked to the features of the packaging machine, the first layer (30) of "N" sections arriving and being positioned directly on a package (29) being formed, whereas the second layer (31) of "N-1" sections arrives between a plurality of pairs of clamping arms (24) able to rotate about an axis located in a central position between the two layers (30-31), the pairs of clamping arms (24) positioning the second layer (31) on the package (29) being formed. Rotary packaging machine able to package sections either in normal layers or in alternate right-side-up/overturned layers according to the above method, the packaging machine being fed by determined layers of the sections and comprising a plurality of pairs of clamping arms (24) able to rotate about an axis which is located along the length of the packaging machine and which is parallel to the package (29) being formed, the clamping arms (24) lying on a plane passing through and radial to that axis, the axis of rotation lying between the two planes of axial arrival of the sections, the arms (24) being secured to rotary means (21).

Description: This invention concerns a rotary packaging machine to stack profiled sections. To be more exact, the invention concerns a packaging machine that comprises layer overturning means including arms able to rotate about an axis. The state of the art includes machines to stack profiled sections which may be rolled, formed, extruded, etc. Such packaging machines arrange the packages with alternate layers of sections, one layer of the alternate layers being normally overturned to bond the package together. The known packaging machines entail a plurality of drawbacks. A first drawback is the fact that the machines cannot be installed directly in line downstream of the shears, which in turn is located downstream of the straightening machine. A second drawback is that the machines cannot package alternate right-side-up and overturned layers either travelling or halted. A third drawback is that the machines can process only very closely determined ranges of sections and cannot always handle angle irons just as well as smooth and/or ribbed round bars. A fourth drawback is that the fastening of the package is not carried out in line. US-A-4,487,540 discloses a device to overturn parallel layers which is positioned beside, and cooperating with, a packaging assembly according to the preamble of claim 1. The overturning device not only takes up lateral space but is complex and complicated and is not suitable for the heavy duties for which it is intended; moreover, it makes necessary for the packaging assembly an independent system of engaging and delivering a layer. Moreover, the known systems entail considerable overall sizes, cover large areas, require heavy maintenance costs in view of the complexity of the mechanisms, cannot adapt themselves to the various sections and involve long times for their cycle, great running costs and considerable installed power. EP-A-406573 (published on 09.01.1991) discloses the nearest state of the art but constitutes an expensive and complex system in view of the need to actuate large diameter rolls circumferentially and at the same time to actuate the pairs of arms through these rolls. The whole system entails significant technical complications, technical-constructional complications and considerable installation and maintenance complications. The present invention overcomes all the drawbacks of the state of the art and achieves a plurality of advantages. The invention under examination provides packaging machines which can package in line immediately downstream of the shears. Furthermore, a packaging machine according to the invention offers: smaller overall sizes and reduced areas and volumes occupied; much lower running and maintenance costs, the installed power required being much less for the same output; the ability to adapt itself independently to the various sections and to process smooth and ribbed round bars too; much shorter times of its cycle as the various steps take place in sequence. The rotary packaging machine according to the invention is set forth and characterised in the main claims, whereas the dependent claims describe variants of the idea of the original solution. According to the invention the rotary packaging machine of the invention is installed in a production line. According to the invention, if alternate right-side-up and overturned layers are to be packaged, the sections reach the packaging machine in the form of a double layer. The two layers arrive already formed and combined and consist of a right-side-up layer of "N" sections and a layer to be overturned consisting of "N-1" sections. The two layers reach the packaging machine side by side and butted but are suitably distanced sideways. The pre-arrangement of the layers may take place downstream of the cooling plate and the butting may be carried out in any known way, even by a suitable shears downstream of the multiple straightening machine. One of the two layers is already positioned vertically in relation to the package being formed when it reaches the packaging machine, whereas the other layer, which has to be overturned, arrives alongside the first layer and is engaged by a plurality of rotary arms which cooperate with the package being formed. According to the invention the arms are located on a plane passing through the centre of rotation and are secured to a rotary shaft that supports and positions the whole plurality of such arms. The arms which support and convey the sections are included in pairs and are oriented towards the centre of rotation in an engagement and delivery position. Furthermore, the arms are positioned substantially horizontally and at least one arm in each pair can move; both the arms can be withdrawn advantageously, that is to say, they are enabled to be withdrawn from contact with the package or layer. The arms can be included on one side alone or on both sides of the shaft and can be located substantially on a diametrical plane. In such a case, pairs of arms may be included on both sides of the shaft. The arms normally serve to engage, overturn and place the overturned layer on the package being formed. The package being formed is supported on vertically movable arms suitable to move the package itself step by step vertically as required and to deliver it, when formed, to lower removal means. The layer positioned right-side-up is placed on the package, for instance, by a thrust applied by the straightening machine or by a drawing means located downstream of the shears which shears to size. According to a variant the right-side-up layer is positioned by the action of retractable rollers located between the package and the plane of arrival of the layer. According to another variant the right-side-up layer is positioned by the action of overlying caterpillar-type rollers or belts acting by pressure or magnetically on the upper layer. According to a further variant the right-side-up layer is engaged by auxiliary withdrawable arms able to move longitudinally to the package being formed and suitable to position the right-side-up layer on the package. As we said above, the arms may also be of a twin and counterpart type lying on a diametrical plane and may therefore work alternately to overturn a layer. According to a variant the arms perform also the tasks of auxiliary withdrawable arms and, besides being vertically movable (at least one of them) and being capable of being withdrawn, can also move longitudinally to the package. In this way the arms which have overturned the layer to be overturned are those which engage the right-side-up layer and place it on the package being formed. The arms can be withdrawn axially (backwards and forwards) or laterally (on a support) and may include magnetic means to engage and anchor the sections. Moreover, at least one arm per pair can move vertically on a plane at a right angle to the lengthwise axis of the package being formed. In view of the dimensions involved the invention can be easily soundproofed and protected. The attached figures, which are given as a non-restrictive example, show the following:- Fig.1 shows a simplified diagram of EP-A-0406573; Fig.2 shows the invention with a central support shaft; Fig.3 shows a possible actuation system for the arms according to the invention. A rotary packaging machine 10, as shown in the figures, can be installed readily in the finishing zone of a rolling plant to make rational the processing cycle and the lay-out. Fig.1 shows the possible rationalised lay-out of EP-A-0406573, which is substantially analogous to the lay-out of the invention. A rolled item arrives on a plate 11 which includes an area 12 for the formation of layers of sections. The layer or layers are traversed from the area 12 onto a feeder conveyor 13. The invention makes possible the processing of sections which have to be packaged in alternate right-side-up and overturned layers and also of sections which are to be packaged without anchorage between the layers. Thus, in relation to the characteristics of the section and of the package, the area 12 may contain: only one layer, or two equal layers positioned parallel and side by side but suitably distanced laterally, or two parallel layers side by side but distanced laterally, of which one layer will remain as already oriented while the other layer has to be overturned. The feeder conveyor 13 delivers the layer or layers side by side to a drawing means 14, which feeds the layers to a multiple straightening machine 15. The layer or layers side by side pass from the multiple straightening machine 15 to a shears 16, which may be of any type and shears the layers to size. Hereinafter we shall describe the case of layers side by side 30-31, of which one layer 31 has to be overturned so as to bond itself to the previous layer 30 and successive layer 30. A formed package 28 leaving a rotary packaging machine 10 is moved axially on a package-removal roller conveyor 18 and passes on to a binding zone 40 which holds one or more binding machines. In the example of Fig.1 there is one wheeled binding machine 17. The bound packages 28 pass from the binding zone 40 to a weighing machine and thence to a store 19 for bound packages. In the example of the invention in Figs.2 and 3 the formed package 28 can be fed onwards as shown in Fig.1 but, if so required, can also be traversed sideways and the binding machine can be positioned laterally, thus achieving a further greater use of the space available. The two layers, namely 30 consisting of "N" sections and remaining right-side-up and that 31 consisting in this case of "N-1" sections to be overturned so as to be bonded better to the layer 30 deposited previously and to the layer 30 to be deposited successively, reach the rotary packaging machine 10 at the same time and are side by side and distanced laterally according to requirements. The sheared layer 31 to be overturned is clamped by arms 24a and 24b, is actuated by devices 25a and 25b and is rotated by 180° as so to be above the right-side-up layer 30. The overturned layer 31 is then rested on the right-side-up layer 30 and is freed of the supporting action of the clamping arms 24, since the arms 24a and 24b become reciprocally distanced vertically owing to the action of the actuator devices 25b and are rotated on their pivot 39 in a coordinated and progressive manner by the actuator 25a. The first layers 30-31 forming the first two layers of a package 29 being formed arrive respectively on a supporting conveyor consisting of support arms 32, which may include idler support rollers, and on a roller conveyor 22. The successive layers 30-31 arrive respectively above the package 29 being formed and the clamping arms 24. When the clamping arms 24 have delivered the overturned layer 31 to the package 29 being formed, they return along their path or remain halted to allow another pair of clamping arms to overturn the next layer or continue their travel to their starting position and are pre-arranged for another layer 31 to be overturned which is about to arrive or has already arrived. The clamping arms, when they have discharged a layer, are repositioned radially in a readied position and clamp the layer 31 for a new cycle. Lower or upper rollers, magnetized or not, or axially movable shafts may be included instead of the upper clamping arms 24a. The upper clamping arms 24a may be disactuated momentarily and the lower clamping arms 24b alone may be caused to function. The clamping arms 24 may comprise magnetic and/or pre-positioner means of a known type. The layer 31 arrives on the roller conveyor 22 alongside the right-side-up layer 30 and substantially at the same time as the latter 30 and is positioned between the upper and lower clamping arms 24a-24b, or else the clamping arms 24 are positioned in relation to the layer 31. As we said above, the clamping arms 24 can move vertically along their pivot 39 owing to the action of the actuator 25b and therefore can clamp the layer 31 to be overturned. The actuators 25b can act in a linear or other manner, for instance on a circular cam (Fig.3). When the layer 31 to be overturned has been clamped by the upper clamping arms 24a, the upper and lower arms 24 are rotated by 180° so that they can place the layer 31 overturned on the previous right-side-up layer 30 located on the package 29 being formed. According to the invention the overturned layer 31 is deposited by lateral withdrawal of the clamping arms 24 rotated about their pivot 39. When the overturned layer 31 has been deposited, the clamping arms 24 return to their inward position as soon as the support arm 32 has lowered by a correct value the package 29 being formed. When the clamping arms 24 have returned to their inward position and the clamping arms 24 of the next layer 31 to be overturned are in position, the next pair of layers 30-31 are fed and the cycle is repeated. In the example of Fig.2 the formed package 28 is removed laterally by conveyors 118, which thereafter deliver the package 28, bound or not, to the removal roller conveyor 18. The packaging machine according to the invention can be readily soundproofed, and this, besides performing safety functions, carries out the tasks of muffling and containing noises, the cycle being controlled through appropriate windows. In the situation of Fig.2 it can be seen that the pairs of clamping arms 24, being one or more pairs per each housing, lie on a diametrical plane and have a very simple structure, being secured to a central shaft 121 and leaving the sides free of any constraint. The embodiment enables the two layers 30-31 to arrive together astride the lengthwise axis of rotation of the clamping arms 24, to arrive axially, to arrive on the same plane and to arrive already pre-positioned. The embodiment enables the packaging machine to be kept in line with the straightening machine, at the same time simplifying the lay-out and reducing the overall size. Moreover, the whole structure of the packaging machine is greatly reduced.

Claims: Rotary packaging machine suitable to stack profiled sections either in normal layers or in alternate right-side-up/overturned layers, the machine being fed with two already butted and axially movable layers, the first layer (30) containing a number N of sections , whereas the second layer (31) contains a number N-1 of sections, or viceversa, the two layers (30-31) having been spaced apart sideways beforehand by a pre-set desired value, the packaging machine being defined by a first vertical longitudinal plane between the two layers (30-31) and by a second substantially horizontal plane in which the two layers lie at a right angle to the first plane, the packaging machine comprising a horizontal shaft having its axis substantially parallel to the second plane and lying in the first vertical plane between the two layers (30-31), the shaft being provided with a plurality of arms to handle the layers, the machine being characterised in that the shaft (121) includes a plurality of pairs of arms (24) parallel to the second plane, each pair (24) having its two parallel arms spaced apart with one arm above said second plane and the other arm below said second plane, the arms of each pair of arms (24) being movable towards each other between a layer engagement position and a layer clamping position and being further movable simultaneously in relation to the shaft (121) around a vertical axis (39) between a receiving and engaging position, a delivery and release position and a disengagement position, the shaft (121) being rotatable around its horizontal axis between two diametrically opposed positions, namely a position to receive and engage layers and a position to deliver and release layers respectively, these two positions being such that the layers lie within the said second horizontal plane, the lower arms of the pairs of arms (24) being placed, in their receiving position, below the second plane and in their clamping position and being placed above said second plane in their clamping position. Packaging machine as in Claim 1, in which the shaft (121) includes two sets of pairs of arms (24) positioned diametrically opposite to each other. Packaging machine as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, comprising a roller conveyor (22) to deliver a layer, the upper surface of the roller conveyor (22) being defined by the second plane. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which a package (29) is formed below, the first layer (30) Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the pair of arms (24) cooperating with the second layer (31) is, in the receiving and engaging position, movable from the engagement position to the clamping position. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the pair of arms (24) cooperating with the first layer (30) in the delivery and release position is movable from the clamping position to the receiving position. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the pair of arms (24) cooperating with the second layer (31) in the initial step is movable from the disengagement position to the receiving and engaging position. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the pair of arms (24) cooperating with the first layer (30) in the final step is movable from the delivery and release position to the disengagement position. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the pair of arms (24) is in the disengagement position during the step of traversing from the delivery and release position to the receiving and engaging position. Packaging machine as in any claim hereinbefore, in which the arms (24) in the disengagement position are substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft (121). Packaging machine as in any of Claims 1 to 9 inclusive, in which the arms (24) in the disengagement position have their longitudinal axis normal to the axis of the shaft (121).

Inventors: POLONI ALFREDO, POLONI, ALFREDO
Applicants: DANIELI OFF MECC, DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE S.P.A.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65G57
IPC codes: B65G57